#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Jackie Layton

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I’m so excited to have the fabulous Jackie Layton back on the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for: Walking on the beach.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid: For some reason, I hate to go grocery shopping. I put it off as long as possible, but eventually I’ll go.

The thing you like most about being a writer: Creating characters, communities, and the relationships between the characters.

The thing you like least about being a writer: Marketing.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online: A handheld massager. It’s great for my shoulders after sitting at my desk for a long time.

The thing you wished you’d never bought. A fondue pot. For some reason I thought it would be a lot of fun, but I’ve never taken it out of the box.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: Music, coffee, and pretzels or sesame sticks. I also have my series notebook with maps and house plans.

Things that distract you from writing: If I’m in the writing zone, not much distracts me. Other times the TV, nice weather, or even the sound of a lawn mower can distract me.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: I’ve made a lot of great friends through writing.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over: I wish I had started sooner.

Things you always put in your books: I always have pets in my books.

Things you never put in your books: Alcoholism runs in my family, and I’ve never been a drinker. It’s a personal choice. Some of my friends drink, and some don’t. I really don’t pay attention to what they order though. I have been questioned why my characters don’t drink, and it’s because I just don’t think about it. I can be authentic about drinking coffee, eating pizza, or eating ice cream.

Things to say to an author: I enjoyed your book, and I’ll leave you a review.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I didn’t think your book was authentic.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Vince Gill. He was so nice, and he was taller than I expected.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Paula Deen. She was so tiny when I met her last year, but she went out of her way to be kind when we crossed paths with her.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: Recently a reader told me he laughed out loud at a scene in a book. After my husband read the book, he said the same thing. That really made me feel good.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: After I agreed to a speaking engagement, the reader told me I needed to speak for an hour. I thought that was crazy, but I had already agreed. So, I asked a few friends and family members what they’d like to hear authors talk about. When the day came, I talked for an hour. The audience was engaged. They laughed at the right time and oohed at other times. It was a great experience.

The funniest thing that happened to you in an airport: My flight was late arriving in Atlanta, and I RAN, and I rarely run, down to catch the train, also know as the APM (Automated People Mover). I made it to my concourse and crowded onto the escalator up, then I ran again. I made it to my gate, sweating and out of breath, just in time to hear the announcement that my connecting flight had been delayed. Once I could breathe, I laughed. At least I didn’t miss my flight.

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you in an airport: After a writing conference, I placed my suitcase on the scales when I checked in. I joked to the man about hoping I hadn’t gone over the weight limit. The scales tipped up to seventy-five pounds, and my heart dropped. Then he pointed to his foot. He’d stepped on the scale as a joke. We laughed, and thankfully my suitcase was under the limit.

The best job you ever had: Being an author is the best job ever.

The worst job you ever had: I was a candy striper at the local hospital when I was a teen. I worked in the physical therapy department, and my job was to clean out the tubs after burn patients soaked in them. I felt terrible for the patients, and it broke my heart to see how much pain they were in.

The one thing you cook/bake that is better than a restaurant dish: My baked beans are better than most restaurants. My husband always says nobody can make baked beans as good as I do.

The one thing you cooked/baked that turned out to be an epic disaster: Kale chips. Epic disaster. Not only did they taste terrible, but the house stunk too.

The craziest thing you’ve ever researched for a story: I tried to figure out how to jump off a balcony and survive. I needed to decide where to place my feet and hands and how to move and turn to make it possible without injuring my character.

Something you never include in your books: I’d never include the death of a pet or a child.

About Jackie:

Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies. She always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Be careful what you say around her, because it might end up in a book.

Let’s Be Social:

Clutter Free

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.

Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.