#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Allison Brook/Marilyn Levinson

I’d like the welcome the fabulous Allison Brook/Marilyn Levinson back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:

Shop online; read; do a Sudoku puzzle

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list:

Straightening up the area around my computer; going through my closet to remove clothes I haven't worn in a very long time.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Sitting down to write each day

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Getting up from writing for the day. Doing an author takeover and chatting with readers

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: ice cream

Things you never put on your shopping list: soda, fake whipped cream

Favorite snacks: Chocolate bark, pistachio nuts

Things that make you want to gag: marshmallows, oreo cookies

Something you’re really good at: knitting, cooking, writing, speaking to a group

Something you’re really bad at: using a sewing machine; drawing

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: a ballerina or an author

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: being a somewhat successful author

Last best thing you ate: dark chocolate

Last thing you regret eating: too much dark chocolate

Favorite places you’ve been: England, South of France, Machu Picchu, Mexico

Places you never want to go to again: Caribbean

Favorite things to do: reading, yoga, dining out, watching films and British shows

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: being an officer of an organization, cleaning, straightening up my papers and things

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: Go back a few pages before writer's block set in and see where you strayed from your story; take a break from writing.

Things you do to avoid writing: read emails, shop online, make phone calls.

About Allison:

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for young readers.

As Allison Brook, Marilyn writes the Haunted Library mystery series, which has received many accolades. Death Overdue, the first book in ther series,was an Agatha nomination for Best Contemporary Novel, a Library Journal "Pick of the Month" and on Goodreads' list of the 200 "Most Popular Books Published in October 2017.

The Devil's Pawn, is a horror-suspense YA that will give you chills but leave you smiling when you've read the last page. Her Golden Age of Mystery Book Club mysteries have received many wonderful reviews. Murder a la Christie, the first in the series, was a King Rivers Life Magazine's "Best of 2014" and on Book Town's 2014 Summer Mystery Reading List. Professor Lexie Driscoll leads discussions about Christie novels as she solves the murders of various members of her book club. In the sequel, Murder the Tey Way, Lexie and the book club talk about Josephine Tey's mysteries as she investigates murders and unravels secrets.

Untreed Reads has brought out new e-editions of Marilyn's Twin Lakes mysteries: A Murderer Among Us, awarded a Suspense Magazine Best Indie and on Book Town's Summer Reading List. The sequel, Murder in the Air, was on Book Town's Fall Reading List. Both books will soon be available as audiobooks. Uncial Press e-publishes her ghost mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, and her romantic suspense, Dangerous Relations. Most of Marilyn's mysteries take place on Long Island, where she lives.

Her books for young readers include No Boys Allowed, Rufus and Magic Run Amok, which was awarded a "Children's Choice." Getting Back to Normal & And Don't Bring Jeremy.

Marilyn loves traveling, reading, knitting, doing Sudoku, and visiting with her grandchildren, Olivia and Jack, on FaceTime. She is co-founder and past president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Let’s Be Social:

Website

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Allison Brook

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Allison Brook (Marilyn Levinson) to the blog to talk about her latest book.

Favorite thing that you always make time for: email, talking to my grandkids, reading

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid: writing. Well, only for a brief time, until I get into my writing groove.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: reading glasses and wrist brace

Things that distract you from writing: email, phone calls

The thing you like most about being a writer: readers telling me how much they like my books; finishing a book.

The thing you like least about being a writer: sitting down each day to write. Once I get started I'm all right. All the promotion I have to do for each book.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night: Nothing. I have enough discipline to wait till morning.:)

Things you never put on your shopping list: cake, soda.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: the camaraderie and generosity of my fellow writers; comments from readers who love my characters and my books

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over: I wish it hadn't taken so long for me to get established as an author, though I don't know what I could have done differently.

Something you’re really good at: finding outlets on social media to promote my books

Something you never learned how to do: truly understand and buy stocks and bonds on my own.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: a ballerina

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: keep on writing at my age.

Your best recipe: I've several: simple blueberry cake; apricot chicken; broccoli and cheese casserole; honey-soy sauce salmon

Something that didn’t turn out like you planned when you made it: I made a goose, and it was sooo very fatty.

Things you always put in your books: three-dimensional characters; characters relationships; a romantic interest; usually a dog or a cat; murder.

Things you never put in your books: torture; physical cruelty; death of my protagonist.

Favorite things to do: reading, crossword puzzles, yoga, sudoku, chatting on FaceTime with my grandkids.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: something new that I've never done before

About Allison:

"I was a bookworm from the moment I learned how to read. I devoured Nancy Drews, Judy Boltons, and Trixie Beldons – sometimes two books in one day. Was it any wonder I ended up writing mysteries?

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I dreamed of becoming a ballerina or a writer. I practiced my pirouettes and penned short stories. My family moved to Long Island, where I continued to write stories until I was discouraged by a high school English teacher.

Turned off to writing, I continued to read voraciously in college and concentrated on my major, Spanish. I studied in Mexico and Spain, intent on becoming fluent in the language. I taught high school Spanish, married my dentist husband, and we started a family. When our two sons were small, I found myself drawn back to writing fiction.

A writer is a writer forever. We may have more than our share of disappointments, but the rewards are many – knowing you bring joy to readers; sharing the camaraderie and support of your fellow scribes. Writing is a way of life, one I wouldn’t relinquish for anything.

Let’s Be Social:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Marilyn Levinson (Allison Brook)

I’d like to welcome Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday. I am having so much fun reading her Haunted Library series.

A few of your favorite things: my books—read and unread, chocolate bark, mystery series in any format, dining out, doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku, visiting other countries

Things you need to throw out: Clothing I haven't worn in three years, linens I no longer use, kitchen utensils I no longer use

Things you need for your writing sessions: My computer, of course; my movable bumpy footrest, good lighting, silence

Things that hamper your writing: The zing of an incoming email, noise.

Things you love about writing: Typing away when it flows; finishing the book; getting emails and messages that someone's just read one of my books and loved it, communicating with my fellow writers and with readers.

Things you hate about writing: When the words don't flow

Hardest thing about being a writer: Your work is never done—there's always another book, more promotion to work on

Easiest thing about being a writer: Your workplace is in your home. Your world involving your Work In Progress; communicating with readers and other writers; your agent and publisher; and information and research are all at your fingertips.

Things you never want to run out of: ideas, books, British mystery shows, book contracts

Things you wish you’d never bought: a George Foreman rotisserie, a very large and complicated Cuisinart Food Processor

Favorite foods: pasta, Indian food, ice cream, honeyed nuts, cheese

Things that make you want to gag: drinking milk

Favorite beverage: white wine

Something that gives you a sour face: lemonade without sugar

Something you’re really good at: knitting, Sudoku, teaching

Something you’re really bad at: using crutches, adding things to my website

Things you always put in your books: relationships, secrets

Things you never put in your books: erotica, death of a child

Favorite places you’ve been: South of France, Machu Picchu, Paris, England

Places you never want to go to again: some small islands in the Caribbean

Favorite books (or genre): mysteries, good literature

Books you wouldn’t buy: erotica,

Things that make you happy: Seeing my grandchildren, getting good reviews, watching a good movie

Things that drive you crazy: parents who let their children run wild in public; unnecessary horn blowing

About Marilyn:

"I was a bookworm from the moment I learned how to read. I devoured Nancy Drews, Judy Boltons, and Trixie Beldons – sometimes two books in one day. Was it any wonder I ended up writing mysteries?

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, I dreamed of becoming a ballerina or a writer. I practiced my pirouettes and penned short stories. My family moved to Long Island, where I continued to write stories until I was discouraged by a high school English teacher. Turned off to writing, I continued to read voraciously in college and concentrated on my major, Spanish. I studied in Mexico and Spain, intent on becoming fluent in the language. I taught high school Spanish, married my dentist husband, and we started a family. When our two sons were small, I found myself drawn back to writing fiction.

A writer is a writer forever. We may have more than our share of disappointments, but the rewards are many – knowing you bring joy to readers; sharing the camaraderie and support of your fellow scribes. Writing is a way of life, one I wouldn’t relinquish for anything."

Let’s Be Social:

Website

BookBub

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Help Marilyn celebrate her new book at her Facebook Party on September 10 from 7-10 PM EDT.