#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with T. J. O'Connor

I’d like to welcome T. J. O’Connor to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite things: What category? Well, let’s talk about overall favs… Good people, especially readers and book people. Then there’s good food—I love to cook and eat! Good spirits and wine; that goes with the cooking. 40’s swing music… rock and roll from the 60s-70s. Old movies, especially sci-fi and old horror movies. Of course, my family, friends, and my Lab companions as I am a man among dogs. Adventure of course. Then, and not so finally, I’m a Harley pilot. I dearly love riding my Harley and cruising the beautiful Virginia towns and byways and, of course, into West Virginia and others.

Throw Outs: Angry, “my way or the highway” people—far too many of those in the world today. Bad food. Cheap wine. People who say “reading is stupid.” Most politicians. I’ll leave it there.

Things you love about writing/Things you hate about writing:

Love About Writing: Readers and book people. My agent and publisher of course. They have been amazing and supportive and keep me going. I love the research and backstory for my books. I always overwrite that and have to cut, but it’s worth it! I love book touring and going to trade shows, conventions, and book festivals meeting people and talking books (even if they don’t buy mine.) Writing is a solitary sport-I am mostly a loner-so I love the lifestyle (when I’m not consulting of course). I turn on some swing music and lose the day at my computer. I absolutely love that. I love my characters, too. They take my stories on their own adventure and show me how it’s done. Thank God! They’re smarter than me.

Hate About Writing: Typing “The End.” It’s bittersweet at best. Sad because it’s over and then my second hated effort, editing. I absolutely hate cutting chapters and characters because I liked what I wrote to begin with. But, I am plagued by overwriting and no, my agent doesn’t like 150,000-word first drafts! Go figure! Other than that, I don’t dislike much. Even the down side of writing—publisher rejections and harsh review—I can deal because it’s part of the life. Swallow it. Write on. Learn from it. Then, kill them in my next book.

Hardest thing about being a writer/Easiest thing about being a writer:

Hardest Thing: The absolutely hardest thing for me was finding my amazing literary agent, Kimberley Cameron. She has been a coach, critic, motivator, mentor, and friend. It took a few years to find her, and the battle was well worth it. Other top few hardest things are those reviews that miss the point - like hitting me on the cover or printing errors. I have no control over that so beating me up because of it is totally missing the intent of a review. But, Insha Allah. It happens. Other stuff like showing up to a book event and someone forgot to order my books. I always travel with a case but then they want 40% to sell them and I’ve already paid for them! Again, Insha Allah! Hardest thing, as I’ve stated in previous question, is “The End” and saying goodbye to my characters. Editing means cuts to them and it bugs me. The entire time writing the story is a partnership between me and my characters and I thoroughly love the trip. When it’s over, it’s depressing.

Easiest Thing: Yikes, what’s easy? I think plotting and characters. I have a computer folder with dozens of story ideas and characters. I’m fortunate that I have had an adventurous life for the most part. I’ve met and worked with the most amazing people and the most sinister people. I draw on my life’s experiences in anti-terrorism and investigations to develop those stories and ideas. To me, it’s harder to trim them down so I don’t cross the line of confidentiality then to develop from the start. Other easiest things: talking with strangers and fans about the books and sitting for hours at a book signing meeting new readers. Absolutely love it.

Favorite foods/Things that make you want to gag:

Favs: Steak. Greek and Italian food I learned to cook while living in the Med. I love cooking things like cioppino, Greek chicken and sides like tiropita and spanakopita, and calamari. Great, now I’m hungry.

Gag foods: Liver. Bad restaurant food (especially in an expensive place). Bad wine (and again, especially the expensive ones). Fast food (I love it but can’t eat it, so subliminally I convinced myself I hate it).

Favorite music or song/Music that drives you crazy: Fav Music: 40’s swing, 60’s and 70’s rock. Jazz all around.

Music that Drives me crazy: Old-school western music. Loud, vulgar rap music—I don’t so much hate the music as the way it’s played in traffic or in public.

Things you always put in your books/Things you never put in your books:

Always in my Books: Real characters. I write thrillers and mysteries. I don’t write “superman” characters that are always right, always the strongest, and those who can hit a flea at 1000 yards, blindfolded, with a handgun in high wind. I like to have flawed characters who struggle. The lead characters in many of my stories have a sense of humor and adventure they flaunt. Oh, and even when not writing cozy mysteries, I always have a dog – as I am a man among dogs.

Never in My Books: Deep discussions about race, gender, politics, or religion. I write for entertainment, not to drive an agenda. I’ll leave that to others. I do not write the superman characters as stated above.

Favorite places you’ve been/Places you never want to go to again:

Fav Places: Wow, I’ve travelled a lot. But, in no certain order: Greece where I lived for over three years and ran anti-terrorism operations with the finest people I’ve ever known— loved the history, food, and people; Turkey, loved the history, food, and people. Was in and out of there during the first gulf war. The people were so supportive. Absolutely loved the small villages the most.

Places I Wouldn’t Go Again: The “Hill” District in Pittsburgh… accidentally went there as a rookie OSI agent running a criminal case. Strayed in driving my obvious Fed Mobile, in my nice suit, and noticed quickly the cars on blocks, bars on windows, and thugs and gangbangers gathered everywhere. Youth, dumb-ego, and fear made me stay and run the case. The bangers followed me and were astonished that I stayed and walked the streets. A nice guy in a corner store (bars on windows, steal door, and three locks) grabbed me off the sidewalk and said, “Boy, you better get you a…. out of here. They’re gonna kill you. You don’t belong here. They comin now. Go now.” Realizing the time and I had an appointment for a late coffee, I heeded his advice and left. Quickly.

Favorite books (or genre)/Books you wouldn’t buy:

Fav Books: Most books. But I mostly enjoy thrillers and murder mysteries—new and established authors, too.

No Read Zone: I hate to say it, but I do so much technical reading for my profession that I only read off-work for pleasure. So I don’t tend to read: self-help; religion or social-engineering works; books with a strong agenda (or a poorly disguised one)—if one starts preaching to me about social agendas or politics they want me to adhere to, gone. There’s enough of that on TV, the news, and in my work. Sorry, nothing wrong with those works, but not for me.

Favorite things to do/Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Fav Things to Do: Wow, the list is long… read, write; pilot my Harley motorcycle; play with my grandkids; hang with my labs; watch grands play soccer and volleyball; cook and have friends and family for dinner/BBQs; travel on book tours and meet readers and other authors; ANYTHING writing related—sign me up!

Run Through Fire to Avoid: Crappy restaurants; people preaching an agenda (whether I agree with or not); gravel roads on my Harley; people who hate dogs; people my dogs hate; most politicians; and people who say reading is stupid.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done/Something you chickened out from doing:

Daring Things: Wow, I’m in the anti-terrorism business, and while I’ve slowed a little since my days running around the globe, the list is long and shall remain unreported. I’ll just say: scuba diving in illegal Greek waters; cruising my Harley into a biker bar because I needed to eat and get gas—while a Harley pilot, I am not a member of the many outlaw biker gangs and it shows (it sure did those two times I picked the wrong lunch spot!); chasing investigative leads into parts of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh—alone— as a rookie government agent who had more guts than brains and was nearly killed in the process. The bad guys thought I was insane and were too busy laughing at my “clearly not from here” self to get me before I escaped.

Things I chickened out on: It sounds like BS, but I never have—not even “The Hill” district. Truly.

The coolest person you’ve ever met/The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video:

Coolest: Most other authors. I brag a lot about the writing community and always admit I’m honored to be a small part of it. I can count on my one hand with two fingers left over the number of other authors I’ve met that I didn’t like or respect. More than any group of people I find authors to be giving, supportive, fun, and genuinely wonderful people. Robert Duvall. I had the pleasure of living near him for a year (me in a barn loft apartment and him on his ranch estate), occasionally at Dank’s Deli in Middleburg, VA, and then met at a charity gala in Virginia. Truly a kind and generous man. Always gracious to fans and strangers. One of those celebrities who knows why he is one— his fans.

Celebrity Who didn’t look like themselves: Wayne Newton. I protected him in Greece on a USO tour he did. He was absolutely not what I expected, and I won’t say why. Let’s just say that after that, I did not volunteer to protect celebrities much again. Not that he was bad or anything, but the lifestyle and demands were a bit hard to take. I was there to keep him alive. He was there to support the troops so I and my team gave into demands we never would have otherwise. Yikes.

The nicest thing a reader said to you/The craziest thing a reader said to you:

Nicest Thing: I loved your books from the first time I read Dying To Know. I met you at a signing and you were exactly what I had hoped authors would be like—interesting, kind, and interested in my writing, too.

Craziest Thing: I met you last year at your first book signing of Dying to Know (this was several years ago). I’ve been to six events and signings since. I even got a room at your hotel and followed you back home. I wanted to speak with you again but was afraid of what you’d think. (Oh, really? Afraid of what I’d think about speaking to me again or stalking me?)

About T. J.

Tj O’Connor Tj O’Connor is the author of The Hemingway Deception, Dying with a Secret, (pending publication), The Consultant and four paranormal murder mysteries.

Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others.  In his spare time, he’s a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs, and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia where they raised five children who are supply a growing tribe of grands!

Let’s Be Social

Web Site:  www.tjoconnor.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tjoconnor.author2

Blog: http://tjoconnor.com/blog/

Twitter:  @tjoconnorauthor

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/tjoconnor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7148441.T_J_O_Connor

Youtube: The Consultant Video URL:  https://youtu.be/TgiYvMl_2cE

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#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kerry Peresta

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Kerry Peresta to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite spring traditions:

I love to spruce up my yard! I get spring fever in early March, and of course the nurseries have NO flowering bushes or my beloved impatiens at that time. So I end up buying Boston ferns, which the wrens promptly destroy by nesting in them. I might as well wait until the end of April to start anything! My love of birds trumps my love of flowers, and birds are in all my books. Don’t you just love their personalities? I look forward to tons of baby birds each year. I have six feeders in my backyard, one right outside my office window!

Something spring-related that you’ll never do again:

St. Patty’s Day parade. Celebrating amongst a crowd of green-hued booze enthusiasts while watching showers of green-costumed leprechauns and four-leaf-clovers waltz by is just not my idea of a fun spring outing! Plus, I’m not Irish. So. However, I DID research St. Patrick in honor of this question and found that he was an amazing guy.

Favorite spring smell:

I live in the Lowcountry on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, and our Confederate Jasmine is all over the place in the spring. It smells delicious! Even better than honeysuckle. Olivia Callahan, the protagonist in my books, loves flowers and delicious smells. Some of the smells, however, trigger memories of the trauma that landed her in the ER as a Jane Doe!

Something that makes you hold your nose:

When the wild onions start sprouting, the smell is overwhelming to me. I have trouble with the smells of onion, garlic, and fish. Oh, of course, smoke and mildew. In my new release, The Torching, I had to dig deep into fire residue and firefighter and remediation companies’ responsibilities. The smell of mildew and commingled smoke is one of the first things they tackle. It permeates everything. In my new release, when fire consumes Olivia Callahan’s life, she discovers that fire investigators are invaluable, especially when this one becomes an inside source.

Funniest spring story:

In the spring, I get all fired up and stalk the perimeter of my yard, carefully scrutinizing the ramshackle landscaping in hopes of hiring someone that knows how to manicure trees and bushes. I always look for the best price. One year we hired a friend who did odd jobs on the side. I asked my husband to supervise. He didn’t. When I looked out the window, our friend was hanging upside down, wielding a chain saw and trying his best to lop off a branch the size of Godzilla’s thigh. Talk about freaked out. I thought he was going to die that day, with the obvious caveat of a huge lawsuit. From that point on, I never hired anyone NOT insured or bonded.

Something embarrassing that happened during the spring:

The zeal that rips through me as spring approaches is troubling. I join clubs. Promise to exercise more. Take on leadership roles. It’s embarrassing when I end up backing out because spring fever had imbued me with a fake sense of empowerment. I’m trying to learn ‘moderation in all things’.

Things you never want to run out of:

Half-and-Half and coffee. Zevia cream soda. Peanut butter. Zebra fine-point pens.

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Food prepping for the collapse of America or a food shortage during the pandemic. That stuff is still out in my garage, gathering dust.

Favorite music or song:

Classic jazz greats, or current jazz. Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Etta James, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis.

Music that drives you crazy:

80s and 90s rock. Metal. Hip Hop. The ridiculous ‘Y-M-C-A’ song. When will that song finally die?

Something you’re really good at:

Playing the piano. Workouts. Spending money at Ulta.

Something you’re really bad at:

Karaoke. Golf. Cooking. Spreadsheets. Outlines.

The last thing you ordered online:

A sample package of Viktor Rolf ‘Flower Bomb’ perfumes. Which makes NO sense because I don’t go out that much, and my husband has zero sense of smell. Update on this answer: The Flower Bomb was a smashing success. My husband actually said “You smell good.” This never happens. I either had too much perfume on, or he really liked it. I choose the latter.

The last thing you regret buying:

Cute, tiny, white ‘Mickey Mouse’ hands that stick on the wall and hold things. I thought I’d slip necklaces on them, or a pen I’m not using…and it would look so adorable holding these things in the little, white fist. All of them fell off the wall in about ten seconds. Every. Single. One.

Best thing you’ve ever done:

Become a writer. When a scene comes together, it feels like I’m flying. When a plot point falls in my lap…it’s manna from heaven. After a hundred or so editing rounds (you think I’m kidding), and the manuscript is off to the editor all tight and formatted and shiny as a new penny…the sense of accomplishment is indescribable.

Biggest mistake:

Become a writer.

It sucks the zest for life right out of me. I put it all on the page. Before I can even blink, the day is over. Whatever happened to the concept of retirement? My husband wants to know.

About Kerry:

AUTHOR BIO: Kerry’s publishing credits include a popular newspaper and e-zine humor column, “The Lighter Side,” (2009—2011); and her debut novel, The Hunting, women’s fiction/suspense, Pen-L Publishing, 2013. Her magazine articles have been published in Local Life Magazine, The Bluffton Breeze, Lady Lowcountry, and Island Events Magazine. She is the author of the Olivia Callahan Suspense series, and recently released The Torching, book three; Level Best Books. Her new standalone suspense novel, Back Before Dawn, releases in May, 2023. Before starting to write full time, she spent twenty-five years in advertising as an account manager, creative director, editor, and copywriter. She is past chapter president of the Maryland Writers’ Association and a current member and presenter of Hilton Head Island Writers’ Network, SCWA, Pat Conroy Literary Center, International Thriller Writers, and the Sisters in Crime organization. Kerry is the mother of four adult children, and Gigi to a flock of grandkids. She and her husband moved to Hilton Head Island in 2015. For more information, go to https://www.kerryperesta.net.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.kerryperesta.net

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Facebook Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/klperesta

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https://www.goodreads.com/kerryperestagmailcom

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Liz Milliron

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Liz Milliron to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Marketing. No one knows what works.

Easiest thing about being a writer: There are easy things?

Things you never want to run out of: Dark chocolate or potato chips. It’s a toss-up.

Things you wish you’d never bought: An immersion blender. I thought it would be useful, but all it does it take up space.

Favorite foods: potato chips, tortilla chips with salsa, and dark chocolate

Things that make you want to gag: sashimi (raw fish, ‘nuff said)

Favorite beverage: iced tea

Something that gives you a sour face: tomato juice, just…no

Favorite smell: anything baking

Something that makes you hold your nose: my son has gotten into high-protein meals and, um, ugh

Last best thing you ate: dark chocolate-covered sponge candy (are we seeing a theme?)

Last thing you regret eating: Reheated pizza

The last thing you ordered online: glass doors for our bookcases

The last thing you regret buying: an in-ear Bluetooth headset that never quite worked

Things to say to an author: I love your last book!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Have I heard of anything you’ve written?

Favorite places you’ve been: Puerto Rico

Places you never want to go to again: southern Illinois (bad ex-boyfriend memories)

Favorite books (or genre): I like most crime fiction

Books you wouldn’t buy: anything over 500 pages

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Scuba diving to a 100-foot depth

Something you chickened out from doing: parasailing

About Liz:

Liz Milliron is the author of The Laurel Highlands Mysteries, set in the scenic Laurel highalnds and The Homefront Mysteries, set in Buffalo NY during the early years of World War II. She is a member of Pennwriters, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and The Historical Novel Society. She is the current vice-president of the Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime and is on the National Board as the Education Liaison.  Liz splits her time between Pittsburgh and the Laurel Highlands, where she lives with her husband and a very spoiled retired-racer greyhound.

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www.lizmilliron.com

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Coming Soon

 The Truth We Hide (Homefront Mysteries #4) - “ Budding private investigator Betty Ahern takes on a new case that has her questioning her own belief system and prejudices in this charming, thought-provoking, and impeccably researched historical mystery set in World War II era Buffalo. This superbly crafted mystery provides the perfect entry point to Milliron’s Home Front Mysteries.” - Edwin Hill, author of The Secrets We Share

Now Available

 Lie Down with Dogs (The Laurel Highland Mysteries #5) - August 2022 - “Lie Down with Dogs is another fast-paced tightly-plotted mystery from Liz Milliron. Highly recommend!” - Bruce Robert Coffin, award-winning author of the Detective Byron Mysteries

The Lessons We Learn (Homefront Mysteries #3) - “ Intriguing, charming, and a delight to unravel…readers will truly enjoy Betty, the memorable, plucky, PI.” - L.A. Chandlar, award-winning author of The Art Deco Mystery Series

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Deborah Doland Hunt

I’d like to welcome author Deborah Doland Hunt to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: I love puppies, dinosaurs, hiking, and the beach.

Things you need to throw out: Tablecloths and dishes. I have tons but hardly ever use them.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need my laptop, notebook, pen, and coffee or herbal tea blend.

Things that hamper your writing: I am easily distracted so it could be anything but social media and texting.

Things you love about writing: I love sharing my books and passion for writing.

Things you hate about writing: I am somewhat impatient, so the waiting is the hardest part; waiting for an acceptance or rejection and then the time it takes for your book to be published.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Not being able to find a publisher who loves your story as much as you do.

Easiest thing about being a writer: I have tons of ideas so never really experience writer's block.

Things you never want to run out of: I never want to run out of ideas for new stories.

Things you wish you’d never bought: My porcelain collector dolls.

Favorite foods: I love shrimp and scallops and oranges.

Things that make you want to gag: I would have to say cottage cheese

Favorite music or song: I am very eclectic and like most types of music.

Music that drives you crazy: Although there are a few songs that I like in these genres I am not a big fan of the Blues or Heavy Metal.

Favorite beverage: I love my own blend of herbal teas.

Something that gives you a sour face: I would have to say lemon juice but I love the aroma and lemon that has been added to teas and other food.

Favorite smell: I love the smell of lavender and lilacs.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Fertilizer

Last best thing you ate: Swordfish

Last thing you regret eating: Way too many starburst fruit chews during a stressful time.

Favorite books (or genre): I love children’s books and mysteries.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I wouldn’t buy historical romance

Favorite things to do: Walking along the surf on Montauk.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Although I would love to go up in a hot air balloon, I know I would be petrified to actually do it.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Having children is the best thing I have ever done.

Biggest mistake: One of my biggest mistakes was signing book contracts without legal advice.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Henry Winkler

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Kelly Ripa is actually much smaller in person than she looks on television.

About Deborah:

 Bio Deborah Hunt is a writer and nursing professor and dean who lives in New York. She considers herself an eclectic writer as she writes in multiple genres. She has published several nursing books, award winning children’s books, and a self-care book. She writes every day and loves attending book events to share her books, journey as a writer, and passion for writing. She loves the beach, puppies, dinosaurs, mysteries, and books. She enjoys painting, gardening, hiking, and cooking and hopes to own a farm one day filled with rescue dogs, chickens, and baby goats. Her personal quote is

"May you always have a book to read and a story to hold in your heart." ~D. D. Hunt

 Let’s Be Social:

https://www.amazon.com/No-Dinosaurs-Allowed-Deborah-Hunt/dp/1956851518/ref=monarch_sideshee

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-dinosaurs-allowed-deborah-dolan-hunt/1139908708

https://twitter.com/debdoll25

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Instagram: Deborah Hunt Author

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Teresa Trent

I’d like to welcome author Teresa Trent to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Teresa Trent to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need a quiet room. I might put on music, but when I’m really into it, it’s just me and all those people in my head.

Things that hamper your writing: If I’m stressed out over something new in my life, I have a hard time writing. For example, my son being in the hospital. I couldn’t write at all until we knew he was going to be okay, then I couldn’t stop writing. I guess I had bottled up on my writing urges.

Things you love about writing: I love to create characters, situations, ideal worlds. I love to write an outline and work my way through it.

Things you hate about writing: Hands down—editing. One of the methods I use for writing is dictation, especially when I’m on a roll. Unfortunately, dictation stinks when it comes to punctuation and using the right word.

Hardest thing about being a writer: For me it’s going through draft after draft after draft. By the end of the process, you really don’t want to read that book again.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Getting to play with storylines and of course, I love the flexibility of my work hours.

Things you never want to run out of: I’m weird. Chocolate, licorice, cottage cheese, coffee/tea.

Things you wish you’d never bought: The latest diet program I fell for on Facebook.

Favorite foods: Pizza, Lasagna, Tiger Roll, Chicken Lo Mein

Things that make you want to gag: Brussel Sprouts, Okra

Favorite music or song: I love New Age piano music. Think George Winston or Kevin Kern. It gives me a calm base to go about my day.

Music that drives you crazy: Heavy metal and rap. I gave birth with rap music playing in the birthing suite once. I don’t know put it on the tv but I distinctly remember someone saying to me “Push” and my reply was “Turn it off!”

Favorite smell: Roast beef cooking in the oven.

Something that makes you hold your nose: I went to college in Greeley, Colorado. The school was upwind of the stockyards. Nothing like rushing to class holding your nose.

Things you always put in your books: A moment between characters that makes me cry.

Things you never put in your books: The “F” word.

Things to say to an author: Where can I leave a review?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: You know, I have a great idea for a book. You can write it for me and then I’ll collect the royalties! Okay?

Things that make you happy: Time with my family, reading, singing with my daughter, watching streaming tv with my husband.

Things that drive you crazy: People on the phone in traffic who don’t go when the light turns green. I’m in Houston and boy, howdy. It happens daily.

About Teresa:

Teresa Trent is the author of over 15 books. She started writing cozy mysteries with the Pecan Bayou and Piney Woods Mystery Series. She sets her stories in different geographical areas of Texas and The Swinging Sixties historical series is set just north of Dallas, starting in 1962. You might think with so many books set in the Lone Star state, she was born there, but no. She has lived all over the world, thanks to her father's career in the army. After living in Texas for twenty-five years, she's finally put down roots.

Teresa is a hybrid author, self-publishing early in her career, which led her to traditional publishing with Level Best Books and Camel Press. She is the author of several short stories that have appeared in a host of anthologies. Teresa publishes the blog and podcast, Books to the Ceiling at https://teresatrent.blog where she loves to read the book excerpts of other writers and share in the writing community.

Teresa is a member of Sisters in Crime and lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and son.

Let’s Be Social:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/teresatrentmysterywriter

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ttrent_cozymys

BLOG: https://teresatrent.blog/

WEBSITE: http://teresatrent.com

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5219581.Teresa_Trent

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/teresatrent_cozymys/

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/teresa-trent

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Christina Romeril

I’m so excited to welcome the fabulous Christina Romeril to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things:

I like chocolate, mysteries in books and on TV, hiking in the mountains, hot, sunny climates, pretty notebooks, colorful highlighters and pens.

Things you need to throw out:

I have so many shoes, some of them hurt my feet, but I just can’t bear to part with them. I have lots of T-shirts I don’t wear, but I tell myself I will someday. My husband could probably add lots to this list, but you never know when you might need something again.

Things you need for your writing sessions:

My writing sessions always include something cold to drink when it’s hot and something hot when it’s cold. My top picks are an ice cold Coke and hot chocolate. My other essentials are my computer, a notebook, pens, legal pad, chocolate, and quiet.

Things that hamper your writing:

I always feel like I should get everything off my to do list before I settle down to write. I’m easily distracted by social media scrolling, answering messages that come in, and too much noise (I never have music playing while I write).

Things you love about writing:

I love making up stories. I love to dream up characters, their quirks, backstories, motivations, and then build a plot around them. I also love revising once the first draft is finished.

Things you hate about writing:

Writing the first draft is my least favorite part of writing. Getting all the ideas onto paper is just hard. The thing I hate MOST is writing a synopsis.

Things you never want to run out of:

Chocolate, Coke, Non-alcoholic beer.

Things you wish you’d never bought:

Scrapbooking supplies. It makes me feel guilty when I see them, because I haven’t done it in years.

Words that describe you: Determined, kind, creative, happy.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Stubborn, impatient, critical, impulsive.

Favorite foods:

I love food. It would be much easier to list what I don’t like. Depending on my mood, I love pizza, steak, fried chicken, pasta, hamburgers, poke bowls, sushi, hot dogs, soups, salads, tacos…you see what I mean.

Things that make you want to gag:

Blood pudding, seriously, my family is European, and it was always in our fridge when I was growing up.

Something you’re really good at: Cooking, but I don’t enjoy doing it all the time. Decorating, I’m pretty sure I’ve spent about a thousand hours watching decorating shows and studying décor magazines and books.

Something you’re really bad at:

Making pie crust. I have been shown by experts, and yet I still can’t make a decent pie crust. I also struggle with basic cookies such as sugar cookies, chocolate chip etc.

The last thing you ordered online:

Highlighter set, specifically the Zebra 5 count Mildliner Creative Marker Double Ended Fluorescent set.

The last thing you regret buying:

White shorts. I’m always afraid to wear them because I’ll get them dirty. Case in point, I had them with me for a month in Mexico and didn’t wear them once.

Favorite books (or genre):

Mysteries and thrillers are my happy place, but I used to read a lot of romance, but only occasionally, now.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Fantasy. The exception is Harry Potter, and maybe the Divergent series. I’m also not a huge fan of books that are labelled as women’s fiction. I’m all about solving a murder or saving the world when I read.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): Top of my list is Melissa McCarthy, I think she would be a riot. I’m an introvert, so the list is short.

People you’d cancel dinner on: This would be a long list, but I’ll limit it to Vince Vaughn, he kind of annoys me, and Brad Pitt, there’s just something about him that turns me off. I’m sure both men are perfectly nice, but I’m not going to dinner with them.

Favorite things to do:

Hiking, exercising, eating.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing:

Play team sports, really.

Things that make you happy:

Spending time with my family. Being in the mountains.

Things that drive you crazy:

Spending time with my family. People who don’t put the grocery cart in the cart return in a parking lot.

About Christina:

Christina Romeril is the author of A CHRISTMAS CANDY KILLING, her debut novel and the first in the Killer Chocolate Mysteries. The series is set in Montana at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, one of her favorite places to visit. She and her husband live a few hours away in a small village in Southern Alberta. When Christina isn't writing, she loves to hike in Waterton Lakes National Park, or just hang out there eating gourmet hot dogs and ice cream. When the former banker isn't out enjoying nature, she loves to create and consume chocolate confections. Not necessarily in that order.

Let’s Be Social:

You can find me on Facebook and Instagram @ChristinaRomerilWriter as well as at www.christinaromeril.com.  

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Anna St. John

I’d like to welcome Anna St. John to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

I like books, turtles, Madeline dolls and the beach.

Things I need to throw out:

Anything that’s been hanging in my closet more than five years, and half of my cookbooks.

Things I love about writing: When the characters take control of the scene and dictate their own dialogue. When the plot falls into place. When the first printed samples arrive at my door.

Things I hate about writing: When I write myself into a box and must figure a way out.

Favorite foods: My mother’s potato soup, ice cream, and anything chocolate.

Things that make me want to gag: I’m not a fan of turnips.

Favorite music or song: Jim Brickman piano music for writing. Sixties music for dancing. Country music for fun.

Music that drives me crazy: Anything with lyrics that are too fast to understand, or too rude to repeat in front of my grandchildren.

Favorite smell: Fresh-cut grass or blooming lilacs. Both take me back to my childhood.

Something that makes me hold my nose: The pungent odor of skunk spray on a wet dog. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)

Things you’d walk a mile for: My Old English Sheepdog, Oliver. (We do this almost every day.) I’d also walk a mile for a hug from either of my grandchildren.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Waiting “on hold” for customer support people.

Things you always put in your books: Strong, smart women. Small town charm. A few names of real people. Recipes.

Things you never put in your books: Profanity. Explicit sex scenes. Violence (Except for the murder.)

Things to say to an author: I love your writing and always write a five-star review. I can’t wait for your next book. Will you autograph this for me?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I hate to read. It must be nice to get paid for doing something that easy. Are you rich?

Favorite places you’ve been:

This is a hard one, but my top five cities would include: Amsterdam, Budapest, Oxford, Prague and Venice. Top five countries: Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Thailand.

Places you never want to go to again: A cave we visited near the floating villages In Phang Nga Bay, not far from Phuket, Thailand. I had an anxiety attack when I learned we had to wade through knee-high water and duck under the low-ceilinged cave to get through a narrow passageway. I hyperventilated and chickened out.

Favorite things to do: Write, travel, spend time with my grandchildren.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Serve on a committee where the meetings drone on for hours.

Things that make you happy: I love to drive my little red convertible. It’s a Triumph Herald that my dad bought new in 1965. When I sit behind the wheel, I feel like I’m sixteen again.

Things that drive you crazy: Rude customer service. People who are intentionally unkind to others.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Signed with my agent Cindy Bullard, at Birch Literary. She is amazing.

Biggest mistake: Waiting too long to get started as an author.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I emceed a prayer breakfast with 600 in attendance. When it was time for the closing song, I introduced former Dixie Chick singer Robin Macy. As I handed her the microphone to walk off-stage, she wrapped her arm around me and pulled me closer. “Sing with me,” she said. (Note: I am not a singer.) I tried to escape, but she kept a strong grasp on my arm, and I gave up the struggle. Fortunately, the song was a familiar one. The entire audience rose to their feet and raised their voices “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…” From that moment on, I claimed that I’d sung a duet on stage with a Dixie Chick—to a standing ovation.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: After I completed chemo treatments, a friend took me to lunch to celebrate. A mutual business associate approached our table. Although he and I had worked together on several projects, the man ignored me and spoke only to my friend. I smiled and said, “It’s good to see you again.” He did a double-take and stammered. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t recognize you without your hair.”

The coolest person you’ve ever met: My sorority friend, Magi Watson. She lived to be 102, and never worried about anything. She said worry was a waste of time. “Either fix what’s bothering you, or let it go.” It was great advice.

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Susan Dey, most known for her roles on The Partridge Family and LA Law. She looked reserved and glamorous in pictures. Working with our ad agency on a nonprofit video, Susan was warm and funny, with a huge heart for kids.

Josie Posey, a mature yet ever-feisty big city crime reporter turned crime solver, has officially retired to a small, touristy town in middle America where she and her posse of friends “unofficially” have their noses in everything.

Josie loves her new life, but a weekly game of mahjong isn’t enough: she itches to get back into the action. She gets more than she bargained for when The Village Gazette asks her to interview their local celebrity, a former NYC prima ballerina.

Then, the ballerina’s husband is discovered dead -- face down in the couple’s beloved field of flowers. Now, Josie has the inside track on solving the murder, with her quirky Mahjong Mavens as useful sidekicks.

And if a killer in their midst wasn’t enough distraction, Josie’s matchmaking friends are pushing her to date again—particularly, to pursue an attraction toward a certain local blacksmith, with whom sparks fly.

About Anna:

Anna St. John is a former newspaper journalist, award-winning advertising copywriter, and ad agency owner. She lives in a small Kansas town with a working blacksmith shop, much like the one in this story.

Anna is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the Kansas Authors Club and the National Mah Jongg League.

Let’s Be Social:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cozyauthor/

Website: https://www.anna-stjohn.com/

Twitter: @AuthorStJohn

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Michelle Hillen Klump

I’m so excited to welcome Michelle Hillen Klump to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: I love chai tea, old books, fat cats, wildflowers, chocolate, my family, newspapers and my Kitchen-Aid mixer.

Things you need to throw out: I need to throw out the five pairs of old running shoes collecting dust at the back of my closet.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need a comfy couch, my laptop computer and my cat for company.

Things that hamper your writing: I can’t listen to music, television or any other sounds while I’m trying to write.

Things you love about writing: I love coming up with an inventive solution to a plot problem, and playing around with language to make a piece more lyrical or descriptive.

Things you hate about writing: I hate the process of trying to start writing when I am feeling particularly stuck. I try to write at least 500 words a day, and if I’m stuck on something, that can feel like torture.

Favorite foods: Anything Tex-Mex, fruits of all kinds, pasta and chocolate.

Things that make you want to gag: Olives and hardboiled eggs.

Favorite smell: The combination of mint and rosemary.

Something that makes you hold your nose: fish fertilizer – my garden loves it, but the smell is so awful!

Something you’re really good at: I am pretty great at Scrabble and Upwards. My family groans when I ask to play!

Something you’re really bad at: I am so bad at decorating baked goods. I’m pretty sure I would fit right in on the Netflix show Nailed It.

Favorite things to do: I love reading, swimming, biking, baking, writing, traveling, hanging out with my kid and husband.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: While I generally enjoy cooking, I hate the weekly task of planning out dinner menus with the fire of a thousand suns! I get so tired of trying to figure out new recipes to make, and how to throw in healthier options among all the family favorites.

Things to say to an author: I loved your book! I left a review for you on Amazon! I requested your book at the library!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Would I have ever heard of you or your book? Anyone can write and publish a book these days.

Words that describe you: Kind, smart, driven, creative.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Stubborn, shy, tired, impatient.

Things you always put in your books: I always include strong, capable women who aren’t afraid to ask for help, but who also aren’t afraid to find their own way when necessary.

Things you never put in your books: While it is hard to avoid any violence in a murder mystery, I don’t like gratuitous violence or graphic depictions of violence, and don’t put those in my books.

Things you’d walk a mile for: I try to walk at least a couple of miles a day, so I’m pretty willing to walk a mile for just about anything. But I would walk an extra mile for an interesting ice cream shop or a really cool craft cocktail bar or speakeasy.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Roaches and the Baby Shark song.

About Michelle:

Michelle Hillen Klump is a former newspaper reporter who covered government, courts and crime throughout Arkansas and Central Texas. Now living in Houston with her husband and daughter, she is still a working journalist and is also a member of Sisters in Crime. Her short fiction has appeared in Crimson Streets and Tales of Texas, Volume II, a Houston short story anthology. MURDER SERVED NEAT is her second novel.

Let’s Be Social:

My webpage: https://michelleklump.com/

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichelleKlump 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mh_klump

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.h.klump/?hl=en

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21600853.Michelle_Hillen_Klump