#WriterWednesday Interview with Edwina Perkins

I’d like to welcome Edwina Perkins to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Making time to write. Being involved in so many different avenues in the publishing industry, I allow myself to use my best time to do other things instead of writing.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Working with other writers. I love pouring into the lives of other writers and watching them soar with their careers.

Things you need for writing sessions: Coffee but most of all I need consistency. I have my office in our guest bedroom, and when I walk into the room, I know I’m going there to work. Finding new locations doesn’t motivate me to write, it usually causes me stress because of the distractions around me. I still have my cup of coffee with me at home.

Things that hamper my writing: Not saying no. The thing I love most about being a writer also can hamper my writing. I usually say yes to coaching and mentoring other writers, but sometimes I need to guard my personal writing time and be willing to say no.

Words that describe you: loyal, welcoming, purposeful, generous

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Intimidating, gullible

Something you’re really good at: Cooking. I grew up in the south with a mom who knew how to cook good old-fashioned southern food. When my husband and I gathering with friends, I’ve been asked to bring certain dishes from homemade rolls to chicken and dumplings.

Something I’m really bad at: Saying no. I don’t want to disappoint others.

Last thing you ate: Au jus sandwich and chips that my husband brought me. When I’m focused on my work, I forget to eat. On days he’s home from work, he’ll ask me once or twice if I’ve eaten, then will make me something to be sure I eat.

Last thing you regret eating: How wings with additional hot sauce. I didn’t know it had additional sauce. My mouth tingled for the rest of the evening.

The last thing you ordered online: Emotion support animal stickers. Everyone needs encouragement and I gave them away at a brunch I attended.

The last thing you regret buying: Business cards that didn’t look anything like what I thought I was getting.

Thinks you always put in your books: Things that seem simple, carry truth and are memorable. With my fiction I want to share things that may seem simple but are deeper in meaning. Fiction allows me to share truths in a way that allows people to think. And Memorable? I don’t want someone to read my novel and say, “that was nice,” but I want people to discuss the book and reflect on subject matter they haven’t thought about.

Things you never put in your books: A perfect ending. Satisfying isn't the same as perfect. Life leaves things unresolved. So do my characters.

Things to say to an author: Writing is a marathon, not a sprint, and part of that marathon is learning about the publishing industry. Any writer who is serious about writing needs to be serious about learning and improving their craft. James Scott Bell said something at my first writers’ conference I will never forget. “As a writer you must develop rhino skin, and you will still bleed.” That quote helped me to keep going even when I wanted to quit.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: My cousin writes too. You should connect.

Favorite things to do: I love crafting, but I go all in on one craft, then move on to the next. One year, I made twenty quilts, followed by making doll clothes for our daughter and her friends. Then specialized sweatshirts that sold at Nordstrom. Then Christmas angels out of crepe paper. With every season, God provided. Those crafts sold when our family needed the funds the most. Now I'm into Diamond Art. Some still sell, but mostly it's just therapy for my soul.

Things you’d run through fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Well, won’t do again. I hate heights. Once I was stranded in the top cabin of a Ferris wheel with four young kids. They ran from side to side rocking the cabin, afraid of being stuck forever. I prayed and once my feet touched the ground, I promised myself, never again. I’d rather eat bugs, and I hate bugs.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I broke an arrow with my neck. It was a trust exercise where a wooden arrow was positioned with the sharp metal tip directly against the soft notch of my throat. I focused on a personal goal or a fear I wanted to break through, and walked forward, putting pressure on the arrow until it snaps. The exercise is safe when guided, but don’t try this at home.

Something you chickened out from doing: Ziplining. Nope, absolutely not. Remember, I don’t like heights.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: I can hear your voice as I read your book.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I just had to meet you! You’re famous!” This was before I published anything.

My favorite book as a child: The Night the Toys Came to Life by Enid Blyton. I loved that book and I believed the story was true. That’s why I always took good care of my toys. During the Christmas holidays, I made a bed on the floor for all my stuff animals. I thought if other stuff animals came to visit at Christmas, they would want to stay when they saw I took care of my other toys.

Your favorite movie as a child: Oscar and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. That’s where my love of musicals came from.

About Edwina:

Edwina Perkins serves as Co-Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, where she also coordinates Mentoring Moments and manages Sensitivity Between the Lines. As Managing Editor for Harambee Press, an imprint of End Game Press, she champions diverse voices in Christian publishing.

A long-term member of Word Weavers International, Edwina now serves on its advisory board alongside her role on the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association (ECPA) advisory board, where she previously served as Emerging Leader Coordinator.

An award-winning writer and experienced educator, Edwina works as a speaker, freelance editor, mentor, and authenticity consultant. She teaches at conferences throughout the year, advocating for honest, inclusive storytelling in Christian fiction. Her work has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: HOME | Edwina Perkins

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinaperkins/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581949774839

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Marlie Wasserman

I’d like to welcome author Marlie Wasserman back to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: For me, the hardest part of being a writer is the way I work on multiple books at once, yet I need to focus on a single book in my daily marketing efforts. As I shout out to everyone about my new, fourth novel, I’m still fielding requests related to the third, writing the fourth, and thinking about the fifth. Admission: sometimes, as I prepare for an event centered around one of my books, I need to reread it myself because my brain is deeply into the next book. Few readers realize how our books overlap in our lives.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Presenting at a book club. I love talking about my book, anticipating questions about it, and formulating answers that are—I hope—just the right length for the audience. No one at a book club has insulted my writing so far. I like to think the quality of my book is the cause, but maybe it’s the cookies and wine.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Coffee, but not in any old mug. It must be in a favorite mug—just the right ten-ounce size, the right light weight, the right thin handle, the right picture of a scene from my travels on the front.

Things that hamper your writing: When I can’t find the word file I worked on the previous day. You’d think this would be easy after many years of writing, but no one has explained Microsoft’s OneCloud to me, and I use it at my peril.

Words that describe you: goal-oriented, obsessive

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: unathletic, a klutz

Something you’re really good at: I have fantastic visual memory. If I meet someone for an hour or two, months later I can spot them walking down a street and feel certain the person I see from afar is the person I met.

Something you’re really bad at: I have the world’s worst hand-eye coordination. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve managed to hit a tennis ball.

Last best thing you ate: Ice cream, yesterday, and the day before that. Is there any better food?

Last thing you regret eating: Popcorn that stuck in my teeth and my throat. Not the first time—I should know better.

The last thing you ordered online: A book, of course—Alvarez’s The Cemetery of Untold Stories. Add it to your to-be-read pile!

The last thing you regret buying: Yet another hair straightener. Living in humid NC, I should learn to accept the frizz.

Things you always put in your books: Smells. I literally go through a round of revision, just to add smells because I always forget that sense in first drafts. Then of course, I can’t just cram in a smell—I must show how it affects a character. So that turns into more revision.

Things you never put in your books: Diary entries. I don’t mean to insult all the great writers out there who advance their plots through the use of diaries, but, really, do you know anyone who pours her heart into a diary then hides it—poorly—so a descendent or detective can find it later?!

Favorite things to do: Sketch people, but I struggle to convince them to sit still for five minutes.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: The weekly wash. My wonderful husband does 100% of our laundry. I don’t know how to turn on the machines. But before you try to steal him away from me, know that he can’t cook.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I walked over a swinging bridge, strung over a chasm in northern Ireland. That might not sound daring, but the others in my group bowed out the minute they saw it.
Something you chickened out from doing: Scuba diving

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I’ve sewn quilts by hand, creating my own designs.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Oh, my—this list is long, starting with a sweater with arms that could have embraced an elephant.

My favorite book as a child: All right—I know it’s a cliché—but my favorite as a child was Little Women. I identified with a different sister every year of my adolescence.

A book I’ve read more than once: Hmmm, I’ve never read a book more than once. Life is too short and the world has too many great books. I still have hundreds of thousands to go!

 About Marlie:

Marlie Parker Wasserman writes historical crime fiction, after a career on the other side of the desk in scholarly publishing. She has written The Murderess Must Die (2021), Path of Peril (2023), Inferno on Fifth (2023), and the forthcoming First Daughter (2026). Her books are set between 1895 and 1927, years of rapid social and technological change. Marlie lives with her husband in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Strange fact: unlike most mystery writers, she is afraid of dogs and cats.

Let’s Be Social:

 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/first-daughter-marlie-parker-wasserman/2b98d3281a55ae75?ean=9798898201548&next=t

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marlie-Parker-Wasserman/author/B0B7KMSRVZ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1777817510&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=3c8b35bc-73b1-41f9-961e-a86ee28edc01

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-daughter-marlie-parker-wasserman/1149891550?ean=9798898201531

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlie.wasserman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marliepwasserman/?hl=en

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/marliewasserman.bsky.social

#WriterWednesday Interview with Humphrey Hawksley

I’d like to welcome Humphrey Hawksley to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing well
Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing badly

Something you’re really good at: Listening
Something you’re really bad at: Golf

Favorite music or song: Elgar Enigma Variations

Music that drives you crazy: “I Will Always Love You”

Favorite smell: Hyacinth on a spring morning
Something that makes you hold your nose: Rotting fish

Things you’d walk a mile for:   A Sichuan meal with my wife

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Circular conversations led by people with too much time.  

Favorite places you’ve been: Alaska, Bhutan, Kashmir, Vietnam, Iraq. 
Places you never want to go to again: Chittagong, Mandalay, Monrovia

Favorite books (or genre): The Drifters, James Michener; The Honourable Schoolboy, John Le Carre; Killing Floor, Lee Child; Dead Line, Marc Cameron. War and Peace Leo Tolstoy;
Books you wouldn’t buy:  Expensive, arty, coffee table hardbacks.

People you’d like to invite to dinner:  Confucius; Lee Kuan Yew; Charlie Chaplin; Yoko Ono; Harper Lee; George Orwell; Cleopatra; Mahatma Gandhi; Leonardo da Vinci; Jacinda Ardern; Joan Baez; Meryl Streep. 
People you’d cancel dinner on: Donald Trump, Kier Starmer; Joe Biden; Benjamin Netanyahu; Liz Truss; Rishi Sunak; Boris Johnson.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Left school at seventeen to go to sea
Biggest mistake: To soon to tell

The coolest person you’ve ever met: My son

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Hugh Grant

The nicest thing a reader said to you: You are the best thriller writer we have 

The craziest thing a reader said to you:  Will you marry me?

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done:  Turning a news story about child slavery in West Africa into a global campaign against human rights abuse in our supply chains. 

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it:  As above. Slavery is worse now.  

 About Humphrey:

Humphrey Hawksley is a journalist and best-selling author whose BBC assignments have taken him to crises all over the world. His current Rake Ozenna international thrillers are set in the Arctic and High North. His earlier Third World War series focused on the Indo-Pacific. Humphrey is a regular guest speaker at universities and think tanks such as the RAND Corporation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and MENSA Cambridge. He hosts to the twice-monthly Democracy Forum Debates and the monthly Care Visions Professional Talk.  

Let’s Be Social:

X: @hwhawksley;  @Humphreyhawk

Facebook: Humphrey Hawksley;  Humphrey Hawksley Books

Instagram: Humphrey Hawksley

LinkedIn: Humphrey Hawksley

Blue Sky: @humphreyhawksley.bsky.social

Truth Social: @hwhawksley

#WriterWednesday with Author T. K. Bush

I’d like to welcome T. K. Bush to the blog today for #WriterWednesday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Having the courage to share my craft with the world.

Easiest thing about being a writer: The ideas. They come no matter where I am or what I’m doing. Sometimes I wish I had a ‘pause’ key for my brain.

Things you need for your writing sessions: a quiet space, uninterrupted time, snacks, and caffeine or wine

Things that hamper your writing: Being interrupted when I’m in a flow. Procrastinating and not giving myself enough time, even though I seem to work best under pressure 😊

Something you’re really good at: Making friends and working on creative projects, like gift bags and event décor.

Something you’re really bad at: Saying no when I need to. Cooking 😊 (When I met my now-husband, it was the first thing I told him.) “In case it’s a deal breaker, I don’t cook.” It worked out because he’s a great cook!

Last best thing you ate: Popcorn chicken

Last thing you regret eating: Buffalo chicken dip at 1 am. (Delicious, but hard on my stomach at that hour.)

The last thing you ordered online: cat supplies from Amazon (me and Amazon have a very close relationship)

The last thing you regret buying: an online mug that looked like a stack of books. It looked fantastic in the pics, but when it arrived, it looked like a project I might have made in middle school art class.

Things you’d walk a mile for: A bookstore or to see a good friend I haven’t seen in a while.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Spiders or Palmetto bugs in Florida (a fancy name for a giant roach… yuck).

Things you always put in your books: Something that relates to my life outside of writing (e.g., the medical field, characters, or setting).

Things you never put in your books: Cursing or anything vulgar. I don’t mind reading it, but it’s a personal choice because I want my kids and family to be able to read my books.

Things to say to an author: It’s amazing what you’re doing. Great job. We’re rooting for you. I can’t wait to read your books!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: How hard can it be to write a book? You haven’t finished your book yet?

Favorite books (or genre): Psychological Thrillers, Romantic Suspense

Books you wouldn’t buy: Horror, Fantasy (I love fantasy movies, but I have a hard time getting into the books. I think it’s the complicated world-building. I am always impressed by authors who can do it. It’s an amazing talent.) Sci-Fi.

Favorite things to do: Reading a good book, going on cruises, hanging out with close friends and family, and traveling.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: At the moment, speaking in front of a big audience, but I’m trying to overcome that.

About T. K.:

T.K. Bush, a seasoned radiographic/cardiovascular technologist with more than two decades of medical experience, has also been a prolific writer since childhood. Married, with a blended family of 4 children and 2 Bengal cats, she bravely navigates the complexities of family life, healthcare, and the stimulating world of literature. 

Bush’s debut novel, Unveiled, releases in May 2026. She intricately weaves her medical expertise into a psychologically charged thriller. Using the complexity of medical and relationship drama, she creates an unsettling world of emotion, intrigue, and deception.

Bush’s love of reading and writing gives her a unique storytelling voice, shaped by her medical background. Drawing on her own experiences with relationships and trauma, she creates stories that guide readers toward forgiveness, acceptance, and grace, even in the toughest situations.

Let’s Be Social:

Connect with T. K.: linktr.ee/tkbush

#WriterWedenesday Author Interview with Christi Keating Sumich

I’d like to welcome Christi Keating Sumich to the blog!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Figuring out what I want to write.
Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing almost every day. I love it.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Two dogs and a cat sharing my chair with me

Things that hamper your writing: My family members coming and going when I’m working from home.

Something you’re really good at: Pilates
Something you’re really bad at: Mario Party

Last best thing you ate: Frozen yogurt with chunks of fudge brownie
Last thing you regret eating: Sushi (food poisoning)

The last thing you ordered online: Meds for my dog

The last thing you regret buying: Nail clippers for the cat

Things to say to an author: I loved your last book!
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I’d write a book if I had more free time.

Favorite places you’ve been: Perth, Australia
Places you never want to go to again: Pittsburgh (Sorry, Pittsburgh, it was a work thing. Not fun.)

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Whoopi Goldberg

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: Enrique Iglesias

The nicest thing a reader said to you: Your book made me cry.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Your book was too wordy.

 Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I chalk-painted all the cabinets in my kitchen.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Those same cabinets!

My favorite book as a child: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

A book I’ve read more than once: Cabinet of Curiosities by Preston and Child

Your favorite movie as a child: The Sound of Music

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): Alien

About Christi:

Christi Keating Sumich is a lifelong resident of New Orleans. She is married to her high school sweetheart and is the mother of three grown children (plus a daughter-in-law). She has a soft spot for “unconventionally attractive” animals who need homes. Her claim to fame is being the winningest contestant on Hollywood Squares.

She holds a PhD in history from Tulane University and a master’s degree in English. She has taught history classes at Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans.

Christi’s writing combines her fascination with history with her love of the mystery genre. Her debut novel is Lafitte Lives (Level Best Books, February 2026), a historical mystery centered around her ancestor, the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte. She is also the author of the Old New Orleans Bookshop Mysteries, featuring characters from Lafitte Lives. The Swamp Ghost is the first book in the series (Level Best Books, September 2026).

Christi and her mom, Sharon Keating, are the co-authors of Hauntingly Good Spirits: New Orleans Cocktails to Die For (Wellfleet Press, August 2024) and The Brandy Milk Punch (Louisiana State University Press, March 2025), part of the Iconic New Orleans Cocktail Series.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://christisumich.com/

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christi.keating.sumich.author/about?section=contact-info

 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christisumich/

#WriterWedneday Author Interview with A-M Mawhiney

Welcome to A-M Mawhiney to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need to be sure to have my laptop, my iPad (for research), a dictionary, paper and pen, a quiet space, and time for regular breaks.

Things that hamper your writing: Loud noise/music, being interrupted when I’m ‘in the zone,’ phone calls, and fatigue

Words that describe you: Introverted, independent-minded, and easy-going most of the time.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: weird, clumsy, easily distracted

Something you’re really good at: Speedreading

Something you’re really bad at: Anything athletic. I am really bad at sports but am a great fan of sports.

Last best thing you ate: Gluten-free chocolate truffles

Last thing you regret eating: Bacon.

Favorite music or song: “Pie Jesu.” This song makes me cry whenever I hear it.

Music that drives you crazy: Anything with a strong bass beat that overpowers the rest of the music and that you can feel physically.

Things you always put in your books: Social issues and more than one main character.

Things you never put in your books: Murder, at least so far.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: As someone who is afraid of heights, the day my sister and I challenged each other to use a rope bridge high over a river and rocks so that we could see a famous waterfall on the other side. I was terrified while crossing and decided it was worth it when I saw the waterfalls.

Something you chickened out from doing: I was going to Barbados with friend who was a certified scuba instructor. I planned to dive but chickened out at the thought of all that water between me and fresh air.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I was celebrating an important milestone with one of my work teams and invited them to a local restaurant. I also invited my supervisor. I was talking to a person beside me when my supervisor asked me if I had a pen. Without looking, I reached into my purse and handed him a pen. Then I notice the previously animated conversations had fallen silent. I looked at my supervisor and realized I had handed him a tampon. I still laugh when I think about this.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I was in an isolated area in the British Columbia, Canada interior doing research for Fugitive Rifts, when I tripped over a stick and it activated the automatic 911 emergency response on my cellphone. When 911 called me, I was so flustered I kept hanging up instead of answering the call. Finally, I connected and assured the operator I was safe and with my sister, who was also one of my emergency contacts. The operator said she would call back the emergency response team hurrying my way. Then she called my sister to make sure everything was okay. At least I know what happens if I ever need to set off the alarm another time.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “It’s [Fugitive Rifts] a story for every kid who was made to feel they cared too much.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I had no idea you could write something like this. I always thought you were kind of boring.” He apparently thought this was a compliment.

My favorite book as a child: In grade six we read a young person’s version of Les Misérables called Jean Val Jean. I believe I still have that copy. The thought that someone could be hanged for stealing food for a starving family shocked me.

A book I’ve read more than once: We spent our summers as children at my grandparents’ cabin far from any library or bookstore, and we only had access to a car on weekends when my father and grandfather returned from where they worked during the week. I read Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell thirteen times that summer. The following summers my parents drove us to the nearest library 30 miles away one a month, and we took out as many books as we wanted.

Your favorite movie as a child: Mary Poppins

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): It was a movie shown on TV one Saturday night called The Fly. I had nightmares for months.

About A-M:

At age eight A-M Mawhiney announced she wanted to be an author. It only took sixty years. Her career, first as a social worker and then as a university professor and senior administrator, ended with her retirement in 2018. She began writing again during the first lockdown in 2020. To her surprise she found herself writing her first novel, Spindrifts. which was a finalist in the 8th annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writers’ Prize and shortlisted for the Whistler Independent Book Awards in 2022. Its sequel, Spelldrifts, was released in 2023, and her latest book, Fugitive Rifts, was published in July 2025. When she isn’t writing A-M enjoys reading, taking in local basketball games, time with family and friends, and travelling. She lives in Sudbury, Ontario with her partner Dave.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://www.ammawhiney.ca

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anne-MarieMawhiney

#WriterWednesday with Author Susan Drew

I’d like to welcome the wonderful Susan Drew to the blog today for #WriterWednesday.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: My favorite thing to do is to read. Even when I’m supposed to be working, or writing, or cooking dinner. Sometimes I have to put on a timer so that I don’t read all day.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Cleaning my house. I can always find something else to do.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: I really only need quiet to write. I’m not one of those people who can write with music on in the background.

Things that distract you from writing: I’m very easily distracted, so almost anything can stop me. Why is the dog barking? Do I hear water dripping somewhere? Ow, a hangnail!

Hardest thing about being a writer: I think the hardest thing about being a writer is the waiting. Publishing is a slow business and I’m an antsy person.

Easiest thing about being a writer: I love a good game of make-pretend so I can find lots of things to write about. They may not be good, or go into a book, but I have little scraps of scenes or dialog all over the place.

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Unfortunately I live in a place with no midnight grocery stores. If I’m starving in the middle of the night, and there’s no cheese in my fridge, I just have to tough it out until morning. It’s also at least 20 minutes to a Dunks. I have to plan ahead.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Liver is about the only thing I don’t cook. Liverwurst is fine, but no liver.

Favorite snacks: My favorite snacks are cheese and crackers. Or cheese and apples. Or cheese and pretzels. Okay, it’s just cheese. I love cheese.

Things that make you want to gag: Almost nothing makes me gag. It’s unfortunate really, but I can eat everything. Oh wait, liver. I won’t eat liver, but I don’t if it will make me gag because I’m not going to test the theory.

Something you’re really good at: I’m really good at being a weirdo. I can’t help it and I’m not even sorry. I like silly jokes, bright colors, cornball movies, and goofy socks.

Something you’re really bad at: I’m really bad at being quiet. I was that kid in church who got the evil eyes from a grandparent trying to be serious. I don’t know why they did that because it only made me be weirder. And louder.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: I wanted to be a whole lot of things when I was little. A truck driver with a monkey (Okay, maybe I was influenced by a ‘70s tv show), a teacher, a singer, and a lawyer (probably to put one of my sisters in jail).

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: I never thought I’d live in Vermont and get used to snow.

Something you wish you could do: I wish I was a better athlete but I’m not all that coordinated and I’m a chicken. The fear of falling keeps me from doing a surprising amount of things.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: I was going to say I wish I’d never learned to clean the house because then I’d have an excuse not to do it. But I really like a clean house and I’m too cheap to hire someone else to do it, so I just have to do it myself.

Things to say to an author: I’d tell an author my favorite line in their book. We’re secretly always wanting to know if people like us, if they really like us. Or is that just me being insecure?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Did you get AI to help you with that?

The most exciting thing about your writing life: The most exciting thing for me has been finding out my book is going to be published. I have one published picture book, and I’m working through edits with another publisher for a middle grade book.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: I wish I could do my book launch party again. I was so nervous that I didn’t enjoy it. My stomach was in knots, I don’t think I properly thanked the people in my life for supporting me and I forgot to read from the book. Live and learn. I know what to do for my next launch.

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: I go to writer’s prompts when I can’t figure out what to write. Or I make a list of things that could happen to my character. Usually one of those things will “prime the pump” and I’ll be able to get back into the book I’m writing.

Things you do to avoid writing: I read to avoid writing. But if I’m really, REALLY desperate, I’ll clean the bathrooms. I’m sensing a theme in this interview.

About Susan:

Susan Drew is a kidlit writer and the author of Sadie Does Not Like Sorries. She lives in Vermont with her husband and dog but grew up all over the world as a military brat. Her favorite place to live was Heilbronn, Germany. Susan loves British baking shows, and doodling.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: Susan Drew Writes

Art shop: susandrewart.myshopify.com – Susan Drew Art

Newsletter:  www.substack.com/@susandrew

Intagram: www.instagram.com/_susandrew/

Bluesky: @susandrewwrites.com — Bluesky

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Jackie Layton

I would like to welcome my friend, the amazing Jackie Layton, to the blog this week for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: I almost said reading, but I make time to read. I enjoy watching true crime TV shows.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Keep up with my writing expenses. Every year, I plan to do better, but when I get ready for taxes, I realize I have not done a good job at all. Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: I need coffee, but I rarely snack when writing.

Things that distract you from writing: Most of my neighbors use the same company to mow their yards, so when they show up, it’s loud, and it lasts a long time. My husband takes care of the mowing at our house, and I help with weeding and gardening, so I don’t deal with the noise then.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Marketing.
Easiest thing about being a writer: Brainstorming. I love to think about new story ideas.

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Nothing for myself, but if I have a grandchild or parent and they need something, I’ll go. There’s nothing like a baby with a fever to get me moving.

Things you never put on your shopping list: I never put those frozen hamburger patties on my list. I tried once, but they don’t taste as good as patting out the burgers myself.

Favorite snacks: Pretzels, popcorn, and peanut butter cups.

Things that make you want to gag:  Too much mayonnaise on a sandwich, in chicken salad, or anywhere.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: I wanted to be a nurse, a pharmacist, a journalist, a teacher, a writer, and a secretary.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: I dreamed of being a published author, but I didn’t think it was possible. With encouragement from my husband, my parents, and my kids, I gave it a shot. I feel blessed that my dream came true.

 Last best thing you ate: My husband surprised me with triple berry muffins, and they were delicious.

Last thing you regret eating: Fried chicken tenders. I’ve avoided fried food for so long, and I felt icky after eating it.

Things to say to an author: You kept me guessing until the end. I didn’t see the twist coming.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Your story was predictable and boring.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I moved from Kentucky to Athens, Georgia with my three-year-old son so I could attend pharmacy school. (The dean at another college told me I’d never make it as a divorced mother, and his words discouraged me, but I did it anyway. And I graduated. So glad I went, and it’s probably the reason I’m such a big UGA fan.)

Something you chickened out from doing: I just joined the Y, and I still haven’t gotten the courage to take a water aerobics class. The locker room intimidates me. It’s probably because I’m not athletic.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: Seeing the first paperback copy of Bite the Dust in print was exciting. I am always excited to get that first print copy of my books.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: I wish I had started writing sooner.

Best piece of advice you received from another writer: Brandilyn Collins told me to join a writing group. I learned so much once I took her advice. I also met a lot of great authors and readers who are now my friends.

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing: The journey to publication is a wild ride, but don’t give up.

About Jackie:

Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries featuring Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in South Carolina, Georgia, and Texas. She lives on the coast of South Carolina, where she enjoys beach walks and golf-cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are among her favorite hobbies. Jackie always keeps a notebook handy to jot down ideas for future stories. Many of her ideas come from observing people and watching Dateline and American Greed.

Let’s Be Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jackiebeth117/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/joyfuljel

Threads: https://bit.ly/4oOCK6R

Substack: Jackie’s Substack | Substack

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor.com

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/49XTfpf

Bookbub: https://bit.ly/37RqGQ8

TikTok: https://bit.ly/43ENa0M

Website: https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/

Killer Secrets

Speed dating sabotage?

Or straight-up murder?

Kate Sloan’s best friend, Bess Walker, decides to try speed dating and convinces Kate to go with her for moral support.

The night of the event is filled with many emotions. Excitement, hope, jealousy, fear, greed, and even anger. Emotions spiral out of control for one person.

Before the second round, the event’s host is murdered.

Kate will use her skills at organizing, list-making, and questioning to try to solve the murder. Can she unravel the mystery before the killer leaves town for the next weekend of singles events?