#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Colleen Mooney

I’d like to welcome Colleen Mooney to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite things:

I love the beach, diving and Schnauzers, in particular, the four rescues I have. 

Things you need to throw out:

Paper, paper and more paper and clothes I no longer wear, like or fit me.  I’d like to throw out some bad habits or the plethora of holiday decorations that seem to multiply exponentially each year.

Favorite music:

I’ve got a rock ‘n roll heart but love music from the 80’s.  My favorite song is anyone you can dance to.

Least favorite or music I can’t stand:

Music that drives you crazy: Electronic sounds.

 Favorite foods:

Cheese, cheese and more cheese.  I love cheese. In restaurants and every place I travel, I will order the cheese tray if there is one on the menu.  Of course, I’m from New Orleans so I am surrounded by great food and choices all the time and seafood is also a big favorite. We have shrimp and crawfish boils where we get together with our friends and family to share! 

Things that make you want to gag: 

Mayonnaise and someone else vomiting.  I am a sympathetic hurler. 

 Something you wish you could do:                                                                                  

There are many things I would love to be able to do and playing the piano is one.  Also, I wish I could speak fluent French and German.  

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:  There are things I don’t like to do, like balancing my checkbook, but there is nothing I wish I had never learned to do.  There are so many things I still would love to learn

Favorite smell:

I love the smell of my dogs right after they are groomed.  The groomer uses a spray and they have a wonderful, happy and pretty smell!

Something that makes you hold your nose:

The foulest smell I ever encountered was the smell in New Orleans after Katrina.  We wore masks and still had to put wintergreen petroleum jelly under our noses, under the masks. 

Things you need for your writing sessions:

I need peace and quiet, something in short supply at my home with four schnauzers (barkers) and my retired husband. For concentration I will go to the library or a coffee shop and sometimes stay there the entire day!

Things that hamper your writing:

The biggest thing that hampers my writing are time constraints.  With life still rolling along, there are many other things I am responsible for that need to get done so the interruptions to take care of business, home, and social requirements is the biggest thing that slows me down, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Favorite beverage: Coffee with Chicory
Something that gives you a sour face: Decaf.

Things you love about writing:

I love seeing where my story goes and what the characters do.  They often surprise me. I have an outline when I begin of where the story starts, and where it ends and a general idea of what has to happen along the way.   How it gets there is the part I enjoy most. 

Things you hate about writing: I hate that I can’t type faster. 

Favorite places you’ve been:

I am an avid Scuba Diver so the places I like the most all involved diving. Cozumel was a big favorite because it was so easy to get to from New Orleans, so I’ve been there many times.  I love islands, including Manhattan (I lived there for a year!).  A favorite place in I attended a Creativity Workshop and fell in love with, enough to retire there, was Arles France.  It was a small town and you could walk everywhere. Another big favorite I try to make annually are Christmas Markets in Germany. My favorite is Maintz.  My husband and I try to go there every year since it puts me in a wonderful holiday mood, hence the surplus of decorations.  New Orleans is usually hot year-round except for a few days in January and February so going to the markets during December is magical! (See No. 1)

Places you never want to go to again:

Morocco. This was a bucket list trip and the worst vacation I’ve ever had. Everything was an abysmal disappointment. Since I was travelling with all women friends (something I would not recommend) we were often ignored in restaurants or taken advantage of when purchasing items. 

Something you like to do: I love anything on the water, sailing, diving, or just floating on a raft!
Something you wish you’d never done: Gone on that trip to Morocco.

Things that make you happy:

What makes me happy is seeing one of my rescues matched with the perfect home.  I’ve been directing Schnauzer Rescue of Louisiana for over fifteen years and placed over 350 Schnauzers. I am exuberant every time I find a Schnauzer the perfect person to love and who will love them back.  
Things that drive you crazy:

The biggest thing that drives me crazy are people who get pets and don’t learn how to care for them or take the time to teach the pet how to be a good companion.  There are no bad dogs, only irresponsible pet owners. 

Best thing you’ve ever done:

My biggest accomplishment was volunteering for Schnauzer Rescue of Louisiana and taking it over when that person could no longer manage it. 

Biggest mistake: Going on that Morocco trip!

Let’s Be Social:

Colleen Mooney, Mystery Author

Twitter:  Twitter.com@Mooney_colleen

Facebook:  colleen.mooney.716@facebook.com

Website:  www.colleenmooney.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/colleen.mooney

Email:  colleen@colleenmooney.com

About Colleen:

Colleen Mooney was born and lived much of her life in New Orleans before a job moved her to other cities.  She writes a cozy mystery series set in New Orleans. It’s called The New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles and the 7th book, Fireworks, Forensics and Felonies. It was released in the box set, Summer Snoops Unleashed and all proceeds go to help three animal rescues or shelters who aid senior pets. Colleen has earned Best Seller status in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Amazon.

 In January 2017 Colleen organized a Sisters In Crime chapter in New Orleans, was elected President and has a planned a Mystery Writers’ Conference for November 2019.  She is currently working on her 8th book in the New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles  series.

 Colleen was born and raised in New Orleans and lived in the Irish Channel along with just about everybody else in her family.  She says, “New Orleanians are a lot like boomerangs or homing pigeons.  If we move away, we always move back.”

 Colleen worked in corporate America for twenty-one years before retiring and has lived in Birmingham, Atlanta, New Jersey and New York. She moved back to New Orleans every time before another corporate reorganization would transfer her to another city.

 “My vacation and work related travels opened my eyes as to how different we are in New Orleans.  We are very different from the rest of the state, let alone the rest of the country. We have different laws, different food and the way we cook it, different weather, different things we celebrate and how we celebrate them. We even have a different language in some cases.  Everyone thinks New Orleans is all about a good time in the French Quarter or on Bourbon Street, but those of us from here know that’s only the tip of the iceberg, well, if we had icebergs.” 

 Colleen loves to travel and do new things.  She is an avid Scuba diver and Underwater photographer, owned and raced sailboats in the Gulf of Mexico, Key West and the BVI. She has owned and drove a motorcycle, and has skied Colorado, Idaho, California, New York State as well as the German and Austrian Alps.

 In New Orleans, she’s been active in many Mardi Gras Krewes, Super Krewes, and organizations and has belonged to the Krewe of Cork, Orpheus, Iris, Tucks, Joan of Arc and the Halloween Krewe of Boo. Colleen says she has never met a parade she didn’t like. 

 She’s an ardent animal lover and the Director for a breed rescue, Schnauzer Rescue of Louisiana for the last fifteen years.  She has rescued and placed over 350 abandoned or surrendered Schnauzers.  She loves to write, and writes about what she loves. Colleen says, “New Orleans is where it all happens for me.

There’s no place like New Orleans to have a good crime!”

Check out Colleen’s Sisters in Crime New Orleans Chapter’s “A Journey into the Mystery of the Criminal Mind.”

It's Okay to Say No...

It’s okay to say no. I’m southern and a person who likes harmony, so it took me a long time to realize that there are times when you can say no to requests.

You cannot do everything. As an author, you will get a lot of requests for your time (often from complete strangers). Your job is to write your next book, and you have to balance that with all the other obligations you have. I like to support other writers, but unfortunately, I can’t do every event or read every manuscript.

Guard your writing time. It is too easy to get involved in other activities. Even internet-surfing and tv-watching are big time sucks.

I love helping other authors and sharing their celebrations on social media. I just don’t have the time to read or edit every request I get. I’ve committed to my author early readers and my critique group to read and comment on their submissions. If you’re looking for feedback, find a writers’ group, a critique group, or a writing partner. You read their work, and they read yours.

I volunteer for a variety of causes. I have had to scale some of this back over the years to give myself time to write and edit. But you can support causes in a variety of ways. Your social media platform is powerful, and you can reach a lot of people.

As soon as you put yourself out there, you will be bombarded with all kinds of companies and service requests. Many are worthwhile and are opportunities to network. If you want to hire them, do your homework and get references.

Be careful on social media. You do not have to accept every friend or message request. There are a lot of book marketing, lonely hearts scammers, and bots out there. There are also people who friend you and then drop you when you reciprocate. They are just trying to build up a following.

You need to make sure that you are working on your next project.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Kimberly Hunt

I’d like to welcome Kimberly Hunt to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need for your editing sessions: hours, your manuscript, my computer, and sometimes a red pen

Things that hamper your editing: the requirements of being human (sleep, social obligations, etc.)

Things you love about editing: Reading, providing positive feedback so the author knows specifically what is working well, and suggesting solutions where needed to enhance the successful delivery of their vision.

Things you hate about editing: The frantic worry that I've missed something and the self-restraint needed to NOT point out every flaw. There's a fine balance between helping to improve and overwhelming an author with too many revision suggestions.

Hardest thing about being an editor: As a freelancer, the varied pace is hard. Sometimes my schedule is packed and I work too many hours; when it's slow I focus on training and marketing.

Easiest thing about being an editor: I get to read for a living!!!

Things you never want to run out of: Appreciation for the craft and the patience of my family and friends who indulge my obsession.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Almost everything after I buy it. I like LESS. Clutter is my Achilles heel.

Favorite music or song: REO Speedwagon's Time for Me to Fly because of my dad

Music that drives you crazy: My kid's recorder. That is a new level of parenting hell.

Favorite beverage: Spa water (water infused with cucumber or fruit)

Something that gives you a sour face: I don't like mean people and I don't like Jägermeister.

Something you wish you could do: Take more volunteer vacations like I did last summer. Travel + Volunteering = Bliss.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Cook. I do not enjoy it. I'd rather starve.

Things to say to an editor: Thank you. I value your skills and appreciate that you used them to make my book better. Here's your prompt payment for all of the hours you poured into making my book the best it can be.

Things to say to an editor if you want a lecture: Editing costs too much, I'll just ask my neighbor to edit it for free. Quality costs. It's like asking a teenager to build a house versus hiring professionals who have the training, experience, and tools to deliver a quality product.

Favorite books (or genre): Romance! And mystery, suspense and psychological thrillers. OK, I also like memoirs and pretty much anything else if it's well-written.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Zero limitations. As a kid from a large family, my parents had to put me on a budget for the monthly scholastic book club flyers. Picture a scrawny girl with an armful of library books - that was me.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Skydiving, sleeping in the Outback, snorkeling with sharks, walked past black bears raiding garbage cans, starting my freelance editing business

Something you chickened out from doing: I've chickened out of ever chickening out. Seriously, I can't think of anything and it's not that I think I'm brave. I'm probably just easily persuaded into doing adventurous things. I don't like to disappoint people.

About Kimberly:

Kimberly Hunt is a freelance editor with Revision Division. She has twenty years of experience managing projects and developmental editing fiction with a certification in copyediting as well. She's happy to answer questions about writing and editing but beware as she can go on at length about her passions: reading, running, and volunteering.

 Links to website and social media sites

https://revisiondivision.com

https://facebook.com/RevisionDivision/

https://Twitter.com/RevisionDiv

https://instagram.com/revisiondivkimberly

Does Your Author Bio Need a Check up?

I usually update my bio on my website and social media sites when I have a new book or when something chagnes. It’s a good idea to check these every so often to make sure your information is current — especially on sites that you don’t visit every day.

1. I keep a list of links to all my social media sites to make sure that I check on all of them when there is a change.

2. If your author photo current? Do you look like your picture? You don’t want to surprise people when you meet them in person.

3. Make sure that all your links work correctly. I have an RSS feed on my Amazon author page that stopped working. I had to correct it, so that my feed appeared correctly without an error message.

4. Is your publication list current? If you link your books to your sites, make sure that everything appears correctly.

5. Does your biography need to be refreshed? Did you add publications, skills, or group memberships? It’s a good idea to have a short, medium, and long bio on your website and press kit.

6. You want the “look and feel” to be similar across your social media platforms, so people recognize you. My original website was black and red to match the cover of the first two anthologies I was in. A publicist recommended that I lighten the colors since I don’t write thrillers or horror. My mysteries are light, funny, and often cozy.

7. If you have pinned posts or tweets, make sure they are current and still relevant.

8. If you have an events list, make sure the content is up to date. People who see 2017 events on your site, know that you don’t update your content very often.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Mary Dutta

I’d like to welcome author, Mary Dutta, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: Dark chocolate, Victorian novels, New York City

Things you need to throw out: All the organizers, bullet journals, color-coded pens, and calendars that I keep thinking will change my writing process and don’t.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Yellow legal pads

Things that hamper your writing: Internet access

Things you love about writing: Endless possibilities

Things you hate about writing: Plots that resist revealing themselves

Hardest thing about being a writer: Rejections
Easiest thing about being a writer: Jumping into a new story

Favorite foods: Anything pork, anything chocolate

Things that make you want to gag:  Stinky tofu

Favorite beverage:  Gin & tonic
Something that gives you a sour face: Kombucha

Something you’re really good at: Baking
Something you’re really bad at: Skiing

Last best thing you ate: Pepper & egg grinder
Last thing you regret eating: Octopus. I keep trying it and never like it.

Things you always put in your books: Humor
Things you never put in your books: Graphic violence

Things to say to an author: I loved your book!
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I could write a great book if I just took the time.

Favorite places you’ve been: Petra, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Bronte parsonage
Places you never want to go to again: Any gas station in New Jersey, where you’re not allowed to pump your own gas.

Favorite books (or genre): Wuthering Heights, Mysteries
Books you wouldn’t buy: Sci Fi

About Mary:

Mary Dutta traded New England and a career as an English professor for a new life as a college admissions reader in the South. Her short story "Festival Finale” appears in The Best Laid Plans: 21 Stories of Mystery & Suspense.

Great Advice That I've Learned from Other Authors on My Writing Journey

I am extremely grateful for all the authors who have shared their ideas, advice, and successes with me through the years. It is so helpful as you begin or move along your writing journey. Here are some key items that I’ve learned.

When I’m working on a new novel, I plot out a simple outline. I learned from Donna Andrews to color-code the different kinds of action in your outline, so you can see it over the course of the book. For example, I mark all romantic elements with pink, humorous items are orange, clues are green, etc.

I learned from Mary Burton to keep a running list of over-used words. Add to it as you write, and then at the end of each revision cycle, search your document and remove the culprits. She also calls your first draft the “sloppy copy.” This isn’t “the end” of your project. It’s the beginning of the revision cycle.

I learned from the late Kathy Mix to keep a list of character names for each book. Her rule was to name each character with a different letter of the alphabet. If she already had a Krissy, then she couldn’t have another character whose first name started with a “K.” I build a chart of characters for my books in a series. I create a column for each book and update where the characters appear. I also create a list of key locations. I enter all the important facts, so I can keep track of the details.

Mary Miley gave me some great advice about honing dialogue. She recommends cutting out the unnecessary pleasantries and chitchat that don’t move your story forward.

Elaine Viets said to know your genre and who is publishing in it. Do your research and know the conventions.

Lynda Bishop, my long-term editor, recommends that authors keep a timeline for each book to make sure all events are in order and make sense. This helps with pacing.

In one of her talks, Tina Glasneck told the group to create a calendar for each book launch. Mine starts three months before the launch and runs three months after. Plan all events, interviews, blogs, and media campaigns.

Jane Friedman tells writers that their platform grows from their body of work. An author’s website and blog should be at the center of this. Also, the website and blog should be on the same site.

Frances Aylor and Alan Orloff gave me the best advice for writing. Butt glue (Frances) or BICFOK (Alan). They’re essentially the same. If you want to be a writer, put your Butt in the Chair and Fingers on the Keyboard.

What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Samantha McGraw

I’d like to welcome author and blogger, Samantha McGraw, to the blog!

A few of your favorite things: Almost any kind of tea (I love to try new ones!), Chocolate (Everyday!!), Cats (Strays know I’m a cat lover and always find their way to my doorstep.)

Things you need to throw out: Many people would say I have too many notebooks, colored pens, and books, but I say those people are crazy! My closet could use a good decluttering though.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Good lighting, quiet, a cup of tea, and a few Hershey’s Kisses.

Things that hamper your writing: A cluttered desk or a long to-do list that’s cluttering my mind.

Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate and Tea.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I seem to have an addiction to various kitchen gadgets that have only been used once, or never been used at all.

Favorite foods: Did I mention that I like chocolate? Any kind of cheese would be at the top of this list too. And if you’re a chocolate and cheese lover too – try a grilled cheese with brie and Nutella. You’ll thank me later.

Things that make you want to gag: I never liked fish. The taste and the smell are not appealing to me.

Favorite smell: I love citrus smells and fruity flowers. Honeysuckle is one of my favorite scents, it reminds me of my childhood at my grandparent’s house. I have a honeysuckle candle on my desk that I often light when I’m writing.
Something that makes you hold your nose: Bleach. I suffer from migraines from time-to-time and this smell is a trigger so I avoid using bleach whenever possible.

Something you’re really good at: Baking. I love trying new recipes and experimenting with new ideas.
Something you’re really bad at: Crafty DIY projects. I’m one of those Pinterest-fail people!

Last best thing you ate: While I’m sure I’ve had something marvelous since, this question takes my memory back to a few months ago on a girl’s trip to Wilmington, NC. We were blessed with discovering some of the best restaurants in town. Fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches, tapas, crepes, and homemade breads. It’s a good thing I don’t eat like that too often!
Last thing you regret eating: My husband offered me a bite of his dish when we were at a Chinese restaurant. I asked if it was spicy and he assured me it wasn’t. He lied!

 Things to say to an author: Your story is a fabulous escape for me! I loved taking a trip into the world you created.
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Your work reminds me of ______’s work, but their stories are a little better.

 Favorite places you’ve been: Wilmington, NC, San Antonio, TX, Napa Valley, CA New York City
Places you never want to go to again: The Jersey Shore. It’s a lovely place to visit, but there are A LOT of bridges to cross in order to get there. Bridges are not my thing!

Favorite books (or genre): Mysteries, of course, and Thrillers, but those are also kind of mysterious. I occasionally enjoy Women’s Fiction too.
Books you wouldn’t buy: I’m not a big fan of history or autobiographies unless it’s someone I really admire.

The coolest person you’ve ever met: Hmm, there are a few. The coolest writers I’ve met are Sue Grafton and David Baldacci. I’m a big fan of both so that was pretty awesome. In a previous life, I was an event planner in Washington, D.C. and planned events that were attended by President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. I also planned a holiday party for Adrian Cronauer (of the Good Morning, Vietnam fame).

The celebrity who didn’t look like he/she did in pictures/video: I once met Steve Guttenberg and Quincy Jones at an inauguration party and didn’t recognize either one.

About Samantha:

Samantha McGraw has a love of mysteries and afternoon tea. Her short story, “Deadly Devonshire,” can be found in the Deadly Southern Charm Anthology. She lives in Richmond with her husband and very spoiled fur baby.  

Freelance Writer

Blogger on the award-winning Tea Cottage Mysteries

Contributing Author to Deadly Southern Charm

Contributor at Huffington Post

Let’s Be Social:

Blog: http://www.teacottagemysteries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/teacottagemysteries 

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/teacottagemysteries

Receiving Feedback on Your Work

Last week, I blogged about giving feedback to other writers. Today’s post is about receiving feedback and the myriad of emotions that pop up. It’s tough. You’ve worked really hard on your manuscript, and now someone is telling you there are problems or that they don’t like something.

1. You have to develop thick skin if you’re going to be an author. You will always have critiques, criticisms, reviews, and comments. It’s hard, but you need to be realistic (and not emotional) if you want to improve your writing. The GOALS are to get published and to sell books. To do that, you need to hone your craft.

2. When I come back from critique group or get editorial feedback on my work, I try to wait a day before making changes. That usually gives me time to get over whatever emotions spun up from my first reaction to the comments. Scream, holler, run a mile, eat chocolate, dance in the kitchen, practice boxing, or do whatever helps you get centered. Allow yourself a little bit of time for your pity party. Then, pull up your big-girl pants and get on with your writing career. You can be sad or angry for a bit, but don’t wallow in it. If you want to be published, you have work to do.

3. After I’ve given myself some time, I look at the comments and changes. Sometimes, they’re not as bad as first perceived. A lot of boo boos are easily fixed. I go through the document and decide what changes I need to make.

4. When reading feedback from critique group members or beta readers, I look at each comment. If one person didn’t like or get something, it may be an outlier. If the majority of the group had the same comment, I need to look at it.

5. You don’t have to accept every change that’s suggested. At the end of the day, you’re the writer, and it’s your story. You can often negotiate with editors and agents if you feel strongly about something that they’ve asked you to change, but be professional and leave emotions out of it when you approach them. And here’s the BUT — and it’s a big one… If the editor doesn’t budge, you may have to make a decision. Is the change worth fighting for?

   I have been in several anthology projects where a new writer decided that he/she did not want the story edited AT ALL. The coordinator talked to them and explained the editing process that the group decided on was for a quality book (in this case, it was a three-level editing process). The publisher insisted that all stories would be edited. Two of the authors stood firm, and their stories were removed from the book. Decide what you can live with. Professional feedback is to make your work stronger and more marketable.

6. Everyone has ideas and opinions. And everyone will tell you about what they like and don’t like to your face and on social media. Don’t get in a confrontation or a social media war. Even if you delete posts and comments, they’re still out there somewhere in Internetland. It looks defensive and unprofessional when you start a shouting match. It is so easy to bang out a heated response to something, but don’t. It never helps, and it could damage your brand.

   Getting feedback, especially early in your career is tough. If you want to be published, you have to be tenacious and always looking for ways to improve. Criticisms and critiques are a big part of this.