In Honor of World Book Day - 50 Authors to Add to Your Book Shopping List

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World Book Day is the week! Here is my list of 50 Mystery and Thriller Authors to add to your book shopping list. They are in no particular order.

  • Libby Klein

  • Mary Lee Woods

  • Raquel Reyes

  • Sherry Harris

  • Diane Kelly

  • Kellye Garrett

  • Gabriel Valjan

  • Hank Phillippi Ryan

  • Ellen Bryon/Maria DiRico

  • Edith Maxwell/Maddie Day

  • Marilyn Levinson/Allison Brook

  • Annette Dashofy

  • K. L. Murphy

  • J. D. Griffo

  • Debra Sennefelder

  • Tina Kashian

  • Misty Simon

  • Debra H. Goldstein

  • Sparkle Abbey

  • J. C. Kenney

  • Lane Stone

  • Bree Baker

  • Bethany Blake

  • Kate Young

  • Maya Corrigan

  • Liz Milliron

  • Kelly Oliver

  • Lena Gregory

  • Ruth Hartman

  • Jackie Layton

  • Dane McCaslin

  • Sarah Burr

  • Grace Topping

  • Susan Van Kirk

  • Lida Sideris

  • Lori Duffy Foster

  • Nancy Cole Silverman

  • Mary Burton/Mary Ellen Taylor

  • Mary Miley

  • James L’Etoile

  • Jeanne Adams

  • Frankie Bailey

  • Lynn Cahoon

  • Judy Penz Sheluk

  • Katherine Bruns

  • Rosalie Spielman

  • Deborah Coonts

  • Jennifer Chow

  • Grace Topping

  • Vicki Batman

#WriterWednesday Interview with Ramon Del Villar

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I’d like to welcome Ramon Del Villar to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

A few of your favorite things: Fast cars, no, I will be specific, Porsches. Cigars, not the expensive ones, but the tasty long Cusano M1. My four grand-puppies, Coco, Misty, Arya and Merlin.

Things you need to throw out: Fax machines, wait, no, I need them in my law office. All non-Keurig coffee makers.

Things you need for your writing sessions: My computer, my computer, my computer and my computer.

Things that hamper your writing: Having to work as an attorney.

Things you love about writing: The freedom to create as much as I want or as am able to.

Things you hate about writing: Because I insist on being positive that anything that my character does as an attorney is possible and legitimate, having to research to find out if it is really possible and legitimate.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Getting people to read my novels.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Writing my novels when I’m inspired.

Things you never want to run out of: My Cusano cigars. Money. Food for my grand-puppies. Paper for my printer.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I cannot think of anything, but I regret leasing my BMW M-Roadster, because I had to return it when BMW refused to finance the purchase after the three-year lease.

Words that describe you: Persevering. Obstinate. Insecure. Hard-Working.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Obstinate. Insecure.

Something you’re really good at: Driving a car. Interpreting from and to English/Spanish. Translating from and to English/Spanish. Litigating a case I am really interested in.

Something you’re really bad at: Almost everything else.

Things you’d walk a mile for: My daily exercise routine. For anything else, I rather drive.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: When my family has the air-conditioning full blast.

Things to say to an author: Write whatever you enjoy doing even if you suspect you might not be able to do as well as you wish.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Nobody is going to read your crap.

Favorite places you’ve been: Paris. London. Rome. Nurburgring. Brussels.

Places you never want to go to again: I cannot think of any.

Most embarrassing moment: Forgetting how to say “kidney” in English at my very first deposition as an interpreter.

Proudest moment: Being asked by my favorite Federal Judge to be his interpreter in all his cases.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Marry my wife.

Biggest mistake: Not marrying her sooner.

Putting Together Your Team - Tips for Writers

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Whether your traditionally published, an indie, or somewhere in between, you’ll need to put together a team to help you produce and market your books. Here are some tips that can help you as you find the right resources.

  • Writing is a business, and you need to treat it that way. Make sure you have a contract or statement of work before someone starts the job.

  • Make sure you have clearly explained your requirements up front for the task.

  • Understand the fee structure and payment before the work starts. Is it a one-time cost? If it’s ongoing, how much and how often are you charged?

  • Know exactly what you’re getting for your money.

  • Get the person’s contact information at the beginning. You may have a need to reach them other than through a website contact.

  • Ask other writers for references.

  • Check out samples of the person’s work.

  • Understand the timeline (theirs and yours).

  • Keep a list of your contacts. You may need to reach out to them in the future.

  • A lot of the tasks (e.g. website maintenance, graphics, book trailers) you can do yourself with a little training. Google and YouTube are your friend. There are a lot of tutorials out there that will teach you how to use the software.

  • Make a budget and determine what you have the time/interest to do yourself and what you need to hire others for.

You’ll receive lots of offers from people and companies to help market you and your books. Make sure you know what you’re buying. Do your homework and find the right resources for your brand.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Laurel Peterson

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I’d like to welcome author and poet, Laurel Peterson, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

A few of your favorite things: my Canon DSLR camera, which I finally learned to use during the pandemic; my fuzzy yellow Labrador Retriever who interrupts me all day to go outside and play Frisbee; a pair of knee-high, Victorian style, lace-up black boots; the hammered silver collar my parents bought me in Santa Fe

 Things you need to throw out: all that anxiety I’m carrying around; all the clothes I don’t really love but keep around “just in case”; the old files I’m too lazy to go through; those old plant pots in the gardening shed that belonged to the previous owner.

Things you need for your writing sessions: quiet; a window to look out of;

Things that hamper your writing: My husband’s “hey honey?”; inertia; my day job.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Having to promote your own work after it’s written.
Easiest thing about being a writer: There is no easy thing about being a writer!

Things you never want to run out of: Money. (Just sayin’.) Bird song. Books. Peace in my country. (I’ve got Ukraine on my mind.)

Things you wish you’d never bought: That set of fragile pink wineglasses. The can of chestnut puree. The pointy-toed brown cowboy boots.

Favorite foods: roasted chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes; chocolate cake with white icing; the transcendent plate of cheese served at the Grand Hotel de Solesmes in Solesmes, France (across from the Abbey that resurrected the Gregorian Chant); chicken Marsala at Pasquale’s Restaurant in Norwalk, CT, where my characters (and I) go for dinner!

Things that make you want to gag:  Sheep’s eyeballs (and the stories about people eating them); stories about eating ortolans (anything you have to cover your eyes to eat seems like a bad idea, morally and gustatorily); that skit my friend did in high school where she drank a glass full of toothpaste and spit. (Ugh, I can feel it now!)

Favorite beverage: Bombay gin martini, extra dry with an olive; English breakfast tea: it’s a tie!
Something that gives you a sour face: Rum

Things to say to an author: I really enjoyed _________________(Put specific detail from their book/blog/column here); I’m so interested in the _______ issue you’ve raised in your book. Can you talk more about that?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “You should have__________________.”; “Interesting outfit!”; “Your books are so cute”; “You are so sweet”—snicker.

Favorite places you’ve been: Delphi, Greece; Louie’s Backyard, Key West, Florida; Solesmes, France; Chinon, France; Paso Robles, California; Oxford, England; Antigua; the ferry from Athens to Santorini; the bar at Johnny Seesaw’s, 2002, Peru, VT

Places you never want to go to again: Middle school; that graduate writing class with the two women who couldn’t say anything nice about anyone; the office of the college president who was later accused of sexual harassment.

Favorite books (or genre): Ingrid Hill: Ursula, Under; Robert Penn Warren: All the King’s Men; Mark Doty: Atlantis; Pam Houston: Cowboys are My Weakness; Ben Lerner: Leaving the Atocha Station. I am a poet, so I love poetry, but mystery novels are my favorite genre.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Horror. Sorry all you Stephen King lovers out there, but one page and I wouldn’t ever sleep again.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living): First, I do badly with famous people. They make me tongue tied. They would have to do all the talking. With that in mind: Meryl Streep; Lyle Lovett; Mark Knopfler; Sara Paretsky; Hilary Clinton; Colin Thubron; Pam Houston; Mark Doty; Kevin Young; Alice Waters; David Letterman
People you’d cancel dinner on: that jerk at my first job who snidely remarked that my lipstick matched my sweater; the Kardashians; my ex-department chair; the grad school professor who mistyped the address on my recommendation letter; that woman on the airplane who proclaimed loudly to her seatmate that no one was going to take away her bonus during the financial crisis of 2009.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Write a book, get it published, try to market it!
Something you chickened out from doing: hot air balloon—although it’s still on the table!

I’d love to hear your answers to these questions! You can reach me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram—or check out my website.

About Laurel:

Laurel S. Peterson’s poetry has been published in many literary journals. She has published two poetry chapbooks, two full-length poetry collections, Do You Expect Your Art to Answer? and Daughter of Sky (Futurecycle Press) and two mystery novels, Shadow Notes and The Fallen (Woodhall Press). She is a writing professor, serves on the editorial board of Inkwell magazine, and was Norwalk, Connecticut’s, Poet Laureate from April 2016 – April 2019.

#WriterWednesday Interview with Sarah E. Burr

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I’d like to welcome the fabulous Sarah E. Burr to the blog today for #WriterWednesday, spring edition. Make sure to check out her wonderful series.

Favorite spring treat: You can't keep me away from a Cadbury Milk Chocolate Egg with a Caramel Center. It's got to be one of the best chocolate/caramel combos out there.

A spring treat that makes you gag: Peeps. I know they are an Easter candy staple, but I was not a fan even as a kid. I think I pretended to like them for the longest time before turning my sweet tooth elsewhere.

Something you only do in the spring: Spring cleaning. After a long winter, I throw open the windows and deep clean my home within an inch of its life. I must do it during the spring when it's still cool outside because I always work up a sweat by the end.

Something you'd never do in the spring season: Go swimming in the ocean. When I lived in Florida, I used to, but as much as I love swimming, the New York Atlantic usually doesn't get to a swimmable temperature (for me) until July.

Favorite spring beverage: I am obsessed with the Peach Passionfruit Refresher from Dunkin'. It's my go-to "It's warm out" drink. Honestly, if I could hold the cold cup in the winter, I'd drink it all year round, but it's definitely a sign of spring when I order my first one.

A drink that gives you a sour face: Energy drinks. Red Bull, Monster…I tried a sip of Red Bull once, and that was enough.

Favorite spring smell: Honeysuckle. I love the simple, light sweetness. It's one of my favorite scents.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Fresh mulch. It's everywhere this time of year where I live, and the smell always leaves me coughing with watery eyes.

Best spring memory: When I was a kid, my family traveled to Bermuda a few times during spring. When April/May comes around, Bermuda's weather is at the perfect spot where it's warm but not too warm. I loved the adventures we had while visiting. It's such a beautiful island.

Something you'd rather forget: I grew up in Maine, where spring meant mud season. One time, I slipped on the playground during recess and landed in a massive pile of mud. My jeans were completely soaked through with slimy dirt. I looked disgusting. Luckily, my mom was able to drop off a set of clean leggings at school so I could continue the day without looking like I'd just walked out of a sewer.

Best spring break story: I guess this might not be considered "spring break" since it technically was a class, but I left to spend a trimester abroad in Egypt and Greece during a college spring break. It was the first time I'd traveled internationally beyond tropical vacation spots, and the history of both countries was astounding. I recently watched the new Death on the Nile movie and was amazed to see the places I visited featured on screen. It brought back a lot of fond memories.

A spring break story you want to forget: In seventh grade, for our spring break, a friend and I went down to one of the only malls in Maine with our moms for a "girls' weekend." What started as a super fun time ended with me being so, so sick. We were shopping, and all of the sudden, I just collapsed. It turns out I had an insanely high fever. My mom got me back home, only to fall ill herself. So, we spent the rest of our spring break recovering.

About Sarah:

Sarah lives near New York City, where she writes the Trending Topic Mysteries, Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series. Sarah is a New York Tri-State Sisters in Crime board member, serving as the chapter's social media guru. She also enjoys creating digital content for authors with her graphic design service, BookstaBundles. When she's not writing or reading, Sarah is singing Broadway show tunes, video gaming, or taking walks with her dog, Eevee.

 Let’s Be Social:

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrsignup

Website: www.saraheburr.com

Facebook: https://bit.ly/saraheburrfacebook

Instagram: https://bit.ly/saraheburrinstagram

Twitter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrtwitter

Sarah’s Social Media Hub: https://bit.ly/sarahsocialmediahub

Book Links:

 #FollowMe for Murder: https://bit.ly/followmeformurder

You Can’t Candle the Truth: https://bit.ly/glenmyrewhimmysteriesbook1

Court of Mystery: https://bit.ly/courtofmystery

April 10 - Encourage a Young Writer Day - What's Your Advice?

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April 10 is Encourage a Young Writer Day. I have so many teachers, librarians, a visiting poet, and a plethora of other writers to thank for all of their encouragement and advice through the years. Here’s my list for young writers. What would you add?

  • Read everything that you can get your hands on. Read works in a variety of genres. Read books from all types of authors.

  • Find time to write every day.

  • Don’t give up. Writing, editing, and all the tasks that go along with it are work. It takes time, dedication, and perseverance.

  • Writing is a business. Agents and publishers are looking for projects that they can sell.

  • Criticism and critiques are part of the process. Learn what you can from feedback and strive to improve your craft.

  • Rejection is also part of the process. It’s not fun. Cry, scream, eat chocolate, and then get back to your writing.

  • Write what you love to read.

  • Be professional.

#ThisorThatThursday Interview with Richard Paolinelli

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I’d like to welcome author, Richard Paolinelli, to the blog for #ThiorThatThursday!

Things you love about writing: Creating new universes and telling stories that other people enjoy reading.

Things you hate about writing: I keep coming up with scenes while I’m driving or somewhere far away from my computer. But other than that there really isn’t anything else.

Things you never want to run out of: Dr. Pepper and new books to read.

Things you wish you’d never bought: A 1979 Ford Mustang that turned out to be a money pit.

Favorite foods: Pizza and chile rellenos.

Things that make you want to gag: Lutefisk and grits.

Favorite music or song: Voices Carry by Til Tuesday

Music that drives you crazy: Country music.

Favorite beverage: Dr. Pepper

Something that gives you a sour face: Any of the dark liquors. They all taste like paint thinner to me with the exception of Southern Comfort for some reason.

Something you’re really good at: Bowling

Something you’re really bad at: Painting

Something you wish you could do: Paint.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Photoshop.

Favorite places you’ve been: Ocean Shores, Washington and North Dakota.

Places you never want to go to again: Little Rock, Arkansas and the Antelope Valley of California.

Favorite books (or genre): Sci-fi.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Erotica and Romance

Best thing you’ve ever done: Married my wife.

Biggest mistake: Not going into computer programing in the mid-1980s.

About Richard:

Richard Paolinelli began his writing journey as a freelance writer in 1984 and gained his first fiction credit serving as the lead writer for the first two issues of the Elite Comics sci-fi/fantasy series, Seadragon. Following a 20-year newspaper writing career, he returned to his fiction writing roots and has published several novels, two non-fiction sports books, and has appeared in several anthologies. His novel, Escaping Infinity, was a 2017 Dragon Award Finalist for Best Sci-Fi novel. He also writes weekly short fiction on his website, www.scifiscribe.com. He is a huge proponent of the Superversive approach to fiction writing and publishing and his most recent novel, Galen's Way, is the first book in a multi-author Space Opera epic series.  

Let’s Be Social:

Website: http://www.scifiscribe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.paolinelli

Newsletter (free e-book with new signup): https://dl.bookfunnel.com/hh7m9neuqz

What I Learned about Writing from Lean IT

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Lean IT comes from the manufacturing world and is based on the Toyota Production System (TPS). Key values and processes have been added to the service and technology industries through the years. Recently, I took a class on how Lean improvements can be added to IT’s service delivery, and I realized that the key principles can be applied to the writing world, too.

  1. Continual Improvement (in small steps) is one the key principles of Lean. Revising, editing, and critiques are ways that writers can improve their craft. It needs to be a continuous cycle.

  2. Focusing on Long-term Goals helps deliver a solid product and involves continuous improvement. Writers need to focus on where they want to be and work toward this.

  3. Quality, Delivery, and Costs are key to production. They’re important in the writing world, too. You need to balance your writing, time, and monetary outputs to reach your goals.

  4. The Deming Cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act) is integral to the continuous improvement cycle. Writers plan, draft, review, and then finish/publish. The writing cycle needs to include all the elements for revising, editing, and proofreading to improve your writing process and your output.

  5. The principles of Lean center around Customer Value. The output and delivery of the final work is always centered around the reader and his/her experience. The ultimate goals are to sell books and bring readers back for more.

  6. Flow is a key component to the manufacturing process. You need to have the right parts at the right time to keep the process moving. I would argue that flow is key to the writing process too. You need to make time to write. It’s often good to write your first draft and then work on the revising and editing stages. Sometimes, writers get bogged down with the first draft if they edit as they write.

  7. In the Lean world there are value-add, necessary non-value-add, and non-value-add activities. You want to optimize your value-add work (writing, editing, etc.) while minimizing the necessary non-value-add tasks (building your platform, maintaining your social media sites, keeping accounting records, paying taxes). You also want to look at your writing life and try to remove any non-value-add activities. (For me, I cut back considerably on TV and movie-watching.)

  8. Lean philosophies also focus on cutting Waste which results in financial gain. Cutting out ineffective purchases (software, services, retyping handwritten pages, marketing efforts that don’t show results) can help you to focus your efforts on what does work.

  9. Overall Performance focuses on delivery and the right skills and capabilities to do the job. As writers, we need to make sure that we are learning new things and honing our craft. Make sure to build in time for learning that doesn’t consume all of your writing time. When I started writing, I bought every how-to book on the craft that I could find. I spent so much time reading about writing that I wasn’t doing. I kept a few key books, donated the rest to my library, and started writing.

While the Lean methodology is primarily for manufacturing, it has been adapted and implemented in other industries. Many of the principles apply to the writing world, and they’re good reminders to constantly strive to improve and to reach one’s goals.