Expanding Your Web - Networking Tips for Authors

Sometimes, networking is a challenge. It can be difficult to step out and strike up conversations. Here are some ideas to help authors expand their network of contacts.

1. Save business cards of people you meet. I usually jot on the back where I met them. It helps later when you have a pile of business cards and no recollection of the meeting.

2. Use some sort of software or contact list (e.g. in your phone or email program) to keep all of your contacts in one place. When you get a new contact, add it immediately. I add notes about where I met the person. I book a lot of programs for my writing group, so it helps to remember what they do and where I met them. I also use the “File As” field to help me find them again. Instead of typing Doe, Jayne. I enter, Doe, Jayne - Web Designer. (Make sure you back up these files, so that you can recover them in an emergency.)

3. If you are shy, quiet, or not outgoing, make a pact with yourself to meet five new people each week. It’s good practice for putting yourself out there and talking to strangers. You will meet some interesting people. You can use this technique on social media too. Follow five or ten new people a week or join in a conversation.

4. Volunteer. It’s good for everyone. There are so many groups out there looking for the skills you have as a writer. And it’s a great way to meet new people.

5. Donate to prize give-aways. I do a lot of book baskets for my favorite charity fundraisers. It’s a nice way to contribute.

6. Let the planners in the organizations that you are a part of know that you’re a writer, and you’re willing to do events. Clubs, book groups, religious groups, charities, and alumni organizations are always looking for speakers and program content.

7. Find an organization that you’re interested in and join. Go to meetings and events to network with new people. The easiest way in an organization to meet others is to volunteer for an activity.

8. Follow hashtags (Twitter and Instagram) and groups (Facebook) to join online communities to meet others with similar interests.

Unless you’re an outgoing, people person, it’s often hard to meet new people and strike up conversations. It’s good practice to get in the habit of networking. Authors are often called upon to do speaking engagements or interviews. What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with J. P. McLean

I’d like to welcome J. P. McLean back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for:

Responding to reader’s comments. I love hearing their feedback on the books and answering their questions.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid:

Cold calling anyone to promote my books. This is exactly why I hired a publicist! (Shout out to Mickey Mikkelson of Creative Edge publicity!!) It was the best career move I’ve ever made.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

Though there are times when I can tune out the outside world, I prefer a quiet setting. Coffee is a given, but I’ll take tea in the afternoons.

Things that distract you from writing:

There’s nothing worse than a phone ringing, construction noise, or a car alarm. I’ve been known to unplug the landline and turn off the volume on my cellphone when I’m writing. There’s not much to be done about the other two distractions—construction noise and car alarms—but I don’t often have to deal with them. Thankfully!

The thing you like most about being a writer:

The flexibility to write anywhere, anytime. I can take my laptop on the ferry or into any waiting room and get words down.

The thing you like least about being a writer:

Having to stop when I’m on a roll. But life happens and I can’t go all day without prepping a meal.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night:

Potato chips. Unfortunately, there are no stores here (Denman Island) that are open in the middle of the night. But perhaps that’s a good thing!

Things you never put on your shopping list:

Bottled water, jam, zucchini, and salmon. We have delicious well water, a sister who makes us yummy jams, porch pirates who leave zucchini in the middle of the night, and my husband loves to fish, so we usually have enough salmon to enjoy.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online:

Lee Valley tomato wapper. Actually, it’s called a European Tomato Press, but I call it a wapper because that describes the sound it makes when you crank the handle. It’s made short work of my roasted tomato and garlic sauce.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/kitchen/kitchen-tools/presses-and-mashers/food-processors/44040-european-tomato-press?item=EV101

The thing you wished you’d never bought.

Linen shirts. I love linen and couldn’t resist the online photos, but I should have known better. The shirts didn’t fit, and the quality was terrible. But all is not lost. I’m going to make napkins out of them.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life:

The passion I have for creating stories. It was a surprise to me to discover how much I love writing. I never tire of tucking into my writing nook and letting my imagination loose.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over:

I wish I’d started writing years earlier. I may not have written the same stories, but I’m sure I would have found the passion and written even more books.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

A princess. Man, was I fooled. I think it was the pointy hat with the veils that I saw in animated films when I was a kid. https://historicalhoney.com/truth-princess-hat/

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

Scuba diving, which I don’t do as much as I’d like. It was my husband’s idea to get certified, and I love the sport, especially in warm Caribbean waters. Not so much where I live in the Pacific Northwest, but only because I’m a wimp in cold water.

Your best recipe:

Roasted tomato and garlic sauce, which is super simple. Core and quarter enough fresh tomatoes to fill a turkey roaster. Add a head of garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle olive oil over top. Roast at 350 and stir every hour or so until reduced by 2/3. The skins will blacken, which adds tons of concentrated flavour to mix. When cooled, pass it through a press. Add basil for a tasty pasta sauce, or add milk/cream for a wonderful tomato soup.

Something that didn’t turn out like you planned when you made it:

Oh, so many! Where to start?

Things you always put in your books:

Humour. Even my darker-themed books need a little levity.

Things you never put in your books:

I can’t say “never” but I’d avoid at all costs putting a pet in a situation where they were abused.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

Rick Mercer (http://www.rickmercer.com/). He’s a Canadian comedian, author, and political satirist. He performs clever rants with razor sharp wit and his comedy makes me laugh out loud.

People you’d cancel dinner on:

Almost any politician.

The funniest thing that happened to you in an airport:

I was on a layover in Calgary and decided I had time enough to grab a meal, but forgot about the time difference. Panic set in when I heard my name called over the loudspeaker in one of those last call for boarding messages. I dropped cash on the table and raced to the gate. Happily, I caught my flight, but it took ages to catch my breath and settle my heart.

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you in an airport:

My husband and I were going to the Cayman Islands when my luggage didn’t pass muster on the x-ray belt. An agent called me aside and searched my bag. She asked me a few times if I’d packed the bag myself, which I had. She put it through the x-ray machine twice before dumping everything out of it. I couldn’t understand what she was looking for, and she wouldn’t tell me, but she finally found a small penknife in an outside pocket that had been travelling around unbeknownst to me for years. It was mortifying, especially as I had to repack everything in front of an audience.

The best job you ever had:

I’m probably being repetitive with this answer, but the best job I’ve ever had is this writing gig. I still get excited by the prospect of a few hours to myself to get words down, and hope I never grow tired of it.

The worst job you ever had:

Staffing in a hospital. And that was long before the current staff shortages. That staffing job would be a nightmare right now.

The one thing you cook/bake that is better than a restaurant dish:

Spaghetti and meatballs. It’s my mom’s meatball recipe and everyone I serve it to loves it. (Either that or they’re afraid to tell me they don’t care for it!)

The one thing you cooked/baked that turned out to be an epic disaster:

Deep-dish pizza. It turned into a pizza casserole. Had to eat it from a bowl. Memorable in all the wrong ways.

About JP

Short bio: JP (Jo-Anne) McLean is a bestselling author of urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers. She is a Global Book Award winner, a CIBA and Page Turner Award finalist, and has received honours from the Eric Hoffer Book Awards, the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, the NIEA Awards, and the Whistler independent Book Awards. She lives on Canada’s West Coast.

Let’s Be Social

Website: https://jpmcleanauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor (@jpmcleanauthor)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpmcleanauthor (@jpmcleanauthor)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/jpmclean

Newsletter: https://jpmcleanauthor.com/mailing-list-signup-form/

#WriterWednesday Interview with Joanna Vander Vlugt

I’d like to welcome Joanna Vander Vlugt to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

A few of your favorite summer traditions: A gin and tonic is my summer drink. That I enjoy drinking on a hot summer evening.

Something summer-related that you’ll never do again: I’m afraid I live a sheltered life. I enjoy so much spending my time in the back yard reading a good book. I do more activities during the Fall and winter.

Favorite summer beverage: A gin and tonic.

A drink that gives you a pickle face: Beer. I’m one of few people who doesn’t like traditional beer. In BC, craft breweries are huge. I like the craft fruit flavored beers and ales, and having a flight of ales.

Best thing you ever grilled in spring: I don’t grill. My spouse does all the cooking, seriously. For the last 34 years of our marriage, he’s done all the cooking and grilling. I love when he grills corn, peppers, mushrooms, and of course, steak on the barbeque.

Your worst kitchen or grilling disaster: Well, the worst kitchen disaster would be not having an oven. We’ve just moved into a new home, and because of supply chain issues, we have been waiting since July 2021 to receive our oven. It’s brutal because although I don’t cook, I love baking.

Your favorite thing to get from the ice cream truck: I love Magnum ice cream bars.

Some dessert that you wish you’d never bought: I also love fruit pies, but I find the fruit pies in grocery stories are a bit of a disappointment. I want more fruit and less sugar.

Best summer vacation ever: Going to Niagara Falls as a teenager.

Somewhere where you don’t ever want to return: We’ve been to Las Vegas. I sound like a prude but we’re really not gamblers. We prefer to see natural landscapes. I do love cities though.

Most favorite place to write/edit in the summer: I am such a creature of habit. Whether its summer or winter, I love writing in the office at the front of the house. I’m not a real “summer” person. Writing early in the morning when it’s dark is a magic time.

The worst place to try to write in the summer because of all the distractions: In a park. There are just too many distractions, and I would want to enjoy the park, instead of writing.

The thing you like most about being a writer: When a revelation on how to fix a plot problem, hits me when I’m walking the dogs. Those moments of inspiration are golden.

The thing you like least about being a writer: My time is split between, writing, creating illustrations and podcasting, and I wish I had more time to write.

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night: Nothing. I value my sleep far too much to leave the house.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Cereal. I never grew up eating cereal so I’ve never bought cereal or had cereal for breakfast.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: My mother’s support. She is no longer with us anymore, but I remember when I told her I wanted to be a writer (she remembered me writing as a teenager), that afternoon she went to a book store and brought back for me numerous Harlequin romances to help me become a better writer.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over: I always wrote as a child and teenager. When I took up writing again in my late twenties, I wish I hadn’t stopped writing after ten years. I wish I had kept going. Writing and becoming an author was my destiny, and as it happened when my mother passed, it was 4 months after her death, that I began writing again.

The funniest thing to happen to you: I once fell into a computer box.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I was waiting for an elevator in a Vancouver hotel, and the elevator doors opened and there was Jared Padalecki from Supernatural. One side of my brain stopped working, and the other side of my brain kept telling me to not act like an idiot. I must have asked him four times if the elevator was going up. In the end I was so embarrassed by my behavior, that I didn’t get on the elevator, and I told him I’d get the next one. When I told my teenage daughters what had happened, they both told me, “Mom, you get on the elevator, even if it’s going to the moon.”

The nicest thing a reader said to you: As authors, we’re supposed to get book reviews, right, well it was when a reader messaged me on FB and said, “geez, Joanna, I can’t put this book down.” I then asked her if I could use her comment as promotional material, she then responded, “yes, of course, now I want to read.”

The craziest thing a reader said to you: A reader who really enjoyed my novel, asked me if my heroine, Jade, was ever going to eat. I never had scenes of her eating. So, in book 2, Jade is eating and stealing fries from a mysterious professor who has given her information about a drug dealer.

About Joanna

Joanna Vander Vlugt is an author and illustrator. As a teenager, she drew charcoal portraits and wrote mysteries. Her short mysteries Egyptian  Queen and The Parrot and Wild Mushroom Stuffing were published in Crime Writers of Canada mystery anthologies. Her essay, No Beatles Reunion was published in the Dropped Threads 3: Beyond the Small Circle anthology.  Her thriller series features the sister duo, Jade and Sage. The Unravelling was a Canadian Book Club Awards finalists. Joanna is proud of her podcast JCVArtStudio and the many artists and authors she’s interviewed. Her motorcycle illustrations have been purchased world-wide.

Let’s Be Social

 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082696385586

  IG: https://www.instagram.com/joannavandervlugt_author_art/

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-vander-vlugt/

 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joannavandervlugt_author?lang=en

Warming up Your Cold Calling - Tips for Authors

As writers, we often have to make cold calls to contacts to find out about events, signings, and other marketing opportunities. Here are some suggestions that may help build relationships, so it’s not always a cold call. It’s much easier to talk to people you know and who know you.

1. Build Relationships with other writers in your area to share information about signings and events. It’s much more fun to do a group event than to sit alone in a bookstore.

2. Make a calendar of annual events and festivals with contacts and dates. This way you’ll know what’s coming and when registration is due. Make sure you add to it as you uncover new events.

3. Build relationships with booksellers in your area. Your first visit to their store shouldn’t be when you’re inquiring about doing an event. Frequent their stores and attend their events.

4. Know your local librarians. Many contact authors or writers’ groups when they are looking for speakers or they are hosting special events. My writers’ group has provided keynote speakers to Friends of the Library events, conducted writing workshops, supplied author panels, and wrote three scripts for “Murder at the Library.”

5. Volunteer to teach a course. This helps you make contacts. I often teach technology or social media classes at senior centers or for other chapters of my organization. And if I give out my slides or handouts, they’re branded with my logo and website.

6. Develop a collection of panel presentation ideas in case you need to create a proposal for an event. It’s good to have a wide selection that you can easily put together. I keep a short description and requirements (e.g. microphone, projector, etc.), along with a bank of questions that I can use for panel discussions. That way, I don’t have to create everything from scratch each time.

7. Think out of the box. Are there nonfiction hooks in your work that would be of interest to groups or businesses? Think about settings, hobbies, and your sleuth’s job. There are a lot of specialty groups on Facebook, and many have newsletters.

8. Book signings don’t have to be in bookstores. Think about themed gift shops, museums, and restaurants that may be possibilities. “Noir at the Bar” events happen in bars and restaurants.

9. Talk to everyone you know (just don’t make it the first statement when you introduce yourself) that you are a writer. I’ve done presentations at libraries, schools, bookstores, book clubs, and women’s groups because someone knew me.

#Writer Wednesday Interview with Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl

I’d like to welcome Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

The thing you like most about being a writer:

The thing we like most about being a writer is setting own schedules! When we feel inspired, we can write! If we’re not in the mood (and there’s no deadline approaching) we don’t have to write. Having a writing partner has been great because we can help each other with accountability and motivation.

The thing you like least about being a writer:

Sometimes being your own boss and setting your own schedule can be a curse!

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night:

We’ve been known to order some take-out food late at night! When you’re hungry, you’re hungry!

Things you never put on your shopping list:

Both of us are vegetarian so you won’t find any meat on our shopping lists and Meg hates mushrooms!

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

We always appreciate hearing from readers, and we just got a message telling us someone woke up with bags under their eyes because they stayed up late reading our latest book! Another reader told us this book is our best yet and that made us feel great.

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

Someone told us we don’t look like horror writers because we don’t dress gothic enough while another person told us we’re too gothic looking! We’re going to keep being ourselves.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:

Our favorite thing to do when we have free time is spend it with our families, reading, watching TV or movies, or attending the theatre.

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

Neither of us enjoy cleaning very much but we get it done! Folding laundry on a weekly basis would gladly be put off if it could.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

Coffee! We like to have a space that’s as free from distractions as possible and is comfortable. We don’t need proper desks or chairs, just a comfy spot to plop and be inspired.

Things that distract you from writing:

Children and pets!

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

Meg always dreamed of being a writer and used to pretend to be interviewed about her horror novels. And Kelly wanted was obsessed with “Thriller” and wanted to be a special FX artist!

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

We never dreamed we’d be in front of crowds (in person and virtual) speaking on topics that are important to us!

Things to say to an author:

Hey! Thanks for all the work and effort you put into your book! I think it’s priced fairly, and I will share all about it on my social media!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

Did you REALLY write this book? Can I get it for free somewhere?

Favorite places you’ve been:

We love historical places like Salem, MA, London and Paris!

Places you never want to go to again:

Tent camping…with Minnesota mosquitos and unpredictable weather.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

Writers like Stephen King, Tananarive Due, Joe Hill. Hollywood icons like Clive Barker, Mike Flanagan, Mindy Kaling, Phoebe Waller Bridge.

People you’d cancel dinner on:

People who hate horror and intend on a giving us a long lecture on its unworthiness…

Best thing you’ve ever done:

The best thing we’ve ever done is to do the work, stay committed, and share our work with the world! We’ve been given opportunities and met so many great people because we reached out and believed in ourselves.

Biggest mistake:

The biggest mistake we’ve made are the times we had self-doubt and held back. We’re learning to trust our instincts and our talent to not be afraid to pursue our dreams!

The funniest thing that happened to you on vacation:

We were staying at a hotel where a movie was filming so all the elevators got shut down! We took a back stairwell to try to exit the hotel but got caught in a labyrinth of “staff only” tunnels and doors. Finally, we found an exit and the alarm thankfully didn’t go off!

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you on a vacation:

On that same trip, we were dropped off over two miles from our intended destination by our Uber driver. We figured we could walk it but soon discovered the route was not walking friendly! We ended up calling a second ride and headed back to our hotel without ever making it to the shop!

The thing you like most about being a writer:

The thing we like most about being a writer is setting own schedules! When we feel inspired, we can write! If we’re not in the mood (and there’s no deadline approaching) we don’t have to write. Having a writing partner has been great because we can help each other with accountability and motivation.

The thing you like least about being a writer:

Sometimes being your own boss and setting your own schedule can be a curse!

Things you will run to the store for in the middle of the night:

We’ve been known to order some take-out food late at night! When you’re hungry, you’re hungry!

Things you never put on your shopping list:

Both of us are vegetarian so you won’t find any meat on our shopping lists and Meg hates mushrooms!

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

We always appreciate hearing from readers, and we just got a message telling us someone woke up with bags under their eyes because they stayed up late reading our latest book! Another reader told us this book is our best yet and that made us feel great.

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

Someone told us we don’t look like horror writers because we don’t dress gothic enough while another person told us we’re too gothic looking! We’re going to keep being ourselves.

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:

Our favorite thing to do when we have free time is spend it with our families, reading, watching TV or movies, or attending the theatre.

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

Neither of us enjoy cleaning very much but we get it done! Folding laundry on a weekly basis would gladly be put off if it could.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:

Coffee! We like to have a space that’s as free from distractions as possible and is comfortable. We don’t need proper desks or chairs, just a comfy spot to plop and be inspired.

Things that distract you from writing:

Children and pets!

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

Meg always dreamed of being a writer and used to pretend to be interviewed about her horror novels. And Kelly wanted was obsessed with “Thriller” and wanted to be a special FX artist!

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do:

We never dreamed we’d be in front of crowds (in person and virtual) speaking on topics that are important to us!

Things to say to an author:

Hey! Thanks for all the work and effort you put into your book! I think it’s priced fairly, and I will share all about it on my social media!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book:

Did you REALLY write this book? Can I get it for free somewhere?

Favorite places you’ve been:

We love historical places like Salem, MA, London and Paris!

Places you never want to go to again:

Tent camping…with Minnesota mosquitos and unpredictable weather.

People you’d like to invite to dinner (living):

Writers like Stephen King, Tananarive Due, Joe Hill. Hollywood icons like Clive Barker, Mike Flanagan, Mindy Kaling, Phoebe Waller Bridge.

People you’d cancel dinner on:

People who hate horror and intend on a giving us a long lecture on its unworthiness…

Best thing you’ve ever done:

The best thing we’ve ever done is to do the work, stay committed, and share our work with the world! We’ve been given opportunities and met so many great people because we reached out and believed in ourselves.

Biggest mistake:

The biggest mistake we’ve made are the times we had self-doubt and held back. We’re learning to trust our instincts and our talent to not be afraid to pursue our dreams!

The funniest thing that happened to you on vacation:

We were staying at a hotel where a movie was filming so all the elevators got shut down! We took a back stairwell to try to exit the hotel but got caught in a labyrinth of “staff only” tunnels and doors. Finally, we found an exit and the alarm thankfully didn’t go off!

The most embarrassing thing that happened to you on a vacation:

On that same trip, we were dropped off over two miles from our intended destination by our Uber driver. We figured we could walk it but soon discovered the route was not walking friendly! We ended up calling a second ride and headed back to our hotel without ever making it to the shop!

About Kelly and Meg:

Kelly Florence is a communication instructor at Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota and is the creator and co-host of the Horror Rewind podcast as well as the producer and host of the podcast Be A Better Communicator.  She received her B.A. in theatre at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and got her M.A. in communicating arts at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. 

 Horror and suspense author Meg Hafdahl is the creator of numerous stories and books. Her fiction has appeared in anthologies such as Eve’s Requiem: Tales of Women, Mystery and Horror and Eclectically Criminal. Her work has been produced for audio by The Wicked Library and The Lift, and she is the author of two popular short story collections including Twisted Reveries: Thirteen Tales of the Macabre. Meg is also the author of the two novels; Daughters of Darkness and Her Dark Inheritance called “an intricate tale of betrayal, murder, and small town intrigue” by Horror Addicts and “every bit as page turning as any King novel” by RW Magazine. 

Let’s Be Social:

http://www.horrorrewind.com

http://www.meghafdahl.com

http://www.kellyflorence.com

Follow the Instructions - Tips for Writers

When you are submitting queries, requests for marketing, or contest entries, make sure you read the instructions and follow the directions. You don't want a careless omission to disqualify you.

• Many times, you only get one shot when querying an agent or publisher. Make sure you follow all the steps in their process, so that the manuscript you worked so hard on will be considered. If your work does not fit the criteria, don’t submit it.

• If you’re entering a contest, make sure you provide all the requested information. You don’t want to be disqualified for not completing the requirements.

• Make it easy for the people receiving your information. Your response should be organized and easy to read. Don’t sent a bunch of separate emails. Your information will get lost.

• If the requestor provides a form or template, use it. Don’t create your own.

• Confirm all dates and details. If you correspond with someone, make sure you keep the contact information.

• Proofread everything before you send it.

Writing/publishing is a business. Your work is valuable, and you need to do everything in your power to make sure it gets noticed and not disqualified because of a clerical error.

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with M. A. Monnin

I’d like to welcome author M. A. Monnin to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.

A few of your favorite fall traditions: Some of my favorite fall activities are raking leaves, sitting by the firepit with a glass of wine, and watching Chiefs games.

Something autumn-related that you’ll never do again: Go to a professional Haunted House! They’re too scary for me. My kids love them.

Favorite fall treat: I make a mix of candy corn, peanuts, and fall-colored M&Ms. The mix looks pretty in a bowl and tastes delicious.

A fall treat that makes you gag: No pumpkin spice coffee for me, thanks.

Something you’ll only do in the fall: I can’t say rake leaves, because the neighbors have pin oaks and they fall all winter long into spring. So it’ll have to be carve pumpkins. I love jack o’lanterns.

Something you’d never do in the fall season: I’d never travel to the Caribbean in fall. Hurricanes!

Favorite autumn beverage: Hot buttered rum, according to an old Southern Living recipe: a cup of hot apple cider with a shot of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, topped with a sliver of butter.

A drink that gives you a sour face: Moscow mules. For me, a little ginger goes a long way.

Favorite fall smell: The scent of fallen leaves. They smell cozy and warm to me.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Fallen hedge apples, also known as Osage oranges. The squirrels love them, but any that they leave behind stink to high Heaven.

Best thing you ever cooked/baked in the autumn: I make a wonderful pecan-orange pie.

Your worst kitchen disaster: Had to be that Thanksgiving when I had the whole family at my house and ordered the meal from a store like my mother did. Only I ordered from a different store, and while her meal was always fully cooked and piping hot when they picked it up on Thanksgiving morning, my turkey and fixings were frozen solid! I did learn that if you have enough sides, you can comfortably feed 12 people on a one pound turkey loaf.

Favorite place you spent a fall day: Arrowhead Stadium watching the Kansas City Chiefs play. Loudest stadium in the country.

The worst place to spend a fall day: That would have to be Phoenix Arizona. We loved Phoenix and lived there for one year when my husband was stationed at Luke AFB, but I really missed the changing color of leaves.

Funniest pumpkin-carving story: This is my favorite, rather than the funniest. For a couple of years, our entire family and several friends got together to carve pumpkins for our local charity Pumpkin Parade. I called our grouping the Monnin Family Plot. Two of my favorite designs were my husband’s fleur-de-lis and my son-in-law’s Christopher Walken.

Your worst pumpkin-carving story: That would have to be the time I tried to do like my friend and neighbor did and attempted to make a snake ala Martha Stewart. My friend’s was the highlight of the neighborhood, with twelve jack o’lanterns strung together with white Christmas lights. I got tired after carving three. Mine was more of an inch worm.

Your best Halloween costume: My favorite costume is a gypsy. I love wearing a full flouncy skirt and layering on scarves and tons of jewelry. I even have a crystal ball that I keep close by in case any little ones want their fortune told. My husband is from Louisiana, and I have a large selection of Mardi Gras masks that I can choose from.

A Halloween costume that wasn’t quite what you imagined: That would be the year I decided to go as a devil, wearing a Venetian leather mask we’d picked up, a red cape and a plastic pitchfork. It was only when I saw photos later that I realized I’d put on my reversible cape black side out instead of red, so I just looked . . . odd.

Favorite pumpkin spice item: pumpkin bread.

Something that should never be pumpkin-spice flavored: Coffee!

About M. A.

M. A. Monnin is the author of Death In The Aegean, the first in the Stefanie Adams Intrepid Traveler Mystery Series. Her short stories have appeared in Anthony-Award-winning anthology Mystery Most Edible, Black Cat Mystery Magazine and Black Cat Weekly, and pulp anthology All That Weird Jazz. An avocational archaeologist and AF veteran, her non-fiction articles cover Victorian reception of Ancient Egypt, gardening, and detective fiction.

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Website: www.mamonnin.com

Facebook: (10) MA Monnin | Facebook

Twitter: M. A. DEATH IN THE AEGEAN Monnin (@mamonnin1) / Twitter

Instagram: M. A. Monnin (@m.a.monnin) • Instagram photos and videos

#WriterWednesday Interview with Mally Becker

I’d like to welcome the fabulous Mally Becker to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

A few of your favorite fall traditions: Baking fruit cobblers and bread once the weather cools off. Dressing up and decorating for Halloween. Rooting for the New York Mets to make the postseason.

Something autumn-related that you’ll never do again: This is the first time in years that we won’t be buying Costco’s 10-pound bag of candy for Halloween. The purchase was just our excuse to have eight pounds of leftover chocolate candy in the house. Time (for us) to grow up!

Favorite fall treat: Warm apple pie a la mode.

A fall treat that makes you gag: Pumpkin spice anything.

Favorite autumn beverage: Apple cider mimosas.

A drink that gives you a sour face: Pumpkin spice coffee.

Best fall memory: Taking our son to college football games when he was young.

Something you’d rather forget: The 10-day power outage following a freak October snow storm here in New Jersey.

A tradition you share with others: We place a scratch-off lottery ticket beneath everyone’s plate at Thanksgiving, then wait ‘til dessert for everyone to try their luck.

A tradition that can be retired: Aiming for perfection at holiday meals! It took me a long time to notice that everyone’s just grateful to be together with or without the “perfect” meal.

Best thing you ever cooked/baked in autumn: Chocolate chip apple cake.

Your worst kitchen disaster: I pulled the Thanksgiving turkey out of the oven and realized that I’d never removed the bag of giblets it came with.

Favorite place you spent a fall day: Paris.

The worst place to spend a fall day: At a football stadium during an icy late-November rainstorm.

Your best Halloween costume: I cut giant sheets of upholstery foam and used spray paint to create a human-sized ham-and-cheese sandwich costume. (Can you tell that Halloween’s my favorite holiday of the year?)

A Halloween costume that wasn’t quite what you imagined: A neighbor walked into a Halloween party wearing a hospital gown to which small cereal boxes had been stapled. A plastic knife stuck out of each small box. I was baffled and asked him about his costume. “I’m a cereal killer,” he said.

Best Halloween costume ever: A neighborhood friend purchased a full-sized gorilla costume for a costume party. He also wore it round the neighborhood that year on his usual morning walk, giving kids waiting for the school bus that day quite a start.

Worst Halloween costume disaster: Nope. We won’t be discussing the year I created a tutu that wouldn’t stay tied around my waist.

Best Halloween memory: My friend’s annual Halloween costume party was scheduled for the night of the October snowstorm I mentioned above. It was snowing, power was out, and trees were down all over the neighborhood. She held the party in the dark for the few of us crazy enough to walk to her house in the storm.

Worst Halloween experience: Traveling for business one year and missing Halloween entirely.

About Mally:

Mally Becker combines her love of history and crime fiction in mysteries that feature strong, independent heroines. Her debut novel, The Turncoat's Widow, was nominated for an Agatha Award in 2022. Kirkus Reviews called it, "A compelling tale ... with charming main characters.” The Turncoat's Widow was also named a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion finalist and a CIBA Mystery & Mayhem finalist.

The Counterfeit Wife, will be published on September 20, 2022 by Level Best Books, and she is at work on the third installment in her Revolutionary War mystery series.

A member of the board of MWA-NY, Mally was an attorney until becoming a full-time writer. She's also an instructor at The Writers Circle Workshops. She and her husband live in New Jersey, where they raised their wonderful son.

She thought she'd be clearing trails when she volunteered at the Morristown National Historical Park but found herself instead assigned to work with the Park's archival collection of letters. That's where she found a copy of an indictment for the Revolutionary War-era crime of traveling from New Jersey to New York City "without permission or passport." That document became the spark for The Turncoat's Widow and her Revolutionary War mystery series.

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Website: The Turncoat's Widow | Mally Becker