#WriterWednesday Interview with Indy Perro

I’d like to welcome Indy Perro to the blog today for #WriterWednesday.

Things you never want to run out of: I couldn’t live without culture, specifically music, books, and movies.

Things you wish you’d never bought: I wish I’d never bought into the illusion of prestige.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I need a good attitude and music that fits the vibe of my writing.

Things that hamper your writing: Generally, though not always, I struggle to bring my personal linguistic rhythms when I’m distracted by music with powerful, emotive lyrics.

Hardest thing about being a writer: I struggle to make small talk. Cocktail party conversation isn’t in my job description.

Easiest thing about being a writer: I can avoid cocktail parties. I’m the face behind the book, which is one rung lower than being a face made for radio.

Words that describe you: I’ve been described as indescribable.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Some find me ambiguously eclectic.

Favorite foods: I eat lasagna like Garfield, the cat and the president.

Things that make you want to gag: Coconut is a hell of a thing to do to chocolate.

Favorite beverage: Coffee.

Something that gives you a sour face: Herbal tea. I want my tea to taste like coffee.

Favorite smell: I love the smell of my dog after a bath.

Something that makes you hold your nose: There’s a reason I gave my dog a bath.

Last best thing you ate: I recently enjoyed a lime fruit bar. Sorry, that was my last one.

Last thing you regret eating: I’m not sure what you’d call it, and perhaps it shouldn’t have been that color, texture, or consistency.

Things you’d walk a mile for: I’d walk several miles to see a great concert or museum.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: People who need to give their opinions on that which they know nothing. You know who you are…

Things you always put in your books: Jokes, music, and realism. A book without humor is like a day without sunshine.

Things you never put in your books: Tropes, banalities, and cliches.

Favorite places you’ve been: New Orleans, the greatest city in the U.S.

Places you never want to go to again: Some jails are nicer than others.

Best thing you’ve ever done: My marriage has been my greatest accomplishment.

Biggest mistake: Any decision I ever made based on money turned out to be a mistake, some bigger than others.

About Indy:

Indy Perro is a novelist and recovering academic. When he's not at his desk, he loves to hike, run, and read the masters: Michael Connelly, Raymond Chandler, Dennis Lehane, Elmore Leonard, and James Sallis. Central City is his debut thriller and the first book in the hard-boiled Kulpa and Bayonne series. The second, Journeyman, is also out now. Book 3 will be published in the Spring of 2024.  

 Explore Central City! Meet the characters, examine the history, and visit the neighborhoods at centralcitybooks.com.  

 Register for Indy’s newsletter for exclusive discounts, content, news, and more at Indyperro.com.  

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Books: https://www.centralcitybooks.com

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Don't Be That Author!

I will always remember the story the HR Director at my first job told me about why people should always be professional. One day, he came back from lunch, and a young woman cut him off and slid into his parking space. Then to add insult to injury, she flipped him off when he honked his horn. The pair would meet again inside the building, and I would have loved to have seen her face when she discovered that he was conducting her job interview.

We all know the divas, the complainers, the control freaks, and the hangers-on. They are in every group. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from so many different people that they treasure authors who are easy to get along with.

Here are some things to remember, so you don’t turn into that author.

• Always be professional. People talk, and you don’t want to get a reputation for all the wrong reasons.

• Pick your battles and stand up for yourself, but do it in a way that doesn’t burn bridges. I always ask myself how big a deal something is. Sometimes, things are nonnegotiable, and other times, they really don’t matter. I try to save my energy for the important things.

• Make sure you read your contracts and know all of your deadlines and obligations. Figure out the best way for you to manage your calendar and your time. You don’t want to be the unreliable one.

• If you volunteer for something, do your best to meet the commitment. Put the date/time/location on your calendar as soon as it is confirmed.

• Learn how to say no. It’s hard. You want to be included and don’t want to disappoint people, but you can’t do everything.

• Make sure you’re a contributor. We all know the lurker who reaps all the benefits, but never puts in any effort or takes on any of the work.

• If you find out you can’t make a deadline for some reason, reach out and communicate as early as possible. Sometimes, you can reschedule.

• Remember that the administrators of many Facebook groups, book reviewers, bloggers, and bookstagrammers are usually volunteers, and this isn’t their day job. You may need to extend some grace if your email isn’t answered as quickly as you would like.

#ThisorThatThursday with Author Ruth Hartman

I’d like to welcome my friend, the fabulous Ruth Hartman, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday, the Christmas edition!

A few of your favorite traditions: Getting together with family for dinner.

Something holiday-related that you’ll never do again: Put up a Christmas tree. With three energetic cats who play and eat the ornaments and climb and knock over the tree, it’s not worth it!

Favorite holiday song: Oh Come All Ye Faithful

Holiday song that always gets stuck in your head for the wrong reason: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. I mean come on - it’s mean!

Favorite holiday treat: Anything and everything chocolate

A holiday treat that makes you gag: Fruitcake – ick!

Favorite holiday show or movie: The Grinch (original cartoon version) I love the dog, Max 😊

A holiday show or movie that you’ve seen too much: Home Alone. I like it, but some of those painful looking stunts look all too real.

Favorite holiday smell: When my mom used to cook ham or chicken for our Christmas Eve meal.

Something that makes you hold your nose: Beets – they’re horrid!

Best holiday memory: When I was eighteen, I received my engagement ring on Christmas Eve

Something you’d rather forget: I volunteered to work on Christmas Eve Day (I was a dental hygienist) and the kids were already hyper and overloaded on Christmas cheer and sugar.

Funniest holiday story: When I was dating my husband, he bought me a sweater for a gift. It was a size 18 and I wore a 10. He thought you were supposed to buy the size according to your age, and I was 18.

Something embarrassing that happened during the holiday season: A guy I dated in high school had invited me to a party at his house right before Christmas. Soon after I got there, a klutzy guy tripped and spilled his drink all over the front of my pants. They were so wet I couldn’t keep wearing them. My date gave me a pair of his jeans to wear. He was six inches taller, weighed thirty pounds more than I did, and he didn’t have a belt small enough for me to keep the jeans up, so I had to hold them tight at my waist the whole rest of the evening. Oh, and my underwear was damp from the spilled drink. But no way was I asking to borrow some underwear!

Best holiday gift you gave to someone: In high school, a friend and I gave each other the exact same stuffed bear as a gift.

A gift that needs regifting: Small gadgets that never work right or have no real purpose except to help fill out someone’s Christmas stocking and you end up tossing them out by New Year.

A tradition you share with others: My cats really did love when we used to have a tree.

A tradition that can be retired: Definitely still the tree!

Favorite place you spent the holidays: As long as I’m with my husband, Garry, I’m good!

The worst place to spend the holidays: When I was little, my sister’s boyfriend broke his leg, so we had to visit him out of town in the hospital over Christmas vacation.

About Ruth:

Ruth J. Hartman spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people's recliners. Not that the cats couldn't get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else's.

 Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying.

 Ruth's husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them. See updates about her cozy mysteries at http://Ruthjhartman.com.

Let’s Be Social:

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https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=ruth%20j.%20hartman%2C%20author

https://www.ruthjhartman.com/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ruth-j-hartman

#WriterWednesday Interview with Ann Charles

I’d like to welcome Ann Charles back to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing that you always make time for: My family. They make my heart happy.

The thing you’ll always do just about anything to avoid: Bookkeeping—ugh! Every month it takes hours to gather everything the tax man might want to see.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: Something to drink—coffee, tea, water, or a frozen Coke.

Things that distract you from writing: My cats, especially when they demand attention and walk on my keyboard.

The thing you like most about being a writer: Making readers smile, laugh, even cringe—basically, just giving them an escape from everyday life when they need it.

The thing you like least about being a writer: The doubt demons that creep in when you’re struggling with the unfolding story.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online: Our house. We didn’t visit it until after we had the keys in hand because we lived about 1200 miles away and our kids were in the thick of school when we had to make the purchase. So, we looked at pictures online and relied on our real estate agent and a persnickety home inspector. Almost ten years later, we still love it here.

The thing you wished you’d never bought: A pair of pants from a scam sight where they used other company’s photos to sell knockoff clothing. The pant are all cockeyed, but I have kept them for years because they cost me $40 and I’m going to figure out something to do with them eventually. Maybe I’ll make a scarecrow with them.

Something you’re really good at: Finding lost items in our house for my family.

Something you never learned how to do: Hotwire a car. It seems like a skill that could be useful in an emergency.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: Camel jockey

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

Things you always put in your books: Humor and a little romance

Things you never put in your books: Love triangles and politics

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Have children. There is so much responsibility and so many worries that come with them. (But they are worth every gray hair!)

Something you chickened out from doing: Jumping out of an airplane. Nope nope nope. Unless not jumping means dying, then maybe I might be open to being pushed out of the plane.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: That I’m their all-time favorite author. That’s a huge honor!

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Twice my books have been compared to Coca-Cola, and both with a negative intention. I love Coca-Cola, so the insults backfired.

The best job you ever had: Writing stories for a living.

The worst job you ever had: Cleaning the Women’s restroom at a large fast-food restaurant on the Ohio Turnpike during the busiest travel day of the year—Thanksgiving. The things I saw … yuck!

About Ann:

Ann Charles is a USA Today Best-Selling author who writes spicy, award-winning mysteries full of mayhem, adventure, comedy, and suspense. She writes the Deadwood Mystery Series, Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series, Dig Site Mystery Series, Deadwood Undertaker Series (with her husband, Sam Lucky), and AC Silly Circus Mystery Series. Her Deadwood Mystery Series has won multiple national awards, including the Daphne du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Ann has a B.A. in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington and is a member of Sisters in Crime and Western Writers of America. She is currently toiling away on her next book, wishing she was on a Mexican beach with an ice-cold Corona in one hand and a book in the other. When she is not dabbling in fiction, she is arm wrestling with her two kids, attempting to seduce her husband, and arguing with her sassy cats. 

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I've Got a Table -- Now What?

You’ve registered for a table or a half-table at a book event. Now what? Here are some hints that I’ve discovered over the years that can help you promote your books and make the most of your display space.

My One Rule: Pack only what you can carry. Bring what you need but not enough to make two or three trips to the car. Books are heavy. I either use a rolling suitcase or a collapsable dolly.

My Bag: I have an event bag, and I restock it after ever event. Here’s what I keep stocked in mine:

• Bookmarks, Business Cards

• Give Away-items (usually pens and a container to hold them) If you bring candy, make sure to have a dish. And don’t bring chocolate if it’s a hot day.

• A Tent Card (with my name on it in case one isn’t provided)

• My Acrylic Sign Holder

• My Banner

• An Unwrinkled Tablecloth (Mindy Quigley turned me on to fitted stretch tablecloths that connect to the table legs. They don’t wrinkle, and they hide whatever you’ve stashed under your booth.)

• My Emergency Stash: a small notebook, lots of pens, tape, painter’s tape, scissors

• Book Stands (I like the ones that fold.)

• Clipboard for Newsletter Sign-ups

Table Displays:

• Know the size of the table. Make sure you check the specifications and rules for the event. Some don’t allow free-standing banners.

• If you’re sharing a table, be a good neighbor. Don’t encroach on your partner’s side. He or she has a display to show off, too. And if you have a standing banner, don’t block anyone else’s table.

• Make your space eye-catching. You want people to stop by and talk to you. Always have some sort of give-away: bookmarks, pens, candy…It is an icebreaker that draws people in to chat.

• Have some sort of a theme. If there’s a theme in your books, add small touches that create a polished and connected look for your display. Figure out what’s integral to your story and highlight that. (For the Mutt Mysteries, we had a dog/pawprint theme.)

• I put small stacks of books on the table. It creates a sense of urgency for buyers. If you have hundreds of books there, some get the idea (right or wrong) that your items aren’t selling. And everyone wants to get one of the last ones before they sell out.

• If you can, offer a deal or discount for that day. I put up a sign and offer something like a small discount if they buy two or three at full price.

• If you can’t think of anything specific for your table, bring a vase of flowers. It brightens up an empty space.

What’s on your display table?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with J. P. McLean

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

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

The feeling of accomplishment when I hold a book I’ve written in my hands.

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

If I had a do-over, I’d learn more about how to market and promote my book before it hit the shelves. There was much I could have done to improve the success of those early books, if I’d only known.

Something you’re really good at:

Organizing things like closets and drawers. Annoyingly so (or that’s what I’m told).

Something you never learned how to do:

Speak a second language. I’ve tried, and I can repeat a few passable phrases, but I wish I could carry on a full conversation in another language.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

I imagined myself as an inventor, but it never came to be. Turns out great ideas aren’t enough.

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

Scuba diving. It was my husband’s idea. We got certified on our honeymoon and diving has been great fun and something to look forward to on vacations (in warm water).

Things you always put in your books:

Magic! The possibility of the supernatural being real is a never-ending source of fascination and inspiration.

Things you never put in your books:

Hurting animals. It’s just wrong. It ruins me.

Things to say to an author:

I loved your book and of course I’ll write a review.

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

When I have nothing better to do, I might write a book, too.

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

Taylor Swift. She’s an impressive young woman.

People you’d cancel dinner on:

Putin.

Favorite things to do:

Enjoying dinner with friends. It doesn’t matter if we dine in a restaurant or eat in.

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

Playing games like charades.

The funniest thing that happened to you in an airport:

A group of women in a bar kept staring at me. Awkward. Eventually, one of them told me they were staring because they thought I looked EXACTLY like one of their other friends. And funnier still, it wasn’t the first time I’ve been identified as someone’s doppelganger. Weird.

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

Hands down it was hearing my name being paged overhead. I’d forgotten about the time zone change and nearly missed my flight. It felt like a walk of shame slinking down the narrow airplane aisle, long after everyone else was buckled in. And making it worse? I had a window seat.

The best job you ever had:

Easy answer! Fiction writer. Who wouldn’t want to daydream and make things up all day long?

The worst job you ever had:

Making cold calls. For anything. Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable.

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

Spaghetti and meatballs. Mostly the meatballs.

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

I recently invited guests to dinner and planned to serve ribs, which normally turn out fall-off-the-bone yummy. But my timing was way off, and the ribs came out terribly chewy. My guests were gracious, but I was horribly embarrassed.

About J. P.:

JP (Jo-Anne) McLean is a bestselling and award-winning author of urban fantasy and supernatural thrillers. Reviewers call her books addictive, smart and fun. Raised in Toronto, Ontario, JP now lives with her husband on Denman Island, which is nestled between the coast of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her cooking dishes that turn out looking nothing like the recipe photos or arguing with weeds in the garden.

Let’s Be Social:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jpmcleanauthor

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

Goodreads Author Profile ID: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6429987.J_P_McLean

Library Thing: https://www.librarything.com/home/JPMcLean

Amazon Author Central Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jpmclean

Amazon Follow Author Link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00JSZOXTC/#author-footer-B00JSZOXTC

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jp-mclean-15b91064

Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/jpmcleanauthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/jpmcleanauthor/

BookBub Scorch Mark: https://www.bookbub.com/books/scorch-mark-dark-dreams-book-3-by-jp-mclean

BookBub JPMcLean: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-p-mclean-cd5829f0-6e0d-4189-b561-44651ad67b9e

WriterSky: https://www.writersky.com/user/publish-story/3180

SoundCloud JPMcLean: https://soundcloud.com/jp-mclean

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwKvYQlzVE482HuqudE1cUg/

Scorch Mark Book Trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/twIN7E5CzlI or https://youtube.com/watch?v=twIN7E5CzlI

Website Links: https://jpmcleanauthor.com

#WriterWednesday Interview with Diann Floyd

I’d like to welcome author Diann Floyd to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

Favorite thing that you always make time for:

I will always have time for a movie.

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

I always put off reorganizing my closets.

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

Seriously, I don’t have a special place to write. Anywhere quiet works for me as long as I can plug in my laptop.

I think they were being cute and using the term cave to mean wherever you write. Notice “your” writing cave. I love the initial response, but perhaps you should add something like the following: Seriously, I don’t have a special place to write. Anywhere quiet works for me as long as I can plug in my laptop.

Things that distract you from writing:

If a good movie is on, I have to leave the room, or else I lose my concentration, and I cannot finish the story.

The thing you like most about being a writer:

I love hearing from my readers. It warms my heart.

The thing you like least about being a writer:

Editing. Thank goodness there are professional editors.

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

Things you never put on your shopping list:

You will never see artichokes, olives or Brussel sprouts on my grocery list.

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

I remember a publisher telling me they wanted to publish my story. It was so exciting!

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

If I had to do something over, I would never have mailed in some of my first stories.

Something you’re really good at:

I am good at hand beading. I just finished beading a new Christmas Stocking for a family member.

Something you never learned how to do:

I never learned how to do tatting and embroidery.

My Great-Grandma Terrill was so good at tatting and quilting. My mom was great at embroidery, along with 2 of my great-grandmas My mom did beautiful embroidery; you could look at the back, which was as beautiful as the front.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:

I always wanted to be able to skateboard and ice skate like my brother Danny.

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

Art, I never dreamed I could paint, especially using different media..

Favorite things to do:

I love to sing, act, and bake.

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

Vacuuming the car.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done:

Rappelling in Costa Rica.

Something you chickened out from doing:

Bungee jumping

The coolest person you’ve ever met:

It was an honor to meet Senator John McCain in Austin, where his documentary on his time in Vietnam was shown at the State Theater.

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

Robert Redford

The funniest thing that happened to you in an airport.

I was in the Athens airport, and I was locked in the bathroom. I could hear it was time for boarding. I started beating on the door and yelling for help until my thumb started bleeding. The people could open the door, and I made it to the plane. It was only funny after I was safely on the plane.

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

I was not watching the gate messages or listening to announcements to hear my gate change till I realized we should be boarding. I had to have the attendant tell the gate I was running to get to the correct gate, so I could still make the plane.

About Diann: Diann Floyd Boehm is an award-winning international author. Diann writes children's books and young historical fiction adult books. In addition, Diann writes books to inspire kids to be kind, like themselves, peace, and to "Embrace Imagination”.  You can find all her books on Amazon.

Diann does speaking engagements, book signings as well as author visitations. Her creative flair encompasses the performing arts and performing in musical theatre productions in Dubai produced by Popular Productions out of the UK. In addition, Diann enjoys making guest appearances on various live streaming shows. Diann is the cohost  for three shows on USA Global TV ™ and Radio. 

She has traveled extensively to many parts of the world and lived in Dubai for 14 years, where her husband worked for the American Law Firm Norton Rose Fulbright for 14 years. She has a Bachelor of Education from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and her kindergarten certification from The University of Texas @ Austin. Diann has taught in the classroom overseas as well as stateside. more about Diann at https://www.diannfloydboehm.com

Diann is a wife, mother, grandmother, and a former classroom educator. Throughout her life, Diann continues to be involved in various humanitarian projects.

Thanksgiving Traditions

I love fall and the kickoff to the holiday seasons. There are so many Thanksgiving and fall traditions.

When I was little, my grandmother and I put up her Christmas tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was always a magical time and a great capstone for Thanksgiving weekend. I love Christmas, and I usually put up four or five trees. They’re themed by decorations or color. We haven’t done the outdoor decorations in a few years, so maybe this year, we’ll Griswold the front yard.

Back in the heyday of the malls in the 80s, the Friday after Thanksgiving was always our biggest shopping day, and it was usually an all-day event that started before dawn. I like shopping online now, so I do most of mine from my desk. But those days at Lynnhaven Mall and Pembroke Mall were fun and crazy because my sister could never make up her mind, and we visited the same stores multiple times. And Thankfully, I never did get caught up in the Cabbage Patch fights. Though, my nephew did send me on a wild goose chase one year looking for a very specific blue Power Ranger (that didn’t exist.)

I have to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and all the Charlie Brown specials each year. They are such a holiday tradition. And Thanksgiving is also the kickoff to all the holiday movies. (And yes, that includes Die Hard.)

Since I’ve been married and we host Thanksgiving at our house, Turkey Day is for food, family, and football. (My team is playing their arch-rival this year. Pleeeeeeeese let us win!) We usually eat the big meal at lunch and then spend the afternoon and evening snacking on football food during the games.

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?