#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Ruth J. Hartman

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I’d like to welcome my friend, the fabulous Ruth J. Hartman, back to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: Right now, I’m watching Gray’s Anatomy. I didn’t watch it when it was on the first time, and I’m hooked!

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Anything to do with dusting. I mean, dust bunnies aren’t even cute!

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: A diet 7UP, chocolate, and a cat asleep on my lap.

Things that distract you from writing: A cat sitting behind me, chewing on my hair!

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Pizza, chocolate, and chips.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Anything Beet-related.

Something you’re really good at: Making people laugh, even when I’m not trying to be funny.

Something you’re really bad at: Remembering somebody’s name when I’m introducing them to someone else!

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: Something to do with cats (not sure what!)

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: Work in a dental office – I’m a retired hygienist!

Things to say to an author: I love your books! Can’t wait to read the next one!

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Do you want to know how many typos I counted in your last book?

Favorite places you’ve been: Alaska (7 times!)

Places you never want to go to again: New Orleans. It has a weird smell.

Favorite things to do: Take a walk with my husband on the trail close to our house.

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

The most exciting thing about your writing life: When I’ve hit the bestseller categories for my mysteries.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: Not wait until I was 45 to write for publication.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: Your books give me a vacation from my troubles.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: I don’t think you know anything about cats. Why do you even have them in your books?

Best piece of advice you received from another writer: Don’t ever compare yourself to other writers. Everyone has their own path.

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing: Don’t give up just because it’s hard. It will be worth it in the end.

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 Ruthjhartman.com.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: https://www.ruthjhartman.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.hartman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063631596817

Publisher: https://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com/ruth-j-hartman

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

#WriterWednesday Interview with S. Atzeni

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It’s the middle of February here in North America, and my guest today, S. Atzeni, is going to mix it up and bring us a taste of summer. Welcome to the blog!

A few of your favorite summer traditions: My favorite summer tradition is summer reading. I look forward to it every year by building my reading list and carving out time in my schedule. Since I was a kid, we’ve always gone to the library to get our summer reading books, so I like to keep that tradition alive and visit my local library for each book.

Something summer-related that you’ll never do again: I hate the beach (I know - an unpopular opinion!). I like the boardwalk and the arcade - I just don’t see a point in sitting on the beach or swimming in the ocean. It’s pretty to look at, but not something I seek out during the summer months.

Favorite summer beverage: An iced cappuccino - it’s refreshing and I love the cold foam on top!

A drink that gives you a pickle face: Anything too sugary! It doesn’t help in the Jersey heat.

Your favorite thing to get from the ice cream truck: Vanilla and chocolate ice cream in a dixie cup. Bonus points if there’s a wooden spoon included.

Some dessert that you wish you’d never bought: I used to get those ice cream pops that looked like cartoon characters - when I was a kid, I would always get the Ninja Turtle. They didn’t taste particularly good, but who wouldn’t want ice cream in the shape of a Ninja Turtle?

Best summer vacation ever: We went to Europe one summer and it was fun traveling across the continent. Plus you learn so many new things about yourself when you travel. One thing I learned is how bad my Polish is (I’m still learning!)

Somewhere where you don’t ever want to return: On that tiny plane that took us from England to Poland - I could feel my teeth rattle the entire time we were in the air!

Most favorite place to write/edit in the summer: I have a spot in my local library that I’ve been using for years. Nothing is more satisfying than being in an air-conditioned library writing away when it’s really hot outside. Plus it’s so quiet that I get a lot of work done.

The worst place to try to write in the summer because of all the distractions: My house because the air conditioners in the windows create a buzz that’s really distracting. Plus my cats like to jump all over my laptop - in any season - and it’s hard to get work done.

Favorite thing to do on a summer evening: Sit outside and enjoy the summer evening. It’s so quiet at night, but also not with the crickets chirping and people outside. There’s a balance to the noise that I find really peaceful.

Least favorite thing about summer: The days that are so hot, you feel like you’re going to melt, Wicked Witch of the West-style. New Jersey summers can be really humid, which ruins the fun part of the summer weather.

Favorite place to visit in Virginia: The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. Also, I LOVE Old Town Books on Royal Street!

Somewhere you’ve visited way too much. Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt: No where! I love going back to old places - you can always find something new!

The thing you like most about being a writer: My absolute favorite part is holding your book when it’s all complete. Nothing about the process is very easy, but the finish line is always nice. All the hard work is worth it.

The thing you like least about being a writer: The hardest part is finding the time to write. There’s so much that fills the day and I can never find that “sweet spot” amount of time to write when I need to. It takes a lot of planning.

The thing that you will most remember about your writing life: I hope what I remember most are all of the different stories that I am privileged to write and the authors I’m privileged to work with as an editor. As an author-publisher, you get to have all of these great experiences and work with an extraordinary community. It’s a joy that I carry with me every day.

Something in your writing life that you wish you could do over: I try not to have any regrets, but one would be that I should have started sooner sharing my work. For many years, I was embarrassed or felt like I wasn’t ready to call myself a writer. Imposter syndrome is real - but I wish I ignored it and started sooner.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Once upon a time, I braved Nitro at Six Flags. I went on it twice. It was terrifying, but it makes a good fun fact.

Something you chickened out from doing: Going on a rollercoaster after the age of 35. Now it’s terrifying in a different way!

The funniest thing to happen to you: I broke my ankle once at a BBQ while trying to sing like Shania Twain.

The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I broke my ankle once at a BBQ while trying to sing like Shania Twain. I feel like there’s a story here.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “Your book made me laugh” - that is the greatest compliment and it makes me feel as though I’m doing something right.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “It’s interesting that your play is a metaphor for God” - to this day, I have no idea where they got that out of a play about a diner, but thanks to that person for thinking I’m smart enough to pull that off.

About S. Atzeni:

S. Atzeni (she/they) is a multi-genre, award-winning writer of prose, comics, and academic scholarship. They are the co-author of The MOTHER Principle graphic novel series and The Legend of Dave Bradley and the upcoming W(h)ine and Cheese in the One 'n Done series. S. Atzeni holds a B.A. in Professional Writing and Journalism and a Master of Arts in English from The College of New Jersey.

When not being an adjunct professor and academic of ethnography, sequential art studies, and trauma theory, S. Atzeni is the co-founder of Read Furiously Publishing, its editorial director and its head of acquisitions. Through Read Furiously, S. Atzeni is proud to publish great books, be a part of an amazing independent literary community, and participate in literary activism.

Happy Groundhog Day! - Ways to Get out of Writing Rut

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I am a beach girl. I like A (one) good snow every now and then. But by this time in February, I am counting down the days until spring and warmer temperatures. And Punxsutawney Phil never sees things my way. It is like the Bill Murray movie…the same thing over and over…

Consistency is good in your writing life. It helps you stay on track and complete projects, especially if we’re talking about writing goals and daily quotas. But sometimes writers get stuck in a rut. Here are some ideas to spark your creativity and ward off the doldrums.

  • Work on another creative project other than writing. Cooking, baking, decorating, painting…They all will exercise the creative side of your brain.

  • Exercise, do yoga, or go for a walk. Once you get those endorphins going, you’ll see a new surge of energy.

  • Grab your camera and go to places around your town for a photo safari. Use these on your blog and social media to share your adventures.

  • Volunteer. There are so many worthy organizations and causes that could use your help. You’ll meet new people, try new things, and give back to your community.

  • Schedule a library day and do some research on topics that interest you or would make a great story idea. Give yourself some free time to explore the stacks. You’ll be surprised at what you may find.

  • Set aside some time to start a new project. Work on that project that you keep meaning to do, but never get around to.

  • Plan some friend-time. Take some time to get away for lunch or coffee and enjoy each other’s company. Writing is often too solitary a sport.

  • Make a list of twenty marketing things you’d like to do for your book. No idea is bad in brainstorming. When you’re done, use your list to plan some new activities and ways to promote your writing.

    What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Martha Reed

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I’d like to welcome my friend and fellow Writers Who Kill author, Martha Reed, to the blog today for #ThisorThatThursday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: Starting a new story. Even after completing five mystery novels in two different series, I still open the new blank page and wonder: What am I going to pull together to cover 85,000 words?

Easiest thing about being a writer: The rush I feel when editing the second draft, when the plot points and story arcs are solidly knitting together, and I know I’ve got a grip on something special.

Things you need for your writing sessions: I work best in a quiet space like my office or a library conference room. Virginia Woolf said we need a room of our own (with a door). She was right.

Things that hamper your writing: YouTube videos are lethal rabbit holes. I can disappear down them for hours. I have only myself to blame.

A few of your favorite things: Blisteringly hot dark roast coffee first thing in the morning while watching the mist rise off the Allegheny River and travelling to new and exotic places.

Things you need to throw out: Honestly, my workout gym clothes need to go.

Favorite foods: Almost anything, well prepared, with one exception (*see below).

Things that make you gag: *Lobster. One bad lobster experience scarred me for life. Which is ironic, seeing that I’m the author of the John and Sarah Jarad Nantucket Mysteries and every time I visit New England friends try to feed me a mud bug as a special treat.

Something you’re really good at: Travel plans. I love creating itineraries, finding hotel deals and exciting sightseeing destinations.

Something you’re really bad at: Grammar rules. Call the grammar police. I’ve never grasped the intricacies of grammar rules. Guilty as charged, your Honor.

Favorite music or song: I love disco music because it’s so upbeat. I listen to an hour of disco music during my hour walk each morning. It sets an optimistic tone for the rest of my day.

Music that drives you crazy: Jazz fusion is too squeaky and mathematical. I know the musicians are communicating with each other through the notes, but it sounds like something is wrong with the microwave oven.

Things you always put in your books: One consistent theme is finding a new sense of home and family.

Things you never put in your books: Torture porn. I think some writers use torture porn because they’re bored with writing the story and it spurs their flagging interest. It’s a cheap and brittle storytelling tool that cheats an intelligent reader.

Things to say to an author: I loved reading your new book. I told my book club we should read it next, and I’ve already posted an Amazon/Goodreads review.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I gave your new book a one star rating on Amazon because I don’t like your Facebook posts.

People you’d like to invite to dinner: How about this fabulous foursome: Stanley Tucci, Felicity Blunt, Emily Blunt, and John Krasinski. How much fun would this dinner be!

People you’d cancel dinner on: He Who Shall Not Be Named, who is fouler than lobster.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: I was in a really dark place. Your book helped me climb out of it.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: I want to write a book someday, but I don’t have the spare time like you do.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I’ve painted wall murals.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: I’ve tried painting a heron standing in shallow water. The reflection was supposed to be mirrored like silver, but it turned out bright orange. I still haven’t gotten that painting exactly right.

About Martha:

Martha Reed is a multi-award-winning crime fiction author. Her short story, “The Honor Thief,” was included in This Time For Sure, the Anthony Award-winning Bouchercon 2021 anthology. Her first Crescent City NOLA Mystery, Love Power won a 2021 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award and features Gigi Pascoe, a transgender sleuth. Martha is also the author of the Independent Publisher IPPY Book Award-winning John and Sarah Jarad Nantucket Mystery series. Visit her website www.reedmenow.com for more.

Let’s Be Social:

website: www.reedmenow.com

Facebook: Martha Reed

Twitter/X: @ReedMartha

#WriterWednesdayInterview with Sue Minix

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I’d like to welcome the fabulous Sue Minix back to the blog to talk about some of her favorite (and not so favorite) things for #WriterWedneday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:

I love to read and watch movies.

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

I hate to clean the house!

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

Coffee or tea depending on the time of day and my dog by my side.

Things that distract you from writing:

Whichever TV series I’m binge-watching.

Hardest thing about being a writer:

Getting the words on the screen.

Easiest thing about being a writer:

Making up the story.

Favorite snacks:

Chocolate, ice cream, and cookies.

Things that make you want to gag:

Rare steak.

Something you’re really good at:

Procrastinating!

Something you’re really bad at:

Writing on a schedule.

Favorite things to do:

Read, watch TV, watch movies, go hiking with my dog.

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

Clean the house, go to a party, make a video starring me.

The most exciting thing about your writing life:

Seeing my books in a bookstore.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life:

I wouldn’t quit writing every time someone didn’t fawn over my work.

The nicest thing a reader said to you:

I love this series! I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

The craziest thing a reader said to you:

You’re pigeonholing women by calling the librarian character’s dress a “librarian frock.”

Best piece of advice you received from another writer:

Your dialogue is stilted. Try to make it more natural.

Something you would tell a younger you about your writing:

Don’t quit!!!

Recommendations for curing writer’s block:

Read books in your genre. They can trigger ideas you can use in your own work.

Things you do to avoid writing:

Read and watch TV.

About Sue:

Sue is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the Crime Writer's Association. When she isn't writing, you can find her reading, watching old movies, or hiking the New Mexico desert with her furry best friend.

Let’s Be Social:

Website: www.sueminixauthor.com

Facebook, Instagram, Threads: sueminixauthor.com





You've Written a Book. Now What?

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All the tasks that go into writing, revising, and marketing a book can be overwhelming. I’ve broken down some of the key tasks with some ideas for new (or seasoned) writers.

What You Need to Get Started

  • A Professional Headshot – Selfies won’t give you the quality you need for these to appear correctly in print or digitally.

  • Your Biography (For your website, you may want to have a short one and a longer one.)

  • A Short Description of Your Book (Back cover text)

  • A URL and a Site to Host Your Website

  • A Newsletter/Email Marketing Service

  • Digital Images of Your Book Covers

While You’re Writing/Revising Your Manuscript

  • Make your work the best it can be.

  • Create a list of book promotion ideas (e.g. blog tours, blogs to guest on, Facebook reader sites, etc.).

  • Start collecting email addresses for your newsletter list.

  • Build your social media following. This takes time.

  • Build or update your website/blog.

  • Find your crew. Writing is solitary, buy you need collaboration from time to time. Find a writers’ group, critique group, or writing partner for feedback and networking.

Remember the Social Part of Social Media

  • Update your key sites regularly. If possible, schedule your posts to ensure that you have fresh content.

  • Be Social/Be Active. Celebrate with others. Make sure to like and comment. Respond to comments on your page.

  • It takes time to build a following.

  • Be genuine.

  • Remember the 80/20 rule. Only 20% (or less) of your posts should be about “buy my book.”

  • Don’t let your social media time take over your writing time.

While You’re Querying

  • There is a lot of waiting while you query agents or publishers.

  • Work on your next book.

  • Build your social media platforms and followers.

  • Collect email addresses.

  • Update your website.

  • Start your blog. You don’t have to have a book published to start this, and it’s a way to drive traffic to your website.

  • Work on your newsletter.

  • Build your connections.

Before Your Book Launch

  • Create a calendar with all your due dates.

  • Contact book reviewers when you have your ARCs (Advance Reader Copies).

  • Schedule blog tours.

  • Schedule Facebook takeovers/parties online.

  • Reach out to libraries and bookstores.

  • Write press releases and target media outlets to send them to.

  • Create a list of newsletters that have member news sections and make sure to announce your new book (e.g. alumni, neighborhood groups, and places of worship).

  • Tell everyone you know

  • Plan your launch on social media.

  • Update all your bios.

  • Add book cover to your sites.

  • Make bookmarks and other swag.

It takes a lot of energy and creativity to write AND market a book. Figure out your schedule and your budget and find a way to keep the myriad of tasks and due dates organized. What would you add to my list?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Paula Charles

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I’d like to welcome the fabulous Paula Charles to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Things you need for your writing sessions:

A big glass of water and a tube of hand lotion

Things that hamper your writing:

I can’t listen to music when I’m writing. My little brain gets distracted too easily.

Favorite music or song:

I was raised on country music and even though I listen to a wide variety of music, older country is still my favorite.

Music that drives you crazy:

“Bro country.” You can keep it and give me some Alabama and George Strait any day.

Favorite smell:

Baking bread. Yum!

Something that makes you hold your nose:

Cinnamon! Don’t get me wrong, it smells wonderful but I’m super allergic. It makes it hard to go shopping during the holiday season because the scent of cinnamon is everywhere!

Last best thing you ate:

I made a cherry cranberry pie last weekend, and it was delicious!

Last thing you regret eating:

A bag of microwave popcorn. It was good in the moment but is haunting me today.

Things you’d walk a mile for:

A good cup of coffee. (Has anybody else noticed a bunch of my answers revolve around food?)

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room:

Spiders and yellow jackets!

Things you always put in your books:

Easter eggs such as family names and funny moments that my family will recognize.

Things you never put in your books:

Open door, bodice ripping romance.

Things to say to an author:

I preordered your book! Can’t wait to read it!

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

Still got your head in that book? (Usually said when person doesn’t believe you’re really writing a book.)

Favorite places you’ve been:

Ireland! It was pure magic and felt like going home to a place I’d never been before.

Places you never want to go to again:

Las Vegas. It’s not like I hated it, just don’t necessarily need to go again.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done:

Probably knitting. I’ve done a lot of crafty type things, but knitting is probably the one I’m best at.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it:

Well, except for a blanket I knit for my son. I knit and knit and knit and the darn thing ended up long and narrow. It was about six feet long and two feet wide.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books:

The basics of my main character, Dawna, in Hammers and Homicide are based off of my grandmother. She ran a hardware store in my hometown and lived in the house I used as inspiration in the book. Dawna quickly became her own person, though, and shares very little traits with my grandmother.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not:

Probably the fact that Dawna is a terrible cook. I actually enjoy cooking and am pretty darn good at it, if I do say so myself!

About Paula:

When Paula Charles isn’t writing under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest, she can be found in the garden with her hands in the dirt or sitting on her front porch with a good book and a glass of iced tea. She has a love for small towns, ghost stories, and pie. During her childhood, she grew up in a town suspiciously resembling the fictional Pine Bluff, Oregon where she trailed behind her grandmother in the family’s hardware store until her grandmother would get fed up and put her to work counting nails. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, and also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name of Janna Rollins. Paula lives on a small farm in Southwestern Washington with her husband and an entire menagerie of furry and feathered creatures. 

 When Paula Charles isn’t writing under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest, she can be found in the garden with her hands in the dirt or sitting on her front porch with a good book and a glass of iced tea. She has a love for small towns, ghost stories, and pie. During her childhood, she grew up in a town suspiciously resembling the fictional Pine Bluff, Oregon where she trailed behind her grandmother in the family’s hardware store until her grandmother would get fed up and put her to work counting nails. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, and also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name of Janna Rollins. Paula lives on a small farm in Southwestern Washington with her husband and an entire menagerie of furry and feathered creatures. 

 Let’s Be Social:

Website: Cozy Mystery Writer | Paula Charles Cozy Mystery Author

Facebook: Paula Charles & Janna Rollins, Author

Instagram:  paulacharles_jannarollins

Website: Cozy Mystery Writer | Paula Charles Cozy Mystery Author

Facebook: Paula Charles & Janna Rollins, Author

Instagram:  paulacharles_jannarollins


In Honor of International Hat Day - The Many Hats of a Writer

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Happy International Hat Day! When I decided that I wanted to be a writer in elementary school, my vision was to write books and cash royalty checks. Until the first book contract arrived, I had no idea of all the aspects of the job. Here are a few things I learned along the way…

Always Wear Your Helmet

  • Vet all publication and representation offers.

  • Make sure you have a contract (even for work for hire).

  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Research Is Important

  • Even fiction writers need to do research.

  • Do your homework for your writing and your business.

  • Check all your facts.

  • Keep good notes.

  • Vet your resources.

Just Write

  • BICFOK (Butt in Chair - Fingers on Keyboard)

  • Focus your attention and write.

  • Set writing goals that work for you to help you stay on track.

  • Finish your first draft.

Editing is the Most Important Part

  • Proofread and then proofread again.

  • Fact check your work for inconsistencies.

  • Read as a reader. Is the story captivating? (If you’re bored reading it, your readers will be, too.)

  • Find a critique partner or group for feedback.

  • Use your word processor’s read aloud function to listen to the text, especially dialog.

  • Edit. Revise. Repeat.

  • Make sure that your work is the best it can be.

Marketing is Expected

  • Create your platform (website, blog, socials, newsletter).

  • Build your social media and newsletter list followings. It takes time.

  • Know who your readers are and what social media platform they use.

  • Promotion is expensive. Figure out what works for you and set a budget.

Find Your Crew

  • Network with other writers.

  • Join writers’ groups.

  • Volunteer.

  • Go to conferences and workshops.

  • Join online groups.

And always celebrate your wins!