#WriterWednesday Interview with Michael Colon

michael colon

I’d like to welcome Michael Colon to the blog for #WriterWednesday.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Turning my experiences, observations, and imagination into stories. Once I have an idea, the words usually start flowing naturally.

Words that describe you: Creative, observant, determined, imaginative, reflective, ambitious, and resilient.

Things you always put in your books: New York City, strong emotions, memorable characters, imagination, and themes about identity, life, and overcoming adversity. I also like putting a little bit of myself into every story.

Your favorite movie as a child: Space Jam. I loved the combination of sports, comedy, animation, and imagination. It captured the feeling of believing that anything was possible.

Something you're really good at: Athletics. I've always been naturally competitive and athletic, and I enjoy sports and physical activity.

Things you never put in your books: Anything that feels completely pointless or doesn't serve the story. I also don't like writing just for shock value. Even when I explore difficult subjects, I want there to be some meaning behind them.

A type of music that's not your cup of tea: Heavy metal. It's just not really my sound.

Things you'd walk a mile for: Anything that could lead to a great memory—or really good food. If I know there's a memorable experience waiting for me at the end of the walk, I'm probably going.

Something you're really bad at: Being patient when I have an idea, I’m excited about. Once something gets into my head, I want to work on it immediately. I can also overthink things sometimes.

Things you need for your writing sessions: My laptop, some quiet or the right atmosphere, something to drink, and most importantly, an idea that I'm excited about. Music can help sometimes too, especially when I'm trying to get into the mood of a particular scene.

About Michael:

Michael Colon is an award-winning New York-based writer whose work blends imagination, emotion, and real-life experiences into stories that explore identity, adversity, creativity, and the human experience. A lifelong New Yorker with a passion for athletics, culture, and storytelling, Michael draws inspiration from the people, places, and memories that have shaped him. His writing often combines elements of fantasy, spirituality, humor, and everyday life, while keeping a strong emotional connection to his characters. Whether he's writing fiction, poetry, or personal reflections, Michael strives to create stories that leave readers with something to think about—and hopefully, a memory they won't forget.

Writing Mixtape - What Do You Like in Your Cozies?

What do you like in your cozy mysteries? There are so many subgenres and flavors these days. I asked my newsletter readers last month, and here’s what they said. The items in bold had many, many responses.

• Mysteries that keep you guessing

• A cozy with paranormal elements

• A cozy with comedic elements

• A cozy with some thrilling action

• A cozy with romcom elements

• A whodunnit

• A cozy with a dog or a cat as a sidekick

• A cozy set in a cool site like a bayou

I also asked them what job they’d like to see an amateur sleuth have. I love the variety that they came up with.

• Private Investigator

• Clothing Store Owner

• Baker

• An Unmarried Sleuth

• Yoga Instructor

• Boutique Owner

• Librarian

• Teacher

• Circus Entertainers

• Ringmaster

• Town Managemer

• Local Government Clerk

• Engineer

• Counselor

• Funeral Director

• Bookstore Owner

• Pontoon Boat Tour Guide

• Architect

• Someone Who Works at the Town Courthouse

What do you like in your cozy mysteries and what job would you like your sleuth to have?

#ThisorThatThursday with Author Penny McGinnis

I’d like to welcome Penny McGinnis for #ThisorThatThursday!

Hardest thing about being a writer: I’m guessing a lot of authors would agree with me. The hardest part is marketing. I enjoy meeting people at book signings and chatting about books, but I’m not good at the publicity part. I saw a post that said, “I’m terrible at marketing. Please read my book.” That’s me.

Easiest thing about being a writer: I love to create the setting and imagine the small town where my characters live. I grew up near a small town and have enjoyed recreating the community vibe.

Words that describe you: Hopeful, White-haired, Creative, Wife, Mom, Grammy

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Tired and Non-energetic (is that a word?)

Something you’re really good at: Writing—I hope—or at least that’s what I’m told—by my sister and some of my friends.

Something you’re really bad at: Cleaning the house. I hate dusting. It literally makes me sick. So, I use my allergies as an excuse to let the dust bunnies live.

Favorite music or song: My favorite song is an old hymn, “It is Well With My Soul.” I learned it in college with my friends, and I appreciate the hopeful message.

Music that drives you crazy: Loud music where I can’t understand the words. Yep, I’m that age.

Things you’d walk a mile for: My dog. We take her for at least a mile walk most days.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Spiders—I advise them not to enter my home.

Things you always put in your books: An animal. My cozy mystery has two adorable Valais Blacknose Sheep.

Things you never put in your books: Curse words

Favorite places you’ve been: I had wanted to visit Maine for most of my life, and I finally got there for my sixtieth birthday. We stayed near Portland and explored the southern coast. I got to see puffins and lots of lighthouses. I want to go back and visit the northern part.

Places you never want to go to again: Florida. I went there to visit my Grammy when I was a kid and have no desire to go back.

Favorite books (or genre): My favorite genre is cozy mystery. I love solving the puzzle and the justice served.

Books you wouldn’t buy: I wouldn’t buy horror.

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: I rode a zipline at the camp where my daughter worked and enjoyed it. There was an eighty-year-old woman in line behind me, and that gave me the determination to try.

Something you chickened out from doing: A second ride on the zipline a year later. After I had the harness on and waited to step off the platform, I totally froze. (At least I tried and succeeded once.)

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I was a quilter for several years, and I’ve embroidered most of my life. This year, I’m learning to weave on a simple loom. It’s been fun.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Any time I tried to ice a cake with pretty flowers, I totally failed. I’ll stick with fiber arts.

The first 8-track, record, cassette, or CD you ever bought: I’m guessing it would have been a John Denver album. In high school, I had all of his albums.

A type of music that’s not your cup of tea: Opera—I don’t understand it.

My favorite book as a child: When I was five, it would have been Dr. Suess, but Little Women is my all-time favorite.

A book I’ve read more than once: Christy by Catherine Marshall is a fantastic story set in the Appalachian Mountains.

About Penny:

Penny Frost McGinnis has lived in the world of books most of her life. From a small library shared with her cousins to a career working in libraries until retirement, she has developed a deep respect and love for the written word. An avid reader, Penny lives in Ohio with her husband and their golden retriever, Rosie May. She embraces and enjoys her faith, family, fiber arts, and baseball. Her writing goal is to give readers a place to be uplifted and encouraged and to leave reality behind for a bit.

Let’s Be Social:

Website/Blog: https://www.pennyfrostmcginnis.com/ 

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennyfrostmcginnisauthor/

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/penny.frost.mcginnis.author

Newsletter:                  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/526944/95682695697270249/share

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Rebecca Saltzer

I’d like to welcome Rebecca Saltzer to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Most daring thing you’ve ever done: Quitting my job on Wall Street with no plans other than to take a trip to Europe and then come home and write a mystery novel.

Something you chickened out from doing: Trying to actually make a living as a writer. I went to graduate school instead, got my PhD in earthquake seismology, and saved some money before picking the writing back up.

Things you always put in your books: Independent, smart women. They’re fun to read about and are the type of people I choose as friends.

Things you never put in your books: Sex and gratuitous violence. For me, the interesting part of a murder mystery is understanding the motivation behind the crime and solving the puzzle of who did it.

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: Murder Over Broken Bonds is loosely based on a real fraud I investigated when I worked as a bond analyst at a NY City investment bank. My second and third novels, Not Accounting for Murder and A Golden Opportunity for Murder, borrow from the Enron collapse and the 1963 Salad Oil Swindle, respectively. And, a drunk trader really did throw up after a company party, all over my coat and shoes.

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: I’m occasionally asked if someone actually got murdered because of the fraud. (Not that I know of.)

Something you’re really good at: Recognizing when something doesn’t add up—it’s my protagonist’s superpower too.

Something you’re really bad at: Letting things go. If something doesn’t make sense, I will keep poking until I get to the bottom of it. On Wall Street, that saved traders from costly mistakes. That said, my husband would probably prefer if I applied it only to fiction.

Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: In college, I co-hosted a Friday afternoon news program on the local radio station with a friend.

A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: One time on the radio show, we managed to play two songs at the same time over the air. When we realized what had happened, we offered a free pizza to whoever could identify the two songs. Not a single person called!

Things to say to an author: Did the stuff you write about really happen when you worked on Wall Street?

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Have you read (fill-in-the-blank-with-a-completely-different genre)…? Maybe you could write something more like that.

Your favorite movie as a child: ET. It was fun to watch his adventures after being stranded on earth and so sad when he had to leave!

A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): A horror movie called Have You Seen the Children? My sister and I were in high school and my parents took a trip abroad leaving the two of us alone at the house. At 4 am the phone rang, and I leapt out of bed. As I ran to grab it in the other room, I kept thinking of the murderer’s creepy voice asking “Have you seen the children??????” It turned out to be my mother, calling from the airport during a layover stop to say hello.

My favorite book as a child: Charlotte's Web.

A book I've read more than once: Same answer— but the amazing part is that a few years after reading it, I actually met the author, E.B. White. He lived on an old farm on the coast of Maine and showed me the barn that inspired Wilbur and Charlotte. His writing spot was a small cottage apart from the house, with a view of the ocean — I still think about that when I imagine my own ideal place to write.

Words that describe you: Curious, analytical, and perceptive. I spent years on Wall Street learning that the line between ambition and greed is razor thin—and that everyone has something to hide. It's the theme running through my whole Wall Street Mystery series, honestly.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Skeptical. I never believe the obvious explanation. My characters (and family) find this exhausting. Fortunately, my readers seem to appreciate it.

Hardest thing about being a writer: It’s solitary. You work for long periods of time, alone. To make sure I’m not writing in a vacuum, I link up with fellow authors through various writing organizations and belong to a critique group. It’s a great place to get candid feedback about which parts of the narrative work and, more importantly, which parts don’t.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Rewriting the story. You can’t do that in real life.

About Rebecca:

Rebecca Saltzer worked as a bond analyst on the trading floor at Lehman Brothers in New York City in the financial heyday of the eighties. Like the protagonist in her novel, she sometimes encountered fraud and other questionable business practices, except in real life, none of it led to murder. In 2021, Rebecca received the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for unpublished writers. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking with her two rescue dogs and exploring the great outdoors.

Let’s Be Social:

Author Website:  www.saltzerbooks.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rebecca.saltzer.14/

Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/RebeccaSaltzer

Writing Mixtape - Where Do Story Ideas Come from?

I’m often asked where ideas for my mysteries come from. The answer is everywhere.

Real World News/Stories - Many ideas come from real world news, odd history shows, overheard conversations, and weird objects in stores. Anything that is unusual or odd can be a spark for a story. I find the best “murder weapons” in antique, hardware, and kitchen supply stores.

Moral Dilemmas - Look for situations that contain betrayal, loyalty, justice, and power themes. All have the makings of a good story.

Brainstorm Ideas - Sit down for ten or fifteen minutes and jot down or type any idea that comes into your head. You never know what will pop up. It will give you a starting point. Don’t edit, just make a list of what comes to mind.

Brainstorm with Others - The most fun we had in my writers’ group/critique group was when we did a group brainstorm to help out an author with some plot ideas. Some of our ideas were wacky and others were pretty good. It was a fun activity, and we all got a creative spark from it.

Create an Idea File - I used to rip out magazine and newspaper articles when we actually had those and keep them in a file. That graduated to a collection of sticky notes of cool things I wanted to remember. To corral the mess, I finally put together an organized (massive) idea spreadsheet. I go through the tabs before I start to plot. Make sure to mark off what you have already used before. If a file or spreadsheet, don’t work for you, you may try an idea journal.

What do you do to come up with ideas for a story?

#ThisorThatThursday Author Interview with Zachary Hagen

I’d like to welcome author, Zachary Hagen, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time: Play with my son and relax with my wife.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to do list: Literally any cleaning task. I despise it. I’d rather keep things tidy than clean later.

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave: I play wordless music, something mildly stimulating so that I don’t lose focus on the writing but don’t get distracted by other noises.

Things that distract you from writing: Frankly, my wife and kid. I try to write later at night when they’ve gone to bed because of this.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Having enough faith in your work to bet money for ads, professional covers, editing, and such to be able to sell the books consistently.

Easiest thing about being a writer: Telling stories you’re excited about. I love getting to dither tell a new story or a new take on an old one.

Things you will run to the store for at midnight: Listen, I know it’s not in the spirit of this list, but nothing is good enough for me to go anywhere at midnight. That being said, I keep sparkling water stocked in my house.

Things you never put on your shopping list: Excess sweets. If I’m going to spend the calories, anything I make at home is going to taste better than anything out of a package.

Favorite snacks: I am a sucker for almost anything peanut butter.

Things that make you want to gag:  Anchovies. With the way they were trending on my feed, I tried them in a calzone. Those little stinkers only have business being where they cannot be directly tasted such as dressings and other sauces.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid: I wanted to be a writer and a teacher.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do: I’m entering into a stage of life where I’m an entrepreneur of sorts, which is way out of my comfort zone, but I’m excited, so I push forward into the unknown, so to speak.

Last best thing you ate: I had this absolutely incredible tomato dish in Remy on the Disney Fantasy this summer, and it completely stunned me. I had no idea tomatoes, of all things, could be so delicious.

Last thing you regret eating: To repeat a theme, a calzone with anchovies in it. I’m never doing that again.

Things to say to an author: “I really enjoyed your last book! If you ever need a review or an arc reader, let me know!”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “I liked the Hunger Games better.” I actually had someone say basically this in a review. It was for a fantasy book, which is wildly different. I wasn’t trying to pass it off as dystopian fiction, but that was the gist of the review. Odd.

The most exciting thing about your writing life: The flow of ideas and the privilege to talk to such amazing people.

The one thing you wish you could do over in your writing life: I wish I’d put more effort into my debut launch and started with more momentum. Now, I feel like I’m catching up, but I also know I can do this.

Recommendations for curing writer’s block: Plot the entire story from start to finish. You can catch the block there. If you know a story beat doesn’t work, you haven’t spent 30k words and hours and hours getting to it. Start with the whole plan, and then everything flows once you know the whole story and the voice you want to write in.

Things you do to avoid writing: Do not ever edit while you write unless it’s a minor typo. If you stop to edit everything, you’ll never finish writing.

About Zachary:

Zachary Hagen is a Minnesota based fantasy author and editor. He lives there with his wife, Claudia, and their dog, Flynn. When he isn't busy writing his next book or working with an editing client, you can often find him walking around his neighborhood or hiking.

From a young age he was enthralled with the world of story. From the stories his parents read to him from his blue bedtime story books (if you know, you know) to the first two series that he read, The Chronicles of Narnia and A Series of Unfortunate Events, Zachary's tastes continued to develop throughout his years of reading.

The influences for his first series, The Eternal Chronicles, include Christopher Paolini, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and others.

#WriterWednesday Author Interview with Diann Floyd Boehm

I’d like to welcome Diann Floyd Boehm to the blog for #WriterWednesday!

Favorite thing to do when you have free time:
It depends on the city we are visiting, but I love exploring museums, going to the theater, and enjoying different restaurants.

The thing you’ll always move to the bottom of your to-do list.
Mopping the floors. I like having the kitchen swept and the floors clean, but mopping is not my

Things you need when you’re in your writing cave:
The most important thing I need is my computer. Depending on the story, I also use music to help set the mood. When I was writing my young-adult historical fiction, I listened to music from the 1920s. When I am writing children’s books, I may play children’s songs to put me in the right frame of mind. One of my favorites is Joe Scruggs’ “Peanut Butter,” which was also one of my children’s favorite songs.

Things that distract you from writing:
Music with lyrics I know can be very distracting. If I sing along, I lose my train of thought because I want to join in or because the song brings back wonderful memories.

Hardest thing about being a writer:
Facing a blank page. I may know what I want to write about and who my characters are but finding that first sentence is often the hardest part. I have learned to simply begin writing, then go back and revise once I am in the zone.

Easiest thing about being a writer:
Visiting schools, meeting children, and reading to them. Seeing their faces light up as they tell me about a favorite character or illustration brings me so much joy.

The coolest thing you’ve bought online:
An electric wine decanter that I bought as a gift for my husband.

The thing you wish you’d never bought:
A dog ramp for our car. It did not work very well with an SUV, although it would probably be great for a sedan. I donated it to Goodwill in hopes that someone else could use it.

Favorite snacks:
I am a sucker for freshly baked chocolate cookies—the more chocolate, the better.

Things that make you want to gag:
The smell of brussels sprouts cooking. My husband enjoys them, but I cannot stand how they make the house smell. He usually cooks them when I am out with the girls and airs out the house afterward.

Something you’re really good at. I enjoy singing and I am working on a Christmas song list that I hope to perform at nursing homes. I also enjoy serving on the board at St. Michael’s Episcopal Day School. It is wonderful to stay connected to a school, learn about new teaching techniques, and know that I play a small role in supporting teachers and their students.

Something you are really bad at:
I am terrible at ice skating. I would watch my brother, Danny glide on the ice, skating with our aunt. I would hold on to the wall because I was so afraid of falling. I also do not trust myself on skis.

Something you wanted to be when you were a kid:
I wanted to be the next Singing Nun. I loved that the real Singing Nun, Jeanne Deckers, because she could sing professionally while still being a nun. I admired the idea of sharing love and joy with people through music.

Something you do that you never dreamed you’d do. I never imagined I would go spelunking in Dubai, rappelling in Costa Rica, or dog sledding in the Arctic. When those opportunities came along, I decided I could not pass up the chance to have those experiences.

Something you wish you could do.
I wish I had a gift for languages like my husband does. It is wonderful to be able to understand and communicate with people in other countries.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do:
I honestly cannot think of anything I have learned that I wish I had not.

Last best thing you ate:
When John and I were vacationing in Colorado, we went to a restaurant that served an incredible bruschetta appetizer, fig spread topped with a thick layer of whipped feta cheese. It was so delicious that we went back the next night just to have it again.

Last thing you regret eating:
I ordered fish at a restaurant that was not nearly as good as I remembered it being. I knew right away that I would not order it again.

Best thing you’ve ever done:
Marrying my husband was, and still is, the best thing I have ever done. Forty-seven years, three children, and one grandchild later, I am living a dream life.

Biggest mistake:
When I was a little girl, my dog got out and followed me to school. I took him back home three times, but eventually I had to get to school because I was already late. Sadly, he was hit by a car. I remember walking into my classroom crying hysterically, and my teacher could not calm me down. Eventually, he had a friend talk with me at recess and he gave me time alone to grieve. I have always wished I had stayed home with him that day, even if it meant missing school. I loved him very much.

 About Diann

Diann Floyd Boehm is an award-winning international children’s author, educator, storyteller, and humanitarian based in Austin, Texas. Her stories encourage young readers to be kind, believe in themselves, and let their imaginations soar.

Diann writes children’s picture books and young adult historical fiction, drawing on her life in the United States, the Philippines, and Dubai to bring heart, hope, creativity, and a global perspective to every story. Her work celebrates kindness, peace, imagination, curiosity, confidence, and the power of storytelling to build bridges across cultures.

Her books include Boomer Sees the Town! - Boomer Hears the Forest! - Boomer the Curious Bunny, Book II, Rise! A Girl’s Struggle for More, Ruby Takes Chicago, and A Song of Peace, among other beloved titles for children and young adults.

A former classroom teacher in the United States and at the International School of the Philippines, Diann is a passionate visiting author and educator. She has worked with students and teachers in schools throughout Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and numerous U.S. states. Through author visits, workshops, readings, Q&A sessions, and creative-writing activities, she inspires young people to read, write, create, practice kindness, and believe in themselves. She also appears at museums, book festivals, and community events, engaging audiences in conversations about imagination, and creative writing.

Diann is also a dynamic speaker and media personality. She previously served as an expert correspondent and on-air host for USA Global TV & Radio and co-hosted the live-stream program Royally Confidential with Helena Chard. Drawing on her background in musical theatre and stage performance, she brings an energetic, engaging presence to events for audiences of all ages.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, as well as Kindergarten Certification from The University of Texas at Austin. Diann has received multiple honors for her international body of work in children’s books and young adult historical fiction, especially for stories that promote kindness, peace, self-esteem.

Beyond writing and speaking, Diann remains involved in humanitarian projects that support children, education, and connection across cultures. Shaped by extensive travel and years living overseas, her mission is simple, to use stories to uplift, encourage, and connect hearts around the world.

Writing Mixtape - Do You Keep an Observation Journal?

Authors, have you thought about keeping an observation journal? It’s a great way to keep track of ideas and thoughts that you may want to use later in a book.

There are so many things that you hear and see every day that you may want to remember for a future writing project.

No one is safe around me. I am always jotting down cool names and snippets of interesting dialog. Originally, I wrote these down on sticky notes. My purse, briefcase, and lunch bag were always full of notes. A journal is a single, organized place to record notes, so it’s a great way to get organized.

If you don’t have a way of recording your thoughts and ideas, think about pulling out one of those pretty journals that you’ve been saving and start recording your observations. After a few weeks, you’ll be surprised at what you’ve collected.

Do you journal? And do you ever use what you record in your books?