Father Dowling returns in this series to head the cast of characters whose lives revolve around St. Hilary's, a Roman Catholic church in the small town of Rox River, Illinois. While he copes with rumors that St. Hilary's will be closed by the Bishop--not to mention the shenanigans of his anxious parishioners, Father Dowling is peripherally involved in the investigation of a young woman's murder.
McInerney's characterization of the Church and its inner workings is right on the money, which lends a credibility to the story that I enjoyed. He also has a dry sense of humor that makes some of his dialogue and narrative unexpectedly humorous.
The book is populated with numerous sub-plots and secondary characters and, unfortunately, I found myself more drawn to some of them than I was to the plight of Father Dowling and St. Hilary's. I also found the book's format of successive short scenes frustrating: each scene involved different characters and, just as I became absorbed, the scene ended and we switched to another set of characters. Some of the best scenes in the book, however, involved Agnes and Cy, the detectives investigating the murder. The twists and turns in that sub-plot were excellent.
Although I kept hoping to be more drawn to the characters and engaged by the author's writing style, I did enjoy the book.
My rating: (3 Star) It held my interest, but I didn’t mind doing other stuff in between readings. You’ll like it.
Stained Glass will be released in hardcover on October 13, 2009 by Minotaur Books - ISBN 978-0-312-58264-7. For more information, contact Anne Gardner, St. Martin's/Minotaur at (646) 307-5553 or anne.gardner@stmartins.com.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Author Interview with VICKI LANE
Vicki Lane and her family have lived on a mountain farm in North Caroline since 1975 and her Elizabeth Goodweather books are a direct reflection of the experience. In addition to being a writer, Vicki is a quilter and has co-authored two books on quilting.
You didn’t publish until later in life – and don’t seem to be greatly disappointed by the years of “missed opportunity.” Tell us how your earlier years contributed to your more recent publishing success.
You know, I think that if I’d tried to write earlier, it would have been a bunch of over-blown, quasi-literary junk with a lot of whining about my mother. Plus, it’s much easier to write about characters of the various ages you’ve already passed through--it gives you a more objective perspective. Of course, at the moment, I’m just winging it when I write about anyone over seventy. But at least I’ve spent time with people in the latter stages of life and paid attention to them and empathized with them--this wasn’t so true when I was younger. Experience, of all sorts, is a writer’s raw material.
And too, in my earlier years, we were getting our farm going and raising our boys. If I’d been pursuing a writing career at that time, I’m afraid I’d have been inadequate on all fronts.
How do you think that living on your farm, and the environment/people in North Carolina, provided you with fodder for your Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mystery series?
Oh, only in every way possible! When we moved here in 1975, it was such a rural area (electricity had only become available in the Fifties) that we felt something like anthropologists in a strange new culture. We learned so much from our neighbors: milking cows, butchering pigs, churning butter, to name a few things--and all the while I was learning, I was absorbing the dialect, the turn of phrase, and, to some extent, the world view. I think because of this, I’m able to write about the people of Appalachia and have native-born mountain folks tell me I got it right.
Tell us about your quilting and your quilting books.
Quilting seemed like a natural part of the rural life and the back-to-the-land community we found ourselves a part of when we moved to the mountains embraced the tradition wholeheartedly. We made baby quilts, wedding quilts, and friendship quilts for one another. After twenty-five odd years of this, we had quite a body of work: forty-plus quilts. We were given a show at the Folk Art Center in Asheville and several people said, “You all ought to do a book about this.” A friend and I decided to give it a shot and the result was Community Quilts. (Skemp is my married name – my mysteries are published under my maiden name because my editor liked it better.)
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
Finishing my last book. The Day of Small Things is a spin-off/standalone and I was about a half a year past my deadline getting it in. It won’t be out til 2010, because of my dilatoriness; therefore I have no new book out for 2009.
I’m not sure why it took so long except that I try hard to get better in each book--write to a higher standard and push some boundaries--and I think that slowed me down. Then, when I sent the manuscript to my editor, she wanted me to get rid of a whole subplot and a fairly major character – and that took some more time. But I’m very happy with the result and think that it’s my strongest book yet.
What is the title of your most recently published book? Briefly tell us what it’s about and let us know where we can buy it.
In a Dark Season came out in 2008. It’s a current Anthony Nominee for Best Paperback Original and was a R
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omantic Times finalist for Best Contemporary Mystery/Suspense. The fourth Elizabeth Goodweather book, it follows the dark history of an old house that was once a stopping place on the Drovers’ Road. The house is at the center of multiple mysteries--from a suspicious death to the brutal rape of a young woman to the legend of a handsome youth hanged for murder. Like all my books, though it’s set in the present day, there is a secondary story from the past--in this case 1859. Margaret Maron called it “a suspenseful tale of love and lust”--which I think sums it up pretty well. There’s also a little touch of the paranormal – which has been creeping into my mysteries bit by bit.It’s available from many bookstores – I always urge people to support their local independents – as well as the major on-line outlets.
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
As I mentioned, The Day of Small Things, the standalone about the life of Miss Birdie, Elizabeth’s octogenarian neighbor, will be out in 2010 and widely available. I’m at work now on the fifth Elizabeth book – Under the Skin – for 2011.
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Read your work aloud. When you finish a chapter, go back and read it out loud. This is invaluable to make sure your dialogue sounds realistic and it catches silly mistakes elsewhere – repetitions, rhymes, awkward phrasing and the like.
Do you have a regular writing routine? How about daily page or word goals? What are your thoughts about having a routine?
I work in the garden or do housework in the morning and then write in the afternoon and evening. I aim for a chapter a week (2.500 -3,000 words a week) but don’t always make that goal. And then sometimes I do twice that. The words come when they’re ready. And I’m there at the laptop every day in case they show up.
I suspect that each writer has to find the routine or non-routine that suits him or her.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances? If so, give us all the details.
I’ll be at BOUCHERCON, the mystery conference. It’s in Indianapolis this year, from Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, October 18. On Thursday, October 15, 1:30 – 2:25 pm, I’ll be on this panel- SOUTHERN VOICES: What’s special about Southern mysteries. The always entertaining Cathy Pickens will be the moderator and T. Lynn Ocean, A. Scott Pearson, Deborah Sharp, and I will all be there, exuding our various sorts of Southern charm.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
I’m very proud of my (pretty much) daily blog. It began as a spin-off of my monthly newsletter and it allows me to share pictures of the places that inspire my writing as well as stay in touch with readers. The subject matter ranges from writing to gardening to chickens, to books, to food to whatever’s on my mind or in my camera that day. My recent post on Southern Voices drew some amazingly terrific comments,
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
http://vickilanemysteries.com/
http://vickilanemysteries.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Author Interview with KYLIE BRANT
Kylie Brant is the author of 28 books for Silhouette and Berkley who has three back-to-back releases (dark romantic thrillers) in September, October, and November. She lives in Ohio with her husband and live a double life: she’s an elementary special education teacher during school days and the dreamer-upper of new ways to “kill and maim” the characters running around in her head on nights, weekends, and in the summer.
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Your first manuscript sold AFTER your second one. What’s that all about?
When I sent in my first manuscript, I waited to hear back, thinking it'd take a matter of weeks. I got a two page rejection letter four months later inviting me to revise and re-submit. I did so, but the second time I sent it in I was a little wiser. I started another manuscript and had completed that and submitted it by the time the first one was returned, with yet another two page rejection letter. So once again, I revised and re-submitted.
When Silhouette called with an offer on the second manuscript, they asked if I had any other works they could see. I was able to tell them about my first manuscript, which was in-house again. It took them three months to locate it, but they eventually bought that, too. So RANCHER'S CHOICE, my first manuscript, was actually published four months after my second work.
You prefer killing and maiming fictional characters to playing golf. What’s the fascination and where does it come from?
Hmm, could be sheer laziness :) I can kill and maim from the comfort of my chaise lounge! I've always been interested in police/forensics shows and movies. I'm especially intrigued by how people think, and the motivation for their actions. The psychological aspect to the characters, even the villains, is what I find fascinating. People are multi-faceted and those hidden layers can be endlessly intriguing.
You’ve been known to say your favorite authors couldn’t write fast enough for you so you began writing. Who are your favorite authors—and why?
Nora Roberts, because she is the master as far as storytelling goes and so prolific she doesn't keep me waiting long for the next story; Lee Child, who writes page turners and some of the best suspense on the market; Robert Crais, because he's managed to create not one, but two series featuring compelling characters; and Tami Hoag, because she hooks me on her characters every time.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
Time management has always been my biggest hurdle. I have always taught full-time in addition to writing. When I began, my five kids were ages 4-12. We were gone every night of the week at their events, but I was home on weekends and that's when I'd write during the school year. Now that they're gone, we're home weeknights but gone a lot of weekends. Writing three books in a little over a year while teaching full time gets a little brutal!
What are the titles of your three back-to-back books? Briefly tell us what they’re about and let us know where we can buy them.
The books are part of a series called The Mindhunters. Legendary ex-FBI profiler Adam Raiker heads the elite private forensics agency which includes some of the best criminologists in the nation. Each book features an investigator from that agency.
Waking Nightmare has a September 1st release date. With a serial rapist loose on the streets of Savannah, hotshot detective Ryne Robel needs answers, not the psycho-babble head games of forensic profile Abbie Phillips. Abbie must convince him the elusive suspect is learning his victims' darkest fears--then forcing them to live them. Waking Nightmare can be found online and in bookstores.
Waking Evil will be released October 6, 2009. When the body of a woman is found in rural Buffalo Springs, forensic investigator Ramsey Clark is called in. Ramsey believes in evidence, not superstition. But, when another murder rocks the town, Ramsey begins to wonder if a killer is playing on everyone's fears-or a prophecy is being fulfilled one victim at a time.
Waking the Dead has a November 3, 2009 release date. Caitlin Fleming, a former forensic anthropologist, is hired to help investigate when seven sets of skeletal remains are found in the Oregon wilderness. Outdoor guide Zach Sharper leads her through the forest as she searches for clues. But as desire burns between them, a cold-hearted killer closes in.
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
I just signed another contract with Berkley for three more Mindhunter books. Adam Raiker plays a larger role in each of these and the final book of the series will be his story. They'll be available in 2010 and 2011.
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Complete the manuscript! I'm always shocked when aspiring writers tell me how many unfinished manuscripts they have. That might be fine while they are still learning craft, but once the mechanics have been mastered the most important thing they can do to hone their skills is to complete the work all the way through. That's what really separates serious writers from hobbyists. It's important to learn how to untangle the plot snarls, slog through that sagging middle and write the black moment, and the ending. Set goals for completion dates, because it teaches the time management skills that come with deadlines.
Do enter contests, especially those that have published authors, editors and/or agents as judges. Sometimes the feedback will conflict, but analyze it for commonalities so you can see what worked and what didn't work for the reader and revise accordingly.
Submit when you get an invitation to do so. Some aspiring authors go to editor appointments and are asked to send in the manuscript and then fail to do so. Take advantage of each opportunity that comes your way.
We’ve been hearing a lot about publishers going out of business and buying fewer and fewer books from new authors. What are your thoughts about these subjects?
The current economy has kept sales tight, no doubt about that. It started a year ago last summer and I felt that publishers really slowed new acquisitions as they concentrated on the inventory they had in house. But a glance at the sales in Publishers Marketplace does show sales picking up a bit again. They do have to restock inventory so authors shouldn't give up hope. But it's definitely tougher making a sale in this economy than it was eighteen months ago. Hopefully, the next year will see things easing in that way.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances? If so, give us all the details.
No, no book signings. I really limit them during the school year because weekends are my writing time.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
Check my site regularly to sign up for monthly book giveaways!
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
You can find my site at www.kyliebrant.com and I blog with nine other authors at http://ridingwiththetopdown.blogspot.com.
When I sent in my first manuscript, I waited to hear back, thinking it'd take a matter of weeks. I got a two page rejection letter four months later inviting me to revise and re-submit. I did so, but the second time I sent it in I was a little wiser. I started another manuscript and had completed that and submitted it by the time the first one was returned, with yet another two page rejection letter. So once again, I revised and re-submitted.
When Silhouette called with an offer on the second manuscript, they asked if I had any other works they could see. I was able to tell them about my first manuscript, which was in-house again. It took them three months to locate it, but they eventually bought that, too. So RANCHER'S CHOICE, my first manuscript, was actually published four months after my second work.
You prefer killing and maiming fictional characters to playing golf. What’s the fascination and where does it come from?
Hmm, could be sheer laziness :) I can kill and maim from the comfort of my chaise lounge! I've always been interested in police/forensics shows and movies. I'm especially intrigued by how people think, and the motivation for their actions. The psychological aspect to the characters, even the villains, is what I find fascinating. People are multi-faceted and those hidden layers can be endlessly intriguing.
You’ve been known to say your favorite authors couldn’t write fast enough for you so you began writing. Who are your favorite authors—and why?
Nora Roberts, because she is the master as far as storytelling goes and so prolific she doesn't keep me waiting long for the next story; Lee Child, who writes page turners and some of the best suspense on the market; Robert Crais, because he's managed to create not one, but two series featuring compelling characters; and Tami Hoag, because she hooks me on her characters every time.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
Time management has always been my biggest hurdle. I have always taught full-time in addition to writing. When I began, my five kids were ages 4-12. We were gone every night of the week at their events, but I was home on weekends and that's when I'd write during the school year. Now that they're gone, we're home weeknights but gone a lot of weekends. Writing three books in a little over a year while teaching full time gets a little brutal!
What are the titles of your three back-to-back books? Briefly tell us what they’re about and let us know where we can buy them.
The books are part of a series called The Mindhunters. Legendary ex-FBI profiler Adam Raiker heads the elite private forensics agency which includes some of the best criminologists in the nation. Each book features an investigator from that agency.
Waking Nightmare has a September 1st release date. With a serial rapist loose on the streets of Savannah, hotshot detective Ryne Robel needs answers, not the psycho-babble head games of forensic profile Abbie Phillips. Abbie must convince him the elusive suspect is learning his victims' darkest fears--then forcing them to live them. Waking Nightmare can be found online and in bookstores.
Waking Evil will be released October 6, 2009. When the body of a woman is found in rural Buffalo Springs, forensic investigator Ramsey Clark is called in. Ramsey believes in evidence, not superstition. But, when another murder rocks the town, Ramsey begins to wonder if a killer is playing on everyone's fears-or a prophecy is being fulfilled one victim at a time.
Waking the Dead has a November 3, 2009 release date. Caitlin Fleming, a former forensic anthropologist, is hired to help investigate when seven sets of skeletal remains are found in the Oregon wilderness. Outdoor guide Zach Sharper leads her through the forest as she searches for clues. But as desire burns between them, a cold-hearted killer closes in.
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
I just signed another contract with Berkley for three more Mindhunter books. Adam Raiker plays a larger role in each of these and the final book of the series will be his story. They'll be available in 2010 and 2011.
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Complete the manuscript! I'm always shocked when aspiring writers tell me how many unfinished manuscripts they have. That might be fine while they are still learning craft, but once the mechanics have been mastered the most important thing they can do to hone their skills is to complete the work all the way through. That's what really separates serious writers from hobbyists. It's important to learn how to untangle the plot snarls, slog through that sagging middle and write the black moment, and the ending. Set goals for completion dates, because it teaches the time management skills that come with deadlines.
Do enter contests, especially those that have published authors, editors and/or agents as judges. Sometimes the feedback will conflict, but analyze it for commonalities so you can see what worked and what didn't work for the reader and revise accordingly.
Submit when you get an invitation to do so. Some aspiring authors go to editor appointments and are asked to send in the manuscript and then fail to do so. Take advantage of each opportunity that comes your way.
We’ve been hearing a lot about publishers going out of business and buying fewer and fewer books from new authors. What are your thoughts about these subjects?
The current economy has kept sales tight, no doubt about that. It started a year ago last summer and I felt that publishers really slowed new acquisitions as they concentrated on the inventory they had in house. But a glance at the sales in Publishers Marketplace does show sales picking up a bit again. They do have to restock inventory so authors shouldn't give up hope. But it's definitely tougher making a sale in this economy than it was eighteen months ago. Hopefully, the next year will see things easing in that way.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances? If so, give us all the details.
No, no book signings. I really limit them during the school year because weekends are my writing time.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
Check my site regularly to sign up for monthly book giveaways!
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
You can find my site at www.kyliebrant.com and I blog with nine other authors at http://ridingwiththetopdown.blogspot.com.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Author Interview with E.F. WATKINS
E.F. Watkins, winner of the 2004 EPPIE for Best Horror novel, is the author of three paranormal thrillers, a suspense novel, and numerous short stories. A professional journalist for more than 30 years, Eileen has written about art, architecture, fine crafts and interior design for daily newspapers and local, national and international magazines.
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You claim that Ira Levin, Dean Koontz and Barbara Michaels influenced your writing. How and why?
I admire Ira Levin for writing some truly creepy, classic plots, such as ROSEMARY’S BABY and THE STEPFORD WIVES, that relied on almost no “onstage” violence or gore. I also like his recurring themes of people being betrayed by those close to them, and the fact that his characters tend to be sophisticated and intelligent.
In general, I prefer Dean Koontz’s characters to Stephen King’s. I find his “good guys” more sympathetic and I think he writes women well. Stephen King is an excellent writer, but I find his world view a little bleak. That may sound like an odd criticism for horror, but in Koontz there’s usually more of a catharsis and hope for humanity, I think.
I was delighted to discover Barbara Michaels (just about 10 years ago), because she was writing mysteries with actual ghosts in them before it was the thing to do. I guess you could call her books updated Gothics, with stronger female characters than the old kind.
It would take a lot of space to explain how these writers have influenced me, but I explore themes similar to Levin, I think my world view is more like Koontz, and I like to mix mystery with paranormal like Michaels.
You’ve written “straight” romantic mystery and paranormal thriller novels. Is the process different writing in different genres?
Yes and no. My mystery RIDE A DANCING HORSE is suspenseful and probably has a similar style and pacing to my thrillers. It’s much less violent—pretty PG, really—but it’s emotional. In addition to their feeling for each other, my hero and heroine are frequently worried about the welfare of their farm and horses. To me, that’s emotional turmoil! Also, as you know, in a mystery you generally don’t find out “who done it” until close to the end, so I couldn’t paint any one suspect as too villainous. I had to plant clues that seemed to lead in various directions. In my thrillers, I can cut loose and make the bad guy really nasty!
You were a professional journalist for many years. How did it prepare you for writing fiction?
I think it polished my nuts-and-bolts skills, because spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure are second nature to me. I proofread carefully, I know how to cut a passage without losing the sense of it and I know how to take criticism and make changes. I’m constantly working with editors who may ask me to do those things and will call me on any mistakes. Plus, I know how to put my butt in a chair and write something in whatever time I have available to me.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
Lack of time. I’ve written most of my books while holding down full-time writing jobs. It’s possible to write five novels by putting in an hour a night and a couple more on weekends, but it makes it hard to do much else. The most difficult part is finding time to get lost in the story, imagine a scene fully, noodle around and try different approaches. These days, I carry a microcassette recorder in my car and brainstorm aloud while I’m commuting. That way, when I sit down to write at night I already have a lot of the bugs worked out.
What is the title of your most recently published book? Briefly tell us what it’s about and let us know where we can buy it.
My latest is DANU’S CHILDREN, which came out this spring. A photojournalist returns 
to his small home town in Pennsylvania “coal country” for his cousin’s funeral, and begins to suspect the cousin was murdered. Digging deeper, he discovers an ongoing battle between the shady developer of a new mall/conference center and a grassroots group that’s against it. The hero’s cousin was reporting on the project for the local paper—did the developer have him killed? Or are the seemingly high-minded protesters more dangerous than they appear? Who’s responsible for the burned body that turns up in the woods, the road collapse that exposes barrels of toxic waste, and the dynamiting of the construction site? The hero feels drawn to the beautiful leader of the protesters, only to find she’s also a pagan priestess and believes a Celtic earth god will help them defeat the mall project…one way or the other. It’s available on Amazon and from my publisher at http://amberquill.com/DanusChildren.html.
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
At the moment, I’m finishing a prequel to DANCE WITH THE DRAGON, which was my first published book. So far, I’m calling it ONE BLOOD. Yes, vampires—but I come by them honestly, because DD came out in 2003, before the latest wave! I’ve been told by readers and one reviewer that they were curious to know how the hero and heroine of DD got together, so I decided to polish up that story and put it out there. Ironically, even though I know they end up together, I’m having a devil of a time right now getting them to see eye to eye. They have every reason to battle each other to the death!
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Wow, just one? Write for the love of it, because there’s no knowing how long it will take you to get published. It took me decades.
You are not only a member of several writing organizations, you helped found the Garden State Horror Writers. How has membership in these organizations helped your career?
Membership in GSHW introduced me, in a roundabout way, to my publisher. I heard a guest speaker at one of the meetings talk about electronic and POD publishing, and long story short, she eventually became an editor with Amber Quill Press. I was one of the first authors they published shortly after they formed in 2002. I often learn helpful things from speakers at meetings of the organizations I belong to. I also join with other members to sell my books at conferences and even street fairs. In September, I sold my books alongside other local authors at two street fairs, and did pretty well! I also can’t say enough about the input I get from my biweekly critique group. Those folks are objective and honest and keep me on the right path. It’s like having my future readers sitting in front of me saying, “that works” and “that doesn’t.” By the time I send a book to my editors, I feel confident that I’ve gotten rid of the biggest goofs, anyway!
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances? If so, give us all the details.
On October 17th, I’m going to be at the Barnes & Noble (Arena Hub) in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., with some other authors, doing a Halloween Horror Signing. On October 24th, I’ve got a signing at 7 p.m. at the New Age store Practical Magick in Pompton Lakes, N.J., and on October 25th, I’m joining other local authors for a 1 p.m. panel on Villains at West Milford Town Hall in West Milford, N.J. I’ll also be helping to staff the Garden State Horror Writers table during Philcon 2009 in Cherry Hill, N.J., and with any luck I’ll be on a panel or two, as well.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
I’m delighted to see the popularity today of so much paranormal fiction that isn’t necessarily hard-core “horror.” That’s the kind of thing I’ve been writing for decades, and whaddya know—suddenly it’s actually being sought by publishers!
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
Web site: http://www.efwatkins.com/. My only blog right now is on my MySpace page, www.myspace.com/efwatkins. I am NOT much of a blogger. I write and edit all day at work, I write my fiction at night…I really don’t have much time or energy left to just shoot the breeze. But once in a while I do check in to bring the blog up to date.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Author Interview with JOHN WAYNE CARGILE
John has a varied and extensive background. He is a retired journalist and holds doctoral degrees in both religion and philosophy. In addition to writing mystery fiction, he writes two weekly newspaper columns in Alabama.
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You worked in newspaper for a very long time as both a writer and editor. What did you like best about it?
I love people articles and features. That was my strong suit in the newspaper and magazine industry. Every person has a story to tell, and if you listen to them long enough you’ll find out interesting things about them that is worthy of retelling their life story.
How did your newspaper background prepare you for writing a novel?
The newspaper and magazine industry prepared me for novel writing. Newspapers and magazines are what I call “literary writing” on the run. The short deadlines were always killers for me. Sometimes I wished I had more time to develop a story. With novel writing you have as much time as you need.
You hold doctoral degrees in religion and philosophy. How do they affect your writing?
In my first novel, the main character embodies some ideas of my religion and philosophy. He questions life and death, flirts with death, asks questions about Heaven and Hell. While it is subtle in thought, I believe you see a little of me in the main character. You might see a little Christian and Zen Buddhism in his thoughts.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
In my younger days I dreamed about being a best-selling novelist. I wanted to write to Great American novel, like most authors. I honed my skills as a journalist, hoping it would lead me eventually to dreamland. The biggest challenge is finding time to write the Great American novel. As most people know, writers are not the highest paid people in the world. We have to scratch and claw as freelance writers, which often doesn’t pay enough. The highest salary I ever made was $48,000 a year as a managing editor for several magazines. I hoped when I retired I would be able to find the time, but with mortgage payments, car payments, the cost of living, and being a first-time novelist, the money doesn’t come as easily as to those authors who have agents and big publishing companies behind them. I haven’t given up on writing the Great American novel, but time is really not on my side. So, the greatest challenge is to make enough money to be able to write, write, write.
Tell us about your book, The Cry of the Cuckoos, and let us know where we can buy it.
The cuckoo bird is a master of deception, fooling other species in their race to copy their chirping begging call. Donald Drummond and his wife, Anne, chase after the killer of his father, Henry Drummond, but find themselves up against a radical right wing supremacist organization c
alled the Society of Southron Patriots and, like the cuckoo bird, deception is the Society’s mission. The couple unravels a terrorist plot aimed to kill Washington dignitaries at the Super Bowl and delegates at the United Nations. Donald, a retired news reporter, and Anne, a retired school teacher, unfold the mystery leading them on a wild chase from Alabama to Texas. And one of the many murder suspects is Donald’s biological mother, Betty Jo Duke, whom he only just met after his father’s death. Donald and Anne are hired as informants by the FBI to unravel the mysterious case and they get a lot more than they bargained for. The novel can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, or www.eloquentbooks.com/TheCryOfTheCuckoos.html or www.thecryofthecuckoos.com
What are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
I am almost finished with a new mystery titled, Crooked Letter I. You’ll love Rob McRobbie and Maria Delgado and hate Carlos Caretti and Gang. The setting is Biloxi, Mississippi, and deals with the Southern Mafia. I hope it will be ready by the summer of 2010.
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Research the industry. Keep your name out there. Expose yourself. Keep writing.
What writers organizations claim you as a member? How has being a member affected your writing career?
I currently do not belong to any writer’s groups per se. I have belonged to many in the past and found them to be helpful. If I were a young writer, I would take every opportunity to join a group of like-minded writers, take notes, and listen. But this journey is all yours. You have to treat it like a business.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances?
I am waiting until the holiday season to canvass for book signings. They are all local.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
Writing is a passion. I guess when all is said and done, it offers me a way to express myself in ways that I cannot communicate orally. I fall flat on my face as a public speaker. That was the one reason I did not pursue a ministerial career. I am an INFJ, according to the Myers-Briggs Personality Trait Tests. INFJ formally is Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling & Judgmental. I prefer to call it Inner Nuances Fosters Journeys. I guess that just about sums me up.
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
http://www.thecryofthecucko/os.com
http://www.johnwaynecargile.blogspot.com/
I love people articles and features. That was my strong suit in the newspaper and magazine industry. Every person has a story to tell, and if you listen to them long enough you’ll find out interesting things about them that is worthy of retelling their life story.
How did your newspaper background prepare you for writing a novel?
The newspaper and magazine industry prepared me for novel writing. Newspapers and magazines are what I call “literary writing” on the run. The short deadlines were always killers for me. Sometimes I wished I had more time to develop a story. With novel writing you have as much time as you need.
You hold doctoral degrees in religion and philosophy. How do they affect your writing?
In my first novel, the main character embodies some ideas of my religion and philosophy. He questions life and death, flirts with death, asks questions about Heaven and Hell. While it is subtle in thought, I believe you see a little of me in the main character. You might see a little Christian and Zen Buddhism in his thoughts.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
In my younger days I dreamed about being a best-selling novelist. I wanted to write to Great American novel, like most authors. I honed my skills as a journalist, hoping it would lead me eventually to dreamland. The biggest challenge is finding time to write the Great American novel. As most people know, writers are not the highest paid people in the world. We have to scratch and claw as freelance writers, which often doesn’t pay enough. The highest salary I ever made was $48,000 a year as a managing editor for several magazines. I hoped when I retired I would be able to find the time, but with mortgage payments, car payments, the cost of living, and being a first-time novelist, the money doesn’t come as easily as to those authors who have agents and big publishing companies behind them. I haven’t given up on writing the Great American novel, but time is really not on my side. So, the greatest challenge is to make enough money to be able to write, write, write.
Tell us about your book, The Cry of the Cuckoos, and let us know where we can buy it.
The cuckoo bird is a master of deception, fooling other species in their race to copy their chirping begging call. Donald Drummond and his wife, Anne, chase after the killer of his father, Henry Drummond, but find themselves up against a radical right wing supremacist organization c
alled the Society of Southron Patriots and, like the cuckoo bird, deception is the Society’s mission. The couple unravels a terrorist plot aimed to kill Washington dignitaries at the Super Bowl and delegates at the United Nations. Donald, a retired news reporter, and Anne, a retired school teacher, unfold the mystery leading them on a wild chase from Alabama to Texas. And one of the many murder suspects is Donald’s biological mother, Betty Jo Duke, whom he only just met after his father’s death. Donald and Anne are hired as informants by the FBI to unravel the mysterious case and they get a lot more than they bargained for. The novel can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, or www.eloquentbooks.com/TheCryOfTheCuckoos.html or www.thecryofthecuckoos.comWhat are you working on now and when/where do you expect it to be available?
I am almost finished with a new mystery titled, Crooked Letter I. You’ll love Rob McRobbie and Maria Delgado and hate Carlos Caretti and Gang. The setting is Biloxi, Mississippi, and deals with the Southern Mafia. I hope it will be ready by the summer of 2010.
Writers, especially new writers, are always looking for tips and helpful information. What is the single most important “tip” you can give to a new writer?
Research the industry. Keep your name out there. Expose yourself. Keep writing.
What writers organizations claim you as a member? How has being a member affected your writing career?
I currently do not belong to any writer’s groups per se. I have belonged to many in the past and found them to be helpful. If I were a young writer, I would take every opportunity to join a group of like-minded writers, take notes, and listen. But this journey is all yours. You have to treat it like a business.
Do you have any upcoming book signings or appearances?
I am waiting until the holiday season to canvass for book signings. They are all local.
Here’s your opportunity to tell us anything else you care to share.
Writing is a passion. I guess when all is said and done, it offers me a way to express myself in ways that I cannot communicate orally. I fall flat on my face as a public speaker. That was the one reason I did not pursue a ministerial career. I am an INFJ, according to the Myers-Briggs Personality Trait Tests. INFJ formally is Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling & Judgmental. I prefer to call it Inner Nuances Fosters Journeys. I guess that just about sums me up.
What are the addresses of your website(s) and blog(s):
http://www.thecryofthecucko/os.com
http://www.johnwaynecargile.blogspot.com/
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