4.16.15 - 7 Minutes With... Carol Culver

I have the distinct honor of hosting Carol Culver today. Carol is good friends with Catherine Coulter, and I met her at an author’s lunch at Catherine place a couple of years ago. She’s a fascinating woman, travels all over the world teaching writing, on cruises, mostly. I am not a cruiser – that whole can’t-swim-to-shore thing freaks me out – but I might be willing to make an exception for my friend. Enjoy your introduction to her wonderful world!

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

There's no music in the room where I work. It's hard enough to concentrate on those elusive characters and their problems without distraction. So here are the rules: no noise, no talking, no email, and no music.

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

A new series about a family of five sisters, which coincidentally resembles my daughter-in-law's family. She's delighted, but she hasn't read it yet.

What’s your latest book about?

The newest book I'm writing is about a woman who gets sucked into being a bridesmaid for the 7th time. This time the wedding takes place on a cruise ship. Sound romantic? Not if you get seasick. But what if the ship's physician - Dr. McDreamy - prescribes dancing under the stars, plenty of fresh air, and some TLC?

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I have a spacious office in my house in a redwood forest. From my window I have an ocean view which inspires me, especially when I see a cruise ship sailing out into the Pacific. Did I mention I love being at sea? I often teach writing classes aboard cruise ships. I'll be sailing in April to Tahiti and other palm-fringed islands.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved the Heidi books, the ones where she lives in the Alps milking cows and eating cheese. It sounded like a wonderful life, once she won over her cold and frightening grandfather. Lots of conflict and a strong and plucky little heroine. Just like I wanted to be.

What book are you reading now?

I plan to read every book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, the queen of romance novels. Great characters, wonderful settings and to-die-for heroes. I'm currently in the middle of WHAT I DID FOR LOVE.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Keep writing whether you feel like it or not. What's that Nora Roberts says? "Put your butt in the chair and some words on the page." And that means every day. Day after day. Got it?

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

What, words flow? You mean like water or wine? Not in my life. I just keep pounding them out.

What would you like to be remembered for?

For making readers smile and even laugh out loud sometimes. It would be great if someone said, "Yes, I get it. That's just what it feels like." But I'll be happy just to finish a new book and publish every few months. It's the world's best job. I know because I've tried everything else - receptionist, ESL teacher, PR on a hospital ship, French translator and librarian.  

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Carol Grace is the author of over 40 romance novels for Harlequin, a mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, a YA series for Berkley Jam, a mystery series for Midnight Ink, and two romances for Pocket Books. She lives in California on a mountain overlooking the ocean and she travels the world for work and fun. Next month she's off to French Polynesia.

And here's a little more about the latest book Carol just released on April 1, THE BILLIONAIRE'S BRIDE:

Abbie Porter caught her French fiancé cheating on her, then she flunked out of cooking school in Paris. Feeling like a failure Abbie leaves for Bella Vista, her home in California, determined to get a new job but never ever to get married. 

When she arrives at her family’s woodsy property she’s met by Jake Crenshaw, the new neighbor and Silicon Valley entrepreneur. It’s love at first sight for the dot-com billionaire who is not only rich, he’s gorgeous, friendly and sexy too. 

But Abbie keeps her cool around Jake. She knows better than to fall for the first man she meets after her disastrous affair in Paris. Though Jake invests in her new food truck business, helps drum up business and buys her a puppy, she tells him they can be friends, nothing more. After a few weeks of working together making French crepes in the food truck, and after Jake has repaired the flat tire on her truck and fixed the faulty griddle and eaten every test crepe she creates, she finally falls madly in love. But Jake has to take a business trip which leaves Abbie to run the truck by herself. To her surprise she’s inundated by hungry customers and her food truck is a big success. 

Turns out Jake has secretly supported her venture by underwriting the cost of the lunches and sending customers her way. When she finds out she’s furious and determined to make it on her own . . . 

Get your own copy of THE BILLIONAIRE'S BRIDE to see how it all turns out!

4.9.15 - 7 Minutes With... Bryon Quertermous

I’m beyond thrilled to have my friend and very first editor Bryon Quertermous on the blog today. Bryon gave me my first break – accepting a short story I wrote for Demolition Magazine’s “Women of Crime Fiction” issue. That story was X – a title of his own choosing which was much better than my original – and I’ve always been indebted to him for taking a chance on a complete newbie. Now’s my chance to return the favor. Bryon’s debut novel, MURDER BOY, came out last week, and it’s burning up the charts, which isn’t a surprise to any of us who know him. Here’s what I thought about the book:

“Rough and raw and fast and furious and genuinely funny, with a dizzying array of villains and a hefty dose of madcap adventure, Bryon Quertermous’s love letter to the crime fiction genre, MURDER BOY, is an awesome debut from a talented, assured voice. MURDER BOY is a winner.”

As for what I think about Q? He’s a great guy, with a cool family, and a VERY twisted mind. So without further ado, may I present Bryon!

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

“Smoking Gun” by Robert Cray.  I love this song so much and it NEVER comes up in shuffle. Must be my lucky day today.

 Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

I’ve got some freelance editing projects I’m trying to wrap up so I can put more effort into finishing the second book on my contract (man, that is fun to write) called RIOT LOAD. On the surface the book is about a sperm bank robbery and a writer trying on a new career as a private detective, but at its core it’s about adjusting to fatherhood and dealing with real life after that one big dream in your life comes true. I’m very excited about the book but just last night realized I was attacking it in completely the wrong way and had to go back and rewrite a big chunk of the beginning. Oops.

What’s your latest book about?

It’s called MURDER BOY and it’s about a writer named Dominick Prince, a student in a Detroit creative writing program who has wasted a lot of great opportunities in his life but is determined not to waste his latest opportunity for a chance to live and write in New York City. The only thing standing in his way is his elitist thesis advisor who refuses to sign off on his final project because he thinks crime fiction is beneath a good writer. So, like any normal person would do, Dominick hires a bounty hunter to kidnap the professor and things go very, very wrong. But, as with the other book I mentioned, what it’s really about is my own struggle with writing and wasted opportunities and failure to reach my stated life goals in an appropriate time frame.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I have three little kids and a day job so I write anywhere I can. I like coffee shops and the McDonalds in town, as well as dive diners and book store cafés. My main tool is a laptop and that’s all I really need. I have an awesome little MacBook Air that works like a dream and also has software on it called Freedom that shuts me off from the internet so I can actual get stuff done. Though I do have to put an asterisk on this because I sat on the final draft of MURDER BOY for almost a year absolutely unable to figure out how to end it. But one cold fall day in an Arby’s in suburban Milwaukee, I grabbed a stick pen and a composition notebook and started writing by hand and was finally able to work out the ending. I enjoyed the experience and may try it again if (when) I get stuck again.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I read so fast and so varied that I never really had a favorite book. The first book I really remember speaking to me though was when I read THE OUTSIDERS in junior high. It was such a great book and hit me at just the right time that it really stuck with me.

What book are you reading now?

I’m reading Lou Berney’s new one THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE. It’s really amazing. I love it because Lou started like me by writing two fun caper style crime novels and I can only hope to eventually write a big book that’s even half as great as this one is. Everyone should go buy it RIGHT NOW.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Write 1,000 words a day. This seems to be pretty divisive writing advice and I know it won’t work for everyone, but for me, it makes all the difference. I need to be working on the book every day for everything to work right with it. When I start skipping days and only putting in minimal effort is when things start going poorly. Writing 1,000 words is enough to keep the pages piling up at a steady clip but isn’t so taxing mentally as to undercut the effort.

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

If I haven’t been writing regularly, I’ll force myself to do my 1k every single day whether the words are good or not, and it usually only takes a day or two to clear the cobwebs. If I have been writing regularly and find the words suddenly go quiet, I read through the book to figure out where I went wrong. Writer’s block, for me at least, is almost always the result of a stupid decision I made somewhere in the book that took it in a direction it had no business going in.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I know I’m supposed to say my family and all of that, and it’s really true I hope I leave a legacy of great kids who change the world and are great people and good citizens. But I can’t shake the desire to be legendary. I want to be remembered as a writer who pushed the genre in a new direction or did something new with an old form.

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Bryon Quertermous is the author of the novel MURDER BOY and the forthcoming RIOT LOAD. His short stories have appeared in PLOTS WITH GUNS, THUGLIT, and CRIME FACTORY, among others, and in the anthologies HARDCORE HARDBOILED, THE YEAR’S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES, and UNCAGE ME. He was shortlisted for the Debut Dagger Award from the UK Crime Writers Association. He currently lives outside of Detroit with his wife and kids.

And here's a little more about MURDER BOY, now available wherever books are sold!

Dominick Prince is out of options. He’s lived in Detroit long enough to use his experiences of crime and poverty to fuel his writing, but he’s ready to move on to bigger and better things. Dominick’s thesis advisor, the elitist Parker Farmington, refuses to let Dominick pass his class, thinking the genre of potboilers beneath him. Which means rather than becoming the next literary sensation, Dominick will spend his life asking customers if they’d like fries with that. And if that’s the only plan, kidnapping doesn’t seem like such a bad plan B.

So if Farmington won’t pass him willfully, Dominick will make him do it forcefully. And once he has Farmington’s signature, fame and fortune are within Dominick’s grasp. But while Dominick may have a devious and brilliant mind on the page, in reality he’s more Betty White than Walter White. And before he can write ’the plot thickens,’ Dominick’s plan begins to go horribly wrong. Teaming with Farmington’s jilted mistress and her loose-cannon bounty hunter brother, Dominick finds that if even the best laid plans go awry, then his doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. And being a great writer won't matter much if he's six feet under.

4.2.15 - 7 Minutes With... Brenda Novak

Ah, Brenda Novak. EVERYONE in the industry knows this name. Brenda is an icon – a brilliant author, a wonderful friend, and one of the biggest voices in the fight against Juvenile Diabetes. Every year, Brenda conducts a massive fundraising campaign to help combat the disease. Readers of this blog will be familiar with the Brenda Novak Auction – which I’ve been honored to participate in for several years. This year, though, Brenda’s massive fundraiser is in the form of box sets – because what could be better for a reader than stories: brand-new stories, never before seen – from their favorite authors? SWEET DREAMS (Thrillers), SWEET TALK (Romance) and SWEET SEDUCTION (Erotica) all go on sale May 1. 

I’m very lucky to call Brenda my friend, and I’m honored to be a part of SWEET DREAMS. I’ve admired her for a very long time – her writing, her professionalism, her career trajectory, her work ethic, her wicked sense of humor and her honesty, and of course, her altruism. I’m so excited to have a chance to let you get to know her a little better today, too. 

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” (only that’s not very good for writing because it makes me dance…) So…maybe “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.  That should be a good song to get started on another Whiskey Creek romance. ;-)

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

Hmm…since I’m not working on a Whiskey Creek novel, I’m going to have to change the music again. (Actually, I don’t write to music. I can’t help listening and responding to it instead of concentrating on what I’m creating on the computer.) Today I’m working on HANOVER HOUSE, the prequel to my new suspense series that will be coming out from St. Martin’s Press next year. It features Evelyn Talbot, a psychiatrist who studies serial killers at a revolutionary new medical health center/prison in the remote town of Hilltop, Alaska. She’s determined to unlock the mysteries of the anti-social mind, even if it kills her—and being surrounded by murderers who feel no remorse means it just might do that.

What’s your latest book about?

THIS HEART OF MINE (just released) is part of my Whiskey Creek series, which follows a tight-knit group of friends (both male and female) who grew up together in California’s beautiful and quaint “Gold Country.” THIS HEART OF MINE is the 8th book and is a “second chance at love” story, which features a woman who’s just been released from prison and is anxious to get to know the son she wasn’t able to raise.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I write in the retreat off my bedroom with a laptop and no other tools.

What was your favorite book as a child?

JANE EYRE.

What’s your secret talent?

I’m not sure I have any secret talents. Oh! I know! I’m good at guessing things. I could probably get work at some fair guessing people’s weight and/or age. LOL

What book are you reading now?

SAPIENS: A Brief History of Humankind

Who is your writing idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool?

Ken Follett is one of my idols (EYE OF THE NEEDLE is iconic to me). I definitely did the fan girl thing when I met him at Thrillerfest a few years ago. I got a picture, which was the screensaver on my phone for the next year at least. LOL

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Believe. If you believe in yourself and your dream, you’ll work as hard as you have to in order to make it come true.

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I back up and see what I’ve done wrong. I don’t really believe in writer’s block. When I come to a grinding halt, it’s usually because I’ve taken a wrong turn, so I have to figure out what I did wrong and fix it. Then I’m able to move forward again.

Are you creatively satisfied?

Absolutely. I love what I do. I love that I’ve been able to experiment on a wide range of stories from contemporary romance to suspense to historical romance to women’s fiction (my first trade paper book—THE SECRET SISTER—will be out this August).

What would you like to be remembered for?

Like a lot of people, my motto is, “Do no harm.” I would like to be remembered as a person with integrity who did all she could to make the world a better place.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

Beach or mountains? Tough choice! Probably mountains.

Coffee or tea? Hot chocolate.

Skydive or bungee jump? Bungee jump. I like the added security of that rope. LOL

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate for sure.

Winter or summer? Summer. I get cold WAY too easily.

Cake or pie? Both.

Cats or dogs? Dogs.

Pens or pencils? Pens.

Truth or dare? Truth.

Print or ebook? Both.

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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of fifty books. A four-time Rita® nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.4 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com.

And here's a little more about Brenda's newest novel, THIS HEART OF MINE:

First love. Second chance?  

As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next. 

Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob's father isn't exactly welcoming. 

Riley doesn't trust Phoenix, doesn't want her in Jacob's life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he's about to find both!

3.26.15 - 7 Minutes With... Dave White

I am so excited to welcome my Killer Year mate and great friend, Dave White, to the Tao. Dave is a one-of-a-kind writer. His Jackson Donne novels are incredibly cool -- PI novels with heart and sheer drop-off-a-cliff stories. And he's at that amazing time in life where the changes are so abundant--marriage, children, being published, not necessarily in that order--that I can't wait to see what the next decade brings to him. (Did I mention he was published in his twenties?)  To have so much talent at such a young age... I guarantee his future will be amazing, and I can't wait to read his new novel, NOT EVEN PAST. Welcome, Dave! It's great to have you here today!

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

“Too Drunk to Dream” by the Magnetic Fields… which, I think, is a song I haven’t ever listened to—or haven’t in a very long time.  Seriously, how did that end up in my iTunes?

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

This interview.  Heh.  That’s so cheating, but it’s true.  I’m writing this on a Sunday.  I just sent my editor a draft of the next Jackson Donne novel, AN EMPTY HELL, and I’m trying to figure out what I want to write next.  I’m also kind of taking a break from writing for a little bit and catching up on reading and Netflix.

What’s your latest book about?

NOT EVEN PAST sees my series character and former private eye, Jackson Donne, returning for his first novel in almost 7 years.  He’s finally figured his lift out—gone back to college, got engaged, toned down the drinking—and just before exams, he sits down and checks his email.  What he finds takes him to a video of his long-thought-dead finacée Jeanne tied to a chair, but very much alive.  Donne has no choice but to find out what happened, how and why she’s alive.  And the deeper he digs, the more dangerous the case gets, potentially shattering him and everyone to close to him.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I usually write at home on my couch using my laptop.  I write in Word.  I’ve tried to use Scrivener, but it’s too complicated for my brain.  So I stick with what I’ve always used.  I take notes in a separate file and save moments I’ve cut in another file as well.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved the Hardy Boys series, but I’m having trouble singling one out.  However, I also loved Sherlock Holmes and THE SIGN OF FOUR keeps coming to mind.

What’s your secret talent?

I can wiggle my ears, and I’m a pretty good rebounder in pick-up basketball.

What book are you reading now?

I am almost done with Laura Lippman’s AFTER I’M GONE, which has really drawn me in the past couple of days.  Laura’s standalones are so good at spiraling downward, taking ordinary moments and making them full of tension and emotion.

After I finish it, I think I’m going to try Taylor Stevens’ THE INFORMATIONIST.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember, getting a Sherlock Holmes story published in my school paper in elementary school.  I wrote and drew my own comic books too—so I’ve always been a storyteller.  But I think it was my sophomore year in college, when I wrote a mystery story and my professor told me it was good enough to be published.  That’s when things really started igniting for me.

Who is your writing idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool?

My writing idol was always Robert B. Parker, who I’ve actually never got to meet, unfortunately.  I wish I had a really good fanboy story for you, because lord knows I’ve embarrassed myself tons of times in front of people.  It used to be a daily occurrence, but I am drawing a blank coming up with any good stories.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

“Ass in chair.”  It basically comes down to that, sitting and doing it.  Writing as much as you can and following it through. 

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I walk away.  I go play with my son or play a video game on my iPad or work out… I do something other than writing.  Usually when I come back, I’ve unlocked whatever it was that was stopping me up.  That said, some days you just have to power through.  The words aren’t always going to flow, you’re rarely going to have a day where you get 1000 words done in 45 minutes or whatever.  Sometimes it’ll take two or three hours… those days you just have to sit there—ass in chair—and get it done.

Are you creatively satisfied?

Wow.  Um.  I’ve never thought about it like that.  I love the books I’ve written, and I think they’re very good.  I am satisfied with them.  Am I creatively satisfied though?  There is a lot more I’d like to do.  I’d like to write a comic book one day.  I’m still hoping to write a “big book”—something different.  There’s a lot on my checklist that I’d like to get to.  But that doesn’t mean I’m unsatisfied…it just means I have goals.

So, yes, I think I’m creatively satisfied with what I’ve done so far and what I have on the schedule.  But there is still more I want to do.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Being a good person, a good family man, and someone who made an impact.  I’m a writer, and I hope people remember my books, but I’m also a public school teacher and I hope I’ve made some positive impact on people’s lives and they’ll remember me going forward.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

Beach or mountains?

Beach, but probably pool, if I can cheat.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee—multiple times a day

Skydive or bungee jump?

Um.  I’ll just stay here if that’s okay, guys.  You have fun.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

Winter or summer?

Winter, winter, winter.  I’m going through cold weather withdrawal and it hasn’t even really started to heat up yet.

Cake or pie?

Cookies.  (Fine… cake… unless the pie is pizza.)

Cats or dogs?

Dogs

Pens or pencils?

Pens

Truth or dare?

Truth

Print or ebook?

I go through phases, but haven been stuck in print for about a year.  I like being able to flip ahead and know how long a chapter is.

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Dave White is a Derringer Award-winning mystery author and educator. White, an eighth grade teacher for the Clifton, NJ Public School district, attended Rutgers University and received his MAT from Montclair State University. His 2002 short story, "Closure,"  won the Derringer Award for Best Short Mystery Story the following year. Publishers Weekly gave the first two novels in his Jackson Donne series, WHEN ONE MAN DIES and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO, starred reviews, calling WHEN ONE MAN DIES an "engrossing, evocative debut novel" and writing that his second novel "fulfills the promise of his debut." He received praise from crime fiction luminaries such as bestselling, Edgar Award-winning Laura Lippman and the legendary James Crumley.

Both WHEN ONE MAN DIES and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO were nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award, and WHEN ONE MAN DIES was nominated for the Strand Critics Award for "Best First Novel". His standalone thriller, WITNESS TO DEATH, was an ebook bestseller upon release and named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. All three books have been reissued by Polis Books and are available wherever ebooks are sold.

And here's a little more about NOT EVEN PAST:

Finally, Jackson Donne has it figured out. After leaving the private investigation business, he's looking toward the future — and getting married to Kate Ellison. Donne is focused on living the good life — planning the wedding, finishing college, and anticipating a Hawaiian honeymoon — until he receives an anonymous email with a link and an old picture of him on the police force. Once Donne clicks the link, nothing else in his life matters. Donne sees a live-stream of the one thing he never expected. Six years ago, his fiancée, Jeanne Baker died in a car accident with a drunk driver. Or so Donne thought. He’s taken to a video of Jeanne bound to a chair, bruised and screaming, but very much alive. He starts to investigate, but quickly finds out he’s lost most of his contacts over the years. The police hold a grudge going back to the days when he turned in his corrupt colleagues, and neither they nor the FBI are willing to believe a dead girl’s been kidnapped. Donne turns to Bill Martin — the only man to love Jeanne as much as he did — for help. And that decision could cost him everything.

7 Minutes With... J.D. Rhoades

J.D. Rhoades, known to those who love him as Dusty, is one of a kind. I had the pleasure of sharing an agent with him, which is how we originally met, and we spent several years together aboard the good ship Murderati. He always had the most fun blog posts – one of my favorites was when he had Satan, Prince of Darkness guest blog for him. The resulting poll was enlightening for this new writer, and ever since, I fall back on the idea of deals with the devil when it comes to my publishing career. We’ve been friends a long time, and while we may not agree on everything, we’ve had a blast debating life over the past decade, sharing many a meal at many a conference. I’m so happy to have him on the Tao today, and I can’t wait for his new book – I love his Jack Keller series. Here’s Dusty! 

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

Doc Watson, “Cannonball Rag” (Live).

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

It’s a secret project which will be revealed this summer. I can tell you this much: I’m doing it with several other authors and it’s paranormal suspense. I’m having a lot of fun with it.

What’s your latest book about?

DEVILS AND DUST is the fourth Jack Keller novel. Jack comes out of his self-imposed exile in the desert when his old friend and former employer Angela asks him to find her husband Oscar, Jack’s best friend, who’s gone missing while looking for his sons who have disappeared in Mexico. Jack has to confront his own unresolved feelings for Angela while running into some very bad people on both sides of the border. Characters from some of my other books make cameo appearances.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

There are two main tools that make it possible for me to write: the laptop computer (because I’m a terrible typist) and the DVR (which keeps me from wandering away to watch TV, because I know I can catch JUSTIFIED and THE DAILY SHOW later). Beyond that, I’ve been using the PC version of Scrivener, which makes it a lot easier to plot things out and move bits around as necessary. I think I may be the only writer I know that doesn’t use a Mac. For jotting down ideas, quotes, etc. and for the occasional session where I write by hand, I have the good ol’ Moleskine notebooks scattered about the house and in my briefcase. I never run out because people keep giving them to me. For column writing, I use a free online tool called Instapaper that allows me to quickly save articles to a single site for later reference.

As for where I write, I mainly plug my laptop into an external monitor and keyboard at a computer desk in the front room of my house, next to the big bay window that offers plenty of sunlight. But that’s subject to change at a whim. Sometimes I’ll go sit in the big easy chair or the bed in the other room, or go out on the porch in good weather.

What was your favorite book as a child?

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (no surprises there). Later, I devoured all of Robert A. Heinlein’s YA novels from back before there was a thing called YA.

What book are you reading now?

Right now, I’m reading Ann Lecke’s Hugo and Nebula award-winning science fiction novel ANCILLARY JUSTICE, as well as Michael Connelly’s 9 DRAGONS. I often read more than one book at a time.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

“Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” –Elmore Leonard

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

Pick up one of my guitars and noodle around on it a bit. Walk the dog. Take a shower. Unplug the laptop from the external monitor and keyboard and take it out on the porch or the back deck. Write by hand. Anything to shake things up.

What would you like to be remembered for?

The multiple award-winning and incredibly lucrative movies and TV shows made from my books. And, of course, the books themselves. 

_________

Born and raised in North Carolina, J. D. Rhoades has worked as a radio news reporter, club DJ, television cameraman, ad salesman, waiter, attorney, and newspaper columnist. His weekly column in North Carolina’s The Pilot was twice named best column of the year in its division. The author of THE DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND, GOOD DAY IN HELL, SAFE AND SOUND, BREAKING COVER, and BROKEN SHIELD, he lives, writes, and practices law in Carthage, NC. Follow him on Twitter at @jd_rhoades.

J.D. Rhoades’ latest Jack Keller novel DEVILS AND DUST is now available in stores everywhere. 

And here's a little more about J.D.'s recent release DEVILS AND DUST:

“You bring death,” the voice said, “and Hell follows with you.”

 Relentless bounty hunter Jack Keller returns in Devils and Dust, the long-awaited fourth installment of the critically acclaimed series from award-nominated author J. D. Rhoades. Keller’s been in exile, living a quiet life in the desert, since his disappearance after the cataclysmic events of 2008’s award-winning Safe and Sound. Now his old friend and former employer Angela has tracked him down and needs his help. Oscar Sanchez, Angela’s husband and Keller’s best friend, has disappeared while investigating what happened to the sons he was trying to bring to America. If anyone can find Oscar, Keller can, but along the way he has to confront his own demons and his unresolved feelings for Angela — now his best friend’s wife. Keller’s quest takes him from a corrupt Mexican border town to a prison camp in the swamps of South Carolina and pits him against human traffickers, violent drug lords, and a vicious group of white supremacists perpetuating an evil as old as civilization itself in the name of God.

All of them are about to learn a hard lesson: if Jack Keller's after you, he's bringing Hell with him.