2.12.15 - 7 Minutes With... Erica Spindler

When I was a (very) novice writer, I read several books by a woman named Erica Spindler. One of my favorites was COPYCAT, possibly one of the best thrillers I’ve read in the past decade. Little did I know Erica and I were destined to meet, and to become such good friends. I was simply in awe of her talent, her fearlessness, and her ability to draw me into a tale.

All these years later, I feel exactly the same way, though now I have the distinct honor and privilege to call Erica friend.

At RWA in Orlando, I believe it was, Nora Roberts gave a keynote where she said you need to find the four or five people in your writing world you trust with your life, create a tribe, and stick with them. Her words struck me – and it wasn’t long after when I knew Erica was one of my tribemates. Was it the weekend in Omaha, where so many of my permanent friendships were born? Was it a joint love of wine, of New Orleans, of the twists in our brains? I don’t know, but I can say I don’t know many women with hearts so pure, so generous, so kind. Not only is she an incredible writer who constantly amazes me with her imagination, dedication and talent, she’s a lovely woman, a confidant extraordinaire, someone I want to emulate, in writing, and in life.

Her new novel THE FIRST WIFE is out this week. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Rush out and grab your copy, then settle in with some Starbucks and get to know my buddy Erica a little better. 

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

Phillip Phillips, "Gone, Gone, Gone"

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

RANDOM ACTS, an e-novella.  It’s a prequel to Light Keepers, a series I’m launching later this year, and will be included in SWEET DREAMS a boxed set author Brenda Novak is putting together to benefit Diabetes Research.  Oh, and promotion for THE FIRST WIFE!

What’s your latest book about?

Bailey Browne is both a realist and a romantic.  She always dreamed of finding Prince Charming, a knight in shining armor to whisk her away from her ordinary life.  On a Caribbean vacation, she meets him. Bailey falls head-over-heels in love; impossibly, he feels the same for her.  He proposes; they marry in a romantic whirlwind. Only as Bailey begins her new life on his Louisiana horse farm, surrounded by his secretive family and whispers of his dark past and the disappearance of his first wife, does Bailey realize she knows nothing about this man other than she’s has given herself to him, heart and soul.

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

I do most of my writing in the coffeehouse; I find being surrounded by activity less distracting than the silent demands of home.  My tools of choice are a MacBook Pro, spiral notebooks—for notes, brainstorming and giving my muse a break from the keyboard—mechanical pencils and a giant dry erase board in my home office.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I had a favorite series: the Trixie Beldon mystery series. As far as I’m concerned, Trix was not only ahead of her time, she still rocks.

What book are you reading now?

Fiction: BREAKING CREED by Alex Kava. It’s book one in a new series from her and I’m enthralled. Non-fiction: HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn.  It’s an in-depth look at what Scripture says about heaven. (Forget the puffy clouds and harps!)

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Sorry, but I can’t limit myself to just one because different folks benefit from different advice.  Here are my top three: 1- Believe in yourself. 2- Write what you love to read, not what you think is selling. 3- Write everyday.

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

I hate when the words aren’t flowing! I find changing my environment helps the most. Write outside or go to the coffeehouse. Take a break for a non-writing activity—I like walking, but I have friends who garden, bake or read. Calling a trusted friend to brainstorm works, too.  Anything that takes my critical left brain out of the equation and gives my muse a chance to recharge.

What would you like to be remembered for?

This is totally non-writing related, but the first thing that popped into my head was being kind. What better legacy than to be remembered as someone who was kind to others and a positive force in the world?

Erica Spindler is the New York Times and International Chart bestselling author of thirty novels and two eNovellas. Published in twenty-five countries, she has been called the “The master of addictive suspense” and “Queen of the romantic thriller.” 

A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, Erica received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels FORBIDDEN FRUIT and SEE JANE DIE, won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence for her novel BONE COLD and is a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999, Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel SHOCKING PINK a Listen-Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998. Her newest novel, THE FIRST WIFE, is available in stores everywhere.

Erica lives just outside of New Orleans with her husband and two sons.

And here's a little bit more about Erica's new book, THE FIRST WIFE:

As a child, Bailey Browne dreamed of a knight in shining armor swooping in to rescue her and her mother. As she grew older, those dreams transformed, becoming ones of a mysterious stranger who swept her off her feet and whisked her away from her ordinary existence. Then, suddenly, there he was. Despite the ten year difference in their ages, her working class upbringing and his of privilege, Logan Abbott and Bailey fall deeply in love. Marriage quickly follows.

But when Logan brings her home to his horse farm in Louisiana, a magnificent estate on ninety wooded acres, her dreams of happily-ever-after begin to unravel. A tragic family history she knew nothing about, plus whisperings about the disappearance of his first wife, True, and rumors about the women from the area who have gone missing—and when another woman disappears, all signs point to her husband's involvement.

At first Bailey ignores the whispers—even as they grow louder and circumstantial evidence against Logan mounts. But finally, Bailey must make a choice: believe what everyone says is true—or bet her life on the man she loves, but is realizing she hardly knows.

And if you want to say hi to Erica while she's out promoting THE FIRST WIFE, you can catch her on her book tour--details below!

LOUISIANA

February 10th 

6:30 PM 

B&N Metairie

3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd.

Metairie, LA 70002

Store: 504-455-4929

February 11th 

7:00 PM

Jefferson Parish Library (with Alex Kava)

4747 Napoleon Ave, Metairie, LA

Contact: Chris Smith

February 14th 

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

B&N Mandeville

3414 Hwy 190

Ste. 10

Mandeville, LA 70471

Store: 985-626-8884

HOUSTON, TX

February 22nd 

2:00 – 4:00 PM

Katy Budget Books

2450 Fry Rd.

Houston, TX 77084

Store: 281-578-7770

February 23rd 

6:30 PM

Murder by the Book

2342 Bissonnet St.

Houston, TX 77005

Store: 713-524-8597

NASHVILLE, TN

March 1st 

2:00 PM

Erica Spindler w/ J.T. Ellison

Parnassus Books

3900 Hillsboro Pike

Nashville, TN 37215

Store: 615-953-2243

NEW ORLEANS, LA

March 4th 

7:00 PM

Fleur de Lit., Reading Between the Wines

Pearl Wine Co.

3700 Orleans Ave.

New Orleans, LA

TUCSON, AZ

March 14

10:00 – 11:00 (with Catherine Coulter & Brenda Novak)

Tucson Festival of Books

University of Arizona

Koffler Room 218 – book signing to follow

 March 15

10:00 – 11:00 (with Iris Johansen & Brenda Novak)

Tucson Festival of Books

University of Arizona

Koffler Room 218 – book signing to follow

2.6.15 - 7 Minutes With... Alethea Kontis

It’s fitting we follow Alex Kava last week with Alethea Kontis, since Alex introduced us. At the time, Alethea lived in Nashville and worked at Ingram. She was an important person to meet, because she was the buyer for our publisher. Big, big deal. And how the universe works – I had no idea Alethea worked for Ingram, but we were already friends on Facebook, outside of the construct of publishing. Still, I was totally blown away when she came to a signing of mine, at the now, sadly, defunct Sherlock’s books in Lebanon, TN.

That afternoon goes down in history as possibly the most fun signing ever. Mostly because I had to sit at a table for three hours, and Lee sat with me for 2.75 of them. We talked. We clicked. We merged. We talked of dreams, and where we wanted our careers to go. She went home and made a painting that is on her business cards. I’d like to think I had something to do with it.

We came out of the afternoon as fast friends, and have seen each other through so much since then. The cool thing is, Alethea is an absolutely amazing writer. Fiction, non-fiction, essays – you name it, she does it. My favorite of hers is the Woodcutter Sisters – which she told me about that fateful afternoon, her plans she had to write a series of fractured fairy tales featuring the seven daughters of a seventh daughter named after the days of the week. The books are ingenious, full of excitement and wonder and if you haven’t read them, you’re in for a treat. And did I mention she’s a princess? Yeah. She really is.

I bring you my darling Alethea. Take it away, Princess.

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

"Laura Palmer" by Bastille

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

77 emails, rebuilding my new house that still doesn't have a kitchen sink, and revising TRIXTER, the upcoming Woodcutter novella.

What’s your latest book about?

DEAREST, which came out February 3rd, is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's THE WILD SWANS, with a little THE GOOSE GIRL, A WEAVE OF WORDS, TRISTAN AND ISOLDE and SWAN LAKE thrown in for good measure.

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

I write wherever I can, with whatever I can, and on whatever I can...which sometimes means scribbling on the back of a Starbucks receipt with an eyeliner pencil while at a stoplight. Ideally, I'd like to be at home in a chaise lounge with my Mac Powerbook and a giant cup of tea that never gets cold...but that doesn't always happen.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I started reading when I was three years old, so this is an incredibly tough question to answer. I suspect it's a toss-up between ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, THE GOOP TALES by Gelett Burgess, and Ogden Nash's CUSTARD AND COMPANY. And then of course THE COLLECTED TALES OF GRIMM AND ANDERSEN...but my grandmother didn't give me that book until I was eight.

What book are you reading now?

Sarah Addison Allen's FIRST FROST.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Writing is like having hours and hours of homework every single night...only you really love school.

I told a starry-eyed girl this at a book signing when she asked me, "What's it like to be a writer?" Upon hearing my answer, she made a face like she'd just sucked a lemon. And I felt like a HUGE nerd. Not that it made what I'd told her any less true...

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

Every time I sit down at the computer, I give myself permission to write crap. I tell myself that it's fine if it stinks, just as long as I'm moving the story forward. The act of just putting words on paper gets the creative juices flowing. And the next day, it doesn't usually seem so crap after all. But I still have to give myself permission, every single time.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Bringing happiness to the world. Inspiring people to see magic in their lives. And reminding people that fairy tales existed, long before Disney.

New York Times bestselling author Alethea Kontis is a princess, a fairy godmother, and a geek. She’s known for screwing up the alphabet, scolding vampire hunters, and ranting about fairy tales on YouTube.

Her YA fairy tale novel, ENCHANTED, won the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award in 2012, was nominated for the Audie Award in 2013, and was selected for World Book Night in 2014. Both Enchanted and its sequel, HERO, were nominated for the Andre Norton Award.

Alethea's second book in the Woodcutters Series, HERO, is now available in paperback. And here's a little more about her newest book, DEAREST, which just hit store shelves in hardcover!

Readers met the Woodcutter sisters (named after the days of the week) in ENCHANTED and HERO. In this delightful third book, Alethea Kontis weaves together some fine-feathered fairy tales to focus on Friday Woodcutter, the kind and loving seamstress. When Friday stumbles upon seven sleeping brothers in her sister Sunday’s palace, she takes one look at Tristan and knows he’s her future. But the brothers are cursed to be swans by day. Can Friday’s unique magic somehow break the spell?

1.29.15 - 7 Minutes With... Alex Kava

How many good things can I say about Alex Kava? I was a fan of her books long  before we became friends. When I signed my first deal at Mira, I was wildly full of  myself because I was at the same house as Alex Kava! We had the same editor! I knew this boded well for my future as a thriller writer, because Alex does it right, every time. Her Maggie O’Dell FBI books are insanely good, deep, intense thrillers 
with just the right amount of scary reality to them. I kept telling my editors I wanted 
them to emulate her – in covers, in promotion, everything. 

We met at Thrillerfest in Phoenix, hit it off, and stayed in touch. In 2008, she kindly invited me (ME!) to a conference called Mayhem in the Midlands. It was incredibly generous – she hosted several authors I greatly admired, including Erica Spindler, Jeff Abbott and Shane Gericke, among others. Alex and her manager Deb Carlin arranged books signings, dinners, panels. They ferried us about, fed us, watered us, introduced us to all their people. Forever friendships bloomed over steaks and spilled wine. It was one of the best weekends of my career, nay, my life. 

We’ve been fast friends every since, and business partners (along with Erica Spindler, who will be here later this month with another fun interview.) I count myself so incredibly lucky to have her in my life. And now she’s breaking out with a new series, featuring Ryder Creed, an ex-Marine turned K-9 search and rescue (another topic near and dear – my cousin is K-9 S&R) which is going to kick as much 
ass as Maggie. 

I’m honored to say - Here’s Alex, y’all! 

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

Silence. I know, boring. Right? I can’t listen to music and work.

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

I start my book tour this week so my day was spent packing, confirming travel itinerary with my publicist, scheduling interviews, Facebook posts and answering emails. No writing was done today!

What’s your latest book about?

BREAKING CREED is the first in a new series. Ryder Creed is an ex-Marine and dog handler who takes abandoned dogs and trains them to sniff out drugs, cadavers, bombs and also to do search and rescue.

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

I have a writing room I added to my house several years ago. One wall is floor-to-ceiling bookcases, two walls are floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over my patio. It’s a great retreat but I still prefer the screened-in porch when weather permits.

As for tools – I love my MacBook Air, but I’d rather write in longhand. I fill two to three six-by-nine spiral notebooks with pages and pages of research, bits of dialogue, pieces of chapters and lists of things I want to include.

What was your favorite book as a child?

HARRIET THE SPY by Louise Fitzhugh

What book are you reading now?

A STRING OF BEADS by Thomas Perry

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

If you want to be a better writer: read. A lot.

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

If I’m on deadline I make myself write whether the words are flowing or not. If it really isn’t happening, I try to get away from it for a while.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I guess it would be nice just to be remembered.

Alex Kava is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Maggie O’Dell series and a new series featuring ex-Marine, Ryder Creed and his K9 dogs. Her stand-alone novel, ONE FALSE MOVE, was the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, WHITEWASH, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year. Published in over thirty countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Poland. She is also a co-author of the e-novellas SLICES OF NIGHT and STORM SEASON with Erica Spindler and J.T. Ellison. Her novel STRANDED was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and International Thriller Writers. Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida.

Here's a bit about BREAKING CREED, now available in bookstores everywhere!

Ryder Creed and his dogs have been making national headlines. They’ve intercepted several major drug stashes being smuggled through Atlanta’s airport. But their newfound celebrity has also garnered some unwanted attention.
 
When Creed and one of his dogs are called in to search a commercial fishing vessel, they discover a secret compartment. But the Colombian cartels’ latest shipment isn’t drugs. This time, its cargo is human. To make matters worse, Creed helps one of the cartel’s drug mules escape—a fourteen-year-old girl who reminds him of his younger sister who disappeared fifteen years ago. 
 
Meanwhile, FBI agent Maggie O’Dell is investigating a series of murders—the victims tortured, killed, and dumped in the Potomac River. She suspects it’s the work of a cunning and brutal assassin, but her politically motivated boss has been putting up roadblocks.
By the time she uncovers a hit list with Creed’s name on it, it might be too late. The cartel has already sent someone to destroy Creed and everyone close to him.
 
But Creed and his dogs have a few surprises in store on their compound in Florida. Will it be enough to stop a ruthless cartel determined to remove the thorn in its side once and for all?

And Alex's BREAKING CREED Book Tour includes stops in: Scottsdale, AZ; Panama City, FL; Pensacola, FL; Mandeville, LA; New Orleans, LA; Minneapolis, MN; Omaha, NE; Seward, NE; and Greenville, SC. Details can be found at alexkava.com.

1.26.15 - Deadline Inspirations

"Unlike Alice, Garp was a real writer—not because he wrote more beautifully than she wrote but because he knew what every artist should know: as Garp put it, 'You only grow by coming to the end of something and by beginning something else.' Even if these so-called endings and beginnings are illusions. Garp did not write faster than anyone else, or more; he simply always worked with the idea of completion in mind."

~ John Irving, The World According to Garp

(hat tip to Richard Cooper)    

1.23.15 - Deadline Inspirations

"I ride over my beautiful ranch. Between my legs is a beautiful horse. The air is wine. The grapes on a score of rolling hills are red with autumn flame. Across Sonoma Mountain, wisps of sea fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive."  

-Jack London, John Barleycorn (Century Co, 1913)