9.24.15 - 7 Minutes With . . . Lee Mossel

Hello there! I hope everyone has been doing well whilst I was away. I'm super excited about today's guest. Lee Mossel is a personal favorite of mine. We met through my dad, with whom Lee plays golf. Knowing we had a love of literature, we were paired for a match several years ago, and a friendship was kindled. But Lee isn't just a writer: he's a standup comedian, and anyone who's tried to play golf with him happily rides along to the dulcet tones of some seriously funny (and sometimes off-color) jokes. Lee's a geologist by trade and came to writing as a second career. (He's also father to the wonderful Eric Mossel, who you will see thanked in the credits of WHAT LIES BEHIND - I owe all the Mossels drinks the next time I'm in Colorado.) He's been tearing it up in the indie world, and I highly recommend you check him out. (See what I did there, Lee? Check him out??? Hahahahaha!) 

Yeah. I'm not a comedian. But maybe Lee will leave us a funny in the comments today. Please welcome my buddy to the blog!

_________

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

Following your instructions, I hit shuffle (from Pandora) and am greeted with “My Brother Works for the CIA” by progressive blue grass band, Trampled By Turtles. I have totally eclectic tastes in music: 40’s Big Band; 50’s rock and roll; Classic Country; easy listening, etc. 

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

Today, and for the foreseeable future (ha, ha), I’m working on the rewrite of BED OF THORNS.  Following two exhaustive editorial reviews, I’ve decided maybe, just maybe, my editors make some good points.  As ego-deflating as it might be, editing is going to make this book!

What’s your latest book about?

In a departure from my Cortlandt Scott crime thriller series, BED OF THORNS is a standalone novel about a turn-of-the-(20th)-century woman who makes bad choices in love and life.  Although fiction, there are some elements of this book that may relate to my paternal grandmother who died in 1936 . . . woman of apparently “questionable repute.”  The book plays out from Ohio and Kentucky to Montana and features hard times, hard people, and hard choices.

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

I write at a desktop computer in my office in our home in Parker, Colorado.  Our house backs up to open space and a 70-acre regional park, so I have continual “interruptions” for wildlife sightings.  Deer, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, hawks, and (best of all) a family of Great Horned Owls provide year around “moments of nature.”

I use Microsoft Word; a ROGET’S THESAURUS; and A WRITER’S REFERENCE.  Since I’m self-published, I use Createspace.com (an Amazon.com company) for print books and Smashwords.com for e-books.

What was your favorite book as a child?

As a child? Hmm, probably HUCKLEBERRY FINN.

 What’s your secret talent?

I’m a fair hand in the kitchen and at the grill.  Although mostly simple “man fare” (steaks, lamb chops, pork tenderloins), I like to prepare and cook things like veal piccata and spaghetti with meat sauce.  My real specialty is pork green chile, which is simmering even as I write this.

Hopefully, it isn’t/wasn’t a secret, but I had a successful, 35-year career as a petroleum geologist.  I discovered and developed oil and gas reserves in nine states, plus Canada.

What book are you reading now?

PAST REASON HATED by Peter Robinson

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

It was a “late in life” decision. While reading a particularly bad novel, I said, “I can write a better book than this.”  But talk is cheap . . . when you say something like that, you’d better back it up.  I found it’s harder than it looks, but I’ve published one book per year since 2012.

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

I have several writing “idols” including Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, James Lee Burke, Elizabeth George, TJ Box, Larry McMurtry, P.D. James, Stephen White, and, of course, JT! 

Of these, I’ve only met JT.  After fawning at her feet and offering gifts of wine and books, we played 18 holes at awe-inspiring Perry Park CC in Larkspur, Colorado.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Listen to your editors . . . they really are trying to help!

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

Primal scream therapy!  Actually, I usually read something . . . whatever book I’m currently reading, the newspaper, or a magazine.  Often, a good night’s sleep helps; I usually wake up early with lots of new ideas for characters and plots.  Recently, I’ve discovered working on two books at once can be beneficial if they are different genres.  When I’m stuck on one, I’ll try writing a few pages on the other and it seems to help.  I haven’t tried working on two books of a series; that seems difficult.

Are you creatively satisfied?

An emphatic “YES!”  During the “finishing stages” of each book, I’m already thinking about the next one.  My books have been favorably reviewed and my last, MORE THAN 100% DEAD, was a finalist in genre fiction for the Colorado Authors’ League book awards.

(I’m not sure if it falls under the heading of being “creatively satisfied,” but I’m somewhat frustrated in not being able to attract an agent or publisher.)

What would you like to be remembered for?

Being a good companion and friend; I would love people to remember me as a modern day “Renaissance Man" -- someone who could tell a good story, recommend a good wine, cook a good meal, and carry on a good conversation on virtually any subject.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

• Beach or mountains? Mountains!
• Coffee or tea? Coffee
• Skydive or bungee jump? You’ve got to be kidding!  Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?  And, although I might wish to be somewhat taller, I wouldn’t try bungee jumping to stretch my legs!
• Chocolate or vanilla?  Vanilla
• Winter or summer?  Summer(actually, Fall)
• Cake or pie?  Pie
• Cats or dogs?  Love dogs…own cats; go figure?
• Pens or pencils?  Pens
• Truth or dare?  Truth
• Print or ebook?  Print!!

_________

Lee Mossel was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in the small logging and mill town of Noti about twenty miles west.

He attended the University of Oregon, graduating with B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in geology, and spent thirty-five years as a petroleum geologist in Denver, Colorado, working for several oil companies.  He co-founded and managed two independent petroleum exploration companies.

Since retiring, he has served on various boards of directors, written numerous op-ed pieces and newspaper columns, given talks on the oil and gas business, and generally enjoyed life.

Beginning with THE MURDER PROSPECT in 2012; THE TALUS SCOPE in 2013, and MORE THAN 100% DEAD in 2014, Lee writes and self-publishes crime thrillers and mysteries inspired by the rough-and-tumble Denver oil and gas business.  MORE THAN 100% DEAD was a finalist in the genre fiction category for the Colorado Authors’ League 2014 Book Awards.

He enjoys world travel, sports, fine wines, good food, and golf . . . not necessarily in that order.  He lives in Parker, Colorado, a place featured in the Cort Scott series, with his wife, Jan, and two rather entertaining cats, Kosmo and Gracie.

And here's a little more about Lee's latest novel, BED OF THORNS!

A novel about bad decisions, tough times, and hard choices. 

Cincinnati in 1896: Rose Schirrack is pregnant, unmarried, and abandoned.  Having already made at least one bad choice, will she compound her problems with more?  BED OF THORNS plays out across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Montana in the tumultuous times at the turn of the 20th century.  The Spanish-American War, the First World War, and America’s changing racial and ethnic attitudes all play roles.  In a rapidly evolving societal mosaic of farmers and townspeople, soldiers and immigrants, brothels and saloons, cowboys and Indians, and horses and automobiles, will Rose’s choices continue to take her toward the fringes of society . . . or over the edge?

BED OF THORNS will be available in late 2015.

The Cortlandt Scott Series

THE MURDER PROSPECT

THE TALUS SLOPE

MORE THAN 100% DEAD

Lee Mossel’s Cortlandt Scott series is available on Amazon.com and through Smashwords.com. 

9.20.15 - Sunday Smatterings

Truly, Jackson Pollock was the father of Smatterings, was he not?

My beloved chickens, HELLO! I have missed you guys. It's so good to be back. 

How have you been? Outside of a bomb scare at the airport in Rome that left my adrenaline sky-high, everything in France and Italy was about as lovely as you could've imagined. So much breathtaking scenery, visiting the very land my great-grandparents lived on, and eating and drinking and being as merry as the day is long. If you wanna see some pictures, check out my Instagram feed.

Oh yeah--and I got some good research in on Nicholas Drummond #4!

I've been catching up with the world this week, here's what I've been captivated by:

For those of you interested in improving your workflow, let's try an experiment together. My friend, author Jeff Abbott, told me about the SelfControl app, which I'm testing out this week. Basically, SelfControl doesn't allow you to visit any  applications or websites you deem to be a distraction within a time limit that you set--even if you restart your computer. Will I be able to handle this? Who knows. Abbott may owe me a new computer by the time this is all said and done.

Writers: the incomparable Jane Friedman brought us more valuable insight in "How Outlining Can Bring Out Voice."

Debut author Carmiel Banasky expounds on the importance of self-care on you and your craft. Wish I had known all of this as a debut.

These 7 wise, creative career women gave some really great management advice. As a newly minted boss, this was great insight to have!

Raise your hand if you watched the GOP debate this week. *raises hand* 
Raise your hand if you saw Twitter blow up about the #HotDebateGuy behind Jake Tapper. *raises two hands*  
Guess what, people? #HotDebateGuy's identity has been revealed!
You're welcome - I only bring you the most important information.

Some important stuff from base camp Tao this week:

Sometimes it feels like ten years between me typing "the end" and you holding the book in your hands. But that's all the more reason that my friend Catherine Coulter and I are so excited to (finally) present to you A Brit in the FBI #3, THE END GAME, which went on-sale this week! You've got to get this book -- I promise you'll love it.

Oh, and if you get a minute, go check out my newest venture, The Wine Vixen. I'm resurrecting my Wine of the Week segment I did for years on Murderati, but with a fun twist! This go-around, I'm teaming up with Assistant Amy to bring you wine recommendations (I'm red, she's white), travelogues, and sillies each week. We're going to have lots of fun there together, chickens, and we want to hear from you. Got a good vineyard or label we should check out? Let us know! And follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the goodness we've got to share.

Last but not least, my friend Chris Goff has come out with a deliciously good book, which you can read all about (and find out a little more about Chris!) in another round of 7 Minutes.

I leave you with the quote below. Good words to live by.

Xoxo,
JT

9.18.15 - Introducing my newest venture - THEWINEVIXEN.COM

For many, many years, every Friday on Murderati, I gave a wine recommendation at the bottom of my blog post. Wine of the Week, it was called, and I had a great time finding new wines, seeking out excellent vintages and vineyards, learning all I could about the wine industry. When I stopped my weekly blog, I also stopped the official wine recommendations. I’ve missed it. I love good wine, and love to find great wine buys.

I have always wanted to find a way to resurrect the Wine of the Week. But I wasn’t blogging regularly, and life got in the way, as it so often does. Other than the occasional declaration of Facebook, I've been largely wine silent for far too long.

In 2012, I was on a tour in Dahlonega, Georgia, and went into a wine shop after dinner. I saw the cutest wine plaque—Tip the Wine Vixen, it said. 

The Wine Vixen. Now that had a ring to it. 

An aside. When I was growing up, CB radios were a big thing. We were out in the country, in the woods, and you needed a reliable form of communication. So my dad would take us out on the roads and let us talk to the truckers on the CB so we could learn how to call for help if we needed it. BJ and the Bandit, and all that. I know, I know. 

The deal with the CB was, you had to have a handle. I floated between Baby Yellowjacket (my dad, the Yellowjacket, is a Georgia Tech Rambling Wreck) and Little Vixen (my mom was the Vixen, because she was a total fox.) 

So I come to the title of The Wine Vixen honestly—a love of wine, and a former play on my CB handle.

Back to Dahlonega. I tried to buy the plaque but was refused. So I ran home (actually, back to the hotel), snapped up the URL, then sat on it for several years until the right moment, which is now. 

In THE END GAME, you will find an oblique reference to thewinevixen.com. It was meant to be an inside joke, but the closer we got to release day, the more I realized it could be a great break through the 4th wall, a fun nod to all my loves.

My right hand, Assistant Amy, loved the idea. And since she’s such an amazing Amy, she set up the site—which is lovely, by the way—and when I saw how gorgeous it was, I knew the time had come to resurrect the wine of the week.

So welcome, friends, to The Wine Vixen. Stop by, bookmark us, and follow along with our recommendations on Twitter and Facebook. I’m red, Amy is white, and we’ll split the rosés between us. There will be a mix of old and new wines, some travelogues, recipes and pairings, and some sillies, just for fun. 

Cheers—or, as my family puts it, Ching Ching!

9.17.15 - 7 Minutes With... Chris Goff

Chris Goff has a delicious new thriller out—DARK WATERS—that I think you will love. I sure did! The setting, Israel, completely drew me in; the story clips along; the characters are fascinating, and Raisa Jordan kicks serious ass. It’s a wonderfully crafted book, not a surprise to anyone who’s read Chris in the past; her Birdwatcher mystery series is highly acclaimed. And, she’s from Colorado, which should say more than anything I ever could. I know you’re going to love her.

Welcome, Chris!

_________

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

Tracy Byrd's "Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo"

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

RED SKY, the sequel to my first thriller, DARK WATERS. It's a book set in Ukraine, and with the changing landscape there, I might really need the Cuervo.

What’s your latest book about?

DARK WATERS is a thriller set in Israel. It introduces Raisa Jordan, a Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent. She is the new ARSO in Tel Avi, when a shooting happens in Dizengoff Square, killing a Palestinian with ties to the Palestine Liberation Committee and her predecessor at DSS. She is sent to investigate and to protect a federal judge and his daughter who were caught in the crossfire. During the course of her investigation, she uncovers a plot years in the making—one that leaves millions of lives hanging in the balance.

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

I have a great little office with an eight-foot picnic table as a desk and a view of the backyard and the tomato plants. I love pens and pencils. I use a fountain pen, lots of markers, a dry erase board, a large foam board for plotting and my trusty PC.

What was your favorite book as a child?

SILVER PENNIES. It's a collection of Modern Poems for Boys and Girls published in 1925 by Blanche Jennings Thompson. My favorite poem was one about a little doormouse who takes refuge under a mushroom during a rainstorm – "and that's how umbrellas first were invented."

What’s your secret talent?

I knit. I love to knit, especially baby sweaters. I think my favorite to date was one I made for my niece, Evelyn. My family name is McKinlay (Scottish) and I took the family tartan, graphed it for a sweater and knit it as a baby shower gift.

What book are you reading now?

CRASH AND BURN by Lisa Gardner

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

It sounds cliché, but I made the decision in third grade after writing a "book" as a school assignment, and my grandmother told me I should be a writer. The book was entitled "The Haunted Mansion," and it was about these kids who discovered a haunted house. They would wait for the witch to go out at night and fly on her broom, and then they would sneak inside and play with her Eye of Newt. That is, until one night when the witch came home early and . . . 

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

I have a lot of writing idols, and I've been fortunate to meet a lot of them. But the first big name writer I ever met was Mary Higgins Clark. I had read her first suspense novel, Where are the Children, my first year in college and loved it. I remember being really inspired by her personal story, too. Years later, I met her at my first Malice Domestic conference. Of course, I had every intention of playing it cool, but I'll admit it—I went totally fan girl.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

A workshop instructor once said, "Never forget that your villains are the heroes of their own story." It stuck. It helps me keep my villains real. While I may not like what they do, my villains aren't just evil. They have strong motivations for what they do.

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

Not writing isn't an option, not when you're on deadline. So, I usually go back a few pages, maybe a chapter, and work through the pages until I'm back into the story and can move forward. Usually if I'm stuck it's because something is wrong with how I'm laying the story out on the pages. If I can just figure that out . . .

Are you creatively satisfied?

Yes. There have been times in the past when I would have said no, but right now I'm writing what I want to write, and I have a publisher who's publishing my books. It doesn't get much better.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Professionally? For telling a great story. Personally? For being a great mom. I have one son and five daughters. I hope I've taught them by example to follow their dreams and to know they can be anything and everything they want to be.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

• Beach or mountains?  Beach, though I've lived in the mountains all my life.
• Coffee or tea? Coffee
• Skydive or bungee jump? Neither. I'm terrified of heights. If you made me pick, skydive. Death would be less immediate.
• Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate
• Winter or summer? Summer, though I love to ski.
• Cake or pie? Cake
• Cats or dogs? Dogs
• Pens or pencils? Pens
• Truth or dare? Dare
• Print or ebook? Print

_________

Chris Goff is an award-winning author of international thrillers and the Birdwatcher's Mystery series. She began her career as a newspaper columnist, and has written for local, regional and national publications. She has edited rock and ice-climbing guides for Chockstone Press, worked in graphic production for a division of The Morehouse Publishing Group, taught writing workshops and served on the board of Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Colorado. DARK WATERS is her first thriller.

You find out more about Chris at ChristineGoff.com.

And here's a little more about DARK WATERS!

Raisa ''Rae'' Jordan, an agent for the United States Diplomatic Security Service, isn't in Israel for more than a day before her predecessor is gunned down in a Tel Aviv square by a sniper. Assigned to investigate the assassination of one of her own, she must also protect Judge Ben Taylor and his teenage daughter. A desperate cadre of terrorists has their sights set on the secretary of state's upcoming visit. But is an attack on the secretary of state just the beginning?

With millions of lives hanging in the balance, Dark Waters, Chris Goff's explosive new thriller, is a series debut that mirrors the headlines around the globe and will have readers frantically turning pages.

And you can pick up a book and meet Chris at these signings:

September 24, 7:00 p.m.
Tattered Cover Bookstore
2526 East Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO

October 8-11
Bouchercon
Raleigh, NC

October 21, 7:00 p.m.
Author's Night at the Douglas County Parker Library
10851 S. Crossroads Dr.
Parker, CO

November 18, 12:00 Noon
Moby Dickens Bookshop Book Club
124A Bent St.
Taos, NM
 

9.15.15 - THE END GAME Is On Sale Today!

There's nothing more exciting than a book's birthday -- and today, we welcome THE END GAME into the world. The latest Nicholas Drummond and Mike Caine thriller is as topical as you can get, and a fun, fast ride that I know you're going to love. Here's some supporting material -- y'all grab it today!

Print

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound
 

e-book

Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo

FBI agent Nicholas Drummond and his partner, Mike Caine, are deep into an investigation of COE—Celebrants of the Earth—a violent group known for widespread bombings of power grids and oil refineries across the country. While investigating a tip from a civilian who’s overheard about a possible bombing plot, the Bayway Refinery in New Jersey explodes. Nicholas and Mike race to the scene and barely escape being killed by a secondary device.
 
Returning to the civilian’s home to continue their interrogation, they discover the tipster—and the FBI team left to guard him—dead. While Nicholas calls in the assassinations, COE strikes again, this time launching a cyber-attack on several major oil companies and draining their financial and intellectual assets.
 
But COE has been infiltrated by a deep-cover counterterrorism agent named Vanessa Grace. A bomb-making expert, Vanessa must leave COE and join forces with Nicholas and Mike to stop the organization’s devious plan to assassinate the President. But there’s an assassin on the loose who could tip the scales in COE’s favor, and no one knows his ultimate target, or who has contracted his services.
 
Working with the CIA, the Secret Service, Mossad, MI-5, and even Savich and Sherlock, Nicholas and his team put their lives on the line to prevent another conflagration—and save the President.

Publisher's Weekly ★

“Intense, captivating…Nicholas and Mike work in perfect sync, never missing a beat…Their relationship leaves much room for developments in future installments of this excellent suspense series.”

Booklist ★

“In nonstop action covering less than a week, Caine and Drummond are challenged as never before, taking both their personal and professional relationships to new levels. This third in the series is an adrenaline-fueled caper that’s hard to put down. Another hit for the team of Coulter and Ellison"

RT Book Reviews - Top Pick!

“Suspense lovers can rejoice at the third fantastic installment of the A Brit in the FBI series…incredibly complex, filled with layered characters and heart-stopping suspense.”

Kirkus Reviews

“The third in the series featuring the brilliant Brit adds scary technology to physical action to produce a tip-top thriller.”