An Interview with Romantic Suspense Author Lynda Frazier.....

Welcome to an Interview with Romantic Suspense Author Lynda Kaye Frazier…..

      Hello one and all! How are you today? I'm back and hope everyone is doing well and happy! Welcome back to my writing  blog page where I try to share whatever I think may interest you. Today I interview another fellow author. With me this time is Romantic Suspense Author Lynda Kaye Frasier. "Writing is my passion, Reading is my Love." 

     Lynda is married, with five grown children and three grandchildren. She lives in Arkansas on the top of a hill surrounded by seventy wooded acres, which allows her to view beautiful sunsets every night. Between the cows, horses, dogs and cats, there is always something that needs to be done. She loves to travel, so she doesn't let it keep her from taking a weekend trip to her favorite place, the beach. Surf, sand and a good book-her stress relief.

During the day Frazier works for a group of Cardiologists doing ultrasounds, and each evening you can find her in front of her computer working on her next story. She’s an avid reader of romantic suspense, and that's the genre that she writes. Other than spending time with her family, her favorite things to do are writing, reading, listening to music, and—her most favorite—going to the beach. Frazier has been known to drive 10 hours for a day on the sand, soaking up the sun.

SJ: From the title of your anthology series and collection of short stories by different authors, Wild at Heart, you’re obviously an animal lover. Please tell us how this idea came about. What was your inspiration for this? Can you tell us a little bit of how the idea came about?

Lynda: My RWA writers group in Little Rock, Diamond State romance Authors, came up with this concept. Turpentine Creek Animal Refuge is in Eureka Springs Arkansas and they are a sanctuary for abandoned and abused large Tigers, Bears and Lions. It is an amazing place and we wanted to find a way to help them so we decided to put together these anthologies and donate all the proceeds to their establishment.

http://turpentinecreek.org/  Check out their web page. You can order these books from them, or from Amazon. You won't be disappointed and the cause is amazing. 

SJ:  Please tell us a little bit about your current release, Rescued From the Dark. What was your inspiration for this?

Lynda: Rescued from the Dark is the first book in my Guardians of Hope series. It is a group of FBI, Navy Seals and special OPS Marines that take on rescue missions that no one else can.

She has no memory of their love...

Kidnapped by terrorists and sent into a drug-induced coma, FBI intern Mercy Kingsley awakes with no memory of her ordeal—or the intimate interlude that got her pregnant. Convinced her child was fathered by her ex-fiancé, she walks away from the only man she has ever loved, determined to make things work with her ex, a man the FBI suspects is implicated in her abduction.    

 

He knows the truth, but no one will listen...

FBI undercover Agent Jason Michaels remembers what Mercy can’t and those memories are breaking his heart. Forced to keep his distance from his lover and their unborn child, Jason risks his life to protect Mercy from a cell of international terrorists who want the secrets locked in her memory and have vowed to get them, no matter the cost. Can Jason convince Mercy to trust him until she remembers their past, or will he lose her to a man who’ll trap her in a nightmare world of darkness from which there is no escape?

 

SJ: What do you love most about being a writer? Least?

Lynda: I love how relaxing it is to get lost in a story, especially one that unfolds in your own head. I don't outline my stories. I let the characters lead me along the way. More exciting that way.

What I don't like is not having enough time to write every day. I have a very demanding, and busy day job, then a family that insists on dinner each night and clean clothes. I just don't get it. Don't they know my computer screams for attention too? 

 

SJ: What writer inspired you most and how?

Lynda: I don't have just one person that inspired me. I truly never even thought about writing until I was 50. I have always been an avid reader, almost an obsessive reader. I have many writers I love to read. I have been known to stay up late to finish a book. I have a readers group I am a part of and we will talk about our characters like they are real, and you truly have to watch where you have that conversation. We were talking at work and one of the doctors walked in as we were talking about the murder that just happened in one of the chapters. He wasn't quite sure what to make of us, or whether to fear us for a few days. We finally let him in on the fact that we were talking about a book. The look on his face was priceless.  So to answer your question, not just one, but many great writers who write amazing stories that made me believe I could do the same.

 

SJ: If you could give just one piece of important writing advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

Lynda:  Learn how to write. That is a lesson I learned after I wrote my first book. I thought I had this great story. My family loved it, my friends thought it was amazing, but when I sent it out to publishers I had a very big wake up call. They loved my story, but saw I had no idea how to write. I got some great advise and took the classes I needed on plotting, POV, grammar and other important aspects to putting together a great story. It took a year but it was information that helps me write each and every one of my stories to this day.

 

 

SJ: Are there any new projects on the horizon? Please tell them a little bit about them. We’d love to hear more.

Lynda: I have a YA coming out late 2015 called, If I Knew Then. This story deals with a subject that is more prevalent in our society then we want to admit, child abuse. Angel is a sixteen year old girl who has to overcome the abuse she hides to protect her sisters from suffering the same fate. I do not have a cover, but here's a little blurb.

     Angel dreamed of a life of freedom. One filled with love that didn't come with a price.  She hid her pain and bruises until Jax entered her life. Can he give her what she needs to let go of the past or will he leave her with a bigger challenge that would change her future?

Angel fought to keep her family safe from the evil that threatened to destroy her. She made sure she was always the one in front of her sisters when her Mother yielded her wrath. Keeping the danger that surrounded them a secret she lived a lie that everyone believed, except for Jax. He was her only source of happiness until one day he was gone. With nothing left, and no one to turn to, she must outrun her past, and overcome the secret that she fights to hide, before her Mother destroys everything she has left to hold on to.

     I am also editing my second book in my Suspense series.

     Last Chance to Run: What if you found out the daughter you buried was alive and being held captive by a man you thought you killed?

 Ron Daily gave everything he had to the FBI. It was his life since his daughter’s death. Then his world crashed in around him when he’s told the terrorist he thought he destroyed staged her death. As obstacles mount against his daughter he forms an alliance with another agent, a stubborn redhead with links to a secret from his past. Can he keep his nightmares hidden, and fight feelings for a woman that haunts his nights to save his daughter, or will his past mistakes destroy his future once the truth comes out?

     Another is a contemporary about a mother who goes against everything she believes in to save her son who only has a few weeks to live. This one is called Saving JT.

When the Doctors sadly inform her that her son only has a few weeks left Amy Wickers returns home after three years to a family who disowned her and a man who walked away. Searching for a miracle to save the most important person in her life. Her son, JT

 

SJ: In closing, what is a favorite book you enjoyed reading and would recommend without hesitation? Why?

Lynda: The Grass is Always Greener over the Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck. Love her humor about everyday life.  I would also recommend anything by Suzanne Brockman, Cindy Gerard , or Janet Evonovich.  Those are three woman that leave me hanging on the edge of my seat, or laughing away life's stress.

     Thank you so much, Lynda for your time and allowing us to take some time out of your busy schedule and interview you about your writing. You obviously have a great deal of writing ahead of you. Hope you had as much fun as we did.

 

Readers, take note that Lynda's current release Rescued From the Dark is available for purchase direct at Black Opal Books www.blackopalbooks.com        and online retailers:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rescued-Dark-Lynda-Kaye-Frazier/dp/1937329933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427939997&sr=8-1&keywords=lynda+kaye+frazier

 

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rescued-from-the-dark-lynda-kaye-frazier/1114500674?ean=9781937329938

 

Look for her YA novel, If I Knew Then to be released later this year also from Black Opal Books, and other online retailers.

 For more information about Lynda, her books and writing, check out her website at:

                                         www.lyndakayefrazier.com 

                                         http://lyndafrazier.blogspot.com

 

Or check out her other links to get to know Lynda better:

 Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynda-Kaye-Frazier/189048967838229

 Twitter- https://twitter.com/lynda_kaye

 Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B009L7TK04

 

     Thank you for visiting with us. Until next month...every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart. Please speak up for those without a voice, whether it be a dog, cat, elephant or monkey.  One person, one voice can make a difference.

    Regards,

    S. J. Francis

    Advocate for the underdog, and cat, et al.

In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Coming in 2015 from Black Opal Books.  

      My Black Opal Books Author Page:

            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis 

                                View My Shout Out:  http://bit.ly/1r3oynM   

My web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com 

                    Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419 

                                     Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006313201444 

My Writing Blog: http://awriterwriteshere.blogspot.com  

                             A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com 

A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com 

                                                                One for the Animals:   http:// onefortheanimals.blogspot.com 

Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/  

                  Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about  

Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

 

Welcome to an Interview with Thriller Author Timothy Desmond....

Welcome to an Interview with Thriller Author Timothy Desmond....

      Hello all-Hello and how are you today? I'm back again and hope everyone is doing well and happy! Welcome back to my new blog page where I try to share whatever I think may interest you. Today I interview a fellow author. And with me this time is Thriller Author Timothy Desmond...

 

SJ)  From high school science teacher to author: How did you make the transition to author? Did you always have an interest in writing, Tim or was it something you fell into?

Tim)  Writing was something I was always interested in. A short story was praised in a college freshmen English class, which had me liking the idea of doing more. But, I didn’t change majors or anything like that. Then on attempting more fiction during later years, I discovered how vacuous my experience at anything was. That, plus life getting in the way, well, a lot of years seemed to go by. Later, after taking a “creative writing” course I drafted a first novel, titled World War IV, a post-apocalyptic survivalist thing. It wasn’t so bad, as a story, but never sold, and was back in the paper M/S submission days. I am embarrassed by it now, and it has many flaws, but it is what it is.

        After changing teaching locations it was like starting a career all over again, and I tabled any large projects. I became a local association president and edited a newsletter for two or three years. When that was done, I took up a serious short story effort and submitted to regional journals on the west coast. I began learning the craft better, while getting rejections and comments from editors at Amelia and Glimmer Train Stories. All that was in the 1990s. A 1999 unsold screenplay was written. Then a novel in 2004, became the first book in print. Still teaching then, I was up often at 4:00 o’clock or 5:00 AM, putting words down before catching the car pool.

 

SJ) Interesting beginning, Tim. You’ve written a love and war story, For thou Art with Me, and now a suspense thriller, The Doc.   What was your inspiration for each one?  Can you tell us a little bit of how the idea came about for each one? Do you prefer one genre over another?  

Tim) For Thou Art with Me was a novel idea kicking around my thoughts probably for ten years. There were air shows that I attended since in the early 1970s. A major air show for years in our area was “Gathering of War Birds.” Those shows were never as huge as the famous “Oshkosh Air Show” fly-in, but it was inspirational to me, as I am on the leading edge of the baby boomers of 1946. I had blended real stories I’d heard with my fictional characters’ lives.

       The Doc novel was the novelized 1999 unsold screenplay title Control Theory. That whole story came because of an article I read, Write Your Screenplay in 90 Days. It was a “why not” moment, but also a good lesson. During that time, there were a lot of urban legends and conspiracy stuff on the early internet. While using some of that with my interests, plus following the steps of the article, I got a finished screenplay. The good thing for me, as a writer, was learning the format, and the rules. Later I heard the term “genres have rules.” But, the thing that got that story into a novel was that another author I met when the WW II first novel came out. He told me, “Get started on another one right now.” I hadn’t thought of another novel at that time, but I had the screenplay, which was a 120 page story. I used it as the outline for what became The Doc.   

 Front Cover of The Doc

 

SJ) Of the two books you’ve written, which one was your favorite to write and why?

Tim) The Doc novel because of the problems I had to learn to solve. The characters were more my inventions, not just models of real people. Too, the problems of filling in the details of the scenes, the back stories, and the fiction which became a believable story, were difficult. As in many endeavors, it was a huge learning experience different from the first book. 

 

SJ) What do you love most about being a writer? Least?

Tim)  The first drafts are inspirational. Writing to me has always been another art form. While I know that few people will write in a way that is comparable to “abstract expressionism,” I do lean toward wanting to write, create something new and different as in the visual arts. Yet, as in design, there are design rules, there are writing rules too. It’s a puzzle and a playing with the words, that can affect the senses, many senses, is what can be the joy of sorts.

       Least is the editing, which is needed, but difficult to do all on one’s own.

 

SJ) What one writer inspired you most and how?

Tim)  Ernest Hemingway:  Because of my first reading his fiction in art school English assignments, I understood the meaning of story. While I had read Henry Miller, Irving Stone, Dickens, and Bantam War II series paperbacks, Hemingway’s pages drooled the art of the wordsmith. One reason comes to mind: He wasn’t wordy. Hemingway was raised in the Midwest, whether Kansas or Illinois and I believe he always had this quasi-rural background that came through. I feel I had a similar beginning in a small town, a farming community.        

 

SJ) If you could give just one piece of important writing advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

Tim)  Delete anything that doesn’t propel the plot.

 

SJ) Well said, Tim. What is a favorite book you enjoyed reading and would recommend without hesitation? Why?

Tim)  West With The Night by Beryl Markham, a 1930’s British aviatrix, reared on a farm in Kenya, Africa. It as an autobiography which has been reprinted and available on Amazon. Though it isn’t fiction, it is inspirational for its language and her story. Remarkable.

 

SJ) In closing, will you tell us about any projects you have going on at this time? Please tell us about your art work; what kind of artist are you, Tim? We’d love to hear about it.

Tim)    Wow. You saved the toughest for last. I am ready to submit a new novel to my publisher which is not a sequel to THE DOC. It’s a completely different story from the other. It has suspense, hopefully in the same genre as of Michael Crichton. A physics teacher is frustrated with not getting his theory published. So, the science element is there, and the problems he has with his employer, a disgruntled coworker, and his failing marriage. It is also about the university professor’s he meets, and what happens with all of it.

 Back Cover of The Doc

 

 

Tim)   I first did welded metal sculpture in high school, which I tried to use Henry Moore type figures, and those turned into a scholarship to CCAC in Oakland, California. Later I did more painting. I began doing large watercolors because the upfront costs were less, and only more costly on framing. Canvas and paint is more costly upfront. While I like expressionism as a style, I tend to be more of an impressionist. I’ve done animals, landscapes, portraits, seascapes. I recently completed illustrations for a children’s book for a friend in Arkansas, and sold a 48 x 48 inch enamel on canvas of a farming scene.  

      Thank you, Tim for your time and allowing me to take some time out of your busy schedule and interview you about your writing and your art. Readers, thank you for visiting. Please forward this onto others and don't be shy about leaving a comment. I'm sure Tim will love to hear from you. You can learn more about Tim and his writing projects and news on his website:

                            Writing at:  http://timothydesmond.wordpress.com/ 

                            Blog at:  http://timdesmondblog.com/  

                            Art at: www.artbydesmond.wordpress.com  

 

In the meantime, enjoy an excerpt from The Doc followed by purchase links where you can buy a copy of The Doc by Timothy Desmond:

 

     Hank just wouldn’t seem to die—so this time they were going to make sure…

The hospital hallway was quiet, with the exception of the echo of a patient chart being tossed on a desk and crash cart draws being opened and closed. A night nurse checked the current supplies. The cop at the doorway watched as a well-dressed man approach Hank’s room.

“I’m Doctor Terry Graf. I’d like to check on Henry Houston

The cop motioned for him to go into the room.

Hank had just closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again. He remained asleep as Terry entered the room and removed a syringe from his pocket. The sterile snap of breaking plastic did not disturb Hank, as Terry prepared to inject him. He and Hank had been friends at one time, but this was a necessity. Hank had to go. There could be no loose ends.

This method was so clean. Hank’s nervous system would just go out and, with that, everything would shut down. There would be no pain, just total lights out, like a switch.

Terry kept the syringe pointed up, but hidden from the door, as he picked up Hank’s IV line. He followed the line looking for the piggy-back injection site. But he did not find it. The line led back to a pump on a stand.

He looked at the top of Hank’s hand. Damn. I could inject into the line. No, the pressure increase there will set off the alarm on the pump. Will have to risk waking him and go right into the vein.

Terry saw a shadow move on the wall and turned his head toward the door. A nurse stood there, watching him.

 

THE DOC ~ Revised Edition

 Copyright © 2014 by Tim Desmond

 Cover Design by Jackson Cover Design

 All cover art copyright © 2014

 All Rights Reserved

 Print ISBN: 978-1-626941-44-1

You can purchase The Doc at any of the below retailers:

Black Opal Books at: http://www.blackopalbooks.com

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/

All Romance: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/

     Until next month...every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart. Please speak up for those without a voice, whether it be a dog, cat, elephant or monkey.  One person, one voice can make a difference.

    Regards,

    S. J. Francis

     Advocate for the underdog, and cat, et al.

In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Coming in 2015 from Black Opal Books.  

      My Black Opal Books Author Page:

            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis 

View My Shout Out:  http://bit.ly/1r3oynM  

My web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419 

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006313201444 

My Blogs: http://awriterwriteshere.blogspot.com  

A Book Review 4 U: http://abookreview4u.blogspot.com 

A Consumer's View: http://aconsumersview.blogspot.com 

One for the Animals:   http:// onefortheanimals.blogspot.com  

Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/  

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about  

Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

 

 

An Interview with Crime Author Alan Brenham aka Alan Behr

Come and visit with Crime Author Alan Brenham....

Welcome to an Interview with Crime Author Alan Behr....

Hello-Hello and how are you today? I'm back and hope everyone is doing well and happy! Welcome back to my blog where I try to share whatever I think may interest you. Today I interview a fellow author. And with me this time is Crime Author Alan Behr.   

Alan Brenham is the pseudonym for Alan Behr, an American award-winning crime fiction author and attorney. His novel, Price of Justice, was voted best in Police/Crime fiction from the Texas Association of Authors in 2013 and Finalist in the Beverly Hills Book Awards in 2013, a Finalist in the Eric Hoffer Awards, and a Finalist in the 2014 International Book Awards.  He served as a law enforcement officer before earning a law degree and working as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. He has traveled to several countries in Europe, the Middle East, Alaska, and almost every island in the Caribbean. While working with the US Military Forces, he lived in Berlin, Germany for two years. Brenham and his wife, Lillian, currently live in the Austin, Texas area. Currently he is a reserve deputy sheriff with the Bee County Sheriff's Office in Beeville, Texas. He also volunteers free legal services for veterans in Austin through the Austin Bar Association's Veterans Legal clinics.

Without further ado, lets us begin. …

 

SJ) You were a policeman then became a lawyer and now a writer. What made you become an author? Did you always have an interest in writing or was it something you fell into?

Alan - After so many years of writing reports as a police officer and drafting pleadings and briefs as an attorney, not writing seemed unnatural. Besides, I loved reading crime novels so, after retiring from being a state attorney and, at my wife’s urging, I began writing novels.

 

SJ) Of the two books you’ve written, which one was your favorite to write and why? 

Alan - Cornered was my favorite because it’s set in the city where I worked as a police officer. Doing the research and scouting the various settings brought back a truckload of memories from those days. Also, it put me back in touch with some of my former police colleagues, one of whom is now the Chief there.   

 

SJ) You’ve led such an interesting life in law and law enforcement. What was your inspiration for Cornered?  Can you tell us a little bit of how the idea came about for it?

Alan - The idea was two-fold. First, I wanted to write a story about the agency where I used to work - Temple Police. Second, I’d read about and was familiar with actual stories about the trafficking of females from both a law enforcement perspective and from cases as a prosecutor and defense attorney.

 

SJ) What do you love most about being a writer? Least?

Alan - Character creation is probably the one thing I love the most about writing. The least favorite thing has been promoting the books.

 

SJ) What writer inspired you most and how?

Alan - Actually it’s a draw between Michael McGarrity and James Hayman. Both are crime mystery/thriller authors. McGarrity’s books contain the best setting descriptions I’ve ever read. Hayman does an outstanding job with character creation and building suspense. Both men have counseled me on various aspects of being an author.

 

SJ) If you could give just one piece of important writing advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

Alan - The most important piece of advice I can think of giving is for an aspiring writer to read a lot of other authors in his/her genre to see how they do it.

 

SJ) What is a favorite book you enjoyed reading and would recommend without hesitation? Why?

Alan - David Baldacci’s Total Control was one of my favorite books from a suspense viewpoint. His story build-up was fairly quick and continuous. It was also one of the first crime thrillers I ever read.

 

SJ) In closing, will you tell us about your latest projects Gone Wrong and Behind Closed Doors? We’d love to hear about it.

Alan - Gone Wrong and Behind Closed Doors will be my first foray into the mystery genre.

Gone Wrong will be set in Fort Worth, a city where I practiced criminal defense. The protagonist, an assistant district attorney, learns the hard way that everything isn’t as it seems.

Behind Closed Doors will be a sequel to Cornered. In it, Detective Brady’s childhood past plays a major role in the “why” for the crime he investigates. It’s a past he had hoped would never re-surface.

     Cornered is Alan's latest book released by Black Opal Books in July 2014: Here's the synopsis:

Detective Matt Brady struggles to solve the disappearances of seven young women, but he quickly finds himself pitted against a criminal organization that knows as much about police procedure as he does. His troubles are compounded when a young veterinarian injects herself into the investigation and is targeted to become victim number eight. When he tries to protect her, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a professional cop killer.

 

     Available in both Kindle and paperback, here are the purchase links:

    

     Amazon:     http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LV6FTGC

     Barnes and Noble:

           http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cornered-alan-brenham/1119964758

And to introduce you to this story, here is a brief excerpt:

Brady knelt down next to the body and examined her head. One apparent gunshot wound above the right eye. Her half-opened eyes were fixed in a death stare, straight up at the ceiling.

 

Killebrew pointed at a hole in the wall opposite the front door. "We removed the bullet. It appears to be a nine millimeter. Same as the shell casing."

Brady saw blood spatter sprayed onto the lower half of the wall. He stood up, moved to the living room, and made a mental inventory of the room. The front window was covered with flowery-patterned drapes. A piano sat in the far corner by the front window. He was no expert on furniture but the victim’s appeared to be fairly expensive pieces. He saw mail lying on the coffee table. Using a pen, he sifted through it, checking the sender’s address, but nothing jumped out at him. A family portrait of her, an ordinary-looking man with narrow shoulders he assumed was Burt Smith, and twins—a girl and a boy—sat on the end of the table.

He ambled over to a European-style, white corded telephone, covered with black fingerprint powder, sitting on a table next to a leather tufted sofa. From the room’s furnishings and appearance, it seemed to him that she had money, and lots of it. Since no evidence indicative of a robbery existed, he wondered whether Burt Smith shot her or hired someone to do the job. As he walked through the remainder of the house, he asked himself, "Where the hell are you, Burt Smith?"

Brady did a records search of divorce records through the Bell County District Clerk’s online database. When the Becker-Smith divorce record showed up on the screen, he wrote down Burt Smith’s last known address, the Candlewood Suites, as well as the attorney’s name and address. The divorce petition was filed by Becker claiming irreconcilable differences as grounds. It listed two children, both over the age of eighteen.

 

 

And with that, we must bring this blog post to a close. Thank you, Alan for your time and allowing me to take some time out of your busy schedule and interview you about your writing. Readers, thank you for visiting. Please forward this onto others and don't be shy about leaving a comment. I'm sure Alan will love to hear from you. You can learn more about Alan and his writing projects and news on his website at:

          http://www.alanbrenham.com/

Until next month...every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart.

Regards,

S. J. Francis

 Advocate for the underdog, and cat, et al.

 In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Coming in 2015 from Black Opal Books.

My Black Opal Books Author Page:

            http://www.blackopalbooks.com/author-bios/bio-sj-francis

View My ShoutOut:  http://bit.ly/1r3oynM

My web page: http://sjfranciswriter.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjfrancis419

Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006313201444

My Blogs: awriterwriteshere.blogspot.com 

 A Book Review 4 U: abookreview4u.blogspot.com

A Consumer's View: aconsumersview.blogspot.com

OnefortheAnimals:    onefortheanimals.blogspot.com

 

Pinterest:   http://www.pinterest.com/sjfrancis419/

 

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/104831238907682620486/about 

Good Reads:       https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/33550975-s-j

 

An Interview with Suspense and Young Adult author Bonnie Hearn Hill ...

Hello-Hello and how are you today? Did everyone have a safe and fun-filled holiday season? I hope so. I did. Happy New Year! I hope that all your hopes, dreams and wishes come true for you this year! I also hope everyone is doing well and happy! Welcome back to my blog where I try to share whatever I think may interest you. Today I am once again interviewing a fellow author. And with me this time is suspense and young adult Bonnie Hearn Hill.

Bonnie has graciously accepted me into her domain to take up some of her writing time to talk about writing and her novels. So please, without further ado, let us welcome Bonnie to the pages here.

Thank you Bonnie so much for spending time with us...  

 

SJ: From newspaper editor of a major newspaper for 22 years to novelist, how did that transformation take place?  What kind of schedule did you have for writing?

BHH: When I began writing novels, I was very young and didn't know what I wanted beyond words on a page. Once I connected with my longtime agent, I knew I wanted to write fiction about characters and situations I cared about. At the time, I thought of it as women's fiction. I didn't aspire to write suspense. It just worked out that way.

I got up at 5 most mornings before I went to work, and I wrote when I returned home. My job was far from glamorous. I edited special advertising sections for a major daily newspaper, which meant I spent much of my time interviewing people on the phone on topics such as health/fitness, weddings and real estate. It did teach me how to write in the voice of another person, it showed me how interesting the most unassuming people were if one dug deeply enough, and it forced me to write every day. In 2001, I signed with my dream agent, and she created my career. Our first deal was for six novels. One was a newspaper series, and three were stand-alone suspense novels. I’ve never looked back.

That was so long before that I was essentially a first-time author when I got the MIRA deal. I’ve written more than 20 books and co-authored others. My first novel was published with a small house. I got the rights back years ago, and it is now in pre-production for film. Then I published several nonfiction books on writing and other topics.  In 2002, I got my six-book deal with MIRA. After that, I did the three YA Star-Crossed novels for Perseus/Running Kids Press and a paranormal love story for another small publisher, Black Opal Books. This year, I signed for a new series with a large UK publisher. That's the beauty of writing today and it's different from the way it was when I started. Writers don't have to be locked into one genre or one publisher.

 

SJ: In your Star Crossed series of young adult books the titles are Aries Rising, Taurus Eyes, and Gemini Night. How did astrology become part of this series? How much influence does astrology have on your stories in general?

BHH: The three-book YA deal with Perseus/Running Press was based on the idea of a teen girl finding an old astrology book and using it to try to change her life and the lives of her friends. My best friend is humorous astrology writer Hazel Dixon-Cooper, who wrote the Cosmopolitan Magazine astrology column for eight year. She’s in my writing critique group and was the inspiration for the series.

SJ: After writing so many novels, short-stories, etc. how and where do you continue to get your ideas for human rights?

BHH: My interests are social justice, human rights, and women’s issues, and my first novel was set during the Delano Grape Strike of 1965. It’s been optioned for film and is in pre-production right now, so I’ve revising the book. That’s a painful process, let me tell you. It’s like editing someone else’s work. Even in my suspense novels, I try to write about issues that matter to me. In IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN, which will be published in March 2015 by Severn House in the UK, my series protagonist is trying to find her biological mother, who is an abused wife. GOODBYE FOREVER, the second in that series, deals with runaway kids.

SJ: What do you love most about being a writer? Least?

BHH: I always say I love it all even when I hate it. My ideal day is this one in December with rain blurring the windows of my office, a cat or two on the desk, and a new book in my head and heart. But when I’m speaking at a writing conference, teaching a class, mentoring another writer, then those are my best days.

SJ: What writer inspired you most and how?

BHH: I had no mentors, which is one of the reasons I spend time mentoring other writers. In fact most of the women writers I knew personally had husbands to support them. I believed that if I wrote every day, read every day, and tried to stay a little out of my comfort zone, I might have a chance.

I was influenced by authors with strong voices and characters I couldn't forget. Joan Didion was one of those. And my high school English teacher was the first who taught me how to think and to strive for honesty on the page. Mr. Hearn didn't ask the usual questions that required memorized answers. Instead he asked questions like, "Would MacBeth go to hell?" He was a major influence.

SJ: You do a great deal of mentoring: If you could give just one piece of important writing advice to an aspiring writer, what would it be?

BHH: For nonfiction writers, ask yourself: Who is my reader, and what do I want to tell this person? For fiction writers: Whose story is this, and what does this person want? It’s difficult to stop here, I must admit, because that’s just the beginning. Perhaps the most important advice is to treat this as lifetime work and tend to it every day. You will never “find” the time to write. You have to make the time.

Choose the publisher carefully. Although Black Opal Books is small, it is also approved by Mystery Writers of American and International Thriller Writers. So if you're good, you could end up nominated for a major award. You have to decide what you want. I'm glad I started with a large publisher so I knew how the business worked and what to expect. However, all of my publishing experiences have been overall positive ones.

SJ: In closing, Bonnie, what is a favorite book you enjoyed reading and would recommend without hesitation? Why?

BHH: After Kent Haruf’s recent death, I went back and reread PLAINSONG. It’s a quietly stunning novel about people coming together in the most unexpected of circumstances. 

And now for the latest book released from Bonnie in July 2014… 

 

SUSPENSE FROM BONNIE HEARN HILL :   Last Words

Abby Walsh has a gift she doesn’t want. Every time she reads someone’s handwriting, she sees a lot more than just words and letters. She can, for a moment, become the person who originally wrote those words. She hears their thoughts. She knows their feelings. She can see what they see. But Abby’s gift is more like a curse as it caused her to lose both her mother and her marriage. Before the so-called gift costs her anything else, she resolves to give it up forever.

But when Abby’s father commits suicide, she can’t help herself. She has to read his final note. Instantly, she knows he didn’t write it. His killer did.

With the help of her psychic ex-boyfriend Collins, Abby is determined to figure out who murdered her father and why. She learns quickly that her dad was not the only target. A few days earlier, Judge Valerie Hallowell was killed. The judge was linked to a vigilante feminist group called ERIS, a dangerous group of women that Abby’s father was investigating. Abby is determined to figure out their role in these faked suicides, murder, and other violence.

LAST WORDS by Bonnie Hearn Hill is a gripping suspense with characters you will love, romantic tension, and a plot that will make your heart race. 

LAST WORDS is available at these links for purchase:  

http://amzn.to/1qfqFp1

http://bit.ly/1pK8RVf

www.bonniehhill.com

 

Bonnie Hearn Hill is the bestselling author of six other suspense novels, including IF IT BLEEDS, CUTLINE, OFF THE RECORD, INTERN, KILLER BODY, and MISTRESS.

She is also the author of TIL MORNING, a brand new work of historical fiction, GHOST ISLAND, haunting paranormal fiction for young adults, and, with Christopher Allan Poe, she is co-author of the practical non-fiction book, DIGITAL INK: Writing Killer Fiction in the E-book Age.

Bonnie speaks at conferences across the country, leads a successful writing workshop in Fresno, California, and mentors numerous writers.

Follow her on twitter @bonniehearnhill or visit her on Facebook, or at www.bonniehhill.com.

Thanks Bonnie for visiting with us. Thank you all for stopping by. Bonnie, please return any time. It was fun.
Until next month...every one please stay safe. Smile. Be happy. Show compassion. Be nice to others. Put a little love into your heart.

Regards,

S. J. Francis

 In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family."  Coming in 2015 from Black Opal Books.

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