Clicking Our Heels - Favorite Form of Exercise

Clicking Our Heels – Favorite Form of Exercise

In the past, we’ve discussed what the Stiletto Gang members would be doing if we weren’t reading or writing, but the question came up as to what our favorite form of exercise is.

 

Debra H. Goldstein:  I’m a couch potato. During the pandemic, I thought I should do something so I ordered a Cubii exerciser. After a week, I shrouded it. Periodically, I look at it from the couch.

 

Lynn C. Willis: Hiking with Finn.

 

Barbara J. Eikmeier: Favorite doesn’t necessarily imply I do it with any regularity, right. I love swimming laps, but mostly I ride my stationary bike.

 

Donnell Bell:  Walking.

 

Gay Yellen: Dancing with my husband. He took me dancing on our first (blind) date, and that almost sealed the deal right there!

 

Lynn McPherson: I love walking.

 

Bethany Maines: Karate! I’ve been taking and teaching karate for over a decade. It’s a great place to keep fit and connect with my community.

 

Mary Lee Ashford: My favorite exercise is walking, outside if the weather permits. I also enjoy yoga though my knees are not enjoying it lately, and I love dance though I don’t often get the opportunity except around the house. In which case, I hope no one is watching!

 

Shari Randall: I love Zumba and country line dancing. They’re so much fun they don’t feel like exercise to me at all.

 

Linda Rodriguez: Dance (or gardening) used to be mine. But lately, it’s physical therapy.

 

Anita Carter: I love kickboxing!

 

T.K. Thorne: Before Covid, I did Akayama Ryu martial arts twice a week. This year I learned a Tai Chi series and that has really kept me sane. I like to walk outside where there are trees and space to breathe.

 

Debra Sennefelder: I love exercise. It keeps me in shape and it keeps me sane. I love weight workouts, walking/treadmill workouts, Pilates and Yoga. I aim for five to six workouts a week, so I like a lot of variety.

 

Kathryn Lane: Walking in a beautiful setting, especially in the mountains, brings me great joy and peace of mind.

 

Dru Ann Love: Definitely a couch potato. Give me a sci-fi movie and I’m in heaven.

 

Kathleen Kaska: I love running. I just completed my twenty-fourth marathon.

 

Saralyn Richard: Long walks (working out plot points while walking).

 

Robin Hillyer-Miles: Yoga.

 

Lois Winston: Walking.

Come Read-A-Long with Me

Come Read-A-Long with Me by Debra H. Goldstein

I’m excited! Five Belles Too Many, which will be released on June 28, 2022. In anticipation, I’m throwing a multi-month celebration virtual Read-A-Long to give readers an opportunity to discuss each of the books in the Sarah Blair series and to ask this author anything you ever wanted to know.

 

In March, we discussed One Taste Too Many. The session was a huge success. Not everyone who was on the Zoom call had read the book, but it didn’t matter. We talked about concepts, themes, and why I did certain things without giving away any of the plot spoilers.

 

The next Read-A-Long, on April 19, features the second book in the series, Two Bites Too Many. Subsequent months will cover the next books until we pop the cork and celebrate the birth of Five Belles Too Many in July 2022. To join in the fun email me at DHG@DebraHGoldstein.com to get the study guide and the zoom link. Put on your calendar:

 

When: April 19 – Two Bites Too Many

May 17 – Three Treats Too Many

June 21 – Four Cuts Too Many

July 19 – Five Belles Too Many

Time: 7 PM CST/ 8 PM EST (and you can figure out the rest)      

 

The remainder of the series, Three Treats Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, and of course, Five Belles Too Many, will be our topics for the May, June, and July sessions. The goal is to have fun and gain a better understanding of these books culminating in the month when Five Belles is published.

I mentioned above that I am celebrating the journey of the Sarah Blair series, and I am. I have had a blast writing Sarah, the woman who is more afraid of the kitchen than murder, but more importantly, it has been a joy getting to know you, the readers.

 

Want to catch up on Sarah Blair so you’re ready for the big finish in July? You can pre-order Five Belles. start at the beginning of the series (Amazon has the e-version of One Taste Too Many on sale for $1.99) or come in any week you want as the books, while a series, each standalone. Sarah, RahRah, and Fluffy hope to see you on April 19^th to talk about Two Bites Too Many!

Clicking Our Heels - Fill in the Blank

Clicking Our Heels – Fill in the Blank

People often think authors only spend their lives writing or reading (and to some extent that is true), so we decided to see what else the members of the Stiletto Gang do.  Hence,

 

IF I’M NOT WRITING OR READING, I’M __________________________________.

 

Lois Winston: If we weren’t in the midst of a pandemic, you’d find me at a Broadway show or play. Now? I’m binge-watching various TV shows while on my treadmill.

 

Debra H. Goldstein: Playing grandma, socializing with friends, or giving my husband a hard time.

 

Robin Hillyer-Miles: Watching a British mystery with my husband.

 

Saralyn Richard: Walking my sheepdog.

 

Dru Ann Love: Creating a quilt.

 

Kathryn Lane: Cooking. My husband is my sous chef and we enjoy slipping into the evening hours with a delicious soup, followed by a main course, and dessert – all organic!

 

Debra Sennefelder: Baking.

 

T.K. Thorne: Riding a horse in the woods or thinking about it!

 

Anita Carter: Working on my new business. I started a Virtual Assistant Service last year and I’ve been pretty focused on growing cliental.

 

Linda Rodriguez: Spinning or knitting or weaving or teaching or editing.

 

Shari Randall: By the beach, dancing, or haunting book stores and antique shops.

 

Mary Lee Ashford: Asleep. LOL. Seriously, I probably am. I have no hobbies. Not one. I love to read and if there’s any spare time in the day, I grab a book. That said, my greatest loves in my life are my grandchildren and so given the choice I’d be doing something with the grands. And if we’re reading ... even better!

 

Bethany Maines: Sadly, it’s usually working. As a mom and co-owner of a graphic design firm, I have a lot of balls in the air. The stereotype of a writer leisurely staring off into space is definitely not true over at my house.

 

Gay Yellen: Eating. The main character in my mystery series doesn’t cook, but she’s an accomplished eater. She’s living out my fantasy of eating delicious food and never gaining weight.

 

Lynn McPherson: Out for a walk or watching a movie.

 

Donnell Bell:  Cleaning or walking. Sometimes I read and walk 😊.

 

Barbara J. Eikmeier: Quilting is my favorite hobby but it’s also my day job so it comes with its own set of deadlines. I love flower gardening, bird watching, and sailing with my husband on Perry Lake, KS in our vintage sailboard.

 

Lynn C. Willis: Plotting the next adventure with the grandkids or in the woods with my dog, Finn.

Clicking Our Heels - Simple Joys

Clicking Our Heels – It’s a New Year with lots of resolutions, but considering everything going on in the world, we thought we’d share something simple that makes each of happy or brings us joy (think an expanded Marie Kondo concept to life).

 

Barbara Kyle – Singing! I’ve sung all my life, in shows when my profession was acting, and now, for the last few years, in choirs. Music is pure joy.

Lois Winston – Spending time with my grandchildren.

Saralyn Richard – Seeing something I’ve planted bloom.

Kathleen Kaska – The biggest joy in my life is seeing my husband smile at me. Coming in second is spending time with my great-niece and great-nephew.

Dru Ann Love – A quiet day all to myself.

Debra H. Goldstein – When words flow.

Kathryn Lane – I have two simple activities that bring me great joy – watching elk in the mountains of northern New Mexico and Zen meditation. My husband participates with me in both pursuits.

Debra Sennefelder – It’s simple and it’s small, but I do find joy in my first cup of coffee in the morning.

T.K. Thorne – What a great question to ponder! It gives me joy to discover a new character or aspects of a character that I’m writing that I didn’t know; to dance to music while cleaning house; to offer support or connections to a young writer; and to sit outside on my front porch and watch lizards and hummingbirds while I write.

Anita Carter– Laughter has always, and will continue, to bring me joy and positivity.

Linda Rodriguez – A pot of nice hot tea, a sock to knit mindlessly (since I’ve made so many), and good conversation with my husband.

Shari Randall – A message from an old friend, clean windows, sunlight sparkling on water, when a favorite old song comes on the radio…simple things, but all make me happy.

Mary Lee Ashford – Family brings me joy. I think I always knew that but have a new appreciation for not just the family get-togethers and celebrations but also for those mundane family moments where you touch each other’s lives in so many ways. This past year has been so difficult being away from family members and one thing I know for sure is I’ll never take that for granted again.

Bethany Maines – My dog. Kato is my eleven year old puppy and he’s as goofy now as the day we brought him home. And even though we’ve both reached an age where people tell us that we “still look good!” he brings a joyful bouncy spirit into the house.

Gay Yellen – Watching my husband cook.

Donnell Bell – Looking at pictures of my grandchildren, playing cards with my very competitive husband, or sitting on our back patio watching the quail and the New Mexico sunsets.

 

 

An Open Letter to Stiletto Gang Readers from Debra H. Goldstein

Dear Stiletto Gang Readers,

I’m one of those people who still writes Holiday Letters and shoves them into my Seasons Greetings cards that are sent to friends I haven’t seen in years, but still feel close to. You are a different breed of folks, but I, as well as the other members of the Stiletto Gang, have a special affinity with you.

 

You fulfill our dreams by reading the words we write. At the very moment we feel down or lost, one of you posts a good review, sends a postcard or e-mail, or makes a social media comment that lifts our spirits up. Your support of our work keeps us actively involved in an unpredictable business world.

 

It is a world of editor and publisher subjectivity balanced by dollar signs. Very few of us become New York Times bestselling authors, but you give us the incentive to continue writing even if our expenses outweigh our profits. All writers want to make money, but the reality is that they don’t. In fact, many authors could make far more by ignoring the voices in their heads that demand to be expressed. Are we insane or, as some think, simply stupid?

 

I think the answer boils down to one word: passion. We have a passion to write that can’t be quelled. Luckily, when it does dim, you rekindle it. Thank you and happy holidays. Debra  

Grateful for Audiobooks!

By Lynn McPherson

My first audiobook is finally out in the world! I'm so excited to share with readers that they can now listen to the first Izzy Walsh Mystery, The Girls' Weekend Murder. As an author, it is an absolute delight to hear your words read aloud by a professional narrator--even more exciting than I'd imagined.

The timing couldn't be better either with Thanksgiving two days away. I have so much to be grateful for, my audiobook is only adding to the lengthy list.

I hope everyone is able to spend time with loved ones, enjoy a wonderful meal, and have a relaxing holiday weekend.

Here is a little about my first audiobook, described as a mixture of  Murder, She Wrote and I Love Lucy...

An oceanfront estate in the beautiful New England town of Twin Oaks is the ideal setting for Isabelle Walsh and her close-knit group of friends to celebrate their annual girls’ weekend in 1953.

While off to a promising start, the weekend quickly goes awry as murder interrupts the fun and the hostess is accused of the shocking crime. Izzy quickly realizes it is up to her to save her innocent friend and bring the murderer to light.

Keen intuition and quick wit are Izzy’s only tools. She must use them to find the dark truth before the killer brings her investigation to a dead stop…

Happy Thanksgiving Readers!!!

Lynn McPherson has worked for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ran a small business, and taught English across the globe. She has travelled the world solo where her daring spirit has led her to jump out of airplanes, dive with sharks, and learn she would never master a surfboard. She now channels her lifelong love of adventure and history into her writing, where she is free to go anywhere, anytime. Her cozy series has three books out: The Girls' Weekend Murder and The Girls Whispered Murder, and The Girls Dressed For Murder.  

[Lynn's Author Site] - [Buy Lynn's Book]

Interview with Kathryn Lane

 by Bethany Maines

Today I'm interviewing fellow Stiletto Gang member Kathryn Lane. Kathryn enjoyed a two-decade career in international finance with Johnson & Johnson before taking an early retirement from corporate life to follow her passion to write fiction. So today we're finding out more about her writing and what inspires her.  From growing up in Mexico to traveling the globe, and splitting time between Texas and New Mexico Kathryn's journey into writing has been unique.  

Q: What do you write?

I’m enamored with the mystery genre. During my corporate career, I traveled all over the world. Before a long flight to Japan, I purchased a Harlan Coben paperback at the JFK airport in New York. The twists and turns in the story slapped me around like a go-kart on uneven terrain. I was instantly smitten. Now that I’m a novelist, I write mystery and suspense.

Q: What got you excited and started you on your writing journey?

During my two decades in the corporate world, I always thought someday I’d return to painting, the object of my natural abilities. Growing up in Mexico, a country with an abundance of talented singers, I always felt left out since I could not even carry a tune.

Yet I could draw. And I could paint. By age ten, I sketched portraits and painted landscapes. Naturally, I thought I’d grow up to be an artist. Life, or perhaps destiny, had other plans. I had to earn a living, so I became a CPA and specialized in international finance. Hence my corporate travels.

Before leaving the corporate world, I analyzed what I really wanted to do. After all the countries I’d visited, it quickly became obvious I should write rather than paint. It’s exciting to pen stories set in other lands.

Q: Are you a Plotter or Pantser?

Since I’d written strategic plans, I thought I’d complete an outline for each story my brain conjured up. After all, wasn’t it like analyzing the steps in a product launch?

It didn’t work that way – my right brain took over. As much as I’ve tried to plot, my stories grow organically every day while I pound away at the keyboard. Even after deliberate attempts to speed up my writing, I struggle to plot anything. It’s normal for me not to know from one paragraph to the next what I’ll compose. Stories unfold magically in my mind like a movie reel.

Q: Who encouraged you to write?

I’m so fortunate, friends, family, and my husband are all incredibly supportive. I could not do it without the help of my husband who manages the back office details and takes on household tasks, except for cooking, to give me time to write.

Q: What secret skill do you have that our readers might not know about?

I can kill snakes. I’ve lived in places with deadly snakes, like the Inland Taipan of the Northern Territory of Australia, considered the most dangerous in the world. (One 100mg dose of Inland Taipan venom is enough to kill 100 adult humans). I’ve encountered corals and rattlesnakes of the Chihuahua desert and mountainous terrain, and now the copperheads and cottonmouths of Texas. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t like killing snakes, but when it comes to either them or me, it’s an easy choice.

At our summer cabin in northern New Mexico, we don’t have snakes. Only bear and mountain lions and I leave them alone!

Q: And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't ask... what are your favorite shoes?

Knee-high leather boots with stiletto heels!

Connect with Kathryn!

• Website: https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com
• Newsletter sign-up: https://www.Kathryn-Lane.com
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kathrynlanewriter/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kathrynlaneauthor/
• Google+ - https://plus.google.com/u/0/102104411030225875710
• Twitter -  http://twitter.com/kathrynlanebook
• BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathryn-lane
• Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15096935.Kathryn_Lane?clear_facebook_session=true

 

Snatch up one of the globe-trotting Nikki Garcia Mysteries:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B08C7V2675/ref=dp_st_1942428944

**

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she's not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Clicking Our Heels: What We Read

Clicking Our Heels: Writers are often asked if they write in a particular genre, if that is the one they read. Here are some of what the Stiletto Gang members read and some of their favorite authors.

Robin Hillyer-Miles – I read many different genres. My favorite authors currently are Jess Loury, Susan Addison Allen, Susan Boyer, and Karen White.

Saralyn Richard – I read everything – mysteries, historical fiction, women’s fiction, biography, blended genres, literary fiction.

Kathleen Kaska – I read mysteries, but I also read anything that catches my eye, especially inspirational nonfiction. When I find an author I really like, I read every book they’ve written.

Dru Ann Love – I prefer reading cozy mysteries. I will read other genres, but cozies are my go-to-read.

Kathryn Lane - I write mystery thrillers, so I tend to read quite a few throughout the year from a whole variety of novelists, such as Harlan Coben, Alice Feeney, Jeffery Deaver, but I also like the books of Donna Tartt, Frederick Forsyth, and Megan Abbott. I read books written by fellow writers who, like me, are not New York Times bestsellers (yet!), whose novels are often as good as or even better than anything else on the market. And Sofía Segovia’s The Murmur of Bees in Magical Realism is a book I love.

Debra Sennefelder - I have a long list of favorite authors that I read in my genre of cozy mysteries. Some of them are a part of The Stiletto Gang. Others include Jenny Kales, VM Burns, Jenn McKinlay, Katherine Hall Page.

T.K. Thorne - I read anything that is well written. Crime fiction is new for me because as a former police officer, it feels more like work than escape.  My favorite author is Sue Monk Kidd. Her writing is beautiful and so powerful.  But I don’t consciously try to mimic it.  It’s important to find your own voice.

Anita Carter - I read mostly mysteries, suspense, and some women’s fiction. I enjoy Lisa Gardner (just bought her latest release!), Laura Levine, Karen White, and Susan Boyer, to name a few.

Barbara Kyle - I write fiction but many of my favorite reads are narrative non-fiction. Anything by Simon Winchester or Erik Larson. Both are incapable of writing a dull book.

Linda Rodriguez - I read everything. I have long lists of authors I recommend on my website. https://lindarodriguezwrites.blogspot.com

Meri Allen/Shari Randall - I write and read mysteries, and I love to go back to the Golden Age authors like Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh when I have some reading time.

Mary Lee Ashford - I write cozy mysteries and also read cozy mysteries but I'm not sure we have space here for all of the favorites. There are currently so many wonderful cozy authors! Instead, I'll share a few of the ones I started reading and that got me interested in the sub-genre of cozies. I avidly read - M.C Beaton, Jill Churchill, Sharon Kahn, and Anne George and once I'd started down that cozy path, thanks to them I was hooked. 

Bethany Maines - I have been reading a fair bit of romance lately, but I've read across several genres.  My favorite recent author is Bethany Bennett (because Bethany's are awesome) who is working on a fun romp of Regency Romance trilogy.

Gay Yellen - I’m omnivorous when it comes to reading. If I weren’t writing mysteries, I’d probably tend toward literary fiction. But I love good writing in any genre, including non-fiction.

Lynn McPherson - I read and write cozy mysteries. They are still my favorite. A few of my favorite authors are Vicki Delany and Jenn McKinlay. I've also read some delicious domestic suspense novels lately by Hannah Mary McKinnon and J.T. Ellison.

Donnell Bell - In the fiction realm, I read across the board. From Sci-fi to historical fiction. Right now, I’m reading a western by D.V. Berkom.  I enjoy cozies, but prefer a substantive plot, such as Cathy Perkins’s Body in the Beaver Pond and Lois Winston’s Anastasia Pollack series. For romantic suspense, there are too many authors to count. My favorite thriller writer is Tess Gerritsen—she’s an autobuy for me.  Mystery writers, again, too many to count. If I want to read mystery and learn something about art forgery, I read Donald Beckwith. I ADORE discovering new authors.

Lois Winston - I write humorous mysteries, but I’m an extremely eclectic reader. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of historical mysteries and women’s fiction.

Debra H. Goldstein – Although I most enjoy cozy mysteries and biographies, I read everything in the crime genre as well as literary fiction.

Cathy Perkins: I read a lot of mysteries, from thriller to cozy, but I also read extensively outside my writing genre.  From a craft perspective, it helps to see, for example, the creative world building of fantasy or the deep character focus of women's fiction. I also think reading books other than mysteries gives me a much needed break, reminding me readers read for story, for escape, for enjoyment - elements authors always keep in the back of their minds as they write.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Clicking Our Heels - Where Do Our Ideas Come From?

Clicking Our Heels – Where Do Our Ideas Come From?

Readers often ask where the ideas for our books and stories come from. Today, the members of the Stiletto Gang are letting you in on their secrets.

 

Donnell Bell - My books originate from events that have happened and affect me in life. The first book that compelled me to write (which I never tried to publish) came after listening to a breaking news story about a man gunned down on the New Mexico capital steps. I was on my lunch hour and had to get back to work. Later, when I tried to find what happened, I couldn’t find any details. Frustrated, I made up in my mind what must have happened and that was the start of my fiction career.

Lynn McPherson - My ideas usually come from my day-to-day life--while I'm walking the dog or watching TV. Something will strike me as a good fit for a mystery and I go from there. It could be something as small as tracks in the snow or a disagreement I read about on social media. My imagination takes it from there and runs.

Saralyn Richard - Almost always my ideas come from the question, "What if?"

Robin Hillyer-Miles – I dream of my storylines.

Lois Winston – I’m a news junkie. Most of my ideas are inspired by actual events I read about or see in the news.

Debra Sennefelder – Everywhere! My second Food Blogger book, The Hidden Corpse, was inspired by a neighbor’s knock on our door when she needed help shutting off her smoke alarm. My fourth Resale Boutique book, How to Frame a Fashionista, was partly inspired by a YouTube fitness guru who was reportedly involved in a scandal. Ideas are everywhere.

Kathryn Lane – Plot, characters, and settings often come from simple ideas I experienced during my corporate career when I traveled the world, or an article I read in a newspaper, a conversation I may overhear, or even a detail from a dream. A combination of all of these usually appear in each novel.

T.K. Thorne – I was asked to write the two nonfiction books and got intrigued about the story. One idea for a novel hit me while I was listening to a poem, another from a snarky remark of a coworker, one started with an image of a dancer, and one of a young girl hiding, and one arrived as three words while I was brushing my teeth.

Debra H. Goldstein – Although I steal from my life experiences and observations, most come out of my subconscious as I write. The characters speak to me, and their words pull the ideas out of me.

Anita Carter – Ideas are everywhere. TV, news stories, a snippet of a conversation I’ve overheard. Everything is free game when you’re a writer!

Linda Rodriguez – All over the place. I may read or hear or see something that makes me wonder what-if? And then that combines with something else I’ve read or heard or seen-or even dreamed. Like the sand in the oyster, these gritty little ideas roll around accreting even more ideas until I have a pearl to begin a book with.

Meri Allen/Shari Randall – I wish I knew!

Mary Lee Ashford – Everywhere. A snippet of conversation, a song, a real-life story.  Often, it’s a story that I’ve heard or read. Recently I read an article about a man who made himself disappear. That’s disappear not in the physical sense but as in he got rid of every trace of himself in all the ways we normally find people. Fascinating. I don’t have a story for that tidbit right now, but I’m still thinking about it.

Bethany Maines – I feel like I’m sort of a mash-up artist. I get these little bits of things sort of noodling around I my head and then sooner or later they smash into another noodle and then I’ve got spaghetti. Or half of a novel. Depends on how hungry I am.

Gay Yellen – My biggest problem is having too many ideas to fit in one book. They can come from almost anywhere: the news, a lost object on the street, something I got in the mail. In other words, real life.

Cathy Perkins - As others said, ideas are everywhere! For example, my husband and I were hiking along the Snake River in a game management area called Big Flats (which happens to feature in So About the Money) and had to push through tangled foliage at the shoreline. Being a mystery writer whose mind can go all kinds of strange places, I glanced over my shoulder and said, “Wouldn't this be a great place to find a body?”

That germ of an idea kept growing. Why would the heroine be out at Big Flats to stumble over the body? How did the body end up beside the river in the first place?

Interview with Stiletto Gang member, Cathy Perkins!

 By Lynn McPherson

I've had the privilege of getting to know one of my fellow Stiletto Gang members a little better over the last few weeks.

Cathy Perkins is not only an award-winning author, but also a contributing editor for The Big Thrill, International Thriller Writer's monthly publication. On top of that, Cathy has worked on the blog and social media for the ITW Debut Authors, and coordinated for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

While I’ve had a life-long love affair with reading, I didn’t start writing until fairly recently. This probably isn’t how most people start, but I had a lengthy consulting job in a city about 90 miles away. I’d listen to music and daydream during the commute. Pretty soon the daydream had dialogue and I thought, hmm, this is turning into a good story. That particular book lives in a box in the closet, but I was hooked on writing, creating worlds and characters. 

Why mystery?

I’ve always loved mysteries and suspense—figuring out the who-dun-it puzzle, delighting when the author keeps me guessing or on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. When I started writing, my stories and characters had secrets, obstacles, and a race to uncover the villain. I’m going to slide a second favorite part of writing in here. I love bringing the characters to life, figuring out what makes them tick, and throwing the challenges of the plot and relationship at them.  So much fun. It’s probably the best part of writing.

What is your writing process and how much time do you spend planning your books?

Like most authors, my stories start with a “what if.” Once an idea takes hold, the plot and character evolve together. I’m a plotter, so the first thing I do when I think the idea has possibilities is sketch an outline of the plot. That outline grows and evolves as my characters’ personalities and motivations flesh out. Things that of course they’d do, add layers or subplots as the story unfolds. 

How important is setting in your novels?

I’ve been told the setting in my stories is another character. My goal is always to place the reader in the scene, to create a place readers can see and feel, even if they’ve never been to South Carolina, eastern Washington, or the Cascade Mountains. The challenge is to create that bubble without slowing the pace of the plot. 

Toni McGee Causey has been a fabulous mentor and offers a terrific perspective on setting and point of view. What the character sees in the place says more about the character than the physical location. I try to keep that in mind—how my characters react to their location/setting and why it matters—as I write.

You are a contributing editor for The Big Thrill, International Thriller Writer's monthly publication. Do you find yourself editing as you write? Or do you write first and edit after?

I have a rather strange way of putting my stories together. If something isn’t working when I’m sitting with my computer, I switch to pen and paper. Writing by hand uses a different part of my brain and I can roll with the scene. When I type those handwritten pages, I make a first edit pass for flow and word choice. But I generally finish the first draft before doing my heavy-duty editing passes. Of course, my wonderful editor will always have suggestions on how to make the story better…

Do you have a favorite author you read for inspiration?

So many favorites! 

This may sound strange since I’m currently writing at the lighter end of the mystery spectrum, but right now, I’m reading at the introspective end of the mystery/suspense/thriller genre – Jonathon King, John Hart, and pushing even further into women’s fiction, Mary Alice Monroe and Kristan Higgins. Of course, I always have dozens of books on my e-reader to choose among. 

What's next?

Good question… 

I’ve been battling an aggressive cancer with an equally aggressive treatment regime. Chemo brain is a thing. As a result, not much writing has occurred this summer. When all this hit, I was halfway through Peril in the Pony Ring, the next book in the Keri Isles series. (Keri organizes her first event for the town of Liberty Falls and of course there are complications.) I also had the next Holly Price novel outlined (Holly is back in the Tri-Cities. Her best friend Laurie pulls her into another mystery that naturally has financial overtones.) My editor nudges me periodically about turning that one in….  Once I can string a few coherent sentences together, it’ll be a challenge deciding which one to work on first.

Learn more about Cathy here:

Facebook http://facebook.com/CathyPerkinsAuthor

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathy-perkins 

Website www.cperkinswrites.com