9 in ‘09 with Barbara Delinsky

Barbara Delinsky, NYT bestselling author, has graciously taken some time to answer a few questions.  I reviewed her book, While My Sister Sleeps here and the book is out in paperback just this week. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Barbara is a survivor and continues to fund research.  You can visit her website for more information about her books and her wonderful blog. 

Here’s the nine with Barbara…

1. While My Sister Sleeps is the story of a family in crisis and each of the characters travels a personal journey that leads the book full circle.  Which character do you think grew or changed the most?

I’d have to vote for Molly, partly because that’s how I conceived of this book.  I see it as a coming of age story about a 27-year-old who has always lived  in the shadow of her star sister and felt secondary in the eyes of her Type A mother.  Suddenly, with her sister comatose and the rest of the family unable to act, Molly rises to the occasion.  In speaking for her sister, she finds her own voice, helping even her mother grown in the process.

2. When I posted my review of this book, commenter Violet asked if it were a movie.  I know it’s not, but there are so many wonderful characters in this book that it would make a great one.  Who would be your dream cast if While My Sister Sleeps made it to the big screen?

Honestly?  I have no idea.  I’m so not a movie or TV person.  Given that I spend so much time writing, what free time I have is spent knitting, talking with friends, and doing things like laundry.  I’m always curious to know, though, who readers would choose.

3. You have a big presence online with a website, blog that you started in 2005, and many other social outlets.  How has your life as a writer changed over the years since the explosion of online social networking?

Oh my, a loaded question there.  I have to confess that at times I do pine for the old days, when all a writer had to do was write her books!  Today, I spend roughly one-third of my work time maintaining that online presence – website, blog, and now Facebook and Twitter – meaning that I have to work even longer hours to get each book done on time.

The plus side, of course, is that online social networking has given me a vehicle to communicate with my readers, which is – and always has been – hugely important to me.  My readers have put me where I am today.  Their enthusiasm and loyalty keeps me going.  I love communicating with them!

4. You are a breast cancer survivor and wrote the book Uplift: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors in 2001.  I love that all the proceeds from the sale of this book go to your own charitable foundation.  Can you tell us a little about the foundation?

From the very beginning, I knew that I didn’t want to personally pocket a single cent from the sales of Uplift, and was able to shamelessly shop it from publisher to publisher for this reason.  The entirety of my proceeds from Uplift go into the charitable foundation, which has, to date, funded four years of a breast research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.  Each May, I have the joy of meeting the fellow just finishing her year and hearing about the work she’s done.  How awesome is that?

5. Who or what inspires you?

People do.  I take a gesture here, a physical characteristic or manner of speech there, and create characters that interest me.  As for what those characters do?  My plots are almost always inspired by current events.  When I’m in the process of writing a book, I keep a file on my computer for “Next Book Ideas.”  Inevitably, the idea I pick is either the most recent one entered, or an idea based on news occurring since then.  My agent calls me a prescient, in that I write more about things that are about to happen, but it’s truly just being attuned to people’s concerns in the here and now.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

Here’s one from my father.  When faced with different people having different opinions or preferences, he always said, “That’s why there are menus in restaurants.”  I think of this often, when readers say that they loved my latest book but that their favorite is still – and then they name one of my other books.  Another thing my dad always said was, “Taxation is the price of civilization.”  I agree with him there, too.  Some folks don’t - but, hey, that’s why there are menus in restaurants.

7. What are you currently reading?

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper.  It’s a gem of a book about a blind cat.  Being a cat person, I’m loving every page.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

Given that fictional characters have to experience some form of angst to keep the reader turning pages, I’ll opt out of this choice.  I have enough on my own plate, thank you!

9. What are you currently working on?

Just finished, actually.  Not my Daughter – not to be confused with an earlier book of mine, For My Daughters.  This new one, Not My Daughter, tells the story of three high school girls, all good students from good homes, who make a pact to become pregnant.  I know, I know, TV is currently loaded with shows about pregnant teens, but this book is different.  The heart of the story is the fallout of the pact, with accusing fingers pointing to the girls’ mothers.  Here is an exploration of what it takes to be a good mother, whether at 17, 35, or 45.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Barbara!

9 in ‘09 with Hallie Ephron

A few weeks  ago I reviewed 1001 Books for Every Mood by Hallie Ephron and really enjoyed it.  Hallie took the time to email me after seeing the review and offered to send me a copy of her newest book The Bibliophiles Devotional: 365 Days of Literary Classics.  I mean how can a list lover like me resist a book from a great list maker?  I couldn’t resist and I’ve been reading about a new book every day and loving it.  Thanks, Hallie! 

Anyway, Hallie is the author of 4 books and you can visit her website here. 

And now the nine questions…

1. My first question has to be about growing up in a house full of writers.  What was your childhood like with parents who were writers and three other sisters (Nora, Delia,Amy) who are writers too? It must have been wonderful to grow up in such a creative home.

Our house overflowed with books – wall to wall bookcases, bedside tables stacked with books to be read and re-read (cookbooks and children’s books on my mother’s; history and economics on my father’s), and as kids we were read to early and often (the Oz books, Little Women, The Little Princess…).  My mother recited poetry after dinner, and we grew up cherishing words.

2. I loved your book 1001 Books For Every Mood, probably because I love books and lists.  How long did it take for you to decide what books to include and did you have to cut any favorites?

Thank you!  I love books and lists, too.  It took me months to decide which books to include.  I started, of course, with my favorites, and then talked to booksellers and librarians and readers and anyone who had the temerity to cross my path holding a book.  I also cherry-picked from many great lists out there, like Sports Illustrated list of best sports books, Business Week’s list of best business books, TIME’s list of great books, and of course the ones that Oprah has recommended.  If someone mentioned a book I hadn’t heard of I found it to decide if I thought it was gem worthy including.

3. Your new book The Bibliophile’s Devotional is 365 Days of Literary Classics.  Can you tell us what defines a classic for you?

Hmmm…I’d say one that’s stood the test of time.  One that influenced the way we think, like books that were the first of their kind (did you know Oliver Twist was the first book in English with a child protagonist?).

4. You write book reviews for the Boston Globe.  Do you think  blogs and websites devoted to books have changed newspaper reviews or do you think they serve two different purposes?

I think blogs and web sites can give books visibility that is so very hard to garner right now since there are so many books out there and so little is spent on advertising.  They can build buzz and community.  Book reviews serve more of a critical purpose, I thin, to select and highlight quality (good and bad).

5. Have you discovered a favorite new author in the last year or two?

Oh, gosh yes.  Where to begin?  Leonie Swan (“Three Bags Full”); Carolyn Wall (“Sweeping Up Galss”); Josh Bazell (“Beat the Reaper”); Alan Bradley (“The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie”); Spencer Quinn (“Dog On It”)…I could go on.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

Not so much a quote as a paragraph…I LOVE Carl Sandburg’s “Rootabaga Stories” – read it to revel in the words and images.  It’s pure joy.  One of my favorite stories in it is “Three Boys with Jugs of Molasses and Secret Ambitions.”  SO FULL of wonderful lines!  Here’s just a sample: “Eeta Peeca Pie grew up with wishes and wishes working inside him.  And for every wish inside him he had a freckle outside on his face.  Whenever he smiled the smile ran way back into the far side of his face and got lost in the wishing freckles.”  Don’t you love that idea of “wishing freckles?”

7. What are you currently reading?

For myself I just read Sheila Wellers’ “Girls Like Us” – it’s a meaty nonfiction about Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon, and the generation they exemplify.  Loved it.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)

9. And finally, what are you working on now?

I’m finishing a novel – psychological suspense like my last one “Never Tell a Lie.”

Thanks so much for stopping by, Hallie!

9 in ‘09 with Carly Phillips & Book Giveaway

This week, New York Times bestselling author, Carly Phillips has stopped by to answer a few questions and give away one of her books to a lucky reader.  She is the author of many romances and you can visit her website here to find a list.  She also has a blog with three other romance authors called Plotmonkeys that is fun and runs weekly giveaweays, you can visit it here. 

Read her interview and then enter the giveaway by leaving a comment.

1. I first saw one of your books on Regis & Kelly and love your Cinderella Story about the whirlwind experience (read about it here), but you wrote ten manuscripts before being published.  Can you tell us a little about your writing life during that time?  I really admire your perseverance!

Thank you! During the time I was trying to sell, my daughter was a baby and also during that time I became pregnant with my second child. My writing was in between my daughter’s schedule, but I was pretty determined and motivated to sell. I lived to check the post office each day … for rejections usually, but as long as the rejection letterasked for something else or mentioned something positive in the story, I held onto hope and kept writing a new book and moving forward. RWA was also a huge part of my life at this point too, going to monthly chapter meetings. I think everyone has to find their own “normal” and schedule, especially when trying to sell and fighting the perception of others that this is a hobby and not a real job. If you want to sell, you have to incorporate the writing into your life as if it IS real. Force everyone around you to respect it as much as you do!

2. You are a lawyer turned roamce writer.  Are there similarities between these two professions or are they polar opposites?

In my opinion and experience lawyer and romance writer are polar opposites. I think the only similarity is that the dedication you need to go to law school, tough it out, study for and pass the bar is like trying to sell a book. You must keep at it and keep going. But the similarities end there. I make my own hours, I answer to myself (mostly) and I love what I do. For me, that’s it in a nutshell. The ability to be creative versus put together a brief based on fact … very different. I never loved law. I love writing Romance!

3. I love a great romance and feel they often get a bad rap.  What are some of your favorite reactions when people find out you write those books?

Well the shock value is always fun because I believe I am thought of as a very “good girl” and I think the perception is naughty girls write about sex. Of course it’s not just about sex it’s about LOVE and relationships and the people who are shocked by it are the ones who don’t get what Romance is.

4. What’s the best advantage of working from home?  For me it might be wearing pajamas to work.

Wearing pajamas to work is a good one. Working from bed is another. Being able to watch television while I write, playing on the Internet, making my own hours … you name it! I’m very very lucky to do what I do!

5. Do you use a Kindle or other electronic reader?

When the first Kindle came out I tried it and hated it. I thought it was because I missed the feel of a book in my hands and couldn’t see what actual page number I was on. When Kindle 2 came out, I didn’t bite. But I had foot surgery a few weeks ago and bought the Kindle and all I can say is I am in LOVE. I don’t like the fact that I don’t go into bookstores, and that concerns me about e-readers, but I have to say I enjoy having whatever I want in my hand when I want it. Kindle’s Whispernet that auto-connects to Amazon is amazing.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

I have a very short term memory on these things. Not really

7. What are you currently reading?

Roxanne St Claire’s Hunt Me Down. Hooked me from the get go!

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

Wow. Good question! Maybe a heroine in a good romantic sports hero book!

9. And finally, what are you working on now?

Next year I have two new releases out – the start of a new series. Right now I don’t have titles so I haven’t promoted them yet – but the premise will be the idea of the most eligible bachelorspotlighted by a Blog in a major NYC newspaper. The heroes are your every day guy who gets caught in a heroic situation and gets into the Bachelor Blog. Then the women turn out for him … it’s fun and the first story is one of the favorites of my books so far! More at www.carlyphillips.com when I have titles! I promise.  And of course LUCKY BREAK is in stores September 29, 2009 so I’m working on promotion for that book!

Thanks so much for stopping by Carly! 

Carly has graciously agreed to send one lucky commenter either Lucky Charm or Lucky Streak.

 or

To enter, just leave a comment! 

To earn one extra entry you can post about it on your blog and/or Twitter.

How easy is that?  I’ll draw a winner on Sept 25th.

 

9 in ‘09 with Linda Palmer/Melinda Wells with book giveaway!

 Linda Palmer has stopped by to answer a few questions and give away a copy of her book, Killer Mousse, which I reviewed yesterday and raved about.  Review here.  I hope you’ll check out her two websites to learn more about her two mystery series.  http://www.lindapalmermysteries.com/ and http://www.dellacooks.com/.  Enter to win after reading Linda’s interview. 

1. You have held a wide range of jobs, from VP at TriStar, to wildlife photographer, to screen writer, and finally author.  What made you start writing books?

I always wanted to be a writer, from the time I was 9. Some years ago — when I was young and didn’t know much about the craft of writing — I wrote two novels. Miraculously, they were published.  They didn’t sell many copies, but I have one of each on my book shelf. The first was RUNAWAY!, by Linda Weintraub (which was my married name at the time.) The second was STARSTRUCK, by Linda Palmer. With all of my heart, I wish I had had an editor to guide me, or that I knew more back then.  By the time I began to write novels again, in 2002, I’d studied the craft on my own, and then with a wonderful instructor at UCLA. (I was teaching screen writing there at the time, so one night a week I was an instructor, and another night during the same week I was a student.)

2. You teach screenwriting at UCLA Extension.  What is the most important thing you try yo teach these aspiring writers?

I taught screen writing for about 12 years, but then I began writing novels full time, so the head of the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program switched me to teaching novel-writing. Whichever of those two disciplines, I told the people enrolled in my classes two things: 1. Don’t think of yourself as “student” or as “aspiring” — you are writers.  A writer is defined by dedication to writing, not by whether or not one has yet sold anything. And, 2: “The most important thing that a writer needs — after talent and the willingness to study the craft — is the absolute refusal to face facts.”  I say that with humor, but I mean it. People tell writers (mostly they hear this from friends and family) that there are so many people writing that they don’t have a chance. Ridiculous, I say. Don’t pay attention to that. Keep writing.

3. Do you have any routines or rituals when you write?

Not really. I must have a big mug of coffee, and I must feed the pets and give them fresh water. I like to write early in the morning, when the world is quiet. I get up every morning at 5:15 AM. I’ll write until about noon. During the last month of finishing a book, when it feels like demonic possession, I get up at 4:15. Sometimes then I’ll write at night, too, if I can’t let go of the story.  When I type “the end” I collapse for a few days and just vegetate. Then I’ll read for pleasure, have lunches or dinners with friends. Normal living. Until it’s time to start writing a new book.

4. Who are your favorite writers, both books and screenplays?

My favorite authors are Jane Austen, Vladimir Nobakov, Anthony Trollope, James Hilton, Talbot Mundy, Sinclair Lewis, Balzac, Harper Lee, Carson McCullers, William Faulkner. (I must sound very scattered because there’s no theme here, except for exquisite writing.) As for novels of suspense and thrillers, my favorite authors are Joe Wambaugh, Robert Crais (except I hate his protagonist’s taste in women), Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Donald E. Westlake, John LeCarre, Rex Stout, John D. MacDonald, Ross MacDonald, Ed McBain. I can’t think of any favorite screen writers, but I there are playwrights whose work I adore: George Bernard Shaw, Alan Ackybourn, Richard Wilbur (his — and only his) translations of Moliere, early Tennessee Williams, and, of course, Shakespeare. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some authors and playwrights, and will kick myself when I remember names in the middle of the night.

5. Who or what inspires you?

I’m inspired by people who fight big challenges. For example, while I don’t put her work on my list of favorites, I have great admiration for the late Jacqueline Susann as a person because while she was promoting her books so vigorously she was also secretly undergoing exhausting treatment for cancer. Later, when I was on book tours, and began to feel tired, I shook myself out of it by reminding myself that not only was I considerably younger than Ms. Susann, but I was healthy, too. The wonderful Carson McCullers had terrible medical challenges, but she still wrote with such beauty! I used to joke to myself that I wanted to write like Carson McCullers and sell like Sidney Sheldon. I don’t mean that as an insult to Sidney Sheldon. Not at all! I was a great fan of his books, and know how very kind and generous he was to new or undiscovered writers. He will always inspire me because of how hard he worked on his books. He truly wanted to give his readers the best possible entertainments he could, and he never stopped one sentence short of the best he could do.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

My favorite quote is “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” I’ve never come across a better guide for living.

7. What are you currently reading?

I’ve just finished reading the last novel by Donald E. Westlake: “Get Real.” It’s up to his usual high standard of story-telling and great descriptions.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

What a wonderful question:  No doubt about it: Elizabeth Bennett (later Mrs. Darcy) of “Pride and Prejudice.”

9. And finally, what are you working on now?

At the moment, I’m writing a new book that (until now) only my agent knows about. It’s a novel of suspense, with a male protagonist, told in third person.  It’s a big change for me because for the last seven years I’ve been writing one-book-a-year for Berkley Prime Crime, for a total of 2 different series. When I told my agent about my concept for the novel, and about my new protagonist, he loved the idea. But I’m working without a net, so to speak, because my agent can’t sell a book until it’s written. At the moment I have 76 pages: 10 chapters. I’m 2 pages in to Chapter 11, but I don’t consider that I have pages until I’ve written and rewritten them. Then I move forward.

Thank you so much, Linda!

Linda Palmer books-Daytime Mystery series- Love is Murder, Love Her to Death, Love You Madly, Kiss of Death

Melinda Wells books -Della Cooks Mysteries- Killer Mouse, Death Takes the Cake, The Proof is in the Pudding (to be released 02/10)

Okay, to enter to win Killer Mousse

1. Leave a comment for Linda on this post (1 entry)

2. Leave a comment for me on my review (1 entry)

3. Post about it on your blog and/or Twitter and let me know (1-2 entries)

And here is the exciting bonus.  If I get 100 comments on these two posts Linda will give away the first TWO books of this series, Killer Mousse and Death Takes the Cake!

I’ll ‘draw’ for a winner on September 15th.

9 in ‘09 with Preetham Grandhi

Preetham Grandhi, M.D. immigrated to the United States from India and graduated from Yale.  He is the chief of service for House 5 at Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center and also has his own private practice.  So, he speaks from experience when telling the story in his new book, A Circle of Souls, reviewed here.  Visit his website for more information about Preetham and the book.  You’ll also find links to his blogs.

I want to give special thanks to Preetham for being the first author of the male persuasion to agree to answer 9 questions on my blog.  He may have also tied with Carla Neggers for the quickest response time.  I think it took less than an hour for Preetham to send me his answers.  Without further fanfare…

1.  I love your novel A Circle of Souls.  Is it true that the idea for this story came in the aftermath of 9/11 and in what way?

It was a few months post 9/11, and I was looking at the biographies of the people who had lost their lives.  I began to wonder if there was a larger meaning to their lives.  Are we predestined to interact with each other in a certain way.  All of a sudden, a story flashed into my mind, and I quickly wrote it on a piece of paper.  I knew then that I needed to write a story that was larger than life.  It needed to communicate the essence that there is a bigger purpose and meaning to our passage on earth.

I knew that in order to capture and convey such a message, the book needed to be captivating, interesting, and thrilling.  I realized that a story based on the work I do would be the right place to begin.  I am a child psychiatrist and had just started a new job.  During my fellowship, I worked with children with numerous psychosocial issues and many life stories to tell.  It was at that moment that I decided I could write a book that would capture all these thoughts.  That was how A Circle of Souls was born.

2. I am impressed that this is your first novel!  What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

Never to give up, was the best advice given to me.  I think being patient is very important.  In the end you have to do your half and hope that the other half will happen.

3. You work at a children’s psychiatric center, have a private practice, are working hard to promote your book, have several blogs, and are blessed with a family.  When do you find the time to write?

It is hard, I mostly write while driving (I don’t mean literally).  I get my ideas while driving to and fro from work and put them on paper when I get the chance at home.

4. You found the world of traditional publishing a challenging one.  What has your experience been like with Sweetwater Books?

It has been wonderful to work with and I am grateful to having met Cedar Fort.  They were very reassuring and have been easy to work with.  They designed such a great cover that fits the content of the book and taking into consideration what I had in mind.

5. Who or what inspires you?

To travel and see the world some day.  I think life is too short and there is so much to do.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

“The world is yours so turn it around,” is actually a dialogue line from the movie Scarface.  It had kept me going during some hard times in medical school.

7. What are you currently reading?

Terror by Joseph J Neuschatz M.D. and am looking forward to reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

I would enjoy being Tintin, from The Adventures of Tintin.  This is a series of comic strips created by Belgian artist Herge.

9. And finallly, what are you working on now?

Hoping to start my next novel once I get this one on it’s own feet.  I thought writing was difficult only to find out marketing in even more challenging.

Thanks Preetham!  To enter to win an autographed copy of his book, click HERE.

9 in ‘09 with Eva Etzioni-Halevy & Book Giveaway!

 Author, Eva Etzioni-Halevy has graciously offered one FREE copy of her latest book, The Triumph of Deborah, to one lucky commenter.  Click here for book description.  Leave a comment to be entered.  I will draw a winner on JULY 10th.

Eva Etzioni-Halevy is the author of three books of biblical fiction.  She has led a fascinating life and has turned to writing fiction after a long academic career.  Visit her website  for additional info and her detailed biography.  And without further ado, 9 questions for Eva…

1. Your latest book is about Deborah.  Can you tell us what sets her apart from the other women of the Bible?

Deborah is the most eminent woman in the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testament).  She was a national leader: sort of a president, chief justice and chief rabbi, all wrapped in one, and deeply adored by the people.

What is special about her is not only her prominence, but the intriguing tale the Scripture tells about her:  Deborah orders Barak to launch a strike against the Canaanites, who threaten their people with destruction.  His response is rather unusual: he demands that she accompany him to the battlefield.  Over three thousand years ago – a woman in the battlefield?

I found this to be very strange and suggestive.  I asked myself: why did he really want her there?  Moreover, he lived in a different part of the country and she ended up going with him to his hometown as well.  Yet she was a married woman and a mother, and there is nothing to indicate that her husband accompanied her.

I began asking myself: what did her husband have to say to that excursion?  What would anyhusband say if his wife suddenly went off to distant parts with another man, leaving him to do the babysitting?  It makes good sense that this created marital problems between them.  Would they be able to overcome those problems?  And what transpired between Deborah and Barak when they were together with no husband in sight?

These were the aspects of Deborah and her story that to my mind set her apart from other biblical women.  I found them most compelling, and they prompted me to write the novel.

2. What led you to writing about the women of the Bible and how do you choose which to base a book on?

Recently I began to read the Bible, and I discovered what an amazing set of books it is.  I found it to be full of the most dramatic and the most traumatic stories about people who lived thousands of years ago, and yet are so strikingly similar to us in their anxieties, hopes and desires.

I began to identify in particular with the women whose lives I could visualize as if they were my own.  I decided to hand them a “loudspeaker,” so that their voices could be heard loud and clear across the generations.  I have done so in three novels, of which The Triumph of Deborah is the most recent.

I usually choose to write about the biblical women who are closest to my heart, and the ones who ignite my imagination, as was the case with Deborah.

3. You are a professor emeritus at Bar-Ilan University.  Do you still have any responsibilities at the university that take up your time and how much time is spent writing?

To my mind, Professor emeritus is the best type of professor to be.  It means that, being retired, you still hold the title but you no longer have to do anything to earn it.

Having written heavy academic books for years, I felt an urge to burst out into a completely different direction and write light books that people would not have to read for their coursework but would want to read for fun and reading pleasure.  So as soon as became emeritus, I “reincarnated” myself as a biblical novelist.  I began writing what had been sitting inside me for years, and at this point of my life I no longer do anything else.

4. These books must require extensive research.  How much research do you do compared with the amount of time spent writing?

I have been doing extensive research that spanned over several years and included:

-Scouring the Bible itself for all hints it yields about social structure, family structure, the position of women, foods, cosmetics, diseases, medicinal herbs, and more.

-Traveling to the locations in which the plots of the novels took place.  I visited some locations of The Triumph of Deborah twice, and it was awesome to see the castle in which part of the story takes place, still in existence, though in ruins!

-Reviewing a variety of excavations that showed the layout of houses and temples, cooking utensils and the like, in the period described.

-Visits to museums, which displayed relieves of what people looked like, what they wore and what utensils they used, and a lot more.

This research has been completed by now, and I can devote most of my time to writing and promoting my books.

5.Your life has been full of experiences I only get to read about in history books (escaping from Vienna, war years in Italy – both in concentration camps and in hiding, life in Palestine after the war, and life in Tel Aviv).  Is there any chance that you may write a memoir?  I’d love to read it!

I am a child Holocaust survivor and sometimes people say to me: you ought to write about your experiences during this horrific era, because soon there will be no one left to tell the tale to generations to come.

But, disappointingly, I don’t have a book on this topic sitting inside me, waiting to come out.

I am “locked” into writing biblical fiction and intend to continue with that.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

My favorite is from the biblical book of Psalms, emphasizing that even when life is dismal there is hope, that even when one is downtrodden, there is a path that leads from despair to success.

He raises the destitute from the dust…

The stone the builders have disdained

has become the chief corner-stone…

It was from the Lord;

it was a marvel in our eyes.

7. What are you currently reading?

I have just finished reading an Advance Review Copy of J: The Women Who Wrote the Bible, a Biblical Novel by Mary Burns.  I found it fascinating.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

I don’t have one particular favorite character.  I am trapped in the lives of all my biblical heroines, and I feel a compulsion to write about them as I believe they deserve to be written about: stories of love, betrayal, and redemption, with sensuous scenes, and twisting, suspenseful plots.  Stories that are faithful to the Scripture, but are not only for those interested in it.  They are written first and foremost for reading pleasure, for anyone who likes a light, enjoyable read.

9. And finally, what are you working on now?

I am working on a novel about another biblical woman: Tamar, the daughter of King David, who was the victim of incestuous rape by her brother.  My book describes the trauma she experienced and how she succeeded in rebuilding her life afterward.  I am still struggling with it and it is not ready for publication yet.

Thanks, Eva!

Books by Eva- The Song of Hannah, The Garden of Ruth, and The Triumph of Deborah

9 in ‘09 with Nina Vida

This week I asked the author Nina Vida to answer a few questions.  She is the author of seven books and gives hope to anyone who thinks it is too late to start a writing career.  Visit her website and her blog to learn more about Nina and her books.

Thanks for stopping by Nina!

1. You began your writing career after your children were out of the house and some encouragement from your husband.  Can you tell us a little about how you became a published author?

When the children went to college, so did I, majoring in English, with no thought of writing anything more complicated than a grocery list.  As part of my course work I was required to take a creative writing class.  I said to myself, oh, no, creative writing, what do I do, what do I say.  But I was stuck with it.  So I wrote an essay about my sister, who had had heart surgery at age 38 and how it had affected the way I looked at life and health and everything else.  The professor loved it, said it made her cry.  My husband (who had been a Navy journalist) read it and said he thought I should try my hand at writing a novel.  I had always been a fanatic reader, but reading a book and writing one are two very different pursuits, and I couldn’t conceive of myself as a writer, so I resisted.  I told my husband that writers were born writing, they wrote books and poems in the cradle, that writing was a sacred profession, not to be taken lightly.  He wouldn’t give up.  Finally I agreed to try, and that was how it began.  Every evening my husband read what I had written that day, and then we discussed it, and after a while I began to get the hang of it. 

2. How was the writing experience different from your first book to your last?

The writing experience from the first book to the seventh was a tremendous learning curve.  Whatever talent a writer has, nothing worthwhile is accomplished without craft, and craft only comes with writing, writing and more writing.  Which is what I did.  I kept writing, and with each book I struck out farther from shore, began exploring stylistic tropes, began thinking in terms of imagery and metaphor, but always wanting to tell a story and tell it beautifully.

3. What is the best writing advice you ever received?

The best writing advice I ever got was from my husband at a time when prospects for getting my first novel published looked bleak.  “Your time will come,” he said, “and in the meantime where else can you get all these cheap thrills?”

4. How do you feel about the new electronic readers?  Do you have a Kindle or plan on buying one?

I don’t have a Kindle, but my husband does, and he loves it.  I’ve learned never to say no to anything new, but right now I still like the smell of a book and the feel of the pages turning beneath my fingers.  I even like the dog-eared look of a well-read book. 

5. You’ve written books in a few different genres.  What is your favorite genre to read?

 I read mostly literary or mainstream fiction, but an author who uses language distinctively, who has genuine insight into his characters, who uses dialogue in a realistic way, and who knows how to tell a story without padding the book to death with unnecessary exposition – that’s my kind of author, my kind of book.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

A favorite quote:  Take nothing on its face; take everything on its evidence.

7. What are you currently reading?

I just finished “The House on Fortune Street” by Margot Livesey.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

Elizabeth Bennett in “Pride and Prejudice,” because she’s so smart!

9. And finally, what are you working on right now and do you have a book hitting the shelves soon?

I’ve recently finished work on a novel about Jewish refugees in Shanghai during World War II.

Books by Nina- The Texans, The End of Marriage, Between Sisters, Goodbye Saigon, Maximilian’s Garden, Return from Darkness, Scam

9 in ‘09 with Emilie Richards

This Friday I invited Emilie Richards to answer 9 questions.  I am almost finished with my first Richards novel, Fox River, and have enjoyed it so much I contacted her before I even finished it.  I sent her the questions Wednesday night and she had sent me her answers by the time I checked my mail Thursday morning!  Thank you, Emilie!

Emily is a  minister’s wife, mother of four, and author of the the popular Ministry is Murder mysteries and the Shenandoah Album novels.  I’ll post my review of her novel, Fox River, on Sunday and I can assure you that I will be reading more of Emilie Richards.

Visit Emilie’s website (www.emilierichards.com) for a list of her books, quilts, and upcoming events.  And now, the questions…

1. You have written over 60 books.  What is your writing routine?  You must be very disciplined.

I am disciplined, but that’s easy enough since I love writing so much that I look forward to my time at the computer.  I usually do email or blogging over coffee, then after breakfast I launch into whatever I need to work on that day.  I try to take care of promotion, research, editing, brainstorming etc. in the morning because I actually write best between about 2 and 6.  I save that time for the most concentrated work and try to avoid interruptions.  I set aside Mondays as my day off, but I do write at least half a day each on the weekends.

2. You have been a minister’s wife for many years and write the Ministry is Murder mystery series.  How has your congregation responded to your books?  Any fun stories?

I learned some time ago that people will see themselves in my books whether I put them there or not (and you can bet I don’t).  Strangely, though, nobody seems to think I’m writing about anything that could actually happen in a real church, nobody except ministers’ families, of course.  My best mail comes from fellow clergy wives and clergy of all denominations, also lots of PKs (preacher’s kids) who recognize my characters and sympathize.  Their real life stories put mine to shame.

I do have to say that our congregation has been totally supportive, and the church I loosely base the series on (and the town of Emerald Springs) invited me for a book signing last year.  They love it.

3. I just visited your blog for the first time and fell in love (http://blog.emilierichards.com/).  You cover a range of topics from the inauguration (made me teary eyed) to swine flu (made me happy you’ve recovered – you have to read it for details, readers).  As a relatively new blogger what has surprised you the most and do you have favorite blogs that you visit?

I was dragged kicking and screaming into the blogosphere.  I’ve never kept a journal, never wanted to, and doing it online seemed pointless and excruciating.  How wrong could I be?  I adore blogging.  I’ve gone from wondering what on earth I’d talk about to how on earth can I fit everything in?  It’s a joy and a journey.  In the very near future I’ll be running my next contest there (for Happiness Key) and anybody who comments on my “happiness” blogswill be entered to win a beach bag stuffed with gifts chosen by my characters.

I am a big fan of my friend author Diane Chamberlain’s blog, and nothing beats Lee Lofland’s The Graveyard Shift for great research on police procedure.  I visit many others, but I’m trying not to become addicted.

4. What is the one thing you could not live without?

My imagination.

5. Who or what inspires you?

I love stories about the “little guy” or “gal” who have overcome adversity, or stood up for their values against impossible odds and won.  There are so many, and we see so few of them.  But I am always inspired.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

I fall in love with quotes and immediately forget them.  But here’s one from Milton that I saw today in the NY Times, and I really like it:  The mind is its own place, and in itself/ Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n.”

7. What are you currently reading?

I just finished Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.  I have Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell on my bedside table and Blood Bayou by my friend Karen Young, plus I’m listening to Storm of Swords by George Martin.  There’s a new Diane Mott Davidson mystery on my list, and I’ve downloaded the new Harlan Coben and Lisa Scottoline to listen to once I finish Storm of Swords.  Is that eclectic enough do you think?  I also received a Sony reader for my last birthday (love it) and last night I downloaded three of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and three Sherlock Holmes to go along with other classics I’ve already downloaded.  Life is good.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character who would you choose?

Stephanie Plum, because even though she’s in constant danger, cars explode when she’s not inside them, and she has both Ranger and Joe to keep her life interesting.

Of course I’d also love to take up permanent residence in the Land of Oz, so the choice would be tough.

9. And finally, what are you working on now and are there any books we’ll see on the shelves soon?

Happiness Key, my latest Mira, will be on bookshelves June 30th, along with the new paperback of Sister’s Choice, last year’s hardcover.  Happiness Key is in trade paperback, a new venture for me, and I’ll be offering a $1.50 off coupon on my website, and in my newsletters.  It’s easy to sign up for my email newsletter on my website.  Happiness Key  is the quintessential beach book, set on the Florida Gulf Coast.  It’s a friendship novel, about four very different women and I adored writing it.  Fortunate Harbor, the sequel, is in progress now.  Once it’s finished I’ll launch into A Truthfor a Truth, the fifth book in my Ministry is Murder series.  I think I’m supremely lucky to have two different kinds of books to keep my work fresh, and I never tire of either.

Thank you, Emilie!

9 in ‘09 with Sherryl Woods

This week I have the New Times Bestselling Author Sherryl Woods answering nine questions.  She writes wonderful romances and has a great website with a blog that covers some really fun topics.  You can visit her website here.  And she also happens to be a part-time neighbor and full-time friend to my Aunt Carol in Colonial Beach, Virginia.

1. You have written over 100 romance and mystery novels.  What is your secret for staying so productive after all these years?

I think my journalism background has been a huge influence on my ability to keep coming up with stories.  I’m always looking around at the world and wondering why this happened or what would change if somebody did this, instead of that.  As Mary Higgins Clark once put it, I spend a lot of time asking what if…?

2. You are my second featured author who earned a journalism degree from Ohio State (Go Bucks!).  Do you think aspiring authors should go to college or are there other avenues that can be just as helpful?

I don’t think college is ever a mistake.  However I certainly don’t think it’s necessary to have a degree in creative writing.  Lots of writers I know have wildly different backgrounds, everything from mine in journalism to drama and law.

3. When you first started your writing career you used a few different pseudonyms before using your real name.  Why did you decide to use one and why did you stop?

I was barely out of my newspaper job when I sold my first books and friends (mistakenly I now know) thought I should preserve my “real” name for “serious” writing.  When I went with my agent, she advised me to use my own name and stick with it, so I could build an identity as an author…and no publisher could ever let others use the name, which can happen if you’re not careful with pseudonyms.

4. It has always been a dream of mine to own my own bookstore and you actually did it!  What were the best and worst aspects of owning your own bookstore and would you recommend it to others, like me?

The ten years I spent owning a bookstore were absolutely wonderful in many respects.  I loved getting to read catalogues, order books and open the boxes every week.  Even better was getting to talk about books with my customers.  It was a book lover’s dream.  However, it was also so demanding, especially with a writing career, that I almost never had a chance to actually read.  And in this economic environment with even the big chains having difficulties, I don’t know that I’d try it unless the circumstances in your community are just right…meaning no major competition for miles and miles.

5. Who are your favorite authors?

I have a slew of them in many genres.  I love Carla Neggers’ romantic suspense, Heather Grahams’ suspense novels, Jayne Ann Krentz (and her Amanda Quick persona), Susan Wiggs, Nelson DeMille, Joan Mendicott, Jan Karon, Dorothea Benton Franks, just for starters.

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite? 

No, not really.

7. What are you currently reading?

Maeve Binchy’s Heart and Soul.  She’s another of my favorites.

8.  If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character, who would you choose?

Just about any female in a book that has a happy ending.

9. And finally, what is your current project?

I’m now writing three more Sweet Magnolias books, beginning with a much-requested story for Ty and Annie.  I’m so delighted by reader enthusiasm for this series.  Writing more is like getting to visit with old friends.  These are scheduled to come out back-to-back in spring 2010.

Thank you so much for stopping by, Sherryl!

9 in ‘09 with Laurie Dean

Laurie is the author of the children’s book Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too (reviewed here).  Visit Baron’s fun website for interactive games and a special offer -  order the book before April 30th and it will be shipped FREE.  http://www.baronthinks.com/  You can also follow Laurie on Twitter (handyauthor).

1. Baron is adorable!  Is there a real Baron?

Baron is a fictional character.  His disposition is a composite from my recollections of behaviors and ‘personalities’ that various dogs from my childhood exhibited.  We lived on a dead end street in an unincorporated part of town.  At the very end of the street, past the last house, was a large woodland area.  Back then, in the 1960’s and 70’s, it was common for people to drive to the woods and drop off unwanted litters of puppies and kittens.  Sadly, they would be abandoned there to fend for themselves.  My siblings and I often played among the trees, whereupon, we would discover the baby animals and take them home with us.  We fostered many dogs and cats over the years.  I grew up in a large family with a lot of pets!

2. How long did it take you to write Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too! ?

For me, the process of writing children’s stories is like having ‘puffy clouds’ of ideas constantly floating around in my mind.  Then when I focus my awareness with the intention to bring a story to life in the form of a book, it’s like the puffy clouds form into a funnel cloud that ‘touches down’ through me.  This rumination process is a perpetual part of my sub conscience.

 Word selection and cadence is very important to me, so I start with a draft of the story, and then ponder the words and movement carefully as I rewrite.  Sometimes, rewrites can take months.  Several kindergarten and preschool teachers, and their students previewed the story text for Baron, even before it was submitted to an editor.  Their feedback helped me write the best story.  This book took me about two weeks to write.

3. When and why did you decide you wanted to write a children’s book?

The exact moment I decided on making my dream of creating this book come true was when I held my newborn grandson for the first time.  I felt an incredible sense of legacy, like a spiritual connection from my ancestors was beaming through me.  I wanted to create a book my own grandchildren would revisit again and again.  A combination of life experiences and time spent pondering my heart’s desire gave rise to my urge, and sense of calling, to publish children’s books.

4. Can you tell us a bit about your road to publication?

So far, I have not had any major challenges in my career as a writer.  Nowadays, it’s much easier for a first time author to publish good quality children’s books.  Since there are so many wonderful books in circulation, the challenge is to get your book noticed by all of the people who would enjoy reading it!

For me, the entire process of having my book published came about through the use of the Internet.  It has totally helped me in my writing career.  I found the website of DragonPencil/Big Tent Books publishing services online, and used them for the entire process.  Now that my book is in print, I use the Internet for marketing and networking with other professionals in the book publishing industry.

5. What was your favorite childhood book?

My favorite book that I read as a kid was Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh, published in 1964.  Harriet loves to eat tomato sandwiches, and I do too!

6. I love quotes.  Do you have a favorite?

The only way to have a friend is to be one.  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

7. What are you reading right now?

Currently, I enjoy reading New Age books about affirming and manifesting my heart’s desires.

8. If you were trapped in the life of one fictional character, whom would you choose?

Tinker Bell.  It would be fun to fly around sprinkling magic pixie dust!

9. Are you working on another children’s book?  A follow-up to Baron?

I’ve written a series of stories about two imaginary friends I had when I was preschool age.  As for Baron’s future…his family may get a cat.  Baron thinks cats are cool!