Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Nebraska native (GO BIG RED!) residing in Omaha with my husband and my two furkids, the Pushy Pomeranian and the Contemptuous Cat. I’m finishing up my second and final year of graduate school at Creighton University, where I’m an MFA candidate in Creative Writing. I’ve written LOTS of books, but have so far published two, with more definitely on the way! I’m a fitness enthusiast, I love wine and great food, and my favorite book is the Godfather.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called The Mood for Trouble, and it’s the first in a series I have planned, titled Agent Provocateur. It’s about a CIA operative, Chase, and a DEA Special Agent, Jonathan, who meet undercover on the same case. Chase is a bad-ass, kick-ass heroine and Jonathan is a roughneck version of James Bond! I was inspired by my love for thrillers (books, movies, and TV shows), and my passion to write strong, fearless heroines.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I wouldn’t say anything particularly unusual, other than always getting struck by inspiration in the shower! I try to write whenever possible, which is not always the easiest to manage with a busy schedule. I love to write to music that complements the settings of my books. For instance, I’m currently finishing up the first draft of a Prohibition novel and have been obsessively listening to 1920s jazz for a couple months.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, golly. I love Flannery O’Connor and Raymond Carver. I love Dennis Lehane. And I’m a huge Mario Puzo fan. Anything by any of these folks has influenced me, from theme to craft.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a historical novel set in 1924 during Prohibition, about a young lounge singer struggling to deal with the murder of her gangster brother in Chicago, whose mafia ties send her to a small Nebraska town to live with a bootlegging family. Along the way as she discovers love with one of the bootleggers and also the truth about her brother’s murder, she realizes that the glitzy life she lived in the big city was nothing like she thought it was. She’s faced with a choice: love, or revenge?
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Oh dear. Research, research, research is my advice, and also–making the time to do it, which I’m very bad at. Ask other authors what has worked for them, and try everything. Giveaways are important, as well as thoughtful, personalized messages to your readers.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write that shitty first draft, to paraphrase Hemingway. And read EVERYTHING. Read your sub-genre. Read outside your sub-genre. Study your craft through craft books, seminars, and classes. MFA programs are incredible. Get a degree in the thing you love to do. I’ve learned SO MUCH about writing during my residency program, and I have changed as a writer (and a reader) in ways I never would have without studying it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Clarity is EVERYTHING. If a sentence or theme or description is not clear to anyone but YOU, it’s not clear. Clear, crisp, concise sentences that are confident will always win with a reader in the end.
What are you reading now?
A lot of school books! A lot of Flannery O’Connor, specifically one of her short story collections. I’m reading the Gloaming by Melanie Finn, and for fun and escape I’m reading a romance by Dana Volney, No Good Dead.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More writing, and more writing! Finishing up my Prohibition novel, then turning to the next book in my Agent Provocateur series. After that, I’ve got an idea for a sci-fi cyberpunk romance, followed by a regency steampunk adventure romance. Additionally, I’ve got some thrillers planned for a different pen name. I’m up to my ears in writing projects–just the way I like it!
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Godfather, by Mario Puzo. Historical fiction, family, blood, the mafia, a little romance. What’s not to love?
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