The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer-- Lisa Orchard

Help me welcome Lisa Orchard, fellow YA writer and all around nice gal. She's here to tell us a little about herself and her recent release, The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer.

1)      Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

I started reading mysteries like The Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew at a young age. By fifth grade I was writing my own stories, and I knew then that I wanted to be a writer. But it wasn’t until I decided to stay home with my kids that I was able to pursue this dream.

2)      What inspired you to write the story, “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”?

When I was younger I wanted to be a detective like Nancy Drew. Yep, I even formed my own detective squad, and although we never solved our mystery. The summer I became a detective is one of my best memories. So when I started thinking about writing my story I remembered that summer and all the fun I had with my friends. I decided that I wanted to write a story that reflected those times. That’s how my story evolved. J

3)      What do you hope readers get out of your story?

I hope they get that same feeling of joy and anticipation that I got on those long summer days long ago when everything was possible. I also want them to learn something from my book.

4)      Who is your favorite character in the story?

Oh, this one’s tough because I have two favorites.  I would have to say my favorites are Sarah and Jackie. I love how strong and brave Sarah is, and I love Jackie’s loyalty and spontaneity. Their friendship is easy and they compliment each other. I love how they interact with each other.

5)      Tell us something that no one knows about you.

Hmmm…well there is one person who knows this, and that’s my hubby. He claims that I snore. I, of course, deny this emphatically. J I will never admit this to him…but I have on occasion woken myself up with my snoring. LOL! My poor hubby! 

6)      What is your favorite time of day?

I would have to say the first thing in the morning. I usually wake up before everyone else, and we sleep with the windows open. I’ll walk through the house and it’s so peaceful to hear the birds singing and see the day beginning. Then my kids wake up and it’s run…run…run for the rest of the day. But that early morning peacefulness is something I really enjoy.

  

7)      If you had the power to change anything you wanted in the world what would it be?

I would find a way to stop child abuse.

8)      Who is one person you admire?

I really admire Oprah Winfrey. She has overcome so much and achieved so much, she is truly an inspiration.

9)      What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

Som-mores! I love campfires and roasting marshmallow, and my kids love it too. It’s a great way to spend an evening.

 Awesome! Us too. My son doesn't like marshmallows, so we just give him graham crackers and chocolate and call it a Sm. :) Then, the ones my hubby makes only using one marshmallow are called Smos.

10)  What is one of your favorite hobbies?

Hiking. I love to hike in the woods, especially in the fall when the leaves are turning color. It’s really beautiful and it’s a great way to relieve stress. J

Here's a little more about The Super Spies: 

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

You can check it out on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1341594735&sr=1-1&keywords=the+super+spies+and+the+cat+lady+killer

On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-super-spies-and-the-cat-lady-killer-lisa-orchard/1109518725?ean=2940014338202

 or at Astraea Press:  http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:mode=product&product=10078468

Thanks, Lisa, for being here today. Readers, before you go, be sure to leave Lisa a comment. We authors love to chat with our readers. 

Wind Over Marshdale by Tracy Krauss

Today we're with Tracy Krauss who just released Wind over Marshdale in June 2012. I met Tracy through our common publisher, Astraea Press. Thanks for being here today, Tracy. 

Jessie:  How did you choose adult fiction as your preferred genre?

Tracy: I write what I feel inspired to write, so I guess it chose me. My work has been called ‘edgy’ in that it does sometimes contain content that is not always typical in Christian fiction. I like my characters to be flawed human beings, even if they are Christians, and I don’t mind tackling topics that some might shy away from. This is not to say that my work is graphic, so as not to scare anyone away. It just leans a bit more on the ‘spicy’ side. J

Jessie: Do you work with an outline, or just write?

Tracy: I start with a rough outline once I’ve got an idea for a book. I also create detailed character sketches, which I find helps me to understand their motivation for doing things and also helps drive the story line. Then I usually go one step further and write a brief summary for each chapter.  However, once I actually get to the writing, much of this changes. The characters often have minds of their own, or new inspiration comes my way.

Jessie: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Tracy: Oh dear. I was a total Sci/fi /fantasy nerd growing up. (Still am, if truth be told) I read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs ‘Tarzan’ books, a smattering of Isaac Asimov, and any Star Trek I could get my hands on. As an adult, Frank Peretti is still my favorite current author, hands down. To me he is a cutting edge genius. Interestingly enough, I don’t write in this genre, so go figure…

Jessie: Can you tell us about your challenges in getting Wind Over Marshdale published?

Tracy: I’m not sure if it was a challenge, exactly. This is my fourth published novel and although I did submit it to several agents and have some rejection, I am used to this by now. Before my first book, And the Beat Goes On, found a home, I learned the hard way that rejection is a fact of life for the fledgling author. I feel very blessed to have found Steve Hutson for an agent. He’s the one who found the contract for Wind Over Marshdale, and I hope to have the opportunity to pitch many more books his way.

Jessie: Is anything in WOM based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

Tracy: The setting is based on my hometown of Mossbank, Saskatchewan. There are many features that people from that area will recognize. Other than that, it is a compilation of ‘characters’ that may or may not have been inspired by interesting people I’ve been exposed to as my husband and I moved around a lot. Also, the main female character is a Kindergarten teacher, and my first teaching job was in Kindergarten – even though I am trained as a secondary school teacher. Some of the more humorous scenes at school are taken from this experience. Over all, it is a work of fiction, though.

Jessie: What project are you working on now?

Tracy: I have two finished manuscripts which I hope to polish up this summer and pitch to my agent, Steve Hutson. Both are romantic suspense, as usual. I also have three new stage plays coming out sometime this year. As a playwright and drama director, I am always working on new plays for my theater group, and once we’ve tested them on stage at least once, I submit, submit, submit! Finally, I’ve been working on an illustrated children’s book for a few years now, and I hope to find a publishing home for that very soon. It is more of a personal project, based on a song my mother sang to us as children.

Jessie: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Tracy: When I first started submitting work back in the early 2000’s, I had not done my due diligence in terms of learning my craft. When I look back, it’s no wonder I received so many rejections. My work was full of POV head hopping, lots of ‘telling’, passive voice, too many adverbs … the list goes on. Among the form letter rejections was a letter from an agent that laid it all out. I was hurt, but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Of course, I’m still learning and I wish I could go back and redo parts of my already published work, but I’m just moving forward now, hoping to make each new book better than the last. I’ve had many ‘best’ compliments – among them five star reviews from various people and a fan who wrote to me personally to say I was her new favorite author.  I especially appreciated the endorsements I received from other contemporary Christian authors like Michelle Sutton, Lisa Lickel, and Joyce Godwin Grubbs, all whom I hold in high regard.

Jessie: Do your characters try to create convoluted plots for you? Or do you have to coax them out of your characters?

Tracy: My plots are definitely convoluted, partly as a result of characters who have minds of their own, but also by my own design. I love a twist and I love complex, multi-faceted plot lines, so I try to do both when I write.

 Jessie: Anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself or your book?

Tracy: I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be where I’m at today. Five years ago I was still dreaming about the day I would be a published author. I’d set a goal for myself to have a book published in five years time without having to self publish. (Not necessarily saying that is a bad option – I just wanted to try other avenues first.) This was after more than twenty years of ‘closet’ writing with intermittent and unsuccessful submissions. In 2008 I made the decision to do a submission blitz - 120 submissions of the four novels I had completed at that time. Out of that came many form letter rejections, a few others that actually gave feedback, and lots that just didn’t respond. Fortunately, there were three – yes, I said THREE – requests for more. That should tell you something. If you are an unknown writer just starting out, you have to be tenacious and you have to keep submitting, taking into account any feedback, of course. Out of those, I signed my first contract in October of that year. Now, five years later, I have four novels, and five stage plays published or contracted. 

Wind Over Marshdale Book Blurb:

Marshdale. Just a small farming community where nothing special happens.  A perfect place to start over… or get lost. There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself was cursed because of the people’s sin. But its history goes farther back than even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition?

Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town; eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other ‘characters’ whose lives weave together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of human frailty - prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed – magnified by powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be broken in triumph by grace.

Tracy Krauss is an author, artist, playwright, director, worship leader, and teacher. Originally from a small prairie town, she received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Saskatchewan.  She has lived in many places in northern Canada with her husband, a pastor, and their children. They currently live in Tumbler Ridge, BC.

Published works include four romantic suspense novels: AND THE BEAT GOES ON, where archeological evidence for creation comes at a heavy cost; MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER, the story of a ‘cougar’ who takes on more than she bargained for; PLAY IT AGAIN, about an unlikely match during the 1980s rock n’ roll scene; and WIND OVER MARSHDALE, where strong spiritual forces rock a seemingly peaceful prairie town. She also has several stage plays in print. Visit her website for more details. http://www.tracykrauss.com

Endorsements:

Tracy Krauss has a deep talent. Her novel PLAY IT AGAIN was an extremely well written edgy story. The characters were well described and quickly took up residence in my mind and heart. I am looking forward to more from her.

-          Tom Blubaugh, Author of Night of the Cossack

Tracy Krauss typifies all that is good in modern Christian authorship. She is consistently there for her readers and elevates her every effort.

-          Joyce Godwin Grubbs, Author From the Grassroots

Tracy’s characters are raw and real; her plots edgy and electric.

-          Lisa Lickel, award winning author of Meander Scar,  A Summer in Oakville, The Map Quilt and other inspirational novels.

An engaging storyteller, Tracy Krauss isn't afraid to tell it like it is. I've been inspired by her realistic take on a number of scenarios she has written about.

-          Michelle Sutton, author of more than a dozen inspirational novels

Tracy Krauss paints vivid pictures of real-life scenery and situations while upholding a very real, redemptive theme.

-          Teric Darken, author of several suspense thrillers

Wind Over Marshdale purchase links:

Publisher : Astraea press http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=12328252

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Wind-Over-Marshdale-ebook/dp/B008ARYQPA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339803471&sr=8-1&keywords=wind+over+marshdale

Barnes and Noble -http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wind-over-marshdale-tracy-krauss/1111512160?ean=2940014767682

Interview with J. F. Jenkins

Today we're talking with YA author, J. F. Jenkins. Check out her new release: Legend of the Touched.

1.       What do you do when you are not writing?

When I'm not writing, I'm either reading, sleeping, playing a game, or working. Those are the staples of my life. Sometimes I'm going on a random adventure when I can find one in town. Or sometimes I make up my own random adventures!

2.        When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I started writing in middle school. Basically it was a bunch of silly but teenage angst ridden fanfic. Over dramatic, but still very entertaining to read when I'm bored. I don't have as many of them as I used to sadly. My first book I wrote around then, and it's sitting and collecting dust until I feel brave enough to work on it again and make it good.

3.       Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I do a little bit of both. I have to know at least a little of where I'm going otherwise I get frustrated, then stuck, then quit.

4.       Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

My books all have a little bit of real life experiences in them. One of my series is set in a town much like the one I grew up in. Some of the teachers even have the same names which I promise was on accident. A few of my characters relationship experiences are based loosely on my own as well. A college professor of mine once said that the best stories are the ones that are already true and the ones that you can't make up. I tend to agree with him there.

5.       What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

In my latest book that I just finished (and I won't say which because it's a huge spoiler), my main character discovers that one of his future children has come back to the past to help him. Talk about a rather interesting plot twist to have thrown at you.

6.       What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I think the hardest ones, are the ones that are the most ridiculous. Like telling people that the only good reviews I have are from my friends and other silly accusations. As for the best compliment? Just anything good is the best to me. It's great to hear that people appreciate and look forward to all of your hard work.

7.       How does your writing process look? Consistent with regular amounts of word counts daily/weekly… or more sporadic with a gush of words all at once and then a dry bed for a while?

I like to try and write during the day time, in the afternoon, because that's when I'm most awake and coherent. I also try to write every day and just do a bit at a time. More often than not I can get a draft of my novel written within a month, then I can edit, and figure out my next step from there. If I take too long on writing a book, I lose drive and motivation pretty fast.

8.       What sort of Starbuck’s coffee would your characters order? Simple coffee, complicated soy-non-fat-extra-espresso-half-caff-nightmare? 

My rich sarcastic boy likes frapacino's. The kind with lots and lots of sugar and whipped cream. Kind of strange but he enjoys the rush. Though most of my characters would say they're too good for Starbucks. They prefer the mom and pop coffee over the corporate sludge. ;)

9.       I always like hearing about books other authors read. Or, what books they read when they were kids? What were some inspiring books?

I'm not sure any particular book is one that I would call inspiring. They all are in their own unique way. Each book has something a writer can draw off of and that's why I read everything I can get my hands on. Books I read growing up though were: Animorphs, Sweet Valley High, and anything by Tamora Pierce.

10.   When was that point in your life that you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?

When I had my acceptance letter for my manuscript being taken by a publisher. That was it right there. Once that happened,my dream had been realized.

BIO:  J.F. Jenkins lives in Minneapolis Minnesota with her husband, son, and two cats. She graduated from Bethel University in 2006 with a degree in Media Communication with minors in both writing and film. When she is not busy writing, she spends her free time playing games, reading, and spending time with her family.

BLOG: http://jfjenkinswrites.wordpress.com

http://adragonslove.blogspot.com

Twitter: @jfjenkinstweets

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jfjenkinsauthor