Writing About Romance and the Mob: Meet Author Kaia Misk

It’s always a thrill to welcome a debut novelist like Kaia Misk to my blog! Below are Kaia’s responses to my interview questions, followed by her bio and buy/contact links. First off, congratulations on the release of your debut novel, THE FIRSTBORN SON, the first in your Renzi Affairs Series. Can you tell our readers…

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Still a Teacher at Heart

During the years I studied sociology, I encountered a variety of theories about aging. The one that always made the most sense to me was called continuity theory which posits that as people age, they maintain ties with their past interests and passions. In essence, they remain who they always were. So, for example, it’s…

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Affairs of the FBI and the Heart: Meet Author Suzanne Baginskie

What a delight to interview Suzanne Baginskie who has created an exciting series of standalone novels, all featuring FBI characters. Below are her responses to my interview questions, followed by her bio and contact/buy links: First off, congratulations on your FBI Affairs series of novels! I don’t know too many writers whose publishers offer them…

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Mining My Own Backstory

This past month, my essay on “The Importance of Backstory” appeared on Hasty Book List. I discuss why I’ve found it so helpful to dig deeply into my characters’ backstories (everything that happened to them prior to the beginning of the novel) before I work on plotting. But what about my own backstory? Interestingly, my…

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A Passion for Venice: Meet Agatha-Nominated Author Nina Wachsman

In her Agatha-Nominated debut novel, The Gallery of Beauties, Nina Wachsman does such a wonderful job of bringing seventeenth century Venice to life that the city itself becomes a character. In her guest essay, Nina discusses her fascination with Venice, her personal connection to the city, and the inspiration behind her work. VENICE, CITY OF…

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From Violinist to Award-Winning Writer and Lecturer: Meet Erica Miner

When fate intervened to prematurely end her distinguished career as a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera, Erica Miner successfully reinvented herself as an award-winning author, screenwriter, arts journalist, and lecturer. As a former dancer-turned-writer, I feel a special kinship with Erica and am so delighted to welcome her to my blog today as she celebrates…

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“So, What Are You Working On?”

The two most common questions fiction writers get asked are: “Where do you get your ideas?” and “What’s your story about?” With each new release, I make a point of doing my best to respond, explaining what gave me the idea for the novel, as well as describing the plot. For DEADLY SETUP, for example,…

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