Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Interview with Deborah Malone

Recently, I interviewed Deborah Malone.

Bio: Deborah has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, since 2001, for the historical magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published during this time. Her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails” edited by Olin Jackson. She has also had a showing of her photographs at Floyd Medical Center Art Gallery as well as winning several awards. Her debut cozy mystery "Death in Dahlonega" is now available. She is a current member of the Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She has an established blog, Butterfly Journey, where she reviews Christian Fiction.

photo of author Debbie Malone


WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START WRITING?
I've always loved to read. I think I was a teen-ager when I first tried my hand at writing. I didn't finish, but I guess that could be considered my first attempt at writing.

WHAT AUTHORS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?
My genre of choice to write is cozy mysteries so cozy writers have had the most influence. A few would be Anne George, Patricia Sprinkle, Kathy Trocheck, Alice K. Arnez, Dana Mentink, just to name a few!

The one writer who influenced me most on Christian writing would be Margaret Daley.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS?
We always hear: go to conventions, read writing books, etc. and all of this is good. But the main thing that helped me was encouragement from other authors on "not to give up." It takes a while to get published and every author has a story about their journey. You have to hang in there for the long run! These are three books that helped me the most: Write in Style by Bobbie Christmas, Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon and after you're published Stress Free Marketing by Renea Winchester.

YOU TAKE AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS. HAVE YOU EVER BASED A SCENE ON A PHOTOGRAPH YOU’VE TAKEN?
Thank you. I've had to take many photos for my research for my magazine articles so I've used them several times for scenes. That was a great question!

bumblebee sitting on fuschia colored zinnia

 TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LATEST RELEASE.
"Death in Dahlonega" is my debut cozy mystery. It is based on two friends who find themselves in a bit of a scrape. Trixie is a magazine writer and she is on assignment in Dahlonega, Georgia and her friend Dee Dee has tagged along. Dee Dee owns an antique shop and this will be the perfect place for her to shop for antiques and other goodies. The girls are watching a film at the gold museum when Dee Dee has to go to the bathroom - this is not unusual for Dee Dee. While she is nosing around in the rooms she happens up on a dead body. She automatically pulls out the pick axe and winds up being the main person of interest. The handsome sheriff is ready to retire and run for mayor, so Trixie doesn't think he's trying very hard to find the real killer. So she and Dee Dee take matters in their own hands. The question is will they find the real killer before Dee Dee ends up in the slammer?

I am working on my next two releases with Trixie and Dee Dee the first one is "Murder in Marietta" and the second one is "Terror in Tybee Island."

HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND IN RESEARCH BEFORE YOU WRITE A STORY?
I like to visit the area and take lots of pictures as well as interview people that are familiar with the area. Then I continue to do research throughout the whole book to keep it fresh in my mind. I don't really know how much time, but it is a good bit. Research is imperative.

WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR RESEARCH?
Well, I don't know about what I learned, but I do have a funny story. When I went to the gold museum and talked with the real ranger about taking pics/interviewing them etc. for the book she hurriedly called her boss and then preceded to tell me I couldn't write about their security system. Of course, I didn't know about their security system so it was funny to me. I really don't think she knew what a cozy mystery was.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR TIME WHEN YOU'RE NOT WRITING?
Now that I've been published I don't have as much time to do other things, but I like to take photographs. I'm enjoying meeting people through my marketing of "Death in Dahlonega."

HOW CAN READERS CONTACT YOU AND/OR LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WRITING?
You can contact me by going to my website deborah-malone.com. I would love to hear from my readers and if anyone wants a signed copy I'd be glad to do that and my email is debbiejeanm@gmail.com.  Thank you for having me on your blog!

a large plantation home is shown on the cover


Back Cover: Winner in American Christian Fiction Writers' Category Five writing contest!

A friendly adventure turns to murder and mayhem in the north Georgia mountains. Historical writer Trixie Montgomery is asked to cover Gold Rush Days in the picturesque Georgia mountain town, Dahlonega. Trixie seizes the chance to mix business with pleasure and asks her best friend, Dee Dee to tag along. Their well laid plans go awry when Dee Dee is discovered standing over the lifeless body of prominent citizen, John Tatum - the very man she'd had a run in with earlier that day - holding a bloody pickax in her hands. Can Trixie find a way to finish her assignment and keep Dee Dee out of the slammer?

Giveaway:  Deborah has graciously agreed to host a giveaway of her novel. The giveaway will be a paperback book, and the only requirement to be entered in the giveaway is to visit her blog and sign up as a follower. The address is deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com. More details to follow.

Update--please be sure to leave a comment here and sign up for Deborah's blog to enter the giveaway. The giveaway ends February 29th!






*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.

19 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for having me as a guest. I look forward to seeing some of the comments!
    Deborah

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  2. What a great interview! I love that picture of the bee on the Zinnia - just beautiful. Signed up as a new follower of her blog. Thank you for hosting her here today. I look forward to reading more about her!

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  3. Great interview! I also love the bee picture! Look forward to seeing more of Deborah!

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  4. Hi Amanda, it's good to see you. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Hi Marcy thank you for coming over and say hi!
    Debbie

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  5. Very interesting interview!! I hope I win the copy of your newest release, Death in Dahlonega. I don't get to buy ENGLISH, CHRISTIAN FICTION here, since I live in FRENCH Canada. I've loved to read since before I went to kindergarten (5 or 6 years old). This books sounds SO GOOD!!

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  6. Your book sounds like a great read for a cold winter day. I'd be delighted to win it. This is a really good interview, very imformative and interesting. Ann Knowles

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  7. This is a really good interview, Deborah.
    Pat

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  8. Hi Deborah,
    Another awesome interview! Hope things are still going well for you and your daughter is feeling better...

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  9. Great interview. I'm already a follower of your blog, Deborah. For some reason, I thought I have a copy of your novel, but I don't. I think I've seen it so many places around the 'net' that I thought I owned one. I want to read it.

    Blessings,

    Tom Blubaugh, Author
    Night of the Cossack

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  10. I follow your blog, Debbie and would LOVE to win your book! Blessings!

    elainemariecooper(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  11. I so want to read this book!
    pdyer3@cfl.rr.com

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  12. Hi Jen, Tom, Elaine and Pat - my faithful followers and friends. It's good to see you here supporting me. Tom I think you gave your copy away as a giveaway I hope you win one. I'll be around some more blogs in the next couple of months. I'm trying to keep "Death in Dahlonega" in the forefront.
    Debbie

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  14. Thanks for the informative interview. I admit that cozy and thriller seem like an oxymora but guess I need to read it before I come to that conclusion! Now I need to go over to Deb's blog and poke around! I'd love to actually win a book. Slowing getting acquainted with you all.

    Blessings, Carol Brown

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  15. Sybil Bates McCormackFebruary 23, 2012 at 6:18 PM

    Hi, Deborah! I'm a fellow member of ACFW and Georgian (by way of California - LOL!). I enjoyed your interview and would love to win a copy of "Death in Dahlonega." My email address is prompt_return[at]bellsouth.net. Blessings...

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  16. Sounds great, please sign me up for the giveaway.

    Librarybooks at religious dot com

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  17. having been to dahlonega, i'm very interested in reading this! i love the local culture in many georgia towns.

    great interview, heidi!
    jeannie
    the character therapist
    charactertherapist at hotmail dot com

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  18. Thank you to everyone who has left a comment. It is encouraging to see all the support I'm getting for "Death in Dahlonega"
    Debbie

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  19. Thanks for the chance to win. :) I'm one of Deborah's followers.

    Ann

    Ann_Lee_Miller[at]msn[dot]com

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