Interview with C.L. (Cindy) Ragsdale

 

Interview with C. L. Ragsdale

 

 

1) Tell us a little about yourself. Well the "C" in C. L. is for Cindy, never mind the middle name (but it's not what you think). I'm a California girl, and am husbandless, childless, and petless. In other words I mostly get to do what I want when I want, unless God has other plans, then I do what He wants. Sooner or later. Sooner would have been better. When I'm not writing I'm usually reading, knitting, crocheting. All in all, I'm pretty boring and I like it that way. My characters get all the excitement I can handle.

 

2) Tell us about your most recent book/or the book we are focusing on.  The Wooley Weegie is the sixth book in my Christian Cozy Mystery Series, The Reboot Files. These books are Scooby Doo style mysteries with humor, dubious hauntings, monsters and are worked in with an actual non-murder mystery. This particular monster was a story told by my Dad (yeah that's where it comes from). Here's a brief description of the plot:  Reporter Irene Waters and her cameraman Troy Stenson are on the campus of an exclusive private school hunting a local legend called The Woolly Weegie for an episode of their TV show. At least that's what the locals think. In reality, for once they have been sent on an actual investigative story to uncover an alleged academic cheating ring. But just when they think they have escaped the weirdness that usually accompanies their stories, weirdness comes looking for them when The Woolly Weegie comes pounding on their door. Literally.

 

3) Why did you choose this particular genre?  I love puzzles, word games, mysteries, you name it. But not just to solve. I dissect them. If I fail to solve them I go back and figure out where I went wrong. Also the cozy mystery crowd adopted me, as I was a writer without a genre when I first started.

 

4) What was your journey to publication like?  When I reached a certain age (hey you've seen the gray hair) I decided that since I always wanted to be a writer, I would actually sit down and write a story all the way through. Not just bits and pieces as I had been. After doing some research, I decided that because of various factors I would self-publish. So in 2011 I published my first book of The Reboot Files, The Mystery of Hurtleberry House.

 

5) What is a couple of your favorite books and what are you reading now?  The Voyage of The Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis and The Hound of The Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. Currently I'm into the old detective novels (like over a hundred years old) and am reading The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet, a detective story by Burton Egbert Stevenson.

 

6) What are you working on now and can you give us a little peek inside?  Well I have three projects in different phases of development. The first one coming out in 2015 is the first in a series called The Law of The Lands entitled Wonderful Loses Its Head. A cozy mystery (really) of which involves a Mexican-American policewoman named Inez Ariana Castillo Medina who ends up being assigned as The Sheriff of Fairytale Land (she's not sure who she upset to get stuck with this job). In the course of her duties she'll have to keep the peace between the various "lands" by solving mysteries that could prove to have serious consequences if she doesn't. They are a high strung lot in "the lands". The first mystery is finding out what happened to The Queen of Hearts of Wonderland who has disappeared. No, it's not that Queen of Hearts. Inez will be helped with the mystery solving by her "posse" which includes her Deputy, a fairy named Twinkle, her Abuela (well you can't have a single girl going off all be herself away from her family now can you?) and a very large blue dragon named Percy. Yeah I do cozy mysteries kind of different.

 

7) What advice would you give authors who are on their own journey to publication?  Keep in mind writing is not just about writing. It's formatting, marketing, proofreading and editing. Whether you're traditionally published or go Indie you will be doing a lot of work that's not writing. Also, write what you love, don't try to follow a trend, because they change too fast to follow and you won't have any fun. Writing should be fun because that's why writers write.

 

8) Do you have any books or websites that have helped you with your writing that you could share with us?  Well technically it's not a website but I got a lot of help from other authors on Goodreads. These are people who've been there and have learned along the way and are willing to share their experience.

 

9) Is there anything you'd like to tell us we haven't covered?  Thank you to all readers who took a chance on an unknown writer. Also, to my fellow authors who gave me advice where I really needed it. But mostly thank you to The Lord who gives me these crazy stories that somehow seem to work as entertainment and sharing the Gospel.

 

10) Please let us know where we can find you on the web.  You can find me on my blog, Short Stories and Tall Tales at:  www.shortmysteriesandtalltales@blogspot.com

My Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/pages/CL-Ragsdale/219184744858421

My Amazon.com Author Page:  www.amazon.com/C.L.-Ragsdale/e/B004VJ3DJ6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1418262909&sr=8-2-ent

Twitter:  @clragsdalebooks

Email:  clrwritesbooks@gmail.com

 

THANK YOU CINDY FOR COMING AND VISITING US AT SLEUTHS AND SUSPECTS!

 

 



 

 

Interview and Giveaway with Bryan Powell

 BRYAN POWELL

Interview Questions

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, my name is Bryan M. Powell, I’ve lived in Georgia for the last 36 years. Since moving to Georgia, I have served as a minister of music in several churches, sold real estate, composed over 80 choral works, written 16 novels and become the grandfather of seven wonderful grandchildren. Most recently, I purchased Hiram Bookstore, located at 5077 Jimmy Lee Smith Pkwy, Hiram GA. (on 278, two doors down from Cheeseburger Bobby’s).

Tell us about your most recent book/or the book we are focusing on. Why did you choose this particular genre?

All my books are considered Christian Fiction. However, I have written Mystery, Adventure, Sci Fi, General Fiction and a Creative Memoir. All the novels are plot driven with a strong sub-theme. Such themes deal with; Love, Hatred, Failure, Forgiveness, Salvation, Prejudice, Purity, Self-acceptance to name a few.

What was your journey to publication like?

My journey started with a search of publishers interested in producing a novel with a strong Christian message. My first publisher was Tate Publishing. As I developed my skill, I began to seek other publishers. I found Vabella Publishing for my third book, The Stranger Among Us. They are a traditional, small press with great service.

What is a couple of your favorite books and what are you reading now?

I have read most of Joel Rosenberg’s books, many by Frank Peretti, and Randy Ingermanson’s books.

What are you working on now and can you give us a little peek inside it?

I’ve just finished the second book in a detective series called The Trace O’Reilly Series. Book One is Saving Lily – The Case of the Missing Necklace. What does a Sixteen year old debutant, a million dollars, and a missing necklace have to do with each other? Nothing, until people started dying.

Book Two is Saving Lily – The Case of the Missing Key. What is it about the key that someone is willing to kill for? What does the ‘L’ and ‘W’ on the key stand for? Can Trace O’Reilly unravel the mystery before Lily pays the ultimate price?  Both will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out whodunit.

What advice would you give authors who are on their own journey to publication?

Do your own research. Familiarize yourself with publisher’s policy and genre. Know your target market and begin building your platform. Also, be prepared for rejection. Not every publisher will take your manuscript. But also know this, publication is not the end all, be all. The fact that you wrote a book should be gratification enough. Getting published is the icing on the top. However, once you’re published, the journey has just begun. You have to set your sights on selling it.

Do you have any books or websites that have helped you with your writing that you could share with us?

I have studied many books. One that stands out is Stress Free Marketing by Renea Winchester. Also, Randy Ingermanson has a great book on writing.

Is there anything you’d like to tell us we haven’t covered?

Hiram Bookstore’s website is

www.hirambookstore.com and our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/Hirambooks

Please let us know where we can find you on the web.

My web/blog site is http://www.authorbryanpowell.wordpress.com

Thank you Bryan for being a guest on Sleuths and Suspects. Can't wait to see your future projects.

For a chance to win a copy of one of Bryan's books, please leave a comment and your email address so we can contact you.