Interview and Giveaway with Nike Chillemi

CONGRATULATIONS TO BARBARA!

WINNER OF BURNING HEART

 

 

Please welcome Nike Chillemi to Sleuths and Suspects. This is her first time with us. I hope you learn more about Nike and her writing from the interview. I've just heard from Nike and she is going to give away a copy of her new book "Burning Hearts." She will choose from the best comment. Be sure to leave your email address and be a follower. Without further ado here we go!

 

 

 

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. 

Nike: I grew up in upstate New York. My dad was an English teacher who read to my brother and me and I've had a love of books since. I wrote the requisite teenage poems filled with angst, which I read to my parents quite frequently. They were very good about not running out of the room screaming. I worked in marketing in the bridal industry before seriously throwing myself into writing for publication. Every once in a while I give my bridal industry experience away by writing something like: The gown, of pink tulle, having a sweetheart neckline and tulip sleeves, floated at her calves as she glided into the room.

 

Q: Tell us about your most recent book/or the book we are focusing on. 

Nike:  BURNING HEARTS (arson/murder, action, romance, and humor) is set on the south shore of Long Island in the mid-1940s. The story opens with an arsonist burning down a house, killing the owner. A young seamstress, Erica Brogna, make a rescue attempt, but the heavy smoke forces her to get help. Enter Harley Davidson riding Lorne Kincade, a WWII hero, who rushes into the inferno. The story is filled with action. The killer tries to frame Lorne for the murder. But it's also a "sweet" romance in which Erica and Lorne face trials together and fall deeply in love. It's actually my debut novel, which Desert Breeze first published as an ebook, but it's now come out in print and I'm very excited about that. I love ebooks and was completely happy with it in electronic format, but I do know there are readers who only read print and now BURNING HEARTS available for them.

Q: Why did you choose this particular genre? 

Nike: I love murder mysteries and detective stories. The vast majority of book I read fall into one of those two categories. I love to route for the good guys to win. My home, in New York City, has quite a few bookshelves filled with whodunits. I'm so wrapped up in this genre that I've been dubbed the Crime Fictionista. I write reviews of crime fiction and action-adventure novels for The Christian Pulse online magazine. I've judged several literary contests in the last three years, usually in the mystery/thriller category, but sometimes in the action-adventure category.  

Q: What was your journey to publication like?

 

Nike: It was filled with trepidation like everybody's. I had no idea what I was doing six and a half years ago when I wrote my first mystery novel. Not a clue. I keep the manuscript around just for laughs. It's that bad. I got a lot of help from more established writers and I hope I've returned that favor, helping newbie writers as they begin on their writing journey. 

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

The Roland March series by J. Mark Bertrand is one of my favorite Christian crime fiction series. He can't write them fast enough to suit me. COMES A HORSEMAN by Robert Liparulo is another. INJUSTICE FOR ALL by Robin Carol and EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE by M.K. Gilroy are two others I couldn't put down. Right now I'm reading the New York Times best seller BURNT HOUSE by Faye Kellerman.

 

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

Nike:  I'm leaving the world of historical whodunits w/romance and venturing into contemporary mysteries w/romance. I'm constructing a series with really strong, spunky private investigator and law enforcement heroines. My stalwart male investigators may find themselves exasperated at times by these impulsive, but very capable females. My heroes are three-dimensional and ultimately can handle relationships with complicated women. The first work to introduce this new contemporary series is a novella, HARMFUL INTENT. My heroine is a girl-next-door private investigator from Brooklyn, NY who travels to Abilene, TX where she is accused of murdering her husband of one year. There is a huge amount of humor, some of it all out funny, or zany, with moments of satire. I'd compare it with some of the works of Susan Issacs (humorous romantic suspense) or Jaqueline Girdner (comic California murder mysteries) or Chris Well (Earl Walker series, hilarious Christian mysteries).  

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

Nike: First of all, keep writing. In the beginning, don't worry about how good it is. Just write it. The first manuscript will most likely get rejected. I don’t know a single writer who submitted their first work and an agent went mad for it and published it. Everyone got the first one tossed back to them. At least everyone I know did. The other thing newbies should do is read in their genre. Read the very best writers in their genre. The ones who are winning awards. Then ponder what makes their writing so good. Don't copy them. Keep your own voice, but learn techniques from the best. 

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

Nike: The one single thing that's helped my writing more than anything else is the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) critique groups. That's like bootcamp for writing Christian fiction. I highly recommend getting into an ACFW group. I've also taken ACFW writing courses and courses other groups have given. I belong to a crime scene writers group where a lot of the members are retired law enforcement personnel. That group concentrates on the police procedure and technical elements of writing crime fiction.  

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

Nike: You can find me at Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista  http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/ 

Purchas Links:

BURNING HEARTS at Amazon, now in paperback. http://tiny.cc/7tojyw

The Sanctuary Point, historical murder mystery w/romance series at Amazon. http://tiny.cc/uwojyw



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bio: 

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better. 

She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS, the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, finaled in the Grace Awards 2011 in the Romance/Historical Romance category. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, third in the series released July, 2012, and DARKEST HOUR, the fourth in the series released in February, 2013.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/



Giveaway and Interview with Deborah Malone by Deborah Malone

MURDER IN MARIETTA

BY DEBORAH MALONE


CONGRATULATIONS CINDI
WINNER OF "MURDER IN MARIETTA"

Okay, it's my turn to interview an author. It didn't work out with the author I'd planned on interviewing so I'm going to interview none other than moi. I have two cozy mysteries out, "Death in Dahlonega" and "Murder in Marietta." I hope these questions will give you a little insight into my life and I hope you enjoy reading about me. Don't forget to leave a comment about this interview and be a follower for a chance to win a signed copy of "Murder in Marietta."

 

 

Here are the questions. Answer any and/or all of them. Some of them may be answered within other questions so just pass over any repeats.

Sherri, thank you for having me on you blog. I hope my readers learn a little something about me they didn’t know. I always love to hear from my readers.

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where you grew up, how many siblings you have, when you came to know the Lord, a little about your life now, etc.)

My dad was from Opelika, AL and my mother was from Cincinnati, OH. It’s so true when they say opposites attract. My dad had moved there to work for General Electric. While they were there they had my two older brothers, Bill and Curtis. In the early 1950’s they moved to north Georgia where my dad was transferred to work at GE. I wonder sometimes how I would have turned out if we’d stayed in Ohio – I’d be a *&^% YankeeJ This past summer we had a reunion of twelve cousins in Cinn on my mother’s side. Some I hadn’t seen for 40 years. It was so much fun!

 My mother had RArthritis, but Dad never missed a church service taking us kids to church.  I have had my ups and downs with my faith, but I’ve never given up on God. I’ve come to the conclusion there are some things we will not have the answers to while on this earth. And that is alright – in Pro. 3:5 we are told to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That is the verse Trixie holds on to in “Death in Dahlonega.”

Tell us three things about you that would surprise your readers.

 I went back to college in my early 40’s and graduated at the age of 45 in 1999.

I’ve had Fibromyalgia since 1992.

I’m a novice photographer and love macro shots of nature. I’ve had a showing of my photographs at our local hospital.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What did you read?

Yes, yes and yes. I’ve been saying lately that I came out of the womb readingJ Mysteries have always been my favorites and I loved Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon.

What is your favorite genre to read now?

Gee – would you believe mysteries? LOL  However, since I’ve been reviewing books for my blog I have read just about every genre there is and I feel I’ve opened a whole new world of reading for me. I would encourage others to read outside their safety zone –favorite genre – and discover a whole new world.

As a child or teenager, did you ever dream of being an author?

Yes – When I was a teenager I started a mystery. I think I made it to page 3 or 4.

When did you first begin writing, and why do you write still?

I started writing when I went back to college and took a creative writing course. I knew then I wanted to publish something. In 2001 I published my first article in a historical magazine “Georgia Backroads” and I’ve been writing for them since then. I still write because I still have goals in my writing I haven’t reached yet. Also, I love it and it helps me keep my sanity in a stressful world.

How long did you write before you sold your first book?

I found a floppy disk dated 2002 when I began, but life got in the way. I wrote and edited consistently for three years to finish it.

How many books do you have published?

My debut cozy “Death in Dahlonega” published by Lamp Post Publishing was my first book.  “Murder in Marietta” will be my second book so that is two I’ve had published. I’m working on my third in the series, “Terror on Tybee Island.”

Tell us about your latest book.

Trixie and her best friend Dee Dee go to Marietta on assignment where Trixie is going to spend the night in the supposedly haunted Marietta History Museum.  She has convinced Dee Dee to spend the night with her. When the director of the museum woke them up the next morning they thought he was having a heart attack – but he had just seen a dead body. Add in the antics of Trixie’s great-aunt Nana and you have a recipe for murder and mayhem.

Do you put yourself into your main character, or do you find yourself borrowing from family or friends as your characters develop?

My goodness yes – but that’s all I’m going to say.

Is there any scene in your book that came from a real-life happening?

There are several in my first book “Death in Dahlonega.” At the beginning when they are going to Dahlonega and eating trail mix is reminiscent of when my friend and I took a trip to Dahlonega. I don’t think there are any scenes in “Murder in Marietta” that really happened.

Are you a plotter, a pantster, or somewhere in between, and can you elaborate on your answer?

I’m definitely a panster. I have a general outline on how I want the manuscript to progress, but that’s it. Then I might do a general outline for each chapter, but none of it is done in detail. Now after I’ve written a chapter I will go in Microsoft One Note and detail the chapter so I can keep up with my characters, timeline, setting, etc.

Share something about your day-to-day life that might help a reader to feel as though they know you a little better. As I’ve mentioned I have fibromyalgia which limits how much and how often I write. I also have an adult daughter, Niki, who is severely disabled. About five years ago I needed help with her care. So now I have caregivers who come every day to help with her care. There are people coming in and out during the day so there is never a dull moment.

Do you have a favorite scripture? If so, why is it your favorite?

Trixie’s favorite scripture for “Murder in Marietta” is Eph. 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.

How do you choose names for your characters?

I use the phone book, internet, and I also ask other writers to give me suggestions.

What is the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you?

Several years ago I decided to let my hair grow out. I used a curling brush/iron on my hair. One day it got tangled and I couldn’t get it out. I had to unplug it and go to my neighbors and ask for their help. They had a good laugh about it.

 Where can your readers find you on the internet?  www.amazon.com,   www.barnesandnoble.com

www.deborah-malone.com

www.deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com

www.sleuthsandsuspects.blogspot.com

www.cozymysterymagazine.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction at www.deborahsbutterflyjourney.blogspot.com.   You can also catch her at www.sleuthsandsuspects.blogspot.com and www.cozymysterymagazine.blogspot.com.



  

 

 

 

 



"Over the Edge" by Brandilyn Collins Review

A suspense novel based on Lyme disease and the "Lyme Wars"

Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author's own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today's medical field.
Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University's Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn't exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.
One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next.
But Janessa's marriage is already rocky. She's so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.
Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.

 

 

 

 

 

MY TAKE:  There is a reason they call Brandilyn Collins' books seat-belt suspense. You will be taken on the ride of your life through her words. I give "Over the Edge" five stars!!!  I don't do that often, but this is one books that will live up to a five star rating. It is also interesting in that Brandilyn had Lyme Disease herself. She's been there first hand and knows how it feels to suffer from it. She will describe in detail how it can take over one's life.  This is the first book I've read by Brandilyn, but rest assured it will not be my last. Hop on over to her website at http://www.brandilyncollins.com/index.html and check out all of her books and learn a little more about Brandilyn.

 

 

HAPPY READING!

 

 Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.   

 

 





 



Interview and Giveaway with Sherri Wilson Johnson

CONGRATULATIONS DIANA

WINNER OF AN EBOOK FROM SHERRI

 

Let's welcome Sherri Wilson Johnson to Sleuths and Suspects. She's going to tell us about her new book "Song of the Meadowlark." She is also offering a free ebook to one person chosen from those who leave a comment and follow steps listed below. Without further ado, here's Sherri!



1.             Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a writer, speaker and former homeschooling mom. I am from Georgia and live with my husband, two kids and two dogs. I love writing about faith, hope, and purity. When I'm not writing, I'm hanging out with my family or church friends, reading or dreaming up new romantic ideas for books. I love to vacation at the beach but I also find the mountains enjoyable.

2.       Tell us about your most recent book/or the book we are focusing on.

Song of the Meadowlark is a Contemporary Romance full of hope, forgiveness, and second chances at life and love set in South Georgia on a ranch with an ornery cowboy.

 

 

Here is the synopsis:

When trusting others only leads to pain and rejection, and loving ends only in loss, what will it take to restore hope again?

Shunned by the uncovered truth about her missing husband’s secret life, Cora Buchanan sets out on a road trip for home to mend her broken relationship with her parents. When her car breaks down, she’s stranded in a small Georgia town.

While staying at the struggling Southern Hope Ranch, she meets little Susie O’Reilly, who unexpectedly fills a void in Cora’s heart. But Rex, Susie’s rugged cowboy father who lost his wife a year earlier, seems to go out of his way to either confront or avoid Cora. It doesn’t help her comfort level that the news continues to report missing and murdered women in the area.

Cora has no idea just how close to home the crimes will hit…or how much the sweet sound of the meadowlark’s song at the ranch will impact her future.

3.       Why did you choose this particular genre?

I had written Historical Romance (To Dance Once More) and wanted to try my hand at Contemporary. The characters I had in mind worked best in a Contemporary romantic setting.

4.       What was your journey to publication like? 

I guess the short version of this story would be that I dreamed, plotted, prayed, researched, wrote, rewrote, edited, submitted, got rejected, cried, gave up writing, prayed some more, took a two-year writing course, and did it all over again until I finally heard the magic words: “We think your story is a good fit for our line.” If you want to read the long version, here’s the link:
http://sherriwilsonjohnson.com/about/sherris-road-to-publication/

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

I thoroughly enjoyed Twice Promised by Maggie Brendan, Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer, and For Such a Time as This by Ginny Aiken. Those are at the top of my romance list right now. I also love Pride and Prejudice, The Screwtape Letters, Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby, and Thr3e by Ted Dekker. Currently I am reading Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof.

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

My current WIP, After the Raging Storm, is part of my New Hope Series, set in drought-stricken Georgia in 1894. Annabelle is engaged to the son of the town's copper supplier but feels uneasy about the whole thing. She's searching for the meaning of her life apart from this relationship. When she runs into an old friend from school and compares him to her fiancé, she begins to doubt her chosen path in life even more. As the storm rages inside her heart, a storm of a natural kind threatens to destroy her family home and the neighboring farms. What will it take to calm the raging storm inside Annabelle? 

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

Don't ever give up on your dream. Practice your craft. Step through open doors only after much prayer. Be ready for rejection because it’s part of the path to publication. Always write what God puts on your heart and even if you don’t find a publisher for that story, it will honor the Lord.

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

Yes! The Element of Style by William Strunk, Jr., Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Renni Browne and Dave King, and Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. I have a list of links to websites that have been helpful here at this link on my website. http://sherriwilsonjohnson.com/writers-resources

9.       Is there anything you’d like to tell us we haven’t covered?
I am thankful for readers and also for authors who are willing to be mentors. We’re all in this together and I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for the Lord and my family support but also if it weren’t for readers and mentors.

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

http://sherriwilsonjohnson.com  

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Author-Sherri-Wilson-Johnson/138396456193536 
https://twitter.com/#!/swj_thewriter  
http://nicoleodell.com/sherri-wilson-johnson-on-inspiring-purity  
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5233294.Sherri_Wilson_Johnson  
http://sherrijinga.wordpress.com

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HAPPY READING!



Review of Carolyn Wheat's How to Write Killer Fiction

By Jeff Reynolds

Maybe you're thinking about writing either a mystery or a tale of suspense. Possibly you're confused on what distinguishes these two genres. You might wonder if one of these two options complements your approach to writing. Then, you could just enjoy another book about the craft of writing.

If I just described you, I highly recommend How to Write Killer Fiction: The Funhouse of Mystery and the Roller Coaster of Suspense by Carolyn Wheat. Let me state up front that 1) this isn't a recent release (it was written in 2003) and 2) this is not a Christian book. Neither nullifies the value of this book for a mystery or suspense writer.

This book can be divided into four parts. First, there's the preface and the introduction which introduces acquaints the reader with the genres of mystery and suspense and their differences. For example, the reader is two steps behind the mystery's detective in the mystery, but may be two steps ahead of the protagonist in suspense.

It's common for suspense to have some mystery and vice versa. Nevertheless, Wheat points out that the genres are so different a true hybrid is rare. She lists Scott Tutterow's Presumed Innocent as an example. Some of Randy Singer's novels come close, but they still are more suspense than mystery.

Part one sheds the spotlight on mystery, while part two focuses on suspense. These two sections contain four chapters each, dealing with the history of the genre, the important elements, the way the story arc appears, and “Endings are hard” – looking at the problems of wrapping the story up.

Part three gives two chapters on the writing process. The first looks at scene vs. style, while the other deals with the debate between Outliners and Blank Pagers (i.e. structure vs. spontaneity). Wheat suggests that mystery writers are naturally outliners, plotting each detail out well in advance and points out that Joe Gores stated suspense “should never be outlined” – an opinion shared by Stephen King and Elmore Leonard.

The epilogue deals with the issue of publishing.

This is a great research tool for writers. I chose to start with the introduction before jumping right into chapter three. Considering I've written a couple of mysteries but am about to start a suspense story, I then read part two. Did reading out of order cause a problem? No.

If you're a suspense or mystery writer, this is a great book for your library. You'd also enjoy this if you're a fan of either of these genres and want to know how they work.

*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.