Author Interview with Gale Martin

 Gale Martin

Women's Fiction

Reader’s Haven: Hi Gale! We’re so excited you’re visiting with us this week. Tell us a bit about yourself that our readers might not know.

Gale: I wanted to be tap-dancing missionary in the third grade and a musical theater star by grade 12. Eventually, I abandoned both quests though the dream of being a star on Broadway died harder. A few decades later I decided to write my first novel.

Reader’s Haven: What made you want to become a writer?

Gale: I really don’t know if most other small children were a lot like me, but I literally told one tall tale after another. I didn’t know where the truth ended and the lie began for most of my childhood. I suppose life was more exciting that way. I really didn’t check into reality until I went off to college. I stopped, um, prevaricating around age 23, but the talent for making things up sure came in handy once I began writing creatively. I was 43 when I had my first mid-life reckoning. That same year I wrote my first novel.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release Grace Unexpected, without giving away any spoilers.

Gale: It’s contemporary women’s fiction that is chick lit-ish in tone and scope. Grace is smart, well educated, and capable, but she’s a complete moron when it comes to finding guys who could become Mr. Right. As regards the premise of the story, I visited Shaker Village in New Hampshire, and the story sprang from my head faster than baby Dionysus from Zeus’s leg, nine centimeters dilated.

Blurb for Grace Unexpected:

Thirty-something Grace Savage has slogged through crummy jobs and dead-end relationships with men who would rather go bald than say “I do”. In search of respite from her current job, she visits Shaker Village in New Hampshire. Instead of renewal, she’s unnerved to learn that Shaker men and women lived and worked side by side in complete celibacy.

When her longtime boyfriend dumps her instead of proposing, Grace avows the sexless Shaker ways. Resolved to stick to her new plan – dubbed the Shaker Plan – despite ovaries ticking like time bombs, she returns to her life in Pennsylvania. Almost immediately, she's juggling two eligible bachelors: Addison, a young beat reporter; and True, a venerable anthropology professor. Both men have ample charms and soul mate potential to test her new-found Shaker-style self-control, and Grace appears to be on the fast track to a marriage proposal… until secrets revealed deliver a death rattle to the Shaker Plan.

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Gale: I haven’t done that yet. I might have to at some point because I have novels that aren’t funny, and it’s not nice to confuse loyal readers.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Gale: I like characters who aren’t perfect, who are flawed. They don’t all have to be uncommonly quirky, though selected ones are in each book because most people have no idea how funny and quirky they are in real life. But if the characters are smart or intellectual, then they have to lack common sense or be dorky in some other way. If they are beautiful, they have to be clumsy, that sort of thing. Subconsciously, I always feel in competition with characters I read in fiction and I’m a sore loser. I guess I just figured my readers don’t want to stack up against a character and measure themselves sorely lacking either.

Reader’s Haven: That’s true. Perfect characters aren’t realistic. Tell us about a typical day in your glamorous life as a writer.

Gale: Oh, my goodness. I get up at 5 am every day. Yes, it’s like I’m channeling Warren Zevon when he sang, “There’ll be time enough for sleeping when I’m dead” because, sadly, he’s no longer with us. Then I check my vitals (Twitter, FB, email, website traffic) and answer any urgent inquiries. Then if I’m not suddenly convicted to write a blogpost, I work on one of my WIPs for an hour. At the job I have at the moment, I work every lunch hour I can. When I come home at night, after dinner and chores, I sit down at my computer and follow the same routine as I do at 5 a.m.

Reader’s Haven: We know grueling over a keyboard all day can be a pain in the neck so be sure to get up and move throughout the day. Easier said than done, don’t we know! Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Gale: My books don’t have common themes, but I seldom stray far from what I know in terms of setting or backdrop. I have lived in Pennsylvania most of my life and that’s where I’ve set my books. I’ve worked as a schoolteacher or in higher education, and so far, with a few exceptions, so have my protagonists. Oh, sure. I’ll venture outside Penna. for a scene or two. But so far, not for long.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Gale: I can bang out a 2,000 word story in a few days. But I am a chronic editor of my own work. I use the word chronic because people who have chronic illnesses can probably relate because chronic ailments can drive you nuts. Terminal editor works, too. Don’t let anyone kid you. Writing creatively can kill you. Or your marriage. So be careful not to let it overrun your life. Time you take away from writing can be productive time. Your mind can also solve problems when it is relaxed and detached from the issue at hand.

Reader’s Haven: Good advice! Do you have to be alone to write?

Gale: I can write with my husband at my side, but he better not be trying to have a conversation with me. How does our marriage survive? Ear plugs.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Gale: Names just kind of land on me, out of the blue, without much effort, like butterflies alighting on flowers. Then I try them on the character to see if they fit. Rinse. Squeeze. Repeat.

Reader’s Haven: Now that’s cute! LOL Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Gale: Typically, I write the characters. Then I go looking for photos of them. Then I add them to my website, because readers like to see how you’ve envisioned the characters they’re reading about.

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Gale: I am quite susceptible to places I travel to because I don’t get out and about as much as I want to. This is evident in GRACE UNEXPECTED because Grace has an abiding sense of wanderlust. My husband is a homebody with a fear of flying. Therefore, almost every location I’ve visited is integrated in my fiction.

Reader’s Haven: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Gale: I am drafting a sequel to Don Juan in Hankey, PA, my debut novel. It’s also funny and features some of the same (quirky) characters as DJIHP as well as being a humorous backstage novel.

Reader’s Haven: Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Gale: You can purchase GRACE UNEXPECTED at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

Website   

 Twitter   (@Gale_Martin)
 

Facebook Fan Page
 

My GoodReads Author Page
 
Email: galemartin (dot) writer (at) gmail (dot) com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Interview with Cindy Huefner Cromer, Suspense & Mystery Author

This week Deanna and Louise welcome Cindy Huefner Cromer to Reader's Haven. Cindy is chatting with us via St. Kitts Island in the Carribean Sea; the setting for her debut novel Desperate Measures. Cindy describes the area and scenery a lot better than we ever could. Guess that's because we've never been there. We can only imagine!

Cindy is featuring a giveaway! The details are below.

As I write this, my feet dangle over a cliff. Forty feet below me the turquoise blue sea roars. Each wave crashes into the large black rocks, spraying seawater into the air. I breathe in the scent and it rejuvenates me. I look below at the jagged rocks and formations; some rising twenty feet in the air. The monumental structures were formed from the lava of the once active volcano on Mount Liamuiga in St.Kitts. These same structures are on the cover of my book, Desperate Measures. From my tranquil view there is no blood dripping down the cliff or the rocks. I reflect on the fiction I created and the secrets that were revealed in the climax of the book.

I glance at my watch, almost 2:00 p.m. I need to hustle to make my flight and reach my next destination; New York City, the location in which my second book, Desperate Deceptions takes place. I hit send to transmit this interview and shout to the wind blowing off of the sea, “I never say good-bye but see you later. I will be back to St. Kitts soon.” As I stand and turn, the lush green rainforest looms before me. Ah, the scene and pivotal role those mountains played in the plot in Desperate Measures. Enough melancholy, I race to the cab that is waiting for me. Some secrets were revealed here but not all of them….  I have big plans for Caitlin and have to get a move on. 

Reader’s Haven: Hi Cindy! We're so glad you could join us for a chat. Tell us a bit about yourself  that our readers might not know.

Cindy:   I am originally from Freehold Township, New Jersey and currently reside in Stuart, Florida with my husband, son, and daughter. I am a scientist and executive, formally the president of a laboratory network. In this role I have written numerous laboratory procedures and research documents.

Now for what readers might not know about me, I’ll have to take you back to my teenage years.  When I was in eighth grade, I wrote a descriptive essay.  On my way to basketball practice one day, I saw my father come out of the Principal’s office.  I immediately became nervous and thought I had gotten into trouble, for what I had no idea.  My father informed me that my essay was written so well, that I’d been placed in the honors English and Literature classes. You may ask if this bit of my history has anything to do with where I am today.  The answer is yes and no.  At the time, I had plans of grandeur and envisioned myself as a bestselling author but I focused on my favorite subject in school, science, and earned my degree in chemistry in college.  Through the many technical papers, contracts, and invaluable experience in my career, I’ve come full circle, realized my dream, and have begun my writing career.

 
Reader’s Haven: What made you want to become a writer?

Cindy: Ever since I was little, I’ve been an avid reader. I always said one day I’d write a book, if I ever had the time.  My family teased me mercilessly about reading and encouraged me to write a book, since I had read so many.  Also, my friends, colleagues, and employees have continually told me I am a great story teller.

Reader’s Haven: Please share a bit about your new release without giving away any spoilers.

Cindy: This is the back cover blurb and below is the first chapter of Desperate Measures.

The secret is out AGAIN…! This time lives are in jeopardy.

What should have been the perfect vacation soon became a nightmare. Caitlin Martel made a stop before meeting her family at Miami International Airport. A cryptic message waited for her. She dismissed the threat and assumed it was directed toward the brilliant scientist that she recently hired. Caitlin has no idea that a forgotten secret was about to explode and put her life in jeopardy.

When Caitlin and her family arrive on the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts, they find their dream home vandalized. In the kitchen, another message has been left. In blood, leaving no doubt that Caitlin personally is the target.

In a flashback Caitlin recalls the secret that her father, Jack Spencer, revealed to her sixteen years ago. He didn’t tell her everything. Will Jack be able to confront the truth and reconstruct the past in time to save his daughter?

Caitlin’s husband Scott, FBI Assistant Director, also believes the threats are related to Caitlin’s professional life. Once Caitlin points out the significance of what was left in their home, Scott unofficially brings his top FBI agent, Tomas Medina, to St. Kitts.

When Tomas arrives, his status is quickly upgraded and the investigation becomes official. The third threat creates a direct link to multi-billionaire Lukas Bucklin. The suspense escalates through twists, turns, and family secrets yet to be revealed. A powerful climax unveils an unlikely alliance between two deadly and dangerous enemies.

The first five chapters are available at Smashwords

 

Reader’s Haven: Do you write under a pen name?

Cindy:  My maiden name is Huefner and for my debut novel I published under Cindy Huefner Cromer.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Cindy: I like strong independent heroines who shirk off help and are determined to solve their own problems. Hint # 1: This is how Caitlin gets herself into trouble in Desperate Measures and Desperate Deceptions. I love a hero that takes matters into his own hands. He’s usually on the up and up but verges on breaking the law if it is in the best interest of his family. Hint # 2: Lukas Bucklin has his share of secrets. When they explode and are revealed, some lives are shattered but he’s confident he did the right thing.

I don’t like the typical storyline of a heroine and hero thrust together who are at odds with each other and in the end fall in love and live happily ever after. Now to give you a sneak preview of my second book, Desperate Deceptions, when it is finalized and released some readers may call me a hypocrite with my above statement. Caitlin Martel finds herself in a moment of weakness with no one to turn to but her gorgeous body guard, Chris Dobbs. They almost become intimate but Caitlin maintains her integrity and doesn’t break her marriage vows.

Reader’s Haven: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Cindy:  This is the most difficult question for me to answer. I have an eight year old daughter and a thirteen year old son, with completely different school schedules. In summary, I get up at 4:30 a.m. to workout, pack lunches, get the kids off to school, then sit down at my computer. To get the momentum going, I re-read the last scene I wrote then tap-tap away at my computer. Some days that dreaded writer’s block rears its ugly head and I go back and do some edits which usually gives me a burst of inspiration. Thankfully my husband is the cook in the family, so while he’s cooking dinner I usually utilize that time to check correspondences and e-mails. In a nutshell, an author’s job is 24-7 and I never know when the results of a scene I’ve been struggling with resolve itself in my mind and the plot. On occasion I have woken up in the middle of the night to turn on my computer and at least get a draft of what came to mind in my slumber.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Cindy:  So far they are all suspense and I can’t seem to create a character, major or minor role in the plot, without giving them some sort of mysterious background. Just the other day in editing Desperate Deceptions, I had every intention of scrapping a scene and character then Voila! Suddenly a burst of inspiration hit and this character now plays a pivotal role in the suspense and has earned a larger role in the plot.

I have some funny scenes in my books intertwined in the suspense and would like to write a comedy one day. I’m comfortable writing a few comic scenes here and there but not sure at this time if I could conjure up an entire comedy plot.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Cindy:  Desperate Measures didn’t take me very long to write, I’d estimate three months. Obtaining a publishing contract took a year. Desperate Deceptions is taking much longer.  Since I’ve been through the editing process, the analytical side of my brain took over for a while.  I’ll explain what I mean in that statement a bit further.  I’ve received great reviews, know what the editor is going to look for as far as mistakes, and I began overanalyzing every word of the book.  To summarize, I found myself scared to death of failure.  I’ve gotten past this stage and have continued the plot.  The creative side of my brain is now connected directly to my fingers tips, by- passing the editing side, to write and create then edit when done.  Hey, maybe I have found a new invention!  Cardiac surgeons use the by-pass technology; I have the author/editor by-pass!  I wonder what those royalties would pay?  Just trying to be humorous here.

 
Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Cindy:  Typically, yes I have to be alone to write with no distractions. However, there are occasions when a scene comes to mind and I drop everything to get those magic words down before I forget them. My family has gotten used to me now when I go into writers mode. Sometimes when working out a plot I pace the house, not only talking to myself but answering myself back. This gets embarrassing sometimes when my children have friends over. One day during this process, my eight year old daughter’s friend said to me, “Mrs. Cromer, could you speak English?” My daughter responded, “Oh, ignore my mom, she’s writing.” I laughed!

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Cindy:  My characters names aren’t as important as the secrets and mysterious pasts I create for them. I do try to keep their names simple, traditionally spelled, and easy for the reader to pronounce.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Cindy: I write and create the characters based on my imagination and their story in the book. Though when I finished Desperate Measures , I envisioned some actors playing the roles if the book were ever turned into a movie. Josh Duhamel could play Tomas Medina perfectly. Tomas, FBI Senior Special Agent, has some serious scenes with some comedy scenes as well. Sandra Bullock would be a great Caitlin Martel and Clint Eastwood as Lukas Bucklin. A few others include: Nick Holland-Robert Dinero, Drew Porter-Martin Lawrence, Jack Spencer-Nick Nolte, Scott Martel-Nicholas Cage. Oops, I’ve gotten off track and having dreams of grandeur again, reaching higher and higher to the next level. That would be a big production budget wouldn’t it?

Reader’s Haven: How do you pick locations for your stories?

Cindy:  I would never pick a location for my book that I hadn’t been to personally and be able to describe in detail to my readers. I chose St. Kitts as the location of Desperate Measures for a few reasons. One being that I love to read books about tropical locations. Second, I’ve been to many Caribbean Islands but St. Kitts is my favorite. My husband, son, daughter, and I go there at least once a year. In my book I also cover some historical facts about the island. Due to the developments in Desperate Measures most of the plot of my second book Desperate Deceptions takes place in New York City. My third book, the medical thriller, is still in the draft format and I don’t have a defined location yet. I’ve been to Europe, Belgium and France, so that may become an interesting location. For the sports related NFL mystery, that will have to take place somewhere in the United States. I live in Florida now but I’m originally from New Jersey. Miami might be a good choice or New Jersey/New York again. I could also cover the discrepancy of how the Jets and Giants are both called New York teams yet they play in the Meadowlands which is located in New Jersey. That would spark some controversy in the suspenseful plot, wouldn’t it?

Reader’s Haven: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future? 

Cindy: I am currently putting the finishing touches and edits to my second book, DESPERATE DECEPTIONS, and it involves more family drama and suspense. It is focused on the newly formed but strained relationship between Caitlin and her biological grandfather. It could be considered a sequel, but I have written it as a stand-alone and the reader won’t be lost if they haven’t read DESPERATE MEASURES. Of course, my goal is to propel the sales of my first book and make the reader want to read both. I have a third and fourth book in rough draft format that are completely different from the first two. They are mysteries but totally different characters and plots. One is a sports related mystery revolving around the NFL and the other is a medical thriller. Once I finish those two I would like to get back to a few of the characters I created in DESPERATE MEASURES, especially Tomas. I created him as a minor role to provide a bit of comic relief to the reader, but he took on a life of his own and I want to create his own story line. Barry Solerno also needs to be the main focus of a book. I have no idea where I came up with him, but he became my favorite character. Also, I a have children's book I've been dabbling with, no title yet, but this one shouldn't take me long to finish.

Below is a preview of what I envision on the back cover of Desperate Deceptions:

Lukas Bucklin has it all, money, wealth, power, and most importantly control; or so he thought. He has finally formed a bond with his granddaughter, Caitlin Spencer Martel, and intends to name her the heir of his empire worth billions.  On the eve of a board meeting he receives a threatening phone call.  The caller knows what he has done. He revises his will again.  He can’t make the announcement, not yet.  He has some loose ends to wrap up and flush out another devious loose cannon that is on a rampage to destroy his family and legacy.

Lukas flies Caitlin to New York City on his private Learjet for the board meeting.  He devastates her when he doesn’t acknowledge her as a viable board member nor his granddaughter.  She doesn’t know her grandfather is protecting her and he doesn’t know that she has her own agenda for the meeting.  She rises to the occasion and proves that she is Lukas Bucklin’s heir and unwittingly aligns herself with Lukas in the path of a revengeful greedy psychopath.

Lukas is forced to distance himself from everyone close to him, especially Caitlin.  She can never know the truth, no one can. It would be devastating and cause a rippling affect that would tear the family apart; the family Lukas strived to protect for decades.

Reader’s Haven: Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Cindy: My web site is Cindy’sWriting Studio

Twitter: @CromerCindy

 

Desperate Measures is available at:

Amazon  Print or Kindle

eTreasuresPublishing   Print or e-book

Barnesand Noble Nook

VeroBeach Book Center Print 

Reader, I'll giveaway an eBook or signed copy (Winner's choice). You can enter through the Rafflecopter below. Rafflecopter will draw the winner. Good luck!

 Here's an interview with Lucas so the Readers can get to know him better.

Television Host: Thank you audience for tuning in. I have an exclusive interview with ‘The Lukas Bucklin’, a multi-billionaire with a take charge attitude. He has secrets, let’s see if we can get him to expose them!

Host: Mr. Bucklin, you look nervous. This interview is very informal and I’ll start out with an easy question. What’s your favorite food?

Lukas: What kind of question is that? I can afford any delicacy I want, delivered whenever I want. Caviar, lobster, you name it!

Host: Okay, so my attempt to ease into the interview back fired, I’ll get down to business and ask my next question. Who was your first girlfriend and how old were you when you met?

Lukas: I was seventeen when I met the love of my life and she is the mother of my son. I’ll leave it up to you to figure out who I mean. You’ll have to read it in Desperate Measures, the novel in which that damn author, Cindy something or other, chose to write my life story.

Host: You don’t want to talk about that book do you, so I’ll ask about your career. How long have you worked at your current job?

Lukas: Job? I don’t have a menial job! I’m the CEO and Chairman of the Board of my own company. I built an empire.

Host: What’s your greatest pet peeve with you Mother/Father? Why?

Lukas: My father was ruthless but a peon. Oh, he may have started a gourmet grocery store but I turned it into a national chain. That move on my part started the foundation on which I built Bucklin Enterprises.

Host: Mr. Bucklin, you looked lost in thought there for a moment. Could there be some truth in the saying, “Like Father Like Son?”

Lukas: Absolutley NOT!!

Lukas slams his fist on the table.

Host: Lukas, if you could meet anyone living or dead who would it be and why?

Lukas: HA! What kind of question is that? Anyone in their right mind would love to meet me. Didn’t you read what I did to protect…, Oh, well never mind that, you can read the story in Desperate Measures but I am a force to be reckoned with, let me tell you that!

Host: Who’s your favorite artist, singer, etc.?

Lukas: I don’t have time for such nonsense! I have secrets that I have to scramble to keep hidden. Desperate Deceptions, the next novel by that newbie author, is keeping me hopping and I can’t let my past catch up with me. So if you’ll excuse me I have to protect my family and…..

And an article I'd like to share with authors and readers:  

Technical Writing vs. fiction writing – The similarities and differences

As I scientist and executive I have written many research papers, laboratory procedures, safety manuals, and bid proposals. This doesn’t include the letters to regulatory agencies, statement of qualifications of myself and staff, client correspondences, and reports to the Board of Directors.

Many are misled and assume it was an easy transition into the mystery fiction writing arena. When I am asked about this topic I sometimes find myself bumbling for an answer and will try explain some of the similarities and differences.

Technical writing of, proposals, bids, and grants, are for the most part boiler plate. Once you have a template it just takes some tweaking to modify it to the specification of the project; focusing in detail on previous relevant projects and this is where some creative writing comes into play. At this juncture a first time author and a newly hired Ph.D scientist are attempting to delve into their careers. The author has to first write his/her manuscript, edit it numerous times then find an agent and publisher. The first step is that all important query letter to attract someone’s attention. The scientist has just graduated, received a job offer and salary but now must obtain grants and funding. 

At this stage the advantage leans toward the scientist who most likely has a research dissertation under their belt and platform for a research project worth funding and a base salary.

The author has no income pertaining to writing but strives to obtain a publisher and agent with the hope of a contract and possibly an advance.

Both the scientist and author wait in anticipation of positive news and have dreams of grandeur. One imagines receiving the Nobel Prize and the other envisions reaching the # 1 Best Sellers list. Each has to be patient and endure rejections but never give up.

Scientific research papers and a fiction manuscript also have some areas of comparison.  A scientist utilizes their area of expertise to produce a study and laboratory project. A detailed method and laboratory procedure with supplies and specific high tech equipment are outlined. The scientist hopes the results will support and prove the hypothesis resulting in a publication, copyright, or even a patent.

In writing a manuscript, an author has a draft and idea of the plot with some characters developed. They may or may not have an ending in mind at the beginning but are not bound by any guidelines and have free reign to create a story where their creative mind takes them. The scientist does not have much freedom to deviate from the specified procedure.

Most authors suffer some bouts of writers block. They stare at their computer screen, re-reading scene after scene, willing a burst of inspiration and creativity to burst through. A similar situation occurs with the scientist. The laboratory tests are under way and the paper cannot be written until all of the data is submitted and evaluated. The scientist is in a holding pattern.

In summary there are some parallels in fiction and scientific writing yet drastic contrasts. For me personally I can’t honestly say that my science background is what propelled me to embark on a career as a mystery/suspense author. The only co-relation I can make is that I created the protagonist of Desperate Measures, Caitlin Martel, utilizing my background to give her an interesting career. The rest of the plot was based on my wild imagination. As an avid reader I thought of a book I would like to read and the story took off from there. While writing my first book the plot of my second, Desperate Deceptions, formed.

I hope my somewhat technical dissertation above didn’t scare off any potential readers. I assure you I don’t use scientific jargon or acronyms that overwhelm the reader. In the scenes where some science is introduced there is some light comedy involved. One particular scene features Caitlin describing the testing her company, CSM Technologies, is involved with to the St. Kitts Chief of Police and the FBI. She suddenly realizes her audience is struggling to comprehend and their eyes are glazing over. She then recites what she needs to in simple layman’s terms.

Thank you for this opportunity. This is a fun blog. 
~Cindy~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with Wodke Hawkinson, Writing Duo Karen & PJ

Karen Wodke & PJ Hawkinson 

 Suspense Authors

     Warning!! We have a special surprise for you this week but it's not for the squeemish! The interview takes place in the basement of an abandoned and derelict insane asylum ringed by a group of silent observers, former patients of the facility...this could easily be a setting from their novel, Zeke:
     “A row of dirty windows was set deep in the walls near the ceiling. Shafts of weak light filtered through the weeds outside. The first room stretched out on all sides to dark distant walls, one of which had several doors. This area seemed distinctly cleaner than the rest of the property, although it was still in poor overall condition. In the middle of the room were three metal tables with drains in the center; several deep sinks lined the wall next to some tall cabinets.
     Stacked along the shelves inside, they found rows of jars containing body parts suspended in formaldehyde. Next to the shelves stood a beat-up table lined with surgical pans and tools, gruesome reminders of the autopsies once performed here.”
     Okay, we might want to sit a little closer to each other. We've dusted the cobwebs off the chairs but keep your eyes open for creepy crawlers!

Reader’s Haven: Karen, PJ, welcome! Our readers are anxious to meet you both. Tell us a bit about yourselves.

 

Karen: People may not know that I spent years in a band and used to write songs before I started writing books.

PJ: I have been married for 35 years, have twin sons and two daughters who have given me 7 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. My husband and I use to go to Waynoka, Oklahoma and ride both dune buggies and 4-wheelers at the Little Sahara. Several years ago we bought a bass boat and now enjoy time on the water, catching and releasing fish as we compete with each other for the first, largest, smallest, and the last. I enjoy paint-by-numbers and envy one friend who has a natural talent for painting and needs no numbers. Above all else, I enjoy a good book. Even during the time Karen and I are writing novels, I am reading at least one book on my Kindle Fire and have another to listen to on my Ipod while mowing the lawn and other tasks that take more attention than the written word.

Reader’s Haven:  It's great the the two of you can write as a team. That's not an easy task. What made you want to become writers?

Karen: I love words. They fascinate me. I see them as building blocks or tools for expression. I have always enjoyed writing, ever since I was a child. But, I didn’t get serious about it until recently. I wrote some short stories and articles, but my first book was one for young readers entitled James Willis Makes a Million. After that, PJ & I began collaborating.

PJ: Like many people, I have always wanted to write but never had the time to dedicate. After reading the True Blood series by Charlaine Harris and the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, I decided to write Half Bitten (by PJ Hawkinson). I released the novel in 2010 under Trafford Publishing. As my first work, I now feel I can do better and am in the process of rewriting the novel, which will be titled: Half Bitten, Revamped, and published independently.

Reader’s Haven: (Deanna) Listen...did you hear that noise in the other room? If we stay here, close together, maybe it'll go away, whatever that was. I'm sorry. Just a bit jittery down here. Please share a bit about your new release without giving away any spoilers.

Karen: Like Betrayed, our latest novel, Zeke, is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea; because, it contains graphic adult situations and violence. Zeke has just been released on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble. It’s coming soon in paperback.

PJ: Zeke is a dark novel of sexual obsession about a guy who uses his looks, his smile, and a shallow charm to woo a naive college girl. She’s so hooked on him that she ignores numerous red flags and he talks her into leaving her home, going on the road with him. Once he has her isolated, his behavior grows increasingly deviant and erratic. Her folks refuse to believe she left willingly, so they hire a private investigator to track the couple. He thinks it’s a simple job, but as he trails them, he learns things about Zeke that lead him to believe his clients’ daughter is in danger.

Reader’s Haven: (Louise) Wow, I love a good suspense story! Do either of you write under a pen name?

Karen & PJ: We have both written solo books and those are under our own names. But all our collaborated works are produced under our combined last names: Wodke Hawkinson.

Reader’s Haven: What types of hero or heroine do you like best?

Karen: I like reluctant heroes/heroines best, the ones who may not want to do the right thing, but end up doing it anyway because, well, it’s the right thing! I like stories where an ordinary everyday person finds himself or herself in extraordinary circumstances, ones that require a burst of strength, resilience, or resourcefulness they didn’t realize they had until they have to access it.

PJ: I enjoy so many different genres of books that I find I can’t nail down any specific type of hero or heroine; they come in such a variety of manner; from male to female and human to animal. Plus, you can find them in the most unusual of character. On one hand you have Samwise Gamgee and on the other Aloysius Xingú L. Pendergast. Then there’s Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. I’ll have to pass on choosing a favorite type.

Reader’s Haven: Tell us about a typical day in your life as a writer.

Karen: My first daily action as a writer is to check email and social networking for messages or other things that need attention. Then, I usually go for a walk. When I get back, I address any writing/editing that needs to be done. Somewhere along the way, I try to squeeze in some promoting/marketing and networking with others of my ilk. (writers, lol) Usually, PJ and I spend some time on the phone going over revisions, new book ideas, or discussing promotional tactics, etc. I could be found writing at almost any time of day, though, depending on my schedule.

PJ: I do one of two things; first, I’ll get up early, work for a while, take a nap, and work some more; or, more typically, I’ll get up late and work late. There are some days I don’t even turn on the computer, but on those days, my mind is usually going over what we’ve already written, trying to come up with better wording or simply a better plot.

Reader’s Haven: Do your books have a common theme or are they all different?

Karen: I think they are all very different. There is a sort of unavoidable theme between Zeke and Betrayed in that each novel places our female main character in harrowing circumstances. But our short story collections contain a variety of genres, and our next two books are a sci-fi and a fantasy, respectively. So they will bear little resemblance, at least plot-wise, to each other or our other novels.

PJ: To date, our novels have had the common theme of men abusing women. But we have also written three short story volumes: Catch Her in the Rye, Selected Short Stories, Volume One; Blue, Selected Short Stories, Volume Two; and Alone, Selected Short Stories, Volume Three. These three books run the gamut of story lines and were very enjoyable to write.

Reader’s Haven: How long does it take you to write and then edit a story?

Karen & PJ: A story? Not very long, actually. A novel, a long, long time. Months. The editing is especially grueling and time-intensive.

Reader’s Haven: Do you have to be alone to write?

Karen: No. But it helps to have no distractions, although when I get deep into the writing process, I tend to tune out my surroundings.

PJ: Usually the only other person around is my husband and I have no problem writing with him here. In fact, he is extraordinary.

Reader’s Haven: How do you go about naming characters?

Karen: It varies. In Betrayed, we actually used the names of our children for some of the characters.

PJ: I don’t have any technique. Usually I just grab a name from the air and fit the character to it; unless it’s a main character and then I might have someone in mind and pick a name appropriate for the face.

Reader’s Haven: Is it easier to write about the characters if you find pictures of them before you write or do you write then find character pictures?

Karen: In Betrayed, we did use pictures as inspiration for our characters. We know exactly what Brook and Lance look like, as well as each of the gang members who abducted Brook. The lesser characters, we didn’t do that with. But I think it’s a good idea. We do it with places as well. For instance, in Zeke, we know all the stops he and Sue made on their road trip, but we changed the names of most of the towns. And some of the abandoned buildings they explored do (or did at one time) exist, but may not have served the purpose we ascribed to them, and are not necessarily where we located them. Before starting our upcoming fantasy novel, we will be doing extensive world-building and planning of characters in advance of writing. Pictures will be useful in that endeavor, as well as diagrams, maps, and a ton of imagination.

PJ: Generally, I have someone in mind prior to writing; other times Karen has a vision of who our character should look like. In Betrayed, we went online and found pictures of the villains that aided us in creating their characteristics. We also found pictures to use for Lance and Brook. However, Zeke went simply by our imaginations, with no visual aid.

Reader’s Haven: We love hearing the method authors use to create their worlds. Maps seem to pull in readers for a fantasy story. How do you pick locations for your stories?

Karen & PJ: Sometimes we choose places we’ve been before. Betrayed is set in Kansas and Colorado; we live in Kansas and have both spent time in Colorado. Other times, we research areas or create them in our minds, like the planets and cities in Tangerine. We tend to take artistic liberty with actual locations, though. It all comes down to the storyline as to where we set the location, who are characters are, and how they portray themselves.

Reader’s Haven: What are you working on now and what should readers be looking forward to from you in the future?

Karen & PJ: We originally released Tangerine on our own. It has since been picked up by a publisher who wants some rewrites on it. So, out of necessity, revisions on Tangerine are on the front burner. After that, we plan to write the fantasy mentioned earlier and release some short story singles. On the back, back burner, our fourth collection of short stories, Night Roads, still patiently waits.


Synopsis of Zeke:

     Zeke is a dark novel of sexual obsession, psychological manipulation, and looming peril.
     Sue Cox is a naive college student who falls for the exciting new clerk at the local used bookstore. Captivated by Zeke’s brooding good looks and menacing but irresistible charisma, Sue capitulates to his will, leaving her wide open for exploitation. Zeke begins to exert subtle control and entices her to leave town with him. As they travel, his behavior grows more deviant and increasingly volatile.
     After Sue’s car is found deserted in an outlying cemetery, the police dismiss her parents’ concerns since it appears Sue left willingly. The Coxes immediately hire William Falstaff, a small-town private investigator. He begins his inquiry with only two objectives: first, to verify that Sue’s departure is voluntary, and second to provide her family with information on her whereabouts. A simple case; however, he soon finds himself locked into a chase to save Sue’s life. Will he find her in time or will she become another victim of a cunning sociopath?


Excerpt:

     Sue looked with horror at the darkened recess in the wall. “Me? Well, okay, give me the flashlight.”
     “No, just stick your hand in there.”
   “Are you serious? There is no way in hell I’m putting my hand in that hole. There could be spiders in there, or a rat.”
     “Listen, I'm looking for something, Sue. I read about it online. There's supposed to be a map hidden in this place somewhere. A treasure map. My hand won’t fit so you have to do it. Now, just reach in and see if it's there.”
     “I’m not sticking my hand in there!” Sue pulled back, but he seized her arm and jerked her closer.
    “Put your damn hand in that hole and see what’s in there,” he demanded. “I’m not kidding, Sue. Do it or I’ll drive away and leave you here.” He glanced at the crowd in the doorway. “With them.”
     “You wouldn’t, would you? Zeke...” A chill rushed down her back.
     He took Sue’s arm in an iron grip and forced her hand into the black cavity, ignoring her struggles. She squealed with revulsion and clenched her fist tightly. Other than some wispy cobwebs and fine powdery dust, the hole was empty.
     “Well, what’s in there?” Zeke asked, holding her in place.
     “Nothing!” Sue cried. “Nothing but dirt and spider webs!”
     He released her arm and she swung out at him; her fist connected with his upper arm. “Don’t ever do that to me again!” Her voice was filled with hatred.
     Zeke’s response was immediate. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. The flashlight dropped to the floor in the process and rolled around a little, its light playing across the walls. The only things visible in the blackness were the beam of the flashlight piercing the gloom and the silhouettes of the watchers at the door. Zeke released her as he bent to retrieve the light.
     “What the fuck did I tell you? You brainless whore! Don’t. Ever. Hit. Me.” In a state of fury, he threw the light at her. It missed, bounced from the wall near her head, and broke.
     “Shit! Now look what you've done!” Zeke towered over Sue. He grabbed her and pulled her toward the doorway, cursing her and calling her names. Sue jerked away from him and stumbled, but he caught her before she fell to the floor. She tore free of him.
     The ghostly people had vanished, perhaps frightened by Zeke's rage. The open doorway was a rectangle of light and Sue charged for it, Zeke on her heels. She lurched out of the blackness into the autopsy room, which by comparison looked almost welcoming and safe. Zeke stormed into the room seconds later, his face contorted with an anger he struggled to control.
     Crying, Sue backed into an autopsy table and cringed away from him. “Why are you doing this to me?” she shrieked. “You’re scaring me!”
     Immediately, a change passed over Zeke’s face and his features settled into an expression of sorrow and remorse. “Oh god, Susie,” he choked, his hands hanging at his sides. “I’m so sorry. It was an automatic response. It comes from my childhood. You see, my dad used to beat me and I’m still not over the effects of it. I just reacted without thinking. I would never hurt you.”
     “But you did hurt me.” Tears ran down her cheeks as she held her arms where he had grabbed her.
     “I didn’t mean to, honey.” Zeke was contrite, his eyes moist. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I kind of lost it there for a minute. Come on, bunny. You know I wouldn’t hurt you on purpose.” He edged over to Sue and timidly put his arms around her. He pulled her to his chest and murmured comforting words into her ear.

Reader’s Haven: Great excerpt, makes me want to grab a copy now! Readers, find out more about them and their books below:

Sites for Karen & PJ

Our website

Our site for readers & other indie authors: 

Find A Good Book to Read

Amazon Author Page

Zeke Buy Links

 Kindle

Nook

Smashwords

Half Bitten Buy Links

Kindle

Paperbook


James Willis Makes a Million Buy Link

Amazon

Links:

Facebook

Twitter: @WodkeHawkinson

Contest: We’d like to give away an e-copy of Zeke via Smashwords coupon to one lucky commenter. Thank you for having us!

Click on the links below to read an excerpt of Wodke Hawkinson's books:

Catch Her in the Rye Short Stories Volume One: Doctor

Blue Selected Short Stories Volume Two: Blue

Alone Selected Short Stories Volume Three: Troll

Betrayed

Tangerine

Half Bitten BY PJ HAWKINSON

James Willis Makes a Million