"MURDER IN MARIETTA" GIVEAWAY
CONGRATULATIONS
TO LOUISE WINNER OF
MURDER IN MARIETTA
I don't know what the weather is in your part of the country, but it has been raining, raining and more raining here in the North Georgia Mountains. I thought it would be good to have another giveaway for my latest book to put some sunshine in our lives. I am posting some questions that I use for interviews - thought it might be fun to interview myself. All you have to do is leave a comment about Spring and how the weather is where you live and be a follower. Hope this brightens your day just a little:)
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 sayJ
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.
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", a winner in the ACFW Category Five Writer's Contest, is now
available.She is a current member of the
Georgia Writers Association, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
Deborah has been nomiated for Georgia Author of the Year 2012. She has an
established blog, Butterfly Journey,
where she reviews Christian Fiction. You can also
catch her at
Sleuths and Suspects,
where she reviews mysteries. She also contributes to the Cozy Mystery Magazine
every other Tuesday.
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Deborah Malone is a freelance writer, speaker, and novelist. She has two cozy mysteries available, "Death in Dahlonega" and "Murder in Marietta."
