Author Q&A with Jen Minkman

 

Author Bio:

Jen Minkman (1978) was born in Holland, in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn. When she was 19, she moved between The Hague, Salzburg (Austria), Brussels (Belgium) and Cambridge (UK) to complete her studies in intercultural communication. She is currently a teacher of English, career counsellor and teenage coach at a secondary school in Voorburg, Holland. She tries to read at least 100 books a year (and write a few, too!). She is a published author in her own country, and translates her own books from Dutch into English for self-publication.
In her spare time, she plays the piano, the guitar and the violin. For every novel she writes, she creates a soundtrack.

'I have always been drawn to writing. My first book was a sci-fi novel at the age of...moreJen Minkman (1978) was born in Holland, in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn. When she was 19, she moved between The Hague, Salzburg (Austria), Brussels (Belgium) and Cambridge (UK) to complete her studies in intercultural communication. She is currently a teacher of English, career counsellor and teenage coach at a secondary school in Voorburg, Holland. She tries to read at least 100 books a year (and write a few, too!). She is a published author in her own country, and translates her own books from Dutch into English for self-publication.
In her spare time, she plays the piano, the guitar and the violin. For every novel she writes, she creates a soundtrack.

'I have always been drawn to writing. My first book was a sci-fi novel at the age of eight, which I painstakingly typed out on my dad's typewriter and illustrated myself. Nowadays, I stick to poetry, paranormal romance, chicklit and/or fantasy. In my home country, I am the first-ever published writer of paranormal romance, and I will gradually make my books also available in English (seeing I have to re-write and translate the books myself, this will take some time!).

(Taken from Goodreads.com)

Earlier this week I reviewed Jen Minkman's young adult paranormal romance novel Shadow of Time which you can read by clicking here. Now I'm lucky enough to have gotten a chance to interview Jen so without further ago here's my author Q&A with here:

1. What inspired you to write Shadow of time?

Stephenie Meyer's books, because I wanted to write a paranormal romance with Native American elements that would have a happy ending for the Native American guy (as in, getting the girl)!

2. Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Difficult question! I really like Ray Bradbury, Stefan Zweig, Thea Beckman and Suzanne Collins. In the paranormal genre, my favourite is Cynthia Hand.

3. What are your top 10 favourite books?

The Hunger Games, Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, Twilight, Schachnovelle (a German classic), Unearthly, Kinderen van Moeder Aarde (a Dutch book), and my own books, haha ;)

4. If you could meet any author alive or dead who would it be?

 I'm going for Ray Bradbury in that case.

5. If you could time travel what time would you go to?

A time before Europe was flooded with patriarchal societies and cultures; a time when they still worshipped the Goddess.

6. What was the best part of writing Shadow of Time?

Doing all the research! I loved reading up on the Navajos and I really enjoyedm learning so many new things.

7. What was the most difficult part of the writing process for you?

Cutting out stuff I liked in order to make it a better book :(

8. Who were your biggest supporters while you were writing Shadow of time?

I guess writing is more or less a one-woman show for me; I don't need support. But if I had to name a few people who supported me throughout the getting-publishing process, that would be my sister and my best friend.

9. Do you have any advice for would be authors?

Never give up, but don't be afraid of constructive criticism, it will only make your books better in the long run.

10. Besides from being an author, can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

I am a teacher of English and I love my job very much because it involves helping kids and trying to prepare them for the big bad world out there :) I also really like all kinds of creative stuff, like painting, drawing, making music and (obviously) writing. I have a passion for languages and wish I could learn a new language every year.

11. If you could describe your book in 30 words or less how would you describe it?

Shadow of Time is a supernatural, romantic adventure set in Navajo Nation, involving shapeshifters, spirituality and love lasting more than one lifetime!

12. Do you see yourself still writing in the next 10 years?

Oh yes. Nothing will make me stop!

13. Do you think blogs and social networks are an aid or a hinderance to authors?

An aid, absolutely. I wouldn't be where I am today without the support and time that blogs devoted to reviewing and discussing my work!

14. What has been your most rewarding experience as an author?

Seeing my book sell fairly well and reading reviews written by absolute strangers who bothered to buy my book and leave a few lines on Amazon. I write for myself, but when I manage to entertain other people with it, it's such a thrill!

 

Thanks for the Interview Jen!

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*[Blog Tour Review & Interview] Rally 'Round the Corpse by Hy Conrad

 

Summary:

 

It's been two years since her fiancé's death. Amy Abel needs to start over. What better way for a shy, risk-averse woman to start than to sink all her savings into a travel agency specializing in adventure? Her first project is a mystery road rally through the European countryside. At the starting line in Monte Carlo, Amy finds herself attracted to Marcus Alvarez, the most mysterious of her two dozen game-loving clients. But the rally gets off to a rocky start when an eccentric writer, the only person who knows the game's solution, is himself murdered back in New York. Who would kill a harmless mystery geek, and why are weird accidents beginning to happen along the way? To her horror, Amy discovers that this fictional mystery was based on a real, unsolved case, one that Marcus knows too much about. Now she has no choice but to join forces with Fanny, her domineering mother, and solve this on her own, before the killer strikes again.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 337 pages (Paperback)

Source: Review Copy

Available Formats: E-book & Paperback

Publication Date: May 29th 2012 by Seven Realms Publishing

 

This is the second book that I've had the opportunity to read and review for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours and for the author Hy Conrad and just like the previous book I read by him I found Rally 'Round the Corpse to be a delightful read.

 

This novel centers around Amy Abel, her mother Franny, their travel business and of course a murder. I really liked the fact that Amy and her mother started their own travel business with a unique twist. Relying on the whims of the wealthy the pair have set up mystery tours where the guests must solve the mystery in question except in this case things don't go the way the mother and daughter team expected.

 

I loved all the characters in the book (even the bad guys) and the dialogue was bang on. It was as if I were hearing actual people talking. The dialogue was easy flowing, hilarious and one of my favourite things about the book other than the plot that is. I thought the plot was an interesting one and one that I haven't seen before which is fantastic for me since I love seeing new themes being represented in novels because I'm rather sick of seeing the same things repeated in a multitude of books that it is completely refreshing to find something new.

 

The writing was fantastic and kept me glued to the pages. I got completely caught up in the story and with it's characters as well as completely sucking me into the mystery aspect of the novel. I loved the way that Hy Conrad was able to create such an awesome cozy mystery that I was able to spend an afternoon reading and I had no idea how the story was going to end until I reached the finish line and boy was I a little more than surprised let me tell you. The book was written with a lot of twists and turns and a lot of humour and I found myself laughing often while I read the Rally 'Round the Corpse and am so glad I had a chance to review it for this blog tour.

 

Overall, the author wrote a wonderful cozy mystery that I highly recommend to everyone. If you're a fan of the genre I really hope you'll check this one out and if you're not familiar with the genre this is the perfect place to start. I hope that this will turn into a series and that this isn't the last I've heard of the Abel women.

 

*I received a free copy in exchange for my free and honest review. I was not compensated in any way and all thoughts and opinions expressed therein are my own.

Really Liked It!
★ ★ ★ ★

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Author Bio

 

Best known for his work in mysteries, Hy was one of the original writers for the groundbreaking series, Monk. He worked on the show for all eight seasons, the final two as Co-Executive Producer, and received three Edgar Nominations from the Mystery Writers of America for “Best TV Episode.”

In a related project, Hy was Executive Producer and head writer of Little Monk, a series of short films featuring Adrian Monk as a ten-year-old. His latest TV work was as writer and Consulting Producer for White Collar.

Hy is also the author of hundreds of short stories and ten books of short whodunits, which have been sold around the world in fourteen languages. Hy’s first full-length comedy/mystery play, Home Exchange, premiered at the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West in May 2012. And, in a different vein, he recently authored a humor book called Things Your Dog Doesn’t Want You to Know.

Hy splits his time among Key West, Vermont and New York City.

 

Author Q & A

 

 

 

 

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: I guess I’m best known for my TV work. I was one of the original writers of the series “Monk” and wound up becoming the show’s Co-Executive Producer. From there I became head writer for the webisode series “Little Monk” and Consulting Producer on TV’s “White Collar.”

In the publishing world, I’ve written a dozen books of short mysteries published in thirteen languages around the world.

Most recently I was tapped to take over authoring the “Monk” novels, a successful series of mysteries based on the characters from the show. The first, “Mr. Monk Helps Himself”, will be out in hardcover in June.

Q: Did you plan to be a writer or did it just happen?

 

A: Starting as a teenager, I began working as a stage actor, performing on Broadway and in national tours. Then one summer, while doing summer stock, I wrote a play that found a niche Off-Broadway. Suddenly I wound up getting a lot more respect and more jobs. And from then on, I was a writer.

Q: What is your favorite non-writing pastime?

 

A: I love travel and history and dogs. So, I guess my dream job would be to travel back in time and take care of Marco Polo’s pooches.

Q: When did you decide to take that step that made you a published author?

A: I didn’t get my start in the traditional way. After my play closed, one of the backers asked if I had any ideas that would work on Laserdisc, an early, slightly more interactive version of a DVD. The result was the MysteryDisc, a solve-it-yourself mystery film with sixteen different endings.

After the MysteryDisc, people started tracking me down and offering me other mystery projects. I’ve always joked that my main talent lies in answering the phone and saying yes.

Q: What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

A: Developing a relaxed style has always been a challenge. My early efforts all had time constraints and I had to squeeze a lot of plot into a small amount of screen time or number of pages. In one of my books of mini-mysteries, I limited myself to under 300 words per story, not including the solution.

I admire writers who can take their time, create long, meandering conversations and still keep the reader involved. I have to make a concerted effort to relax and trust myself more. It’s always a battle.

Q: Is writing a full-time career for you? If not, how else do you spend your workday?

 

A: Writing is my full-time job. I start around 8 a.m. every day and try to write at least 1,000 words a day. That may not sound like a lot, but it includes whatever research and outlining I need to do. To put it in perspective, that’s a 90,000 book in three months

.

 Q: If you had to sum “Rally 'Round the Corpse” in 30 words or less, what would you say?

A: It’s the first adventure featuring Amy Abel, a young travel agent, who leads high-end tours around the world and always has to deal with murder. And it’s funny.

 

Q: What inspired the idea behind your book?

 

A: One of the things I used to do for fun was to stage mystery parties for friends. Some of them were quite elaborate, taking a full day to solve. So the idea occurred to me. “Why doesn’t someone create a mystery tour, a combination mystery game and two-week vacation?” I’m not sure anyone has done it in real life, but at least I got to do it on paper.

Q: Do you have to be alone or have quiet to write?

A: I need to be alone, but not isolated. If I could, I would hire someone to sit in the next room and not say anything. Barring that, I like having a dog around, for a little companionship. And Pandora, tuned to New Agey noise.

 

Q: What has been your greatest challenge in writing “Rally 'Round the Corpse?”

A: When I started “Rally,” I didn’t realize how daunting this concept for a series would be. In every book, I have to establish Amy’s tour and all the guests on the tour. Then I have to place the murder in an exotic locale, and invent a reason for Amy to bring the investigation back to Greenwich Village, so that her mother Fanny can help out. That’s a lot of logistics.

In “Rally,” the story centers on a mystery road rally. In my upcoming book, “If I Die Before the Wake”, it focuses on a dying maid who wants her ashes scattered around the world by all her old employers. And I have no idea what to do for the one after that.

Q: Who are your favourite authors?

A: I’m a big fan of humor fiction writers like P.G. Wodehouse and E.F. Benson. Basically I just go for dead English guys with a lot of initials. Also H.G. Wells.

 

I would like to thank Hy Conrad for doing this little Q & A with me. It was a delight featuring you and your book on my blog today!

*[Blog Tour Author Interview] Q & A with Angela Shelton

Today on Turning the Pages I'm delighted to bring you an interview from author Angela Shelton who has taken time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions. Thank you Angela!

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

 

 I’m an artist with a mission to create things that inspire people to live joyful lives, no matter what they’ve been through. I started out as a mime at the local mall. I went on to model from ages 16-26. I started acting professionally when I was 17 in commercials, independent movies, and TV guest stars. I wrote my first manuscript at 19 while living in Paris. It was a novel about my mom called Tumbleweeds. When I booked my first lead in a movie when I was 21, the director read my book and loved it. That led to us writing the screenplay together and the indie movie Tumbleweeds was born. After that I started writing screenplays while continuing to act. Then I got the wild idea to direct my first film. That became the documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton where I traveled America interviewing other Angela Sheltons. I thought the film was going to be funny, but it was far from it. When I discovered that 70% of the Angela Sheltons had been victims of child sexual abuse, rape and/or domestic violence I was propelled on a decade long tour of speaking out against violence against women and children. After years encouraging survivors to move on and lead joyful lives, I decided to practice what I preached and fulfill my dream of writing books. So I married my first love, moved to the country, and I’m on my fifth book already. Woowee – that was a mouthful! From mime to married life!

2. Did you plan to be a writer or did it just happen?

 

My mom started me writing. She got custody of me again when I was eight and from that point on, she would urge me to “write it down” whenever I was upset. I had stacks and stacks of journals.

 

3. What is your favorite non-writing pastime?

When I’m not writing, I love to cook. I love going on long hikes through the woods with my husband and our puppy. I love Kung Fu movies and I’m totally addicted to Dexter.

 

 4. When did you decide to take that step that made you a published author?

I didn’t exactly decide to be a published author on my first published book. I just started writing a book about how making my documentary changed my life forever because I just had to write it all down. I was speaking at a church in Iowa about healing and moving on from trauma. I shared that I was writing the book Finding Angela Shelton and it turned out that someone who worked at a huge publishing house was in the congregation. She became a champion for the book and took it up the ranks. The next thing I knew, I had a book deal.

I did not follow up on sending the manuscript for Tumbleweeds out to publishers because honestly, I was tired of that story. We’d made a movie and worked on it for five years and that story was cooked in my mind. I wanted to do something different and plus, I kept getting hired to write screenplays. I let my first book sit for a while. I pulled it out again recently, so it’s on my list.

 

5. What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been able to overcome it?

My main challenge has been my desire and urge to write in more than one genre.

A lot of audience from the documentary was scratching their heads over the fact that I wrote a fantasy series for example.

I believe I’m overcoming that by simply continuing to write what I love to read and letting each book finds its own audience. There are some people who support everything I write, no matter what genre or age group it’s written for. I love those readers!

 

6. Is writing a full-time career for you? If not, how else do you spend your workday? 

 

I write full time and also help other writers on their books as a consultant. I am on social media for a least an hour a day, I write on my personal blog and my book blog and I work on at least one book project. I have two going right now. My husband and I also work on film projects together. We just finished one for animals that will be launched in 2013 hopefully. We have a very creative household and are always up to something new!

 

7. If you had to sum it up The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton in 30 or less words, what would you say?

Tilda Pinkerton teaches a triumphant story of what happens when you realize you have the power to change things. Plus, this fun fantasy builds vocabulary for kids and adults!

 

8. What inspired the idea behind your book?

The idea of Tilda Pinkerton was presented to me during a meditation prayer. I asked the muses - those little creative angels who plant ideas into our minds - what I should write that was original, fun, and good for children and adults alike. I sat there and waited. Then I heard “Tilda Pinkerton collects hats” and my eyes popped open. I announced that I loved it and wanted to hear more. Then I heard “Whenever Tilda Pinkerton gives you a hat, your life changes forever.”

Tilda Pinkerton was born through a higher source, if you believe in those things, which I do!

 

9. Do you have to be alone or have quiet to write?

Having quiet time to write is not always possible so I have developed the ability to tune everything and everyone out – like reading a book in a busy airport. I zone out and dive into a story. I prefer slipping always to the porch, but if I must I can write at the kitchen table amid a cocktail party too.

 

10. What has been your greatest challenge in writing The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton?

Actually, my biggest challenge with Tilda was her words. She has a much more extensive vocabulary than I do so it was a dance with the dictionary for me.

 

11. Is there any place and time in the world and in history that you would like to visit?

There are many! I would have loved to go to the moon. I’d love to go back to France in the 1700’s. I’d also love to be a quick draw cowboy in the wild west. 

 

Author Bio: 

 

Angela Shelton is an author, actor, blogger and public speaker. She has been writing since she was eight years old. Her first novel was adapted into the movie Tumbleweeds. Angela won a regional Emmy award for her portrayal of Safe Side Superchick in The Safe Side video series created by Baby Einstein’s Julie Clark and America’s Most Wanted’s John Walsh. After living in Los Angeles for over a decade, Angela left the big city for a one-light country town to marry her first love and fulfill her dream of writing books in a barn house.

Find out how Angela has incorporated the character of Tilda Pinkerton into an entire line of book projects, each geared towards a different age group at www.MagicHatShop.com

 

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