Meet Mystery Novelist D.M. O'Byrne

Today at The Write Way Cafe, D.M. O'Byrne tells how she taps into a wealth of experiences to write cozy mysteries.


When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a mystery?
It was an interesting journey. My first mystery, Dangerous Turf, began as a sports novel called The Finish Line, written for the “high-low” market—books for adults written at a grade-school reading level. I was teaching in an adult education program at the time and had had a math book for that program published by New Readers Press. But they passed on the novel. So I put it in a drawer and forgot about it. About fifteen years later, I rewrote it as a YA novel, and it won third prize in a writing contest. But I couldn’t find a publisher for it. So, back in the drawer it went. Several years later, after reading loads of mysteries, I got the idea to turn the book into a mystery. I added the mystery plot to the original story, renamed it Dangerous Turf, and pitched it to Black Opal Books, who snapped it up. That led to the sequel, Three to One Odds, and my latest series beginning with Death in Trout Fork.

What was your path to getting Death in Trout Fork written and published? What type of research did you do?
After writing Dangerous Turf and the sequel, I began thinking the audience for horse-y books was limited and thought I would try writing a mystery with a broader appeal. I concentrated on the “cozy” mystery genre (no sex, violence, blood and gore, f-bombs) because that’s the kind of book I like to read. Black Opal Books was delighted to publish it, along with the sequel, The Mountaintop Murders, which is scheduled for release in May, 2019, and the third book in the series which is 2/3 finished. As for research, I had to scour the internet for information on various types of crimes and murders.

Where did the idea for Death in Trout Fork come from?
The setting was inspired by an actual place not 50 miles from my home. My husband and I were riding our bikes in the area and stopped for lunch at the little café. As I sat there watching the patrons and enjoying the scenery, I asked myself, “What kind of people live here? Who stops here? Where are they going and what kind of secrets do they have?” That started the mental ball rolling. I’m often asked where my ideas come from, a topic I covered in an article on my website: http://dmobyrne.com/where-do-you-get-your-ideas/.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
As we sat at that little café, I realized it would make a perfect setting for a cozy mystery. It’s a small closed community that appears very much like the description of Trout Fork in the book. There are four stores under one roof, including the café which I named Alma’s in the book. The place is at the intersection of the two rivers I name in the book and the surrounding mountains and forests are very much the same. The characters are NOT taken from anyone in the real town, however. I’ve never met any of the residents.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
I have never written a character based on anyone I know. I think I would find that too stifling. One thing that helps me create memorable characters is to write extensive biographies of each one before I begin to write the book. I do an in-depth (two or three pages) description of each person—his/her physiology, sociology, and psychology. Most of that information will never appear on a page, but it helps me to know how they will speak, think and act. It makes it so much easier to write about them. For many scenes, I have no idea what the characters are going to say. I just kind of put them in a room together and listen to them talk! I go into this technique in depth in a post on my website: http://dmobyrne.com/let-your-characters-write-your-novel-for-you/.

Did you face any blocks while writing Death in Trout Fork, and if so, how did you handle them?
Writer’s block is a very real occurrence in the life of most writers. As I say in a post on my website, the only way (at least for me) to deal with it is to write something, even if it’s terrible and never finds its way onto the page. When I feel “blocked,” I revert back to a philosophy I adopted many years ago that applies to any difficult situation: “Do something, even if it’s wrong. At least you have something you can fix.” That has been a helpful mantra for me in many of life’s trials. Too many people are immobilized by fear of failure or of making a mistake. They are plagued by “what ifs” and imagine all sorts of possible dire consequences to any action they might contemplate. The problem with that plan is that it produces inertia. Of course they’re right in believing if you do nothing, you can’t make a mistake. But doing nothing also produces nothing and for a writer, that is career-ending. If you do something and it turns out badly, you can always fix it or re-do it. But if you do nothing, you have nothing to work with.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing Death in Trout Fork and after?
I honestly don’t remember anything surprising me while writing. I guess I’ve been most surprised by the reactions of readers to the descriptions of the town of Trout Fork and the surrounding area. I don’t see writing descriptions as a strong point for me.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about local detectives, writing a travel column, and journalists?
I learned the way small town police departments function and the roles of detectives vs. beat cops. There were other things I had to research, but if I mention them, they would give hints about the murders and killers in the next two books which would be spoilers.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
I have several places I like to settle in to write. In the summer, my favorite place is on the deck in our back yard where I can listen to the birds and watch the squirrels and rabbits play in the grass. It’s peaceful and very Colorado-ish, which helps me create the ambiance of the Ryn Lowell Colorado Mysteries series I’m writing. One day last summer, a bobcat was walking along the fence that separates our yard from the neighbor’s. He stopped and we stared at each other for a while, then strolled off down the fence and disappeared. In the winter, I either hunker down in my living room or go to the local Panera Bread where I sit by the fireplace.

What are some of your favorite books and why?
My two all-time favorites are Jane Eyre and David Copperfield. I’ve read both at least four times. Oddly enough, even though I write cozy mysteries, I never read them. In fact, I rarely read any fiction written after 1920. I have a list of classics from the library and have been working through the list. I find that reading good literature improves my own writing and expands my ability to plot and create characters. There’s a reason why those books are still in print, some hundreds of years after they were written. How many books written today will endure that long? Most will never even get to a second printing. In the mystery genre, my favorite is the Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane series by Dorothy Sayers. I am inspired by Sayers to try to write the best novels without the use of sex scenes, profanity, or sensationalism. I’m convinced if I can do that, there are still enough readers out there who will want to read my work.

What are you working on now?
I’m almost finished with the third of the Ryn Lowell Colorado Mysteries series, entitled A Killing in Vail, in which our heroine tries to solve a murder in the famous ski town. I think it’s my best so far. In fact, in this series, each one seems to be better than the previous one. Let’s hope I can keep that up!

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
Actually, I’ve already written in other genres before turning to mysteries. Under my real name, Dolores Kimball, I have had two nonfiction books published in the Christian women’s self-help genre, both published by EP Books, a UK publisher. I also rendered into modern English a book of John Bunyan’s called The Holy War, which was published by Ichthus. All are still in print. I tried writing YA, but wasn’t very good at it. Too far removed from that age group, I suspect. I think I’ve found my niche with cozies and will most likely remain there.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
Writing IS my dream job! I’ve waited decades to be able, like Ryn, to “escape the stifling confines” of offices and sit at home with my cat on my lap and let my mind build the fictive dream. What could be better? Of course it helps to have a hubby who goes off to work each day and pays the bills until my dream job actually starts to pay off!

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Marketing! I hate it with a passion. But it’s part of the business today. Publishers, even the big ones, aren’t going to do all the marketing for a writer, so we have to accept that we’re responsible for the success of our books. In the actual process of writing, descriptions give me the most trouble. I’m not a visual person, so describing people and places is something I have to really work at. The flip side is that plotting is easy for me because I’m a sequential thinker. 

Who is your favorite hero/heroine, either in books you’ve read or in your own writing?
Jane Eyre is my favorite fictional heroine. She is smart, resourceful, literate, incredibly loving and forgiving, and always manages to overcome obstacles while maintaining her personal standards. My favorite hero is Lord Peter Wimsey in the series by Dorothy Sayers. I love the way Lord Peter uses his wits to solve mysteries while maintaining his cool, unflappable good manners.

She should have known when she fished that Pink Floyd T-shirt out of the creek that it belonged to that waitress, the one who disappeared…

Kathryn “Ryn” Lowell has escaped the stifling confines of her office at the New York travel magazine she writes for and pulls into Trout Fork, a tiny fishing hamlet in the Colorado Rockies, to write an article about the town. She hasn’t been there long, when along with her orange tabby cat, Jack Kerouac, she discovers a T-shirt in the local creek that belonged to the missing waitress. Now foul play is suspected, and Ryn, who has fallen for the quaint mountain town, is determined to find the killer and give her new friends closure. Teaming up with the local police detective, who seems to want more than Ryn can give him, she puts it all on the line—her heart, her job, and her life.

Death in Trout Fork Trailer

https://youtu.be/jUwnL-ic5vE

Amazon          Barnes and Noble          Black Opal Books

About D.M. O'Byrne:

     D.M. O'Byrne's first job was as a waitress. Now she's a writer of mystery novels. In between, jobs included English teacher, racehorse exerciser, jockey, accountant, golf resort assistant manager, writer, and editor. Her places of residence ranged from the Jersey Shore to a lengthy sojourn in California, and finally to the Colorado Rockies. Each profession, each location was rife with life lessons, fascinating characters, potential plot lines, and wide-ranging experiences. Sooner or later, they will all end up on the written page.

     D.M. lives in Colorado Springs with her husband and their cat, Warnie. They spend much of their time riding bikes and enjoying the scenery. Warnie spends his time watching the bunnies out the window, lounging on the sofa, and trying to catch his tail.

Website           Facebook          Twitter

Writing by the Rules by HL Carpenter

The Write Way Café welcomes HL Carpenter, a team writing with tips for breaking rules.

Would you ever drive through a red stoplight?

While doing research, we found this question posed to readers of a blog. In response, one reader posted that she had indeed run a stoplight. She had been on a dark country road, driving by herself, when she arrived at a deserted four-way intersection. She felt uncomfortable waiting at a red light when clearly no other vehicles were in sight. So, after doublechecking the road in all directions to be certain she could proceed safely, she drove through the still-red light and went on her way.

To us, her response was logical. We're not of the opinion that rules are meant to be followed blindly, nor substituted for common sense. In the case the blog reader presented, removing herself from a deserted intersection in the middle of the night was more important than unthinking obedience to a traffic light. She wasn't promoting wholesale red-light running. She merely made a considered decision at a particular moment. We would probably have done the same.

Yet gauging by the scathing comments of other posters, we're in the minority. "Rules exist for a reason," wrote one. "What if everyone decided for themselves when to follow the rules?" "Who are you to make up your own rules?" asked another.

Who indeed?

We happened across the post while researching our mystery, Murder by the Books. All right, perhaps by that point we had gotten sucked into the rabbit warren of the internet, even though we began with good intentions. At any rate, the post—and especially the responses—gave us greater insight into how to add depth to one of the characters in our story.

Miss Fae, as she is known, is not the main character in Murder by the Books. In fact, she's already dead when the story begins. But the choices she made during her life, few of which were conventional, shaped the future and the personality of our protagonist, her granddaughter, also named Fae.

No doubt you make decisions every day that go against conventional rule-thinking, too. We know we do, especially in our writing. Here are three lessons we have learned about the rules of writing.

1. The accepted way is only one way. Sometimes it's the best way, sometimes not. Creative power lies in deciding when to stray from the well-trod path.

2. A simple method for deciding which rules to break and which to follow is to understand why a specific rule exists and why it is the default.

3. Breaking rules for the sake of being different is counterproductive. Instead, bend the rules. Adapt what's useful and discard the rest.

In Murder by the Books, Miss Fae paid a price for her choices, and so does her granddaughter. Were the choices worth the price? We think Miss Fae would say yes. She lived her life on her terms and made it one of meaning and value. And isn't that the purpose of rules, in both real and fictional worlds? They define conventional boundaries, and consciously choosing whether, and when, to accept those boundaries can point the way to new horizons. As the character in our book learns, the past does not have to define the future. Sometimes a considered decision to drive through a metaphorical red light is the best choice.

***

While you're pondering whether or not rules are meant to be broken, we invite you to enjoy an excerpt from our mystery, Murder by the Books.

A letter from beyond the grave brings Fae Childers face to face with murder, embezzlement, romance, and a hidden family legacy.

Certified public accountant Fae Childers is not an embezzler, despite the belief of the accounting firm that fires her for stealing. But proving her innocence is harder than convincing an IRS agent to allow a deduction. She's lost her mother, her job, her fiancé, and her self-respect. She's running out of money and the lease is about to expire on her apartment.

Then the fortune-telling grandmother Fae never knew existed, whose name and psychic abilities she now learns are also hers, issues a challenge from beyond the grave—a challenge that brings Fae face to face with murder, embezzlement, romance, and a hidden family legacy.

When the mystery of Fae's past collides with the troubles of her present, the situation veers out of control. Her very life is threatened. Who can she trust? The man she's falling in love with? The former fiancé who has already betrayed her once? Or only herself?

With justice, romance, and her future at stake, Fae must overcome personal and professional obstacles to save herself and those she loves. And she's going to have to do it fast, before someone else dies.

Amazon


EXCERPT

The letter arrived on the last Thursday in April, two weeks to the day after I got fired from the accounting firm where I worked for the past decade. August Palmer, my landlord, hand-delivered the letter in person, saying, "The mail carrier stuck this in my box by mistake, Fae."

I took the envelope without bothering to look at it and glanced past Gus, at the patch of brilliant cloudless blue sky framing his shoulders.

Tampa, Florida on the cusp of summer, full of birdsong and the scent of warming pavement.

"Beautiful morning," I said, as if I cared.

"Afternoon," Gus said, his voice a low rumbly growl, the product of too many cigarettes and whiskeys in his happily misspent youth. He stood outside the tiny apartment my mother and I rented from him for the past two years and eyed me. "Still mopin', girl?"

He had shown up on my doorstep every day since the firing with the same question.

Adhering to our new routine, I answered the same way I always did, except this time I didn't bother pasting on a fake smile to accompany the words.

"Nope. Not my style."

"'Scuse me." His tone was as dry as the month he was named for. "Forgot you've been hidin' in the apartment, tap dancing with glee."

I met his gaze. "For hours at a time. Any complaints about the noise?"

He clicked a nicotine pellet against tobacco stained teeth and kept his silence. I regretted my sarcasm. In my forbidden childhood game of describing people in colors, I would have painted Gus early-morning-yellow, the shade of the summer sun before the friendly sheltering coolness of night gave way to the brutal heat of day.

The description would have horrified him.

"How are the treatments going?"

He grunted. "They tell me I ain't gonna croak this week."

"Glad to hear it. You might want to keep your distance from me, though. I'm jinxed."

Gus shook his head. "You gotta get over them fools, girl."

"That's no way to talk about my former bosses." Especially since I looked at the real fool in the mirror each morning. I had believed dedication, loyalty, and hard work were appreciated by the partners of Slezia + Fyne, CPA, PA.

Ha, ha.

"Anyway, I am over them. Way over."

"Yeah?" He was not convinced. "You over the suit, too?"

"Sure am." Once again, I stuck with our new routine and gave him the same answer I always did. "I have moved on."

Once again, the lie carried the bitter taste of betrayal. The suit was Scott Piper, former co-worker, fiancé, and man of my dreams. The suit dumped me the day of the firing.

Gus snorted. "Funny how much movin' on resembles standing around feeling sorry for yourself."

In my opinion, wallowing in self-pity was marginally more mature than throwing a temper tantrum. Even if it hadn't been, I didn't have the energy for a tantrum. I barely had the energy to maintain my half of the daily conversation with Gus.

"Have you been watching that big bald guy on television again?"

He stuck out his chin. "Don't get smart. You know I'm right. You're mopin'."

"Only because I can't tap dance."

He was right. In the eight months since my mother's death, I had slogged through an ever-darkening morass of the malady Gus called moping, and what his favorite celebrity psychologist might consider the early stages of depression. The firing and the accompanying fallout shoved me even closer to the edge of a black abyss.

My moping was self-absorbed, given the burdens others faced, but what could I say? One woman's detour was another's stop sign.

"You ought to call your girl pal, that one you worked with. What's her name? Sarah? Have you heard from her?"

No. And I didn't want to hear from her, much less call her.

I shook my head.

"Your ma would have been annoyed with you."

A lump in my throat closed off my voice and I could only nod. He was right about that too. My irrepressible mother believed in taking the positive approach to life. To her, saying negative words or thinking negative thoughts was the same as asking them to come true. She had little patience for pity parties.

Focus on your strengths, Fae, and always keep moving.

My ability to follow her advice vanished with her death. I was slowly turning into the type of recluse the Japanese call hikikomori. Even the simple task of cleaning out Mom's bedroom was beyond me.

"So? You gonna open the letter?" Gus asked.

I turned over the envelope in my hand.

Heavy, officious, dirty white, and mildly threatening, the envelope shrieked of the intimidation perfected by lawyers and the Internal Revenue Service and jolted me right out of my apathy. My breath hitched in my throat.

Had Gary Slezia and Richard Fyne gone back on their word? Had they decided to forego their distaste for publicity and press charges against me?

###


Mother/daughter author duo HL Carpenter write family-friendly fiction from their studios in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, is unreal but not untrue. When they’re not writing, they enjoy exploring the Land of What-If and practicing the fine art of Curiosity. Visit HLCarpenter.com to enjoy gift reads and excerpts and to find out what’s happening in Carpenter Country.


Stay connected on Pinterest, Twitter, Amazon.

Getting to Know Lynda Rees

The Write Way Café welcomes author Lynda Rees, a dreamer who believes in making her dreams come true.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
I was four and learning to read with my grandpa and the Bible. He interpreted the stories and it was fascinating drifting into other worlds than the one I lived in. My first author hero was Louisa May Alcott, and my favorite of her books is Eight Cousins. It’s still one of my favorites.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
I live on a farm, and we raised our children on horseback. My daughter was a horse trainer for Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, and we have friends in the racing industry. Plus I’m an avid fan of horse racing and the magnificent four-legged athletes.

Where did the idea for your story come from? 
Bloodlines & Lies is book 5 of The Bloodline Series. It didn’t start as a series; however, I fell in love with the characters in book 1, Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary & Wine and wanted to discover what happened in the future of the small, tight-knit community. Each book thereafter has focused on different characters in the neighborhood, but brings in the original characters I started this journey with Lemon Sage Benton-Gordon and Sheriff Wyatt Gordon.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
I’ve always heard one should write what you know. I know about horses and racing, advertising, marketing, and relationships. My daughter and her first career as a race horse trainer inspired some of the ideas and our past in general spurred much of the rest.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
Both—myself, family, friends and people I’ve met through the years inspire parts of characters I craft. Each one is an individual, sometimes made up of lots of bits and pieces of real or imaginary people. I believe this is true with most novel writers.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
Not really. I simply sit my butt in the chair and my creative muse takes over.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
I have a background in corporate America in marketing and global transportation. When I decided to seriously pursue publication of my writing, I was surprised at the way the industry has evolved, and the amount of marketing that the author is responsible for. Unless you’re someone like Stephen King or Nora Roberts, with a long-standing successful track record, the marketing end of book selling is in the hands of the writer, whether indie published or with a small or large press publishing house. Minimal effort is put out by the publisher.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about thoroughbred horses, Kentucky, and the Triple Crown?
I was fortunate to have a horse-trainer, my daughter Brandy, who was educated in equestrian therapy and breeding to rely on to help me resolve the intricacies of the breeding process and the size of the prize for breeding in the racing industry. I’ve always been an avid fan of racing.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
I have an office in my home where I escape to for four to ten hours a day. I usually lose track of time, when working. My husband signals when I might’ve been at it too long by sitting a cocktail next to my mouse pad. He’s my true hero to put up with a workaholic like me.

What are some of your favorite books and why?
I adore anything Janet Evanovich writes. I’ve embarrassed myself more than once on a crowded plane cracking up out loud at her stories. I love to laugh, but find I’m not that funny when writing. I love Danielle Steele books and have consumed every one eagerly. I adore American History, so love books like Gone With The Wind and stories like Lonesome Dove, North To Alaska, and Dances With Wolves. I’ll read anything about a soldier or cowboy, so love a classic hero.

What are you working on now?
I’m finalizing God Father’s Day, a stand-alone romantic suspense set at a lake resort in Kentucky. Justin’s life seems perfect until tragedy awakens an evil past threatening to destroy his future and his chances with Becky, who has been hurt before and can’t compete with his wealthy fiancé.
This story haunted me since childhood when the father of a friend was gunned down on the street by the Mob.  I am excited to have it completed.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why?
Actually, I’m doing final editing on my first middle-grade children’s book. It is book 1 of the series titled Freckle Face & Blondie, and co-authored by my granddaughter, Harley Nelson. It is a work of love.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
Travel writer. I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to some glamorous, intriguing places and worked with many folks from other cultures. I have a wonder lust that never seems satisfied.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
I’d say the marketing end. It’s my background but when I decided to become a published author, I didn’t realize it would be my future job as well.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
That would have to be my lumberjack friend, Logan Pace, the hero of my award winning historical novel Gold Lust Conspiracy, where a marriage of convenience turns Jessie Blackstone into a young widow responsible for the livelihood of many in savage, lawless Skagway, Alaska. Jessie faces severe weather, brutal landscape, her sordid past, and her attraction to virile lumberjack Logan Pace. She must learn to thrive in a man’s hostile business world.


Lynda Rees is a story teller and dreamer whose dreams come true.  She lives on a farm in Kentucky with her incredible husband and herd of critters watching her children and grandchildren breath—fascinating. Born in the splendid Appalachian Mountains the daughter of a coal miner and part Cherokee Indian, Lynda grew up in northern Kentucky when the Mob reigned supreme in Newport and the city prospered as a gambling, prostitution and sin mecca. She’s fascinated with how history affects today’s lives and it works its way into her written pages. After a corporate career in marketing and global transportation this free spirited adventurer with workaholic tendencies followed her passion with for writing.

Gold Lust Conspiracy, her award winning historical romance, launched Sept, 2017 by Sweetwater Publishing Company along with Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary and Wine, the first of The Bloodline Series of romantic suspense set in Kentucky horse country. Books 1-5 launch before 2018 with others schedule in the spring. Stay tuned.

Lynda’s first children’s book, Freckle Face & Blondie, is co-authored with her granddaughter Harley Nelson launching early 2018. Enjoy her stories. She hopes you become life-long friends.

To learn more about Lynda's work follow her by clicking here:

Website: www.lyndareesauthor.com

Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary & Wine; The Bloodline Series, Book 1

Romantic Suspense/Cozy Mystery - Sweetwater Publishing Company


Watch the trailer on YouTube

PRINT:     Amazon      Barnes & Noble

eBOOK:   Kindle        NOOK          KOBO         Apple iTunes



Gold Lust Conspiracy (historical fiction/ romance)


View the trailer on YouTube 

PRINT:    Amazon          Barnes & Noble

eBOOK:  Kindle           KOBO         NOOK          Apple iTunes

Meet Emma Lane

The Write Way Café welcomes Emma Lane. Author, gardener, and more, Emma has a way with romance.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance? 
As an avid reader the thought had always been with me. I thought “someday” I would get around to writing, until one day I realized the ‘somedays’ were getting rather limited.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?   
I followed the advice to ‘write what you know and like.’  I love Regency Romance. When I sat down to write, a three book series called “The Vicar’s Daughters” popped out. I started visiting publishers and submission directions. Eventually I found a taker! I was thrilled. Yes! I am constantly researching. I will never know all there is to find out about that historical era.

Where did the idea for your story come from?  
Ummm…I was cleaning out my jewelry box and admiring an amber necklace that had belonged to my mother. A fond father naming his four daughters after precious jewels struck me. His name was Jewelaster and his daughters were Peal, Ruby, Emerald, and Amber. Each story followed the young ladies as they searched for their happily ever after.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
I needed a winter setting for my third Christmas Collection of short stories called Wedding Bells for a Regency Christmas. I used both a country and city backgrounds to add variation to the stories.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself? 
I have three sisters so I can never claim my characters are completely made up. There must always be a touch here and there of people I know in real life.  I draw heavily on certain personalities I observe, although there is never an actual real person presented. Actual authentic historical figures are sometimes mentioned.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret? 
A serious illness left me lethargic until I finally forced myself to resume writing. Soon the words were flowing once more and my pleasure in writing resumed.  It was the first time I could understand why some writers called it work. I had always before called it fun.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after? 
Different reactions to the stories. Some readers love one and others another. To me, they are all one family. I could not separate their stories even though each is different; all four are on a quest to find their life’s destiny.

What did you learn? 
As mentioned above, I learned sometimes one must work at writing.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you. 
I have a lovely bay window office that allows me to enjoy what’s going on outside. A bird feeder keeps the scene lively.

What are some of your favorite books and why? 
All of Georgette Heyer, of course. I am an eclectic reader and will enjoy whatever is before me. I like J.D. Robb and other mysteries. Recently I’ve been reading Dorothy Sayer. I admire her writing very much although I sometimes stumble over the plots.

What are you working on now?
I’m putting together a couple of short stories for Valentine’s day. I may or may not make the deadline.  Other life things keep rearing their sweet heads and temp me from my keyboard.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why? 
I alternately write Cozy Mysteries and have several published by Soul Mate Publishing. They are available in both e-book format and paperback. Murder in the Neighborhood  (written as Janis Lane) introduces Detective Kevin Fowler who works in small town America. He and his colleagues, friends, and neighbors live quietly until threatened by a serial killer. There are two subsequent novels in the series.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be? 
Writing is my dream job. I also play with flowers in my son’s nursery. That’s a pretty dreamy job as well.  Someday when I have enough time and energy, I would like to write a gardening book for young couples just starting out.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble? 
Marketing.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?  
Superman.  I would love to leap tall buildings at a single bound.  Also Sully, the pilot who landed in the Hudson. I’m reading his book, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters.  It’s not fiction, but I would have loved to invent a character with his strengths.  That he is a real person is a marvel.

Four sisters, each named for a precious jewel, Pearl,Ruby, Emerald, and Amber, find their true destinies as each fall in love with a true mate and handsome hero.

Four sisters, left to fend for themselves when their father passes, manage one by one to fulfill their destiny and find their true loves. Four seasonal Christmas love stories.

Amazon


About Emma:
Emma lives in Western New York on a few picturesque acres with her ever patient husband. They own and operate a small herbtique which keeps their days busy and interesting during the summer months. They have two brilliant grown-up children and a wonderful pair of grandchildren. In one way or another, the entire family contributes to Emma’s stories. They are her biggest fans and she is ever thankful for it. Emma is an author of multiple Regency Romances e-published at Musa Publishing, contemporary romance suspense novels at Desert Breeze Publishing and cozy, romantic mysteries at Soul Mate Publishing.

Website       Facebook       Twitter       Pinterest