Collecting Book

Interview with Kate Braithwaite, author of Charlatan - a novel about the Affair of the Poisons

Kate Braithwaite's debut novel, Charlatan, pulls readers into a tense historical time. Between 1677 and 1682, during the reign of Louis XIV, rumors about macabre goings-on, including poisonings, black magic, and infanticide, reverberated through French society. The murder scandal ensnared even high-ranking members of the royal court.

Charlatan recounts two alternating stories: that of Athénaïs de Montespan, the king's longtime mistress, who is growing older and falling out of favor; and the crime investigation occurring within the grim Château de Vincennes, the royal fortress where the accused are imprisoned and questioned.

As suspense about Athénaïs' possible involvement in the scheme grows, the two stories collide. The fortune-teller Catherine Montvoisin, known as La Voisin, had many prominent clients, which eventually leads authorities right to Athénaïs herself. Was she trying to win back the king's affections through love potions, or did she resort to more sinister means?

I hope you'll enjoy reading this interview with the author. Charlatan, which was was long-listed for the Historical Novel Society & Mslexia New Novel Awards, was published by Fireship Press in September (300pp, $19.99 in paperback or $7.99 ebook). For readers interested in learning more, visit Kate Braithwaite's website.

I’ve read a number of historical novels set during Louis XIV’s reign – the majority focus on his love life – but yours is the first I’ve read that delves into the Affair of the Poisons. What interests you in this dark time in French history?

I’ve always liked crime fiction – I’ve probably read everything by Agatha Christie, Ian Rankin novel, Minette Walters, Michael Connolly and others – and I studied gothic literature as part of my degree course. I also think, perhaps because I’m Scottish, that I’m drawn to parts of history where people are more superstitious and more inclined to be drawn into believing in witchcraft. When I was ten years old, I played the third witch in Macbeth at school and I loved it. I first came across the Affair of the Poisons in Nancy Mitford’s book about Louis XIV. It was so unexpected and in such contrast to all the baroque beauty of the Versailles world. I immediately wanted to know everything about it.

Charlatan keeps readers guessing about Athénaïs’ level of involvement in and knowledge about La Voisin’s deadly rituals. I won’t give anything away, but did your research shift your original perceptions about her level of complicity at all?

Definitely. I was first drawn to writing about Athénaïs because I was sympathetic to her as a woman. There she was, approaching forty, having had seven children with the King (plus two others with her husband) and having to watch as an eighteen-year-old beauty supplanted her. I wanted her to be innocent of the charges leveled against her, but at the same time I could imagine equally easily that La Voisin’s world might have been very tempting. She was incredibly intelligent and witty as well as a great beauty: yet totally reliant upon the King for her and her children’s future. So I did all the reading and tried to get to know as much as I could about her character. That then led the way for the story in Charlatan.

One aspect I enjoyed the most was the interaction between Athénaïs and her former rival, Louise de la Vallière, who left court and took the veil. How did you develop their changing relationship?

Thank you! That is also one of my favourite parts and although I don’t have any historical source suggesting Athénaïs went to visit Louise in her convent, once I had the idea that she might have done, I had to go with it. Athénaïs may or may not have been guilty of many things, but it is certain that she was a poor friend to Louise de la Valliere. When Louis discarded Louise for Athénaïs, Louise was forced to remain at court for years and pretend their sexual relationship was ongoing as Louis walked through her rooms to reach Athénaïs’ suite. When Charlatan opens, it is Athénaïs who is being discarded by Louis, in favour of Angélique de Fontanges. I wanted to see how Louise would react to that and if two women with so much history between them could have any kind of friendship.

The novel’s organization, alternating between the perspective of Athénaïs at the Sun King’s court (and elsewhere) and the investigation being conducted at the Chateau de Vincennes, kept the pages turning and the suspense level high. How did you conceptualize this structure?

From very early on I knew this had to be a novel told from a range of perspectives. Although my starting point in conceiving the novel was with Athénaïs, I became hugely fascinated with the criminals themselves. The world of seventeenth century fortune-tellers was highly competitive and for some, very lucrative. The whole industry of poisons, love potions and black magic was great fun to research. I was also interested in the investigators – perhaps because of all the police procedurals I have read! I imagine that being the person charged with telling Louis XIV, the most glorious King in Europe, that his long-term mistress had ensnared him for years with love potions and possibly devil worship, was an unenviable position to be in. Also, for much of the time, Athénaïs had no way of knowing what the prisoners in the Chateau de Vincennes were saying about her and so the story needed their direct input. Alternating between the court and the investigation meant I could tell all sides of the story.

I found it fascinating to learn in your afterword about Louis XIV’s attempts to conceal evidence mentioning his former mistress in the 17th century, and the re-emergence of this knowledge and publication of relevant records two centuries later. How did this come about?

In 1709, after both Athénaïs and the chief investigator, Nicholas La Reynie, were dead, Louis XIV asked Jean Sargot, La Reynie’s recording officer, to retrieve all the documentation relating to the affair and in particular to Athénaïs. Louis examined the papers and then he burned them. Any evidence appeared to have been safely destroyed but there were copies, stowed in the prison’s archive. These could easily have been destroyed during the storming of the Bastille in 1789 when rioters and looters plundered the prison, including the archive. After the revolutionary dust had settled what papers remained were bundled up and moved to the Arsenal building: ironically, the place where the trials of the criminals involved in the Affair had taken place a century earlier.

It wasn’t until the mid-nineteenth century that a librarian, François Ravaisson, began to catalogue the Bastille papers kept in the Arsenal. In the 1870’s the newly organized collection was published in a nineteen-volume set called the Archive of the Bastille. Four volumes are devoted to the records of the La Reynie’s investigation and they include interrogations of La Voisin and the shocking accusations made by several people, including La Voisin’s daughter Marie, against the King’s most famous mistress.

During your research, did you come across any interesting tidbits or historical characters that you thought about including in the story but were unable to?

Yes! I wanted to write more about the Mancini sisters. One sister, Olympe, the Comtesse de Soissons, is mentioned in the novel as a potential poisoner of her husband. She was a lover of Louis XIV for a time, as was her sister Marie Mancini. Another sister, Hortense, who was a lover of Charles II. Perhaps they need a novel of their own? Then there was Jean Racine, the poet, who was implicated in the Affair of the Poisons. I would love to have included him. I also would have liked to feature Madame de Brinvilliers, a French poisoner and aristocrat who was executed in Paris in 1676. In a way her crimes set the scene for the revelations of the Affair of the Poisons only a few years later.

And I never managed to work into the novel the way that the whole series of arrests began. The first fortune-teller arrested in 1678 was Marie Bosse (named Martine in the novel). She had worked closely with La Voisin for many years but they had fallen out. Dining at the house of her new partner La Vigeroux, Marie Bosse had too much to drink and boasted to a lawyer she had only just met that the poisoning business was making her rich. That man informed on her, and both La Bosse and La Vigeroux were arrested. Their testimony led to the huge investigation that followed.

Do you have any favorite authors or novels? Has your experience with reading and evaluating historical fiction had influence on your own writing?

Some of my favourite novels are My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel, Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, Possession by A.S. Byatt and Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Two favourite historical novels I’ve read this year are Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham and Lazaretto by Diane McKinney-Whetstone.

It is often said that writers need to read widely and well, and I think I’ve always done that, but I’ve found that taking the additional step of reviewing books has been invaluable. Before I started reviewing for the Historical Novel Society and Bookbrowse, I would read actively but not really pin down what I liked or did not like in a novel. I’d have an emotional reaction without really asking myself why. Being tasked with producing honest and considered and reviews has made me think long and hard about what works and what doesn’t. Before this experience I struggled as an editor of my own work, but now I feel much more able to find problems in my drafts and read my own work as a reader might.

Interview: Reading for Jewish Children

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary! I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Bracha Goetz.

Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of thirty children’s books, including Remarkable Park, Let Your Fingers Do the Mitzvos and The Invisible Book. She also coordinates a Big Brother Big Sister Program for Jewish Community Services in Baltimore, Maryland.

Her first published piece was a poem that appeared in McCall’s magazine when she won a Junior McCall’s contest as a twelve-year-old. Years later, she was the editor of her high school paper, and later on, helped coordinate and contributed an essay to the anthology, Women Look at Biology Looking at Women, while at Harvard, which became a text for many women’s studies courses nationwide. Her writing has, since then and up until now, almost exclusively been aimed at the religious Jewish population; being interviewed twice (2009, 2010) on the Zev Brenner Radio show in NY, the most popular Orthodox Jewish radio show. What Do You See on Purim? A fun way for toddlers to learn vocabulary! Teaches toddlers about the holiday of Purim with a bright and colorful word-and-picture book! Children will learn basic vocabulary while becoming familiar with the objects and concepts that are unique to this special holiday. It’s available from Judaica Press and in the local Jewish bookstores!

She also has a chapter entitled “From Harvard to Homemaking” in new release from Coffeetown Press called Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood.

She has recently released What Do You See At School? and Because of a Smile . Available online and in Jewish bookstores – What Do You See On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

Her latest release is Hashem’s Candy Store

“What do you think you would see if you opened the door? What would you find on the shelves in Hashem’s Candy Store?

In this adorable book by bestselling author Bracha Goetz, kids will learn the most amazing things about some of the yummiest “candy” available on the market – namely, the delicious fruits and vegetables that Hashem created.

“Children will devour the captivating rhymes and illustrations…and don’t be surprised if you soon find them beginning to devour their fruits and veggies, too!” — Bracha

Hashem’s Candy Store is available both online and in Jewish bookstores.

1.      What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? I am the author of thirty picture books. Some of them are fiction and some are non-fiction.
2.      What made you want to be a writer? I love reading children’s books, and I wanted to write the kind of books that I wished I could have read when I was a child—spiritual children’s books with answers to life’s deepest questions, presented in a delightfully simple way.
3.      Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Anne Frank
4.      What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? When ideas pop into my head, I jot them down, even if it is in the middle of the night. I keep a pad and pen near my bed for that purpose so I can go back to sleep after writing it down. Then when I have some time, like when I am a passenger in a long car ride or taking a plane trip, I play with the ideas that I have jotted down and see where we can go.
5.      Do you write every day? How much? How long? I probably write something every day, whether it’s editing a piece I once wrote, or communicating about my writing to others.
6.      Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? I think reading is as important because it opens up the writer’s mind to go in new directions.
7.      What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? As soon as I get a rejection, I try to do something with the manuscript, whether that means sending it to a different place or revising it. If I don’t respond quickly, then it will just sit and go nowhere, and I wrote it to get it out into the world.
8.      Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Email blasts are still very effective when new material is published, but the emails need to be kept short as they are often viewed on phones now.
9.      Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? I attended conferences when I began writing professionally and found them very helpful at that time. I think they must have helped me learn how to get my foot into doors.
10. Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? All of my books can be found on my Author Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/spiritualkidsbooks-brachagoetz . These are picture books for Jewish children, but soon I will have spiritual kids’ books for all children (and their parents and teachers) to enjoy as well! My next event that is open to the public (not at a school) is on Sunday, December 12 from 10 to 11:30 am at the Leon Weiner Jewish Library in the Young Israel of Houston in Houston, Texas. I will attach a flyer I just received about this event. Amazon Author Page – Bracha Goetz  David Clarke Blog Talk Radio Interview Bracha Goetz books/images Listen to Bracha reading her books
Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INTERVIEWS--TO FIND GREAT READING OR TO NETWORK WITH AUTHORS--PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG. YOU ARE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THIS FAMILY WHO LOVES BOOKS! YOU'LL FIND A WINDOW TO DO THIS AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG PAGE.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Interview: Daniel Lorti Borrows from Background in Arms for Historical Fiction

So, today welcome Daniel Lorti.

A writer of factual fiction, Daniel Lorti has written several works, The Avignon Legacy is his second novel. He is currently working on his third, a romantic thriller.

Lorti has a B.S.E. (summa cum laude) and an M.S.E from Arizona State University. An aerospace engineer with a military sensors, weapons, and intelligence background, he was Chief Radar Engineer for the Northrop Grumman Corporation for many years. In 1995, he was appointed to President Clinton’s twenty-member conference committee for Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland. As an international arms broker he conducted business in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. In 2003, he and his partners sold a highly classified aerospace company to Northrop Grumman. He currently resides in Southern California.

What is your genre? My novel, The Avignon Legacy is a historical fiction.
What made you want to be a writer? I started by writing two movie scripts, after seeing a particularly terrible movie (can’t remember the title). While attending Screenwriter’s Conference and National Film Institute offerings in Los Angeles, I learned producers generally rely on their own screenwriters. I decided to write a novel, hoping to enter the back door that way.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? I enjoy action-adventure fiction. I pay special attention to the author’s style. I’ve feasted on Lee Child, Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, John Sandford, Stuart Woods, Robert B. Parker, Dan Brown and Daniel Silva, to name a few.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly, By scene? Why? It’s probably a mixture of John Sandford and Robert B. Parker. I do outline and also rely on a characters list and chapter, section and subsection summaries, as I go along. My outlines are linear, mostly chronological which includes scenes and notes. I found them very helpful with multi-plots, and their integration in the body of the novel is simplified.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? I do try to write every day. The time varies, but no more than three hours at a sitting.
Do you think reading is important to writing for an author? Why? Reading is important to me for several reasons: first, it puts me in a mood; second, I get ideas or identify a variance, which would work in my writing; and third, it adds to my written vocabulary.
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Don’t get discouraged and start small. Experiment. Try writing a short synopsis of your concept and then view it from the standpoint of the oft-cited three acts. I started with movie scripts, wrote three novels, penned a two-man play, and even entered a national poetry contest with an original twenty-one-line poem.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? I wish. Thank goodness for my agent who sends a steady flow of material on the subject to me. As soon as my book is distributed, I’ll hit the dusty trail.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Conferences and classes are useful when you’re starting out. Find out what the others learned and see if it strikes a chord. After I had written my first novel, I found a terrific novel consultant who critiqued it thoroughly. I grew a thick skin. However, there are excellent publications, Writer’s Digest for one.
Where can we find you, your books, and when is your next event? I reside in Newport Beach, California, working on my fourth novel. I have a great and I’m looking forward to all promotional events. I do have a web site, www.danielclorti.com . Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/daniel-c-lorti/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Interview: California Author Keep Promise to Dying Wife

So, today welcome Jack Martin.

After receiving his Juris Doctorate from UCLA, he worked for The Department of Defense and the aerospace industry, specializing in contracts and regulatory issues. Tracing his Californian ancestry all the way back to the 1830s, Martin developed a passion for American history and the mystery genre. With encouragement and support from his beloved wife Sonia, he began writing. She passed away on Christmas Eve 2009 following a brave battle against ovarian cancer. He promised her he would finish the books and become a published author. He dedicated his first novel, John Brown’s Body to her, the love of his life.

Martin is the author of the Alphonso Clay Mystery Series set during the Civil War: John Brown’s Body, Battle Cry of Freedom, Marching Through Georgia, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Hail Columbia. His latest novel is Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Now Clay lives on…

What is your genre? I write fiction, concentrating on historical mystery.
What made you want to be a writer? The desire to tell tales that would fascinate people.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? It's a tie between H. P. Lovecraft and Robert Heinlein.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? Usually I outline, but quite often I will write by scene. On several occasions, a particular scene or series of scenes have come to me in vivid dreams, and I find myself trying to construct the novel to incorporate those scenes.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? I write two or three hours a day, every other day. Hey, I'm old!
Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? Reading is just as important to a writer, if for no other reason than to get an idea of what his target audiences like to read.
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Don't let rejections get you down, and write in genres that you personally enjoy.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Frankly, getting a good agent is the best thing you can do. I sold nothing until I got a brilliant agent!
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? They can be beneficial, if for no other reason than meeting fellow authors and exchanging professional information. Left Coast Crime and Bouchercon are good conferences for mystery writers.

Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? No events scheduled at this time. My books may be found on: Amazon Fish Pond The Book Depository BAM B&N Waterstones Indie Bound Google Play

Kobo Powell’s Books Wheeler’s Books Copia IDreamBooks

www.jacksmartin.com Facebook Amazon Author Page

Different Strokes for Different Folks Blog Talk Radio

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jack-martin/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.
“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENTS

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New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Interview: Women's Fiction Writer Skartsiaris Shares Secrets

So, today welcome Jeanne Skartsiaris.

When not writing Jeanne Skartsiaris also works as a Sonographer. Prior to that she was a medical/legal photographer for a plaintiff’s law firm. She attended creative writing courses at Southern Methodist University and is a member of Romance Writers of America’s local chapter, Dallas Area Romance Authors. Also the author of Surviving Life and Snow Globe. She lives in Dallas, Texas.

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Young adult and women's fiction
What made you want to be a writer? To quell the voices in my head.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? There are so many! Jodi Picoult, Pat Conroy, David Sedaris.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I let the characters move the story forward. I'd like to do more outlining, but the characters usually do whatever they want no matter how hard I try to control them.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? No. I work full time. My weekends are my busy writing time. Although if inspired, usually while driving or walking, I'll jot down ideas.
Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? YES! Writing is a craft and it opens the reader to another world or life. If you're a storyteller then you enjoy stories. End of story. J
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Write. Read. Learn the art of slashing, not horror but editing. A writer opens their soul a little when creating a character and it's hard to take criticism and rejection. You need a tough hide. Never give up.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? As I'm still not on a bestseller list, no. I'm trying to learn better marketing skills.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Yes. The resources a writer can get from a conference can be invaluable. I've been to book signings where I've not sold anything, but I've made important connections. I'm also a member of Romance Writers of America and have learned much from authors there.
Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? My YA books are available on Amazon and in a local specialty bookstore in Dallas. I've just gotten them into a Dallas library—Surviving Life and Snow Globe. I'm hoping my women's fiction novel, Dance Like You Mean It, is acquired 2016. www.jeanneskartsiaris.com http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jeanne-skartsiaris/

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Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Melissa Carrigee Melissa.C@llallc.net http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/drake-vaughn/ Agent, Marketing and Publicity – Melissa Carrigee

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Reading and writing is a way of life for Melissa Carrigee. As a literary agent and award winning graphic artist, she combines her two passions of business and writing. She has published works in newspapers and magazines as well as a published novel. Featured Columnist for The Family Forum, Parents and Kids Magazine – Mississippi Gulf Coast.

I want a horror book to read all night long while I check behind the doors for the boogey man. I’m looking for a thriller that keeps me reading and guessing (and just when I think I’ve figured it out, I’m wrong). I’m looking for children’s books that engage the parent and the child. I’m looking for young adult novels – but NOT Twilight and not wizards. That’s been done. I’m looking for any story with a great plot. Something I can sit and read in a few days with characters that make me think about them long after I’ve finished the book.

Genres: horror, science fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction, mysteries, thrillers, dramas, historical romance, children’s (picture and mid-grade)—any book that has a great story with unforgettable characters.

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency - A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.

Interview: Crime Writer Works Schedule Around Jeopardy

So, today welcome J.J. White.

J.J. White is an award winning author who has had articles and stories published in several anthologies and magazines including, Wordsmith, The Homestead Review, The Seven Hills Review, Bacopa Review, and The Grey Sparrow Journal. His story, “The Adventures of the Nine Hole League,” was published in the Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Volume 13. His novels published by Black Opal Books are: Prodigious Savant (2014), Deviant Acts (2015) and Nisei (2016). He was recently nominated for the Pushcart Prize for his short piece, “Tour Bus.” He lives in Merritt Island, Florida with his lovely wife, Pamela.

What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Crime. Fiction
What made you want to be a writer? It seemed the best outlet for my creative talents without applying too much effort.
Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? James M. Cain.
What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I know the beginning and the end of the story. From there I outline a chapter using bullets and refer to those bullets as I write the chapter.
Do you write every day? How much? How long? Only on weekdays for two hours after watching Jeopardy with my wife. I can’t type, so I usually eek out ten to fifteen hand-written pages a night.

Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? You can’t write anything of quality unless you read prodigiously. I listen to sixty or so books a year and read about ten. I have a long commute to work.
What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Learn how to paint, instead. J Seriously, though, if you insist on self-flagellation, write and read whenever you can and the breaks will eventually come your way.
Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Try to entice the employees and vendors in your workplace to buy, read, and review your book. If your book is good, they’ll spread the word.
Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Conferences are the best place to find a publisher or agent or both. I’ve learned to attend a variety of conferences in order to get different perspectives on similar subjects. I like the Killer Nashville and Thrillerfest conferences.
Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? My website is at www.jjwhitebooks.com My latest novel, Deviant Acts, was released in November by Black Opal Books. I will be interviewed on CrimeFiction.FM, December 10, at 11 am Eastern Time. Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/jj-white

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Texas Author Kathleen M. Rodgers Uses Military in Writing

So, today welcome Kathleen M. Rodgers.

Kathleen M. Rodgers

“Being a writer, that’s my job. At book signings and presentations, I am an author.

But when I am working, I am a writer.”

— Kathleen M. Rodgers

Texas based author Kathleen M. Rodgers is a former frequent contributor to Family Circle Magazine and Military Times. Her work has also appeared in anthologies published by McGraw-Hill, University of Nebraska Press/Potomac Books, Health Communications, Inc., AMG Publishers, and Press 53.

In 2014, Kathleen was named a Distinguished Alumna from Tarrant County College/NE Campus. Three of her aviation poems are featured in a new exhibit at the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Long Island, NY.

She is the author of the award-winning novel, The Final Salute, featured in USA Today, The Associated Press, and Military Times. Deer Hawk Publications reissued the novel in e-book and paperback in 2014.

Her second novel, Johnnie Come Lately (Camel Press, 2015), was the winner of the Best Covers Award from Southern Writers Magazine, and has been featured in Stars & Stripes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and on “The Author’s Corner” on Public Radio.

Rodgers is the mother of two grown sons: Thomas, a graduate of University of North Texas and a working artist in Denton, Texas, and J.P., a graduate of Texas Tech University and a former Army officer who earned a Bronze Star in 2014 in Afghanistan. Kathleen and her husband, Tom, a retired USAF fighter pilot/commercial airline pilot, reside in Colleyville, Texas with their rescue dog, Denton. Kathleen is working on the sequel to Johnnie Come Lately, Seven Wings to Glory.

1. What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Contemporary fiction

2. What made you want to be a writer? I am one of six children, the third one down. I became a writer to have a VOICE.

3. Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Southern novelists Pat Conroy and Mark Childress and the late novelist, Carol Shields. I admired how she wrote about day-to-day family matters in a dramatic style. She made the ordinary look extraordinary.

4. What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? My process is messy. I think in scenes, and sometimes those scenes appear in my mind out of sequence. Sometimes I write them first then go back and write other scenes that precede them. Other times, I’ll jot a few notes. I think and speak in circles so it makes sense that the story often appears to me this way.

5. Do you write every day? How much? How long? I used to write nearly every day when I was younger, but the older I get, I sometimes take days off to “think” about the story. While I’m thinking and daydreaming, I read, clean house, run errands I’ve put off, check on loved ones far away. But if I’m on deadline, I write all hours with little regard for the clock or calendar.

6. Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? Reading is essential if you want to be a writer.

7. What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Let trusted beta readers look over your work. Attend a critique group and get another pair of eyes on your work. You’ll know if it’s a good fit. Sometimes it takes 24 hours for a critical remark or suggestion to set in. Use what works and discard the rest.

8. Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? The moment you promote yourself on social media, turn around and promote two or three other authors in various genres. By showcasing other authors and putting them in the spotlight, it can help take the “glare” off of your own self-promotion.

9. Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? Yes, attending writing conferences are some of the best ways to network with fellow writers, agents, editors and sometimes readers. I’ve attended Military Writers Society of America’s annual conference for years, the Houston Writers Guild April conference, Ozarks Writers League conference in Branson, MO, a couple of local and regional conferences in the North Texas area, and a Romance Writers of America conference on novel writing held in Alexandria, LA in 1992.

10. Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? I love to engage with my readers and followers on Facebook and other social media outlets. My books are available at all of the online book retailers. I just returned from the Ozarks Writers League November conference in Branson, MO where I spoke on perseverance and writing through adversity. With a looming deadline for my next novel, I’m cutting back on events for a while. www.kathleenMRodgers.com http://siteblog.kathleenmrodgers.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KathleenMRodger

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/kathleen-m-rodgers/

Author Central: http://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-M.-Rodgers/e/B002ZNYLMI/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2742306.Kathleen_M_Rodgers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-m-rodgers-05b36417

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

Interview: Author of Please Say Kaddish for Me

So, today welcome Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.

“Startlingly new! Wonderfully different!” boasted the advertisements for the 1953 Chevrolet sedan. Much to the chagrin of her brother Jeff, Rochelle made her entrance into the world the same year her parents purchased their first car. Growing up in Kansas City, she doesn’t remember wanting to be anything other than an artist. Her mother would bemoan the fact with, “Thanks to Rochelle, I can’t find a clean sheet of paper in this house.”

Early on, Rochelle’s love of the arts extended to writing. At age nine she had a poem entitled “The Girl with the Dolls” printed in a magazine. While excited to see her name in black and white, she wasn’t thrilled with the way her grandmother, a widely published poet in New York, saw fit to edit it.

Rochelle’s short story “Savant” has been published in Voices, Vol. III. Another short story, “The Swimming Lesson”, is included in Echoes of the Ozarks, Vol. VI and a third, “Reap the Whirlwind” in Voices, Volume IV. Two of these stories are included in her own short story collection with original artwork This, That and Sometimes the Other; all published by High Hill Press. Her novel, Please Say Kaddish For Me (Argus Publishing) is available now; the sequel, From Silt and Ashes, will be out before Christmas. She is working on the third in the series, As One Must, One Can. We are also compiling a coffee table book of her art from all the books, A Stone for the Journey.

Q. What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction?

A. Historical Fiction.

Q. What made you want to be a writer?

A. Of all the crazy things, it started with fan fiction. As a M*A*S*H fan, I found a site where others had written their own episodes of the show. I had been doing this in my head for years with M*A*S*H and other favorite shows. When I wrote a couple of my own short stories, I discovered I could tell a story with a beginning, middle and end. It also sparked my passion for research to make my stories historically accurate.

Q. Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most?

A. Geraldine Brooks. In my eyes, she’s the undisputed champion for Historical Fiction. Her knowledge and research shine through; her characters live, breathe and walk off the page.

Q. What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why?

A. In the book I’m currently working on, As One Must One Can, I have written an outline, although I didn’t for the two previous books in the trilogy, Please Say Kaddish for Me and From Silt and Ashes. I suppose you could call my “Family Tree Maker” program an outline. At my husband’s suggestion I’ve used the program to keep my characters straight. So far this has worked very well for me. For the most part, writing by scene seems to work best for me. I see them as movies in my head and then work to articulate them in print.

Q. Do you write every day? How much? How long?

A. Yes. Three to four hours is a conservative estimate. Probably 1,000 words.

Q. Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why?

A. Yes. Reading is one of the best ways to learn what works and what doesn’t.

Q. What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors?

A. Be willing to murder your darlings if they don’t pulse a story forward. The reader will never miss them.

Q. Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share?

A. I’m in the learning stages myself.

Q. Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent?

A. Yes, they are the best way to meet editors and agents and to network with other authors. Ozarks Writers League (OWL) holds conferences four times a year.

Q. Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event?

A. Nothing scheduled right now, but my books are available on Amazon and B&N. The sequel to Please Say Kaddish For Me, From Silt and Ashes, will be out any day now. I am working on the third in the series, As One Must, One Can. We are also compiling a coffee table book of her art from all the books, A Stone for the Journey. Rochelle’s Art Rochelle Wisoff-Fields Art and Blogs Facebook Author Page Facebook Friday’s Fictioneers Rochelle’s website Twitter

Kent Bonham and Rochelle Wisoff-Fields as Archie and Edith Bunker @ OWL

Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/rochelle-wisoff-fields/

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

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