1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I love writing because I have loved reading since an early age. When I was 19, I told my dad that a great book is like a roller coaster with its twists and turns. And I realized I wanted to try to create a roller coaster like that for others. So I did. And my first effort was really, really bad. 😀 Which is also why it’s still in my basement.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
This one—The Line Between and its sequel, A Single Light, were inspired by headlines. Specifically, a news story I came across about a reindeer carcass that thawed in the permafrost and was infected with anthrax and got an entire nearby village sick. What I didn’t know then, as I wrote this pandemic story about a hotspot in Washington, edicts to stay home, cancelled flights… is that so much of this would play out in real life a short year later.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
One of hope—that love will always inspire us to overcome any obstacle. Normally, I would say, “a great escape from reality” but…
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I just love thrillers, the way they keep you turning pages, wondering what happens next. I love keeping readers reading past bedtime.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I’d love to just hang out with Julie, who is the surrogate mother to the heroine, Wynter, and pick her brain on life. She’s such a no-nonsense, take-no-guff kind of woman.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’d say probably Facebook, especially as it’s where I’ve been doing my Facebook live readings every night at 9 Eastern since March 20 during quarantine. (Join me! I’ll be on live for as long as we’re all stuck at home. 🙂 www.facebook.com/AuthorToscaLee
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Write what you love. And get to know your readers. It’s a great privilege for your stories to become a part of their lives.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times, IndieBound, and Amazon bestselling author of twelve novels including THE LINE BETWEEN, THE PROGENY, FIRSTBORN, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, ISCARIOT, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film. A notorious night-owl, she loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.
You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. A SINGLE LIGHT, the highly-anticipated sequel to THE LINE BETWEEN, releases September 2019 and is available for preorder now.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Hey! I am a 31 yr old Canadian from the prairies. I got into writing through living life, which sounds a bit odd. I had a lot happen in a short period of time, I moved out to Africa, had a cancer scare and dealt with some serious mental illness. Writing my stories and sharing not only was a healing tool but a tool to connect with others.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
LIFE! it is beautiful, messy and 100% relatable when it’s shared. We are never alone, yet the feeling and fear of being alone is something we all have in common. Exploring being alone and diving deep into healing myself through all this became an inspiration to share my story and attempt to connect to others.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
To Chin up tits out no matter what. What?? This is what I mean, stand up tall, hold your head held high, proud and confident, even if you don’t feel that way. That small dedication to holding yourself up in the toughest of times will carry you through life and enable you to find so many small joys in the midst of chaos.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I just write, then we find a genre to throw it into. Although, when I started to write, my goal was the figure out who would be the ‘perfect person to tell my story to’ and I built what that person looked like, acted like, likes and dislikes etc. Then when I started to write, I always went back to that person – would it align with them? It helps keep my writing from going into a million directions at the same time.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
One of the best things about writing about things I’ve gone through is that I’ve already sat down with the main characters from my books, as they’re real people in my life. We’ve talked about certain situations and how they played out. Their perspective on a scenario was vastly different from my memory of the same event. It was a whole new level of self-discovery and how my brain locked certain items out to protect it.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I personally love IG, it gives me a platform to connect with people from all over the world and from different areas of interest. Sometimes I want to share and I don’t have the words, so a photo of a video will do. When I do have words IG gives me the space I need to share a golden nugget or two. Spreading the positivity and the motto Chin up Tits Out was easy on IG to do and I thoroughly enjoy using it too.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Don’t give up. People ask “how does it feel to be an author, for real” – my answer is “no different from you”. I had a story and all I did was make an effort to put it on paper. Once it’s on paper, take it from there. The only roadblock you will come across that has the power to stop you – is yourself. Don’t get in your own way, you are your biggest advocate, biggest fan and most importantly your own biggest hype man. If you believe in yourself, it is doable and will be 100% totally worth it. Also if you need a kick of positivity; reach out to anyone in the author community – we know how you feel, we know your struggles, your battles and your inner wars. Extend an olive branch and we will be sure to step up and throw some positive vibes your way.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
4 words – Love My Lady Bits! I am in the middle of performing 100 interviews of women around the world who suffer from an incurable and untreatable condition called endometriosis. It affects 1 in 10 women globally and it is not common knowledge. I was lucky enough to get a diagnosis within 2 yrs of experiencing extreme daily pain, nausea and bloating. The average diagnosis is 7 yrs, women are being silenced by this disease. So in true Chin Up Tits Out fashion, I am collecting horror stories and finding power through the pain. I am helping find voices to millions of women who have been silenced for decades. It will be a trilogy, I am gearing for the first book to be released in March 2021.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
As a child in school, I loved creative writing and even remember some of my compositions. Then, during my junior year of college, I considered changing my major from Elementary Education to Journalism, though I would have had to stay in school longer to fulfill requirements and I was not about to dothat. So, I became a teacher like many women of my era. During my short stint in the classroom, creative writing was, again, my favorite subject though now I was teaching it. My students enjoyed the odd topics I gave them to write about, my favorite being to pretend they were a door knob and write how it felt having hands grabbing them constantly. After only two years, I left the profession and started my own fitness business. I did do some writing, penning fitness articles for local magazines and newspapers, both in print and on-line. I never even considered writing fiction, though, as an avid reader, I always said I wished I could write a novel. And then, as I was nearing my sixtieth birthday, my creative side begged for more. Choreographing aerobic dance routines, needlework, and gardening weren’t enough. I started playing around with photography and while looking for a class to improve my picture taking, I discovered a writers workshop in a nearby town. That was it! I signed up and since then my fingers have been flying across the keyboardcreating stories.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
I was sitting on a beach in Hilton Head Island with my sister-in-law and another friend. Roni, my sister-in-law, whose middle name is Carolyn (hence my protagonist’s name) was telling us the story of what happened while she was preparing to sell her mother’s home, the home where she had grown up. There was a painting that had hung on the living room wall practically her entire life and though Roni didn’t have an empty spot to hang it in her own home, and no one else in the family wanted the portrait, tossing or selling it in an estate sale was not an option. She came up with an idea and Googled the artist, found her living in San Francisco and decided to return the painting to her. Hearing that, I turned to my friend, Ingrid, who was relaxing on a sand chair next to me. We locked eyes. Mine were wide-open. Ingrid said, “What a great idea for a story.” I nodded and my mind took off in all sorts of directions. And, Disharmony was born!
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers will contemplate the true meaning of family. Each will have their own opinion, though I’d love them to consider that “family” is more than blood.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
Writing upmarket women’s fiction was not a conscious decision. I gravitate to that genre – to novels that are layered and where the focus is on the main character’s emotional journey. I enjoy reading those kinds of stories, therefore that’s what I write.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
When writing the novel, it took me a long time to decide how it was going to end. Ultimately, it was Carolyn, the protagonist, who led me to the words on the last page. I know that sounds strange, yet it is true. Her voice was strong and I had been wavering with what she was going to do with the secret she had uncovered. Although I am the writer, I would like to sit down with Carolyn and discuss her reasons, weigh the pros and cons, and ask her if she is really satisfied with the decision she made.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
The Disharmony of Silence just came out on March 5, so it’s too early to judge. If I were to guess, I’d say, at this point, Facebook. Between my author page and several groups I’m part of, especially The 2020 Debuts which is made up of over one hundred debut authors with wonderful novels coming out this year, I believe my readership has grown.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Don’t give up! Hone your craft, keep writing, revise, revise, revise – keep your dream alive.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Presently, I am writing a novel set on a hillside vineyard in the Hudson River Valley in the 1960s. It is upmarket women’s fiction, populated by a sisterhood of women, each who grows in her own way, as they break in to the all-male fraternity of wine makers. I’m having a great time developing the characters, both male and female, with all their strengths and weaknesses, conflicts and struggles plus, I’m learning how to make wine!
Book Summary
In her desperate quest for family, Carolyn Lee is determined, against all advice, to reveal the shocking eighty-four-year-old secret she uncovered…until she realizes that “family” means more than blood.
In 1915, jealous, bitter Rebecca Roth cuts all ties with her life-long friends, the Pearls. Eight years later, Rebecca’s son and young Lena Pearl begin keeping company in secret. Rebecca agrees to a truce when the couple marries. But the truce is fragile. Rebecca’s resentments run deep.
In 2010, Carolyn Lee, fitness instructor and amateur photographer, must come to grips with the fact that her mother’s imminent death will leave her alone in the world. While preparing her childhood home for sale, she realizes for the first time that her mother’s antique brooch is identical to the one pinned to the lady’s dress in the painting hanging above the fireplace. Coincidence or connection? Carolyn is determined to find out. What she discovers has the potential to tear lives apart or to bring her the closeness and comfort she longs for. It all depends on how she handles her newfound knowledge.
“Linda Rosen spins an intriguing tale of long-held family secrets, an emotional search for identity, and a painting that may just be the key to untangling the complicated past. The bittersweet mystery kept me reading rapidly until the last page!” —Kristin Harmel, bestselling author of The Winemaker’s Wife
Rosen paints a vivid picture of a family torn apart then shows us what true family means. – Pamela Taylor, author of the Second Son Chronicles
A wonderful novelist . . . Ms. Rosen’s writing is both tender and inspiring. The Disharmony of Silence unfolds with emotional and wise insights. – Bunny Shulman, author of After Aida
“A family torn apart by jealousy and reunited by love is devastated again when tragedy strikes. A poignant and moving debut novel about the fragility of life, the power of love, and the cost of keeping a secret.” Gina Sorell author of Mothers and Other Strangers
About the Author, Linda Rosen
Linda Rosen, fitness professional turned writer, lives with her husband splitting their time between New Jersey and Florida. She was a contributor to Women in the Literary Landscape: A WNBA Centennial Publication for the Women’s National Book Association and has had stories published in Foliate Oak and Crack the Spine, both in their online magazine and print anthology. Follow her at www.linda-rosen.com.
Blog Tour Dates
March 2nd @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us as we celebrate the launch of Linda’s blog tour The Disharmony of Silence. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book too!
How much does setting matter in a novel? Author Linda Rosen talks about this very subject over at Caroline’s blog today. You can also enter to win a copy of her book The Disharmony of Silence.
Make sure you visit Louise’s blog and read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. You can also enter to win a copy of the book as well!
Stop by Lori’s blog today and you can read a fitness inspiring post by author Linda Rosen! She shares some tips about strength training while reading audiobooks. You can also enter to win a copy of Linda’s book The Disharmony of Silence.
Make sure you stop by Madeline Sharples’ blog today and read Linda Rosen’s blog post about inspiring your creative self by getting outdoors. Don’t miss it!
Looking for a new book to add to your reading list? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today and read her review of “The Disharmony of Silence.” You’ll want to add it to your list!
What do you do if you are writing about a made-up setting? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today and you can read Linda Rosen’s guest post where she shares her advice.
Over at Jessica’s blog today, you won’t want to miss her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. You can also enter to win a copy of the book as well!
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
The world needs storytellers. It’s no exaggeration that we live in strange times, and the direction we take matters, for so many generations after us. Sci-fi authors are daydreamers, wondering what comes next. If we take this path, or another, do we choke or thrive, enslaved to the machine or learning to swim? At Arch & Gravity Publishing we don’t believe in macguffins. If there’s a doomsday device in our book, it has a function, a purpose and a theory. And there is a real chance it might go off. If there’s science, we’re not going to dumb it down for you. And where there’s a story, there’s a reason why. I published my first work in the elementary school library in first grade, about a giant frog keeping people as pets, and I’ve been fascinated by character, plot, drama, science and philosophy all my life. We desperately need storytellers, characters and paradigms that might shine a light for our times. If I can be a part of that tradition, it would be no less than a dream fulfilled.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
Halcyon is a city in Spain, in the future, run by psychic computers. Basically it’s a utopian vision, fifty years off, in a post-economic world where the laws have been stripped to rights, people don’t need to work and are free to do what they want. The Genex are genetically extended. Some have wings. Exploring the lives of the ensemble cast, we get a city in the throes of climate change, a love triangle stronger than death, competitive laser duels, and a mute who may defy time, among other things. Genex of Halcyon is the first publication by Arch & Gravity, Denver’s new voice in science fiction. I suppose, in short, I am inspired by the hole I see in the world, where these ideas could belong.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Nothing we do is going to be ordinary, no story we print is going to be safe. That’s our promise to the reader. Genex of Halcyon is about the wildly different world that could be right around the corner, as we potentially come of age technologically. It’s about science fiction that isn’t afraid to push boundaries and expect something of its readers. Mostly of course it’s a love story, but it’s really all about the characters, the choices they make, and those they choose to forsake. I hope readers come away from Genex of Halcyon, thoughtful and imaginative, with something new and unique on their minds.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve been a fan of science fiction and poetry for as long as I can remember. I revere creativity and intelligence, and am very curious about the future. I’ve been influenced by Wells, Gaiman, Stephenson, LeGuin, Vandermeer, Burgess, Huxley and Bradbury, but there’s no denying some Thoreau in there, even Shakespeare, and definitely Neruda and Coelho.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
Azad, Harmony’s brother, the mute. I would just ask him, “What are you thinking?”
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Arch & Gravity has a following on Facebook that is about 4k strong, as of this writing. Look us up and join the conversation! We’re also active on Instagram, and I’m in the process of starting a WordPress blog for reviews and announcements as well. www.ArchandGravity.com is a great hub for exploring what we’re doing.
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7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Take your time, but keep going. My spirit animal, depending on the day, is either a wolf or a tortoise. Self Reliance and Perseverance. These will get you there. And don’t be afraid to write the story you really have to tell. The world needs characters, drama and real imagination far more than we need another successful, formulaic series, imho. It’s going to be hard, but any story that is not even a little dangerous to the teller, probably isn’t worth the time.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I’m currently hard at work on my next novel, about a young Korean girl with a katana and a connection to an ancient force, as well as an epic, years in the making, detailing a far future on a distant planet, where the star’s radiation brings out latent psychic powers in the castaway colonists, where their dreams come to life around them, as with their nightmares. Beyond this I have two short collaborations in the works with a Denver production company, and a board game soon to hit Kickstarter. Look for Quin, which you might think of as a hybrid between Chess and Stratego, loosely based on principles of Optics and Quantum Mechanics, to go live on Kickstarter sometime this fall, published by Arch & Gravity.
Joshua Stelling is a poet and music lover who has spent a lot of his time running record stores around Denver, building his own art on the side. In time, the stories inside the man have boiled over, becoming worlds, and his pages turned into books. Combining hard sci-fi and adult fiction with a fluent love of metaphor and poetry, his work will challenge you but leave you wanting more.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I always loved reading and telling stories to others, even as a young child. For years, as I lay awake at night, I played out in my mind new chapters of an ongoing serialized supernatural story that I wish I’d written down at the time, because I no longer recall any specifics. But I did write short stories in elementary school and continued through high school and beyond, so I guess writing was always in my blood.
What inspired you to write your book?
I kept returning to this idea of a character who somehow knew when others would die. In some of my iterations, the character used the power for evil, but ultimately I decided that readers, especially teens, should see a character who doesn’t want this ability, but who will never abuse it. That old line from Spiderman infused my thinking while crafting the story: “With great power comes great responsibility.” I think my main character learns this truth during the course of the story.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I’d say there are several themes. 1. Nothing’s written in stone – the choices we make guide our destiny. 2. People are not always what they appear to be on the outside, so don’t be so quick to judge or label them. 3. Doing the right thing can often be complicated.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve spent my life working with children and teens as a teacher and volunteer, so it’s only natural I’d gravitate towards stories about and for that demographic. I’ve also always loved mysteries and thriller/horror tales, so melding the two was a no-brainer for me.
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would ask Leo this question: As you go through life, how often do you think you’ll be tempted to look into the eyes of people you care about to either warn them of the day and time or help them elude death like you did with J.C.?
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I don’t have as large a readership as I’d like, but I’d say Instagram and Twitter have gotten me the most attention. I’ve found Facebook mostly useless in marketing books for teens.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
I used to say “write what makes you happy,” but based on the nature of publishing today, I’d suggest writing a book that’s in a similar vein to titles that have proven themselves to be popular in the marketplace because you’re going to have to produce “comp” titles anyway when you apply to an agent or publisher.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I have two finished and edited books for the teen/young adult market (one is action adventure and the other mystery/sci-fi), as well as an adventure tale aimed at middle grade readers. I’m not certain what will happen with them, but they will hopefully be released one day.
Michael J. Bowler is a former teacher, adoptive parent, lifelong child advocate, author of The Lance Chronicles series—books with multi-racial and LGBT characters that deal with significant issues facing American youth today, and Spinner, a horror thriller featuring teens with disabilities as the heroes.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I have always loved writing. When I was a child, I wrote poems, short stories, songs – pretty much anything. I never thought, however, I would write a book. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in broadcast journalism, I moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas to work as a bilingual television news reporter for the CBS affiliate. That job began a six-year-long news reporting career. I lived in Davenport, Iowa, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City, working for local news affiliates. To be honest, when I began that career, I was most excited about being on television. I quickly learned, however, that writing my story every day was my favorite part of the job. I also enjoyed getting out into the communities and interviewing people who had lives and stories that were so different from my own.
After a while, I wanted a change. So, I moved to New York City and transitioned into public relations. I started working as the Communications Director for a New York State Senator. I then moved to a public relations firm. Once again, my favorite part about the job was writing blog posts, press releases, bylines and pitches. I also enjoyed digging for story ideas – interviewing my clients to uncover interesting stories that deserved to be shared with the world. In 2013, my husband and I were expecting our first son, so we moved to Chicago to be closer to my family. I also landed a job as the Media Relations Manager for a cyber security company. Ever since, I have not looked back. Cyber security is now my specialty, although I have transitioned into a marketing leadership role. My favorite part about marketing is writing. I write bylines, blog posts, client-decks, value propositions, website content, sales enablement materials, mission statements, client emails – pretty much anything that is public or internal-facing.
“The Poop Diaries” started as a side project. I had a couple hours to myself every Sunday, and wanted to make the most of them. I always believed in the concept of the book, however I never expected to be where I am today! I am so grateful the ten plumbers in the book, and my publisher – Black Rose Writing – took a chance on a first-time author. I hope they are as proud of the book as I am.
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
A clogged toilet. I realize it sounds strange, but it is true. My toilet clogged on a Wednesday evening. I could not sleep knowing my toilet wasn’t working so I called a plumber, Jon. He fixed the toilet within an hour, however he did not seem in a hurry to leave. He also had an energetic, tell-it-like-it-is personality, which I always appreciate. I asked Jon to share his “greatest hits” stories. I could not believe what came out of his mouth! The stories were so hilarious and surprising, I knew I had to share them with the world. After interviewing Jon and writing his diaries, I sought out to find more plumbers. Considering I was not a published, known author, it was tough getting people to talk to me. Most of the plumbers I found through word of mouth (you’d be surprised how many people know a plumber. And I do not mean someone who works for them. I mean someone’s uncle is a plumber; a friend is a plumber; a friend’s friend is a plumber). My husband found the two female plumbers, Carissa and Jac, by doing an online search. I was ecstatic that they both agreed to participate! The female perspective adds a lot of flavor to the book.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope people will realize that being a plumber involves so much more than unclogging toilets. Plumbers are engineers, artists, therapists and friends. As the book describes, they shoo birds out of houses, build beautiful copper puzzles, listen to insecurities and interact with people who spend every day alone. Plumbers encounter all kinds of people, and find some really personal items. They need to be patient, open-minded, and non-judgmental. The trade is also a lucrative, steady career, one that more people should get involved in. Many of the plumbers in the book have second homes and boats. Whether they went to college or not, they have built comfortable lives for themselves and their families.
I also hope people will think twice about what’s inside their cabinets before a plumber comes over I know I do (that is, after writing this book).
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
The genre found me. After listening to Jon’s stories, I knew I had to write this book. At first I was expecting the book to be pure humor. I just wanted to make people laugh. I realized while interviewing the plumbers, however, that their experiences are so much deeper than poop. Humor is woven in throughout the book, but it also dives into more serious aspects of the trade and the plumbers themselves. I open each diary with an introduction about the plumber, and end the chapter with a “Moment of Reflection.” I wanted the plumbers to have the final word. I wanted them to have the opportunity to share whatever thoughts about themselves and their work they thought were important.
5) Out of all the stories told to you, was there one in particular that stood out to you or possibly represents the book as a whole more so than the others?
No. Every plumber’s stories are so different (with the exception of a couple dildo stories). That’s what I think makes the book so interesting. And I only interviewed ten plumbers. I cannot imagine the other untold stories out there. I also made sure to include a variety of plumbers – different genders, backgrounds and cultures. Diversity is really important when trying to capture the truth.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I am very active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. My largest audience is on LinkedIn (due to my professional career). I have been posting about the book so much, people may be getting sick of me. Although I hope not!
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Persistence is everything. I always believed in my concept. I knew other people would enjoy this book. I just had to (and still have to) find influential individuals who agreed with me. I pitched more than 100 agents and publishers, hoping to land a contract. Finally, one publisher (Black Rose Writing) said “yes.” To write the book, I worked every evening and Sunday. And I am still working. The persistence does not stop. I am now working every night, pitching reviewers, celebrities, agents, influencers – doing whatever I can to get the word out. Believe in your idea, and keep swinging for the fences.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I am still very focused on marketing this book. I think the book would make a fantastic scripted television series. I am working with a screenwriter in Los Angeles to pitch the concept to producers and agents. We want to build the series off of one of the female plumbers, and weave in everyone else’s stories into her plumbing life. I am also reaching out to influencers and journalists to see if they are interested in reading and writing about the book. Anything I can do to get the word out I am doing. It is much harder as a first-time author to get the word out. Persistence is everything! As far as another book, I have some ideas. If plumbers start reaching out to me with more stories to share I may write a second book. Otherwise, I have ideas cooking. Just need the time to write about them!
Abby Ross has nearly two decades of experience working in journalism, public relations, and marketing. She has written countless news stories, bylines, and blog posts. Abby began her career as a television news reporter, which fostered her passion for interviewing and writing about interesting people from all walks of life. After six years of reporting, Abby pivoted her career into public relations and marketing, which has been her focus for the past decade. This is her first book.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Hey, I am RJ Parker. I don’t think that there is really anything interesting about me. But my family, that is fascinating! I have the most wonderful wife with a great right hook. I constantly say things that test her skill at hitting me. We have four great kids who make everyday an adventure. Two of these little angles have mutated into what doctors call teenagers.
I got into writing kind of by accident. I had some health issues which left me on my back for months. In that time I read a lot of books and it got to a point where I wished I could change them just a little. In some cases, a lot. Before I lost what little sanity I had, (some would say to late) I began writing my own novel. I wanted to write one that I wished I could read. I researched as much as I could in the things I wished to put in a book and ever since then, I cant stop writing.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
When I was in Jr. High they had some writing contests. One of my teachers encouraged me to enter and I won. I loved it. I didn’t know what I did that was right but it worked. In reading and wishing to change stories that were done by others, I was inspired by those who were so patinate about their stories.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That everyone is special and there is no problem that can not be overcome with family and friends.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I love urban fantasy. The fact that we each have are own reality and we can tell a story about it with our dreams added to it. That is a place where anything can happen.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I would go with O’Neil. I would just to love to hear him talk about anything. I love his accent.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
They are each great! I am still new to this work and everyone of them is fantastic in its own way.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Get as much education and advice as you can. Find out what works for you and keep at it. There have been some who I have met, who would plan every little thing they want to write in their books. They would go to such detail to write down what food their characters eat. Even when there is nothing in their book that involves food. They know ever part of the book before they begin to write it. Then there are some who just write. They just sit down and start writing, they let the story unfold as they go on. When they are done they go back and twic it to fit what they want. There are so many ways to do it, find what works for you, have at it, keep at it and enjoy it.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
I have another the first of another series coming out soon called, “Crystal Shadows, Gripping New Blood.” I also have three more on the way.
Russell Parker was born in Bountiful, Utah. As his father was safety manager he had to move around until his senior year of high school, when he came to Cache Valley, Utah to stay. He married the most wonderful woman in the world and they are the parents of four fantastic kids, with one crazy dog.
Russell played all kinds of sports and was an outdoorsman until an accident brought him to writing. A writer since high school, encouragement brought his stories to life.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A medical examiner new to the San Francisco area finds herself embroiled in a harrowing case involving a murder to cover up the actions of a ruthless drug lord in authors Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell’s “First Cut”.
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The Synopsis
Wife and husband duo Dr. Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell first enthralled the book world with their runaway bestselling memoir Working Stiff—a fearless account of a young forensic pathologist’s “rookie season” as a NYC medical examiner. This winter, Dr. Melinek, now a prominent forensic pathologist in the Bay Area, once again joins forces with writer T.J. Mitchell to take their first stab at fiction.
The result: FIRST CUT (Hanover Square Press; Hardcover; January 7, 2020; $26.99)—a gritty and compelling crime debut about a hard-nosed San Francisco medical examiner who uncovers a dangerous conspiracy connecting the seedy underbelly of the city’s nefarious opioid traffickers and its ever-shifting terrain of tech startups.
Dr. Jessie Teska has made a chilling discovery. A suspected overdose case contains hints of something more sinister: a drug lord’s attempt at a murderous cover up. As more bodies land on her autopsy table, Jessie uncovers a constellation of deaths that point to an elaborate network of powerful criminals—on both sides of the law—that will do anything to keep things buried. But autopsy means “see for yourself,” and Jessie Teska won’t stop until she’s seen it all—even if it means the next corpse on the slab could be her own.
The Review
A brilliant read, this novel perfectly blends the expertise and gritty reality of forensic work and the work of the medical examiners office with the harrowing and heart-pounding action that comes with a good thriller.
The story cuts into the complex web of lies uncovered by Jessie Teska, from drug kingpins and dirty lawyers to collegues she thought she could trust and beyond. Haunted by a painful past, Jessie finds herself fighting to uncover the truth behind a horrific crime, with only her brilliant mind and determination to aid her in her fight against politics, criminal empires and more.
The Verdict
A fantastic thriller for anyone who enjoys a heavy mix of medical forensics and suspense, authors Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell have created a masterful story that will give readers a protagonist to root for, a story to engage with and a brilliant race to the finish that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of Final Cut today!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Authors
Judy Melinek was an assistant medical examiner in San Francisco for nine years, and today works as a forensic pathologist in Oakland and as CEO of PathologyExpert Inc. She and T.J. Mitchell met as undergraduates at Harvard, after which she studied medicine and practiced pathology at UCLA. Her training in forensics at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner is the subject of their first book, the memoir Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner. T.J. Mitchell is a writer with an English degree from Harvard, and worked in the film industry before becoming a full-time stay-at-home dad. He is the New York Times bestselling co-author of Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner with his wife, Judy Melinek.
The dead woman on my table had pale blue eyes, long lashes, no mascara. She wore a thin rim of black liner on her lower lids but none on the upper. I inserted the twelve gauge needle just far enough that I could see its beveled tip through the pupil, then pulled the syringe plunger to aspirate a sample of vitreous fluid. That was the first intrusion I made on her corpse during Mary Catherine Walsh’s perfectly ordinary autopsy.
The external examination had been unremarkable. The decedent appeared to be in her midthirties, blond hair with dun roots, five foot four, 144 pounds. After checking her over and noting identifying marks (monochromatic professional tattoo of a Celtic knot on lower left flank, appendectomy scar on abdomen, well-healed stellate scar on right knee), I picked up a scalpel and sliced from each shoulder to the breastbone, and then all the way down her belly. I peeled back the layers of skin and fat on her torso—an ordinary amount, maybe a little on the chubby side—and opened the woman’s chest like a book.
I had made similar Y-incisions on 256 other bodies during my ten months as a forensic pathologist at the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, and this one was easy. No sign of trauma. Normal liver. Healthy lungs. There was nothing wrong with her heart. The only significant finding was the white, granular material of the gastric contents. In her stomach was a mass of semidigested pills.
When I opened her uterus, I found she’d been pregnant. I measured the fetus’s foot length and estimated its age at twelve weeks. The fetus appeared to have been viable. It was too young to determine sex.
I deposited the organs one by one at the end of the stainless-steel table. I had just cut into her scalp to start on the skull when Matt, the forensic investigator who had collected the body the day before, came in.
“Clean scene,” he reported, depositing the paperwork on my station. “Suicide.”
I asked him where he was going for lunch. Yogurt and a damn salad at his desk, he told me: bad cholesterol and a worried wife. I extended my condolences as he headed back out of the autopsy suite.
I scanned through Matt’s handwriting on the intake sheet and learned that the body had been found, stiff and cold, in a locked and secure room at the Los Angeles Omni hotel. The cleaning staff called the police. The ID came from the name on the credit card used to pay for the room, and was confirmed by fingerprint comparison with her driver’s license thumbprint. A handwritten note lay on the bed stand, a pill bottle in the trash. Nothing else. Matt was right: There was no mystery to the way Mary Walsh had died.
I hit the dictaphone’s toe trigger and pointed my mouth toward the microphone dangling over the table. “The body is identified by a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s tag attached to the right great toe, inscribed LACD-03226, Walsh, Mary Catherine…”
I broke the seal on the plastic evidence bag and pulled out the pill bottle. It was labeled OxyContin, a powerful painkiller, and it was empty.
“Accompanying the body is a sealed plastic bag with an empty prescription medication bottle. The name on the prescription label…”
I read the name but didn’t speak it. The hair started standing up on my neck. I looked down at my morning’s work—the splayed body, flecked with gore, the dissected womb tossed on a heap of other organs.
That can’t be, I told myself. It can’t.
On the clipboard underneath the case intake sheet I found a piece of hotel stationery sealed in another evidence bag. It was the suicide note, written in blue ink with a steady feminine hand. I skimmed it—then stopped, and went back.
I read it again.
I heard the clipboard land at my feet. I gripped the raised lip of my autopsy table. I held tight while the floor fell away.
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Q&A with Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell
Q: Do you plan your books in advance or let them develop as you write?
A:The idea for First Cut was prompted by some of Judy’s actual cases when she worked as a San Francisco medical examiner. She has real experience performing autopsy death investigation, and she also has the imagination to apply that experience to a fictional framework for our forensic detective, Dr. Jessie Teska. Judy invented the story, and together we worked it up as an outline. Then T.J. sat in a room wrestling with words all day—which he loves to do—to produce the first complete manuscript. That’s our inspiration plus perspiration dynamic as co-authors.
Q: What does the act of writing mean to you?
A: It is, and has always been, something we can do together, an important part of our marriage. We’ve collaborated as a creative team since we were in college together many years ago, producing and directing student theater. We’ve also spent twenty years raising our four children, and have always approached parenting as a partnership. We find it easy to work together because we write like we parent: relying on one another, each of us playing to our strengths. It helps that, in our writing process, we have no overlapping skill set!
Q: Have you ever had a character take over a story, and if so, who was it and why?
A: Oh, yes! That’s our heroine, Dr. Jessie Teska. She has elements of Judy in her, and elements of T.J., but Jessie is a distinct individual and a strong-willed one. We’re often surprised and even shocked by the ways she reacts to the situations we put her in. There are times we’ll be writing what we thought was a carefully laid-out scene, and Jessie will take us sideways. She’s coming off T.J.’s fingertips on the the keyboard, both of us watching with mouths agape, saying, “What the hell is she up to?”
Q: Which one of First Cut’s characters was the hardest to write and why?
A: Tommy Teska, Jessie’s brother. He’s a minor character to the book’s plot, but the most important person in Jessie’s life, and he’s a reticent man, downright miserly with his dialogue. Tommy carries such great emotional weight, but it was hard to draw it out of him, especially because so much of his bond to our heroine is in the backstory of First Cut, not in the immediate narrative that lands on the page. We’re now working on the sequel, Cross Cut, and finding that Tommy has more occasion to open up in that story.
Q: Which character in any of your books (First Cut or otherwise) is dearest to you and why?
A: The late Dr. Charles Sidney Hirsch, from our first book, the memoir Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner. Dr. Hirsch is not just a character: He was a real person, Judy’s mentor and a towering figure in the world of forensic pathology. Dr. Hirsch trained Dr. Melinek in her specific field of medicine and imbued in her his passion for it. He was a remarkable man, a great teacher and physician and public servant—a person of uncompromising integrity coupled with great emotional intelligence.
Q: What did you want to be as a child? Was it an author?
A: Judy’s father was a physician, and though she never wanted to follow in his immediate footsteps—he was a psychiatrist—she has always wanted to be another Dr. Melinek. T.J. has always been a writer, but also has theater training and worked in the film industry. As much as we enjoyed authoring the memoir Working Stiff, and as happy as we have been with its success, we are even more thrilled to be detective novelists.
Q: What does a day in the life of Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell look like?
A: Judy is a morning person and T.J.’s a night owl, so we split parenting responsibilities. Judy gets the kids off to school and then heads to the morgue, where she performs autopsies in the morning and works with police, district attorneys, and defense lawyers in the afternoon. T.J. takes care of the household and after-school duties. If we work together during the day, it’s usually by email in the late afternoon. T.J. cooks dinner, Judy goes to bed early, and he’s up late—at his most productive writing from nine to midnight or later.
Q: What do you use to inspire you when you get Writer’s Block?
A: We go for a long walk together. Our far corner of San Francisco overlooks the Pacific Ocean, bracketed by cypress trees and blown over with fog, and serves as an inspiring landscape. We explore the edge of the continent and talk out where our characters have been and where they need to get, tossing ideas back and forth until a solution, what to do next on the page, emerges. Getting away for a stroll with our imaginary friends is always a fruitful exercise!
Q: What book would you take with you to a desert island?
A: T.J. would take the Riverside Shakespeare, and Judy would take Poisonous Plants: A Handbook for Doctors, Pharmacists, Toxicologists, Biologists and Veterinarians, Illustrated.
Q: Do you have stories on the back burner that are just waiting to be written?
A: Always! We are inspired by Dr. Melinek’s real-life work, both in the morgue and at crime scenes, in police interrogation rooms, and in courtrooms. Our stories are fiction—genre fiction structured in the noir-detective tradition—but the forensic methods our detective employs and the scientific findings she comes to are drawn from real death investigations.
Q: What has been the hardest thing about publishing? What has been the most fun?
A: The hardest thing is juggling our work schedules to find uninterrupted time together to write. The most fun is meeting and talking to our readers at book events, especially those who have been inspired to go into the field of forensic pathology after reading our work.
Q: What advice would you give budding authors about publishing?
A: It’s all about connectivity. Linking up with other writers, readers, editors, and research experts is a crucial way to get your work accomplished, and to get it out to your audience. Yes, ultimately it’s just you and the keyboard, but in the course of writing your story, you can and should tap into the hive mind, online and in person, for inspiration and help.
Q: What was the last thing you read?
A: Judy last read The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist by Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington, and T.J. last read The Witch Elm by Tana French.
Q: Your top five authors?
A: Judy’s are Atul Gawande, Henry James, Kathy Reichs, Mary Roach, and Oliver Sacks. T.J.’s are Margaret Atwood, Joseph Heller, Ed McBain, Ross Macdonald, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Q: Book you’ve bought just for the cover?
A: T.J.: Canary by Duane Swierczynski. Judy: Mütter Museum Historical Medical Photographs.
Q: Tell us about what you’re working on now.
A: First Cut is the debut novel in a detective series, and we’ve recently finished the rough draft of Cross Cut, its sequel. We are in the revision phase now, killing our darlings and tightening our tale, working to get the further adventures of Dr. Jessie Teska onto bookshelves next year!
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’m a Georgia girl married to a New Yorker. I have three children and seven adult grandchildren. After I retired from teaching thirty-one years, my husband accepted a promotion that took us from Atlanta to Shreveport, LA. I didn’t know anyone and did not want to be bored, so I enrolled in LSUS and took Fiction Writing from Sarah Hamer, who inspired her students to write. I was hooked.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
Ambition? Every writer wants to write a book someday. Three years after I stepped into my first writing class, I was invited to join eight other writers and publish an anthology of short stories based on one theme and location.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
The message in my book is that everyone has issues to overcome. My characters work through those obstacles and find resolutions. Often it is a matter of finding and knowing their own strengths.
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4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’m a fan of literary work rather than commercial fiction; therefore, my stories do not fit into the cookie cutter patterns of one genre, such as fantasy, mystery/thriller, romance, or science fiction.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
If I could ask one of my characters a question, I would ask Misty how she felt on holidays and her birthday all those years after her father disappeared?
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Facebook has been a helpful media site, because most of my readers are active on Facebook. Some are not active on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
My advice to novice writers is: write most days, read in your genre, learn your craft by attending workshops, stay positive, join a critique group, get feedback, leave your ego at the door, and find a good editor. Write on!
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Future? My life will continue to center on my family, friends, and writing. I have two book on the horizon—Bittersweet, and Driven.
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Book Summary
Come visit Georgia within these pages as you read heartwarming stories shaped by local traditions and legends. The characters live life to the fullest through joys and hardships. Inhale the essence of Georgia’s revitalized small town squares while eating hand- scooped ice cream on a park bench. Each town has its own magic. Sometimes the most real things in life are things we cannot see but those that deeply touch us, as the folks in these tales learn. Share smiles and shed tears as you travel the curving road of life with these Georgia characters. Are you ready for an unforgettable experience of hope, faith, trust, reconciliation, and love?
Print Length: 259 Pages
Genre: Short Story Anthologies
Publisher: Touch Not the Cat Books
ASIN: B07FXVRZGG
Georgia Stories on My Mind is available to purchase on Amazon.com.
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About the Author, Jackie Rod
“A good book transports me to another time and place. It lets me feel the sensation of heroes and heroines— dark loneliness, deep passion, a father’s pride and a mother’s grief.” Jackie Rod is a fiction writer, loving wife of a legal beagle, and mother of three children who has blessed her with seven fantastic grandchildren. After Jackie retired from teaching, her love of words and stories led her to begin writing fiction. Reading and traveling enrich her life and she jumps at the opportunity to teach a workshop or attend a writing conference. She belongs to five writing chapters/groups. Jackie’s work can be found in twelve published books on Amazon, in several Metro Atlanta libraries, and independent bookstores.
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us as we celebrate the launch of Jackie Rod’s blog tour of her book Georgia Stories on My Mind. You can read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book.
Visit Lori’s blog today and read author Jackie Rod’s guest post about editing. You can also enter to win a copy of her book Georgia Stories on My Mind.
Visit Ashley’s blog today and you can read Jackie Rod’s guest post about how time is limited and precious. Plus, you can enter to win a copy of the book!
Stop by Margo’s blog where you can read Jackie Rod’s guest post about being a cheerleader for others. You can also win a copy of the book Georgia Stories on My Mind. Don’t miss it!
Stop by Rozelyn’s blog today and you can read her review of Jackie Rod’s book Georgia Stories on My Mind. You can also enter to win a copy of the book!
Stop by Anjanette’s blog again and you can read an interview with author Jackie Rod and read the author’s guest post featuring writing tips. Don’t miss!
