Here is my review of Devil's Food Cake: A Culinary Mystery, by Josi Kilpack. Don't forget to read my interview with the author!
Paperback
Publisher: Deseret Book (January 1, 2009)
ASIN: B0031LBVRQ
Rating (1 to 5 *): *****
Devil's Food Cake Review
Sadie Hoffmiller had worked hard to help the library fundraiser, featuring the town’s prodigal author Thom Mortenson, a great success—including baking up several of her signature devil’s food cakes for the occasion. However, Just when she is savoring her creation, Thom’s agent steps up to the podium on stage to introduce his client and the speaker of the evening—and is killed in front of everyone.
Sadie is already on thin ice with her boyfriend, who happens to be a detective and a guest at the affair, because her busy body nature landed her in the middle of murder investigations before. However, Sadie just can’t help herself in wanting to help. She runs across several critical pieces of evidence and odd behaviors from guests at the dinner, but is ignored and pushed aside when she tries to report them.
Sadie takes matters into her own hands, unwilling to let her hunches and questions go unanswered. She proceeds to try to solve the case, despite warnings not to, and soon finds herself in a deep dish of trouble.
Josi Kilpack’s novel, Devil’s Food Cake, is a fun and exciting adventure—a murder mystery that is so compelling it must be solved in one night, with a protagonist who loves food. The reader is treated to several recipes throughout the book to go with dishes mentioned in the chapter. While the main character is a little annoying in her persistent busy bodiness and obsession with food at all hours of the night, it is those very characteristics that make the story.
Devil's Food Cake is charming and intriguing all at once, with so many possibilities that this reader did not figure out the answer to the mystery before the characters did…always a plus in any murder mystery.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Author Interview: Josi Kilpack
Today at A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book, we have the opportunity to speak with author Josi Kilpack. I will be reviewing her book Devil's Food Cake tomorrow, March 17th, so come back to check it out!
Josi Kilpack Interview
Jennifer Walker: What inspired the story of Devil's Food Cake?
Josi Kilpack: I already had Sadie and Garrison developed through the first two books in the series. My publisher had asked that this one be chocolate based and I had involved Sadie’s daughter in one of the previous books so I wanted to introduce her son. I also needed a different kind of murder to solve, I’d done two that happened off stage—which is typical of a cozy—so I wanted something a little different. Those were my starting ‘kernels’ of the story. The other details built around those things until I had a story in mind that I hoped would work. My 13 year old helped me come up with the first chapter, maybe that should worry me :-)
Jennifer Walker: Are any of the characters, situations or events based in reality?
Josi Kilpack: Sadie is a combination of women I’ve known in my life, slightly exaggerated. Many of the other characters begin similar to a real life person too, but inevitably by the end of the book they have changed into someone very different—which is a good thing :-) As for the events of the story, I glean information I happen to know about here and there, but most of it just evolves with the story.
Jennifer Walker: Are mysteries your favorite type of book to read, as well as to write?
Josi Kilpack: When it comes to reading, it’s actually suspense that gets most of my attention. I love Sue Graphton, John Grisham, and Mary Higgins Clark—plot driven novels with well written characters. That said, I read a little bit in a lot of genres and, for me, it all comes down to the story. I can ignore poor grammar (I’m not that good at it myself) and little plot issues here and there if the story can keep the dishes in the sink and the laundry in a pile on the floor. My family can tell when I’ve found a great book by what we’re having for dinner and how many chores are left undone at the end of the day. If it’s a good book, the house is a mess and it’s hot dogs for dinner again.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about the recipes in Devil's Food Cake. Where did they come from, and have you prepared them all?
Josi Kilpack: Yes, I’ve made all the recipes in the book. More importantly, a group of 7 other cooks make up Sadie’s Test Kitchen which is a private blog where I post recipes I’m considering for the books. These cooks make them, tweak them, help me clarify instructions, and give feedback on their family’s reaction. They are absolutely priceless to the process of getting things just right. The actual Devil’s Food Cake recipe is my mom’s, the one I grew up on. I tried a few other recipes when looking for the perfect one for the book, and none of them could top Mom’s. In addition to making the recipes I suggest, the Test Kitchen also volunteers recipes as well. In Devil’s Food Cake, the Sandra’s Chocolicious Frosting, Angel Snowball Cake, and Evil Chicken Dinner by Laree are all recipes from my Test Kitchen Bakers. Did I mention they’re priceless?
Jennifer Walker: How did you become an author, and how did your publishing journey begin?
Josi Kilpack:Up until I wrote my first book I had never thought about becoming a writer, let alone an author. I’d never had a teacher tell me I was talented, I’d never really written for anything outside of what I needed to do. I’d gotten good grades in English through high school (which made up for the Ds in math) and taken just one year of college; during which I took all the writing classes I could. After that I got married and started a family and never thought about writing until, while on bedrest with a pregnancy, I started writing a short story because I had run out of other things to do and the idleness was making me neurotic. That story grew and grew and ignited something within me that I didn’t know was there. Even when I had this 300 page story I didn’t think about publishing—publishing was just SO big. I mean, to be a novelist? I was a mom, I was a homemaker. How could someone like me publish a book? However, I’d had a great time writing that book and after the encouragement from friends I jumped into it and a year and a half later I had my first published book. For me, writing was a bend in the road I didn’t see coming, but boy has it become a journey since then.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your family. Are they supportive of your writing?
Josi Kilpack: I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for nearly seventeen years, and we have four kids ages 16, 14, 11, & 8. They are incredibly supportive of my writing and I couldn’t make it work without them. They not only help me find the time to write, but they share their enthusiasm about my accomplishments and brag about my writing to people they meet. However, they also keep me firmly planted in reality. My husband helps keep me my priorities straight. I know many writers from many different family situations and consider myself very blessed to have the support of my family the way I do.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have a "day job", or do you support yourself through writing? If the former,how do you balance everything?
Josi Kilpack: My husband and I are self-employed and I keep the books for our window covering business. We didn’t expect I would need to be involved, however the economy has required both of us to adjust our expectations. Balance, in my mind, is an illusion. Sometimes work demands my attention more than my writing, other times I can push things aside and make some significant progress on my current novel. I try very hard to keep my family at the top of my list, but they make sacrifices too. I’m constantly looking ahead in the day, the week, the month and seeing what is going to ‘demand’ my time and where the nooks and crannies will be where I can fit other things. It’s not easy, but it won’t last forever either and, as I said, my family is very supportive and makes it all possible. The hard part has been cutting out things I love to make room for my priorities. I don’t read the way I used to, I’m not involved in certain projects I would love to support, and the only hobby I really pursue is my writing, despite many other things that seem like a lot of fun. But I’m not complaining. I must enjoy being busy because I have structured my life to be that way.
Jennifer Walker: Are there any authors (or non-authors) who have influenced your writing and your career? How?
Josi Kilpack: I think every author of every book I’ve ever loved has influenced my writing. Because I never pursued formal writing training, I learned through them and my education has been many years in the making. Since publishing my first novel ten years ago, I have met many other authors and they have had an equally powerful effect on my writing as we’ve shared common experiences and supported one another through our careers. Beyond that, I have to credit my husband with a great deal of influence. When I first started writing, and whispered the idea to him, he was all for it. He never doubted I could do it and that has been a powerful thing to hold on to as I’ve encountered people who did doubt me. Without his continual encouragement I’d have stopped a long time ago.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite dessert?
Josi Kilpack: I’m trying to think if there’s any dessert I don’t really like—I’m not big on baked apples or rum cake, but other than that I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t eat if you put it down in front of me. As for my favorite, that changes all the time but currently pumpkin cheesecake is probably the top of my list.
Jennifer Walker: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Josi Kilpack: I wanted to be everything—a police officer, a teacher, a mom, a ballerina (even though I’d never taken a dance class) and army-guy. The beauty of being a writer is that I can be all of those things through the characters I create, so I guess I got what I wanted in that regard.
Josi Kilpack Interview
Jennifer Walker: What inspired the story of Devil's Food Cake?
Josi Kilpack: I already had Sadie and Garrison developed through the first two books in the series. My publisher had asked that this one be chocolate based and I had involved Sadie’s daughter in one of the previous books so I wanted to introduce her son. I also needed a different kind of murder to solve, I’d done two that happened off stage—which is typical of a cozy—so I wanted something a little different. Those were my starting ‘kernels’ of the story. The other details built around those things until I had a story in mind that I hoped would work. My 13 year old helped me come up with the first chapter, maybe that should worry me :-)
Jennifer Walker: Are any of the characters, situations or events based in reality?
Josi Kilpack: Sadie is a combination of women I’ve known in my life, slightly exaggerated. Many of the other characters begin similar to a real life person too, but inevitably by the end of the book they have changed into someone very different—which is a good thing :-) As for the events of the story, I glean information I happen to know about here and there, but most of it just evolves with the story.
Jennifer Walker: Are mysteries your favorite type of book to read, as well as to write?
Josi Kilpack: When it comes to reading, it’s actually suspense that gets most of my attention. I love Sue Graphton, John Grisham, and Mary Higgins Clark—plot driven novels with well written characters. That said, I read a little bit in a lot of genres and, for me, it all comes down to the story. I can ignore poor grammar (I’m not that good at it myself) and little plot issues here and there if the story can keep the dishes in the sink and the laundry in a pile on the floor. My family can tell when I’ve found a great book by what we’re having for dinner and how many chores are left undone at the end of the day. If it’s a good book, the house is a mess and it’s hot dogs for dinner again.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about the recipes in Devil's Food Cake. Where did they come from, and have you prepared them all?
Josi Kilpack: Yes, I’ve made all the recipes in the book. More importantly, a group of 7 other cooks make up Sadie’s Test Kitchen which is a private blog where I post recipes I’m considering for the books. These cooks make them, tweak them, help me clarify instructions, and give feedback on their family’s reaction. They are absolutely priceless to the process of getting things just right. The actual Devil’s Food Cake recipe is my mom’s, the one I grew up on. I tried a few other recipes when looking for the perfect one for the book, and none of them could top Mom’s. In addition to making the recipes I suggest, the Test Kitchen also volunteers recipes as well. In Devil’s Food Cake, the Sandra’s Chocolicious Frosting, Angel Snowball Cake, and Evil Chicken Dinner by Laree are all recipes from my Test Kitchen Bakers. Did I mention they’re priceless?
Jennifer Walker: How did you become an author, and how did your publishing journey begin?
Josi Kilpack:Up until I wrote my first book I had never thought about becoming a writer, let alone an author. I’d never had a teacher tell me I was talented, I’d never really written for anything outside of what I needed to do. I’d gotten good grades in English through high school (which made up for the Ds in math) and taken just one year of college; during which I took all the writing classes I could. After that I got married and started a family and never thought about writing until, while on bedrest with a pregnancy, I started writing a short story because I had run out of other things to do and the idleness was making me neurotic. That story grew and grew and ignited something within me that I didn’t know was there. Even when I had this 300 page story I didn’t think about publishing—publishing was just SO big. I mean, to be a novelist? I was a mom, I was a homemaker. How could someone like me publish a book? However, I’d had a great time writing that book and after the encouragement from friends I jumped into it and a year and a half later I had my first published book. For me, writing was a bend in the road I didn’t see coming, but boy has it become a journey since then.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your family. Are they supportive of your writing?
Josi Kilpack: I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for nearly seventeen years, and we have four kids ages 16, 14, 11, & 8. They are incredibly supportive of my writing and I couldn’t make it work without them. They not only help me find the time to write, but they share their enthusiasm about my accomplishments and brag about my writing to people they meet. However, they also keep me firmly planted in reality. My husband helps keep me my priorities straight. I know many writers from many different family situations and consider myself very blessed to have the support of my family the way I do.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have a "day job", or do you support yourself through writing? If the former,how do you balance everything?
Josi Kilpack: My husband and I are self-employed and I keep the books for our window covering business. We didn’t expect I would need to be involved, however the economy has required both of us to adjust our expectations. Balance, in my mind, is an illusion. Sometimes work demands my attention more than my writing, other times I can push things aside and make some significant progress on my current novel. I try very hard to keep my family at the top of my list, but they make sacrifices too. I’m constantly looking ahead in the day, the week, the month and seeing what is going to ‘demand’ my time and where the nooks and crannies will be where I can fit other things. It’s not easy, but it won’t last forever either and, as I said, my family is very supportive and makes it all possible. The hard part has been cutting out things I love to make room for my priorities. I don’t read the way I used to, I’m not involved in certain projects I would love to support, and the only hobby I really pursue is my writing, despite many other things that seem like a lot of fun. But I’m not complaining. I must enjoy being busy because I have structured my life to be that way.
Jennifer Walker: Are there any authors (or non-authors) who have influenced your writing and your career? How?
Josi Kilpack: I think every author of every book I’ve ever loved has influenced my writing. Because I never pursued formal writing training, I learned through them and my education has been many years in the making. Since publishing my first novel ten years ago, I have met many other authors and they have had an equally powerful effect on my writing as we’ve shared common experiences and supported one another through our careers. Beyond that, I have to credit my husband with a great deal of influence. When I first started writing, and whispered the idea to him, he was all for it. He never doubted I could do it and that has been a powerful thing to hold on to as I’ve encountered people who did doubt me. Without his continual encouragement I’d have stopped a long time ago.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite dessert?
Josi Kilpack: I’m trying to think if there’s any dessert I don’t really like—I’m not big on baked apples or rum cake, but other than that I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t eat if you put it down in front of me. As for my favorite, that changes all the time but currently pumpkin cheesecake is probably the top of my list.
Jennifer Walker: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Josi Kilpack: I wanted to be everything—a police officer, a teacher, a mom, a ballerina (even though I’d never taken a dance class) and army-guy. The beauty of being a writer is that I can be all of those things through the characters I create, so I guess I got what I wanted in that regard.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Guest blog with Karina Fabian
Today, we have a guest blog from Karina Fabian, author of Magic, Mensa & Mayhem.
This is a book I copy edited and enjoyed greatly! You can also read my interview with her here.
How I Started Writing Humorous Fantasy
by Karina Fabian
I sat in front of the panel, heart thumping, wanting to be Madame Vice for the ceremony. I'd done well in the interview—friendly, poised. Then the interviewer pulled out the big guns:
"Make me laugh."
...and I couldn't do it. I started with a funny story I'd been making up, and as I told it, it sounded dumb even to my ears, and I ended up apologizing and promising I could be funny, really. Needless to say, I did not get the job.
The sad part was, the interviewer had been throwing opportunities for one-liners all through the interview. He stuck his finger in his nose--and I thought, "Sir, if you want to pick a winner, I'm right here!" He stuck a huge bone on the table. "No bones about it sir, I'm the one for the job." But I froze, unsure of myself, too shy to be silly.
I'm older and wiser now--well, older, anyway. I've outgrown my shyness, and given the chance, I embrace the silly. I write humorous fantasy.
I didn't intend to. After experiences like my Madame Vice interview, I had decided that while my puns were good, my stories were not so funny. I started writing serious sci-fi and fantasy.
Then I decided to play in the noir genre with a down-and-out dragon stuck in the non-magical world and working as a private detective. I fell in love with the wise-cracking, cynical, justifiably-superior-than-thou dragon and the worlds he worked in. So, when a friend asked me to write a serial with the character for her newsletter, I was only too glad to oblige.
Trying to write punchy, interesting episodes in 1000-word increments proved a challenge, and I fell to humor I'd grown up with and loved. Puns in the style of Piers Anthony's XANTH novels, cliché's twisted like Terry' Pratchett's Discworld, and prat jokes worthy of the Airplane movies. I wasn't thinking about much of anything but having some fun doing a favor for a friend, but before it was done, I'd created the foundation for what would become my novel, Magic, Mensa and Mayhem. Even more, I'd created the foundation for a whole series of stories and novels.
My next foray into humorous fantasy started out in a similar way. A friend, Kim Robinson, was starting a new press, Damnation Books, and wanted to compile an anthology of zombie stories called The Zombie Cookbook. Once again, I wrote for a friend, a silly story with some puns and twisted cliché and a little bit of political satire. After all, what's a zombie story without a joke about dead people voting? I had a good time, and a lot of people liked "Wokking Dead"--enough that I'm writing a novel based on the main character, zombie exterminator Neeta Lyffe.
I've not always gotten fans. One critic said the title was the best part of "Wokking Dead;" another person said she felt my humor in Magic, Mensa and Mayhem lacked dignity. Not everyone has the same kind of humor, but unlike in my youth, I don't let it stop me. After all, I'm writing for myself and for friends--and for anyone else who wants to join in the fun.
For me, the key to humor was being comfortable enough with myself to let go and have fun. No bones about it.
This is a book I copy edited and enjoyed greatly! You can also read my interview with her here.How I Started Writing Humorous Fantasy
by Karina Fabian
I sat in front of the panel, heart thumping, wanting to be Madame Vice for the ceremony. I'd done well in the interview—friendly, poised. Then the interviewer pulled out the big guns:
"Make me laugh."
...and I couldn't do it. I started with a funny story I'd been making up, and as I told it, it sounded dumb even to my ears, and I ended up apologizing and promising I could be funny, really. Needless to say, I did not get the job.
The sad part was, the interviewer had been throwing opportunities for one-liners all through the interview. He stuck his finger in his nose--and I thought, "Sir, if you want to pick a winner, I'm right here!" He stuck a huge bone on the table. "No bones about it sir, I'm the one for the job." But I froze, unsure of myself, too shy to be silly.
I'm older and wiser now--well, older, anyway. I've outgrown my shyness, and given the chance, I embrace the silly. I write humorous fantasy.
I didn't intend to. After experiences like my Madame Vice interview, I had decided that while my puns were good, my stories were not so funny. I started writing serious sci-fi and fantasy.
Then I decided to play in the noir genre with a down-and-out dragon stuck in the non-magical world and working as a private detective. I fell in love with the wise-cracking, cynical, justifiably-superior-than-thou dragon and the worlds he worked in. So, when a friend asked me to write a serial with the character for her newsletter, I was only too glad to oblige.
Trying to write punchy, interesting episodes in 1000-word increments proved a challenge, and I fell to humor I'd grown up with and loved. Puns in the style of Piers Anthony's XANTH novels, cliché's twisted like Terry' Pratchett's Discworld, and prat jokes worthy of the Airplane movies. I wasn't thinking about much of anything but having some fun doing a favor for a friend, but before it was done, I'd created the foundation for what would become my novel, Magic, Mensa and Mayhem. Even more, I'd created the foundation for a whole series of stories and novels.
My next foray into humorous fantasy started out in a similar way. A friend, Kim Robinson, was starting a new press, Damnation Books, and wanted to compile an anthology of zombie stories called The Zombie Cookbook. Once again, I wrote for a friend, a silly story with some puns and twisted cliché and a little bit of political satire. After all, what's a zombie story without a joke about dead people voting? I had a good time, and a lot of people liked "Wokking Dead"--enough that I'm writing a novel based on the main character, zombie exterminator Neeta Lyffe.
I've not always gotten fans. One critic said the title was the best part of "Wokking Dead;" another person said she felt my humor in Magic, Mensa and Mayhem lacked dignity. Not everyone has the same kind of humor, but unlike in my youth, I don't let it stop me. After all, I'm writing for myself and for friends--and for anyone else who wants to join in the fun.
For me, the key to humor was being comfortable enough with myself to let go and have fun. No bones about it.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Author Interview: Pamela Samuels Young
Today's interview is with Pamela Samuels Young, author of Buying Time. Be sure to read her guest blog and my review of the book!
Jennifer Walker: What inspired you to write Buying Time? How did it come about?
Pamela Samuels Young: The idea for Buying Time came to me while chatting with a friend at a party. I knew he was in the insurance business, but when he explained that he was a viatical broker, I started asking lots of questions because I’d never heard of the viatical industry. When he finished explaining how he brokers the insurance policies of terminally ill patients, I knew there was a thriller in there somewhere.
Jennifer Walker: Are any of the people or events in the story inspired by real life?
Pamela Samuels Young: In Buying Time, one of my characters, Dre, is a drug dealer. I wanted to create an authentic background story for him, so I found a drug dealer who was willing to talk to me about his business. I actually went to his home and interviewed him. I found him to be a very complex guy. He was bright, articulate and college educated, yet dealing drugs was his chosen profession.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have any hobbies? Tell us about them.
Pamela Samuels Young: Writing legal thrillers is both a hobby and a passion. I still practice law, so there’s not much room in my life for anything else.
Jennifer Walker: What is your background--schooling, experience, etc--that helped you to write Buying Time?
Pamela Samuels Young: I was raised in Compton, California, where my parents still live today. I’m the middle child and I have an older and younger brother. In college, I was set on becoming a newspaper reporter, but somewhere along the way I discovered broadcasting and fell in love. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the USC School of Journalism and a master’s degree in broadcasting at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, I spent six years as a television news writer and associate producer in Detroit and Los Angeles. After getting burned out from writing news stories under the gun every day, I turned in my electric typewriter (there were no computers in the news room back then!) and enrolled in law school at the University of California at Berkeley. I’ve been practicing employment law now for nearly 20 years. My journalism background and legal experience turned out to be the perfect combination for writing legal thrillers.
Jennifer Walker: Did you learn anything or experience anything remarkable during the writing of this book?
Pamela Samuels Young: I guess my most memorable experience was interviewing a real life drug dealer and trying to understand the life choices he made. I have to admit that I was quite nervous being in his home since I assumed he had drugs in the place. I kept thinking, “If the police bust down the door, will they really buy my story about being a writer doing research?”
Jennifer Walker: How did you come to be a writer? Has writing been a life-long passion or a recent development?
Pamela Samuels Young: I’ve always loved reading mysteries, particularly those that involve fascinating legal cases. It bothered me, however, that the legal thrillers I read never depicted women or African-American attorneys. So...I decided to fill the void.
I knew pretty early in life that I wanted to be a writer, having worked on school newspapers in junior high, high school and college. But when I decided to major in journalism at the University of Southern California, I didn’t give much thought to creative writing. At the age of 18, I didn’t have the guts to even consider a career as a novelist. The writers I enjoyed reading – James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, Joan Didion – were incredibly talented literary writers. I knew I didn’t have that kind of poetic writing talent. So I pursued a career in journalism and later, earned a law degree. Flash forward several years and I somehow gathered the courage to give creative writing a try.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your family. Are they supportive of your writing?
Pamela Samuels Young: Absolutely! I’ve only been married for five years and still consider myself a newlywed. My husband is my biggest fan and never complains when I decide to head off to Palm Springs or a local hotel for a week of solitary writing. From my parents, to my brothers to my friends and co-workers, I have the most encouraging support system I writer could hope for.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about you. What is your day job? Do you have any hobbies? Pets?
Pamela Samuels Young: I currently work as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for Toyota. It’s quite a challenge writing my novels and promoting them every weekend while still practicing law. It means writing early in the morning, late at night, weekends, whenever and wherever I can squeeze in the time. With my packed schedule, I really don’t have time for any hobbies. And thank God that I don’t have any pets. I’m sure they’d have grounds to charge me with neglect.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite food?
Pamela Samuels Young: Seafood gumbo. I love it!
Jennifer Walker: Where is your favorite place to visit?
Pamela Samuels Young: Absolutely anyplace with a waterfront view. I’m lucky to live in Southern California. In a matter of minutes, I can be at the beach. One day, I’d love to have a writing room with a view of the Pacific Ocean.
Thanks to Pamela Samuels Young for stopping by to talk about Buying Time!
Jennifer Walker: What inspired you to write Buying Time? How did it come about?
Pamela Samuels Young: The idea for Buying Time came to me while chatting with a friend at a party. I knew he was in the insurance business, but when he explained that he was a viatical broker, I started asking lots of questions because I’d never heard of the viatical industry. When he finished explaining how he brokers the insurance policies of terminally ill patients, I knew there was a thriller in there somewhere.
Jennifer Walker: Are any of the people or events in the story inspired by real life?
Pamela Samuels Young: In Buying Time, one of my characters, Dre, is a drug dealer. I wanted to create an authentic background story for him, so I found a drug dealer who was willing to talk to me about his business. I actually went to his home and interviewed him. I found him to be a very complex guy. He was bright, articulate and college educated, yet dealing drugs was his chosen profession.
Jennifer Walker: Do you have any hobbies? Tell us about them.
Pamela Samuels Young: Writing legal thrillers is both a hobby and a passion. I still practice law, so there’s not much room in my life for anything else.
Jennifer Walker: What is your background--schooling, experience, etc--that helped you to write Buying Time?
Pamela Samuels Young: I was raised in Compton, California, where my parents still live today. I’m the middle child and I have an older and younger brother. In college, I was set on becoming a newspaper reporter, but somewhere along the way I discovered broadcasting and fell in love. After earning a bachelor’s degree from the USC School of Journalism and a master’s degree in broadcasting at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, I spent six years as a television news writer and associate producer in Detroit and Los Angeles. After getting burned out from writing news stories under the gun every day, I turned in my electric typewriter (there were no computers in the news room back then!) and enrolled in law school at the University of California at Berkeley. I’ve been practicing employment law now for nearly 20 years. My journalism background and legal experience turned out to be the perfect combination for writing legal thrillers.
Jennifer Walker: Did you learn anything or experience anything remarkable during the writing of this book?
Pamela Samuels Young: I guess my most memorable experience was interviewing a real life drug dealer and trying to understand the life choices he made. I have to admit that I was quite nervous being in his home since I assumed he had drugs in the place. I kept thinking, “If the police bust down the door, will they really buy my story about being a writer doing research?”
Jennifer Walker: How did you come to be a writer? Has writing been a life-long passion or a recent development?
Pamela Samuels Young: I’ve always loved reading mysteries, particularly those that involve fascinating legal cases. It bothered me, however, that the legal thrillers I read never depicted women or African-American attorneys. So...I decided to fill the void.
I knew pretty early in life that I wanted to be a writer, having worked on school newspapers in junior high, high school and college. But when I decided to major in journalism at the University of Southern California, I didn’t give much thought to creative writing. At the age of 18, I didn’t have the guts to even consider a career as a novelist. The writers I enjoyed reading – James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Toni Morrison, Joan Didion – were incredibly talented literary writers. I knew I didn’t have that kind of poetic writing talent. So I pursued a career in journalism and later, earned a law degree. Flash forward several years and I somehow gathered the courage to give creative writing a try.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us about your family. Are they supportive of your writing?
Pamela Samuels Young: Absolutely! I’ve only been married for five years and still consider myself a newlywed. My husband is my biggest fan and never complains when I decide to head off to Palm Springs or a local hotel for a week of solitary writing. From my parents, to my brothers to my friends and co-workers, I have the most encouraging support system I writer could hope for.
Jennifer Walker: Tell us a little about you. What is your day job? Do you have any hobbies? Pets?
Pamela Samuels Young: I currently work as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for Toyota. It’s quite a challenge writing my novels and promoting them every weekend while still practicing law. It means writing early in the morning, late at night, weekends, whenever and wherever I can squeeze in the time. With my packed schedule, I really don’t have time for any hobbies. And thank God that I don’t have any pets. I’m sure they’d have grounds to charge me with neglect.
Jennifer Walker: What is your favorite food?
Pamela Samuels Young: Seafood gumbo. I love it!
Jennifer Walker: Where is your favorite place to visit?
Pamela Samuels Young: Absolutely anyplace with a waterfront view. I’m lucky to live in Southern California. In a matter of minutes, I can be at the beach. One day, I’d love to have a writing room with a view of the Pacific Ocean.
Thanks to Pamela Samuels Young for stopping by to talk about Buying Time!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Book Give-away!
Have a book promotion going? Contact me and I'll post it for you.
Valentine's Day Book Giveaway!!!! Visit Allison's Attic at http://allisonsatticblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/celebrating-book-series-family-saga-in.html.
Valentine's Day Book Giveaway!!!! Visit Allison's Attic at http://allisonsatticblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/celebrating-book-series-family-saga-in.html.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Guest blog with Pamela Samuels Young
Today's guest post is from Pamela Samuels Young, author of Buying Time.
Be sure to read my review!
Crafting the Page-Turner
By Pamela Samuels Young
Don’t you just love reading a page-turner? As a mystery writer, I constantly strive to write books that readers have a hard time putting down. After much trial and error, I learned to write fast-paced novels by dissecting well-written, engaging books and studying how the author structured the story.
You, too, can write a page turner. Here are five tips I use that will help you keep readers turning the pages.
1. Create Characters the Reader Cares About.
To hook your readers, give them characters they can root for as well as root against. If your protagonist is an underdog with the odds against her, make sure there’s a reason for the reader to be in her corner. The same goes for your villain. If he’s a real scoundrel, readers will want him to fail. So make sure that you build your plot so readers aren’t disappointed in the end. Your characters must be intriguing as well as believable enough that readers will relate to them and care what happens to them.
2. Conflict is Crucial!
It’s essential that you have conflict in every chapter of your novel. Conflict engages the reader and entices them to keep reading. Conflict doesn’t mean people are arguing or yelling at each other. For me, it means the presence of one force working against another. There’s a struggle or collision of interests. For example, the prosecutor wants the defendant to go to jail, but the defense attorney is determined to see that his client goes free. Every chapter must have conflict. No one wants to read a book that meanders along with a bunch of happy people.
Once you’ve set up your conflict, don’t tell it all! String the reader along. Explain that Misty has a secret in Chapter 1, but hold off on revealing the secret until later in the book. If you spill the beans too soon, you must incorporate something else to keep the suspense going. If you string the reader along to a big buildup, make sure you reward them with a bombshell that is believable and worth the wait.
3. Understand the Impact of Narration vs. Dialogue.
Generally speaking, dialogue and action (e.g., people saying or doing something) will speed up the pacing of your novel, while extensive narration and description will slow it down. Literary fiction, which is character-driven and lauded for its poetic prose, is typically heavy on narration and description. Commercial fiction, which is plot driven, often includes more action and dialogue. Compare, for example, a James Patterson mystery like Run for Your Life (commercial fiction) versus a novel like the Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter (literary fiction). The latter is heavy on the narrative, the former has far more action and dialogue. If you feel your story is dragging, analyze the amount of narration versus dialogue and action and make the appropriate changes.
4. Hook Your Readers and Don’t Let Go.
Many readers who aren’t already familiar with an author will make a decision to buy a book after reading just the first few pages. Hence, your opening scene is your chance to grab their attention. But don’t stop there. Make sure you grab them throughout the book. You can accomplish this through conflict and suspense and by presenting engaging characters. You must end your chapters with a hook. That will make it hard for the reader to put down the book because he’s dying to know what’s going to happen next. If your protagonist narrowly escapes a tough situation, present him with another crisis. Keep your readers on the edge of their seats wondering, What’s going to happen next?
5. Record Your Book On Tape.
The last step in my writing process is to read my entire manuscript into a tape recorder and listen to it with pen in hand, ready to make any necessary changes. I often hear things that I don’t see when I’m simply reading the manuscript. I’ve discovered things like word repetitions that I missed, a lag in the pacing, and inconsistencies in my story line. After several hours of listening to my story, I’ve sometimes discovered that it takes too long to get to a pivotal events. So I go back to the drawing board.
If you’ve never listened to a book on tape, try doing so before you listen to your own book. Ask yourself if the story grips you and if not, figure out why. By the same token, if the book doesn’t grab you, analyze what the writer could have done differently to engage you. If you only follow one piece of advice from this article, please follow this tip! You will be amazed at how much you will be able to sharpen your manuscript as a result of this simple exercise.
Pamela Samuels Young is a Los Angeles-area attorney and the author of four legal thrillers. Her latest release, Buying Time, is her first stand-alone novel. A former television news writer, Pamela is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com and is on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com. For more writing tips from Pamela, visit www.bizymoms.com.
Be sure to read my review!Crafting the Page-Turner
By Pamela Samuels Young
Don’t you just love reading a page-turner? As a mystery writer, I constantly strive to write books that readers have a hard time putting down. After much trial and error, I learned to write fast-paced novels by dissecting well-written, engaging books and studying how the author structured the story.
You, too, can write a page turner. Here are five tips I use that will help you keep readers turning the pages.
1. Create Characters the Reader Cares About.
To hook your readers, give them characters they can root for as well as root against. If your protagonist is an underdog with the odds against her, make sure there’s a reason for the reader to be in her corner. The same goes for your villain. If he’s a real scoundrel, readers will want him to fail. So make sure that you build your plot so readers aren’t disappointed in the end. Your characters must be intriguing as well as believable enough that readers will relate to them and care what happens to them.
2. Conflict is Crucial!
It’s essential that you have conflict in every chapter of your novel. Conflict engages the reader and entices them to keep reading. Conflict doesn’t mean people are arguing or yelling at each other. For me, it means the presence of one force working against another. There’s a struggle or collision of interests. For example, the prosecutor wants the defendant to go to jail, but the defense attorney is determined to see that his client goes free. Every chapter must have conflict. No one wants to read a book that meanders along with a bunch of happy people.
Once you’ve set up your conflict, don’t tell it all! String the reader along. Explain that Misty has a secret in Chapter 1, but hold off on revealing the secret until later in the book. If you spill the beans too soon, you must incorporate something else to keep the suspense going. If you string the reader along to a big buildup, make sure you reward them with a bombshell that is believable and worth the wait.
3. Understand the Impact of Narration vs. Dialogue.
Generally speaking, dialogue and action (e.g., people saying or doing something) will speed up the pacing of your novel, while extensive narration and description will slow it down. Literary fiction, which is character-driven and lauded for its poetic prose, is typically heavy on narration and description. Commercial fiction, which is plot driven, often includes more action and dialogue. Compare, for example, a James Patterson mystery like Run for Your Life (commercial fiction) versus a novel like the Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter (literary fiction). The latter is heavy on the narrative, the former has far more action and dialogue. If you feel your story is dragging, analyze the amount of narration versus dialogue and action and make the appropriate changes.
4. Hook Your Readers and Don’t Let Go.
Many readers who aren’t already familiar with an author will make a decision to buy a book after reading just the first few pages. Hence, your opening scene is your chance to grab their attention. But don’t stop there. Make sure you grab them throughout the book. You can accomplish this through conflict and suspense and by presenting engaging characters. You must end your chapters with a hook. That will make it hard for the reader to put down the book because he’s dying to know what’s going to happen next. If your protagonist narrowly escapes a tough situation, present him with another crisis. Keep your readers on the edge of their seats wondering, What’s going to happen next?
5. Record Your Book On Tape.
The last step in my writing process is to read my entire manuscript into a tape recorder and listen to it with pen in hand, ready to make any necessary changes. I often hear things that I don’t see when I’m simply reading the manuscript. I’ve discovered things like word repetitions that I missed, a lag in the pacing, and inconsistencies in my story line. After several hours of listening to my story, I’ve sometimes discovered that it takes too long to get to a pivotal events. So I go back to the drawing board.
If you’ve never listened to a book on tape, try doing so before you listen to your own book. Ask yourself if the story grips you and if not, figure out why. By the same token, if the book doesn’t grab you, analyze what the writer could have done differently to engage you. If you only follow one piece of advice from this article, please follow this tip! You will be amazed at how much you will be able to sharpen your manuscript as a result of this simple exercise.
Pamela Samuels Young is a Los Angeles-area attorney and the author of four legal thrillers. Her latest release, Buying Time, is her first stand-alone novel. A former television news writer, Pamela is the Fiction Expert for BizyMoms.com and is on the Board of Directors of the Southern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. To contact Pamela or to read an excerpt of her books, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com. For more writing tips from Pamela, visit www.bizymoms.com.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Book Review: Buying Time, by Pamela Samuels Young
Buying Time, by Pamela Samuels Young
Paperback: 370 pages
Publisher: Goldman House Publishing (November 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 098156271X
Rating (1 to 5 *): ****
Book Review: Buying Time
Waverly Sloan is in big trouble: he is about to be disbarred, and his money-loving wife will probably never forgive him if he can no longer keep her in the lifestyle she is accustomed to. His father-in-law already thinks Sloan is inadequate, and this development is not likely to improve his opinion. Unable to work up the courage to tell anyone the bad news, he agrees to take a new job as a viatical broker—selling the life insurance policies of terminally ill patients at a discount to private investors. The patients get cash they may need for medical care or living expenses, investors make a huge profit when the patient dies, and Sloan pockets a hefty broker fee. Soon, he is making more money than he ever dreamed he could, and far more than he ever made as a lawyer.
The career change seems to solve all of Sloan’s problems—his wife is happy with the increase in income, his father-in-law is grudgingly impressed (though suspicious) and he doesn’t have to tell anyone he’s been disbarred. What he doesn’t know is that he is being investigated because the insureds whose policies he sells are dying at an alarming rate—all before their projected life expectancy, and most of suspicious accidental causes. The situation is further complicated by a so-called business associate of his down-and-out brother, who insists on buying in against Sloan’s better judgement. Sloan has no idea what’s really going on, but soon everything comes crashing down around him.
Buying Time is a fun and engaging legal thriller, enticing the reader to turn the page again and again to find out just who is behind the killings and how every piece of the puzzle fits together. She keeps the secret well right up until the end, when it finally comes clear in the denouement. The sad thing is that all of the characters are despicable, unlikeable people—even the good guys have personality traits that leave much to be desired. However, those who like legal thrillers should find some great entertainment in Buying Time.
Paperback: 370 pages
Publisher: Goldman House Publishing (November 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 098156271X
Rating (1 to 5 *): ****
Book Review: Buying Time
Waverly Sloan is in big trouble: he is about to be disbarred, and his money-loving wife will probably never forgive him if he can no longer keep her in the lifestyle she is accustomed to. His father-in-law already thinks Sloan is inadequate, and this development is not likely to improve his opinion. Unable to work up the courage to tell anyone the bad news, he agrees to take a new job as a viatical broker—selling the life insurance policies of terminally ill patients at a discount to private investors. The patients get cash they may need for medical care or living expenses, investors make a huge profit when the patient dies, and Sloan pockets a hefty broker fee. Soon, he is making more money than he ever dreamed he could, and far more than he ever made as a lawyer.
The career change seems to solve all of Sloan’s problems—his wife is happy with the increase in income, his father-in-law is grudgingly impressed (though suspicious) and he doesn’t have to tell anyone he’s been disbarred. What he doesn’t know is that he is being investigated because the insureds whose policies he sells are dying at an alarming rate—all before their projected life expectancy, and most of suspicious accidental causes. The situation is further complicated by a so-called business associate of his down-and-out brother, who insists on buying in against Sloan’s better judgement. Sloan has no idea what’s really going on, but soon everything comes crashing down around him.
Buying Time is a fun and engaging legal thriller, enticing the reader to turn the page again and again to find out just who is behind the killings and how every piece of the puzzle fits together. She keeps the secret well right up until the end, when it finally comes clear in the denouement. The sad thing is that all of the characters are despicable, unlikeable people—even the good guys have personality traits that leave much to be desired. However, those who like legal thrillers should find some great entertainment in Buying Time.
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