Meet Lindy Gligorijevic, Author and Former LAPD Detective

Lindy Gligorijevic is a former Los Angeles Police Department police officer with over 30 years of law enforcement experience. As a supervising detective with the LAPD, she has investigated rapes, child abuse, domestic violence, and robbery, and spent five years investigating homicides. Lindy is currently the Chief Investigator for the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology and teaches interrogation techniques and homicide crime scene management throughout California. Lindy is married to a retired Los Angeles Fire Department captain and lives in Central California with their two standard poodles, one amazing cat, and one chicken.

She is the author of a new series of books called the Jack & Shea LAPD Homicide Series. Her first book in the series, Hold Fast, was released in June of 2016, and the second book, Bell Lap, was released in August.

1. What inspired to you write and publish mysteries?

The inspiration to write is easy; it has been a compulsion since as far back as I can remember (I have the proof stuffed in a trunk in the garage). The decision to publish was far more difficult, and I went about it in every wrong way possible. After ten years of writer's conferences, two literary agents, an expensive editor, and a drawer of rejects, I actually stopped writing for three years. It seemed like folly to me at that point. Then after reconnecting with my training officer from 30 years ago (he encouraged me not to give up, and one should always listen to their training officer) and another self-published author saying "I am an author no matter how small the audience," I decided to do it. I poured a glass of wine and began uploading (ergo beginning the cautionary tale of how not to navigate self-publishing.

2. How has your work experience influenced you as a writer?

My work, my experiences, and my observations are in nearly every sentence of every book.

3. Have you always been writing fiction, or is it something you took up more recently?

I've been writing and drawing since I was old enough to hold a pencil.

4. Would you tell us a little bit about your two main characters? Also, what made you decide to write from each of their perspectives in different volumes in your series of books?

The first book is from Shea Reed's point of view. I wanted the reader to see the LAPD, murder, partnership, through the eyes of a woman. Also, she is single and makes endless questionable choices with men. Her partner, Jack Rainier, is married with two little girls. I am a big fan of series-fiction, and I love following characters through multiple books, but I want to give my readers a back and forth between two characters as opposed to being saddled with just one for the ride. And the archetype of a male cop in fiction is an alcoholic, divorced, and hanging around with rough women. Well, how did he get that way? Why do books and movies always start there? I wanted to show the true strain working homicide has on a very good man. I also wanted to take the reader into the very intimate nature of a police partnership; it's a bond that is beyond friendship.

5. As someone with extensive experience in law enforcement, where do you find the balance between your factual knowledge and your need to fictionalize events for a novel?

The hardest question! When I first began submitting my scenes to my writer's group, they hammered me about being too clinical, too procedural. It was clear I was more concerned with being rigidly authentic (for who? Other cops? Probably) than I was about creating a dramatic story. The books still lean more towards procedural, because I like the "regularness" of police work: it's not all chasing bad guys.

I also had to be careful how I created characters since many of the scenes in Hold Fast are pulled from life, so I had to make sure I didn't harm anyone I knew. There is one character that I didn't change much; he is Shea and Jack's boss. He's based on my homicide boss, who is a very wise and caring man, and such a great character in real life that he translated right on to the page.

The series is fiction, and the cases they have are fiction, but the inspiration is from my experiences and some verbatim experiences. For example, there is a scene in the bar at a golf course the detectives drink at where there is a confrontation with the newly acquitted OJ Simpson. He invites Shea to have her picture taken with him and well....you, gotta read the book. :)

Thanks, Lindy!

Meet Jeffery Craig, Author

Jeffery Craig is the author of the Reightman & Bailey Series. He's released two mysteries in the series so far, with a third book soon to appear. Jeffery lives in South Carolina and runs a local art and gift gallery with his husband. Learn more about Jeffery's work by visiting JefferyCraigBooks.com/, as well as his author page on Amazon.

1. How did you come up with the idea for your new mystery series, and did you have any issues writing it?

I've been thinking about this series for several years, and I've jotted down notes every time a new idea popped into my mind. I never did anything with those ideas. One evening, a friend pressed me to go ahead and start writing, and the next morning I sat down and wrote the prologue and the first chapter. I had a strong sense of the main character already, and the murder kind of wrote itself! The hard part was solving that murder and bringing the environment and the characters to life while doing so. There was a lot going on politically and socially in this part of the United States that provided some good fodder--I guess it was perfect timing.

When I started writing, my worry was I wouldn't be able to find enough words, but the opposite turned out to be true. In the space of about six weeks, I had over 700 pages, and suddenly I had two books to wrangle instead of one. After a lot of editing and re-writing, Done Rubbed Out and Hard Job were born, and the next few books of the series were outlined.

2. Your two protagonists seem like an interesting and unlikely pair. Would you tell us more about them?

Both of the protagonists are pretty complex. Toby Bailey is a young gay man who has opened his dream business--a high-end spa. He was raised in a small southern town, and in many ways, he's pretty naïve. When he finds his business partner (and former lover) naked and dead on a massage table, his whole world is turned upside down. Not only does he have to deal with a very personal loss, but that loss happens in a horrific way. On top of that, he's a prime suspect and isn't sure what to do.

Melba Reightman is the lead homicide detective on the case, and the senior detective in the city police department. She came up the ranks the hard way and learned to deal with the good 'ol boy network in a southern city and everything that represents. She's tough, smart, and capable. Her last few years have been rough; she divorced her cheating husband, her daughter has left home, and frankly, her job isn't providing much personal satisfaction. She doesn't have many friends. She's also grumpy, short-tempered, and experiencing the onset of menopause. She's seen it all, and her view of life is cynical and more than a little sarcastic. She also had a fixation on her large, overstuffed purse... it's a security blanket of sorts.

The differences between the two provide a lot of good tension, and when combined with the rest of the vivid characters, gives the series a lot of depth.

3. What are some of the unique challenges of writing in the mystery genre?

I think the most obvious challenge is that of leaving a trail of clues that lead the reader the direction you want them to go, without being too obvious or pointing toward the murderer too quickly. I would write about 60-70 pages and then go back to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I reworked that aspect a lot. The clues had to be laid out in a realistic manner. I didn't want there to be any "ah ha!" moments until the very end. In this series, the crimes serve a dual purpose. They move the story along, but also provide the framework for character growth and evolution. I guess the best way to think about it is to realize this isn't just a simple set of mysteries, but is an ongoing picture of how people and events we encounter throughout life change us in unexpected ways.

4. Why did you decide to self-publish your books?

That's a great question! I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people that have made and are making a career for themselves writing fiction. I learned the publishing world has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, and is expected to change more rapidly in the next 10. Even in the traditional publishing world, the expectations are very different now. I was under the assumption your agent and publisher took care of everything once the book was written and acquired. I learned that's just not the case anymore. Unless they're fortunate enough to be picked up by one of the big three or four publishers, a new, unknown author has to write a good book, have it edited, and have at least a concept if not a full design for the cover, and is expected to do a lot of the PR and marketing. But all of these things have to be done against a slow timeline that the author doesn't have much influence over.

As an indie author, I do all of the same things, but I'm in control (for good or for bad) of most of the process. The biggest challenge is learning as you go, and I have made some spectacular mistakes. Thankfully, there are so many great tools out there now, and terrific forums and groups that are willing to share the things they have learned. These folks--along with new ways of buying books--have totally sparked a new revolution, and it's fun and exciting to be a part of the indie movement. Seeing how things have changed, and experiencing and dedication of the people following the same path, is what ultimately decided me.

5. How do you find the time to write and keep up with your day job of running an art gallery/shop?

I'm one of the co-owners of the gallery, and focus on specific parts of the business. I don't have to be there every day, except for certain times of the year when every hand is needed. I'm fortunate that I'm able to divide my focus and can plan my time. The more difficult thing to do is to find time to write a new book while trying to promote the finished books. I have to really be ruthless with my time and set certain days and hours aside to complete each task. It helps to have deadlines! I book my editor in advance and know I have to have a finished manuscript into her hands by the date agreed or life will be unpleasant! At the end of the day, I really try to focus on telling the best story I can, with messages and themes that are important to me and that--hopefully--resonate with others. Getting that story into the hands of a reader is the best feeling ever.

Thanks, Jeffery!

Get Follow the Dotted Line on Sale Until April 15

In early February, I posted about Nancy Hersage's mystery novel, Follow the Dotted Line. The book has been featured in Amazon's Kindle Scout program and has been highly ranked in the humor categories on Amazon, as well as being recognized as a mystery. Check out my original post for an excerpt from the beginning of the novel.

I'm posting now to let you know that the novel is on sale from now through April 15. The Kindle edition is just $1.99 instead of the usual price of $3.49. And if you have KindleUnlimited, you can read it for free any time.

The book is getting great reviews on Amazon, calling it a "wonderful novel" and a "must read." As one reviewer put it, "The characters were colorful and realistic, full of life and quirks. The plot was well thought out, interestingly described, and sufficiently full of twists and turns. There were lots of splashes of humor, mostly due to the various character quirks."

View the book trailer for Follow the Dotted Line below.

If you like mysteries and/or "chick lit" and/or humorous fiction, give this novel a try. Nancy Hersage is an experienced writer who, in addition to novels, has written a number of plays and screenplays. Visit NancyHersage.com to learn more about her and her work.

An Excerpt from Follow the Dotted Line by Nancy Hersage

Nancy Hersage has written for NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS. She is the winner of five national awards in playwriting; her plays have been produced on three continents and by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Her new mystery novel, Follow the Dotted Line, is the winner of Amazon's new Kindle Scout program and is published by Kindle Press.

Learn more about Follow the Dotted Line by visiting the book's Amazon page. The book is also on Facebook and Goodreads.

Here is a brief summary of the book...

Andrea Bravos is dazed and amazed when a Styrofoam burger box with her ex's ashes arrives in the mail. Her adventure to find out what happened will upset officials of several small countries, insult the founders of three major religions, give her four adult children acid reflux, and lead her to assault with a deadly golf club.

In the process, she will joyfully drag along her soft-spoken but fearsome accountant, while trying to fend off her mooch of a nephew. It's a convoluted and quixotic caper, but it all comes together in the end--even the avocados, World War II spy, IRS agent, palm reader, and deadly spider.

Move over Marple and Plum, here comes Andy!

Below is an excerpt from Chapter 8 of Follow the Dotted Line.

Chapter 8
Cremains of the Day

“What the hell are cremains?” asked Lilly.

“It’s the industry term for ashes,” Andy said, after she got up and refilled the margarita glass herself. “Cremated remains. Cre-mains. Get it?” She waited, but the girls weren’t going to be sidetracked. “Okay. Okay. Here’s what happened. I just wanted to get some basic information. The cause of death. Did your dad have a will? Stuff like that. But getting that information is harder than you think without knowing just where and when he died and without, you know, technically being related to him anymore.”

“Oh, my god,” said an alarmed Lil, “you didn’t try calling Tilda, did you?”

“Me? Call Tilda? Absolutely not.” Andy shot optic daggers at Harley, who had no doubt about keeping his mouth shut this time. “All I had were the ashes, so I just went from there.”

“From there--to where, Mom?” Sam asked.

“Well, to at least confirming that he’s dead,” said Andy. “And that is what’s in the box. The DNA results from the cremains.”

All eyes now returned to Harley, who was still holding the FedEx package.

“They can get DNA from ashes?” Lil asked, skeptically.

“No,” Sam informed them. “It’s almost impossible to get DNA after cremation. Don’t you people know anything about science?”

“But this company we found online said they could test for DNA,” said Harley. “And we had to fill out a Cremains Acknowledgement Form and everything. And they promised we’d get most of the ashes back. For burial. Or whatever.”

“To be accurate, they said there was a 50/50 chance they could get DNA from their testing,” said Andy, trying not to look as ridiculous as she was feeling. “I thought it was worth a try.”

“We’ll that sounds like a scam, Mother. So I’m not even going to ask you what you paid,” said Sam. “Your bad. Now open the package.”

Harley tried to hand the box to Andy, but she waved him off. You do it, genius, she thought to herself, then said, “Would you mind?”

He dutifully slit the clear plastic wrap covering the cardboard with his fingernail and took out the paper envelope addressed to Andy. She waved her hand again, and he opened the letter. “Read it,” she said, draining her glass.

“Dear Ms. Bravos,” Harley read. “Please find enclosed the laboratory results for the cremains testing performed by our company on the samples you sent us recently.”

“Wait a minute,” Sam interrupted. “Didn’t you have to send them a sample of Dad’s DNA for comparison?”

“Yeah,” was all Andy felt compelled to answer.

“So how did you get Dad’s DNA?”

“I, ah, had some,” Andy replied. “From a while ago.”

“You had some? Really? From a while ago? Care to enlighten us?” said Sam.

“Not really. But if I do, there will be no laughter, is that clear?” She could see Sam biting her lip in anticipation. “I mean it.” Both girls nodded agreement. “I have a lock of your father’s hair,” Andy said. “From when we were dating.”

Sam couldn’t help herself. A guffaw, if ever Andy heard one! She scowled back.

Lil put her hand on her mother’s and smiled affectionately. “I think that’s sweet.”

“Shut up,” said Andy. “Let’s get this over with.”

Harley continued. “The specifics of the test results are contained on page two of this letter. However, a summary of our findings indicates the following. Number one, the sample cremains were not suitable to extract for a DNA profile.”

“Bingo!” Sam said.

Having slipped from defensive to defeated in record time, Andy sighed audibly. “Would you mind, Sam? Let’s not make me feel like a bigger fool than necessary.”

Sam relented immediately. “Right. I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Want me to read number two?” Harley asked.

“Number two?” said Andy.

“Of the summary. Number two says, ‘The sample cremains show no signs of organic material and therefore do not, in all likelihood, include human tissue.’” Harley looked up, awaiting further instruction.

“Let me see the letter,” Sam said, taking the paper from Harley. She looked first at page one and then at page two. “It means the ashes are probably fake,” she said.

“Probably?” Lil wanted to know.

Sam grabbed the invoice. “The test cost $99, Lil. I doubt these folks can tell the difference between a corpse and cat litter.”

“But if there’s no organic material present,” Andy reiterated, reading the results for herself, “that means Tilda sent us dust.”

It took a few moments for the implications to sink in. And the one that sank in fastest was the bizarre behavior of the widow-in-chief.

“Why on earth would Tilda send fake ashes?” asked Sam.

“Maybe she just wanted to keep his real ashes for herself,” Lilly theorized. “We all agree she’s weird.”

“Or maybe it’s her way of flipping us off,” Sam offered.

“Or maybe he’s not dead,” said Andy, trying to squeeze herself back into the conversation. It worked.

“Why would she pretend he’s dead?” asked Sam, genuinely confused.

“Who knows?” mused Andy. “She hated it every time Mitch tried to call your dad. She was jealous. Some women are like that. Especially women who marry a guy with children and don’t have any of their own. So she decided to tell us he was dead to get us out of their, you know, busy and satisfying lives,” Andy concluded, with what she thought was just the perfect touch of contempt.

“And you think a fake cremation would be okay with Dad?” Lil wanted to know.

Andy considered this and said, “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.”

“Well,” Sam pointed out, “Dad still could be dead. These just aren’t his ashes. Whatever’s going on, this test doesn’t actually get us anywhere, Mom.”

The kid holding the faux remains raised his hand slightly, as if he were waiting to be called on before he spoke.

“What is it, Harley?” Andy asked.

“Why don’t you just call Uncle Mark? You know. On his cell. See if he picks up.”

Out of the mouth of boobs, Andy thought.

Sam picked up her phone and dialed.

“Hi, Samantha,” boomed the voice on the other end of the line. “What’s up?”

“Hi, Mitch. Sorry to call in the middle of work.”

“No problem.”

“Listen, I want you to call Dad.”

“Call him? How do I do that?”

“You have his cell number, right?”

“Yeah. But he’s dead, Sam. Remember?”

“I know. Just call the number.”

“Call the number? I don’t want to call the number.”

“Just do it, will you?”

“Why?”

“Mom had the ashes tested. They’re questionable. We want to know if he’s still taking calls.”

“Those weren’t his ashes?!”

“It turns out there’s room for doubt.”

“Well, that certainly creeps me out, Samantha. Why have I been nominated to make the call?”

“Because you’re a big boy, Mitch. Just do it.”

A long beat, as Mitch considered his responsibilities. “Okay. Hold on.” He clicked off, and the little review committee waited in silence. He was back on the line a minute later.

“Sam?”

“Did you get him?”

“No. The number’s no longer in service,” Mitch told her. “What does that mean?”

“Damned if I know,” said Sam. “I’ll get back to you.” And she hung up.

The possibility that Tilda Trivette might have been screwing with Mark Kornacky’s remains seemed to jettison his children into action in a way that the man’s reported death had not. In the two hours before Lilly had to leave for the airport to catch her plane back to Idaho, Team Kornacky came together in a rare show of unity.

Thanks to Nancy Hersage for sharing an excerpt of her novel, and please visit her website at NancyHersage.com to learn more about her and her writing!

Meet J. New, Author

British author J. New writes crime thrillers with a dark side, short stories, and flash fiction with a twist. She draws on her interests in psychology, spirituality, and the metaphysical to weave tales that explore the darker side of human nature. Her writing is a mix of crime, thriller, murder-mystery, and suspense with a touch of the supernatural.

Her first novel, due out summer 2015, A Poisoned Mind, features protagonist Dr. Mary Gray, a criminal profiler and poisons expert with a secret past and an eerie gift. A child prodigy with an unhealthy upbringing, followed by an event in her twenties that would have catastrophic repercussions, Gray teeters on the brink of a mental breakdown whilst hunting a serial killer.

J. New's writer influences include Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Clive Barker. A staunch supporter of Indie-authors, she loves scouring bookstores, both physical and virtual for her next favorite writer. She currently lives with her partner and three rescue dogs, where she drinks too much coffee and is a slave to her keyboard.

Find J. New's Predator or Prey – Short Tales With A Twist, on Amazon and on Kobo

1. How did you first become interested in writing thrillers?

As a reader, I've always been interested in mysteries and thrillers, and probably half of my bookshelf is made up of that particular genre. When I made the decision to begin writing full-time, it was natural for me to create something that I loved and wanted to read myself. Writing something you are passionate about translates into much better words on the page, and consequently the readers and fans of your work have a much better experience.

That said, I'm not a great fan of pigeonholing an author's work into a particular genre. My work includes elements of suspense, drama, mystery, crime, psychology, and the supernatural, so trying to fit it into a particular box is almost impossible.

I've also penned a short story entitled "The Yellow Cottage" which is available FREE on my website for those who would like to become part of my reader group, and that isn't a thriller at all, but as with everything I write, it has a great twist. I've had some wonderful correspondence from readers about that one.

As an author, whilst I write because I love to, and have an almost visceral need to create, at the back of my mind, always, is the fact that I'm writing for my readers. Without my fans, (those that buy or download free everything I produce), I wouldn't be able to continue. So my responsibility and promise to them is to produce the best and highest quality work I can.

2. What do you most enjoy about the genre of flash fiction, and when writing the pieces in your recent collection, did you limit yourself to a specific number of words per story?

I absolutely love writing flash fiction. It's an incredibly disciplined way of working, and I love the challenge. It's also a great tool to help with the self-editing process for longer works. Surplus words have no place in this style of writing, so you have to make every word count. You'd be surprised how many ways there are of saying the same thing. Flash fiction is an art in itself, and requires you to produce a very short, but complete story in around 500 to 1000 words. Whilst it may sound simple, it's actually more difficult than you would think.

I also like to include twists in every story I write, regardless of length. With flash fiction you have room for just one, so you have to make it count. Many of those who have written to me after reading my latest collection have said they were wowed by the twists and didn't see them coming. That's the best feeling in the world for a writer, knowing that your work has achieved exactly what you wanted it to: that your reader has become emotionally involved in the story.

My latest collection Predator or Prey – Short Tales With A Twist, is a combination of flash fiction and short stories, with the shortest being 560 words and the longest around 1,600. It wasn't a conscious decision to limit myself in terms of words for each piece. I wrote what was best for each story, eliminating words I didn't need, and increasing the pace and suspense, so that the reader experience was the best it could be, and the integrity of story wasn't compromised.

3. Why did you choose to publish your work independently?

It's all about retaining artistic control. Contrary to what a lot of people think, being an independent author does not mean being an amateur. It means being a professional, who prefers to retain control of their work, in order to provide the highest quality for their readers. With the advent of self-publishing in recent years, it's become much easier to get your work into the marketplace, and many well-known, traditionally published authors are now choosing to independently publish their work, in order to reach and grow their audience. With e-readers and Kindles it now takes seconds for a customer to purchase and begin reading your book. That's incredibly exciting for authors and readers alike. And of course, one thing which is important to me is that retaining control means I have a direct link to my readers, which I love.

4. What are you working on now, and what future projects do you have planned?

I'm currently working on my debut novel, A Poisoned Mind, which is a murder-mystery thriller. When a young college student is found murdered in bizarre circumstances, Dr. Mary Gray, criminal profiler and poisons expert, is called in to consult on the case. It soon becomes apparent that this is not a one-off crime; there is a serial killer on the loose. When a second body is uncovered, it becomes a race against time to find the perpetrator before he strikes again. As the clock ticks down and her "gift" kicks in, Mary Gray teeters on the brink of a mental breakdown as the past she has tried to conceal collides with her present in spectacular fashion. It's based in the UK and is a pure joy to work on. I'm planning on releasing it in the summer this year.

Alongside that I'm currently planning out the first of a new series. It's a murder-mystery collection based in Victorian England, so sort of a Conan-Doyle meets steampunk, but with a thriller edge to it.

5. I like that your website includes a Writer Toolbox, resources for other Indie-authors. What are some of the resources that have been most important to you in your journey from writing to publishing?

I'm a huge advocate of indie-authors, and over the last couple of years I've been publishing, have learned a huge amount. It's important for me to be able to share with others what I've learned, especially those who are just starting out. Indie-authors aren't in competition for readers, the way it used to be in the traditionally published world. It's so much easier for people to get their hands on books now, and they are reading more than ever before.

In terms of resources I use and learn from regularly, the blog and training of author Nick Stephenson is one of the best. Another is the website of Joanna Penn, an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Both Nick and Joanna are incredibly successful within their fields, and continue to provide up-to-date and immensely useful information about the industry.

For setting up your writer platform, then you need look no further than the site of Kimberley Grabas. Simply called Your Writer Platform, it provides everything you need to get up and running. Two of the most well-known indie-authors are Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, and they produce the popular Self-Publishing Pod-cast, and are also the authors of Write, Publish, Repeat, one of the best writing craft books there is. There's much more on my website.

If you are a writer, then sign up for my Readers Group email--you'll get my free short story "The Yellow Cottage," and just drop me a line and let me know you're a writer. I periodically send resources and information which I find to be invaluable, covering everything from starting out, writing courses, marketing, software, and anything else I think will be useful to you in order to make your writing life easier.

If you sign up as a reader, then I'll send news of my releases, book recommendations, competitions, and freebies I've found. I only send it once or twice a month, but it's packed with great stuff for book lovers.

You can sign up for J. New's Readers Group and receive your FREE short story by clicking here. You can also connect with her on social media: Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Meet Dyal Bailey, Author

Dyal Bailey is a writer, screenwriter, and restaurant owner. She took up writing after the birth of her first son and started her publishing career with an article about "What Makes a Great Bartender," inspired by her experience as a restaurant owner. From there, she launched into journalism, novels, humor, and screenwriting.

Based near Augusta, Georgia, Dyal is an avid reader and enjoys all genres, but especially mystery, suspense, and thrillers. Her novel, The Artisan, is available on Amazon. It's the first of several books in her new Artistic Assassin series.

1. How did you first become interested in writing?

I wrote a lot of poems when I was eight or nine and won some sort of prize in school for one of them. I remember that encouraging me. But I've been scribbling in notebooks since I can remember.

I first got into journalism--writing magazine articles--about 20 years ago. The whole time I was toying with fiction on the side.

What they say about it taking 10 thousand hours to become an expert at something is very true with writing, except with me it took 20 thousand hours.

I wrote and threw away a full mystery novel that I called "Murder on the Half Shell" about 15 years ago. It was truly atrocious--and unspeakably therapeutic--lol. But I'm used to failing my way to success, so I kept at it.

2. How do you balance your writing work with your work as a restaurant owner?

The restaurant owner part is easier than being a mom with seven kids. Being a homeschool mom is the really tough job. We have awesome general managers who run the restaurants; my husband is more of a comptroller, and I handle the marketing. We both work out of our home on the lake.

As far as time management, because of my busy life, I usually have only five to seven writing days a month. But when I write, I write crazy fast. Sometimes I use Dragon Dictate, and that speeds me up even more.

When I start the early editing process, not with my editor Judy in New York, but really early when I'm using several proofreaders on fiverr.com, I run it through a minimum of three or four editors at once.

Then I use multiple computer screens and run through all their edits at once. Not only is it time saving, but it helps me to see a consensus. Plus it keeps me from wasting time pushing commas back and forth, because much of editing varies according to perspective.

I'm feeding them pages right now. It's really fun, getting them to guess what comes next.

3. Your book, The Artisan, is described as a thriller, but with comedic elements. What distinguishes your book from other thrillers?

Humor is something I can't seem to help. I'm a naturally smart aleck. But it actually enhances the drama. Like an emotional judo flip.

I wrote a popular humor book under another name called Fish Gutting For Newlyweds.

I'm not sure how to explain my humorous bad guys, Gunter and Antonio. They are a lot of fun for me to write, but hard to control. They kept trying to take over the whole book.

4. What was your process like in writing The Artisan (was it fun and/or challenging and/or...?)?

I loved it!! I really and truly have a blast while I'm writing. And I attack my laptop like a leopard going after a hunk of raw meat. It's not pretty, but I like it.

5. What at writing projects are you currently working on--and what are you currently reading in your free time?

I'm knee deep in the second book of this series. I have five in the Artistic Assassin Series outlined already.

That's another key to writing fast, knowing where you're going in the book. I do all my outlining on my iPhone--then I email it to myself. It works great for me, because when I get a cool idea, I can just pick up my phone and etch in the changes.

I'm finishing up The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (brilliant), and I was half way though Digital Disruption (awesome) when I decided to re-read Waiting for Your Cat to Bark.

Last week I read a Brad Thor thriller, The Black List (loved it) and I read Lee Child's Without Fail--I love Lee Child; he writes more like an American thriller writer than most American thriller writers.

The other night I was up with a sick kid and read two books by J. Goldberg about online income. I'm using her books as part of a homeschool course I'm teaching my teens this coming fall.

I guess you could say I read kind of crazy fast as well. My Kindle makes it way too easy.

Thanks, Dyal!