3.26.15 - 7 Minutes With... Dave White

I am so excited to welcome my Killer Year mate and great friend, Dave White, to the Tao. Dave is a one-of-a-kind writer. His Jackson Donne novels are incredibly cool -- PI novels with heart and sheer drop-off-a-cliff stories. And he's at that amazing time in life where the changes are so abundant--marriage, children, being published, not necessarily in that order--that I can't wait to see what the next decade brings to him. (Did I mention he was published in his twenties?)  To have so much talent at such a young age... I guarantee his future will be amazing, and I can't wait to read his new novel, NOT EVEN PAST. Welcome, Dave! It's great to have you here today!

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

“Too Drunk to Dream” by the Magnetic Fields… which, I think, is a song I haven’t ever listened to—or haven’t in a very long time.  Seriously, how did that end up in my iTunes?

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

This interview.  Heh.  That’s so cheating, but it’s true.  I’m writing this on a Sunday.  I just sent my editor a draft of the next Jackson Donne novel, AN EMPTY HELL, and I’m trying to figure out what I want to write next.  I’m also kind of taking a break from writing for a little bit and catching up on reading and Netflix.

What’s your latest book about?

NOT EVEN PAST sees my series character and former private eye, Jackson Donne, returning for his first novel in almost 7 years.  He’s finally figured his lift out—gone back to college, got engaged, toned down the drinking—and just before exams, he sits down and checks his email.  What he finds takes him to a video of his long-thought-dead finacée Jeanne tied to a chair, but very much alive.  Donne has no choice but to find out what happened, how and why she’s alive.  And the deeper he digs, the more dangerous the case gets, potentially shattering him and everyone to close to him.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I usually write at home on my couch using my laptop.  I write in Word.  I’ve tried to use Scrivener, but it’s too complicated for my brain.  So I stick with what I’ve always used.  I take notes in a separate file and save moments I’ve cut in another file as well.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved the Hardy Boys series, but I’m having trouble singling one out.  However, I also loved Sherlock Holmes and THE SIGN OF FOUR keeps coming to mind.

What’s your secret talent?

I can wiggle my ears, and I’m a pretty good rebounder in pick-up basketball.

What book are you reading now?

I am almost done with Laura Lippman’s AFTER I’M GONE, which has really drawn me in the past couple of days.  Laura’s standalones are so good at spiraling downward, taking ordinary moments and making them full of tension and emotion.

After I finish it, I think I’m going to try Taylor Stevens’ THE INFORMATIONIST.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve written stories for as long as I can remember, getting a Sherlock Holmes story published in my school paper in elementary school.  I wrote and drew my own comic books too—so I’ve always been a storyteller.  But I think it was my sophomore year in college, when I wrote a mystery story and my professor told me it was good enough to be published.  That’s when things really started igniting for me.

Who is your writing idol? Have you met him/her? If so, did you completely nerd out or keep your cool?

My writing idol was always Robert B. Parker, who I’ve actually never got to meet, unfortunately.  I wish I had a really good fanboy story for you, because lord knows I’ve embarrassed myself tons of times in front of people.  It used to be a daily occurrence, but I am drawing a blank coming up with any good stories.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

“Ass in chair.”  It basically comes down to that, sitting and doing it.  Writing as much as you can and following it through. 

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I walk away.  I go play with my son or play a video game on my iPad or work out… I do something other than writing.  Usually when I come back, I’ve unlocked whatever it was that was stopping me up.  That said, some days you just have to power through.  The words aren’t always going to flow, you’re rarely going to have a day where you get 1000 words done in 45 minutes or whatever.  Sometimes it’ll take two or three hours… those days you just have to sit there—ass in chair—and get it done.

Are you creatively satisfied?

Wow.  Um.  I’ve never thought about it like that.  I love the books I’ve written, and I think they’re very good.  I am satisfied with them.  Am I creatively satisfied though?  There is a lot more I’d like to do.  I’d like to write a comic book one day.  I’m still hoping to write a “big book”—something different.  There’s a lot on my checklist that I’d like to get to.  But that doesn’t mean I’m unsatisfied…it just means I have goals.

So, yes, I think I’m creatively satisfied with what I’ve done so far and what I have on the schedule.  But there is still more I want to do.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Being a good person, a good family man, and someone who made an impact.  I’m a writer, and I hope people remember my books, but I’m also a public school teacher and I hope I’ve made some positive impact on people’s lives and they’ll remember me going forward.

Alright, now for the really important questions:

Beach or mountains?

Beach, but probably pool, if I can cheat.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee—multiple times a day

Skydive or bungee jump?

Um.  I’ll just stay here if that’s okay, guys.  You have fun.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

Winter or summer?

Winter, winter, winter.  I’m going through cold weather withdrawal and it hasn’t even really started to heat up yet.

Cake or pie?

Cookies.  (Fine… cake… unless the pie is pizza.)

Cats or dogs?

Dogs

Pens or pencils?

Pens

Truth or dare?

Truth

Print or ebook?

I go through phases, but haven been stuck in print for about a year.  I like being able to flip ahead and know how long a chapter is.

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Dave White is a Derringer Award-winning mystery author and educator. White, an eighth grade teacher for the Clifton, NJ Public School district, attended Rutgers University and received his MAT from Montclair State University. His 2002 short story, "Closure,"  won the Derringer Award for Best Short Mystery Story the following year. Publishers Weekly gave the first two novels in his Jackson Donne series, WHEN ONE MAN DIES and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO, starred reviews, calling WHEN ONE MAN DIES an "engrossing, evocative debut novel" and writing that his second novel "fulfills the promise of his debut." He received praise from crime fiction luminaries such as bestselling, Edgar Award-winning Laura Lippman and the legendary James Crumley.

Both WHEN ONE MAN DIES and THE EVIL THAT MEN DO were nominated for the prestigious Shamus Award, and WHEN ONE MAN DIES was nominated for the Strand Critics Award for "Best First Novel". His standalone thriller, WITNESS TO DEATH, was an ebook bestseller upon release and named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. All three books have been reissued by Polis Books and are available wherever ebooks are sold.

And here's a little more about NOT EVEN PAST:

Finally, Jackson Donne has it figured out. After leaving the private investigation business, he's looking toward the future — and getting married to Kate Ellison. Donne is focused on living the good life — planning the wedding, finishing college, and anticipating a Hawaiian honeymoon — until he receives an anonymous email with a link and an old picture of him on the police force. Once Donne clicks the link, nothing else in his life matters. Donne sees a live-stream of the one thing he never expected. Six years ago, his fiancée, Jeanne Baker died in a car accident with a drunk driver. Or so Donne thought. He’s taken to a video of Jeanne bound to a chair, bruised and screaming, but very much alive. He starts to investigate, but quickly finds out he’s lost most of his contacts over the years. The police hold a grudge going back to the days when he turned in his corrupt colleagues, and neither they nor the FBI are willing to believe a dead girl’s been kidnapped. Donne turns to Bill Martin — the only man to love Jeanne as much as he did — for help. And that decision could cost him everything.

7 Minutes With... J.D. Rhoades

J.D. Rhoades, known to those who love him as Dusty, is one of a kind. I had the pleasure of sharing an agent with him, which is how we originally met, and we spent several years together aboard the good ship Murderati. He always had the most fun blog posts – one of my favorites was when he had Satan, Prince of Darkness guest blog for him. The resulting poll was enlightening for this new writer, and ever since, I fall back on the idea of deals with the devil when it comes to my publishing career. We’ve been friends a long time, and while we may not agree on everything, we’ve had a blast debating life over the past decade, sharing many a meal at many a conference. I’m so happy to have him on the Tao today, and I can’t wait for his new book – I love his Jack Keller series. Here’s Dusty! 

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Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

Doc Watson, “Cannonball Rag” (Live).

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

It’s a secret project which will be revealed this summer. I can tell you this much: I’m doing it with several other authors and it’s paranormal suspense. I’m having a lot of fun with it.

What’s your latest book about?

DEVILS AND DUST is the fourth Jack Keller novel. Jack comes out of his self-imposed exile in the desert when his old friend and former employer Angela asks him to find her husband Oscar, Jack’s best friend, who’s gone missing while looking for his sons who have disappeared in Mexico. Jack has to confront his own unresolved feelings for Angela while running into some very bad people on both sides of the border. Characters from some of my other books make cameo appearances.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

There are two main tools that make it possible for me to write: the laptop computer (because I’m a terrible typist) and the DVR (which keeps me from wandering away to watch TV, because I know I can catch JUSTIFIED and THE DAILY SHOW later). Beyond that, I’ve been using the PC version of Scrivener, which makes it a lot easier to plot things out and move bits around as necessary. I think I may be the only writer I know that doesn’t use a Mac. For jotting down ideas, quotes, etc. and for the occasional session where I write by hand, I have the good ol’ Moleskine notebooks scattered about the house and in my briefcase. I never run out because people keep giving them to me. For column writing, I use a free online tool called Instapaper that allows me to quickly save articles to a single site for later reference.

As for where I write, I mainly plug my laptop into an external monitor and keyboard at a computer desk in the front room of my house, next to the big bay window that offers plenty of sunlight. But that’s subject to change at a whim. Sometimes I’ll go sit in the big easy chair or the bed in the other room, or go out on the porch in good weather.

What was your favorite book as a child?

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (no surprises there). Later, I devoured all of Robert A. Heinlein’s YA novels from back before there was a thing called YA.

What book are you reading now?

Right now, I’m reading Ann Lecke’s Hugo and Nebula award-winning science fiction novel ANCILLARY JUSTICE, as well as Michael Connelly’s 9 DRAGONS. I often read more than one book at a time.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

“Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” –Elmore Leonard

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

Pick up one of my guitars and noodle around on it a bit. Walk the dog. Take a shower. Unplug the laptop from the external monitor and keyboard and take it out on the porch or the back deck. Write by hand. Anything to shake things up.

What would you like to be remembered for?

The multiple award-winning and incredibly lucrative movies and TV shows made from my books. And, of course, the books themselves. 

_________

Born and raised in North Carolina, J. D. Rhoades has worked as a radio news reporter, club DJ, television cameraman, ad salesman, waiter, attorney, and newspaper columnist. His weekly column in North Carolina’s The Pilot was twice named best column of the year in its division. The author of THE DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND, GOOD DAY IN HELL, SAFE AND SOUND, BREAKING COVER, and BROKEN SHIELD, he lives, writes, and practices law in Carthage, NC. Follow him on Twitter at @jd_rhoades.

J.D. Rhoades’ latest Jack Keller novel DEVILS AND DUST is now available in stores everywhere. 

And here's a little more about J.D.'s recent release DEVILS AND DUST:

“You bring death,” the voice said, “and Hell follows with you.”

 Relentless bounty hunter Jack Keller returns in Devils and Dust, the long-awaited fourth installment of the critically acclaimed series from award-nominated author J. D. Rhoades. Keller’s been in exile, living a quiet life in the desert, since his disappearance after the cataclysmic events of 2008’s award-winning Safe and Sound. Now his old friend and former employer Angela has tracked him down and needs his help. Oscar Sanchez, Angela’s husband and Keller’s best friend, has disappeared while investigating what happened to the sons he was trying to bring to America. If anyone can find Oscar, Keller can, but along the way he has to confront his own demons and his unresolved feelings for Angela — now his best friend’s wife. Keller’s quest takes him from a corrupt Mexican border town to a prison camp in the swamps of South Carolina and pits him against human traffickers, violent drug lords, and a vicious group of white supremacists perpetuating an evil as old as civilization itself in the name of God.

All of them are about to learn a hard lesson: if Jack Keller's after you, he's bringing Hell with him.

2.26.15 - 7 Minutes With... Courtney C. Stevens

Courtney C. Stevens blazed onto the scene last year with her stellar debut FAKING NORMAL, a young adult novel about the pain and secrets two teens are holding on to. The book completely captured my attention; I read it quickly, closed the cover, and knew I’d just experienced something special. I’m lucky enough to know Court in real life – she’s part of the Nashville literati, influencing so many of the young adult authors around town, and is possibly one of the nicest, sweetest people you will ever meet. I'm thrilled to have her on the Tao today. Meet Court, everyone!

_________

Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

“Let’s Be Still” by The Head and the Heart

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

Mostly emails. My time is very blocked and scheduled, but what I want to be working on is (a) finishing Pass Pages for my upcoming book and (b) drafting the final 5k of the project I’m turning in on April 1st.

What’s your latest book about?

It is a young adult, contemporary realistic, aftermath story. THE LIES ABOUT TRUTH is the story of five friends, three boys/two girls, four alive/one dead, and three huge lies they tell each other. If you want to know more, check out the trailer.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I wrote all of THE LIES ABOUT TRUTH in a covered shelter at Percy Warner Park near my home in Nashville. I use Scrivener and a Mac, although I’m quite fond of my pen and notebook. This summer, I’ll be writing on the John Muir Trail in California with a pencil and Moleskine.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I loved ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. Still do. I’m always checking for affordable flights into PEI and treasure the trip I made there for the 100 year celebration of Anne.

What book are you reading now?

I’m splitting time between ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE (Doer) in print and BIG LITTLE LIES (Moriarty) on audio.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

I’m not sure who said it, but I love: “If the muse is late, start without her.” We want writing to be this dreamy process, but quite honestly, I don’t receive scrolls from fairy writing godmothers or download plot map from Shakespeare. I write it wrong, and then try my very best, to re-write it right.

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I try three things: 1- Keep writing. 2- Exercise 3- Take a shower

What would you like to be remembered for?

Loving people for who they are rather than who they might be someday. 

_________

Courtney C. Stevens grew up in Kentucky and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She is an adjunct professor and a former youth minister. She is also the author of FAKING NORMAL, as well as the e-novella THE BLUE-HAIRED BOY. You can visit her online at courtneycstevens.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram - @quartland

And here's a little more about her new book THE LIES ABOUT TRUTH:

Sadie Kingston is living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she’s unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him—even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events come to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future, or if she’ll always be trapped in the past.  

And if you want to meet Courtney, you can catch her here:

March 11th
Lexington, KY
Joseph Beth Booksellers

March 31st
Cincinnati, OH
Joseph Beth Booksellers

April 18th
Bowling Green, KY
Southern Kentucky Book Fest

April 21st
Young Adult Georgia Author Celebration

May 16th
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
South Caroline Book Festival

2.19.15 - 7 Minutes With... Roy Burkhead

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We have a slight departure in today’s interview to bring you my buddy Roy Burkhead, the editor in chief of the impressive 2ND & CHURCH magazine, whose readership stretches from Nashville to Paris. Roy is one of the most dynamic, dedicated writers I’ve ever known, always looking for ways to help promote other people, share stories with readers, and find ways to reach out and shape our younger readers. He co-started “The Writer’s Loft” at Middle Tennessee State University, a creative writing program, prior to launching 2ND & CHURCH (so named because he was hit by a car at that corner) and has turned 2ND & CHURCH                                    into a stellar southern journal, focused on Tennessee writers.

Roy’s attitude and dedication to the written word have given him quite a reputation among the Nashville literati. He’s a great guy, and as you’ll see in his interview below, is working on a new novel which sounds divine. Please join me in welcoming Roy to the Tao! 

_________

Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT: PART 2 OF 4 by Stephen King. (I don’t have a lot of storage space on my phone, and I transitioned about a month ago from Christmas music to audio books.)

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

Today finds me in a transitional period.  A couple weeks ago, I published the seventh issue of 2ND & CHURCH, a literary journal out of Nashville that celebrates writers, poets, and readers. It was our Theatre issue, featuring Denice Hicks, the artistic director of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. (J.T. was our first In Depth / cover story interview!)  We have two more issues out later this year, but I’m taking a few months off now to return to my first novel, MR. TOMORROW.

What’s your latest book about?

MR. TOMORROW takes place in London, England, and Middle Tennessee during three days in December, and it involves three childhood friends. Patricia and Jacob grew up together in rural Tennessee, and Vinod moved from India for two years to live with Jacob’s family as a foreign exchange student. Pat and Jacob are on individual physical and psychological journeys.  Jacob works in the London offices of a Nashville-based company, and he returns home to auction off the family farm after the death of this last surviving parent, his mom. His journey will find him questioning the decisions that he’s made in life, those decisions that have made him the man he has become. The story follows Patricia’s journey as her company downsizes forty percent of the office in a single morning. Internally, she continues her decades-long struggle with her bipolar disorder. Vinod is the story’s moral compass. The story finds him working in London with Jacob. While still friends and active in one another’s lives, Vinod does not always agree with Jacob’s decisions and behaviors, and he’s never shy with opinions.  The paths of all three characters converge at the story’s climax, where life altering decisions await.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I have a writing space at home, and that’s where most of my writing happens.  But time management issues and life require me to write wherever I may find myself at any given moment! For first drafts, I prefer to write at home using my old Smith Corona manual typewriter. It’s one of the old World War II models that I found at a second-hand store in Nashville over two decades ago.  It’s still great!  Once I take off my writer’s cap and put on the editor’s hat, I switch to my computer.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I read a lot of books like THE HARDY BOYS,  THE TOWER TREASURE, and WHILE THE CLOCK TICKED! But I’m sure those were given to me.  The first novel that I remember going after and loving was THE HOBBIT.

What book are you reading now?

I have dozens of unread books, each waiting its turn. Some are books I should have read long ago, but never did. Novels like TOBACCO ROAD. The one I have open now is FACTORY MAN by Beth Macy. It’s about John Bassett III of The Bassett Furniture Company.  The book’s subtitle is HOW ONE FURNITURE MAKER BATTLED OFFSHORING, STAYED LOCAL - AND HELPED SAVE AN AMERICAN TOWN . I’m just getting started, but it’s a great read so far.  I think Tom Hanks is turning it into a mini-series.

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

“It takes as long as it takes.”

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing?

I’m wordy enough to never have had this problem. I’ve been a professional writer since 1992. My problem has always been how to find the time to allow the right kind of words—the fiction—to flow. I’ve always had a day job, writing all sorts of strange word combinations for different…”industries.” The mortgage has to be paid, and the kids have gotta eat. By the time you commute to the office, write for “The Man” all day, commute home, deal with home maintenance and household chores, help the kids (at least a little bit) with homework…well, energy is finite. I’ve been forced to make some choices to force time and energy to appear for my fiction. I am jealous—and a little angry—that so much of my fresh writing energy over the years has gone to subjects like accounting software, healthcare demographics, and ovens versus to my love of storytelling and fiction.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I don’t care if I’m remembered or not. History is so long, and so few humans are ever actually remembered. As long as I am able to trick my kids into thinking I’m cool, I’m happy. Everything else is just noise.

_________

A Kentucky native and longtime Nashvillian, Roy’s journalism and prose have appeared in local and regional newspapers, journals, and anthologies. After earning a MFA in Writing (fiction genre), he founded a creative writing program at MTSU. He’s the founder and editor of 2ND & CHURCH, a literary journal that celebrates writers, poets, and readers. Last year, he was the short story judge for the Alabama Writers’ Conclave, and he                                                     edited former astronaut Rhea Seddon’s memoir                                                       GO FOR ORBIT, out in 2015. He volunteers at local                                                 literary events and teaches English at WKU. He’s wrapping                                     up work this year on his first novel, MR. TOMORROW.

2.12.15 - 7 Minutes With... Erica Spindler

When I was a (very) novice writer, I read several books by a woman named Erica Spindler. One of my favorites was COPYCAT, possibly one of the best thrillers I’ve read in the past decade. Little did I know Erica and I were destined to meet, and to become such good friends. I was simply in awe of her talent, her fearlessness, and her ability to draw me into a tale.

All these years later, I feel exactly the same way, though now I have the distinct honor and privilege to call Erica friend.

At RWA in Orlando, I believe it was, Nora Roberts gave a keynote where she said you need to find the four or five people in your writing world you trust with your life, create a tribe, and stick with them. Her words struck me – and it wasn’t long after when I knew Erica was one of my tribemates. Was it the weekend in Omaha, where so many of my permanent friendships were born? Was it a joint love of wine, of New Orleans, of the twists in our brains? I don’t know, but I can say I don’t know many women with hearts so pure, so generous, so kind. Not only is she an incredible writer who constantly amazes me with her imagination, dedication and talent, she’s a lovely woman, a confidant extraordinaire, someone I want to emulate, in writing, and in life.

Her new novel THE FIRST WIFE is out this week. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Rush out and grab your copy, then settle in with some Starbucks and get to know my buddy Erica a little better. 

---

Set your music to shuffle and hit play. What’s the first song that comes up?

Phillip Phillips, "Gone, Gone, Gone"

Now that we’ve set the mood, what are you working on today?

RANDOM ACTS, an e-novella.  It’s a prequel to Light Keepers, a series I’m launching later this year, and will be included in SWEET DREAMS a boxed set author Brenda Novak is putting together to benefit Diabetes Research.  Oh, and promotion for THE FIRST WIFE!

What’s your latest book about?

Bailey Browne is both a realist and a romantic.  She always dreamed of finding Prince Charming, a knight in shining armor to whisk her away from her ordinary life.  On a Caribbean vacation, she meets him. Bailey falls head-over-heels in love; impossibly, he feels the same for her.  He proposes; they marry in a romantic whirlwind. Only as Bailey begins her new life on his Louisiana horse farm, surrounded by his secretive family and whispers of his dark past and the disappearance of his first wife, does Bailey realize she knows nothing about this man other than she’s has given herself to him, heart and soul.

Where do you write, and what tools do you use?

I do most of my writing in the coffeehouse; I find being surrounded by activity less distracting than the silent demands of home.  My tools of choice are a MacBook Pro, spiral notebooks—for notes, brainstorming and giving my muse a break from the keyboard—mechanical pencils and a giant dry erase board in my home office.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I had a favorite series: the Trixie Beldon mystery series. As far as I’m concerned, Trix was not only ahead of her time, she still rocks.

What book are you reading now?

Fiction: BREAKING CREED by Alex Kava. It’s book one in a new series from her and I’m enthralled. Non-fiction: HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn.  It’s an in-depth look at what Scripture says about heaven. (Forget the puffy clouds and harps!)

What’s your favorite bit of writing advice?

Sorry, but I can’t limit myself to just one because different folks benefit from different advice.  Here are my top three: 1- Believe in yourself. 2- Write what you love to read, not what you think is selling. 3- Write everyday.

What do you do if the words aren’t flowing.

I hate when the words aren’t flowing! I find changing my environment helps the most. Write outside or go to the coffeehouse. Take a break for a non-writing activity—I like walking, but I have friends who garden, bake or read. Calling a trusted friend to brainstorm works, too.  Anything that takes my critical left brain out of the equation and gives my muse a chance to recharge.

What would you like to be remembered for?

This is totally non-writing related, but the first thing that popped into my head was being kind. What better legacy than to be remembered as someone who was kind to others and a positive force in the world?

Erica Spindler is the New York Times and International Chart bestselling author of thirty novels and two eNovellas. Published in twenty-five countries, she has been called the “The master of addictive suspense” and “Queen of the romantic thriller.” 

A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll member, Erica received a Kiss of Death Award for her novels FORBIDDEN FRUIT and SEE JANE DIE, won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence for her novel BONE COLD and is a four-time RITA® Award finalist. In 1999, Publishers Weekly awarded the audio version of her novel SHOCKING PINK a Listen-Up Award, naming it one of the best audio mystery books of 1998. Her newest novel, THE FIRST WIFE, is available in stores everywhere.

Erica lives just outside of New Orleans with her husband and two sons.

And here's a little bit more about Erica's new book, THE FIRST WIFE:

As a child, Bailey Browne dreamed of a knight in shining armor swooping in to rescue her and her mother. As she grew older, those dreams transformed, becoming ones of a mysterious stranger who swept her off her feet and whisked her away from her ordinary existence. Then, suddenly, there he was. Despite the ten year difference in their ages, her working class upbringing and his of privilege, Logan Abbott and Bailey fall deeply in love. Marriage quickly follows.

But when Logan brings her home to his horse farm in Louisiana, a magnificent estate on ninety wooded acres, her dreams of happily-ever-after begin to unravel. A tragic family history she knew nothing about, plus whisperings about the disappearance of his first wife, True, and rumors about the women from the area who have gone missing—and when another woman disappears, all signs point to her husband's involvement.

At first Bailey ignores the whispers—even as they grow louder and circumstantial evidence against Logan mounts. But finally, Bailey must make a choice: believe what everyone says is true—or bet her life on the man she loves, but is realizing she hardly knows.

And if you want to say hi to Erica while she's out promoting THE FIRST WIFE, you can catch her on her book tour--details below!

LOUISIANA

February 10th 

6:30 PM 

B&N Metairie

3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd.

Metairie, LA 70002

Store: 504-455-4929

February 11th 

7:00 PM

Jefferson Parish Library (with Alex Kava)

4747 Napoleon Ave, Metairie, LA

Contact: Chris Smith

February 14th 

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

B&N Mandeville

3414 Hwy 190

Ste. 10

Mandeville, LA 70471

Store: 985-626-8884

HOUSTON, TX

February 22nd 

2:00 – 4:00 PM

Katy Budget Books

2450 Fry Rd.

Houston, TX 77084

Store: 281-578-7770

February 23rd 

6:30 PM

Murder by the Book

2342 Bissonnet St.

Houston, TX 77005

Store: 713-524-8597

NASHVILLE, TN

March 1st 

2:00 PM

Erica Spindler w/ J.T. Ellison

Parnassus Books

3900 Hillsboro Pike

Nashville, TN 37215

Store: 615-953-2243

NEW ORLEANS, LA

March 4th 

7:00 PM

Fleur de Lit., Reading Between the Wines

Pearl Wine Co.

3700 Orleans Ave.

New Orleans, LA

TUCSON, AZ

March 14

10:00 – 11:00 (with Catherine Coulter & Brenda Novak)

Tucson Festival of Books

University of Arizona

Koffler Room 218 – book signing to follow

 March 15

10:00 – 11:00 (with Iris Johansen & Brenda Novak)

Tucson Festival of Books

University of Arizona

Koffler Room 218 – book signing to follow