Danita Minnis

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Lisa Regan will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC  to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Author Interview

1. Woohoo! You are a published author. Describe a strong character trait you possess, good or bad, and how it helped you become a published author. I am stubborn. I get it from both sides of my family. It can annoy the heck out of my husband but I find that in the grand scheme of things, it helps. When I set a goal, I will keep working toward it even when it seems like utter madness to keep going. That’s how I got to be a published author. It took me four and a half years to find an agent and then almost two more years to find my first publisher. Any reasonable person might conclude that it just wasn’t meant to be. Not me. Too stubborn.

2. Sometimes an author begins writing a story before they are aware of its genre. Did you choose your genre, or did it choose you? I think it chose me. As a child my favorite books were darker-themed books like Christopher Pike books and I loved Nancy Drew, passionately. In my mid-twenties I took a stab at literary fiction but even that turned into a crime drama.

3. The plot thickens, or does it? Which one are you, a pantser or a plotter?  A little of both. I usually start going by the seat of my pants. I’ll write one scene and then go from there. As I go, I stop to plot a bit, then go back to flying by the seat of my pants. I tried being a total plotter and plotting a whole book before I wrote it but it took all the joy out of the first draft for me. So now I try to find a happy medium.
4. Fear 101: As writers it is our duty to make our characters face their fears. Have you ever included one of your own fears in a storyline?

All of my books include some of my own fears! My first book, Finding Claire Fletcher explores my fear of being kidnapped. My second novel, Aberration explores my fear of being stalked. My third novel, Hold Still starts out with one of my greatest fears—being car-jacked with my daughter in the car and Cold-Blooded puts the main character, Jocelyn in a situation where she has to choose between saving a loved one and stopping a terrible situation.

5. Fear 102: Yes, deadlines are terrifying. Have you conquered the juggling act between writing and the rest of your life? What do you do when it feels like the balls are dropping all around you? I have not conquered it. I am almost constantly in a state of being completely overwhelmed and about to sent over the edge. I work full-time; my family has a host of minor medical issues; and I simply don’t have the energy I used to have. It’s very tough. I do the best I can. I’m constantly trying to figure out how to best manage my time to fit in the most writing. I don’t really allow myself too many deadlines because I would be afraid of not meeting them. When it feels like all the balls are dropping around me, I make lists. Lots and lots of lists! I find to-do lists really help me organize my thoughts and prioritize and getting to cross of things that I’ve taken care of is really gratifying. That gives me a little extra motivation to get through the extra busy and overwhelming times.

6. Switch positions with one of your main characters in a scene. What is the outcome, disaster or divine intervention?
Disaster. I’m not at all as articulate or courageous as my characters. LOL. I’d be standing there completely and utterly paralyzed in a scene where my life depended on my wits! I’m that person who always thinks of the best responses to confrontations five hours after the confrontation is over. It’s very disheartening. I like living vicariously through my characters.

7. Where is your favorite place to write? Add that one comfort food that you can’t do without. I have no favorite place. Any place where I can be uninterrupted for more than ten minutes is fabulous. I used to live in an apartment where I actually had a writing desk. My desk was by the window and always got the very best light. I put a bird feeder outside so I could see the birds while I was at my desk. That was absolute bliss. Unfortunately, I don’t even have a desk anymore, let alone a great window. So I write wherever and whenever I can.

8. Writing inspirations? Karin Slaughter, Dennis Lehane, Chelsea Cain, Jennifer Hillier to name just a few. There are so many amazing writers in my genre. When I read great books by other writers in my genre, it really gets me fired up.
9. You are introduced to your favorite author. Who is it, and what is that one burning question you must ask them?
   Oh dear. I actually met my favorite author, Karin Slaughter, in 2012 at Bouchercon. I practically hyperventilated. I mean I was a complete moron. I know that I babbled incoherently at her, but I have no idea what I said. I probably went about it all wrong. I saw her standing there with John Connolly (another of my favorites), which didn’t help my near-hysteria, and just went up to them. I honestly have no idea what I said. I probably should have just gone to their post-speech book signing and tried to meet them normally although I don’t think I’d ever be able to keep my composure around Karin Slaughter. I very nearly passed out. They were so gracious and I got a picture with them both but I always relive that moment with half-euphoria and half-horror. I wish I could have been cool about it. She was probably horrified. But if I could actually meet her again and have a chance to ask her a question I would ask her why she chose to kill off a particular series character and did she get a huge backlash from it?
10. I’ve gone mad – why don’t you come with me? Some people just don’t understand us writers. Name a quirky, writer-thing you do that friends wish you didn’t. Besides sharing stuff about books and writing constantly on social media? I always say, “There’s a book in there somewhere,” meaning that when someone tells me something strange or unusual, I’m always thinking of how it could be made into a book or fit into a story.

 

Cold-Blooded

by Lisa Regan

GENRE: Mystery/Suspense

BLURB:

Fourteen years ago, high school track star Sydney Adams was gunned down in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. The investigation yielded useless clues, and the case went cold. But homicide detective Augustus Knox never gave up on finding Sydney’s killer. Now, retired from the police force and with only months to live, he enlists the help of private investigator Jocelyn Rush to clear the case once and for all. Armed with little more than a theory as to who murdered Sydney, Jocelyn tries to lure a killer into the open. But unraveling the mystery means facing off against a cunning psychopath whose ruthlessness knows no bounds. When more bodies start to pile up, Jocelyn has to decide just how far she’s willing to go to catch a cold-blooded killer.

 

Excerpt:

She stumbled, crying out as her left foot tangled with a rogue tree root poking up through a crack in the concrete. Her hands shot out, prepared to break her fall, but her legs stuttered, almost of their own volition, finding purchase. She stopped, leaning against the offending tree. Her chest heaved. Sweat ran down her forehead and into her eyes, irritating them. Laughter erupted from her diaphragm. How many times had she run this path? Hundreds. Sprained ankle by way of tree root was a rookie move. This was exactly the problem. This distraction.

Pop.

It sounded like a firecracker and registered as a searing, stabbing pain in the back of her right thigh. Like a hot poker. Before she could react, another pop sounded, this one closer. Then two more. She suddenly tasted dirt in her mouth, and her temple was resting on that damn tree root before she could even begin to process what was happening to her. Her legs wouldn’t work. Panic, hot and frenzied, closed in on her. What was happening?

“Help,” she said, but her voice came out small and squeaky. She thought she heard footsteps approaching from behind. Sydney willed her legs to move, to stand, to scramble, to run. She reached forward with her right arm, feeling for the base of the tree. She had to get up. As her surroundings began to fade to an inky, charcoal blackness, she felt a tug on her lower body.

“Please,” she croaked.

Then the darkness swallowed her.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lisa Regan is an Amazon bestselling crime/suspense novelist. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. Her debut novel, Finding Claire Fletcher won Best Heroine and was runner up in Best Novel in the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards for 2013. Her second novel, Aberration won Best Twist in the 2014 eFestival of Words Best of the Independent Book Awards. Her third novel, Hold Still was released by Thomas & Mercer in 2014 and has been translated into German. She is at work on her fifth novel. Find out more at www.lisaregan.com.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.lisaregan.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Lisa-Regan/e/B009YY091I/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Regan-189735444395923/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lisalregan

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6443334.Lisa_Regan

 

COLD-BLOODED BUY LINKS:

LINK FOR AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Blooded-Lisa-Regan-ebook/dp/B017I2QP88/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1446571159&sr=8-3&keywords=cold-blooded

LINK FOR iTUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1055224082

 

LINK FOR NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-blooded-lisa-regan/1122889576;jsessionid=53E1B483F296F6F3064D9B299C1D33A0.prodny_store01-atgap09?ean=2940152715040

 

LINK FOR KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/cold-blooded-19

 

LINK FOR AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-Blooded-Lisa-Regan-ebook/dp/B017I2QP88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446601096&sr=8-1&keywords=cold-blooded+regan

 

 

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