A new “girlfriend”

Published on February 4, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

51agtfj4ngl_sl160_aa115_I got such a kick out of a message from fellow author Chris Knopf, wondering if he could become one of my cybergirlfriends. How could I resist? I asked him to send me a short blurb about his brand new series debut, so I could pass it on to you!

“So, Roberta, my new book is called SHORT SQUEEZE, and it’s told from the 1st person point of view of Jackie Swaitkowski, lady lawyer/sidekick of Sam Acquillo, the hero of my original series.  So it’s a spin-off.   As I told one interviewer, “I’m not a woman myself, but I’ve known a few.”   In fact, I dedicated the book thus:
“To all my favorite female friends.  None of whom were spared in the making of this book.  You know who you are.”

Good luck with the new book Chris!

Catch of a Lifetime by Judi Fennell

Published on January 31, 2010 in Girlfriends Cybercircuit and books. 1 Comment

coal_-judi-fennellThree of my cybergirlfriends have books coming out this month and I’ll be telling you about all of them. First, are you in the mood for something romantic and mythological? Try Judi Fennell’s CATCH OF A LIFETIME.

She’s on a mission to save the planet… Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it’s her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret… When he finds out what she really is, they’re both in mortal danger… For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem—until he discovers she’s a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line…

And here’s a note from Judi:  It was funny, but when I wrote Angel’s character (Mer princess who loves all things Human) in her brother’s story, In Over Her Head, Angel was a one-minded scientist. All about finding out anything she could about Humans. Kept asking Erica, Reel’s girlfriend (for lack of a better term without going into the whole story), about Human-isms, that’s all she was to me. So, when I had to develop her into a three dimensional being, I had to see what made her tick.  It surprised me as much as anyone when she thinks to herself that she wants to be more than “Just Angel.” I had no idea that’s how she saw herself, or that that was the reason behind her unflagging desire to head the Mer-Human Coalition her brother Rod, the High Councilman, was in the process of setting up. Rod wouldn’t let Angel interview for the position because he didn’t want to risk losing any more of his siblings to falling in love with a Human, so Angel definitely wasn’t getting the job of interacting with them on a daily basis.  But Angel wants to. She needs to. Otherwise, she’s “Just Angel.” “Just Angel” who always did well in school. “Just Angel” who had any info you needed on Humans. “Just Angel” who always did what she was told.  Angel is the fourth of the five Tritone siblings and the second girl - quintessential “Middle Child.” She needed to break out and make her mark.  But even she couldn’t have imagined that she’d end up living with a Human, falling in love with him and his six year old son, nor setting a contingent of hammerhead sharks on a kidnapping swim, and have to sacrifice herself to the Denizen of the Deep, the greatest sea monstress of them all, Ceto. Nor did she foresee that the gods themselves would get involved.  For all Angel wanted to earn some recognition for her work, even she hadn’t foreseen what her one little reconnaissance mission would come up with.

headshot_judi-fennellJudy’s got a great contest running at her website to celebrate the launch of her book. Check out her website for excerpts, reviews and fun pictures from reader and writer conferences, and the chance to “dive in” to her stories. Contest!! To celebrate the release of each of her books, Judi Fennell and the Atlantis Inn and the Hibiscus House bed and breakfasts are raffling off three romantic beach getaway weekends. All information is on Judi’s website.

What I’m Reading

Published on January 22, 2010 in books. 0 Comments

Now that the nominees for the 2010 Mystery Writers of America Edgar awards have been announced, I can stop worrying about whether I’m going to blurt out the names before I’m supposed to. (I served as the chair of the best novel committee this year.) We spent the last year sorting through almost 500 books to come up with this list, which I happen to think is wonderfully interesting and diverse:

THE MISSING Tim Gautreaux

THE ODDS Kathleen George

THE LAST CHILD John Hart

THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH Charlie Huston

NEMESIS Jo Nesbo

A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE Malla Nunn

However, I could not wait to move on to reading something other than mysteries! This week I finished Mary Karr’s memoir, LIT, and also Kathryn Stockett’s THE HELP. Karr is a poet–an incredible writer–and the story she tells about her family, her drinking, and her recovery is devastating. I absolutely tore through The Help and can definitely see why this book is a huge hit: great characters, a fascinating story set in 1960’s Mississippi, and tons of tension.

Please stop over to Jungle Red Writers today to find out what my wonderful blogmates been reading and give us your recommendations! And if you missed Mary Buckham’s post on boosting creativity yesterday, check that one out too.

A Gift from Mary Karr

Published on December 2, 2009 in books and life. 0 Comments

I’ve just come back from a reading at our local independent bookseller by Mary Karr, talking about her new memoir, Lit. I had heard her interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air last week and knew I didn’t want to miss this chance. She talks so openly about the difficulties of her childhood, her struggle with alcohol, and her grasping for ways out of her pain (therapy, AA, prayer, meditation)–besides that, she’s very, very funny. I can’t wait to read the book. If you need a gift for a reader, why not an autographed copy of Lit from RJ Julia? If you’d like to get a flavor of Mary Karr’s poetry, here’s a link to one of her readings.

And one more suggestion–if you have game lovers on your list, look no further than the word game BANANAGRAM. I received it as a gift last year and never opened it until the family was desperate for entertainment on Thanksgiving. Hooked! Every one of us.

Love in Translation

Published on November 29, 2009 in Girlfriends Cybercircuit and books. 3 Comments

love-in-translation-coverfin1

The San Francisco Chronicle called Wendy Nelson Tokunaga’s debut novel, Midori by Moonlight, a “terrific first novel.” Now she’s back with her second book, Love in Translation, which again explores the themes of Japan and Japanese culture and being a stranger in a strange land, which have played a major role in her life and writing.


Welcome Wendy! What inspired Love in Translation?


Many things. LOVE IN TRANSLATION is my cockeyed valentine to Japan, which is a place I’ve both loved and loathed, a place that has fueled both fascination and frustration. And it is also a place that has had a huge impact on my life and writing. I also wanted to explore what it means to be a gaijin (foreigner) in Japan and the benefits and downsides of that status and what happens when a gaijin sings in Japanese. I also am fascinated by the concept of the homestay, (something I never experienced), and how that would impact someone as an adult who grew up in foster homes and who never experienced a real family.


If you weren’t writing, what would you be doing instead?


I’d be singing. Before I started writing fiction I wrote songs, sang lead and played bass guitar in my own bands. Later on I got into singing Japanese karaoke. And further down the road I took voice lessons from a great Japanese jazz singer. I learned so much from her and was able to take my singing to a whole new level. I began to sing jazz standards with my husband accompanying me on keyboards. We play low-key venues once in a while but usually we just practice for fun at home.

A woman of many talents! Last, but not least…Dr. Rebecca Butterman, the protagonist in my advice column mysteries, is a clinical psychologist (like me.) If your protagonist made an appointment to talk to Dr. Butterman, what would that first session be like? What deep dark secret or problem would she be there to discuss and how much of it would she tell?


I think Celeste Duncan would visit Dr. Butterman and ask for advice on whether she should drop everything and go off to Japan. Out of the blue she has received a puzzling phone call and then a box full of mysterious family heirlooms, that upon further research point to a long lost relative who might very well be in Japan and who could hold the key to her father’s identity, the father she never knew. Not only does she want to solve this family mystery, she also realizes that it would be a good excuse to get away from the rut that has developed in her life. But Celeste is the type of person who has never been a risk taker—the opposite of her long- deceased rock singer mother. She also dreads telling her much-too-practical boyfriend Dirk of her possible plan because she knows he is likely to shoot it down and probably talk her out of it. Dr. Butterman would be of tremendous help to Celeste and most likely would convince her that she needs to make her own decisions and doesn’t need to have the approval of her boyfriend. And I think once Celeste got used to the fact that she actually made an appointment with a psychologist, she would open up and sign up for more sessions!

Thanks for dropping by Wendy, and good luck with the new book! You can read more about Wendy’s books at her website or watch the book trailer here.

Meeting Melissa Senate

Published on November 19, 2009 in Girlfriends Cybercircuit and books. 0 Comments

ROBERTA:  Today Melissa Senate stops by to talk about her new release, THE SECRET OF JOY, published this week by  Simon and Schuster/Pocket. Welcome Melissa! Tell us about your latest release and the inspiration behind it.

coversecretofjoyMELISSA: 28-year-old New Yorker Rebecca Strand is shocked when her dying father confesses a devastating secret: he had affair when Rebecca was a toddler—and a baby he turned his back on at birth. Now, his wish is that the daughter he abandoned, Joy Joyhawk, read the unsent letters he wrote to her every year on her birthday. Determined to fulfill her father’s wish, Rebecca drives to a small town in Maine—against the advice of her lawyer boyfriend who’s sure Joy will be a “disappointing, trashy opportunist” and demand half her father’s fortune. But when hopeful Rebecca knocks on her half-sister’s door, Joy—a separated mother who conducts weekend singles tours out of her orange mini-bus—wants nothing to do with Rebecca or the letters her father wrote to her. Determined to forge some kind of relationship with Joy, Rebecca sticks around, finding unexpected support from Joy’s best clients—the Divorced Ladies Club of Wiscasset—and a sexy carpenter named Theo . . . .

The inspiration: Several years ago, I received an email out of the blue that said: I think you might be my half-sister. I was. Am. It took me a long time to decide to take that little (huge) nugget and write a novel to help me figure out the answer to some burning questions, such as: if you haven’t seen or heard from your biological father, or any member of his family, since you were little (or, in Joy’s case, never at all), is his child from another relationship really your sibling? Or just a stranger? Does the word father or sister or brother mean anything without back up? I had a ton of questions and set out to uncover how I felt through a fictional character, but it’s interesting to me that I flipped everything on its head in the writing of the story. Nothing but the basic questions that are proposed in the novel are autobiographical. Just the questions! And I surprised myself quite a few times during the writing of this story with how I felt about certain things. Amazing how writing fiction can teach you so much about yourself.

ROBERTA:  Wow, that’s quite a story! How do you begin the process of writing a novel? Does it start with a title? A character? A plot? All or none of the above?

newphotomelissasenateMELISSA:  An idea flits into my heart, mind and soul (if I may be so dramatic!) and I just know. The idea, just a wispy thing, grips me and I think about it until the two major characters—my protagonist and the person or thing who “forces” her change—become clear. Then I write out a one page treatment, a bare bones synopsis, then think about that, then revise the storyline into a “pitch” I can share with my agent. If she green-lights it, I’ll then let myself dream it into a full blown synopsis, which is what I usually sell a novel on. The synopsis, in its major plot points, rarely changes, but how the characters get from page one to page 325 is another story.

ROBERTA: What’s one piece of writing advice you’ve found valuable on your journey to publication?

MELISSA: Trust yourself. Your gut knows. You know.


ROBERTA:  Tell us why your editor is the best editor ever in the universe.

MELISSA: I’m crazy about my editor, Jennifer Heddle at Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books. I love working with her. She’s just so razor-sharp smart and aware and interested in the world and pop culture (which I’ve learned via being her friend on Facebook!). Her suggestions, starting with our first conversation before she even bought my book, were so intelligent and thoughtful. And she’s New York honest in a very kind way with her editorial letters and edits. I absolutely trust what she says. As I’ve gotten to know her, I’m even more touched that she bought my book. She’s a tough customer, I think. And that’s a good thing.

ROBERTA:  Dr. Rebecca Butterman, the protagonist in my advice column mysteries, is a clinical psychologist (like me.) If your protagonist made an appointment to talk to Dr. Butterman, what would that first session be like? What deep dark secret or problem would she be there to discuss and how much of it would she tell?

MELISSA: 28-year-old New Yorker Rebecca Strand has a lot to say to Dr. Butterman. She is shocked when her dying father confesses a devastating secret: he had affair when Rebecca was a toddler—and a baby he turned his back on at birth. Now, his wish is that the daughter he abandoned, Joy Joyhawk, read the unsent letters he wrote to her every year on her birthday. Determined to fulfill her father’s wish, Rebecca drives to a small town in Maine—against the advice of her lawyer boyfriend who’s sure Joy will be a “disappointing, trashy opportunist” and demand half her father’s fortune. But when hopeful Rebecca knocks on her half-sister’s door, Joy—a separated mother who conducts weekend singles tours out of her orange mini-bus—wants nothing to do with Rebecca or the letters her father wrote to her. Determined to forge some kind of relationship with Joy, Rebecca sticks around, finding unexpected support from Joy’s best clients—the Divorced Ladies Club of Wiscasset—and a sexy carpenter named Theo. I think Dr. Butterman would haul all the characters in for a session.

Both Rebecca and her half-sister do some serious soul searching about what family means, if the word sister in and of itself means something. Rebecca would open up right away to Dr. Butterman, but Joy, dealing with some serious abandonment issues, takes a loooong time to open up. Dr. Butterman would have her work cut out for her.

Melissa, good luck with the book and thanks for stopping by!

Melissa Senate lives on the coast of Maine with her son and their menagerie of pets. She’s the author of eight novels (seven women’s fiction and one young adult) with two on the way. Visit her website for more information and she’d love if you became her friend on Facebook and followed her on Twitter.

Heard at the Crime Bake

Published on November 15, 2009 in book tour, books and sisters in crime. 0 Comments

New England chapters of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America did a fantastic job with this year’s conference featuring the lovely and prolific Sue Grafton. I always like listening in on what the guest agents have to say–all of them state that after a slow six months starting October 2008, the business of publishers buying books is picking up again. We might face smaller advances than in the past, but as newcomer Josh Getzler puts it, all the easier to sell through that advance.  Is it true that nothing ever comes of cold queries? Absolutely not, said agent Barbara Poelle. But the query should contain (in one page) the hook, the book, and the cook. (See her website for more details.)img_0078

Sue Grafton, pictured here with Hank Ryan and conference co-organizer Rosemary Harris, participated on a morning panel moderated by Hallie Ephron on the subject of bestsellers. Michael Palmer, Lisa Gardner, and Joseph Finder rounded out the star-studded line-up. The inside scoop on creating a bestseller? Persist, keep improving your writing, let everyone know you WANT to hit that list, and get lucky.

Next year the conference will be headlined by NYTimes bestselling sensation Charlaine Harris. Not to be missed!

Love Under Cover by Jessica Brody

Published on November 10, 2009 in Girlfriends Cybercircuit and books. 0 Comments

love-under-cover-final1In her job, she’s an expert on men…

In her own relationship, she doesn’t have a clue.

Boyfriend behaving badly? Suspect your husband of straying? Jennifer Hunter can supply the ultimate test. She runs a company which specializes in conducting fidelity inspections for those who suspect their loved ones are capable of infidelity.

An expert on men, Jennifer can usually tell if they’re single, married or lying… Unfortunately, her new boyfriend, Jamie, is one of the few men that she’s never been able to ‘read.’ Has she finally found the perfect man or is he too good to be true?

LOVE UNDER COVER is the captivating new novel from the bestselling author of The Fidelity Files.

Currently in development as a TV series by the executive producer of Crash!

“With a complicated, sympathetic protagonist, worthy stakes and a clever twist on the standard chick lit narrative, Brody will pull readers in from the first page.”
– Publisher’s Weekly

“Those who enjoyed Brody’s debut will be eager to catch up with Jennifer, but newcomers will be intrigued, too…an honest, witty portrayal of modern love.”
- Booklist

Trailer:  Love Under Cover


jessica-brody-author-photo1Jessica Brody graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts with degrees in economics and French. In 2005, she left her job at MGM Studios in Los Angeles to become a full-time freelance writer and producer. Jessica currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is working on her next novel.

ROBERTA:  Welcome Jessica and thanks for dropping by! Dr. Rebecca Butterman, the protagonist in my advice column mysteries, is a clinical psychologist (like me.) If your protagonist made an appointment to talk to Dr. Butterman, what would that first session be like? What deep dark secret or problem would she be there to discuss and how much of it would she tell?

JESSICA:  Jennifer Hunter has serious commitment issues. For the past three years she’s been working as an undercover “fidelity inspector,” hired by suspicious spouses to test the faithfulness of their loved ones. So you can imagine, when it comes time for her to tie the knot, she’s just a little bit reluctant. Jennifer definitely needs to be in therapy. But you’d probably have to drag her there. And once she’s there, you probably wouldn’t get much out of her.

ROBERTA:  Hmmm. You don’t know how persistent Dr. Butterman can be! Congratulations on the new book! Read more about LOVE UNDER COVER (St. Martin’s) at Jessica’s website.

Catching Up

Published on November 2, 2009 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

The past few months have been busy ones and now I’m taking a breath to catch up before the rush of the holidaze. Last month I attended the world mystery convention in Indianapolis (skillfully coordinated by Jim Huang of the The Mystery Company.) For my final duties on the national board of Sisters in Crime, I organized “SinC into Great Writing”, a day devoted to what else, writing mysteries. sinc-workshop-2009-13Donald Maass gave a terrific presentation on writing the breakout novel–basically four hours of soul-searching questions on developing a richer character. Hopefully, I’ll have used some of that in my latest manuscript, which is sitting on my agent’s desktop, ready for action. And I’m noodling around with new ideas for the next project.

I’ve got some great events coming up–a visit to the Southern New England Women’s golf association to talk about how bad golf changed my life. I’ve been missing Cassie Burdette, so it will be fun to bring her back–at least for the day. And then a mystery month discussion at the Farmington River Literary Art Center next Sunday. After that comes the New England Crimebake with guest of honor Sue Grafton.

And as the chair of the Mystery Writers of America best novel (Edgar) committee, I’m reading, reading, reading…can’t say anything more about that though, because then I’d have to kill you! The announcement of the top five finalists will be made early next year, with the banquet to follow in April.

Getting to Know Marilyn Brant

Published on September 30, 2009 in Girlfriends Cybercircuit and books. 2 Comments

ROBERTA:  Today I’m delighted to welcome Marilyn Brant to talk about her debut novel, ACCORDING TO JANE. Welcome! Tell us about your latest release and the inspiration behind it.

accordingtojane_coverMARILYN:  My debut novel, According to Jane, is the story of a modern woman who–for almost two decades–has the ghost of Jane Austen in her head giving her dating advice. I first read Pride & Prejudice as a high-school freshman. Like my heroine Ellie, I raced through the novel way ahead of the reading assignments. I loved both the story and Austen’s writing style immediately. Her books changed the way I perceived the behavior of everyone around me, and I spent the rest of freshman year trying to figure out which Austen character each of my friends and family members most resembled! Also like Ellie, I had a few (okay, a lot) of less-than-wonderful boyfriends, and I would have loved to have been given romantic advice from the author I most respected and the one who’d written one of my all-time favorite love stories.

ROBERTA:  Dr. Rebecca Butterman, the protagonist in my advice column mysteries, is a clinical psychologist (like me.) If your protagonist made an appointment to talk to Dr. Butterman, what would that first session be like? What deep dark secret or problem would she be there to discuss and how much of it would she tell?

007-marilyn-brant-clippedMARILYN:  Well, my protagonist–Ellie Barnett–has the ghost of Jane Austen in her head giving her dating advice. I suspect that if she told Dr. Butterman about ANY of that, things would get pretty interesting! However, I don’t think Ellie would tell… She’s a private person who’s still trying to figure herself out. While she might be tempted to confide in someone about this strange authorial spirit taking up residence inside her mind, she’d be too concerned about being labeled “crazy” to actually do it. So, the session would be filled with the clinical psychologist asking Ellie questions. Jane Austen making witty and ironic comments in Ellie’s head in regards to those questions. And Ellie answering Jane back silently while trying to answer the psychologist aloud, attempting to be truthful but not entirely succeeding.

ROBERTA: I’m a writing book junkie and I hear you are too. Which ‘craft’ book has inspired or helped you the most throughout your writing career?

MARILYN:  I’m a BIG fan of craft books, so I have more than one! I used Blake Snyder’s SAVE THE CAT! almost religiously in the plotting of my past several books. I’m still very sad that he’s no longer with us. As far as a great reference guide, Robert McKee’s STORY is incredible. It has more information about writing craft than I can ever internalize. Also, whenever I need a more emotional pick-me-up, I grab the Ralph Keyes book THE COURAGE TO WRITE. I recommend it to everyone.

ROBERTA: That is so sad about Blake Snyder–I love that book and would have loved to had the chance to attend one of his seminars. With all the studying you do, tell us about your author fantasy?
MARILYN:  I’m secretly, unrelentingly ambitious, even when I have no right to be. Of course I want to hit the NYT bestseller list and get a movie deal. Also, I’d like an Oprah invitation and a few RITAs. However, these are not quite enough to satisfy every daydream I’ve ever had. I’d greatly enjoy winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony and an Olympic gold medal (in both ice skating and gymnastics). The fact that I’m pathetic on skates and terrified of the uneven bars is, in no way, a deterrent from these unrealistic fantasies. My simple ability to *imagine* them, makes them almost real. Furthermore, I like shiny things (although I don’t like to dust them), so I hereby promise that if I win ANY heavy golden statuettes–ever–I will dust faithfully. Especially that Grammy award. Really.

ROBERTA:  Good luck with every one of those! What’s next for you?

MARILYN:  I get to visit a number of book clubs that chose my debut novel, According to Jane, as their monthly book pick–wildly fun!–while also starting the production/promotion process all over again for my next women’s fiction project. That second book is done, but we’re still working on finding the right title. It’s a modern fairytale about three suburban moms who shake up their marriages and their lives when one woman asks her friends a somewhat shocking question… That comes out in October 2010.

Thanks for stopping by! Read more about Marilyn and her new book at her website.