Author Interview—Lois Winston, and Free Giveaway!

I recently hopped on a flight to Boise, Idaho, for a quick visit with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandpuppies. They moved from California a few years ago and I don’t get to see them nearly as much as I would like. That can happen when your children become adults. I know people who moved to other states to be near their adult children, only to have them move away again. Maybe intentionally? It’s important to keep your sense of humor about these things.

If you like humor and mysteries, this week’s author interview is right up your alley (do people say that anymore, or am I just showing my age?). Lois Winston is the very prolific author of multiple novels including her latest, A Crafty Collage of Crime, an Anastasia Pollack crafting mystery.

Even more exciting, Lois has generously offered a free audio review copy of her book, Drop Dead Ornaments (an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 7)! The prize will be awarded to the winner of a random drawing of names from everyone who leaves a comment on this interview. You can leave your comment below the interview. You don’t need a WordPress account to leave a comment, but you may be asked for some identifying information to make sure you’re a real person and not a spammer. I don’t see this information, but WordPress apparently requires it if you don’t have a WordPress account.

PLEASE NOTE: the drawing is only open to US and UK residents. Unfortunately, the code for the free audiobook won’t work in other countries. So leave your comment below, and you could win a free audiobook! Keep watching the comments to see if you’re the winner. We’ll hold the drawing next week, and will need a way to get in touch with you to give you the promo code if you’re the winner. Huge thanks to Lois for donating this prize!

Good luck, and enjoy the interview!

About the Author

USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career in 2006 with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous novel about a small-town girl in Manhattan and the mother bent on bringing her home. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception. Lois wrote her first mystery thanks to a conversation between her agent and an editor looking for a crafting-themed cozy series. Thus, was born the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes twelve novels and three novellas. To date Lois has published twenty-one novels, five novellas, several short stories, one children’s chapter book, and one nonfiction book on writing, inspired by the twelve years she worked as an associate at a literary agency. Learn more about Lois and her books at http://www.loiswinston.com.

Interview

Who or what inspires you to write?

For the most part, I’m inspired by the world around me and the people who populate it. Every news story or event becomes a “what if?” moment for me and fodder for plots in my books. Simply observing people, how they live their lives, their quirks, and how they deal with adversity becomes inspiration for the various characters in my novels.

It sounds like you’re never short on inspiration. What is the best thing that has happened because of your writing?

Becoming a bestselling author, winning writing awards, and getting great reviews have all been wonderful, but the best thing to come from being an author is the amazing writing friends I’ve made along the way.

Congratulations on becoming a USA Today bestselling author and winning awards—how wonderful! I agree that making good writer friends is the best part. What is the most difficult thing you have experienced about writing or publishing?

Dealing with rejection and disappointment. Developing a thick skin is crucial. Publishing is a business, and many factors go into whether an editor will buy a book. Often a rejection has nothing to do with the story or the quality of the writing. You have to learn not to take rejection personally, and that can be very hard.

Having a thick skin seems crucial when writers put themselves and their work out in public. Was there anything you didn’t do during your writing or publishing journey that you wish you had?

Sometimes I ignored my gut instincts and took advice from the wrong people.

Knowing which advice to follow can be tricky. Do you have a publisher and/or agent, or are you an indie (self-published) or hybrid author?

I had an agent and was traditionally published with my first five books, then I became a hybrid author before moving entirely into the indie world.

You have experienced the full publishing spectrum. In which genre(s) do you prefer to write, and why?

I started out writing romance, romantic suspense, and chick lit, but when I was asked to write a humorous cozy mystery series, I found my true voice and have never gone back to writing in any of the other genres.

I bet it’s fun writing humor and mystery in the same books. Do you outline your books before you write them?

Never! I’m a total “pantser.” When I get an idea, I’ll write a short blurb, similar to back cover copy, but that’s it. I find if I outline, the writing becomes boring for me. I enjoy the journey of allowing my characters to take me where they want to go.

Being a pantser sure seems like a successful writing process for you, with all of your published books. How do you define success as a writer?

Every writer has different goals. Success is when you achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself, whether it’s selling a book, winning an award, making a bestseller list, or earning a certain amount of money from your writing. Because I can’t imagine not writing, perhaps success for me is remaining healthy enough in mind and body to continue writing for as long as I want.

That’s so true, and there can be multiple definitions of success for every author, depending on where they are in their career. If you could have lunch with any author, who would it be?

I’d choose Tina Fey (even though she’s a screenwriter and not a novelist) because I’d love the chance to convince her to option my series for a TV show or movie franchise with her cast as Anastasia.

Lunch with Tina Fey sounds like fun, and I really hope your series is optioned, even if you can’t have lunch with Tina. Tell us about a great adventure you’ve had.

The summer going into my senior year of college, a friend and I spent three-weeks backpacking through Europe, student Europasses in hand and staying in youth hostels. We arrived the day before the Red Guard attacked DaVinci Airport and got the last flight out of Paris before the pilots went on strike. In between, I was propositioned by a ninety-plus-year-old man while we waited for the bus to Vatican City, and my girlfriend had a man block our path and stick his hand down her shirt as we walked to San Pietro in Vincoli to view Michelangelo’s Moses. All that aside, the trip was amazing. We were two art students soaking up as much Renaissance culture as we could during a summer of global unrest.

P.S.: Once we left Rome and arrived in Florence, we found the men kept their hands and their dirty thoughts (if they even had any) to themselves.

I’m glad to hear those awful experiences with the men didn’t ruin your trip. There is so much incredible art in Europe. Lois, thank you so much for spending time with us!

Readers, you can learn more about Lois and her books at her website, LoisWinston.com.

A Crafty Collage of Crime, An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 12

Wherever crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack goes, murder and mayhem follow. Her honeymoon is no exception. She and new husband, photojournalist (and possible spy) Zachary Barnes, are enjoying a walk in the Tennessee woods when they stumble upon a body on the side of a creek. The dead man is the husband of one of the three sisters who own the winery and guest cottages where Anastasia and Zack are vacationing.

When the local sheriff sets his sights on the widow as the prime suspect, her sisters close ranks around her. The three siblings are true-crime junkies, and thanks to a podcaster who has produced an unauthorized series about her, Anastasia’s reputation for solving murders has preceded her to the bucolic hamlet. The sisters plead for her help in finding the real killer. As Anastasia learns more about the women and their business, a host of suspects emerge, including several relatives, a relentless land developer, and even the sisters themselves.

Meanwhile, Anastasia becomes obsessed with discovering the podcaster’s identity. Along with knowing about Anastasia’s life as a reluctant amateur sleuth, the podcaster has divulged details of Anastasia’s personal life. Someone has betrayed Anastasia’s trust, and she’s out to discover the identity of the culprit.

Craft project included.

Readers, how do you get crafty? Let us know in the comments!