Today, we welcome Susan Page Davis to my blog. Susan is very graciously offering a copy of her book The Labor Day Challenge to one person who comments. Please leave contact information or you will be disqualified. USA only.
Susan, glad to have you stop by. Tell us about the book – can you share the blurb?
The Labor Day Challenge is part of my Maine Justice series.
What
begins as a friendly city rivalry with Bangor turns into a baffling case for
the Priority Unit. One of their colleagues turns up dead in what should have
been a mock crime scene, and their suspects are legion. EddieThibodeauis in
charge of the investigation, but he’s more than a little distracted by his
fiancée Leeanne’s erratic behavior. Is the wedding on or off? Jennifer’s
younger brother Travis shows up in Portland unexpectedly with some disturbing
news, and Chief Browning is out of town every weekend, pursuing his dream of
living in the north woods. Captain Harvey Larson holds everything together for
the family and the Priority Unit, but the convoluted path to solving Detective
Joey Bolduc’s murder turns up evidence of other crimes.
This sounds so good. Where do you get your inspiration for your books?
Often I’ll hear something or read something that starts
things rolling in my mind. It may simmer for a long time, until the basic idea
is formed. I started writing my first book by being unhappy with the way a film
turned out. I kept thinking, “They could have done it this way, and it would
have been so much better.” After a while I started making up my own characters.
I put them in a similar situation and let them get out of it in a way that I
found more satisfying, and that was more honoring to God.
What's your key environment that helps you get to writing?Do
you have a writer’s nook, corner, getaway? Where do you do your most productive
writing?
I have a home office, where I do most of my writing. I’m
most productive in the morning, and I try to schedule appointments and other events
later in the day.
What are you saying in your book(s) that will
encourage Christians today?
This book is about respect for other people and reconciling
with those you’ve hurt. It’s also a rip-roaring good mystery.
How do you pick names for your characters?
I use various methods, ranging from old phone books to the
US Census Bureau’s lists of most popular names each decade. For this series,
which is set in Maine, I use a lot of surnames that are found in Maine—British
names, French names, and a smattering of other ethnicities. For first names, I
give my major characters strong, neutral names, and I look at trends for minor
characters. I save highly unusual names for an occasional supporting character.
How important are reviews to you?
Reviews can be very helpful to an author, and favorable
reviews can help open doors for more publicity and reaching more readers. On a
personal level, I try not to get too excited about a rave review or too upset
about a negative one. Sometimes the number of stars you get just depends on
what the reviewer read last or what they usually prefer to read—or what they
ate for breakfast.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
I love Sibella
Giorello’s Raleigh Harmon series; Julianna Deering’s Drew Fathering series; Van
Reid’s Moosepath League series; Dick Francis’s horseracing mysteries.
What genre is your favorite?
I do love mysteries, but I also
love romance, historical fiction, and really just about anything well written.
I read quite a bit of nonfiction too. Right now I’m reading a mystery
collection, and I’ve got a couple of nonfictions in my to-be-read pile: The
Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel, and In the Wake of Madness, by Joan
Druett, about an 1841 mutiny.
Bio
Susan
Page Davis is the author of more than eighty Christian novels and novellas. She
has won numerous awards, including the Carol Award, two Will Rogers Medallions
for Western Fiction, and two Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contests. She has
also been a finalist in the More than Magic Contest and Willa Literary Awards.
A Maine native, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband. She’s the
mother of six and grandmother of ten.
Links – social media and to buy
Website: www.susanpage davis.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Page-Davis/e/B001IR1CGA
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
Buy The Labor Day Challenge: https://www.amazon.com/Labor-Day-Challenge-Maine-Justice/dp/19470790
14 comments:
Great to be visiting Lighthouse Academy again. Since this book is in a series, I will allow the winner to choose any book they wish from the series instead of the offered book. If you haven't read Book 1, The Priority Unit, here's your chance to get started on a great series.
I so like mysteries! Have you ever picked a name you could not get used to or didn’t like but couldn’t get the name out of your head? I’m probably the least productive person in the morning so I have to kick myself in the backside some days. Thanks for writing good books!
jennydtipton At gmail Dot com
Thanks, Jennifer! Yes, I've used some odd names that I couldn't get used to at first. I met a woman named Apphia, and it struck me somehow, so I asked if she'd mind if I named a character that. She didn't mind, and the minister's wife in my Ladies' Shooting Club series has that name. Merrill was another one. I've used that in a yet-to-be-published story. After a while, I do find that tend to use the same names over and over. I had to stop using Rebecca for a while.
I do love mysters and have not read any of your books. The Ladies Shooting Club series certainly sounds intriguing. My name's gonna drive you nuts, but it's already going to be used in a book. Thank you for the interview and overview of your work. I appreciate the giveaway opportunity.
perrianne.askew@me.com
Perrianne
Perrianne, that IS an intriguing name. My Ladies' Shooting Club series is western mysteries set in Idaho. It was a lot of fun.
Thank you for an interesting answer! I always wondered about names and thoughts that went into it.
Love Susan Page Davis books. Lately, I have gotten so many of these novellas, I had to clean off a shelf and just devote to her. I've had the opportunity to e-mail with her on several occasions and she has been such a sweet and generous lady. I have not started this series, so it would be Book 1 for me.
Linda Orr - rayorr@bellsouth.net
Wow, Linda, I'm honored to have a whole shelf in your house! Thanks. I have a feeling you would love this series.
Interesting how you rewrote a film to your likely. Names from the past adds to a story since they are not a common name today. I have The Priority Unit on my TBR pile. Thank you for sharing and the giveaway. marilynridgway78[a t]gmail[dot}com
Thanks, Marilyn. My story ended up way different from the one that sparked my muse, but that's the way it goes.
Susan, thank you for the interview! Enjoyed it 😊 Would you like to use my name? lol
Natalya
kykla99 AT gmail DOT com
Sure, Natalya! You have a terrific name.
Thank you!
Winner is Marilyn
Post a Comment