Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wednesday Guest- J.K. Maze



Welcome J.K. Maze author of the Mollie Fenwick mystery series:

I was born in Chicago, went to Northwestern University, majored in voice, but graduated from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN with an emphasis on subjects related to writing. I am a member of Romance Writers of America, the KOD division, as well as Chicklitwriters, HHRW, and Outreach. I am also an artist and singer, have worked in the legal and medical fields, as well as transportation. I have three grown children, two girls and a boy, along with seven grandchildren

How long have you been writing to get published?
I’ve been writing for more than 20 years and finally, in 2009, my first book was published as an ebook – Murder By Mistake – which is the first one in a series. The second one, Murder For Kicks, was published in September 2010. I credit RWA and its groups for my success. I believe it would have taken a lot longer if I hadn’t joined RWA.

Why do you write mysteries?
I love to figure things out, and even when writing the mystery, there’s plenty to work out. With both books, the ending, i.e., the bad guy, was a surprise to me as I neared the end and had to change what I’d planned. I love that aspect.


What are you working on now?
I’m working on Murder By Spook, the 3rd book in the Mollie Fenwick Mystery Series, which isn’t about ghosts, but is about spies.

I’m also working on a couple timetravel novels, one a thriller/romance, the other a fantasy dealing with the Scottish/Viking connection – among others.

BLURB:

A dead artist is stalking Mollie Fenwick. How inconvenient.

Mollie’s new life as a widow is turned upside down when she has a psychic vision of a murder being committed in her new apartment – and it comes true. She knows she should put her trust in Detective Bartholomew, but she’d not only have to admit to being psychic, she’d be under another man’s control as she was with her husband. Using her artistic ability, and with the help of her aunt and a former special forces Native American, she tracks down the killer, which puts her in danger, and at odds with the hunky detective.

When they finally work together, they search for the killer among a gang of thieves and also try to learn the secret of the dead artist. During their investigation, Mollie learns that keeping secrets can be deadly, and there’s a big difference between caring and controlling.

EXCERPT- MURDER BY MISTAKE:

I was almost to my door when I heard footsteps behind me, uneven, like an out-of-sync metronome, stopping when I stopped. I sped up, my heart slamming against my chest wall. When I could stand it no longer, I turned to look behind me. The hall was empty.
I stood there, breathing hard, the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. I remembered the vision I’d had in the church parking lot. It began with a kaleidoscope of lights undulating from a beige or gray carpet, I couldn’t quite tell. It was fuzzy, indistinct. When the lights faded, a man and woman appeared. She shrank back against a big television set, her eyes wide, and a hand up in defense. I shuddered as I remembered the way the man had walked slowly toward the woman, a long, shiny knife in his right hand.
Would I ever be able to erase the sight of the man stabbing the woman? Her blood pulsing out of her body as she fell to the floor?
The multi-colored lights had reappeared, and when they were gone, everything had returned to normal, with me sitting in my car in the church parking lot, surrounded by vehicles of every kind.
I had to get into my apartment – fast – before whatever was out there got to me.
I hurried, but neither my legs nor my lungs wanted to cooperate. Then I dropped my keys, twice. I ran inside, slammed the door behind me and froze.
There was a body sprawled in front of my TV.

You can find Joan's book at:
Red Rose Publishing http://tinyurl.com/68qlqv6
Amazon http://tinyurl.com/63zu4al
Barnes & Nobel http://tinyurl.com/6e29mep
Fictionwise http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw

6 comments:

Tonya Kappes said...

Fun interview! I love writing mysteries too, but mine are humorous and the protagonist is a tad bit quirky. I love the cover too.

L. j. Charles said...

Hi, Joan.

As you know, I really enjoy your "Mollie" stories, and am very happy there's another in the works.

Keep them coming!

Lucie j.

Edna Curry said...

Good story, Joan!
Keep on trucking.

Phyllis Humphrey said...

Joan:

I can't believe we have so much in common! I also was born in Chicago (actually Oak Park, a suburb) and attended Northwestern for awhile. Plus I had three children and I sing. I sold my first romance in 1995, and my agent is pitching my cozy mystery series about a widowed female amateur sleuth. your Mollie Fenwick is just my cup of tea. I wish you much success.

Autumn Jordon said...

I love your opening line. A dead srtist is stalking Mollie Fenwick. How inconvenient. LOL Made me want more. I love mysteries.

And I so agree with your opinion of RWA. Awesome organization. We have more in common. Family business is transportation. The opening scene of my debut novel EVIL'S WITNESS starts with a tractor-trailer heist.

Congrats on your new release.

AJ
www.autumnjordon.com

jeff7salter said...

Nice blurb, great excerpt, and enjoyed the (too short) interview. I also like your quote about the ending of your own book surprising you. It's terrific to be flexible enough to go with that flow ... instead of rigidly sticking to whatever gameplan you probably had.