Author S. Dionne Moore - POLLY DENT LOSES GRIP - Free Book

Welcome back, Sandra. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Cozies are fun! I like that I can combine humor--I love to laugh--with one of my favorite genres, mysteries. Though I will admit, writing a mystery requires very, very careful planning and plotting.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day I got married was the happiest day. Wait. No. The day I brought my daughter home from NICU after 75 days was the happiest. No, hold up. The day I got my contract was the happiest. Hm, I have too many happy days to narrow the list. (What a blessing!)

That's the truth. How has being published changed your life?

One word: deadlines. Writing for pleasure is a luxury. Writing because you have to can bring on some serious stress. It's both a blessing to be published and a strain.

What are you reading right now?

Look Me In The Eye: My Life with Asperger's, by John Elder Robison.

What is your current work in progress?

Right now I'm finishing up my third LaTisha Barnhart Mystery, Your Goose Is Cooked.

What would be your dream vacation?

A cruise to the Mediterranean. Are you offering?

I'd rather cruise the Hawaiian Islands. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I ran in to a believability problem writing the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series. I had a problem thinking that LaTisha's small town of Maple Gap, a quiet town, would suddenly produce three murders in about two years time. I remedied this by switching the venue of the second book, releasing now, to a couple of towns over from Maple Gap. Though LaTisha is still star, the murder happens happens at an Assisted Living facility while she is working with Hardy to settle her MIL into her new home.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

My husband. Dinner for two. A fire in the fireplace. He makes me happy.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Writing is supposed to be a hobby? Okay, well, yeah, but it's also work. :) I love to play the piano and sing. I also enjoy working in the garden and will get the chance to indulge that passion as I work on landscaping our new home this spring. Yippee!!

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I'm a minimalist writer. Dialogue comes fast and easy for me, so I inevitably come in under word count then I go back and layer in setting and body language. Writing mysteries, I also use this opportunity to tweak clues and make sure red herrings are well established.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Learn to accept criticism. Stop coddling your writing and acting like an overprotective mother when the least bit of criticism is given, no matter the tone in which it is given. You'll be amazed at how much you aren't learning when you keep rejecting critiques because they aren't given in the right tone, or the person didn't say anything nice. If you want nice all the time, you're in the wrong field.

Tell us about the featured book?

Polly Dent Loses Grip is the second book in the LaTisha Barnhart Mystery series. Polly Dent takes a fatal spill on a treadmill that is ruled an accident. LaTisha Barnhart's scars (from her surgically removed bunions) tell her something's afoot. The residents’ gossip is revealing all kinds of motives for murder. Gertrude Herrman is out looking for love in the form of Thomas Philcher’s fat wallet, and Polly’s fall eliminates her competition once and for all. Otis Payne, the venerable director of Bridgeton Towers, is over a barrel when his wife demands cash, or she’ll carry on without him. Mitzi Mullins’s penchant for rhyme puts her in direct line as perpetrator of the crime, and Sue Mie’s mistake seals Polly’s fate.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I'm running a contest right now (and always have one running) to celebrate the release of Polly Dent Loses Grip. You can find me at www.sdionnemoore.com

Thank you, Sandra. I enjoyed our time together.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Don't forget to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You might be surprised.