DEATH AT THORBURN HALL - Julianna Deering - One Free Book

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

Sometimes I write at the request of the publisher. They give me a story or series premise, and I write from there. Other times, I just write what I want to write, and usually that’s because that’s what I want to read. My Drew Farthering Mysteries fall in that second category. I love the classic cozy mysteries. I love the movies of the 1930s, especially the romantic comedies. I tossed them together in my own way, and out popped Drew and Madeline.

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

Wow, that’s a hard one. I don’t know if I have a particular day that’s been happiest. God has blessed me tremendously, so I’m pretty happy most of the time. Maybe my happiest day was when I quit my corporate job and took a less stressful one so I could follow my passion to write. I haven’t made as much money, but I’ve enjoyed my life so much more.

I remember that feeling when I was able to quit my job and just be a professional writer/author. How has being published changed your life?

I don’t know if it has very much. I don’t jet around the world to have gala luncheons in exotic locations or anything like that. I mostly get to stay home and play with my imaginary friends. Same as usual.

What are you reading right now?

This interview.

Okay, seriously, I’m reading Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. She wrote a ton of Regency and historical novels during the first half of the twentieth century. Not all of them work for me, but for the most part they are a delight. She was a meticulous researcher, and I always feel immersed in the time and place whenever I read one of her books. I’m toying with writing a Regency romance of my own, and this is just feeding my desire to get on with it. As soon as I have fulfilled all my other obligations!

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on a book called Water Flows Uphill for a Guideposts series, The Mysteries of Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a contemporary cozy mystery.

What would be your dream vacation?

I basically have three.

(1) I’d love to go back to England and spend some time in Hampshire again. It’s been a long time since I’ve been there, and now that Drew “lives” there, it would be nice to see it again with him in mind.

(2) I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland. I’ve been to Disneyworld twice (very briefly), but not Disneyland. And when I go, I’d love to have plenty of time to just wander around and enjoy it. If possible, I’d love to see how it works behind the scenes. 

(3) I’m a big fan of hockey, especially my Dallas Stars, and I’d love to visit western Canada when they go up there to play Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. What a road trip that would be!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

It depends on what kind of book it is. If the publisher has set the premise for the series, naturally I have to work within that. If I choose everything, as in my Drew books, then I have to decide what fits the particular story. If there is a historical event connected to the plot, like the 1935 British Open, then naturally that’s where the story will be set. With a long series, I like to have a mix between home and away for the hero and his friends, but the plot drives everything. Drew’s been away from Farthering Place during the last three books, and I’d like to get him back home for the next one.

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

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I’m not much of a celebrity chaser and spending time with strangers is pretty stressful for me. I think in lieu of a one-on-one meeting with someone, I’d rather spend an afternoon on a movie set just seeing how everything works. I became a writer because I really wanted to direct movies, but I couldn’t afford the actors, scenery, costumes, scripts, etc. Pencil and paper are much cheaper.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

My biggest one is quilting. I love to do needleturn applique, the more intricate the better. And, no, I don’t mind if it takes a long time. The point is enjoying the journey, not completing it as quickly as possible. I also enjoy embroidery and cross-stitching. And, as I mentioned above, I love watching hockey. I never was much of a sports fan until a friend got me to watch hockey with him. It didn’t take long before I was hooked. I also love to color, though I rarely have time. I have some beautiful books and the most gorgeous boxes of Japanese coloring pencils just waiting for me.

I love to color, too. And I have several coloring books and very good pencils, markers, and even crayons. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Time management. There are so many things I’d love to do. And even if I devote myself to doing nothing but be an author, there are a lot of things within that that take time. A writer can’t just sit and write and hope everything else takes care of itself. There are always interviews and publicity matters to take care of (“Give us a list of your top ten favorite villains” or “Please write yourself ten questions about your new release and then answer them for our website,” etc.), reader requests to answer, a website and a blog to keep current, and on and on and on. Besides writing I do document preparation for an attorney, and since my dad no longer drives, I take him wherever he needs to go. I never seem to have a minute to spare, but the upside is that I never have time to get bored. I don’t know if I ever overcome it. I do make myself a writing schedule and make myself stick to it. Right now, I’m two days behind, but I’m working on catching up.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Read, read, read. Read the books you want to write. Read classics and read new books. It’s the best way to soak up good writing and make it part of your DNA.

Tell us about the featured book.

Death at Thorburn Hall is the sixth book in my Drew Farthering Mysteries. Drew and his wife, Madeline, travel to Scotland to see the 1935 British Open. Of course, what they find there is less about golf and more about murder. Their host at Thorburn Hall, Lord Rainsby, dies in a suspicious riding accident. Is there something going on between Lady Rainsby and her dead husband’s business partner? Or do the clues point to something more serious and far reaching than a little domestic murder? Something tied to the growing threats coming from Hitler’s Germany? Drew has a lot of confusing clues to sort through, some that impact his country and some that impact him personally.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Madeline Farthering gripped her husband’s arm a little more tightly as they made their way through the mass of people crowding Waverley Station, certain that if they were separated in this chaos she’d never be able to find him again. Drew said something to her, but she could only shake her head and shrug.

           

He repeated whatever it was he had said, but the crackling announcement of a delayed train arrival blaring through the station made it impossible to make out.

           

She pressed a little closer to his side. “What did you say?”

           

By then the announcement had ended, and her shouted question drew the attention of several passersby. A blush heated her cheeks.

           

Drew’s gray eyes were warm and laughing. “Having fun, darling?”

           

She pursed her lips. “Not yet. Is Edinburgh always like this?”

“It’s a fairly busy place most of the time, I expect, but people come from all over for the tournament.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

On the web:

www.juliannadeering.com

www.deannajuliedodson.com

On Facebook:

https://business.facebook.com/AuthorJuliannaDeering/

https://www.facebook.com/julie.dodson.9659

On Twitter:

@DeAnnaJulDodson

On Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6565151.Julianna_Deering

Thank you for letting me visit your blog!

It’s my pleasure to help introduce your new book to readers.

Readers, here are links to the book.

Death at Thorburn Hall - Christianbook.com
Death at Thorburn Hall (A Drew Farthering Mystery) - Amazon paperback
Death at Thorburn Hall (A Drew Farthering Mystery Book 6) - Kindle

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