Interview with Shirlee McCoy and book giveaway!

Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.31.2006

Shirlee has got to be one of the coolest people I know, plus she has the BEST suspense ideas whizzing out of her brain. I met her face-to-face (versus keyboard-to-keyboard) at the 2005 ACFW Conference in Nashville, and she’s as fun and creative in person as online.

Now heeeeeeeeeere’s Shirlee!

CT: Who do you write for--moms, singles? What do you want to say to that demographic?

SM: I write for anyone who loves a good story. I hope my stories inspire people to seek whatever it is God wants for their lives.

CT: Where would you like to see your writing going, in terms of genre and scope, in the next several years?

SM: I'd like to continue writing romantic suspense, but am hoping to write a few longer novels. Maybe something more family drama with suspense mixed in.

CT: Do your kids influence your writing at all? How? How about hubby?

SM: My kids and husband always giving me ideas for new stories. If only I could write as fast as they come up with plots!

CT: What was the funnest (or creepiest) part of writing EVEN IN THE DARKNESS?

SM: The creepiest part of EVEN IN THE DARKNESS is at the end. The heroine is in the jungle of Mae Hong Son, Thailand, hiding from drug runners. She hears gun fire, footsteps, and then....well, if I told you that would kind of ruin the moment for readers .

CT: How do you handle writing in the midst of your crazy-busy schedule?

SM: I set short term goals for myself and I do everything I can to meet them. Currently, I write 2000 words a day. If my day is less hectic than usual, I might finish before my kids go to bed. If it's a busy day, I may be writing until the wee hours of the morning. One way or another, I get those 2000 words done.

CT: What's your favorite scene from EVEN IN THE DARKNESS?

SM: My favorite scene is when Tori finally realizes that she might have turned her back on God, but He never turned away from her.

CT: How did you choose your characters' names?

SM: My books always start with a scene - footprints in snow, a woman chained to a wall, an attempted kidnapping... When I begin writing the scene, choose a name that seems to fit whatever character is taking part in it. I know it sounds crazy, but it works for me!

CT: Tell us about the next Lakeview novel, WHEN SILENCE FALLS.

SM: WHEN SILENCE FALLS is the fourth book in my Lakeview series. Piper Sinclair is a music history professor who foils a kidnapping attempt. When she becomes the target of a killer, she's got to learn that she can't always solve her problems on her own. Enter the hero - Cade Macalister. Former crime scene photographer and old friend of one of Piper's brothers, he's as determined to protect Piper as she is to take care of herself.

CT: If you were a fast-food item, what would you be and why?

SM: You know that old commercial - two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun? Well, I'd be the sesame seed bun. Sure, it's seems kind of bland, a little boring, not such a big deal, but take it away and the entire sandwich falls apart.

CT: What books do you like to read?

SM: Romantic suspense, fantasy, family drama, romantic comedy. Just about anything I can get my hands on!

CT: Confession time: what's your weirdest habit?

SM: I sing when I'm scared. If you ever read one of my books and there's a heroine who sings when she's scared out of her mind...well, you'll know where I got the idea!

CT: Do you cook and why or why not? What's your most famous (or infamous) dish?

SM: I have four bottomless pits to feed. How my skinny little kids can fit so much in their stomachs I'll never figure out, but if we always ordered food out, or we went out to eat, we'd be bankrupt in a month. So, yes, I cook. Not too badly most of the time, though I once made a batch of rice crispy treats that broke a knife. Hmmm, wouldn't that be an interesting weapon - death by rice crispy treats!

Tomorrow: writer questions for Shirlee

Bible in 90 Days: Day 23. I am amazed by God’s forgiveness. One of Israel’s worst kings repented in burlap, and so God forgave him and said He wouldn’t destroy him. This king didn’t change his ways—he had a single moment of repentance. And God forgave him.

Too often, I repent and don’t change my ways, either. And God forgives me, although sometimes I doubt that forgiveness in my heart. In future, I should just look at 1st Kings and read about this dude. God forgave this idol-worshiping madman—surely He truly forgives me, too.

Writing: I gave my website a facelift! It’s now much easier for me to edit the pages, the text is easier to read, and I think it looks prettier, too. I have finally succumbed to my love of the color pink. I was in denial for most of my life, but no longer. I love pink and I cannot lie.

As for writing-writing, I’ll be working on my scene worksheet tonight. I just can't figure out how to move past chapter one without knowing where I'm going.

Diet: I was at about 1700 calories yesterday, but I also went to PT, so that should account for at least a couple hundred, surely? Pretty please? Tonight, I’m at 1500, but I didn’t exercise today.

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