Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Author Interview: Judi Coltman

This week, I'm proud to be interviewing Judi Coltman!

Her books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and her personal website:

In The Name Of The Father (Suspense/Thriller)
Is It Just Me? or Is Everyone a Little Nuts! (Humor)

You can visit her blog, website, or Twitter!

Without further ado. . .

Which book of yours was the hardest to write? Why?
In The Name Of The Father was far harder than my first book.  It is easier to answer this question by telling you why the first was so easy.  I have a blog, My Life In A Nutshell, which is based on my life and the way it stumbles through life.  It was easy to compile these short essays into book form and it's really me just telling stories about me - easy peasey.  It has spent the better part of the last year as an Amazon best seller in humor.

In The Name Of The Father required me to expose myself through something I really covet - fiction writing.  I can control the material about me, guide it so that I am my own punchline, in fiction, all best are off.  Characters become very palpable, the story not guided towards a laugh and if it's bad, I become the punchline NOT by my own design.

Do you remember the first story you ever finished? If so, tell us about it.
Ohhhhh *groans*  It was 4th grade.  I don't remember the title but it was a story about why the moon was made of green cheese.  Aliens landed and they looked like mice on steroids.  They take me and my cat back to the moon to show me that it is made of green cheese and that is what made them grow so big.  Then they let me take some and fly me back to earth.  My cat steals the cheese because she doens't mice to grow so big.

And there you have it.

What's the last book you read? What did you think of it?
The Righteous by Michael Wallace.  I loved the book.  It is a murder mystery within a polygamist society.  The beauty is that even though the protagonist is a from such a society, it isn't represented from an overly negative or positive angle, it just is and allows the mystery to unfold within.  Fascinating.

A magician has cursed your next reader so they can read only one of your books. Which book do you choose for them and why?
In The Name Of The Father, absolutely!  This is a far more compelling book, a page-turner.  I labored with joy on this one and I am very proud of it.

What's the first sentence of this book?
It always occurred during the 10 o'clock service.

What's the last? (don't worry, it's non-spoilery!) 
Barbara wrapped a large slice of pizza in a piece of paper towel and placed it in her bag, Harry might want some later.

The world's scientists have just released the first time machine, and you've been chosen to get a free ride (with assurance that you'll be able to come back, of course ;). To when do you go and why?
Greece during the Age of Enlightenment.  I want to see how evolved they really were at that time.  It was a civil time, living large, seeking knowledge.

Through very strange circumstances, a mad scientist is exiling you to the world of one of your books. Which world do you choose and why?
I choose the location of In The Name Of The Father.  The setting is a beach in Virginia - Sandbridge Beach, one where I have spent the last 40 some years vacationing.  It is my muse.  Being exiled to the beach would be a dream come true.  Where do I find the mad scientist?

What's the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?
Read it out loud.  If it doesn't flow when verbalized, it needs rewriting.

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing with your time instead?
Art.  I paint and upcycle old hardback books into artwork.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?
I want them to feel exhilarated.  In either case, humor or suspense, I want them to feel like they've been on a wild ride and want to share it with others.

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