Today we have with us paranormal thriller author, L.L. Bartlett. Since she is yet another of our tea lovers, let’s have some of her favorite tea brand, Typhoo. Too bad we can’t pop into her favorite place for tea, Oban Inn in Niagara On The Lake (in Ontario, Canada). Hope she doesn’t mind if I call her by her first name, Lorraine. Her book, MURDER ON THE MIND, was released in paperback by Worldwide Mysteries in October of 2007.

CAFÉ:
Here is a little blurb about her book: The mind is a complex entity; it can play strange tricks. Jeff Resnick's recurrent visions of a slaughtered buck take on terrible new meaning when a local banker is found in the same condition. Jeff sets out to find the killer — no matter what the personal stakes.

CAFÉ:
How long have you been writing?

LORRAINE:
It seems like forever. But I started to spend the majority of my free time writing when I was in college.

CAFÉ:
When did your first novel come out?

LORRAINE:
The first novel I wrote was MURDER ON THE MIND, and it was the first book I had published, but it wasn't an easy ride. It took 11 years and 13 complete drafts before it saw publication. It was published in hardback by Five Star, a small press that targets libraries. I'm thrilled the book has a second chance at finding an audience as a mass market paperback.

CAFÉ:
Have you always written mysteries/thrillers? If not what else have you written?

LORRAINE:
My first professional sales were to confession magazines. At the time I belonged to the local romance writers group. It was a kind of competition to see if we could sell to that market. In all, I sold six short stories to that market. (Readers can find one of my confession stories, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE, on my website: http://www.lorrainebartlett.com/llb/llb.shorts.html

The sequel to MURDER ON THE MIND, DEAD IN RED, will be available from Five Star in July of 2008.

I also have an essay in the new HOW I GOT PUBLISHED anthology from Writers Digest.

CAFÉ:
Sounds like you’ve published in many areas. What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book? And tell us a little about the setting and main character.

LORRAINE:
My husband is originally from Buffalo, NY. I've been intrigued by the whole area for years and mistakenly thought that a bigger (I live in nearby Rochester, NY) would have more crime and be ripe for better stories. Sadly, I was mistaken, as per capita Rochester has more murders than even New York City.

CAFÉ:
What is the main reason that you write?

LORRAINE:
I've always been a daydreamer. (Used to get in trouble in school for it.) It was inevitable that I'd eventually write down my daydreams in the form of stories. I still daydream and those daydreams still are the foundation for most of my stories.

CAFÉ:
Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to take away from your work?

LORRAINE:
I primarily write to entertain myself. I'm thrilled when other people are entertained by my books.

CAFÉ:
Do you have a schedule for your writing or just write whenever you can?

LORRAINE:
Every book is different. When I had a day job, I had to wedge my writing in between work and taking care of my husband, house and cats. Sometimes I think it was easier because I really had to make time to write. I've found it extremely difficult to write during the summer. I'm looking forward to winter when there are a lot less distractions. (And when the wind howls and it's snowy and the roads are icy, there's nowhere I'd rather be than in front of my computer working on a new book.)

CAFÉ:
Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

LORRAINE:
I try not to. It takes all the fun out of writing the book. I try to write the majority of the book before I have to deliver the synopsis to my editor. That way I'm entertained all through the first draft. I've tried to write to an outline and it became more like a school assignment than a pleasurable experience.

CAFÉ:
I can definitely understand that — I work much the same way. If you had your ideal, what time of day would you prefer to write?

LORRAINE:
I like to write in the morning. Between 7 and 12. I like to set a word count and try to keep to it. Once I hit that word count, I'm free to good off for the rest of the day. (With fun things like laundry and cleaning the toilet.)

CAFÉ:
I’ve been surprised to see how many authors are morning people. Day job?

LORRAINE:
Sadly, no. I don't miss the daily office grind (the company I worked for went from 65,000 to about 10,000 workers), but I sure miss the money. For the time being, my job is writing.

CAFÉ:
You hinted at this a bit earlier, but it sounds like you found it hard to get published in the beginning.

LORRAINE:
Extremely. I had no idea it would take me 11 years to finally see a novel in print. I have several large, three-ring notebooks full of rejections. I had three agents before I sold my first book. It seems like any foray into the world of entertainment (be it publishing, acting, or musical) is filled with heartache.

CAFÉ:
Yes, unfortunately that is often true. What kind of promotion do you find most affective?

LORRAINE:
Bookstores aren't always the best places to sell books. I've done better at oddball venues like craft shows and even an antiques arcade. Go figure! The best way to get your name out there is online and I try to look for ways I can get my name out there.

CAFÉ:
What do you read?

LORRAINE:
I like to read mysteries that don't have too much blood and gore (although I can write it if my stories call for it). I like cozy mysteries and also write them under the name Lorna Barrett. (The first in my Booktown Mystery series, MURDER IS BINDING, will be published in April 2008 by Berkley Prime Crime.) I also like to read women's fiction. And I'm addicted to decorating books, or books about Bed & Breakfasts. In another life, I would've loved to run a B&B. Unfortunately, I don't have the personality for it in this life.

CAFÉ:
Congratulations on your book with Berkley — you’ll have to send that one our way for a review. What are your hobbies?

LORRAINE:
I garden (badly), and I dabble in collectibles and used books. I've had a booth in an antiques arcade for the past 11 years. Since the protagonist in my cozy mystery is a used bookseller, this has been helpful for me.

CAFÉ:
Sounds like fun. Favorite TV or movies?

LORRAINE:
Currently, I'm addicted to HOW CLEAN IS YOUR HOUSE on BBC America. I love the "reveal" at the end, when you see how nice the homes can be after the clutter and filth have been eradicated. For movies, I love comedies. Makes a nice diversion from the blood and guts in my stories.

CAFÉ:
Do you have any pets?

LORRAINE:
I have four cats, or rather they own me. Sadly, one of them has cancer, but has gone into remission. We're hoping we can give her good quality of life for little while longer.

CAFÉ:
I love cats too — hope things turn out okay for your sick girl. What part of the country/world do you live in?

LORRAINE:
Western New York. I love visiting England and Ireland, but I don't think I could ever move away from here — despite the harsh winters. It's my home.

CAFÉ:
I love going there as well. Any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

LORRAINE:
NEVER give up.

CAFÉ:
Your website?

LORRAINE:
www.LLBartlett.com. You can read an excerpt of MURDER ON THE MIND there, and read about its sequel.

My other website is: www.lornabarrett.com.

CAFÉ:
Where can people purchase your books?

LORRAINE:
The paperback edition of MURDER ON THE MIND is available from www.eHarlequin.com. HOW I GOT PUBLISHED is available from most bookstores and Amazon.

CAFÉ:
Thanks so much for joining us here at the Café and for introducing us to a new tea. Good luck with all of your writing ventures.

©2007 Lorie Ham. All rights reserved.