Folks, please welcome mystery author Patricia Hale to the blog. I quite enjoyed her private investigator mystery, Scar Tissue. Enjoy the interview! And scroll to the bottom for the giveaway!
If warning labels and safety features didn’t exist, what would be the likely thing you’d die from?
There’s a wildlife refuge near my house that I visit whenever I can. They provide rehabilitation for everything from wolves, bears and bobcats to eagles and moose. I’d probably get too close to one of the animals and be mauled.
Animal companions can be an important part of life as well as a good story. How do animals feature in your life?
Animals have always played a big role in my life. I grew up riding horses and have always had a dog at my side. I’ve worked in veterinary hospitals and volunteered in shelters. I have shared my life with Labrador Retrievers, Jack Russells and six German Shepherds. My current female shepherd, Enya, and I take part in obedience, tracking and nosework. I am also blessed with a rescued Beagle mix named Muddy, who runs our household.
If you could, what book or movie or TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?
It would definitely be Dexter. That was the best series I’ve seen. Characters you don’t forget and a twisted plot line. Each installment left you hanging on edge until the following week. I haven’t seen anything as good with the possible exception of The Americans. That was another favorite.
Who are some of your favorite book villains?
Iago from Othello is the first that comes to mind. That story has stayed with me all my life, heartbreaking. Hannibal Lecter is on the list, of course. He was a skillful blend of creepy and charismatic. (You have to love Anthony Hopkins.) Annie Wilkes from Misery is a favorite. I loved her. Jack Torrance from The Shining and Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest are also at the top of my list.
What does your Writer’s Den look like? Neat and tidy or a creative mess? Can you write anywhere or do you need to be holed up in your author cave?
My Writer’s Den is right off the kitchen so I can keep in touch with what’s going on in the house while I write. Besides my desk, the room holds two overflowing bookshelves and a piano that I don’t know how to play. It’s one of my goals… The walls are covered with pictures of my children and my dogs. I guess you could say my desk is a creative mess. I have stacks of books and papers on either side of my computer, but I know where everything is. As I sit here, it’s snowing outside, my propane fireplace is on and my dog, Enya, is lying on her bed chewing a bone. It’s quite cozy.
If you could sit down and have dinner with five dead authors, who would you invite to the table? What would they order?
My guest list would include:
Edgar Allen Poe, Beef Wellington and Cabernet Sauvignon
Virginia Woolf, a winter salad and Pinot Grigio
Anita Shreve, Caesar salad with grilled salmon and Chardonnay
Jack Kerouac, burger, fries and beer
Jack London, trout, baked potato and whiskey
You have to run an obstacle course. Who would you invite along (living or dead, real or fictional)?
My son because he does Cycle Cross (obstacle courses on a mountain bike). Ja Lo, she’s in great shape and I’d love to meet her. Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis just because… Secretariat and Rin Tin Tin. I’ve really dated myself with that list!
What upcoming events and works would you like to share with readers?
I will be at Authors by the Sea, an event held at Cisco Brewery in Portsmouth, NH on April 14th signing and selling my books along with many other writers and publishers. I’ll also be attending New England Authors Expo, June 29th at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, MA. This is one of the largest promotional events for writers and publishers held in New England. Both of these events are free to the public.
About the Author
When I told my dad that I wanted to write, he told me that writers don’t make any money. Paid for or not, the words still have to be put to the page. And so… I’m a writer with a day job and split my time between the characters in my head and the ones I work with at a holistic veterinary hospital. When the computer is off, I’m hiking or snowshoeing with my dogs or if it’s summer, kayaking on one of New England’s beautiful lakes. I am a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and NH Writers Project. I received an MFA degree from Goddard College in Vermont and currently live in New Hampshire with my husband, our German Shepherd, one bossy Beagle and a grumpy, old cat.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads
Book Blurb for Scar Tissue
Ashley Lambert jumped 18 stories to her death. It’s a clear-cut suicide. And Ashley’s parents want to know why their flawless daughter would take her life. They’ve hired the PI team of Griff Cole and Britt Callahan to find the answers. When the investigation leads to performance enhancing drugs and blackmail, Ashley’s coaches, peers and even her parents come into question. The disturbing truth is testimony to the lines that are crossed, and risks taken…in the name of love.
Meanwhile, when Britt sees the bruising on her neighbor’s arm she can’t let it go, and is working overtime to bring to light the violent behavior next door. The neighbor, Rhea McKenzie, has a secret. Bruises aren’t the only thing she’s hiding. When an off-hand comment discloses a connection to Ashley Lambert, the two cases become entwined, setting off an unstoppable chain of events. Britt is sucked into an alliance with Rhea and forced to make decisions that challenge her ethics, threaten her relationship and in the end, may cost her everything.
About the Narrator
Lili Dubuque has more than 15 years of voice-over experience. She has done everything from radio and TV to industrial training videos to telephone-messages-on hold. But her favorite is audio book narration. “I love to take a book that maybe was under-appreciated in print and make it explode through the magic of audio!”
About Intrigue Publishing
Intrigue Publishing was established in May 2012 with the objective of publishing at least six books each year. We strive to publish books by authors who have a unique perspective and compelling authority. These will be works that intrigue the reader, that is, arouse the reader’s curiosity with their unusual, new, fascinating and compelling qualities.
We will achieve success in the publishing industry and earn for ourselves and our authors by producing books that appeal to the reader’s curiosity, fancy and interest. We will nurture authors who can create quality works that will appeal to the reader’s interest. We will mentor authors who produce writing that cannot be ignored.
We believe that talented authors deserve attention not only from publishers, but from readers as well. To sell the book is only the beginning of our mission. We will work to build avid audiences of readers who are enriched by the books we produce and are eager for future publications. Our library of works may span several genres.
GIVEAWAY!!!
Intrigue Publishing is giving away 2 audiobook copies of Scar Tissue. You must have an Audible US account to receive the book if you win. To enter, do the Rafflecopter thing below, or answer these questions in the comments: 1) Do you have an Audible US account? 2) Who are your favorite private investigators? 3) Leave a way to contact you (email, twitter, etc.) in case you win. Giveaway ends April 30, 2019, midnight.
