Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Good morning! Thanks so much to all you Awesome Readers and Writers in the gang.
I wrote and published my first book back in the seventies … it was nonfiction. The next decades were devoted to making a living in advertising and marketing. Now I am finally following my real dream: to write quality fiction for readers who can handle dark subjects delivered in a light tone to make it palatable.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I have just published two books.
BEAR IN MIND is a mystery set in an adult home facility. A retired PI and the other residents take on a mysterious death. This book is the result of my firm belief that seniors are often misrepresented in the media. Most of us are not feeble … nor do we want to climb rock walls or zip line to anywhere. Our bodies may be slowing but our minds are as sharp as ever. The Bear in Mind gang is smart, involved and a tribute to the older end of the baby boomer generation.
A TIME OF SECRETS is a mystery set on the Big Island of Hawaii. I have loved this island for decades, having first visited it before it was a state. I wanted to present the culture and lifestyle of a variety of quirky natives set against a background so dark with suspense that it nearly overwhelms them. If you have an affection for Hawaii, you may well enjoy the pidgin English, the crafts and the volcanic romance of this tropical paradise.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I must have hot coffee and lots of clutter. My desk looks like an explosion, but I know where every single thing is. I also must have at least one dog asleep at my feet … at the moment, there are two. I’m told that I talk to myself although I can’t prove that. I can prove that I swear a blue streak when the work isn’t going well.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been reading for decades so the list would overwhelm. I am only going to mention three recent influences:
Robert B. Parker for dialog. The man was brilliant at that.
Walter Mosley’s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. This is a story of a senior making his way through his last years. It is an amazing piece of writing that taught me how involving the life of an old person can be regardless of the reader’s age … editors today feel there is no audience for it and they are so wrong. And BTW, Mosley’s This Year You Write Your Novel is great fun for those of you with the itch.
The Louise Penny series set in Three Pines has taught me how to braid together a variety of characters and complex plot. In addition, her books are just damn good fun.
What are you working on now?
I am finishing the second of the Bear Jacobs series which is called Hard to Bear. Also, I am fussing with a fantasy series that I currently call Cascadian Revels. It’s a different genre for me, and at the moment it is giving me a really tough wrestling match.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is not devoted only to my books. The blog there is about life in general. I get more followers thru Facebook and Twitter, but I like my blog the best to really meet friends and readers. It’s at www.lindabmyers.com
For methods not under my own control, I have had luck with Book Gorilla.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
These comments are for fiction writers:
A. Writing today is about marketing. It’s a hard fact for those of us who prefer to skulk around in the dark … prepare to shine a bright light on yourself. Suck it up, cupcake.
B. Also, the fastest way to making any money is through genre writing categories like romance, sci fi, fantasy, erotica, ya, etc. These do better as ebooks because they are easier to find than books which are general fiction.
C. Think of a writing career as running a business. Prepare to spend some money to promote your product. Look at your first book not as your baby, but as your best tool to sell your second book.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The future of our nation and our world is largely in question. The idea of saving your money for your future? Well, not so much anymore. Get out there and get your experiences while you are young. You will live on those memories.
What are you reading now?
My friend Renee Rosen has just published her second novel, What the Lady Wants. I downloaded it yesterday.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hmmm. Well, for my money, Harper Lee already wrote the Great American Novel. So that goal is taken.
I guess, like it or not, it is time for me to get out there and promote the work I have done while I save enough time to continue with more. In the meantime, speaking engagements, social media, and the like.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A. New York Times crossword puzzles
B. Survival Wisdom & Know-How
C. Poisonwood Bible
D. The Sherlock Holmes canon
Author Websites and Profiles
Linda B. Myers Website
Linda B. Myers Amazon Profile
Linda B. Myers’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account