Kindred Spirits by Marilyn Meredith

Paperback: 212 pages
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC (August 22, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594267359
ISBN-13: 978-1594267352

About the book:

Trouble in Deputy Crabtree’s marriage is soon forgotten when the body of a murder victim is found in the wake of a forest fire. Sent to Crescent City in search of information introduces Tempe to the victim’s Tolowa relatives and friends–along with two stalkers and Big Foot.Upon her return home, a pig’s heart on Tempe’s front porch serves as a warning. Detective Morrison becomes an unusual ally, and the victim’s spirit visits Tempe in the night. She and husband Hutch set off for Santa Barbara in an effort to flush out the murderer and once again she finds her own life threatened.

I was lucky to be able to ask Marilyn some questions. Here are her answers:

Do you have any rituals that you follow when finishing a piece of work?

I suspect you mean do I go out to dinner, or drink a favorite glass of wine, or maybe jump up and down and yell hooray. When I’ve actually finished with my final edit and sent it off to the publisher, I’m busy working on the next project and probably still doing some promotion for whatever book was the latest out.

What is one cause you are passionate about and why?

At the moment, I’m trying to let everyone know about how the Tolowa people, as well as other California Indians, were nearly wiped out during the mid to late 1800s–something that has been left out of history books. It’s something I talk about when giving presentations about this book.
I’ve had other causes through the years, many of them having to do with making the lives of people with developmental disabilities better. I owned and operated a licensed residential care home for six women with disabilities for twenty-three years.

Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?

A fellow writer, Willma Gore, (yes, that’s the correct spelling of her first name) taught me more about writing and publishing than any class, book or writers’ conference. I met her when I joined a writers’ critique group about twenty-three years ago. Though she’s moved away, we’ve stayed in touch and I still use her as an editor.

What is the most important thing in your life right now?

My husband and my family are always the most important in my life as a whole. In my writing life, the most important thing is getting the word out about my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Kindred Spirits.

What are you currently working on?

I’m writing the next in the series–not sure about the title yet, however, the one that will be out next fall is called Dispel the Mist.

Seeing as how Kindred Spirits is part of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, do you see more books in the future?

I answered that in the previous question. Tempe is real to me and I know more about her than I do my family or friends because I know how Tempe thinks. I’ll continue to write about her as long as she continues to have new adventures.

In writing a series, do you find it hard to keep storylines accurate?

Sometimes I make mistakes, but I do keep notes. There is a two year difference in Tempe’s life between Judgment Fire and Kindred Spirits and I needed to remember that in the book I’m writing now.

What is the inspiration behind the series and main character?

My son-in-law was a police officer and took me on a ride-along and told me lots of cop tales. I then went on a ride-along with a female police officer who told me all about being a single mom in a dangerous job and her trials being the only female on the department. For the local newspaper, I interviewed a female resident deputy and she had many of the same problems being the only woman in a man’s world. I also met a lovely young Native American who had grown up on the reservation and she told me a bit about growing up Indian. I put all three women together to create Tempe.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Read the kind of books that you want to write. I’ve run into far too many want-to-be writers who’ve told me they didn’t read. Then learn the craft of writing. You must know the rules before you can break them. Go to writers’ conferences, read books on writing, join a critique group and write, write, write. Set aside a time each day to write. Have someone look at your work who knows something about writing. Edit your work. Submit. And never give up, no matter how many rejections you get. My first book was rejected nearly thirty times before it was accepted for publication. (Of course I kept rewriting it between rejections.)

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Writing is something I have to do. Hopefully, people who read my books will enjoy them. Thank you so much for letting me stop by. Anyone interested in my series can read the first chapters on my website.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com/

About the author:

Marilyn Meredith is the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series as well as over twenty published novels. The latest is, Kindred Spirits, from Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, the latest, Smell of Death, from Tigress Press.She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. She makes her home in Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit her at http://www.fictionforyou.com/.

KINDRED SPIRITS VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '08 will officially begin on October 1 and end on October 30. You can visit Marilyn's blog stops at www.virtualbooktoursforauthors.wordpress.com in October to find out more about her new book!As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available. The winner(s) will be announced on our main blog at www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.wordpress.com on October 30!