An Interview with Carrie Stuart Parks

 

Today, I am thrilled to welcome Carrie Stuart Parks to the Suspense Sisters' blog! Carrie is a wonderfully talented suspense author who has a new book coming out this September 13^th entitled Fallout. Carrie will be giving away a copy of Fallout, (US Residents only), so be sure to leave a comment to be entered.

 

First, tell us a little about your upcoming release, Fallout!

I’m thrilled at the upcoming release—Fallout. I’d written two other novels mentioning a place called Clan Firinn—a private recovery program for first responders suffering from PTSD. This was the third where I actually take the reader to this fictional site. I wanted to place it in Eastern Washington state, in the rolling farming area known as the Palouse. I closed my eyes and jabbed a finger at a map, coming up with the tiny town of LaCrosse. Perfect. I wanted to take a peaceful town where the High School graduating class of four makes the front page and add skeletons, murder, and potential nuclear disaster. Oh my….

If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say? 

Busy.

What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

I’m both a fine and forensic artist, but that’s really not a hobby. The nearest thing to a hobby are my dogs. I have had Great Pyrenees since forever, am on the Great Pyrenees Club of America board of directors, and just judged the National Great Pyrenees show—I’m an AKC judge.

What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

The Wizard of Oz series and all the collie books by Albert Peyson Terhune. Any book with a horse or a dog, actually. I was a voracious reader.

Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers.

When I was 19, I sailed around the world on an ocean liner/college ship named World Campus Afloat.

While on that same trip, I was arrested (by mistake) in South Africa for dealing in drugs. The description was a girl with long blond hair and blue jeans (roughly every girl on the ship at the time.) I’ve never taken an illegal drug in my life!

I’ve acted in or directed several community theater plays including The Fantasticks, The Glass Menagerie, I Do! I Do! And Little Shop of Horrors.

What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not?

My first five books were non-fiction, how-to art books for North Light Publishers. Yes, I have indeed changed course.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Toughest criticism? Hmmmmm. I don’t remember. I just try and “fix it.” Best compliment? I guess winning several Christys and Carols says a lot.

Any other genres you’d like to try? If yes, what, and why?

Nope. I’m happy killing off people.

If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

Not get my hopes up too soon. I had a LOT to learn.

What is the most important thing you’d like readers to take away from your books?

The desire to read more of them!!

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors?

Oh, wow, my topic for ACFW! It’s a long road full of winged monkeys, wicked witches, and dear friends. It takes a long time to get home.

 

As I mentioned, Carrie is giving away a print copy of Fallout (to US residents only). Be sure to leave a comment with your email contact information and tell us why you love reading suspense?

Here's is a little about Fallout:

Her carefully crafted life is about to be demolished.

After a difficult childhood, Samantha Williams craves simplicity: jigsaw puzzles, lectures at the library, and the students she adores in her role as an elementary school art teacher in the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington.

But when an SUV crashes into the building where she teaches, her entire world is upended. Samantha manages to keep the children safe, but her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse—with her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification—is missing from the wreckage.

After authorities discover that the driver in the accident was shot seconds before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes entangled in increasingly strange events that have her constantly looking over her shoulder.

Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the twisting connections she discovers between the murdered driver, a deadly secret government project, and an abandoned town can't be ignored. Those involved are determined to keep these secrets buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.

Follow this link to purchase Fallout.

Carrie's bio:

Carrie Stuart Parks is an internationally known forensic artist and law enforcement instructor, working on major criminal cases throughout the nation. She was nominated for Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year offered by the Federal Law Enforcement Academy at Glynco, Georgia. Her career highlights also include winning Woman of the Year for the Spirit of the American Woman and the first Educator of the Year by the Lewis Clark Alumni. As an award-winning fine artist, her art may be found in numerous corporate and private collections. Her bestselling mystery/suspense novels, featuring Great Pyrenees among other giant breeds, have won multiple Christy, Carol, Inspy, and Golden Scroll awards along with winning or finaling in numerous other writing competitions.

Thank you, Carrie, for joining us today. It has been a pleasure getting to know you better.