INTERVIEW WITH ANNIE HOGSETT AND A GIVEAWAY!

Mary Ellis here, and today I have the honor of interviewing Annie Hogsett, who turned out to be the funniest person I've ever interviewed. And, she's from my hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. Annie has a brand new mystery out from Poisoned Pen Press. But first the interview! 

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

Annie Hogsett loves to write.

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

  I read like a madwoman. I stare at Lake Erie. I admire, but do not dig in, the garden. Also, and this is the dark secret: On my iPad, when my brain is burnt to a crisp, I play a ridiculous video game called Plants vs. Zombies. I am terrible at games, but I am World Champion, IMHO, of PvZ. It soothes my soul and heals my self-esteem.

What was your favorite book as a teen or child? 

 Freshman year of high school I discovered Gone With the Wind. I was the most dutiful student on Earth and I almost got thrown out of class twice in one day because of that book. 

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

  Just the one: I am a ruthless killer of zombies. They always look so surprised….

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

  
My first novel—a long, long time ago—was suspense with romantic elements and a ton of terrible prose. If I could lay hands on the on the one extant copy, I’d probably destroy it. I’d give it nice hug first, though. I’ve written other genres but I’m back to “murder, mayhem, and romance.”

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

compliment? 

 Toughest: “I love all your words. Just not in that order.” Best: Readers saying, “I stayed up all night to finish your book.” If I could get somebody kicked out of a class for reading it, that would be icing on the cake.

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

  I wrote a couple of YAs I’d like to revisit someday, but I adore writing my “Bad Girl Cozies.” Somebody recently coined the genre name “Relationship Suspense.” That’s me. I love the danger and the unraveling of a mystery, but what Allie Harper always, always has at stake in the story is Tom Bennington.

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

 I’ve been fortunate to always be writing. Incredibly lucky to have had a career in advertising. (A terrific proving ground for writing fiction!) I regret not starting to write for myself sooner. I thought I didn’t have a chance. I thought I didn’t have the time. Wrong on both counts, but I’m loving where I am right now.

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

  See the “regrets” answer above. Don’t wait. Don’t buy your own excuses. Accept joy as payment in full for the work. Once I finally got started, the pleasure of it kept me going. My most important rule: Trust whatever you’re writing while you’re writing it. Second guess yourself some other time.

Here's a little about Murder to the Metal:   Mondo Mega Money is a murder magnet.

Ten months ago, Allie Harper—smart, feisty, and broke—rescued Tom Bennington—smart, hot, and blind—and his winning $550 million lottery ticket out of a crosswalk and into three wild weeks of romance, mayhem…and seven murders. Nothing much has changed. Except. The T&A Detectives—Allie, Tom & Otis—now have their first case. And? The threats are bigger. The adversaries are deadlier. The stakes are higher. And the pace?It’s Murder to the Metal.

Annie's books are available on Amazon.

Here a little about the author:  Annie Hogsett has a master’s degree in English literature and spent her first career writing advertising copy—a combination which, in Annie’s opinion, totally qualifies her for making a bunch of stuff up. Her first published novel, Too Lucky to Live, #1 in the Somebody’s Bound to Wind Up Dead Mystery Series, was released by Poisoned Pen Press in May of  2017. Second in her series, Murder to the Metal, came out in June. Annie lives ten yards from Lake Erie in the City of Cleveland with her husband, Bill, and their delinquent cat, Cujo. She has never won a $550 million lottery jackpot.

Readers, leave Annie a comment for a chance to win her first in the Somebody's Bound to Wind Up Dead Mystery series, Too Lucky to Live. You must leave your email address. Sorry, US only.