No Mercy by Lori Armstrong
LorI Armstrong, winner of the both Shamus Award and the Willa Cather Literary Award, is on a roll. I caught up with the multi-talented, best-selling author while she was on tour to promote NO MERCY, the first in an exciting new series featuring Mercy Gunderson.
Your books are set in South Dakota, your home state, and it seems that the setting is integral to the plot. Can you tell me something about your home state, and why it's important to you?
I love my home state, and part of why I write about it is because I want people/readers who've never been here to experience it through my eyes--the good, the bad, the ugly, the bold and the beautiful..
How did you first break into fiction? I first discovered you through BLOOD TIES.
BLOOD TIES was published in mass market paperback with a small press (Medallion) in 2005. It was actually the fifth book I finished--the four "starter" books will never see the light of day--as they were great learning curve on how to write a beginning, middle and end.
I love Julie Collins, the kickass heroine in BLOOD TIES. Can you tell me something about Mercy Gunderson in NO MERCY?
A reviewer called her tough as an old army boot, and in some ways, that fits her best. She's a complex character and as I'm writing her I'm often amazed at what she says and does.
How did you become interested in the Lakota Sioux?
When I started writing BLOOD TIES it astounded me how much I didn't know about the Native American population that lives here, or their culture, or their history. It was embarrassing, humbling and ultimately enlightening
I noticed several reviewers complimented you on your characterization. You seem to create women who are strong, with a take-no-prisoners attitude, yet they have heart, and are also very witty.
When I'm working on a female character, the last thing I want is for her to be a doormat, or worse yet, for a man to swoop in and rescue her from a dangerous situation.
I still remember one of your lines, "In law enforcement, the size of your gun was closely related to the size of, well, your gun." That has got to be a classic.
Thanks.
What's next for Mercy Gunderson?
I'm working on the second book in the series, titled MERCY KILL, and if all goes well with editorial deadlines, it will be out in January 2011.
You have an amazing, diversified career. Do you speak at conferences, participate in panels?
As much as I can. Living in South Dakota makes it a little more difficult to travel because we're so far from major metro areas. I usually choose two or three conferences a year. I won't be at Left Coast Crime this year because it's in LA and I'll be in LA the end of this month on book tour for NO MERCY. I'll be at the Romantic Times Conference in Columbus, OH the end of April. I'll miss Thrillerfest because I'll be in Mobile, AL the week before and I need time to write and hit various deadlines.
Any advice for aspiring writers? I think everyone agrees this is a very tough market.
If you love writing, you'll do it. Every day. Period. Treat it like a career. It's easy to get sidetracked when you work from home, so park your butt in the chair and put your hands on the keyboard. No excuses!
Mary Kennedy is a clinical psychologist in private practice and the author of The Talk Radio Mysteries. She lives on the east coast with her husband and eight neurotic cats. The cats have resisted all her efforts to psychoanalyze them, but she remains optimistic.
ThrillerFest
ITW's annual celebration of the thriller world is the largest event of its kind, a meeting place for authors, readers, budding writers, and publishing industry professionals.
For 2011, we’ll be back in the heart of New York in July with the ThrillerFest conference including CraftFest and AgentFest.
ThrillerFest VI will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
The dates will be July 6-9, 2011.
More information to follow.
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