BLOG TOUR – Lethal Lifestyles
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Lethal Lifestyles
by LynDee Walker
Why do I love this series so much? The author writes a fantastic mystery filled with drama but filled with humor too. She always tops herself and leaves me wanting more.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
Lethal Lifestyles (A Headlines in High Heels Mystery)
Henery Press (September 27, 2016)
Paperback: 262 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635110654
E-Book ASIN: B01HOS85XE
Synopsis
Wedding bells are ringing at the Richmond Telegraph, and maid of honor Nichelle Clarke is determined to give her friends the perfect fairytale beginning to their happily ever after. So when a corpse crashes rehearsal weekend, Nichelle ditches her wedding coordinator shoes for her crime reporter ones, and a little poking around turns up a big problem: the victim and the groom have a history, and it’s not a pretty one.
Evidence against groom Grant Parker piles up, leaving Nichelle wishing a hostile bridesmaid was still her biggest worry as she tries to fend off Richmond’s favorite TV reporter—and her own scheming publisher. At odds with the cops, her beloved editor, and the ticking clock, Nichelle races to uncover the truth and save the day before this perfect wedding turns into a funeral.
Books in the Headlines in High Heels Mystery Series:
•FRONT PAGE FATALITY(#1)
•BURIED LEADS(#2)
•DATELINE MEMPHIS (novella after BURIED LEADS in
HEARTACHE MOTEL)
•SMALL TOWN SPIN(#3)
•DEVIL IN THE DEADLINE(#4)
•COVER SHOT(#5)
•LETHAL LIFESTYLES(#6)
Interview with the Author
What initially got you interested in writing?
I have loved wonderful stories for as long as I can remember. I grew up with my nose in a book, and became a journalist who tried to do good work telling other people’s stories. Then I became a mom, and for a while I thought the writing part of my life was over. When I started writing about this sassy reporter and her fictional newsroom, I realized it wasn’t over because it’s part of who I am. It just evolved to allow me to be the kind of mom I want to be, too.
What genres do you write in?
Mystery and humor.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
I write the kind of stories I love to read: page turners with great characters that tug at your heart and make you laugh.
How did you break into the field?
Happenstance and a very stubborn mother. I wrote Front Page Fatality for fun, never dreaming anyone but my mom and my best friend would read it. But they insisted I try to get it published. Then my mom passed away, and I decided selling the book would be a good way to honor her stubborn streak, so I sent one more query, to a publisher with a cute little chicken on their website (my mom loved chickens—our whole kitchen was covered in chicken towels and potholders and mugs when I was a kid). And that was the query that led to a sale.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
A smile. I love writing, I love Nichelle, and I hope the books give people an escape for a while.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
There’s nothing quite like figuring out a tangly plot or typing “the end,” but the readers are my favorite part of this gig. I love meeting them and chatting about the books.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
Fitting it into my day. Even now, with all three of my littles in school for the first time ever, I run nonstop from before sunup to after dark. But I wouldn’t trade a single chore or errand of it. When I carve out time to write during the day, I’m happier for having done it.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
Patience and perseverance are the keys. Don’t take criticism personally, understand that “this is subjective” isn’t a line, it’s a fact. And hang in there: if you really want to be published, it’s a matter of honing your craft and getting the right work in front of the right person on the right day.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
I read a little of everything, but mysteries and thrillers are still my favorites. The best books I read this summer were Hank Phillipi Ryan’s WHAT YOU SEE, which went to Jamaica with me in June, and Donna Andrews’s DIE LIKE AN EAGLE, my favorite poolside read of the year. Both ladies are brilliant and funny, and I always look forward to their new releases.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
Do most people find laundry and grocery shopping interesting? I’m kidding. Sort of. I’m a regular mom who cheers at my daughter’s basketball games (Nichelle gets her fabulous height from us) and rushes to meet the school bus on time every day. Once upon a time, in my former life, I was an award-winning journalist who did all manner of exciting things (some of which Nichelle gets to do in the books). I’m still the youngest finalist in the history of the Dallas Press Club’s Katie Awards, my alma mater has a journalism scholarship named after me, and I can pick things up off the floor with my toes.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
I’m on Facebook almost every day, so please do pop in and say hello there: facebook.com/lyndeewalkerbooks, and my website has all the book info you could want: www.lyndeewalker.com.
Thanks so much for having me today! What a fun interview!
About The Author
LynDee Walker is the author of the national bestselling Headlines in High Heels mystery series, beginning with the Agatha Award-nominated FRONT PAGE FATALITY (2013).
The newest book in the series, LETHAL LIFESTYLES, will be published on September 27, 2016.
Before she started writing mysteries, LynDee was an award-winning journalist. Her work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the U.S.
She adores her family, her readers, and enchiladas. She often works out tricky plot points while walking off the enchiladas. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is either playing with her children, working on her next novel, or admiring beautiful shoes she can’t wear.
Author Links
Webpage – www.lyndeewalker.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/lyndeewalkerbooks
Henery Press – http://henerypress.com/lethal-lifestyles/
Twitter @LynDeeWalker
Purchase Links: