Ever have one of those days when you thought you did something, but didn’t, and it nagged you all night in your sleep until you wake up thinking, “What did I forget to do?” Well, for me it was posting this blog last night! Then the kids did NOT cooperate this morning and I didn’t have five minutes to sit down until now. BUT you are in for a treat, because I interviewed our own JENNIFER LYON! (cheers, whistles, applause.)

Jennifer Lyon, aka Jennifer Apodaca, (hmm, that sounds like she’s a criminal and I’m about to put an APB out on her) is one of the three remaining original members of Murder She Writes when we launched this blog over five years ago. She is truly a talented, fun, engaging—if slightly neurotic (aren’t we all?)—writer, and I am blessed to have her as a friend.

Jen started in humorous romantic mysteries, and I loved her Samantha Shaw series. The first book, DATING CAN BE MURDER, was fun, smart, and quirky—a lot like Jen herself! But as she is human, there’s also a dark, angsty, romantic side that exploded within the pages of her Wing Slayer series.

I’m thrilled to interview Jennifer as she launches the next two books in her paranormal romance Wing Slayer series. Though she’s been writing on this blog for years, my goal is for you to learn something new about her.

For those of you who don’t know her, Jen grew up mostly in Southern California. “Much to the amusement of my children, I met my husband at the dog pound,” Jen said. “They love that story! I live a pretty traditional “real” life and a rich “fantasy” life through my writing.”

I think one reason Jen and I click is because we shared a lot of the same writing influences as young adults—romance and horror. Jen said, “Some of my early favorite authors were Julie Garwood (loved her historical romances), Jude Deveraux, Judith McNaught, Stephen King and Dean Koontz—which shows how mixed my reading tastes can be! I loved romance and I loved the horror. It’s probably not a big surprise that I write paranormal that combines deep love with some dark and gritty story lines!”

Jen is a reader first. To her, the fun part of marketing is the readers themselves. “I just love connecting with readers because I’m a reader myself. So I hang out on Facebook when I can, do a fun blog on my website, that kind of thing. But it took a while to understand what approach works best for me.”

Jen’s favorite color changes with her mood. (Okay, that’s a bit quirky—unless I’m the only one who always had the same favorite color!) Today, her favorite color is emerald green. Just don’t hold her to that tomorrow! And I found out that she changes her favorite reading genres. Today she reads a lot of paranormal romance, but she also likes mysteries, romance, women’s fiction, thrillers, you name it. (I sense a trend here . . . )

Everyone has odd writing habits. Jen says, “When I start a new project, I like to have a brand new sharpened pencil, and I get very cranky when the kids steal my pencils! While I do the bulk of my work on the computer, I like to “think” by free writing on notebook paper, and also I make notes on a yellow pad relating to research, character names, etc. And I’m a bit of a caffeine addict—I often wonder if I could write a book if I ever gave up coffee.”

I think writers single-handedly keep the coffee bean farmers in business.

Jen’s Wing Slayer Hunters are unique and the books rich with a well-developed world for her amazing characters. That’s all because she believes research is important.

“I have a notebook full of research! I have information on demons, gods, witches, winged creatures like dragons and a phoenix. I’ve researched chakras and various things related to witches like candles, herbs, crystals, lunar cycles and anything that I come across. Oh and for Phoenix, the hero of NIGHT MAGIC, I have pages of Chuck Norris jokes—Phoenix loves Chuck Norris jokes!”

It’s the original and humorous details—like the Chuck Norris jokes—that take Jen’s books a step above so many others.

NIGHT MAGIC, which will be out on March 22, is the third book in the Wing Slayer series, followed by SINFUL MAGIC on May 24th.

On NIGHT MAGIC, Jen said, “Phoenix and Ailish are special to me. They are both damaged, but they rise above their pasts and the dark torments they have suffered to fight for each other. Ailish’s blindness makes her tough and capable, and she brings the hardened and tortured Phoenix to his knees. Their story has stayed with me even though I finished writing their book nearly a year ago.”

I asked Jen what she loves most about the Wing Slayer world. “Two things come to mind: First is the magic because I truly wanted to create a world for readers who wanted a little magic in their lives. The second thing is the powerful bond between the witch and her hunter—their love is so strong, each of them would walk through flames for the other. But it’s even more than that, they learn each others darkest fears, and they do everything they can to protect their loved one from the thing that scares them most. That’s a kind of love and I hope it comes through in the Wing Slayer World.”

Finally, I asked Jen what’s one little known fact about her that she’s never shared with Murder She Writes.

“I feel like I’ve been on Murder She Writes so long that I’ve probably shared everything! My life is an open book except that I am careful to protect the privacy of my husband and kids. Okay, I’ve got an embarrassing one: In my early teens, I watched Starsky and Hutch, and had a crush on David Soul. I don’t see the appeal now!”

What’s one little known secret in your life? Embarrassing or fun or just quirky! Jen’s giving away the first Wing Slayer book, BLOOD MAGIC, to two lucky commenters.

(Aren’t these amazing covers? They look so terrific together!)

Okay there are five winners! I’ll list the answer to the questions, then the winner, then the name and email of the person the winner needs to send their mailing address to so we can send out your free books! Please put MSW Contest in the subject line.

MONDAY:

The answer is S.J. DAY (aka Sylvia Day) is joining the blog!

The winner is MAUREEN!

Maureen, please email Jen at Jenapodaca@aol.com

TUESDAY

The answer is DEBRA WEBB is joining the blog!

The winner is ALBERT TAYLOR!

Albert Taylor, please email Natalie at Nataliewrites@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY

Then answer is HEATHER GRAHAM is joining the blog!

The winner is AMANDA!

Amanda, please email Deb at Debora@Deborahleblanc.com

THURSDAY

The answer is TONI MCGEE CAUSEY is joining the blog!

The winner is JENIFER!

Jenifer, please email Allison at Allison@allisonbrennan.com

FRIDAY

The answer is ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE is joining the blog!

The winner is MARGARET GOLLA!

Margaret Golla, please email Karin at Karin@karintabke.com

Congratulations to the winners! Be sure to email your mailing addresses to the gals listed. If the email doesn’t work for some reason, email the information to Jen at Jenapodaca@aol.com and I’ll forward it.

Come back Monday and see our brand new design! Many of our new bloggers will debut this week, and the others will debut next week.

Why are we having contests this week? Why are we giving away free books as prizes? Because….

Next week, on October 6th, we are unveiling the Brand New MURDER SHE WRITES BLOG!!! Yay!!!

Okay, yeah, I’m a totally stoked about this. A few years ago, the five of us got together and decided to do a group blog. I’m not sure how long it’s been, maybe three years? In that time, many blogs have come and gone. People lose interest, careers change, conflicts happen…

But Murder She Writes has stayed strong.

Why?

Two reasons. First the five of us get along great and really enjoy working together.

The second reason? Our Blog Readers! You guys keep us alive. You’re the reason that we each try so hard to get our blog up no matter what’s happening in our lives. You all make Murder She Writes feel like a friendly, warm community where readers and writers can hang out.

So here at Murder She Writes, we had a staff meeting and asked, how can we give our readers EVEN MORE? It didn’t take us long to come up with a fabulous idea: We’re redesigning the blog, and we’re adding five more incredible, talented, smart, funny and all around awesome authors to the blog!

Now for the contest. Each day, we will give you five clues to the identity of one of the new bloggers. Today, I’m giving you five hints about the identity of the author I’ll be alternating Mondays with. The prize today will be free books from me and our new, awesome blogger! Just put your guess in the comments. From the CORRECT guesses, we will draw a winner.

So tell all your friends! Spread the word!

Ready? Let’s go! (Here’s a free hint, the blog is called Murder SHE writes, not Murder HE writes.)

Here’s the five clues to the identity of our first new blogger:

1) She learned Russian in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence.

2) In ONLY three years, she’s sold 17 books and several novellas to different publishers. Her first book was sold to Kate Duffy at Kensington Publishing for the Brava imprint.

3) Under a pen name, she has a new series coming out in 2009 from Tor-Forge, called the “Marked” series starring Evangeline Hollis. All three of the 2009 releases have “Eve” in the title.

4) She was a 2007 & 2008 RITA Finalist (Romance Writers of America) in the Best Romance Novella Category.

5) Under yet another pen name, she is writing the “Sapphire” series, starting with IN THE FLESH in June 2009 from Kensington Zebra! This woman is tireless! She’s also smart, funny, nice, and as genuine as they come!

Post your guess in the comments! Check back this weekend when we announce the winners!

I love to people-watch. I suppose most writers do. But we must talk about those Hands Free Ear Things. I see them everywhere. Last week, I was in the grocery store and heard a woman talking to herself.

But, of course, when I moved onto her aisle, I saw that she was actually talking into her earpiece. Her young daughter was wandering around the aisle, and finally, the woman yanked her back to the cart and said, “I’m talking! I can’t concentrate!”

I wanted to yank the plastic doohickey out of her ear and suggest that now she could concentrate…

But that would be wrong. I think.

Anyway, I see people everywhere I go wandering with a blank stare, talking to no one I can see.

I saw a woman in a fast food restaurant the other day who evidently could not manage to dress herself or comb her hair, but she could use the wireless ear device. Interesting.

Cell phones have made rudeness acceptable in our culture. I can’t count the times I’ve seen a customer ignore, or be rude, to the clerk helping them in a store or bank. It makes me uncomfortable. I’ve seen them YELL at the clerk for interrupting them, all the while they are holding up the line.

People think nothing of answering a cell phone during lunch with an old friend. Or even better, I was writing in Starbucks one day waiting for my son to finish up something. I saw a “business meeting” between two women. The one who asked for the business meeting kept answering her cell phone until the other woman got up and walked out. That was too funny!

But I’m sure you all have seen this too. What’s the deal with these people? My husband thinks that cell phones have become a status symbol. Look at me, I’m successful, I’m on a cell phone!

But if that’s true, why don’t truly important people act like this? My brother in law is a neurologist and he’s never rude. He has gotten calls or pages, and he always politely excuses himself and handles it. But he’s never rude.

When I spent time with my editor and agent at the RWA Conference, I never even saw their cell phones. I know they both have and use them, but they didn’t see any need to be on them 24/7.

I have a basic OLD cell phone and don’t much care. But that’s because I’m home most of the time. If I used my cell more, I’d have a better one. But to me, my cell phone is a communication tool and a convenience. I like to have it with me for security—if my car breaks down, I’ll be darned glad I have it. I don’t feel like it’s any kind of status symbol, and when I’m in public situations, I rarely use it.

So I’m wondering, what is the addiction to cell phones about? What is the social status symbol that makes people want to walk around with ear pieces that keeps them always connected? That strikes me as not so much as status symbol, but a severe kind of insecurity. Like the story my son told me about the girl complaining that she never had any fun at parties, but she sat in a corner texting all night instead of talking that the people who were at the party.

What do you all think?

I’m deep into my book and living in a state of constant terror. I am always battling to keep one step ahead of the fear that I am one chapter, one page, one paragraph, one sentence, one word away from the dreaded Career Ending Bad Book.

I don’t know how I write books.

Allison knows exactly how she does it. Why can’t I be Allison?

But I’m not, I don’t know I do it and I’m afraid to figure it out. What if I try to streamline the process and leave out the one important ingredient? You know, like the time I was talking on the phone while making banana bread and left out the flour?

Banana Brick anyone? Seriously, I could have done some serious damage with that Banana Brick.

What if I do to my book? SHUDDER!!!

And yet, once I realized HOW I screwed up the banana bread (the fact that I was not covered in flour as I usually am when I bake was a clue), I made the bread over again and it came out perfect.

Hmm…perhaps I should figure this out? You’ll be proud to know that I got myself over to Google and I stared Googling (fine Natalie, you win. The noun Google can be used as a verb).

And then I found it! The magic quiz that told me just what kind of writer I am!

I’M A PLOT WRITER!
MWHAHAHAHA!!! NOT!

Actually what I do is write a story idea or synopsis with the well know SWAG method, (Scientific Wild Ass Guess). Then I start writing the scenes and realize my science sucks, my guessing sucks and I end up swinging wildly between writing chapters and stopping to plot, then rewriting, then plotting then trying to make everyone do what they are supposed to do and…it sure as heck doesn’t FEEL like I’m a plot writer!

Okay guys, go take the quiz and come back and tell me what kind of writer you are. Here’s the link one more time http://www.quizilla.com/quizzes/99775/what-kind-of-writer-are-you