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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Meet Author Alicia Dean.



I’d like you all to meet my friend Alicia Dean. We met after I found out about a truly helpful group she started called “Authors Helping Authors”—what a great opportunity to work with such talented and generous people and she is extremely generous with her time. Alicia and I discovered a mutual passion, Major League Baseball. Even though we don’t root for the same teams, I like her anyway. :)
 
Please welcome Alicia Dean.


Alicia, please tell us a little about yourself.

I’m divorced with three grown children. I live in Edmond, Oklahoma where I’m a legal assistant for a family law firm, in addition to being a writer. I’m a huge Elvis Presley fan, and I love MLB and the NFL. If you look closely, you’ll see a reference to one or all three in pretty much everything I write. If I could, I would divide all my time between writing, watching my favorite television shows-such as Dexter, Vampire Diaries, Justified, and True Blood-and reading my favorite authors...Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Lisa Gardner to name a few.

What’s your latest project?

My suspense short story, Thicker than Water just came out with The Wild Rose Press. It’s part of a collaboration with my fellow OKRWA chapter members. A group of us wrote (or are writing), short stories with the common thread of an ancient cursed doll and--other than the originating story which took place in the early 1700’s--the stories are all set in or have ties to Oklahoma. The stories span all genres, so there isn’t always a paranormal theme. The doll can just be considered ‘bad luck’ or just a prop in the story where the legend is mentioned; All those who betray you will suffer. Only true love can break the curse…So far, we’ve had 8 stories accepted, if I’m not mistaken. Most of these were by previously unpublished authors. It’s been an amazing, fun experience for everyone involved.

I also recently released Lady in the Mist, a gothic mystery novella under the pen name, Winter Frost. Author, Mel Odom, and I plan to write a series of gothic mystery novellas under the same pen name, and the first one out is my story.

I’m currently working on a sequel to Soul Seducer.

I thoroughly enjoying three of your books. Death Notice and Soul Seducer are a mystery and a paranormal, respectively. Lady in the Mist reminds me of Victoria Holt’s gothic mysteries (one of my favorite genres). I love the cover for Thicker Than Water. That's definitely on my To Read list. What draws you to write in different genres?

Partly the challenge, and partly because it allows me to write the kind of stories I love to read. My favorite genres are Suspense, Paranormal and Gothic, so it just makes sense to write them.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve wanted to be a writer as far back as I can remember, probably when I first discovered stories like Pippi Longstockings and Amelia Bedelia. I wrote my first romance when I was around 10 or 11.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Very haphazard. :) I’m involved in so many different projects and with my full-time job, in addition to being an editor, I just have to grab time when I can. My favorite time to write is in the mornings, but I don’t always get up early enough to write before time to leave for my day job. I do most of my writing on the weekends.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

They just pop into my head. Sometimes I’ll read a news story that will trigger an idea, but usually, I have an idea of what kind of story I want to write, and I mentally consider several scenarios until something pulls at me.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing (besides watching Major League Baseball)?

I love to read, I used to play golf, but haven’t in a long time. I’d like to get back to that. I enjoy watching television in general, not just MLB. :) I enjoy hanging out with my kids, my writer friends and other friends, and my family.

Where can readers can find you?

On Twitter: @Alicia_Dean_
They can email me at: AliciaMDean@aol.com

Now for a treat. Here are blurbs about Alicia's latest releases.

Lady in the Mist:

Upon her arrival in Shoal Harbor, Maine, Lily Jackson hears eerie moans that the locals claim are the ghostly cries of the unfortunate Breckenridge women. Running from loss and setback in Cincinnati, Lily needs the job as semi-psychiatric caregiver for Andrew Breckenridge, but the storm she has to weather from the oldest Breckenridge brother is severe. Clinton Breckenridge is a brooding man used to getting his own way, and he’s not convinced Lily is the right person to help his troubled younger brother.

Even as Lily starts picking up the pieces of Andrew’s tortured psyche and finding out his dark secrets, another mystery looms before her. Andrew’s lover has gone missing in recent months and no one knows what has happened to her, or if her voice has joined those of the other Breckenridge women. Before she knows it, Lily finds herself in danger—thrust directly into the eye of the raging storm.

Lady in the Mist is available for:


And now for Thicker than Water:

Sometimes, secrets refuse to stay buried--

A ten-year-old accidental killing and an ancient cursed doll are only part of Julia Bennett’s problems. When she returns to her hometown of Covington, Oklahoma for an old friend’s funeral, she’s thrust into the middle of a murder case--and discovers she never stopped loving her high school sweetheart.

Jake Devlin is now the sheriff of Covington and faced with solving a murder. He isn’t surprised to find Julia in the middle of things. She still seems like the troublemaker whose reckless mistake caused a man’s death years ago--and who broke his heart when she left him without so much as a goodbye.

Jake makes it clear he’s over her, and Julia can’t wait to leave Covington behind. But when another friend dies, she knows she must stay. Can they put the past behind them and stop a killer before he claims another victim?

Thicker Than Water is available at:

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Ny9ptx


Alicia, thanks for coming. It’s been great getting to know you better.

20 comments:

  1. I'm amazed you get so much done in addition to working a 9 to 5 job! I also appreciate all you do for AHA. Your books sound wonderful and as soon as I master the art of time management, I'd like to read some of them. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Alicia, it's great to learn more about you. You do SO much. Wow! Thank you for all you do with AHA. All the best!

    And thanks for hosting her, Diane!

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  3. I don't know how you do it all! I'm tired just reading about your work day. Best wishes. You're a teriffic writer. I'm sure we will see you around for a long time...

    Jody Lebel, Author

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  4. Wow Alicia...you are one busy lady. I'm impressed at all that you manage and have accomplised!

    Love the blurbs for your books...they all sound fantastic!

    Congrats on your many successes!

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  5. I've got to read Thicker Than Water. Sounds like my type of book! Best of luck with all your many projects!

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  6. Thank you, Christine and Jannine (wow, that rhymes ). I hope you enjoy the books if you get a chance to check them out.

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  7. Great interview and all great stories from Alicia (I've read all but SD and LitM)! But you're missing another great read, Diane. Death Notice has a bk 2- Death Offerings is another hit! :) Congrats Alicia!

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  8. Hi Fierce,

    Missed your comment, sorry. The collaboration was/is SO much fun. It's been an amazing experience. Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. Very thorough interview, Diane. Good job.

    Rohn Federbush

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  10. I can't believe how many people have stopped by already. It's a testament to you, Alicia. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to comment.

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  11. Hi Diane...I know a lot of wonderful people, that's why. :-) Plus, you did a fantastic interview. I really appreciate you having me on your blog.

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  12. Uh oh. I posted a comment first thing this morning, but I see it didn't show up. I don't want you early posters to think I ignored you. :-) Patricia, Jessica, Jody...thanks so much for your comments. I think I said something to the effect of, "I must not be all that 'on the ball' since you ladies got here before I did.'

    Calisa, thank you for your kind words about my writing...and for mentioning Death Offerings. It means a lot to me that you like my books and that you've been my Beta reader on some. You've been such a tremendous help.

    If I missed anyone else, sorry...I appreciate each and every one of you!

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  13. Diane and Alicia,

    First to Diane, thank you for bringing us this great interview with Alicia.

    To Alicia, Love Winter Frost as a pen name! I am very happy for your success, several books out at once. I appreciate that you are very giving to other authors. While I don't share you love of MLB, as promised, I'll look into tickets for next July, however, golf is a game I love. We need an authors women's golf team. :-)
    Linda Joyce

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  14. Hi there, ladies. I'm very pleased to get to know more about you, Alicia. Like others have already said you're doing a great job with AHA, and it's very much appreciated!

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  15. Hi Linda...yes, looking forward to taking in an MLB game with you, even if you won't enjoy it as much as I will. I think an author's golf team would be fantastic, but the commute for all of us might be a bit difficult. :-) Thanks for the kind words...talk to you soon!

    Nancy, you're sweet. I'm happy to do what I do for AHA. You guys are pretty great too!

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  16. Hey! There was no Elvis reference in your gothic mystery, Lady in the Mist! LOL Love your books, Alicia, and looking forward to more.
    -R.T. Wolfe
    www.rtwolfe.com
    Black Creek Burning (Crimson Romance, September 2012)

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  17. Alicia, it's been great having you here. To everyone who commented, thanks so much. I'm heading to bed but you all can party on without me. :) Have a good night.

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  18. You have awesome titles, Alicia!! And covers! Definitely adding you to my TBR list! Thanks so much for sharing with us and nice meeting you :)

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  19. I think Alicia is busier than me! And that's saying something.

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  20. LOL, R.T., I was very sneaky. Her music box played 'Can't Help Falling in Love' - I wrote this as part of a project with Mel Odom so I had to be subtle.

    Thanks so much, Jennifer. Hope you enjoy.

    So true, Kathy. Although, I'd say we're neck and neck.

    Thanks to all for stopping by!

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