Author Patricia Rockwell.......by Joyce oroz

Patricia Rockwell is our wonderful guest writer today. She is the owner of Cozy Cat Press, a small publishing company specializing in and limited to Cozy mysteries. (Mysteries in the old tradition--nice clean murder, not too bloody and sex and bad language are out.) She has corralled 27 writers into her cozy coral, including me. We are a happy bunch, since Patricia knows how to get our books into the market place quickly and lookin' good!          

Patricia is a fabulous and proficient writer. I recently ask her a few questions about her life's story, and now I will share her answers with you.                                      

Was there someone, something or an event in your life that set you on the road to being an author?

Patricia, "No one particular event. I've always loved reading--and mostly murder mysteries. Agatha Christie was always a favorite. I liked the convoluted but gentle plots (which I now know are cozies). I often thought that once I retired I might try my hand at writing a cozy and when I did, I discovered that I loved it!"

What do you like about writing and what bugs you about it?

2. I love the creative part about writing. I'm a very organized person so I like to prepare my outline in advance and then just let it flow once I actually start writing. There's not much that bugs me. Maybe with as many books as I have in each of my two series, one problem is keeping track of all of my characters. For instance, if I have one of my minor characters die in book #3, then he can't pop up again in book #4.

How long have you been writing books and what other writing do you do?

 I've been writing cozy mysteries since I retired--about three years ago. My first book SOUNDS OF MURDER was published in 2010. However, before that, in my career as a Communication professor and researcher, I wrote a LOT--mostly research papers that were published in academic journals and a few scholarly books.

Please tell us about your protagonist. Is she--he a lot like you? What are his--her assets and weaknesses?

I have two series, so I have two protagonists. Pamela Barnes is my amateur sleuth in my acoustic mystery series. She is a Psychology professor at a small southern university (she is actually me) and solves murders using sound clues which was my own research area. My other protagonist is Essie Cobb in my senior sleuth mystery series. She is a ninety-year-old resident of the Happy Haven Assisted Living Facility and she and her fellow residents solve mysteries there. She is based on my own mother who was quite a gal.

What do you like to do when you are not writing? 

 When not writing, I love to travel--especially by car, train, and ship. I hate planes and will not fly. I like to read (obviously) and exercise (especially walking). However, running my company Cozy Cat Press takes up most of my time.

Patricia, where can we find your books?

 All of the books in both of my series are available at Amazon in both print and ebook and at Smashwords, CreateSpace, and Barnes and Noble. My blog is www.PatriciaRockwellAuthor.com and my FB page is: www.facebook.com/PatriciaRockwellAuthor and I also have an author page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003MR9BMG

Thank you Patricia--happy writing!

Artist of the Month for August..........by Joyce Oroz

The Dragonfly Gallery “Artist of the Month” for August is Joyce Oroz, muralist and author. Usually it’s my friends on the hot seat. Since I am on the hot seat this time, I will share a former interview with you.

      

At age twelve, I was painting in oils and writing poems while normal children socialized with each other. I was a female nerd full of pre-teen feelings of inferiority. A bazillion years later, after raising a family, working at my commercial art/mural business and taking creative writing classes on the side, I finally wrote and illustrated my first children’s book. And then I wrote twenty-six more stories, but my dream was to write a novel. After watching my husband write a book, I decided to give it my best shot. Now that I’m practically ready for the rocking chair, I am busier than ever, writing mystery novels, and enjoying country life in Aromas with my husband and golden lab.

Going back to twelve years old, I loved reading Nancy Drew Mysteries and read every one the library had. The Nancy Drew seed was planted, but the seed didn’t sprout until I read my first Janet Evanovich mystery ten years ago. I tried to write like Janet, but only she can pull it off. Only she can blow up Stephanie’s vehicles every other day and make it seem normal. But she had set me to writing, and because I love to read mysteries, I decided to write one of my own.

For me, the middle of the book is always the most difficult to write. I generally know how the story begins and how it ends, but there are a couple hundred pages in the middle I know nothing about. I try to let the story pull me along and take me to surprising places. If I relax and shake-off my writer’s block, the story will usually go where it needs to go.

One day I had an epiphany. If I could write one page a day, in one year I would have a complete novel. Secure the Ranch was born nine months after that idea was conceived. But the rewrites lasted two years! I average two hours of writing, six days a week, forever and ever. I look forward to it, even though it’s sometimes frustrating. But when a workable idea makes it way into my brain, it’s all worth it.

As a former mural artist, I enjoy designing and orchestrating the creation of murals in every corner of Aromas. Two new murals will be coming to town very soon!

I hope you enjoy my first four books, Secure the Ranch, Read My Lipstick, Shaking in Her Flip Flops and my newest book, Cuckoo Clock Caper, published by Cozy Cat Press.

I will be signing books at the Dragonfly Gallery, 380 Blohm Ave. Aromas on Aromas Day, Sunday, August 25^th  

12:00 to 4:00.