Welcome to
my blog. Today, Lawrence Kelter is my guest. Lawrence is the
author of Baby Girl Doe. Lawrence, welcome. Tell us two things about yourself that would surprise us.
1)
I was voted The Individual Least Likely to Visit
a Library while in high school. If you don’t believe me I’ll scan my high my
yearbook and post it on Facebook for the entire world to see. Just a painful
heads-up—my yearbook picture is absolutely dreadful.
2)
Nelson DeMille actually picked up a pencil and
edited portions of my first manuscript. Way before he ever said, “Lawrence
Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum,”
he said, “Kid your work needs editing, but that’s a hell of a lot better than
not having writing talent. Keep it up.” Mad props to him for being so generous
with me. I’ll always be indebted to that man.
What did you hope to accomplish with your books?
I wanted to have fun. I’ve always wanted to entertain and
creative writing is my way of doing just that. My goal is to create
page-turners; to combine, action, drama, and humor on every page. I want the
reader to have a great time, an edge-of-the-seat-glued-to-the-page experience.
That’s my mission and I literally can’t describe the rush I get when I receive
a positive review from one of my readers.
As most of us know it takes a long while to become
successful at the writing game. I’ve been at it for a long while and it took
years before I actually made any real money doing it, so … you really have to
love it. There are damn few overnight sensations in this business. You really
have to buckle down and work your butt off. I’ve kept at it because writing
brings me so much pleasure. I enjoy the creative process and there’s nothing
quite like the thrill of holding a completed book in your hands. It gives you a
real and palpable sense of accomplishment. Beyond this I feel as if the books
are memorializing my work—creating a legacy if you will.
What is the greatest test you've ever faced as a writer?
I think the greatest challenge I’ve had so far is creating a
realistic, three-dimensional female protagonist. Okay, I’ll let the cat out of
the bag … I’m not a woman. Many authors who write cross-gender try to conceal
their gender from the readers by using their initials instead of their first
name. I on the other hand … Well I just
take it on the chin—good or bad. I’ve really tried to do a good job, and feel
that if you put enough effort into your work a good author should be able to
write a male or female lead convincingly. Some of my critics have said that
Chalice is more of a male fantasy than a real woman, and others say that her
characterization is dead on. I guess it’s up to each individual reader to
decide. I’ve tried to make Stephanie Chalice an interesting detective, someone
who is bright, a wee bit headstrong, and lots of fun. Above all else I’ve given
her an intense moral code and a deep-seated sense of compassion.
When I first began to write Chalice, the character in book
#1, Don’t Close Your Eyes was a little too into herself. I’ve been criticized
for that character flaw and in retrospect understand that the criticism was
valid. The original book has recently been rewritten and I believe that the
issue has been addressed. Unfortunately those early negative reviews will live
on the Internet forever. Fortunately there are far more good one than bad.
What is the best advice you ever got about the publishing
industry?
PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE! The publishing business has
never been an easy one and it’s certainly not getting any easier. Everyone with
access to a computer is writing a book and trying to publish it. The good news
is that the basics still hold true: Get as good at your craft as humanly
possible before you enter the publishing arena. If your work is truly good and
unique it will sell. Marketing and hype are more important to your success than
every before so remember that after you type the word “END” your real job is
just beginning.
If you could meet two authors, which ones would you pick
and why?
I’d love to meet Thomas Harris, because he is the modern day
master of suspense. I’ve read Red Dragon and The Silence of The Lambs dozens of
times and I still get a chill each time. He did an incredible job and not only
in his creation of the villain/antihero Hannibal Lecter but in the chemistry
between Lecter and Starling, and Lecter and Wil Graham. The psychological
jousting between Lecter and these two is just incredible. His characterization of
Lecter must be the most imitated in the last twenty years. I see the kernel of
his work in almost every TV crime show I watch.
I’d also like to meet Janet Evanovich because we share the
same crazy sense of humor. My Stephanie (Chalice that is), like Plum has a
nonstop sense of humor. I think a partnership of the two would make for some
hilarious albeit suspenseful tales. I was ever so jealous when she chose Lee
Goldberg to co-write the Kate O’Hare series.
Lawrence, thank you so much for answering my questions. Readers, we need a blub and excerpt.
Blurb:
Everyone
deserves a well-earned vacation, don’t they? Guess again!
Plans
have been made and the bags are packed but Detective Stephanie Chalice is
having about as much fun as Michael Vick at an ASPCA fundraiser.
The
new story finds Chalice and Lido on the East End of Long Island, vacationing
with Max, their new arrival. Things go wrong from the very start. Their
vacation rental burns to the ground, bodies pile up, and just to make things
interesting Lido . . . Well, I’ll just leave it to you to find out.
Chalice
may be out of her jurisdiction but she's never out of questions or
determination and soon connects two unsolved homicides. As always, the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts and her initial findings plunge her deeper
and deeper into the most extraordinary investigation of her career.
EXCERPT:
I zigzagged
between the two opposing lanes of traffic as I gave pursuit.
He was in a
flat-out run, but I was not going to be beaten. Not now, not with Gus’ captor
in sight. I reached down deep and found an extra gear, one that I didn’t know
existed. I was running so fast, I felt as if I could take off. I was closing in
on him: two yards behind . . . one .
I lunged and
took him down by the ankles. As he attempted to kick free, I pounced upon him,
fists flying. I hauled back and was ready to pummel him when I froze. “You?
It’s you?” The face I was about to strike was one I had seen before, but looked
nothing like the person I had seen on the ladder outside my bedroom window.
This man was the one who told me there was absolutely nothing suspicious about
the fire the day I first inspected the remains of Bill Alden’s cottage. Two
bodies, burnt beyond recognition—now I understood who would use that specific
MO. Dummy, you couldn’t make the connection?
“You son of a
bitch.” I heard the sound of others running toward me, but my fist was
clenched.
“Chalice,
we’ve got him,” Ambler said. “Don’t!”
There was no
force on heaven or earth strong enough to keep me from striking him, this man
who had turned my family’s world upside down and put my husband’s life at risk.
I drove my fist into his jaw and heard it crack. I was ready to hit him again
when someone grabbed my arm. I looked up and saw Gus. His cheek was swollen,
and there was dried blood on his face.
“Thanks,
babe,” he said, “I’ll take it from here.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
A
resident New Yorker, Kelter often uses Manhattan and Long Island as backdrops
for his stories. He is the author of the Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series and
other works of fiction.
Early
in his writing career, he received support from best-selling novelist, Nelson
DeMille, who reviewed his work and actually put pencil to paper to assist in
the editing of the first novel. When completed, DeMille said, “Lawrence Kelter
is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum.”
His
novels are quickly paced and feature a twist ending.
www.lawrencekelter.com,
www.facebook.com/larrykelter,
Lawrence will be awarding a $25 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour and 5 runners up with receive an autographed print copy of the book (US and Canada only). Enter to win at http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43493
