Author Interview

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a cozy mystery author and have written The Pecan Bayou and Piney Woods Series. I love to write about little towns in Texas.

What are three things most people don’t know about you?
I used to be an English teacher, but for the last twenty years, I have enjoyed teaching preschoolers music on a part-time basis.

My dad was in the army, but after he retired our family moved to Colorado.

I love to play video games. Stardew Valley is my favorite.

What is the first book you remember reading?

The Bobbsey Twins

What are you reading now?

The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen.

What made you decide to write?
I always wanted to write, but like many people, it was one of those things that I was going to do someday. I didn’t get serious about it until my forties and then I couldn’t read enough about writing. From there, I just enjoyed writing and have done it ever since. Pecan Bayou mystery came out in 2011 that was when I got serious about writing.

Do you have a special place to write?
I write mostly in my office. I have to have quiet when I write. How else will I hear all those voices in my head? I could never write successfully in a coffee shop. Writers are observers, and there are just too many interesting things and people to observe in a place like that.

Where do you get ideas for your books?
I collect news clippings from interesting stories I see. Oh Holy Fright was inspired by a mailman in Italy. That’s all I’ll tell you.

What books have an inspired you most?
I love the book Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg. She inspires me both as a person and as a writer. Every time I finish one of her books I say to my husband, when I grow up, I want to write like that. She beautifully portrays an idealistic view of small town living with a hilarious dose of humor. I know I should have named a mystery writer here but for me the small-town figures prominently in storytelling. My books are not police procedurals. They are normal people you would meet anywhere who are dealing with a crisis.

Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?
When I first started writing, I would get into that middle of the book slump. You have great ideas for the story in the first half and the ending, but in the middle, it’s hard to know how to connect the two pieces. I finally figured out I needed to develop my story more fully through outlining and planning.

What do you think makes a good story?
A story needs to have a mystery that is complex enough of a puzzle to be a challenge, but it also needs to have a heart. That heart comes from the town and the characters and the things they’re going through while the mystery unfolds.

Which of all your characters you think is most like you?
When I first started writing, I would have said, Betsy, the main character and a helpful hints columnist. My life was where she was and still is. Now that I’m older and my children are now adults, I identify with Aunt Maggie. Her son Danny is at home as I have my son Andrew. Danny goes to day habilitation during the day, and so does my son. In the beginning, Aunt Maggie was more, my mother and my aunt.

Why did you pick your particular genre?
Can I answer this with I’m no good at romance writing? It would be the truth. Seriously though, I have always enjoyed a good mystery, and a mystery can exist in anything from a western, to science fiction, to police procedural to what I write- cozies.

What makes your books different from all others out there in this genre?
I think my readers I have come to love my characters like family. Readers ask me if certain characters will have bigger roles in the next book. I also try to make sure there is an act of kindness in every book.

What’s next on the horizon for you?
I have another Piney Woods mystery, A Sneeze to Die For, coming out in January 2019 with Camel Press. This is the second book in my hotel series. A cat convention has come to the Tunie Hotel in Piney Woods, Texas and my main character, Nora, is allergic to cats.

About the Book

Oh Holy Fright (Pecan Bayou Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Self Published (October 31, 2018)
Number of Pages: 255
ASIN: B07JFNSC11

It’s Christmas in Pecan Bayou, Texas. Join Betsy (aka The Happy Hinter) for a good old small-town Christmas complete with Christmas carols, over the top light displays, delicious food, loving friends and…a Christmas Creeper. One of the residents of Pecan Bayou has a secret and you’d better lock the door because that isn’t Santa out there or even a stray elf. Enjoy spending Christmas with the town and family you’ve come to know in the Pecan Bayou Series.

Recipes and helpful hints included!

Praise for Oh Holy Fright (Pecan Bayou Mystery)
by Teresa Trent

I enjoyed meeting Betsy, the “Happy Hinter” and her family and friends living in Pecan Bayou.
~Carla Loves To Read

If you want a funny and cute holiday-themed mystery, this is your book! Trust me, you will be as excited as I was to visit this book and series. It is light-hearted, fun and mysterious, just in time for Christmas!
~Bibliophile Reviews

The Pecan Bayou Series brings cozy mysteries in the kind of town where readers wish they could live. Teresa Trent has a gentle writing style to keep her fans turning the pages in delight and intrigue.
~Mallory Heart’s Cozies

About the Author

Teresa Trent writes humorous cozy mysteries that take place in the small towns of Texas. Her Pecan Bayou series features Betsy, the town’s helpful hints columnist who seems to spend a lot of time getting out blood stains.   Teresa’s Piney Woods Series with Camel Press takes place in an East Texas hotel and features Nora, a redhead with an eye for crime.

Teresa loves to feature other cozy authors and cozy giveaways on her blog.   Join over a thousand people who follow her at teresatrent.blog.

Click here to sign up for her mailing list to find out about new releases,
giveaways and visiting authors!

Author Links

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• Purchase Link:  Amazon -THIS BOOK IS FREE TODAY!! Be sure to get your copy!!

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OH HOLY FRIGHT TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 23 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
November 23 – Varietats – SPOTLIGHT
November 23 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
November 23 – Carla Loves to Read – REVIEW
November 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 24 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 24 – Mythical Books – SPOTLIGHT
November 24 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
November 24 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT
November 25 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT  
November 25 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
November 25 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
November 25 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 25 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW  
November 26 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
November 26 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 26 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 26 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
November 27 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
November 27 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
November 27 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 27 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT
November 27 – Books Direct – GUEST POST

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