Secret Lives and Private Eyes
by Heather Weidner
Heather Weidner has written a delightful mystery that will keep the reader glued to their seats, breathlessly turning the pages as the story weaves its way to its heart racing conclusion.
~My Funny View of Life
A strong plot with impressive characters set in Richmond, Virginia. I call this one a perfect escape!
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
Secret Lives and Private Eyes
Paperback
Publisher: Koehler Books (June 20, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-1633932562
Synopsis
Business has been slow for Private Investigator Delanie Fitzgerald, but her luck seems to change when a tell-all author hires her to find rock star Johnny Velvet. Could the singer—whose career purportedly ended in a fiery crash almost thirty years ago—still be alive?
As if sifting through dead ends in a cold case isn’t bad enough, Delanie is hired by loud-mouth strip club owner Chaz Wellington Smith, III, to uncover information about the mayor’s secret life. When the mayor is murdered, Chaz becomes the key suspect, and Delanie must clear his name. She also has to figure out why a landscaper keeps popping up in her other investigation. Can the private investigator find the connection between the two cases before another murder—possibly her own—takes place?
Secret Lives and Private Eyes is a fast-paced mystery that will appeal to readers who like a strong, female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of difficult, and sometimes humorous, situations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather’s short stories appear in Virginia is for Mysteries
Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. She currently lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers. She is a member of Sisters in Crime International, Guppies, and Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia. She is currently President of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia.
I Read What You Write’s Interview
To start with can you tell us a little about yourself and the project we are seeing today/ You are promoting today?
Thank you so much for letting me visit with you. I’m Heather Weidner, and my debut novel is Secret Lives and Private Eyes. My short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series. Through the years, I have been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.
1. What advice do you have for new authors, like me?
Don’t give up! The publication journey is often a long one. You need to be persistent. Writing is hard work. But it’s worth it!
2. What is the first book that you remember reading?
My early favorites were The Monster at the End of the Book, The Wind in the Willows, Charlotte’s Web, and Green Eggs and Ham. My favorite mysteries in elementary school were Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Agatha Christie novels, and Alfred Hitchcock stories.
3. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I was surprised at how much marketing is involved with being an author. I have to balance my writing and marketing time.
4. Who is your favorite character in the book you are sharing with us today?
I love my sleuth, Delanie Fitzgerald. She’s a sassy and spunky private eyes who always has adventures. I also like her partner, computer hacker, Duncan Reynolds, and his English bulldog Margaret.
5. What would your dream library look like?
It would be three or four stories tall with sliding ladders and floor-to-ceiling shelves. It would also have lots of comfy chairs and reading nooks. And my two dogs would want big, fluffy pillows for lounging by the window.
6. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I start out as a plotter by outlining and taking tons of notes. Then when I start writing, I go where the story and characters take me like a pantser (folks who write by the seat of their pants). I think I know where the story is going, but sometimes, it surprises me.
7. What is your all-time favorite book or author?
I have way too many to list just one. My top five are: Dr. Seuss, F. Scott Fitzgerald, O’Henry, Ernest Hemingway, and Harper Lee.
8. Name three fun facts about you or your work.
My sleuth, Delanie, lives in a Sears Catalog house from 1939. People used to order the kit from Sears, and it would arrive by rail, ready to be assembled.
My character and I both drive Mustangs. Hers is black, and mine is silver.
Two crazy Jack Russell Terriers, Disney and Riley live at our house, and I bounce plot and character ideas off of them all the time. They’re great listeners.
9. If you had a secret room that opened by pulling a book on a shelf, what book would you choose?
It would be The Secret Garden. I loved that book in elementary school, and that would be a perfect choice for a hidden lever.
10. How do you write your books?
I work full-time, so I write whenever I get the chance. My co-workers think it’s funny that I write during lunch in the cafeteria.
I usually start with an outline and descriptions of all my characters. Then I write the first draft. By the fourth draft, I take it to my critique group. By the sixth or seventh draft, I sent it to a line-editor. After that, it’s ready for submission to my publisher. (Then it goes through several more rounds of editing.)
Author Links
Website & Blog: http://www.heatherweidner.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherWeidner1
FB: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherWeidnerAuthor?ref=hl
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/crazyforwords13/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_mystery_writer/
Google+ : https://plus.google.com/+HeatherWeidner
Purchase Links
Tour Participants
June 16 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
June 16 – Author Spotlight – SPOTLIGHT
June 17 – My Funny View of Life – REVIEW
June 18 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
June 19 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
June 20 – Babs Book Bistro – GUEST POST
June 21 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
June 22 – Lori’s Reading Corner – GUEST POST
June 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
June 24 – Omnimystery News – INTERVIEW
June 24 – Author Annette Drake’s blog – SPOTLIGHT
June 25 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, INTERVIEW – unable to post
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Thank you!
I can’t wait to read this book!
Thank you so much for my prize. I’m looking forward to reading Secret Lives and Private Eyes.