As promised, I am sharing some great writers, and friends, with you. Not all write cozy mystery, but that’s okay. Lets broaden our minds. Each author was given a list of questions that they could choose from. Some of the answers are very interesting. I’m enjoying finding out about these authors and I hope you will too.

  About Heather…

Glitter, Glam, and Contraband is Heather Weidner’s third novel in the Delanie Fitzgerald series. Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, and Deadly Southern Charm. Her novellas appear in The Mutt Mysteries series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia, Guppies, International Thriller Writers, and James River Writers.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan University and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager.

Heather’s choice of questions and her answers…

When did you start writing? I have been writing since elementary school. I didn’t have any fiction published until I was in my 40’s. I did have some non-fiction credits, and I was a technical writer for many years.

Describe your writing space. I usually write at my desk in my home office. It’s in front of a big window that looks out at the tops of the trees in the woods behind our house. My desk is cluttered, and there are lots of sticky notes about plot ideas, cool character names, and ways to knock off people (in fiction).

What is your work schedule like when you are writing? My day gig is in IT, so I get up early to write. I also try to write at lunch and at night and on weekends.

How do you do research for your books? I’m a “CK” (cop’s kid). I thought everyone grew up talking about murder and mayhem at the dinner table. It wasn’t until college that I realized murder wasn’t always a good dinner topic. I do a lot of research online. My dad is retired now from the force, but he’s a great resource for a lot of questions. I am also part of a wonderful organization, Sisters in Crime, and our local chapter has programs with writers, agents, and law enforcement. Social media is also a great way to find out information. I’ve always been able to find an expert who was willing to answer my questions. For my latest Delanie Fitzgerald mystery, Glitter, Glam, and Contraband, I had to do some research on drag shows, contraband reptiles, Poe, and historic time capsules. I love the research part. My writer friend, Rosemary Shomaker, got a group of us together to go to the dragshow in Richmond at Godfrey’s. I had so much fun, and the gals were so helpful when they found out we were writers. The snake research was a little creepy. It still gives me the heebee jeebies.

On a typical day, how much time do you spend writing? I’m a binge writer. I try to write every day, but sometimes life gets in the way. Typically, I write in the mornings and evenings. I try to write during my lunch hour too. I tend to write more on the weekends.

Do you write while listening to music? If so, what music inspired or accompanied this current book? I always have some kind of music playing when I write or edit. I have playlists for all my books. I like all kinds of music, but I’m an 80’s girl, so I always have a special place in my heart for that decade. I usually listen to loud music when I’m writing and classical or jazz when I’m editing.

What are you reading now? Right now, I’m reading K. L. Murphy’s A Guilty Mind. I love her Detective Cancini mysteries.

How many bookshelves are in your house? Way too many. My TBR (to be read pile) is a bookshelf. There are at least three bookcases in the den, living room, office, and bedrooms. 

How long, on average, does it take you to write a book? My first book took five years to write, and then it was another year for editing/revising before the book was published. I’m getting faster. Last year, I wrote a novella, two short stories, a nonfiction article, and two novels. This year, I’ve written two short stories and a novella. I’m working on a cozy novel that I hope to finish by summer.

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Connect with Heather at any of these sites: Website and Blog , Twitter  , Facebook   instagram  , Goodreads  , Amazon Authors  , Pinterest  , LinkedIn , BookBub  , AllAuthor  YouTube

Well, I hope you enjoyed meeting Heather!

Victoria LK Williams