Writer Wednesday: The Generous Heart of T.K. Richardson

Often writers can be generous sorts, using their words to back causes and to raise money for charities. (They are a very cool, often socially aware group. Love it!) T.K. Richardson is no exception. In fact, I think this doll could be a poster girl for generosity.

You may recall T.K. from a previous interview some time ago while she was searching for an agent for her fantastic young adult book “Return the Heart.” Since then, she has been very busy writing and selling her books on her own. Not only that, she’s been putting her heart into a few worthy causes.

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Without further ado, here’s T.K.:

You’ve been incredibly busy since the last time you were a guest. You have self-published your YA novel, “Return the Heart” and have book two (“Shield the Heart”) in that series coming out later this year as well as a novelette, “Courtship and the Kremlin.” You have also published a cookbook for teens (“Simmer: Recipes for the Teen Palate”), an anthology of poems (“Imagine: Poems and Short Stories”), created a Writers Resource Directory and a nonprofit organization called Partners In Print. As well, you will be appearing in an anthology of short stories called “Love, Me” which is due out this week.

“Love, Me” is an anthology of short stories of young love. Were you romantic as a teen?

Oh, I don’t know… I think all teens are to some degree. But Love, Me is really a special project. The profits will go to CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for their work with kids in the foster care system. It goes along quite nicely with my nonprofit Partners in Print, a book donation program for foster children. Love, Me features some fantastic YA authors, too: Sarah Tregay, Shana Norris, Ela Lond, Amy Kinzer, Emily Ann Ward and me. I’m excited to see it come out this week. It’s an anthology of short romance stories for teens and it’s just in time for Valentine’s Day.

How does a teen cookbook differ from a ‘regular’ cookbook? What were some challenges in making this book for teens? (And I’m sure people want to know: Are there any secret family recipes/family favourites inside?)

I think what makes Simmer unique from a regular cookbook is that the recipes are set up differently. They’re the same recipes that I use, only I have the directions set up in step-by-step easy to follow ways. Where an adult would know what to do from one step to the next, beginning cooks don’t. And I think that’s what sets Simmer apart. And yes, there are some secret family recipes in the cookbook! The Peanut Butter Pies recipe is from my mother in law. It’s a family favorite at all holiday gatherings and I highly recommend it.

“Return the Heart” and “Shield the Heart” have a touch of Russian history. You are interested in some Russian authors as well. How did you become interested in Russian history?

When I first started reading Russian lit I was hooked. I spent more than 10 years reading nothing but Russian authors and literature to understand the finer points and the ‘hidden’ meanings to many of the stories I had to study their history to find out. After so many years, it was just a part of me, and I think this just naturally came out in my writing. But using Russian lit and history in a series for young adults was a surprising turn of events. I hope the stories I write will draw my readers to look deeper into the books that have inspired me.

Tell us a bit about Partners in Print.

Partners In Print is a grass roots book donation program that began in March of 2010 with an initial book drive that produced 422 books. Since that time we donated over 2,000 books to kids in foster care and we’ve recently opened our very own little book cottage where children in the foster care system can come and “shop” for free books. It’s truly a labor of love that keeps me connected to this silent community.

How can readers get involved with Partners In Print?

Our main goal is to encourage everyone to donate in their own communities. Most places have agencies that help children in the system and Partners in Print would like to reach all children. But we can only do that with the help of people in every community. It’s so easy to gather a few books together and donate, too. It promotes local communities and helps some of the most forgotten children. But for those who are unable to do that, we gladly take book donations and give them away on your behalf. Our mailing address is Partners In Print PO Box 82432 Bakersfield CA USA 93380

Foster children seem to have a special place in your heart with Partners in Print donating books to children in foster care, as well as donating the proceeds from the short story anthology (“Love, Me”) going to those who advocate for foster children in the courts. How did your passion for foster children come about?

My husband and I were foster parents for many years and during that time we cared for more than 100 abused and neglected children. Since we no longer foster, Partners In Print is our way of continuing to help children in out of home placement. It’s our way of still caring for them. Whether it’s donating books, or lending my writing to a book where the proceeds help their cause – it’s all with one goal in mind: give children hope, give them a voice, and give them a strong foundation to grow from. Books are a wonderful tool in the process.

What is on your bedside table right now?

My Bible, Crime and Punishment by Dostoevky, and Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol.

As a lover of play and fresh air, I ask, what is your thing to do out of doors?

Oh, I’d have to say taking long walks outdoors. I just love soaking in the views.

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Thanks, T.K.!

I have to say, T.K. is one of the busiest writers I know. You can find out more about her books and ordering them right here. You can also visit her gorgeous website and blog. Partners In Print as well as her Writer’s Resource Directory (you might even find a blog post written by yours truly!).

P.S. Love the cover designs!

Interview With Author Jeff Lee!

A few years ago, I met Jeff Lee, California writer with a high quirk factor, over on AgentQuery Connect.

Writer Jeff Lee

Turns out… he’s published one of his hilarious books over on Amazon! Of course, I ran right out (ok, I clickety-click-clicked really quickly) and bought his ebook, The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour. And then I read it. And laughed. And laughed, and smiled. And had a good time. After that, I got talking to Jeff over Facebook and email and here is the result:

Jean: You have been compared to Christopher Moore, Fannie Flag, Douglas Adams, and other such quirky writers. How does it feel to be likened to such literary greats?

Jeff: To be honest, sometimes it itches. Actually, it’s both wonderful and humbling at the same time.

Jean: Are you as quirky in real life as you are on the page?

Jeff: Not really. I’m still the same inveterate wise-ass, but my quirkiness index has been dampened by 30 some-odd years of real life, full time professional employment. Although, I would still jump at the chance to walk into an elevator full of attorneys, wearing my loudest Hawaiian shirt and drenched in patchouli oil.

Jean: What is the craziest/strangest/most amusing thing that has happened to you while writing or selling The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour?

Jeff: Farewell Tour ended up in front of reading group in Wisconsin, who ripped me a new aperture over the antics of my main characters. Apparently, the Land of 10,000 Lakes simply isn’t zoned for that sort of behavior.

Jean: Who is your favourite character and why? (You can have more than one favourite—I know I’d have a tough time choosing.)

Jeff: That’s a tough one. I usually find something to love about all my characters, even a waste of skin like Jack Thibideau. But my faves in Farewell Tour would have to be Francine, Kay and her elephant-loving, former Green Beret turned large animal vet boyfriend, Bob. Plus Gordon, the dentally-challenged maitre ‘d and his yeti of an executive chef wife, Ruby. And Fish, Kenny and Einstein, the tattooed, graduate degree sporting biker/repo men. (I fell so in love with those three that I actually gave them their own book. It’s the sequel to TLTCFT, titled Hair of the Dog.

Jean: What was the funnest (Yes, ‘funnest’ is a word! Okay, not really, but it should be!) part to write in The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour?

Jeff: I love creating places that couldn’t possibly exist, and then peopling them with characters who, while maybe a little tough to take, are lovable in their own right. Like the towns of Eudell and Hanley, Idaho. And Farely Kuzmik, the homicide detective who had seen one too many episodes of Miami Vice. And leave us not forget the honorable Humboldt Troutwire, the irascible and seriously constipated trial judge. What can I say? I tend to run with a nutsy, and thankfully, fictional crowd.

Jean: If you could be more like one of your characters in The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour, who would it be and why?

Jeff: Fish, hands down. He’s actually a composite of all the things I like about myself, or wish I had more of.

Jean: This story is hilarious and full of all sorts of crazy events and happenings. Have you ‘borrowed’ events, characters, etc., from real life?

Jeff: Jack Thibideau and Vonda were based on a couple I met several years ago. They were both pretty well-lubricated 24/7, and the husband was actually selling bogus annuities to his friends to support the two of them.

Jean: Do you ever make yourself laugh when you write? (It’s okay to answer honestly, we won’t think you’re full of yourself or completely deluded—unless, of course, the answer is no.)

Jeff: I’ve been known to chuckle from time to time while I’m writing, sure. But if I break into outright laughter while I’m at the keyboard, I usually stop and check what I just wrote, for fear of having done something horribly wrong, like insulting yet another Republican.

Jean: Fish (the repo man/lawyer) beats the crap out of his beloved Harley in The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour. It was very real and believable. In fact, several characters come undone for very good reasons throughout the book. Have you ever found yourself coming undone in a spectacular fashion?

Jeff: I respectfully decline to answer that question on the grounds that to do so would tend to incriminate me.  (Sorry, Jean; I just couldn’t resist.) I’ve never had a meltdown as spectacular as Vonda’s or Fish’s, but there was one incident while I was at a National Guard summer camp back in the 70′s, where I managed to get myself arrested one night for drinking on guard duty; smoking a controlled substance on guard duty; driving under the influence while on guard duty; being out of uniform; destruction of government property; performing my duties in an un-military manner and attempting to murder a second lieutenant with a 5-ton truck. I guess you had to be there.

Jean: I noticed some real locations such as Quartzite and Groom Lake (Area 51) make an appearance in The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour. Does The Little A’Le’Inn exist?

Jeff: <Big Smile> Yes, it does. And, they do serve up some of the best burgers in the known universe. I did take a few liberties with the interior decoration, though. By the way, the “Extraterrestrial Highway” sign is real, too. When I wrote Farewell Tour, who knew so much of it would turn out to be non-fiction?

Jean: Did you have to do any research for this novel? Such as going to see if you could break into Area 51? BTW, what is your stance/thoughts on Area 51 and aliens? Truth or fiction?

Jeff: I have a terrific memory for strange and useless facts. Combine that with way too many hours spent watching the Discovery Channel, TLC and The History Channel, and you read the result. I should also say that Google has made research a ton more fun, not to mention easier. Aliens? I believe there’s a mathematical certainty that intelligent life exists out there, somewhere; and they’ve probably already been here for a few visits. C’mon, how else would you explain Jersey Shore’s Snookie, Sarah Palin and the Donald? Which leads me to conclude that if intelligent life exists out there, they’re probably all yokels and trailer trash, like the rest of us.

Jean: I like how there is romance, espionage, murder, comedy, and mayhem all wrapped into your one story. Was that intentional or difficult to do?

Jeff: Not at all. Once I got a firm handle on who my characters were and what drove them, they pretty much wrote The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour for me. There were times when I felt like I was taking dictation.

Jean: Was it difficult writing the sex scene? Do you worry what your mother/grandmother/aunt/sister/significant other/father/grandfather/neighbor/brother/sons might think of this scene if they read The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour?

Jeff: Funny you should ask. One of my aunts just bought a copy of the book. And my oldest enforcer has already read it. I don’t worry about what family/friends/future employers/creditors think of the scene. It was basically an exercise to see if I could even write a believable love scene. When you put your work out there, you will find that you can’t make everyone happy. This scene has gotten great reviews from some; awful reviews from others; and seriously puzzling notes from a few more. Your first obligation as a writer is to please yourself. Once your stuff achieves that, anything else is gravy.

Jean: What has surprised you the most about going the self-publishing route over on Amazon’s Kindle?

Jeff: After all the rejections I’ve picked up over the years from literary agents’ interns, I’m really gratified at how well The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour has been received (all 4 and 5-star reviews!), and how well it’s selling. There is a huge market for fiction that treats women ‘of a certain’ age as powerful and vital human beings, and yet the publishing industry seems to feel that any female over the age of, say, 35 is worthy of nothing more than cardigan sweaters, reading glasses and reruns of Matlock and Murder She Wrote. It’s a pretty sad irony when you consider that this is also the largest and most active segment of the book-buying public.

Jean: Complete this sentence: For me, writing is a lot like…

Jeff: …a lot of things: catharsis, sharing, creating, exploration and just as important, entertaining.

Jean: Any plans for future stories coming soon to an Amazon page near us?

If Farewell Tour does well, I have two books ready to upload to Kindle.  One is the sequel, titled Hair of the Dog. It stars Fish, Einstein and Kenny, who are hired by a Beverly Hills jeweler to find and recover his wanna-be starlet girlfriend’s missing little lap doggie. Too bad the jeweler forgets to mention the fortune in hot diamonds super glued into the pooch’s collar. And before Fish knows it, he’s in the sights of a hit man who wears black Armani and talks like Marilyn Monroe. Picture Phillip Marlowe meets Get Shorty.

My other book is a complete departure for me – a very Stephen King-like story about a likable teenager who is permanently paralyzed in an ‘accident’ staged by his brother,  and the horrible revenge the kid wreaks on his sibling. The title is Bird Boy, and it’s a lot like Carrie meets My Left Foot.

Thanks to Jeff for spending some time answering my burning questions. If you are looking for an amusing adventure , check out The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour on Amazon. And the best part is… wait for it… (drumroll please)… The Ladies Temperance Club’s Farewell Tour is now only 99 cents! So go on over to Amazon and download it. Heck, for 99 cents, download a couple.

(P.S. If you own an non-Kindle ereader and would like to read Jeff’s book on it, Google “convert .azw to .epub” and you can find out how to convert those proprietary Kindle files into something that will work on other ereaders. However, if you want to read a Kindle file on your computer, iPad, phone, etc., you can simply download the free and lovely Kindle app from Amazon.)

Also be sure to check out Jeff’s teasers for Hair of the Dog and Bird Boy on his website.

Author Morality

You are probably thinking I’m going to talk about being moral in your writing… but I’m not. Book publisher Harper has begun adding a little something in their book publishing deals with authors. Basically, if you act like a famous person, you are going to get your wallet whacked.

“Author’s conduct evidences a lack of due regard for public conventions and morals, or Author commits a crime or any other act that will tend to bring Author into serious contempt, and such behavior would materially damage the Work’s reputation or sales, Publisher may terminate this Agreement and, in addition to Publisher’s other legal remedies.” Source

Um, okay. But this is SO vague. What is considered public convention and moral here in cowboy country will differ from what is public convention in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Alaska, or New York City. Now of course, being ‘different’ isn’t a crime and they aren’t saying that. They are protecting their income. In other words, if you turn into an awful person, they don’t want to be left holding the financial bag. And I understand that.

Here’s the wallet kicker:

“Author will promptly repay the portion of the Advance previously paid to Author, or, if such breach occurred following publication of the Work, Author will promptly repay the portion of the Advance which has not yet been recouped by Publisher.” Source

The tricky part, I would imagine, would be determining whether the work’s sales have been affected. For example, if you are caught getting out of a limo sans underwear, sales might actually spike for a week or two. Darn public–so curious. However, after that initial spike, they may go into a natural downward sales slide–as do many published books after their release and first sales. So… how do you pin that on the author’s behaviour? Do you compare sales against projections? Against similar books?

What if that immoral behaviour set against public convention actually increases sales? Then what? Do you get a bonus for that? Because then authors might become a whole lot more interesting….

Pen Names

Why do some authors take on a pen name? We’ve been talking about this over on the AQ discussion boards again. There are so many reasons to take on a pen name (privacy, hiding out from family, hate your name, current name is hard to spell and pronounce, want to write several genres without confusing your audience, etc).

While eating lunch, I opened up Chatelaine–which insists on coming instead of Writer’s Digest which is the magazine I actually renewed through the magazine service, but oh well–and what do I see? An article on why authors take a pen name. Here are a few they listed and their reasons along with a couple others:

Sophie Kinsella wrote a book under the Madelaine Wickham (real name) and then decided to change to writing the Shopaholic books. She figured she needed a new name to represent the change.

Stephen King (Richard Bachman) created a pen name so he could put out more than one book a year

Anne Perry (Juliet Hulme) killed someone as a teenager, did time, then decided to write. She (wisely) decided to keep her past under wraps.

George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) wrote under a man’s name as she felt she would be taken more seriously, and it would also serve to protect her from the scandal of being known as a novelist.

JK Rowling (Joanne Rowling) grabbed another initial (from her Grandmother’s name–Kathleen) to make her name more gender non-specific as her publisher wasn’t sure that boys would want to read about a boy wizard written by a woman.
Carolyn Keene (never was one) was created by a book packager Edward Stratemeyer who also whipped up the series idea “The Hardy Boys” and “The Bobbsey Twins” a well as “Nancy Drew.”

Anne Rice (Howard Allen O’Brien) took the name ‘Anne’ in school (probably the teasing was too much to bear having a name like ‘Howard’ and then took her husband’s last name to finish off the pen name. (Also wrote erotica under the name A.N. Roquelaure.)

Meg Cabot (Meggin Cabot) has written under Patricia Cabot for her romance books, and Jenny Carrol for her teen mystery series, but now uses ‘Meg’ for pretty much everything. My understanding for ‘Jenny Carrol’ was that Meggin was very prolific, yet wasn’t bringing in much money with what her publisher was taking and she wanted to publish more. And hence the secret names began…

Another Aspiring Writer Gets an Agent!

RSmellette over on AQ has gotten himself an agent! A big WA-HOO for RS and a super-big congratulations. He’s posted his query over there, but what really worked was his elevator pitch for his space pirate adventure diary featuring a strong female protag. The man’s got voice and his story is sure to hit the right nerve in the teen market. Personally, I can’t wait to read the whole thing. Put me on the advance buyer list, RS!