11/12/2012

Introducing: Deadly Farce

ABOUT JENNIFER MCANDREWS

Jennifer McAndrews has been writing since the seventh grade and totally refuses to divulge how many years have passed since then. After serving on the newspaper and dabbling in specatularly bad poetry during high school, she took creative writing classes at Nassau Community College and studied the art of the essay under the tutelage of the incomparable June Jordan while at SUNY Stony Brook.

In her professional life, Jennifer has worked in legal, medical, and scientific publishing, but is dedicated to fiction in her private life. She lives in the greater New York Metro area with three dogs, four cats, kids, husband, and one fancy mouse. There used to be a lizard, but one of the cats ate it. The mouse is faring much better.

WHERE TO FIND JENNIFER ONLINE:
website: www.jennifermcandrews.com
twitter: @jenmcandrews
pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jenmcandrews/

ABOUT DEADLY FARCE

When Hollywood heartthrob Shepard Brown fears someone is trying to kill him, he asks newly licensed private investigator Lorraine Keys to keep him safe. Friends with Shepard since elementary school, Lorraine knows he can be more than a little melodramatic. Though she agrees to meet him on location in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to review the situation, the last thing she expects is to find truth in his claims. After all, a poisoned pizza? But after getting caught in the center of yet another attempt on Shepard's life, Lorraine is forced to admit he's right about the danger--and determined to find a way to protect him while searching for the culprit.

With her meddling friend Barb along for the ride and her boss anxiously tracking her every move, Lorraine must juggle the chaos of a film set, the lure of the casinos, the mutual attraction of a hunky co-star, and a minefield of Shepard's ex-girlfriends all while keeping Shepard safe and uncovering the identity of the killer … before she becomes the next target.

Order Deadly Farce

READ AN EXCERPT OF DEADLY FARCE

http://www.jennifermcandrews.com/excerpt_Deadly.html

GET TO KNOW JENNIFER MCANDREWS

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite movie of all time?
JENNIFER:  “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. That one movie has all the ingredients I gravitate toward: exotic locale, danger, romance, adventure. And Marion Ravenwood is one tough cookie, without sacrificing her femininity. She’d have to be, wouldn’t she, to win Indy’s affection? Plus, there’s a monkey. So, you know, how can you go wrong?

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite kind of story to get lost in?
JENNIFER:  I am a total sucker for books that switch back and forth from the present day to some point in history. Not a time travel (though I do enjoy those) but stories that parallel “then” and “now”.
Years and years ago I read Katherine Neville’s THE EIGHT, which is set in 1972 and 1790 simultaneously. That’s the book that hooked me. Since then, whenever stumble on a dual time-frame novel, I pick it up without question. For whatever reason, those stories sweep me away like no other.

MAUREEN:  What’s the first book you remember reading?
JENNIFER:  I’d like to say ARE YOU MY MOTHER?, but I can’t say whether I read it or someone read it to me. I have clear memories of reading LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, though. In fact, I made my very last trip to Santa’s lap to ask for the Laura Ingalls Wilder book set. It was a box set, and I wanted those books sooooo baaaad. And yup, Santa came through! I must also admit to reading any book that featured a horse, and read MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE repeatedly, decades before I could accurately pronounce Chincoteague.

MAUREEN:  What’s next for you as an author?
JENNIFER:  I’m working on cozy mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime. The books will feature Georgia Kelly, a stained-glass hobbyist and laid-off accountant who returns to her family home to re-start her life and inadvertently gets her granddad accused of murder. It will have the same light humor that permeates DEADLY FARCE, so I’m having a lot of fun with it.

MAUREEN:  That sounds fantastic! If the new series is half as good as DEADLY FARCE, I can't wait!!! Hiking boots or high heels?
JENNIFER:  Oooh, tough one. I love high heels -- the variety, the style, the expression. Hiking boots just don’t have the fashion selection that heels have. But I’m way more comfortable in boots than heels

MAUREEN:  Would you rather sky dive or scuba dive?
JENNIFER:  I would rather scuba dive, hands down. I’m terrified of heights - to the point that on my one and probably only trip to Paris I refused to go up the Eiffel Tower. True story. Though, I did climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty for a friend’s US Navy re-enlistment ceremony. Boy, when that ceremony was over I raced down those steps! So, yes, better scuba than sky.

MAUREEN:  What sound or noise do you love?
JENNIFER:  Joyous laughter. Especially if that laughter is emanating from a small child. Children laugh with such abandon, I envy them. That sound never fails to make me smile and feel their happiness.

MAUREEN:  Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?
JENNIFER:  I frequently have music playing while I write, and the type of music is dependent on what the story or scene is I’m working on. A lot of writers build playlists for each of their books but despite my best efforts, I’m not that organized. I’m more the type to zero in on a particular band and play random tracks from their CDs. For DEADLY FARCE, I listened to a lot of U2 - their older stuff, “War” and “Achtung Baby” and “Pop”. The music gave me the right feel, the right energy, and that’s mostly what I’m looking for in the music, that energy. One of the books I’m working on now has a heavy Pink Floyd rotation. Talk about a different energy!

MAUREEN:  What’s your favorite kind of cheese?
JENNIFER:  Whatever goes best with the wine.

MAUREEN:  :-)  Who’s your favorite villain?
JENNIFER:  Who knew this would be such an easy question? Favorite villain has to be Hans Gruber in “Die Hard”, played by Alan Rickman. I loved him before I realized how wonderful Alan Rickman is in, well, everything! But Gruber was a stand-out villain -- smart, organized, single-minded, and ruthless.

MAUREEN:  Do you remember your grade one teacher’s name?
JENNIFER:  My first grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Wallace. More than that, I remember I sat in front of John Cooney. These things I remember. But I have no idea what I ate for dinner last night.

MAUREEN:  Salsa or guacamole?
JENNIFER:  Oh! THAT’s what I ate for dinner last night! Mexican food!

GOTTA ASK -- GOTTA ANSWER 

MAUREEN:  Your heroine, Lorraine, in DEADLY FARCE, is a private investigator. What characteristics do you think make her particularly good at her job.

JENNIFER:  There are two qualities I most attribute to this. The first is the ability to blend. Lorraine is average physically: average height, average weight, common coloring. She’s unobtrusive and nonthreatening. This means when she’s chasing down information or working “undercover,” folks are comfortable answering her questions or working alongside her. But her strongest characteristic is her loyalty to her friends and family, her willingness to put herself at risk for the good of others. In that regard, she’s the same as so many women I know - especially moms!

A QUESTION FOR READERS

Lorraine is doing a good deal of travelling lately for her job, and she likes to read novels during air travel. What book or author would you recommend for someone who is loyal to her friends and enjoys a little romance with her adventure?


GIVEAWAY

Jennifer will give away a kindle copy or a hardcover (winner’s choice) of DEADLY FARCE.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address.

22 comments:

  1. I enjoyed the interview, thank you. I love Debbie Macomber books, they are a great read.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Ingeborg, thanks for stopping by and reading. And thanks for the book tip -- will check it out!

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  2. J.D. Robb! I think she would like Eve. It's certainly a lot of adventure and mysteries in them.

    Love your interiview.

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    1. ohhh, J.D. Robb -- you're so right, Mary! Lorraine would devour those books! Thanks!

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  3. Jenn, welcome to Get Lost in a Story. First question before I answer your story. How are you doing with Sandy recovery. I know you had some bad news, but please tell us you're okay! J.D. Robb is awesome. Any of the Unsinkable books, too, I think Lorraine would enjoy. I just picked up A Bad Day for Pretty by Sophie Littlefield, and see what the hype is about. She has an amazing voice. Thanks for joining us today!

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    1. Thanks for the welcome, Donnell! You're right, we had some really rough news as a result of Sandy but slowing getting back on track. We were fortunate to not have any damage to the house, but just a few streets south is another world. It's heartwrenching... but there's also a great deal of generosity and kindness to be found, and that's a wonderful thing!
      And I couldn't agree with you more about Sophie Littlefield's books. She is amazing!

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  4. Jenn, congrats on your release and upcoming series! Deadly Farce sounds like a lot of fun!

    I read The Eight! It was a while ago, and I remember it was hard to get the swing of the time shifts, but once I got it down, BAM! Great book.

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    1. Thanks for reading and commenting, Abigail! I'm trying to recall if I had trouble adjusting to time changes in THE EIGHT... maybe I did, the first time. But that style really hooked me for life : )

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  5. Awesome interview, Ladies!

    I echo Donnell's question about the Sandy recovery. Hope all is well with you and yours, Jen.

    DEADLY FARCE sounds like a terrific read! Best of luck with your sales.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Lynda!
      Me and mine are getting by in the wake of Sandy, taking one day at a time.
      Thanks for the good luck wishes on DEADLY!!!

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  6. Hey, Jen. Hugs for all you've been through. Smiles and laughs for Deadly Farce and this great interview.

    I'd recommend Mary Kay Andrews books to Lorraine. Andrews writes funny southern mysteries with a little romance thrown in to stir things up. Exactly what you said Lorraine likes.

    Since Lorraine and I share the common name Lorraine, I know she'll love Savannah Blues, Savannah Breeze, Little Bitty Lies or Hissy Fit (my personal favorite because of the title!).

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    1. Judythe, thanks for coming by! I'll definitely look into the Mary Kay Andrews books to see if they're something Lorraine would enjoy. Thanks for the tip!

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  7. Loved the interview. I totally agree with you on the sound of a child's laughter. It's contagious and joyous.

    I think Lorraine might enjoy the Stephanie Plum books. Friendships, family, hot guys, and laughs. What's not to love?

    I own a copy of Deadly Farce, so please don't add my name into the drawing. I want someone else to read it and love it as much as I do.

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    1. ooh, Lorraine and Stephanie Plum in the same universe... the world might not survive - lol!
      Thanks for reading and commenting, Ginger!

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  8. I loved DEADLY FARCE, and can hardly wait to read the new series. Do you know when it will be published?

    As far as books for Lorraine, I'd suggest any David Sedaris collection of essays for her sense of humor, and two of Nora Roberts' series - the Irish series and the Witches series. (Sorry, can't remember the real series names.)

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    1. Julie, thanks for stopping by! The target for the first book in the new series is Aug 2014 -- which seems so far away and too darn close all at once!
      I'll check out the Nora Roberts books, too - thanks! Gotta put a book in Lorraine's hand for her next assignment : )

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  9. Great interview Maureen. I loved getting to know Jennifer. And yes, my first thought as I started the interview was how are you doing. So I'm glad to hear they are improving. Guess you could write an entire book on your experienecs.
    I checked out the excerpt of Deadly Farce. Love the premise. While I don't usually read first person books, you're heroine caught my interest along with the story line. Look forward to reading it. Good luck with the new series, too. Sounds like you've got a winner.

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  10. Marsha, you're so nice! Thanks for reading both the blog and the excerpt!
    yup, things are improving here, slow but steady. It is very strange, though, to be in the place people across the nation are holding fundraisers for. Very surreal. But NYers (and NJers!) are a tough bunch.
    Thanks for the good wishes!

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  11. Nice to meet you, Jennifer.

    I just re-watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. It had been so long, I forgot how much I liked it. Marion is one kick-ass heroine.

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  12. Sherry, great to meet you! And wasn't Marion ahead of her time without being out of her time? Hmm...maybe I need to watch that movie again, just to be sure ; )
    Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

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  13. Hi, Jen! Hi, Maureen!

    Jen, congrats on your latest deal with Berkley. I'm so excited for you. I already have my very own copy of Deadly Farce, and in fact it's next up on my TBR pile--yay!

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