When Terri L. Austin isn’t writing, she enjoys eating
breakfast at her local diner, watching really bad movies, and hanging out with
her kids when they’re home from college. She lives in Missouri with her funny,
handsome husband and her high maintenance peekapoo. Her debut novel, DINERS,
DIVES & DEAD ENDS (Henery Press, July 17, 2012) was a 2011 Get Your Stiletto in the Door finalist. Stop by her website and see what's new or drop her an email to say hello. She loves
to hear from readers!
The book...
As
a struggling waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland’s life is
stalled in the slow lane. But when her close friend, Axton, disappears, Rose
suddenly finds herself serving up more than hot coffee and flapjacks. Now she’s
hashing it out with sexy bad guys and scrambling to find clues in a race to
save Axton before his time runs out. With
her anime-loving bestie, her septuagenarian boss, and pair of IT wise men along
for the ride, Rose discovers political corruption, illegal gambling, and shady
corporations. She’s gone from zero to sixty and quickly learns when you’re
speeding down the fast lane, it’s easy to crash and burn.
(available on iBooks from your iPad, iPhone, or iTouch)
What they're saying...
“Austin’s debut kicks off her planned series by introducing a quirky,
feisty heroine and a great supporting cast of characters and putting them
through quite a number of interesting twists.” ~~ Kirkus
Reviews
"This traditional mystery captured my attention from the opening
pages to the exhilarating finale...this was an enjoyable read in this debut
series and I look forward to more adventures with Rose and the gang for years to
come." ~~ Dru Ann Love, The Cozy Chicks Blog
“I predict this will be a long and successful series...I strongly
recommend picking a copy up to read this summer. I know I am looking forward to
reading more books by this author. Five stars out of Five.” ~~ Lynn Farris,
National Mystery Review Examiner at Examiner.com
“What a blast! Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is a fast-paced mystery
loaded with wonderful wit and humor that had me laughing and loving every page.
Terri Austin will hook you right away and keep you riveted until The End. I want
more!” ~~ Ann Charles, Award-Winning Author of the Bestselling Deadwood
Mystery Series
Let's get to know Terri...
Susan: What’s your favorite kind of story
to get lost in?
Terri: First of all, thanks Susan and all the Get
Lost in a Story ladies. I appreciate the
opportunity to chat with you! My favorite kind of
story? I love a book with snappy
dialogue, humor, and emotion. The best
books are ones that leave me a little sad when I turn that last page. I find myself wanting to spend more time with
the characters and I’m sorry it’s over.
I don’t care if it’s mystery, romance or paranormal. I love all genres.
Susan: How much do you and Rose Strickland have in
common?
Terri: Like Rose, I
took college classes that seemed more interesting than practical. Who wants to take Biology when you can study
Vampires in Film?
Susan: When Hollywood calls, who do you see playing Rose?
Terri: Kristen
Bell. Veronica Mars is one of my
favorite TV shows. Evah!Susan: Do you write while listening to music? If so what kind?
Terri: Nope, I like white noise. And I always get songs stuck in my head. Usually bad ones that I hear at the grocery store. They stay lodged in my brain for days. So I try to avoid music when I’m writing or otherwise I’ll sing We Built This City for a week.
Susan: Is it true that you play the triangle
in an all-girl band?
Terri: Yes, it’s true! And I rock it out. When I go into my triangle solo, it kills
every time!
Susan: What would you say is your most
interesting quirk?
Terri: I don’t know
about interesting, but I do know a disturbing amount of useless pop culture
trivia.
Susan: What
has surprised you the most about being published?
Terri: My family is
actually impressed with me. They weren’t
amazed with knowledge of trivia or the fact that I play the triangle in an
all-girl band, but writing a book earned me a little respect.
Susan: What’s the first book you remember
reading?
Terri: Caps for
Susan: What book have you read over and
over? What about this book keeps drawing you back?
Terri: Dark Fever by Karen Marie Moning. I love Mac’s evolution from Rainbow Girl to
Kick Butt Heroine. Plus, Barrons. Oh, Barrons, how I lust for you!
Susan: What will always make you smile,
even on a bad day?
Terri: When I need a
pick me up, I watch Napoleon Dynamite’s dance.
He’s got some seriously mad skills.
Even with the snow boots.
Susan: What’s your favorite movie of all
time?
Terri: Pride and
Prejudice—the one with Colin Firth. And
I sniff in disdain at all other P & P adaptations. Not that I don’t watch them, it’s just that
I’m sniffing and acting all superior when I do.
Susan Gotta Ask: What is your favorite scene in
Diners, Dives, & Dead Ends?
Terri GOTTA ANSWER: There’s
a scene between Rose and Roxy that got pretty emotional. Rose was very vulnerable and it made my tear
up a little when I wrote it.
UP NEXT: When will your next release be available? The
next Rose Strickland mystery will hopefully be out in December!
Y'all drop by and see Terri anytime at:
Goodreads |
Terri has a couple questions for you...
What do you think is the most important quality in a fictional hero? What makes an epic villain?
Please tell her what you think in the comments section. Thank you all so much for visiting with us at Get Lost in a Story today!
Good Morning, Terri and welcome to GLIAS. Love the title and cover. The most important quality to any hero (or person) is personal growth. I love those AHA moments.
ReplyDelete~Angi
Now I have We Built This City stuck in my head. Thanks a lot;)
ReplyDeleteLove the interview, Terri and Susan! I feel the same way about other P&P renditions. I have the same problem with Jane Eyre.
I love DINERS, DIVES & DEAD ENDS. It's hilarious, and I love the relationships between the characters. Ma is a hoot, and Roxy kicks butt. And Sullivan... I just received my paperback and hope to some day get it autographed!
Hey, Terri! Thanks so much for doing the interview! It was fun! Although, I have to say, I now also have "We Built This City" stuck in my head.
ReplyDeleteI thought about you Saturday night at the RWA ceremony. They played several romantic film montages on the mega screens during the evening, and they used the P&P with Colin Firth. He's even better when he's huge and on four screens. :)
Okay, Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is AWESOME! I love the fun stuff with Rose and her gang of friends, but also the family interaction.
I'll be needing an autograph as well. :)
Great interview!
ReplyDeleteLove a hero that's not perfect, but he's trying :)
Angi--Thanks! And I love those Aha moments as well. Especially in a hero. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteLarissa--Thank you so much! And I find it's my job to infect others with bad songs. If I have to suffer, so should you. ;)
Susan--Thanks for the interview and the kind words! Colin Firth on a mega screen. *swoon*
AJ--I love a flawed hero as well. Inside and out. Yum!
i love flawed hero :)
ReplyDelete