Today, Wild Women Authors features Peril in Pittman, Book Two in the Berkshire Mystery Series, written by Mary Ann Jacobs and recently released by the Wild Rose Press. Up first is Lola, an actress.
Good
morning, Lola. Thank you for spending
time with us. To start, please tell us a bit about your life in Pittman. I
came back from Hollywood when my best friend Jana was dying and kept asking for
me. When I heard, I quickly booked a plane, but I didn’t arrive in time. Jana’s
dying left a void in my heart. She had worked in wardrobe at Shakespeare and
Company and taught me everything I know about costumes and design for the
theater. I was so sad that I couldn’t return to Hollywood and decided to get a
job in Pittman.
What
made you choose acting for a career? I have always loved to
act. Even as a little girl, I would put on plays with my brothers and act out
characters, demanding my father’s attention. He often was strung out on drugs
or drunk, but my silly acting always made him laugh and pay attention to me,
but my mother never cared about my acting career.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being
an actor or do something different? I probably would not have
stayed in Pittman but would have tried my hand at live theater in New York. I
might have even tried to find parts in the movies in Los Angeles. There are
roles here in Pittman, but usually only in the summertime.
What
is your biggest fear? My biggest fear is one of discovery.
I have done some things in my past that I regret, and I don’t want my new
Pittman family to find out about them.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? Kate,
in the Taming of the Shrew, is an in-depth character that I played at
Shakespeare and Company. I thoroughly enjoyed playing her many personalities.
Being seen as a real hellcat was so much fun.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? When
I first was hired by Ms. George at her bookstore, she told me to be myself and
don’t be afraid to try new things. I have followed that advice since that
moment of discovery.
Thank
you for this insight into you and the story. Now we’d like to chat with Mary
Ann.
Which
writer or characters have had a major impact on your writing? Holly
Schwartz, writing as Susie Black, in the Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series,
influenced me because she writes enticing cozy mysteries that hold the readers’
interest and manages to keep a sense of humor throughout her writing.
Randy Overbeck has written many books
for the Wild Rose Press. His Haunted Mysteries are engrossing even
though I don’t usually like ghost stories. What impresses me about Randy is his
energy and marketing ability. He gives excellent talks for groups of all sizes
and holds their interest as he also promotes his books. Because of him, I
created two talks to present to groups, Creativity Has No Expiration Date and
Writing to Lessen Stress.
With
regard to research, where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down
different paths, thereby changing the original concept? I
start with what I know, for instance, I know a lot about the Berkshires because
I have spent many summers there visiting my grandchildren. I didn’t know much
about the resistance movement in Lebanon against ISIS so I researched it. It
didn’t change my original concept except to make me realize how important and
influential the ISIS groups leaders were.
Tell
us a little bit about your publisher. How did you hear about them; what
influenced you to submit to them? I have a wonderful
publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I heard about them in a strange way. During
Covid, I had written Don’t Mess with Me, a cozy mystery set in the
Berkshires. When I first submitted it, I sent it to Berkley Publishers because
they published many cozy mysteries. I worked with a wonderful editor, Ms.
Jennifer McCord. She liked the mystery, proposed several edits, and was willing
to present it to her publisher for publication.
I was so excited, but Covid raised its
ugly head, and her publisher said that because they had a backup due to Covid,
they weren’t accepting any new authors this year. Needless to say, I was
devastated, however, Ms. McCord suggested another press that she thought was
still accepting new authors. I applied to The Wild Rose Press on her recommendation,
and they asked for the first fifty pages, then the whole manuscript. They
accepted my book and assigned me a wonderful editor Lea Shiraz.
How
is the submission process? The submission process was very easy.
Then for the second book, Peril in Pittman Book Two in the Berkshire Mystery
Series, I was able to submit it to my original editor directly.
What
was the turn-around time from date of query to date of release? The
turnaround time from query to release was about a year on both books.
What
are you reading now? Where the Sky Begins
by Rhys Bowen. I have read many of her books and enjoy her Royal Spyness
Series and her historical novels.
What’s
next for you? I have just started my third novel in the
Berkshire Mystery Series. I’m dealing with the characters now, writing their scenes,
and as usual the characters are dictating the plot.
To
learn more about Mary Ann Jacobs and the stories she creates, go to:
maryannjacobsauthor.wordpress.com
Amazon.com/author/maryann_jacobs-1.2
https://www.facebook.com/maryannjacobsauthor
Twitter:
maryann68592654
To
purchase Mary Ann’s books, go to:
For
the Don’t Mess with Me, Berkshire Mystery Series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BKYHMPRL?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks#:~:text=The%20Berkshires%20Mystery,the%20Sheriff%20wrong%3F
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Mary+Ann+Jacobs&ref=nb_sb_noss
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-mess-with-me-mary-ann-jacobs/1142600182?ean=2940186700777
For Peril in Pittman, Book Two in the Berkshire Mystery Series, go to:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/peril-in-pittman-mary-ann-jacobs/1145960500?ean=9781509257874
