Here is the link to Dead Air:
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Hi: I know I am late- my mom is in the hospital and I forgot the time. But I can be here until 3 PM if anyone has questions about my writing, writing in genera;, etc.
I have read Rabbit in the Moon in my book group and we all loved it. Can you tell me a little more about your new books Dead Air?
I think my publicist wrote the best description of the plot which is on Amazon: "Talk is cheap, but when this radio host takes action, she may pay the ultimate price. An outspoken, brash, native New Yorker, Sammy Greene isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers at Ellsford University, her ultraconservative New England college. Host of "The Hot Line", a talk-radio show on campus station WELL, Sammy tackles the toughest, most controversial issues facing Ellsford's students. When Sammy discovers the body of Dr. Burton Conrad, one of Ellsford's most esteemed professors, her journalistic drive kicks in and she sets out to discover what happened to the beloved professor. But when several Ellsford students mysteriously disappear, Sammy realizes she's uncovered the seamy, terrifying underbelly of this prestigious institute of higher education. With the entire campus in peril, and demons from her past close behind, Sammy Greene must race to find answers. Along the way, she'll discover some unlikely allies-and even more unlikely enemies. If Sammy isn't careful, someone is going to make sure that she signs off-for good."
Sammy is a new character for me. She is a five foot tall redhead who has a New York accent and a brash style that makes it seem as though she is more self-confident than she really is. Her mother died when she was only 7 and her father left for California (to find himself), so she was brought up by her grandma Rose - a tough, but wise lady who bequeathed to Sammy her sense of justice. In this first book she is a junior in college. Although she initially thought she'd become a print journalist, she has the opportunity to host her own campus radio show and that sets her off on a career that I plan to follow in the next few books. In fact, the second in the series, Devil Winds, is completed and scheduled for release in early 2011.
I love that you have a five foot tall heroine, given that I'm five feet tall myself. On a good day. How did you come up with the character of Sammy? How does being short affect her?
Great question. I'm relatively short- not quite 5.3" - my husband is 6 '2". I think shorter people see the world a little differently - more a bottom up than top down view if that makes any sense (more grounded?) Moreover, when I am in a crowd I always feel as though I am about to get crushed. My husband tells me I just need to learn to be pushier. I had already envisioned a character that, unlike me, would not be afraid to push back when appropriate. The more I thought about Sammy, the more it was clear that although by virtue of being petite (and hence 5'), she may appear vulnerable to many, she works hard at developing a "tough as nails" exterior. It's her strength and her weakness- something she has to work through in Dead Air and still more in Devil Wind (book #2 of the series). I've "lived" with Sammy for almost 2 years now and I love her. I can't wait to see how she evolves in book #3 which is now on the drawing board.
By the way, for those interested, here is the website for Dead Air. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. There will be a new trailer added shortly and a contest posted just before the book launch in December. Sammy is on twitter and will be blogging too!
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