Diner Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Terri L. Austin back to the blog today. Terri writes the Rose Strickland Mystery series. Diner Knock Out, the fourth in the series, was released October 20th.

TLA: Hi, Kathy! Thanks so much for having me on today. It’s a pleasure to be here!

Kathy: In Diner Knock Out Rose Strickland's BFF has found another BFF and left Rose out in the cold! Has a best friend ever done that to you? Or did you ever trade in your BFF?

TLA: Nothing that dramatic has ever happened, fortunately. But my bestie from high school and I drifted. We moved to different parts of the country and don’t stay in touch as often as we should. I miss her!


Kathy: Rose works in a diner. I love diners and diner food. Do you have a favorite diner menu item?

TLA: I love diners, too! I either go with a short stack or a ham and cheese omelet (Rose’s favorite).


Kathy: Rose discovers an illegal fight club in this book. Have you attended legal fights? Wrestling, boxing, mixed martial arts, ultimate fighters? Are you a fan of any of them? I admit to enjoying a good boxing match!

TLA: I’m so with you, girl. I love MMA. I keep nagging my husband to take me to Vegas so that I can see one live and in person. He pacifies me with pay-per-view instead. I’ll take what I can get!


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

TLA: I didn’t know I was writing a cozy. I just started writing a mystery. Rose was a fun character and that was all it took.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

TLA: I write vera, vera steamy romances. They have a fair amount of humor in them as well.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

TLA: I write the Rose Strickland Mystery series. Rose is a former rich girl-turned-waitress. She’s a part-time college student with an eclectic group of friends and a criminally mischievous boyfriend. If you want to know how they met, start with the first book in the series, Diners, Dives and Dead Ends. But if you want to start with the latest book, Diner Knock Out, you can jump right in. You won’t feel left out, I promise!

In my steamy romance writerly life, I write about bad boy Brits living in Vegas. It’s called the Beauty and the Brit series.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

TLA: I love all my characters. They’re real people to me. There’s a new character in Diner Knock Out named Sugar de la Tarte. She was great fun.


Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

TLA: No, I just wing it.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

TLA: I can’t imagine not wanting to publish. The goal for me is sharing my work with others. If I can give someone a chuckle, I’m pretty happy.


Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

TLA: Agatha Christie, Erma Bombeck, Jane Austen, and Charlaine Harris. How’s that for a dinner party?


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

TLA: A YA called The Remedy by Suzanne Young.


Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

TLA: I love to bead and I love reality TV. In fact, I started blogging about reality TV for an online site, AllAboutTheTea.com. I can talk Housewives and whip up a bracelet at the same time. Mad skills, right?


Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

TLA: Coke Zero, cheese sticks, rice cakes, and a jar of olives that has probably been sitting there for decades.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

TLA: I have tons of ideas for Rose. With her chaotic personal life and her snoopy investigative endeavors, I’ll never run out of plots.


Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

TLA: I can wear pajama pants all. Day. Long.


Kathy: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

TLA: Thanks for having me! This was so much fun. Best wishes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway