Author Interview-Vicki Batman
What
inspired you to become a writer?
After my son was born, Handsome and I were shopping in
a Half Price bookstore and I told him I was looking for Dick Francis mysteries.
He asked why I liked them so, and I blurted out, “Because I wish I could write
like him.” But I didn’t try to write for a long time. A friend prompted me to
do so. My mind had really expanded in writing and I love it!
Who
are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?)
I’ve always been drawn to curious heroines,
particularly those in mysteries. I cut my teeth on Nancy and Trixie. Oh how I
wanted to be them and have their adventures. As a teenager, my mom lent me her
Emilie Loring romances. The women where strong and looked for someone to match
them. They were willing to try new things and go new places. Eventually, I
discovered stories by Mary Stewart who weaved intriguing suspense into her
romances.
Tell
me what inspired this story. (see question 1) My friend
suggested writing the opening paragraph of a book using the word window. I had
nothing and she let me off the hook, saying to go home and email something in a
few days. I did. Like eight chapters.
Not long before the prompt, I’d received a ticket and
since my car was old, the windows rolled down. And that is what kicked off my
story.
What is one of your favorite romantic locales? You know, romance isn’t about locale for me. It’s about who
I’m with and that’s Handsome. If we can laugh and share and say silly giggly
stuff or chat about what’s important, I’m good.
Is
there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Here’s a bit from my romantic comedy mystery,
Temporarily Employed:
No
frisking and no arrests were--so far, in my book--a good thing. As Sarah Anne’s
older brother, I found it easy to eliminate him from the stalker, murderer, and
rapist categories. The something in the
truck line sounded similar to approaches used in past dating experiences.
For instance:
“Want to come up
and look at my etchings?”
Translated:
A roll in the hay.
Or
the ever popular “Would you like to meet
Mr. Lizard?”
Translated:
Mr. Wiggly Worm.
“How about coming
to my place for a drink?”
Translated:
To ply me with multiple drinks and the requisite roll in the hay.
I
hadn’t fallen for those then and wasn’t going to be a sucker now.
He
stuck his hands on his hip and said, “I know what you’re thinking. I’m not a
stalker, murderer, or rapist."
Apparently,
he could read minds.
"Just
a minute." I closed the door partially to release the chain, then opened
it. “Why can’t you just tell me whatever it
is?”
“No.
I want to show you---”
“Not
a Picasso?” I asked.
“No.”
“Not
an iguana?”
A
perplexed expression crossed his face. “A what?”
“Not
your pet worm?”
“What
pet worm?”
“Not---”
“Look,
I don’t know what you’re thinking. The only worms I know about are for
fishing.”
Find Temporarily Employed at: Amazon
