Meet Gayle Trent!

Today, Gayle Trent joins me on my blog; she is the accomplished author of the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating Mystery Series. Here’s a little bit more about her -

Gayle Trent is a full-time author. She is currently at work on a new cozy mystery series involving her hobby, cake decorating. The series features Daphne Martin, a 40-year-old divorcee who has begun the second phase of her life with a new home and a new business venture—Daphne’s Delectable Cakes. Gayle lives in Bristol, Virginia with her husband, daughter and son.

Gayle previously worked in the accounting and legal fields, and her last such job was as secretary to a Deputy Commissioner in the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. Though she enjoyed the work, it was a long daily commute and she felt she wasn’t spending enough time with her family. Now she writes while her children are at school; and thanks to a crock pot and a bread machine, can often have dinner ready when everyone gets home.

“I think it’s important to be here for my children…to take part in school functions and to be an active part of their lives,” Gayle says. “I can certainly sympathize with moms who work outside the home—been there, done that—but I would encourage everyone to make time to visit their children’s schools, to have lunch with them [at school] occasionally, to get a feel for who their friends are…little things like that.”

Gayle loves to hear from readers who can contact her via e-mail at gd830@hotmail.com or via one of her Web sites: http://www.gayletrent.com or http://gayle24202.tripod.com. If you share an interest in cake decorating, please visit Daphne’s Web site, available via click-through from either of Gayle’s sites or at http://www.gayle24202.tripod.com/id9.html.


Heather: Tell us about Dead Pan.

Gayle: Dead Pan is the second book in the Daphne Martin Cake Decorating Mystery Series. When the book opens, a police officer is questioning Daphne about a cake she took to the Brea Ridge Pharmaceutical Company Christmas party. Many people at the party got sick, but most recovered after being treated with a vaccine manufactured by the company. Only one, Fred Duncan, went into a coma and died. Coincidence? Or did somebody have it in for Fred?

Heather: What would you like to overhear people saying about your book?

Gayle: "I laughed so hard when--" A local book club selected Murder Takes the Cake as one of their books; and when I attended the meeting, I was delighted to hear that they thought this or that part was funny. I also love it when people say, "I never guessed ______ was the villain." Also, there was a review where a woman said she loved the main character's relationships with various members of her family--that they were beautifully or realistically drawn. I felt like, "Oooh, she got it!" Actually, I'll take anything that's not negative. :-)

Heather: What inspired you to write Dead Pan?

Gayle: I was reading an article in Wired magazine about clinical drug tests. I did some further investigation, and I came across some fascinating stuff.

Heather: What do you advise new writers to do?

Gayle: Read the genre they're interested in writing. For instance, when my agent pitched my first three chapters of the embroidery mystery to the editor, the editor said she liked it but didn't love it. I needed to revise it to make her love it in order for her to buy the book. I asked my agent who the editor had published recently. With two names in hand, I went to the bookstore and bought two books. I read them and found they were more descriptive than my own books. I went back, added more description and gave the heroine a bit more spunk, and the book sold. Sometimes you have to be flexible.

Heather: Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you

Gayle: 1) There is a feral cat who comes to visit us on holidays. We’re pretty sure he belongs to somebody because he’s always well fed. We think we’re his “other family.” We first realized his penchant for visiting on holidays when he came and cried at our door on Mother’s Day. He came back for Memorial Day and Father’s Day, and so on. Sometimes he’ll drop by for a visit, and we have to check the calendar to see what holiday it is.

2) I have an adorable cartoon Debbie Ridpath Ohi did of me with a cake (for “Murder Takes the Cake”) when her blog InkyGirl hosted me on my blog tour. The cartoon is framed and hanging above my desk. I figure I’ll never look that good in a picture again!

3)I once got to interview the famous criminalist Dr. Henry Lee via telephone for an article which appeared in Law and Order Magazine.

Heather: Favorite quote

Gayle: “It’s not enough to stare up the steps. You must step up the stairs.” – Vance Havner

Heather: Do you have any funny writing stories to share?

Gayle: I once tried to "write" using my laptop's voice recognition feature while baking brownies and peeling potatoes. Great multi-tasking, right? BUT, there is a drawback to using voice technology gadgets when you have a Southern drawl. Although, the exercise helped me get unblocked and continue on through the chapter I was struggling with, the computer misunderstood most of what I said. AND, to add insult to injury, when I read back over what it said and laughed, the computer translated that as “a a a a a a a a.”

Heather: What exactly is a cozy mystery?

Gayle: Cozy mysteries usually take place in a small community and involve a relatively small number of people. The reader knows that someone within the intimate group will turn out to be the killer. Think Desperate Housewives with one of the cast turning out to be the killer as opposed to Criminal Minds or CSI. Cozy mysteries also feature an amateur sleuth as opposed to a professional detective, and the heroine has an interesting profession or hobby.

Thank you for joining us Gayle! I hope all of you readers learned a special thing or two about Gayle!

Meet M.J.Allaire

Meet M.J. Allaire, the wonderful author of the fantasy novel Dragon's Blood, also the author of quite a few other novels featured in the picture to the left. I got the wonderful chance of interviewing this author, and here's what transpired -

To start off, tell us a little bit about your background:

Heather: How long have you been writing?

M.J.: Since 2005

Heather: What started you writing for publication?

M.J.: My friend Kate and I were swapping emails back and forth one day, and after one particular email she wrote back, “I love your writing - you should think about writing a book.” I’ve always loved English and reading, but never thought about being an author until I received that email from Kate…

Heather: Do you have a set time when you write, or just whenever you get the urge?

M.J.: I work a fulltime job, have spent the past few years raising three teenagers on my own, and write whenever I can. I don’t have a set time to write because if I put myself on a schedule, I’m bound to be disappointed when I don’t stick to it. So I write whenever I can – in the mornings before work (rarely), or after I get home in the evenings. Or on the weekends of course, if and when I can find the time…

Heather: Who is your favorite author?

M.J.: Stephen King is a biggie – I love the Dark Tower series. I’ve recently started reading Dean Koontz again though, with an author’s eye and not just a reader, and I’ve found that I really like his writing style.

Heather: Have you ever had writer's block, and if so how do you get rid of it?

M.J.: Sometimes I do – like the past few months when trying to start book four in my YA fantasy series, the Denicalis Dragon Chronicles. I knew what I wanted the story to be about, but was having a hard time starting it. It finally took a weekend away to a remote cabin in New Hampshire where I was really away from the hubbub of life to get the story started – and away it goes J

Heather: What do you recommend to aspiring authors?

M.J.: 1) If you really want to be an author, know from the get-go that it will NOT be easy. If you’re serious about taking the plunge, you’ll likely have to work harder at being an author than you’ve ever worked at anything else before. But also know that anything worth having doesn’t come easy, and just keep putting one foot forward as you head down that path; 2) Figure out who your market will be for your book, and market to them in any way you can think of; and 3) Don’t let anyone say you can’t do it – believe in yourself and never give up!

Heather: How do you invent your characters?

M.J.: In my YA series, I decided to use my three children and my daughter’s best friend as the main characters, which is really interesting. Just imagine being in the middle of a series where you literally know all the characters, and deciding you want to kill one of them off to make the story better. Which character would YOU choose? (Note, in book four, one of my main characters dies …)

Heather: I know a few authors who keep records (almost like police records) of height, weight, background, etc. of their characters. Do you keep tabs on your characters, and if so, what do you usually make note of?

M.J: I do keep notes on all sorts of things pertaining to my series, not just about the characters. I love that I’m writing a series, but it makes it more challenging four years after the fact to remember if I said Tonia had blue eyes or brown, etc...

Heather: Some authors say that they feel as though his or her characters are real. Do you feel this way, and what do you think about this?

M.J.: I absolutely feel that my characters are real, but this is because the four main characters are based on my three children and my daughter’s best friend. Many of the characters in the series are from someone or something in my life. Take Ragoo for instance, the yarnie cat in The Prisoner (book two in the series). He is based on my cat in real life, whose name happens to be Ragu. He was found in a dumpster with spaghetti sauce on his head and was turned into the Humane Society when he was found (true story) – which is where we adopted him from.

Heather: Do you have anything in the works?

M.J.: I’m currently working on book four in my series, to be titled Dragon’s Breath, and hope to have it live sometime in April, 2010! And for the record, my literary wheels are already spinning with ideas for book five …

Heather: What would you say is the neatest thing you know?

M.J.: The absolute neatest thing that I know is that I finally know what I want to do for the rest of my life. I’m in my early 40’s and it took me this long to figure it out – and I’m not stopping until I’m doing book tours and going to schools full time!

Heather: What was your favorite part about writing your book?

M.J.: Getting lost in the story, even though I know it’s not real, and having an elementary or middle school student come up to me and say, “Your books are awesome!”

Heather: Has music ever inspired your writing?

M.J.: I wouldn’t say it inspires my writing, but when I was writing my latest book, a memoir about my life as a military dependent, I got into listening to Ludovico Einaudi, which totally caught me off guard because I would have bet my life’s savings less than a year ago (and all the years prior) that you wouldn’t ever catch me listening to classical music, but Ludovico’s piano playing is mesmerizing!!

Heather: Do you like to write in complete silence or does it have to be noisy?

M.J.: I like listening to either nature sounds (frogs, owls, birds, running water) or Ludovico – if there’s a TV, radio, or any kind of conversation in the room I have a hard time concentrating.

Heather: What made you put your characters in the setting that you did?

M.J.: I wanted my characters to be in a place where I would love to find myself, which ended up putting them with nature (in the woods) and then exploring a cave. Eventually they wound up in an entirely different world with dragons and magic, which I think would be kind of cool if it was possible to see something like that in real life.

Heather: Keyboard or pen?

M.J.: Definitely keyboard (I can type almost 95 words per minute on a good day) – I do tend to use a pen to scribble notes on napkins (which I’m lucky if I can find later on when I need them) at least a few times a week though.

Heather: What do you think is the hardest part about being an author?

M.J.: The marketing aspect of it – hands down. If you want to write a book, say, for your mother – you write it and give it to her, that’s fine, you’re done. But writing for a wider audience (in my case young adults), you have to think of ways to get your work out there. I visit schools and libraries and sell books at local fairs or craft fairs every chance I get. Little by little my name and the books are getting “out there”, and if I have my way, they’ll continue to do so. A lot of my friends and family can’t understand why or how I do what I do, but I do it because I’m determined (and maybe a little bit crazy) to make a difference. JK Rowling did a wonderful thing with Harry Potter, getting both young and not-so-young people to read (and keep reading), and I want nothing more than to have that same effect on readers.

Heather: What do you usually do while writing?

M.J.: Listen to Ludovico, with my laptop on my lap, and occasionally find myself interrupted when Ragu wants to curl up on my lap, too.

Heather: What were the circumstances surrounding your decisions to become an author?

M.J.: When Kate suggested I write a book I was about to go through a divorce and decided sure, why not? My oldest son likes dragons and was my reader, so I decided to write “a book” for him. I got a little sidetracked along the way and now am on book four (of at least five in the series). I had no idea I would find my own destiny when I started writing, and I’ve thanked Kate many times for believing in me before I believed in myself.

Heather: Some people say that you need to live life before you write a book. Do you think that it’s experience that writes a book or imagination?

M.J.: I don’t necessarily think that experience writes a book, but I do believe it makes it easier to write once you’ve got some life experiences under your belt. For those who may be young and lacking in some of life’s experiences, they have the benefit of a much fresher (and younger) imagination.


1. I like the color: purple.
2. The sky is most beautiful when it’s: waking.
3. My favorite feature of a computer is: convenience.
4. I think inventors should invent a/an: mind-recorder.
5. Thing I love most in the world is: wildlife.
6. Things I hate most in the world is: death.
7. My favorite type of electronic device is: i-pod.
8. My favorite thing that has been available before the year 1900: nature.
9. My favorite thing that has been available since the year 1960: electricity.
10. The oddest thing you have ever written on (hand, wall, etc.) is: tree.

Meet Anita Yasuda

Today I have the honor of interviewing a wonderful and very talented author, one whom I am very pleased to be hosting this month. I bring you – Anita Yasuda!

Anita Yasuda is a qualified Montessori and ECE teacher who has lived and worked in many countries. A member of SCBWI, she completed her Honors degree at the University of Toronto.

Anita writes nonfiction for both adults and children. Her work has been featured in Calgary's Child, Kahani, Highlights, and Stories for Children. She is also the author of 10 books, with several more due to be published soon.

When I first heard that Anita has 10 published books, I was truly amazed, it is quite an accomplishment! As you can see on my bookshelf to the left I have added Anita’s books to my bookshelf, you might have to click the little arrow at the bottom of the shelf to see them all. Anyways! Here’s a small little interview for all of you –


Heather: So, Anita, tell me, what encouraged you to write a book about the solar system?

Anita: When I was very young my parents woke me up one autumn evening and quickly ushered me outdoors. What was the emergency? Why the aurora borealis of course. Blue and green flashes of light danced through the sky. They seemed to be directly over my house. From that point on I was hooked on space. What were the stars called? How far away were the planets? Would we ever land on the moon again? I suppose I have never stopped looking up and wondering.


Heather: I love the aurora borealis, never seen one outside of pictures though. So, it sounds like you know quite a bit about the solar system, but what is the coolest thing you know?

Anita: The coolest thing is how we humans interact with the solar system. Spacewalking is one of the most difficult and dangerous things man does to further his knowledge of the solar system. Before an astronaut can rocket off, years of physical and academic training is required. A few weeks after making my version of the astronaut tool belt one astronaut actually lost hers on a space walk, proving that there is never a dull moment in space. For days there was coverage of this astronaut watching helplessly as her belt floated off. That belt is now one of the more than 8,000 artificial objects orbiting Earth.

Heather: That is cool! There are many planets that are all completely different from each other; do you have a favorite?

Anita: I’d like to say the planet that hasn’t yet been discovered but as a resident of a planet, I’ll say Earth. Observing Earth from space, satellites provide us with essential information on our water, land and atmosphere. Just thinking about Earth as the only known planet to harbor life makes our planet special. We haven’t yet discovered everything about Earth or even mapped the ocean floor. This means there are some cool adventures waiting for us just outside the door. So let’s get moving!

Heather: *packs up suitcase* Okay, I’m ready! *laughs* But first, I must ask, what was your favorite activity? Why?

Anita: I enjoy crafting and creating projects with anything I can pull out of my recycling bin. Watching my homemade Mars Rover take shape from a cereal box, juice cans, and wire hangers made me feel as proud as if I had created the original. My daughter and niece, loved making the astronaut suits from old painter suits, embellished with markers, glitter and glow in the dark glue. They were such a hit that the girls wore them for Halloween.

Heather: *takes a step out the door* Arts and Crafts are always my favorite subject, why do you think kids will be interested in reading about the solar system?

Anita: It’s exciting to think about a trip to the planets in our galaxy, exploring the surface of Mars, soaring above Earth in the Space Shuttle, and discovering new planets. How thrilling to imagine yourself working on the International Space Station or being part of a permanent space colony. Wow! For this adventure all a child needs to do is turn a page and get ready for an amazing journey.

Heather: *pulls out map searches for nearest mass of water* It is exciting to think about a trip to our galaxy, and it’s one dream that seems so out of our world which actually can become a true dream, I think it’s awesome. What was your favorite part of writing this book and learning about the solar system?

Anita: I loved learning about space firsts, the men and women who have made space exploration a reality. Also how the Mars rover just kept on exploring years after it was supposed to have finished its mission. It was interesting to read about the importance of international collaboration between space agencies. Without this cooperation, the International Space Station (ISS) would not exist. Thanks to this huge international effort the station is a reality. It was so cool to learn how astronauts eat, exercise, sleep, work and deal with challenges in space. In a short period of time we have moved from Neil Armstrong’s ‘one small step’ to making living in space a reality.

Heather: *heads off for nearest mass of water* How will the activities in the book help kids learn about the solar system?

Anita: As a former Montessori teacher I know how children love to explore and learn using their hands. Children are able to internalize projects, activities and experiments in this book by using all their senses. This interactive book is bound to stimulate more questions about the solar system.

Heather: *Arrives at large mass of water* How long have you been writing for?Anita: Writing and reading are passions I have had since childhood. I honestly don’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing down story ideas. For years I taught preschool and would write before and after school. I’ve been writing professionally for ten years. To date I’ve had ten books published and many magazine articles for both adults and children.
Heather: *pulls out piece of paper* What was it that got you writing for publication?
Anita: After the birth of my daughter I decided that the time in my life had come to just try and get published. Maybe I realized that I wasn’t going to achieve my writing goals if my manuscripts simply lingered in a drawer.
Heather: *begins drawing map of bottom of large water mass* Do you have a set time when you write, or just whenever you get the urge?
Anita: That’s a good question. I write everyday and find mornings the most productive. It’s important for me to set aside a block of time when I don’t answer the phone, check emails, run errands, etc. But I still find there aren’t enough hours in the day!Heather: *finishes drawing map of bottom of large water mass* Other than yourself, who is your favorite author?
Anita: It’s hard to choose just one favorite author or book. My home looks like a library. I guess it helps that my daughter is a library helper as she has done wonders organizing our collection. I am an avid reader of nonfiction biographies for children. I Iove Kathleen Krull’s “…and what the neighbors thought” series, Jackie Briggs Martin’s Snowflake Bentley, and M.T Anderson’s Strange Mr. Satie.Heather: *turns around and heads back home* Have you ever had writer's block, and if so how do you usually get rid of it?
Anita: When I cannot find a way to explain in ‘child-friendly’ terms a concept or event, I take a break from my computer screen. Listening to music, walking the dog and even gardening are helpful in clearing my mind. Heather: What do you recommend to aspiring authors?Anita: I think aspiring authors should read as much as they can in the genre in which they are wishing to write for. They should know what is being published and why. Taking classes and belonging to a critique group are also helpful.


Great tips, Anita, I’m sure they’ll help someone in his or her journey to become a great author like yourself.