For much more information about Patricia Guthrie and In the Arms of the Enemy, visit her virtual book tour site - http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Patricia+Guthrie Get it at AMAZON and Barnes and Noble .
Book Summary:
WANTED: ASSASSIN TO KILL RACE HORSES ON DEMAND
FLEXIBLE HOURS-GOOD BENEFITS.
WANTED: ASSASSIN TO KILL RACE HORSES ON DEMAND
FLEXIBLE HOURS-GOOD BENEFITS.
Light Sword Publishing announces the release of Patricia A. Guthrie’s first published novel “In the Arms of the Enemy.”
When the death of a racing stable’s prize horse and his trainer is blamed on the stable’s owner; his son, Adam Blakely, goes undercover convinced that the trainer’s partner, Maggie McGregor, is the killer.
Determined to leave the tumultuous world of horse racing, Maggie returns home to try and find peace. When a handsome horse owner moves his horse into her father’s boarding stable and asks Maggie to train his horse, family finances dictate that Maggie accept--and that’s when the accidents begin.
Drowning in deception and lies, Maggie and Adam search for a killer and uncover an insurance scam so insidious, it threatens to rock a horse racing empire and bring the killer to their doorstep. They need to learn to:
Keep your friends close; but your enemies closer.
Review magazine "Affaire de Coeur" says, "With a strong mystery and a sizzling romance, Ms. Guthrie captivates readers from the start. This is an enjoyable thriller with a plot that will keep you guessing until the climactic end.”
* * * * * Rated five stars
AUTHOR BIO
Patricia A. Guthrie is a resident of Park Forest, Illinois. A recently retired music teacher from the Chicago Public Schools (May Community Academy and Chicago Vocational Community Academy) and former opera singer, Author Patricia A. Guthrie is now an avid horse owner, dog obedience trainer and writer. Ms. Guthrie lives with three feisty collies who act as “ghost writers” and help her write at every given opportunity.
This story is dedicated to those horses lost to man’s greed and inhumanity and to those humanitarians whose mission is to save and protect them.
In the Arms of the Enemy By Patricia A. Guthrie
1.) -Please tell us about your latest book.
When the death of a racing stable’s prize horse and his trainer is blamed on the stable’s owner; his son, Adam Blakely, goes undercover convinced that the trainer’s partner, Maggie McGregor, is the killer.
Determined to leave the tumultuous world of horse racing, Maggie returns home to try and find peace. When a handsome horse owner moves his horse into her father’s boarding stable and asks Maggie to train his horse, family finances dictate that Maggie accept--and that’s when the accidents begin.
Drowning in deception and lies, Maggie and Adam search for a killer and uncover an insurance scam so insidious, it threatens to rock a horse racing empire and bring the killer to their doorstep. They need to learn to:
Keep your friends close; but your enemies closer.
~
Review magazine "Affaire de Coeur" says, "With a strong mystery and a sizzling romance, Ms. Guthrie captivates readers from the start. This is an enjoyable thriller with a plot that will keep you guessing until the climactic end.
Affaire de Coeur fated In the Arms of the Enemy five stars and chose it to be a reviewer’s pick.
2.) -What can we expect from you in the future?
My next book, Waterlilies Over My Grave, is due to come out in spring of 2008. There are two other novels in the works.
3.) -How do we find out about you and your book? Where can readers find it?
www.waldenbooks.com , Barnes and Noble and most other online sites.
You can order the books if you go into your local Barnes and Noble and Borders.
4.) -How may readers contact you?
My email address: Patguth@aol.com. Website: www.patriciaanneguthrie.com,
www.paguthrie.blogspot.com, and www.myspace.com/paguthrie and, of course at Nikki Leigh’s virtual book tour site, http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Patricia+Guthrie.
5.) -How would you describe the genre in which you do most of your writing?
Romantic suspense/ mystery/suspense, depending on the varying degree that the romance plays. In Arms of the Enemy, the romance between the hero and heroine make them equal players. The romance and mystery entwine, don’t separate. You could pull the romance out, but you’d have to rewrite most of the book.
6.) What motivated you to start writing in this book?
The seed started years ago when the disappearance of the candy heiress Helen Brach set off a huge horseshow scandal. Horses were being murdered for the insurance money; a lot of insurance money. Many horsemen were indicted. Many went to jail.
I lost the idea that all horse people were benevolent souls who loved their horses. Money plus greed plus valuable horses equals some of the sleaziest excuses for human beings in existence.
By the way, most horse people do love their horses. I want to mention that most strongly. Many of us are horse poor. Many of us get kicked, bucked, thrown and licked to death. Some of the nicest people in the world are horse and dog enthusiasts.
7.) -What kind of research do you do?
By the way, most horse people do love their horses. I want to mention that most strongly. Many of us are horse poor. Many of us get kicked, bucked, thrown and licked to death. Some of the nicest people in the world are horse and dog enthusiasts.
7.) -What kind of research do you do?
Whatever needs to be done. I’d like to say when I’m writing about Romania, I spend a nice leisurely month in the Carpathians. However, I’m not that rich.
I spend hours on the internet, books, pamphlets, talking to people etc. I spend a lot of time throughout the different drafts of the novel making sure my facts are correct. In The Arms of the Enemy, I talked to my barn owner (where my horse is boarded) she is a horse show judge and has been in the business since she was a child. She read my books for any inconsistencies or incredible stupid bloopers on my part. For Waterlillies Over My Grave, I took the visual scenery from upper Maine where we’d stayed when I was a kid for the summer months. Perfect setting.
8.) -Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?
I try for eight hours a day and usually get five or six. I get more done when I have a set schedule. If I go with the flow, the flow may never come. I have to treat writing as a day job. When I was teaching (working full time) I might take a few precious moments during the day to write and plot, but mostly I had to work at night and on weekends. Of course, I plotted on the way to work and on the way home. But half the time I’d forget the most important details. And no, a tape recorder has never worked for me. But, I understand it works for others.
9.) -Where do your ideas come from?
Seeds are usually planted from news stories or live events. In the Arms of the Enemy came from an exposed horse show scandal from long ago. Water Lillies came from my interest in psychology and watching a man descent into madness.
10.) -Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?
Probably Agatha Christie, because I read her books a lot growing up.I’d also give credit to some of my workshop leaders: Debra Dixon, Joanna Wayne, Margie Lawson, Sue Viders, Linda Daly. I can’t remember them all. At one time, when I had the time, I was addicted to workshops devoted to different areas of writing. I would suggest new writers do the same. Not only are many of the group leaders great, but the other writers in the class would make great friends and colleagues.
11.) -How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always been in the creative arts in some way. I started out as an opera singer which means theater, acting and singing the works of writers-composers.
Writing is just the other side of the coin. Now I’m making up the stories. I started realizing this is what I wanted in the late 90s, but it wasn’t until I retired from teaching music in the Chicago Public School System that I realized I was now a full-time writer and when I got published, I was a full time author.
12.) -What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
Whenever someone tells me how much they loved reading my book and ask if there’ll be a sequel. That feels warm and squishy.
13.) Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?
I can’t say I have a favorite book. I prefer romantic suspense, mystery and suspense as a genre and/or subgenre. I think my favorite heroine has to be Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Sheâ’s so human. Not afraid to speak her mind in a time when that was not expected of women. OH, and I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. She does all that with a gun that usually goes off in the most unexpected places.
14.) -Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)
My family: I have a brother who lives in Brooklyn and works with computers (very handy brother) and a sister who’s an Episcopal priest who worked as chaplain at Cornell University for years.
I have a master’s degree in music and opera theater from Manhattan School of Music. I sang professionally for years, until I moved into other endeavors and ended up as a music therapist then as a music teacher for the Chicago Public Schools.
My three collies (Alex, Roxi and Zuri) take up much of my time as does my horse, Jackson. I also like to read and to doze off to the primary election results.
15.) -Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?
Yes. I hope this is encouraging. This is an extremely difficult and frustrating business. Just because you get published does not mean you have talent coming out of your ears. And, just because you don’t get published does not mean you don’t have talent coming out of your ears. You have to learn to wear two hats. One the recluse who stays behind the computer and writes and the other outgoing personable business person who networks and learns to sell. Hard because the two skills are not always compatible.
Obtain all the writing skills you can. There are many great books out there. Donald Maas, Self Editing by Renni Browne and another author who escapes my mind, Creating Memorable Characters by Sue Viders, Goal Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon, Stephen King’s On Writing. I could go on and on. Those books lie in my treasure cove of books easily obtained at a moment’s notice. They’re all dog-eared.
The next thing is to write-write-write and write. Anything Garbage if necessary.
There are two types of writers: the pantzers who write from the story in their heads and the plotters who organize everything before they even start. Some of us are in between and our finished product looks nothing like our original outline.
I suggest you read everything in your genre you can. Go to conventions and seminars. Join your local RWA (Romance Writers of America) if you’re a romance writer, or Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime. I believe there are organizations for almost any genre.
But above all write. WRITE Did you hear that? WRITE.
16.) Now for something fun:
Chocolate or vanilla?
smell of vanilla. Life is good...
Favorite color?
Don’ t really have one.
Favorite character in a book?
I love Samwise Gangi from Lord of the Rings. He’s the real hero to me.
Favorite mythological being?
The unicorn.
Do you like science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance or mystery?
I’m crazy about mystery and romance, (that’s why I combine the two into romantic suspense) and some of the old fantasy types, like Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, LOR, Harry Potter. I’m not turned on by the new fantasy that muscles its way across lines into erotica. I love good horror. Stephen King’s The Stand and It remain two of my favorite books of all time and Dean Koontz with his hero retriever Einstein melts my heart.
All time favorite actor?
Varies from day to day. Pierce Brosnan has always been a favorite as has Hugh Jackman. Kenneth Balogh for roles in Shakespeare plays.
Actress?
Maybe Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman come to mind. Emma Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Gwenyth Paltrow as Emma. Oh dear, I am going on.
All time favorite book?
What ever I happen to be reading at the time. Some soft spots though: Black Beauty, Seabiscuit, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, anything by Janet Evanovich or Agatha Christie. Etc.
Favorite TV show?
Nancy Grace and Glenn Beck I haven’t a clue why.
Favorite Movie?
Seabiscuit with Toby McGuire.
What makes you laugh out loud?
My animals.
If you could go anywhere in the universe where would that be?
A composite spot. My house in front of a lake with pine forests behind me. A place for my horse and dogs. That would also be my secret desire. Although I could transfer to a log cabin if someone would build on for me. Sigh. No, I have no desire to go to the Moon or to Mars.
A secret desire? See above.
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