Interview with Nan D. Arnold

Hello again, Coffee Time readers! Today, we are chatting with Nan D. Arnold, author of “quirky fiction for boomer babes.” Pull up a seat and get comfortable. This is going to be a lot of fun.
Welcome, Nan! I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to sit down and chat with you!

Thank you so much for inviting me.

I love the tagline on your website. Can you tell us a little more about your writing, for those who aren’t acquainted with you or your books?

And I thought writing a synopsis was difficult! My writing doesn’t fit into a box. It’s 50/50 contemporary romance and women’s fiction (the latter resembling chick lit for the over forty crowd).

Sadly, I am creeping toward that 40 mark and reading about 20- somethings just doesn’t appeal to me the way that it used to. Life experience helps make a character, I think.On your website, you tell that you are taking time off to pursue writing full-time. Do you find yourself still sticking to a daily schedule as you write?

I try to write b/t ten am and two pm daily. Life happens so that’s not always possible but I do write three to five pages seven days a week. Some pages are better than others. This does not include time for revisions to contracted works or promotion which takes up l-o-t-s of time (I’m grateful for CTR!)

Awwww, you are sweet. You’re going to make all of the people who work behind the scenes here at CTR blush! I have just had the pleasure of reading and reviewing your book, Hitting the High Notes. While Maggie is the leading lady, I think her best friend, Brenda, kept me in stitches. I’m curious; do you have a Brenda-type person who inspired this character?

I do. In fact, if Champagne Books invites me to do another podcast, I will introduce one of the threesome on which she’s based. My mother had the most input but she’s not with us so we can’t chat with her much as I’d like to. The third person will remain anonymous per request.

Brenda was just too much of a character to not be based in reality. An introduction to one of the threesome would be great! Will there be more books featuring these two zany ladies?

Maggie is taking time off but I have an idea for Brenda and her biker babes. Ah, yes, The Dahli Mamas will ride again one day. Naturally, Brenda will be The Grande Dahli Mama.

The name, The Dahli Mamas, makes me giggle.  Can you tell us bit more about Pesto Packin’ Mama, which is coming out June 1st?

Happy to share. Maggie has ongoing guilt issues over the homicide of her abusive husband. Brenda dreams up a new biz venture for the girls, selling pasta sauces based on Maggie’s recipes. This lands Maggie in hot water when she has a face off with a sociopathic loan shark.  Bruce Herring has his own problems. Seems his deadbeat dad contacts him after decades of silence and the result? Seventy year old Herring Sr. drops a “love child” in Bruce’s lap. An infant under foot is hard enough for Bruce to grasp. How on earth can he convince Maggie (who thinks b-a-b-y is just a four-letter word), to accept a two-for-one deal. Turns out there’s a deep dark secret why Maggie is so wary of children. An attractive, wealthy widower moves next door to Maggie as well. Fans of Lorenzo, the opera star trouble maker from HTHN, might like to know that he makes a brief appearance, too.

I’m so excited to hear that there is another book on the way featuring Maggie and Brenda along with Bruce “Red” Herring. Are there any more works in progress you can tell us about?

Yes, thank you for asking. My newest work, Garnet Gale Gets Her Man, is making the rounds. Although Gale is younger than my usual heroine, she’s “over the hill” for the time period. It’s a quirky tale set in 1830’s New England with black magic and ghostly sea captains hampering Gale’s attempt to wed the cousin of the bride/widow of the departed seaman.

Oh, wow! I am a sucker for anything historical. This one sounds terrific, too. I’m sure there is a lot of research that goes into your writing. Is there an interesting fact that has stuck in your head?

So many, they’ve adhered together and I can’t separate a single one to share.

Just from reading Hitting the High Notes, I can tell the research involved, so that statement really doesn’t surprise me. I wonder about your writing style. Do you have the little voices that live in your head who lead the story in the direction they desire? Or do your stories come to you in a different way?

Inspiration is everywhere: newspaper articles, women’s magazines, overheard conversations, and dreams are a reliable source, too.

Now for some fun questions:Did you enjoy reading as a child? If so, what were some of your favorite books?

Indeed.  Nancy Drew and Robinson Crusoe (hope I spelled the last title correctly, if not, apologies to Mr. Defoe.)

Oh, yes! Some of the classics. How about now? Any favorite authors?

Oh, yeah.  Carl Hiaasen (Skinny Dip is on my keeper shelf) and Jennifer Lancaster, trés snarky. Having a bad day, read Jen, you’ll be rolling on the floor laughing in no time. Anything from NAL’s Accent line. Jennifer Crusie, too.

I will have to check into some Jennifer Lancaster. Snarky is always a good thing. Jennifer Crusie is one of my favorites, too. This is all of the time we have for this interview. I want to thank Nan D. Arnold for joining me here to chat today. I also want to take the time to thank you, Coffee Time readers, for taking the time to visit with us. Be sure to check out Nan’s website for more information on her books. Have a blessed day!