This author exchange is a way to showcase writers and their books, not to mention the places in which they live and find inspiration. There are a bunch of great authors who live all over and lots to win. Comment here and get a chance to win an ecopy of either Being Human or my new release, Snapshots and bookmarks. Make sure to hop around the linky list after my interview with Marita.
I want to thank Courtney Vail and J.L. Campbell for hosting this event. Now, I'll stop babbling and get on to the good stuff.
I want to thank Courtney Vail and J.L. Campbell for hosting this event. Now, I'll stop babbling and get on to the good stuff.
Fat Assassins by Marita Fowler
Synopsis:
Southern style sweet potatoes Shasta and Ulyssa have stuck together through thick and thin since their escape from third grade fat camp. But on one dark day, they both find themselves unemployed.
A hazardous job hunt sees them turn down egg harvesting, drug dealing and phone sex before they settle for an exterminator job.
Confusing mafia lingo leaves the girls thinking they’re being interviewed to cope with a rodent infestation. Confident that they can handle the job, they oversell their skills and demand half the payment up front to seal the deal. Skeptical at first, the mob boss decides to hire this unlikely pair when he mistakes their attitude for professional stoicism.
The girls are shocked when presented with a target profile and an envelope full of cash. They want out, but it’s too late.
The mob doesn’t allow do-overs. And certainly not when they’re whacking one of their own.
The clock is ticking and when the body count is still zero after multiple attempts, the boss decides to bring in additional assassins to finish the job and tie up loose ends.
And the girls just happen to be one of those loose ends.
What gave you the idea for the book?
My husband and I always have interesting conversations on road trips and the idea for Fat Assassins (and the rest of the series) spawned from one of these sugar and caffeine filled road trips. If I remember correctly, the conversation started with a funny bumper sticker I’d purchased.
Fat people are harder to kidnap.
I love this bumper sticker because it’s true. I couldn’t imagine someone trying to shove me in the back of a non-descript van. My size and my fight are the two reasons I think a kidnapper would find it difficult to snatch me. So, the discussion evolved into stereotyping and how two fat people could be great assassins and nobody would suspect them. And the idea for FatAssassins was born.
Who are your main characters?
The two main characters are curvy, country girls - Shasta and Ulyssa.
Who is your favorite character and why?
I love all the characters, so it’s very difficult to pick one. I really enjoyed writing about the 'law dawg love triangle' though. It was great watching the guys fight over Shasta while she was trying to assassinate someone.
Share one quirky trait in one of your characters.
There are two characters in the book who run a shoplifting ring and they’ve mastered the art of beeping noises. They can imitate the scanner beeps at the self-checkout lanes from different stores, so they can fool the cashier.
What was your biggest challenge writing this book?
Finding a story that worked. This is actually the third book I started before finding characters and a storyline that flowed easily from my fingertips. I wasn’t ready for those other ideas yet, so I shelved them until my brain is ready to cooperate. Once I wrote the first piece of dialogue between Shasta and Ulyssa, I was hooked. Everything picked up momentum and I saw characters, conversations and stories everywhere.
Where do you live?
Alexandria, Virginia
What’s the most well known city in your country and why?
I live less than five miles from Washington D.C. and that’s pretty exciting. It’s amazing to see the mixture of history, politics, and cultures in one location. I still hum the Star Spangled Banner when I drive over the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
What is the one thing tourists must do?
Tour the White House while the holiday decorations are up.
What's your favorite thing to do?
Write. I work a 9-5 job and write at night and on weekends. Travel is a close second. I love every type of travel...from road trips to backpacking in China.
What's your favorite restaurant and what type of food do they serve?
Cupcake vans! They roll around all over town selling red velvet cupcakes. They sell other kinds too, but I’m all about the red velvet.
What are you giving away on your blog?
An ebook set of Fat Assassins and Fat Bodyguards
One $25 Kindle Gift Card
Who is the author you are highlighting on your blog?
Angela Fristoe, author of Songbird
Where can readers connect with you?
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Assassins-Adventure-ebook/dp/B006HWFA8W
Web: http://www.maritafowler.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/maritafowler
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fat-Assassins/222813677789949
Synopsis:
Southern style sweet potatoes Shasta and Ulyssa have stuck together through thick and thin since their escape from third grade fat camp. But on one dark day, they both find themselves unemployed.
A hazardous job hunt sees them turn down egg harvesting, drug dealing and phone sex before they settle for an exterminator job.
Confusing mafia lingo leaves the girls thinking they’re being interviewed to cope with a rodent infestation. Confident that they can handle the job, they oversell their skills and demand half the payment up front to seal the deal. Skeptical at first, the mob boss decides to hire this unlikely pair when he mistakes their attitude for professional stoicism.
The girls are shocked when presented with a target profile and an envelope full of cash. They want out, but it’s too late.
The mob doesn’t allow do-overs. And certainly not when they’re whacking one of their own.
The clock is ticking and when the body count is still zero after multiple attempts, the boss decides to bring in additional assassins to finish the job and tie up loose ends.
And the girls just happen to be one of those loose ends.
What gave you the idea for the book?
My husband and I always have interesting conversations on road trips and the idea for Fat Assassins (and the rest of the series) spawned from one of these sugar and caffeine filled road trips. If I remember correctly, the conversation started with a funny bumper sticker I’d purchased.
Fat people are harder to kidnap.
I love this bumper sticker because it’s true. I couldn’t imagine someone trying to shove me in the back of a non-descript van. My size and my fight are the two reasons I think a kidnapper would find it difficult to snatch me. So, the discussion evolved into stereotyping and how two fat people could be great assassins and nobody would suspect them. And the idea for FatAssassins was born.
Who are your main characters?
The two main characters are curvy, country girls - Shasta and Ulyssa.
Who is your favorite character and why?
I love all the characters, so it’s very difficult to pick one. I really enjoyed writing about the 'law dawg love triangle' though. It was great watching the guys fight over Shasta while she was trying to assassinate someone.
Share one quirky trait in one of your characters.
There are two characters in the book who run a shoplifting ring and they’ve mastered the art of beeping noises. They can imitate the scanner beeps at the self-checkout lanes from different stores, so they can fool the cashier.
What was your biggest challenge writing this book?
Finding a story that worked. This is actually the third book I started before finding characters and a storyline that flowed easily from my fingertips. I wasn’t ready for those other ideas yet, so I shelved them until my brain is ready to cooperate. Once I wrote the first piece of dialogue between Shasta and Ulyssa, I was hooked. Everything picked up momentum and I saw characters, conversations and stories everywhere.
Where do you live?
Alexandria, Virginia
What’s the most well known city in your country and why?
I live less than five miles from Washington D.C. and that’s pretty exciting. It’s amazing to see the mixture of history, politics, and cultures in one location. I still hum the Star Spangled Banner when I drive over the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
What is the one thing tourists must do?
Tour the White House while the holiday decorations are up.
What's your favorite thing to do?
Write. I work a 9-5 job and write at night and on weekends. Travel is a close second. I love every type of travel...from road trips to backpacking in China.
What's your favorite restaurant and what type of food do they serve?
Cupcake vans! They roll around all over town selling red velvet cupcakes. They sell other kinds too, but I’m all about the red velvet.
What are you giving away on your blog?
An ebook set of Fat Assassins and Fat Bodyguards
One $25 Kindle Gift Card
Who is the author you are highlighting on your blog?
Angela Fristoe, author of Songbird
Where can readers connect with you?
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Assassins-Adventure-ebook/dp/B006HWFA8W
Web: http://www.maritafowler.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/maritafowler
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fat-Assassins/222813677789949
