1. Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?
CVR: . I prefer printed books. I love curling up in bed with a good paperback or hardcover book.
LBE: I prefer printed books because I like the feel of the book in my hand. There’s nothing like a good page-turner where you can physically turn the page.
2. Does writing energize or exhaust you? Or both?
CVR: Writing energizes me. I can write any time or any place. I love being a writer and being creative.
LBE: For me writing does both. When I’m really excited about the subject and can totally concentrate on developing the story, it’s energizing. Other times I exhaust myself trying to come up with the “perfect” solution or word.
3. Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?
CVR: Besides co-writing the thriller, Retribution, and co-writing the Grandmothers, Incorporated cozy mystery series with Lillie, I also write romantic suspense novels, and in one of them titled Secrets, I killed off the main character’s best friend and it caused quite an uproar among my readers.
LBE: While writing the Grandmothers, Incorporated series, a character was killed off and readers were very upset. Truth is, I was upset when we did it.
4. Have you ever traveled as research for your book?
CVR: Retribution is set in New York City and we traveled there for research. We traveled and did research for most of our Grandmothers, Incorporated novels as well.
LBE: Likewise, we traveled for Retribution and we’ve done some extensive travel for the Grandmothers, Incorporated series.
5. How did you come up with the title for your book?
CVR: Retribution is a cat and mouse story about revenge.
LBE: The title suggests something beyond justice because sometimes justice just isn’t enough.
6. How do books get published?
CVR: Books get published using the traditional method by finding an agent to represent your work and submitting it to publishers, or by submitting the novel to publishers who will accept your work without an agent being involved.
LBE: To add to that, there is the wonderful world of self-publishing that does require that you learn all you can about all the aspects of publishing, selling, and marketing.
7. How do you come up with character names for your stories?
CVR: Usually, we make them up using names that we like personally.
LBE: I try to remember unusual names when talking to or being introduced to people.
8. How long have you been writing or when did you start?
CVR: I’ve been writing novels for nearly thirty years.
LBE: I’ve been writing professionally for about the same period of time but I didn’t start writing novels until teaming up with Crystal about 20 years ago.
9. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
CVR: I’ve written 16 romantic suspense and women’s fiction novels and I’ve co written four cozy mysteries with Lillie. If I had to choose, Sinful Intentions is my favorite romantic suspense novel that I’ve written.
LBE: I’ve written four cozy mysteries with Crystal plus our recent thriller, Retribution.
10. What books did you grow up reading?
CVR: I loved reading Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
LBE: I read everything, but mysteries were my favorite and I read everything from Judy Bolton Mysteries, Nancy Drew Mysteries and later, Sherlock Holmes.
WEBSITE: www.grandmothersinc.com
FACEBOOK: @Evans and Rhodes
Amazon: L Barnett Evans and C. V. Rhodes