Please Welcome Author REBECCA CANTRELL!

[Cantrell]

Thanks, Becke!

That short story, ON THE TRAIN, haunted me for years. I was glad to see it finally get into wider distribution, as the story of those two men was so vivid in my mind. The research for it was very intense, and I don't think I could ever write a novel with those characters, but I'm grateful that I could spend a few pages watching their lives unfold.

Rebecca

[becke_davis]

---

Cantrell wrote:

Thanks, Becke!

That short story, ON THE TRAIN, haunted me for years. I was glad to see it finally get into wider distribution, as the story of those two men was so vivid in my mind. The research for it was very intense, and I don't think I could ever write a novel with those characters, but I'm grateful that I could spend a few pages watching their lives unfold.

Rebecca

---

I've always loved short stories - especially in the mystery/suspense genre - and that anthology was really good. Yours was a standout - I think it worked better in a short story than it would have in a whole book, because the impact hit so hard. A lot of pages might have diluted it.

[Cantrell]

I love short stories too! I'm thinking I'm going to be writing more of them soon, just to get a little variety in while I work on the longer pieces. 

You may be right about the lenght of that story. It's a very intense moment and might not be able to expanded a great deal without losing its power.

I'm glad you liked it! There were some good stories in that collection. I found CJ Lyons's story to be especially creepy, and Grant McKenzie's to be ridiculous and fun, and Lee Child's made me think about the march of time and...well, you get the idea.

Rebecca

[becke_davis]

---

Cantrell wrote:

I love short stories too! I'm thinking I'm going to be writing more of them soon, just to get a little variety in while I work on the longer pieces. 

You may be right about the lenght of that story. It's a very intense moment and might not be able to expanded a great deal without losing its power.

I'm glad you liked it! There were some good stories in that collection. I found CJ Lyons's story to be especially creepy, and Grant McKenzie's to be ridiculous and fun, and Lee Child's made me think about the march of time and...well, you get the idea.

Rebecca

---

YES! I liked CJ's story, too! There were several I liked. 

What are you working on now - the next Hannah Vogel book, or a short story? Can you tell us what it's about or is it too soon to say?

[Cantrell]

I'm just finishing up Hannah Vogel #4: A CITY OF BROKEN GLASS. It's set during Kristalnacht, in November 1938. Hannah is pulled into Germany against her will, with Anton, and spends the rest of the book trying to solve a murder, find another missing child, and get out of Germany. Lots of research.

I'm also tinkering with a short story set in modern Alaska about a man who is said to be born with the ability to truly experience the emotions of those he loves. Not always a good thing. I hope to post that one up on Amazon soon. It's called "Caulbearer."

Plus IFRANKENSTEIN.

And a few other things that are too early to talk about.

I'm definitely staying busy!

[seasanddollar]

Welcome Rebecca, and thank you for coming to the Mystery Board.  The thought of these German novels is so intriguing, and a definite add to my huge TBR list!

[Cantrell]

Thank you! With my own TBR list growing by leaps and bounds, I appreciate being added to your towering stack!

Rebecca

[becke_davis]

---

Cantrell wrote:

I'm just finishing up Hannah Vogel #4: A CITY OF BROKEN GLASS. It's set during Kristalnacht, in November 1938. Hannah is pulled into Germany against her will, with Anton, and spends the rest of the book trying to solve a murder, find another missing child, and get out of Germany. Lots of research.

I'm also tinkering with a short story set in modern Alaska about a man who is said to be born with the ability to truly experience the emotions of those he loves. Not always a good thing. I hope to post that one up on Amazon soon. It's called "Caulbearer."

Plus IFRANKENSTEIN.

And a few other things that are too early to talk about.

I'm definitely staying busy!

---

Wow - you have a lot going on!

I love author's "call" stories - would you share with us how you got the call about your first sale?

[Cantrell]

Ah, The Call.

My agent, Elizabeth Evans, called early one morning to tell me that the book had sold. I had just gotten out of the shower (but was still wet, lucky thing my phone held up) and took the call. I had to dry off and call her back. I think there may have been much screaming and yelling and jumping up and down. Or so they tell me. I was in a daze. Still am, come to think of it.

[becke_davis]

---

Cantrell wrote:

Ah, The Call.

My agent, Elizabeth Evans, called early one morning to tell me that the book had sold. I had just gotten out of the shower (but was still wet, lucky thing my phone held up) and took the call. I had to dry off and call her back. I think there may have been much screaming and yelling and jumping up and down. Or so they tell me. I was in a daze. Still am, come to think of it.

---

*sigh* I love call stories!!

[becke_davis]

Rebecca - Will you be doing any Barnes & Noble book signings this summer?

[Cantrell]

I'm doing a very quick tour this year, and I don't have any Barnes & Noble signings scheduled. Hopefully next year! It's always fun to get a quick chai, browse around, and then head to the event room.

Thank you again very much for having me!

Rebecca

[eadieburke]

Welcome Rebecca:

I love your Hannah Vogel series! I've read A TRACE OF SMOKE and A NIGHT OF LONG KNIVES and enjoyed them immensely! I have GAME OF LIES on order and can't wait to get my copy! I've been to Berlin and it really helps add to the feel of your books because some of the settings are familiar to me.

Hope you enjoy your visit with us! I'm glad to hear that at least a fourth Hannah Vogel book is also in the making! Thanks again for visiting with us!

[becke_davis]

---

Cantrell wrote:

I'm doing a very quick tour this year, and I don't have any Barnes & Noble signings scheduled. Hopefully next year! It's always fun to get a quick chai, browse around, and then head to the event room.

Thank you again very much for having me!

Rebecca

---

Oh, another chai lover - my favorite!

[becke_davis]

Rebecca - In the course of your research for your books, did you come across anything that surprised you, or that you hadn't read about before?

*FYI* I'm meeting my nieces for lunch downtown. I'll be back later!

[maxcat]

Hi, Rebecca, welcome to the mystery Forum. Your books sound interesting and I will certainly check them out. Thanks for stopping by.

[becke_davis]

Awhile back I asked friends who attended the Reader Appreciation Day at the West Chester, Ohio Barnes & Noble to suggest questions I should ask our featured authors.

This is what they came up with (I've adapted the list a bit):

1) What of the five senses do you tap into most when you're writing?

2) What have you been reading lately?

3) Do you watch mystery TV shows and/or movies? If so, which do you like best?

4) If you were casting any of your books, who would you choose?

5) Are you a pantser or a plotter?

6) What were your favorite books when you were growing up?

[harleyhoney]

I just wanted to report on my evening with Rebecca Cantrell.  If you ever have the chance to attend one of her events, DO!  She did a book signing tonight at the Bellevue (Washington) Public Library.  Started by introducing her books in the Hannah Vogel series and then reading several excerpts from her new book The Game of Lies.  The evening concluded with Q & A and book signing.  Lots of interesting questions about Rebecca's writing process, her research, covers and titles.  It sounds like her Young Adult book  iDrakula, written under the name of Bekka Black, will be the first book in the iMonsters series.  (Did I get that right?)

It was a very nice evening as Rebecca is a warm and entertaining speaker.  And she's so brave about Q & A, especially after the question she was asked at Berkley by one of the professors.  Thank you Rebecca for a great evening.

And thank you Becke for bringing her to us this week.

Nancy

[Cantrell]

Thank you! I'm glad to hear that you like the Hannah Vogel series! Berlin was and remains an amazing place.

Hope your copy of A GAME OF LIES arrives soon!

Happy reading!

Rebecca

[Cantrell]

I have the cynical ability to be surprised by lots of things without being really shocked. Big research surprises: the size of the gay community in Weimar-era Germany (quite large), the fact that the newspapers couldn't even print the names of the dead after The Night of the Long Knives purge, and how well the German press treated Jesse Owens considering he was making a mockery of their racist philosophy in front of the entire world by winning gold medals right and left.

Rebecca