Please Welcome Author WENDY CORSI STAUB!

[becke_davis]

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WS_Gager wrote:

Wow, 7-8 books in a year is amazing. I could do 2 maybe a third but eight is just way too many. How do you manage the promotions side of it and still find time to write? Since my first book, A Case of Infatuation, came out last year and the second, A Case of Accidental Intersection, this summer, it seems all I do is promote. I've read your earlier books and loved them but haven't read the others. I was surprised there were so many. Keep it going.

Wendy

W.S. Gager

P.S. Wendys have got to stick together!

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Yay, my two favorite Wendys! I met Wendy Gager at Bouchercon last year - we had a lot of fun hanging out. I think we were both pretty star struck!

[becke_davis]

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ReadingPatti wrote:

Wendy, Hi, I am glad that you could be with us. I am glad that Becke has asked you to join us. I am getting new authors to read. I need to read some of you books. They look very interesting and intriguing.

I think that it is so cool that you write so much. They do say that write what you know and that you need to keep writng.

So keep writing. I am going to see about getting some of your books. Your books have me excited about reading them.

ReadingPatti

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Patti - Wendy has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I'm sure you will enjoy her books!

[becke_davis]

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eadieburke wrote:

Welcome Wendy:

I am in the middle of reading KISS HER GOODBYE and as soon as I finish writing this, I am getting back to the book to find out the rest of the story. I love your writing and I will be working thru your books one at a time. I love the ending of each chapter. You make the reader want to go on and read more. The story is really intriguing as I need to find out who keeps watching Jen!

Just wanted to stop by early this morning and thank you for visiting with us. Now, back to the book!

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That is the problem with Wendy's books - you can't put them down!

[becke_davis]

Wendy -

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:

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

2) What favorite book of yours do you wish you had written?

3) What do you think about the show Castle? Who do you think is hotter, Nathan Fillion or Gerard Butler? (Don't blame me, I didn't come up with these questions!)

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

5) If you were casting your books, who would you choose?

6) Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Jessica is visiting this week, so I'm going to be away from the computer for awhile. We've got a few errands to run, but I'll be back later. Hope everyone is having a great day!

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

Fellow Wendy, early in my career all I focused on was writing. And I mean ALL. I often advise new authors that it's far more important to be prolific than high profile--better to build a strong backlist and turn in at least one book a year than to spend precious writing time promoting a first or second novel.

I used to be an editor and I have seen many promising authors become one or two hit wonders because they got caught up in promotion instead of writing. Editors don't want to just buy one or two books from a new  author--they want to buy a brand name that has legs and longevity. And readers will forget authors who disappear from the shelves for months years at a time.

These days, the stakes are even higher. Not condemning self-promotion, but your publisher can do far more for you than you ever can, promotion-wise (meaning, personal promotion efforts are a drop in the bucket). It takes a publisher push to build a career. They'll get behind you if you provide them with lots of books to sell.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I allowed myself to take any time away from writing to promote. I had become a NY Times and USA Today Bestseller strictly based on word of mouth and publisher effort.  At this stage in my career, publisher-planned promotion and conferences take up a huge amount of time and I am down to writing just 2-3 books a year, tops.

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

Thanks, Patti! Great to meet you--I always feel right at home on this board. I do love to write, and this summer, having been on the road constantly to promote, I feel like a fish out of water. I can't wait to get back to work!

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

Becke, I just finished writing my first "Thrillogy"--a suspense trilogy--for Harper/Avon. My March title, LIVE TO TELL, was a well-reviewed bestseller and I'm praying that the two sequels live up to that! The first, SCARED TO DEATH, goes on sale around Christmas and the next, HELL TO PAY, will be out next year.

Last week my editor at Avon asked me to write another trilogy, so I'm plotting and planning that between visits to this site. :-) 

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

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

Only five? Can I add one? I have to say sixth. :-) By that, I mean that as I write, characters, scenes, lines of dialogue, twists, etc, often seem to pop into my head as if they were fed to me by some unseen source. I long ago learned to just go with it, whatever it is.

2) What favorite book of yours do you wish you had written?

That's easy. TELL NO ONE, by Harlan Coben. It was such a high-concept, simple idea and so well-executed. One of the most effective and fast-paced thrillers I've ever read.

3) What do you think about the show Castle? Who do you think is hotter, Nathan Fillion or Gerard Butler? (Don't blame me, I didn't come up with these questions!)

Will I be kicked off this board if I admit that I don't watch it? But I can't tell you how many times interviewers and readers have asked me about it in my travels these past few months! I definitely have to set the DVR!

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

Absolutely. I love Medium and Cold Case, but my all-time favorite is Criminal Minds.I discovered it when an FBI agent was helping me with some research a few years ago--he suggested that I watch it, saying it is as true-to-life as anything he's ever seen. Mark and I watched one episode and were hooked. I can't wait till the new season begins!

5) If you were casting your books, who would you choose?

It depends on which book, and I never have an actor or actress in mind when I write my characters because to me, when I'm in that stage, they're real people. But if my rock star boyfriend Bono (okay, just in my head), could write the soundtrack, I'd be a happy woman.

6) Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Oh, a pantser, absolutely. I'm blessed to be at the stage in my career when my editor gives me the benefit of the doubt when it comes to outlines, and I get to type notes in my one-page proposals like Something creepy happens here or Someone dies here, not sure who. The early days, when I had to sell a book by synopsis, were brutal. I never once stuck to an outline. Ever.

[maxcat]

Welcome, Wendy. I haven't read any of your books but Becke's descriptions of them make me want to buy a couple as a start. They all sound good and very suspenseful! 

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

Thanks, Maxcat! If you do, let me know what you think!!

[becke_davis]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

Fellow Wendy, early in my career all I focused on was writing. And I mean ALL. I often advise new authors that it's far more important to be prolific than high profile--better to build a strong backlist and turn in at least one book a year than to spend precious writing time promoting a first or second novel.

I used to be an editor and I have seen many promising authors become one or two hit wonders because they got caught up in promotion instead of writing. Editors don't want to just buy one or two books from a new  author--they want to buy a brand name that has legs and longevity. And readers will forget authors who disappear from the shelves for months years at a time.

These days, the stakes are even higher. Not condemning self-promotion, but your publisher can do far more for you than you ever can, promotion-wise (meaning, personal promotion efforts are a drop in the bucket). It takes a publisher push to build a career. They'll get behind you if you provide them with lots of books to sell.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I allowed myself to take any time away from writing to promote. I had become a NY Times and USA Today Bestseller strictly based on word of mouth and publisher effort.  At this stage in my career, publisher-planned promotion and conferences take up a huge amount of time and I am down to writing just 2-3 books a year, tops.

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Excellent advice, Wendy - it certainly worked for you!

[becke_davis]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

Becke, I just finished writing my first "Thrillogy"--a suspense trilogy--for Harper/Avon. My March title, LIVE TO TELL, was a well-reviewed bestseller and I'm praying that the two sequels live up to that! The first, SCARED TO DEATH, goes on sale around Christmas and the next, HELL TO PAY, will be out next year.

Last week my editor at Avon asked me to write another trilogy, so I'm plotting and planning that between visits to this site. :-) 

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I'm going to need a whole new bookcase just for you pretty soon. Do you know how many books you've had published altogether? I've lost count!

[becke_davis]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

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

Only five? Can I add one? I have to say sixth. :-) By that, I mean that as I write, characters, scenes, lines of dialogue, twists, etc, often seem to pop into my head as if they were fed to me by some unseen source. I long ago learned to just go with it, whatever it is.

Oh, I love this! It's what makes books so magical.

2) What favorite book of yours do you wish you had written?

That's easy. TELL NO ONE, by Harlan Coben. It was such a high-concept, simple idea and so well-executed. One of the most effective and fast-paced thrillers I've ever read.

That's a favorite of mine, too, and I think it made the NPR Top 100 Thriller list.

3) What do you think about the show Castle? Who do you think is hotter, Nathan Fillion or Gerard Butler? (Don't blame me, I didn't come up with these questions!)

Will I be kicked off this board if I admit that I don't watch it? But I can't tell you how many times interviewers and readers have asked me about it in my travels these past few months! I definitely have to set the DVR!

I don't watch a lot of TV but I had to check out Castle after so many of my friends recommended it. Authors like James Patterson and Michael Connelly often do cameos on it.

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

Absolutely. I love Medium and Cold Case, but my all-time favorite is Criminal Minds.I discovered it when an FBI agent was helping me with some research a few years ago--he suggested that I watch it, saying it is as true-to-life as anything he's ever seen. Mark and I watched one episode and were hooked. I can't wait till the new season begins!

I think Criminal Minds is the most watched show by authors I've asked. I like it, too, but sometimes it's too darn scary for me!

5) If you were casting your books, who would you choose?

It depends on which book, and I never have an actor or actress in mind when I write my characters because to me, when I'm in that stage, they're real people. But if my rock star boyfriend Bono (okay, just in my head), could write the soundtrack, I'd be a happy woman.

*sigh* I'm a big Bono fan, too. I've tried to get my husband to invest in some Oakley sunglasses, but he's resisted so far.

6) Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Oh, a pantser, absolutely. I'm blessed to be at the stage in my career when my editor gives me the benefit of the doubt when it comes to outlines, and I get to type notes in my one-page proposals like Something creepy happens here or Someone dies here, not sure who. The early days, when I had to sell a book by synopsis, were brutal. I never once stuck to an outline. Ever.

Boy, am I glad to hear that!

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[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

I know that it's well over 70, but that includes a handful of ghost-written novels I can't tell anyone I wrote. A little frustrating, because some were pretty darned high profile!! :-)

[TiggerBear]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

I know that it's well over 70, but that includes a handful of ghost-written novels I can't tell anyone I wrote. A little frustrating, because some were pretty darned high profile!! :-)

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Wow!

Hi thanks for joining us.

You know I can't remeber if I've read something by you or not. I recognized your name though. I've been asking all the authors with tons of books I've never read these.

Is there a book of yours you think as new reader I should start with?

Is reading a particular series of yours better in order and if so what order?

And I'll throw in a new one.

What your favorite book that you've written?

[Wendy_Corsi_St…]

Hi TiggerBear!

The only books that need to be read  in order, really, are DYING BREATH and DEAD BEFORE DARK (which is a sequel) and LIVE TO TELL (my latest) which will be followed by SCARED TO DEATH and HELL TO PAY. The others are all standalone (not that these aren't--but they are part of a series).

My favorite, personally, of the adult thrillers is probably THE FINAL VICTIM from the backlist titles, or my current one, LIVE TO TELL. I liked THE FINAL VICTIM because of the setting--Savannah and a spanish-moss-draped Georgia island--and because of the good, old-fashioned twist. But I would definitely say that my writing gets stronger with each new book so the latest would be the strongest, in that sense. :-)

As a new reader, though, I'd say that the book that best illustrates my style of domestic psychological suspense is SHE LOVES ME NOT, or LIVE TO TELL.

[TiggerBear]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

Hi TiggerBear!

The only books that need to be read  in order, really, are DYING BREATH and DEAD BEFORE DARK (which is a sequel) and LIVE TO TELL (my latest) which will be followed by SCARED TO DEATH and HELL TO PAY. The others are all standalone (not that these aren't--but they are part of a series).

My favorite, personally, of the adult thrillers is probably THE FINAL VICTIM from the backlist titles, or my current one, LIVE TO TELL. I liked THE FINAL VICTIM because of the setting--Savannah and a spanish-moss-draped Georgia island--and because of the good, old-fashioned twist. But I would definitely say that my writing gets stronger with each new book so the latest would be the strongest, in that sense. :-)

As a new reader, though, I'd say that the book that best illustrates my style of domestic psychological suspense is SHE LOVES ME NOT, or LIVE TO TELL.

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Cool thank you, I'll pick one of them up.

[notjessie]

Hey Wendy!  I just wanted to say hi! Hope you had a great time at the RWA conference in Orlando -- just typical it got moved there when I had planned my vacation to IL & OH for the same time! That would've been a great excuse to have Mom down for a visit, too! Hope you and your family are well!

-Jessica Davis

[becke_davis]

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

I know that it's well over 70, but that includes a handful of ghost-written novels I can't tell anyone I wrote. A little frustrating, because some were pretty darned high profile!! :-)

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Now you've really made me curious. I noticed the Ed Koch books listed on your website. Can you give us hints about your ghost-written books, or is it a deep, dark secret?

[becke_davis]

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TiggerBear wrote:

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Wendy_Corsi_Staub wrote:

I know that it's well over 70, but that includes a handful of ghost-written novels I can't tell anyone I wrote. A little frustrating, because some were pretty darned high profile!! :-)

---

Wow!

Hi thanks for joining us.

You know I can't remeber if I've read something by you or not. I recognized your name though. I've been asking all the authors with tons of books I've never read these.

Is there a book of yours you think as new reader I should start with?

Is reading a particular series of yours better in order and if so what order?

And I'll throw in a new one.

What your favorite book that you've written?

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What a great question, Tigger! I'll add that to the list for the future.