Sunday, September 6, 2009

Get to know Venita Louise

RL Meets Venita Louise- author of a humorous novel set in the mid-sixties called, Mixed Nuts, and a mystery set in the mid-forties called, Dead on the Money.

My website says, Where Mystery and Comedy reside. Soon, it will say, Where Mystery, Comedy and Music reside. Jumping from short stories to novels to writing songs is the only exercise I get. Writing eases the pressure from my mind, music heals my soul and humor keeps me sane. I am a big fan of contests. I submitted a novella to, Vintage Romance Publishing. I didn’t win, but instead, was offered a contract to publish, Initials For Murder, the prequel to Dead on the Money, now offered at The Author’s Lounge. I also perform in the classic rock band, Meridian.

1.What do you want readers to take away from your book?
We often hear people speak of, the good old days, and of course, every time period has been plagued by its own troubles. Nevertheless, more times than not, it’s the funny things, the fads, the slang, the dances, types of furniture and cars that are most remembered. I try to incorporate these things in my novels with as much accuracy as possible. For the reader who has lived through these eras, I would hope to create nostalgia, an affectionate defibrillation of the mind, jarring it back to times gone by. For the younger reader, I would hope to create a bit of appreciation for the conveniences that we have today and perhaps a sense of curiosity about what it was like to suffer without computers, text messaging and push-button technology.

2. Are you a believer in outlines, or do you write spontaneously?
I think I’m more of a, connect-the-dots writer. I keep notebooks all over my house in case an idea springs to mind. I take notes when I hear an interesting conversation in a restaurant or standing in line for the movies. People are a lot funnier when they are being serious and you can capture some truly worthy dialog just by listening.

When a story comes to mind the first thing I think of is how I want it to end. With that in mind, I begin to create my characters and believe it or not, they seem to drive the story to the intended finish.

3. What do you think it is about your book that will keep readers turning the pages?
I hope that it is the humor in Mixed Nuts that will keep the reader going. Most of the characters in that story are taken from my own family but the names have been changed to protect the guilty. As far as Dead on the Money, it is inspired by my passion for film noir and Mickey Spillane novels. Anyone who enjoys salted peanuts and dingy bars might enjoy this one.

4. How can readers learn more and get in contact with you?
Both Mixed Nuts and Dead on the Money are available at Amazon.com. and most book stores.
I can be contacted via my website http://www.venitalouise.net or, The Author’s Lounge at, http://www.talauthors.com/ My original music can be found on GarageBand.com under the name, White Smoke.
Thank you so much,
Venita Louise

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