M. M. Gornell, author of Lies of Convenience Converses with Neil Knight
Thank you, Marilyn, for giving
me the opportunity today to “converse” with one of my characters (yes—converse, not talk —to use my latest and
rather proper protagonist’s vocabulary!). But Mitch Malone, Wendy Gager’s protagonist
is already grilling my dear Margot Madison-Cross on her blog later in our tour.
So when you, my friend and “guiding light,” asked me to interview one of my
characters, I let Margot off the hook this time. I even gave my other
protagonists—Hubert James Champion III, Jada Beaudine, and brother/sister Belinda
and Bernard Jones—a pass.
Instead, I decided to
interview a “minor” character who appears in both Reticence of Ravens and in my
current work-in-process, Counsel of Ravens. Neil Knight is in the hot seat today. Sometimes it seems, minor
characters take on a life of their own! And Neil was one of those for me. He
started as a foil for Hugh, and somehow, someway, he became a special…
Thanks for stopping by Neil.
In Reticence of Ravens, I decided in your first scene that I didn’t like you.
You were not a sympathetic character, were you?
Ha!
That’s what comes from snap judgments, doesn’t it. Just kidding. Yeah, after
what we all we went through in Reticence of Ravens, I’ve even developed a sense
of humor. But en effet, you’re right,
I don’t come off that well in the first scenes.
Well, you said you hated the
desert, hated your boss, and wanted to take her job. And what’s with the
foreign phrases all the time? Sometimes it’s just plain annoying.
Not
exactly, hate, but I was rather politically ambitious, wasn’t I? Especially,
since my father-in-law was the Sheriff and could help me. At least that’s what
I thought at the time. And why not use a foreign phrase when one fits,
especially French. They have such a way with phrases.
You do seem a little mellower
now, Neil, both in your demeanor and tone. Is that because of what happened to
you?
(Neil sighs and looks away) Yes, being shot and being in a coma… And then what
Hugh and Audrey and Ted did at the end…
Let’s change the subject.
I’d
like that. You know, in Counsel of Ravens, our in-progress next adventure—Hugh,
Ted, and I have to deal with several even tougher circumstances.
Really? (tone dripping in sarcasm) Can you give us a preview?
No,
you know, a work-in-progress by definition isn’t complete. I can tell you, though,
none of us remain the people you started with at the beginning of Reticence of
Ravens. Time and events…change us all…
Speaking of time, thanks for
taking-the-time, Neil. I’m looking forward to where your “time and events”
takes you. Au revoir!
Stay tuned…because Neil keeps surprising me! As usual, Marilyn, I loved visiting with you. So enjoy
our touring.
Bio for Madeline (M.M.) Gornell
Madeline
(M.M.) Gornell has four published mystery novels—PSWA awarding winning Uncle Si’s Secret (2008); Death of a Perfect Man (2009); Eric
Hoffer Fiction finalist and Honorary Mention winner, the da Vinci Eye finalist,
and Montaigne Medalist finalist Reticence
of Ravens (2011); and PSWA award
winner and Hollywood Book Festival Honorary Mention Lies of Convenience (2012). Both Reticence of Ravens and Lies
of Convenience are Route 66 mysteries.
Madeline
is also a potter with a fondness for stoneware and reduction firing. She lives
with her husband and assorted canines in the Mojave Desert in a town on
internationally revered Route 66.
Contact and Buy Info from Madeline (M.M.) Gornell:
Madeline’s
books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Smashwords, in
paper and e-book formats. You can visit her online at her website http://www.mmgornell.com, or her BLOG http://www.mmgornell.wordpress.com, or email her directly at mmgornell@earthlink.net
Book Giveaway:
Buster, Dobie, and Mugs (the latest) are each
drawing a name from comments for free copies of Lies of Convenience (or a M.M.
Gornell title of your choosing)
Buy
link for Lies of Convenience:
Comments
Thanks, Evelyn, for stopping by. So glad you want to read LOC. I'm looking forward to having a little more time for reading and writing--being on tour is time consuming. Though I wouldn't miss this tour for anything!
Madeline
Madeline
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
Thanks, Marilyn, enjoyed my visit!
Madeline