Topic: Character Interviews
Rememer when I promised you a new feature here at Books and Authors? Well, today we have the first of what I hope to be many character interviews. Both writers and readersd spend hours with the characters that live between book covers--here is your chance to meet some of them!!!
Without further delay, I am pleased to bring the interview I ha with Patrick and Grace, who tell their stories time and again through Janet Elaine Smith!!
1. Can you tell us your name and the title of the book you live in?
Grace: My name is Grace Johnson, and I live in all of the Patrick and Grace Mysteries by Janet Elaine Smith.
Patrick: Hey, don't forget me! MY name is Patrick O'Malley, and they are the PATRICK and Grace Mysteries. I get top billing-NOT!
2. Describe to our readers what your role in the book is.
Grace: I'm the one with all the brains when it comes to solving crimes. Patrick has that typical "cop's gut instinct," but it takes me to figure out how to put it to practical use. Oh, and to get us out of all the trouble he gets us into.
Patrick: Don't you believe a word of it! Over 35 years on the force of New York's finest, and that's all the credit I get? If we left it up to Gracie all the time, we'd both be 6' under by now!
3. How did you convince your author to put you in this book? For example, did you visit a dream or make yourself known some other way?
Grace: Janet knew a lot about homeless people, since she and Ivan worked with Mission Socorro for a long time. So, when she saw me wandering around on the streets of New York City with no place to go, she figured I was a good candidate for explaining what homeless people really go through.
Patrick: Yeah, and shore an' b'gory, she had to drag me into it to come to Gracie's rescue. I mean, the poor little thing didn't even know the proper way to feed the birds in Central Park.
4. Is your author easy to work with or controlling?
Grace: Ha! Now that's funny! She thought she could control us, but it didn't take more than the first few pages for us to let her know who was REALLY in charge!
Patrick: (patting Gracie's hand lovingly) I have to agree with you on that one, Gracie. She's just a patsy for what we want to say and what we want to do.
5. Would you tell us about one of your favorite friends from this book?
Gracie: Well, for me it would have to be Mrs. D. (That's short for Mrs. Douglas.) Actually, both of the Douglas's are pretty special, even though we got off to a pretty bumpy start.
Patrick: Ya just gotta love the dear ol' priest from St. Patrick's Cathedral. God help us if he ever departs. That young one, he's okay, but he doesn't know the ropes like old Father O'Brien. I think he's got a direct line to heaven. Lord knows, he needs it, when it comes to keeping Gracie out of trouble. Like the rat poison in the rectory...oh, shucks, just read the book!
6. Do you plan on appearing in another book or are you happy to be where you are?
Patrick: We're already in three of them, but Janet's got plans for dragging us all over the country. I hear we're going to Disneyworld and Six Flags over Georgia next. If you look at our website (of course we have our own!) at http://crumbycapers.tripod.com/ I think she has a whole list of what she plans to do with us. Just wait till we get in there and spice it up a little. <vbg>
Gracie: I never flew in an airplane in my life until I met Patrick. Now I can't wait
For our next great adventure.
7. What would you like our readers to know about you?
Gracie: Probably that we are just like them. Land a'Goshen, Janet gets letters and e-mails from people all the time, wanting to know why she patterned me after them.
Patrick: Yeah, and that's from people she doesn't even know! I just want them to know that life isn't over at retirement. That's when the fun begins!
8. Did you learn anything during your adventure in this book?
Gracie: How to take orders.
Patrick: Ha! That'll be the day!
9. Can you tell us what you think is the most exciting thing that happened to you in your book?
Gracie: I really like the way Janet made me into my own person. I'd been somebody's wife or somebody's mama for so long, I'd forgotten there was a real me underneath.
Patrick: I think for me it was probably that Father O'Brien was right when he said "Things aren't always what they seem to be." As a cop, I learned to make quick judgments on things, but sometimes that can lead to problems, especially when it comes to people. Like Vince Bellazoni-who'd a thunk one day I'd actually almost like the fellow?
10. Is there anything in your story you wish you had not done? Why?
Gracie: Kept in closer contact with my kids, even if they didn't understand or trust me to make my own decisions. There's nothing better than family. I'm sure glad they came around at the end of the first book though.
Patrick: No, but there's something I wish Gracie hadn't done. That's her infernal refusal to tie the knot with me. Just how long can a guy hold on when she keeps on saying, "No, but I'm thinking about it." Enough thinking already!
11. What was your main motivation?
Gracie: To prove I could make it "on my own."
Patrick: To prove that I still had it when it came to solving a real mystery.
12. Introduce us to your main adversary?
Gracie: Myself.
Patrick: Vince Bellazoni, no question about it.
13. Is there anything you would like to have done but your author stopped you?
Gracie: No. Like I said, we pretty much ran the show.
Patrick: That's right. If we want to do something, we dang well are gonna do it.
14. Here's your chance to speak your mind. What do you want to tell everybody?
Gracie: For me, it's that when the chips are down, dig in with both feet and pull yourself up out of the mire. You never know what's on the other side of the mud puddle. And I sure hope people who read about us discover that things like being homeless could happen to anybody, but you can make the best of a bad situation if you set your mind to it.
Patrick: Simple. Just watch for our next book. Janet says the title will be "Ma Fia's Murder Mystery."
15. Please tell everyone where they can find out more about your story and where they can purchase it.
Patrick: (looking at Grace with pleading eyes) May I, Gracie?
Gracie: Go ahead.
Patrick: We're all over the place. You can find us at almost any online store and in scads of regular bookstores all over the country. If you want to get a taste of what it's all about, come on over for a peek at the first chapter at all three books at http://crumbycapers.tripod.com/ . Or if you want to do it a different way, you can find the same thing at http://janetesmithstarbooks.tripod.com/ or http://www.janetelainesmith.com/. She even gave us our own page on that one. There is a link at all three places that will take you to a spot where you can order the books directly by just clicking on our covers. Ha! We're "undercover senior sleuths!"
