{"id":838,"date":"2019-03-30T14:22:02","date_gmt":"2019-03-30T21:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/?p=838"},"modified":"2019-03-30T14:26:49","modified_gmt":"2019-03-30T21:26:49","slug":"for-a-killer-author-zia-westfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/30\/for-a-killer-author-zia-westfield\/","title":{"rendered":"For a Killer Author, Zia Westfield!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nomad Authors is happy to host an interview of Zia Westfield<\/strong>. She’s a very interesting writer! You might even say she’s a killer<\/em> of an author!<\/p>\n

\"Zia<\/p>\n

NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?
ZW: I love gothic romances. There\u2019s something about the atmosphere that grips you from the start. I also had in my head the movie, Gaslight<\/em>. That was the inkling that got me started on Killer Lies<\/strong><\/em>, but I really didn\u2019t know where I was going until I reached the end. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

NA: What sort of research did you do to write this book?
ZW: I set my story in western New York State, near the Pennsylvania border. I had fun researching what kind of smuggling took place during Prohibition. I also spent time learning about reptiles in the area.<\/p>\n

NA: What is the main thing you want readers to take away from your book?
ZW: I hope readers walk away feeling fulfilled and feeling that Kelsey and Sam deserved the happiness that they found with each other.<\/p>\n

NA: Do you have a day job? What was your job before you started writing full time? What started you on the path to writing?
ZW: I have always been a voracious reader. I went through so many books growing up. I could never get enough. When I first came to Japan, it wasn\u2019t easy to find English books and they cost a lot. Now with Amazon Japan and Kindle, books are only a click away. When my children were born, I was a stay-at-home mom. I itched to do something beyond childrearing and reading. I had all these voices in my head, demanding that I put their stories on paper. I started writing late at night, after my sons were in bed. It took a while, but I was never more proud than when I finished my first manuscript. I now teach fulltime. It can be tough sticking to a writing schedule after a long day at work. But those voices in my head won\u2019t go away and so I make the time to write because it\u2019s who I am.<\/p>\n

NA: What do your friends and family think about your being a writer?
ZW: My family is generally proud of me, though no one has read anything I\u2019ve written. LOL! My sons pat me on the back and tell me, \u201cGood job.\u201d<\/p>\n

NA: The biggest surprise you had after becoming a writer
ZW: I\u2019m shy about sharing my writing with others. I teach and I present at conferences. I\u2019ve given speeches in my city with the local mayor in attendance. I am not shy as a person. But when it comes to my writing and promoting myself, I become a turtle. I\u2019m really working on being more confident about my books.<\/p>\n

NA: Do you outline books ahead of time or are you more of a by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer?
ZW: I really really want to outline my books. I feel like I could be more productive as a writer if I had a plan. The reality is that I often have a beginning in mind. If I\u2019m lucky, I can manage to outline a general plan. But, when I sit down, I often veer off from that plan and end up writing by the seat of my pants. When that happens, it takes me time to figure out where I\u2019m going next and making sure that all loose ends are appropriately tied. Maybe one day I\u2019ll figure out the magic formula to plotting.<\/p>\n

NA: What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author?
ZW: I recently learned that my first book Killer Secrets placed in the Oklahoma RWA International Digital Awards contest for 2018. That other writers judged my novel to be worthy of such an award, really brought it home for me\u2014I\u2019m a writer and my stories entertain people. [NA: YAY!! Congratulations!]<\/p>\n

NA: Which kind of scenes are the hardest for you to write? Action, dialogue, sex?
ZW: Love scenes are the hardest for me to write. Some action and dialogue scenes will just flow from my fingertips. But writing love scenes that do not come off as clinical or mechanical is challenging! It\u2019s important in a love scene that the connection between the characters jumps off the page. The reader has to believe that this is the right moment for these two characters to come together. If the chemistry is there, I know the scene will be the sensuous read I intend it to be.<\/p>\n

NA: Why did you choose the shirt you have on?
ZW: It\u2019s comfortable! I am all about comfort. I wear flat-heeled shoes for the most part. I dress business casual for work. I like to move with ease and I like clothes that breathe. I also like bright colors. The shirt I have on is a lovely fuchsia color that lifts my spirits.<\/p>\n

NA: First thought when the alarm goes off in the in the morning?
ZW: Hmmm…I\u2019m not sure about the first alarm. I\u2019m lucky if I hear it. I set about 5 alarms on my phone, which drives my husband crazy. I am not a morning person. And until you get one cup of black coffee in me\u2014preferably Peets French Roast\u2014I am not even human. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

NA: What errand\/chore do you despise the most?
ZW: I don\u2019t have a clothes dryer or a dishwasher. I\u2019ll let you all guess what chores I despise! LOL!<\/p>\n

NA: What are you working on now?
ZW: I am working on a novella that I hope to offer for free to people who sign up to my newsletter. It\u2019s tentatively called Killer Date, but that might not remain the title. It features Melissa Carmichael, the sister of Sam Carmichael, the hero in Killer Lies<\/strong><\/em>. I\u2019ve paired Melissa with Harry Fontana, a PI with attitude. It has my trademark excitement, suspense and romance with a dash of humor.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, keep an eye out for Killer Deceptions<\/strong><\/em>, which should be released in Spring 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Killer<\/a><\/p>\n

Killer Lies<\/strong><\/em>
Zia Westfield
(Deadly Encounters Series, #2)
Publication date: December 21st 2018
Genres: Adult, Suspense<\/p>\n

Kelsey Tremayne\u2019s life unraveled in the summer of her 16th year when she and a friend were abducted. She came out of the experience alive, but without memories of her abduction and her friend was never found. Rumors that she\u2019d killed her friend in jealousy, and that she was mentally unstable, started and eventually her parents moved her away from Carville. Now, she\u2019s back in Carville to settle her aunt\u2019s estate. However, someone is watching her, playing with her mind. Could it even escalate to murder?<\/p>\n

One man is willing to stand by her, protect her, and breach the barriers that have guarded her heart for so long.<\/p>\n

Sam Carmichael stays focused on the job and keeps his personal interactions limited. The emotional instability of his wife and her subsequent suicide have made him leery of getting deeply involved with anyone. Even so, someone is targeting Kelsey Tremayne and the roots go back twelve years to an abduction that was never solved. As Sam is drawn deeper into the case, he can\u2019t help admiring Kelsey\u2019s strength and compassion and he vows to do everything he can to find the truth and bring her kidnapper to justice.<\/p>\n

Can two people hurt by their pasts survive a criminal\u2019s web to find a future together?<\/p>\n

Goodreads<\/a> Amazon USA<\/a> Amazon UK<\/a> Amazon Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Killer<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Killer Secrets<\/strong><\/em>
Zia Westfield
(Deadly Encounters Series, #1)
Publication date: February 5th 2017
Genres: Adult, Suspense, Romance<\/p>\n

With bills to pay, an orphaned niece to raise and her job on the line, Gemma Fitzgibbons needs a front-page story in order to keep her job. A serial killer and a corrupt detective, whose father was accused of corruption, offer headline possibilities, but when she confronts Jack Donahue, the detective is nothing like she expected.<\/p>\n

Jack considers reporters to be bottom-feeders, and deep into the investigation of a series of murders in which the victim is posed with a wedding veil, he doesn\u2019t have the time or inclination to delve into the scandal that ruined his father\u2019s career. But Gemma won\u2019t take no for an answer. Neither will she stop investigating the Wedding Veil Killer. When she attracts the attention of the killer, Jack is assigned to keep her safe. But Gemma isn\u2019t about to hide away. She intends to use the leads she\u2019s developed to help him track down the person responsible for the gruesome murders.<\/p>\n

Torn between his dislike of reporters and his admiration for the smart, sexy, reporter he\u2019s drawn deeper into the scandal in his father\u2019s past\u2013a scandal that someone will kill to keep hidden. But, when Gemma uncovers secrets about the scandal, and her life is threatened, Jack is determined to protect her. It\u2019s also time to make a choice\u2014leave the past buried or fight for the future.<\/p>\n

Goodreads<\/a> Amazon USA<\/a> Amazon UK<\/a> Amazon Australia<\/a><\/p>\n

\"ZiaAuthor Bio<\/strong>
Zia Westfield creates suspenseful, exciting stories with romance at the heart of them. There is nothing more thrilling than watching two people fall in love despite the odds and the danger surrounding their every move.<\/p>\n

She makes her home in Tokyo with her husband and three sons. She holds a full-time job, volunteers too much because she doesn\u2019t know how to say \u201cno,\u201d and generally finds peace between the pages of a book or when she\u2019s writing out the stories in her head.<\/p>\n

Website<\/a> (you can sign up for my newsletter here)
Twitter<\/a> 
Facebook<\/a>
Bookbub<\/a>
Pinterest<\/a><\/p>\n

Excerpt from Killer Lies<\/strong><\/em>:<\/p>\n

CHAPTER 1:
Sam Carmichael switched his high beams on and eased off the pedal as he drove the narrow mountain road. Fat raindrops splattered the windshield of the SUV in a steady torrent that even the windshield wipers working double time couldn\u2019t keep up with.<\/p>\n

The Tremayne mansion drive should be another half a mile up the road. He\u2019d be glad to get there. The mountainside wasn\u2019t known for landslides, but the amount of rain that had been coming down steadily had been causing a number of accidents throughout Carville. Best-case scenario, he\u2019d see the crazy cat lady and get back into town before anything bad happened.<\/p>\n

Thunder cracked overhead, followed by a flash of light that lit up the road, revealing towering trees on both sides. He also caught sight of the gate that signaled the Tremayne estate.<\/p>\n

He made the turn and pulled up beside the box attached to the wall. He lowered his window, pushed the button and waited for a response.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been out here years ago when he\u2019d been riding patrol. A woman dressed in shawls and surrounded by dozens of cats, or so it had seemed, had answered the door. She\u2019d insisted that he find the person who was trying to steal her cats.<\/p>\n

Setting aside his private thoughts, he\u2019d checked the house and the grounds, but had found no signs of anyone having been there.
He\u2019d chalked it up to experience and had forgotten about it until tonight, when the desk Sergeant had roped him into coming to check out a report of a possible burglary before going home.<\/p>\n

\u201cLucky me,\u201d he said into the darkness.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me?\u201d The voice crackled across the intercom.<\/p>\n

Sam leaned out, ignoring the rain that pelted him, and spoke loudly.<\/p>\n

\u201cDetective Sam Carmichael, Carville PD. I\u2019m here about the burglary.\u201d He pulled his head back in and waited for the gate to open. Instead, the intercom crackled to life once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you show me your badge, Detective?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sam reminded himself that he had become a detective to serve the public, even on foul nights when man and beast knew better than to be outside. He fished his badge out of his pocket and thrust it out towards the camera. How the hell the person on the other side expected to see anything with the rain coming down like it was, he didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

The gate suddenly creaked and slowly began opening.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Sam muttered.<\/p>\n

While he waited for the opening to be large enough for him to drive through, he gave himself a stern talking to. Crazy cat lady or not, he would do his job and be professional. Some days were the pits and today ranked as one of them, but he wouldn\u2019t let it interfere with his job.<\/p>\n

He drove up the long drive, noting the overgrown lawn and the creepy vibe given off by the ivy crawling up every inch of the turreted mansion, the branches overhanging the drive, and the coldness that seemed to emanate from the dark exterior. Before he left tonight he would make a point to the person who called the stationhouse to add lights to dispel the gloom.<\/p>\n

He pulled the SUV as close to the front porch as he could, but he was still soaked by the time he reached the top step.<\/p>\n

He pushed the bell next to the door and prepared to meet the crazy cat lady.<\/p>\n

The door opened, and Sam stared dumbfounded. The woman before him was dressed in shawls and a long dark grey skirt, and had one cat in her arms while another curled up on a straight back chair that butted up against the wall.<\/p>\n

But she was years younger\u2014younger than him, he\u2019d guess\u2014and punch-in-the-gut beautiful.<\/p>\n

None of it made sense and he said the first words that popped into his mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to the other crazy cat lady?\u201d
***
Kelsey Tremayne winced at the question. When she\u2019d opened the door, she hadn\u2019t been sure what to expect. The security system needed a major upgrade. She had barely been able to hear the detective identify himself, and the rain and poor camera quality had made it impossible to see his badge clearly.<\/p>\n

Though she\u2019d debated the risk in letting him approach, she had decided to chance it. She gripped the pepper spray she held in her hand which was concealed by the shawls. It hadn\u2019t been easy to call the police given her history with them, in fact, her stomach still felt queasy over the decision, but she needed the incidents on record.<\/p>\n

Crazy cat lady, indeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease come in, Detective.\u201d She stepped back and petted Sabina, the white Persian mix that had sought comfort in her arms when the thunder had started.<\/p>\n

The detective entered, dripping water on the wood floor, and surveyed her from head to foot. He was tall, over six feet, if she had to guess, with a rangy build, brown close-cropped hair, and a stubborn jaw.<\/p>\n

Kelsey could imagine what he saw. A not-very-tall, not-very-short, brown-haired, brown-eyed female with more cats than friends. Okay, he wouldn\u2019t be able to guess the last, but it wouldn\u2019t take long for him to stumble onto the truth.<\/p>\n

Then again maybe he already knew it. After all, he\u2019d asked about the other cat lady.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nomad Authors is happy to host an interview of Zia Westfield. She’s a very interesting writer! You might even say she’s a killer of an author! NA: How did you come up with the idea for your book?ZW: I love gothic romances. There\u2019s something about the atmosphere that grips you from the start. I also … Continue reading “For a Killer Author, Zia Westfield!”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,1,466],"tags":[237,236,480,478,475,476,479,13,130,477],"class_list":["post-838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-author-information","category-uncategorized","category-writing","tag-black-velvet-seductions","tag-bvs","tag-deadly-encounters","tag-detectives","tag-killer-lies","tag-killer-secrets","tag-murder","tag-mystery","tag-writing","tag-zia-westfield"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9wA33-dw","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=838"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":862,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/838\/revisions\/862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nomadauthors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}