Author Carol Ann Martin: Questions I’m Most Asked {+ Giveaway}

I’m delighted to welcome author Carol Ann Martin to Thoughts today to talk about the five questions she is asked the most often and to tell you about her newest release, WEAVE OF ABSENCE, the third installment in her Weaving Mystery series.

I’ll also be sharing my thoughts on this tantalizing cozy mystery. In addition, thanks to the lovely Danielle at Penguin Group, I have a print copy of WEAVE OF ABSENCE to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more details.

First, here’s a brief synopsis of this intriguing mystery ……

        It’s a joyous time at Dream Weaver—Della Wright’s studio in small-town Briar Hollow, North Carolina—as part-time employee and full-time friend Marnie Potter is preparing for her upcoming marriage. Della has enlisted a tight-knit group of close friends to hand weave a beautiful collection of fine household linens as a wedding gift for the happy couple.
        But when Della notices Marnie’s suave fiancé engaged in a heated argument with one of her students at the engagement party, she starts to worry that there may be something wrong with Marnie’s Mr. Right. After the student turns up dead the next day, Della must weave together the clues to find the killer—before Marnie agrees to “Till death do us part.”

Now please join me in giving Carol Ann a warm welcome as she shares ‘The 5 Questions I Am Asked Most Asked’. Welcome, Carol Ann.

I’ve been a published author for about three years now, and everywhere I go, some questions keep coming up. So, just in case some of you are curious about the same things, here they are. 

1. What is the most difficult part of being an author? This, by the way, is the question I get most often.

As it turns out, writing and finishing a novel, as daunting a task as that may seem, is actually the easy part. What drives me absolutely nuts, climbing the walls crazy, is finding names for my characters. So I’ve come up with a great solution. Every now and then, I go online, sometimes on Facebook, sometimes on my website, and invite my fans to write to me and give me permission to use their names. I also need to know if they will allow me to make them a villain or if they will only allow the use of their name if the character is a good guy. 

2. Who are my favorite characters to write?

That one is easy. I love to write villains. It’s so much fun, especially for a girl who was schooled by the nuns, to let my imagination run rampant and live vicariously through some really bad people. I also love to write dogs as characters. I am a huge dog lover and have often included my dogs into the stories. For example, Winston, the French bulldog in my Weaver Mystery series, is based on my son’s French bulldog, by the same name. 

3. How has becoming an author changed my life?

I wake up every day feeling like I won the lottery of life. I actually work at something I am passionate about. I often write ten, twelve, sometimes even more, hours a day. I find it very difficult to let go of my laptop. It’s the first thing I pick up after my coffee in the morning and the last thing I put away before going to bed. I do have to take frequent short breaks to rest my eyes. I suffer from dry eyes and staring at a screen all day can be difficult.

4. Is Carol Ann Martin my real name?

No, it isn’t. My real name is Monique Domovitch. But I didn’t pull my pen name out of a hat. I chose the name for my children. I have a daughter, Carol Ann, and a son, Martin. So it felt like a good omen to put their names on my books.

5. Will Della, the main character of the Weaving Mystery series, finally get her man? 

For all of those who are rooting for this romance to take off, you’ll be happy in WEAVE OF ABSENCE. I don’t want to give too much away, but I can say that the romance does heat up. Yay!!! 

I would like to invite you to visit me on my website and leave me a quick note. If you’ve always wanted to be a character in a book, let me know, your wish just might come true.
 
Carol Ann, thanks so much for visiting with us today and sharing these questions (and answers). As readers we do tend to ask the same questions over and over again. I especially like how you came to have your pen name.

Let me share a bit more background on this delightful author.

Monique Domovitch (aka Carol Ann Martin) was born in the small town of Hearst Ontario. She is the oldest of ten children. When she was 20 years old she moved to Montreal, where she became a successful model, winning the prestigious Modeling Association of American Contest and continuing on to an international career. During this time, she worked with many top photographers and graced many designer runways. 

At the age of thirty, Monique retired from modeling and founded Beauties Modeling Agency in Montreal. Through her tutelage, many Canadian models gained international renown. 

Following a difficult divorce and some health issues some years later, Monique sold her agency and turned her focus on the investment business. At the age of 42 Monique, by then a financial advisor with one of Canada’s largest investment firms, was picked to host her own television show, Her Money, a weekly financial-advice show aimed to a female audience. 

During all these careers, Monique’s real passion was always writing. “I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning and write until I went to work. If I’d been alone, I would probably have put my energies into writing. But as a single mother, I had to provide for my children.” 

Nowadays, Monique lives with her physician husband and their three dogs. They divide their time between their homes in Canada and La Jolla. “I got lucky. I met the love of my life at the age of fifty. The best advice I can give other women is, don’t settle for second best. I was alone for twenty years until Ed came along. If I’d decided that a mediocre marriage was better than no marriage, Ed and I would most likely have never met. I can’t imagine my life without him.” 

For more on Carol Ann/Monique, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Here are my thoughts on WEAVE OF ABSENCE …

This is a suspenseful cozy murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last. The story flows smoothly at a good pace that holds your attention with the numerous twists and turns.

The characters are well-developed, realistic and quite likable. The blend of friendship and loyalty woven into the small town atmosphere adds extra charm to the story. The humor, mixed with a touch of romance, enhances the plot adding more depth to the characters.

Author Carol Ann Martin has taken the craft of weaving and created a tantalizing mystery in WEAVE OF ABSENCE. Readers don’t have to be a weaving expert to relish this charming story, though there are weaving tips included for those who enjoy the craft.

Weave of Absence by Carol Ann Martin, Weaving Mystery series Book #3, Signet, @2014, ISBN: 978-0451413628, Paperback, 336 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher as part of the author’s virtual book tour in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of WEAVE OF ABSENCE. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Carol Ann Martin’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by during Carol Ann’s visit. Are you a weaver or have you ever wanted to try your hand at the craft?

*This post contains affiliate links. a Rafflecopter giveaway