Martin Geraghty is the latest Crooked Cat Books author to be featured in this 6Ws series. A real life P.I. who lives in Scotland, his likes to write, as he puts it, about human beings.

May 10 is a big day for Martin as his debut novel, A Mind Polluted, officially launches. I pre-ordered my copy a long time ago.

Here are his responses to my 6Ws — who, what, when, where, how, and why. (How does end with a W.)

Who is author Martin Geraghty?

I am a 45-year-old private investigator from Glasgow, Scotland. Lover of books, food, wine, golf and laughter.

What does he write?

I write about human beings, their flaws, how one person reacts to a specific set of circumstances and another reacts completely differently.

When did he start writing?

I began in June 2016.

How does he write?

When writing, A Mind Polluted, my routine was to get my six-year-old boy to bed, switch my laptop on and write for as long as possible. Simple as that. Just write.

Where does he write?

I have a favourite black recliner leather chair with a stool that I position to look out of my lounge bay window and my view is mostly the sky.

Why does he write?

I love story-telling. I love to explore the various aspects of how we behave.

About A Mind Polluted: My debut novel, A Mind Polluted, is published by Crooked Cat Books. The paperback is available from Amazon as well as the Kindle version, which is officially released on May 10. A Mind Polluted, is the story of a boy who at thirteen years old overhears a terrible confession from his mother’s lips which sets a series of events in motion. Can you leave the past in the past and concentrate on his future? Or will he seek his own perceived version of justice?

Other works: Poems & flash fiction have appeared in various lit-zines in the UK.

Martin Geraghty on social media:

Twitter: MartinGeraght1

Website: www.martingeraghty.co.uk

He can be found on Facebook under Martin Geraghty.

Beatrice Fishback is the next Crooked Cat Books author to be featured in this series.

She writes in three genres: inspirational historic romances; cozy mysteries, and contemporary romance novellas. Currently, she is working on a sequel to Dying to Eat at the Pub and also the third in her historic romance series Bethel Manor published by Crooked Cat Publishers.

Here are Bea’s responses to my 6Ws — who, what, when, where, how, and why. (How does end with a W.)

Who is author Beatrice Fishback?

I was born and raised in upstate New York with six siblings, so I absolutely love NY pizza, bagels and sub sandwiches—those foot long things that kind of resemble submarines. My father was a professional firefighter and my mother a registered nurse. Although my dad served in WWII, was wounded three times and received the Purple Heart for bravery, he left the Army before my parents married and I grew up around my extended family.

So when I became the wife of a military man, who took me around the world for twenty years, I had no idea what that lifestyle would be like. During several stateside, and three overseas assignments—Saudi Arabia, Korea and England—we raised our two children and our family developed a totally different worldview than I had grown up with. It was after my husband retired from the Army and we began a new season of life that I discovered my love of writing.

With fictional characters set in places where we have lived in England, my heart’s desire has been that those who have not had the privilege to travel will enjoy some of these areas we have loved. I would add, we proudly boast about our two grown children and two grandchildren and currently we live in North Carolina.

What does she write?

I have three genres, but I began my journey of writing by submitting inspirational articles and stories in compilations. Doing those smaller endeavors was a great way to get my feet wet and learn the craft before jumping into the deep end of writing full length novels. The three genres are inspirational historic romances, cozy mysteries, and several contemporary romance novellas. If truth be told, my cozy mystery Dying to Eat at the Pub set in the small English village where we lived, is probably the one I had the most fun writing.

How does she write?

Initially, as a newbie writer I would get a thought and immediately compose a sentence that would hopefully bloom into either a short story or devotional. When I began to write novels and novellas I quickly learned I was a pantser, writing by the seat of my pants, and not a planner of details. But I wish I could be more of a planner as I have several ideas for books I haven’t finished because I don’t know where the characters are going to end up.

Where does she write?

I’m a moving target with my laptop and need a variety of settings to stimulate creative juices. I can be found at a coffee shop, library or café and very rarely sit at a desk to work. If I’m at home, the kitchen table is my go to spot.

Why does she write?

I have always loved to read, especially cozy mysteries and as a pre-teen historic romances set in England so the natural draw to those two genres makes perfect sense. However, I enjoy writing the most when words I have penned touch a heartstring in a reader. What a powerful tool to be able to take someone else into another world for a moment in time with your characters. It is a privilege and honor to write for that reason alone.

More: I am working on the sequel to Dying to Eat at the Pub and also the third in my historic romance series Bethel Manor published by Crooked Cat Publishers.

Other works: You can find other titles by clicking the Amazon link below.

Beatrice Fishback on social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Beasattitudes

Website: www.beasattitudes.net

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/2ednlcJ

Jennifer C. Wilson is the next Crooked Cat Books author to be featured in this series.

She writes writes fiction with an intriguing twist. Her characters are ghosts — not just ordinary ghosts but historical ones. Or as she puts it, she writes “historical fiction with spirit.”

Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey, the next in her Kindred Spirits series, will be launched this summer.

Here are Jennifer’s responses to my 6Ws — who, what, when, where, how, and why. (How does end with a W.)

Who is author Jennifer C. Wilson?

Jennifer is a marine biologist by training, who spent much of her childhood stalking Mary, Queen of Scots (initially accidentally, but then with intention). She completed her BSc and MSc at the University of Hull, and has worked as a marine environmental consulting since graduating. Enrolling on an adult education workshop on her return to the northeast reignited Jennifer’s pastime of creative writing, and she has been filling notebooks ever since. In 2014, she won the Story Tyne short story competition, and has had several pieces published online. She is also part of The Next Page, running workshops and other literary events in North Tyneside.

What does she write?

She writes ‘historical fiction with spirit’ – the tagline for her social media, which Rob Walton of North Tyneside Writers’ Circle kindly came up with. She’d not heard the phrase ‘paranormal historical fiction’ before it was the genre assigned to her novel Kindred Spirits: Tower of London. The Kindred Spirits series follows a group of historical ghosts, carrying on with their ‘lives’ in historical buildings, in contemporary settings. This has been the Tower of London and Edinburgh’s Royal Mile so far, with Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey due for release in summer 2018.

When does she write?

Whenever she can! Working fulltime, it can sometimes be hard to make it onto the laptop in the evenings, but that’s what nice, long weekend days are for.

How does she write?

It depends. At writing group, travelling or when out-and-about, words go by hand into the notebook, being transferred into the master file later, but when at home, it’s direct onto the laptop. She tries to write something every day, just to keep the momentum going for whatever project is currently underway.

Where does she write?

Every so often, she tries to write in the spare room, where there’s a nice, neat desk set up, but the truth is, Jennifer watches way too many murder mystery programmes on television, and cannot abide having her back to the whole flat, especially when it’s getting dark… So instead, she writes at the dining table, usually with either a CD or the television on, for background noise (she cannot write in silence). In 2018 though, she’s planning to experiment with writing out-and-about more, including heading to local libraries, where she’s less likely to get distracted by piles of paperwork which need sorting!

Why does she write?

Because she loves it, and as long as people are willing to help her follow her childhood dream, by publishing and reading what she writes, she will not be stopping. She’s always loved stories, and could never visit any historical building or site without making up some tale or other about the people who had been there before. Having an outlet for those is a dream come true.

More:

Kindred Spirits: Royal Mile was released by Crooked Cat Books last summer, and follows the adventures of the ghosts of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, primarily Mary, Queen of Scots, and her small band of courtiers, but also the young piper who was sent into the tunnels beneath the Mile to see where they led, and of course, lovely little Greyfriar’s Bobby makes an appearance. Each ghost has their own problems to deal with, including Mary herself, when her second husband, Lord Darnley, turns up and starts causing trouble, just as she’s trying to resolve the melancholy of her father, King James V of Scotland. The universal Amazon link for this can be found here.

Other works:

Jennifer’s debut novel, Kindred Spirits: Tower of London, was released by Crooked Cat Books in October 2015, with Kindred Spirits: Royal Mile following in June 2017. Her timeslip historical romance, The Last Plantagenet? Is available for download from Amazon.

Jennifer C. Wilson on social media:

Jennifer can be found online at her website, on Twitter and Facebook, as well as at The Next Page’s website.