Leti Del Mar Interview with Darmie Orem

The Inadvertent Thief Blog Tour / Giveaway / Interview  

Interview Highlight

With me here today is the author of The Inadvertent Thief, Leti to be interviewed. Hi Leti. Welcome to I Am Darmie Orem's blog and as well Authors' Curtilage with Darmie Orem.

It is good to have you here.

Before we begin this interview, Leti the readers would like to hear about you - your full name, native place, specific special things you cherish about this native place, short description about yourself, education, family background, experiences, strength, your interest outside writing, so that they can get to know you better.

"My name is Leti Del Mar and I have lived in sunny Southern California my whole life.  I live in a suburb outside of Los Angeles and absolutely love it because I am about an hour drive away from the beach, the desert, the mountains, and the city.  There is so much to do and enjoy here.  When I’m not writing, I enjoy spending time with my husband, daughter and cat.  We love to travel and are always planning our next trip.  I also love art history and spend as much time in museums as I can."

Anything else you want to tell your readers about yourself?

"Although I teach Biology and Algebra to teenagers, I have had a lifelong love for literature and am always reading a novel.  I especially enjoy detective tales, mysteries and Sci-Fi.  Currently I have discovered the world of Young Adult Fiction and am enjoying that as well."


Do you recall how your writing flare began? Was it a gift or something you have always loved to do and you went to school to study it?

"Although I have always loved reading, writing is a new passion for me.  I had a story in my mind and started writing and then could not stop.  My first novel was such an incredible learning experience and now that I have published it, I can’t foresee a time when I will stop."

It is believed that most gifted people with powerful free flowing minds, have convetional characters growing up as a child. One that I'm quite familiar with is talking to one-self. Which one did you have as a child and still keep till date?

"I talk to myself all the time.  It helps me remember things."

*Smiles* That's funny. I do the same. It makes me understand things better and remember them. There are four invented creative paradigm which had fitted well into the writing styles of different authors. I can remember three vividly.

"Seat of the pant" (often called an SOTP) you write by the seat, when you don't know how the story is going to end. You absolutely don't even know what's going to happen on the next page of your plain excercise book. You sit down and start writing or typing.

The likes of Stephen King writes by this method and has done very well. So also Jerry Jenkin, author of the LEFT BEHIND series of apocalypytical novels.

"Edit as you go creative paradigm" It is similar to writing by the seat of your pants except that you don't go very far before you stop and edit what you just wrote.

"The snowflake creative paradigm" With this method you start with small single story concept and then flesh out the idea in a succession of steps, each time adding more detail. You alternately work on your plot and chracters until you have gotten a strategic plan to guide you in writing your first draft.

Leti Del Mar, your readers would like to know your writing style.

"I use the Snowflake Creative Paradigm.  I start with a basic outline and then flesh it out.  I use charts and checklists to construct my scenes and develop my characters and then I start on my first draft.  Once I start my first draft, I just let it flow and don’t edit or revise until that draft is complete."

Is the Inadvertent Thief your first book?

"Yes!"

What's the inspiration behind this romance suspense novel that you would like to share with us?

"While visiting one of my favorite museums, I started noticing the security the museum had in place and then wondered what it would take to steal one of the paintings.  Then I started to wonder what would motivate a law abiding citizen like me to want to steal a painting.  That gave birth to the idea and once I started writing, I just couldn’t stop."

Hmm. That's fascinating inspiration. What inspired the title The Inadvertent Thief?

"The heroine of my story had no intention of becoming a thief but when her world gets turned upside down, she realizes that she will need to become a thief in order to get back what was her responsibility to protect, thus she is an inadvertent thief."

How much of this book is based on true events and the work of your imagination?

"The characters are composites of people I know and the places are very real but what happens to them is all a work of my imagination.  I do however intersperse some real life anecdotes from my travels throughout the novel."

Can you share a little of this book with us?

"As a security specialist, Vivien Flowers is a perfectionist. So when two very important paintings she had been hired to protect are stolen, her highly structured world is turned upside down and she must get them back. It’s too bad art theft is not very high on the Los Angeles Police Department’s list of priorities. So when Vivien is joined by a handsome insurance agent eager to prevent the multi-million dollar claim from being paid, they use any means necessary to track down the location of the stolen paintings. But is Vivien willing to become a thief herself to get the paintings back? The answer leads her on a journey of intrigue, deceit, crime and even love as she travels from Los Angeles to Paris and discovers the true brilliance she is capable of."

Was there any plot or character you found challenging when developing the drafts for this novel?

"I had a hard time creating my villain.  Maybe I don’t know enough mean people but developing my villain took some considerable effort for me."

Maybe you should turn to me when next you want to create one. *Smiles.* Who designed your book cover?

"Me!  I used a great photograph taken by El Caballo and then used Photoshop to create the cover."

Wow! You did quite fantastic!

"Thank you Darmie."

You are welcome. What were the difficulties you encountered - research, literary, psychological, and logical in bringing this book to life?

"Revising was the hardest part because somewhere along the way I started to hate everything I wrote.  It got to the point where nothing seemed right.  So I took a couple of months off and them revised and edited and then made myself stop.  Honestly, I could go back now and keep editing."

If you had to rewrite this book, what would you change, what character would you kill off and why?

"I might kill off her ex-boyfriend, mostly because he is based loosely on one of my ex-boyfriends and that would be oh-so-fun!"

*Smiles* O.K. What's the moral message behind this book that you want people to grasp?

"Never stop believing in yourself."

Did you learn anything from writing your own book?

"Yes!  Everything!  Since this was my first novel I learned about the entire process including writing, revising, self-publishing and marketing.  Now I am applying that knowledge to my next novel that I am currently working on."

I hope you will tell me about the book it's out?

"No problem, I will let you know to create some spotlight on it." 

What books or authors has influenced you most in life?

"Let me tell you who I love because what I love, I read and what I read inspires me.  I love Edith Wharton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and I am currently discovering and loving many indie authors who have trail blazed the path without a traditional publisher." 

If you have to pick a mentor, which author would that be?

"I am always inspired by Jane Austen as an author because she did it all on her own, in a man’s world and without the help of the wonderful blogging community."


Are there any new authors whose work has captured your interest lately?

"I am loving the world of dystopian young adult so authors like AlyCondie and Ann Aguirre have really captured my interest."

Any project coming up after Inadvertent Thief soon?

"Yes a novel called TheUnAltered"

Can you tell us a little about it?

"It is a Sci-Fi Young Adult that takes place in a world where human genetic alteration is so common it is a part of fashion and it follows two young people who don’t accept that reality because they learn that there is something terribly wrong with the world they live in."

Do you see writing as a career or some sort of hobby?

"I would love to make a career of it.  Who knows, maybe I will!"

If you have to come to life again, would you chose writing as a profession?

"I’m not sure.  I think I needed to live the life I already have lived to bring to the place that I am now."

What message do you have for your readers and upcoming authors?

"Never give up.  This is a journey and not a destination."

Where can your readers purchase The Inadvertent Thief?

"They can find it as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords"

On what social networks can your readers reach you?

"I am on Twitter as leti_delmar and Facebook as Leti Del Mar.  Please friend and follow me!"

Thanks Leti Del Mar for granting me the audience to conduct this interview. It's an honor to have you.

"Thank you Darmie. I'm most grateful for your time. Merry Xmas and a Prosperous New Year to all my readers!"

The Johnny Ray Interview with Darmie Orem

 

 

Interview Highlight

Welcome John to I Am Darmie Orem as well as Authors' Curtilage with Darmie Orem.

The Audience Would Like To Meet You, Please Tell Us A Brief Biography Of Yourself - Your Author Name, Where You Currently Live And What You Studied Back At School.

 

"I have a passion for life and adventure that I love to share with my readers. As an avid traveler and professional businessman conducting business worldwide for years I have made many interesting contacts and received numerous awards for top production. I have owned and operated several real estate companies, several insurance companies, and a stock brokerage company. I love radio and TV talk shows, as well as speaking in front of various audiences. Feel free to contact me if you need a guest speaker.

When it comes time to play, I am very active in many sports including dancing, swimming, tennis, biking, and skiing. While I love adventures that are new, interesting and challenging, making friends that share my passions is a special gift."

Hmm. Well, I will be the first to contact you for guest speaking.

"I will look forward to that. I live in Clearwater, Florida where I work full time as a writer, and I can be often found in one of the hundreds of coffee shops along the beach working on my next novel. I belongs to the Florida Writer Association where I recently won the Royal Palm Literary Award for best thriller, the Romantic Writers of America, and the Mystery Writers Association. I attend various national writer conventions throughout the year, as well as several local writing groups in the Tampa Bay area of Florida."

When Did You First Know You Wanted To become A Writer?

"I have wanted to for years, but I  always had companies that required all of my attention."

The Salsa Connection, This Novel Won The Royal Literary Award For Thriller, What's The Secret?

"This is a great story that I loved to tell. It captures the struggle of a family caught in a situation that made readers pull for them."

How Did The Award Made You Feel When You first Heard You Won?

"Great! I was surprised, but very thankful."

What's The Major Plot Points Of This Book?

"When Nickolay Panov left St Petersburg, Russia to go to New York City for an international ballet competition 25 years ago, he was considered one of the best ballet dancers in Russia. The Americans say he was murdered. The Russians say he defected. In any case, he never returned. Just before Nickolay disappeared, several priceless paintings and icons from a major museum were stolen. While he was accused of the theft, no solid proof has ever been offered to tie him to it. However, evidence shows that the stolen goods were shipped to America. The CIA and the Russian Government are still pursuing all leads connected to the heist, and so is the Russian mafia.

Sveta was three years old when her father disappeared, so it’s a shock when, in the mail, she receives an invitation to a salsa dance competition in New York. At the bottom of the invitation is a note: “Please come to the competition and enter, my little lady.” No one but her father has ever called her that. Why has her father surfaced after all these years? Sveta wants answers, even if it means entering the late-night, sultry world of salsa dancing in St Petersburg and New York City and coming into uncomfortably close contact with the Russian mob."

 

That's quite Intriguing!

"Thank you." 

You Are Welcome. What Must A Book That Want To Garner An Award Include?

"Many things, including great writing, but also the ability to build characters and plot."

What's The Objective As A Writer Writing This Book?

"Several things, with the first be telling the story of a family struggling to make it in a crazy world, but also to give a history of the world of salsa. I love developing plots and want that to hold the reader’s interest."

All The Most Successful Books Show Creativity And Interesting Writing Techniques, What Must A Writer Do To Write A Best Seller?

"Best sellers have to have that extra edge. You can not be as good as other great writers, you have to be better. To generate sales you have to make the book so good, readers want to share it with others."

Hmm. Has There Been Rejection On The Salsa Connection Before It Got Finally Published? 

"Yes, there were several. I also had some that wanted to publish it, but not pay me what I thought it was worth"

I Know That Writers' Depression When Rejection Comes Is Not Clinically, Medically, But Officially. How Have You Been Able To Deal With The Sadness And Anger Which Comes With Rejection In Your Writing Career?

 

"I have never worried about it, I always knew that I would work things out. I just keep busy writing the next novel."

What Words Of Encouragement Do You Have For Those Writers Who Has Killed Many Nights To Write A Good Book They Thought Would Get Sold Instantly, But Still Sitting In Their Drawers?

"Some stories are meant to remain in the drawers. It is all a learning process. Learn to enjoy the process, and it will all work out in the end. Also, learn to celebrate all victories."

What Other Books Do You Have Coming Up?

"I just released another novel, STALKING LOVE. I will release two more in that series next year. I also plan to release two more books connected to THE SALSA CONNECTION later also"

 

Have You Achieved Fame And Success As A Writer In The Way You Desire?

 

"Not yet, but it is a journey. I can see this next year being a major turning point."

Any Favorite Author You Wanna Praise?

"I have so many friends who are writers.  I love to read Sandra Brown and Jackie Collins. Karen Rose is also great."

Book Short Blurb:

   

THE SALSA CONNECTION--AN INTERNATIONAL ROMANTIC THRILLER is a 93,000 word romantic thriller that has already won the Royal Palm Literary Award for best thriller. The story moves from the salsa clubs of St. Petersburg, Russia to New York to Louisiana and, finally, to Italy. The red-hot thread of the dance runs through a novel that explores the Russian mob, slavery and prostitution rings, and the art world, as well as love, loss, revenge and the strength of family ties.

PURCHASE BOOK HERE 

 

CONNECT WITH JOHNNY ON FACEBOOK

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JOHNNY'S BLOG 

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To all aspiring writers I want to say when demoralization kicks in the door and you feel like after all your failures, writing couldn't have been the way for you to have so much pains, remember your first love for the profession. For me when I started writing I didn't think about getting published. I've known that I wanted to be a writer even when I had no deeper understanding of what that means. Not until the calling came for me, I didn't think about the fame and the fortune. Please, keep your head high if you are having it rough in the field. It's Always Like That, But There is always a good ending for them that remains unmoved.

Any Message for Your Fan For The Christmas Season And The New Year Johnny?

 

"Enjoy the season and your family. I really love my fans, and want them to know just how special they are to me. If you have any questions for me, please contact me at sirjohn@wwisp.com"

Thanks For Coming By My Blogs Johnny. It's a pleasure meeting you. 

"It's a pleasure Darmie."

I Hope You Have A Fun-Filled Christmas And A Prosperous New. 

"You too. Thank you."

Robert Craven talks to Darmie Orem! about his Christmas

It is Christmas Season when stores' windows display holiday lights and every where you look bring the most glamorous view in the world.

It's the Season you will wonder how to spend your holidays with family and friends, know which shows to see together and all.

Whichever way you choose to celebrate this Season of love, whether you buy into the whole Christmas racket or not - have fun wisely bringing the year to an end.

Talking of Christmas gifts, ideas for loved ones, and holiday treats, with me here today, is Robert Craven a WW2 / Action adventure / espionage author of the novel Get Leni. He is here to talk to us about his Christmas. 

Interview Highlights

Robert Craven is glad to be on I Am Darmie Orem and Authors' Curtilage with Darmie Orem blogspots.

"Many thanks for inviting me on to your blogs Damilola."

Your Favorite Christmas Carol.

"Okay, my favorite Christmas carol is ‘Silent night’, why?, because it’s simply perfect"

How He Feels About Christmas.

"Christmas has mixed emotions for me, my father passed over Christmas 14years ago, so he’s in my thoughts this season. I love Christmas, where family get together, but to be honest, I’m more of a New Year’s Eve sort of guy. I like the idea of a blank page to start all over again."

I'm Sorry About Dad's Pass away. 

"Thank you Damilola."

I Know A Lot Of Men Don't Like Going Into The Kitchen. I Hope You Are Not One Of Them?

"I’ve cooked two Christmas dinners in my time, but the washing up is murder!!!, I do cook, but should do more I think."

I Found Out There Are Traditional Dishes For Christmas, However, People Have Devices Different Ways Of Preparing Their Own Special Delicacies For The Festive. Robert Tells Us His Most Favorite Dish For The Season And The Recipes To Make It.

"My most favorite dish for Christmas is Turkey & ham, but alas have no secret recipe for making it. I par boil the potatoes before roasting them is about the only trick I can think of!"

You Have Age On Your Side, Obviously I'm One Of The Younger Generation. Robert Tells Us How Christmas Was Celebrated In His Younger Days.

"God the one thing I remember about growing up in Manchester as a child was Christmas day started with Church, back home for the afternoon film and then the Queen’s speech – something to this day I turn off. Then the Morecambe & Wise Christmas special, I still watch the repeats these days  – they were and still are, absolute classics."

Look Back To Your Early Days And This Generation, Do You Think Any Good Tradition Has Been Altered From The Celebration Of Christmas? If Any, Tell Us How We May Bring Back This Tradition To Make Christmas The Festive It Is Supposed To Be.

"When we moved to Ireland in 1979, Christmas meant some of the families on the road invited us into their homes and the latest ‘video’ would be played - good old VHS! And off to call in on friends and neighbours, the part of Dublin I lived in then, Drimnagh, actually had a good community and everyone was pretty much on speaking terms."

O.K

"It has to be said, Ireland always does Christmas, the decorations usually go up on our road the first week of December, and in one house’s case, never. What I have noticed since the economic collapse here, people are friendlier and more helpful – we had the Celtic Tiger years where every second person was an asshole, nothing like monetary collapse to bring the good back out in people. I think Christmas has got better over the years, though the commercialism never goes away."

He Tells Us His Best Christmas Sweets And Holiday Treats.

"My favorite sweet – my wife’s brandy butter – it rocks."

The English Folks In Those Days, I Don't Know About Now, Have Christmas Games. Is There Any In Your Native Land Which You Have Favored?

"We don’t really go for games to be honest, usually a board game is brought out, though the Wii is usually on now to burn the calories off after dinner!"

The holidays are traditionally a time of giving and giving to those most in need brings others joy. Are There Charitable Organizations Or Individuals You Know That Cater To People With Low Income Or Those That Don't Have At All Which You Would Want People To Extend Help To This Season Of Love?

"The only charities I donate to are Dublin Simon Community and Threshold – as one campaign goes ‘You are only two pay checks away from the street"

Robert Gives Links Of Charitable Organizations.

Links:

 Charitable Org

Charitable Org

Any Pictures From From Previous Holidays?

"Would you believe the cameras were forgotten & we didn’t take any holiday snaps!!"

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

Message In His Post Card This Season For His Lovely Readers.

"I hope everyone has a safe& peaceful Christmas is my only message for this season."

What Shoes And Shirts Designs Would You Suggest To People Short On Cash But Would Love To Have A Change Of Wardrobe For The Season?

"As for sartorial elegance, I’m a T-shirt & jeans guy, I might put a shirt on for Christmas dinner – my advice for any Christmas Day wardrobe, is wear something comfortable, it’s going to be stressful enough, so informal clothes help!"

He Mentions The Brand Name For His Choice Of Wines, Perfumes, Cosmetics, Shoes, Shirts, Pants.

"My tipple over Christmas is red wine, a nice merlot, as for a brand, I don’t have a particular favorite, that an aged Bushmills whiskey!"

Funny. *Giggling*

You Are The Author Of Get Lenin, What's The Inspiration Behind Writing This Book?

"Get Lenin was inspired by a piece I read in the Sunday Times 15 years ago; it was a review of Ilya Zbarsky’s ‘Lenin’s embalmers’, the story of how Lenin’s mausoleum was moved from Moscow to the Urals in the face of the German advance in 1941. I thought it would make a great story if a crack unit was sent in to steal it."

What's The Moral Message Behind This Book That You Want Your Readers To Grasp?

"The moral message of Get Lenin, is how the media can be twisted to suit a political agenda. The prime ‘villian’ is an American media mogul Donald T Kincaid who uses his power and influence to fund and film the operation. We should always double-check a government’s reasons for waging war, and question it without fear of reprisal."

He Tells Us The Challenges He Faced To Bring This Book To completion.

"Get Lenin took 5 years to write and get published – I kept a track of my submissions – in the end, before Taylor Street published the book, I had pitched the manuscript to 280 agents and publishers, of which 71 bothered to respond with a rejection, the more rejections I got, the more determined I became to get the novel published. Never at any point did I consider vanity or self-publishing; I really believed Get Lenin was good enough. I have since completed the sequel ‘Zinnman’ which was released in August 2012."

Dealing with the constant flow of rejection: when you finish writing and no agencies, contests and publishers would identify with your work for a long while, don't start to question your writing skills and your time. This is life after creative writing. Some writers are purely lucky some are fairly lucky. You have to keep your head high for the silver reward to meet you in one piece because it will always come.

On Robert Craven Story Generation Techniques.

"Story generation: I don’t have a formula to be honest, I write long hand and type it up, I do keep a large ‘map’ with the plot as the trunk of a tree, with the subplots and characters on the branches; the key is never to lose sight of the plot."

On How He Discovers His Writing Skills.

"I think every writer has his / her own voice, the only way to ‘discover’ it is to keep at it. I have noticed that Zinnman for me, is a technically better book and I’ve established a style / voice that works for me."

On His Up-Coming Books

"I have the third instalment of the series almost completed for launch in 2013, provisionally titled ‘A finger of night’ and exploring a fourth, but that’s for next year!"

 Book Blurb

As the German troops approach Moscow during the Russian offensive of World War II, encountering ever more determined resistance as they go, what if they could snatch the greatest and most heroic symbol of the Soviet Revolution, the body of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin?Would Soviet morale collapse? Would Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union be defeated? Would Nazi Germany conquer the world?This is the intriguing premise of Robert Craven's 'Get LENIN' which pits the academic British spymaster Henry Chainbridge and the seductive Polish infiltrator Eva Molenaar against the elite of the German Third Reich and the wealth and ambition of American movie mogul Donald T. Kincaid who will amass yet another fortune for himself recording the Nazis' triumphal seizure of Lenin himself.The race is on, and if the Nazi plot succeeds the war and humanity itself may be lost.

If You Haven't Grab The Copy Of Get Lenin Then, You Are Missing. I Tell You This Book Have The Turning Pages Effects You Would Find With A Spontaneously Written Novel.

Get Lenin 

Zinnman

To those of you living in affluence, don't forget to provide holiday gifts, toys, winter jackets and food to those God giving children which their parents has no money.

Merry Christmas In Advance To All And to Mr. Robert Craven. It was a great honor to have you come by my blogs.

"Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2013"

"Rob"

Bound 2 Astound

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