I adore when my Wild Rose Press sistahs come for a visit and today I’m introducing a new one to you, GLENDA THOMPSON.
Glenda graciously sat down with me recently and answered all my nosy questions, plus gave me a sneak peek at her new book BROKEN TOYS which releases today!!
Here’s our interview…
Glenda, The Writer Questions
- What drives you to write?
The people who live in my head and tap on the inside of my eyeballs when I try to sleep drive me to write. It’s the only way to get them to go away. Each is so determined to have his or her story shared with the world.
- What genre(s) of Romance do you write, and why?
I’ve never written pure romance before. I write more suspense or thriller with a side of romance. Why? Too many years married to a Texas lawman. A majority of our conversations revolve around crimes, bad guys, and motives. My favorite word is why.
- What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why?
I read every genre but do seem to be drawn to paranormal romances or historical romances. I love being swept away into someone else’s world so I can forget about mine for a tiny bit.
- What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday?
My writing schedule is chaotic at best. I do try to write every day but we have five children and eight grandchildren so Darlin’ and I spend a lot of time on the road running from one sporting or school event to another. I also have a full-time day job. I squeeze writing in wherever I can. I also record ideas on my phone and keep bath crayons in the shower. It never fails. As soon as I have a head full of shampoo, the perfect scene will pop into my head. With the bath crayons, I can scribble the ideas on the shower walls and after I finish my shower, grab my cell phone and take a photo of the walls to be transcribed a bit later.
- Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
Darlin’ talked me into buying a small, pre-fab wooden building. Three-quarters of it is his knife shop. The other quarter is my writing cave. The interior walls are covered with whiteboard so I can scribble notes for quick reference on the wall. It also has two decent size windows so I can stare out at the mesquite brush and cactus when I need to think.
6.Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel-vision?
Hello, mom of five kids *chuckle* I am good at tuning things out. Sometimes, Darlin’ has to tap me on the shoulder a few times to bring me back to the real world.
- Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I have music going. Other times, I don’t. I have eclectic tastes in music ranging from Texas/Red Dirt/Outlaw music to Scottish bagpipes, 80s hair bands, Native American flutes, Metallica, and yes, even Puddle of Mud.
- How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP?
Okay, this may be a bit macabre but… a friend of Darlin’s owns a crematorium. The friend gave us a hip replacement implant that no one claimed. Darlin’ was examining it and one end comes to this sharp point. I had just come home from having a tire replaced on my truck. When I saw the point, I told Darlin’ that could do a ton of damage to a tire. About the same time, two calls came across his radio from dispatch—one for a missing child, the other for a complaint about Travelers scamming the elderly with roofing and driveway repairs. It just kind of clicked in my brain and Broken Toys was born.
- Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
Definitely character. It all goes back to those people living in my head. On a more serious note, I am fascinated by psychology and my favorite word is why. I love diving deep inside people’s psyches… even my imaginary people.
- What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Oh, this is a hard question. Intense, reckless, emotional ( Peggy here: I love that description!)
Glenda, the Gal…
- Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
I love to bottle raise exotic animals. They used to call me Mrs. Noah because any time anyone had an orphaned animal, they brought it to me to raise. Didn’t matter what kind… oryx, axis, whitetail deer, blackbuck antelope, pigs, goats, kittens… I love animals.
- Who was your first love and what age were you?
Now you are trying to get me in trouble. My first love was a bull rider named Travis. We went to high school together. I was probably seventeen or eighteen.
- If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….
Probably November 11, 2018… it was the first time in forever that we had all the kids and grandkids together. We took family photos, played at the park and went to dinner to celebrate my birthday.
- What’s one thing you love about your significant other?
Finally, an easy question! His heart. I swear it’s bigger than the state of Texas. I’ve never met a kinder, more genuine, more real person in my life. He’s a true Sheepdog… a protector, a provider, and so very supportive. I never would have considered sharing my writing with the world if it hadn’t been for his encouragement.
5.What three words describe you, the person? Unique, Curious, Shy
6.If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? Nope, not going to happen. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. The only time I sing is when I’m alone in my pickup truck racing down the back country roads.
7.If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together?
Jo Marsh, from Little Women. I feel like we have a lot in common. Neither of us fit into a neat pigeonhole. We would write and put on plays.
Bonus round
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
- Favorite sound – children’s laughter
- Least favorite sound – whining
- Best song every written – You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like That by Toby Keith or How Great Thou Art
- Worst song ever written – Welcome To The Jungle by Guns and Roses
- Favorite actor and actress – don’t have one
- What turns you on? Kindness and Wrangler Butts ;p
- What turns you off? Feet
- Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) My wife just left me. ( Peggy here: OMG!!!)
- What’s your version of a perfect day? A warm but not too hot day spent surrounded by family and friends preferably near living water
- And now for a little glimpse at BROKEN TOYS…
Blurb: Texas Ranger Noah Morgan has his life together—with a great job and the girl of his dreams. Too bad it’s all based on a lie. A single phone call threatens to bring it all crashing down. After an irate citizen complains shoddy workmanship has left him with a booby-trapped driveway, and the local sheriff’s office is too busy to respond, Noah takes the call. The investigation of local scam artists uncovers a human trafficking ring, Noah fights to avoid being swept back into the sights of his murderous family—people he escaped at the age of seventeen.Can he keep his past a secret or will his carefully crafted life come to a violent end?Tagline: “His life is perfect. Too bad it’s built on a lie.”
“While we wait for the mobile crime scene lab to arrive from Austin, I need you to sign this consent-to-search form. Next, Ranger Trammell and I will photograph the scene to preserve it in situ—as it currently is.”“Now you wait one cotton-picking minute,” the old man growled. “How long will all that take? What if I don’t want to sign your verdammt form? I need my car. The old lady has several doctors’ appointments in San Antonio this afternoon.”
Noah lifted his hat again and brushed sweat off his forehead before it rolled into his eyes. “Tell you what. Sign this piece of paper giving us permission to search your driveway, and as soon as we finish the photography, Ranger Trammell and I will change your tire. Then you can pull your car out of the driveway. If you don’t sign it, we will have to find a judge and get a warrant. Going the warrant route will delay things considerably.” Noah shrugged. “The choice is yours. Either way it goes, you won’t be able to pull back in for some time. We’re going to have to tape off your driveway and process it as a crime scene. Is there somewhere you could stay for a few days?”
“Crime scene?” Mr. Schmidt crumpled as if he’d been kicked in the solar plexus. Bewilderment flooded his features. For the first time since the rangers arrived, the man looked old. “My driveway is a crime scene?”
“I’m afraid so, sir,” Noah said, using the tone he reserved for scared kids, grieving family members and sagging old men who hadn’t tasted sweet tea in more than sixty years. “Hip implants, bits of bone and teeth are not normally used for road base. It looks like someone may have disposed of a body in your driveway.”
Get your copy here:
A sixth-generation Texan with Scottish roots, Glenda Thompson can ‘bless your heart’ with the best of them. As a former emergency medical technician married to a south Texas Lawman, she’s used insider information from both their careers as inspiration to build her Broken world of Texas Rangers with hidden pasts and dark secrets.When she’s not busy embarrassing her children or grandchildren by dancing in the middle of a country road during a rainstorm, she can be found huddled in her writing cave with her law enforcement technical adviser/husband working on another story in her Broken universe.You can keep up with the future crazy cat lady’s hi-jinks at http://www.glendathompson.com or follow her on Twitter @PressRattler or Facebook @Glenda Thompson, Author.Social Media Links
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Glenda – thank you so much for being here today, introducing yourself to us and for giving us a little glimpse into BROKEN TOYS. Happy Release day!!! ~ peg
Peggy Jaeger, Author 