Murder in the Hidden Cargo Hold:
Olivia Ocean Cruise Ship Mysteries
by Denise Jaden
I am delighted to have Denise Jaden
visit Escape With Dollycas today!
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I work as a background extra in TV and movies in the Vancouver film industry. This is where I do most of my plotting and writing. I have also been a Polynesian dancer for most of my life and I love the different cultures that are represented in Polynesia. I live about an hour outside of Vancouver, Canada with my personal-trainer husband, filmmaker son, and a very spoiled cat named Indy.
What are three things most people don’t know about you?
- I used to work as a mushroom farmer when my parents bought a specialty mushroom farm many years ago.
- My husband and I met at the gym—but we almost didn’t meet because he was almost an hour late for my training appointment, and I ended up getting taken through a workout by an old high school friend of mine instead. Thankfully, my future husband rushed in to take over the last five minutes of the appointment!
What books/authors have most inspired you?
I started seriously attempting writing because of The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton. I found myself rereading many of her sentences because they were just so beautiful, and this inspired me to try to find the same type of beauty in my own writing. Stephanie Perkins, author of young adult fiction, was a big inspiration where writing romance is concerned, and Gillian Flynn is a big mystery influence for me.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I’m a bit different in that I don’t do much research before writing a book. My first drafts are riddled with ??? – which is a something I search for after reaching the end. These denote areas that need more work, often more research, and so I go back and figure out whatever I need to in order to flesh out the story point. This often means learning about poisons or murder weapons, learning more about different locations and job responsibilities. I find the research part of it interesting, but I don’t like to let it slow down the writing of the actual story.
Do you ever suffer from Writer’s Block?
My personal theory is that writer’s block is simply the fear of not writing well. I give myself permission to not write well as often as I have to—because of lack of drive or ideas, or even just lack of sleep. When I sit down to write, I figure at the very least I will get to know my characters better. With this in mind, I don’t let the fear of not writing well stop me.
Figure out what you love about the books you read or movies you watch and why you love it. Then try to work those things into your own stories. Also, try to figure out what you most dislike in books or movies and weed those things out of your own stories. Write the book that would be the perfect reading adventure for you.
When you are not writing what do you like to do?
I love to practice Polynesian dancing, workout at the gym, and design new book covers or ad images. I’ve also recently discovered something called Block Therapy, which is a somewhat meditative practice that gets me out of pain from too much time in front of the computer.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I have never been to Tahiti, even though I have studied the dances from there for most of my life. I had a trip booked to visit there in July of 2020, but we all know what happened with that! I still hope to get there one day.
What is next on the horizon for you?
I am really excited about this mystery series set on a cruise ship. I hope to take a cruise or two in order to do some extra research into the setting. The last cruise I was on, I was able to interview the cruise director and learn many behind-the-scene tidbits about crew life. I’d love to do more of that as I delve deeper into this series.
Thank you Denise for visiting today!
Keep reading for more info about Denise and her new book.
About Murder in the Hidden Cargo Hold
Murder in the Hidden Cargo Hold: Olivia Ocean Cruise Ship Mysteries
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting: The Moonlit Majesty cruise ship, sailing the Caribbean
Independently Published (September 26, 2024)
Number of Pages: 297
Digital ASIN : B0D81Q5JZW
Murder at sea!
Olivia Ocean’s dream job aboard the Moonlit Majesty turns into a nightmare when she witnesses an attempt to dispose of a helpless kitten at sea. Rescuing the kitty entails a chase, which leads her to discovering a dead body!
Armed with her camera and newfound feline friend, Olivia must navigate the ship’s dark corners, pounce on the clues, assist the swoon-worthy security manager, and capture the killer before the ship reaches its final destination.
More About Denise Jaden
Bestselling author Denise Jaden loves cozy socks, cozy cats, and cozy mysteries. She’s the author of several young adult novels, nonfiction books for writers, and cozy mysteries that will make you laugh out loud while dangling at the edge of your seat.
Prior to becoming an author, Denise worked at everything from mushroom farming to acting and Polynesian dancing. Now she does most of her writing in a holding tent in the background of one of the many film sets in and around Vancouver. Sign up for updates, and exclusive bonuses, and find out more about Denise, her books, and her crazy cat at DeniseJaden.com
Author Links:
Website Facebook Twitter Instagram GoodReads
Purchase Link
Amazon
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