Looking Out The Window: Leeann Betts Talks About Missing Deposits, Her Latest Mystery / Suspense. Includes a Giveaway.
A Warm Welcome to Leeann Betts
Leeann will give away EITHER a print copy (U.S. residents only) OR an eBook of Missing Deposits. To learn how to enter to win read to the end of the chapter excerpt below.
Hi Leeann, first, tell us a little about yourself.
I am actually the alter ego of Donna Schlachter, who writes historical mystery. She created me because that’s what a publishing industry professional told her she should do. I’m really glad she did, because, like Frosty the Snowman, I came to life one day, and I’ve been enjoying every day since. Together we have written a couple of books on the craft of writing, and I get to tag along when she does research. Donna lets me write my own stuff, too, which is cool, because then people treat me like I’m a real person.
Why do you write?
I guess I write because otherwise, there’d be no reason for me to exist. I know Donna writes because the stories are in there and they have to come out. For me, I like to see the world put back into order.
Tell us about your latest book.
I thought you’d never ask! Missing Deposits is about mineral deposits, rare animals, and greed on the Western Slopes in Colorado. It’s also about people trying to help others, lost young people, and a setting so beautiful it’ll take your breath away.
What inspired you to write this particular book?
Seriously? The setting, of course. If you visited the Grand Junction area, you’d want to write a book, too. But apart from that, a little sleight of hand with a newspaper article never hurt anybody, which is what I did to get the backstory for this one.
What do you love about this book? And what do you hope readers will tell others about it?
I love this hidden little gem that I’m not going to blab and spoil it for readers, about an extinct animal that ended up where it shouldn’t be. But the amazing thing is that, although the story is set in 2005, just recently the Dept. of Wildlife decided to introduce this same critter into Colorado again. Fiction is stranger than life. I hope readers will tell others that they loved Carly’s quirky sense of humor—I don’t know where she gets it from J
Where do you get ideas for your books?
Most of the time, I come up with the title first. So in this case, in looking for a title with an accounting or financial slant, the word ‘deposits’ came up. For accountants, a missing deposit is the worst. Take my word for it. So then I started thinking about what kind of deposit could be missing. A body, of course, was the first thing that came to mind, but I thought, “nah, too obvious”. Lots of talk in Colorado about mineral rights, oil, natural gas, so it was a short leap to a story from there.
In three words describe your style of writing.
Butt. In. Chair. Seriously. When I’m working on a book, I schedule my time to write each day (or at least 5 or 6 days a week).
How do you get to know your characters?
I write a chapter of trash, pick the gems out of it, and toss the rest.
What themes do you write about?
I want to write stories that brighten the reader’s life.
Do you have to juggle writing with a job, family responsibilities or other obligations? How do you balance it?
I wear several hats, including trophy wife; B&B host, bookkeeper; data entry; legal transcript proofreader; cook; housekeeper; and, as my father used to say, Chief Domestic Engineer. Not to mention author; cover designer; editor; and publicity manager. I balance it by doing what needs to be done at the moment. Beyond that, it would all be overwhelming.
Are you a plotter or a pantzer?
I am a plotter. I learned this the hard way. My first cozy mystery was written during a NaNoWriMo, and I got to three days and three chapters from the end, and I didn’t have a clue whodunit or why. No red herrings. No clues. No suspects. So I had to take a day, plot the book, switch some stuff around, add in the missing parts, before I continued. I did finish the first draft by November 30th of that year, but I had to write 7,500 words the last day to do that.
Do you put yourself in your books?
Let’s see. I’m an accountant, and my husband is a computer programmer (just like Carly and Mike). And Carly and Mike have their adventures in places we've visited. No, I guess not J
What are you working on right now?
When I started writing about Carly, the forensic accountant, I wanted to see if there was one book in me. Just one. Which there was. So I wrote the next one. And the next. Then we made a deal: she’d tell me when she was done. After 11 books, she said, “Let’s wrap this up. One more.” So her last story comes out in June 2020. And then I’ll start something else. Maybe a series. Maybe some standalones. Maybe the first in a potential series. Not sure yet.
Carly looks forward to a vacation when Mike is hired to assist a rancher in western Colorado catalogue his various mineral rights following the discovery of a large field of copper. However, Carly soon learns that the real wealth—and the real danger—aren’t below ground. Someone is out to keep a secret bigger and more profitable than gold and copper. And they’re willing to kill for it.
More About Missing Deposits
Carly looks forward to a vacation when Mike is hired to assist a rancher in western Colorado catalogue his various mineral rights following the discovery of a large field of copper. However, Carly soon learns that the real wealth—and the real danger—aren’t below ground. Someone is out to keep a secret bigger and more profitable than gold and copper. And they’re willing to kill for it.
Introduce us to the main character in your new book. (the one we’re featuring this time)
I think the best way to get to know Carly is to read about her. Here’s an excerpt from the first chapter. Read all the way through to find out how to enter to win a print (US only) or eBook copy of Missing Deposits.
Chapter One
Carly gritted her teeth. Would they never get off this plane and begin their working vacation? Well, working for husband Mike, vacation for her. The door of the jet stood wide open, the ramp waiting for their exit, but nobody was moving.
She should have insisted on sitting closer to the front. But Frugal Mike—cheap to some—insisted they didn’t need to spend the extra few bucks to choose their seat. And besides, everybody knew sitting nearer to the back of the plane was safer in the event of an airborne incident.
Who was he kidding? No in-the-air event was likely to have a good outcome.
At which point, she’d reminded him that flying was safer than driving a car.
Not true of Bear Cove, of course, since it had no airport and only a couple hundred vehicles.
Accidents were few and far between, and even more rare was a fatality.
Despite her best arguments, they occupied the seats three rows from the back.
Finally, the illuminated seatbelt sign went dark, and people filled the aisle, pulling all manner of carry-on items down, handing them along the line to their owner, or setting them on their seats. Inch by inch, minute by minute, the hundred and fifty or so passengers ahead of them filed out.
When she thought she would scream, Mike stood, retrieved their items, and smiled at her. “Our turn.
Hurry up. What’s taking you so long?”
Then down the aisle he went, smiling and nodding like the life of the party he was, as though he owned the entire airline.
She sighed. Vacation. Vacation. If the next seven days were anything like this flight, she’d return home more tense than she left.
And she left Bear Cove uptight for a good reason. Their return flight was booked for the evening of the day before Thanksgiving. Then they had the four-hour drive from Bangor to get home. And she was hosting dinner. Sure, Denise was cooking the turkey, and Sarah volunteered to look after desserts, but seriously? Who knew what mischief Doc the cat would get into in their absence? They might return to find he’d shredded the sofa or chucked up hairballs all over the dining room table.
Of course, Mike poo-pooed her worries, saying everything would be fine. And he was probably right.
Didn’t stop her from fretting, however.
She followed her husband out of the plane and up the jetway, glad he took stewardship of their small carry-on cases. Especially the one with the wonky wheel. As he stopped to right the bag, she chuckled. If it was up to her, she’d toss it in the trash and get a new one.
Not Frugal Mike, though.
Welcome to Denver.
No matter how much she traveled, she never tired of that rush of excitement at being in a new place.
Her first time in the Mile High City, so named for its altitude. She recalled her recent research that advised ‘lowlanders’—folks from sea level—to be sure they drank lots of water and limited physical activity for the first few days. Well, flying and water didn’t mix—at least, not for her. She’d make up for it now, though.
She dug her phone from her purse. “Mike, hold up. I want to get a picture of you under the welcome sign.”
His brow pulled down but he paused and posed, and she snapped the picture. Nope, that wouldn’t do. A stranger had inserted himself into her keepsake photo. She held up a hand as Mike turned to continue his trek. “Hold on a minute. Let me try that again.”
But the man seemed intent on remaining right where he was. She caught his eye and gestured with her phone toward where Mike stood and then indicated for him to move in the opposite direction, but he either didn’t get the message, or didn’t speak Carly-ese.
Maybe a different angle. She took a couple of steps to the left. Nope, the sun through the glass meant Mike would be in shadow. Perhaps the other direction? The stranger was now more in the frame than ever.
Well, it had to be done. “Excuse me, sir? Could you move aside while I snap this photo? Then you can stand wherever you like.”
In response, the intruder shifted a millimeter to his left and broke eye contact with her.
She clamped her jaw tight. Fine. At this rate, she’d need dental work before getting back on the plane next week. “Mike, let’s go. I’ll simply crop him out of the picture.”
To enter the drawing for a free print (US only) OR eBook of Missing Deposits, leave a comment along with your email address.
About Leeann:
Leeann Betts writes contemporary romantic suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical romantic suspense. Missing Deposits is the 11th title in her cozy mystery series, and together she and Donna have published more than 30 novellas and full-length novels. They ghostwrite, judge writing contests, edit, facilitate a critique group, and are members of American Christian Fiction Writers, Writers on the Rock, Christian Authors Network, and Sisters in Crime. Leeann travels extensively to research her stories, and is proud to be represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary LLC.
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Comments
It's my pleasure to have you.