And our Sue's Clues Mystery Author is:

Laurie Breton is a newer voice in romance writing. Her first book, BLACK WIDOW, was published in 1999 by Neighborhood Press, which earned her an impressive four star rating in Romantic Times Magazine. Not bad for a debut novel. Her second, COMING HOME, came along in 2000. By 2003, Laurie was being published by Mira Books. Even Mrs. Giggle's had good things to say about that:

"Laurie Breton has finally gotten published by a non-indie publisher – congrats is in order, methinks. Especially when I think that there will be more readers who can now read Final Exit, which is an above-average romantic suspense that deftly balances suspense and romance like a real virtuoso."

Apparently most readers and reviewers agree that Laurie is a "real virtuoso" when it comes to writing romantic suspense. Four and four-and-a-half star ratings at Romantic Times; Four-and-a-half out of five at Amazon - I think every review I've found for her has been positive. Including the one I gave for her latest book, MORTAL SIN. It had everything you want in a romantic suspense novel - not only great romance, but interesting characters and surprises, too.

Becoming a published author has been a dream of Laurie's since she was very young. She has mentioned in interviews that as a child she would tell herself stories at night in order to fall asleep. As she got older, Laurie made attempts to put her stories to paper but never actually finished them. One story, in particular, would stay with her for the next twenty years. Working on it off and on, it became one of her first two novels that made its way into print.

Laurie is a native of Maine, living in various towns and who now resides in Augusta. Given her preference she would gladly relocate to Boston, MA, but is happy to settle for making trips to her favorite city whenever possible.

"I'm really a misplaced city person. If not for my husband, I'd be living right smack in the heart of Boston. Alas, my husband likes it here, and I like him, so here we stay."

In addition to being an author, Laurie works as an administrative assistant for the University of Maine. In her spare time she enjoys painting with acrylics, something she loves almost as much as writing, but readily admits her talent lay in writing.

Laurie is also the mother of a grown son, who is about to make her a grandmother, and a daughter who has just 'left the nest'. I imagine that along with storylines, thoughts of how to best spoil her new grandbaby and redecorating the now spare room in her 100 year old home are running through her mind. *G*

When you are done reading the interview with Laurie, visit the links below to find out more about her and her books.

1. Your books, so far, have been contemps and suspense romance. Is there any particular draw for you to this type of romance? Do you think you'll ever want to do an historical?

Although I have occasionally read historical romance (and one or two of my favorite books are historicals), most of my reading, and all of my writing, is contemporary.

I can’t imagine ever making the jump to historicals. I don’t believe I’d feel comfortable writing in any other time period. Sometimes I liken writing books to painting pictures. I like to look around me and then cover the canvas with what I see. I’m very much into realism, and I don’t think I could write with the same kind of confidence about a time period in which I’ve never lived. But I greatly admire people who can do this.

As for writing suspense, I wrote two straight romance/women’s fiction books before I turned to romantic suspense. I discovered that murder and mayhem were fun (at least in a fictional sense!), and it was that third book which became my first sale, to a small web-based publisher. All of my books since then have been romantic suspense. It’s certainly possible that I could do something different at some point in the future, but right now I’m having so much fun interweaving love stories with mystery/suspense that I suspect I’ll continue writing in that sub-genre for the foreseeable future.

2. What kind of research do you do for your books?

It depends on the book. The book I just finished writing, LETHAL LIES, was set in a small fictional Maine town I called Serenity. I modeled it after one particular small Maine town that most resembled my fictional Serenity, and spent some time there, taking notes, trying to get the feel of the place. Then I added details from other towns (and from inside my head) to make Serenity unique, and not a carbon copy of the town I’d been researching. I also did web research on the Somali influx in Maine and on white supremacist groups, most of which never made it into the story.

When I wrote FINAL EXIT, I had been reading books about serial killers and FBI profilers for five or six years. Yes, I am a sick individual, and my fascination with this topic keeps my hubby awake at night, fearing that I'm about to do him in. LOL!

For one of my early books, I did research on coon hunting and on snake-handling churches. That was a great deal of fun! For MORTAL SIN, I did a lot of online research about the priesthood in particular and Catholicism in general. I also did some hands-on research for that book: hubby and I visited a porn shop. Hey, you didn’t think I was going in there alone, did you?

A number of my books are set in Boston, a city I know and love. Often as I’m in the process of writing, I’ll drive down there to check out specific details, take notes, and just soak up the atmosphere. It remains my favorite setting, and one I will undoubtedly return to in future books. I’m just waiting now to write a book based in some exotic locale like Paris, or Hong Kong, so I can take a trip and use it as a tax write-off. Maybe someday....

3. Congratulations on the upcoming arrival of your granddaughter! How does it feel? Does your son live nearby so you'll be able to spoil her easily?

My husband and I are both very excited about the new baby! She’s due July 3rd, and hubby’s already making plans to take her camping! Of course, she’ll probably have to learn to walk before he can do that. My son lives about thirty miles away, and because we have busy lives, we don’t always see each other as often as we’d like. I’ve pointed out to hubby that the road runs both ways, and we won’t be waiting for the kids to come to us. We’ll be making a few extra trips in their direction so we can spoil the baby rotten. Stay tuned. I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be buying a digital camera in the near future so I can post all my proud Grandma pictures on my website.

4. Tell us about your pets. I read somewhere that you have quite a menagerie?

We have a big yellow and white cat with double paws that we’ve had since he was small enough to sit in the palm of my hand. Tut is now twelve years old, and starting to slow down a little. His favorite thing to do is lie in the sun. Our Pomeranian, Simba, was also just a baby when we got him. He’s now nine years old.

It’s like watching the kids grow up. Where do the years go? I also have a flock of feathered friends who keep me company when I’m writing. A lovebird named Max (who may be either Maximilian or Maxine, I’m not sure), two cockatiels who were given to me several years ago by a lady who had too many birds, and a zebra finch who’s the last surviving member of a clan that was started by a pair known as Taco and Belle.

5. Can you tell us a little about your book, LETHAL LIES, due out in March 2005?


After her cousin Chelsea dies under mysterious circumstances, Faith Pelletier comes home to Serenity, Maine, to settle Chelsea’s estate and to take custody of Chelsea’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Jessie. But things in Serenity are not as they seem, and Faith walks into a hornet’s nest of drugs, racism, and murder. Can she and Serenity’s handsome chief of police, Ty Savage, find out what really happened to Chelsea, before Faith becomes the next victim?

6. At your website you say,"Hubby and I have been doing what some of my fellow MIRA authors call drive-by book signings. Pop in, sign whatever books they have in stock, and ride off into the sunset." LOL. I've never heard of that before. What kind of reaction do you get from the bookstore when you come in? Or is that something many authors do? Have you ever heard from a reader who bought the book and discovered it had been autographed? I know I would be very surprised.


I got this idea from a posting on the Mira authors loop from a well-known author who said she prefers this kind of signing to the traditional sit-down book signing, which can be about as exciting as watching paint dry. So I decided to give it a try. Of course, she’s probably being driven around to these bookstores in a limo with an escort, while I’m driving to the bookstores IN an Escort. LOL.

But I spent several weekends dropping by bookstores from Bangor, Maine, to Boston, Mass., and the response I got from the bookstore people was phenomenal. I guess not that many authors do it, and the bookstore employees seem to really be pleased. Plus, being an introvert, I find it much less painful than sitting at a table, smiling at strangers who take one look at me and the stack of books on the table and run the other way! I haven't heard from any readers who bought autographed copies, but I am hoping those little shiny stickers on the cover will convince readers to try my books. Fingers crossed here.

7. What do find the hardest part of writing and being an author?


For me, the hardest thing is trying to work a forty-hour week and stillmanage to write quality books.  I have sleep apnea and fibromyalgia, both of which sap my energy, and often my brain power.  Especially when I'm going through what I call a fibro crash, it's almost impossible to put in eight hours at the day job and still have energy left for writing.

8. What do you like to do when you're not writing? Any hobbies?


I enjoy painting with acrylics, photography, reading (of course!), and taking day trips.  I was born with car keys in hand!

Thank you, Laurie!

Laurie's website: http://www.angelfire.com/az2/breton/

Her author page at Mira Books:
http://www.mirabooks.com/mira/Authors/AuthorDetail.aspx?AuthorID=2600006

http://www.theromancereader.com/nf-breton.html