PRICKLE FORREST BOOKS
A Romance Author’s Interview
Welcome to Prickle Forrest Books, Barbara Howard!
It’s wonderful you could take the time to share with the Pricklers a bit about you and your writing.
First, set the scene and give us some background. When did you decide to become a writer? Anyone influence you? Why romance? What book is this for you? And how did you come up with the idea for your current novel, A Match Made in Murder.
I began writing stories as a child and enjoyed reading mystery short stories. As an adult, P.D. James was a strong influence on my decision to pursue the author life. I always include romance in my stories because that layer is a conduit of so much human emotion that everyone can connect with. It provides the deep dive into the characters inner desires and motivation. I really enjoy exploring that. A Match Made in Murder is book #3 in my latest series, The Clover City Files. I had decided that the release date would be on Valentine’s Day and to incorporate that as the main theme of the book. A matchmaker helping twelve couples get married on Valentine’s Day seemed like the perfect setup for something to go awry and challenge me to pull off a Happily Ever After.
What type of romance do you write? Do you ever think about writing something other than this type of romance? Historical? Fantasy? Mystery? Contemporary? Western? If so what?
Mystery. My current work in progress (WIP) is Romantic Suspense. I can’t imagine straying far from romance.
Please give us the low-down on your book, A Match Made in Murder.
Matchmaker extraordinaire, Fiona Murphy, is renowned for orchestrating love stories that culminate in dreamy weddings. This Valentine’s Day, she’s outdone herself by arranging twelve weddings in a grand celebration at the upscale Boat House restaurant, where love is on the menu and bliss is in the air. As the town gathers for the grand event, excitement and anticipation fill the room. Among the attendees is Fiona’s efficient and loyal assistant, eager to ensure everything runs smoothly. There’s also an unexpected guest—Fiona’s charismatic yet enigmatic ex-husband, whose presence adds a layer of complexity to the event. However, as the festivities kick off, a hushed realization sweeps through the gathering—someone is conspicuously absent. The joyous occasion takes a dark turn when a lifeless body is discovered, casting a shadow over the day meant for love and celebration. Suddenly, the Boat House transforms from a haven of romance to a crime scene, and everyone present becomes a suspect. With the victim silenced forever, secrets, grudges, and long-buried emotions rise to the surface. It is a tale where love and betrayal intermingle, and uncovering the truth becomes the ultimate act of love.
When you received your first copy of your newly published book, A Match Made in Murder how did you feel? Did you flood social media with a book selfie? Celebrate with Champagne? Or pass out?
I can still see it in my peripheral vision 🙂 It’s always close by. My besties and family celebrate with me and I share on social media. I have a video chat with a few to talk about the story and listen to their guesses for whodunnit.
Do you ever struggle with writing? Ever want to quit? How close have you come to Shoving the manuscript into a drawer and wait a month to even think about getting it out again? Or do you just plug on with the mantra “I think I can… I think I can…”?
I don’t struggle with writing but I have to consistently manage distractions, especially competing ideas. I am a relentless plotter. Scrivener is my favorite tool to keep me on course. And I use Read Aloud in MS Word to help with the momentum if I’ve been away from the manuscript and need to get the juices flowing again.
Where do you write? At your desk with coffee? Out on the deck with a cocktail? In bed propped up with pillows and hot chocolate? In other words, where do you do your best writing at?
My best writing on my WIP is done at home. I’m too easily distracted to work in coffee shops or libraries. However, I jot down bits and pieces of scenes and dialogue whenever the moment strikes. And that can be anywhere and at anytime.
Who has been your favorite character to write? Have there ever been any who just nagged and nagged you to get them on paper? Have there been any characters you absolutely thought your readers wouldn’t like, but turns out they did? Ever purposefully put characteristics of someone you might know into a character and hope that they didn’t figure it out? Protect the innocent, no names, please.
At this moment, my favorite character is Harper Martinez. She is a tabloid reporter that helps the main character solve the mysteries. Her presence puts things into motion. I’ve had readers ask me about characters that (I thought) were minor and not very interesting. So I added more pages to that character in the next book in the series. Also, a few asked about a family member that was mentioned in dialogue (for backstory) but I had no intention of introducing into the story. But I did solely because of their interest in him. He’s another favorite of mine. I’m a quilter so I enjoy “piecing” things together. That’s how I approach using pieces of personalities and physical characteristics of people that I know.
Which do you prefer to write, hot-hot romances or sweet romances? What’s the reaction you get from people you tell you’re a romance writer?
My stories are cozy and clean romance mystery style.
Everyone loves a box set. If you had to do one with a holiday theme, which holiday would you choose? And would you do it all yourself or share with two other romance writers? If you shared, who would the other writers be and what holidays would you choose?
I would probably choose Valentine’s Day because passions are already running hot and expectations are high for the ‘perfect’ day. I enjoy collaborating on anthologies and group projects.
Is there a book on your backlist that needs some more loving? Briefly tell us about it and where we can get it.
The Spice Code
Restaurant owner and chef Raphael Parera’s life takes a dark and treacherous turn when he falls for the captivating charms of Isabella. Little does he know, his newfound love is hiding a sinister secret – she’s a cold-blooded murderer. Kidnapped by Isabella, Raphael’s only lifeline is a bag of groceries containing a message that holds the key to his location. Bonus: Recipes included. The Spice Code can be purchased here: https://books2read.com/u/bzBWWq
Which type of media do you like to publish in the best? E-book? Audio? Paperback? Hardback? If you’ve done Audio, would you ever consider using the updated voices they have out now for AI to record it?
I publish in all available media, including voice narration and AI-generated audiobooks.
What do you have going on for the future? More writing? Blog tours, book signings, book festivals? If so, where and when could your readers find you?
I’ve been participating in blog tours, interviews, and panels so far this year. And I’ll be at in-person book fairs in Ohio when the warm weather arrives. Readers can find me through my website at www.authorbarbarahoward.com and sign up for my monthly newsletter. As the current president of the Great Lakes Fiction Writers, we have a variety of meetings and activities to keep me busy outside of my personal writing projects, a romantic suspense novel and a short story for a crime fiction anthology.
What’s the worst thing you hate to do as an author? What’s the best thing? And give us your best advice for those aspiring authors out there.
The worst thing about being an author is having to stay on top of the changing trends in the publishing industry and adjusting your marketing strategy. The best thing about it is connecting with readers. It’s a joy! My shortest piece of advice is to be honest with yourself about how much time you have available to spend on writing and continuing to learn the craft. There are no shortcuts. By doing this, you can set appropriate expectations and goals so that you can enjoy the journey at each step.
Finally, if you knew what you know now as a writer, when you first started out, would you have taken the leap to write and publish your stories? What’s one happy memory you’d like to share about your writing with those here at Prickle Forrest Books?
I think the writer’s life chose me and I can’t imagine not doing this. My favorite happy memory is a recent one. There is someone special in my life who always buys a copy of my books but they don’t read them. And audiobooks put them to sleep. So we meet on the release day in a video chat and I describe each scene in the book. Sharing that time together makes my heart incredibly happy.
Where can we find your latest book…
https://books2read.com/u/4E82Gg
Where do you socialize……
Facebook: facebook.com/BarbaraHowardAuthor
Twitter: x.com/barbarahoward
Instagram: instagram.com/bhowardphipps
Other: (Bluesky) barbarahoward.bsky.social
Big –big thanks to Barbara Howard for taking the time to travel into the Prickle Forrest and share a bit about your writing and A Match Made in Murder. And much thanks to our readers who make it all possible.
Please don’t hesitate to comment, but better yet, check out Barbara Howard newest release at https://books2read.com/u/4E82Gg
Thanks and enjoy!
Christina Hartmann- Benchoff
Prickle Forrest Books 
Prickle Forrest LLC
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(Author Interview)
2024 All Rights Reserved
2024
Prickle Forrest Books 