Title: An Army of Noses
Author: Holly Lewitas
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1500132514
Pages: 394, Paperback
Genre: Fiction/Animals
Read author interview with Holly L. Lewitas
Interview Questions with Holly L. Lewitas
Interviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert, Pacific Book Review
Today we’re talking with Holly L. Lewitas, author of “An Army of Noses”.
- PBR: Have you always wanted to be a writer?
When I was in high school I discovered that I loved to write, but the English teachers and their red pens cared more about my grammar than my ideas and it shut me down. Life took over and it was not until I was middle-aged that I found the courage to try again. Now, three books later I’m still trying.
- PBR: Do you have an author that you would consider a mentor?
A mentor? I am one would call him a mentor, but I have read all the books in Spenser Mystery series by Robert B. Parker. His unique use of short, simple dialogues to draw complex characters is captivating. His style definitely influenced my writing. Perhaps writers end up writing in the same style that they like to read one.
- PBR: Do you have any special methods that you use to write?
Aside from trying to stay disciplined of making myself do the work on the days I do not want to? No. I do not write out a plot ahead of time. I sit down to a blank page with just the seed of an idea and see where the story takes me. That part can be great fun because I see the story unfold as I write it.
- PBR: What made you decide to write the Spunky Mystery series?
I love animals and I love a good mystery. I think the combination was already in me.
- PBR: How did you come up with the characters for the book?
All the animals’ characters are drawn from the animals that I watch and care for every day. Spunky was Spunky. Fearless was Fearless. They were already characters; I did not need to create them.
- PBR: Do you have any pets?
Yes, one dog and on any given day about eighteen cats and one to four raccoons – depending on the number of the newest baby coons.
- PBR: Have you ever experienced a moment of Zen with an animal?
Many times. I believe if one can become truly quiet and silence all the voices in their mind, then they can hear that quiet voice that resides within all of us. Stroking the soft fur of a calm animal has always helped me reached that level of stillness and focus. For me, this is when I can hear God’s voice in my spirit.
8. PBR: How long did it take to write An An Army of Noses?
About ten months of writing, then months of editing, then months of reading, proofing and polishing before publishing – all told – about a year and a half of my life goes into every book.
9. PBR: Did you have any specific goals in writing the Spunky Books?
I personally don’t set out to make a point when I write, but somehow Spunky always does just that. Spunky shows us that people matter, change can happen, and tenacity and loyalty are very important. Personally, I enjoy reading books that make smile, give me a chuckle and all the while immerse me in a mystery that makes me want to keep reading…that is what I set out to create.
10. PBR: Do you have any future projects that you would like to share?
An Army of Noses is the third book in the Spunky Murder Mystery series. The animals and I are already neck deep in the next mystery.
To learn more about “An Army of Noses” please read the review at: Pacific Book Review.
