Karin, my interviewer, asked me intriguing questions including whether the editing process forces me to remove a favorite scene. (Answer: Yes!)

She also asked about the kind of books I write, the publishing process I’ve gone through, and whether  my characters take on a life of their own and segue into different personalities or different situations than I originally thought.

Fun questions to respond to and I hope you’ll find it fun to read.

Pursued by Winslow Eliot

SAVVY THINKER (“You can’t control your thoughts, but you can control your thinking”) reviewed Heaven Falls a while back and so I bravely sent her a copy of Pursued.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Pursued is in the best tradition of Nora Roberts (or the worst, if you consider some of the elements of the story, including SM and murder, and Machiavellian elements on the part of several characters.) Wow. And I don’t use this comparison lightly. Her novels have been translated into eleven languages and published in twenty countries. That should give you an idea of how well she writes. Very well! Creepily well. I had to know how it ended on this one. So I skipped ahead. Then back again to the storyline. My bad. But that gives you an idea of how much suspense there is in this one.”

Thanks for the thoughtful review, Savvy Thinker – and I apologize heartily for creeping you out – I don’t ever mean to be creepy! I thought I was being romantic! Sort of.

Well, readers … you’ll have to read the review yourself – and then decide.

Pursued by Winslow Eliot

My first review of PURSUED on Smashwords, written by the murder-mystery author Bob Moats:

“I’ve never cared much for romance novels, but after reading “Heaven Falls” by this author, I know how well she can weave a thriller … From the violent start with a hurricane and the meeting of the hero and heroine, it grabs your attention. Then it continues with the travels around the world by the heroine, in search of a mysterious chalice that possibly hold a power desired by the villains. The plot was plausible and the dialog crisp, driving the story to its exciting conclusion. In “Heaven Falls” Winslow ties the chapters together with descriptions of essential oils, this book she uses the Tarot, an interesting choice and fascinating to read. The action and scenes change fast so pay attention. You will enjoy this book as I have…well worth the read.”

You can find out more about Bob Moats and his “Murder” series on his website.

When he offered to interview me and post the interview on his site, I bit. (You can read the interview here - what I love about Joseph’s site is that I’m in the company of many other writers he interviewed, so there’s lots to browse through.)

Most interesting of all is Joseph Valentinetti’s own biography: he’s been a schoolteacher, a GI, he worked in public relations for the music industry, is a photography. He’s been a Public Guardian and a private detective.  He also writes: “There is a block of time in this later period that I refer to as The Lost Years.  I dropped out of high school because I didn’t see the connection between tin exports from Bolivia, solving for X and teachers who didn’t seem to understand the limits of their responsibilities, but, more likely it was because I didn’t understand the limitlessness of my own.”

He’s worth getting to know – and his books are an added treat!

Pursued by Winslow Eliot

“In this stunning thriller the reader is taken from the exquisite beauty of Hawaii to the high-rises of Sydney, stopping on the way in Milan. We join investigative reporter Leigh Garner as she pursues a mysterious stolen chalice. Gardner is one of the most likeable of heroines. A “Can Do” gal on a mission.

• Purchase Pursued Print Edition

  Pursued (Telemachus Press 2011) A storm — a disaster — the theft of a priceless chalice. Investigative reporter Leigh Gardner loved and admired scientist Kale Trenton from the time she first heard of him, way back when she was a teenager. When his ancient chalice is stolen, a chalice vital to a mysterious scientific project [...]

I enjoyed getting into the villain’s twisted head early on. He comes on like a snake and sheds his skin to reveal a psychopath. Very chilling. This is Dan Brown, but better. A story that just might happen to an average joe or Josephine. Highly Recommended.”

Barbara Silkstone, author of Wendy and the Lost Boys and other hilarious, sharp, smart, thoroughly enjoyable novels.

“I found “A Perfect Gem” the perfect reading experience for a lazy Tuesday afternoon in the sun. Drawn into the story immediately, I connected with the short sayings about the powers of stones, a lot of which I happen to own. Getting farther into the book, I realized I was in for a wild ride as everything in the heroine’s life dropped from her as though she fell off a cliff. She lost her husband, she lost her home and, given no other possibilities, she returned home to the father she despised and the boy with whom she had fallen in love when young.

Life never guarantees success in relationships and trying to hold onto fleeting emotions can be exhausting. Crista was blessed with a friend named Joon Ting, the lady who wrote a book about stones, who was also the only one able to restore her balance. May times throughout this book, Crista sought out Joon for friendship, help and the explanations of why life is so difficult for some and yet how easy it is for others to maintain the balance so many of us cannot. These people took the time to study life, not just live it…

As for the normal things people like to know about a book such as were the characters well described? Definitely. Was the scenery such that you could see it and feel it? Definitely. Italia!! Oh, so scrumptious. You could feel it around you. Was the plot a good one? Definitely. All the twists and turns you could possibly want.

Winslow Eliot entertained me today and I appreciate it. I read some very interesting tidbits about her on the back cover and just may take her up on some of her talents and her willingness to share them.”

Carol Piner, author of Evidence of Insanity

Angie writes: “You’ll love most of the characters, especially Gareth, who is every woman’s dream, and Joon, who’d make an awesome BFF.”

She also says: “There is the perfect amount of suspense, romance, and mystery and just when you think you have it all figured out, you don’t, right to the very end.”

Bright Face of Danger

A reader writes to a mutual friend about BRIGHT FACE OF DANGER:

“Once I finish a book, I usually figure out what to read next by reading GoodReads reviews and looking at the rating… I am really enjoying it! Moon Over Manifest meets The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo!!!”

“I really enjoyed it, in fact I couldn’t put it down! Eliot’s writing style is fluid and flowing; it reads so well. Her characters are real; the suspense keeps building as the plot thickens… and the romantic side touches the heart to tears at times.”

You an read more of Joanne Chase’s reviews on her website