Rionna Morgan with W.S. Gager

Award winning mystery author W.S. Gager has lived in Michigan for most of her life except when she was interviewing race car drivers or professional woman's golfers. She enjoyed the fast-paced life of a newspaper reporter until deciding to settle down and realized babies didn't adapt well to running down story details on deadline. Since then she honed her skills on other forms of writing before deciding to do what she always wanted with her life and that was to write mystery novels. Her main character is Mitch Malone who is an edgy crime-beat reporter always on the hunt for the next Pulitzer and won't let anyone stop him. Her third book, A CASE OF HOMETOWN BLUES, was a finalist in the 2012 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. A CASE OF VOLATILE DEEDS, her fourth in the Mitch series will be out this February.

Where are you from?


Way to start out with an interesting question. I’ve moved three times in the last two years. First from the small town in West Michigan to Jackson. In August we moved backed to the small town because we just really liked all that a small town had to offer. The town is located on the edge of the Manistee National Forest and is known for many lakes and lots of opportunities for outdoor activities. Now if I could only tear myself away from my computer and take a hike, I would be doing well.

Tell us your latest news?


I was a finalist this summer in 2012 Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense for A CASE OF HOMETOWN BLUES. It was a huge honor. My other news is my fourth book in the Mitch Malone Mystery Series comes out in February. It’s called A CASE OF VOLATILE DEEDS and Mitch Malone’s girlfriend gets blown up.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?


Maybe that crime doesn’t pay but that is stretching it a bit. I try to keep my Mitch Malone series more light hearted and fun. A fast, satisfying read that makes the reader work to find the killer that makes sense. I’m working on another series that will have more of a message but that one is still under construction—like it is only a few lines on a piece of paper.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would they title it?

 “Always Undecided” or maybe “Will Work For Research Material.” I have had so many jobs in my life. The most I’ve ever worked at one was five years. Typically I last about two years and then move on to another. Partly I like the variety and am easily bored. In hindsight, they have made great places to draw from for people and occupations in my books. The other reason is that they help fund my writing career which never seems to make a profit. When a royalty check comes in, I spend it on conferences or marketing.

What is the ultimate dream vacation? 

I love any kind of travel and that is why I spend way too much money going to writing conferences because it combines both travel and writing. A couple years after I graduated from college and spent two years in a dead end job, I quit and went to Europe on the wing and a prayer method. I had a great time and have always wanted to go back. My dream vacation would be spending a month in Paris, a month in Ireland and a month in Italy. Kind of a long vacation but if you don’t dream big…

What person in history would you most like to meet? 

Joan of Arc. I’m not a big fan of bonfires and she was so powerful and respected in a time where women were only good for cooking and having babies.

If you could design a refrigerator magnet, what would it say? 

My Muse Doesn’t Cook.

Thanks for having me Rionna. These questions were such fun and things I hadn’t thought of in a long time. I really do need to start feeding my piggy bank for Europe.

Buy Link!

A CASE OF VOLATILE DEEDS Book Blurb:
Mitch finally scores a weekend dinner with a cute receptionist, but true to his reporter instincts an explosion in a high rise office building makes him stand up his date as he runs for an exclusive. When he investigates, he learns his date is the only casualty in a botched robbery at a real estate office. When femme fatale Patrenka Petersen returns, Mitch learns that much of what he knows about his date and her work aren’t what they seem. His world continues to twist when the police captain asks for his help and a city hall informant is found floating in the river. Mitch must keep his head down or a cute dog with a knack for finding dead bodies will be sniffing out his corpse.

  “A Case of Hometown Blues” Synopsis
When Pulitzer-winning reporter Mitch Malone's editor presses him for a favor, Malone breaks his vow to never return to his hometown. It seemed simple enough--lead a seminar for Flatville, MI's newspaper, keep a low profile and get back to the city post haste. But memories of his parents' death swarm him, and, to avoid solitude, he stops for a beer. In the crowded bar, Mitch is dismayed to see many of his former classmates--including the still-lovely Homecoming Queen, Trudy. Once the object of his teenage crush, Trudy joins Mitch. He quickly realizes she is upset and inebriated. Always the gentleman, Mitch sees her safely home, and returns to his B&B, still trying to shake memories of his parents' sad demise. The next day, he is stunned to learn Trudy was murdered and he is the prime suspect. The locals treat the murder charge as a slam dunk, and Mitch realizes he must track down the real killer to keep his butt out of jail. As he investigates, facts he thought he knew about his family unravel, and danger ratchets up. Can Mitch discover the truth that will allow his parents to rest in peace, or will he be resting with them?

W.S. Gager will be giving away a single copy of each of the first three books in the Mitch Malone Mystery series: A CASE OF INFATUATION, A CASE OF ACCIDENTAL INTERSECTION, and A CASE OF HOMETOWN BLUES from comments made on her blog: http://wsgager.blogspot.com or on her guest blogs from the Murder We Write Mystery Tour.

W.S. Gager
Author of Humorous Whodunits
A Case of Infatuation, A Case of Accidental Intersection, A Case of Hometown Blues-Now Available
A Case of Volatile Deeds - Coming Fall 2012
http://wsgager.blogspot.com/

Website: http://wsgager.com

Blog: http://wsgager.blogspot.com