Author Live Chat with Ronald D. Voigts + Giveaway

A while back, book blogger to author Ronald D. Voigts and I chatted about his book Penelope and The Birthday Curse and about himself. Come learn about Ronald and his book through today's Live Chat, author interview. Hope you enjoy!

About The Book
It's on Amazon.com's Kindle for $0.99!
Get the Book?     Amazon.com | Goodreads

THE BIRTHDAY CURSE is set outside the town limits of Dillwood, in a strange old house called the Manor, with a detective who is bold, brassy and only thirteen. Her name is Penelope Amour. 

Her parents invite family and friends to the Manor to celebrate Penelope's birthday, assembling an odd mix of characters that includes fortune tellers, hoodlums, crazy relatives and a real life drama queen. Complications soon arise when a snowstorm knocks out the power, stranding them in the country, fourteen miles from town. On the morning of Penelope's birthday, they find one of the guests dead. Another guest spins a tale of a triple curse, claiming that two more will die in the next two days. While the adults bumble along trying to find the killer, Penelope enlists the help of friends Ruthie, Wendell and Orson to find the murderer. 

THE BIRTHDAY CURSE is a blend of humor, cozy mystery and suspense that is a fun read for adults as well as tweens.



Ronald Voights, The Author 
Ronald D. Voigts and his family live in Raleigh, North Carolina. His two daughters provided much of the inspiration for the lead character in his debut novel PENELOPE AND THE BIRTHDAY CURSE. He does most of his writing in the dead of night and on weekends. When not writing, he enjoys doing puzzles, reading books and working on his culinary skills.

Live Chat of October 8,2011 at around 5:35 p.m.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: What has your life been like besides being an author of books?

 Ronald D. Voigts (The Author): I'm a dad and my daughters are now grown up. I figure they've given me the inspiration for the Penelope Mysteries. I've traveled a bit. Farthest trip was to China. I have a wonderful wife. Other interesting hobbies are been being a magician and clown.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: Aha, China. I have always wanted to go there. Is it exotic?

Ronald D. Voigts (The Author): The word that comes to mind is different. Most people were traveling on motor scooters, sometimes a whole family. Food was different. I tried things I never would have eaten here. Octopus. Shark. One place served chicken feet, but I took a pass.

Ronald D. Voigts (The Author): I would too! Before I forget tells us about the Penelope Mysteries. What are are your books about?
Ronald D. Voigts (The Author): Penelope turns thirteen in the first book. I decided to write a true mystery unlike some of the tween mystery books. I patterned the first book like an Agatha Christie book. While there's a body, the focus is on clues and who did it. Of course the adults can't figure it out, but Penelope with the help of her friends do. Violence is minimal, although I do add some suspense. The second book Penelope goes off to a prep school makes some new friends and a few enemies. Still a murder to solve.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: So it's a mystery-type book. Does it have any romance too?

Ronald: I try to focus on her age and what would be happening. In the strict sense these are not romance mysteries. By the third book, which is in the works, however, Penelope does start to think about how she appears and kissing boys. The fourth book, yet to be written, Penelope does have some romance in her life, but by then she is fourteen.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: Ok, makes a lot of sense. Are there other books you have ever written before?

Ronald: I have an adult mystery with a literary agent. Claws of the Griffin is about Peter Reynolds a wealthy playboy who finds out he has a son and must solve who murdered the boy's mother, his ex-girl friend. I have another adult paranormal mystery in the works. After that perhaps two or three books I have written sit on my shelves with no plan to publish.

 The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: Claws of the Griffin sounds very interesting. Hope I can read that someday.

 Ronald: I hope my lit agent finds a publisher, or I might publish it myself.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: You should if you really want to. It does have a good storyline.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: Ronald have you had the pleasure of meeting other self-published authors? What has it been like if you have?

Ronald: My good friend Rick Bylina has published his first two mystery books. We met years ago as part of a writers critique group and stayed best of friends. I got the opportunity to read Tony McFadden's next novel. There a lot of good indie authors out there.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: There are. What Ronald can you be happily doing when not writing? Do you have any favorite pastimes? I'll give you mine, reading, most lf the time:)

 Ronald: I love movies and probably watch 2-4 a week. My taste is all over the place. Mystery. Vampires. Historical. Action. The writer in me likes to analyze what I watch, but I like to be entertained too. Also, I do hidden object games on the computer. Other favorite past times are shooting pool, eating ice cream and of course reading.

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger: I like all of your pastimes too. Well maybe not pool but mostly because I don't know how to play.

 Ronald: I am not great at shooting pool, but when it comes to eating ice cream, I am a champ!

The Book & Movie Dimension blogger:Me too:)Yummy.

Ronald before we wrap up. Promote something or mention? Both?

Ronald: I did want to mention that the second book PENELOPE AND THE GHOST'S TREASURE is out on Kindle, Smashwords and should start to appear in the next few weeks at other sellers like Barnes and Noble. The paperback version should also be out by month's end. I would like to do a giveaway and offer two free downloads to your blog followers of THE GHOST'S TREASURE from Smashwords.... One last note. A Penelope Christmas story will be coming out next month as a free download to anybody. It's actually the prequel to PENELOPE AND THE BIRTHDAY CURSE.

That has been Ronald Voigts!

Hope you enjoyed reading.
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This giveaway is for an e-book at Smashwords.com.
Runs until: December 11, 2011.

~Cassandra The Book & Movie Dimension Blogger