I love Kristopher Zgorski’s new feature on his wonderful Bolo Books blog, The Bolo Books Composite Sketch. He features someone from the writing industry every Friday and asks a mere five questions. I’ve know some of the people who have been featured, but each time found out something new about them. It got me thinking — how would Kristopher answer his own questions. I was delighted when Kristopher agreed to let the Wickeds turn the tables on him!
But first here is a little more about Kristopher and his amazing crime fiction blog:
My crime fiction review blog, BOLO Books (www.bolobooks.com), will be celebrating five years of existence in just a few weeks – while most of the crime fiction community is at Bouchercon in Toronto, in fact. With that auspicious occasion approaching, earlier this year I began to think about a new feature I could include on the blog that would be both interesting and more importantly not add to my workload tremendously. I already spend countless hours a week reading, researching, and writing reviews after all.
Because the name BOLO Books is police inspired, I wanted a feature that would harken back to that concept. I quickly stumbled upon the idea of composite sketch – drawings police artists do when interviewing witnesses to a crime. THAT’S IT!, I thought. I will start with a black and white sketch type image of a person, ask a few questions, and then end with the full color version of that same image.
With that in place, I needed to craft the questions. I wanted something that was both generic and incisive, which proved to be as difficult and dichotomous as it sounds. Since I wanted this feature to be free of the “sales pitchy” feel of some promotion, I decided to focus on questions that would get to the heart of the person – what makes them tick, who inspires them. I also wanted this feature to highlight everyone in the crime fiction tribe, not just authors, so it made sense to avoid any writing-related queries. But I also wanted to keep it short, so I decided five questions was enough. And with that the BOLO Books Composite Sketch feature was born.
I had the sense that these sketches would be interesting to people – after all, as they were coming in, I myself was finding out fascinating things about people I have known for years – but I had no idea how quickly it would become a go-to stop for people every Friday morning. People from all walks of life have told me that they simply love this feature – even when they don’t know the person at all, they find the idea of getting this insight into them to be very enjoyable. Needless to say, I am glad I had that little brainstorm at the 5th anniversary of BOLO Books. And I was thrilled when Sherry Harris asked me if I would consider doing a composite sketch of myself for the Wicked Cozy Author Blog.
So with that, here is a bit more about me:
The BOLO Books Composite Sketch
This person from my personal life is such an inspiration:
Without a doubt, I am going with my mother here. My mom and her siblings had a rough start, ending up in an orphanage and various foster homes, but they never lost contact with each other and maintained the bonds that only family can forge. Later in life, she would struggle as a single mother to instill in my brother and I a level of compassion and hopefulness that I will forever thank her for.
One of the people I admire most in the crime fiction community is:
This is a tough call, so I am going to go with three folks who I think are always willing to lend a hand, pass along information and advice, and shower enthusiastic support – not just as it relates to me, but upon everyone in our tribe. Those folks are: Judy Bobalik, Erin Mitchell, and Hank Phillippi Ryan. The crime fiction community – and the world – is better because they are a part of it.
STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me:
Although I know I will be fighting over him with countless people – including some of my closest friends – I’m going with James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser – aka Jamie, from the Outlander series. Hopefully you don’t need to ask why, as I do embarrass easily.
People are always surprised that I am a fan of this individual (singer, actor, or artist):
I’m not sure that any of my fandom will surprise people. It’s about as eclectic as it is possible for an individual to be. I shall answer with two responses however: Georgia O’Keefe because I admire what she was able to do in a time when female artists were fighting an uphill battle – a struggle which continues today – and also because Santa Fe is a bit of a mecca for my husband and I. And in stark contrast to O’Keefe, Frank Lloyd Wright, who by most accounts was probably not a very nice man, but whose architectural design I simply can’t get enough of – there’s a reason we ultimately settled in the craftsman-style home section of Columbia, MD.
My personal catch phase is (or should be):
“Lord have mercy on my soul” (This sounds way more religious than it really is. But sometimes the things I see, hear, and experience in this world defy any other possible response.)
BOLO BOOKS COMPOSITE SKETCHES (http://bolobooks.com/?s=composite+sketch)
There have been sixteen previous Sketches at this point and new ones every Friday morning. Please do stop by, I think you will have a good time!
Readers: How would you answer this question: STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me.