Author Fan Clubs:
R.A. Allen
Kevin David Anderson
Peter Andrews
Thomas Anselm
Carol Ayer
Victor J. Banis
Cynthia S. Becker
Karen Bernardo
Venita Blackburn
Andrea Bodel
Bruce Boston
Michael Bracken
Warren Bull
Mort Castle
John Chabot
O'Neil De Noux
M.M. De Voe
McKenna Donovan
Peggy Duffy
Barry Ergang
Elrena Evans
Gail Farrelly
John M. Floyd
Sunny Frazier
Robert Friedman
Jennifer Gennari
Jonathan C. Gillespie
Diane D. Gillette
Beth Groundwater
Mindy Hardwick
Jess Harris
Laura Hartman
Libby Fischer Hellmann
Belea T. Keeney
Floris M. Kleijne
Gerri Leen
Laird Long
Adrian Magson
Tracie McBride
Thomas Millstead
Michael Neal Morris
Jim Musgrave
Kris Neri
Richard O'Donnell
Lydia Ondrusek
Heather Parker
Barbara Quinn
Bruce Holland Rogers
Terry Sanville
Anita Saran
Wayne Scheer
Marge Simon
Del Stone, Jr.
Loretta Sylvestre
J.A. Tyler
Dennis R. Upkins
Daniel Wallace
J.D. Webb
Mike Wiecek
Bill Wilbur
Sarah Wisseman
Tim Wohlforth
Simon Wood
Beth Groundwater's debut mystery novel, A Real Basket Case, was released by
Five Star in March, 2007 to good reviews from Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and other national publications. It came out in large-print in January, 2008, and was
nominated for a Best First Novel Agatha Award. The second book in the Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series, To Hell in a Handbasket,
was released in 2009 and was a finalist for the 2010 Colorado
Romance Writers' Award of Excellence contest in the category, Mainstream with Romantic Elements. The large-print edition will be released by Kennebec Large Print in October, 2010.
Beth recently signed a two-book deal with Midnight Ink Books for a new series featuring a river ranger, set in Salida, Colorado. The first
book in the "Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures" mystery series, Deadly Currents, will be released in March, 2011. She also just signed
three additional book contracts with Midnight Ink. They will publish trade paperback and electronic versions of A Real Basket Case
in the fall of 2011, and To Hell in a Handbasket in the fall of 2012. In 2013, they will publish a new book in the Claire Hanover, gift basket designer mystery series.
Beth's science fiction novella, The Epsilon Eridani Alternative, was recently published by Virtual Tales. Beth has also published eight short stories, including one published in Wild Blue Yonder, Frontier Airlines' in-flight magazine; one that was translated into Farsi; and one that was performed in live theater.
Beth lives in Colorado Springs and enjoys gardening, skiing, whitewater rafting, and traveling with her family.
September 10-12
Colorado Gold Conference
Renaissance Denver Hotel
Denver, Colorado
October 1-2
Author Fest of the Rockies
The Cliff House
306 Canon Avenue
Manitou Springs, Colorado
Beth Groundwater's website
Beth Groundwater's blog
I always read a lot of mysteries, because that is my genre. I read them to research the field as well as for enjoyment. Right now, I am reading more outdoor-oriented mysteries, such as those by William Kent Kruger and Dana Stabenow, since my March, 2011 release, Deadly Currents, is also an outdoor-oriented mystery. I also read literary and women's fiction novels with a book club that meets monthly to discuss books. That expands my horizons beyond mysteries.
How does the reality of being a published author differ from the dream?
The reality clearly reminds us that the general perception of writers is misleading, i.e., a writer in solitude, bent over the bloody page while the world goes on its merry way. Writers want to reach their readers through their writing, but once we do, we also have to reach our readers as people: through fan pages, Facebook, blog posts, bookstore readings/signings. And yes, that takes time away from our writing, but it's part of the passion.
What was your first published work, and what did you do to celebrate it?
My first published short story was "New Zealand" in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' 2004 anthology, "Dry Spell: Tales of Thirst and Longing." It was the end of a long dry spell for me of being unpublished after many years of writing and the start of a long, full fiction publishing career that shows no signs of quitting. I celebrated by having a group signing, with wine and snacks, with my fellow story authors in the anthology.
Q: As a fellow Sniplits author, I wonder if you prefer writing short stories to other forms of writing. Always interested in the opinion of a published writer. Thanks, Tom Anselm
BG: I'm someone who savors variety in all aspects of my life, including writing, so I enjoy working on both novels and short stories at different times and under different circumstances in my life. When my now-college-aged children were home, I wrote novels when they were in school and short stories during the summer vacations, because I had fewer blocks of focused time then. I also find that if I haven't written fiction for awhile, such as when I'm promoting a new release or editing an existing manuscript, jumping into a short story gets those creative juices moving and makes it easier for me to start tackling a novel. So, I'll probably write a short story or two after I finish my May virtual tour and my June in-person tour for the second book in my Claire Hanover gift basket designer series, To Hell in a Handbasket. Then, I'll dive into my next novel-length manuscript as the weather turns cooler. Thanks for the question!
Ask Beth a Question
A woman faces grief the only way she knows how, with the offer of a covered dish casserole.
Time: 10:40 / $0.88 Sample Add to Cart
Samuel's been dragged from one of his wife's volunteer activities to another. Now it's Christmas, he's stuck dishing up mashed potatoes at the food kitchen, and he's hungrier then he realized. Winner of the Mom Writers' Literary Magazine Short Fiction Contest in 2006.
Time: 8:20 / $0.88 Sample Add to Cart
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