Today I am talking with Linda O. Johnston, the author of over forty Romance and Mystery books. She is with us today to talk about her new book released today, To Catch a Treat (A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery) You can read our review by clicking on the link.

About The Author:

Linda O. Johnston’s first published fiction appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First Mystery Short Story of the year. Since then, Linda, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, has published more short stories, novellas, and 38 romance and mystery novels, including the Pet Rescue Mystery Series, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, and Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne. She additionally writes the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink. Her latest cozy mystery series, the Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries are also from Midnight Ink.

Author Links: Website / Facebook

5 Questions:

To start with can you tell us a little about yourself and the project we are seeing today?

Linda- My name is Linda O. Johnston. I am an officially inactive real estate lawyer, and am now a full-time writer, which is a good thing since the book I’m mostly talking about today is my 42nd published novel. I write both cozy mysteries and romances. All my mysteries have some romance in them, and all my romances contain some mystery or suspense.

My latest release, TO CATCH A TREAT, is the second book in my Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries, published by Midnight Ink. The Barkery books feature veterinary technician Carrie Kennersly, who also wanted to be an entrepreneur. When a friend who owned a bakery, Icing on the Cake, had to leave town, Carrie bought it and turned half into Barkery and Biscuits, where she bakes and sells some of the healthy dog treats she developed as a vet tech. And yes, murders occur in Knobcone Heights, California, where the shops are located. You can guess who has to help solve them.

Lian- It is nice to meet you. Welcome to I Read What You Write.

What does it mean to you to be called an author?

I love being called an author, since I am one! My first published fiction was a short story that was published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and won the Robert L. Fish Award for best first mystery short story of the year. I’ve kept writing fiction since then, and it’s fun!

-As long as it is fun it isn’t a job, or so I have been told.

What advice do you have for new authors, like me?

I always suggest that new authors write, of course, and keep on writing as much as they can fit into their lives. I also suggest they join organizations that fit the genres in which they write to learn from others how to write and sell and learn today’s very changing writing industry.

-That is advice I get a lot. I can see why it would be a good idea to join up with other writers.

If you could be friends with a character in one of your stories who would it be and what kinds of things would you do together?

I only write about protagonists I like, so I’d love to meet any of them! I’m not much of a cook or baker myself, so I think it would be great fun to meet Carrie Kennersly of my Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries so she could teach me how to create healthy and tasty dog treats–as well as human treats.

Then there’s Rory Chasen in my Superstition Mysteries. She’s a superstition agnostic and so am I, so it would be fun to compare notes.

Earlier, I wrote the Pet Rescue Mysteries, and since I believe strongly in saving all homeless animals I’d really like to meet Lauren Vancouver.

And last but far from being least, I would adore meeting Kendra Ballantyne of my Pet-Sitter Mysteries. Kendra was a lawyer who lives in the Hollywood Hills with her tricolor Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Lexie. At the time I was writing her stories, I was a practicing lawyer. I live in the Hollywood Hills, and my older Cavalier is a tricolor named Lexie!

– They sound like they would be super fun to spend time with.

What is the first book that you remember reading?

The first book that I remember reading–or having read to me–is The Goat That Went To School, a picture book. I must have been two or three years old then, and I soon had an imaginary pet goat named Bucky, like the goat in the book, who followed me around until my brother was born when I turned five.

– Very cool imaginary friend. Proof that books are magic.

Apart from writing and reading, what are your other hobbies or interests?

I blend my favorite hobbies and interests into my writing. I’m a real dog lover, and all of my mysteries feature dogs!

-Do you bake dog treats too? It is great that you can use your real life experience in your books like that.

My thanks to Linda O. Johnston for sharing her answers to 5 Questions today. You can her books at Amazon and other book retailers. Be sure to check her latest release To Catch a Treat (A Barkery & Biscuits Mystery)