I contacted Carolyn after reading a couple of her books. I was impressed on no small level with the amount of technical knowledge she possessed, how accurately she depicted crime scene investigation, lab work and evidence tracking. Readers are savvy these days and winging it just won’t work any more. This gal knows how to build a dynamite story with credible, sympathetic characters and the foibles of the reality of day to day living in any profession.
Carolyn and I live an hour apart yet we have never met. I do hope we can remedy that in the near future.
Tell us about you.
My name is Carolyn Arnold, and I am the author of the best-selling Madison Knight Series, and the Brandon Fisher FBI Series.
I was born in 1976 in a rural town of Ontario, Canada. I currently live with my husband and two beagles in a city near the well-known Canadian center Toronto.
Tell us about your book.
Justified is the 2nd in the Madison Knight Series.
Book Overview:
This Christmas, murder doesn’t take a holiday.
Madison Knight should have ignored the call. Now she is spending Christmas Eve dealing with her least favorite thing…blood and lots of it.
When a female victim is found in her home it has Madison and her partner tapping into the vic’s personal life. With a rash of former business partners and lovers, all of whom wanted her dead, there are not enough hours to question them all.
But trying to find the person who had the most motive isn’t all that’s on Madison’s mind. As she struggles to establish balance in her own life, she knows she has to get her focus back. Justice requires it.
What inspired you to write this book?
Really the entire series was inspired by the fact I love to be entertained in the crime/mystery genre. The movies, television shows, and the books I read are all anchored in this genre. It was a natural transition to start writing it. (It also provides an outlet for my devious mind, but we won’t dwell on that. LOL)
As for a female lead, I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted her as the lead, not the submissive, supportive partner in the background.
What can readers expect when they open your book?
The entire Madison Knight Series is what I would term “clean murder mysteries”. This means that foul language and violent graphic portrayal are kept to a minimum.
The series, including Justified, is also perfect for those who love the forensics side of investigations.
The Madison Knight Series by Carolyn Arnold
Tell us more about the Madison Knight series.
It is designed as a stand-alone mystery series, which means you can read these books out of order and still pick up on the series’ characters and story line.
Major Crimes Detective Madison Knight, fueled by determination to find justice for the victims, is a strong, independent female amidst a career dominated by men. If you love a strong protagonist lead, I invite you to meet Madison for yourself.
To find out more about Madison Knight, you can also peek inside her psyche in a fictional piece written just for this purpose, or read her interview with a real life police officer.
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment as a writer?
Publishing my books. It’s one thing to write, and it’s quite another to have others read your work.
Who is your favorite author and why?
David Baldacci is my favorite author because his writing style and pacing are spot on. He has a way of describing and fleshing out his characters that I strive to emulate.
Do you have any suggestions for writers just starting out?
Keep writing, and be adventurous.
The standard point of view is third close, why not try first? I found it helped me tap into my characters’ minds even when I went back to third close.
What is your favorite quote?
Dream big, or don’t bother. Not sure if that’s a quote, but what I like to subscribe to.
What does writing mean to you?
Writing, even at the risk of sounding cliché, is like breath to me. It’s an outlet for stress and a release for the imagination.
Anything else you would like to share with us.
I’m a strong believer in supporting my fellow authors, and because of this I run a site called Celebrating Authors where I post a daily feature highlighting a new author.
Tell us 5 random things about you the person, not the author:
1) I married a man who is truly my best friend. With us I believe in “meant to be”.
2) I have two beagles. Their names are Max and Chelsea, and I couldn’t imagine not having their little furry bodies around. (Suppose the same goes for my hubby. lol)
3) I love to read almost as much as I love to write.
4) I tried skiing once as an adult and decided the “bunny hill” worked just fine. With most things in life, I aim to excel and improve. With this sport, no desire at all. Risk my life speeding down a hill on little slats of wood? No thank you.
5) I was reunited with my older sister after being apart for 13 years and found a good friend.
Where to connect online
Twitter
Facebook
Website
Amazon Author Page
FEATURED BOOK: Justified
Genre: Crime, Mystery
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