BOOK: BAD BY THE NUMBERS
Interview with Valeria Wenderoth
#SUSPENSE #CRIME
Valeria Wenderoth was born in Italy. She
grew up in Rome, and grew up speaking Italian and French. She has lived in
Hawaii, Colorado and recently theTreasure Coast of Florida
. She holds a PhD in
Music History and is a professor at the University of Hawaii, where she
develops and teaches graduate online classes.
Artemis: Welcome to my blog tour. Before we get started with the book: can you
tell us more about your teaching positions and what effect creative writing has
with students?
Valeria:
Artemis, writing is an essential part of my courses, not only because I teach
online and communicate with my students mostly by writing, but also because I
believe that we become great thinkers when we write. So my students have to write
a lot. Papers, informal writing, forums, and anything that might engage them
intellectually are all requirements of my classes. Organizing thoughts and
emotions in writing is one of the most satisfying acts of creativity, and
creativity goes hand in hand with great thinking.
Artemis: What
book is on your nightstand right now?
Valeria: I’m reading Edge of Eternity 
Ken Follett’s last novel. I love the history and geography he uses
as background to his stories.
Ken Follett’s last novel. I love the history and geography he uses
as background to his stories.
Artemis: Think
about the most recent books you have read, and please tell us how they
influenced you.
Valeria: Michael
Connelly is my hero. I read all of his books and loved them all. I haven’t read The Burning Room 
yet, but his Harry Bosch 
novels have always been a model for
me. My style is different, but, like him, I try to mix a bit of humor and some
hardship. I also love John Lescroart's
novels and the way he creates the interaction among
characters and how in each mystery the same characters show up, sometimes as
main protagonists, sometimes as minor characters.
yet, but his Harry Bosch
novels have always been a model for
me. My style is different, but, like him, I try to mix a bit of humor and some
hardship. I also love John Lescroart's
novels and the way he creates the interaction among
characters and how in each mystery the same characters show up, sometimes as
main protagonists, sometimes as minor characters.
Book:Bad by the Numbers
Artemis: Mark Sorensen is one of your main characters;
tell us a little about him. What is he like?
Tough? Affable?
Valeria: Mark
Sorensen is the lieutenant of a small police department in Brighton, Colorado.
He’s a great guy, a bit of a rebel, a man of few words: my type. He has
integrity, is a sharp observer and a leader. Lt. Sorensen’s team will
follow him with their eyes closed.
Artemis: Nick
Harris seems to have a juicy life, can you tell us a little bit more about his
personality?
Valeria: Nick is
the adventurous type, a risk-taker. After all, he’s a specialist in the field of explosive materials. He’s
a little distracted and that, eventually, will cost him. He’s
handsome and athletic, but has a hard time finding a woman who'd
commit to a relationship with him. He's a fun guy!
Artemis: Is this
your first book?
Valeria: I wrote
academic publications, but never a novel. It’s my first mystery book.
Artemis: Engage
us, Take us through the opening scene and tell us about a little about the plot
of your book.
Valeria: The
setting for the opening scene is: A park in Colorado with Nick jogging during a
week in February. Then he has to go to Paris, France, for a conference. Nick
finds himself entangled in a multiple-murder case that involves a rampage in a
college and a corpse found in a park. Lt. Mark Sorensen is in charge of the
case, and uses Nick to help him. The case turns and twists into everything that
is unexpected for both of them.
Artemis: Is Bad by the Numbers
going to be part of a series?
going to be part of a series?
Valeria: Yes. In
the next novels we’ll meet Sorensen in charge of different cases. In each, he’s helped by
someone outside the police department. I’ve almost finished the second book and the person who’s helping him in
that one is … Never mind, you’ll see.
Artemis: You’re
a very passionate mystery reader and writer, and a technology enthusiast.
Valeria: Yes and I also started my own
company, Book Trailer Sync, a company that creates, produces and distributes
book trailers for published authors.
Artemis: Are you a curious person? How does
that affect your writing?
Valeria: I’m a little
curious, but always inquisitive. Like Sorensen, I enjoy the thrill of searching
and finding.
Artemis:
Valeria, thanks for being on Just a Writer or a Thought Producer blog and
coming to Miami Beach. You have packed a great deal of suspense into this book.
Congratulations on publication. I will post a link to the book, so readers can
sample some. Take a look at the book.
Valeria:
Artemis, Thanks for having me. I wish you continued success with your blogs.
Bad by the Numbers: A Lieutenant Sorensen Novel
