Interview: Valeria Wenderoth

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.

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.

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?

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