About The Author

Katie Salidas is a USA Today bestselling author and RONE award winner known for her unique genre-blending style.

Since 2010 she's penned five bestselling book series: the Immortalis, Olde Town Pack, Little Werewolf, Chronicles of the Uprising, and the all-new Agents of A.S.S.E.T. series. As her not-so-secret alter ego, Rozlyn Sparks, she is a USA Today bestselling author of romance with a naughty side.

In her spare time Katie also produces and hosts a YouTube talk show; Spilling Ink. She also has a regular column on First Comics News where she explores writing from a nerdy perspective.

Author Spotlight with Wayne Farquhars & Giveaway!!


K.S.  Hello and welcome to the blog. I am very excited to have you here. Why don’t we start off with a small introduction? Tell us a little about yourself. 

W.F. Most readers know about my police/detective background. What most don’t know is I enjoy writing music, playing guitar and cooking. I guess it all falls in the same creative category. Lots of cops have hobbies that give them relief from the daily stresses of police work. Daily workouts have been a lifesaver for me as well.

K.S.  Any interesting writing quirks or stories you would like to share with my readers?

W.F. I like to write at my kitchen table. And, I like to listen to music when I write. Sometimes it doesn’t work and I have to dive into my home office. I’m able to block out distractions and bury myself in writing. I’m extremely focused and I tend to be oblivious to everything going on around me when I’m in the writing mode. It’s become somewhat of a family joke.

K.S.  When did you realize you wanted to be a writer? What sparked the desire to pen your first novel?

W.F. As long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed writing. I knew I had a good story to tell and like many others, I’ve always dreamt of writing a crime novel. I also wanted to be a good role-model for my son. He’s witnessed “first-hand” the discipline it takes to write. He’ll carry that learning experience forever into his life.

K.S.  What genre do you write?

W.F. I write crime fiction/Murder. I’m drawn into this genre because I’ve spent my entire career chasing crooks and being a cop-detective. It’s an exciting profession and it’s fun to write about the crazy things that happen in the police world.

K.S.  What would you say has inspired you most in your writing career? Or, who is your favorite author and why?

W.F. My absolute favorite author is Nelson DeMille. I love reading his books. I love to read movie scripts and magazines. They move fast and chew up territory at alarming rates.  They keep me hooked and starving for more story.

K.S.  What does your family think of your writing?

W.F. I’m fortunate because my family is incredibly supportive. They give me a lot of “head room” when I’m writing and they provide honest feedback. Both are very important.

K.S.  What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating your book?

W.F. The best part about writing is being able to create the world in your story. As writers, we hold all the cards! We can tell the story from any point of view and put any spin we like into the story. We are limited only by our imaginations and when we let loose, the story gets better.

K.S.  What inspired you to write your novel?

W.F. I wrote Blood Over Badge because I liked the story/twist and I really wanted to put the reader on the “inside of the crime scene tape!” Let’s face it; police work is a secretive business. And it needs to be so crimes get solved and the cases have integrity. I have to be mindful when writing because I reveal the “real police world.” At the same time, I don’t want to expose tactics that jeopardize the working street cops and detectives. The challenge is inspirational for me.

K.S.  Can you tell us a little about your novel?

Blood Over Badge puts you in the driver’s seat of a high profile homicide investigation. As a writer, I don’t want to leave you, the reader, rubber-necking on the side of the road. I want you front and center with my detectives…and my criminals. The characters are composites of every cop and crook I’ve ever known. The shootings, killings and investigation are my way of walking a reader through the daily life of a cop. For this reason, I didn’t hold back in my writing style. The dialogue is true “locker room” cop talk. The voices and thoughts of the criminals in the story are words I’ve heard repeatedly over the decades. The result is a gritty crime novel.
K.S.  Where can we find your novel?

W.F. My novel is easily found on-line and is available from my website, my publisher’s website, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also order a copy from your local bookstore. It is in the National distribution database.

K.S.  Do you have a website, fan site, or Blog that we can visit?

W.F. My website is www.bloodoverbadge.com and I also have a brand new blog that is just getting ramped up. It’s available via my website. Please have a look. I can be reached on Facebook or LinkedIn and I’ll soon be using Twitter as well.

K.S.  Do you have any closing advice to aspiring writers?

W.F. Pay attention/study direction from a good editor. Good editors know what they’re talking about and every writer has “blind spots.” I spend a great deal of time sharing work with other authors. There are many people that write very well in areas that I don’t. I seek out their advice. I’ve learned to not be embarrassed or timid. Writing is a craft and it must be honed in order to improve. An editor one told me “keep writing.” It was the best advice I’ve ever had towards my writing career. So keep writing AND don’t critics bring you down.

And now for the part you've all been waiting for!

THE GIVEAWAY!

As part of Wayne's Blog Tour with VBT http://virtualbooktourcafe.weebly.com/ 
ONE person will win a $10 Amazon Gift card.

All you have to do is leave a comment, indicating you want to enter, and make sure you give me your email address.

Only one entry per person.

One lucky winner will be picked at random from the comment section.


This Blog Spotlight is hosted by The Virtual Book Tour Cafe


Winner will be announced on Friday.

Good Luck!