Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope the week is treating you well so far, and I’d like to introduce a very special guest for today’s post. Or better yet, I will let this great suspense author introduce herself…

Who is K.D. Bloodworth?

First of all, thank you for having me here today. Who is K. D.? That could be a very long and complicated answer. I’m a retired Baby Boomer, child of the Sixties, mother, wife, dog mom, birdwatcher, and storyteller. I have lived in ten or eleven different States in my lifetime. Hopefully, in my retirement the Great Smokey Mountains of North Georgia, USA is my final home.

What is your favorite genre to read and write, and why?

My favorite genre is suspense/thrillers. Stories that make me want to check and see if all my doors and windows are locked. I have no earthly idea why I enjoy them so much because in my real life I hate those feelings. I’m not sure what my favorite genre to write is, as I feel I have just begun writing. I did want my readers to feel the fear my character was going through in MrPerfect.com and the soon-to-be-released sequel Deadly Friend.

Have you always wanted to write?

I think the answer would be no. I did enjoy a journalism class many years ago but never gave thought to writing. My mother always said I should write a book about all my worldly adventures. In fact, I never cared for reading until I was in my late twenties. I read a few bestsellers from time to time, but I was having too much fun in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s to take time out for reading.

 How did you come up with the idea for your first thriller, MrPerfect.com? Is there a back story behind it?

All my books so far have come from actual events that happened in my life, in which I thought, what if this had happened instead? My imagination took over, and MrPerfect came to life. I cannot reveal what in MrPerfect was actually something that happened to me. I will say Sun Canyon is a real place where I have spent many happy afternoons.  It seemed as if in all the books I was reading all the characters were young, in their twenties and thirties. Once in a while, ya get an old forty-year-old in a book. I wanted to write about an older woman. Things to happen to people after forty or fifty that it seems the world forgets about. OMG, fifty-year-olds even have sex! (insert laughing)

Was MrPerfect.com always meant to be a series?

No. It was my readers that asked for more. One day the idea of Deadly Friend came to me. As with most of my concepts, they come to me in the early mornings, that time just before daylight, when I’m half asleep, or maybe half dreaming. I’m not sure. I also do my best writing in the early mornings.

Should we expect more from the MrPerfect.com series?

At this point, I think not. I think Dawn needs some rest and to have some good down time with her husband and dog. But you never know what the future may bring.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

Not much actually. I lived in that area, I was once a very active outdoors person, hunting, camping, fishing, shooting, and such. I did require some information on firearms about sniping. It helps to have a sharp-shooter husband.

The sequel to MrPerfect.com, Deadly Friend, is being released on 09/10/2018. Can you tell us a little bit about this friend?

I’ll just say Dawn and John believe they have put the past behind them, and their decision to start over in a new place with new jobs and new friends were the best things for them, now and for their future. Should I say, ‘best plans laid?’

What are you working on now?

My WIP (work in progress) is a book loosely based on stories my mother told me over the years about her family, growing up during the depression in coal mining towns in Oklahoma and Arkansas. My older cousins are also sharing stories that their mother—my aunt—told them about the same times. Again, I’m taking real-life experiences and allowing my imagination to run with them.  I thought I was going to write another thriller but this idea came to me, again one early morning, and I ran with it.

Can you give us a little morsel of your work-in-progress?

Fourth of July, 1926 arrived hotter than a firecracker. May and I would slip away every chance we got to go cool off in the swimming hole. A carnival came to town, but we hadn’t a dime between us to go. The big Flying Carousel sat at the edge of the grounds. May and I watched from a distance as people flew through the air, laughing and letting go with screams of delight. I wanted to feel that same joy. Knowing we would not experience their happiness of flying through the air, May and I retreated back to our porch.

Returning home, we found Blanch reading on the front porch, fanning herself in an attempt to cool off a bit. Mother had taken John down to the neighbors for some reason.

 “Blanch, everyone is at the carnival. We could go down to the swimming hole and take a dip. No one would know!” May seemed to be daring Blanch.

Blanch pursed her lips in thought, closed her book, and raised her eyebrows, “A cool dip would be delightful.” A flush crept across her cheeks at just the thought of such a brazen act. “I just couldn’t.”

May and I jumped to our feet, “Yes you can, Sister! We would never tell anyone! Especially Mother!”

Blanch’s eyes widened, a small smile appeared, as she rubbed the back of her sweaty neck. “I supposed you wouldn’t tell anyone, in fear you would get whipped too.”

To our surprise, Blanch closed her book, laid it on the table and stood. At first, we thought she was just playing with us, but she then began her descent on the steps. I think all three of us were in shock, but before she could change her mind, May and I, one on each side of our big sister, started leading the way.

Even Blanch was giggling like a young school girl by the time we reached the swimming hole. Luck be with us, there was no one around allowing Blanch to chicken out. Shucking our shoes and socks, then our dresses, the three of us were in the sweat, cool water in no time. May and I swam around while Blanch sat on a rock, up to her neck in the water. I wasn’t sure if our big sister even knew how to swim. All of a sudden she stood, and jumped into the middle, in the deepest part. May and I couldn’t believe our eyes. Blanch didn’t bob up right away which concerned us. Just about the time, we thought we should dive in to look for her, she sprung out of the water as if she had been shot out of a cannon.  She was laughing through pure pleasure.

What is your ideal type of reader, and what is your message for all the people who read your books?

I’m not sure if I have an ideal type of reader. I would like to think my stories strike a note of reality with readers. Like me, thinking this could really happen. Isn’t that where great fiction is supposed to take the reader? To possible reality?

I’d like to tell my readers that, although my books are fiction, they are all based on facts. Based on events that happened to my friends, my family, or myself. I’ll leave it for you to decide.

Thank you again for having me. There are several places people can find me, follow me, or get to know me better. I always say, viewer discretion advised, as I’m not PC, I say please and thank you like a well-mannered child but curses like a drunken sailor (at times). I have a weird, some say sick, sense of humor, too. But I’m honest, kind, and loving. It’s complicated!

Where to find K.D. Bloodworth and her books:

www.kdbloodworth.com

https://www.facebook.com/K.D.Bloodworth/

K D Bloodworth (@kdbloodworth) | Twitter

https://junction-publishing.com/authors/k-d-bloodworth/