A lot of writers are influenced by the first books they read, but not always. Carrie Stuart Parks had a definite theme as a child, but it didn’t necessarily carry over to her writing career. So what did influence her? Keep reading to find out!

Hello, and thank you for being here today! What was your favorite picture book as a child? What did you love about it?
I don’t remember having picture books. My folks couldn’t afford them—they spent a lot of time going back to college so their books were the priority. Grandma McCandless read to us and that was an absolute delight. My favorite was the Wizard of Oz. When I learned to read on my own, I read every Oz book in the library.

A worthy choice. What was the first adult novel that you read? Did you like it?
I was a voracious reader and have not a clue what I read first. I know the one time I kept track was 40 book reports in the 4th grade. I read all of the Albert Payson Terhune novels about collies, every other dog book (Dog of Flanders, Green Poodles, Beautiful Joe, Incredible Journey, you name it,) as well as horse books (Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, National Velvet). I was a total animal lover.

Do you remember the first book you read that you couldn’t put down?
Well, I don’t know that it was the FIRST, but I know two books that floated around the house when I was in probably high school that my whole family kept grabbing up and reading—so you didn’t DARE put it down or someone else would read it. Little Big Man and Love on a Leash (note the continuation of dog themes). I also discovered The Diary of Ann Frank and read through every book about the WWII camps at the school library.

If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?
Maybe Alex Delaware from the Jonathan Kellerman series. He seems interesting.

If you could turn any of your books into a movie, which would you pick? Who would cast as the main characters?
I’d love to see my Gwen Marcey series turned into a move/TV series. I think Sandra Bullock would be great at the lead character with her sense of humor and vulnerable portrayal of characterizers.

I’ll have to pick up those books to see if I can picture her in that role! When you pick up books, who do you read? Who’s your favorite author?
Not a single author, but I love Frank Peretti’s books, Colleen Coble, Ronie Kendig, Lynette Eason, Robin Caroll, Cara Putnam—all of them are awesome authors and wonderful storytellers. I’m also a Dick Frances fan.

I see a theme, but I’ll ask anyway: what’s your favorite genre?
Obviously mystery/suspense/thrillers. I love figuring out the ending and seeing how the author will get there.

Now Available: Fragments of Fear

Evelyn Yvonne McTavish—Tavish to her friends—had her almost perfect world in Albuquerque, New Mexico, come to a crashing end with the suicide of her fiancee. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she’s given the news that her dog was about to be destroyed at the dog pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine—with her name and address—makes it hers.

Tavish recognizes the canine as owned by an archaeologist named John Coyote. The simple solution is to return the dog to owner, only to find Coyote’s murdered body and see him dumped into the trunk of a police car.

After meeting the undercover FBI agent, Sawyer Price, the mystery deepens as more people start disappearing or are murdered. She becomes the target as well. Her only solution is to find the links between microchip technology, an Anasazi site in the desert, her fiancee’s death, a late night radio show, and the dog. And the clock is ticking.

Carrie Stuart Parks is an ECPA Christy Award and multiple ACFW Carol and Inspy Award-winning author. An internationally known forensic artist, Carrie draws on her extensive experience with actual criminal investigations to write authentic, true-to-life fictional suspense. Carrie lives in Idaho and travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada, teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement professionals. She has won numerous awards for her fine art and is the author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting.

Find Carrie online at:

www.CarrieStuartParks.com
Facebook: CarrieStuartParksAuthor
Twitter: @CarrieParks
Email: carrie@stuartparks.com.