Interview with J.D. Webb

I'd like you all to meet J.D. (Dave) Webb, author of Her Name is Mommy.

J. D. (Dave) Webb resides in Illinois with his wife of 40 years and their toy poodle, Ginger, losing all family votes 2 to 1. Dave became a full-time author in 2002 after spending 25 years in corporate management. A company purge promoted him to cobbler and he owned a shoe repair and sales shop for 11 years. During these careers he wrote short stories and suppressed an urge to write a novel. After making a conscious decision to live at the poverty level, those novels began forcing their way out.
Mystery author J D Webb http://www.jdwebb.com/
Shepherd's Pie (Golden Wings Award Winner)
Moon Over Chicago (2008 Eppie finalist)
Her Name Is Mommy (Now Available)
The Smudge & Aftermath (coming soon)

Hopefully, visitors have already read your bio, so I’m not going to ask you
to tell us about yourself.
Instead, what do you find the most difficult about being a writer?
Marketing my work. I was always taught not to brag, but that's what must be done to get people to buy books.
It also takes away time I could use to do more writing.

What is your hero’s biggest challenge?
I have multiple heroes/heroines. I try to put them into impossible situations and then try to figure out how they will succeed.

What is your heroine’s biggest flaw?
I have a PI series featuring Mike Shepherd. He's a laid back, easy going guy who wants to believe people when they tell him something.
It seldom works out that way. And it seems that every time he's on a date with his fiance he is called out on a case. He loves PI work, she hates it.

What prompted you to write this story?
I've always loved mysteries and so I thought why not write one? When I had done that I just kept going. I'm working on #5 right now.

What is your least favorite genre? Would you ever consider writing it?
Boy am I going to tick off some of your readers. My least favorite is Romance. Just because I don't read them as a rule.
I have nothing against them, just not my thing. So I guess I wouldn't write a romance. I try to include some romance with my books but it's not a main theme.

Who has helped you the most?
My wife has been most helpful, my biggest fan and my first editor. When I proudly brought my first chapter of my first book to her, she immediately asked for a pencil to mark some changes. So much for having a big head about how great my writing is. I now hand her a pencil when she does some reading. Also I have a wonderful critique group who gently make suggestions and help with grammar and punctuation. I'm extremely comma challenged.

Do you have a favorite theme? Eg: love conquers all; good vs evil; How do you use it?
I write what I call classic mysteries. In every one good overcomes evil and I'm proud that entire families can read my novels.
No graphic violence or sex and rarely any offensive language is included. I believe a novel can be interesting and exciting without any of that. I want everyone to be entertained and intrigued.

What have you learned about yourself from your writing?
That I have the discipline to finish a book and that I must have some ability since I've been published and receive fan mail and no hate mail unless you consider spam hate mail. I do. I've also learned that something other than my golf game can be humbling.
Why will your reader think your book is different?
It's my hope that rather than finding something different they will fall in love with my characters.
In mysteries the plots have all been done and the formula is predetermined, but the characters,
I hope, come alive. I provide twists and turns in the story but the people are the key elements.

Her Name Is Mommy Excerpt:
Prologue
Jan Lutovsky had no interest in the throng of shoppers. Exhausted from her own Christmas shopping, she checked her makeup once again in the compact mirror. Her long, blonde curls had been meticulously brushed minutes before, and Jan allowed herself a satisfied smile. Occasionally she glanced down at the large bags at her feet to make sure no one tried to grab one. Only three days left till Christmas and she finally had the perfect gift for everyone. With any luck, a nice snow would make it an ideal Christmas.
At 24, Jan had one of those model bodies, only not rail thin. In another life she could have been a movie star. At least that’s what her husband, Rick, always said. She was accustomed to being described as drop-dead gorgeous and learned to ignore the admiring looks from the many male passersby.
~*~
Jan’s four-year-old daughter, Madison, sat quietly on an uncomfortable, slatted bench and wondered how long she would have to sit there. She hoped mommy would remember the promise of ice cream as a reward for good behavior.
~*~
The Lutovsky driver, George, was not due for another fifteen minutes. Jan didn’t see anything that looked more comfortable, so she had just decided to seat herself next to Madison when a man approached. A worn Cubs baseball cap was pulled down to his eyebrows, and seemed to match the dirty jeans and scruffy, black leather jacket. Jan tried to snub the tall, gangly cretin who sported a three-day growth of beard, but he got right in her face.
“Come with me, and you won’t be hurt.” Despite the man’s appearance, his voice was soft and strained.
“I beg your pardon?” Jan looked him in the eye and shot him her most vicious stare.
“You’re coming with me. Let’s go.” The man grabbed her arm and pulled. The expensive compact flew out of her hand as she tried to wrestle her arm away, only to discover the unwanted grip had tightened.
“Ma’am, I have a gun. You don’t want me to use it.” He tugged his coat away, and she gasped at the sight of the shiny, brown handle of a pistol tucked in his belt.
“What do you want?” A cold shiver ran up her spine. She really didn’t want that question answered.
“I won’t say it again, lady. Let’s go.” They started toward the door. Jan took one last look at the bench where her daughter sat alone next to the pile of presents. She desperately hoped someone would help Madison, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to. Would she ever be able to help her daughter again? Dear God, this couldn’t be happening to her.