CLP Blog Tours: Spotlight & Interview with Terri L. Austin

Please, tell us a little bit about you, who’s Terri L. Austin?
I’m a writer, wife, and mom to two. My youngest went off to college this fall, so this is the first time in forever that I haven’t had kids in the house. I’m officially an empty nester. Or as I like to call it—free. My husband works from home as well, so we meet up for coffee breaks, lunch, and make dinner together.
What was your favorite part of the writing of Diners, Dives & Dead Ends?
I love my characters. I never know what they’ll say or do next. I like to wake up every morning and wonder what they have in store for me. Rose, my main character, is a bit of an underdog. After turning her back on her wealthy parents and their overbearing ways, Rose is a waitress and part-time student. I hope readers can relate to her and her struggles.
I also write a lot of humor. So I love snappy, witty dialogue. To me, dialogue and quirky characters are the best part of writing.
Tell us why we should read your book.
If you’re looking for a laugh or a fun mystery, this book is for you. Roxy Block, Rose’s best friend is a bit of a loose cannon. As Rose navigates the mystery, she has Roxy by her side. Which isn’t always helpful, but it’s always funny.
Also, if you love hot bad guys—Diners is your book. And really, who doesn’t love a hot bad guy?
How did you get the idea to write Diners, Dives & Dead Ends?
I wanted a heroine the reader can root for. I like to think Rose is a good candidate. She’s unsure about her life and her future, but she keeps trying to figure it out. When her friend, Axton, goes missing, Rose is determined to find him.
My goal was to write a book about a sassy heroine and her missing stoner friend. I wanted to show loyalty, friendship, and let the reader have a lot of laughs along the way. I basically wrote the type of book I love to read.
What was your favorite character from Diners, Dives & Dead Ends?
That’s a hard one. I love them all. Rose, of course, since she’s my heroine and we see everything through her perspective. Roxy is a snarky, loveable oddball. Ma, Rose’s boss, is almost eighty, but thinks she’s still twenty-five and insists on tagging along. And then there’s Sullivan, the aforementioned hot bad guy. I really can’t choose. It’s like asking a mom which kid is her favorite. She may have one, but she’ll never admit it.
Are there any songs you could list as the theme of this book or any of your characters?
It’s an oldie, but Me and My Friends by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Freaks of a feather stick together.
Can you give any details of the second part in Rose Strickland Mystery Series?
LAST DINER STANDING comes out December 3rd and Rose Strickland is having a blue Christmas. Her friend is arrested for attempted murder, her sexy bad guy crush is marked by a hit man, and her boss is locked in an epic smackdown with a rival diner. Determined to save those she loves, Rose embarks on an investigation more tangled than a box of last year’s tree lights. With her eclectic gang at the ready, Rose stumbles across dead bodies, ex-cons, jilted lovers, and a gaggle of strippers as she searches for the truth. What she finds will leave her entrenched in a battle for freedom she might not survive.

Diners, Dives and Dead Ends
A Rose Strickland Mystery
By Terri L. Austin
978-1938383007
Henery Press
As a struggling waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland’s life is stalled in the slow lane. But when her close friend, Axton, disappears, Rose suddenly finds herself serving up more than hot coffee and flapjacks. Now she’s hashing it out with sexy bad guys and scrambling to find clues in a race to save Axton before his time runs out.
With her anime-loving bestie, her septuagenarian boss, and pair of IT wise men along for the ride, Rose discovers political corruption, illegal gambling, and shady corporations. She’s gone from zero to sixty and quickly learns when you’re speeding down the fast lane, it’s easy to crash and burn. Amazon, Kobo, B&N