Romance Books '4' Us: Temporarily Insane

Friday, September 23, 2016

My Obsession with Handbags, Books, and Jeeps with Author @VickiBatman #Romance #RB4U

Yep, I do love all three. And regularly, handbags, books, and Jeeps appear in my works. But how did it begin? Let me take you back....

As a youngster, I loved to read and often, I’ll say reading is my best friend. Once a librarian admonished me by saying I couldn’t read the stack of books I’d selected and wanted me to put some back. My mom saw my face and instantly knew something was wrong. I explained. She marched us back to the check-out counter and told the librarian to “let her check all of them out. She’ll read these in a week and probably the ones her sisters check out too.” (I have three sisters.)

I always have several books going and a lot of them in the mystery genre. I fell into romance when Mom introduced me to Emilie Loring and Kathleen Woodiwiss. Thank you, Mom!

As for handbags... I have a funny story here. I have small feet for a gal my size-five foot, eight, size seven narrow. Finding shoes is difficult. But finding handbags? That’s a joy!! I actually have a handbag from high school, lots of vintage beauties, some delightful new ones. I’m thinking -- *finger to cheek* -- about a hundred-ish. And yes, I do give some away. If I find I’m not using a bag anymore, I make a donation. Some of my favs include: Kate Spade, Hobo, Mary Frances, Enid Collins.

And what about a Jeep? When I graduated from college, I needed to find a ride. My parents had lent me a Type 3 Volkswagen station wagon and I loved it! However, I have three sisters and they were driving too. Dad asked what kind of vehicle I was interested in and I said a Jeep. He told me I couldn’t have one. Killjoy! Which kinda pissed me off. I wanted to drive the car I liked. He wanted me to have a grandma-mobile to keep me safe. LOL. I found a nice Ford sedan.

When I had my boys, Handsome and I found we needed a family-style vehicle. As mini-vans were in their infancy and too rich for our blood back then, we found a used Jeep Cherokee. I was in heaven. Maybe it was the utilitarian style. Maybe it was how it was always fashionable. Maybe it was the extra room or how easily it drove. I just loved it and since, our family has bought five more. I have a 1999 Wrangler (long story there) and now drive a Patriot.

So all this stuff—why is it important to my writing? I give my heroines my love for handbags, they drive Jeeps, and love to read. I guess that’s my way of saying each of them carry a part of me.

My romantic comedy mystery, Temporarily Insane!

Bad job. Wrong love. And Murder.

Hattie Cooks is still searching for her dream job and one might be available...in the Big Apple, far from friends, family, and Allan Wellborn, the man who still makes her heart race. In the meantime, she finds temporary employment at an accounting firm where two auditor friends turn up dead.

Detective Allan Wellborn dropped Hattie for Blonde Bimbo who, coincidentally, is employed at NLB where fishy things are taking place. When Allan interviews Hattie, he must determine why all signs point to her as a suspect.

Can Hattie discover why Allan dumped her and who is murdering auditors before death strikes again?

Author bio: Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, Vicki Batman, has sold many romantic comedy works to the True magazines, several publishers, and most recently, a romantic comedy mystery to The Wild Rose Press. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and several writing groups. An avid Jazzerciser. Handbag lover. Mahjong player. Yoga practitioner. Movie fan. Book devourer. Cat fancier. Best Mom ever. And adores Handsome Hubby. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"