From the Booking Desk:
To say that I am thrilled to welcome Jessie Chandler to the BOLO Books Composite Sketch feature would be a vast understatement – for countless reasons. You all know how much I love to give hugs at the various conventions each year; so let me just go on record here as saying that no one – and I mean *no one* – gives a better hug than Jessie Chandler. That said, I am more than happy to let you all try to prove me wrong.
Jessie’s most recent book, Blood Money Murder, was a Lambda Literary Award finalist this year. Before you read on, I will warn you to go and get yourself a tissue – you are going to need it.
Welcome, Jessie!
Name: Jessie Chandler
Location: Somewhere in the middle of Minnesota
This person from my personal life is such an inspiration:
Can I pick three? Please?? I’m such a rule breaker! My wife Betty, our closest friend and housemate Angel, and my cousin Susie are three incredible people who inspire me every single day. Every. Single. Day.
Betty, Angel, and Susie all have hearts that know no bounds. From these ladies, each in their own ways, I’ve seen an incredible amount of compassion and passion, perseverance and love.
Betty has overcome a literally tragic child-young adulthood to become one of the most caring, responsible people I know. She’s able to work in an environment that’s less than supportive and comes home every day with a smile and open arms, ready to listen or give a hug if that’s what’s needed. From a completely unstable beginning, she has come so very, very far. My girl is amazingly rock solid. I look at her and she still takes my breath away, even after almost twenty-two years.
Angel is an RN, and her dedication in finding new, innovative, and better ways of caring for the elderly is nothing less than visionary. Her empathy and persistence are extraordinary, and her heart….this woman has a heart filled with kindness. When I grow old and need the kind of care and compassion that she’s fighting every day to provide, I can only hope to have an angel like this Angel to be my champion. She’s not only an inspiration to me but she’s that to every patient and family member she touches. I’m so happy she’s a part of my chosen family, now and forever.
Susie, oh my cousin. Susie is very much a caretaker of the earth and the souls that inhabit it. She inspires me every day to up my game in the way I treat this planet. She’s fighting the good fight, especially considering the fact that she lives in an area where much of the population doesn’t believe in climate change, believes that those who are less fortunate should be able to help themselves no matter what, and if you’re different in any way, you should be booted off the island. My cousin’s bravery in the face of her surroundings inspires the hell out of me.
One of the people I admire most in the crime fiction community is:
Okay, I’m a hooligan. Again, I can’t play nicely in the sandbox. I have two people in the crime fiction community I admire more than I can find the words to express.
Ellen Hart and Lori L. Lake have been incredibly instrumental in my career. From giving the encouragement and feedback I needed to succeed as an author to teaching what I needed to know both genre-wise and technically, these a-freaking-mazing women have been an invaluable part of my writing and my personal life. Both Lori and Ellen have become my dearest friends, and I’m so grateful they are. I adore these two generous, humorous, down-to-earth authors.
STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me:
JM Redmann’s fictional private eye, Micky Knight. She’s a conundrum, she’s infuriating, she’s stubborn, and she’s got a heart of platinum. I think she’d be a hoot to talk to, and I’d love to be a fly on the wall during her meetings with her clients as well as know the snarky things she thinks while they are going on about whatever their problem is. Plus she can cook.
People are always surprised that I am a fan of this individual (singer, actor, or artist):
Okay, okay. I’ll follow the rules on this one. Barry Manilow! I LOVE Barry! Mandyyyyyyyy ohhhhhhhh Mandyyyyyyyyyy! Actually my favorite song by him is Weekend in New England. If you catch me one day, buy me a drink and I’ll tell you why J
My personal catch phase is (or should be):
“Is it grub time yet?” Guess that goes with my Micky Knight answer above. LOL.
Love this post. You are 100% correct when you say Jessie gives the biggest, longest and best hugs in the world.
Jessie, buying you a drink at next convention to hear this story.
I’ll split the drink cost with you Dru, so we can hear this story together. Glad you are enjoying the new feature at BOLO Books.
Jessie is a sweetheart and I agree with you about the hugs! Great feature.
Thanks Neil. So many people have reached out to say that they agree about Jessie’s hugs. I guess the word it out.
Thank you for reminding me I want to read JM Redmann’s mysteries starring private eye, Micky Knight.