From The Booking Desk:

Terry Shames is the author of the critically-acclaimed Samuel Craddock Mystery Series. She is always a delight and incredibly encouraging to other authors whenever she appears at the various crime fiction conventions we all know and love. I was thrilled that she accepted my invitation to appear as part of the composite sketch profile series and I think you are going to enjoy her answers to the standard set of questions.

Name: Terry Shames
Location: Berkeley, CA

This person from my personal life is such an inspiration:

I have to say my friend Carol. I never knew anyone with as much energy as she has. She is a ceramicist who does exquisite work. She is an avid windsurfer, skier, and bicyclist. She is a tireless gardener, and has a beautiful, big, garden. Oh, yeah, and she is also a pastel painter. And a great cook. And despite all this, she takes time for friends. She is there when you need her. You can laugh or cry with her. She’s passionate, funny, and well-read. What an inspiration!

One of the people I admire most in the crime fiction community is:

Catriona McPherson. Hands down. She’s genuine. She works like a demon. Her books are wonderful. She is generous, and warm and truly cares about other people (or if she doesn’t, she puts on a good show). Not to mention that she’s funny as hell.

STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me:

Oh, this is so corny, and I can hardly stand to say it: Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. Yeah, I know, get in line. How did Jane Austen do it? Make half the women in the world fall in love with a man who sneered at our dear heroine? Austen understood not just her characters, but her readers.

People are always surprised that I am a fan of this individual (singer, actor, or artist):

I’m not sure anyone is ever surprised at what I like. My tastes are eclectic and sometimes off the wall. I guess being a woman of a “certain age,” as the French say, I would be expected to have subdued taste, but so far, that isn’t me. People might be surprised to find out that I’m passionate about Richard Serra’s metal sculpture. My dream is to go all over the world and visit every one of his sculptures. They make me feel awed and exalted.

My personal catch phrase is (or should be):

Be professional, persevere, and be brave. I wish I could be all three all the time, but at least I try.