I walk into the Hyatt lounge. A woman with dark sunglasses, blonde hair, and a dynamite figure sits at a bar height table. She has the aura of a character from a Fellini film — perhaps she is Madam X waiting for her contact, or Jackie O , hiding from public adoration? She spots me, smiles, and throws an arm around me in a hug.
Elaine Viets.
Enigmatic, lovely, and effervescent.
Tell us about your worst job to be entered to win a copy of Elaine’s latest book: Board Stiff.
She is also one of the most down-to-earth people I know. She just can’t help the way she’s packaged — and if she weren’t so nice, that package might make people hate her. But, she is nice — one of the big name bestsellers who never puts on airs, who is glad to share what she knows with even the lowliest beginning writer. She has a kind word, an optimistic point of view, and that most deadly of of traits– a self-depricating sense of humor that makes you instantly love her.
That wit is what has made her Dead End Job mystery series so 
successful. How can you not love a character who goes from one miserable job after another, occasionally seeing her awful bosses get killed? The series has been called Janet Evanovich meets the Fugitive. Murder, bad jobs, man trouble, and the kind of humor that makes her books the ultimate beach reads, is what has made her one of my favorite authors.
Elaine also hosts the Dead End Job Show on RadioEar Network. She interviews people in all kinds of weird jobs: from underwater archeologists searching for pirate treasure to bridal consultants stuck with Bridezillas. The result: pure fun! Click Here to hear some of her shows or Here to hear her live, Mondays at 1 PM EST.
Elaine also is the author of the Josie Marcus Mystery Shopper Series. (Excerpt) With another eight bestselling books under her belt for that series, is it any surprise that she’s won the Agatha, the Leftie, and the Anthony Awards for her amazing fiction?
Just in time for sumer is her newest book ( Dead End Jobs number twelve!): Board Stiff. (Excerpt) Elaine sat down with me to explain the intricacies of the paddle board, the shenanigans that go on between competing beach concession operators, and the fun of peeking into windows and dreaming up new plots.
And if you tell us about your worst job or leave a comment, you’ll be entered to win a copy of Elaine’s latest hardcover bestseller: Board Stiff. If you subscribe to follow this site, you’ll be entered twice! (If you can’t find the Leave a Comment button below, you can access comments by clicking on this post’s title or the little balloon right top)
Here’s the trailer for Board Stiff. Enjoy!
Worst Job…working all night doing books for a Chinese Hotel chain. 🙂
Night work is never fun, Marilyn. Were you living in China at the time? So glad you stopped by!
Great interview! Belchase strikes again!
Fred
Thanks, Fred, but great guests like Elaine Viet’s make it easy.
Not my worst job, but I once wrote an article about the rise in cremations (versus burial), and I interviewed a guy who worked at a crematorium. Turns out that after a body is cremated, it’s not all immediately ashes. There often are a few large bones that make it through intact or partially intact. It was this guy’s job to grind up those pieces. That sounds like a horrible job: Actually grinding up bones. (Isn’t that a line from Jack and the Beanstalk?)
Hysterical, Barb! And yes that is a line from Jack.
My worst job I ever had was cleaning for an elderly Jewish lady. She hired three of us teens to clean for her. My friend and another boy. She gave him the lawn mowing and pool cleaning jobs. The girls had to clean in the house and lawn furniture. We only made $4 and hour and the things she asked us were really tedious. Cleaning the louvres on all her windows individually with a rag and brush, getting all the black marks off the white lawn furniture. Then the baby sitting of the spoiled bratty grand children who had no manners. She would feed us that was the humorous part. George referred to it as the Lazarus scraps. We would get all the family left overs. She treated us horribly.
The “Lazarus scraps” is very funny, Denise. So glad you could join us today!
My worst job was working as a gardner during summer vacation in high school. Hot, sweaty, low-paying work!
Yup, and you can’t wait until sundown to do your work if that’s your job. Glad to hear from you.
Working in a restaurant kitchen and cleaning out the grease trap was really bad. Love Elaine’s books and Diana’s interviews!
Sounds utterly disgusting! Thanks for the compliment about the interviews.
Being an unappreciated wife is as bad a job as any. Glad hubby #2 is better than hubby #1! I really like these videos because I get to see another side of the author and the interviewer. Thanks, Diana!
A good husband is worth his weight in gold, Maria. Thanks for joining us.
Worst job I had was delivering newspapers with my father early in the morning. I would get car sick so as I fold and bagged newspapers I would be vomiting out the car Window then after we were done I had to clean the car.
Oh my goodness, Lorna, that’s certainly was an awful job! You were a real trooper to keep helping your father even though you kept getting sick like that.
You should be very proud of yourself, I’m sure he was proud of you, too. I’m so glad you stopped by today and shared your story.
XO
Congratulations to Lorna for winning a copy of Elaine Viets’ Board Stiff! I know you’ll enjoy it.
Thanks also to my guest, Elaine Viets for visiting with us this week.
XO