Elaine Viets: Paddle Boards, Dead End Jobs, & Murder

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!