with Yolonda Tonette Sanders
We are delighted to welcome novelist Yolonda Tonette Sanders to Omnimystery News today.
Yolonda's new mystery is Wages of Sin (Strebor Books; Appril 2014 trade paperback and ebook formats), the first in a new series featuring homicide detective Troy Evans.
We recently had the opportunity to talk with Yolonda about her book.
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Omnimystery News: Your previous novels have been stand-alones, but with Wages of Sin you're introducing a recurring character. What prompted you to start a series?
Photo provided courtesy of
Yolonda Tonette Sanders
Yolonda Tonette Sanders: It's all about character. I started Wages of Sin with the intention of making it the first book in a series, which is called The Protective Detective Series. In this instance, I did write out the plots to determine if I had enough material for multiple books with one lead character.
OMN: Give us a summary of the book in a tweet.
YTS: A cop is on the hunt for a serial killer who believes that murder is a mission.
OMN: You mentioned mapping out the plots of future books in the series. Tell us more about your writing process.
YTS: I begin my writing process by drafting a synopsis of my general story idea. From there, I create an outline. Normally, my outlines are filled with a bunch of holes because it's impossible for me to know all the details of a story before I begin. I still find them very useful in providing structure. They also change as my stories progress because I allow the characters to guide me.
OMN: Where do you usually write?
YTS: My writing environment varies according to my mood and what's going on around me. Sometimes I lock myself in a room. Other times I am sitting on the couch with the laptop or on the floor. It all depends on how I'm feeling at the time. If I'm having a difficult time concentrating at home, I leave and go elsewhere. I can write with music in the background, but I cannot do so with the television playing. If I find myself singing along too much with songs, then I opt for straight silence.
OMN: How do you go about researching the plot points of your books?
YTS: I do a lot of internet researching when fact-checking materials in my book. If I need clarification about a particular location or job, I will even see if I can contact someone who lives in an area or works in a certain field. My most challenging topic to research thus far has been the techniques used by a private investigator. The second book in The Protective Detective Series comes out in November and takes place in a different city and state from which I live. I was able to connect with a private investigator for help.
OMN: How did you come up with the title for Wages of Sin? And were you involved with the cover design?
YTS: The title came from the first part of Romans 6:23, which states that the wages of sin is death. This was perfect because the killer, identified only as the Avenger, is murdering people because of their sins. The cover was designed by Keith Saunders of Marion Designs. Keith asked me for a scene in the book that he could use to generate a cover. I gave him a bunch of information that I'm sure he had to decipher and he came up with a visual that I thought was absolutely perfect!
OMN: What are some of your outside interests? And have any of these found their way into your books?
YTS: I enjoy exercising, singing, playing Candy Crush, and watching movies. These activities most certainly work their way into my books, especially exercising. I have several characters who are pretty health conscious.
OMN: What's next for you?
YTS: There are two other books scheduled in this series to be released by Simon and Schuster for now, Day of Atonement (November 2014) and Shadow of Death (April 2015). I am also working on expanding the services offered by my company, Yo Productions, which specializes in theatrical entertainment and literary services. I will do smaller productions and I'm also ghostwriting a project for another author.
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Yolonda Tonette Sanders took a leap of faith by resigning from her job with the State of Ohio to focus more on writing. It was a leap that she has never regretted as three of her novels have been published so far, and more are on the way. Currently, Yolonda resides in Columbus, Ohio and is the loving wife of David, proud mother of Tre and Tia, and joyful caregiver of her mother, Wilene.
For more information about the author, please visit her website at YoProductions.net or find her on Facebook.
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Wages of Sin
Yolonda Tonette Sanders
A Troy Evans Mystery
Troy Evans believes in God, but he's seen enough evil on his job to shake his faith. Nonetheless, his loyalty to his family never wavers, and he would do anything to protect them — one of the reasons he is a workaholic.
Natalie loves her family, but she's becoming increasingly frustrated with Troy's job. His schedule is often hectic and unpredictable, and she's also helping her best friend deal with some serious issues — and struggling to come clean about a secret she's hiding from Troy.
While Natalie deals with her issues, Troy spends the majority of his time searching for a serial killer who abducted and murdered several women without rhyme or reason. Desperate to stop the murderer before more women die, he works diligently, but the killer always seems to be one step ahead of him. Then Troy comes to the awful realization that he and the killer have something in common — something that instantly sets him on a mission to end the terror … or die trying.
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