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Where Writers Write – #10 Shirley McCann

I don’t hardly remember when or where I first met Shirley McCann. She has an infectious laugh and the biggest heart you’ll ever come across. Besides being ready to always lend a helping hand to others, especially on a complicated plot, Shirley McCann’s fiction has appeared in Woman’s World, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and The Forensic Examiner, as well as numerous other fiction publications. She lives in Springfield, MO where she enjoys spending time with her family, playing tennis badly, and reading as much as she can.

Where do you feel most comfortable writing and what time of day? I enjoy the early mornings when I can look outside my office nook and see the sun come up. I also enjoy taking the laptop on the patio where I can actually hear the birds.

Do you have a certain routine you follow to get yourself prepared to write? I NEED TEA. That’s my only requirement.

How long do you write before closing up shop? Good question. Lately, it’s been a hit or miss when I can get alone time, so I don’t think I have an actual time to close up.

Do you use anything to get you in the mood such as music, Pinterest boards, photos, etc.? I do use Pinterest boards to see what my characters look like. Learned that from Tierney James. I also like relaxing music or thunderstorm music in the background.

Describe your writing workspace. As you can see by the picture, it’s a small nook my husband had built into my bedroom. Lots of window space to look out and daydream.

What genre do you write? Mostly thriller/mystery YA/TEEN. But I also love short stories and romance.

What awards, if any, have you accomplished? I’ve won many short story contests along the way. My Book, The Scarry Inn, won a Readers Favorite Award Bronze award last year.

Here is a sample of The Scarry Inn (The first of three books. Working on #4.)

Convinced they are the victims of a sick, practical joke, Heidi and her three friends are resigned to spending the night at The Scarry Inn, even though the atmosphere is anything but welcoming. Surely the owners, Dick and Thelma Scarry, are simply trying to drum up business for their new motel by terrifying the guests.

But when Kara is found brutally murdered, they realize the danger is real and they must find their way to safety before the secrets of the inn claim another victim. Making things even more difficult is the lack of cellphone service in the small town of Frighton, Arizona. With no clue who they can trust, the remaining threesome are now caught up in a fight for their lives.

Where can we find your books? AMAZON Just google my name and there you are. However, I AM NOT Shirley McCann Gee, who apparently used to be a nun.