Hi Caitlin, Welcome to my blog, I’m happy meet you and
introduce you to my readers. Let’s get started.
Title, genre, format
(ebook, paperback):
Secrets, Lies, and Shoelaces, memoir; ebook and
paperback
Hunting Charles Manson, true crime-biography;
hardcover, ebook, and audio
Tell me about your
book/story:
Secrets, Lies, and Shoelaces: When I first met Rich Rose, I could see in his eyes
that he had secrets. I just had no idea how twisted and deep they were—or that
he was a closet alcoholic—until after we were married. As I got to know him, he
proved to be a very kind, generous, and ambitious man, with a huge heart that
was quick to love. I was drawn to his love for me and his passion for passion.
But tying the knot did not help my feelings grow, resolve any of our fears, or
fulfill our hopes and dreams of a life together. It only made things worse.
Alcohol-fueled conflict drove us into counseling shortly into the marriage,
where the therapist privately diagnosed Rich with borderline personality
disorder, but made me promise to keep that a secret from him. That is just one
of the difficult chapters in my marriage to this troubled man, who took me on a
roller coaster ride of self-doubt, crisis management, and constant chaos, 911
calls, suicidal threats, a trip to the psych hospital, and a life-threatening
bout of domestic violence. Years later, I’ve managed to learn and heal from
this tragic series of events, to achieve a healthy, happy balance in my life,
and to apply my insights and experiences to my career as a true crime author.
This is yet another type of #Metoo tale, which I hope will be eye-opening for
many women—and men as well—underscoring the message that even strong,
accomplished women can find ourselves in these crazy-making situations. This
cautionary and hopefully inspirational tale is aimed at readers who are in
relationships with alcoholics or drug users, or have loved ones who are and
want to help. I wrote this story with the hope that such people will recognize
themselves in my story, find the strength to
leave before it’s too late, before they get hurt, or worse, killed. I
also want them to know that in the long run, they can find happiness in a
healthier relationship. After years of healing and recovery, I know that I have
found my own happy ending.
Hunting Charles Manson (co-authored with Lis Wiehl):
You might think you know everything there is to know about Charles Manson or
the Manson Family because you’ve already read Helter Skelter. But keep
in mind that that book was published way back in 1974. By approaching this as a
cold case, reviewing the original source materials, and purposefully searching
for new information to advance the story, we were able to uncover quite a lot
of new details about Manson and this case. Manson died right before this book
was published, his co-defendants released new accounts as they were fighting
for their freedom at recent parole hearings, and his grandson was vying with
others to win the court battle over Manson’s remains and estate.
What is the one thing
you’d like people to know about you (or, what is your secret superpower):
I really enjoy digging deep into the research for my books,
but it takes a long time to do a thorough job. Once I uncover all the juicy
details, and figure out how to best to tell the story, the writing comes more
easily. Secrets, my memoir, is not my typical fare, because I actually
lived this story. For that reason, it took me 19 years to find the answers, and
then the courage to publish it. Hunting (true crime-biography) is
my usual genre, so if you’ve read any of my other books, or are a
true crime fan, you should like this one just as much.
And just a few fun questions:
Pen or Computer:
Ideas by pen and paper. Writing and rewriting on the computer. Editing first
with paper and pen, then changes entered on computer.
Best writing snacks:
A mix of green/peach chamomile tea, mixed nuts, and celery sticks.
Craziest thing you’ve done for story research: Sit inside a
locked visiting cage at San Quentin Prison with Skylar Deleon, a transgender
killer (wearing no handcuffs or shackles), who was on death row for killing
three people. The guards were outside the cage somewhere, but if Skylar had
stabbed me in the neck with my pen (which I pictured while we were in the
cage), I’m sure it would have been too late by the time one of them ran over to
unlock the cage and help me.
Where can people find
your book/story:
or you can contact me at
crother@flash.net, for a signed copy
of this or any of my other titles.
Any links and/or pictures you want to share:
Thank you!
