Stacy Eaton: Police Officer, Author, And Much More

Everyone's Story welcomes author Stacy Eaton as its new guest this week. I had the pleasure of "meeting" Stacy via Twitter. When I saw Stacy's fascinating bio, I knew I had to get to know her more. I'm happy I did. Stacy's a full time police officer, an author who combines the unique story worlds of law enforcement and paranormal, owns her own business, and is a wife and mom.

***GIVE AWAY SPECIAL***

Stacy is graciously offering one of her three novels to a randomly chosen viewer who leaves a comment for her. Please leave an email address for contact purposes only.

You’re a full-time police officer, run your own business, wife, mother, and now author. What role do you identify the most with? Does a private Stacy Eaton and co-exist peacefully with a public Stacy Eaton or are the two vying in who snatches the most minutes out of the day?

Elaine – Thank you so much for inviting me here today! I am very excited to be here and to meet your readers!!! 

That is kind of a really hard question, but then again it’s not. What role do I identify the most with? While all of them are really important to me, I have to say I identify with the police officer the most. Here’s why… When I do that job, I do all the rest too! 

Being a police officer is like a business, you have deadlines, paperwork and meetings to do that are no different than any other office job.  You spend hours writing reports, researching details and plotting what to do next. 

While doing my job on patrol, I spend a whole lot of time speaking with people. It is not unusual for me to talk to kids and teenagers and feel the mother in me come racing out.  Same goes with the wife, the guys I work with think they leave the wife at home, but I’m a work wife to many and while I try to keep the nagging down, I do keep my eagle eye on the guys. 

As for the author part of Stacy Eaton, well, she lives in a fictional world. Stacy Eaton is a pen name that I use. Because of the line of work that I do and because of my family; I choose to use a pen name for the time being. Someday, once I retire, I’ll probably chance over to my real name. 

Stacy Eaton really identifies with the law enforcement work – maybe it defines her. 

Your police background must be incredibly helpful in plotting your novels. Or, does this knowledge stymie your freedom to create?

I love having the knowledge that I have! It takes a fictional book and makes it believable in a way you couldn’t expect. People who don’t know the true in’s and out’s of the job, the courts, the entire system have to do serious research to fill in the blanks to make things believable in their stories. I don’t need to do that. I have had 12 years to research it all while I did the job.  

I love using the bits and pieces of my job to add credibility to the story. I have read many stories where people used what they saw on television cop shows and I laugh. Those shows use some serious freedom to create, and the authors do too.  I prefer to use the techniques and the knowledge in a believable professional way, while keeping the story fictional and interesting. 

Your first two novels, MY BLOOD RUNS BLUE and BLUE BLOOD FOR LIFE, both part of a series, weave together law enforcement and the paranormal world of vampires. What an un-trodden angle! How have your stories been received by what’s perceived as no-nonsense police officers and imaginative readers who enjoy out-there fiction?

I have had people say that after reading my stories, that the reality I bring to life with my knowledge makes the paranormal seem real; like it could actually really happen.  To me that’s a huge compliment! I wanted a world where humans and vampires could co-exist and work towards a goal.  In the series, they do. 

For those in law enforcement who had read it, they loved the added action and bits of fantasy woven into the story. For the lovers of the paranormal, they have enjoyed seeing the mystery of a crime novel and have learned a bit more about the real life of an officer. 

WHETHER I’LL LIVE OR DIE is your next release in July—just around the corner! It’s a story that centers on domestic violence. Is this an issue you beat a drum for or one that you desired to explore in story format?

Oh, I beat a drum all right! Domestic Violence is a pet peeve of mine.  Not only in my job, but in my life I have witnessed the devastation it causes.  My point to this novel was to show victims that they can fight and find a way out, that they are not alone and there are people who will help them.  I also hope that family members, who read this, might see the signs and help those who are being abused to seek the help that they need.  

Abuse isn’t just about beating someone. That abuse leaves scars on your body. The verbal and mental abuse is what digs deep into a victim and leaves scars on their heart, mind and soul. So many victims think it is their fault, when they are never to blame. They believe that when the person says they are sorry, that they are and when the abuser says, “I won’t do it again”, they want to believe it, but it almost always happens again. 

In Whether I’ll Live or Die, I bring young adult Amanda through some very serious incidents. Her fear, shame and pain are written in black and white on the pages for all to see. Police officer Nicole will deal with the struggles of abuse through her job and the legal system. This is not a sweet love story, this story bring out the ugly world of abuse and is emotional and intense.  

My wish for this book it that it will touch people and help them to find a way out of the relationships that bind them. I also intend to donate portions of the proceeds to the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the U.S. 

You’ve chosen to publish through an untraditional publisher. Any perks or regrets you’d like to share?

With my first two books, My Blood Runs Blue and Blue Blood for Life, I used Outskirts Press, Inc.; a small self-publishing company that helped me through everything, one step at a time. I was so new to the game when I released those in 2011, that I had no idea how to do it all myself.  They assisted me with my cover, the formatting, my editing and getting my books out there. I loved working with them, and will continue to use them with the next two books in that series. 

However, with Whether I’ll Live or Die, I am completely self-publishing. I have had my cover designed by Natasha Brown at my direction. The manuscript is currently with my editor, Dominique Agnew, finishing the last of the tweaks, and then Clare Alaya will be assisting in the formatting.  To me it is a team effort, and I am building my team to help me succeed in not only this novel, but the other’s I am working on.

I love self-publishing and I don’t believe that I would ever want to do anything different. I am a control freak by nature, and keeping control of my work is very important. 

You help on the World Literary Café site. Tell us about what WLC offers the author, reader, and blogger.

WHOOP!  I love working with the WLC!  I meet Melissa Foster last year, and helped her launch her book Come Back to Me along with 35 other great authors. Once the launch was done, I worked with Melissa and about 10 other volunteers to help get the site up and moving. 

The WLC is growing so quickly!  We offer things for authors of course, but we always keep the readers in mind!  

Authors can enjoy forums to chat about their writing and find other authors who are willing to host them on their blogs. We have lots of promotions that are affordable and help get you noticed.  We also offer a Read & Review program where books are submitted to our vetted reviewers and then promoted on the site for a week.  We offer Nook promos, Free Day promos, Just Released promos and so much more!

Readers can find forums where they can connect with authors and talk directly to them. We also have 2 free e-books every Friday that they can download and we always show the latest greatest books on the front page! 

Bloggers are there to help with many things! We have elite bloggers who write articles and do interviews on the site. We have forums where you can connect with bloggers to set up interviews and other fun stuff like that. 

I can’t forget all the resources we have there too! We have a toolbox that is a PDF file you can download filled with editors, small presses, graphic artists, formatters and so much more! 

If you aren’t familiar with the World Literary Café, check it out! No matter what your interest is in the literary world, we have something for you!

Stacy's dog, Garda

And to conclude, you also enjoy photography. Would you like to share with us a few of your prized photos?

Garda

                           

I would love too!  Thank you so much!!! 

Author Bio:

Stacy is a full-time Police Officer who enjoys crime scene investigation above all else. She also owns a business that deals with helping people get the awareness out for the causes they care most about. She is a mother of two and her husband is also in law enforcement. 

Stacy uses her experience at work to make the stories more believable - weaving bits of crime solving knowledge into her stories of fiction to make them more lifelike. 

Her first book, My Blood Runs Blue was the start of her writing career.  It brings the world of law enforcement into the paranormal world of vampires. It is a suspenseful adult series that will keep you guessing from chapter to chapter. The third book of this series is in the plot and characters development stage. She is hoping to have it completed and published in the spring of 2012.

There are several other books in the works for Stacy Eaton, but with her busy life you’ll need to check out her website to find out what’s new! www.stacyeaton.com

Links:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Eaton/191880767522183

Twitter: @StacySEaton

Blog: http://stacyeatonauthor.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.stacyeaton.com/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4826711.Stacy_Eaton

My Blood Runs Blue

Video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQb5HS5n8zg&feature=channel

Kindle: http://amzn.to/kVcxhL

Blue Blood for Life:

Video Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNJa9S5W2iU&feature=channel&list=UL

Kindle: http://amzn.to/tFsRl4