ABOUT YOLANDA

Yolanda Renée

I was thrilled when Denise asked me to be a co-host for the renewal of
W E P – Write…Edit…Publish.

I enjoy flash fiction challenges immensely; it stretches the writing skills. Especially for someone as long-winded as I am. Writing flash fiction is excellent training for tightening up, eliminating everything but the essential, and still finishing your story with a beginning, middle, and an end, whether you've written 100 words or 1000 words. It's the same process.

At one time adventure was my middle name, now I just write it. In my early twenties, I traveled to Alaska on vacation, fell in love with the state, and decided to stay awhile. I was privileged to hike the Brooks Range, travel the state from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay, and sleep under the midnight sun and the Aurora Borealis. Now my books all seem to start out in Alaska, but a more exciting place, I haven't yet visited. Although, Paris is a goal!

In another life, the one before writing became my curse (something you have to do), I graduated with a Bachelor in Business Administration specializing in accounting. As finance manager, I played with numbers. I loved the logic.

Organization is my forte, so I graduated with a Masters in Organizational Management, but the lessons learned there soured me on the corporate world. No that's not true the classes gave me hope for the future. But the real world still works from the notion that what's best for the bottom line is best for the company. In graduate school, I was taught that what's best for the worker is best for the company, but I've come to realize that it will be a long, long while before the rules change. I've seen the changes with a few companies like Starbucks, but it's few and far between.

My escape was always through reading, and I've been a collector of books since I was old enough to purchase them. At one time, I had a collection of Zane Grey (author who wrote novels set in the old west) stories that would astound you. On the North Slope, it was all they sold, but I loved them!

Writing was always something I dabbled in, but once the corporate life was behind me, writing and publishing became a real goal. Mysteries have always been a favorite genre; I've combined mystery, romance and a touch of horror to my stories, whether it is novel length, a short story or my favorite, flash fiction.

I just completed the fourth book in the Detective Quaid Mystery Series, set in Alaska, THE SNOWMAN, is the prequel to the first three books - MURDER, MADNESS & LOVE, MEMORIES OF MURDER, and MURDER & OBSESSION.

I’ve also won a place in two IWSG Anthologies, In 2015’s Parallels: Felix Was Here I entered and won with Ever-Ton. And In 2017’s Tick-Tock: A Stitch In Crime, I placed with Cypress, Like The Tree. Follow the links for purchase.

You can learn more about my books and writing via my website/blog Defending the Pen.

 Defending the Pen is where I discuss my books, writing, conduct interviews, and where I participate in other blog hops such as the WEP and IWSG. 

Please check out my various sites, where you can find me under the name Yolanda Renée. The links are here FacebookTwitter  – Defending the PenMurderous ImaginingsPinterest -- AmazonTick Tock Mysteries -- Parallels


Told you I was long-winded, please contact me via email at yolandarenee@hotmail.com if you want to talk or leave me a message at any of the above sites.    



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