This week I’m hosting Janet Dean with Brides of the West, M.K. Gilroy with Cuts Like a Knife, Cara Putman with A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, and Karen Whiting with Stories of Faith and Courage From the Home Front. If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (April 15th) evening.
Interview with the heroine from Cuts Like a Knife by M.K. Gilroy:
1. Detective Kristen Conner, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
I took a Brazilian jujitsu course in college – my major was criminal justice – and I got hooked on mixed martial arts from that moment on. I’ve taken every class the Chicago Police Department offers on combat training, including Israeli krav maga, which has become a real favorite for me. A big part of my workout routine is punching the heavy and speed boxing bags. I don’t know if this is interesting to you but a lot of people are surprised that I know how to fight with the big boys since I only weigh about 120 pounds. I’m glad you didn’t ask my colleagues on the CPD – they might tell you how interesting my handgun scores are. But I got a new Sig Sauer and I’m working on it!
2. What do you do for fun?
I played soccer as a little girl and then moved up to a travel team and even played through college. I follow Manchester United in the English Premier League and I love anything to do with the sport. I’ve had a couple knee surgeries so I don’t play as much as I’d like to in adult leagues. But when my older sister asked me to coach my niece’s seven-year-old soccer team I jumped at the chance. I adore my niece—and the kid can score on a left-footer, something I could never do very well. I just wish I would have been included in naming the team. The girls picked the Snowflakes. Don’t get me started that we were assigned yellow jerseys.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
I have no problem with confrontation most of the time. But for six months I had a boyfriend – I would call him a sorta boyfriend – who had a lot more feelings for me than I had for him. I never led him on and let him know I didn’t reciprocate his feelings but he kept saying he was willing to wait around for me to share the same feelings he had. I should have just cut the relationship off with him. It wasn’t fair to him. My dad used to tell me if you are going to cut the tail off a monkey do it all at once instead of one inch at a time. One inch at a time hurts just as bad every time. I guess I felt sorry for the guy and wanted to protect his feelings and ended up hurting him more.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
My dad was on the CPD and I would tag along with him some Saturdays when I wasn’t off playing soccer. The older guys in Homicide still think they helped raise me – and they are right. So I guess I don’t get too afraid of anything for myself. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’ll admit I’ve seen enough crime by age 30 to make anyone a little cynical. So I worry about my attitudes a little. And I definitely worry about the safety of my family members. My dad was shot in the line of duty and I saw what that did to my family. I’m not sure any of us have quite got over that. So I feel protective of my mom and sisters.
5. What do you want out of life?
I got my detective shield earlier than I dreamed possible. That’s all I ever wanted career wise. So I don’t have any big goals for promotion and definitely don’t want to move into management. I grew up happy in a working class family so money and lots of stuff isn’t a big deal to me. My car is more than 10 years old! Despite how much it bugs mom – I’m not looking for Mr. Right but I guess I’d like to get married someday. My younger sister is already hitting it big time as a television reporter and says I get way too obsessed with justice. I remind her that’s what I do for a living. So I guess what I want out of life is to set things right. If that makes me judgmental so be it. My dad’s shooter has never been caught and that eats at me every moment of every day.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
I know it sounds like a cliché but I love God, family, and country. That’s how I was raised and that’s how I am. I will admit to you – not to them – I can be a little difficult to get along with at times. So as much as I love my mom and two sisters, I do tend to fight with them a bit. I never doubt God is real but I’ve probably argued with Him a few times too.
7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?
I wish I read more. But I pick up a novel from the library or bookstore once a month. I always like Grisham but got a little tired of him. I like the Lee Child novels, but some of the storylines get a little over the top for me. Don’t tell my mom but I do subscribe to MMA Monthly – I like to see how fighters are training and what new moves they have come up with. (You might think I’m crazy about the fight stuff but it recently saved my life.) I try to read my Bible every night – but I’ve been known to fall asleep first from time to time. I do the USA Today crossword puzzle most weekdays. Does that count as reading?
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I kind of wish you hadn’t asked that. Everybody is after me on this. So I can’t deny I have a bit of an anger problem. Dad said I would mellow with age. Hasn’t quite happened that way yet. I wonder if it is an occupational hazard with being a cop. I guess I had a temper before I went to work with CPD so I’m probably trying to make excuses. So to answer your question, I would like to get my temper under control. I wouldn’t mind keeping a little anger – that can help on the job.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
No pets for me! I live alone in an apartment and have crazy work hours. I would be an awful pet owner.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
You asked me earlier what I want out of life and everything I told you is right in front of me. I don’t know if this makes me shallow and unimaginative, but I really do live in the present moment so this is a tough question to answer. I kind of liked reading about Westward Expansion in history classes, so maybe I would go back to frontier days. I’d still be working on my handgun skills – but maybe I’d be better shooting a bow and arrow or throwing a tomahawk!
