A book tour is a high point for any successful author and Kingsmuir Press author Jean Marie Stanberry just returned from a very successful book tour in her home town St. Louis, Missouri.  St. Louis has suffered in the press recently with tales of racial tension and protests in the township of Ferguson but when one of their own is back home in the spotlight St. Louis has a way of welcoming them with open arms.

Jean attended a book signing at her alma mater Webster University and celebrated their homecoming with fellow Webster Alumni.  She cheered her beloved Cardinals on to a win against the Milwaukee Brewers. She also attended the St. Louis County Library’s Star Catcher’s gala, who’s guest of honor was no less than Craig Johnson author of the “Longmire” series of books, which inspired the popular A & E series by the same name.

Jean was very stoked to get a chance to talk to Craig for a little while and several other authors she met at the gala.  “I always love to talk to other authors because everyone has a different process and I find it really interesting to get into the head of another writer, even if just for a minute or two,” says Jean.

Jean tells us she has wanted to write a crime novel for a long time but she has been biding her time, doing her research and developing her characters.  It’s easy to write romance because that’s what’s popular and going to sell, but it’s harder to do what Craig Johnson does and develop complex, quirky characters that people can’t seem to get enough of.

Jean has authored four books “Laying Low In Hollywood”, “One World United”, “The Illusion Of Order” and “Blood Sweat and Fears”  She is currently working on the third and final book in the “Heart of a Phoenix” series and is hoping to start work on a crime series soon .

You can learn more about Jean on her website jeanstanberry.com or you can follow her on twitter @jeanstanberry