About Victoria Landis (Me) (For reviewers and press, please see short bio at bottom of Contact page)
I was born and raised a Jersey Girl, although it's been many moons since I moved away. I've relocated twenty-four times in six states. Yes, I'm pretty darned good at packing. For twelve of those years, I lived in Hawaii. The most recent relocation has taken me to Key Largo. I know, I know, it's tough.
I love to write. I love to rewrite. I love to edit, both for myself and others. I'm the author of three novels, Blinke it Away - a suspense story set on Oahu, and Alias: Mitzi & Mack - a humorous crime novel set in the Palm Beaches. In October 2017, A Little Bit Sideways, my compilation of humorous essays was published. I wrote a monthly humor column for The Parklander Magazine for ten years. My newest novel, Jordan, is finally out! It's a fast-paced, riveting story/cautionary tale of human behavior in our crazy world of viral social media. Booksignings, guest blogs, and interviews for it are listed on my events page.
A member and former board member of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America since 2003, I served as the Co-Chair of SleuthFest from 2015-2018. I've taught about writing craft & cover design at SleuthFest, the Authors Academy at Murder on the Beach, and at the Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University.
I'm also an artist. I paint canvasses, murals, faux effects, & do graphic art as well, especially book covers - LOVE doing those. You'll find info on my graphics & editing on my contact page. And there's now a page dedicated to my graphics work - look under the 'more' tab at the top & click on Book Cover Design.
I have three amazing & wonderful grown up sons and consider them to be the best things I've ever done or could ever hope to do.
I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on. In those days of no internet and the library too far away to walk to (in the winter, summer was okay), I had no choice but to go into the attic and peruse the boxes of books my parents stashed up there. Some of them I had no business reading, but, oh well.
I'm woefully behind in my reading. Life's been nuts with all the work and moving lately, and I haven't yet read many of the ones I've heard such good things about in the last few years. But I'll catch up.
I believe that if someone is intelligent enough to read a book, then they are intelligent enough to not be stymied when an author writes in another genre. For years, authors were (still are, sometimes) encouraged to use a different name when writing in a different genre - because - and get this - people might be 'confused'. But they don't fool anyone. Everyone knows J.D. Robb is Nora Roberts, for heaven's sake. Readers are fully capable of reading a book's description and deciding if it's for them or not. To think otherwise is an insult to the reader.
My favorite novels are historicals. I love James Michener, James Clavell, Ken Follett, and Diana Gabaldon, among soooo many others. I have too many favorite books to name, but here are a few (in no particular order) that have stuck with me & I've read multiple times, just because they're that wonderful.
Shogun Outlander (the whole series) To Kill a Mockingbird
The Shell Seekers The Life of Pi A Tale of Two Cities
The Blind Assassin Creepers Caribbean
The Source The Pillars of the Earth The Count of Monte Cristo
Whirlwind The Prince of Tides Noble House
Chesapeake Centennial My Side of the Mountain (Great for Middle Grade boys - got mine hooked on reading)
Tai Pan One Hundred Years of Solitude East of Eden
I was born and raised a Jersey Girl, although it's been many moons since I moved away. I've relocated twenty-four times in six states. Yes, I'm pretty darned good at packing. For twelve of those years, I lived in Hawaii. The most recent relocation has taken me to Key Largo. I know, I know, it's tough.
I love to write. I love to rewrite. I love to edit, both for myself and others. I'm the author of three novels, Blinke it Away - a suspense story set on Oahu, and Alias: Mitzi & Mack - a humorous crime novel set in the Palm Beaches. In October 2017, A Little Bit Sideways, my compilation of humorous essays was published. I wrote a monthly humor column for The Parklander Magazine for ten years. My newest novel, Jordan, is finally out! It's a fast-paced, riveting story/cautionary tale of human behavior in our crazy world of viral social media. Booksignings, guest blogs, and interviews for it are listed on my events page.
A member and former board member of the Florida Chapter of Mystery Writers of America since 2003, I served as the Co-Chair of SleuthFest from 2015-2018. I've taught about writing craft & cover design at SleuthFest, the Authors Academy at Murder on the Beach, and at the Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University.
I'm also an artist. I paint canvasses, murals, faux effects, & do graphic art as well, especially book covers - LOVE doing those. You'll find info on my graphics & editing on my contact page. And there's now a page dedicated to my graphics work - look under the 'more' tab at the top & click on Book Cover Design.
I have three amazing & wonderful grown up sons and consider them to be the best things I've ever done or could ever hope to do.
I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on. In those days of no internet and the library too far away to walk to (in the winter, summer was okay), I had no choice but to go into the attic and peruse the boxes of books my parents stashed up there. Some of them I had no business reading, but, oh well.
I'm woefully behind in my reading. Life's been nuts with all the work and moving lately, and I haven't yet read many of the ones I've heard such good things about in the last few years. But I'll catch up.
I believe that if someone is intelligent enough to read a book, then they are intelligent enough to not be stymied when an author writes in another genre. For years, authors were (still are, sometimes) encouraged to use a different name when writing in a different genre - because - and get this - people might be 'confused'. But they don't fool anyone. Everyone knows J.D. Robb is Nora Roberts, for heaven's sake. Readers are fully capable of reading a book's description and deciding if it's for them or not. To think otherwise is an insult to the reader.
My favorite novels are historicals. I love James Michener, James Clavell, Ken Follett, and Diana Gabaldon, among soooo many others. I have too many favorite books to name, but here are a few (in no particular order) that have stuck with me & I've read multiple times, just because they're that wonderful.
Shogun Outlander (the whole series) To Kill a Mockingbird
The Shell Seekers The Life of Pi A Tale of Two Cities
The Blind Assassin Creepers Caribbean
The Source The Pillars of the Earth The Count of Monte Cristo
Whirlwind The Prince of Tides Noble House
Chesapeake Centennial My Side of the Mountain (Great for Middle Grade boys - got mine hooked on reading)
Tai Pan One Hundred Years of Solitude East of Eden