Author Julie Kramer

The Kasson Library Hot Reads Program was honored to feature, for a second year in a row, regional area Author Julie Kramer. Julie is a very accomplished author and investigative news journalist and in the course of her news career came across interesting stories that stuck with her for many years. She felt she had good stories in her and studied other authors and how they created a breakout book that sold well.

When asked by audience what was her style of writing and did it come easy. She stated it was very hard work and some days you just have to drag the words out.

Julie Kramer's latest novel, MISSING MARK, deals with a jilted bride whose groom disappeared the eve of their wedding. She's unsure whether he got cold feet or is a cold case.

The author is a career television news producer who used to run the I Team at WCCO TV and now works freelance for the NBC and CBS networks.Her debut, STALKING SUSAN, featured a serial killer targeting women named Susan and won the Minnesota Book Award and The Romantic Times Award for Best First Mystery. It was also a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award.

Kramer grew up on a family farm along the Minnesota-Iowa State Line. "The bookmobile was very important to me when I was growing up," she said. "I'm always happy to talk about how libraries create authors. Libraries are so important to communities."Her third book, SILENCING SAM, will be released June 22. "I'm just glad it wasn't called MURDERING MARY," said her sister, Mary Kramer, a Kasson librarian.To learn more, visit the author's website at: http://www.juliekramerbooks.com/

Additional picture may be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Friend of the Library Chair Patterson introduces regional Minnesota author Julie Kramer

Kasson Library Staff with Julie. (l-r) Ingvild, Mary, Julie, and Bonnie.

Julie holds her Minnesota Book Award statue for general fiction that she won last year for her book Stalking Susan.

Large audience to hear Julie talk about how she comes up with ideas for her books through her experience as a news journalist. The audience was very interested in the writing and publishing business. .

Julie signing copies of her book.