MLC: Do you remember the first mystery you ever read? If so, what was it, and what pulled you into it?
AUTHOR: I don’t remember the first mystery I read but I do remember losing myself in fiction at an early age, finding the world drop away as I read. I was hooked!
MLC: When did you first decide you wanted to write a mystery, and what led you to that decision?
AUTHOR: After reading
mysteries for a lifetime and having written
nearly a dozen non-fiction books in nursing,
I thought “how hard could it be?” I was soooo
wrong! And a number of years struggling,
attending classes, and working at the craft I
discovered that I had been terribly naïve.
Fiction writing is an art and craft unto
itself and everyone must go through this
incredibly challenging learning curve. I’m
glad I stuck it out.
MLC: Do you write in any other genres? If so,
which ones?
AUTHOR: I write only
mysteries now but I’m starting a second
series, this time historical, and plan to
continue my contemporary one going as well.
MLC: Which comes first for you, the plot or
the characters?
AUTHOR: Mostly the plot
but actually both seem to interact with each
other during the early exploratory phase (by
the way, that’s the most fun part!). I start
with a murder—who was killed, by whom, and
why, then build other characters and
complications around the murder. I write a
complete backstory, character bios, and
outline before beginning the writing.
MLC: When you are all wrapped up in the
story, do you feel like you could solve the
crime, or maybe even solve all the world’s
mysteries?
AUTHOR: When I’m into
the story the words can’t come fast
enough—the ideas seem to tumble over one
another in a rush. That’s the best time!
MLC: Do you write every day, or what kind of
a schedule do you have? Do you write
fulltime, or do you have a “day job”?
AUTHOR: I write in two
different ways depending on the phase I’m in.
During the beginning phase, I take a week or
two, go into what I call “seclusion” turn off
phone, email, and inform family that I’m not
available. Then I write and think about the
story almost constantly. I don’t read any
other authors but I do take breaks—go to the
art museum, botanical garden, listen to
music. Then I come out and go to my regular
schedule which is writing five days a week,
sometimes all day but always all morning
depending on other work such as promotion
tasks, etc. If I’m under a deadline, I may do
a seclusion period again.
MLC: Other than your writing, what do you
enjoy doing? What is the most important thing
to you in your day-to-day life?
AUTHOR: Certainly my
family is most important to me—5 grown
children, 8 grandchildren. I enjoy the
symphony, live theater, gardening, reading
(of course!), and knitting—very relaxing.
MLC: Who are your favorite mystery authors?
Do you try to emulate them in your own
writing?
AUTHOR: I have so many
favorites and it depends on what I’m in the
mood for at the time. I like Lawrence Block
for story telling, Robert Parker for sparse
dialogue, Lee Harris’ straight-forward style,
Margaret Frazer and Karen Harper for historicals…and you can see I could go on and
on. I’ve never thought of trying to emulate
any of them but I do hope to learn from their
styles.
MLC: In your present book, is this part of a
series, or is it a standalone book?
AUTHOR: Assumed Dead is
the third in my series featuring intensive
care head nurse Monika Everhardt who finds
more murders in her hospital than any of us
would want!
MLC: If you are doing a series, do you see an
end to it sometime, or do you plan to go on
for several years with it?
AUTHOR: I’m starting a
second series—these historical
and I also
plan to continue my contemporary series—the
next book in the Monika Everhardt series is
“Play Dead.”
MLC: Do your characters ever drive you a bit
crazy by going off in their own direction? If
so, how do you rein them in, or do you just
let them run off on their own?
AUTHOR: I’ve never had
my characters go off on me but sometimes I
the ideas seem to jump out—maybe that’s the
same thing. I’ve found, though, that the
first thought that occurs to me is usually
too predictable. That’s why I can’t let them
go off on their own.
MLC: Do you pattern your sleuths after
yourself or someone you know? If so, do you
let that person know they were your
“pattern”?
AUTHOR: I was inspired
to become a nurse after I watched intensive
care nurses care for my husband before his
death so I guess in a way my stories are a
tribute to all of them.
MLC: How long did it take you to get
published? How many rejections did you have
to suffer through first? Were you ever
tempted to give up? What do you think made
the difference when it was accepted?
AUTHOR: I knew I was an
author when I received my first rejection
letter! I don’t recall the number of
rejections but I still have the file—and it’s
full! Finally Nancy Picard told me that all
authors throw away their first story—it’s the
learning one. Then I started afresh and found
a top notch editor who criticized the heck
out of my work. But it worked!
MLC: Do you ever attend any conferences? If
so, which ones?
AUTHOR: I attend a lot
of conferences. Currently I’m on the national
Board of Directors of Sisters in Crime and we
meet at Malice and Bouchercon. I also attend
Magna cum Murder in Indiana and the Greater
Manhattan Mystery Conclave in Manhattan,
Kansas.
MLC: Do you have to promote your own work, or
does your publisher do that for you?
AUTHOR: My publisher
does the national promotion but I hire my own
publicist for appearances at stores and media
scheduling.
MLC: If you have to do marketing, what
methods have worked the best for you?
AUTHOR: I have an
extensive database of people I know or have
attended my signings and I keep in touch with
them by email and book announcements. Last
year I bought an ad on Google and a number of
sales came through that way.
MLC: Do you have any idea how your book is
selling?
AUTHOR: My publisher is
happy with my sales and wants to keep
publishing me!
MLC: What has been the best review you have
gotten, and why?
AUTHOR: Ellery Queen
Mystery Magazine (July, 2005) said, “The
telling and characters are expertly handled,
and the specialized background is rendered in
warts- and-all detail.”
MLC: Have you won any awards, either as an
author or for your books? Please tell us
about them.
AUTHOR: I’ve received
the “Book of the Year Award” from the
American Journal of Nursing for FOUR of my
books in nursing.
MLC: Is there any one certain thing that a
reader has written to you that made you just
want to jump up and shout “Yes!!!!”?
AUTHOR: A few weeks ago
I was walking through the lobby at the
symphony and a woman stopped me. “Aren’t you
Eleanor Sullivan, the author?” Yikes! What a
thrill! When I could calm myself, I asked for
her name and address for my database (always
remember marketing!)
MLC: What is your next project, and when will
it be out?
AUTHOR: I’m working on
the first in my “Death of…” historical
series
set in 1830s northern Ohio in a German
settlement of religious dissendents and
featuring herbalist and midwife Adelaide
Eberle. The first book is “Death of a Dairy
Maid.”
MLC: If you could write anything at all,
ignoring what editors and publishers say they
want, what would it be?
AUTHOR: I’m doing what
I want and my publisher loves it!
MLC: Do you have any words of wisdom for
aspiring mystery authors?
AUTHOR:
Persistence—persistence in learning your
craft, persistence in accepting and using
criticism (I find aspiring authors most
resistant to this part), and persistence in
getting your work out there.
MLC: Do you have any teasers for your readers
and fans about the next book?
AUTHOR: What if a young
woman is found dead in the river beside a
19th century village? But she didn’t drown!
MLC: If a genie suddenly appeared and said
they would grant you just one wish for your
books, what would you wish for?
AUTHOR: A TV movie made
by Hallmark!
MLC: Please give us your website url and your
email address where people can contact you.
AUTHOR:
www.EleanorSullivan.com
eleanor@EleanorSullivan.com
MLC: Thank you so much for giving us a little glimpse into your books and your life. We look forward to a lot more books from you.