MLC: Do you remember the first mystery you ever read? If so, what was it, and what pulled you into it?
AUTHOR: I think it might have been Secret of the Samurai Sword. It was a YA mystery by Phyllis A. Whitney. Mysteries have always intrigued me, and this one had an exotic local (Japan) and old family secret, and the possibility of a ghost. I loved it!
MLC: When did you first decide you wanted to write a mystery, and what led you to that decision?
AUTHOR: I always loved reading mysteries and watching mystery films, but it took me a long time to get up the nerve to actually write a mystery. It finally sank in on me that most mystery novels are pretty simple, if you work backwards from the crime, and I decided that I should write what I loved instead of what I thought would sell.
MLC: Do you write in any other genres? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: I do reviews and essays, but when it comes to fiction, my preference is mystery. It can be humorous or dark or chick lit or cozy, and I always have a romantic subplot, but I require murder and mayhem in there somewhere.
MLC: Which comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
AUTHOR: Characters. The characters and their motivations are what interest me in any crime or mystery story. Even in real life I always wonder why people do what they do? Maybe because I find the decision to cold-bloodedly kill someone so bewildering.
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: Not me! I’d be like those crooks that turn up on the World’s Dumbest Criminals joke lists.
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 try to write or at least revise my work every day. I still have a day job.
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: Family is the most important thing to me. I love gardening. I love reading—I’m an avid collector of old mysteries, especially Dell mapbacks. I also sing Celtic music with my sisters; we’ve recorded six albums. And I love watching old movies.
MLC: Who are your favorite mystery authors? Do you try to emulate them in your own writing?
AUTHOR: I’m a big fan of the mysteries of the 30s and 40s. When I’m just reading for sheer pleasure, these are the books I turn to again and again. Writers like Leslie Ford, Mignon G. Eberhart, the Little sisters – I mentioned I like to collect old mysteries—especially those by female writers.
MLC: In your present book, is this part of a series, or is it a standalone book?
AUTHOR: Sonnet of the Sphinx, releasing in April, will be the third book in the Poetic Death series.
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 very conscious of Jessica Fletcher Syndrome. Because I’m writing an amateur sleuth series I know there’s a limit to how many literary capers and crimes my protagonists can stumble into before it starts to get old and tiresome. I think it’s important for a series writer to know when to walk away—ideally while the reader still wants you to stay. I tried to tie up a number of loose ends in Sonnet, but there are still enough questions to justify another book or two. Or three.
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: What I love about writing is that it is always an adventure, an exploration. You start out with a destination in mind, and you do ultimately arrive there, but the journey can vary greatly from the original roadmap—that’s the fun. Sometimes as you come to know the characters better, you realize that what you originally planned is not nearly as interesting or true to them. Is that the characters taking control? Not sure. The whole creative process is one of growth and happy surprises.
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: Not really. Part of the fun of writing is getting to “be” people utterly different from yourself. It’s just a more sophisticated version of the “playing pretend” you do as a kid. But one thing I work hard at is getting the psychology of my characters right, so in that sense I do rely on my observations and experiences with real people.
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’ve been
submitting since I was in my teens. I had my
first novel, a Harlequin Romance, published
right after I left college. The problem was,
I found romance all by itself boring, and it
showed in my writing. Mysteries intimidated
me, so it took me a while to make the leap. I
guess I collected about twenty rejections
before I found my agent. During that time I
tried different things, including
self-publishing. It never occurred to me to
give up because I write in main for my own
amusement. Ever since I was little I planned
to “be a writer.” Getting published and paid
for it is just icing on the cake.
As far as what made the
difference: I paid attention to the
criticisms I received, and I kept working to
get better.
MLC: Do you ever attend any conferences? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: Oh yes. I’ve been to Bouchercon and LCC. This year I’m planning on attending Malice.
MLC: Do you have to promote your own work, or does your publisher do that for you?
AUTHOR: Mostly I have to do it myself. The publisher helps out by providing me with review copies and copies to giveaway off my website. I usually run a contest or two when the book first launches.
MLC: If you have to do marketing, what methods have worked the best for you?
AUTHOR: This year I decided to invest in myself and my work by taking a marketing and promotion course. I have to say that I have a lot better idea of the things I’m going to do when the book is released, including revamping my website, giveaways, blogging, etc. In the past I did a lot of local (and not so local) signings, but this year I’ll be focusing more on what I can do through the web—while continuing to do local signings and events.
MLC: Do you have any idea how your books are selling?
AUTHOR: They seem to be holding their own. The first book is in its second printing, which is a healthy sign. I’m hoping the third book cuts new ground. I’d like to see a definite spike—and I imagine my publisher would too!
MLC: What has been the best review you have gotten, and why?
AUTHOR: That’s a hard one. I’ve received some very good reviews—not “good” because they were complimentary, but because they made me see things in my writing and my characters that I hadn’t noticed—or else didn’t expect anyone else to pick up on. I respect a reviewer who can support her opinion, good or bad, with quotes or incidents from the books, and who is basing her evaluation on something more than just her subjective likes and dislikes.
MLC: Have you won any awards, either as an author or for your books? Please tell us about them.
AUTHOR: No. (No, I haven’t won any.)
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: I kind of feel that way every time someone takes the time and trouble to write! It’s still a surprise that someone bothered to find me on the net and tell me they loved my books.
MLC: What is your next project, and when will it be out?
AUTHOR: I’m working on a couple of things right now—a couple of different chick lit mystery projects. I’m enjoying taking a break from the Poetic Death series, as much as I love it. I’m relishing stretching my creative muscles, and I think I have to be able to do other things in order to bring the necessary level of enthusiasm to the work. So far I don’t have a publisher lined up for either of these projects!
MLC: If you could write anything at all, ignoring what editors and publishers say they want, what would it be?
AUTHOR: I’d love to write a novel about my 1930s girl detective character Mary Kelly. So far I’ve done two short stories with her, but I want to sink my teeth into a novel-length work. I love the 30s and I love that character. She’s like Phil Marlowe’s kid sister
MLC: Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring mystery authors?
AUTHOR: Don’t give up--and don’t be afraid to scrap what isn’t working and start over.
MLC: Do you have any teasers for your readers and fans about the next book?
AUTHOR: Dear Reader, You’ll be happy to know that I listened to your complaints about Grace and Peter’s relationship!
MLC: If a genie suddenly appeared and said they would grant you just one wish for your books, what would you wish for?
AUTHOR: That they would earn enough to permit me to quit my day job!
MLC: Please give us your website url and your email address where people can contact you.
AUTHOR: http://www.girl-detective.net and browned@sbcglobal.net
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.