MLC: Do you remember the first mystery you ever read? If so, what was it, and what pulled you into it?
AUTHOR: I do remember! It was The Secret of the Old Clock, the first Nancy Drew book, which was still going strong. I was hooked and went on to read every one I could get my hands on. At that time, they were sold in a lovely bookstore that I could walk to. The editions were a type of hardcover, and I spent my birthday and Christmas money on them. I loved Nancy’s independence and style. Also lusted after that roadster and was hooked by the mystery, of course. I must have read the edition from the forties and some of the expressions were a bit dated, but they were still a lot of fun. They were a good lead-in to all those wonderful books from the Golden Age of Mystery.
MLC: When did you first decide you wanted to write a mystery, and what led you to that decision?
AUTHOR: I wrote fifty pages of the worst romance ever penned. How bad was it? It was so bad, I couldn’t even read my own edits. What’s more, I didn’t care about my own story! I realized I loved mysteries, and I thought I could write one. In time, I managed to turn out Speak Ill of the Dead, the first Camilla MacPhee book. I also used my experience to develop Fiona Silk, a failed romance writer and reluctant sleuth with two books in her own series now.
MLC: Do you write in any other genres? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: I write short stories and have about two dozen in print and a couple of awards. I love the opportunity to experiment with different characters. “So Much in Common” will appear in the Sept./Oct. issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.
MLC: Which comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
AUTHOR: I am interested in characters and the way their lives unfold. The character will wait around (getting on with her own dramas and being interesting at the same time, I hope) until the right idea sparks for their next adventure. I am usually thinking about a type of murder and what would cause a person to commit it. That’s when we have ignition!
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: Yes! I am on top of the world. People observing me may not share this. Note to self: stop talking out loud to yourself unless you know you are alone.
MLC: Do you write every day, or what kind of a schedule do you have? Do you write full-time, or do you have a “day job”?
AUTHOR: Writing is my day job now, although I was a working librarian for twenty years and a mystery bookstore co-owner for several years after that. I try to write every day and am always happiest when I have written. Sometimes, I prefer having written to actual writing. But when it’s going well, I love the process. It’s going well today.
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: I love walking my wiener dogs, reading, gardening, cooking, knitting and spending time with my wild and wonderful family. Lately I have discovered the joys of kayaking (in very tame waters).
MLC: Who are your favorite mystery authors? Do you try to emulate them in your own writing?
AUTHOR: There are too many to mention. I read three to five mysteries a week and I love the one I’m "with" best. I don’t finish books I do not love, although I’ll almost always give them a second chance. I love tough guy books, noir, cozies, anything with dogs as well as Canadian books and those interesting Europeans.
MLC: In your present book, is this part of a series, or is it a standalone book?
AUTHOR: Closet Confidential is the fourth Charlotte Adams mystery. Charlotte is a professional organizer in upstate New York (a fictionalized version of Kingston). I have just finished The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder, the fifth Charlotte book
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: This is tricky, as you never know how long a series will go on. I have three series, and I hope to get all my "girls" settled by the last book of each – not that I know when that will be! Maybe I’ll even let them live happily ever after. They’d like that. I think their readers might too.
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: They seem to have their own personalities and agendas. The sleuths are not too bad, but those sidekicks are very very hard to control. Luckily they make me laugh, and I bribe them with better parts in future books if they will try to behave in the one they’re currently misbehaving in.
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: They’re not patterned after me! Well, maybe Fiona Silk, that failed romance writer. Charlotte is her own creation: smart, organized and a bit obsessive, or so her friends tell her. Camilla MacPhee is a lot like a friend of mine who is also a crusading lawyer. She does not recognize herself, so ssssshhhhh.
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: It took about seven years to sell the first Camilla MacPhee book; although, it got wonderful rejection letters (for what that’s worth!) When it sold, I was actually surprised. Twelve books later, I never had to struggle to sell another book. Selling the first one is the tricky part. However, with my first book, I was behind schedule from the moment I received the offer, because the next book should have been ready to go too. I’d recommend to any writer to take care of the second book in the series before selling the first. It’s so hard to catch up, but it’s a fun roller coaster anyway.
MLC: Do you ever attend any conferences? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: I attend Malice Domestic, Left Coast Crime, Bloody Words, in Canada and Mayhem in the Midlands when I can. I’ll be off to Magna cum Murder (in Muncie, IN) this October, as well as Bouchercon. I love conferences in warm places in winter. Lots of snow here.
MLC: Do you have to promote your own work, or does your publisher do that for you?
AUTHOR: Both. The publishers will send out review copies and help with promo. I do what I can. I really like to meet readers, so promo that involves connecting with them is what I prefer. There is a lot fun stuff on online discussion groups, Facebook and mystery related blogs.
MLC: If you have to do marketing, what methods have worked the best for you?
AUTHOR: I am part of Killer Characters blog www.killercharacters.com. I do guest blogging, workshops, conferences, and lately Facebook seem to work. I fiddle with Twitter and hope I get better at it. I love doing library talks, bookstore events and literary festivals too. I have bookmarks and even buttons for Closet Confidential.
MLC: Do you have any idea how your book is selling?
AUTHOR: It’s early, but indications are that it’s doing well. I had a lot of entries in my page 99 contest. That meant they’d bought the book!
MLC: What has been the best review you have gotten, and why?
AUTHOR: I have been lucky with good reviews. Often it’s a sentence or a phrase I am most pleased with. The Montreal Gazette said "a wickedly funny writer" and most recently Romantic Times called Closet Confidential a "smooth elegant cozy." I was very happy about those.
MLC: Have you won any awards, either as an author or for your books? Please tell us about them.
AUTHOR: I have two Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis awards for short stories (as well as two more nominations for short stories, one for best first novel and one for best novel) and a Derrick Murdoch award for service to Canadian Crime Writing. I was thrilled to be nominated for a Barry Award for The Dead Don’t Get Out Much.
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 get e-mails that say, “I love your books!” They make my day. I shout back “I love you, too!”
MLC: What is your next project, and when will it be out?
AUTHOR: The Busy Woman’s Guide to Murder (Charlotte Adams # 5) will be out in April 2011. I am excited to announce after that my daughter and I will be writing a series together as Victoria Abbott. It’s a book collector series. I hope we’ll be interviewed here when that comes out – we don’t have the first date yet. I should be working on a new Camilla MacPhee book soon too and really hope to find time for a few more short stories.
MLC: If you could write anything at all, ignoring what editors and publishers say they want, what would it be?
AUTHOR: I love police procedurals. It would be fun to write one with a middle-aged female at the center of things. The market for cozies is good and I love writing those, but one of these days…
MLC: Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring mystery authors?
AUTHOR: Yes. Writers write. They don’t just talk about it. They don’t have to love every minute or feel inspired, they just have to do it. So stay in that chair – of course, I know how hard that can be.
MLC: Do you have any teasers for your readers and fans about the next book?
AUTHOR: What would you do if the mean girls from high school showed up in town again? How sorry would you be if someone started to bump them off? And if that someone was your friend? What then?
MLC: If a genie suddenly appeared and said they would grant you just one wish for your books, what would you wish for?
AUTHOR: I would love to have my Canadian books more visible in the US. I can buy tons of American books here and I do, but it’s a bit tougher for Canadians south of the border. US readers really enjoy my Camilla MacPhee books and the Fiona Silks when they find them on the shelves. So far, they are mostly online. So where’s my Genie? Hmmm?
MMLC: Please give us your Web site url and your e-mail address where people can contact you.
AUTHOR: The Web site is www.maryjanemaffini.com , and my e-mail address is detect@rogers.com. You can visit me at Facebook, too. I’m very "friendly."
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.
AUTHOR: Thank you, MLC. It was great to be here. Glad you made me think on a steamy summer morning.