MLC: Do you remember the first mystery you ever read? If so, what was it, and what pulled you into it?
AUTHOR: It was a Nancy Drew—probably The Message in the Hollow Oak. We had a huge oak tree in my New Jersey backyard with a seat on one of its myriad branches and I’d sit there reading—so captivated, so scared, that one time I fell off! Fortunately, it was a relatively low limb and I landed in a pile of autumn leaves. I loved Nancy: not only did she bear my first name, but she was feisty and independent—the way I wanted to be.
MLC: When did you first decide you wanted to write a mystery, and what led you to that decision?
AUTHOR: In fourth grade. I would walk to school making up dialogue and, inspired by Nancy Drew, I wrote my first mystery about the kidnapping of a pesky older brother. My mother was horrified and threw it out. That was my first rejection.
MLC: Do you write in any other genres? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: I regularly publish poems in the literary journals, as well as in two chapbooks and several anthologies. I’ve published short fiction in numerous places, including American Literary Review, Level Best anthologies, and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. I’ve also had a few short plays produced. (I’ve done a lot of theater, which has helped my writing.) In addition, I’ve published a non mystery YA, two nonfiction books, and two mystery novels for kids, which won an Agatha and an Agatha nomination, respectively. Oh, and also a first mainstream, non mystery novel.
MLC: Which comes first for you, the plot or the characters?
AUTHOR: Definitely the characters. I feel the plot should come OUT of characters, and not vice versa.
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: Well, certainly not the world’s mysteries! I mean, what happened to Amelia Earhart? Was Mozart poisoned? Who knows? But I feel able to solve the crime I’ve set up in my novel. Once, though, in Stolen Honey, I was two thirds through the book when I discovered the person I’d considered the killer would not have committed such a crime! That blew my self-confidence for a time. I was ultimately able to turn another red herring suspect into my perp.
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: I was teaching in a small liberal arts college when I started mystery writing, and the teaching seemed to take up all my creative juices. Now I work at my writing pretty much full-time (though you’d never know it from my bank account)—and more than full-time when it comes to promotion. I do write mornings every day, except Sunday, and research or rewrite afternoons and evenings.
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: Well writing IS the most important thing. I read, read, and read, and I sing in a chorus, and I exercise and travel and I do theater. For years I acted and directed—-mostly amateur theater. Now I often help my son with his Very Merry Theatre for kids, based in Vermont. I’ve written three plays for him and helped with direction.
MLC: Who are your favorite mystery authors? Do you try to emulate them in your own writing?
AUTHOR: I greatly admire Kate Atkinson, whose novels are wholly character driven, though she has some terrific plots that come out of character, the way I try to write. I like the whimsy of Dorothy Sayers and of present day Jane Langton. There are so many accomplished mystery authors of both contemporary and historical fiction. If I mention one, I’ll leave out a dozen others I should mention. Or haven’t yet read.
MLC: In your present book, is this part of a series, or is it a standalone book?
AUTHOR: My current novel, Midnight Fires, out last April, is the first in an 18th-century series, in the persona of real life, fiery rebel Mary Wollstonecraft, who in 1792 wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. A sequel, The Nightmare, will be out in the fall of 2011.
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: For my Ruth Wollstonecraft dairy farmer series, I saw an end when in the fifth book, Ruth lost all her cows to Mad Cow Disease. With the new Mary Wollstonecraft series, I’ll either stop at #3 or possibly #4. The real Mary, who led a tumultuous life, died at the age of 38, just after giving birth to Mary Shelley of Frankenstein fame. So I’ll probably go close to that point—-but end while MW is still full of life, of course!
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: Ah yes, and I love it! That’s the fun of not outlining ahead. Now and then I rein them in, but mostly I adore the surprises and let them go to it.
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: Of course, there is something of myself in all my female protagonists—even the males. And I often use real life models for my secondary characters—family members, or friends-—even antagonists; my ex-husband has appeared in a book or two. My offspring already know they are part of the scene-—they just shrug and say, oh, well. I did publish a memoir in which I used half the town in the book, even keeping their real names. It was a bestseller in the Vermont Book Shop, and thankfully, no one sued.
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: The Nightmare will be my 16th published book. For my mystery novels: the first found a publisher, St Martin’s Press, rather quickly, in 1995—-I was lucky. I had no agent at that point and used my husband’s name as agent—-it was different from mine—-see my Web site for how I did it. On the other hand, I still have a great American novel in my drawer that has been out many times, and remains unpublished. I’ve never thought of giving up, although I was discouraged about the latter, since it came close in several places.
MLC: Do you ever attend any conferences? If so, which ones?
AUTHOR: Malice Domestic, Bouchercon-—most recently in San Francisco ’10; Bloody Words in Toronto; Crime Bake in Boston area; Mid-Atlantic conference before it was discontinued.
MLC: Do you have to promote your own work, or does your publisher do that for you?
AUTHOR: Ha! Don’t we wish our publishers would do it all! St Martin’s got the reviews in all the right places, but did little else. My current publisher, Perseverance Press, does quite a bit of marketing, both on and offline: reviews in Publishers Weekly and elsewhere, ARCS, even a thousand color postcards of my book’s cover. And my wonderful editor keeps in constant contact. Beyond that, I promote till I drop (hopefully not).
MLC: If you have to do marketing, what methods have worked the best for you?
AUTHOR: Hard to tell, really. I’m on Goodreads and Facebook—-both personal page and “fan” page: “Becoming Mary Wollstonecraft”--I now have over 900 followers there. I do guest blogs, am on four chatty listservs; I do bookstores and libraries, and mail out my publishers’ thousand postcards to book clubs, libraries, et al. I draw the line at standing naked in traffic, waving my book and passing the hat!
MLC: Do you have any idea how your book is selling?
AUTHOR: My publishers feel it’s doing quite well—-I’ve only had one royalty statement so far. It’s an ebook, too, as my SMP backlist is. In this economy, I’ll just hope for the best!
MLC: What has been the best review you have gotten, and why?
AUTHOR: The most exciting was the first for Mad Season, my debut mystery. Both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus gave it a rave. PW called it “masterful, a vivid setting, fine storytelling.” PW called my Midnight Fires, “captivating.” I’ve been lucky with reviews from PW, Kirkus, Booklist and Library Journal. I can’t complain.
MLC: Have you won any awards, either as an author or for your books? Please tell us about them.
AUTHOR: I won an Agatha for The Pea Soup Poisonings and an Agatha nomination for The Great Circus Train Robbery, both middle grade mysteries. I was a Bread Loaf Scholar for my first novel (not a mystery), and received a grant from the Society of Children’s Book Writers for an historical YA, which my agent is still peddling.
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: Some readers have asked me to continue the Willmarth series. So I said, Yes. And now have an ebook called RUNAWAY! with Belgrave House. It’s also on Amazon, and with other ebook providers. No cows in this, but it’s resilient Ruth, who now keeps goats and takes in foster children.
MLC: What is your next project, and when will it be out?
AUTHOR: The Nightmare, book 2 in the Mary Wollstonecraft series will be out in September of 2011. I’m currently working on book 3, set during the French Revolution when Mary lost her head (metaphorically speaking) to a dashing American adventurer who was exploiting the French and using her, too, in a way, since he later abandoned her and their child.
MLC: If you could write anything at all, ignoring what editors and publishers say they want, what would it be?
AUTHOR: Just what I’m doing now. Writing about Mary Wollstonecraft, my role model and alter ego. I also want time to do more poems. My most honest voice speaks through poems.
MLC: Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring mystery authors?
AUTHOR: Stick to your guns (literally). Follow your bliss despite trends and the miserable market.
MLC: Do you have any teasers for your readers and fans about the next book?
AUTHOR: “Upstairs, she gazed open-mouthed at the apparition on the bed, at the blue silk stocking around the poor woman’s neck, the stuffed monkey on her breast, the hobby horse with its one shiny green eye, leering at her. Someone had put a sheet over the nude body—-Mary was thankful for that.” (From The Nightmare, out in ’11.)
MLC: If a genie suddenly appeared and said they would grant you just one wish for your books, what would you wish for?
AUTHOR: Great sales. Enough at least to pay for my next trip to a mystery conference.
MMLC: Please give us your Web site url and your e-mail address where people can contact you.
AUTHOR: The Web site is
www.nancymeanswright.com
My e-mail address is
nancyden@shoreham.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.