Guest Author - Juliet Blackwell

This is an author whose work I just enjoy.  I know when I pick up on of her books I will enjoy the story and characters.  I can just enjoy the storytelling.  I have been following her Witchcraft series since the first book.  Read my reviews of the prior books:  #1 Secondhand Spirits (click here), #2 Cast Off Coven (click here),  #3 Hexes and Hemlines (click here), #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe (click here), #5 Tarnished and Torn (click here) and #6 A Vision in Velvet (click here).  Also her Haunted Home Renovations series:  #1  If Walls Could Talk (click here).  #2 Deadbolt (click here), #3 Murder on the House (click here), and #4 Home for the Haunting (click here).    Today Ms. Blackwell joins us with a guest post regarding her recent book release, A Vision in Velvet.

On Research, Or How to Create A Modern Witch

One reason I love being a writer is that I can spend a lot of time doing things like shopping in vintage clothing stores, and call it “research”. But when I set out to write the Witchcraft Mystery Series, I wanted my main character, Lily Ivory, to be not only the owner of a vintage clothing store, but also a believable modern witch…so how could I make that happen?

Of course, Bewitched reruns were among my favorite shows when I was a kid. But I didn’t want my protagonist to be silly, someone who could simply wiggle her nose and make things happen.

So while researching the Witchcraft Mystery Series, I have attended coven meetings in the Bay Area (yes, the Bay Area is one of those regions where a person can find covens open to visitors!), and I’ve spoken not only with women who identify as Wiccan, but also Feri and other pagan traditions. I’ve interviewed people who make their living as witches and fortune tellers; people who brew and cast and read tarot cards and crystal balls. I have met with psychics and ghostbusters, and learned some extraordinary things about their world, and about myself!

I also draw on my academic background in “medical anthropology”, a field that focuses on health care throughout the world, or “folk medicine”. This includes what many refer to as “witch doctors” –trusted members of the community who are experts in botanical and ritual cures for both physical and mental problems. Locally, I have consulted with midwives, naturopaths, and acupuncturists who specialize in traditional herbal remedies.

Finally, I turned to family. My mother-in-law is from a small native (Nahuatl) village, and she’s a font of information and stories from her traditional background. My sister-in-law put me in touch with a practicing Mexican witch who scared the pants off of me! And my nieces are able to give me an insider’s view of their experiences of curanderismo, or the healing arts, in modern-day Mexico.

Lily Ivory’s world grew out of all this research. As I learned more about the history of witchcraft and the treatment of powerful women (and some men) over the years, I came to understand that a magical lineage would be a complex, fascinating, and sometimes fraught background for anyone to carry in their mind and heart. I kept asking myself: what would it be like to grow up with the knowledge that “your kind” has been mistreated throughout history, and that you might be hated and feared as well? And further, what would it be like to know, for instance, that you have the power to avenge the taunting of your classmates at school? What kind of restraint and strength of character would it take not to abuse that power?

When Lily lands in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury and opens her vintage clothing store…well, let’s just say that neighborhood is so full of iconoclasts and freethinkers

that a misfit witch doesn’t stick out much. It’s the first time Lily’s been able to find community, and to open up to friendship.

Lily and the gang have led me to more research than I ever thought I’d do, and I’ve learned so much about the ins and outs of San Francisco, and the many worlds of witchcraft. I’m a lucky writer!

How about you? Have you been led on any research adventures? Any coven visits in your past (or future)? Have you ever been with a natural healer or fortune teller who seemed to just know things? 

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THANK You Ms. Blackwell for this fun post.  We are delighted you joined us.

 

Author Interview - Livia Washburn

I reviewed the Pumpkin Muffin Murder in the Fresh Baked Mystery series (click here.)  You may have read other works by Livia under different pen names.  In the eighties she wrote westerns published in hardback by M. Evans, while writing mysteries for Tor Books under the name Washburn.  She co-wrote with her husband several historical novels as J.L. Reasoner, and her first small town romance, MENDING FENCES as Livia Reasoner, an Our Town book, was published in January of '98 by Jove. Under the name Elizabeth Hallam, SPIRIT CATCHER was published by Jove, July '98 in their Haunting Hearts series and during the summer of '99 her medieval paranormal ALURA'S WISH (available on Kindle). October 2006 was the release of A PEACH OF A MURDER -- the first book in the Fresh-baked series.   

I am delighted that Livia has graciously agreed to an interview, so please welcome her with comments and/or questions.
 

Why do you write? Do you love it or love having done it? What motivates you?

Becoming a writer was sort of accidental for me, because I got started doing it by helping my husband with his writing and discovered I enjoyed it and had a certain degree of talent at it. I wanted to see just how much I could accomplish. I guess I'm still trying to find out. I enjoy the writing process, but I think it's more enjoyable to see the end result. These days I'm motivated by deadlines and the thousand and one other things I'm trying to do!

What is your routine when you're facing your next novel?  Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

It can really vary from book to book. Sometimes I have a good title and build a book around it. Most of the time, though, I have an idea of what I want the book to be about, an event or a setting or something else that sets things in motion, and then I figure out the victim and the killer, usually in that order.
 
Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc.) before sitting down and writing?

I always write an outline before I write the book, and the solution to the mystery has to be present in that outline, although sometimes in the writing the way I get to that solution can change somewhat. I don't recall ever changing killers from the one that was in the outline, though. The outlines themselves aren't very detailed, just a few pages summarizing the general structure of the book.

What do you and Phyllis Newsom have in common? How are you different?

The main thing Phyllis and I have in common is that we both love family and friends, and finding out things. One thing I discovered early on when I started writing is that I like doing research and learning about things I'm not familiar with. Phyllis usually has to do some sort of research to figure out the solutions to the mysteries that confront her, and that's a reflection of the research I do to write the books. And of course we both love cooking. We're different in that I was never a teacher, but I come from a family of teachers and have been around the educational system all my life.

Phyllis Newsom is a refreshing character, and the rest of the crew is great as well.  What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?  How do you handle minor characters?

The characters definitely have their own opinion about things! I suppose in the beginning I had to put some thought into developing them, but it wasn't a very deliberate process. Really, right from the start they walked in and starting saying and doing the things that seemed right for them. A lot of their personalities came from bits and pieces of real teachers I've known over the years. The same thing is true for the minor characters. I just try to make them as realistic as I can.

Do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?

I don't have music playing while I work. It's too much of a distraction for me. Most of my writing is done in my recliner with two little dogs asleep in my lap and the computer slightly to one side so it won't disturb them. There's no doubt who really runs things around here!

What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?

Since I'm also pretty busy these days as a small press publisher for Western Fictioneers with Troy Smith, and Prairie Rose Publications with Cheryl Pierson, I write when and if I get a chance, so I don't have a set schedule. It usually takes around six months to get a book done, not counting all the figuring out of the plot and writing an outline beforehand. You will find me experimenting with recipes until the day the book is due.

What in your background prepared you to write mysteries?

Mostly being a long-time mystery fan and reading them as far back as I can remember. It certainly doesn't hurt being married to a mystery writer (and reader), either.

In literature (not your own) who is your favorite mystery/suspense character?

Archie Goodwin! I mean, I like Nero Wolfe, too, but what a voice Archie had. And those were the first mysteries I read where food played a major part in them, what with all of Wolfe's cooking. I also loved the Donald Lam/Bertha Cool books by A.A. Fair (Erle Stanley Gardner).

Which author has influenced or inspired you the most?

My husband James Reasoner, without a doubt! I wouldn't be a writer if it weren't for him.

How did you get your first break to getting published? Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter?

That goes back to the answer just above. I sold my first few stories to the same magazine where James was selling regularly, MIKE SHAYNE MYSTERY MAGAZINE. The first novel I sold was a collaboration with him, sold through the same agent who represented both of us.

What's the one thing a reader has said that you've never forgotten and perhaps found startling?

Not really one thing, but the response the books get from readers has always surprised me a little. By that I mean, people seem to either love them or hate them. There's not much middle ground.

If your Fresh Baked mysteries were to be made into a movie, who would you cast in your top character's roles?

Well, Sam is easy. Sam has to be Sam Elliott. Jamie Lee Curtis might make a good Phyllis. I've always seen Betty White as Eve, although a younger Betty White than she is now. I'd lean toward Kathy Bates as Carolyn.

Tell us about your next book in the series - or next

project?  What is your biggest challenge with it?

The next book in the Fresh Baked Mystery series coming out is TRICK OR DEADLY TREAT, but that is written and turned in.  The next one to write in this series is THE CANDY CANE CUPCAKE KILLER. I'm sure the biggest challenge will be finding the time to write it. The next thing I have to write, though, is a novella for the Western romance anthology LASSOING A BRIDE, which will be out this summer.

Do you have a newsletter or blog for readers to stay informed of your news?

My blog can be found at liviajwashburn.blogspot.com, although I don't keep it updated as well as I should. I can also be found on Facebook and I'm always glad to hear from readers there. 

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Thank you Livia for the interview.  I love the image of you writing with your laptop balanced around your dogs in your lap.  Archie Goodwin, such a good one.
 

Author Interview - Catherine Dilts

Last week I reviewed the debut novel in the new Rock Shop mysteries (click here).  Publishers Weekly calls her novel Stone Cold Dead – A Rock Shop Mystery, an “enjoyable debut,” and that “readers will look forward to seeing more of this endearing and strong protagonist.” 

This week we feature an interview with the author, Catherine Dilts.  To Ms. Dilts, rock shops are like geodes – both contain amazing treasures hidden inside their plain-as-dirt exteriors.  Catherine works as an environmental scientist, and plays at heirloom vegetable gardening, camping, and fishing. She has published short fiction in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, but this is her first mystery series.  Please welcome Ms. Catherine Dilts to M&MM.
  

Why do you write? Do you love it or love having done it? What motivates you?

I have been writing stories since I was old enough to hold a pencil. The process of getting that first rough draft down is difficult, yet exciting. During the writing process, I sometimes experience what other writers call being in the zone. I’m completely immersed in my story, and the words seem to flow effortlessly. The feeling is similar to runner’s high. Of course, like running, writing is most often hard work. One my favorite moments is typing “the end,” not because I’m finished, but for the sense of accomplishment. I definitely like the writing. The end product is a bonus.

Part of my motivation is the desire to write the stories I want to read. Another is that I have always loved to read, and writing justifies spending more time in the world of books. There is also the dream that I can eventually quit my day job to write full time.

What is your routine when you're facing your next novel? Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim, or a plot idea?

A story or novel begins to form when a snippet of a scene pops into my head. Stone Cold Dead was inspired by a visit to a rock shop, but the scene that got the story rolling came to mind while I was hiking. I felt very alone that day. Having once seen a dog on that trail that strongly resembled a bear, the dangers of hiking went through my mind. I played with several “what if” scenarios, arriving at an encounter with a body. I tried to capture that feeling of vulnerability in my novel.

Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc.) before sitting down and writing?

I need a road map before I get started. I create a combination outline and timeline. Once I get into the story, I toss my map aside and head cross country. I need to know where I’m going before I can start writing, but at some point the characters take over. What makes sense in the skeletal form of the outline doesn’t work when fleshed out with characters who have their own histories and motivations.

What do you and Morgan Iverson have in common? How are you different?

There are several things I share with my novel’s protagonist. Both Morgan and I experienced dramatic midlife changes, and ended up in places we did not expect. Like Morgan, my children are grown. The transition from mother to a woman free of parenting responsibilities left us both with a case of empty nest syndrome. Also like Morgan, I was wrangled into participating in 5K races in my forties.

Where we differ is that Morgan finds her new life in a rock shop. I threw myself into my writing. I had been writing, on and off, but now I had the time to get serious about getting published. Morgan Iverson is unique character, and the rest of the crew is great as well.

What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write? How do you handle minor characters?

I have tried creating character biographies in the past, and that just didn’t work for me. I learn who my characters are by putting them in situations and watching what happens. I do keep a spreadsheet with names, ages, occupations, defining physical features, that sort of thing, in an attempt at consistency. I usually develop that as I go.

I have to be careful not to let minor characters run away with the story. They can be fun. Like Del, the old cowboy who hangs around the rock shop. He began as a minor character. By the end of the story, he had grown into a secondary character. Writing short stories has helped me unleash some quirky characters in their own brief tales. If someone demands too much attention, I might move him or her to a short story, like Trudy in my short story Tweens. She was too strong to remain in the background of someone else’s story. 

Do you have anything special you do before writing,

particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?

I work full time. One thing I learned about three years ago is that I cannot afford to place limitations on myself. If I have fifteen minutes to write, I have to use that time whether I am feeling creative or not. If I have to write in the car or in the lunchroom at work, so be it. My happiest writing time was in a tent in the mountains. (see tent photo) In nice weather, I like to sit on the deck with my laptop. Other writers may wait patiently for their muse to inspire them. I have to lasso and hogtie mine.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?

I try to get up early enough on work days to write for a few minutes before heading off to my day job. When I get home, I might work from thirty minutes to two hours or more. Sundays are my best chance for a writing marathon, when I can go for a five or six hour stretch. I keep a writing log, so if I am not spending enough time writing, I will see it. Kind of like the jar idea in your January 3 blog, Ariel. We need to keep track of our goals in concrete ways. Of course, there are interruptions in my schedule. Holidays, family events, home improvement projects. But I try to get back on track as quickly as possible.

What in your background prepared you to write mysteries?

Other than a curious mind, not much. To make up for that lack of training, I attended our county DA’s Citizen’s Academy, and I read writer’s forensics and police procedure books. There are resources galore on the internet, including blogs and loops, from which to learn. And of course writing groups like Mystery Writers of America and Sisters In Crime (SinC).

In literature (not your own) who is your favorite mystery/suspense character?

Dorothy Gilman’s Mrs. Pollifax series was the first to capture my heart. I like characters who are much more than they appear to be on the surface.

Which author has influenced or inspired you the most?

That is impossible to say. I have an English degree with an emphasis on literature. Every author I have read influenced me in some way. I particularly like American authors. I read Moby Dick twice, once for a class, and again for fun. I love the modern Western mystery authors like Margaret Coel, James Doss, and Craig Johnson. There are so many people writing good mysteries set in the American West, I won’t try to start naming them all.

Tell us about your next book in the series - or next project? What is your biggest challenge with it?

I am working on the next book in my rock shop mystery series. Staying true to the tone of book one is my biggest challenge so far. I’m also coming up with enough ideas for three or four books, so I have to stay focused on the main plot, and save some stuff for future books.

My next short story “Tweens” appears in the May issue of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, which will be available starting February 25.

Do you have a newsletter or blog for readers to stay informed of your news? 

My blog is on my website at http://www.catherinedilts.com/

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Thank you Ms. Catherine Dilts for the interview.  I too am a Mrs. Pollifax fan and agree on there being so many worthy  American West mystery authors!

Author Interview - Laura Morrigan

Reminder to bloggers out there - please submit any mystery book reviews to the blog carnival (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_8796.html).
 
Today we are honored to have Laura Morrigan, author of the Call of the Wilde mysteries joining us for an interview.  I reviewed her debut novel of this series, Woof at the Door in July (click here).  Please welcome Laura.

Why do you write? Do you love it or love having done it? What motivates you?
I usually say I write to give the people in my head something to do and that's true. Like a lot of writers my mind is full of ideas and characters, I'm afraid if I didn't write I'd go crazy (well, crazier). What motivates me? Other writers, great stories and my deadline.
 :-D

What is your routine when you're facing your next novel?  Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?
It depends. For Woof at the Door I started with the concept. An animal psychic who ends up with the only witness to a crime but can't tell anyone because the witness is an animal. For A Tigers Tale I started with the victim, Brooke, a 16-year-old girl who is kidnapped.

For me, plotting and writing is all about questions. "What happened to her? Who took her? Why? How does Grace learn about it? What animals are involved?" And it kind of grows from there.

Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc.) before sitting down and writing?
Lord knows I try! I'm very hyper and ADD so keeping focused is an issue for me. Typically, I try to use note cards and label them, "Grace and Moss in Woods – Discover… Whatever" if there's a clue I circle or highlight it. Often, these scenes can be moved around to correct pacing issues or other problems with structure before I really dig in and start writing.
I want to emphasize that I try to do this. But as Yoda said, there is no try. So…

What do you and Grace have in common? How are you different?
We both love animals, obviously. Like Grace my patience with my fellow man can be limited and I'm often baffled by people.  We're both tenacious and loyal but unlike Grace I love to dance, get dressed up and talk to people.

Grace Wilde is likeble and interesting, and the rest of the crew is great as well.  What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?  How do you handle minor characters?
 My characters tend to develop over time. I do trying to keep character sheets with info just for clarity and reference. It can be easy to forget little details- people's last names or eye color. Once in a Blue Moon, I'll meet someone and I'll be inspired to create a character.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?   Do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?
  Forever. It takes me forever to write a book. Okay, seriously, and I'm being honest here, it takes me as long as my deadline allows – usually nine months. That's not to say I write for nine months, I'd be lying if I told you I did. In truth, there's a lot of thinking, procrastinating, researching etc... until panic sets in and I pretty much vomit out a novel while weeping and pulling at my hair.
I do not recommend this method.

How much research goes into your work and do you complete that up front or "just enough" as you go?
 Research, for me, is like walking a tightrope over the ocean. If I don't focus and balance I'll fall into the abyss of information and drown. There have been times when I blink and say, "Why am I reading about ancient Assyrian goddesses?"
Does that answer your question?


What in your background prepared you to write mysteries?
 Well, being crazy helps! Okay, really, I believe the only background you need to write in any genre is writing. Reading, too, but mostly, if you want to be able to write- you've got to start, well, writing.

In literature (not your own) who is your favorite mystery/suspense character?
I love Win from the Myron Bolitar books by Harlan Coben and Einstein from the Watchers by Koontz. Hannibal Lecter is also a fav. (what does that say about me??) 

Which author has influenced or inspired you the most?
 Truly, I'm inspired by every author I meet. I encourage other writers to go to conferences and festivals and meet other writers. Otherwise, I have to say Edgar Allan Poe. When I was 12 I found out we share a birthday and said, "I'm going to be a writer, too!" (this is a true story.)

How did you get your first break to getting published? Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter?
 I signed with my agent via a query letter. The process took forever. I would say most writers would have far better chance attending a conference (or three) sign up for a pitch session, socialize! Face to face is so much better than the slush pile.

What's the one thing a reader has said that you've never forgotten and perhaps found startling?
At Bouchercon I had a reader tell me she cried (no spoilers!) I was very moved– especially since my books are pretty lighthearted. I've also had people tell me after reading my book they look at animals differently... wonder what they're thinking or how they feel, which is awesome!

If your Call of the Wilde mysteries were to be made into a movie, who would you cast in your top character's roles?  I have no idea!  Though, I've always pictured Kai as a bit like Keanu Reeves in Point Break.

Tell us about your next book in the series - or next

project?  What is your biggest challenge with it?
 The next book is A Tigers Tale.  Grace is called to an animal rescue facility when a tiger goes on the attack. It turns out he's upset because his best (human) friend has been kidnapped. I just turned in my copy edits so, Yippeee!

Do you have a newsletter or blog for readers to stay informed of your news?
 I'm getting a newsletter together soon, I swear! In the meantime, people can like my Call of the Wilde Mysteries page on Facebook or e-mail me.   mail@lauramorrigan.com
www.lauramorrigan.com


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THANK YOU Laura for that great interview.  Love the Yoda reference and your work schedule!

Author Interview - Victoria Abbott

Victoria Abbott is a collaboration between the always very funny and creative artist, photographer, and short story author, Victoria Maffini and her mother, Mary Jane Maffini, award-winning author of three mystery series and two dozen short stories.  Mary Jane Maffini's latest series, the Charlotte Adams mysteries, has five books featuring this professional organizer from New York State. Book five, The Busy Woman's Guide to Murder won the Romantic Times 2012 award for Best Amateur Sleuth.  Please welcome the mother/duaghter writing duo of Victoria and Mary Jane Maffini (aka Victoria Abbott.)  

I reviewed the first book, The Christie Curse, in this new series (click here.)

P.S.  If you are looking for the Spooktacular Blog Hop, that is two posts down.

Why do you write? Do you love it or love having done it? What motivates you?
Yes to both. We love to write when it’s going well, ahem, but always love having written. We want to write the kind of books we have fun reading and we enjoy being part of the book world, meeting readers, booksellers and other authors. There’s no life like it!

What is your routine when you're facing your next novel?  Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?
We usually start with one of the authors from the Golden Age of Detection as each book in the book collector mysteries will focus on one of them and their body of work. We began with the great Agatha Christie in The Christie Curse, moved on to Dorothy L. Sayers in The Sayers Swindle (December 2013) and now are having fun with Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe books for The Wolfe Widow. Once we have the series, we brainstorm a plot or situation that can link that body of work with our characters, preferably in a perilous way.

Do you outline the plot or some variation of that (a little/a lot of detail, a strict 3 act structure etc.) before sitting down and writing?
We don’t really outline but are starting to do story lines in order to make it easier to have the same vision.  MJ has 13 books in three series and never outlines, but writing together makes it more important to have a shared concept.  Working together, we leave the detail until the writing stage and lots of it to the rewriting stage.  We do try to have an unexpected plot turn one quarter through and another one three quarters through. We have to keep the readers surprised, and sometimes ourselves too.

What do either of you and Jordan Bingham have in common? How are you different?
Victoria and Jordan have lots in common, including a fondness for pugs, antiques, vintage clothing, second hand stores and some crazy relatives. They share a sense of humor as well.  Victoria is an artist but she would give anything to have that job of Jordan’s!  MJ shares Jordan’s love of collecting and lying around reading stacks of books.  Like Jordan, we both value our friends.

Jordan Bingham is a fun, strong character, and the rest of the crew with the uncles is great as well.  What is your process for developing a character? Do you use pictures, a worksheet or just let the character(s) tell you about him/herself as you write?  How do you handle minor characters?
We are pretty organic with the characters. They seem to take shape themselves. We don’t use pictures, although we should as sometimes we have different ideas of what they look like. Compromises ensue. We do discuss them a lot and find ourselves laughing out loud. We maintain a bit of a bio on each of the main characters as a good back story can add a lot of texture to a book and it’s good to keep your facts straight.

Do you have anything special you do before writing, particular music or a special room/location that helps you get in the zone and write?
MJ needs quiet uninterrupted time in her office.  She hopes her dogs are reading this and getting the message about not barking to go outside and then immediately barking to come back in. Baroque music can help her with concentrating when the going gets tough.  Victoria needs a vat of coffee and a pug snuggled up beside her.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?
Each book is in the hopper for quite a while before we start to write. There’s a lot of background reading, discussion and research in a series like this.  Once we start we have to move fast. Where does the time go? It takes about six months to finish a book.  We try to write every day, although there’s lots of competition from the research and promotion side of the business.  We like to blog and to visit book clubs, do signings and attend conferences and that takes time.

How does the collaboration work, do you somehow split the writing?  How do you get the final work to be cohesive?
Much of the collaboration is in conversation. We have to brainstorm plot and scenes. We are best on the phone as we don’t distract each other.  We will identify scenes that need to be written to advance the plot and decide who will write them.  Victoria does all the dream sequences, the texts and the phone calls. MJ likes that kitchen stuff and the meals. We flip a coin for scenes with the uncles.  Having a unified voice is important and we have to add at least an extra draft to make sure that the book reads as though it was written by one person.

How did you pick your setting and how do you like to interject a sense of place?  Do you use places that you know well for your settings?
Our editor wanted New York State for the series. We found a location that seemed perfect and invented a fictional version of it.  We do a lot of research on the real place and its history. Google earth is great and so are websites.  We try to have detail in the houses, streetscapes, businesses and landscape. We worked hard on the detail for the Van Alst mansion even down to the interior floor plan.

What in your background prepared you to write mysteries?
Victoria claims to have been raised by a mystery writer. In turn, MJ claims to have been a librarian. Both Victoria and MJ were part of Prime Crime Mystery Bookstore in Ottawa, Ontario and that involved total immersion in the wonderful world of crime fiction.  But they both believe that reading and loving mysteries is the best preparation for writing them.

In literature (not your own) who is your favorite mystery/suspense character?
Victoria has a fondness for Grandma Mazur and Lula, while MJ in currently madly in love with Archie Goodwin and, although this will sound strange, Chet the Dog from the Chet and Bernie mysteries. She’s not kidding about this. Probably therapy will help.

Which author has influenced or inspired you the most?
Victoria finds David Sedaris inspiring because he breaks all the rules so amusingly.  MJ has a lot of trouble narrowing it down. She finds the genre inspiring and important and also believes that mysteries appeal to our need for justice and also that cozy mysteries celebrate relationships and the ability of women to step up and do what needs to be done in tough situations. What’s not to love?

How did you get your first break to getting published? Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter?
MJ sold Speak ill of the Dead: a Camilla MacPhee mystery, her first Canadian book back in 1998.  After many a query and contest, she met a lovely publisher at a conference. The publisher had just started RendezVous Press, a Canadian mystery line and agreed to read the manuscript. She went on to buy eight of MJ’s books in two series.  Victoria got her start in the short story anthology Fit to Die with her story ‘Down in the Plumps’.  Did you know a Walmart changing room could be such a dangerous place?

What's the one thing a reader has said that you've never forgotten and perhaps found startling?
Yes: Have you ever killed anyone? We answered ‘no’. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.
 
If your Book Collector mysteries were to be made into a movie, who would you cast in your top character's roles?
Well as they say, go big or go home.  We think Jennifer Lawrence has the right combo of edge and appeal to play Jordan.  And since we’re thinking big, Cloris Leachman as Vera and Jason Segel as Officer Tyler “Smiley” Dekker.   Then Dean Norris from Breaking Bad (add ginger hair) as Uncle Mick.  We could go on …

Tell us about your next book in the series - or next

project?  What is your biggest challenge with it?
We are beavering away on the third in the book collector’s series. The Wolfe Widow will come out in September 2014.  After Christie and Sayers, we have moved back ‘across the pond’ and are exploring the works of Rex Stout in this adventure. Vera Van Alst, the crotchety collector, has a fascination with the eccentric detective Nero Wolfe, while Jordan (and MJ too) has a crush on Archie Goodwin.  Rex Stout wrote more than 80 books, and although we read many of the Nero Wolfe books years back, it’s a challenge to reread enough of them to get a good feel for the series. The good news is that the series stands the test of time and the books are still fast-paced and witty. The big challenge with a series is keeping it fresh and not telling the same story over again. You have to keep what readers like about your characters and yet let them grow and change. Good thing it’s fun.

Do you have a newsletter or blog for readers to stay informed of your news?
We do have a free e-newsletter with news, contests and more. Send us an email detect(at)rogers(dot)com or follow the link on our websites www.victoria-abbott.com and www.maryjanemaffini.com and we’ll add you to the list.  We blog the second and fourth Saturdays of each month over at the very delicious www.mysteryloverskitchen.com and one of our characters blogs on the 30th of each month on www.killercharacters.com. That’s a great place to get a taste of an author’s work.

Thanks so much for interviewing us. It was lots of fun to be here.


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THANK YOU M.J. and Victoria for a great interview.  I enjoyed getting an idea of how a collaboration works.  I love the answer to what author inspires you and I agree about the genre's portrayal of women.  Readers, what struck you in the interview?