Author Interview: Sara Sue Hoklotubbe

This week we have an interview with Sara Sue Hoklotubbe.  I reviewed her Cherokee mystery "The American Cafe" featuring Sadie Walela here.  Sara is a Cherokee tribal citizen who grew up on the banks of Lake Eucha in northeastern Oklahoma, and uses that location as the setting for her mystery novels.  She gained her appreciation for her heritage from her Cherokee grandmother. Their lessons of love and life are reflected in Sara’s writing today.

Sara was named Writer of the Year by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers for her first book, "Deception on All Accounts."  She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc., and Tulsa Night Writers.

 

I am hoping to see a lot more of this author and series.  Enjoy getting to know Sara a little better and her passion for writing.

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

Usually a plot idea or a storyline comes to me first since my main objective has always been to tell a good story.  The characters then seem to fall into place.

- 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 make a loose outline of the storyline to help get things straight in my mind.  However I’ve discovered that if I write a very detailed outline, the characters end up taking over and changing it dramatically before I finish the manuscript.  I have to remain flexible.

- I enjoyed Sadie's character (Lance and Red too).  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?

My characters are made up from a combination of my imagination and people I’ve met in the past.  I see their faces and hear their voices in my mind, and allow them to expand their personalities as I write until I know their innermost thoughts.   

Sadie’s personality evolved into a person I truly liked in the first book, grew in the second, and continues to do so in the manuscript I am currently working on.
 

Lance didn’t even exist in the first book until my editor asked me to add another Indian character.  She suggested a doctor or some other professional.  I went back and added Lance as a police officer.  He took on a much larger role in THE AMERICAN CAFÉ, and has now managed to elbow his way into a permanent role in the series.
 

Red came out of nowhere and ended up being one of my favorite characters in THE AMERICAN CAFÉ.  But for now, he hasn’t made it into any of my other work.

-  Native American mysteries often introduce some of the tribe's mysticism as an element to the story.  Is there a possibility that the series may feature more Cherokee spiritual elements in future installments?

It’s hard to know where my characters will end up taking the story, so we will see.  Some Cherokees believe hearing a hoot owl is a warning of impending death.  An event in THE AMERICAN CAFÉ definitely puts Lance on edge because of that belief. 

I like to include cultural tidbits in my books such as traditional Cherokee foods and games.  I have also included a few Native words, phrases, and songs.

-  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’m a creature of habit.  I like to write in the morning after I take a walk and have a light breakfast.  If there’s something that needs my attention, I try to take care of it before I start writing, otherwise it will creep into the back of my mind and distract me.  We converted the guest bedroom into an office where I enjoy quiet meditative music while I write.  I don’t like barking dogs and noisy lawnmowers trespassing in my writing space.  I recently kicked out several pages while sitting in a coffee shop, but that’s unusual for me.

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

 When I am working on a project, I try to write something every day.  Sometimes that's a lot; sometimes it is not.  There are days when other things simply comes first, but when I'm writing I shoot for four to five hours a day.  Since THE AMERICAN CAFE was released a few months ago, I have had to divide my time between marketing and writing.  I am unable to write much while traveling, but the story never leaves my mind.  If I don't have time to write, I take notes.  Ideas can be fleeting.

My first book took over two years to write and I finished the second book in about the same amount of time.  Of course, once a book is submitted for publication, the process can take between eighteen and twenty months.  The huge gap between the publication dates of my first two books had a lot to do with rejections, rewrites, resubmissions, my husband's retirement, quite a bit of traveling, and a couple of long-distance moves.  I expect to have my current manuscript finished and ready to submit by the end of the year.

- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?

I spent over twenty years in the banking business which translated into Sadie’s career as a banker in my first book, DECEPTION ON ALL ACCOUNTS.  It should be no surprise that the book begins with a bank robbery.

I can’t say I was prepared at all to become a writer other than my heart’s desire.  My favorite quote is:  “Since I have no training, I have no limits,” a statement made about the art of sculpting by Seminole artist, state senator and tribal leader, Enoch Kelly Haney.  The only thing I had, and still have, is the desire to tell a good story.  My dad was a fiddle player, a fisherman, and the best storyteller I ever knew.  He’s passed now, but I think he would like my stories as much as I did his.

-  Who is your favorite Mystery character?

Jim Chee.  Hillerman’s mysteries took off when he added Chee to his other main character, Leaphorn.  The addition of Chee added another dimension, the conflict between performing duties as a tribal police officer and a desire to become a traditional medicine man.  Since Hillerman passed  a few years ago, I miss both Chee and Leaphorn and wonder what they are up to.


-  Which author has influenced or inspired you the most?

My husband introduced me to Tony Hillerman’s mysteries and they have had a huge influence on me as a writer.  I gobbled up each one of Hillerman’s mysteries as soon as they were released.  I loved his books because they were easy to read and focused on “why” more than “how” which made his mysteries special to me.  I always felt like I had learned something when I finished one of his books.

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

I have never had good experiences talking with agents and editors at writer’s conferences, and perhaps that is due to my own inability to communicate a good sales pitch.  It was at a gathering of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers in Norman, Oklahoma, that gave me my first break.  I made contact with another author who won that year’s Writer of the Year Award.  He graciously shared the name of his editor at the University of Arizona Press and suggested I contact her.  They had published his fiction book and he thought they might be interested in mine.  As it turned out, they liked my book because it reflected current day Native life, included realistic characters, and was void of stereotypes that are prevalent in today's stories about American Indians.  It was a good fit.  They have been wonderful to work with on both of my books.


- What are you currently reading?

I recently finished The Spider’s Web by Margaret Coel.  I love her books.  She writes about the Arapaho on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.  She has a new release coming out in September, Watching Eagles Soar: Stories from the Wind River and Beyond, and I can’t wait to get it.

I’m getting ready to start reading To Fetch a Thief, A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn.  I really enjoy these mysteries written from the dog’s point of view.

Another book I’ve acquired to read is Broken, a non-fiction book by Lisa Jones.  It is her personal story about an Arapaho medicine man, a quadriplegic and gifted horse trainer and his effect on animals.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

When I was working on my first manuscript, I read about a fire that destroyed a couple’s home while they were away on vacation.  The homeowners were writers, and both lost all of the work they had stored on their home computer.  Since then, I backup my current work-in-progress on memory sticks and rotate them one at a time to the bank safe deposit box on a regular basis.  It's a little overkill, but it gives me peace of mind.

-  If your Sadie Walela Mysteries were to be made into a movie, who would you cast in your character's roles?

Cherokee actress DeLanna Studi would make an excellent Sadie.   I think Lance should be played by Adam Beach.

-  Do you have anything you would like to share about your next book in the series?  We hope we don't have to wait as long as the break between book one and two.

I’m currently working on the third book in the series.  Sadie has to find a missing elderly Cherokee neighbor, Buck Skinner, who has become the main suspect in the murder of an identity thief.  To sort out the details of Buck’s dilemma and clear his name, Sadie and Lance have to reach into the past to another place and time to uncover the truth.  Working title is Giggle Hill.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Thank you so very much Sara for that great interview!  I am eagerly awaiting Sadie's next adventure.  I agree with you on Jim Chee, he is my favorite of the series too. 

 

Author Interview - Sally Goldenbaum

We have a favorite author joining us today, Sally Goldenbaum.  You can read the review of her latest mystery, Moonspinners, here.  


Sally was born in Manitowoc, Wisc, a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan where her father was a shipbuilder.  She went to high school in Green Bay, Wisc, a boarder in an all-girls academy, just like her sister, mother and her seven sisters before her had done.  Then she went to college at Fontbonne in St. Louis, and graduate school (philosophy) was Indiana U in Bloomington where she met her husband. In between all of that she was a Catholic nun for several years.

One day she was sitting in a sandbox in a park, watching her children play. She was new to Kansas CIty, looking for company. There was another mother there, Adrienne Staff, a transplanted New Yorker. And as those things go, the ex-nun and nice Jewish girl from New York  glommed on to each other and discovered they both had a burning desire to write. And so they did. Together. They found a wonderful agent and published (some together, some alone) 25 to 30 novels.

Though Adrienne went on to other things, Sally started writing mysteries some 10 years later.  Please join me in welcoming Sally to Mysteries and My Musings!

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

     Usually I have the plot idea first--and that includes the victim--but only after I play with it, turn it around, upside down, maybe even start to write, do I know who the murderer is. Then I throw myself into the writing and sometimes as the story ripens, someone else may emerge as the murderer. Once (only once, thank heavens!) I finished the whole book and sent it off to my editor. She responded quickly that she liked the book except for one thing: the wrong person did the deed. She didn't know who did it, but it wasn't the person I picked, she said. So I had to go back and find someone else. And she, of course, was absolutely right. The book was so much stronger because of her astute observation.


- 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?

     The first thing I do is come up with a synopsis--usually about two pages--that I send off to my editor. Sometimes this doesn't include who did it, and rarely includes how the seaside knitters discover the real murderer (because at that point, I have no idea!). Then I write a first chapter or two to give me a feeling for the story. By that time, I know the following:

• who was murdered

• who did it

• why they did it

I round those things out with other details such as the season of the year, what else is going on in town at the same time (a wedding? a holiday party? a problem in the life of one of the knitters or a neighbor, etc.), and that's it. I don't have an outline, but as I go along, I keep an open file in which I jot down possible scenes and ideas that occur to me as I'm writing.

Long story short: no outline. None. The story evolves as we go along. This can be very frustrating sometimes and I think, "Oh, wouldn't it be great to have an outline and know what's going to happen next?!" But it never works that way for me. The stories evolve as we go along, me and the characters, holding hands and excited to see what happens down the pike.


- 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?

When I first came up with the idea of the Seaside Knitters series, I needed to know the four main characters well. So I wrote essays about each of them, including where they grew up, went to school, what they were like as kids. How they reacted to happenings in their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them this way. I also use the enneagram, an ancient method of personality profiling, in developing characters, and I assign profiles from this system to individuals, which helps me give them a consistent personality. It also assists in learning their vulnerabilities.

 Sometimes I do have a person I know, or a public person, in mind to help me with the physical characteristics of certain people, but the characters are never modeled after an actual person, not completely anyway.

I do keep a chart of all physical characteristics. Readers are so sharp--they will catch  me at changing hair color if I don't.


- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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 had a full-time position while writing the first three Seaside Mysteries (and the Queen Bee Quilters series). Back then, I wrote from 5:30 to 7 in the morning, at night, on weekends, and took some vacation days.

    Place? I have a screened-in porch that I write on with a friend (Nancy Pickard) in good weather. When it's too hot or too cold, I head to a coffee shop with comfortable chairs.

    If I need a nudge, something to pull me into the mood, I either review what I wrote the day before or pick up someone else's novel, someone I admire, and it almost always draws me to the blank computer screen.

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

        Last year I was able to move to full-time writing and it's a much better arrangement than writing at 5:30 am! Normally I write 5 days a week, starting about 9 and going until 3 or so. The few weeks before a deadline, that goes out the window and I write more frequently, as in 'all the time'. Normally I can complete a book in 6 to 9 months. I have done it in less time, but it's difficult.

- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?
    It sounds fabricated because everyone says it, but Nancy Drew nurtured my love for mysteries when I was young. I have written other novels, but hadn't considered mysteries because i didn't think I'd be good at the puzzle part. Then a friend suggested I help her with a book she was working on, and from her I learned the fine points of writing a mystery--when and how and why to drop red herrings, how a writer need to relate the murderer, pacing, that sort of thing. And I was hooked.

    Every job I've ever had, from college teaching to working in public television to editing bioethics journals, involved writing. So that, too, was good background. And lastly, I love being around people--cable repairmen, painters, lobster fishermen, teachers, other writers, my friends and family and grandchildren. And maybe that's the best preparation of all--a love for people.
 
- How did you get your first break toward getting published?  Was it at a writer's conference or mailing a query letter etc?
    My very first break was at a writer's conference. There was an agent there who had agreed, as part of the registration fee, to read a couple pages of a manuscript. She gave us (my first few novels were written with another woman) some tips, asked us to send her a few chapters, and shortly after, she was able to find a home for the book (s). I know it's not always so easy. We were very lucky.

    Years later, after taking a few years off from writing to edit a journal, that same editor mentioned that she'd be willing to represent the seaside knitters. And once again, she found a very nice home for them!
    
 - What are you currently reading?
I am reading The Room, a haunting novel by Emma Donoghue, Cutting for Stone, and Innocent.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hmmm. Not sure if this qualifies as a quirk, but I have a great interest in exploring the friendship among strong women. I also think I have pretty good insight into what makes people tick. I employ both those interests and skills in weaving the knitters'  tales.


- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?
I've never been in a critique group, though I've taught creative writing in college and we did critiquing there. I rarely show my writing to anyone before it goes to my editor, although I do brainstorm with a friend who is also a mystery writer. My editor is my critique person, in a way.

I don't have anything against, critique groups, though, provided there are rules that keep people from doing damage to one another's writing ego. I think critique groups can provide a structure that makes it easier for writers to keep writing.

 Special note:
My next Seaside Knitters book is A Holiday Yarn. It will be in bookstores Nov. 2, 2010. And I am deep into writing the fifth book in the series, A Wedding Shawl, right now.

I love hearing from readers and invite them to visit my website: http://www.sallygoldenbaum.com/


Thank you for a great interview Sally!!

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PBS has a new Sherlock Holmes series.  It is set in 21st Century London.  I have seen the premier episode and I must say I liked it.  Here is the PBS website for the new show http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/.

Author Interview - Margaret Coel

Mysteries and My Musings is immensely grateful that Margaret Coel agreed to honor us with an interview.  You can read the review of her latest novel, The Spider's Web, here.  She is a fellow native Coloradan who hails from a pioneer Colorado family. The West — the mountains, plains, and vast spaces — are in her bones, she says. 

Along with the Wind River mystery series, Margaret Coel is the author of five non-fiction books including the award-winning Chief Left Hand, published by the University of Oklahoma Press. This biography of an Arapaho chief and history of the Arapahos in Colorado has never gone out of print. The Colorado Historical Society recently included Chief Left Hand among the best 100 books on Colorado history.

She writes in a small study in her home on a hillside in Boulder. The window frames a view of the Rocky Mountains and the almost-always blue sky. A herd of deer are usually grazing just outside, and one summer a couple of years ago, a mountain lion made its home closeby.

"Every day,"she says, "I drink in the West."  

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

I always start with the plot idea, usually just a tiny spark of something I think would be interesting to write about.  For The Spider's Web, the tiny idea was that of an outsider arriving on the Wind River Reservation and bringing murder, chaos and distrust in her wake.  I let the idea float round for awhile, asking myself a lot of "what if?" questions.  What if the outsider is a psychopath?  What if the Arapahos blame her for the murder of an Arapaho man?  What if she appears to be innocent?   What if Father John senses something dangerous in her?  And what if Vicky takes her as a client?  How will that affect Vicky's relationship with her people?  With Father John?  Eventually, the tiny spark grows into the plot of the 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 don't do a true outline.  Rather, it is more like a road map.  I map out where I'm going to start, how I'm going to go, and where I intend to end up.  What I never know until I get into the writing itself is what adventures my characters may have along the way, what marvelous things might develop that I hadn't foreseen.  But with my road map, the characters can't ever go too far afield.  At the same time, I think you always have to leave room for the surprises, because they can be wonderful.

- 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?

I begin by jotting down obvious facts about the character.  Physical description, hair and eye color, little ticks, background and education--all that kind of thing.  I ask myself, what is it this character WANTS?  Then I start writing, and I find that I learn all kinds of things about my characters as I write about them.  With The Spider's Web, Father John O'Malley and Vicky Holden make their fifteenth appearance, and you know what?  I am still learning new things about them.  

- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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 think of my writing as a job, and like any job, I do it everyday, except for Sundays (usually).  About the only ritual I have is that I walk three miles every morning before I start work.  I find walking not only loosens my muscles, it seems to loosen my brain and gets the ideas flowing.  While I love music, I prefer to work in silence.  Just me and my characters having a conversation.

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

 I write in my office at home, and I try to get to the "office" by 9 am. and write 4 or 5 hours.  Then I spend a couple hours on the business part of the writing business, dealing with agents, editors, publicists, emails, speaking requests and so on.  Also I do a lot of research for each novel, so I spend time reading and gathering information on the internet.  Makes for very full days that usually don't end until 6 p.m. or so.  I can write a novel in 6 months or less.  But each year, I not only write a novel, I write short stories, essays, book reviews, book introductions--all kinds of pieces.

- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?

Absolutely nothing.  Except for the fact that I always loved to read mystery novels from the time I discovered Nancy Drew--and that was a long time ago.  I have always followed the advice I was given years ago by a writing teacher:  Write what you love to read.  I love to read history, and I wrote four history books.  I love to read biography and wrote a biography.  I love to read mysteries---so there you are.

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

My experience was different for the non-fiction/history books, which I wrote, submitted to the publishers myself, and had them accepted. 

To sell a mystery novel, I knew I would need an agent.  First, I wrote the novel, The Eagle Catcher.  Not until I had the completed novel did I put on my business cap and go out to sell it. Remember, you can't sell something that doesn't exist!   I attended conferences where I met agents and editors.  I did a lot of networking among my writer friends. And, yes, I sent out queries.   Through all of that I located my first agent who not only sold The Eagle Catcher to Berkley Publishing, but got me a contract for the next two novels.   

- What are you currently reading?

 Innocent, by Scott Turow.  It is excellent.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

  I can't write without my cup of tea. I've been known to drive to the grocery just for tea because I was out.   No tea, no writing.

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

  I was part of a critique group when I started writing my first novel, The Eagle Catcher.  I found the experience very helpful.  We met every two weeks and brought a part of our chapters to read.  I learned a lot about what was working and what wasn't in my novel from the other members' comments.  The time came when I felt confident to strike out on my own, but  I recommend critique groups as a way to get started. At the very least, you always  have to write something for the next meeting, so it spurs you on.  No excuses.

Thank You Ms. Coel for that great interview!!

Please leave comments and show Ms. Coel our appreciation for her time.

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Author Interview - Rhys Bowen

I am excited and happy that Rhys Bowen has given an interview to Mysteries and My Musings!  She writes two mystery series that are each wonderful.  She writes the Molly Murphy and the Royal Spyness mysteries.  Check out the review of Last Illusion here and Royal Blood here.

 A little background about Ms. Bowen.  Rhys was born in Bath, England, of a Welsh/English family, and educated at London University. She worked for the BBC in London, as an announcer then drama studio manager. She sang in folk clubs with luminaries like Simon and Garfunkel and Al Stewart, and also started writing her own radio and TV plays.  She married and settled in the San Francisco area, where she has lived ever since, raising four children. (Although she now spends her winters in her condo in Arizona.)

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

Since I write two series currently they each start from a different point. The Molly Murphy books, set in 1900s New York City, usually start from an area of the city or a part of society I'd like to explore. Once I sent Molly undercover in the garment industry. Next time she's going into Chinatown. And the crime evolves from what she encounters there.

For my lighter Royal Spyness series about a minor royal in the 1930s the book starts with somewhere fun to send Georgie, somewhere that will make life really complicated for her, as well as something that ties in to real history. So, for example, in the latest, Royal Blood, I thought wouldn't it be fun if Georgie had to attend a royal wedding in Europe and it turned out to be in Transylvania and I could do the whole vampire spoof thing.

So I rarely know who is going to be killed when I start to write, and even more rarely know who the killer will be.





- 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 start knowing almost nothing. I send my character into a situation and see what happens to her. I just follow along. This way I'm shocked and surprised when things go wrong for her. I'm not the puppet master jerking her strings, I'm her side-kick, viewing the action from behind the drapes. I think it makes for a much stronger book.





- 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?
I think creating character is like developing a friendship. When they first come on the page I know the essentials--how they look, what they are doing at this particular place and time, why I've introduced them to my story. It's like meeting someone at a cocktail party. They tell you the essential facts about them. If you enjoy the conversation you meet again and as a friendship develops gradually they reveal more about themselves. Thus by book four I've learned a lot more about my characters than I knew in book one. But I couldn't have arbitrarily created those facets of character. I had to find them out by watching that character in action and gradually becoming closer to her (or him).
 

This is the huge beneft of a series--we come to know a whole cast of characters really well.



- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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'm a professional writer and I write two books a year. Doctors don't have to get in the mood to examine patients. They do it every day. Pretty much the same for me. When I'm writing I write every day. I have a home office. I go to my computer with my morning cup of tea, read my emails and then start to revise what I wrote the day before and then start writing. Some days it flows easily, some days it doesn't, but I do not allow myself to leave until I've finished 5 pages a day. That way I know I can complete a first draft in the required period of time.





- What is your work schedule like when you're writing and how long does it take you to write a book?
As I mentioned I write two books a year. I try to block off three months for the actual writing. Both series require quite a lot of research as they are both historical. I do a lot of background reading before I'm ready to write, but then once I start writing I write every day until I have a first draft on paper. Then I revise, it goes to trusted readers and I get their imput, then final polish and off to publisher. This is fine unless I have agreed to too many speeches across the country during that three months (which I'm afraid I tend to do.)



- What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?
I wanted to kill half my teachers in school! No, seriously, I've been a writer all my life, have always created fictitious worlds for myself and have always loved to read mysteries. I like the puzzle aspect, and I especially love the way the mystery can bring justice to the universe.  I also love the type of book that takes the reader to another place and time--hence the historical aspects.


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

Sorry, I've had a rather serendipitous career that just isn't typical. I started writing plays when I was with BBC drama in London. I took my first play to the head of drama. He said he liked it and they were going to produce it. Simple as that.

After a stint with ABC in Australia I married and found myself in California. Nothing like BBC drama, so I wrote a children's book. First publisher declined. Second accepted it and teamed me with famous illustrator. I published many books and some TV tie ins before I turned to crime, but by that time I had learned my craft and my agent had two competing bids on my first crime novel.




- What are you currently reading?
I just bought a Kindle today so I'm going to start by working my way through the complete Jane Austen. Then Connie Willis's Blackout. I've just re-read Harry Potter 7 as a comfort read as I rushed to finish my next book.


- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
 I can tell quite dark stories with humor without in any way making light of them. Laura Lippman once said of me, "Few writers create this mixture of light and dark." I see the humor in life, and I think I tell stories in a great first person voice.

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

I have certain trusted people who read and comment on my books before they go to the publisher. Not a real critique group. I do think it helps to have more than one pair of eyes look at a manuscript before it goes out. We tend to overlook a lot of our own faults. There are two things against a critique group that I can see: they are too nice and never give true critiques so they don't hurt your feelings, or they tear it to shreds and take away your belief in yourself. Also they need to be your peers and to know what they are talking about.

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Author Interview - Suzanne Arruda

WELCOME to all the new members!  Our anniversary giveaway and participation in Blogmania brought us many new members.  I hope you enjoy this little spot in the blogosphere.   So grab your cup of coffee and enjoy today's post.

We have a great interview with author Suzanne Arruda today!  Read the review I did of her latest novel here.  A little background information on her first.

She grew up in Greensburg, Indiana, attended Purdue University, worked part time at the local zoo, then became a laboratory technician at the University after graduation. She then moved to Kansas and received a masters degree in wildlife ecology and worked for Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks in their Pratt museum, then as a research assistant on the Konza Prairie at Kansas State University. She also managed a job as a Biology instructor at Kansas State University. As if that weren't enough for a lifetime, she earned a Master’s in Education and taught middle and high school science.

But through it all she has been an explorer at heart.  She was profoundly touched by Elsa the lioness in "Born Free" and she read the semi-autobiographical stories of African bush pilot Beryl Markham and explorers and cinematographers Osa and Martin Johnson. She then graduated into museum collector Roy Chapman Andrews whose exploits became the basis for Indiana Jones, Amazon explorer Col. Fawcett, African coffee farmer Isak Dinesen, and finally Peter Capstick, a modern big game hunter. (I did not know these authors before this - OH MY!)  She has a lot squeezed into her life - now a great mystery series fueled by her explorer passion to crown it all.

Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?


Yes! (or 'D' All of the above.) Actually, I have started with a location (Kilimanjaro) and in the research come up with a plot based on a legend, I've started with a villain, a crime, and also a plot based on a 1920 Nairobi newspaper notice. One takes inspiration where it comes and if it doesn't come, you go beating around the thicket until you scare it and it runs out in front of you.


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 do outline mainly because my publisher wishes to see a 12+ page synopsis before making a contract. And while I long for that "wander through the manuscript and just write" experience, that's actually harder than it sounds and I find the synopsis helps. BUT, I do digress from it, especially in the middle act (which is the hard part). Then, I do let scenes and characters suggest alternatives to my original plan. I still stick to the original ending (more or less)

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?

I begin with a skeletal construct of a character - age, appearance, attitude, gender, and then stick them in a scene and see how they interact with others. Some end up 'running with scissors' and not playing well with others. Others turn out to have more interior fortitude than I'd originally thought. It's great fun to let the characters take hold and grow. It's much the same as when we were kids and invented characters in our role-playing games.

How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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?

Writing, at present, IS my job (and I'm a lousy housekeeper so I never let that interfere) so I have a lot of time for writing. I tend NOT to write with music. I can't hear my characters talk then. In fact, I find it distracting when anyone is home. My location is possibly not the best - the computer is in the front room right by the door, but I do like hearing the birds outside.

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

I try to keep a 9-4 work day and treat this professionally like any job. When I was teaching as well, I always had time set aside, devoted to writing. If you're serious about this, you have to plan and schedule the time. Of course, like any job, there are break periods which for me means feeding the kitty and checking on the flower beds briefly.

What in your background prepared you to write mystery novels?

READING! Writers should read read read read. Otherwise, I'm trained as a biologist and perhaps that analytical turn (problem solving - scientific method sort of thing) helps in thinking of crime solving.

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

I went to conferences where agents were running around loose. Actually, the first agent I applied to from a conference turned me down. But I discovered that just getting any agent is like going into a store and grabbing the first pair of pants you find. They may not fit in which case, you're no better off. Whether you find an agent via conference or by leg work looking to see who represents books similar to yours, It's important to find one that "fits" and believes in your work.

What are you currently reading?

I'm enjoying SANDI AULT'S "Jamaica WILD" mystery series set in the SW pueblo areas of Colorado. I'm alternaternating them with some very old H. Rider Haggard adventures.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hmmm! This is a tough one. But I've been known to use small stuffed animals to represent characters and have them act out a more troublesome scene. Watching a small stuffed lion knife fight the 'pointy-headed boss' from Dilbert comics while a teddy bear pilot hurries in is ..... very odd - but helpful!

Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

I don't have a critiquing group at present. I did belong to one when I began writing and was selling articles and kids short fiction but the group sort of disbanded. I have trouble finding a critiquing group where everyone is serious about writing rather than talking about writing. And I found that, often, the critique was more about punctuation rather than plot or construct. I know there are on-line groups, but I've gotten used to talking to the cat or (more usefully) bouncing some ideas off my husband.

If your Jade Del Cameron mysteries were to be made into a movie, who would you cast in your character's roles?

Back when I began writing Jade and my sons were then teenagers, THEY wanted Angelina Jolie to play Jade. Right now, I'm not sure but what I'd prefer an unknown to take her on or any of the other roles. But someone with FIRE for Jade.

Thank You Suzanne, especially for sharing your writing quirk - I love it!

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Author Interview: Lesley Kagen and Book Giveaway!

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Thursday I will be reviewing Tomorrow River (Release date April 29) by Lesley Kagen but I am posting the wonderful interview with her and the book giveaway now.  "Set during the summer of '69 in rural Virginia chronicles the dramatic changes in the lives of 11-year-old Shenny Carmody and her twin sister, Woody, nearly a year after their mother's disappearance. Woody hasn't spoken since, and their father, a renowned judge, spends most of his nights in a drunken stupor.  Shenny, adventurous and bright, takes it upon herself to locate their beloved Mama and discover why she left them."  Publisher's Weekly.  Ms. Kagen became a first time novelist at 57 - never too late!

 

- Do you start your next book with the problem, the main character or a plot idea?

I start with the main character, the voice of the 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?

Nope. I just sit down and let 'er rip. I'm surprised every day!

- 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?

I let the characters lead the way. They're my boss.

- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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 write at the same time every single day, no days off. I get up usually around 6AM, let my dogs out, feed them, and make myself a gigantic cup of tea. I write in the same spot. In front of a window in my living room. I think it's important to keep to a routine. I've recently started experimenting with listening to white noise while I write and I'm liking it.

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

I write an average of five hours every day, sometimes more if I'm feeling particularly in the groove. My preferred time to finish a book is about a year and a half.

- How much research goes into your work and do you complete that up front or "just enough" as you go?

Don't really research too much. If I have a question about a date or song or old TV show, I just Google it.

- Setting seems as important as the characters in your novel, any tips on conveying a sense of place well?

Yes, setting is important to me, it grounds me in the story. I think it's important to have experienced where you're writing about. I know a lot of writers can do that. Write about a place they've never been, but I can't. I need to have spent some time there. Preferably a lot of time.

- Can you recommend a fiction book that provides a great example of the writing craft to dissect and learn from?

Gosh, there are so many books I admire. For some reason, Ivan Doig comes to mind. His stories just flow.

- What are you currently reading?

I just finished Joe Hill's HORNS. I don't usually read horror, but I loved it. Very dark, yet hopeful. Interestingly constructed. Excellent characterizations as well. Layered.

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Hmmm...I guess that I love to write from the perspective of a child. And that I have to wear my jammies and a fuzzy white jacket when doing so.

- How did you get your first break towards getting published? Was it sending in a query or meeting an agent at a writing conference etc?

I sent over 135 queries to agents before I found one that agreed to represent me!

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

I don't participate in a critique group and never have so I have no real insights to offer. I have a writing friend who does, though, and she loves the feedback! I think writers have to experiment to find what works best for them.

Great questions! Thanks for having me!
Warmest regards,
Lesley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Thank You Lesley for a great interview ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now on to the next Book Giveaway. The publisher has graciously provided 2 copies of Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen for promotional giveaway. Review coming Thursday.



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Author Interview: Wendy Roberts

Winners for The Morning Show Murders book giveaway are: Cherylbaryl and Rubynreba.  Wahoo!  Congratulations.  You should have received an email from me requesting your mailing address to send the book to you.

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Today we have the author of the Ghost Dusters Mystery series, Wendy Roberts, visiting with us.  You may read the review I did of her most recent book, Dead and Kicking here.

- Do you start your next mystery with the killer, the victim or a plot idea?

I start with the protagonist/heroine. If I have a handle on her personality, the nugget of a plot will follow in my mind. In the Ghost Dusters series, the idea for Sadie came to me after I’d interviewed a trauma clean worker in Seattle.

- 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 don’t outline or plot during the first draft. In the beginning it’s crucial that I let my characters dictate the story and I can honestly say that I never know whodunit until I’m about three-quarters through writing the story. I like to be surprised! After that epiphany, I go back and start the second draft and that involves some plotting. For my process, I like the ideas to come to the paper fresh without a lot of self-editing during that crucial first stage.

- I enjoy Sadie and Maeva, 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?

I’m glad you enjoyed Sadie and Maeva! For the protagonist I allow her to speak to me throughout the story. With secondary characters, however, I often find pictures will help. I’ll peruse magazines, online articles, or even my own facebook friend list for photos to become the basis of a supporting character and I’ll build their personality attributes around what I feel that face is telling me.

- How do you find time for writing, what works for you - and 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 have four kids so my writing time is during school hours out of necessity but I have been known to bring a laptop to baseball and football games when I’m under deadline. If I find the laundry and the dishes calling my name when I should be writing, I’ll pack up my laptop and find a coffee shop. If I want to go for a particularly spooky scene, I’ll pour myself a glass of wine and write late at night with the lights turned down low.

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

Every book comes with its own time frame. I’ve written one complete first drafts in six weeks and one in a year. Usually it takes me six months to complete that first draft and then another couple months of editing and layering to complete the story.

- How much research goes into your work and do you complete that up front or "just enough" as you go?

Most of my research is done before I go beyond the first three chapters of the book. If things come up along the way, I’ll insert a note to myself in the manuscript and I’ll go back to research those questions after the first draft is complete. If I stop and go to do research along the way, I find I get too hung up on details and it slows my process.

- Setting seems as important as the characters in your mysteries, any tips on conveying a sense of place well?

All my books so far have been set in Seattle. I just love that city and I find inspiration around every corner! I find it helpful to include real locals in my stories. I’m an avid coffee fan so it wasn’t a hardship to visit many independent coffee shops in Seattle and then include them in my Ghost Dusters series.

- Can you recommend a fiction book that provides a great example of the writing craft to dissect and learn from?

Any books by Allison Brennan or Tess Gerritsen are great examples if you want to learn how to build strong characters and thread suspense throughout a story. A couple non-fiction craft books in my own library are Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg and Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass.

- What are you currently reading?

On my bedside table right now is Jasper Fforde’s Shades of Grey. It’s different and somewhat peculiar but I’m enjoying it immensely. I’ve just finished Allison Brennan’s Original Sin which was a phenomenal read!

- What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

If I’m writing at home, rather than at a coffee shop, you’ll find me twisted into odd pretzel shapes while I wrap myself around my keyboard. I can’t seem to maintain creativity while sitting up straight and tall. At the moment I have my right leg tucked under and my left foot on the edge of my desk. Weird, I know J

- How did you get your first break towards getting published? Was it sending in a query or meeting an agent at a writing conference etc?

In the beginning I was rejected by every big agent and publisher in New York. My biggest break came at the Surrey International Writers Conference in my own home town. I had a ten minute appointment with published author, Nancy Warren. During those ten minutes she helped me see where the beginning of my story was a bit weak and also told me which publishing house would be looking for my particular style. I reworked the beginning and then submitted to that publisher. They bought my first book, Dating Can Be Deadly, almost immediately. Nancy has also become one of my dearest friends.

- Do you participate in a critique group (or have you in the past?) What are the pros and cons of critique groups?

In the beginning of my writing career I participated in a few critique groups, both online as well as face-to-face. I found the lessons I learned were priceless. Just having the opportunity to have someone read my stuff and give me their opinion on the story was wonderful. It helped me to be stronger and grow a tough skin which is a must in this business. Now my critique group is my agent and editor but I still meet with other published authors for brainstorming sessions.


Thank you Wendy Roberts for such a great interview!

 

Mystery & Crime Fiction Blog Carnival - March 2010

-  This blog has been nominated in the Blogger's Choice Awards in two categories, so PRETTY PLEASE vote for this blog as best Entertainment Blog (proving reading is entertainment) and also as best Hobby Blog.  Thank you most sincerely.  There are voting buttons on the sidebar.

-  This marks the end ot the Fall Winter Mystery Reading Challenge I hosted, so please go to the original sign-up page to see the winners list posted and get your website badge.

-  The winner for The Fleet Street Murders book is Darcy Bishop.  She was the only one who attempted the treasure hunt and she got all five answers correct.  I shall be giving the other book away to a mystery fan I know.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It is the first Monday of March and time for our fourth blog Carnival.  It is another chocked full directory of mystery and crime fiction reviews across the blogosphere.

Police Procedural Book Review

Blogger News Network reviewed Murders At Crooked Creek by William Francis Burke. Set in 1959 Pennsylvania with a serial killer.

Booksmith reviews The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly.

KerrieS at Mysteries in Paradise presents Review: THE KILLING HANDS, P.D. Martin and says it is #4 in the Sophie Anderson series by an Australin crime fiction author whose popularity is growing all the time. Should be a hot with readers who know anything about martial arts.


One Person's Journey Through a World of Books reviewed I, Alex by James Patterson

Bernadette at Reactions to Reading presents Review: The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill and says "if a tale that unfolds in intricate, captivating layers and provokes much thought about what you would do in the face of modern moral dilemmas sounds like your kind of thing then read The Pure in Heart."

Laura at Booking It reviewed Knots and Croses by Ian Rankin

KerrieS presents THE SUFFOCATING SEA by Pauline Rowson and shares it is "set in Portsmouth, 3rd in Rowson's Andy Horton series. A very intricate level of plot complexity means there is never a slack moment in the building tension."

Joy at Joy's Blog reviewed The Raphael Affair by Iain Pears if you love art history and art crime.  I have this one in my bookshelf and just haven't gotten to it yet.

Bernadette at Reactions to Reading presents Review: Singing to the Dead by Caro Ramsay and shares "a follow-up novel that's interestingly different from the author's debut that cements my belief that Ramsay has superior skills in character development."

You're History! Reviewed the book Girl of His Dreams by Donna Leon


Private Investigator Book Review

Amy at My Overstuffed Bookshelf reviewed Hoodoo Money by Sharon Cupp Pennington

Beth Yarnall reviewed Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag

Sherrie at Just Books reviewed "Dino Vicelli Private Eye" by Lori Weiner

Book Chick City reviewed The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Julia at  Book News and Reviews gives us a brand new series review Hunted by the Others by Jess Haines

Yvonne at Socrates's Book Reviews gives us Dino Vicelli Private Eye: In A World of Evils By Lori Weiner

Amateur Sleuth book Review

The Red Room reviewed the novel Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner

Word Lily reviewed I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason by Susan Kandel

Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews reviewed Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke

Shhh I'm Reading reviewed the novel Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander

Sara over at The Hiding Spot reviews the YA mystery Heist Society by Ally Carter

Mysteries and My Musings reviews the historical intrigue book A Bolt From the Blue by Diane Stuckart

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed the historical novel The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch

Mysteries and My Musings reviewed the novel Wild Penance by Sandi Ault

Cozy Mystery Book Review

Mason Canyon over at Thoughts in Progress reviewed The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs

Anastasia over at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog reviewed Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs

Julie at Booking Moma reviewed the paranormal cozy Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

Pamela and Terri at Mayhem and Magic reviewed Cooking Up Murder by Miranda Bliss 

Anastasia over at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog reviewed Crewel World by Monica Ferris


Thriller/Suspense Fiction Book Review

Harvee over at Book Dilettante presents The Trudeau Vector: A Novel by Juris Jurjevics

Mason Canyon over at Thoughts in Progress reviews Buying Time by Pamela Samuels Young

KerieS at Mysteries in Paradise presents THE SURGEON by Tess Gerritsen and shares "This is the first in Gerritsen's Jane Rizzoli series, set in Boston. Highly recommended."

Sherrie at Just Books reviewed "The Rook" by Steven James

Laurie at In Laurie's Mind reviewed The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh.

Thoughts About Books reviewed Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

The Literary Omnivore gives us two mini-reviews: The Sultan's Seal by Jenny White and also Napoleon's Pyramid by William Dietrich.

Mark Baker over at at Random Ramblings from Sunny Southern CA presents 8th Confession by James Patterson

Jill at Frugal Plus reviewed The Khan Dilemma by Ron Goodreau

Missy Frye over at Incurable Disease of Writing presents Songbird Under a German Moon by Tricia Goyer and tells us this suspense novel takes us back to 1945 Germany where the war is officially over but danger still lurks.

Hip Mama's Place reviewed Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon

The Novel Bookworm reviewed The Dragon Factory by Jonathan Maberry


Author Interview

Murderati interviews J Sydney Jones, author of Requiem in Vienna

Deanna over at Writerly So interviews Kate Carlisle, author of If Books Could Kill

Beth Groundwater interviews Agatha Award winner G. M. Malliet

Mysteries and My Musings interviewed Sandi Ault, author of Wild Penance


Writing Tips and Advice

Blood Red Pencil presents Writing as an Art Form — Continuity

Livia Blackburne at The Book Deal presents Lighting up your reader’s brain: Can neuroscience teach you to be a better writer?

Eldon Sarte presents Interview Authorities.  Here's just one idea in a growing and on-going series of posts on Wordpreneur featuring "easier and faster ways to pump out useful, sellable ebooks."

Livia Blackburne at The Book Deal presents 7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter

The Blood Red Pencil gives us Easy Self Edits
Write Fresh, Write Bold, Write It Sideways gives us 23 Websites That Make Your Writing Stronger

Peta Jinnath Andersen presents Finding Your Voice: Dialogue and says "Writing natural dialogue is hard - these 3 tips might smooth the process."

Livia Blackburne at The Book Deal presents Strong and Memorable Characterization in The Graveyard Book

Anne Valens gives us Top 50 Freelance Writing Blogs at the site "Journalism Degree".

Livia Blackburne at The Book Deal presents How to Pull Off an Amazing Plot Twist


~ ~ ~ ~ ~WOW - what a great carnival this month ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Until Thursday and another book review, I wish you many mysterious moments.