Guest Author Interviews
August 2002
Book Giveaway: Killed by Common Sense
Interviewed for SinC-IC by Lynn Kinnaman
SinC-IC: How did you start writing?
JV: For more years than I care to count, I've worked as a policy or program advisor for the provincial government of Ontario and a large part of the job has been writing, first manuals and handbooks then policy papers, etc. But it wasn't creative writing and since high school, the desire to write a novel niggled at the back of my mind.
Boxing Day, 1992, my eldest son was killed suddenly in a car accident in the Rocky Mountains and soon after a friend asked me to attend a creative writing class with her. My grief poured out onto the page. But, realistically angst (stream-of-conscious) writing becomes quite unsatisfactory even counter-productive if it goes on and on in circles. Writing a short story, then a novel gave me a purpose in life. I also made new writer friends and it allows me to research, travel and write about topics of interest to me and, hopefully, others.
SinC-IC: Why did you choose to write mysteries?
JV: The first short story I wrote magically turned into a mystery as I wrote it. And as they say, always write what you love and I've always loved reading cozies and psychological mysteries.
SinC-IC: Briefly summarize the plot or the plot inspiration for your latest book:
JV: The book I am working on now is called Killed by Clock Radio. Here's a summary of the plot.
Zap! Eighty-year-old Zelde is electrocuted by a clock radio hurled into a whirlpool just minutes after she sees a man with a distinctive scar on the top of his head. Chronically unemployed, frequently married Rina Laval travels to the Village of Ashley to console her ex-mother-in-law and soon Rina finds herself agreeing to work undercover as a temporary clerk at the local police sub-detachment.
Rina's new boss, Senior Constable King, is intelligent, slightly belligerent, maybe incompetent, maybe a suspect. Then one day she comes to work and finds him with his head in the toilet and a bullet in his back.
The story is set in three parts, starting in Ontario, moving to The Netherlands and onto England where Rina discovers in London's famous Brompton Cemetery that King stole a child's identification in 1965.
A scrapbook revisits the past revealing pivotal events in Zelde's life. Her first husband died of malaria in a Japanese concentration camp, her second husband was shot by a mistress on the grand lawn of the Banff Springs Hotel, her adopted daughter raped and her third husband went to jail for bribing municipal officials. Each vignette in the scrapbook contains a clue, either actual or psychological, where actions in the past motivate someone to commit murder or seek retribution in the present.
SinC-IC: How long did it take you to write it?
JV: So far this second book has taken about two years. I'm still rewriting because I originally wrote it in first person point-of-view (POV) but it didn't work so now I'm rewriting the book in first person POV for the main narrative and third person POV for the vignettes in the scrapbook.
It's a learning experience and it's also a good thing I pay the mortgage with my day job.
SinC-IC: What was the best writing advice you've received?
JV: I did a short residency program in mystery writing at the Banff School of Arts with Gail Bowen as instructor. She said to me, "Stop reading so many how-to-write books. They can zap your confidence. Just start writing and keep writing. Use the reference books for technical assistance."
SinC-IC: What's the worst advice you've received?
JV: Go with any US publisher. They'll sell more books after all there are 240 million people in the States and only 30 million in Canada.
For my first book, Killed by Common Sense, instead of going with a highly reputable small Canadian publisher, I signed with a publisher who has turned out to be a disreputable Print-on-Demand publisher who won't take returns from bookstores, over-priced the book and doesn't market to bookstores in the US or anywhere else. They just asked for a list of my friends, who all live in Canada, and that list was used for a mail order campaign.
The problem was the letter sent out to my friends didn't say that the price was in US$ and then to make matters worse, when the publisher shipped the books, they charged $5 US ($8CND) shipping but didn't pay the excise duty/tax so my friends were dinged, not only the exchange rate which adds 60% to the book price, but extra at the post office. The cost of one trade paperback ordered was over $45.00. Similar books sell for $13 - $16 in Canadian bookstores.
SinC-IC: How do you discipline yourself and schedule your writing?
JV: Because I have a full-time job and other personal commitments, I schedule Wednesday night and Sunday as my dedicated writing time. If I'm writing a first draft, I take a holiday and work all day on the manuscript.
SinC-IC: How do you handle writers' block?
JV: In my day job, I work to deadlines, some on the hour and I've learnt to just sit there and write whatever on whatever topic. It can always be fixed up later.
SinC-IC: What's the one thing you couldn't do without in order to write?
JV: My beautiful blue night-time wrist braces. They make it possible for me to write on the computer, pain-free during the day.
SinC-IC: Do you have someone who critiques your work?
JV: Yes, I'm in a writer's group. We have been meeting for about eight years and when the first draft of the manuscript is completed, they read it and give me general comments.
I have also recently started exchanging work with another mystery writer, Vicki Delany. Her first book, Whiteout, came out in May 2002.
SinC-IC: What's the best book you've read about writing?
JV: Umberto Eco's Six Walks in the Fictional Woods, which is a series of essays on how fiction works for readers. He explains, through popular books written by Dumas, Poe, Agatha Christie, Hans Christian Anderson, how readers experience what they read. It's brilliant.
SinC-IC: What advice do you have for beginning authors?
JV: Begin by taking courses that have writing assignments as part of the curriculum. If you're not sure what to write, pick a topic or question that springs into your mind. I just thought of one, Could a person be poisoned by mosquitoes' venom? Read a bit on the topic. Then sit down and write all the words that spring forth from your pen or appear on the computer screen.
More questions will pop up, e.g., Have police in Newfoundland started carrying guns? That's dreadful and a sign of more violent time. Write down the opinion/question, underline it, don't worry if it's relevant then continue writing.
After I've exhausted the words inside me, usually fifteen minutes later, I stop and walk around, talk to the walls, write down more thoughts. Relax, have a glass of wine, do dishes, clean the bathroom. Yuk, wouldn't you rather be writing about a man with his head in the toilet rather than cleaning the damn thing. Good time to start writing again.
This is a technique I use at work as well, when I'm asked to write something I know nada about. They, however, don't keep wine in the cantina.
Nancy Mehl
September 2002
Book Giveaway: Graven Images
Interviewed for SinC-IC by Lori Ham
SinC-IC: Why did you choose to write mysteries?
NM: I became interested in mysteries at an early age. I had every single Nancy Drew book written. I think the appeal of the mystery genre stems from the "puzzle" quality it presents to readers. I disagree with some critics who think that the genre is simplistic. Mysteries take intricacies beyond a normal story line. You not only need to develop characters and plot, but you also have to leave clues behind. And, you have to tie it all up in a way that will complete your puzzle and satisfy your reader. Some mystery writers may not work on character development the way another writer might with a so-called "literary" novel – but they should. Good writing is good writing – no matter what the genre. A mystery can include any subject you want to write about. For example, a novel that is currently with my agent deals with homelessness and child abuse. But it is definitely a mystery.
SinC-IC: What is unique about your main character or setting?
NM: In Graven Images, my protagonist, Cally Jo McAllister, is a police sketch artist with a tragic past. When she was four-years-old, she witnessed her mother's murder. Because the experience was so traumatic, she locked the image of the killer inside her mind. She was only able to see the man's face after years of intensive psychological counseling. When she's in her twenties, she begins to have nightmares that seem to be telling her that perhaps the wrong man went to prison. So, through Cally, the reader is able to learn something about the psychological aspects of childhood trauma – and actual information about the interpretation of dreams. I also did research into procedures used in our local police department. I hope these elements will be interesting to readers.
SinC-IC: What authors do you like to read?
NM: Well, as far as the mystery genre, I have several favorite authors: Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Mary Higgins Clark, Jonathan Kellerman, John Grisham, and Patricia Cornwell. Being a book reviewer, I've also discovered some wonderful mystery writers from smaller publishers, like Pat Browning, Mary Reed and Eric Mayer, Denise Swanson, Dennis Collins, Nancy Cohen, Robert Armstrong, and Phillip Tomasso. (I know I've forgotten some!) But, I also have other favorite authors, like Susan Vreeland, who writes the most incredible literary novels, Laurel Johnson, who wrote one of the most inspiring novels I've ever read, called The Grass Dance, and Nancy Marie, who writes inspirational fiction. And I will even venture into Sci-fi and Fantasy novels and mention Marshall S. Thomas and Victoria Strauss.
SinC-IC: How long did it take you to write this book?
NM: Graven Images took a year to write – and four years to edit! I learned so much more about writing after I "thought" it was complete, that I kept revisiting Cally Jo until I felt that I finally had it right.
SinC-IC: Do you make a living off of your writing?
NM: Well, if I did, I'd be living on the streets right now! LOL! Unfortunately, not yet, but that is my dream. My first real royalty check will be here any day, but I don't think I'll be ready to move next door to Stephen King quite yet! <G>
SinC-IC: What do you like most about being a writer?
NM: That's a tough question. There are many things I enjoy. First of all, there is the actual process of writing. I love it! I love to come up with something that I know is interesting - and works well. What a rush! I have to say though, that the way people treat you is nice. There is a measure of respect that comes with being a published author. It makes me feel like taking myself more seriously - since others do. But in the last several months, I found something that probably thrilled me more than anything has yet. I was checking libraries across the country – trying to find out what libraries carried my book, and I found a city that had several copies in its branches. But, I saw something at a couple of the branches that I'd never seen before. The words, "checked out." I was flabbergasted. That meant that someone I didn't know and would most likely never know, was probably sitting at home that same evening, reading my book. Incredible!
SinC-IC: What do you like least?
NM: Well, should I be candid? I don't like the fact that as authors, it is so difficult for us to track our book sales. I’ve never found any other profession that keeps total sales so secret. How many has Amazon sold? How many has your publisher sold? How many have gone through Ingrams? How many through Baker & Taylor? And how many libraries have your book? Although there is a way to check with Ingrams, the numbers you get don’t make a lot of sense. It seems to me, that as the creator of our book, we should be a lot more informed about the progress and sales of our work.
SinC-IC: How much time per day or week do you spend writing?
NM: It really depends. I have a job that deals directly with senior citizens and people with disabilities. When they need me, everything gets shoved to the side. Also, I write a column and do book reviews for MyShelf.com. So, when a deadline looms, I try my best to get live up to my responsibilities. Generally, though, Saturdays are my "hands off" day. Usually, my husband is at work, and the day belongs to me! I can knock out a chapter on a Saturday without much effort.
SinC-IC: How do you discipline yourself to write?
NM: It's just a question of priorities, I think. I can't say that I've got things completely under control. But as I said, if I set a day aside to write, that’s usually it. Not much can move me off of that commitment. And, that is what it takes - commitment to yourself and your dreams.
SinC-IC: Do you hear your characters speak to you?
NM: Yes, in a way. If you really develop your characters the way you should, you will know what they would say or would not say. I think it's important to do a rather detailed sketch of your main characters before you begin writing your novel. You must "know" them – and your readers must "know" them. This will help you to stay true to your characters and your plot. Readers don't like to see characters do things that don’t fit their profile. It sticks out like a sore thumb and can pull readers right out of the story. You need to keep the characters true to the people you have created them to be.
SinC-IC: Anything else you might want to add?
NM: Just this: to other writers out there – never give up. If writing is your passion, nothing should stop you. I've had my share of disappointments. From unreliable publishers, to rejections that made no sense – but if you really want to find success, first of all, you have to decide just what success means to you – then you have to go after it with everything you’ve got. And most of all, learn the craft of writing. I’ve said this over and over. There are really poor authors out there who may be selling books because they’re good sales people, or in some cases, well-trained scam artists, but they are NOT the writers who will end up being successful. LEARN YOUR CRAFT. Study writing as if your future depends upon it – because it does!
Lisa Polisar
October 2002
Book Giveaway: Blackwater Tango
Interviewed for SinC-IC by Lynn Kinnaman
SinC-IC: How did you start writing?
LP: I loved stories as a child -- writing and reading them. I remember writing some poetry and stories when I was really young. Then I started writing more seriously in high school, when research papers became the highlight of the entire academic year. By the time I got to college, I was writing fiction and poetry steadily, and in my junior year I started plotting this wild scientific thriller called The Serpent and the Swan that never materialized beyond its fantastic outline. (Who did I think I was? Michael Palmer??)
When I was 20, I read Natalie Goldberg's book, Writing Down the Bones, which totally changed my life, both as a writer and as a person. Her book isn't about success or failure in writing, but about giving yourself permission to experiment with your own voice. Shortly thereafter, I started writing my first novel on legal pads at a small maple desk in the corner of my bedroom in Hartford, Connecticut. Since I had a tendency to leave creative projects unfinished, I wouldn't let myself buy another legal pad until I'd used up every inch of the last page of the one I was writing on. I filled seventeen legal pads and finished the book, Real Horizons. It is positively unpublishable, barely readable, but was really terrific practice. Since then, I have written five mystery novels, one non-fiction book, volumes of poetry, 38 short stories and various articles.
SINC-IC: Why did you choose to write mysteries?
LP:For some reason, I was always drawn to mysteries. I grew up reading all the Nancy Drew books, and as a teenager I became addicted to Agatha Christie novels and to Sherlock Holmles. So writing mystery feels very natural for me.
SINC-IC: How long did it take you to write Blackwater Tango?
LP:About 9 months and then three months of hardcore editing/revision. So in total about a year.
SINC-IC: What was the best writing advice you've received?
LP: To concentrate on writing and creating rather than just on getting published.
SINC-IC: The worst?
LP: My worst piece of advice ended up being really good advice, but I didn't know it at the time. When I was in college getting my music degree, I took a lot of flack because I was studying both classical music AND jazz, and writing fiction in my spare time. People always told me that I showed tremendous potential but I needed to channel my energies into just one place. One place? The idea seemed preposterous. Now I realize that my resistance came from the assumption that I should channel my energies into music, when actually my real happiness would come from channeling my energies into writing. I still practice flute every day and music is as much a part of my life as breathing. But my deepest, most primal joy comes from writing stories.
SINC-IC: How do you discipline yourself and schedule your writing?
LP: I grew up in a family of musicians, so discipline and obsessive behavior are in my genes. I have a part-time job working as a bookkeeper for an architectural firm, and this allows me to spend several hours writing each morning before I leave for work, and then several more hours at night after dinner. I do go through periods of procrastination, but for the most part my love of writing stories keeps me tied to the chair every day.
SINC-IC: How do you handle writer's block?
LP: I don't usually get writer's block in terms of lack of ideas or how to execute or articulate them, or at least not with fiction. Non-fiction, on the other hand, is much harder for me to write. When I’m writing an article or a review, I usually have to give myself time to mentally write the piece while the ideas are germinating, before the words materialize on the page. Sometimes if I can make myself write "through" a restless or distracted period, I find something with real energy in it. I believe that whatever you most resist represents what you most need to learn from your life.
SINC-IC: What's the one thing you couldn't do without in order to write?
LP: My computer.
SINC-IC: Do you have someone who critiques your work?
LP: I have two very gracious, brilliant, well-read volunteers who read everything I write before it ever gets sent out. I also have a professional critiquer that I use. I don't know what I'd do without them. Besides their editorial expertise, they also have a sort of distant perspective that's nearly impossible for me to get while I'm knee deep in the middle of a story.
SINC-IC: What's the best book you've read about writing?
LP: There are so many, but definitely Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. Another great one is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.
SINC-IC: What advice do you have for beginning authors?
LP: Pick up a pen and JUST DO IT! When you're just beginning to write seriously, let your muse speak its own disjointed, watery language and worry about technique and discipline later. Write whatever you feel most compelled to write at that point, and ignore the rules for the time being. Open up, concentrate, and let words pour out of you like jelly beans from a glass jar.
SINC-IC: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
LP: A good mystery is like an onion. At its core lies a vital secret, and the more layers of skin you peel away, the stronger the scent of deception and crime.
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