Spotlight Profile
June 2000
Elizabeth Dearl probably needs no introduction to followers of the short mystery form--particularly those who visit MysteryNet's weekly twist page. She is a frequent contributor. There's more to a Dearl twist than the twist itself. Her writing is smooth and lively. Lately, Elizabeth has branched out. She's written her first mystery book, Diamondback, which is currently available. She's always had a love for books and even, at one time, owned a bookstore. Elizabeth, a Texan through and through, is a former small town police woman. (Yes, "small" town, even in Texas.) One of her favorite quotes, explaining why writers are "weird", was untraceable to originator. Pity. So, Elizabeth came up with yet another that suits this arena just as well. Who says writers aren't resourceful? Please welcome Elizabeth to the author's podium.You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. -Ray Bradbury
IC
You write under the name of Elizabeth Dearl. But you are also known as Siri. Is Siri your first name?
Elizabeth
Yes, it is. My mother is Norwegian, and Siri is a Norwegian name -- pronounced, in case you're wondering, Seer-ee with the emphasis on the first syllable. The English equivalent is "Sarah." My real name is Siri Jeffrey. People have been known to actually giggle when I introduce myself, perhaps because it sounds rather sing-songy, like a nursery rhyme. My pen name was an easy choice. Elizabeth is my middle name, and Dearl (oh, he's going to kill me for saying this in public) is my husband's middle name.
IC
Your story "The Way to a Man's Heart", a twist published on MysteryNet, is nominated for a 2000 Derringer award for best short story published in 1999. Do writing twists come easily to you or with effort?
Elizabeth
I thoroughly enjoy writing twists, but some are easier than others. For this type of tale, I always devise the ending first. Sometimes the rest of the story just flows, but often I have to rewrite it half a dozen times before I'm satisfied. In my opinion, the most important decision a twist writer will make is selecting a POV appropriate to the story.
IC
What prompted your interest in writing?
Elizabeth
Reading. I learned to read at a very early age, and I've never lost the thrill of anticipation I feel as I turn to the first page of a book. I'm poised to enter a different world, meet new people, share new adventures. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to bring that experience to others. I recall reading books as a child and concocting additional escapades for the characters as I went along.
IC
What was the impetus for submitting your first piece of fiction somewhere?
Elizabeth
Funny you should ask that, because submitting my work for the first time was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done (and I used to be a cop, so that's saying a lot). I had dreamed of being a writer for so long, and I think deep down I was afraid that if my work was rejected, the dream would die. Keeping it as a future fantasy seemed safer. It finally dawned on me one day that I really wasn't getting any younger (a horrifying revelation!) and if I was ever going to achieve my goals, I'd better get cracking. Rejections are tough but, amazingly, I've managed to survive them and the dream didn't burst like a bubble the first time I received a "no thanks."
IC
Your first novel, Diamondback, is now available. Were the short stories written to establish a presence or did the novel grow from the experience you gained writing short stories?
Elizabeth
I write short fiction because I love it. I love reading it, I love creating it. I wrote my novel because I had an idea that simply would not fit within the constraints of a short story. I can't say whether or not my short story publishing credits had anything to do with my novel being accepted for publication, but I do know that the lessons I've learned from constructing short fiction have served me well when it came to tackling a longer work.Right now, I'm working on the sequel to Diamondback while trying to keep up with writing short fiction and I have to tell you, it's making me a bit schizophrenic. A short story feels more spontaneous because I can hold the plot in my head. There's no way I could write a novel without at least a basic outline, and even then I scribble copious notes to myself throughout the process. Working in both forms at the same time is enough to drive a normal person crazy, but then who ever said writers were normal people?
IC
Do you have a ferret and, if so, how do you manage to keep it safe from your dog?
Elizabeth
We did have a ferret named Abby until she died at the ripe old age of nine, and Hazel, the ferret in Diamondback, is based on Abby. Our Australian Cattle Dog, Casey, adored Abby and he was extremely protective of her. Once, very agitated, he made me follow him into the bathroom where I discovered that Abby had tried to climb the shower curtain and had become tangled in it, her claws caught in the outer mesh. She probably would have been stuck for a long time if Casey hadn't fetched me. An example of how gentle he was with her -- one day I heard him whining softly and went to see what was wrong. Abby had latched onto his nose (with claws and teeth) and was dangling there. Casey just sat where he was, obviously afraid he'd hurt her if he tried to shake her off. He got a few extra dog treats that night.
IC
I'm intrigued by your very tolerant dog. Did Casey first meet Abby when he was a pup?
Elizabeth
We'd had Abby for several years when we adopted Casey. He was a stray, and was about 5 months old when he came to live with us. I can't explain his demeanor, except to say that he is the most intelligent dog I've ever seen. Animal behaviorists who insist that dogs aren't capable of reasoning should meet this dog.We recently adopted a second dog. Cody is about three years old and looks exactly like a Great Dane, apart from her size (she only weighs about 40 pounds). She's a sweet girl, but I sincerely doubt she would tolerate a ferret, or anything else, grabbing her nose.
IC
Are you writing full time now?
Elizabeth
Pretty much, yes. I've always enjoyed quilting, and occasionally I'll make and sell a quilt for a little spare cash, but these days I don't really have time to quilt or sew or . . . sleep.
IC
You mention a sequel to Diamondback. Do you intend a series using your character Taylor Madison?
Elizabeth
Oh, yes! I have plots in mind for books three, four and five, and a glimmering of an idea for number six. Taylor is so much fun to write about, and my tiny fictional town is brimming over with interesting characters and possibilities.
IC
When did you begin reading mystery-crime fiction?
Elizabeth
When I was seven, I read the Trixie Belden books (young adult mysteries) and thought they were great fun. I was never fond of Nancy Drew, for some reason. When I was about nine, I read my first "adult" mystery -- an Agatha Christie -- and there was no looking back.
IC
Describe the locale where you were a policewoman. What kind of town/metropolis is it?
Elizabeth
I first began working for the Sugar Land Police Department in the early 1980s, and its population was then about 5,000. Similarities to Andy Griffith's Mayberry abounded. A dispatcher could say: "Mrs. Smith is complaining about a barking dog. She lives two doors down from Fred Jones." And the officer would know exactly where to go. Heck, he'd probably know whose dog was barking.These days, Sugar Land has attracted folks who want to live _near_ Houston but not _in_ Houston, and the population has risen to 65,000 plus, with more expansion underway. My husband is now a detective with Sugar Land Police Dept., and he finds himself working for a budding city instead of a small town.
IC
Some current and former police officers who write crime fiction choose a protagonist that is a cop. You didn't in Diamondback. Why not?
Elizabeth
I fully intend, someday, to write a police procedural. I suppose I didn't start with one because I like reading amateur sleuth mysteries so much that I was eager to try my hand at writing in that sub-genre. There is a focus on small town cops in my novel, though, and Taylor even works as a temporary deputy in Diamondback.
IC
Since Avid Press, LLC is a small publisher, I imagine you did not use an agent. Did you have someone look over the contract?
Elizabeth
No, I don't have an agent, and really didn't spend much time looking for one. I had always said that if I ever got a book contract I would definitely have someone "in the know" look it over, but Avid's contract was simple, clean, and spelled out in plain English, so I had no qualms about it at all.
IC
It's early yet, but do you have any feel for which medium, print or downloadable e-book, might see the most hits?
Elizabeth
I'm fortunate, I think, that Avid Press publishes simultaneously in mass market paperback, electronic download, and Rocket eBook formats because, for an author, it's the best of all worlds. I assume that print sales will probably be bigger than e-sales right now, since readers are still adjusting to e-books, but from what I understand, e-book sales are increasing by leaps and bounds. I'm happy to be part of the new wave.
IC
How did you become a bookstore owner and what kind of bookstore was it?
Elizabeth
Owning a bookstore was something my husband and I had talked about for years, and when a bookstore in Houston came up for sale one day, we couldn't resist. I left my job at the police department to run it.It was a small store, and most of our inventory was in used books, though I did have a very selective new book section. I can't say the money was terrific, but I met some wonderful people (bibliophiles are, by nature, wonderful people), and I had a lot of fun. Of course, having access to all those books was heaven on earth.
Unfortunately, we were forced to close the store several years ago when a bad element (drug dealers, etc.) lay claim to the area.
IC
Of all the writing advice you've probably received, what sticks in your mind?
Elizabeth
"Write what you know." And that sticks in my mind because, taken at face value, it's terrible advice. If Tom Clancy had heeded this old chestnut, he never would have written The Hunt for Red October. Naturally, we should all draw upon personal experience to flesh out characters and plot, but I would warn writers not to take this so much to heart that they never attempt to stretch beyond their own horizons. I plot murders on a daily basis, for heaven's sake, but I've never actually murdered anyone. Research is not a dirty word, it's a valuable tool that allows a writer to explore new worlds.
IC
Have you attended conventions or will you start now that promotion has been added to your task load?
Elizabeth
I've never attended a writer's convention, though I've heard they're a lot of fun and can be very informative. I haven't made up my mind as to whether attending a convention will be useful in promoting my novel -- I've read varying opinions on the subject. However, I'm thinking of attending ClueFest, which is a mystery book fair in the Dallas area, this July. I had hoped to go to the Malice Domestic conference in May, but just can't make it this year. Fortunately, three of my Sleuths To Die For websisters are going to Malice and have nicely offered to distribute some promo cards for me. Yes, please do ask me about Sleuths To Die For
IC
Tell us about Sleuths to Die For, why don't you?
Elizabeth
Thanks for asking.I was recently invited to take part in a shared authors' website called Sleuths to Die For Besides myself, the authors are: Edie Claire, Judy Fitzwater, Dolores Johnson, and Leslie O'Kane. Since we all write amateur sleuth mysteries, we thought it would be neat to band together, and we hope our site will prove to be both informative and fun. We're offering contests, writing tips, an interactive interview (site visitors are encouraged to email questions, which will be answered by the protagonists of our novels), a continuing short story featuring our six sleuths (Leslie has two series going), and more. A future contest will award the winner an opportunity to have the first chapter of his/her mystery novel critiqued by all five of us.
IC
What's your favorite place to visit and why?
Elizabeth
For sheer beauty, the Virgin Islands. For people-watching, Las Vegas. For contemplation, any beach.
IC
Have you ever been up close and personal with a diamondback rattler?
Elizabeth
Oh, sure! The little West Texas town where I grew up is the home of one of the biggest annual rattlesnake roundups in the world. A rite of passage for any teenager in Sweetwater was taking part in a rattlesnake hunt, not to mention the rattlers that found their way into homes, gardens, garages, etc. I'll admit that I'm soft-hearted when it comes to animals, though, even snakes, and I have never enjoyed seeing the poor creatures thrown into those huge vats.
IC
Okay, are you talking boiled snake here?
Elizabeth
Ha! No, I probably should have said "tanks." Enormous metal tanks, in which the snakes are kept after their capture.People do eat some of the snakes, but deep-fried is the most common method of preparation.
IC
Gotta know --what happens in the tanks? Do they die from the weight of the other snakes?
Elizabeth
No, these tanks are very wide, lots of room. They are actually large stock tanks, such as the type ranchers sink into the ground to create ponds for their cattle to drink from. The snakes have enough room to be in a single layer, so to speak.
IC
(Snake Rights advocates -- skip around this. Elizabeth was reluctant to tell more. I nagged.) So, then, what happens to the snakes?
Elizabeth
Well, the snakes are kept in the tanks for a few days, throughout the Roundup, so that visitors can peer over the sides and watch them. Most of them are "milked" for venom. This venom is sent to various research facilities across the country (to make antivenom, as well as for ongoing testing of snake venom for possible use in drugs to combat arthritis, cancer, and other diseases).The snakes are eventually destroyed. Their skin is used for making boots, belts, hat bands and other items, their meat is sold to fanciers of snake meat, their rattles are sold as-is or used to make trinkets such as key chains or bolo ties.
I should add here that although rattlesnake roundups come under fire from environmentalist groups who claim that such roundups endanger the species, this has been proven untrue. Rattlesnakes have very few natural enemies, and the roundups began as a method to keep their population under control -- especially in rural areas, where they present a danger to livestock (and to humans).
Side note: You asked earlier about "boiled snake," and there is one reference to boiled snakes which might interest you. I'm sure you've heard of "snake oil salesmen" in the Old West days. Well, that's exactly how snake oil was made. Snakes were boiled, and then the snake oil was skimmed from the top of the pot and bottled. The concoction was peddled as a topical rub to relieve joint pain -- and was actually very effective. American Indians also used snake oil for various ailments, with good results.
IC
It seems that every writer has their favorite tool, be it paper and pen, a software outlining package or software notepad. What's yours?
Elizabeth
Definitely paper and pen. I adore my laptop computer, wouldn't trade it for the world. Computers, in general, have been a huge boon to writers, since they make it so much easier to manipulate text on screen and to produce an almost error free manuscript. But I guess I'm a tactile person. I like to feel a pen in my hand and watch the words flow from its tip to the paper. I do 90% of my first drafts by hand, which really proves useful because I can then begin the editing process as I type the pages into my computer.
IC
West Texas could be considered another character in Diamondback. How much was the land an inspiration for this beginning novel of the series?
Elizabeth
What a lovely way to phrase it! Since I was born and raised in West Texas, it's certainly a part of me. You might say I have red dust lingering in my pores. People who don't live in Texas might not understand how different parts of this state can be so completely dissimilar. My protagonist, Taylor, grew up in Houston and is stunned by the difference in lifestyle when she is dropped into a small, West Texas town. This is not artistic license, it's true. Visiting portions of West Texas can be like stepping back in time. I think the setting was integral to the plot I had in mind for Diamondback, because the people in (fictional) Perdue act and react in ways that citizens of, say, Dallas would not. Aside from that, the very countryside lends an air of desolation which enhances Taylor's feelings of vulnerability.
IC
What irks you the most, or, saying it another way, what's your current hot button issue?
Elizabeth
People who refuse to embrace the joy life has to offer and dwell only on the negative. Pessimism is a contagious disease -- avoid exposure.
IC
What's your self image--when viewing the world, whose eyes do you see it from?
Elizabeth
I'm probably too much of a dreamer, because I tend to look at everything through the filter lens of imagination. Ask my tolerant husband how many dinners have burned on the stove while I was busy pondering a "what if . . ."
IC
Some closing thoughts?
Elizabeth
If I may, I'd like to share a quote I recently stumbled across. To me, this says it all.
"Most people die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try."
- Mary Kay Ash Hey, y'all -- try.
Our thanks to Elizabeth for giving us a glimpse of the person hiding behind the author. You can read a review of Diamondback at Scribes World
This interview was conducted during the months of April and May 2000 for SinC-IC by Louise Guardino.
Elizabeth Dearl's home
SiLizzie@sinc-ic.orgspot@sinc-ic.org
Read an earlier Spotlight Profile
Unless otherwise specified, all contentis copyright © 2002 Sisters in Crime, Internet Chapter.