Spotlight Profile
November 2000
Consider this quote from the late Steve Allen, who was asked how he managed to do so many creative things: "I never asked myself that question. It would be like asking how my hair grows. The mystery of creativity is just that: it is a mystery, and particularly mysterious to me about myself."R. Barri Flowers, this month's member in the Spotlight, is one of those multi-talented, many-faceted writers, whose productivity is a mystery to those of us who write with the speed of a tortoise.
As questions and answers flew back and forth during October, I wondered if Barri might be putting me on. I kept going to his Web site for reassurance, and finally e-mailed him: "...unless you've got a crew of gnomes out in the woods churning out books, you are one heck of a writer!"
Barri wrote back: "Indeed, I am the real thing, friend. (laughter) If you go to any of the major online bookstores, such as Borders.com, BN.com, and Amazon.com, you will see all of my novels and non-fiction materialize right before your eyes. This has been an incredible year for me and I am counting my blessings, even while looking for more in the years ahead!"
Let's take a quick tally here. Barri has five new novels from Writers Club Press at iUniverse, and one from Xlibris. Currently in print are five non-fiction books published by the scholarly presses Greenwood, Haworth and McFarland. The Sex Slaves Murders,a true crime book published by St. Martin's Press, is in its fourth printing, and Barri plans to release a sequel in 2001.
(Note: Barri's iUniverse novels can be read in their entirety at the iUniverse Web site, under a Browse Before You Buy feature. The Bookstore URL is www.iuniverse.com/marketplace/bookstore/. At the top right corner of the page you can search by title or author. In Barri's case, search by author for "Barri Flowers." Displayed books are indexed by chapter and page number.)
But wait (as the TV pitchman says), there's more.
Barri writes: "What do I see as my greatest accomplishment in 2000? Though tempted to say making the SinC-IC Spotlight (laughter), I would have to say completing in collaboration with my wife, Loraine, a comprehensive true crime book on murder, titled Murder in 20th Century America. Never realized just how much of an undertaking it would be, and how uplifting it is to be nearly finished with what will be a must-have book for any true crime fan or history buff, with respect to the crime of murder over the past one hundred years."
Barri also writes screenplays. "I presently have four scripts with an agent," he says, "and am keeping my fingers crossed that she can place them with a major producer. Two of the screenplays are contemporary love stories, and the other two are thrillers, one of them a corporate mystery based on a novel I've written."
He continues: "I love to write scripts. The format is completely different from novels, much less non-fiction books. The advantage of screenwriting is that the stories can be told much quicker than with the typical novel and you get to be a director, in effect, in telling the tale. However, the competition is just as fierce as with fiction. But, similarly, if you believe in yourself, and are talented, the cream will usually rise to the top."
Barri was born and raised in Detroit, and has bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice from Michigan State University. After a sojourn in California, he now lives in Oregon. A professional research and literary criminologist, Barri says, "I've done extensive writing on children and deviant behavior. I am a firm believer that if we can stop child sexual and physical abuse, we can curtail significantly juvenile delinquency. All of my criminology writings can be found at local and university libraries across the country, and elsewhere."
Listing Barri's titles tells only part of the story. His six new novels are print-on-demand. Some are romances, some are mysteries, some are from a female point of view.
- When Night Falls (Xlibris) is a psychological thriller, featuring African-American FBI psychologist and profiler Angela Leighton, who assists police in finding a serial killer.
- Murder in the Rose City is a hard-boiled private eye tale, featuring E.Z. Elias, who's half-Jamaican and half-Italian. Barri describes him as "six foot five, hip, tough, armed with a .40 caliber Glock, courting danger and romance with equal abandon."
- Damming Evidence is a legal thriller featuring Kate del Graten, an assistant district attorney and single mother, whose worlds collide when one of her sons is charged with murder.
- Deadly Secrets in the Motor City introduces Jackie Jones, an African-American private detective.
- All for a Good Cause and For Old Times'Sake are contemporary romances. The first features two attractive people who meet at a celebrity auction, and overcome the obstacles of mistrust, loyalty, distance, and past failures to find happiness together. The second is a nostalgic story about young love gone awry, survival, second chances, forgiveness and new beginnings.
IC
Barri, do you have a favorite quotation you'd like to share with us?Barri
My favorite quote for years was written by Count von Platen: "True love is thought to be the most tender of our emotions, as even the blind and deaf know; but I know, what few believe, that true friendship is more tender still."I love that quote, for it speaks to me in mirroring my own thoughts on the enduring power of true, unconditional friendship, and the tenderness of such that cannot be matched. Of course, if you can find such true friendship within true love, then you truly do have it all!
As it is, I managed to find that rare combination of love and friendship in my own life, with my wife of twenty years. We began with a terrific friendship, and it is still the centerpiece of our relationship.
Another quote I love comes from Shakespeare himself: "To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I ey'd, Such seems your beauty still." I tell this to my wife all the time, as even after twenty years of marriage, she is still the most beautiful person, inside and out!"
IC
Eight of your books hit the marketplace this year. From whence cometh this outpouring?Barri
I would have to say that it is a combination of talent, determination, perseverance, and dedication to the craft (along with tremendous support from my wife and family, who have always believed in my writings). Throw in the right timing (and time well spent) and you have all the ingredients for getting eight books out in one year!The year ahead figures to be nearly as busy. I have three mystery novels coming out in 2001: In the Dark of Night,an historical thriller about Jack the Ripper; Positive I.D.,a legal thriller; and The Loves of His Life, a contemporary love story.
I also have three criminology books coming out in 2001. Besides Murder in 20th Century Americain collaboration with my wife, also coming up are Murder, At the End of the Day, an examination of murder as an academic text; and Runaway Kids And Teenage Prostitution,a study of the teen sex trade. With respect to the last book, I also have an article on the sexual exploitation of children worldwide, that will be appearing in the March 2001 issue of Annals magazine.
IC
Your writing sounds so spontaneous. Has it always been as easy for you as it appears to be?
Barri
I would have to say that I am quite spontaneous as a fiction writer, in that I like to span the range in plots, characters, and genres as it suits my fancy. However, I am very deliberate when I am actually working on a novel, taking it one word at a time, making sure everything works, and works together. This is, no doubt, a reflection of years of non-fiction writing, where every word must count, and be a means to an end.IC
How do you write from the female point of view with such apparent ease?Barri
Writing from the female POV for me is a reflection of my keen sense of understanding what a woman feels emotionally, and the complexities and diverse nature of the female. This sense of relating comes from a close relationship with my mother and sister (two years my senior), a richness of female friendships that I have enjoyed since college, and a longtime love and camaraderie with my wife, Loraine.I am also an avid reader of fiction, and as such, pay close attention to how female and male writers handle the female point of view, and learn from it. I sincerely believe that to be a great writer, one must be able to write from any point of view that is called for. Having strong females in my life to draw on has helped considerably in this respect for my female POVs.
My wife has been my greatest critic and supporter as a fiction writer, with respect to female POVs and otherwise. She is also a writer, and a passionate reader of contemporary fiction and mysteries. As such, she is able to know what works and what does not, and advises me accordingly. I respect her insight and scrutiny of my characters, and feel that she helps me to be a better writer.
IC
What prompted you to join Sisters in Crime? Has membership contributed to your writing career?
Barri
I joined SinC some years ago on the advice of a friend who was a member. She convinced me that it was a wonderful organization, and that I could benefit from the networking, community, and professional association.She was right on all counts, as I have found my membership to be a satisfying part of my writing program. As for the most important thing membership has contributed to my career, I would probably say feeling connected to other writers, many of whom I admired long before joining SinC. This was the first writers/readers organization I joined, and I immediately felt as though I had the "stamp of approval" as an author.
Being a male "sister" is appropriate, as I have always promoted women mystery writers, and female-driven mysteries, which I write. As I also write criminology books with a focus on female criminality and victimization, I am happy to lend my unique writings and expertise to the organization and its all-inclusive philosophy.
I have attended book signings and book conventions through my association with SinC, and they provided me with contacts, friendships, and opportunities.
IC
You have published with traditional publishers, and now you have jumped in to test the print-on-demand waters. What has been your experience so far with POD?Barri
After being published by trade publishers for seventeen years, I decided to go the print-on-demand route this year with some of my novels. I was attracted by the quick turnaround time in making my books available to the public through POD, in comparison with traditional publishing. It also gave me an opportunity to publish previously written novels that I felt very strongly about but that had fallen through the cracks at traditional publishing houses.My thoughts were that I could make the POD program work for me in getting out my books, getting some good reviews, then going back to the trade publishers for a second look at the market potential for these novels.
My experiences thus far with POD publishing have been mixed. I succeeded in getting the novels published rather quickly, and made available in the many online bookstores. I am also selling books through signings at bookstores, and am starting to get some terrific reviews.
However, the POD books have taken longer to publish than I had been led to believe, and few local booksellers will carry them, meaning that the books are not readily available for a significant segment of the book market (although the books can be ordered through most bookstores).
There have also been some communication problems with my POD publishers (iUniverse and Xlibris), getting all the proper information in a timely manner to the online booksellers (such as book covers and synopses), and having local bookstores get past the stigma attached to POD books in purchasing books and/or doing book readings and signings. The latter is true as well for major book reviewers (newspapers, journals, magazines), many of whom will not review POD books. That is likely to change in the future, as more and more traditional publishers enter the POD market.
That said, on balance, I would have to say that the POD experience has been more positive than negative. It has allowed me to get books published and enjoyed that otherwise might have rotted away in my file cabinet or on my computer hard drive. Also, I am now being recognized as a novelist (a lifelong dream), as well as a non-fiction book author. You could say that I owe this Spotlight interview to the relatively new and accessible POD technology that has enabled me to bring my fiction to the reading public. (big smile)
IC
What attracted you to true crime writing?Barri
My interest in writing about the criminal mind, and how it deviates from the norm, and the dynamics involved, came after majoring in criminal justice at Michigan State. True crime writing brought me even closer to perpetrators and victims of crime than my academic texts, and gave me even greater insight into the causes of criminality, especially violent crime.In The Sex Slave Murders II,the upcoming sequel to my true crime best seller, I delve further into the minds of other sexual criminals, their methods of operation, and the police work (or pure good fortune) that led to their downfall.
I am also a Ripperologist, meaning an expert on Jack the Ripper, the infamous killer of prostitutes in Victorian England. Though this elusive murderer was never apprehended, his methods and motives continue to intrigue criminologists and the general public alike. To that end, I am writing a novel to be released next year about the so-called Jack the Ripper, titled In The Dark of Night. Though fictional, it will still incorporate many facts known about Jack and his victims, and should be a fascinating read.
IC
How do you research your non-fiction books?Barri
Through old-fashioned library work, new-fashioned computer technology, court transcripts, government data; as well as interviews with law enforcement, other criminal justice authorities, offenders, victims, witnesses of crimes; and other experts who can lend their knowledge to the subject matter.IC
Murder in 20th Century America,for example, must have required a staggering amount of research. Do you have assistants, or do you and your wife do all the research?Barri
Indeed, it has been a tremendous, ambitious undertaking, but a worthwhile one. I sometimes wish we had a large staff of assistants, but the truth is that my wife and I have done all the research on this one ourselves--a daunting task, considering my other writings. We have been working on this book for over a year now. I can tell you that our research has yielded some remarkable information about murder, murderers, and victims, over the course of the last century.One that stands out is a serial murderess named Belle Gunness from the early 1900s. She was a Black Widow killer, who was believed to have murdered over forty people, including some of her own children. Most of her victims were husbands, lovers, or workers on her farm, whom she killed for profit or other assets she could rob them of.
I was quite intrigued by Belle Gunness, as a criminologist who has written extensively about modern female criminals, such as Charlene Gallego, who, with her husband, murdered ten people in the 1970s. The Murder book is filled with similar interesting tales of female killers, as well as male killers.
I want to note again that along with my crime-related non-fiction and fiction, I write contemporary novels and love stories, in the tradition of Nicholas Sparks, Nicholas Evans and Robert Waller. As a romantic fellow myself, with a fancy for good old-fashioned, heartfelt love stories and romantic melodramas, I have admired such authors, and wanted to join them in bringing these tales from a male perspective to readers.
Toward that end, I also wrote a short romantic tale of an ill-fated love aboard the Titanic, entitled Remembering the Voyage of the Titanic. It can be found on my Web site. I encourage all to read it. Sure to please!
IC
What would you want to be, if not a writer?Barri
An actor. I think it would be great to put on a convincing performance, and get paid a lot to pretend to be someone you are not. I could also imagine being a professional basketball player, if not a foot too short by National Basketball Association standards. Once upon a time, I was pretty good with the hoops. Finally, if not a fulltime author, I could envision being a United Nations diplomat, working with people from around the world to make the world a better place.IC
I can't imagine where you would find time for hobbies, but do you have a hobby or special interest outside writing?Barri
Collecting stamps and coins (I have a few that date back to the 19th century), discovering old and rare books at bookshops, reading every chance I get, singing (and I have a pretty good voice at that). My favorite pastimes are going to the ocean/beach, taking photographs of my beautiful wife and of outdoor scenery, hanging out at bookstores or art museums, painting seascapes or landscapes, watching classic movies, watching sports events.IC
Watching classic movies! The man's a true romantic! What are some of your all-time favorite movies?Barri
The Sound of Music, North by Northwest, Samson and Delilah, Time After Time, Somewhere in Time, The Graduate, Psycho, The Birds, The Ten Commandments. All-time favorite actresses: Rita Hayworth, Linda Evans, Jane Russell, Vivian Leigh, Carol Lynley, Jayne Kennedy, Carole Lombard.IC
Look into the future. Where do you see yourself ten years from now?Barri
Where I see myself ten years from now? Hopefully, Loraine and I will be retired at a still young age, and living in Hawaii, England or Australia, on book royalties, and screenplay sales and production--while enjoing the ocean, beach, reading, writing, and all the simple pleasures of life!And who knows, maybe in ten years I will be back in the SinC-IC Spotlight again! (laughter)
This interview was conducted during the month of October 2000 for SinC-IC by Pat Browning.
Visit Barri's Site
E-mail BarriE-mail Pat
Read an earlier Spotlight Profile
Unless otherwise specified, all contentis copyright © 2002 Sisters in Crime, Internet Chapter.