Jean Mead - Mysterious Writers: The Many Facets of Mystery Writing

Mysterious Writers

Jean Henry Mead

www.jeanhenrymead.com

Poisoned Pen Press

Copyright 2010 Poisoned Pen Press

ISBN: 9781615952373 ePub

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

Poisoned Pen Press

6962 E. First Ave., Ste. 103

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

www.poisonedpenpress.com

Dedicated to mystery readers and writers,
especially those seeking publishing advice

Contents

The Authors and Their Subgenres

Mystery novels are published in a number of subgenres to satisfy the tastes of every reader. Not only do we have the traditional mysteryalso known as the cozythere are historicals, suspense and thriller novels, crime, police procedurals, private eyes and senior sleuths (also known as geezer lit). Then there are medical thrillers, romantic suspense as well as science fiction mysteries and the niche novels that cover endless subjects.

The mystery writers interviewed here have written articles about various aspects of publishing, including writing techniques, marketing, promotional advice and their opinions on the current state of the publishing industry.

Carolyn Hart, bestselling author of the Henrie O and Death on Demand series, talks about her new protagonist, Bailey Ruth Raeburn, who returns to earth as a ghost to anonymously solve mysteries. Jeffrey Deavers varied careers prepared him to write insightful as well as thrilling novels, John Gilstrap explains why some bestselling novelists hold down fulltime jobs, and Rick Mofina provides sixteen great tips for writing thriller novels.

A number of Canadian and UK authors share their publishing views as well as comparing books from their own countries with those of the U.S. suspense novelist Paul Johnston writes from his native Scotland as well as his home in Greece while Tim Hallinan divides his time between Thailand, Cambodia, and southern California, writing much of his work in Bangkok cafs. Gillian Phillip writes YA mystery novels from Barbados and her native Scottish highlands, and international airline pilot Mark W. Danielson composes his suspense novels during layovers in various parts of the world, while S. J. Bolton thrills us with snakes and other creepy creatures in and from the British Isles.

English native Carola Dunn writes historical mysteries about her countrymen as does Rhys Bowen, who writes about historical English royals. Other historical novelists include Larry Karp, who provides us with the history of Ragtime music and the people who made the genre popular during its heyday and Beverle Graves Myers delves into operatic mysteries set in 18th century Venice.

The work of several writing teams inhabits this book, including Eric Mayer and Mary Reed, who pen historical mysteries. Mark and Charlotte Phillips write suspense novels, and Morgan St. James and her sister Phyllice Bradner collaborate on humorous mysteries.

Jeff Cohen, Tim Maleeny, and Carl Brookins also add humor to their mysterious plots, so prepare to laugh when you open their books.

There are police procedurals, medical thrillers and romantic suspense novelists represented here as well as niche mysteries designed for readers who love dogs, scrapbooking, zoos, the Arizona desert, space shuttles, weight-loss clinics, actors, designer gift baskets and other specialty subjects.

Nonfiction books about the mystery genre round out this eclectic collection with Edgar winner E.J. Warner, Agatha winner Chris Roerden, Lee Lofland, Jeffrey Marks, and small press publishers Vivian Zabel and Tony Burton.

The advice offered here is invaluable to fledgling writers, so pull up a comfortable chair and begin the mysterious tour of nearly every subgenre.

~Jean Henry Mead

Cozies/Senior Sleuths

Mysteries are about the messes people make of their lives and how they cope.

~ Carolyn Hart

More than three million copies of Carolyn Harts mystery novels have sold and shes best known for her Henrie O and Death on Demand series. Her most recent series features red-haired ghost Bailey Ruth Raeburn of Adelaide, Oklahoma, Carolyns home town.

Carolyn, when did your Death on Demand mystery series originate?

In 1985, I attended a meeting of the Southwest chapter of Mystery Writers of America in Houston and visited Murder by the Book. I had never been to a mystery bookstore and I was enchanted. I had just started a new mystery set in a bookstore. I immediately decided to have a mystery bookstore named Death on Demand.

Tell Us About Dare to Die

Dare to Die is the nineteenth title in the Death on Demand, series which is set on an idyllic South Carolina sea island. My protagonists are Annie Darling, who owns the Death on Demand mystery bookstore, and her husband Max Darling, who runs Confidential Commissions, a small business devoted to helping people solve problems. Annie and Maxs move into a refurbished antebellum home is on hold after water damage, and they are staying at Nightingale Courts, the resort cabins managed by Ingrid Webb, Annies clerk, and Ingrids husband Duane. Annie and Max agree to take care of the Courts when Ingrid and Duane are called away by a family emergency. As they are leaving, Duane asks Annie to keep an eye on the young woman who checked in yesterday. She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle. Annie befriends the young woman. When she is murdered, Annie and Max are plunged into fear and danger.

How much of your series is autobiographical?

Henrietta ODwyer Collins, a retired newspaper reporter, is the protagonist of the Henrie O series. Henrie O is taller, thinner, smarter, and braver than I but she reflects the authors attitudes.

Im intrigued with Bailey Ruth Raeburn, your impetuous red-haired ghost of Adelaide, Oklahoma. How did the series come about?

I loved the Topper books and films when I was growing up. I see ghosts as reflections of the person who lived. I always wanted to write about a fun-loving, energetic, impetuous ghost returning to earth to help someone in trouble, and Bailey Ruth answered the call.

Youve received an amazing number of awards, including the Malice Domestic Lifetime Achievement Award. Has the recognition resulted in increased book sales and reader awareness of your work?

I hope that the awards, which I very much appreciate, help to attract readers. Its hard to know whether such awards increase sales, but any mention of a book or books is helpful to an author.

Whats your writing schedule like, and do you aim for a certain number of words each day, no matter how long it takes?

I try to write five pages a day (approx. 1,500 words) when working on a book. Some days I meet that goal. Some days I dont. When I am stuck, I take a long walk and usually something will occur to me.

Tell us about your writing background.

I worked on school newspapers and majored in journalism at the University of Oklahoma. When we started a family, I didnt return to reporting but decided to try fiction. I wrote juvenile fiction, then YA, and in the 1970s began writing adult suspense and mystery.