First off, I must say I really enjoyed it. I was laughing, especially with Doris and her banter. It was the perfect quirky murder mystery. I do wonder whatever happened to Rose, but maybe that is for another novel.
Q. Can you share the inspiration behind the “It’s Murder” series and specifically this one?
A. With this series, I wanted to champion life in rural Minnesota, specifically the northwest corner. That part of the state is often overlooked because of its distance from the Twin Cities. Yet, it is a vital area, with its huge farming operations.
In addition, I wanted to have fun with some aspects of aging, especially now that I’m “a woman of a certain age.”
Q. With writing a series, how do you come up with the storylines?
A. Often, I will hear about a death unique to this area (e.g., involving ice fishing, farm equipment, the county fair, a winter blizzard, spring flooding). Then, I toy with that idea until I come up with a story that would support a murder via that particular scenario. After that, I sprinkle the story with dialogue, behaviors, customs, and recipes relative to this area. And, as a result, I get a quirky, character-driven murder mystery.
The murder in each story is wrapped up by the end of the book. Thus, each book can be read on its own. But the subplot, which revolves around the relationships of the main characters, is ongoing. And that, hopefully, will entice readers to read the next book.
Q. I haven’t read the first in the series, this can be read as a standalone but would it help understand the characters?
A. The two series I have written are each three-book sets. And, as I stated above, while each story will stand on its own, the reader will get to know and relate to the characters and setting better if the books are read in order, as is the case with most series.
Q. How did you come up with the character Doris, was she drawn from a personal encounter? I could just picture what she looked like based on how her interactions were with the other characters.
A. Doris is a culmination of several people, I suppose, although I didn’t consciously think of certain people when I created her. Because she was to be the protagonist and first-person narrator, she had to be a bit more serious than her goofy sidekicks, Rose and Grace. Yet, due to the nature of my stories, she still had to be witty and kind of nutty, at least on occasion.
Q. I could go on and on asking questions about characters, but how did you come up with Dot and Tweety.
A. I’m glad you’re interested in my characters because, as I mentioned above, my stories focus on characters first and foremost. (Because my setting is unique, I think of that as a character too.)
Given that I grew up watching scripted television comedies and dramas, I think about the types of characters that made those shows work. For example, in addition to the more sensible lead character, I realize I need one or two goofy sidekicks, who aim to help the lead character but often don’t. Then, in a mystery, I also need a couple possible perpetrators who the reader/audience roots for. They want them to be ruled out as suspects.
Dot and Tweety fall into this category—Dot because she’s kind of pathetic, and Tweety because she is hapless. And while I didn’t create either of them based on any one person specifically, I know—and we all know—people who are just plain disagreeable, like Dot, and utterly spacey, like Tweety. And even though we may not like them, we tend to feel sorry for them once we learn more about them. That is, once we get to know them.
Q. With the book having recipes, are some of the recipes your favorite? I will definitely be trying some of them.
A. All of my books have recipes. The three books in my first series, the Hotdish Heaven mysteries, each incorporated old-time recipes. And this series, the It’s Murder books, also include recipes. The recipes tend to be hot dish, Jell-O, and bars, which I refer to as Minnesota’s three main food groups.
Q. I can say that I did figure out the murderer but it wasn’t until closer to the end and even though I suspected, I wasn’t 100% positive. With that say, how do you come up with the “murderer” and organize the sequence of events?
A. While it’s quite possible that master mystery writers have a well-defined process for organizing or “plotting” their stories, I have to work very hard at it. I try to outline but only do so “in general” because I find that each story changes as I write. So, after I get my first draft done, I need to go back and jot down every plot point, then ensure that I have inserted appropriate clues or red herrings and have asked and answered every question raised in the manuscript. The only exception is when I want to dangle a point or two—usually relating to the relationship subplots—in an effort to entice the reader to pick up the next book.
Q. How do you maintain creativity and avoid mixing up the series as well as the potential burnout, or writer’s block/fatigue?
A. I truly enjoy writing these quirky stories. As a result, I don’t get writer’s block, although I can get tired of the rewrites. But, then, I just have to remind myself that I’m almost done—the book is just about ready to go to the publisher.
As for keeping things straight, I try to write down character attributes, go-to phrases, personality traits, etc. But, sometimes, I still find myself reviewing the previous books to verify what I’m saying about a character. However, since I’m a slow writer, I really get to know my characters well.
General Questions
Q. Many authors have unique writing rituals or habits. Could you describe your writing process? How do you get into the right mindset to bring your stories to life?
A. I realize that it’s a good idea to write when you first get up in the morning because your mind is at its freshest then. But, for some reason, I seem to do my best writing in the late afternoon and into the evening. (I opt to do my writing-related business in the morning.) As for other habits, even though I have an office, I prefer to write on my laptop as I’m curled up in the corner of my couch, with no noise to distract me.
Q. Writing styles can evolve over time. How do you think your writing has changed or developed since your first novel, and what lessons have you learned along the way?
A. My voice is similar to when I began writing a dozen years ago. But I think my skills are much better now. I never planned to publish a novel. (My first book was published by happenstance.) Thus, while I had studied writing in college and graduate school, I had no idea how to structure a fiction story. Since then, however, I have studied creative writing, attended countless workshops led by accomplished fiction writers, and critically read highly regarded books in my genre. All of those things are important, as is finding other good, published writers with whom to network.
Q. Writing a novel requires consistency and dedication. What keeps you motivated to stay on track with your writing goals, especially during challenging moments?
A. As I said previously, I really don’t have trouble sitting down to write, especially after I have begun a new manuscript. Although, as noted above, life can get in the way at times. Such was the case when I was about halfway done with “It’s Murder, You Betcha.” And that’s when I called on my writer friends for encouragement and gentle critiquing. They were invaluable.
Q. What advice can you give upcoming writers when they start to doubt themselves and their abilities. What strategies do you use to keep the momentum and creative flow moving?
A. Every writer I know, published or not, is full of doubts. Writing for publication is hard because the public sees your work when you’re just starting out, and most of us aren’t thrilled with our early books. After all, as I’ve already stated, we have hopefully improved since then. Nonetheless, those early efforts are still out there, reinforcing our “imposter” mentality. And I have no idea what we can do about that except keep writing and keep getting better.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Although some seemed repetitive, every reader will take something from one answer or another. I have to say I truly enjoyed this quirky mystery and the characters. I have never actually laughed out load when reading a book but definitely did on this one. Love, love, love Doris!
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