Tell us about your childhood. How did it affect you as an author?
My father was in the US Air Force and we were stationed in Europe a good portion of that time, specifically France and England. In France, we did not have a television however we had a wonderful library on the base and we would check out five or six books a week. In addition, we traveled through many countries while we were there. My parents were deeply interested in history, so we learned a great deal about each area’s history and customs. It was a great childhood, filled with fascinating stories. One of the places we traveled was the Tours de Merle in south central France which features heavily in Call of the Blackbird.
What sort of day jobs did you hold before you chose to become a writer? What kind of effect do you think they may have had on your writing career?
Before my writing career, I was involved in the medical world. I was not a clinician, however worked in the administrative area which was interesting. I met and worked with a great variety of people, and honed my communication skills. I found that when I held meetings, if I could tell a story to illustrate a need or a policy, it would help the staff understand how something new could be incorporated.
You cover the topics of love, loss, anguish, and mystery in your novels. Which other themes would you like to cover in your future books?
This is my favorite genre of books, with some history thrown in. I believe that learning something from history always is useful to understand the present. Plus, I love a good mystery!
If there was a mystery from your own life that you could write a book about, what would you choose to write about?
I had a girlfriend whose boyfriend supposedly shot himself, however I always believed that he was murdered. I have wanted to explore this angle as there were only a few suspects who had the means and motive to do it. Although the case was closed, it could be opened again.
The characters that you write are often praised to be real and believable. How many of these characters are fictional and how many of them are based on real life?
Many of the fictional characters have some basis of someone I knew. Some of their traits, hand gestures, reactions are based on real people. However, there are some that are purely fictional people I would want to know, or would fear knowing.
When was your first book published and what were the main obstacles you faced trying to get it published?
I wrote the book many years before it was published. After I retired, I pulled it out and went through it and made edits, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading it. The main obstacle to getting it published was really myself, and my fear of the process. I wanted a “playbook” of how to do it, and some of it was just keeping at it with trial and error.
What other things, apart from writing do you enjoy doing?
I still enjoy traveling and discovering new things. My husband traveled extensively during his career and we are always looking for new places to go.
What inspired the plot of "Call of the Blackbird"?
I returned from a trip to France and while there, went to the Tours de Merle again. They had done some reconstruction of it and I was very pleased with the work they had done. During that same trip, I went to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, where thousands of Jewish children were hidden and saved. Those stories helped me in configuring the “Call of the Blackbird.”
Who was your inspiration for Carrie Mitchell in “Call of the Blackbird"? Where do you often find the inspiration for your male and female leads?
My inspiration of Carrie was as an outsider coming to a foreign country and being in the middle of a mystery. She hardly speaks the language, and yet she is thrown into a situation where she must prevail to save a child. She has experienced her share of loss and heartache and therefore grows as she works to solve the mystery. Growing up in a foreign country, I could relate to her experiences of feeling lost and misunderstood.
If you could bring to life one character from your many male characters, whom would it be and why?
Jacques, the boy in the book. I just loved his character. He was brave, funny, curious, and charming.
Which is more critical, mastering sales or having a billion-dollar idea?
I think that my motive isn’t either of those things. I wanted to write a good story that people would enjoy. It is so much fun thinking how people are turning the pages eager to find out what happens next. That is the most critical thing to me. I sometimes get pictures of people reading my book and my heart just swells.
How do you think you have grown as a writer since your first book?
I have met so many wonderful people, especially other authors. I sat down to lunch with an acclaimed mystery writer and creative writing instructor, Saralyn Richard, who wanted to talk in depth about my book and how I paced it and layered it. I had never thought of those things before and she made me think about writing in a whole new way.
What is something that people don’t usually know about being an author? How much work it is.
Not just getting the story down, but then proofing, editing, etc. But what surprised me the most, was the marketing of the book. At first, I was somewhat dismayed by it and then once I started doing some research, I realized that it is a big part of the process that all authors must do. It doesn’t matter whether they are New York Times bestselling authors or authors who are just starting out. If you want someone to read your book, you have to put it out there.
What marketing strategies do you find most helpful? How has AllAuthor helped you so far and would you recommend this platform to other authors?
AllAuthor has given me many followers and I also find the stories of other authors very helpful. I love the mock up ads that they do for “Call of the Blackbird”. Just wonderful. I also have an Instagram and author Facebook page. I have been getting more involved with the book in my local community and engaged with many people on the book.
