Congratulations on the release of Hunter on the Sly! As someone who has spent time in academia, it's clear that your rich background in English and writing has contributed to your ability to craft a compelling mystery. I admire how you transformed your passion for writing into a professional endeavor, from drafting your first manuscript to refining your skills in editing.
How do you balance your academic background with your creative work, especially when crafting mysteries? Does your experience as a university professor influence the way you approach storytelling?
I'm excited to see where the Jean Branning Mysteries series will go next!
Hi Matthew,
You've asked some interesting questions about the relationship between my academic work and creative writing. I finished my first draft of Hunter on the Sly in 2000 and began querying agents. When three out of 39 agents expressed interest, but two of them said they wanted to see my manuscript again after professional editing,
I balked at paying for the service. Instead, I decided to finish my bachelor's degree to gain greater command of my writing. In the process, I discovered that I enjoyed most genres of writing, and combined with other life circumstances, I continued on with a master's and then doctoral program. I was fortunate to be offered a tenure track position, which I accepted, and worked in academia until retirement.
The short answer is that academia diverted me from my creative work. There simply wasn't time, given research and teaching expectations, to do much creative writing, Teaching academic composition is labor intensive. Still, I dabbled in poetry and jotted down story ideas for future use. It was only after retiring that I returned to my Jean Branning mysteries. I plan to keep working on them.
Thank you for your interest in Jean Branning!
Best,
Donna J. Evans, Ph.D.
Author of Hunter on the Sly: A Jean Branning Mystery
