 How did you start writing?
I'd always had stories circling through my brain, but never considered writing them down until I learned about fanzines and the amateur writers who published their own (and others') work. Wow! I, a mere mortal, could do the same thing! Where do you get your ideas? I dunno. I'll sit down in front of my computer keyboard and words just flow out of my fingers. (Sometimes they even make sense.) Have you actually made any money writing? Not as much as I'd like. Publishers don't often pay much for "first novels." I've sold a number of short stories. Confession stories pay quite well, but you don't get a byline. And they not only change your titles, but all the character names, no doubt in case the authors have been a bit too candid. (Libel and slander are so distasteful.) Is writing your full-time job? It is for now. A writer doesn't get paid on a regular basis. Who knows what the future will bring. How long did it take for you to sell your first novel? Eleven years and 13 complete drafts--but it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. My agent and I knew that Murder on the Mind would be a tough sell. And Murder On The Mind is the first book I ever wrote. Oddly enough, its sequel, Dead In Red, was the seventh book I wrote. This one only took two drafts. (Thank goodness!) Tell us about your new cozy series. I'm writing under the pen name Lorna Barrett. My protagonist is Tricia Miles, the owner of the "Haven't Got A Clue" mystery bookstore in picturesque Stoneham, New Hampshire. She and her sister, Angelica, and Tricia's cat, Miss Marple, work together to solve a fellow bookseller's murder. The first book in the series, "Murder Is Binding," will be published in April 2008. What have you done besides writing novels? I was a copy editor for eight years, and I edited newsletters non-stop from 1983 until 2003 for one group or another. My last stint was newsletter editor for The Guppies (The Great Unpublished) special interest group of Sisters In Crime. I've also produced two informational pamphlets, had nine short story sales, and written articles for the various publications I've edited. What made you want to write about a troubled psychic sleuth? I was inspired by Barbara Michaels's books (my favorites being House of Many Shadows and Witch). But as the lone sister wedged between two brothers, and heavily influenced by their choices of entertainment (buddy type TV shows and movies), what did I know about women heroines? It just seemed natural to me to write about guys. I've been writing Jeff Resnick since my fannish days, although he only appeared in two stories. His brother Richard, and his then-assistant Brenda, appeared in at least four stories. (In fact, they started to take over some of those stories.) I knew one day I'd write about Jeff and Richard as half-brothers. They saw print for the first time in March 2003 in a short story, Cold Case, published in an anthology, Mystery In Mind: A Collection of Stories of the Paranormal. Who drew the pictures of Jeff, Richard and Brenda? My fannish pal, Pam Loomis, illustrated one of my stories. At that time, she was heavily into comic book style illustrations. I loved them instantly and was thrilled when she gave me the original illustration, which hangs over my computer. Jeff was done many years later by another artist friend, Karen River, possibly the best pen-and-ink portrait artist on the face of the planet. What does Tricia Miles look like? Tricia's 5' 7", light brown hair and blue eyes. At some time in the future, I'll probably ask someone draw her, too. You've mentioned cats several times. Is it necessary for a writer to have cats? No, but it's necessary for this writer. I love all animals, but cats are the most convenient for my busy lifestyle. I've had cats for over 40 years and wouldn't want to be without them. Four seems to be about the best number. We usually have two boys and two girls. Currently we have a sister act, Betsy and Bonnie, Chester in the middle, and last but not least my tiny son Fred. Our cats are indoor cats only, but there are birds, chipmunks, squirrels and other flora and fauna for them to watch out the many windows of our home. Here's a photo gallery. What are your writing plans for the future? To keep writing. It's what I do.  Lorraine, with the late, great (and much beloved) Katie-Cat 2874 Monday March 24 2008 |
