Forgive the long blog, but I wanted to share an interview I did with the editor of a London newsletter called “This is Writing.”  I hope you enjoy and check out other author interviews on this link:  http://thisiswriting.com/category/author-interviews/

 Introduce yourself to our readers

I’m a native New Yorker but have lived more recently in Southern California. With a Master’s Degree in Science, I’ve had the privilege to be a science museum director for many years.  It was in this position that I became immersed in the world of art and history as well as science. I’ve long been a history enthusiast and mystery fan, so there was no doubt in my mind that one day I would join these forces together and become a storyteller.

How would you describe your writing style?

Eclectic.  A mix of authentic history with bizarre and twisty mystery elements. And all resolved with modern-day science.  In terms of “style” I’d say somewhere between an airplane read and a Oprah pick.

What is a typical day for you as a writer?

There is no typical day.  I’ve given up trying to organize my day into “writing times.”  I write whenever I feel motivated, usually mornings and early evenings.  Not very structured, I’m afraid.

Why did you become a writer?

These crazy plots kept popping into my head.  What if the horrific fire at the Triangle Factory in New York City in 1911 was really a cover-up for a murder?  What if greed was the real motivation for the Salem Witch Trials?  What if I could track down a real missing Van Gogh painting stolen by the Nazis during WWII?  I developed these plots through historic research and actual visitation to places involved.  Then I used my science background to solve the mysteries years, or centuries later through forensics and digital photography.

How would you describe your books?

Historical mysteries solved by modern technology.  My novels take you back in time to real events in history, but with a fictitious murder or two added to complement the story. As mentioned in previous question, the real twist comes in solving the mystery years, or centuries, later, in contemporary times with modern technology.

The time periods and places vary, from the Eastern Theater of the Civil War, to early 20th Century New York City, from Nazi Germany during World War II to the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts. My historic characters are fictitious, both protagonists and antagonists, but they are surrounded by real people who lived at the time. I don’t make the pretense that my work is non-fiction, but I’m adamant about the backstory being as authentic as possible. My modern characters are, likewise, fictitious, and are often a blend of real people I know and love    . . . or not.

To be sure, my books are not “time travel,” “fantasy,” or “sci fi,” but rather are written in two different time periods. They are not “historical” mysteries, nor are they simply “contemporary.” What are they, then? That’s up to you to decide. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy doing so!

What was it like to win The Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Mystery Category Award for The Triangle Murders?

A surprise.  I had entered several manuscripts before and always got good feedback, but never thought I’d actually win.  Very gratifying.  Writers always need to be validated.  Maybe not just writers?

What are you working on at the moment?

A new concept revolving around the lost colony of Roanoke, North Carolina.  When Sir Walter Raleigh sent a group of English men, along with several women and children to the new world in 1587, left them for supplies and returned three years later to find all 120 or so had vanished.  There’s been some new discoveries into what may have happened to them through archaeology, anthropology and climate research, of all things.  The modern story will be a bit of a departure for me and border on fantasy or mind-travel, of sorts.  That’s all I can say right now.

Where does the inspiration for your characters come from?

I think my characters are all amalgams of people I know and read about.  I also glom onto movie characters that are interesting and sometimes model a character after them.  But only partially.  I always add my own elements so they don’t seem cookie cutter.

How do you make sure that your plot is always compelling?

I try to build tension and suspense with each chapter, hopefully each scene. I want the readers to turn the page, particularly at the end of a scene or chapter. In terms of a compelling plot, I develop a story that is intriguing to me, such as the Nazi confiscation of art and a missing Van Gogh painting.  That’s what compels me to write.  And what, hopefully, compels readers to read.

What books have inspired you as a writer?

This may sound strange, but it was an American Western novel that jump-started me into writing.  “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry.  It’s weird.  I never read Westerns, but my husband had just read it and when I asked if I would like it, he said.  “Nah, it’s kind of a guy’s book.”  Well, I read it and loved it so much, I read it again years later and loved it even more.  It wasn’t a mystery and probably not even true to history.  But I was riveted by the story line, the characters, the settings, and the atmosphere.  I have no idea why I thought I could write something like that.  But here I am . . . still striving to write something like that.

What advice would you give aspiring novelists?

If you expect to make money or become a famous novelist on the best seller list, think carefully about writing as a career.  If you just love to write, to tell stories, develop characters and plots, then go for it.  Just toughen up your skin, learn to take criticism (go to a regular critique group) and be prepared for frustration and disappointment.  Sorry to be negative, but it’s a hard business these days.  Also be prepared – and learn to — market your work.

On the other hand, writers are a special breed.  Persistent, perseverant and obstinate.  You may be the lucky one who breaks through.  The writing, itself, is what makes you happy, and really, isn’t that what it’s all about?