Interview with the Author

What made you decide to write a novel about a book club?

I've been a member of a small intimate book club for years. One night, I was sitting there looking at my friends and thinking about what incredible women they are. It occurred to me that people pass them on the street and dismiss them as ordinary without ever taking time to get to know them. I decided to write a book to show the world how misleading ordinary can appear.
Why did you decide to make it a murder mystery?

When club first started meeting, it seemed to make our husbands a little nervous. They'd ask us, "What do you actually do at book club?" We'd say "We talk about books." And they'd counter with, "Well, I heard you laughing a lot." We couldn't tell them what we were laughing about because we have a policy anything said in club is confidential. The men's nervousness hit my sense of humor, so I decided to blend my love for books with the idea of the women having a secret life.
Are the characters based on real members of your book club?

Grace, Romy, and Lara are. Of course, certain characteristics are exaggerated for literary purposes, and any faults the characters have are my own. Tammy and Celina are each composites of a couple friends.
Are any of the other characters modeled after you?

It's not possible to create a realistic character without revealing part of who you are. Every character in the book has some of me in her-or him-and not necessarily my better qualities.

Tamara's personality is very different from my own, but I identify with how frustrated she feels when the busyness of her life crowds out the significant.

Celina's probably my career ideal of who I would have wanted to be had I stayed in the corporate world. She has my love for designing training material and my sense of humor. She also has my husband. I knew Marwan would get a kick out of being a character in a book. Plus, since Marwan was born Palestinian, his ethnic background is a natural set-up for future murder. Couldn't pass up an opportunity like that!
How do you find time to write?

That's not easy. My work-style is to work until I drop. Unfortunately, that doesn't blend well with family life. Another mental obstacle is that the process of writing a book takes so long, it's hard to justify investing so many hours in something that doesn't provide the family with an immediate benefit.

Probably the best tip I can give for finding time to write, is to encourage writers to look for pockets of time and be very disciplined in using them. I finished A Talent to Deceive by turning my son's basketball practices into writing time. Even though I had no where else to go during those two hours, it was still difficult. I had to hide in a side room so I wouldn't be distracted by conversations with other moms. This fall most of my writing has been done in the parking lot while my boys are at soccer practice.
Once you are writing, does the muse come upon you?

Sometimes. Of course, it always happens right at the end of practice when I have to pack up and go home. Writing is not a convenient career choice. But then, it sort of chooses you more than you choose it.
What's the hardest part of writing?

Sitting down in front of the computer and staying there. Writing is torture until the words starts to flow. Then it's heaven. I lose touch with time and the world. One evening, my oldest son came in and politely asked, "Mom, have you given any thought to what we're having for supper?" I hadn't, and it was already 6:30. I looked at his sweet face and said, "Whine, whine, whine! No matter what I give you kids, you always want more. Feed you one day and you want to be fed the next." Fortunately, my children and my husband are generally accommodating of my work.
When did you decide to become a writer?

It was never a decision. I always knew that I was writer. The stories were in me so writing was part of my identity before I was old enough to physically write a paragraph. It never occurred to me that a publisher had the power to determine whether or not I was a writer.
Are your children proud of your writing accomplishments?

A couple of them are. One is hoping to make some money off of me. The others are more like "That's nice, Mom. What's for dinner?"
Is there any genre you would not write?

I wouldn't write horror. That's not healthy for people to read. I want my books to add value to people's lives. There's enough instability in the world.
How does a book about murder add value to people's lives?

A quality murder mystery isn't about glorifying violence; it's about seeking justice. On an emotional level, a mystery reminds readers that they have a responsibility to pursue justice. That helps set our societal standards.

A murder mystery is also an opportunity for readers to expand their knowledge of how people think. Most of our friends and relatives have lifestyles and values similar to our own. In a mystery, the reader comes in contact with suspects very different from her self. If you're really trying to solve a mystery, you can't just blow someone off like you would in real life. You have to put in the energy required to understand them. People's choices, even the unacceptable choices are generally logical when based on that person's beliefs and experience. Reading forces us to consider other view points and that's intellectually healthy.
What advantages are there in writing fiction instead of non-fiction?

Fiction has more space for truth in it because you don't have to worry about being politically correct. Great characters are never politically correct. Great friends aren't either.
Have you read any particularly good authors lately?

Yes. Donis Casey has a rare gift. She wrote The Old Buzzard had it Coming and Hornswoggled. She can't write fast enough to suit me. I'd read her galleys if I could get hold of them.

John Flanagan is another author I admire. His Ranger's Apprentice series is excellent to read out loud as a family. The kids love the adventure and the adults enjoy the humor and characterizations.
What's next for you?

I'm currently working on a historical novel. Then I'll get back to writing the second in the Talent series, A Talent for Bargaining.
I also have a drawer full of outlines that I want to get to someday including a children's mystery series. One of my files is called, Words waiting for a book. It's full of single lines scratched out on torn sheets and index cards. Those sentences don't have anything to do with a particular book, but I like the way they sound.
What do the real Ladies of the Club do at their meetings?

We discuss great literature. That's the story we tell our husbands, and we're stickin' to it.
Would you be willing to include members of your actual club in an interview so people can get to know the real you?

Not a chance. My book club friends truly do know where the bodies are buried.