SC: What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
The most challenging is taking off my editing cap while drafting. I can get pretty wrapped up
in editing a single page before I actually get the story down. Not only does that get time
consuming, but it can also get frustrating. I have critique partners and beta readers. But I
have to be able to send them a manuscript!
The most rewarding for me is simply having a polished, complete manuscript ready for
publication. It means I’ve added another gem to my list of credits. That’s what’s important to
me, creating, producing. I’m not the type to fret over sales—I do, however, hunger for
reviews, folks! And when I do receive a review, favorable or not, it’s a resource I use when
forging ahead on the next project.
SC: What book is on your nightstand?
I’m a serial reader, so there are no less than three books on the agenda at any given time.
Right now, my nose is stuck in the pages of Gerald’s Game by Stephen King and Black
House, his collaboration with Peter Straub. I just finished Carolyn Wilkins’s Melody for
Murder, and am starting the sequel in the Bertie Bigelow series, Mojo for Murder.
SC: What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Oh, a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. But I can say with certainty there will be more
Marjorie Gardens Mystery novels in the very near future.
SC: Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Yes! There is a cause at the moment that’s dear to my heart. Counties in England are
preparing to shut down libraries. Not kidding. Can you imagine not being able to visit one in
your town, or explain to your child there used to be wonderful buildings that housed every
book imaginable…but they don’t exist anymore? In the UK, The Tinder Foundation states
that some libraries deserve to close. This problem isn’t a European one. Check out the
American Library Association’s website. The worry is truly global. Economic arguments are
being made to justify closing libraries. I invite anyone who loves books to get involved by
finding out what can be done at your local institution. And if readers have time, I invite them
to view the ‘Thank You’ I received from the Indian Valley Collective Library in Greenville,
CA.(https://twitter.com/AEHVeenman/status/791576890695938048) We can all contribute!