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But, if you're like me and have dial-up, just stick around here and check out this awesome new interview Nancy did with me:
Heather: It’s so wonderful to have you on my blog! So the latest from your writer’s den is Murder in Montbleu. Can you tell us a little about where you got the inspiration to write this story?
Nancy: I love mysteries, so I wanted to write a mystery. This was my first attempt. I chose a small town setting in Northeastern Pennsylvania much like Montbleu because I live in a town like that, and it made location easier to write about. The town has many gracious Victorian houses, but there are a few anomalies. My first idea for the story came from an anomaly, a fieldstone contemporary set among all the Victorians. Then I thought about a wife obsessing about her husband having an affair. She might drive by the house where her rival lived. What if she saw his car race down the driveway? That was the start of the story. Once I had the house it just came to me. Although it made the location easy to write about, I have to say none of my friends and neighbors have quite the exciting life the characters have (at least I don't think so!).
Heather: How long did it take you to weave this carefully constructed tale?
Nancy: I wrote Murder in Montbleu in a month during Nanowrimo. I love Nanowrimo. It keeps me focused. However, that's the easy part. Whoever said, writing is rewriting, was absolutely right. It took me about four months and several tries to get the book to where I was happy with it.
Heather: Was it hard to tie up all the loose ends to such a complex story?
Nancy: Tying up loose ends is always hard. In mysteries you have to be particularly vigilant. Mystery readers read very carefully because they're looking for clues. Even the last time I went through the manuscript (and I'd been through it at least 20 times), I found details that had to be made just right to keep all threads together.
Heather: What was your favorite chapter?
Nancy: My favorite chapter is Chapter Nine. Chess Devon, Deputy Police Chief, interviews Miss Hattie Pershing. Hattie lives across the street from the house in which the murder was committed. She's a busy body, always looking out her front window to see what the neighbors are doing. She's also very old, never married, and talks constantly. I loved writing about Miss Hattie and Chess' frustration with getting her to answer direct questions.
Heather: For all of those aspiring writers out there, what advice would you give them?
Nancy: Apply your seat to the chair and learn your craft. Writing is great fun, particularly in the creation stage where you get to meet your characters and work out the plot. However, making the story work takes a lot of rewriting and rethinking. Having been through the process several times, I've gotten very fond of the polishing phase, but, it takes a lot of time sitting at the typewriter and checking facts.
Heather: Thank you, again, for being my guest on Down to the Core!
Nancy: Thanks for having me, Heather. You ask very good questions. I had fun answering them.
Look out tomorrow readers,
author Kathy Stemke will be visiting
