My Interview of Sue McGinty--Marilyn Meredith
I
understand you’ve taken your character to a new location in “Murder in a Safe
Haven.” What’s that all about?
As you may remember from “Murder in Mariposa Bay,” Bella’s
mom dies and, being a good daughter, she honors her mother’s wishes and brings
her ashes back to Detroit for burial. While there she finds new dangers in her
old haunts, including the convent where she spent her formative years. The
Mariposa Bay book ended with her getting on a plane for Detroit, and the new
one opens with her arrival. Poor Bella, in real time she’s been flying around
at 39,000 feet for two years.
It’s
natural that you should set your mysteries on California’s Central Coast since
you live there. What about Detroit? Where did that idea come from?
I’m from Detroit originally and so is Bella. Of
course, the city has problems, but those are grist for the writer's mill,
right? It also has gorgeous lakes and greenery, warm,
"tell-it-like-it-is" folks, and a proud history. It was a major stop
on the Underground Railway during the Civil War. I’ve made use of all these
elements in “Safe Haven.”
Why
the title “Murder in a Safe Haven?”
Unknowingly, Bella is being stalked by an old enemy
with a familial score to settle. She takes refuge in the convent where she
spent her formative years, but her nemesis has a long reach, as well as a long
memory, thanks in part to the Detroit Mafia.
Tell
us about the new characters you developed for his story.
Antagonists are a dime a dozen, but I really missed
my “helpful” characters, Bella’s nephew Chris and her golden Lab, Sam. Every
cozy needs one person the protagonist can lean on, the helpful character, and
of course, animals add so much to any narrative. It took me awhile to "find"
Sister Monica, her new helpmate, and a new fur friend, a cat named Mama and her
two kittens.
In
what ways did Detroit and its history become a character in the story?
As I said Detroit was a major stop on the
Underground Railway, the last one for runaway slaves before escaping to Canada
just across the river and guaranteed freedom. Unlike many States, Canada did
not return runaways. The novel’s denouement takes place in an old slave tunnel.
What
was your lowest point?
A year ago I thought I had the book all whipped into
shape. But when I got comments back from Beta Readers I realized I had a lot of
work to do. The basic problem was I had too many characters and they were hard
for the reader to keep straight. As Catherine Ryan Hyde of “Pay it Forward”
fame says, when you get bad reviews, you’re allowed to go to bed for three days
and eat cold Chinese food, then you have to get up and get to work. Which I
did—combining characters, naming only the important ones, while leaving
nameless those with only brief appearances. But it will be awhile until I’m
ready to eat Chinese again.
There
are rumors that Bella makes a life changing decision in this book. What’s that
all about?”
You’ll have to read the book to find that out.
How
do your readers feel about your change of location?
I was worried, because my other books are Central
Coast specific, and I have good fan support here. However, readers so far have
been enthusiastic, and I’ve gotten some great reviews.
What’s
next?
I’m halfway through the next Bella book, tentatively
called “Death at Schooners Cove,” which brings her back to the Central Coast. In
the new book, six years have passed and the long-awaited sewer is about to be
hooked up. But a body is discovered in the foundation of the wastewater
treatment facility and the fun begins.
Bio: Sue McGinty
With little more than an urge to hang out at the
beach, write mystery novels and calm a cat experiencing his first car ride, Sue
McGinty left Los Angeles June 17, 1994, the same day OJ Simpson took his
infamous ride. Unlike OJ, Sue had a destination in mind: the Central Coast
hamlet of Los Osos. Not the Cabot Cove of “Murder She Wrote,” but close.
Her California Central Coast mysteries include
“Murder in Los Lobos,” “Murder at Cuyamaca Beach,” “Murder in Mariposa Bay,” and
“Murder in a Safe Haven.” Her short fiction has also been featured in four
Sisters in Crime Central Coast chapter mysteries.
In her “real” life, Sue worked as a technical writer
for McGraw-Hill.
Sue McGinty lives and writes in the California
Central Coast town of Los Osos. Her Bella Kowalski mysteries include “Murder in
Los Lobos,” “Murder at Cuyamaca Beach,” “Murder in Mariposa Bay,” and “Murder
in a Safe Haven.”
link to website: suemcginty.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sue.mcginty.author
I am definitely anxious to read this one, Sue, And I love the cover.
Marilyn
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