Me-ow! I'm so happy to be getting back into doing interviews! And I'm pleased to welcome NYT Bestselling Author Krista Davis to the blog for the first time!
Krista Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries, the Paws & Claws Mysteries, and The Pen & Ink Mysteries. Several of her books have been nominated for the Agatha Award. Krista lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her rescued dogs and cats. Her friends and family complain about being guinea pigs for her recipes, but she notices they keep coming back for more!
I’m a complete pushover about homeless cats and dogs. As a matter of fact, at the moment, I have a feral cat, now named Frodo, getting used to being an indoor fellow. He’s confined to a bedroom and eating good food so he looks much better but Frodo is still worried by my presence. However, my other two cats like to sniff outside the door and meow greetings. I don’t know if that makes him feel better or worse!
Tell us a bit about your latest book
My most recent release, THE DIVA HOSTS A
MURDERER was released in May. To my astonishment, it has 4.8 stars on Amazon!
Sophie Winston’s family has descended on
her home in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia for the 4th of July. She’s
delighted to have them, but it’s definitely a full house. It’s the first time
that Sophie has met her Aunt Melly’s new husband, but when she sees him emerging
from a neighbor’s fenced yard early in the morning, Sophie gets a little
worried.
The house party really gets explosive when Sophie’s favorite tour guide falls
victim to a killer—and evidence points to Sophie’s own father. Will DNA really
incriminate her dad? And what’s the real story with her new uncle-by-marriage
and the mysterious pal he’s brought along with him? Some of the secrets
Sophie’s discovering are raising flags—and while the police department casts
suspicion on her father, she has to declare her independence as a detective to
find the real culprit, and serve justice along with red, white, and blue
cupcakes . . .
Includes delicious recipes, fabulous decorating tips,
and easy entertaining hacks!
I write by the seat of my pants. I usually have a vague idea of what the book is about, but I have come to the realization that I enjoy writing when I don’t know what will happen next!
Which do you consider more important, plot or character?
I think they’re equally important. Let’s face it, in a mystery, even an engaging character needs a good plot!
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer?
Oof! I thought it would be so much fun to write about a murder that takes place during a murder mystery weekend at an inn. I jumped right in and then I was confronted with a major problem. How could I distinguish between murder mystery clues and clues about the real murder? Yikes! I came up with a solution but was sweating it for a few days! In case you’re interested, that book was MURDER MOST HOWL.
Do you have an “How I got my agent” story you want to share?
Agent 1. She seemed nice and was willing to
represent me. I didn’t hear from her at all until she wrote to tell me (Dear
Client-so personal!) that postage rates were going up so she would have to
start charging her clients. Oh dear! I knew that was a big no-no and took the
opportunity to skedaddle.
Agent 2. She loved my manuscripts! She was a charming
person. But she wasn’t selling any of my manuscripts. Sigh. I had written a new
manuscript and knew it was time to move on.
Agent 3. I was getting smarter. My primary
criteria at that point was to find an agent who had actually sold
mysteries. In retrospect, that seems like an obvious thing. I did some very
serious research and found an agent who was selling a lot of books. I sent her
my manuscript, which she turned down. But she asked if I had ever thought about
writing a cozy. A few months later, I had my first contract for the Domestic
Diva Mysteries. Yay!
But wait, the agent story took an unexpected
turn.
Agent 4. Very early on, my new agent left the agency to pursue a different career! I was orphaned. Oh no! Happily, her partner, Jessica Faust, took me on and has been my agent through all the rest of my books! Thank you, Jessica!
What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?
I’m working on the first book in a new series. Can’t say much about it yet. Shh!
What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?
If you want to write
mysteries, join Sisters In Crime and become a member of the Guppies (the Great
Unpublished). You’ll get to know other writers and learn from their
experiences. When I started, I didn’t know what font to use and what size it
should be. Such a simple thing! The Guppies are a fabulous resource. Classes
are available, too.
The other thing that is really
simple but somehow hard to do, is to sit down in front of a computer and write!
Believe it or not, that requires discipline and determination. A lot of people
have ideas, but if you don’t sit down and start, then it won’t happen.
ROCCO’s Fast Five:
- What’s something
that’s always in your fridge? Eggs.
- What’s the last
thing you splurged on? A new headboard.
- What food do you
wish was calorie free? Pastries!
- Holidays: Party
at home, or go out for a glam dinner? Glam dinner at home!
- What is
something you are really bad at? Singing.
Thank you so much for a wonderful interview, Krista! The human, T.C. enjoys your books and so do I and my brother and sister!
You can learn more about Krista at the below sites:
www.KristaDavis.com
www.instagram.com/kristadavisauthor
www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1555579.Krista_Davis
https://www.pinterest.com/KristaDavisAuthor/
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/krista-davis
x.com/kristadavis
Delicious Mysteries https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573601592919093
Krista will give away a signed hardcover of THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER to one lucky commenter! Just leave your name and email addy in our comments section and tell us what is your favorite Krista Davis book! Contest ends Friday, July 31st. My sister, Lois, will select the winner!
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