Chazz interviews Krista Davis!

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!

 

Meow, Welcome Krista!  Tell us about your background!

Thanks Chazz!  I am the author of the Domestic Diva Mysteries, the Paws & Claws (Wagtail) Mysteries, and the Pen & Ink (coloring) Mysteries. To date I have written 34 mysteries, one of which has not yet been released but will be coming in May of 2027.

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 4^th 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!

 How do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your pants”?

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.
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• What’s the last thing you splurged on? A new headboard.
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• What food do you wish was calorie free? Pastries!
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• Holidays: Party at home, or go out for a glam dinner? Glam dinner at home!
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• 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! U.S. entries only, please.