ME-OW!
TODAY my guest is author Alexis Morgan!
USA Today Best-selling author Alexis Morgan graduated
from the University of Missouri—St. Louis, with a B.A. in English. She is the
author of over forty novels, novellas, and short stories that span a variety of
genres. Death by Committee is her first cozy mystery.
- Tell us a little
about your background
I grew up near St. Louis,
Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri—St. Louis. My husband and I decided
we wanted to live near mountains and moved to the Seattle area. We’ve lived there
ever since. I’ve worked in a variety of jobs over the years, but I’ve been a
fulltime writer for more than a decade now. My writing partner is a blue and
white parakeet named Nimbus, who luckily shares my tasted in music. I also have
two grand-bulldogs. They are very proud of the fact that they served as the
inspiration for Zeke, the mastiff-mix in my first cozy mystery.
- Tell us a bit
about your latest book
After a rough divorce,
Abby McCree only wants a little time to tie up a few loose ends and then move
on. But other problems appear after her elderly Aunt Sybil passes away, leaving
Abby to tend to a rundown estate complete with a slobbery dog of questionable
pedigree, a sexy tenant who growls more than the dog does, and one dead body
buried in the backyard.
- How do you “get
to know” your characters before and while you’re writing the books?
The first step is having
my character try on a few different names until I find one that fits the image
of him/her that I have in my mind. Once that is settled, I work on the routine
things—age, hair color, hair style, height, and favorite kind of clothing. For
the major characters, I also look for a picture I can use for inspiration. After
that, all of those details go into a spreadsheet I create for each book and/or
series. With the basics in place, I go on to figure out the character’s family
history, job, and how they came to be where they are when the story begins.
That’s always a moment when the main character’s life is about to change in a
significant and powerful way. For example, Abby McCree has gone through a
divorce and then recently moved to a new town to live in the house she
inherited from her late aunt. As powerful as those two events are, finding a
dead body in the backyard is really what alters her life’s trajectory forever.
As the character struggles to deal with the situation, I let him or her tell me
what helps them cope. In Abby McCree’s case, she heads to the kitchen to bake
goodies for her dog, her tenant, and her friends.
- How do you
construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your
pants”?
I would have to say I’m closer
to the “seat of your pants” end of the spectrum because I don’t do a lot of
detailed plotting in advance. I usually start off with a very bare bones idea,
often a single scene, and a vague idea of where the story will begin and end.
Then I meet up with romance writer Janice Kay Johnson, my brainstorming partner,
to bounce ideas back and forth until I have filled in some of the details. The
two of us have been working together like this for longer than either of us
care to admit, and we each bring different strengths to the process. While I’m
pretty good at coming up with reasons why a character will act in a certain
way, she’s the one who helps me delve beneath the surface to identify the
underlying emotions that really drive the story. For sure, we’ve created a lot
of plots over burgers and fries at our favorite restaurant. After that, I write
an eight to twelve page synopsis that hits the highlights of the plot. When I
have that done, I try out different opening paragraphs for the story using paper
and my favorite pen (an EnerGel pen with violet ink.) It’s only after I’ve got
that nailed down that I sit at the computer and start typing.
5. Do you have an “How I got my agent” story you want to share?
I was at a major writers’
conference and really bummed when my books didn’t arrive for the big book
signing. In an effort to cheer me up, a friend invited me to dinner. On the way
out of the ballroom, we happened to run into her agent, Michelle Grajkowski of the
3 Seas Literary Agency, who decided to join us. I wasn’t actively looking for
an agent at that point, which made it easy to relax and get to know Michelle. After
that chance meeting, she and I ran into each other constantly at the
conference. We even joked about who was stalking whom. A few months later, I
was still writing American West historical romances, but I was hoping to
transition to writing paranormals. I thought an agent would be able to help
with that process, so I decided to query Michelle. We had a long talk on the
phone about my future plans. That was more than fifteen years ago, and we’re
still working together. She’s been there for me every step of the way, cheering
me on and helping me achieve my dreams.
6. What are you working on now and what are your future writing
plans?
I’ve been working on the third book in the Abby McCree Mystery
series, which will be out next year. The second book, Death by Jack-o’-Lantern is already in production and will be
released early this fall. Meanwhile, Abby keeps whispering other story ideas in
my ear, and I’m taking notes like crazy.
7. If you could take only three books with you for a year-long
writing retreat in a gorgeous setting with no library, which three would you
take?
1. Written in Red by
Anne Bishop. It’s the first book in her series about the Others, and I love the
amazing world she’s created.
2. Caressed by Ice by
Nalini Singh. I love all of her Psy-Changeling books, but this one is my
favorite.
3. The Last Victim by
Karen Robards. It’s a great mystery about a psychiatrist who studies serial
killers. She learns more than she ever expects to from an unexpected source—the
ghost of one of her former subjects.
8. What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?
Read, read, read! Both in
the genre you intend to write, but also in other genres. It’s well worth the
time to analyze what it is that really draws you as a reader into a particular story
and keeps you riveted right up to “The End.” Also, it’s really important to surround
yourself with a group of friends who will genuinely celebrate your victories
and support you when things don’t go well.
9. Where can we learn more about you and your books?
Twitter: @Alexis_Morgan
Just for Fun:
Night or Day? Day
Dog or Cat? (answer carefully) Dogs, because I have two
granddogs who wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t pick them. They are both
bulldogs.
Beach or Pool? Beach
Steak or salad? Steak
Favorite Drink? Mocha
Frappuccino
Favorite Book? Written
in Red by Anne Bishop
Favorite TV Series? I
recently discovered The Dr. Blake Mysteries and have watched several seasons of
episodes. It’s a murder mystery series set in Australia several years after
World War II.
Favorite Movie? My
go-to movie when I need to laugh and relax is The Penguins of Madagascar.
Favorite Actor: Jeremy Renner
Favorite Actress: Scarlett
Johansson
Dirty Martini or Pina Colada? Pina Colada
Hawaii or Alaska? Alaska
Finish this sentence:
If I could meet anyone in the world, past or present, it would be J. R.
R. Tolkien. His Lord of the Rings trilogy has influenced so many other writers,
myself included. I would love to talk to him about how he built that amazing
world.
If I had just one wish, it would be to see one of my books
made into a movie.
If I could trade places with anyone in the world, it would be
a talk show host because they get to meet so many interesting people from
different walks of life.
Thanks for a great
interview, Alexis!
COVER
COPY of DEATH BY COMMITTEE
When Abby
McCree suddenly inherits her favorite relative’s property in small town
Snowberry Creek, Washington, she soon realizes that the ramshackle home comes
with strings attached—one of which is tied to a dead body!
After a rough divorce, Abby McCree only wants to
stitch up her life and move on. But other loose ends appear after her elderly
Aunt Sybil passes away, leaving Abby to tend to a rundown estate, complete with
a slobbery Mastiff of questionable pedigree and a sexy tenant who growls more
than the dog. As Abby gets drawn into a tight-knit quilting guild, she makes a
twisted discovery—Aunt Sybil’s only known rival is buried in her backyard!
Despite what local detectives say, Abby refuses
to accept that her beloved aunt had anything to do with the murder. While
navigating a busy social calendar and rediscovering the art of quilting, she
launches an investigation of her own to clear Aunt Sybil’s name and catch the
true culprit. The incriminating clues roll in, yet Abby can’t help but
wonder—can she survive her new responsibilities in Snowberry Creek and still
manage to patch together a killer’s deadly pattern without becoming the next
victim?
Alexis will give
away an autographed copy of Death by Committee to one lucky commenter!
To enter, leave a comment
with your e-mail address in our comments section. Winner will be selected by random.org. US entries only please. Contest ends midnight, March 9.
