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ABOUT THE BOOK

Book title: Death among the Doilies (A Cora Crafts Mystery)

Genre: Mystery

Publish date: Aug. 30, 2016

Publisher: Kensington

For thirty-something blogger Cora Chevalier, small-town Indigo Gap, North Carolina, seems like the perfect place to reinvent her life. Shedding a stressful past as a counselor for a women’s shelter, Cora is pouring all her talents—and most of her savings—into a craft retreat business, with help from close pal and resident potter Jane Starr. Between transforming her Victorian estate into a crafter’s paradise and babysitting Jane’s daughter, the new entrepreneur has no time for distractions. Especially rumors about the murder of a local school librarian . . .

But when Jane’s fingerprints match those found at the grisly crime scene, Cora not only worries about her friend, but her own reputation. With angry townsfolk eager for justice and both Jane’s innocence and the retreat at risk, she must rely on her creative chops to unlace the truth behind the beloved librarian’s disturbing demise. Because if the killer’s patterns aren’t pinned, Cora’s handiwork could end up in stitches . . .

What initially got you interested in writing?

I wish I could say I knew. I’ve just always done it—ever since I was a child.

What genres do you write in?

I write mystery, but recently wrote a historical fiction  (Memory of Light: An Aftermath of Gettysburg. And I’m going to be dipping my toes in a small town romance book soon. I think it’s important to stretch into other genres and so on. It can only make you a better writer.

What drew you to writing these specific genres?

I’ve always been a huge mystery reader. And writing mysteries satisfies both side of my brain, you know? It’s so satisfying when justice is done. When you write mysteries, you get to explore the best and worst in characters.

With the historical, well, I’ve always love history. I was approached by someone to write the story, so I thought why not?

My romances always have a bit of suspense in them, but I find that romances really allow writers to explore relationships with a depth than maybe other genres don’t quite offer. Maybe I’m wrong—I’ve just started.

How did you break into the field?

I started out as a journals, then my career moved in the writing cookbooks. My agent, at the time, encouraged me to try fiction, and I always wanted to try. I love it.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

I want them be satisfied and entertained.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I love finding just the right word, or turn of phrase. But, meeting my readers, and listening to what they like, that exchange between reader and writer—there’s nothing like it. With so many things vying for our attention these days, when someone picks up one of my books and reads its…well, I am truly honored. It’s what keep me going some days.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Writing itself is full of challenges—plotting, endings, dialogue. All of it. But the most challenging part has been dealing with the changes in publishing. You have a lot of advice coming at you from all over the place. Sometimes it’s hard to keep your head down and keep writing!

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

I always give the same very unsexy advice. Learn the craft and know that it take years. Don’t worry about the agent and the publisher until you know you are absolutely ready. You don’t want to be published before then.

What type of books do you enjoy reading?

All types. These days, I’m gravitating more and more toward biography and nonfiction. I go through reading jags where all I’m reading are mysteries or suspense. Or I find a writer, say Susanna Kearsley (adore her!) and I read everything she’s written. Some of the other writers I’ve done that with Louise Penny, MC Beaton, and Elizabeth Peters. Oh and Deanna Raybourne!

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

I doubt it. I live a very simple life, mostly I sit in front of my computer day in and day out, writing. The other days, I have a part time fact-checking and research gig, so I am once again sitting in front of my computer!  I help with homework, take my girls where they need to be an so on. One of the only things I can think of that’s interesting about me is that my great aunt was Jean Harlow.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

I love to hear from my readers at molliebryan@comcast.net.

I have a website and blog here: molliecoxbryan.com, where you can sign up for my newsletter.

I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Thanks so much for having me!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MOLLIE COX BRYAN, author of the Cora Crafts Mysteries and the Agatha Award-nominated Cumberland Creek mystery series, is also an award-winning journalist and poet.  She currently writes and crafts in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and two daughters. Please visit her at molliecoxbryan.com, where you can sign up for her exclusive newsletter. For scrapbooking, recipes, and other crafty-freebies, join her on Pinterest at pinterest.com/molliecoxbryan.
Website: http://www.molliecoxbryan.com
Blog: http://www.molliecoxbryan.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/molliecoxbryanauthor/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/molliecoxbryan
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/345378.Mollie_Cox_Bryan