I want to welcome Marilyn
Meredith. First I’d love you to introduce yourself.
I’m the author of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series, as well
as other books. Tempe is a Native American resident deputy in an around the
fictional town of Bear Creek in the Southern Sierra. My husband and I live in a
similar area. We have a large family and are fortunate to have many of our
offspring nearby. I’ve been writing since I was a kid, and though I’ve written
in many genres, nowadays I’ve been concentrating on mysteries. I’ve taught
writing in many venues, including the Writer’s Digest School and the Maui
Writers Retreat. I belong to Mystery Writers of America, three chapters of
Sisters in Crime and I’m the board of the Public Safety Writers Association.
Tell us about your
latest release.
Spirit Shapes is the latest in the Tempe Crabtree series and
the official blurb is: Ghost
hunters stumble upon a murdered teen in a haunted house. Deputy Tempe
Crabtree's investigation pulls her into a whirlwind of restless spirits, good
and evil, intertwined with the past and the present, and demons and angels at
war.
Now I have a few
questions for you – I have found readers do like to know fun things about us
writers.
1.) Who is your
favorite villain – it can be from a book (even one of yours), movie or TV show.
And why?
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs) is no doubt the most
sinister and scariest villain I’ve ever read about and watched in the movies
made about the books. Just the fact that he pops into my mind whenever I think
about a villain makes him the answer to the question. The fact that the fictional
character was based on a real person makes him even scarier. In the books and
movies, despite what he was capable of doing, he had a fascinating persona.
2.) Who is your
favorite character out of your books? Why?
Tempe Crabtree is a favorite because she is based on three
strong women: a Native American woman that I know, a resident deputy I
interviewed for a newspaper article, and a police officer that I went on a
ride-along with. All three women had attributes that I melded into Tempe.
Because I’ve written so many books about her, she seems like a real person. I
know everything about her, how she thinks and how she will react in any given
situation.
3.) What genre do you
write? What made you pick that one?
As I mentioned earlier, I stick to mysteries now. I’ve
always loved to read mysteries, beginning with Nancy Drew. Though I’ve written
in other genres, creating a mystery is the most satisfying to me.
4.) What are you
working on now?
I’ve just finished the latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery
which I’ve titled Not as It Seems. My critique group still has to hear the
final chapters before I do a final edit and send it off to the publisher.
5.) What got you to
start writing?
My first writing efforts started before I could actually
write—I drew pictures of my own stories. When I could write I started with my
own version of fairy tales—starring fairies, went on to stories similar to the
Little House on the Prairie books, and plays for the neighborhood kids to act
in. As an adult, because I married young and had a big family, for a while I
stuck to writing the PTA newsletter and plays for my Camp Fire Girls to
perform. Eventually my children grew up and I began to concentrate on fiction.
6.) Where do you get
your ideas from?
Ideas are everywhere: in newspapers, TV news, conversations
(and yes, I do like to eavesdrop and it’s certainly easy to do now with folks
talking loudly on the cell phones), and sometimes when I dream ideas for books
I’m working on.
7.) What would people
who read your work be surprised to find out about you?
That I’m nothing like my main character, though she has some
of the attributes I had when I was much younger. I’ve never been in law
enforcement or had ambitions in that direction. However, many of my relatives
have been or still are policemen or deputies.
8.) Do you have any
special talents?
Over the years, I’ve done many things that I’m proud of and
suspect took a certain amount of talent: I’ve taught children with special
needs, disadvantaged kids, owned and operated a licensed care home for women
with developmental disabilities, taught classes for adults about different
phases of having a care home, I’m a good cook and like to make up recipes, and
I’ve tackled many jobs that I’d never thought I could do and succeeded.
9.) What was the one
piece of advice you received when you were an aspiring author that has stuck
with you? Why?
Never give up. If I’d let the many rejections I received
when I started sending out that first manuscript discourage me I would never be
where I am today with over 35 published books. I would add to that advice to
learn as much about the craft as possible, and be ready to learn from
criticism.
10.) If you could talk
to any famous figure (present, past or fictional) who would it be and what
would you talk about?
I’m never sure how to answer this question—there are so
many. Of course I’d love to talk to many
of my favorite writers, and I’ve had the chance to do that over the years, but
going into the past, it would be fun to talk to Agatha Christie and learn the
answers to some of the questions you asked me.
11.) What song would
you say describes your life?
I don’t know any of the popular songs of the day. And the
songs that I do know are old—perhaps “Sentimental Journey” from the ‘40s.
12.) If you could come
back as any animal – what would it be?
A cat, because after a full and busy lifetime I’d be ready
to laze around and be pampered.
Excerpt:
Chapter 1
“Delia
is nuts. She makes me so angry I could kill her.” The shrill outburst came from
a slender woman not much out of her teens stomping into the dining room of the
Bear Creek Inn.
The
diners turned to stare at her, including Deputy Tempe Crabtree and her husband,
Pastor Hutch Hutchinson. He leaned
closer to Tempe and asked, “Who is that?”
“She’s
probably one of the movie people who are filming on the reservation,” Tempe
said.
“She
doesn’t look like a star.”
Hutch
was right. The woman in question had a puff of short, curly red hair. Freckles
polka-dotted a plain but animated face. She wore cutoff jeans and an oversize
pale blue shirt that hung off one bony shoulder.
Claudia,
the owner of the inn, came rushing after her. “Excuse me, dear, what can I do
to help you?” Claudia appeared to know
the girl, or at least who she was.
She
whirled around to face Claudia, but didn’t lower her voice. “Delia doesn’t like
the food she ordered. She wants something else and she wants it right now.”
“Come
with me to the kitchen. We’ll see what we can do for her.” While casting
apologetic looks to the many other patrons as she passed, Claudia took the
girl’s arm and led her away.
Hutch
returned his attention to his dinner. “I wonder what that’s about.”
“I’m
guessing she is Delia West’s personal assistant. It sounds like she has a
difficult job.” Ever since the movie company invaded Bear Creek, Tempe had been
hearing rumors about the problems they caused. Thankfully, nothing she had to
take care of in her capacity as resident deputy of the mountain area
surrounding the small town of Bear Creek—at least not yet.
Hutch
finished the last of his steak and pushed the plate aside. He focused his gaze on Tempe. “I’m still
surprised the Tribal Council gave them permission to film on the reservation.”
“Me too.
But from what I’ve heard, the production company promised the movie would
promote a positive image of the tribe and bring tourists to the casino. That weighed heavily on the decision. Not
everyone is enthusiastic about the project.”
“Did
they have an opportunity to read the script?”
.
Tempe
admired her husband before answering. The wire-framed glasses perched on his
nose helped his pastoral image, but contrasted with the twinkle in his eyes and
his tousled auburn hair. “I don’t know, but I would think so or they wouldn’t
have agreed.” Tempe glanced around the room. “Some of the other people
connected with the filmmaking are having dinner here. I suspect the assistant’s
remarks will get back to Ms. West.”
“I
figured that’s who these strangers are. They kind of stick out.”
Besides
being strangers, the extra people didn’t dress like the citizens of Bear Creek.
Some of them wore what they might have thought mountain people might wear:
brand new shorts and slacks, crisp shirts, and boots, looking like they stepped
out of a Land’s End, J. Crew or L.L. Bean catalog.
“I hope
that young woman doesn’t get into trouble.” Hutch pushed his empty plate aside.
“This is one time I’d like to have Nick Two John fill us in.”
Nick Two
John was Claudia’s partner in life, the main chef at the inn, and a good friend
of Tempe and Hutch. Over the years, Nick educated Tempe about her Indian
heritage and culture. Hutch didn’t always approve, but despite some
disagreements their friendship grew.
Almost
as though he’d heard Hutch, Nick stepped out of the kitchen following Claudia.
She continued on to the front desk, but Nick pulled a chair up to their table.
“Claudia told me you were out here.” His long black braids hung down over his
white shirt, tucked neatly into worn Levis.
Hutch
obviously couldn’t contain his curiosity. “We couldn’t help but wonder about
that young woman. Where did she go, by the way?”
“Her
name is Kate Eileen Shannon and she is the personal assistant to Delia West,
the movie star.”
“She
doesn’t sound too happy about her job,” Tempe said.
“Ms.
West is difficult. I cooked a special meal at her request, but it didn’t suit
her. She blamed Kate Eileen and ordered her to fetch something else. I fixed up
a plate of tonight’s special and sent her out through the kitchen.”
Buy Links:
From the publisher, all formats:
For Kindle:
Amazon paperback:
For Nook
My website:
My blog:
Thank you so much for this interview, Barbara. You asked me some question I've never been asked before.
ReplyDeleteAfter knowing Marilyn for 10 years --and being her OTHER PUBLISHER--I wouldn't have thought I would learn so many new things about her! Thanks for a great interview!
ReplyDeleteHi, Billie, I can't imagine that you learned anything new about me.
DeleteAnother great interview, Marilyn, as always. After reading the synopsis of River Spirits, I cannot wait to read it. I'm buying it today.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jackie. Hope you enjoy River Spirits.
DeleteLove how you got started writing! You were destined for it!
ReplyDelete