The body parts lady… author Cathy Ace

Welcome Cathy to Jamie Tremain’s blog.

We met Cathy Ace at the Bloody Words conference this past June. A transplant from Wales to Vancouver, British Columbia, Cathy is, after a successful career in marketing, doing what she loves best. Writing traditional mysteries. The fourth book in the Cait Morgan Mysteries is about to be launched.

‘The Corpse with the Platinum Hair’ brings us to our first question.

Pam:

As exciting as it must have been to have your first book published, when did you feel you ‘had made it’ as an author?

Cathy:

To be perfectly honest, Pam, I don’t think I have, yet, though maybe it’s a feeling I’ll get one day. I still think it’s very early days in my writing career. I know I’m incredibly fortunate to have a publisher so supportive of Cait’s adventures, and, indeed, there are two more books in the series in the works for 2015, but “made it”? Not yet. I am still learning, and am enjoying every moment.

Pam:

You are plowing through all the body parts in the titles of your books.  Do you intend to keep going with that theme?

Cathy:
Absolutely! It’s great fun, and I hope folks think it works. Of course, while some titles are more literally true (eg: Platinum Hair) many are metaphorical, and I think that’s just fine. On the horizon are corpses with Sapphire Eyes, and a Diamond Hand!

Pam:

Reading your books I have vicariously travelled to the south of France, B.C.’s wine country, Mexico and now Las Vegas in the Corpse with the Platinum Hair. Now that’s the kind of research I would like. Did you travel to all these spots for atmosphere?

Cathy:
I know I’m a lucky girl, and, yes, I know all the places I write about very well. I used to spend three or four months each year in the south of France; I live only three hours away from BC’s fabulous wine country; I’ve been fortunate enough to spend quite a bit of time on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and Vegas? I LOVE Vegas. Just over two hours away, by plane of course, it’s close enough for weekend jaunts. In 2015 Cait travels to Wales, where I was born and raised (I didn’t migrate to Canada until I was 40) and she also gets to cruise the Hawaiian Islands on a luxury liner – something I’ve been fortunate enough to do myself, indeed, my husband and I were married in Honolulu. After that? Well, I know where she’s off to in 2016 . . . but I think my publisher would like me to keep that to myself for now. Suffice to say I know the countries well, and the locales too . . . though I am planning return trips there to “double check” my facts!

Pam:

You were telling us about a new series you are starting. I love the premise.  Women of the W.I.S.E.  Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England. Can you tell us more about it? We could travel to Scotland for some research if you like!

Cathy:

I really enjoy writing the Cait Morgan Mysteries, and I’m delighted that a lot of people like to read about a travelling, foodie, not-so-amateur sleuth and her retired cop “significant other”. But a change is as good as a rest, or so they say, and I’ve always enjoyed Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone books. I put those two things together with my own British background, and came up with The Women of the WISE Enquiries Agency. They are a group of women from different backgrounds, who have formed a private enquiries agency, based in London. 

Carol Hill is in her thirties, Welsh, married and finally, very happily, pregnant. She’s a computer whizz, and is the office based person in the group. The Honourable Christine Wilson-Smythe is the daughter of an Irish Viscount, in her late twenties, very beautiful, very bright, and very single. Intrepid, and as fearless as only those under thirty can be, she sees life as an adventure. Mavis MacDonald is in her early sixties, just retired from her final posting as a matron in the British Army, a widow with two grown sons, grandchildren, and an aged mother who lives at a care home in Dumfries, Scotland, which is where Mavis grew up before she began to travel the world as a nurse. Mavis knows how to treat people from all walks of life as real human beings, and she has a good business head on her shoulders. Then there’s Annie Parker—her parents moved to the East End of London from St Lucia before she was born, so Annie’s blood might be an Afro-Caribe mix, but she’s as Cockney as they come, and loves living in The Big Smoke. A sharp tongue hides a vulnerable soul, and she’s decided, now she’s in her early fifties, that she’ll never get married, but relies for company upon her mum, Eustelle. Annie’s nuts about anything gumshoe, but these aren’t hardboiled PIs, they are women who enquire, and each possesses a unique skill set which allows them to work well as a team. In this first book of the series they are called to a stately home in Wales to investigate the Case of the Dotty Dowager. 

Liz:

If I were to travel to Wales (which I’d love to one day!) give me one or two ‘must see’ destinations not in the guide books.

Cathy:
Being a Swansea girl I will suggest you start there—the Gower Peninsula is in all the guide books, and rightly so, because it’s stunning. You’ll even find entries about an area called The Mumbles. But the hidden gem? Joe’s Ice cream parlour in The Mumbles—I have eaten ice cream on several continents, and Joe’s is THE best! A chocolate sundae at Joe’s is on my MUST DO list whenever I visit my mum and sister, who still live in Swansea! Also, (and again with a food theme—surprise, surprise) in a part of the Gower called Rhossili, there’s a little place I love to visit. When I was little it was called “Thomas’s”, so that’s how we refer to it within the family, but it’s been renamed The Bay Bistro, and it has a great, small, locally sourced menu, and a stunning view of the beach. When you’re full of lovely local food, you can walk out to the Worm’s Head (Google it!). Of course, back in Swansea you should visit The Brangwyn Hall, to see the world-famous panels painted by Frank Brangwyn, and drop into the Dylan Thomas centre, celebrating Swansea’s most famous literary figure. (Psst! A couple of these are mentioned in Cait Morgan’s fifth book, The Corpse with the Sapphire Eyes, which is set in a castle on the Gower Peninsula!)

Pam:

You recently became Vice-President of Crime Writers of Canada. www.crimewriterscanada.com/   Multitasking must come easily for you. Deadlines for a new series, social networking, travelling to conferences and family time. When do you write?

Cathy: You know, this is one of those question where the answer keeps changing. When I wrote my first two books I was working as a University lecturer, but then I “retired” (for the second time in my life—I’m making a habit of it!) and thought I’d have more time to write. And, indeed, for a while I did. But now? Now I usually write first thing in the morning for a few hours, then get other stuff done, then, when everyone’s gone to bed around 9.30pm I start again, writing through until about 2am. It’s quiet, and my mind seems to work well at that time. But I’m not someone who writes every day. Well, I do, but not my novels. Those I write in short, sharp bursts for four weeks, with all the plotting, planning, time-lining, and character development done ahead of time, then I sit down and can hardly stop!

Liz:

If Cait Morgan were to be brought to life through film or television – have you an actor in mind to play the part?

Cathy:

If Catherine Zeta Jones would be prepared to gain 80lbs, allow herself to be aged a few years, and get her hair grayed, she’d be perfect (except for the blue eyes!) It’s the accent, you see . . . there aren’t a lot of Swansea-born actresses with that transatlantic twang that creeps in after a few years, and she’d have that off pat. Funnily enough, when I recorded the first two Cait Morgan books for Audible, the recording engineer said I sounded a bit like her! Yes, we grew up together (I’m a fair few years her senior) and I knew her when she was a child and as a teen, so I suppose that explains the similarities.

Pam:

There is a profusion of writing advice on the Internet. Were you influenced by anyone in particular when you started writing your books? And I don’t mean Agatha Christie!

Cathy:

Confession—I have never read a book about writing, or attended a course about writing, in my life. It’s a bit embarrassing, really. I just write the way I do, and hope folks enjoy listening to the voices in my head! My overall goal is to tell good stories, without the words getting in the way. My ultimate hope is that readers feel as though they have experienced my books, rather than that they have read them.

Pam:

I think we all agree that writing conferences are a wonderful way to give and receive support for ones endeavours. We have made many friends along the way from attending Bloody Words and Scene of the Crime. These conferences are unfortunately no more. Will we have to travel to Portland Oregon for ‘West Coast Crime’ www.leftcoastcrime.org/2015/ or can you as VP at Crime Writers envision a large conference in Canada we can attend?  Not that I am averse to Portland. I’ll see you there when our book is published

Cathy:

This past twelve months has given me the chance to attend my first ever conferences. I began with Bouchercon in Albany, NY in September 2013, then Left Coast Crime in Monterey, CA, in March 2014, Malice Domestic in May, the Canadian Libraries Association conference in Victoria, BC, also in May, Bloody Words in Toronto in June, the Special Libraries Association conference in Vancouver in June, the American Libraries Association conference in Las Vegas in June, and I enjoyed them ALL. This year I can’t make Bouchercon, which is annoying because it’s in Long beach CA this year, so a much easier journey, but I hope to go in 2015. I know what you mean—it’s a great opportunity to meet fellow authors, but it’s even more fun to meet readers, and that’s why I’ll be attending Left Coast Crime in Portland in March 2015 and Malic Domestic in Bethesda, MD in May—when I get to celebrate my birthday with a group of like-minded lovers of traditional mysteries!

I have no secret information about any future Canadian crime conferences—sorry!

Pam:

You have had success with short stories and anthologies and your work has been produced for BBC4. Tell us about your experience listening to your words broadcast over the radio.

Cathy:

To hear what I had written expertly performed by the wonderful actress Alex Kingston (she was Dr. Corday in ER, and, given that I’m such a huge Doctor Who fan, I will always know her as Doctor River Song) made me shiver. It’s very strange to hear your words coming from someone else’s lips, in someone else’s voice. The second of my short stories was performed by another excellent actress, Glenne Headly (she was the female lead in the super movie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and was just as thrilling. Both stories featured strong female central characters – something I seem to do a lot! It was such a proud moment—being in Vancouver, on the phone with my mum and dad in Wales, listening to BBC Radio 4 as the first story was first broadcast. THAT was very special.

Jamie Tremain:

Thanks Cathy for sharing your writing life with us. Congratulations and have fun and good sales at the launch of The Corpse with the Platinum Hair and your new series.

Thanks so much for having me along!

Having fun at Bloody Words in June 2014

Cathy Ace loves crime! It’s true – she discovered Nancy Drew in her local library, then found Agatha Christie on her Mum’s bookshelves, and she never looked back. Cathy happily admits that the characters she met between the book-covers as a child have influenced her writing. “Nancy Drew was plucky, strong and independent, and Agatha Christie’s puzzles engaged me every time. I love the sort of book that mixes intricate plotting with a dash of danger, and that’s what I’ve tried to create with my Cait Morgan Mystery Series.”

Her debut novel, “The Corpse with the Silver Tongue”, was published by TouchWood Editions in March 2012.”The Corpse with the Golden Nose” was then published in March 2013, and appeared on the BC Bestseller list for the first time in April 2013. April 2014 saw the publication of “The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb”, and the fourth Cait Morgan Mystery, “The Corpse with the Platinum Hair”, will be released in September 2014.

Born and raised in Swansea, South Wales, Cathy is, like her heroine, now a Canadian citizen. “Cait’s Welsh Canadian, as am I. They say ‘write what you know’, so a short, plus-sized Welsh woman, who’s quite bossy, fits the bill! But Cait and I are not one and the same: she’s got skills and talents I don’t possess, and I’m delighted to say that I don’t usually encounter corpses wherever I go!”

With a successful career in marketing having given her the chance to write training courses and textbooks, Cathy has now finally turned her attention to her real passion: crime fiction. Her short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies. Two of her works, “Dear George” and “Domestic Violence”, have also been produced by Jarvis & Ayres Productions as “Afternoon Reading” broadcasts for BBC Radio 4.

“The Corpse with the Emerald Thumb” was published on 15th April 2014 and will be followed by the publication of “The Corpse with the Platinum Hair” in September 2014 (already available for pre-order/order).

Cathy is proud to be a member, and now Vice President, of Crime Writers of Canada, and a member of Sisters in Crime.

You can contact Cathy Ace by e-mail at: ace@cathyace.com  cathy.ace.author@facebook.com


Talk soon,
Slainte,

Pam & Liz

September Summary

Summer’s gone – the warm breezes filling my writing room may well be the last gasp of summer. Not looking forward to this winter, based on predictions that it could be worse than the last one. Memories of that season are still too fresh in my mind.

I’ve been settling into my new location at work, getting acquainted with new faces and learning how to adapt to a slightly different work environment. Missing so many of my friends back up on the sixth floor though and it’s not as easy to grab a coffee or share lunch as I’d hoped.   Very glad then to have seen so many familiar faces Friday night at our company’s annual Gala and Rewards evening.  Several co-workers received well-deserved awards, among them two who won the top prize - a week long cruise later in January when all the annual convention winners world-wide assemble for a week of fun and sun aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Caribbean.

Pam and I had a Jamie Tremain day last Saturday, directing our focus to submit Body Perfect to another publisher. The publisher who’d had the manuscript for several months, decided against it a couple of months ago. C’est la vie.   So back on the submission trail we go.

During the summer months, both Pam and I suffered family losses and are regrouping in the aftermath.  It knocked us off our writing stride and it’s been an uphill climb to regain the rhythm, but we will persevere.  We’re certainly not unique in having major life events occur, and life still does go on.  Perhaps just a little differently.  For me, it’s meant not taking anything for granted, to live each day grateful for the blessings I enjoy, and to make a difference.

Getting back on the writing track took a big step forward last weekend.  After a morning of writing and planning, Pam and I enjoyed a lively lunch with fellow writers, Gloria Ferris and Donna Warner.  They both willingly share helpful advice and we had some laugh-filled brainstorming.  Another aspect to our meeting was discussing the desire we all have to develop a writing-related group to offer resources, advice and to promote other authors in the area. As well as sharing writing and publicity ideas.   We now have the fledgling beginnings of a group – more details to follow in the near future.  I’m quite excited about this venture.

Speaking of writing resources, Donna Warner’s blog offers great tips and advice – be sure to check it out.

And Jamie Tremain’s next interview will be posted later this month featuring Cathy Ace – fun lady and successful author of the Cait Morgan series.

I leave you with this gem from one of my favourite Twitter sites – Haggard Hawks Words   @HaggardHawks   -  A  quilicom is an utterly pointless or irrelevant matter raised in a conversation.       With municipal elections around the corner, this could come in handy!

Cheers!

Liz

A chat with Erika Chase

Today’s guest is Erika Chase. Oops I mean Linda Wiken. This talented writer was formerly a mystery bookstore owner in Ottawa. She uses the name Erika Chase to write the Ashton Corners Book club mysteries.        

Jamie:

 Welcome Linda to Jamie Tremain’s blog. Thanks for being here. Congratulations on your fourth book in the series.

You have a fantastic blog ‘Mystery Maven’.You post and invite others to bare their souls. Your reviews of other authors are always spot on. Is a blog essential to today's writer for their ‘platform’ or is this just something you like to do?

Linda:

Thank you! And the answer is, both. Part of the writing experience is promoting our works. Gone are the days of relying on publishers to do all of it, unless you’re a big name author, of course. So, along with launches, signings and readings, social media has become indispensable and along with Facebook, Twitter and those others I haven’t even started looking into, there are blogs. So many readers are now bloggers and reviewers and that’s great! It’s a boon to authors and we’re happy to be involved in the experience. However, I really enjoy wearing my other hat and being a blogger. I get to learn more about my colleagues and ‘meet’ readers, too!

  

Jamie:

Tell us about your work in progress. Has Lizzie Turner, your protagonist, used her sleuthing skills yet again or are you trying something different?

Linda:

Book #5, by Erika Chase, which is due on my editor’s computer at the end of this month, does involve Lizzie Turner and the Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society. This time, they get a big surprise when Bob Miller’s long lost granddaughter turns up and confronts him. But that’s not the only surprise she has in store. And, you know there’s gotta be a murder, too!

As soon as that’s on its way, I’m starting a second series with Berkley Prime Crime, the Culinary Capers Mysteries. This series will be written by the real me – Linda Wiken.

Jamie:

Your mysteries are in the cozy genre. When running Prime Crime bookshop you had many genres to choose from. Why cozies?

Linda:

Although I do read a bit of everything, I mainly read for enjoyment. And there’s nothing more enjoyable and yes, cozy, than a traditional mystery. I like the sense of community, the puzzle and the chase a cozy provides.

I also watch TV and movies for enjoyment. If I want gritty and bleak, I read the newspapers. Real life provides enough of that.

Jamie:

'Ashton Corners' is located in Alabama. How did you find your voice to sound like those southern folk? Do you have connections there or do you rely on pure research?

Linda:

Talk about find a voice. I actually borrowed from the public library a set of tapes for actors who are working on accents. I love Southern accents and when I’m writing, I hear the dialogue in ‘Southern’.  Although, sadly, I’m not able to replicate it at readings. I’ve done a lot of research on the internet using various site,s and Google street view, too. I buy a couple of magazines from the South, each month. I read lots of books, mysteries and others set there. And, I have a couple of “sources”, one who lives there, one who used to live there. It all combines on the page.

Jamie:

Your first book,  A Killer Read, was nominated for an Agatha Award  for Best First novel in 2012. Tell us about that experience.

 Linda:

Incredible! I could not believe it when I got the phone call. There are so many cozies published each year in the U.S., and Malice Domestic has such a large attendance, I never even dreamed about a nomination. But wow, it was sure fun. They treat their nominees real nice and I have a lot of happy memories. Plus, it’s great incentive to keep writing!

Jamie:

Why a ‘nom de plume’? How was Erika Chase hatched?

Linda:

The idea for a book club series came from my editor at Berkley Prime Crime. This happens a lot at big publishing houses and they usually require their authors who write those series to use a pen name. I chose Erika in honour of my late father, Erik. Chase, because it’s near the beginning of the alphabet.

This new series, which was my idea, will therefore be under my real name. 

Jamie:

Writing, cooking, and music are big parts of your life – do you have other items on your “bucket list”?

Linda:

Travel! There are so many places overseas I’d love to visit. I adore old European towns and head to those parts in any city I visit. There are still so many countries I haven’t seen.

Jamie:

 

Speaking of cooking – if you could invite any author, living or dead, to a home cooked dinner, who would you invite and what would you serve?

Linda:

That’s easy. Alice Munro. I have most of her books and just love her use of words to share the lives of her characters. Everyone is important in her short stories. Every word counts.

What to serve is a different matter. My secret is that although I’m a foodie (I love books, magazines, TV shows about food), I’m not a very creative cook. But I think I’d go for something light, like a quinoa salad, grilled chicken breasts and also, while the BBQ is going, some veggies. And then again, if Alice Munro were coming, I’d stew about it for many days and end up changing my menu at the very last minute. It’s been known to happen!

Jamie:

Is collaborative writing something you would consider?

Linda:

I’ve never considered it so don’t really know if it’s for me. Except, if someone suggests it, I’d think seriously about it. I really admire those of you who are able to do that – to make the work read seamlessly and to remain on speaking terms!  I think of Victoria Abbott, Charles Todd, and Jamie Tremain of course.

Jamie:

Who is your favourite author and do you style your writing after anyone in particular?

Linda:

I don’t have a single favourite author when it comes to mysteries. There are so many I admire, truly. A lot of times it depends on the mood I’m in when reading. But I must admit, I do keep going back to Andrea Camilleri and Martin Walker, probably because of their settings!  I also try to read most of the Canadians and wouldn’t dare name a favourite for fear of…well, you know, we do write mysteries and know how to kill people.

I try not to style my writing after anyone however, I do read a lot of my colleagues in the Berkley Prime Crime cozy world who I think do it right. They’re inspiration.

Jamie:

Conferences, book signings and readings are all part of an author’s promotional role. Is this something you enjoy or are you itching to get back to the writing?

Linda:

Although it takes up a lot of time that should be spent writing, I really enjoy all of the promoting part. It’s fun to meet with other authors, to get to know readers and hopefully attract new ones, and to just take a break from the computer. But there’s always a part of me that wants to get back to the writing, and my brain keeps an eye out for anything that could be considered “research” at any event.

Linda/Erika at a recent book signing with the dynamic duo known as

Victoria Abbott.       

Thanks Linda for sharing your thoughts on Erika’s journey. We wish you well with your future books.

BIO

Erika writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries for Penguin/Berkley Prime Crime.  In a parallel life Erika Chase is also known as Linda Wiken. A former mystery bookstore owner (Prime Crime Books in Ottawa, ON, Canada), Linda is also a short story writer. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies' Killing Circle.

Her short stories have appeared in the seven Ladies’ Killing Circle anthologies (three of which she co-edited), and in the magazines Mysterious Intent and Over My Dead Body. She has been short-listed for an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada.

Before life in the world of mystery, she worked as an advertising copywriter, radio producer, journalist and community education worker.  Besides writing and reading mysteries, her other passion is choral singing and she is a member of two choirs.

Okay, maybe one more passion -- chocolate!

She shares her house with Keesha and Mojo, her two Siamese cats. Actually, they allow her to live there.

You can find Linda at   Erika Chase  and   Mystery Maven 
Canada


Talk soon,

Slainte,

Jamie

BLOG HOP

Good morning everyone,

Jamie Tremain has been invited to join a “Blog-Hop” that’s happening in cyber land. We will be answering four questions about the writing process. Many thanks to Linda Sundman Wiken AKA  Erika Chase who writes the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries. You can find Linda @ http://www.erikachase.com/
 http://mysterymavencdn.blogspot.ca/ 

1)    How does our work differ from others of its genre.

Collaborators work to a different drummer than other writers who may tear their hair out in frustration when things go belly up. Liz and I as Jamie Tremain  are able to vent to each other and just one word can start the creative juices flowing. The same happens when we start the revision process and edit each others work. Collaborating doesn’t work for everyone. Our work differs from others only to the point of being two points of view ( Liz and mine) but when we write we write in the character’s voice.

  

   2)         What are we working on?  

We've just finished our third book called Death on the Alder. We’re taking a few weeks break from it and will start the revisions soon. This is my favourite part. Liz not so much. Getting the first draft finished can be nerve wracking  and we always look forward to writing The End. This book is a one off, we think, but we’ll leave it open until after the revision. Then it’s on to the second in the series with P.I. Dorothy Dennehy.

     Next is the synopsis writing and query letters. Sending to agents and publishers is time consuming but as necessary as the writing itself if you want to be published.

    3)    Why do we write what we do?
  
That’s an easy one. We write what we like to read. We like strong but quirky characters.Good plot lines with a few dead bodies thrown in for good measure. We both enjoy thrillers as well. Forensics in any form is right up Liz’s alley and I tend to read psychological suspense. Reading a variety of books in those genres helps us narrow down what we write.

   4)    How does our writing process work?

Our writing process is a hit and miss affair. Because there are two of us we like to be in agreement of what the other has written.   Most of our collaboration is done online but we do get together once a month to brainstorm and also to read out what we have written. This becomes really important during revisions.  We use Google Docs to write in real time so if we can’t get together we have long sessions hammering out the story.  It’s not for the faint of heart and you must leave your ego at the door. Trust in what the other is writing is also a big part of what we do.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are happy to tag our friend from Houston , debut author Kay Kendall who writes
the Austin Starr mysteries. She will answer questions on her writing process and tag other bloggers.
You can contact Kay and visit her site Monday August 11th .

Kay Kendall set her debut novel, Desolation Row—An Austin Starr Mystery, in 1968. The Vietnam War backdrop illuminates reluctant courage and desperate love when a world teeters on chaos. Kay’s next mystery, Rainy Day Women (2015)finds amateur sleuth Austin Starr trying to prove a friend didn’t murder women’s liberation activists in Seattle and Vancouver. Kay is an award-winning international PR executive living in Texas with her Canadian husband, three house rabbits, and spaniel Wills. Terribly allergic to bunnies, she loves them anyway! Her book titles show she’s a Bob Dylan buff too.
 

Kay Kendall

Desolation Row—An Austin Starr Mystery (2013, Stairway Press, Seattle)

Rainy Day Women—An Austin Starr Mystery (spring 2015, Stairway Press, Seattle)

www.kaykendallauthor.com/

www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor

@kaylee_kendall

Hope you're all enjoying the summer weather wherever you are. Look for our regular interviews with our favourite authors. Line up to be confirmed.

Talk soon,
Slainte,
Pam