Fiction Scribe

Happy Friday everyone!

Today I have a treat for you. The murder mystery author Roberta Isleib has been lovely enough to grant me an interview with her. Please join me in welcoming her to Fiction Scribe.

Hello and thank you for stopping at Fiction Scribe, Ms. Isleib. Tell the readers a bit about yourself.

Hello and thanks for having me in! I’m a clinical psychologist and the author of seven mysteries, the latest just out this month: PREACHING TO THE CORPSE. The first five books starred a neurotic lady golfer. The new series features a psychologist living in Connecticut who writes an advice column–not that she’s an expert on her own life!

What brought you into the world of writing? When did you start?

Writing is a mid-life crisis for me. After years and years of school and a career as a therapist, I began to write articles about the psychology of golf. Gradually my ambitions expanded and I started working on a mystery novel–the kind of book I’d always loved to read.

You’re currently on virtual tour for your mystery novel Preaching to the Corpse. Could you tell us a bit about the book?

Of course! The holidays have arrived in postcard-perfect Guilford, CT, but someone’s taking the joy out of the season…

Psychologist/advice columnist Dr. Rebecca Butterman gets a call in the middle of night from the minister at her church. He’s in custody after going to a fellow parishioner’s home and finding her dead. The murdered matron was the leader of a search committee charged with finding a new assistant pastor after the previous assistant left in a rush. Rebecca learns that the committee was divided–has someone tried to eliminate the competition? Rebecca puts her analytical skills to work to do her own Search–for a killer. All while resisting the urge to break the seventh commandment with a very married detective, and praying she’s not the next victim.

What inspired you to write Preaching to the Corpse? Where did the idea begin?

Honestly I think I must have been sitting in some meeting at church. Either I was “bored to death” or annoyed to death. I started daydreaming, as writers do: What if someone in a meeting like this one was murdered? It seemed as though it would be especially frightening to have the crime committed by someone you think you know, in a place where most people expect nothing but good…

What character do you relate to the most and why?

Dr. Butterman. She’s a clinical psychologist like me and she loves, loves, loves to eat. She’s a better cook than I am, and nosier. As far as our personal lives, I’d have to say mine is much more satisfactory than hers!

What is your favourite part of the book?

I really enjoy writing the ending of a book, and PREACHING TO THE CORPSE was no exception. Most of the hard work of figuring out what happened and why is done. This is the fun part where all that work gets paid off. And I enjoy leaving a little teaser for the book that will follow.

What draws you about writing mysteries?

I’ve always read mysteries, series in particular. I like the feeling of getting to know a set of characters and then revisiting them. Like visiting old friends. I like the puzzle angle too, and seeing justice meted out in the end. But the characters come first.

Are there any authors who have inspired you in your writing?

Carolyn Keene with her Nancy Drew series. I read them all. I read a lot of contemporary mysteries now, because I’m always wanting to improve. Some of the writers I admire are Michael Connelly, Arnaldur Indridaison, Nancy Pickard, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Stephen White…just to name a very few!

What are you working on now?

I have just finished and mailed off the third book in the Rebecca Butterman advice column series. The working title is LINE IN THE SAND, though I have a feeling that will change. Rebecca’s good friend, a social worker who does sand tray therapy, is found beaten and left for dead. Rebecca searches for clues in the sand trays to track a would-be killer. The book should be out next September. After the holidays, I’ll start thinking about what to write next…

What are your dreams for your writing?

I hope to continue to write good books, have them published, and have them sell well. Oh and I wouldn’t mind a few awards and lots of enthusiastic fans. Might as well dream big, right?

When you’re not writing novels, what do you do? How do you find time to write?

While I no longer practice psychology, I consider writing to be my full time job. A published author has to spend a good amount of time promoting her books, so I do that later in the day when I’m too tired to write. For fun, I read, practice yoga, take agility classes with my Australian shepherd, and spend too much time emailing!

And this year I’m serving as president of Sisters in Crime, an organization formed by Sara Paretsky to combat discrimination against women crime writers.

Do you have any advice for writers?

First, take a look at your priorities, then set some long-term goals, and then break those down into short-term, action-oriented goal-lets. You might decide you¹ll write 500 or 1000 words per day, or you¹ll spend half an hour a day writing. Writing 2 pages a day produces a book in 6 months.

Second, hone your craft. The competition in the publishing business is brutal. You can’t afford to send anything out that’s not your best. Find a critique group, hire an editor, take classes….you get the idea.

Third, be persistent. Lots of people with good ideas or even good books, don’t get published because they give up.

Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you for having me as a guest!

**If you liked this interview, check out my other author interviews.

Roberta Isleib, Preaching to the Corpse, mystery, fiction, books, virtual book tours