Steve: Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author June Trop, who has written an outstanding historical mystery series set in first-century CE Roman Alexandria, an interesting combination of the historical fiction and mystery genres. Without further ado, why don’t you tell the readers of this blog a bit about yourself.

June: I’ll discuss the series first. It contains the following novels: The Deadliest Lie (Bell Bridge, 2013), praised by the Historical Novel Society; The Deadliest Hate (Bell Bridge, 2015), honorable mention for fiction at the 2016 New York Book Festival; The Deadliest Sport (Black Opal Books, 2017); The Deadliest Fever (Black Opal Books, 2018), placed in the Readers’ Choice cover contest; and The Deadliest Thief (Black Opal Books, in press).

My academic background from my previous life as a teacher contains the following high points: a BA in biology/chemistry magna cum laude from Rutgers University, where I was elected to Phi Beta Kappa; and teaching science in the public secondary schools of New Jersey and New York State. I received an award from Jersey Central Power and Light for NJ Science Teacher of the Year; an MS in Ed. in teaching biology from the State University of New York, New Paltz; and an Ed.D. in the education of teachers of science from Teachers College, Columbia University. I was professor of Secondary Science Teacher Education at the State University of New York, New Paltz.

June on Reading and Writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

June: Although I’ve enjoyed language, putting words together to make sense, I started writing professionally as an academic. But it was only when I retired that I began to write fiction. That was eleven years ago.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

June: The first book I wrote was for and about novice teachers, From Lesson Plans to Power Struggles (Corwin, 2009). I wanted novice teachers, based on their own stories, to understand that, although they might be alone in their classroom, they are not alone in their struggles and fears. Moreover, I wanted their mentors, those seasoned veteran teachers who supervise them, to be able to put on the goggles of their charges to understand how to guide them better. When that book was finished and accepted for publication, I began to think I could actually write another book.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

June: Writing is something I want to do. I look forward to the time I can spend listening to my characters as they share their adventures with me in the world my research and imagination have created.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

June: Starting with Nancy Drew and graduating to Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, Lawrence Block, and Walter Mosley among others, I’ve been living a life of crime almost my entire life. I myself wanted to be an amateur detective, but alas, no mysteries whispered in my ear; no secret passages, clues, or unclaimed treasures beckoned me. So, I had to use my imagination. In that sense, I would say that my lack of personal experiences influenced my creativity.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

June: I think creativity emerges from knowledge. That is, a deep knowledge base is necessary for creativity to develop.

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

June: I always have a book to read, something to keep me company during those calms in the storm, like when I’m about to go to sleep or waiting for someone. Right now, I’m reading Little Green by Walter Mosley. I read a variety of books, my choices of literary fiction driven by the book club I belong to and my crime fiction choices based on my interest in studying the techniques of particular authors.

Steve: Who is your favorite author and why?

June: My favorite author is Arthur Conan Doyle. Aside from his memorable Sherlock Holmes stories, he wrote a host of other tales of horror and mystery. I enjoy reading and re-reading them for the atmosphere he created. Whenever I read The Hound of the Baskervilles, my favorite, my nerves still tingle in the evocative landscape of Dartmoor.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

June: Now that I know my characters well—I am now writing the sixth book in the Miriam bat Isaac Series—they are more likely to direct me, or so it seems. Right now, I am focusing on a subgenre, the locked room mystery, but it is still the situations and personality of my characters that determine how the plot will develop. Since the beginning, I’ve been keeping a journal of plot ideas. I let them simmer and see how my characters take to them. Most I discard; some I save; a few I develop.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

June: My characters are composites of people I know, with a little of me mixed in as well.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

June: I have mainly Greek, Roman, and Jewish characters. Using a list of names that were common in each culture, I’m guided by their meanings, those that suit my character or for comical effect, those that are the antithesis. But I also impose my own rules: The names should be simple to pronounce; no two characters should have names that sound similar (unless that’s part of the mystery); and the way others address the character, should reflect his or her status.

Steve: Any comments about writing dialog?

June: Lawrence Block, to me, writes the best dialog. That is, he can make the written word sound like the spoken word. And so, I read everything he writes, and aside from enjoying his plots, setting, and characters, I study the way he writes dialog.

Steve: How do you handle POV?

June: I write in the first person. My protagonist, Miriam bat Isaac, narrates the stories. I’ve set my books in a place none of my readers have visited. I use the first-person POV to bring readers close to Miriam and her world, to make her and her setting more credible.

Steve: Do you do fact-finding for (AKA research) your books?  If so, how? What sources do you use?

June: I check and double check everything! I rely on journals (e.g., of archaeology, alchemy); and maps of first-century Alexandria as well as of Caesarea, Ephesus, and Tarsus, where pieces of my plots take the characters. All these cities were important in the first century so there are many books about their neighborhoods and architecture, flora and fauna, games and sports, religion and culture, business and commerce, food and drinks, language and customs, politics and government. You name it. That’s part of the fun for me. I never know what detail I’ll be researching on a given day. For example, when writing The Deadliest Hate, I had an Egyptian cobra break out of its urn and make its way toward Miriam across a marble floor. How did snakes of that class crawl on such a smooth surface? I needed to know that.

Steve: What reference works do you use most?

June: No matter what I write, no matter what programs are built into my computer, I always have beside me Hayakawa’s book, Choosing the Right Word; Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style; and my Webster’s New World Dictionary. Always!

June on the Writing Business:

Steve: Do you use a formatter?  Editor?  Agent?

June: I am a good-enough editor until the final draft, when I rely on my twin sister, Gail Trop Kushner’s eagle eye and unvarnished criticism. On matters of antiquity, I rely on my friend, Lewis M. Greenberg, professor emeritus of art history and culture, for his expertise. I have never had an agent.

Steve: Do you self-publish or traditionally publish?

June: My works have been traditionally published, first by Bell Bridge Books and then by Black Opal Books.

Steve: What are your most effective marketing techniques?  Where would you like to improve?  Do you go it alone or seek professional help (outside what your publisher provides, if appropriate).

June: There is no magic bullet for marketing. It’s 99% persistence and 1% luck. I seem to do better with my own initiative than with professional promoters. So, I use some combination of social media, personal appearances, broadcasts, and podcasts.

Steve: Do you release trade paperbacks or ebooks or both?

June: Both.

Steve: What do you think of publishing services like Amazon, Smashwords, etc?  What about small presses v. large, traditional publishers?

June: I have used only small presses, and I’ve been pleased.

Personal questions for June:

Steve: What other interests and activities do you have besides writing?

June: Aside from writing, I go to the gym every day, Monday through Friday. The classes, where I alternate practicing yoga, weight training, and cardio, give me the opportunity for not only exercise but also socializing to give my life some balance. Otherwise, when I’m not doing the usual household tasks, I’m in front of my computer or reading.

Steve: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

June: You’ve got me there, Steve. I suppose you could call me a “health nut.” Aside from daily exercise, I watch what I eat. I rarely eat processed foods. I make most things from scratch. Now, don’t be impressed, because that just means I eat simply: fresh fruits, steamed vegetables, skim milk, and low-fat or no-fat cheeses. Olive oil, yes; butter, no. Tonight it’s baked salmon, steamed broccoli, a little red potato, and a bunch of grapes. My only vice is coffee, and that’s decaf with skim milk.

Steve: If you could trade places with someone for a week, famous or not, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be?

June: This question is the hardest for me. It’s taken me all these years to know and accept myself and the choices (including the mistakes) I’ve made along the way. At this point, I don’t have the drive or energy to slip into someone else’s skin. I could think about it though as a premise for another story. Hmmm. Hey, why not?

Steve: What is your favorite (song) and why?  Piece of music?  Theater work? Movie?  Piece of art?  

June: I exercise to the music of the 1950’s and ’60s, and when I do, I am transported back to my adolescence with all the fun and none of the stresses of growing up.

Steve: And what is your proudest accomplishment as a writer?

June: That’s easy for me. I was just accepted as an active member of the Mystery Writers of America.

Steve: Thank you, June, for your interesting and candid answers today. I’m sure all readers of this blog found them interesting too, as well as your books. (For more information, please visit June’s website.)

***

Comments are always welcome!

Rembrandt’s Angel. Esther Brookstone, Scotland Yard inspector in the Art and Antiques Division, becomes obsessed with recovering a Rembrandt painting stolen by the Nazis in World War Two. Paramour and Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden tries to keep her focused as well as safe. But the duo discovers much more: an insidious conspiracy that threatens Europe…and a bit of steamy romance. The ebook is now at a reduced price on Amazon. It’s also available on Smashwords and all its associated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc). The print version can be found on Amazon and at your local bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask for it).

In libris libertas!

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018 at 3:30 am and is filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.