[Today I have the privilege of interviewing author Saralyn Richard. Saralyn is a mystery and children’s book writer who teaches on the side. Some of her poems and essays have won awards and contests from the time she was in high school. Her children’s picture book, Naughty Nana, has reached thousands of children worldwide. The mystery novel Murder in the One Percent, from Black Opal Books, pulls back the curtain on the privileged and powerful rich. Set on a gentleman’s farm in Pennsylvania and in the tony areas of New York, the book shows what happens when someone comes to a party with murder in his heart and poison in his pocket. A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn is now writing the sequel to Murder in the One Percent. Visit her at her website. Note that you can read my review of Murder in the One Percent in the “Mini-Reviews of Books” category of this blog.]

Saralyn on Reading and Writing:

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

Saralyn: I started reading when I was two, and I read everything I could get my hands on as a child. I earned the Girl Scout badge for reading, with over 100 books read in a few months, and I plowed through classics, adventures, mysteries, romances, and just-for-fun books. At some point my love for reading crossed over into a love for writing. I wrote faithfully in my diary for years, wrote poems and song lyrics for family occasions, and gradually moved into stories.

My sophomore English teacher, Mari Allmond, was the first to recognize my talent and encourage me to be a writer, and my senior English teacher, Mary Pennington, pushed me to enter writing contests. I am grateful to those two ladies for shaping my ambition to teach and to write.

Later, I taught creative writing to many talented and dedicated students, who went on to become successful professional writers. The creative classroom environment and the close relationships that come from sharing insights and techniques in writing have made a lasting imprint on all, including me, so I am also grateful to my students.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Saralyn: The first book I wrote was a comic book detailing the story of first love. It was full of humorous anecdotes and sentimental memories. [Steve: I also learned to read and write making comic books. I needed to put something in the balloons!]

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Saralyn: The biggest problem I had in writing Murder in the One Percent was managing the ensemble cast of characters and the multiple points of view that were necessary for the mystery. So many of the clues come from inside characters’ heads. I needed to “out” them, but had to be vigilant about switching heads too often. It was especially hard in scenes where all the characters were gathered in the same room. I’ll say that those scenes required multiple revisions with a careful eye toward point of view.

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

Saralyn: Writing is something I am driven to do, privileged to do. I’m writing in my head all day long, and many times throughout the night, as well. More than work, it is a joy of my life.

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

Saralyn: Personal experiences and situations have absolutely influenced my writing. There is a piece of me in every character, every setting, and every plot twist. All the rest is research.

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

Saralyn: Whether creativity is innate or learned is a topic I have wrestled with for years as a teacher. Many of my students have complained that they don’t have what it takes to be a successful writer, yet they produce outstanding pieces of writing when prompted and practiced. I’ve seen gifted students who lacked the discipline to bring their talent to fruition, and I’ve seen ordinary students who wrote exceptional stories and flourished as writers. In the end, I think everyone has at least one good story in him, but not everyone has the skill or drive to see the writing project through. [Steve: That’s profound!]

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

Saralyn: I’m currently reading Warlight by Michael Ondaatje. Prior to that I read Witch Wish by Jacqueline Seewald and The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn.

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Saralyn: My list of favorite authors is extensive, but I’ll name a few. The worlds depicted in John Irving’s books draw me in and hold me in suspension throughout my reading and long afterward. Even though some of his plot points are preposterous, they work within the context of the books, and the details with which he paints his characters make them step out of the page and into my brain and heart.

Michael Connelly’s characters are complex, and no two plots are alike. Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are so thoroughly explained—they walk off the pages and into my family room. There is an overall sense of fairness and honesty that permeates the novels and lets the reader know that even though life throws us curveballs, we can endure.

I have collected Agatha Christie novels and enjoyed every one of them. I admire Dame Agatha for her ingenuity of plot and prolific body of work, written at a time when fewer women mystery writers achieved success. When reviews started coming in for Murder in the One Percent, comparing it to an Agatha Christie novel, I glowed.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh?  Cry?

Saralyn: One book that made me cry was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. One that made me laugh was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Saralyn: Reading and writing are symbiotic activities. The best writers are also avid readers, and the best readers are also avid writers. Reading in one’s genre is a must if one is to keep up with current trends and tastes, as well as to be original.

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

Saralyn: I don’t discover my plots; my plots discover me.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

Saralyn: Some of my characters may have roots in real people, but most of them are functions of situations I have been in. All of my characters are a little like me in some way—physical, mental, emotional, situational—even the bad guys.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

Saralyn: Some characters are named after people I know or characters in other books. Some have ordinary names, and some have exotic names to fit their character traits. I strive to fit the names to the characters in a way that will be memorable for the reader. My Old English sheepdog Nana, for example, is named after Nana in Peter Pan. That is her name in Naughty Nana and in real life. Detective Oliver Parrott in Murder in the One Percent is a nod to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. [Steve: Saralyn and I are both fans of Dame Agatha. I read Death on the Nile when I was eleven, I think. I dedicated my mystery/thriller to her and her two famous sleuths. I wonder how many mystery writers have been influenced by Agatha.]

Steve: Which comes first for you, plot or characters?

Saralyn: Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? [Steve: I guess I’ll have to rephrase that question. Your point is well taken.]

Steve: Any comments about writing dialog?

Saralyn: Writing dialogue is the topic of a whole eight-week semester in my creative writing class. It’s one of those skills that can make or break a piece of fiction. Dialogue allows the writer to show rather than tell, to flesh out a character, to make the story more personal and lively, and to have fun. [Steve: Surprisingly many writers have problems with it. For example, they try to put every blessed thing that a person might say in their book’s dialogue—doesn’t work.]

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

Saralyn: My books have been heavily researched. I did face-to-face or telephone/internet interviews with people, and I did a lot of reading of books on similar topics. I studied a lot of statistics for Murder in the One Percent, especially those related to wealth. I also Googled a lot of details related to place, fashion, food, drink, interior design, jewelry, horses, restaurants, and more, in order to make the scenes authentic. Every page of the book had an average of two or three references to things I researched.

Saralyn on the Writing Business:

Steve: Do you self-publish or traditionally publish?

Saralyn: Naughty Nana is self-published, and Murder in the One Percent is traditionally published. [Steve: Many people do both. They each have pros and cons.]

Saralyn answers some more personal questions:

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

Saralyn: I’m involved in a number of civic organizations and activities, and I enjoy the arts, travel, exercise, cooking, gardening, and entertaining. I enjoy meeting with schools and other groups with my dog Nana, and with book clubs and organizations with Murder in the One Percent. Most of all, I love spending time with family and friends.

Steve: What was the last movie you went to see?

Saralyn: The last movie I saw was “Book Club.” It was uproariously funny. When they make the sequel, I hope the ladies are reading Murder in the One Percent.

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

Saralyn: One of my (many) favorite pieces of art is the sculpture David by Michelangelo. My father-in-law once told me it is worth a trip to Florence to see it in person, and I didn’t believe him until I did that. David looks like a living, breathing person. That someone could create such a magnificent piece of art from a stone is nothing short of miraculous. [Steve: I concur.  I also always wondered how he painted the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.]

Steve: I want to thank Saralyn for being so candid with her answers. I hope many readers of this blog try Murder in the One Percent. You now know a lot about what went into it and more about the author. I loved the book.]

***

The Midas Bomb. For more mystery and thrills, try this second edition of the first book in the “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series.” Each working on separate murder cases, the two detectives team up for the first time. As often happens in this seven-book series, the two NYC crimes are part of something much bigger. Available in ebook format on Amazon and Smashwords and the latter’s affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc), an also in print format on Amazon. Great summer reading!

In libris libertas!

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