Interviewing mystery author Daniella Bernett…
Steve: It’s my pleasure today to interview author Daniella Bernett, author of the Emmeline Kirby/Gregory Longdon mystery series. (A review of the first book, Lead Me Into Danger, follows.) Her sleuths are unusual. Emmeline is an investigative journalist while Gregory is a jewel thief. They’re both British, and together with a Scotland Yard detective, readers will find an unusual trio that makes her books fit nicely into one of my favorite subgenres, British mysteries. So please welcome Daniella to my blog. Why don’t you say something about yourself for the readers to get things started?
Daniella: I’m a member of the Mystery Writers of America, New York Chapter, and I have a B.S. in Journalism. The books in the series are set in the U.K. and Europe. Lead Me Into Danger, Deadly Legacy, From Beyond The Grave, and A Checkered Past are the first four books in the series. When Blood Runs Cold, Book 5, was released on September 21. Old Sins Never Die, Book 6, will be released in fall 2020. I’m currently working on Book 7 in the series. I’m also the author of two poetry collections, Timeless Allure and Silken Reflections.
Daniella on Reading and Writing:
Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?
Daniella: The spark that launched me into the writing world was my fourth grade teacher. Once a week, she had Creative Writing hour and gave us different assignments. I absolutely loved it. I started pursuing my dream by writing short stories (mostly mysteries). After I graduated from college, in the four months it took me to find employment, I wrote a mystery novel. My first job was as a copywriter at Penguin USA. One day, I plucked up the courage to show my book to one of the editors. She actually read it. She told me that it was better than what she usually sees from first-time authors. However, she said that I should think more in terms of a series. I tried revising the book and submitted it to several agents, who all rejected it. Thus, I chalked it up to a good exercise. But I didn’t forget the editor’s advice. The kernel of the idea for my Emmeline and Gregory mystery series slowly started swirling around in the back of my mind, until one day when all pieces fell into place, and Lead Me Into Danger, Book 1, came to life on the printed page.
Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?
Daniella: Since I have a full-time job, squeezing in the time to write is my greatest challenge. I can only write when I come home in the evenings and on the weekends. I try to be disciplined about it.
Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?
Daniella: Writing is like breathing. I simply must do it. I’ve had a love affair with language and the written word since I was very young. The idea that I could allow my imagination to roam freely and string words together like a strand of pearls to tell my own tale was (and still is) absolutely enchanting.
It can be frustrating at times when the words refuse to come and doubts bring my story spluttering to a halt. However, those instances are to be expected. Nothing can take away the sheer joy and sense of accomplishment in the creative process.
Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?
Daniella: I think most of my creativity is instinctive. Writing has always come naturally to me. I think what I learned in school merely honed the skills that I already possessed.
Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?
Daniella: The last book I read was The Sentence is Death by Anthony Horowitz. I’m currently reading Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution’s Women by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, E. Knight, Sophie Perinot and Heather Webb.
Steve: Who are your favorite authors? Whose writing inspires you the most and why?
Daniella: Among my favorite authors are Rhys Bowen, Lauren Willig, Alyssa Maxwell, Tracy Grant, Emma Jameson, Kate Quinn, Tasha Alexander, Susan Elia MacNeal, Tessa Arlen, Jeffrey Archer, Daniel Silva, and many, many others.
In terms of inspiration, Agatha Christie influenced me the most. There are so many things I admire about the grande dame of mystery. She was truly a master at her craft. What I love the most is that Christie conceived such deliciously wicked and ingenious plots that appeal to the reader’s intellect. Jealousy, love, and greed are the primary motives for murder. Christie took these motives and threw them into a pot, swirled them about, and in each book conjured up a new way to explore these emotions. Her stories endure to this day because of her astute insight into human nature and all its foibles.
I would like readers to be talking about my books long after I’m dead. I try to leave readers wanting more, like Christie did with such consummate skill. I hope I’m succeeding.
Steve: Should writers read in their genre? Should they be avid readers?
Daniella: I think writers are readers at heart. Reading nourishes my soul. It also has allowed me to develop a broad vocabulary and made my mind curious about many things. Books make the reader think.
I would tell aspiring writers to read everything they can get their hands on to get a feel for pacing, moods evoked, subjects written about and the language. Read different authors to see how each handles the narrative and plot twists. In the end though, let these other books merely be a guide. The most important thing is to write the story that you want to write and not what others tell you or what the current market trends are. To write a great story, you have to breathe it, live with it, and nurture it in your dreams and waking hours.
Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?
Daniella: Inspiration is derived from all sorts of sources. It could be a newspaper article; a snippet of overheard conversation; a real-life crime; or a dream. I get a lot of ideas from the sights and sounds of a city or an area that has made a strong impression on me. You’re either going to laugh or you’re going to run very quickly in the opposite direction, but oftentimes I come across a place and think, “Wouldn’t this be the perfect setting to find a dead body?”
For me, setting is an important character all its own. One that helps to establish the tone and propels my stories.
Steve: Which comes first for you, plot or characters?
Daniella: Character is the engine that drives the narrative, and creating a character is a magical process. Imagine having the omnipotent power to mold a person on the page. Not only do you get to conjure up the character’s physical attributes and such details as a birthdate, but you also have the opportunity to develop his or her personality.
Evil or noble? Intelligent or foolish? Witty or dull? Take a smidgen of this and add a pinch of that, and, voilà, a person starts to emerge. For a character to be believable, the reader must be given intimate insight into the character’s thoughts and emotions, likes and dislikes. The reader has to understand the motives behind why a character reacts a certain way. Of course, for a character to be fully formed, the author must imbue her or him with both admirable qualities and flaws. After all, in real life nobody is perfect. So too must it be on the written page. Once the author is satisfied with the character sketch, then the real fun begins: unfurling the imagination to weave the tale.
Steve: How do you handle POV?
Daniella: I write in third person. I feel this works best for my stories.
Daniella on the Writing Business:
Steve: Do you use a formatter? Editor? Agent?
Daniella: I do not have an agent. The first ones who read my manuscript are my mother and my sister. They both love mysteries so they can tell me if a plot point doesn’t make sense. Once I revise my book based on their comments, I submit to my editor and hope that my publisher will like my latest installment.
Steve: Do you self-publish or traditionally publish?
Daniella: I’m traditionally published by Black Opal Books, a small press based in Oregon.
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)?
Daniella: Ugh, marketing is the most difficult part of being a writer. An author must be on social media. I’m on Facebook, Goodreads and Bookbub. Of course, I have my website www.daniellabernett.com.
As for marketing techniques, in the months before each new book is released, I try to arrange as many guest blog posts and interviews as I can to give me exposure and hopefully gain new readers.
Steve: Do you release trade paperbacks or ebooks or both?
Daniella: My publisher releases my novels as both trade paperbacks and e-books.
Steve: What do you think of publishing services like Amazon, Smashwords, etc? What about small presses v. large, traditional publishers?
Daniella: Publishing is a cutthroat business. If an author is fortunate to have his or her work accepted by one the Big 5 publishers, they get greater exposure. However, small presses like my publisher are providing a path to publication for some books that the larger houses wouldn’t even consider.
Steve: Do you want to include a snippet of prose from one of your books? What does it illustrate that you find important for readers to know?
Daniella: Here’s a line of dialogue from A Checkered Past. I think it sums up Emmeline’s character in a nutshell.
“As a journalist, my first loyalty has always been to the truth. I will never, never keep quiet simply because the truth could be inconvenient.”
Personal questions:
Steve: What are your favorite places, either here or abroad? What places would you like to visit?
Daniella: I adore traveling. It’s so agreeable to discover new places and to meet people from different backgrounds. It broadens the mind and also serves as a spark for my imagination. I enjoy visiting cities rich in culture and ancient off-the-beaten-track towns, which are scattered all over Italy, Spain and France. I soak up their history like the fine wines from these regions. On the other hand, I also love countries with dramatic landscapes. The trip that immediately springs to mind is Iceland. It’s a tantalizing feast for the senses. The landscape ranges from volcanoes and lava fields to glaciers and waterfalls.
My two favorite cities are London and Venice. I’m ready to visit either one in a heartbeat. There are so many beautiful places in the world that are beckoning my soul. However, I’ve always wanted to go to Mallorca, one of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Mallorca is rich in history; lush; romantic; and surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean which capture the sun’s tempestuous brilliance. I also would like to take a trip to Australia and New Zealand.
Steve: What was the last movie you went to see? If your book(s) were to be made into a movie, who would you want to play your main characters?
Daniella: The last movie I saw was Downtown Abbey. I was a huge fan of the Masterpiece Theatre series.
Many have asked me who I’d like to play my protagonists. I think British actor Rufus Sewell would be superb as Gregory. He has the perfect combination of wit and charm. Emmeline is a bit more difficult. However, I believe either Lily James or Jenna Coleman would be able to bring her to life with aplomb.
Steve: What is your favorite (song) and why? Piece of music? Theater work? Movie? Piece of art?
Daniella: My favorite song is La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf because it is romantic and stirs my soul.
Piece of music: the Four Seasons by Vivaldi.
Artwork: Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir.
Theater: The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
Movie: This is difficult because there are so many that I love. How about a few? Twelve O’Clock High (Gregory Peck); To Catch A Thief (Cary Grant); Where Eagles Dare (Richard Burton & Clint Eastwood); Rebecca (Laurence Olivier & Joan Fontaine); Life is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni); Monuments Men (George Clooney); The Exception (Christopher Plummer & Lily James).
Steve: Daniella, thank you so much for being with us today. I’m sure readers will enjoy reading your interesting and candid answers to my interview questions. I’m sure that readers will enjoy reading your books too. I’m one reader who can say I’m happy I’ve discovered your Kirby/Longdon mystery series, which I’m well into now. We obviously share a fascination and admiration for the British mystery tradition started by Agatha Christie. Readers, you can find more information about Daniella and her books on her website mentioned above.
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Comments are always welcome.
Son of Thunder. In this sequel to Rembrandt’s Angel from Penmore Press, Esther Brookstone is at it again! Now retired from the Art and Antiques Division of Scotland Yard, she becomes obsessed with finding St. John the Divine’s tomb, following directions hidden in the frame of a Botticelli painting. Three parallel stories from the first century (St. John), the Renaissance (Sandro Botticelli), and the twenty-first century (Esther and her Interpol boyfriend Bastiann van Coevorden) come together in this new mystery/thriller novel. The reader also learns how the romance between Esther) and Bastiann develops. Romance, history, religion, archaeology, mystery, suspense, and thrills await the reader. Available in ebook and print format from Amazon and the publisher, or in ebook format from Smashwords and all its affiliated retailers (iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc.). Also available at your favorite bookstore (if they don’t have it, ask for it).
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
