Interview with Stephen Kamiinski

Community Bookstop Interview with Stephen Kaminski

What genre do you write?

I write cozy mysteries.  Character development is strong, dialogue is heavy, and the plots are complex, but violence, amour, and bad language are inferred rather than graphic.

What type of characters do you like to write about?

The most interesting ones, of course! Most of my characters have personality flaws to make them more real.  My protagonist is a fairly down-to-earth, amateur sleuth who seems like he’s in over his head until he pieces things together.  The majority of my other characters have over-the-top personalities. 

Can you tell us what brought you to choosing that genre?

I chose that genre because dialogue-heavy writing allows the pace of the story to race along and character development to flow from characters’ words and interactions with one another, rather than from strong doses of description.  In addition, cozy mysteries are a perfect genre for the development of complicated murders in terms of motives, methods, means, red herrings, suspects, you name it—I love nothing more than twisting and turning a reader silly, but wrapping up the package so neatly at the end that everything makes complete sense.

Who influences your writing?

My writing is largely influenced by people around me.  People in my life, both now and in the past, shape my character development when it comes to personalities—both their positive and negative attributes.  I also love to people-watch and allow physical idiosyncrasies to shape the external features of my characters.

What types of books do you like?

My favorite books are mysteries by British authors.  Yes, that includes Agatha Christie, but it also extends to the likes of P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, and M.C. Beaton.  I also enjoy fiction delving into complex family structures—for example, many of such books by Ken Follett and Jeffrey Archer.  

What do you do when you’re not writing?

When I’m not writing, I’m typically shepherding around—or playing with—my daughter, working out or playing soccer, and cooking.

If you could bring three things to a deserted island, what would they be?

Assuming a magical candy-producing machine is not an option, I’d go with (1) bug repellant sunscreen, (2) seedlings for coffee bean plants, and (3) a car door so I can roll down the window when it gets hot!  

Thanks for having me!