Interview: Cathy Ace Author of The Corpse with the Ruby Lips

Recently I had a chance to sit down and talk to Cathy Ace the author of The Cait Morgan Mysteries and the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries.  Thank you for taking the time to visit us Cathy!
    

What genre do you write?

I write crime fiction – on the broad spectrum of “cozy crime”, I’d say I write traditional mysteries rather than very cozy ones…think Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh. I always write “closed circle” mysteries, where only a small number of people could have “dunnit”.

How did you come to write crime fiction?

It’s what I grew up reading – my mum was a real Christie fan, so it’s no surprise I devoured her collection of books when I’d “outgrown” Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

Who is your favorite character to write about?

I write two distinctly different series of books – the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries (which feature a quartet of softly-boiled professional female investigators who run their business out of a converted barn in the grounds of a a stately home in Wales) and the Cait Morgan Mysteries, which feature a professor of criminal psychology with a love of all things foodie! Today I’m cheering the launch of the eighth book in my Cait Morgan Mystery series, and I have to admit I have a soft spot for Cait. She’s a lot like me – though I don’t have all her flaws….but then neither does she have all mine, so I suppose we’re even. Like me she was born and raised in Wales (she even grew up on the same street as me and when to the schools I attended, if you can believe that!) and, also like me, she migrated to Canada and lives in British Columbia. Another thing we have in common is our love of travel – each of Cait’s adventures takes place in a different country…and it seems she’s following in my footsteps in even this regard. In THE CORPSE WITH THE RUBY LIPS Cait finds herself in Budapest, Hungary – a stunning city with a dark history, where I have spent a good deal of time over the years.

Who inspires your books?

I’m fortunate that my mum is still alive, and she’s the person (in my heart) I write for. Still an

enthusiastic reader of traditional mysteries, she’s happy to give feedback during my writing process and proudly borrows all my books from her local library.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

To be honest, writing is a pretty all-consuming way of life, but, when I’m not at my desk I’m likely to be in the garden. I’m so fortunate to live on acreage, and my husband and I actively garden about three of our five acres, so there’s always something to do, whatever the season. I especially enjoy pulling up weeds while I plot, or thinking about my victim/s when I’m decapitating dandelions (which I only do when there are plenty of other blooms in the garden to keep the local bees happy!).

If you were stuck on a deserted island what three things would you take?

Oh heck – this is a tough one! First off, I’d like a huge supply of water-purifying tablets and meal-replacement bars etc. so I can be sure I’ll survive while I’m trying to work out how to collect water and food for the longer-haul, if that’s okay? Secondly, I suppose I’m not going to surprise anyone when I say my choice would be to have a laptop with a year’s-worth of battery, back-up disks and internet access (not so I could escape, but so I could write and research the books I’d have the peace and quiet to work on) or – failing that – an endless supply of pens and paper would do! Finally, I’d opt for a copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare – because most of the truths about the human condition are contained therein, and his work would inspire me while I sat alone contemplating the universe. 

Thank you,Paula

Thanks so much for having me along.  Your welcome Cathy thank you for stopping by Community Bookstop today!