Interview: Killer Music by: Tammy L. Grace

What genre do you write?

 I write in the mystery and women’s fiction genres.

? I’ve always loved reading mysteries and solving puzzles, so when I began my career as a novelist, I knew I wanted to write a mystery.  As it turned out, the first storyline that came to me was one involving several different women and their emotional journeys.  These stories became my Hometown Harbor Series. After writing several of them, I turned my attention to a private detective mystery series with my Cooper Harrington Detective Novels.

Who is your favorite character to write about?  Coop is one of my favorite characters to write about.  He’s funny and has enough quirks to keep him interesting.  He’s also smart and focused on solving the case.

Who inspires your books?

I get inspiration for my work by visiting places.  A trip to Nashville inspired the Cooper Harrington Detective Novels.  I also take bits and pieces from people I observe in everyday life and incorporate them into my work.  I think authors have to enjoy people watching.  Listening and observing those around me are the things that usually spark an idea for a character trait or storyline.  

I also grew up with my dad being in law enforcement all my life, so stories of crime and mischief were, and still are, topics of conversations.  I always run technical and legal details by him to get his advice.

What do you do when you’re not writing?  

I’ve always been an avid reader and when I finish writing a project I reward myself by binge-reading all the things I’ve missed over the past several months when I’ve been focused on work.  I enjoy movies, walking, baking, and spending time with friends and family along with my own trusty golden retriever.

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

I’d take an expert in getting off a deserted island, so when I was ready to come home I could.  In addition, I’d have to have books to read to occupy my time.  If I could only take one, it would need to be a thick one, like the Outlander.  I’d also be lost with paper and pens…and I could use them to send a message in a bottle if my expert failed.