Interview with Mary Ellen Hughes author of A Fatal Collection
What genre do you write?
I write mysteries. The sub-genre is traditional or cozy.
How did you come to write mysteries?
First of all, I’ve always loved mysteries, so that was an automatic choice. But I’ve never been a cop, or a P.I., so writing from the perspective of an amateur detective seemed the way to go. Plus, I could add in the protagonist’s occupation, friends, a few recipes here and there, and so on, which appealed to me.
What is your favorite character to write about?
I enjoy writing the crabby kind of character, someone who agitates things and sometimes muddies the waters when the protagonist is trying to figure things out.
Do you have a favorite villain in any of your books? One that stood out more than others?
Well, I won’t name villains, which might spoil things for some readers, so I’ll just say that my favorite kind of villain is the two-faced one, who comes across as lovable, or terribly helpful when in fact they were watching and waiting to do dastardly things. Having said that, I’ve occasionally created a villain who was so dislikeable that some readers automatically dismissed him or her as being too obvious.
Who inspires your books?
I’m inspired by many, many authors, who, after reading their work, make me want to run to my laptop and do my best. But my other inspiration comes from the readers who write to tell me what a particular book of mine meant to them—how it perhaps helped get them through a difficult time, or inspired them to let go of an old grudge, something that one of my villains couldn’t manage to do, and so on. That means so much to me and keeps me going.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Since writing keeps me indoors so much, I love to get outside as much as I can. Gardening or just walking through a woodsy area is great. I also enjoy doubles tennis for the exercise and sociability.
Do you have any new books coming out or books you want to share here?
A Fatal Collection will be released very soon! It begins my new Keepsake Cove mystery series.
What was one of your dreams when you were a child?
One of my dreams was to be a competitive figure skater. I grew up in Wisconsin, where skating was very popular and available. It never happened, but maybe I’ll write about a figure skater someday.
Do you have a favorite drink?
Not really. Water, more than anything else.
If you were stuck on a deserted island and could take three things with you what would they be?
A manual on How to Survive on a Desert Island, an advice book on How to Be Rescued from a Desert Island, and a huge box of chocolate.
Thank you Mary Ellen for taking the time to be interviewed for my blog!
Thank you, Paula!
