Author Interview – Stacy Verdick Case

How did you develop your writing?

I’m what is fondly called a pantser. I write without a net. One day I start writing and then on day it’s done. After that is when I have to begin developing. The second, third, and fourth drafts are where everything is honed and refined.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Inspiration is everywhere. I write mysteries so whenever I run across someone so obnoxious that they deserve to be a victim in a book, that usually starts the ball rolling. With A Luring Murder my new book the inspiration came from the fans of A Grand Murder who begged to know what happened to Catherine when she went on vacation at the end of A Grand Murder. Initially it was going to be short story, but short stories are the hardest form in my opinion so I wrote a novel.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?

Hands down it has to be marketing. Marketing feels like work to me, and it takes away from what I really want to do which is write.

Do you find it hard to share your work?

Yes, and anyone who says it’s not is lying. It’s so painful to open yourself up to criticism. Especially these days in the era of “anonymous” posts. I have a handful of trusted colleagues who I share my work with first and their opinions are the only ones I will listen to because I know their background and respect them. Everything else I don’t read or it would affect me I’m sure.

Do you plan to publish more books?

Yes, there is a third Catherine O’Brien mystery waiting in the wings. When A Grand Murder was released there was already a book two pending, but the readers wanted to know about the vacation so I wrote A Luring Murder and the original book two is now book three. Don’t expect it until next year though!