The Scribblings of Sarah E. Glenn: Interview with Gwen Mayo

Who is Gwen Mayo?

Gwen Mayo is a history junkie who grew up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Her home state’s colorful past forms the backdrop for her Nessa Donnelly mysteries, Circle of Dishonor and Concealed in Ash. The series is set during the turbulent political upheaval of post-Civil War Kentucky at a time when Kentuckians were often confronted with murder.

She teamed up with humorist Sarah E. Glenn to write the Three Snowbirds travel mysteries set in the 1920s. Murder on the Mullet Express, Murder at the Million Dollar Pier, and Ybor City Blues are available wherever books are sold. The fourth Three Snowbirds mystery, Mustering Out, is coming soon.

Gwen is a graduate of the University of Kentucky, an active member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and a member of the Derby Rotten Scoundrels Chapter of Sisters in Crime and the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies, in webzines, and in micro-fiction collections.

The Giveaway:

On December 5th and 6th, the Kindle version of Murder on the Mullet Express will be free.

We also have a brand new audiobook for this novel! Sarah Glenn is giving away a copy of the audiobook on December 6th. Visit her blog tomorrow to learn how to enter the drawing for a free download of the audiobook version of Murder on the Mullet Express.

The Interview:

1. What genre do you write in, and what drew you to that genre? Do you aspire to write in another genre? If so, which one(s)?

I write historical mysteries because I love the genre and the history. Classic whodunits are puzzles with key pieces hidden in plain sight. Using my brain to become a detective, follow clues, avoid misdirection, and find the truth is a wonderful experience. Exploring another time and place makes historical mystery the ultimate escape.

2. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

My current Three Snowbirds mystery, Ybor City Blues, is the third book in the series, which I co-write with Sarah E. Glenn. I wrote two historical thrillers in the Nessa Donnelly series, set in Kentucky during the 1870s. I have also written dozens of short stories, some in conjunction with Sarah, including one in the anthology, Paradise is Deadly – Gripping Tales from Florida’s Gulf Coast.

It's hard to choose a favorite book. They are all pieces of me. I suppose it would have to be my first book, Circle of Dishonor.

I had written a few short stories with my cross-dressing detective, Nessa Donnelly.

The idea of writing a full-length novel was daunting. It took a little pressure and a lot of encouragement from my Sisters in Crime chapter in Kentucky to get me to attempt a book.

It took lots of pressure and much laughter to get me to let my boss become the doctor in my book. The character of Dr. Haydon is not only named for him but was completely rewritten with him in mind.

He died of cancer shortly after the book was released. I will never forget the look on his face when he held the first copy up and told everyone in the room that he was going to live forever.

3. What's your approach to writing? Are you a plotter, or do you let your story unfold and the characters present themselves (Pantser)?

I am a plotter. I start with a brief outline of what I intend to write. The outline does get shifted some as the story progresses. Characters get their own ideas of what they should do, but the bare bones of the story remain. I also write from beginning to end, which is really hard when you team up with a writing partner who is a pantser, who starts writing with whatever scene she likes and fixes everything when the story is off track. It has made for some interesting conversations.

4. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Healing. It would be amazing to have the power to stop pain, ease suffering, and mend the damage life throws at us.

5. Since it’s the holidays, what’s your favorite holiday food?

Just one? That is so unfair. The holidays are all about getting together for fun and fabulous food. Turkey is the star at Thanksgiving; not just the bird and turkey gravy, but my father’s turkey dumplings and Sarah’s grandmother’s stuffing rely on rich turkey broth. My younger sister’s broccoli casserole and her pumpkin rolls are also big favorites.

As for Christmas, I have a dozen amazing cookie recipes, one for chocolate pecan pie and the best old-fashioned peanut butter fudge recipe around. Over twenty years ago, I started a new family tradition by roasting a full prime rib for the Christmas dinner and serving it with a side of orzo thick with fresh spinach and toasted pine nuts. The other sides vary depending on who’s coming and what their favorite foods are, but the mingled aroma of Christmas in our kitchen makes every mouth water.

There is no way that I can pick just one favorite holiday food. Can you?

6. Tell us about your current work in progress.

I am working on book 4 in the Three Snowbirds series, Mustering Out. Cornelia is ready to retire, but a series of unexplainable deaths among the lung patients brings out the detective in her. The provost officers in charge of the case look no further than Cornelia’s hand-picked successor but Cornelia knows Ruth would never harm a patient. Her efforts to find the real killer threaten to turn her retirement party into a wake as Cornelia, Teddy, and Uncle Percival race against time to discover the angle of death roaming the halls of Fitzsimmons General Hospital.

Lightning Round – Just for fun:

1. Holiday pies --- apple or pumpkin: Apple, if those are the choices. I prefer Pecan.

2. Morning person or night owl: Night Owl

3. Beach or Mountains: Beach in spring, mountains in the fall

4. City or Country: Country

5. Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream: Vanilla

6. Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride

7. Last book Read: Hop Scot by Catriona McPherson

8. Print, audio, or ebook: Print, I’m old school (maybe just old)

Other books by Gwen Mayo:

Murder at the Million Dollar Pier - co-written with Sarah E. Glenn.

Ybor City Blues - co-written with Sarah E. Glenn.