This Thanksgiving I’ve been invited to chat with fellow Seton Hill University, Writing Popular Fiction Program alum, Lynn Slaughter. She is the author of the recently released Leisha’s Song (2021), a romantic cozy mystery about the disappearance of a young singer’s mentor. Slaughter also has another upcoming mystery by the same publisher (Fire & Ice Young Adult Books) called Deadly Setup (2022), which follows a teenage heiress who is accused of murdering her stepfather. Both are exciting forays into the mystery genre, so I was flattered that Lynn chose me for an interview. Here is a snippet of what I had to say:
Writing a mystery is like a puzzle. I like think about the ending, the unmasking, the final showdown, or the image I want the audience to remember, then I work my way backward from there asking myself, “What needs to happen in order to get the result I want?”
Our conversation covers my background as a court stenographer and how it inspired my upcoming release, Deceptive Justice (April 5, 2022). We also discussed how I started my writing career and what I think the industry has done to embrace new writers of color. It’s a fascinating talk that I encourage everyone to read if for no other reason than to get to know Lynn Slaughter, who is breaking new ground in the young adult portion of the mystery world.
You can catch my rave reviews of Lynn’s work on Goodreads, or leave your own comments about her work via Amazon. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to her blog. She hosts a new writer every week.
Until next time, cuddle up and grab another killer cozy!
