For those of you who missed the radio chat on Blogtalk radio with Celeste Burke, you are in for a treat we decided to take the show to the blog! Welcome Celeste!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING AND WHERE DO YOUR STORY IDEAS COME FROM?
I started writing nonfiction as a graduate student and professor, publishing in traditional outlets on a number of gloriously nerdy subjects. I began to write fiction for fun and relaxation. It was kind of an “antidote” to the boxed-in style of writing required of an academic—a way to “color outside the lines.”
Fiction writing felt freeing and even a little rebellious. Initially, I wrote in the horror and sci-fi genre, completing a novel, a script, and a short story, plus parts of other novels and stories that remain unfinished. Attending several writers’ conferences, I received some encouragement about my work.
It wasn’t until I retired that I turned to fiction writing, full-time, and launched the Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery series. I now write books in three series. The Jessica Huntington Desert Cities Mystery Series set in the Coachella Valley, in and around Palm Springs; The Corsario Cove Cozy Mystery Series that takes place in a fictional location on California’s Central Coast; and The Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery Series set in Orange County, California—the OC. Many of my story ideas stem from living and traveling in California.
WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE COZY MYSTERIES AS A GENRE AND WOULD YOU EVER WRITE SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
As I say on the homepage for my website, all my books involve “Snooping into life’s mysteries with fun, fiction, & food–California style!” Murder and mayhem, weighty subjects I write about under the influence of sunny skies and blue Pacific waters. Before I was a stuffy professor, I “worked for the Mouse” at Walt Disney World as a chef, so my characters always eat well as they fight off evildoers and figure out whodunit. My background combined with my current surroundings seems to lend itself to cozy mysteries.
Many of the same themes that interested me as a behavioral scientist have carried over into my fiction. Why do people behave as they do—so not just whodunit, but why? I’m also still fascinated by the human capacity for resilience and resourcefulness—characteristics displayed in spades by my amateur sleuths who have to “Macgyver” their way out of trouble.
I do have a 4th series I’d like to write. The Misadventures of Betsy Stark would be more to the thriller end of the continuum than the cozy end. Betsy’s an interesting character. Born and raised in the Coachella Valley but in the bleakest parts of this playground of the presidents. Betsy even spent time in “The Slabs.” I’ve introduced Betsy Stark, briefly, in A Dead Daughter. An enormous woman, over 6 feet tall, she’s physically strong and can bench press her body weight! Her early childhood was chaotic, and her best memories are of her Cahuilla grandmother. Betsy’s smart, a hard worker, and has earned an MSW degree. She manages one of the disability offices in the valley, supervises other social workers, and has seen it all! The real departure for me with this series stems from the fact that Betsy has some unique skills—is it a 6th sense, second sight, or an odd way her brain has of processing information? I’ve experimented a bit with magical realism only once—when writing Bernadette’s story, Love a Foot Above the Ground, the prequel to the Jessica Huntington series.
IF YOU COULD DROP ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS INTO A REALITY SHOW WHICH SHOWS WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
FOR JESSICA? She’d probably surprise everyone by winning Survivor. Her nails would be a mess, and she’d have to schedule a gazillion spa days to recover, but I think she could outlast and outwit other players!
KIM AND BRIEN? Brien is an eating machine, so if he had any say in it, they’d have to do one of those cooking/restaurant shows. They probably would stay around long because Brien might not be able to resist his creations.
GEORGIE? Georgie would shine on one of the chef or restaurant shows, like Last Restaurant Standing. I think she could also make a big splash on Shark Tank.
IF JESSICA COULD TAKE ANY FICTIONAL CHARACTER ON A SHOPPING SPREE, WHO WOULD SHE PICK?
Well, to tell the truth, when I’m at the grocery store or Macy’s or somewhere like that I sometimes pretend King Henry the VIII or Cleopatra is with me. I love to imagine their eyes widening as they look at the aisles overflowing with produce and the endless array of choices we take for granted nowadays. “Try this, Hank,” I say. “Hey, Cleo, feel how silky this is,” as I hand her a set of PJs, a towel, or a sheet we find in any department store. I put a pair of earbuds on them and let Katy Perry wail in their ears! Imagine the kind of shopping adventure Jessica could take them on with her Black AMEX card.
IF YOU COULD DROP ANY ONE OF YOUR CHARACTERS INTO ANOTHER FICTION BOOK WHICH ONE? FOR JESSICA? Out of Africa, maybe—the story of a woman of privilege who finds herself in over her head in a world she doesn’t understand. It would also be interesting to pair Jessica with Stephanie Plum. They’re opposites in many ways. That’s especially true when it comes to money, but both have had to deal with ruthlessly unfaithful husbands and love a good mystery even if they have a lot to learn about sleuthing. I’d bet you any amount of money Jessica would have Stephanie at Saks in no time flat. Stephanie would bring the donuts and pizza.
KIM AND BRIEN? I think they’d do great in a Jules Verne type adventure stories—Journey to the Center of the Earth or Around the World in 80 Days. Their hunger for adventure is fierce. They’d be hilarious sidekicks for Indiana Jones, too!
GEORGIE? Georgie Shaw is a classy dame. She’s an accomplished, self-reliant woman, but vulnerable. Her life was turned upside down by tragedy in her youth, but she’s sturdy, formidable even, and funny in a droll witty. With Jack at her side, I think they’d make a great duo like Nick and Nora Charles in Dashiell Hammett’s Thin Man series.
WHEN NOT WORKING WITH THE CAT PACK TO SOLVE MYSTERIES, WHAT IS JESSICAS FAVORITE PAST-TIME?
Even though she vows, “No men, no men,” in A Dead Sister, two handsome, very interesting men have stepped into her life. On the heels of a bad break-up with here wannabe Master of the Universe husband, she’s been burned by love. Jessica’s a healthy, red-blooded, intelligent woman so The things they like to do together vary. Although the handsome homicide detective, Frank Fontana, is handy in the kitchen, he enjoys the outdoors. Jessica loves to swim, hike, and take in a magnificent sunset with Frank sitting on her patio overlooking the golf course or hanging out in his backyard. Frank’s got an ex-wife who has remarried and a couple of kids that spend most of the year with him. There’s not a lot of extra money so Frank can almost always use a haircut. Money’s an issue between them since she’s got tens of millions and Frank has little left over after he pays the bills!
Paul Worthington, an old friend from law school, is a blond, good-looking guy with Gatsby-like style and charming sincerity. He shares Jessica’s love of film noir, art, architecture, and the theater. A defense attorney for the rich and famous, money’s not a problem between Paul and Jessica. It is awkward that she finds herself attracted to the guy who becomes her new boss as she tries to restart her law career. More awkward, for both of them, is that he’s drawn to her too.
So, what does she do when she and the Cat Pack aren’t hot on the heels of well-heeled heels? Plenty.
WHAT IS KIM’S BACKSTORY?
Kim first appears in book 2 of the Jessica Huntington series, A Dead Sister. She’s only 18, working as a receptionist/secretary for a real creepy Hollywood Music Producer. Pure Platinum Music Studio isn’t so pure, as Kim learned once Mr. P picked her up off the street at 14 and brought her into his licit and illicit enterprises. A survivor, she’s tough, cynical, and learns where Mr. P keeps all his secrets. Imagine her surprise when love sideswipes her! And, in the form of the lovable surfer dude, Brien, stranded in the desert, working as Jessica Huntington’s pool boy. Life is full of surprises! That theme repeats itself in all my books.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE GENRES TO READ? DO YOU STICK TO COZIES OR VENTURE INTO OTHER TYPES OF FICTION?
I love mysteries, cozy or otherwise, and have read thousands of them! I used to devour Sci-Fi, horror, and historical fiction books by the dozens, too. In high school, I went through a phase when I loved teen romance. I don’t enjoy graphic violence much anymore, but I read widely. I especially enjoy science-themed thrillers like those by James Rollins, and political thrillers written by David Baldacci
HOW MUCH RESEARCH DO YOU DO FOR EACH OF YOUR SERIES?
It’s surprising how much research there is to do for any book. Even though I don’t write police procedurals, there are always specific things I research related to the way to kill someone off [yes, I have one of those browser histories…]. Jessica’s a fashionista, so I try to keep up with the hot designer names. There’s local history that I’ve included about the valley.
Also, technology has changed so much over time, that I have to check on a lot of issues when I include flashbacks. A cassette tape and boombox show up in Love Notes in the Key of Sea—way back before there were iPods and earbuds. Could a character have had a Facebook page or looked something up on the Internet? When was a particular song released? Lots of time-bound issues come up if you do any backstory about a character that backtracks even a few years.
Bernadette’s life portrayed in Love a Foot Above the Ground is a good example. I spent time in Baja in the 60’s but went back and found old photos and historical information about life at that period in history on the Sea of Cortez. I grew up in San Diego during that era but went back and checked many details about San Diego and LA at the point in time in Bernadette’s life. I use spreadsheets to record information about characters, plot, and key events or issues related to place and time.
Visit Anna Celeste Burke on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Celeste-Burke/e/B00H8J4IQS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_10?qid=1470953306&sr=1-10
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