– The Magic of Wor(l)ds is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free.
I’m grateful of receiving a free copy from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review of this book. –
Today I’m delighted to be on the ‘Murder on Oak Street’ blogtour, organised by The Coffee Pot Book Club.
To promote this book I’ll be sharing an interview between the author and me, but first I have some information
About the Author :
I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth century archaeologist.
Inez is a historian and librarian, who love to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters in Crime.
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About the Book :
New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O’Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it’s time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.
Though the coroner advises him that life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.
Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?
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And now it’s finally time for the
Hi
First of all thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciate it. Here we go! 🙂
Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, but becoming an author was a bit more gradual. For years, I wrote stories whenever I had a spare moment, and even tried the traditional publishing route, but I had a job and a family to raise, so needless to say, the books were put on the back burner. Then a few years ago, I decided to get serious and published my first book, a historical romance under the pen name of Andrea Matthews. That was it. I was a published author, and for me, there was no turning back. I love the whole process. OK, maybe not the editing so much. But after writing two romance series, under the pen name Andrea Matthews, I decided to dig out the historical mystery that I’d been working on. After a few edits and revisions, I felt it was where I wanted it to be and published it under the pen name, I. M. Foster. Why two pen names? As a librarian, I noticed that patrons sometimes became annoyed when they picked up their favorite mystery author, only to find out the author’s latest book was a romance or vis a versa. And so, I decided to avoid that pitfall and write under the two pen names. It’s a little more work, but I think it’s worth it.
Which books did/do you love to read as a child/now as a grown-up?
Whatever I read must have two aspects: history and romance. That being the case, I love historical romance as well as historical mysteries that have a bit of romantic tension in them. The first book I fell in love with was Pride and Prejudice. Who doesn’t love Mr. Darcy? Today I read authors like Victoria Thompson, Andrea Penrose, and C. S. Harris to name a few. At the moment, however, I’m reading a book by a friend, author Griffin Brady, entitled the Hussar’s Duty. It’s packed full of history, with a lovely romantic story too. Right up my ally.
Is there a writer whose brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
There are so many wonderful writers, it would be hard to choose. Perhaps J.K. Rowling. I love how she worked so much detail and mythology into her Harry Potter series and captured the hearts of children and adults alike. I’m also interested in how she managed to switch gears to create a successful adult series writing as Robert Galbratih. For marketing and productivity, I’d love to chat with James Patterson and Adriana Trigiani. As for my own genres, I’d like to sit down with the great mystery writers like P. D. James, Agatha Christi, and Conan Doyle, as well as a few more current ones, like those I’ve listed above.
If you could, which fictional character (from your own book(s) or someone else’s) would you like to invite for tea and why?
From someone else’s it would definitely be Mr. Darcy. I don’t think any explanation is needed there. And from my own? That really is a hard one. Can I just give a party and invite them all? If I had to choose, probably Daniel O’Halleran and Kathleen Brissedon, since that’s the book I’ll be working on next. It would be interesting to have a real conversation with them and not just the one that takes place in my head.
Do you have some rituals or habits whilst writing?
Not really. I write whenever I can. Sometimes the tv or radio is on. Sometimes it’s not. I have breakfast in the morning and start writing. I do fall down a lot of rabbit holes in the process as I tend to go off on research tangents in-between, but I don’t have any real habits.
Where do you come up with your idea(s)? Do people in your life need to be worried? 😉
No one needs to worry. My characters are all combinations of qualities, personalities, and traits. They may be gathered from a variety of people I’ve come across or simply be characteristics I either like or dislike in a person. None, however, are anyone in particular. In fact, I go to great lengths to make sure they’re not. I also never create perfect characters. Everyone has their faults, even my heroes. I think it makes them more realistic.
As for ideas where my story ideas come from, that could be just about anywhere. I’m a daydreamer, so I’m usually conjuring up stories for any given situation. I’ve actually have dreamed some of them, and keep a pad and pencil by my bed for just such an occasion. I’ve also stumbled across an idea or two while doing genealogical or other research. Some have even occured to me while sitting in my backyard listening to the birds sing and being carried away to another time or place – in a daydream, not in reality. lol
Are you a plotter or do you go with the flow, as a pantser?
Both. Writing historical mysteries, and romances, just by their very nature, require that there be a certain amount of plotting involved. To begin with, the period needs to be thoroughly researched before you even start. With the mysteries, clues need to be planted, suspects decided upon, and motives established as well. All that goes up on my “murder board” and in my series binder. However, once that is all planned out, and I start writing, I let the characters lead the way. Sometimes, after falling down a research rabbit hole, I may even discover an extra little tidbit that would work great in the story, and I let the characters run with it.
Can you give novice writers some tips (do’s/don’ts)?
Be open to advice, but you don’t necessarily have to take it. There are as many opinions out there as there are books. Use the ones that work for you, the ones that come from sources you admire, and disgard the others.
As for critiques, read them with an open mind, but don’t let them determine how you feel about your writing. Even the great novelists have their detractors. Use them to learn from and improve your writing, but always remember, you’re never going to please everyone.
What are your future plans as an author?
The good Lord willing, I hope to continue writing. For the moment, I’ve finished up my Thunder on the Moor series, which I write as Andrea Matthews. I say at the momoent, because I don’t have another story worthy of the tale at the moment, but should one hit me, there might be other books. My Cross of Ciaran series, also by Andrea Matthews, still has stories to be told, so I hope to continue writing that. The next installment is scheduled to be released in a few weeks. And as I. M. Foster, I’ll be starting on the second book in the South Shore Mystery series next week, which will hopefully be out this fall.
As for other plans, I’ve got a few tales floating around in my head, but it’s just a matter of finding the time to put them down on paper and make some sense of the plots etc., but you can be sure, they’ll all include history and at least a bit of romance.
Last, but not least : Can you give my readers one teaser from your book, which is featured here on my blog, please?
Tagline: Can the doctor and his self-appointed librarian assistant discover the link betweetn the murders before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful south shore village once again?
Teaser line from Book: Kathleen was closing the door behind them when a shot rang out and Daniel staggered, doubling over and clutching his side.
Isn’t that a great reason to pick up the book and read it?!
Thanks once again, I. M. Foster, for this lovely interview!
Thanks so much for interviewing me! I really enjoyed talking with you.
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