MysteryAuthors.com is proud to have WENDY LAING with us for an interview today. Thank you for joining us.
M.A.: Tell us a little about your featured mystery, SEVERANCE PACKAGES.
W.L.: “Severance packages” is the second book in my Jane Doe series. It is set in a local township of Sunbury, Victoria, Australia, where my husband & I lived for 30 years, before moving to a retirement village in nearby Roxburgh Park. Jane Doe is faced with the prospect of dealing with a serial killer after the grizzly discovery of a dismembered body at a local winery – then another at the tip. Who knows how many more “Severance Packages’ will be found? The book blends in the paranormal, as Jane has the ability to communicate with victims’ ghosts!
M.A.: Can you share with us (without giving anything away, of course!) a personal favorite moment or line in your book?
W.L.: Doctor Harvey walked up the path from the creek towards them, “Ah, glad you’ve noticed.” He stood on the opposite side of the stretcher. “Wrong head, isn’t it?”
“The ginger hair on the head doesn’t seem to match the hair on the rest of the body parts,” said Jane.
“The ginger hair on the head doesn’t seem to match the hair on the rest of the body parts,” said Jane.
M.A.: Why mysteries? What makes them so compelling for you to write?
W.L.: I’ve always liked the genre. I enjoy creating the mystery for readers so that like me they can participate in the experience of solving the puzzle confronting the protagonist. I’ve deliberately added tension and conflict with Jane Doe’s paranormal powers, as head of homicide, which could, if discovered by police hierarchy, lead to her being pensioned out of the force for medical reasons.
M.A.: What about other work? Do you write in any genres other than mystery?
W.L.: I’ve also had two children’s books published, both of which are stories about friendly ghosts. I’ve also had two poetry books published, one being normal/straight poetry and the other Australian bush poetry (as in the mould of Banjo Patterson’s– “The Man from Snowy River” – full of Aussie laconic humour, fund and sometimes bawdy – great fun to write! I also like to write short stories, which help me hone my writing skills. I won the local ‘Sisters in Crime’ competition last November for the funniest crime short story in their ‘Scarlet Stiletto awards.
M.A.: What was your funniest writing-related moment?
W.L.: Writing “Risqué Retirement” for the Scarlet Stiletto award last year, was written before we moved into our new home in this retirement estate. After we moved in, the president of the residents committee proudly told everyone at “happy hour” of my award. He handed out copies of the short story. It was well received, BUT I did get several of the residents telling me that they marveled how well I had described some of the residents! I then had to announce to all present that I merely based the story on the estate itself, after a couple of quick visits, before we actually bought the house, and moved in. I simply imagined what mayhem could evolve from two spunky octogenarians, on the loose in the mystery, and my story was not based on anyone present, as we didn’t know anyone at the time I wrote it! When my hubby & I returned home, we laughed ourselves silly – there were two residents who fitted my characters perfectly!
M.A.: So, what's your current writing project? Is it a mystery, too?
W.L.: I’m currently organizing the plot of “Haunted heart” the third book in the Jane Doe series. Yes, another mystery/paranormal book. I guess I can’t help myself!
M.A.: Other than MysteryAuthors.com, do you have any websites where readers can find out more about you and your work?
W.L.: As well as my page at mysteryauthors.com, I have my own website, my page at my publisher’s site (E-books/Print books) my Amazon Astore page and a webpage at Authorsden, which features some of my short stories. The links are below.
Virtual home: http://wendylaing.com
E-books/Print books: http://tinyurl.com/25zuby
aStore: http://astore.amazon.com/wendave-20
Authorsden page http://www.authorsden.com/wendylaing
Mysteryauthors site http://www.mysteryauthors.com/laingw.html
Thanks again for agreeing to take a Minute for Mystery by joining us here today.
E-books/Print books: http://tinyurl.com/25zuby
aStore: http://astore.amazon.com/wendave-20
Authorsden page http://www.authorsden.com/wendylaing
Mysteryauthors site http://www.mysteryauthors.com/laingw.html
Thanks again for agreeing to take a Minute for Mystery by joining us here today.
2 comments:
I LOVE that favorite line..."Wrong head, isn't it?" Too creepy!!
The ginger hair sound so funny.
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