Welcome, Susan, tell us about yourself and where you're from.

"Where I'm from" is a hard question to answer, because I grew up all over the place. My dad worked for IBM (I've been moved), so we didn't stay anywhere longer than 2-3 years. I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but lived in Prairie Village, Kansas; Winnetka, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Mission Hills, Kansas; Greenwich, Connecticut; Houston and Dallas, Texas.

I ended up heading back to Kansas for college, graduating from the University of Kansas in Lawrence with a B.S. in Public Relations from the School of Journalism. Let me tell you, that PR training is sure coming in handy with promoting AND THEN SHE WAS GONE. I now live in St. Louis, Missouri, where my mom's side of the family is from. I finally feel like I have roots.

Are you coming to mystery writing from another job?

My "other job" is medical transcription. I sort of fell into it after college, because I didn't want to get locked into a 60-hour work week at some big PR firm when I just wanted to write. Transcription has been a good fit, because, as a writer, I'm armed with the skills you need to do it well: typing ability and speed, large vocabulary and proficiency with words, self-discipline, and ability to work independently. Having easy access to doctors has been great, too. When I have a medical question (like how much blood from a wound, etc.), I get very quick answers! I still transcribe for three doctors in St. Louis and work at home. The hours are flexible, so it's okay; but I look forward to the day when I can quit and just write. That's my goal.

What led you to write mysteries?

I'm a big fan of mysteries and always have been. It's that puzzle aspect that hooks me. I still have a set of Nancy Drews from the 1970s (1-55 plus the Nancy Drew Cookbook) in a box under my bed. I'm saving them for the daughter I'd like to have someday. I was one of those kids who had a long list of orders for the Scholastic Book Club and the librarians knew me by name. I even wrote three books when I was in grade school, two of them mysteries: THE SECRET OF THE FORBIDDEN TEMPLE (A Mandy Madison Mystery) and THE ADVENTURE SEEKERS about two girls who ran around their neighborhood solving crimes. Also, in 1975 when my family resided in the Belle Haven area of Greenwich, Connecticut, a girl from up the street was murdered. Her name was Martha Moxley and the unsolved case is still talked about in the media. I was 11 at the time, but I remember it vividly--it happened the night before Halloween. There was a lot of talk at the time about who did it, and I paid attention. I think I was born suspicious!!

Tell us about your road to publication?

Oh, my gosh. My road to publication was a LONG one. I had always intended to be published in book-length fiction before I was 25, but I'm 34 now, so it didn't quite work out the way I'd planned! I wrote my first adult novel when I was 19 (it was an historical romance and gathers dust in my closet). I then wrote a mainstream novel straight out of college called THE LUCKY ONES, found an agent, and figured that was that. It was a dozen manuscripts, 11 years, and a handful of agents later before I got the contract for AND THEN SHE WAS GONE. And I did it on my own.

You have to be persistent in this business. Unless you're a celebrity, a friend of a celebrity, or having an affair with a celebrity, you're probably in for the long haul. I was always lucky in that, when I sought out an agent to handle a manuscript (or several), I got one fairly quickly. Unfortunately, usually after rejections from the major houses, they'd lose interest, and I'd have to start from Square One. People kept telling me I was good, though...editors, agents, published writers. I never got those preprinted form letters, but rather personal notes that told me I had a great voice, fine writing and an ability to tell stories. That only strengthened my resolve. I determined early on that, you can be the best writer on the planet, and publishers will still turn you down. There is almost no rhyme or reason to it. Joan Collins, Willard Scott, and Richard Dreyfus can get ghostwritten novels published because of their celebrity. But it's a different story for the common man (or woman).

I ended up turning to contests after I'd written AND THEN SHE WAS GONE because I knew it was very good and should be published. I scoured the Writer's Digest books for information on contests for book-length manuscripts, quickly entering GONE in the National Writers Association's Best Novel Contest and the St. Martin's Press contest for traditional mysteries. It won the former and was a finalist in the latter. I then heard about Mayhaven's First Annual Award for Fiction just days before the deadline and entered GONE. Six months later, they called to say I'd won and that GONE would be published. I can't tell you how I felt. It was unbelievable. The next best thing was actually holding the first copy in my hands.

What kind of research was involved for your first book?

By first book, I assume you mean my first published book, which is AND THEN SHE WAS GONE. I wanted it to be as accurate as humanly possible. The story is loosely based on something that happened in Plano, Texas, when I lived in Dallas. I started from that idea and took off with it. Some people like police procedurals, but I didn't want the technical stuff to overpower the plotline. I believe in literary license. If you have a story to tell, you tell it the best you can. It's fiction. You should make the scenario believable, but not at the expense of creativity. I did attend several conferences and sat in on the forensics lectures. I love forensics. I get sick of hearing writers talk about themselves, but I could listen to a medical examiner or forensic anthropologist for hours!

When I lived in Dallas, which is the setting for GONE, a former County ME spoke at a meeting of the Texas Mystery Readers. I stayed after to ask him questions, and he was very helpful. (I still have my notes!) I used what I learned from him in GONE. I also read books about police procedure and articles about DNA testing, guns, etc. Armed with that, I felt comfortable writing about a murder investigation. I'm not sure I'm 100% on all points, but I'm very satisfied I told the story well. Readers seem to be enjoying it very much. I'm getting emails and letters from all over the country.

What are your influences as a writer?

My influences are varied. This might be strange coming from a mystery writer, but GONE WITH THE WIND is and will always be one of my favorite books. Margaret Mitchell could paint a picture and draw a character like no one else. Also, REBECCA by Daphne de Maurier. Love it. I actually got hooked on present-day mysteries in the mid-1980s by reading Sue Grafton's alphabet books, Sara Paretsky's VI Warshawski books, Mary Higgins Clark, and then Patricia Cornwell. I like to try new authors (new to me, anyway) all the time, but do have a few current favorites in Jonathan Kellerman, Dick Francis, Carolyn Wheat, Martha Grimes and P.D. James. I'll read anything by those writers.

What does your family think about having a mystery author in their midst?

My family is so proud that I never gave up on my dream of being published. I think they admire me for that as much as anything. They're tickled by the book signings and local TV appearances. It's a whole different scene, but they're immensely supportive and don't hesitate to recommend AND THEN SHE WAS GONE to all their friends!

Tell us about plans for future books.

Mayhaven Publishing has the option on my next two manuscripts, and they're planning to publish another Maggie Ryan mystery. They've talked about hardcover next time, although I do like the trade paperback format. I am working on it now, although I use the term "working" loosely. I did have about 150 pages done before AND THEN SHE WAS GONE was published two months ago. I haven't had a chance to write a word since, and I'm itching to get some writing time in. The tentative title I'm using is OVERKILL. I would guess, if all goes smoothly, the next Maggie Ryan book might be out in another year or so. I do have other mysteries in the works that are quite different from GONE. I'd like to see them published someday, too. I'm pretty prolific when it comes to my writing. I'd rather write than do anything.

How can readers get in touch with you?

Just email me at mozartmcb@aol.com. I would love to hear from you!

Susan, thanks for joining us,and best of luck! Readers, we have a review of And Then She Was Gone -- check it out.

July 1, 1999