Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Author Interview: Cheryl Bradshaw: Black Diamond Death (Sloane Monroe Series)

Black Diamond Death (A Sloane Monroe Novel, Book One)Our interview today is with author Cheryl Bradshaw the author of the Sloane Monroe mystery series (Black Diamond Death, Sinnerman, I Have a Secret). The fourth book in the series Stranger in Town is set to be released in fall of 2012.

Author interview with Cheryl Bradshaw

What was unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?
The first two books in my Sloane Monroe series take place in Park City, Utah. I used Park City because it’s unique, and a place not often used in writing.
What specific themes did the author emphasize throughout the novel? What do you think he or she is trying to get across to the reader?
I wanted my main character, Sloane Monroe, to be relatable to readers; therefore, she had to be flawed, she needed to seem real. And she does. She suffers from OCD and commitment issues among other things. She stands for what is right and makes hard decisions every day. And she gets herself into positions that aren’t easy to get out of. I wanted to allow readers the chance to escape with her as they read the story while relating to her at the same time.
Do the characters seem real and believable? Can you relate to their predicaments? To what extent do they remind you of yourself or someone you know?
When I first started writing the series, many people who knew me well said Sloane was me. I used some of my own experiences to create her initially, but as I continue writing the series, she has become more and more her own person. She has flaws I don’t have, problems I don’t have. She reminds me of myself when I think about how she feels, but not in how she lives.
How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?
Sloane always learns or grows in some way in each book. She surprises herself and makes decisions that maybe at the beginning of the story she wouldn’t have made.
In what ways do the events in the books reveal evidence of the author’s world view?
Sloane stands for justice and never gives up. I find myself at times telling others this same thing. She’s tough, sassy, smart, and views the world as a place where it’s her duty to capture the bad guy and put him away. This is what she lives for—to see justice served. In ways, I see the world the very same way.
Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable?
If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
The best scenes are always the ones that are the most personal. When Sloane returns to her hometown to the house she lived in as a child, she flashes back to a memory of her father beating her mother and she relives that memory for a moment. I think it’s the best part of the entire novel (I Have a Secret), but it’s also hard, because this happens to so many women in real life. I felt a lot of pressure to make sure the feelings Sloane felt were true, honest, and genuine.
Was there a basis for your story? A previous experience? Something else?
The basis for the series sprung from my love of the mystery/thriller genre. I’ve read every single Agatha Christie novel, and every Robert B. Parker novel, so it was easy to write.
What research did you have to perform to back up your story? Any research which really opened your eyes or gave you new respect for a topic or profession?
I do a lot of research on personality types. In my second novel, Sinnerman, a serial killer comes after Sloane and I gave him his own chapters here and there in the novel. By the end of the story, the reader knows how he turned into such a monster. They might even feel for him in some small way. I discovered this when doing my own research into the mind of a serial. In the novel I am working on now, Stranger in Town, I delve into the mind of a man with multiple personality disorder. As interesting as that is in a United-States-of-Tara kind of way, I’d always thought it was a slew of crap that a person could really suffer from such a disease. I’m finding my views are changing now to a small degree.
What is your method for writing a book? A certain amount of hours every day? A certain routine? Are you character/story builder or an outliner or some other method?
I try to spend at least two hours a day, but this year I am trying to get that to three or four. I can write a novel in four to six months. I never outline. I tried to at first, but it didn’t work for me. The characters had things to say that weren’t pre-planned, and for a while, I resisted. But now I sit down and just write. What comes out, comes out.
How do you get past writers block or distractions like the internet?
If it’s not “flowing” on a particular day, I just stop. I put my time into promoting or something else so the time isn’t wasted and then I take time to think about what needs to happen next. Usually within a couple hours, I’m ready to try again.
Favorite book from childhood.
Jane Eyre.
What’s on your desk? Can you see your desk? Describe what you see when you look around?
In front of me, I have three small baskets with stacks of books from left to right. 90% are books I turn to when I need a refresher such as a book on forensics or poisons or a book on writing in my genre. I have a little black plaster high-heeled shoe that rings sit in, and I have a single ring inside. One my grandfather made for me before he died. I have a vase with colorful daisies (real ones). And a saying on the wall: Women who behave rarely make history.
And now I’m off to misbehave ;)
Blog for Writers: unearththeclues.blogspot.com

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