 Welcome to A Matter of Inquiry! This week’s guest writer is Mary Seifert, author of the Katie & Maverick Cozy Mysteries. Before we begin the interview questions, Mary, please tell readers a little about yourself.  Bio: I’ve never been able to leave a brain teaser or puzzle go unchallenged. As former math teacher, I tie numbers and logic to my Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries. My best ideas come when least expected—when I’m making incredible memories with family and friends, walking my dog whose only speed is faster, carefully deleting references to murder from my web-browser, and pretending to cook. You can find me nibbling chocolate and sipping wine, both of which sometimes occur WHILE writing and reading. In rural Minnesota smiles are real, the skies are blue, the weather can turn on a dime, and I can write about it all and not make up a word. Something unusual that’s not in your regular bio: Sir William Wallace is one of my husband’s heroes and I discovered if I purchased a souvenir plot of land contributing to the preservation of woodlands in Scotland, landowners may choose to be referred to as “Lairds”, the Scottish term for “Lord.” That makes me Lady Mary! Author Contacts Webpage: http://www.maryseifertauthor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarySeifertAuthor TikTok: @maryseifertauthor GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22479915.Mary_Seifert BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-seifert INTERVIEW: JLB: Do you include real people in your novels? MS: Often, characters I run into end up in my stories—perhaps a name, a face, an occupation, or words I’ve overheard. Be wary and be nice. You never know if you’ll end up in my mystery. JLB: What inspired your featured book? MS: I taught high school and college mathematics and was a voracious reader. In my off time, I wrote the beginnings of multiple stories, but while out walking my own Maverick, I found an abandoned car at the edge of the slough in our local wildlife protection area and imagined a body in the truck. Nothing is stranger than real life. That inspired “Maverick, Movies & Murder,” the first of five in the continuing series. JLB: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision? MS: I am a traditionally published author and have found a home with Columbine Publishing Group. They are so knowledgeable and helpful and understand the genre expectations. Having that wisdom has given me greater freedom to explore my writing. JLB: What is the hardest part of writing for you? MS: I find the most difficult part of writing to be the third or fourth (or twentieth) edit. When I begin a story, I have the bones and a trajectory, the whodunit, the who might have done it, and why, but more often than not, my characters say something or do something unexpected (I get a, innovative idea) and I have to make certain all the new threads are tied up in the end. I may deviate quite a distance from my original outline. And often, I have a piece of the puzzle in my head I have to make sure I share with my reader. JLB: What’s next on your writing agenda? MS: Book six in my Katie and Maverick Cozies is getting its finally buffing and should be available at the end of the summer. JLB: Which of the trivia questions did you pick to answer? MS:
JLB: Thank you for visiting the blog, Mary. Before we finish for today, please show us your featured book.  Maverick, Movies & Murder, (A Katie & Maverick Cozy Mystery, Book 1) Genre: cozy mystery After losing everything, Katie Wilk is starting life over in Columbia, Minnesota, with a new career—giving up cryptanalysis in favor of teaching school—and a canine companion, Maverick, a black Labrador retriever. But on one of their first outings, Katie and Maverick discover a dead body in a nearby marshland. In her haste, she’s injured, and the ER doctor on duty, Pete Erickson, is happy to stitch her wound. As the son of the police chief, Pete tries to steer her away from the investigation, but Katie feels the need to know what happened to the victim. Meanwhile, the locals are gearing up for the premiere of a new docudrama film called Titanic: One Story, which would be the cornerstone piece of a new Titanic exhibit, to open at the Midwest Minnesota History Center. The movie director selected Columbia, his hometown, as the location for some of the scenes, and many residents are featured as extras in the movie. There will be a huge gala dinner and celebration for the grand opening. Tragedy strikes again when the director is killed. Katie finds herself in the midst of it all and doesn’t know anyone in town well enough to know who she can trust. Praise for the Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries: “Immediately captivating! Katie and Maverick are destined to become a notable amateur sleuth team in the mystery world.” –Connie Shelton, USA Today bestselling author BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2N876FZ
Ruth Neely
6/29/2023 05:02:41 am
Interesting interview. Reading the way she thinks, it makes me want to dive into her books. Comments are closed.
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AuthorJ L Buck writes in the mystery genre, currenty enthralled with Regency-era England. She is multi-published in paranormal 
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