Murder In Devon - An Interview with Maggi Andersen

This week my guest is multi-published romance author Maggi Andersen. Her newest book, Murder In Devon, is a solidly entertaining story, and I was so glad that I had the chance to read it while preparing for this post. I liked the main character, Casey, and thought it was very well-paced and suspenseful. I'm excited to introduce Maggi, so she can tell you more about this book and writing in general.
    
      LR: So how long did you live in London? :) For a girl from Sydney, youdid an amazing job of creating a realistic setting.
MA: I have agood friend in England, in Richmond actually, which features in the book. Ivisited her for short stays of about six weeks at a time. That gave me enoughtime to travel around the country. Years of reading books set in England helpedas well.
      LR: As I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the wayevents were spread out over weeks to months. It felt real to me. So many booksseem to try to cram a lifetime into 72 hours and I end up more exhausted than thecharacters. What's your strategy for organizing a story so that events unfoldat such a realistic pace?
MA: I don'thave a strategy. I have a timeline in my head I suppose and try to make itclear on the page. I like to write a few quiet reflective scenes in among theaction scenes, where a reader has time to consider what has happened and whatmight happen next. That gives an idea of time passing. I don't enjoy full onexhausting pace from beginning to end. I realize that many people do though.
:     LR: You clearly know a lot about art history and how WWII changed somuch. Is that your background, or did you have to do a lot of research? And howdid/do you approach research when you're preparing to write?
MA: My motherwas an award winning artist and I grew up with the smell of oil paint and bookson art filling the shelves. After studying fine arts at university I becameinterested in art history. I tried painting too, but found I sadly hadn'tinherited my mother's talent. I prefer to paint scenes with words. Reading myfather's thrillers as a teenager sparked an interest in the Nazis and WWII. Afterwatching a neo-Nazi march in Munich on television it occurred to me that an evilgroup could be gaining strength and planning to cause chaos in the world. I wrotea synopsis for the book just before September 11.   
      LR: Describe the perfect writing environment. Do you like quiet ormusic or a certain chair, or do you like to write in a coffee shop? What's thebest place for you to create?   MA: I marvel that writers can produce work in a coffee shop, I'd befar too distracted. I have my corner in the house, a small study area off thekitchen. My research library is growing daily, crowding me out, and I mighthave to move to a larger area in the house soon. I often write with Fox News onin the background. Music can put me in the right mood for a scene, but I preferto write without it playing in the background.

      LR: Okay, so an on-line friend of mine from Melbourne wrote a blogpost recently about the wonders of Vanilla Slice. Do they make that in Sydney,and if so, where's your favorite place to get Vanilla Slice (or other favedesert) and coffee?
MA: I lovevanilla slices! There's an award winning French bakery in my small town whichmakes superb ones. It's one of my favorites along with black forest cake, and Ialso love a good apple pie with cream. These are delights I seldom indulge inthese days. I put on weight just looking at them. We have a fabulous coffeeshop here called Elephant Boy. The walls are lined with old books and picturesof India at the turn of the last century. Very charismatic. I may be able towrite there now that I think of it. The coffee is excellent. What a temptation!
        LR: What's next for Maggie Andersen? Historical? Contemporary? How doyou decide?
     MA:  A reader asked if I planned to write a historical spy series and Ithought it a good idea so that's my next project. My first book: A Baron in HerBed comes out in September. Regency spies and romance is a lot of fun to write.I'm submitting another romantic suspense to Black Opal Books soon. It's set inIreland and outback Australia.
      LR: Aussie-rules football or American? ;) MA: I have toconfess knowing little about either, but American football is fantastic towatch.
Thanksfor inviting me to your blog, Amy. 
And thank you for posting, Maggi! It's been fun.Peace,Liv   MURDER IN DEVON
She wantsthe truth, but it may cost her more than she thinks...

An ex-patriot-American living in England, magazine reporter Casey Rowan wakesto find one best friend murdered and another seriously injured. Casey isdetermined to find the killer, despite running afoul of the detective in chargeof the case—a blue-eyed Scot named Rod Carlisle, who considers her a primesuspect. As Casey gets closer to the truth, losing her heart to the sexy copisn't the only thing she risks. Now her life is danger, too.

He wants her, but he may have to choose between love and duty...

Rod has no patience with civilians who interfere in police matters, even hotlittle numbers like Casey. Though he tries to keep things professional, Casey'sbeauty and spunk are hard to resist. He warns her that what she's doing isdangerous, but he only succeeds in alienating her. She refuses to listen andgoes off on her own with disastrous results. Now Rod's in a race to find thekiller before the woman he loves becomes the next victim.
Available from Black Opal Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords
Excerpt
"Are you with me, Ms. Rowan?" The words pulled Casey's attention backinto the room. She took a sip of cold, sweet tea from the mug. Someone's handreached for her cup, and she moved her gaze up to a pair of concerned blueeyes."Ms. Casey Rowan? I'm Detective Chief Inspector Carlisle, of theDevon and Cornwall Police." He squatted beside her. "I realize you're in shock.Is there someone I can call?"She bit her lip hard, needing to feel something. She wanted to screamand cry, but a cold vacuum seeped through her insides, and a sharp pain at theback of her throat sealed the scream inside. She'd stayed by Tessa's side untilthey'd taken her away. Don was gone too, packed into an airless bodybag, zipped up tight. "I have to go with Tessa," she begged him."Will you take me to the hospital, Inspector...""Carlisle, Ms. Rowan. There's no point in going to the hospital rightnow. And you can't stay here. Is there somewhere we can take you?""I have to know if Tessa is going to be alright.""The hospital will ring you." He looked down at her left hand, whereshe clutched her mobile so tightly her knuckles were bloodless."Is there somewhere you'd like to go, Ms. Rowan?"Casey shook her head. The tears flowed and eased the pain in herthroat a little. She sniffed and wiped them away with the sleeve of herdressing gown. "Someone has to take care of Soc." She struggled to gain a holdon herself, not recognizing the strange, high-pitched voice."Who's Soc?" A policewoman came to stand beside the man."Socrates is Don's cat.""I see." The policeman stood and spoke into the policewoman's ear.Casey didn't try to listen, her attention drawn to another policeman securingtape to the sitting room door. A fourth packed away his video camera. Becareful of their things, she wanted to say, pick up the cup I dropped.The blue-eyed man left the room."Come on, love." The policewoman took Casey's arm."Now, don't you go worrying about the puss. We'll find someone totake care of him. First, we'll go up and get dressed.Detective Chief Inspector Carlisle has found somewhere for you tostay."Casey opened her mouth to protest. "Right near the hospital."She shivered and wondered ifshe'd ever feel warm again.
AUTHOR BIO: MAGGI ANDERSEN
Maggi Andersen lives in the countryside outside Sydney,Australia, with her lawyer husband and their cat. Her study overlooks the creekat the bottom of the garden where ducks gather. Chickens peck around the yardand cockatoos call from the trees. After gaining a BA in English and an MA inCreative Writing, and raising three children, Maggi now indulges her passionfor writing. She writes in several genres, contemporary and historicalromances, mysteries and young adult novels. You'll find adventure and elementsof danger in everyone. More information on her website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com