ESCAPE WITH A WRITER Presents: NIKKI KNIGHT with her new book WRONG POISON
A huge welcome back to Nikki Knight!
Nikki Knight describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order.An award-winning weekend anchor at New York City’s 1010 WINS Radio, she writesshort stories and novelsShe’sbeen short-listed for Black Orchid Novella and Derringer Awards. As KathleenMarple Kalb, she writes the Ella Shane and Old Stuff mystery series. She, herhusband, and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.
Website: https://kathleenmarplekalb.com/nikki-knight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikkiKnightAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiKnightVT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenmarplekalb/
1) What genre do you write?
Mystery. Since I’m on the lighter and less graphic end, Iride with the cozy folks, but my characters are diverse and the storylinesoften unexpected, so “cozy with a twist” is probably a better description.Particularly with WRONG POISON. I don’t think there’s another cozy out therewith an amateur sleuth who’s an assassin.
2) Do your characters comebefore or after your plot?
Characters always come first with me. The main characterand people around her are like my own family of blood, work, and affection:people I love and want to spend time with. Everything grows out of them. If I’mdoing it right, the plot is something that could only happen to them…and onlythey could solve it! That’s especially true with Grace the Hit Mom. Sheimmediately recognizes the murder weapon as a poison only her ancientsisterhood uses, and knows she’ll have to find the killer to protect herfriends.
3) How do you choose avillain and how do you make them human?
My news background comes into play a lot when I’m workingon the actual murder plot; unfortunately, I know that the people most likely tokill you are those closest to you. I also know that folks who are decent mostof the time can do terrible things under the right (wrong?) circumstances. Thatsaid, I love unexpected killers, especially cute little old ladies or nicesuburban moms. And I try for relatable motives. We can all imagine offingsomeone to make sure our elderly mother gets good care, or to protect our childfrom having their life ruined by a terrible mistake. We wouldn’t do it – Ihope! – but we can understand it, and that makes the villain human.
4) Dopictures, real life or plain imagination create the character you want readersto love?
The animal characters – a very important part of everythingI write – are inspired by real pets. Scotchie, Grace’s canine partner in crime,is basically a 150% copy of a relative’s wonderful golden retriever mix. Thehumans are mostly imagination, though I wouldn’t argue with the characters whodescribe Grace’s husband Michael as “the wild Scotsman” because he looks likeSam Heughan from Outlander. As a person, though, Michael is more likereal-life men I know: mostly clueless about what happens in their wife’s dailylife, but absolutely committed and loyal.
5) What are you working onnow?
Finishinga couple of good short story ideas that came after me at the end of the processfor WRONG POISON. Usually, I do shortsbetween longer projects, but when the final edits hit, everything else stops.So, I just scratched out a few lines for the stories, and now I’m workingthrough them. I also have the very beginning of an idea for Grace’s nextadventure…
6) Doyou have a work in progress?
Iusually have a few! Moving between projects keeps me fresh.
WRONG POISON: She's a nice suburban mom and a sacredassassin...and Grace Adair’s secret life has just become a problem. When adeath at the Library Book Fair turns out to be murder – by a poison used onlyby Grace’s ancient sisterhood, she knows she’s in trouble. Now, she’ll need allher skills as a PTA mom and former prosecutor to find the killer and protecther friends…and their secrets. Hopefully without using her other skills.About those other skills: Grace and her sweet senior pal Madge are members of a700-year-old order of assassins, sacred to the Archangel Gabriel and sworn toremove evil men who elude human justice. Think #MeToo with untraceable poison. Call it a cozy with a twist. You’ve never metanyone like Grace…and you’ll never forget her.
Buy: Wrong Poison: Knight, Nikki:9798987684740: Amazon.com: Books
