Author Interview: Olivia Yates

Q: What made you decide to write this book? What is its backstory?

A: I spent decades as a journalist, editor, newspaper columnist, and nonfiction author, knowing one day I'd take a deep breath and try to write a mystery. Interviewing British 'queen of crime' novelist P.D. James for a magazine article was the AHA moment for me...yes, I think I can do this! The Three-Story Murders is Book #2 of a cozy mystery series set on the sparkling Chesapeake Bay (I love how the artist's covers make it come alive). And the heroine and lead amateur sleuth is...ta-da...a 74-year-old resident of an assisted living facility!

The setting for the Dingle Point Cove Mystery Series happened when my sister was in a local assisted living facility for three years before passing away last spring. I spent boatloads of time there and got to know and love the place, the staff, and the residents. I thought, violence and mayhem in a nursing home? Why now? In fact, I placed the first dead body behind a loveseat in a fictional version of my sister's room, which tickled everyone. Now I run a mystery book club at that same facility and read the group a chapter a week from my first three books, usually from my laptop, if the book isn't released yet. They love hearing similarities between their facility and the one in the books!

Q: How long did it take you to write this book and get it published?

A: I spent about six months plotting and writing the book, losing sleep and falling into every trap and error possible. I sent the final draft to a few dozen friends of all ages for feedback and almost wept with relief to find they loved it! Trying to find an agent was pretty discouraging, so I finally sent 50 pages direct to several publishers, and Camel Press (an imprint of Epicenter Press) gave me a thumbs up. From concept to release of the first book was almost two years, but now they publish one a year. Book #3 comes out next May, and I’ve just signed a contract for Book #4.

Q: What particular challenges do you face in your writing? What is difficult for you? Do you have any tips for writers who face similar challenges?

A: The writing itself is such fun, and being retired gives me the time. However, being an older writer means that I’ve seen the publishing industry change radically, and my challenge is staying up with it. I didn’t grow up online, and I spend waaay too much time figuring everything out! For anyone else who, like me, is out of their comfort zone, I’d suggest joining a few solid writer’s groups and participating actively. I’m still scrambling, but it helps.

Q: Can you talk a little about your editing experience for new writers? What made you choose your editors?

A: The Sisters in Crime organization has a lot of discussion and resources about choosing and working with editors, and I know it’s a big need. Since I’ve actually been an editor, I haven’t had to go that route. I edit the heck out of my drafts, and even after the books are in print I would keep editing if anyone allowed me to! The best advice I received from a senior editor at Camel Press is to let the finished draft sit for a couple of months and then go back for your final edit. It works like magic…as if you have a whole new set of eyes!

Q: Are you a traditional or self-published author? Why did you decide this was the path for you?

A: My fiction books are traditionally published. I self-published a nonfiction book a few years ago and the process almost killed me. Most of my writer friends and associates are self-published, however, and some very successfully. With today’s tools and opportunities, it’s clearly a popular and viable option, but here again being part of writer’s groups to benefit from the wealth of resources and experience available seems essential.

Q: Can you describe your publishing experience for writers who hope to publish one day?

Years before I began writing mysteries, I was reading them, absorbing the pace and flow, the development of characters, the plots, and the atmosphere. When I got into reading cozy mysteries, I took them in like a drug and became completely comfortable in the genre. I found this made a big difference when I began to write my own. I put my own lighthearted, humorous stamp on my stories, but being so thoroughly familiar with how a cozy mystery works has been critical for me. Reading a lot of what you want to write makes great sense to me.

Q: What is one piece of advice that someone gave you that you'd like to pass on to other authors?

A: My dad was a prolific academic writer, and he could hardly wait to get to his typewriter, and later his desktop computer, every morning. I think you have to write what you love. Why do it, otherwise?

You can find out more about Olivia and her books on her ​website​