Author Riley Adams: A Mystery Writer’s View & Tips

It is with great pleasure and delight that I welcome author Riley Adams as the special guest blogger here today as she tours blogdom with her latest release.

Riley (also known by many as Elizabeth Spann Craig) is the author of the Memphis BBQ Mystery series and the second installment in the series, FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD, was released Tuesday, June 7. 

Here's a brief synopsis of the book: When an anonymous food critic blasts several local restaurants- including Aunt Pat's-Lulu Taylor and her customers are biting mad, especially when they learn that Eppie Currian is the pen name of their friend Evelyn's cheating boyfriend. When "Eppie" gets his own fatal review, the list of suspects is longer than the list of specials at the best BBQ place in Memphis.

Riley joins us today to talk about ‘A Mystery Writer’s View of the World (and 6 Tips for Friends of Mystery Writers).

Being a mystery writer can really change your perspective on the world. 

I was having lunch with a friend one day and she started detailing something really horrible that her boss was doing at work.  “That sounds like a great motive for murder!” I said.  I rifled through my purse for a notecard to jot down the motive du jour for future reference.

My friend gaped at me. “Elizabeth!  I’m not murdering my boss!”
“Of course not!” I hurriedly agreed.  “But you could want to.”
Being a mystery writer has meant that I read the local newspaper with a good deal of prurient interest.  Who’s been misbehaving lately, and why?  If they murdered, did they know their victim?  How did the police figure out they were responsible?

Being a mystery writer has provided me with an unhealthy interest in poisons. In fact, I have several poison-related books that were written specifically for mystery writers (I now suggest ordering these books online instead of flipping through them at the local bookstore in full view of your community). My husband has even jokingly (I think) told my children that if anything strange happens to Daddy, to be sure to tell the police what Mama does for a living. 

What if you are friends with or live near a friendly local mystery writer? Here are some tips to keep in mind:

As mentioned previously, if you want your friend to actually pay attention to your story instead of diving for a notepad, keep away from topics that involve people being unhappy or upset with other people. 

You and your mystery writing friend could be out in public when he starts talking excitedly about a new, untraceable poison he’s discovered that acts immediately and is extremely accessible. In this instance, be sure to warn him to keep his voice down or suspend discussion of his exciting discovery for a later time.

Unless you want your party hijacked, it’s probably best not to introduce a gun collector, police detective, forensic specialist, criminal law attorney, herbalist, morgue supervisor, or FBI agent to your mystery writing friend at a social gathering. 

Remind your friend to avoid discussing gory forensic details during the course of a meal.

Notice your mystery writing friend talking to herself? Please refrain from calling the guys in white coats…it’s all a perfectly normal part of the writing process (probably.)

Are you neighbors with a mystery writer? Want to dig a large hole in your yard…perhaps to plant some lovely new shrubbery or a tree? Consider touching base with your writing friend beforehand. Otherwise they may regard the hole with undue suspicion, contact local authorities, or spend large amounts of time peering at you through binoculars.

Elizabeth, thanks so much for guest blogging. I enjoy your mystery writer’s take on life. Mystery writers do keep things interesting. FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD is a great read and I wish you much success with your writing.

On a personal note, I want to say an added 'thanks' to Elizabeth/Riley. With her help, advice and encouragement I ventured out into blogdom visiting other blogs. She explained the ins and outs of having a professional account on Facebook for this blog, in addition to my personal account for connecting with family and friends. In addition, she introduced me to other friends and authors and even helped when I made my way to Twitter. So thanks for all you do to help others (authors and non-authors alike).

Now for a little background on Riley for those who don’t know her. Riley/Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries (2012) for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink. She blogs daily at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010 and 2011. 

She is also one of the founders of Writer's Knowledge Base--the Search Engine for Writers a great resource for writers and she can be found on Twitter: @elizabethscraig

What are your thoughts on how a mystery writer views the world? Do you think a mystery reader also views life a little different? Thanks for stopping by.