Mindy Quigley, author of the Deep Dish Mysteries, is with us today!
Colleen from ILikeOldBooks1213 joins me again today for another of our #CozyScenesAndThemes Author Q & A interviews. Thank you so much to Mindy Quigley for answering our questions!
How do you balance humor, mystery, restaurant details, and even romance in the Deep Dish Mysteries?
I’m a plotter, and when I outline, I work hard to make sure it’s all there! My natural style leans toward humor, so for me it’s harder to keep that out than put it in.
At first, I was nervous about weaving in the culinary aspect, but having my characters chop and sauté gives them something to do while they’re hashing out clues and suspects. It’s an effortless way to work in those essential plot recap moments without slowing the pace—plus, yummy food makes murder a little more palatable.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned thus far in your writing career?
To remember why I started. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing myself to other writers or obsessively checking sales numbers. But that’s a recipe for burnout. For me, my “why” is using my writing to gaining insights about human nature and the world, and also as a way to connect with readers. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I try to remind myself of that—it keeps the joy in the process.
What can we expect for the future of this series?
Book five, tentatively titled At Death’s Dough, is currently in the oven. While the previous books have given us a sense of the major baggage Detective Calvin Capone carries (being the great-grandson of Scarface), this book will address that head-on—his family’s past catches up with him. Dun-dun-DUUUUN!
If you could discuss the writing process with any author, living or dead, who would you choose and why?
Richard Osman, who writes the Thursday Murder Club series. I love the way he builds such specific, relatable characters and sneaks humor into every corner of his books. Plus, he seems like he’d be a blast to talk to!
What can we expect for the future of this series?
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