Jacqueline Vick Interview

Today, I’m interviewing mystery author Jacqueline Vick. I’m sure you’ll find her as entertaining as I did. We thought it would be fun to cross-post, so check out her blog for my interview on Jacqueline Vick’s blog. Feel free to leave a comment.

• Name:

Jacqueline Vick

• Where are you from:

Santa Clarita, CA

• Tell us a little about yourself, like your education, family life, etc:

I was born in Aurora, Illinois, the second oldest of many, many grandchildren. When I was 29, I moved to California with my husband. After writing some screenplays, I tried my hand at writing a mystery and fell in love with the genre and mystery writers. They are a supportive, friendly bunch. I wrote my first mystery, FAMILY MATTERS, for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition and was a semi-finalist. It went on from there.

• Do you have a blog/website? If so, what is it?

My website is jacquelinevick.com. I blog there, mostly interviewing authors. In fact, aren’t you there in a The Authors Behind the Books interview now?

Question: What inspired you to write your first book?

My sister was the victim of a drunk driver. Her ankles were crushed in the accident, and she spent months in this humongous wheelchair recovering from surgery. She became Vanessa in Family Matters. While Andrea did develop powerful arms lifting herself in and out of the chair, she is much nicer than Vanessa. And before you write me off as a sick, sick person for finding humor in the situation, my sister thought my portrayal of “her” in the book was hysterical.

Question: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

I have discovered so many great mystery authors this year, and I’ve also delved into historical gothic novels, such as AFTER ALICE FELL by Kim Taylor Blakemore, and A FEIGNED MADNESS by Tonya Mitchell. In the humorous mystery category, I just finished my first Dandy Gilver mystery by Catriona McPherson. A riot! Unfortunately, they are difficult to get in the US, but I’m not giving up.

Question: What are your current projects?

I’m working on the next Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic mystery, which will be the fifth in the series. The featured animal is a Fiji Crested Iguana. The book should be out by late November/early December this year.

Question: Do you see writing as a career?

Writing is a career if you treat it like a career. Aside from regular writing, there’s marketing, networking, budgeting, advertising, checking the return on investment of advertising, researching markets and sales trends through professional organizations and industry magazines and websites, keeping up with the competition (reading), social media, continuing education, and future planning. All the things you would need to do in “real” career. It takes an entrepreneurial mindset.

Question: Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep writing. You only get better with practice.

Question: Favorite foods / Colors/ Music

When I was a kid, my favorite color was black. Everyone told me it was not a color, but I didn’t care.

Tell us your latest news:

Deadly Decorum came out on May 19. It’s the third in the Harlow Brothers mystery series. A vague outline of the next Harlow Brothers is in my head. Edward will have his chance to mingle with sports writers, but after twelve years writing etiquette books, he won’t quite fit in. The release date should be around the same time next year. I like to get out at least one novella a year. I’d like to get a Frankie Chandler novella out around Independence Day.

Blurb and link:

When Edward Harlow, ghost writer of the Aunt Civility etiquette books, is guest of honor at a costume ball for charity, the fun ends when his Zorro sword is discovered buried in the back of an obnoxious guest. While Nicholas Harlow scrambles to clear his brother’s name, he comes up against suspects and motives he’d rather not reveal. Then he discovers a secret that could mean the end of Aunt Civility.  

Mistaken identities, romantic rivals, and a host of misunderstandings make this third Harlow Brothers mystery a fun read. Universal book link  https://books2read.com/u/b5vJXk