Mystery
Author, Deborah Morgan Deborah
Morgan is the very talented author of the Jeff Talbot mystery series.
I recently had a chance to chat with her and here's what she had
to say.
Dennis Collins: How long have you
been writing?
Deborah Morgan: All my life,
when I think about it. A writer writes, you know? If we're truly
writers, then it's always there, waiting for us to apply the discipline
and hard work to put form to the ideas.
Dennis: Tell us about your background
in the literary industry.
Deborah: I'm a former managing
editor of two national specialty magazines, and a managing editor
of a bi-weekly newspaper. I resigned that life to "join typewriters"
with Loren Estleman nine years ago.
Dennis: How many novels have you written?
Deborah: Three, all in the
Jeff Talbot antique-lover's mystery series. Death is a Cabaret
was followed by The Weedless Widow, which
was published in October; the third (The Marriage Casket)
is scheduled for October 2003 publication. My publisher (Berkley)
has made an offer for books four and five in the series, so I'm
now developing that fourth one. I'm also laying the groundwork for
another novel that's not in the series.
Dennis: How long did it take to
have your first book published?
Deborah: I was fortunate, in
that I didn't have a book in hand that I was trying to sell. The
concept for an antiques crossover mystery series was there, an agent
who knew I was into antiques asked if I wanted a shot at it. I said
yes. I was asked for a proposal and one chapter, to which I added
concepts for books two and three, and was offered a three-book contract
on that. At first, I thought, "Great! I only have to write
one chapter," immediately followed by, "Great.
Everything hinges on that one chapter."
All facets of the series were mine to develop: setting, characters,
their backgrounds.
One of the key elements about me that
made this work so well is that I'm a deadline person-good when you're
an editor.
Dennis: How about other work such
as short stories, etc.?
Deborah: I've been published
in both the mystery and the western genres. The third story about
my Detroit detective, Mary Shelley, will be in Flesh and Blood,
Volume III (Spring 2003). The story is titled The
Windsor Ballet. My most recent historical western
story, Sepia Sun, was published in American
West: Twenty New Stories from the Western Writers of America
(Forge 2001).
Dennis: Was there an author who
inspired you to become a writer?
Deborah: No, actually. When
I told my mother about my first book contract, she said that from
the time I could talk I said I wanted to write. As I said before,
it was always there.
That's not to say I'm not inspired
by writers: Steinbeck, because I relate to his thoughts and feelings
expressed in Working Days; Chandler, because he actually
began his writing career a little later in life, as I have; I could
go on. But they didn't inspire me to become a writer.
Dennis: Are you an outliner or
do you just start writing?
Deborah: I'm not sure you could
call what I do "outlining." With each of the three novels,
I've known the ending, and the beginning, then I've just crawled
into the passenger seat of Jeff's '48 Chevy Woodie and scrawled
notes. Because the series is set in the antiques world, I consciously
work to develop a storyline that reveals things about that world,
and that has something to do with the antiques. Sure, some are there
just to look pretty but there's usually at least one item that is
the motivation for the crime.
Dennis: Do you set daily quotas
or deadlines for your writing?
Deborah: Quotas, sure. You
can eat an elephant one bite at a time. If you think that way, when
you're standing on the deadline, you're not as apt to panic. Again,
though, I think it's helped that I worked in journalism. When there
would be production problems, or breaking news, or any of a thousand
other things, you stayed till the paper was put to bed. If that
meant one in the morning, you did it. We've had a difficult year-lots
of family emergencies and loss, and I pulled some long shifts to
finish book three. But it's a combination of adrenaline, deadline,
and a bunch of people -- characters -- left in the
lurch.
Dennis: Your books are set in the
world of antique collecting and dealing. Other than your obvious
interest in antiques, what influenced you to make this subject the
focus of your mysteries?
Deborah: As I mentioned, the
opportunity fell into my lap because of my love for antiques. Another
plus has been the fact that I collect several different things that
appeal to me; nothing high-end, just items I like for one reason
or another. So, I use a variety of antiques and collectibles in
each book, in order to appeal to a wider cross-section of people.
Dennis: I'll bet that you enjoy
doing research.
Deborah: Too much so. It's
good that I do, though, because it takes a lot of time to find out
about all the different areas of collecting I include in each book,
and as much time getting that research into meaty little nuggets
that don't read like an encyclopedia. Many collectibles fascinate
me, so it's easy to get into the research (and, easy to get lost
in the research).
As you know, I use so many sources
for the research that I include a segment at the end of each novel
called "Jeff Talbot's Recommendations." It's a conversational
bibliography that mentions not only antiques reference books I've
used but also books about other characters' interests (cookbooks,
for instance, since Jeff's wife, Sheila, is a chef), and other things
that come up in the telling of the story. Following that is a webliography
that Sheila puts together. For those who haven't read the series,
Sheila is agoraphobic. The Internet is her best friend, since it
has brought the world to her on her own terms.
Also, my website (www.deborahmorgan.com),
which I'll continue to expand, includes recipes from Sheila, and
more info about other regulars in the series.
Dennis: Being a Michigan resident,
isn't it quite a challenge to have your stories set in Seattle?
Deborah: Yeah, I'm from trailblazer
stock. It's made for more research, and more travel, but I can't
see these people living anywhere else. Although there are lots of
antiques in my area, I think hard-boiled when I think Detroit, probably
because that's where Mary Shelley works.
Dennis: You're married to an author.
Has that been a help or a hindrance?
Deborah: Both. It helps that
we understand what each other does, and that we're both night people.
Oh, and that he's a great cook! Whoever is less up against a deadline
does the cooking. We don't live within range of pizza delivery,
or much else, so it's not like we're going to jump in the car and
run pick up dinner. We've each developed some pretty decent, fast
dishes.
Probably the main hindrance is the
misconception of people who ask if he's writing my books for me.
That's ignorance on many levels. They don't know that I was a writing
editor before I met him, and they sure don't know that I wouldn't
let him anyway.
Dennis: Jeff Talbot and his wife
Sheila seem like very real people. Will we be seeing more of them?
Deborah: Jeff actually is a
member of the National Woodie Club. So, perhaps, the fact that I
look upon them as real makes it easier to portray them. It's working,
because I'm constantly hearing from readers that these people are
"so real." As far as seeing more of them, I have titles
and concepts for many, many more books. The antiques world lends
itself so well to titles.
Dennis: Any advice for aspiring
writers?
Deborah: Write something every
day. Read. Trust your gut.
Death is a Cabaret
By Deborah Morgan
Prime Crime - November 2001
ISBN 0425182029 - Paperback
Mystery/Suspense
Buy
it at Amazon |
Reviewed by Dennis Collins, Myshelf.Com
Ms. Morgan makes use of Nineteenth
century china to bring this Twentieth century whodunit into the
new millennium. Mystery fans will love helping ex-FBI agent Jeff
Talbot sift through the clues as he seeks to identify the murderer.
There are plenty of suspects, all with plausible motives and means,
keeping the suspense level just right.
The world of high-end antique dealing
and trading is a new setting for a murder mystery but it fits beautifully.
A one-of-a-kind cabaret set commissioned by Napoleon for Josephine
is an object of desire to some very sophisticated collectors as
they come together for an auction at the beautiful and historic
Grand Hotel on Michigan's Mackinac Island.
Jeff Talbot has journeyed all the
way from Seattle to bid for the precious treasure. He finds the
usually peaceful island bristling with bidders, some above reproach
and some downright unscrupulous, but all determined to possess this
celebrated tea set. And then they begin turning up murdered.
Deborah Morgan's love for antiques
comes through loud and clear, right down to Jeff Talbot's own pride
and joy, his 1948 Chevy Woodie. Morgan tells this story splendidly,
capturing the aura of Mackinac Island while intertwining the struggle
of Jeff Talbot's wife Sheila as she battles the demons in her own
mind.
This is the kind of book that will
appeal to a very wide audience. It's suitable for all ages and has
the unique charm of capturing the reader who has always dreamed
of uncovering some long lost masterpiece at a local garage sale.
I highly recommend it and sincerely hope that we haven't heard the
last of Jeff Talbot.
2003
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