The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery will be released on the 8th of July (but the Kindle version is available for pre-order at just $1.99 instead of $3.99, and you can add it to your Goodreads list today) and to celebrate this new volume of short mysteries bound to get armchair detectives the world over donning their deerstalkers, we’re interviewing the contributing authors. Are you ready to glimpse the inner workings of these criminally clever minds? Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the following interview—on second thoughts, don’t drink that!
Hi Teel,
It’s always tricky interviewing a mystery writer about a particular story because we don’t want to give anything away, but can you tell us (carefully) where the idea for your story came from?
I’ve worked in the film industry for decades and the interpersonal relationships on tv/movie sets are often a hyper-version of the outside world—I thought it the perfect place for a ‘cozy’ type of closed set of killers. And tapping into nostalgia seemed a natural as well.
There are several sub-genres of mystery fiction, but the stories in this anthology are traditional fair-play mysteries in which the reader can try to solve the puzzle before all is revealed. What makes this kind of mystery so timeless?
Because people love puzzles, simple as that. It is like the author is playing a game with the reader and there is a gentleman’s agreement to play fair that makes if all the more fun.
Give us one classic mystery writer you admire and one new talent (not from this anthology) readers ought to discover.
I love Lester Dent—most famous known for writing the Doc Savage novels, but did two excellent Oscar Sail mysteries in Black Mask and a number of mystery novels in the 1950s. For today, I’d have to say Art Taylor is a major proponent of fair-play short stories, though he also writes crime tales that are not mysteries as well.
Is this the first mystery your protagonist has solved?
If you were a detective, private investigator, investigative journalist, or amateur sleuth, what would be your trademark quirk?
Snappy dresser—lol. I’m all about the Fedora and trenchcoat.
Have you ever solved a real-life mystery?
The events that were the basis for my mystery novel ‘Murder Most Faire’ were based on the death of a close friend—I wrote it as both tribute to him and a way to process my grief. While his death was never ‘solved’ (some of us know it was murder but could never prove it) I DO prove it in the fictionalized book with the background of the Renaissance Faire where many of our interactions took place.
How important is setting to you in your writing? Have you lived or visited where your story is set?
Setting is everything. If I can't put the reader in that space with my characters, I have failed in a vital part of the storytelling. With my years on TV sets, I hope I was able to place the reader solidly in my mystery.
What do you aim to give your readers?
Fun. A few minutes away from stress.
What are you working on now?
A story for a licensed, legacy hard-boiled detective anthology from the classic era of Black Mask.
Where can we find you online?
My website is: theurbanswashbuckler.com
Facebook: Teeljamesglenn
Twitter: @teeljamesglenn
Thanks for playing along. Enjoy the tea!
Wait—why does the tea smell like bitter almonds?
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