Connie Archer Interview

This is the first in a series of interviews with authors. First up is Connie Archer.

How many books have you published? (See all her books here.)

I’ve published six books so far. Five in the Soup Lover’s Mystery series:  A Spoonful of Murder, A

Connie Archer

Broth of Betrayal, A Roux of Revenge, Ladle to the Grave and A Clue in the Stew. And the first book in the Zodiac Mysteries, The Madness of Mercury, was just released on June 8, 2016.  There are two more in the pipeline, but not as yet published.  Zodiac Mystery #2 is titled All Signs Point to Murder (June 2017) and right now I’m working on #3, but haven’t quite decided on a title for that one. 

Under what names do you publish?

The Soup Lover’s Mysteries are written as Connie Archer, and the Zodiac Mysteries are written as Connie di Marco.

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go?

I do like to plot things out and have a solid framework before actually beginning to write. And having a good structure means the pacing won’t falter.  My first editor required outlines for the first two Soup Lovers series and I’m very glad she did. It forced me to be very detailed and disciplined with the story, so now I always outline. With an outline, it’s easier to spot problem areas sooner which saves a lot of confusion and rewriting later. 

How do you keep continuity on backstory? For example I read a book recently where the lead character said she had three brothers, several books later, she was an only child.

Ooops! Yes, that can certainly happen. I keep copious notes about all my characters because it’s very easy to make mistakes like that. The main characters in a series will stay very clear in a writer’s head, but the little details can really trip you up. Those details become so familiar, yet you can still make mistakes. I was happily typing away one day and referred to my protagonist’s apartment on Elm Street, and then I thought, wait, was it Elm or was it Maple?  Brain glitch! I actually had to go back and check. 

Who is your favorite author?

Oh, so many, it’s hard to name just one and I’m constantly discovering new authors. I love Tana French and Ann Cleeves and Sue Grafton and many more. I’ve devoured all the classics – Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Josephine Tey – at various times and still enjoy reading them. I love thriller authors like Lee Child and Karen Fossum and all sorts of Scandinavian noir, like the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen. My tastes are very eclectic. 

Do you write with pen and paper or a computer?

Well, I work on a computer, but I start with post-it notes in various colors to storyboard the plot.  Then I keep adding to it and finally transfer all that to a written outline. That way, I can visualize the whole book. That’s not to say it’s carved in stone, because if a better idea occurs to me, I’ll revise it, but once I’ve done that, at least I have a roadmap. Then I write on the computer working through many, many drafts. When I feel it’s complete and in good shape, I print it out. You can see things in a printed version that somehow escape you on the screen. I keep revising until several more versions are finished and I feel it’s in good shape to send to my editor. Then of course the process starts again with the editor’s comments or questions, and after that, the copy editor. I read the entire book each time, trying to make sure there are no errors. And then I read it again when it’s in printed form, just to be sure nothing’s been missed.  

Website:  www.conniedimarco.com

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/zodiacmysteries/

and

www.ConnieArcherMysteries.com

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/ConnieArcherMysteries/

Editor's note: Soup Lovers Series takes place in Vermont and Zodiac mysteries take place in California.