Interview with Meg Macy

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
Book 2 of the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mystery, Bear Witness to Murder, is the

most recent and available now along with Book 1, Bearly Departed. Currently I'm working on Book 3, Have Yourself A Beary Little Murder, which will be released next October 2019.

I am also one-half of the D.E. Ireland team writing the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins "My Fair Lady" historical mysteries with Sharon Pisacreta. We have four books in that series, (Wouldn't It Be Deadly, Move Your Blooming Corpse, Get Me to the Grave On Time, and With A Little Bit of Blood) -- two were Agatha Award finalists for Best Historical.

Writing as Meg Mims, I've also published some romance Christmas novellas (Santa Paws, Santa Claws, Home For the Holidays, The Key to Love, The Key to Christmas) plus several western historical mysteries -- Double Crossing, Book 1, won the WWA Spur Award for Best First Book in 2012. The sequel, Double or Nothing, won the Laramie Award for Western Mystery. I've written a few western historical romance novellas, Winner Takes All and A Holiday Hoax, and a few short stories. So 8 books plus 7 novellas, and another cozy coming next year.

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
The Chelsea Teddy Bear factory was located in Michigan, but moved to Missouri (traitors!) recently.

I did some research about their history and invented my own version of a shop/factory located in Silver Hollow -- using Chelsea, Dexter, Plymouth, Ypsilanti, and Ann Arbor locales for the businesses in my fictional small town. I'd written my Christmas novellas using it (unnamed at the time) and decided to set my Teddy Bear series there as well.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening.
I'm a morning person, so after breakfast plus coffee or tea, a shower, getting dressed, etc., I try to get started by 9 or 10 am. I'll usually write until lunchtime, and depending on my deadline schedule, either keep writing after lunch or meeting with friends for lunch, or I'll run errands, clean house (not as often as I should), and read in the afternoon. Lately I have been writing a little at night, but prefer relaxing in the evening with my husband (we're big fans of NCIS and other shows), or else reading historical and contemporary mysteries, biographies, non-fiction research, etc. Besides writing, there's lots of book and author promotion to do, so it's a juggling act to find time for it all.

Do you belong to a writers group or are you in touch with other writers? How does that help your writing?
I belong to Sisters in Crime, Western Writers of America, Western Fictioneers, and Novelists, Inc. I earned my MA from Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction program -- so I know plenty of authors and keep in touch on social media. It really does help to know you're not alone sitting at home, creating a fictional world! I attend Malice Domestic in the spring to meet other cozy authors and fans, and just met other authors and fans at a Kensington Cozy Mini-Con in Chicago. My writing partner Sharon and I bonded long ago in college. We've supported each other in our separate careers and decided to collaborate on a series, so we always talk about writing. I love reading the Career Authors blog, and have taken a few online classes with Savvy Authors and other groups. Very helpful to keep learning and honing the craft.

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
My protagonist, Sasha Silverman, is 31 years old with one trait of mine -- she's a cookie fiend. But I patterned her after my daughter and her friends, and check with them on dialogue and actions.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
I have a Pinterest board for my teddy bear series, and chose Emily Wickersham to be the "face" of Sasha, so I'd love to see her playing the lead. Yes, I'm a big NCIS fan! Somehow I'll have to fit Pauley Perrette into the next book.

Who is your favorite author?
It's hard to choose a favorite, I love so many!! JRR Tolkien, Ursula LeGuin, Sharon Kay Penman, Judith Merkle Riley, Kate Ross, Agatha Christie, Louise Penny, Charles Todd, Will Thomas, even LaVyrle Spencer. If I love an author's books, I'll recommend them to friends and family.

How do you keep track of character details from book to book so they are consistent?
My Pinterest boards include locales, character photos, fashion, dogs/cats, etc. I also keep a "bible" with maps, a character list, chart of character traits, a timeline for each book as well as a series timeline. It's not easy keeping track.

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
I would paint and hope to sell my work. I'm a watercolor artist, and I'd love to paint every day, but had to choose between writing and art when I first began my career. I "dabble" whenever I get a chance, though.

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