Interview with Betty Hechtman

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published?
My newest book is Hooks Can be Deceiving and it came out this week. It was a lot of fun to

write and I was thrilled to see the good review from Publisher's Weekly. "A lively ensemble cast led by Molly Pink, assistant manager of Shedd & Royal Books in Tarzana, Calif. lifts Hechtman's entertaining well paced 13th Crochet Mystery." It's the twentieth book I have published.
There are excerpts of all my books on my website BettyHechtman.com

How did you develop your character and choose your location?
I picked the Monterey Peninsula for the Yarn Retreat series because I love it there and it's an excuse to keep making trips. Casey Feldstein just showed up in my imagination and started telling her story. The Crochet series takes place in Tarzana which is where I live, though I created a lot of the stores and changed the names of some of the real places. Molly just kind of showed up as well. After a while the characters just start talking and at seems say things that totally surprise me.

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 find I write best in the morning, but sometimes other commitments get in the way. But when I have a deadline I work all day into the night. I don't have a quota of words and often will start by writing on a yellow legal pad. Supposedly you use a different part of your brain when you hand write. The words seem to tumble out when I hand write.

Do you model your character after yourself or any one you know?
I do have some qualities in common with Casey. I have done a lot of different types of jobs and tried all kinds of crazy things like taking tap dancing and a magic class. There are people who think Molly resembles me, but she is younger and braver than I am. We do share nosiness in common.

If your books were made into a movie, who would you want to play the lead character?
I think Jenna Fischer would be great as Casey and I'd love Julia Roberts to play Molly.

Who is your favorite author?
It keeps changing. Right now I'm reading Mary Poppins.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to a dinner party, who would they be?
Agatha Christie, Princess Diana, Michelle Obama, Oprah and Florence Atwater, my high school French teacher who wrote Mr. Popper's Penguins

If you could not be an author, what would like to do as a career?
Maybe a dessert chef like Casey or work in a bookstore. I love to bake and I would totally enjoy spending my days surrounded by books.

BettyHechtman.com
Hooks Can Be Deceiving (Crochet Mystery #13)
Inherit the Wool (Yarn Retreat Mystery #6)
On the Hook (Crochet Mystery #12)
FB: Betty Hechtman Author
killerhobbies.blogspot.com Fridays