Andrea Sisco is co-founder/owner of the popular book review site, Armchair Interviews. She's joining us to today to talk about her debut mystery novel, A Deadly Habit, to be released on July 17th by Five Star. Visit her website at AndreaSisco.com. To read my review of A Deadly Habit, click HERE.
Thanks for this interview, Andrea. Tell us, when did you decide you wanted to become an author?
I didn't decide. It just happened. Really, it just happened. I had an idea. I sat down and wrote it and when I wrote 'The End' I said to myself, "You wrote a book! Now try and get an agent and sell it smarty pants." By that time I was determined. I was 60 (a very young 60) years old and my bucket list cried out for 'author' to be written on it. Did I tell you how excited I am? It's just bubbling over.
Your mystery novel, A Deadly Habit, features a feisty, stubborn, and quite endearing protagonist. What was your inspiration for her?
I'm not sure where Penelope came from. However, my editor, in a flurry of emails, said at the end of three or four of them, "Oh, I get it, YOU are Penelope. I was shocked. My son Guy (he's an actor in New York) called and I asked him about my editor's comments since he had read the book. He laughed and said, "Duh." So maybe there is just a little of Penelope in me. They say, write what you know and I guess I knew Penelope. And I had been a probation officer for almost 20 years…
Did you plan in advance all the parts of the plot or did she lead you along the way? I wouldn't be surprised!
I did everything wrong. I had no idea how to write a book. I had the basic plot. I sat down at the computer. I wrote. The result was A Deadly Habit (my husband titled the book). The characters led me every step of the way and let me tell you it was an uncomfortable position to be in. I don't like to lose control of things! I tried many times to just slap them down, but they were like stubborn children and wouldn't mind. By the end of the book I thought I would like to take my own gun and just shoot Penelope. She can be a bit aggravating. The process was painful and I won't do it like that again. The next book is plotted!
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