Me:
Susan, I love a good mystery novel. The way authors are able to control their plots as they are twisted and convoluted to keep the reader guessing, has always fascinated me. Have you been a mystery fan for a long time, and who are some of your favorite writers?

SUSAN WHITFIELD:
I’ve been reading the mystery genre for about twenty years. I was hooked when I picked up James Patterson’s Pop Goes The Weasel. Patterson’s Cross series remains a favorite. I also enjoy Sandford, Connelly, Gerritsen, Scottoline, and numerous others.

Me:
I understand you were an English teacher for thirteen years and hold a doctorate. How much does your educational background aid your writing?

SW:
The B.S. degree in English was useful. The other two degrees were beneficial in education, but not in writing fiction. Dissertations are rigid, technical writing, the opposite of fiction.

Me:
Do you feel that it is a necessity to have some form of degree in literature to be successful as a novelist? And as a former educator, did you find it difficult not to be overly critical of the technical structuring of your own works?

SW:
I constantly had to battle between finding my fictional voice and following the strict guidelines I taught, especially sentence fragments. I would never allow a student to write in fragments, but I find in my fiction a need to do so—in dialogue and internal monologue. The more I write, the more comfortable I am. After all, most of us think and speak in fragments.

Me:
OK, now let’s get to your novels. Your main character is Logan Hunter. Who is she and how did you create her?

SW:
Logan is a tall skinny woman who worked for a couple of years before getting her Criminal Justice degree. She was one of five applicants accepted into the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) intern program.

Her required internship took place at the Genesis Beach PD, where a high-profile murder gave her plenty of on-the-job-experience. Logan always gives 100% all the time.

She’s a good girl, who is strong and determined even though she bends the rules when she knows she’s right. I jotted down a character sketch of qualities I wanted her to have. When I went to the keyboard the first day, Logan poured from my head onto the computer screen and came to life. I became quite attached to her.

Me:
When you are creating a character, do you develop an entire back history for that character, and do you save them in a file for future reference?

SW:
I develop a character sketch that includes back history. I include personality traits, physical appearance (which changes over time), and even flaws and weaknesses.

It’s important for me to understand their backstory so that I can show the reader why certain characters act the way they do. It is immensely important for a character to stay in character. This sounds weird, but I can tell whether a character would actually do what I wrote down. If I get a surreal nudge, I go back and rewrite.

I keep files, but some of my characters are in my head all the time. I never leave home without one or two of them tagging along!

Me:
I know many writers who use such things as time lines, or even story boards to help plot out their stories. Do you use any special techniques to help you maintain the course of your plots?

SW:
Outlines and character sketches get me started. I then begin to pin characters, settings, and so forth to bulletin boards in my office.

I revisit the outline and sketches whenever I feel the need. I’m certainly not rigid, changing my outline quite often as I work through the novel. Sometimes I completely drop a character and add another. Sometimes I add a quirk, illness, or tick to a character to add dimension and interest.

I keep a dry erase board near the computer so that I can jot things down or work something out that bothers me. Before I ask others to read a manuscript, I read it aloud to find problems. This has become routine and extremely beneficial.

If I falter or frown during my reading, I revisit the scene and revise it.

Me:
Many novelists employ the use of writing software, outline data bases, and the like. What is your opinion of those, and do you think a software program can truly make a person a better novelist?

SW:
I don’t use any kind of writers’ software. I do have an ever-evolving database of my own that houses personality traits, flaws, settings, situations. I built it myself from scratch and add to it whenever I have a brainstorm.

A software program may help organize thoughts and passages. I’m really not familiar enough with them to say. I may need to check them out.

Me:
Your novels take place in North Carolina, which is home to you. Have you actually visited the locales you use for backdrops in the series?

SW:
Genesis Beach does not exist in the real world. I wove together several beaches along the Crystal Coast. It’s amusing to have people tell me they know exactly where it is! I got tremendous inspiration from visiting Madison County and Hot Springs a number of times while I was writing Just North of Luck.

There is a Luck, North Carolina. This title came right off a state map. I’m in love with Pender County, where I grew up. Hell Swamp takes place at The Black River Plantation about five miles from my home.

This title came off the state map as well. Catchy, isn’t it? There are video trailers for Just North of Luck and Hell Swamp on my website, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.susanwhitfieldonline.com">www.susanwhitfieldonline.com</a> and at YouTube.com.

Me:
I understand that you’ll be appearing on Author Spotlight and MurderBy4 as a guest blogger. How did that come about and when can we chat with you there?

SW:
Marta Stephens invited me to guest on MurderBy4 all day on March 9th. Go to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.murderby4.blogspot.com">www.murderby4.blogspot.com</a> for that.

I’d love to hear from readers. Carol Denbow invited me to guest on Author Spotlight on March 27th. You can chat with me all week at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.authorsandbookeventscenter.com">www.authorsandbookeventscenter.com</a>.

Me:
I know you have a fourth novel in the works, Gator Creek. When can we expect that to be out and what other projects do you have planned?

SW:
Gator Creek is about seventy percent complete. While I hope it can be released by the end of 2009, it may well be 2010. I am also researching a medieval ancestor in order to write a historical mystery. It will be my biggest challenge yet!

If you want more information, please go to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.susanwhitfieldonline.com">www.susanwhitfieldonline.com</a>