Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Laurie, thank you for sharing with readers your short story, entitled
The Man With the Black Feet, in MYSTERY
IN PARADISE 13 Tales of Suspense,and for taking time to visit with us
today. Can you please offer a brief insight into something humorous, poignant,
or unusual in your life that led you to a career in writing?
LAURIE HANAN:
Since I was a very young child I’ve loved reading mysteries. As I grew up I
dreamed of being a mystery writer. But while work, marriage, and parental
duties provided lots of material for stories, they left no time at all to
pursue a second career. Then my health failed and I was forced to take a
medical retirement at a much younger age than I’d planned. While most would see
this as a tragedy, I turned it into an opportunity and started writing my first
mystery. I am now working on the fourth in the series and have no plan to stop
writing.
Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Writers, by default, are independent contractors who sit alone
at their computer/typewriter/journal, composing prose, poetry, lyrics, haiku,
or limericks, for hours on end. Why did you choose to collaborate in a short
story anthology featuring 13 authors?
LAURIE HANAN: Part of the reason I loved working other
mystery writers on this project was the simple fact that writing is such a
solitary pastime. The anthology has
given me a wonderful opportunity to connect with other people who enjoy
spending their time exactly the way I spend mine.
Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Each short story in the anthology offers a glimpse into the
personality of the writer. In The Man
With the Black Feet, what is one phrase or scene that reflects something
about you as a writer?
LAURIE HANAN: Animals
are an important part of my life. I love them and advocate for them. In all my
stories I show how animals interact with humans to bring an added dimension to
our lives. One example is the scene where Rusty returns home around midnight
after a hard day on his job as a janitor. He climbs the stairs to his apartment
and is greeted by his rescued terrier, Truffle. Their interdependent
relationship shows in the way Rusty finds the strength to go back down the
stairs to take Truffle for a walk.
The dog trotted to him with the
leash in her mouth, wagging her tail. It was after midnight, but what did dogs
know about time? He snapped the leash to her collar.
They made their slow way down the
stairs, both of them feeling their years. While Truffle squatted in the patch
of dry weeds at the edge of the sidewalk, Rusty’s gaze darted up and down the
dark street.
He knew they were watching. He made
a game of it, trying to spot them. There was one, huddled in the shadow of the
bushes across the street. She was dressed in filthy rags. Beside her, a
shopping cart overflowed with garbage bags, newspapers, and old shoes.
Truffle took her time, stopping
every few feet to check out new smells and mark the territory.
Here came another one, the bone-thin
black guy with the spiky hairdo. Every day he wore the same floor-length dress
and worn-out Nikes without socks. Now he moved down the sidewalk in a shuffling
dance, singing to himself, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
Rusty whispered, “Do they really
believe I can’t see through their disguises?”
A police car rounded the corner. Rusty
turned his back to the street. The local cops were probably not involved, but
he couldn’t be sure.
Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Every writer has a WIP (Work-In-Progress). Can you tell us a bit
about your current project?
LAURIE HANAN: I’m
working on the fourth novel in my Louise Golden mystery series, Stairway to Heaven. Like all my books,
this one is titled after a popular song. There is a Biblical reference to a
stairway to heaven. It is rumored that the Led Zeppelin song, when played
backwards, contains words from The Satanic Bible. Those familiar with O’ahu
will also recognize Stairway to Heaven as a treacherous and illegal hiking
trail. So as you can see, the title has several connotations that I hope some
readers will recognize.
Sisters in Crime/Hawaii: Where can readers find
your published Louise Golden Mysteries?
LAURIE HANAN: My books
are available exclusively through Amazon, in Kindle and trade paperback format.
Interesting interview! Good luck to you both!
ReplyDeleteLaurie says, "Animals are an important part of my life. I love them and advocate for them." This element of the author's personality is projected in her writing.
ReplyDeleteLove the dog's name, Truffle, although my love of chocolate may be an influencing factor!