Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery) by Debra H. Goldstein | Author Interview

Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Judge, author, litigator, wife, step-mom, mother of twins, grandmother, and civic volunteer, are all words used to describe me. My life and writings are equally diverse. I’m the author of Kensington Press’ Sarah Blair mystery series. Sarah, like me, is a cook of convenience who might be scorched if she gets too close to a kitchen.

How long have you been writing?

I always wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t follow my passion until eleven years ago – and I didn’t leave my lifetime appointment as a federal Administrative Law Judge until almost eight years ago.

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?

I dreamed about being an author, but I went to law school instead. For years, I was the one who wrote boring legal briefs and decisions, but also was the one who wrote fun skits for parties and whenever we needed to make a presentation for a club or organization. I chose to write in the cozy mystery genre because that is what I enjoyed reading. Cozy whodunits let me identify with characters, figure out the mystery or puzzle, and get away from my more somber day job.

Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?

Although I read every type of genre, my two favorites are cozy mysteries and biographies. Right now, I’m reading Mel Brooks’ biography, All About Me, and two new cozy mysteries that haven’t been released yet (Lies, Spies, and the Baker’s Surprise by Terry Ambrose and Death in a Pale Hue by Susan Van Kirk).

Do you have a favorite place to write?

I write in a small sunroom that I use as my office sitting in an oversized chair with an otterman that my mother had made for my father for their first anniversary. Growing up, my sister and I played on the chair’s arms, used it to build forts, and adopted it as ours when my father wasn’t using it. Dad had very long legs so the chair was made extra deep. Besides having my childhood memories associated with it, the chair is very comfortable.

What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?

I wrote my first two books, Maze in Blue and Should Have Played Poker, on a desktop computer. When I began the Sarah Blair series, I switched to a laptop and the chair, so the desk usually has extra papers, books, and research materials.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?

My parents read to me constantly, but ironically, the book I most remember, and still own, is a college poetry and prose textbook. As a child, I spoke too quickly and a speech therapist suggested to my parents that I should read poetry aloud. Every night, we read from the great poets. My favorite poem, which became my mantra to think outside the box, was John Greenleaf Whittier’s The Barefoot Boy.

Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?

I prefer holding a physical book in my hands, but I’ve come around to enjoying e-books because my e-reader holds so many more books with hardly taking up any room when I travel.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

Any place that had a beach and water would be my first choice, but if I had to pick a particular city, it would be Barcelona.

What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?

Before I began writing seriously, it was all of the authors I read, but now, it is the readers. They bring me joy and I enjoy bringing them a few hours of escape from reality.

Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?

Although I belong to several writing groups and have served on the boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, as well as having been president of The Guppies, one of the largest SinC chapters, and the Southeast chapter of MWA, two friends are my biggest cheerleaders and supporters. One is an author and one is a reader. Both are willing to tell me when something is good or when it is awful.

Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?

My big project this past year was Five Belles Too Many. I also have been writing short stories, three of which are already slated to be published in 2022. Finally, I am working on a standalone that will be character driven but more suspenseful than the Sarah Blair series.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!