Interview With Author Laraine Stephens
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After thirty-five years as a teacher-librarian, I decided that it was time to throw off my pink twinset, tartan skirt, string of pearls, sensible shoes and 400 denier tights to find out what life was like on the other side of the bookshelves. I was going to write historical crime fiction! I traded in my copies of the Dewey Decimal Classification and bought an ergonomic chair, typewriter and desk. I now have a six book contract with Level Best Books and will see my fourth in the Reggie da Costa Mysteries, published in July.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is ‘Lies and Deception’ and has been ‘inspired’ by the plethora of scams that invade our daily lives. Fake websites, identity fraud, romantic scammers, fake ‘friends’ on FaceBook, text messages telling us to click on the link, emails and telephone calls purporting to be from banks, energy providers and the Tax Office, are but some of the hurdles to navigate to keep our money (and our mental health) safe.
When I researched confidence men from the past, I found that scam artists and swindlers were alive and well back then, giving me a wealth of examples on which to draw to create my latest offering in the Reggie de la Costa Mysteries, ‘Lies and Deception’, which is set in Melbourne in 1925.
In my latest novel, Jasper Fitzalan Howard is found stabbed to death in his room at The Hotel Windsor. Initially, the police identify him as a wealthy investor and a cousin of the Duke of Norfolk. However, while investigating the murder, Reggie da Costa, The Argus’s celebrated crime reporter, uncovers a web of lies and deception surrounding Howard’s carefully constructed façade. Jasper Howard is not whom he seems. Swindling wealthy businessmen whilst blackmailing their wives, Howard has attracted many enemies, giving Reggie a host of suspects for his murder.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
It’s true that you solve so many problems in your writing when you put your mind elsewhere. I love to think about plot lines and characters when I walk. I solve problems, recognise the viability of whether a character would act in a particular way, think up red herrings and come up with good ideas as I let my mind relax. It’s easier than staring at a screen or having your fingers hover above a keyboard, waiting for inspiration. As I walk, I send myself messages so that I don’t forget these thoughts, and then I transfer them to a notebook to be considered later.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been a reader all my life. I discovered Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in high school and was intrigued that not only was there a mystery to solve, but that the world of Sherlock Holmes was brought to life: the hansom cabs, the gaslit cobblestone streets, the opium dens and the grit of working-class London. Despite studying the classics at university, I relaxed by reading Agatha Christie’s mysteries, enjoying the puzzle of ‘Who dunnit’. Since those days I have embraced, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Peter Temple, amongst many others.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on ‘The White Feather Murders.’ There are many examples from the past of communities being affected by anonymous and vindictive poison pen letters. I decided to take that idea and give it a twist.
When the Poison Pen column in The Truth newspaper shames five members of the public, exposing their hypocrisy and lies, it barely raises a ripple of interest. But when three of them end up dead, each clutching a white feather, The Argus’s senior crime reporter, Reggie da Costa, feels compelled to investigate why someone wants them dead. Can Reggie unmask the Poison Pen and bring a murderer to justice?
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I love giving author talks, speaking about the historical background to my novels. Unfortunately, it can be very boring listening to an author recount the plot of their book and so I offer them a different slant, which I hope will keep them engaged. It’s a two-way street with questions coming from the audience asking about my ‘journey’ to publication and the sources of my inspiration. I have addressed Rotary and Probus groups, book clubs, University of the Third Age groups, been interviewed on community radio and spoken at libraries. Whether it’s the best method for promotion, I can’t say, but it’s certainly the most enjoyable.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Here’s what I have learned:
Read in the genre you’re writing and learn what works and what doesn’t. Join a writers’ group, one which offers workshops and support services. You need objective appraisals of your manuscript, not the advice of friends and family. Be prepared to write numerous drafts before you submit. Leave your final draft for a few weeks then come back and read it with fresh eyes. Once you’ve sent it to a publisher and it’s rejected, that’s it, folks! If a publisher asks for three chapters, a 200 word biography, a 500 word synopsis, that’s what you send. Keep versions of cover letters, synopses, etc. and adapt them to suit submission requirements. Think outside the publishers you know. I started with Australian ones, then branched out into the United Kingdom, then to the USA. My main recommendation is to persevere.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When it comes to reviews, remember that the reviewer is writing for the intended reader, not the writer. You must develop a thick skin and, if you can’t cope with criticism, don’t read reviews.
What are you reading now?
‘A Line to Kill’ by Anthony Horowitz.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m thinking about the plot for Book #6 and I like the idea of a psychopath exhibiting mind control. After this one, I’m considering whether to retire Reggie da Costa, senior crime reporter for ‘The Argus’, wearer of immaculately cut suits and owner of flamboyant cars and move on to World War 2 Melbourne. But I’m going to need a bigger wardrobe and an even larger garage if he stays.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d take the ‘Tony Hill’ series by Val McDermid for that psychological edge and start again at book #1. I know, I know, it’s more that 3-4 books but technically, it’s one series!
Author Websites and Profiles
Laraine Stephens Amazon Profile
Laraine Stephens’s Social Media Links
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