Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve authored five books so far (with one more still in the oven) across two different series. They’re all cozy mysteries, though one series is set in Maine (the home of cozy mystery) and the other is set in my home country, Australia.
My Stage Door series is based around my past life in musical theater. So much fun goes on during a theatrical production! There are some great characters – even when they’re not actually acting – and it seemed natural to me to use some of this fabulous material in the form of a mystery series. I’ve been on stage myself a few times (yep, singing and dancing) but most often I was more a backstage kinda girl .Seriously, that’s where all the fun is. Folk might think it’s glamorous to be on stage, in the spotlight, but only from the wings can you get away with water pistol battles while the show is in full swing. (Though I have to say, dropping ice cubes down the duds of the leading man during final bows when I was a chorus girl was one of my crowning moments. He deserved it.)
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is “Stage Door – The Art of Murder” and it’s set around a production of Les Miserables. Anyone who’s seen the show (or the movie) knows that the Barricade is as much a character as anyone else. On stage, it’s a major part of the set – it needs to move on and off stage and, of course, it needs to rotate mid performance. I remember one eventful production of “Les Mis” when the barricade jammed half way around and the poor orchestra had to vamp the lead-in to the Thenardier in the sewers scene for SEVEN MINUTES! I was at the sound desk with my imagination running away with me. *Why* had the barricade jammed?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to lie down on my back on the floor with my knees up and my laptop resting against my knees. I put my pointer fingers on the “f” and the “j” and go for it. Not being able to see the screen helps me stay in the flow and not succumb to the critic in my head that rereads everything I write and tells me it’s rubbish.
I do have to pop my head up every now and then to make sure I’m not typing gobbledegook.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently plotting two more shorts for my Havens Valley series. These books are set in Australia and are loosely based on the seasons. The slight set back I’m facing at the moment is that the next book should be set in winter but we’re currently experiencing an absolutely blistering summer down here. I’m finding it a little tough setting a cozy scene in front of the fire when in reality I’m lying under the air con gasping for breath.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I find my own mailing list works very well. The beauty of my own list is that everyone on it has joined because they’ve liked one of my books. To me, those members are precious friends, and it’s a pleasure to write to them with honesty (rather than the stilted marketing-speak we might be obliged to use in other circumstances).
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you enjoy to read. In a moment of insanity, I once tried to write an urban vampire thriller thang, but it completely did my head in and utterly discouraged me. When you enjoy what you do, your writing will shine.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Most people get 85%-90% of the way through a job or a task and then decide they’ve done enough and find some reason to stop. I’ve left enough almost-completed stories sitting on my hard drive to know that this is true. I also see it in so many other areas of everyday life – my neighbor, who cuts the lawn then leaves the mower out in the middle of the yard for the next week – my daughter, who does three quarters of her math homework on the first night of the week then leaves the last bit so that she can do it in a mad, angry rush on Friday morning before school – council workers who spend the week working on some hole in the road then leave a pile of sand on the sidewalk for the next 8 months.
Finish the job!
If you can be one of those people who complete tasks, you’ll be miles ahead of the rest.
Oh, and make back-ups.
What are you reading now?
My daughter is insisting I read a kid’s series she’s loving. It’s called “Friday Barnes – Girl Detective” by Australian author R.A. Spratt. It’s a great book for say, 9-12 year old girls. The main character is a tween version of Sherlock Holmes and I’m getting a very satisfactory number of giggles and snortlings from it.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hmm… I have some plots already laid out for my two current series but, naturally, I already find myself dreaming ahead to something new. I want to set another series in Australia and would like to blend some traditional European style magic with some of the spirituality of the First Australians… Something with mystery, some great Australian characters and something magical…
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’m only part way through Ben Aaronvitch’s Rivers of London series, so I’d have to take one of those. My all-time favorite kid’s books were Susan Cooper’s Dark is Rising series. They are magical, have wonderful depth and intricacies and have kept me happy over many re-reads throughout my life. I’d also take a biography of former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, because she strikes me as an incredibly strong woman and an inspiring character. And, of course, a notebook and a pen to scribble something of my own.
Author Websites and Profiles
Lilian Watts Website
Lilian Watts Amazon Profile
Lilian Watts’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile