Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written 6 books as Paul James, a fictional diary of a Canadian family at the time of 9/11, a collection of my newspaper articles, and a four-book YA Sci-Fi series, The Modest Proposal Institute.
Recently, as P.C. James, I’ve begun writing cozy mysteries and I have three books of a four-book series, The Miss Riddell Cozy Mysteries, written. The fourth book will come out in May 2021.
I’m a retired manager and a budding writer. When I’m not staring at the computer screen in the hope inspiration will strike, you’ll find me running, walking, and taking wildlife photographs around Whitby, Canada. My cozy mystery series begins in northern England because that was my home growing up and that’s also the home of so many great cozy mysteries. Stay with me though because the stories will take us to many different places around the world.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
This latest book is A Murder for Christmas: An Amateur Female Sleuth Historical Cozy Mystery and it features my super-sleuth Miss Riddell, modeled on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and particularly all my elderly aunts when I was growing up.
The setting and inspiration for this book was the harsh winter of 1962/63 in England. It was ferocious but not if you were a schoolboy or girl because we couldn’t get to school for days. I remember the time fondly.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not unless procrastination is unusual for writers. I try to write every day sitting at the table in my office. It feels a lot like my last years at work, to be honest.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors are what I’d like to aspire to:
Jane Austen
Agatha Christie
Bill Bryson
Douglas Adams
What are you working on now?
Book four of the cozy mystery series, tentatively titled, Miss Riddell and the Heiress.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I haven’t identified one ‘best one’ yet. I use a number of promotion sites, including Awesome Gang
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write every day. Look at the books in the genres you’re writing in and learn from the successful authors. What they do will likely work for you too.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write to your genre.
What are you reading now?
Recently, I’ve gone back to reading non-fiction books. At present, I’m halfway through Manthropology by Peter McAllister.
What’s next for you as a writer?
After I’ve finished the first four books in my cozy mystery series, I’ll take stock and decide whether I should do more or do a second series of my YA Sci-fi series, The Modest Propsal Institute.
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?
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Complete Miss Marple Collection by Agatha Christie
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Author Websites and Profiles
P.C. James Amazon Profile
P.C. James’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account