Interview with Mary Deal

How long have you been writing?

Most of my life, I kept journals, diaries and so forth. Not until 1990 did I think seriously about a writing career. After an accident in 1991, while having physical therapy, I found I could sit at my PC and write. My stories have turned out to be mystery/suspense/thrillers, though I write short stores and poetry in every genre and form. Whatever triggers a plot of a story in my mind, I will at least make notes until I can finalize the piece.

Tell us a bit about your latest book?

My latest book is my third novel published. River Bones, a thriller, takes place in my childhood hometown area of California’s Sacramento River Delta. Friends I’ve maintained since childhood encouraged me to set a story there. A woman returns to her hometown area to start a new life only to learn she is being stalked by an elusive psychopathic serial killer. River Bones was a winner in the 2009 Eric Hoffer Book Awards competition. The first sequel is presently being written. River Bones has a power sub-plot for one of its minor characters. That subplot comes forward in the sequel.

Who are you published with?

My publisher is iUniverse.com. Over the years I have taken college and other classes in writing to learn format and such, but I write for today’s reader, always keeping an eye to what sells. My promotion includes self-created book tours, participating on many websites, and listing my website link any place I can. Video trailers for each book are a must in todays. Also, entering books into contests helps immensely, especially when you win an award. A nomination in another area, like the Pushcart Prize nomination I received for a short story, also draws attention to your work. I would suggest that anyone who wants to be a write simply start. Forget all you’ve learned. Get the story out. Then go back and polish it to a marketable product.

What are your upcoming projects?

A new thriller, unrelated to my other novels, The Tropics, The Ka, or River Bones – all suspense novels, by the way – is due to be released in Jan/Feb 2010. It’s called “Down to the Needle.” A woman has searched decades for her abducted daughter. She finds her facing lethal injection for a crime she didn’t commit. This idea came to me from a news article. I had to research California’s lethal injection system as well as the Courts’ Appeals process. I learn a lot as I go along.