Today I'm joined by Mark de Castrique.
What
genre do you write and why?
I write mystery and
suspense. Although most of my books are
set in the western North Carolina
Tell us about your
latest book.
My latest book, RISKY UNDERTAKING, is the sixth
in my Buryin’ Barry series. Barry
Clayton is a part-time deputy and full-time funeral director. I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of
North Carolina and draw upon the people and history of the region for the
series. This particular story takes
Barry onto the Cherokee Indian reservation where tribal culture and casinos
clash. I based the plot upon real events
and tensions, and I was able to speak with Cherokee on both sides of this
contentious issue. I came away from the
book with a deeper appreciation of Cherokee heritage. I hope the reader will first be engaged in
the story, but also learn something of the rich Cherokee traditions.
What formats is the
book available in?
I’ve been fortunate to have most of novels
published in hardback, soft cover, e-book, and audio. All of my books are in print, and I think the
e-book availability has enabled readers who are unfamiliar with my novels to
take a chance.
What advice do you
have for other writers?
The advice I would like to share can be summarized
in one word: persistency. If you love
writing and have a story that just has to be told, stay the course and keep at
it. Always be writing something. As I get into the creative process, I find
myself constantly thinking about my story, but I’d caution writers not to
over-talk their story with others. For
me, the danger in talking about what I’m going to write dilutes some of the
spontaneity and discovery that comes when you’re alone with the blank page.
Who
is your favorite character in your book and why?
Since RISKY UNDERTAKING is
part of a series, the main characters are well known to me. But there’s always some new character that
appears and takes on a role larger than what I originally intended. Because Barry Clayton’s murder investigation
crosses onto sovereign Cherokee territory, he must work with a detective on the
tribal police force. This character
introduces Barry to traditions and became very involved in the investigation. He also had a great sense of humor. These are the characters that can steal a
scene and worm their way deeper into the story.
Did you learn
anything from writing your book that was unexpected?
Yes.
The historical background of the Cherokee became my primary focus of
research. I was familiar with the terrible
story of the Trail of Tears when the Cherokee were driven from their mountain
homeland to Oklahoma, and that the remnants that hid in the mountains became
today’s Eastern Band. What surprised me
was the U.S. government’s policy of termination that sought to abolish the
reservations and force Native Americans to be immersed in the mainstream
culture. Congress was dissolving tribes
up until the Nixon administration, when Nixon abandoned the policy of his
predecessors. I’m embarrassed to admit
my ignorance that such actions persisted so far into the twentieth century.
What is your
work in progress? Tell us about it.
I’m working on a novel in my Sam
Blackman series set in Asheville, North Carolina. Sam is a former Chief Warrant Officer and
wounded Iraq veteran who now works as a private investigator. A
series of murders occurs that are re-enactments of some of the great ghost
tales of the region. Underlying the plot is the theme of the
consequences of a miscarriage of justice – not the innocent being imprisoned,
but the guilty going free. My publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, has the
release slated for November 2015 (if I finish on deadline).
Who or what inspired
you to become a writer?
My career has been in broadcasting, film, and
video production. Storytelling with
images is not far removed from storytelling with words. I enjoy the collaborative creativity that
happens as all the components of a video production come together. But as rewarding as being part of a team can
be, there is satisfaction in telling a story that’s just between you and your
imagination. I wanted to complement my
production work with something I could do on my own. I believe having a foot in each camp, video
and novels, has benefited both of these endeavors.
What books or
authors have most influenced your life?
Sherlock Holmes made such an impression
on me as a kid that Conan Doyle has to be ranked as a top influence. I also like the lean style of Dashiell
Hammett. His stories are so tight and
controlled. And I look at an author like
F. Scott Fitzgerald whose THE GREAT GATSBY is less than 200 pages. I admire someone who can write such an
impactful novel with such brevity.
When
you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
I still work full time
producing video stories. Those that I
find most gratifying focus on the children and families undergoing treatment at
Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’ve shot a heart transplant for a
four-month-old boy, followed a child through chemo-therapy and a bone marrow
transplant, witnessed the remarkable courage of children facing years of
physical rehabilitation, and watched doctors and nurses give everything they
had for the tiniest NICU baby. Being a
part of those stories keeps me grounded in the real priorities of life. I feel very fortunate to be a storyteller in
both worlds.
