Interview with mystery author Edita A. Petrick

Mystery author Edita A. Petrick is here today to chat with me about her new novel Ribbons of Death.

During her virtual book tour with Goddess Fish Promotions, Edita will be awarding a Kindle copy of Ribbons of Death gifted from Amazon to 4 randomly drawn winners. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Welcome, Edita. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Ten years ago, I left a corporate job to concentrate on writing. It was perhaps the scariest thing I’ve done. Of course, there were other considerations at the time, life, kids, economy and my mother who was battling cancer. I wrote as means of staying grounded because I had to hold it together. There was no one else to pitch in. There wasn’t a single moment that I didn’t have doubts about whether what I was doing was the right thing or not, but doubts come and go, while the need to write goes on forever.

Since 2005, I’ve published 5 books and this year alone I have 6 new ones coming out. I live in Toronto with my family and our two pets – wheaten terriers. And whenever I’m tempted to look back, and start second-guessing my past decisions, I have a cup of hot tea and pet the dogs. That seems to do the trick. Tea’s very relaxing and the dogs are so affectionate and loyal. They restore my equilibrium.

Please tell us about your current release.

“Ribbons of Death is a mystery suspense. Most of the reviews I’ve received so far are very positive, but even the readers who gave me 5 stars mentioned (obliquely) that the book could do with a faster start. I’m not sure if I know how to do “faster starts” – I’m all for setting the ground first, so to speak. But I’m also willing to learn…I’ve already had 3 free-download days and I was actually shocked how well that promo went. So if you graciously gloss over that ‘slow start’ and we’re talking here a handful of pages – then I guess this new release is off to a good start. Of course, since it deals with a horrible ancient curse, book 2 is going to find an antidote to that curse and the sequel is already done. Now, I just have to solicit advice on how to make the opening faster…but some things just won’t be rushed. This ‘slow start’ is really, really torturing me.

What inspired you to write this book?

I own a complete collection of Agatha Christie mysteries. I love re-reading them. So it just follows that what I love to read, I love to write.

Excerpt from Ribbons of Death
“A female mask.” He nodded.

“A man wearing a female mask. The Roman actors used them, the stage actors used them in Shakespearean times; so did Chinese performers. The old Egyptians wore masks not only for stage performances but to battle, or during exhibition combat in a palace.”

“So you’re saying that a female mask will protect you against the Peacetaker’s power?” He must have sounded more disbelieving than he meant to because she rose, braced her hands on her hips and glared at him.

“We’re dealing with a curse damning humanity for all eternity spun by a mythological demon. It produces a male child born during the night of the Blue Moon. When the child reaches adulthood, his power is activated with an amulet and as he walks amongst men, he devours peace, leaving them howling with murderous frenzy like primeval beasts. Which parts of what I’ve just said doesn’t sound rational enough to you such that you can’t believe the controller is a man wearing a female mask?”

“Well, what if it’s cloudy during that particular night of the Blue Moon and the actual moon can’t be seen? Would ancient folks have known then it was a night of the Blue Moon? I’m just trying to play the Devil’s Advocate.”

“An excellent point. We’ll gloss over it. Not because it poses challenge for me, but because we have, once again, a more important puzzle to baffle us,” she said with such candor that he raised both hands to show her he was capitulating.

What exciting story are you working on next?

The Harmony Scroll – that’s the title for book 2.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve many very brittle yellow pages, lined, written in child’s handwriting – stored somewhere in a folder so I guess that answer that question.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

Majority of indie or small press writers can’t exist on what they make from their writing. That’s a fact. I have a full time job. Bills need to be paid. I rise at the crack of dawn, put in my 9 hours (includes a commute) and back home to feed the dogs, feed the family (actually in that order) and get ready for the next day at work and if I have an hour or so left, I’d sit down and re-read the notes I have for the next in-production book. I work in the school environment so I have the summer off and that’s when I fashion a story from the notes that I work on the rest of the year. Sometimes I get some time to write on the weekend but not much.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I read and re-read all my reviews. Then I go “click on” the links of the reviewers and then I read all about them. Then, as opportunity arises, I ‘write in’ any given reviewer as one of the characters in the book, as I see him or her through their critique. How’s that for exercising it out of your system…?

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Archeologist or an astronaut

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you for having me on the blog and thank you to all for reading.

Edita

Links: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Amazon buy link 

Thank you for being here today, Edita! Happy writing.

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