A Ghostly Tale of Writing: Author Interview with Mallory Pierce

You’ve just debuted your first book.  How many rewrites did you do on it?
I’ve always been fascinated by ghosts and haunted places, and it occurred to me that ghost stories aren’t generally written from the point of view of the spirit. That’s when the character of Gwendolyn Frink (don’t call her Gwen!), a ghost who’s been haunting the halls of her family’s old Victorian home for over a century, was born! 

What made you choose to write a mystery with a ghost aspect?

I’m a big fan of light-hearted mysteries with a male/female pair of sleuths, so I teamed up Gwen with horror writer Nolan, gave them a murder to solve, and That’s the Spirit! was the end result.

How many rewrites did you do on it?
I do a lot of editing along the way while writing a first draft because I loathe doing massive rewrites. My process is to write the first draft, do one round of edits to check on continuity and fix any issues, turn the manuscript over to my beta readers, do another round of edits based on things they’ve pointed out to me, proofread the manuscript until I want to cry (LOL), and then I’m done.

How do you go about plotting your mystery? Do you pick the victim or the murderer first?
I start with the victim and figure out all the details of the murder and how the body is discovered. I don’t decide on who the murderer is until I’ve got all the suspects on the page, and I’ve run through all the possible scenarios in my head. The murderer usually reveals him(or her!)self to me about a third of the way into the book (I write my chapters in chronological order).

What do you think makes for a perfect murder mystery?
For me, what makes a good murder mystery is having a sleuth that’s interesting and fun to follow along with as s/he solves the crime. And I like to be surprised by something in the story: whether it’s the murderer, the motive, a red herring, or a plot twist.

 
What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
Many moons ago, I wrote fan fiction for some of my favorite genre shows like Angel and Smallville, and I got such a tremendously positive response from readers online that it emboldened me to start writing my first novel. 

Marketing is the biggest key to getting sales. What is the best marketing source you've used that has produced more sales rather than just clicks?
Right now, I’d say that my best marketing tool is newsletter swaps with other authors in my genre. It’s a win/win because it costs nothing and my readers/followers love to learn about new releases, books on sale, and seasonal reads. As a bonus, I’ve discovered some really wonderful authors and books through doing swaps. 

What do you know now about writing you wished you had known sooner?
That there is not only one road to success. Authors have so many options these days and there is no right or wrong way to get your books into readers’ hands. You have to do what works best for you.

What is the best writing advice you’ve received or could give?
Your book is both a product and a reflection of you. So, make sure that your product is polished to a very bright shine before you submit it to an agent/editor or publish it. Editing, proofreading, cover art, blurbs – all of those things are important and will make the difference between you looking like a professional or an amateur.

Tell me about your book.
The afterlife gets a lot more exciting for Gwen when she’s able to communicate with the newest resident of her family home, and the two of them find a corpse in the attic! Gwen insists that a reluctant Nolan help her find out who killed real estate agent Morgan Charles. Can they solve the case before Woebrook’s annual Festival of Frights, or will Nolan be the killer’s next victim?

That’s the Spirit! is filled to the brim with Halloween goodness! It’s available in e-book, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited on Amazon: 

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Mallory's writing, here are some links to get you started. 
Author Newsletter: https://paranormalcozyauthor.eo.page/zknn4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MalloryPierceAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallorypierceauthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mallory-pierce

Amazon: https://mybook.to/ThatstheSpirit

And here's a bonus for my readers, leave a comment on this post and we'll pick one reader who'll receive a copy of Mallory's eBook, That’s the Spirit! So do that now. It can be as simple as I want to be in the giveaway. We'll chose a winner next Friday!