I’m wrapping up the week by chatting with mystery author Raemi A. Ray about her new novel, A Chain of Pearls, (Martha’s Vineyard Murders, Book 1).
Bio:
Raemi A. Ray is the author of A Chain of Pearls, her debut novel and the first book in the Martha’s Vineyard Murders series set on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When not writing she’s traveling or planning to travel. She lives in Boston with two house demons.
Welcome, Raemi. What inspired you to write this book?
I don’t think there was any magical moment. I decided I’d write a book, researched types of books that were popular with readers, and assessed that against genres I was comfortable reading and writing. Then it was the task of developing a mystery. It was all pretty clinical, to be honest.
Excerpt from A Chain of Pearls:
Sunday
Kyra Gibson tightened her grip on the rails of the Island Home as it pulled into the harbor at Vineyard Haven. The ferry’s horn blared, notifying the passengers to return to their vehicles. Kyra hesitated, wanting a glimpse of the island her father had made his home nearly five years ago. The dock looked weather-beaten, the boarded-up, cedar-planked buildings just beyond, desolate under April’s gray afternoon sky. A chill snaked down her spine, and Kyra pulled her leather jacket tight around her shoulders. She descended into the belly of the ferry and returned to the warmth of her rented SUV. With a deep, steadying breath, Kyra prepared to disembark.
She guided the SUV off the boat and into a small village consisting mostly of closed shops and cafés. “Turn left onto Vineyard-Haven Edgartown Road,” her GPS barked. Deeper into the island, the town gave way to farms and spindly pine woods. The apprehension she’d been ignoring for weeks, resurfaced. Am I right to have come?
Make a U-turn!
Kyra cursed. She’d passed the turnoff. “How did he even find this friggin’ place?” she muttered. Looping back, she spotted the gravel drive and pulled up to a large house surrounded by a thicket of pine and brush. The house, a traditional New England colonial, was painted white with black trim. Empty flower boxes hung below shuttered windows. The garden beds were well cared for. Someone had spread fresh mulch and pruned back the rhododendrons and hydrangeas.
She parked next to a blue Range Rover. Taking a deep breath, she opened her door and stepped out from the safety of her rental car. The air was heavy with briny moisture. The damp clung to her hair and clothes. Kyra shivered. She gripped the key the lawyer had sent. Its spiny blade dug into her palm. She squared her shoulders and walked up the porch stairs, pausing before the door. Her breathing turned shallow.
She had never expected to be here. But she also thought she’d see him again. She’d thought she had time. Kyra unlocked the front door. It swung open, and she stepped into her dead father’s house.
What exciting project are you working on next?
Nothing specific, but I do hope to continue the series if my publisher wants me to.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t. It feels premature. Yes, I’ve written a series, but that’s all I’ve done and it’s about the same characters and the same place. I’d need to successfully complete something else, something different that presents its own set of challenges before I’d even consider thinking of myself as a “writer.” And even then, I don’t think I would. For context, I’ve been doing my other job for nearly twenty years and I’m still uncomfortable referring to myself as a lawyer. Mastery is knowing exactly how much you don’t know, I suppose.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
No, as I mentioned, I have another significantly less interesting job. It is, what it is. Time is finite so you make choices. I sacrifice other things, so I have the opportunity to write. Sleeping and eating properly mostly, oh and television/movies. I just Wikipedia the synopsis instead of watching entire films or series.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know if it’s a quirk, per se. When conceptualizing a plot, I don’t do vision boards or those post-its on the wall or anything like that. I use pages upon pages of completely unformatted, unnumbered, outlines. First, I sketch it out by hand in one of the notebooks that travel everywhere with me, then I type it out in excruciating detail. But I always start with the end.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A veterinarian, but I’m terrible at math and didn’t care for attending classes, so I gave that up in the third grade.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I do hope you enjoy the book and the island close to my heart.