Mystery author Eve Marie joins me today to chat about her new thriller, The Bayou Heist.
Bio:
Two words define my path: writer, reader. These are my hobbies. When I am not working as a teacher, I read often and try to live vicariously through the characters. My husband tells me he likes to live through Jack Reacher! I have lived in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. I am a Navy Veteran and served on the USS Suribachi. Currently, I live in the Tampa Bay area. I also owned a small Cupcakerie for several years before turning to keto. Now that the Cupcakerie is closed, I enjoy following keto recipes. My husband and pug are my partners in crime.
Please tell us about your current release.
“Everyone has two eyes but no one sees the same.” There is André, a detective from the bayous, trying to solve the Armored Truck robbery along with his trusty sidekick. On the other side are Faith and Eva, dropped into a situation which they didn’t see coming. After finding a stash of money hidden in North Georgia by robbers, the twists, turns, and coincidences caused by bumping into one another create an ironic ‘cat and mouse situation.’ Two innocents in over their head, two detectives chasing clues, and we have one bayou mystery that might just be unsolvable!
What inspired you to write this book?
My novel’s main characters are Faith and Eva. Faith and her husband, Timothy own a Cupcakerie. Eva is a teacher in the United Arab Emirates. While writing my debut novel, I felt inspired to share the more interesting parts of my life including locations I have lived in and jobs I have held. I will write about what I know.
What exciting project are you working on next?
I am working on a follow up in the life of Faith and Timothy. Faith seems to find herself helping solve mysteries that need to be solved. She is in the right place at the right time. With the conclusion of The Bayou Heist there was still the mystery to be solved: where were the gold bars that had also been stolen during the time of the Armored Truck heist. This mystery will be addressed in the follow up novel.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I first thought I had a story to tell when I had some time on my hands to write and began with poetry. Spillwords Press, Vita Brevis, The Stray Branch published some of my work. The Horror Zine in 2017 elected me as “Poet of the Month.” This encouraged my confidence in my writing. Around this time, I was also hired as a ghost writer to develop a nonfiction novel.
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?
I write part time every weekend for several hours. Full-time I am still working as a teacher. Every vacation, summer or winter I work on my second novel.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I listen carefully to people around me and if I hear an interesting phrase or reference I write it down. I have things written down on my phone, my blackboard, notebooks, etc. Sometimes when I am at work or at the VA for an appointment, I will be listening and writing.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a fashion designer. My first job out of college was working in the Garment District in New York with buyers. I loved clothes, coordinating outfits and the people I met in the industry. I was probably inspired by my mom who had worked with Francesco Scavullo as his stylist and my aunt who was a model for Seventeen Magazine. Growing up, hearing my family’s stories inspired me to pursue this field and to live for several years in Manhattan.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Sometimes I think writing is like playing with fashion or a well-coordinated recipe as I want my readers to follow the leads and find out the secrets. That is the challenge: develop the characters that a reader will want to know and develop settings and plots that fascinate your reader.