A Visit with Ellis Vidler

     Ellis Vidler’s love of writing began as a child. While her parents played poker with friends, she and the other children wrote mysteries in the bedroom. Growing up in Florence and Huntsville, Alabama, Ellis encountered a number of fascinating people and heard various stories that continue to influence her to this day. Although she writes from  imagination (no criminal experience), she loves research and can easily follow a thread until she forgets the original subject. Her first mystery, Haunting Refrain, was published by Silver Dagger Mysteries and is now on Kindle. She then wrote a suspense novel, The Peeper, with a retired police officer. Her next romantic suspense, Cold Comfort, is due out in January from Echelon Press .She’s a member of RWA, SinC, and Guppies.    

Ellis, how did your collaboration with former lawman Jim Christopher come about and do you plan to write more suspense novels with him?

Chris was a speaker at our local Sisters in Crime meeting. We became friends and he asked if I'd be interested in writing something with him. He had the basics in mind, the main characters, setting, and primary crime. It was a great experience, and I learned so much about police procedure and how detectives handle a crime scene—I loved every minute of working with Chris. Both of us were pleased with the book. It's a fast-paced suspense novel, and even though the main character does some bad things, his reasons are understandable.  The book has some explicit scenes.

2.   When did you write your first mystery and do you remember the plot?

Hmmm. That was a long time ago. Something about horses and jewels, maybe a bridle set with rubies the size of jawbreakers. (Big and gaudy appealed to me at that age.) I do remember churning out pages and pages of printing on those wide-lined tablets. A slightly older friend corrected my spelling. Gee, even children have editors.

3.   How and where do you conduct most of your research?

I have stacks of reference books, but most of the research for my books is done on the Internet. I always try to verify information, such as going to the Glock manufacturer's site instead of to a gun enthusiast. The Internet is a real blessing—it's always available, whether it's the middle of the night and you're in pajamas or over morning coffee, but you do have to double check.

4.   Has membership in Sisters in Crime helped your writing career?

Through SinC and the online groups, I've learned about agents and publishers, found all kinds of resources, and met some truly great people. Writers are generous and always willing to help. I started out in a vacuum, knowing nothing and blundering my way through. I wish I'd found Sisters in Crime earlier.

5.   Tell us briefly about The Peeper and your forthcoming novel, Cold Comfort.

Cold Comfort is old-fashioned romantic suspense. When Claire Spencer,  the lonely owner of a Williamsburg Christmas shop, becomes a killer's target, she hires burned out security consultant Ben Riley to find out why. He's sworn never to work with women again, but when Claire Spencer lands in his arms after a hit and run, he can't walk away. Their investigation reveals political connections to the mob and long-buried secrets, but the truth is . . . Cold Comfort.

Haunting Refrain is suspense with a little romance and a touch of paranormal. Photographer Kate McGuire is only looking for a little fun in her life when she joins in a parapsychology experiment. Witnessing a murder isn’t part of the plan. And when her eccentric friend Venice, a complication all by herself, leaks the story to a hot-dog reporter, Kate’s life turns upside down. The police don’t take her seriously, but the murderer does.

The Peeper. Three damaged people face human weakness and murder, love and redemption on a South Carolina college campus. Elliott, the lonely young man who makes “friends” through dorm windows. Sam, the world-weary cop who has to overcome his past, and Kay, the rookie who’s finding her way in a harsh world.

6.       
 What’s your writing schedule like?

Sporadic, but definitely mornings—my brain shuts down around 5 in the afternoon.  I work full time and during the week, it's hard to get focused and work for a couple of hours and then shut it off. Weekends are best. Once I get into the story, I lose track of time and everything else. It's a great feeling.   

    
 Has the ebook revolution affected your print book sales?

Yes, Haunting Refrain, my first mystery, is now available on Kindle, and it's doing reasonably well.  I'm dropping the price to $.99 in the next week or so because Cold Comfort will be available in November. The Peeper is still selling in eBook, but the print sales have definitely slowed. I love the convenience of eBooks. It's so easy to carry several and to store them—my shelves are overflowing.

8.  Advice for novice writers.

Study, study, study. Study your craft. Study grammar. And then keep writing. The more you write, the better you'll be. Just as owning a paint brush doesn't make you an artist, owning a word processor doesn't make you a writer. Continue to learn and improve. Persist. I'm still working on it.

9. Thanks, Ellis.

   You can learn more about Ellis at her website: http://www.ellisvidler.com/ :
   Her blog site: http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.comfacebook/: http://profile.to/ellisvidler