INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES

Interviews with Jonnie:
A Conversation with Jonnie Jacobs about her Kate Austen Series

Articles by Jonnie:
Mystery Readers Journal, Fall 2008: "Murder and More By The Bay"
Mystery Readers Journal, Summer 2002: "Lure of the Law"
"Be Your Own Best Editor"

Interview with Jonnie from the newsletter of MWA, Northern California Chapter

What do you think makes for a successful legal mystery?

The same ingredients that make for any good mystery—believable characters, an intriguing hook or plot question, conflict, and enough suspense (i.e. what's going to happen next) to keep the reader turning the pages.

Like many people, I'm fascinated by the way a given set of "facts" or evidence can support two or more plausible theories about the crime. It reminds me of those drawings you've seen where you look at it one way and it looks like a vase of flowers, and then you look again and see that it looks like an old lady. I enjoy legal mysteries that play with these shifting perceptions. But successful stories engage the reader emotionally so it can't be all about the puzzle. Courtroom scenes need to be focused, and interspersed with action or character scenes. Bottom line is that good legal mysteries focus on the human drama that's at the root of all fiction.

Where do you get your ideas and inspiration for your plots and characters?

Seeds for ideas are everywhere—the newspaper, overheard conversations, what-if fantasies—it's developing these seeds into full blown stories that is tough. Like most authors, I have to start with something that resonates with me. It could be a character (Wes Harding in Evidence of Guilt), a key piece of evidence (Motion to Dismiss), an area of interest (private adoption in Witness for the Defense), or the vision of an opening scene (Intent to Harm). From there, I brainstorm possible twists, motives, subplots etc. It's interesting (and often amusing) for me to look back over these notes after a book is done. The development of the story is anything but linear.

My characters are generally an amalgam of people I've met, read about, heard about from friends, and observed (like most authors, I'm a great people watcher). There's always a bit of myself thrown in, too. As with story ideas, the characters have to resonate with me in some way or they just seem wooden. If a character isn't coming to life, I sometimes find that changing the name, physical attributes, or even the gender can make the character real to me.

What's your writing schedule and routine like?

I'm very lucky to be in a position where I don't need a day job to support myself, and that allows me more freedom than many writers have. It used to be that I got my kids off to school, took a walk while I mentally worked on the next scene, then came home and wrote for the remainder of the day. Then my kids went away to college and my husband retired. That played havoc with my schedule. Because my personal life is less structured now, I find it harder to keep to a fixed routine. But I still try to write every day, even if it's just for a short while. If I'm away from a book too long, not only do I have trouble getting back into it, my writing feel rusty. I have to pull harder than usual to find the right words or images. I find it hard to write at night or when I'm away from home (anywhere but my desk, in fact). And I need a window nearby.

Do you ever face a situation where you're not in the mood to write? If so, what do you do to get yourself in the mood?

Some days I can't wait to get to my computer and jump back into the book, but there are definitely days when that's not the case. Usually that's when I feel the book is going badly or I can't figure out what comes next. Sometimes I take a long walk and do some mental brainstorming, but in the end, I force myself back to the computer. I've learned the only way I'll get beyond that sticking point is to push through it. (What's that saying... writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.) Even if what I write is garbage, at least I've written something. From there I can refine or toss. And usually, the very act of writing gets the juices flowing, albeit slowly. Having said that, I'll admit there are days I figure my time is better spent doing something totally different—cleaning, gardening, going to a museum, whatever. Sometimes the mind simply needs a rest. And getting out into the world can be surprisingly inspirational!

Where do you think the legal mystery genre is headed?

Gosh, I wish I knew! I see the entire mystery genre expanding into new areas, and the distinction between "novel" and "mystery" growing more blurred. Half the books on the best seller list, while not traditional mysteries, incorporate elements of the genre. And mysteries themselves are pushing the boundaries, exploring new ground, and adding layers of complexity. As for the traditional courtroom drama, I think readers will continue to be interested in the legal system and the ways that justice is, or isn't, served. Just look at the newspapers—public interest in high profile trials remains strong. The question of an individual's guilt or innocence is one of the ultimate mysteries, and we don't really know the truth because we were there when the crime was committed. On the other hand, I see a lot of writers (myself included) sending their attorney sleuth off in other directions, as well. I suspect that has as much to do with the writer's desire to flex new muscle as with reader interest.

 

© Jonnie Jacobs. Web site by interbridge.