Today’s featured author is Paula Charles, who has not one but two cozy mysteries hitting shelves this year! Out now is her debut, Hammers and Homicide, which is set at a hardware store and features a spunky older sleuth.
In our interview, Paula chats about the new release, plus the first book in her upcoming Zen Goat mystery series (written as Janna Rollins), and what she’s learned about publishing so far. Thanks to Paula for the great interview—you’re such a joy to work with!
Connect with Paula on Instagram and Facebook, and her website. Grab a copy of Hammers and Homicide from your retailer of choice here.
Hi Paula, thanks so much for joining! Hammers and Homicide kicks off your Hometown Hardware mystery series, which features a small town hardware store. What do you love about this as a cozy mystery theme? What inspired you to set a mystery series around a hardware store?
Hi Manon! Thanks so much for inviting me here. I’ve followed you for several years and have to admit I’m a little bit fangirling over here! [😭❤️—M]
For me, the idea of setting a cozy mystery in a small-town hardware store seemed like a natural fit. I grew up in a town similar to my fictional Pine Bluff, Oregon, where my grandmother owned and operated the hardware store. Along with my siblings, I spent many hours in that store, dusting shelves and counting nails. When I thought about trying my hand at writing a cozy mystery, my grandmother and the hardware store immediately came to mind. It seemed like everybody in town was in and out of that store on a regular basis, so what better place for the heroine to keep her finger on the pulse of the town and gather information? Plus, there’s a whole lot of potential murder weapons lying around!
Your sleuth in Hammers and Homicide, Dawna Carpenter, is a recent sexagenarian widow who finds herself in charge of her own hardware store after the death of her husband. What do you love about Dawna’s character? What qualities, in your opinion, make for a unique and effective cozy mystery heroine?
Dawna is such a fun character to write. She’s spunky and feisty, but at the same time a truly nice person. She’s a capable businesswoman, confident in who she is and in her own abilities. At the same time, she’s the first to laugh at herself when things go awry. She’s loyal to the people she loves, and while she won’t think twice about voicing her opinion, she’ll also still have their backs, even if she doesn’t necessarily agree with their actions.
Dawna has learned over the years to stand up for herself, which might make her seem nosy and pushy at times, but it also makes her a good amateur sleuth. She’s friendly and polite, most of the time, and that really helps in her investigations when people aren’t afraid to open up to her.
You also have another release coming up this year! An Escape Goat, book one in the Zen Goat mystery series written as Janna Rollins, is scheduled for March 2024. Can you talk a little bit about what inspired this series? Did your writing process differ for the two books?
Yes, I’m excited about this series! This series was inspired by the goats in my own farmyard. Bugsy is the star of the show in An Escape Goat and is based off of our own Bugsy, who has sadly passed now. He was a complete ham and really loved his people. Anytime he’d hear the house door open, he’d scream to make sure we didn’t forget to bring him a carrot and scratch behind his ears. I’m so happy I get to keep his memory alive between the pages of a book!
Even though there isn’t a goat yoga studio on our little farm, there is in the Zen Goat Mysteries. The series is set on a farm in New Hampshire with goat yoga and newfound family. I was able to combine my love of goats, New England, red barns, and family stories to create this series.
My writing process did differ between Hammers and Homicide and An Escape Goat somewhat. With Hammers, I had never written a full-length book before. I started out with a general idea and just sat down and wrote by the seat of my pants. Because of that, it was missing some key elements but I wasn’t sure what. I had the idea for An Escape Goat, so decided to take Ellie Alexander’s Mystery Series Masterclass. It was game changing! I’m still not an outliner, but now I know some key elements of my story before I begin writing and it goes so much smoother! Plus, taking that course opened my eyes to what was missing in Hammers. I went back and rewrote it, and here we are!
After coming into a writing career later in life, what have you learned so far about the writing and publishing journey? And/or, what are you most excited about in your future career?
On the writing side of things, I’ve learned that it’s never too late. If you have a dream or a desire to do something, jump in and give it a try. Never stop learning and improving your craft. Keep going! As far as the publishing side of things, I knew less than nothing. I think my biggest surprise has been the sheer amount of time everything takes in the traditional publishing world.
One of my greatest joys in this new endeavor has been how absolutely supportive and welcoming the mystery writing (and reading!) community is. You think of writing as a solitary career and I did not expect the camaraderie and amazing friends that I’ve already made on this journey. It’s true that a rising tide raises all boats.
Lastly, what’s on your horizon? Do you have any future releases to tease, and/or anything else you’re looking forward to?
Fingers crossed, more of the same! Book two of the Hometown Hardware Mysteries is written and I’m just waiting, impatiently, to hear from my publisher with contract news. I’m contracted for three books in the Zen Goat Mysteries, so look for An Escape Goat in March with more to follow!
Thanks so much to Paula for the interview. Sleuths, I hope you enjoyed it! If you aren’t already subscribed, please be sure to sign up for the Cluesletter and get author features like this alongside other mystery goodies, delivered to your inbox every other Tuesday.