The Carolina Conspiracy welcomes author Camille Minichino to our blog!


How much time do you spend writing each week?
When I'm on a deadline, as now, it seems like 24/7! But I do stop for meals and The Mentalist, so it's probably more like 8 to 10 hours a day. I have a couple of day jobs, so sometimes those hours don't begin until ten at night. Sleep is overrated. I think the most important thing is to get it done (writing the book) not worry about writing on a schedule, or even writing every day. Sometimes rules like that stifle creativity. Often I'll go to the movies and meet someone for lunch during the day, and end up writing at two in the morning. Whatever gets the job done.



What is your favorite mode of death?
I love the old fashioned ways where someone is stabbed with an icicle and—oops—where's the murder weapon? But mine are much more conventional, like shootings and stabbings. Probably my most original was in The Beryllium Murder, where a man with allergies was killed by breathing in beryllium powder that had been dusted into his box of tissues.



Are you like your main character in any way?
I have two series, one with a scientist, like me, and the other with a miniaturist, like me. My plan is to have a series for each facet of my life. I guess a tech editor might be next, or a teacher. Or a canasta player. I think one of the hardest things is to keep point of view straight. When I'm writing Gerry Porter, in the miniature mysteries series, I have to remember that she is not a scientist and is very low tech, whereas Gloria Lamerino, of the periodic table mysteries, is at the other end, with a scientific world view. Gloria reads only science magazines, where as Gerry quotes Shakespeare. Gerry makes miniatures; so do I. I have a gallery of mini scenes I've made, at http://www.dollhousemysteries.com. I love donating them as raffle prizes or to the silent auctions at conferences. Gloria lives in an apartment above a funeral parlor; I've made a miniature of the mortuary, which is also shown at the site.



Does cooking play any part in your book?
My husband tells me there's too much eating my books! Mostly desserts and cappuccinos. But now that you ask, there's not a lot of cooking. I don't know how the food gets to the table.



Why do you write mysteries?
They're the most satisfying, the most quickly. The structure is there for you: Come up with a crime and solve it. It's like being given a ready made cake and told to decorate it. I add my characters, setting, and plot, and all the leit motifs I want, but basically I know where I'm going. Well, most of the time.

Thanks for the chance to visit! If anyone would like to read sample chapters or see more info: http://www.minichino.com or http://www.dollhousemysteries.com, which are linked.