Interview with Wendy Watson

Q: What made you start writing your cozy mysteries?
I actually started writing romances, but somehow my love stories always had a dead body in the middle of them. Eventually I realized my subconscious was telling me something: I’m a mystery writer, whether I like it or not. (Thankfully, I *do* like it.)
Q: Why did you choose this genre to write about?
I’ve always enjoyed reading mysteries of all sorts (hard-boiled, suspense, procedurals, etc.) because of the puzzle at the heart of the story. Cozies appeal to me the most because of the emotional element and the opportunity for humor. I get my dead body, but I also get a little romance and a whole lot of laughing. Turns out there’s a natural fit between my voice and the genre. Works out well.
Q: How long did it take you to write I Scream, You Scream?
I sold I SCREAM on proposal, so I had a tight deadline. I ended up writing it, from start to finish, in about six months.
Q: What would you say is the hardest part about writing a mystery?
Satisfying mysteries (I think) give you enough clues that, when you find out who the killer is, you’re smacking yourself in the forehead: “of course!” But, at the same time, you don’t want the readers to actually guess the killer until the big reveal. Walking that line between impossible and obvious is tough.
Q: You not only write, but you teach college constitutional law. What do you love about teaching?
Well, it’s never boring. I love those moments when my students get something, when the light bulb goes on. It’s pretty cool: you can usually see the precise moment when everything clicks into place. Those moments more than make up for the hassles and drama that tend to follow college kids wherever they go.
Q: I read you have a passion for ice cream- me too! (Who doesn’t?) What is your favorite flavor?
My favorites vary. Since it’s spring, I’m in the mood for fruit flavors (coconut, cherry, peach, raspberry). In the fall and winter I go for more exotic flavors. One of my favorites is a Thai chili made by the good people at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, OH: it’s a peanut butter ice cream with a coconut base and a hint of cayenne. It’s decadent.
Q: Can you tell us more about Cozy the Cat?
Isn’t he great? My friend Sonny Strait is a cartoonist, and he drew Cozy for me. I write cozy mysteries, but I have a bit of an edge. Cozies with claws, if you will. So I asked Sonny to draw me a cat (the universal cozy mystery icon) but a little ragged around the edges. A street cat. And Cozy was born.
Q: What’s your favorite reality TV show?
I watch the competition shows (American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, Top Chef, Project Runway …), but my favorite reality show is also one of the oldest: COPS. It’s like the very best people-watching in the world, delivered to your living room in 30 minute increments. Can’t beat that with a stick.
Q: What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
Writers write. It’s that simple. If you want to be a writer, you have to keep doing it. Maybe the manuscript you’re writing won’t sell, and maybe the next one won’t either. Maybe you’ll write a dozen manuscripts before you sell. Each one will be better than the last, each one will teach you something, so the process isn’t wasted effort. You have to be o.k. with a lot of frustration, a lot of criticism, and a lot of failure … and you have to take joy in the actual process of writing.
Q: Where do you think would be your favorite place to travel?
Wow. I’ve rarely been outside the U.S., so I wouldn’t cross anything off my list. But I would love to travel to Great Britain. My family is Welsh, and I have a friend who lives up near the Scottish border. I want to see Stonehenge and the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland … so if I had the funds and the time, Mr. Wendy and I would take a good two weeks in the British Isles.