J.L. Butler
J.L. Butler (AKA Tasmina Perry) is the author of the new psychological suspense novel Mine. From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Mine, and for your main character, Francine?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I trained as a lawyer and have had some experience in the world of family law. The push and pull of human emotions in divorce proceedings, particularly between people who love, or have loved each other is both sad and fascinating and a novelist; I recognized it would be powerful subject matter for a book.
But actually it was “setting” or location that really prompted Mine. I love the area in London known as the Inns of Court.
The legal profession in the UK is a little different to that in the States. In the UK the field of law is split into two fields – you’re either a solicitor (which I was,) or a barrister. Solicitors have more direct contact with the client, barristers (like Amal Clooney) are more trained in court advocacy.
The Inns of Court is where most of the barristers’ chambers (or offices) in London are located – and it’s a magical and bewitching pocket of the city. The buildings look like something from a Charles Dickens movie; barristers wear gowns and white horsehair wigs, so visiting the Inns of Court does feel as if you are stepping back in time.
I often go for a wander around the Inns of Court just to soak up the atmosphere and I’ve always thought it would be a terrific location for a novel. When I put that together with the concept of a man who wanted his difficult estranged partner to get out of his life, I had the central premise for Mine.
As for the character of Francine, she is...[read on]
