Patricia Smiley's new novel,
Short Change, releases in July.
In 2005,
Jane Dentinger interviewed Smiley. Part of the Q & A:
Q: I know you started your love affair with mystery fiction early with Trixie Beldon. Who or what else has inspired you along the way?
A: As an avid reader and a devoted mystery fan, I went on to read classic authors such as Rex Stout, Agatha Christie, and Raymond Chandler whose descriptions of L.A. still dazzle me. Later, I discovered Sue Grafton. Kinsey Millhone's sense of humor and her quirky but loveable sidekicks grabbed my attention. Another author who influenced my writing was Susan Isaacs. Her mystery novel After All These Years was an infectious blend of good writing, humor, and romance. Still, the dominant influence on my initial career was Elizabeth George. Over the course of nine years I was one of ten aspiring authors who met with her regularly to work on our manuscripts. During that time, I began to better understand not only the writing process but the writing life as well. While in George's group, I wrote FALSE PROFITS and COVER YOUR ASSETS plus half of my current Tucker Sinclair manuscript now scheduled for publication in 2007.
Read the entire interview.
Visit Patricia Smiley's website.
--Marshal Zeringue
