Kristi Jones

Kristi Jones grew up in the military and has lived in Germany, England, Turkey, and many places throughout the U.S. She attended a German high school that left her with a lifelong love of languages. She holds a degree in history and is a member of Sisters in Crime and The Writer’s League of Texas. In her free time, Jones loves to paint, travel, explore historical sites and comb through old bookstores and museums for obscure nuggets of historical details to add to her stories. She lives in the Houston area with her husband and two rescue pups.

Jones's new novel is Murder in the Ranks.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

I think Murder in the Ranks immediately tells the reader my book is a mystery and there is some military element to the story. Dottie Lincoln, my book’s sleuth, is a member of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in WWII. The word ‘ranks’ does some heavy lifting here to show that these pioneering women, serving in the first American women’s expeditionary force, were indeed soldiers. I hope the title brings up the question, who would want to kill one of these soldiers? And why?

What's in a name?

I wanted Dottie Lincoln’s name to be as American as apple pie. I wanted her to be relatable. At the same time, her name is a choice she’s made. Her full name is Dorothea Lincoln von Raven. Her father was in the army and married a French woman while stationed in Germany after the Great War. Dottie’s chosen name hides a somewhat checkered past and puts her in danger. It is also part of her attempt to redefine herself - as a woman, as an American and as a soldier.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your novel?

I don’t expect my teenage self would be too surprised by Murder in the Ranks. In many ways, this book reflects a lot of my own childhood experiences. I grew up as an Air Force brat, surrounded by military men and women. I was always fascinated with women in uniform. My Dad was a fighter pilot and at one point, he was stationed at a German Air Force base. The nearest American base was almost five hours away and we were the only Americans in town. I went to the local school and learned German. Dottie’s childhood experiences are similar to my own. She is the daughter of a military man, who was stationed in occupied Germany after the Great War.

I’ve also always had a fascination with history, especially military history. When we lived in England, my parents would take me to the local pub and I’d listen to all the stories of the old-timers who’d survived the Blitz and Dunkirk and many other battles. In Germany, my best friend’s Dad had served in both World War I and World War II. I majored in history and German in college. A few years ago, I discovered the 149th Post Headquarters Company, the first American women soldiers to serve in a combat theater, and I knew I had to write about them. I’ve also been a fan of mysteries since I was a kid. It started with Nancy Drew mysteries and Agatha Christie. Again, being stationed in England when I was in elementary school, I was fascinated with mysteries and touring castles and some of the great houses only fueled that obsession. So, yes, in many ways, Murder in the Ranks was inevitable!

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

Beginnings are always harder! When I start writing, I’m writing to explore. To suss out the story buried in a bunch of facts and random ideas. It’s only when I come to the end of the book that I really know how the story should start. It’s only at the end of the story that I truly know who my main character is. Dottie Lincoln starts Murder in the Ranks as an insecure, somewhat weak person, who shields herself from rel connections with the soldiers in her company. By the end of the story, she is coming out of her shell. She learns to stand up and fight for what’s right. During the process of investigating the murder of her fellow soldier, Ruth Wentz, Dottie steps into a fuller version of herself. But to show that progression, I had to start Dottie off on a mission destined for failure.

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

Every character in my book has a connection to my personality. Even the killer! I don’t know how to write characters completely alien from myself. I’m not sure that’s possible. One thing I enjoy about writing is having the opportunity to explore multiple facets of personality and choice. Our choices are what define us. Writing and reading stories allow us to explore multiple avenues of decision making and multiple versions of ourselves.

What non-literary inspirations have influenced your writing?

My biggest inspiration is always the research. After I discovered the 149th Post Headquarters Company, I was granted permission to do research at the U.S. Army Women’s Museum. Nothing inspired me more to write Murder in the Ranks than reading the personal accounts of the women who served under General Eisenhower in Algiers, North Africa. One WAAC in particular did an oral interview, and she talked about how her husband told her after the war not to tell anyone she’d served in the military because it wasn’t ladylike. She also suffered PTSD from the bombardments in early 1943. Whenever the work got hard, I thought of this WAAC and pressed on. These women were true pioneers, and they paved the way for women to serve in combat today. Nothing inspires me more than these brave women soldiers.

Visit Kristi Jones's website.

--Marshal Zeringue