Mystery, LGBTQ
Date Published: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Emory Rome is back in A Light to Kill By, the third book in the Mourning Dove Mysteries series – a follow-up to the international bestsellers Murder on the Lake of Fire and Death Opens a Window.
Moments after construction tycoon Blair Geister’s death, a mysterious wandering light kills someone else on her Southern estate. Is the avenging spirit of the millionairess on a killing spree, or are other forces threatening those in her inner circle? As the will is read, suspicion and jealousy arise, and fingers point to the heirs of her fortune. Private investigator Emory Rome and his Mourning Dove partners accept an invitation to stay at Geisterhaus and unravel its secrets before more lives are lost.
As he struggles with the consequences of his last case, Emory must unravel the inexplicable death of a federal employee in a Knoxville high-rise. But while the reticent investigator is mired in a deep pool of suspects – from an old mountain witch to the powerful Tennessee Valley Authority – he misses a greater danger creeping from the shadows. The man in the ski mask returns to reveal himself, and the shocking crime of someone close is unearthed.
I’m Mikel J. Wilson, author of the Mourning Dove Mysteries, which
include Murder on the Lake of Fire, Death Opens a Window and A
Light to Kill By.
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to
Grasp?
Murder on the Lake of Fire, the first book in my
Mourning Dove Mysteries series, introduces Emory Rome, a 23-year-old special
agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Through the course of the
murder investigation, the reader eventually realizes the primary investigator
is gay, but they find out in a very natural way – no big announcement or
reveal. A number of people stopped reading at that point and left negative
comments on Amazon, such as “Yuck, the main character is gay!” and “The writer
should have warned us.” These books are first and foremost mystery novels, and my
hope is readers find navigating them through the perspective of a gay
protagonist enjoyable, whether or not they’re members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your
writing?
I follow a “no guns or knives” policy for the Mourning Dove Mysteries,
so the most challenging part in writing the novels is coming up with unique opening
murders. I like each of them to give an initial impression of a potentially supernatural
origin but eventually prove to have a scientific explanation. I come up with
some wild visions for bizarre ways to die, but then I have to find a way to
make the death possible. I’ll spend weeks researching it, and sometimes I come
up with a perfect, scientific way to commit the murder. More often, though, I’m
forced to abandon the effort because I can’t find a reasonable explanation for the
death.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
I have four published books – three in my Mourning Dove Mysteries series
and a contemporary fantasy novel called Sedona: The Lost Vortex. I love
all my books, but Sedona holds a special place in my heart. On September
28, we’re releasing a 10th anniversary edition of the book with revised
text, a new cover and a first-ever audiobook version.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
For the three private investigators in my Mourning Dove Mysteries, I
would cast Jordan Doww as Emory Rome, Derek Chadwick as Jeff Woodard and Amandla
Stenberg as Virginia Kennon.
When did you begin writing?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, going back at least to
short stories in junior high. In college, I started writing screenplays and
teleplays. I few years ago, I decided I wanted to write books instead, and my
first published novel, Sedona: The Lost Vortex, was actually adapted
from one of my screenplays.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
My first published book was a science fiction/contemporary fantasy novel
that took five years to write. My mystery novels usually take me about six
months.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
My biggest inspiration
would have to be Agatha Christie. I read all her novels when I was in high
school.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I love plotting and character development, but I think my favorite part
is writing snappy dialogue between two characters with opposing views on the
subject at hand. I love the back and forth of an escalating debate and how that
reveals the characters’ view of the world, as well as sometimes hidden
passions.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
For A Light to Kill By: Haunted house murder mystery.
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is
in the future for your writing?
I’m currently working on the fourth book in my Mourning Dove Mysteries
series, scheduled for release at the end of next year. It will answer all
questions about Emory Rome’s past, tying up the running subplot from the first
three books. I’m also writing the sequel to Sedona: The Lost Vortex, anticipating
a 2023 release.
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