Lois Winston of Franklin, Tenn., has written several mystery series, romances, nonfiction — even a children's chapter book! Her "A Crafty Collage of Crime" just won the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedy.
Give us a brief description of your books.
I began my career as an author writing romance, romantic suspense and chick lit. I sold my first book, “Talk Gertie to Me,” a humorous romantic chick lit novel, in 2005. Based on that humor and my day job as a designer, I was asked to write a humorous cozy mystery series with a crafting theme. The result was The Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries about a reluctant amateur sleuth juggling single parenthood, debt as large as the GNP of a Third World Nation, a communist mother-in-law, a Shakespeare-quoting parrot and far too many dead bodies. The first book, “Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun,” received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Kirkus Reviews called Anastasia “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” There are now 13 novels and five novellas in the series.
I’ve also written two books in my Empty Nest Mystery series, “Definitely Dead” and “Literally Dead,” which is a modern homage with a twist to the Thin Man movies of the 1930s and 40s. In my books, the wife is the sleuth, and her college professor husband goes along with her snooping and sleuthing, to keep her out of trouble.
What brought you to write these stories? For instance, was it a personal experience that inspired you, your “day job” or perhaps an overactive imagination?
A conversation my agent had with an editor led me to try my hand at writing mysteries, and the rest is history. I’m now firmly entrenched in the world of murder and mayhem. When asked what I do for a living, I say I kill people (but always with a wink and a nod!)
Where do you get information or ideas for your books?
I’m a news junkie. Most of my ideas spring in part from what I see on the evening news or read in newspapers. Some come from personal experience (I actually had a communist mother-in-law who was the inspiration for my sleuth’s mother-in-law) or from observing people. I’m also a diehard eavesdropper. (It’s amazing what people will say while on their phones in a ladies’ room stall!)
Where do the stories take place?
Anastasia is a Jersey girl. Consequently, most of the books take place in and around the NY/NJ metro area. However, after I moved to Tennessee three years ago, readers kept asking when Anastasia would move to Tennessee. Uhm…never? However, I decided to send her and her new husband, photojournalist Zachary Barnes, to Tennessee wine country for their honeymoon. The result was “A Crafty Collage of Crime,” the 12th book in the series.
How does setting play in the telling of the story?
I was pleasantly surprised to discover Tennessee has a flourishing wine industry and that my new home is near many wineries. The more I learned about the area, the more the idea of setting a book in the area grew on me. It also helped that Anastasia and Zack are partial to the grape. The book won this year's Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award for Best Comedy.
Here’s the blurb:
A Crafty Collage of Crime
An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 12
Wherever crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack goes, murder and mayhem follow. Her honeymoon is no exception. She and new husband, photojournalist (and possible spy) Zachary Barnes, are enjoying a walk in the Tennessee woods when they stumble upon a body on the side of a creek. The dead man is the husband of one of the three sisters who own the winery and guest cottages where Anastasia and Zack are vacationing.
When the local sheriff sets his sights on the widow as the prime suspect, her sisters close ranks around her. The three siblings are true-crime junkies, and thanks to a podcaster who has produced an unauthorized series about her, Anastasia’s reputation for solving murders has preceded her to the bucolic hamlet. The sisters plead for her help in finding the real killer. As Anastasia learns more about the women and their business, a host of suspects emerge, including several relatives, a relentless land developer, and even the sisters themselves.
Meanwhile, Anastasia becomes obsessed with discovering the podcaster’s identity. Along with knowing about Anastasia’s life as a reluctant amateur sleuth, the podcaster has divulged details of Anastasia’s personal life. Someone has betrayed Anastasia’s trust, and she’s out to discover the identity of the culprit.
What do you think makes a good story/book?
A good story will feature characters with goals, motivation, and conflict. What does the character want? Why does she want it? What’s keeping her from getting it? The characters should also show growth, both in the book and throughout the series. In a mystery, the whodunit has to keep the reader guessing, and every book, no matter the genre, should offer a satisfying resolution to the plot.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think of writing as the result of my midlife crisis. Some people buy a sports car. Others decide to run marathons or climb mountains. I started writing books.
When did you write your first book? And how was that experience?
I first began writing in the mid-90s. When I finished the book, I thought I’d written the Great American Novel. I was quickly disabused of that notion when the rejection letters started hitting my mailbox. Some people would have given up at that point, but I’m stubborn. I set out to learn what I was doing wrong and how to write right. Ten years, nearly to the day I started writing, I sold my first book.
Is writing your primary job or do you have another career?
At one point, I juggled three full-time careers. I was a designer in the consumer crafts industry, I worked as an associate at a literary agency for 12 years, and I was writing. Who needs sleep, right? I’ve since retired from both designing and agency work and now spend all my time writing.
What was the most surprising thing you learned writing your stories?
I wasn’t someone who grew up reading Nancy Drew and wanting to write mysteries, but now I can’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else.
Did writing your books lead you to other things?
Writing led me to meeting some incredibly generous authors willing to go out of their way for me, as first a wannabe and then a newbie author. They not only believed in paying it forward but were always happy to do so. Over the years, many have become dear friends, and I honor their friendship by now paying it forward to other wannabes and newbies.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?
Don’t give up! If you love writing, keep writing. Don’t judge yourself against the success or failure of others. We’re all on our own journeys, and there are many paths to success.
How can readers find and purchase your books?
My books are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Audible, Books-a-Million, OverDrive, Smashwords, Everand, Thalia, Hoopla, Vivlio, and Palace Marketplace. With so many titles and links for each, the best way to find individual links is by going to my website.
Books by Lois Winston:
Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series
Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun
Death by Killer Mop Doll
Revenge of the Crafty Corpse
Decoupage Can Be Deadly
A Stitch to Die For
Scrapbook of Murder
Drop Dead Ornaments
Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide
A Sew Deadly Cruise
Stitch, Bake, Die!
Guilty as Framed
A Crafty Collage of Crime
Sorry, Knot Sorry
Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mysteries
Crewel Intentions
Mosaic Mayhem
Patchwork Peril
Crafty Crimes (all 3 novellas in one volume)
Empty Nest Mystery Series
Definitely Dead
Literally Dead
Romance/Romantic Suspense/Chick Lit
Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception
Lost in Manhattan
Someone to Watch Over Me
Talk Gertie to Me
Four Uncles and a Wedding
Hooking Mr. Right
Finding Hope
Novellas and Novelettes
Elementary, My Dear Gertie
Moms in Black, A Mom Squad Caper
Once Upon a Romance
Finding Mr. Right
Children’s Chapter Book
The Magic Paintbrush
Nonfiction
Top Ten Reasons Your Novel is Rejected
House Unauthorized
Bake, Love, Write
We’d Rather Be Writing
Social Links
Website: http://www.loiswinston.com
Twitter: https://x.com/Anasleuth
Weird, Wacky & Wild South is written by travel writer and author Cheré Dastugue Coen, who writes the Viola Valentine mysteries under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Her books, featuring New Orleans amateur sleuth and psychic, are available at all online bookstores.
I didn't not know you about your Empty Nest series. I will check them out. I love the Thin Man books and movies!
So good to see Lois here. If you want some laugh-out-loud, reading, her crafting mysteries are hilarious.
Cherie, thanks so much for featuring me and my books on Weird South today!