Nancy Mehl Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.  

A. I live in Wichita, Kansas with my husband, Norman. We’ve been married almost forty years. I have a son, Danny, who lives near St. Louis. He’s an award winning graphic designer. He’s currently working for Joyce Meyer Ministries. Last year, he married the most awesome woman in the world. (You can’t tell we love her, can you?) Oh, and I can’t leave out another family member – our puggle, Watson. He’s quite a handful and keeps Norman and I busy – and entertained!

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A. Although I loved to write even as a child, I didn’t actually consider a career in writing until I was in my forties. I heard a teacher who said that to find your calling, you should go back to your childhood and think about what kinds of things came naturally to you. When I realized that the only “talent” I ever showed when I was young was writing, I began to wonder. Believe it or not, the other thing that spurred me forward was seeing “Murder, She Wrote.” After watching Jessica Fletcher, I thought, “That’s what I’d like to do!” Without the horrible body count, of course! LOL!

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?  

A. I sold several books to small publishers, but in 2007, my agent told me that Barbour Publishing was launching a cozy mystery book club. She asked me if I’d like to write a proposal. Although I love writing mystery, I’d never actually written a cozy. After doing a little research on cozies, I wrote the proposal for “In the Dead of Winter,” the first book in what became the Ivy Towers’s series. I discovered that I love writing cozy mystery. The next three books in the series were a blast to write.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release?

A.  Greenbrier Books just put all four Ivy Towers’s books out in ebook format. They’d been out of print for a while, so I’m very excited to see them get another chance at life. They are: “In the Dead of Winter,” “Bye, Bye Bertie, “For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls” (which won the Carol Award for mystery in 2009) and “There Goes Santa Claus.” The first three books were released in a trilogy titled “Cozy in Kansas.” This book sold very well but many readers wanted the last Ivy Towers’s novel and couldn’t find it. I’m happy to let them know that they can get it now.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for the Ivy Towers’s series?

A:  Good question. Wish I had a good answer. To be honest, it was one of those weird “things.” I sat down to write the proposal and the whole story just unfolded in my mind. First came the small Kansas town of “Winter Break.” I created a place where “winter comes early and leaves late” just because I love winter so much. Then there’s the old bookstore, a place I’d love to own. After that, the characters came easily. Ivy Towers is a younger version of me. Her ties to the past were stronger than she’d allowed herself to realize, and she finds herself challenged to deal with emotions she thought she’d buried. Of course, she also has a murder to solve!

 The quirky characters in Winter Break were so much fun to create. And again, it wasn’t a strain. The entire series was pretty easy to write, and I loved working on it. It turned out to be very popular with readers.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this series?

A: Ivy didn’t realize that God had an actual plan for her life until she went back to Winter Break. I’d like my readers to know that God has a plan for them too. So many people are leading lives full of confusion and failure. I’m not saying that the road God has for you will always be easy. It isn’t. But it’s wonderful to see His provision and know that He’s gone before you and prepared the way. When God calls us to something, He will provide whatever we need to cross the finish line. There’s such a wonderful peace that comes from relying on Him to complete what He starts in our lives.

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from one the books?

A: Wow. That’s tough. There are heart-touching scenes that still make me cry. And there are funny scenes. I guess I’d pick the conversation between Ivy and Dela Shackleford in “For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls.” Dela wants to plan Ivy’s wedding, and her ideas are…well, a little over the top. Okay, way over the top. LOL!

Q: What inspires you to write?  

A. The first thing that drives me is my desire to honor God with the opportunity He’s given me. I am still surprised almost daily that He’s allowed me to write. It’s an amazing life, and I love it. The second thing that keeps me writing is the pure enjoyment and satisfaction I get personally from it.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession?  

A: When my first book was published (from a small publisher), a bookstore set up a signing for me. I truly thought people would be lined up, waiting for a chance to buy my book. Uh…not so. I ended up feeling like someone trying to sell Chia pets. Well, actually, I probably would have gotten a better response with them than I did with my novel. Thankfully, after signing with a larger publisher, the book signings have improved a little bit.

I think the most surprising aspect was the reaction from readers. I know how much books have meant to me in my life, but I didn’t expect that my books would affect my readers as much as they have. Some of the emails and letters I’ve received touched my heart and showed me that it isn’t great sales figures that are the most important. It’s being able to touch the lives of real people who need to know that God loves them and has a good plan for their future.  

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: Study, study, study! Writing is a craft. Throwing down a bunch of words and dividing them into chapters does not a writer make! Before you turn to a vanity press or decide to self-publish, learn how to become an excellent writer. Yes, it will take a while, but in the end, it will be worth it. If you have a burning desire to be an author, give your passion the respect it deserves. Take classes, read books about writing, and join writers’ organizations.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A. I’m busy writing the third book in my new Kingdom series. This series is Mennonite-themed suspense with a large dose of mystery! The first book, “Inescapable” will be released in June, followed by the second book, “Unbreakable,” which will hit bookstores either later this year or early next year. Not sure of the title for the book I’m writing now. Bethany House, my current publisher, picks the titles, and I’m happy for them to do it. They do a much better job than I do!

Q: What is something your readers might be surprised to learn about you?  

A. Let me see… Well, I can’t figure out how to Twitter. No one takes me seriously when I say this, but I just don’t get it! LOL! One thing that might surprise readers is that I’m a huge Doctor Who fan. In fact, I guess you could say that I’m a Doctor Who fanatic! As far as anything else, I’m pretty normal. Except for my desire to be a private detective. That probably won’t happen though. (Grin)

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?

A. I’m part of a volunteer organization, Wichita Homebound Outreach. I helped to found it in 2001, and my favorite thing is serving side-by-side with my friends, helping elderly, homebound people in our area.

To relax I watch TV. After dealing with words all day, in the evening, I like to just let the stories unfold in front of me without any effort on my part.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A. Yes. Thanks for asking. I’m restarting my blog with news and information about writing. In the next few months I’ll also be doing some interviews, etc., with other authors. I hope they’ll check it out at www.nancymehl.blogspot.com. For information about my books, they can visit my Web site at www.nancymehl.com. There’s a link that will allow them to contact me if they’d like. I’ll be updating the site soon. AND they can “like” my author’s page on Facebook.

Thank you so allowing me to be a part of The Suspense Zone, Susan.