The ever talented Stephanie Humphreys hails from north of the border. While Stephanie uses her current home (Canada) for inspiration in Double Deceit, she draws upon her roots (Utah) in Finding Rose.
What is your favorite line, scene, or character from one of your books and why?
My favorite character is Sandra Hill from Double Deceit. She is quirky, has an interesting past, and begging to have her own story told.
Why do you write in the genre you do?
It is just the way my mind works. I always see a mystery or a little suspense in everything around me. The other day my sister-in-law said that her renters hadn't been seen for a few weeks, their car hadn't moved, and there were never any lights in the house. Immediately I started wondering what had happened to them. Who would have come after them? Was it a simple robbery gone terribly wrong or were they being held hostage in their own home? What sort of nefarious deeds had taken place in my quiet little town? It turns out they were just on an extended trip to China (a much happier ending than what I came up with.)
What are you working on next.
I have several projects on the go. The first one is a companion book to Finding Rose about Rose's younger sister. The second project is a cozy mystery that I plan to work into a series.
Do you map out your stories beforehand or do you let the characters direct the story?
I do both, depending on the story. Sometimes when I map the story out, I get stuck and have to put the map away so the characters can do what they want and other times the characters go silent and make me work on my own. When I do map the story out, it is the barest of outlines. With a series, I generally map each book out so I know how the story will unfold over multiple books.
In one word describe the best thing about being an author.
Writing.
In one word describe the worst thing about being an author.
Writing.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I was in kindergarten and someone told me that somebody wrote every book that we read. I decided than that I wanted to be one of those people.
What's the last book you finished?
Not My Type by Melanie Jacobson
What's on your nightstand now?
A stack of books I am reading for the Whitney awards. Next on my list is Letters in the Jade Dragon Box by Gale Sears.
Which author (dead or alive) would you most like to have lunch with?
Phyllis A. Whitney. She has always been one of my favorite authors and I still love to reread her books.
Book you read that you wish you hadn't.
My math textbooks in highschool. Didn't get it then, still don't get it now.
Book that changed your life.
I'd have to say there were two series. The Little House on the Prairie books and the Narnia books. I read both series mulitiple times as a youth and knew that I wanted to be a storyteller that could touch people's lives like that. I always loved how Laura Ingalls Wilder was able to make such a compelling series out of the daily events of her life.
Book you most want to read again for the first time.
The Angels of Morgan Hill by Donna VanLiere.
What book would you give to a child?
I would give a child a library card, then take them to the library and explore all the books together and take home our favorites. There are so many wonderful books, I have a hard time picking just one.
Writing and writing. I can so relate! Enjoyed your answers, Stephanie.
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