Check Out This Seasoned Author

Check out this seasoned author!

A few years ago, I introduced many readers to the Canadian mystery writer Louise Penny and I’m thrilled to introduce yet another.  This time, the credit belongs to my friend Jane. She kept nudging me to read “this charming mystery series set in British Columbia.” Well, I finally did. And I agree with Jane. The Lane Winslow series by Iona Whishaw is definitely worthy.

The appeal? The strong female protagonist. I admire Lane’s growth, strength, her independence and sense of humor. So do thousands of others. The series about the ex-intelligence officer now stretches to ten books with yet another being published in May.

Here’s a teaser from the first book – A Killer In King’s Cove 

It is 1946, and war-weary young ex-intelligence officer Lane Winslow leaves London to look for a fresh start. When she finds herself happily settled into a sleepy hamlet in the interior of British Columbia surrounded by a suitably eclectic cast of small-town characters, she feels like she may finally be able to put her past to rest.

But then a body is discovered, the victim of murder, and although she works alongside the town’s inspectors Darling and Ames to discover who might have possibly have motivation to kill, she unknowingly casts doubt on herself. As the investigation reveals facts that she has desperately tried to keep a secret, it threatens to pull her into a vortex of even greater losses than the ones she has already endured.

Bound by the Wartime Secrets Act, Lane must keep her wartime activities secret for decades, even from her husband. This effort often proves trying and I particularly appreciate the way Lane competently handles the inevitable mansplaining.

As a debut author (my book Never, Never, Hardly Ever launches  March 20 on Amazon), I’m keen to soak up any and all “book talk” tips. When I discovered Iona Whishaw would be speaking at a local library, it was like the manuscript gods were granting me a personal favor.

I got there nice and early.

I wasn’t disappointed.

Iona is a great speaker. She opened with some family background, sharing that Lane is based on her mom. Shortly before passing away, the woman revealed a well kept secret. She’d been a war time spy. Who knew? No one. But that’s not all. With her geologist husband toiling for months in Mexico, she  hitchhiked to Alaska, leaving the young Iona and her brother at home in British Columbia in the care of “strangers.” In other ways, her mother reminds me of our energetic Francine. As Iona put it, “she collected Masters degrees with the same enthusiasm as a Dresden china collector.”

Iona kept us engaged by outlining her writing process. She gets up every weekday morning at 5:00 and writes at least 400 words. Does she work out the plot in advance? “Absolutely not. The characters and storyline come to me as I write.”

She went on to explain how she researches extensively, is careful to include only language and settings from the postwar era, and is more than open to storylines suggested by readers.

Her advice to aspiring writers? “Read. Read as much as you can.”

While keeping the talk to 25 minutes before opening up the floor for questions, she read a short passage. And what did she select? The first 400 words of her first Lane Winslow book, A Killer In King’s Cove.

But get this: Iona Whishaw self-published her first book at 64. Yes. Her first book at 64.

Hello.

After initially schlepping it around to various indie bookstores like, “an Amway salesperson,” the word got out. Iona could write. Her books are now published by TouchWood Editions.

Thanks for the informative hour, Iona. Your education background shines through; I learned a great deal.

And thank you, Jane. Keep those suggestions coming.