by Lorie Ham

Today at the Café we have with us mystery author Deborah Turrell Atkinson whose latest book, Pleasing the Dead, was released by Poisoned Pen Press in February of 2009 (read review here). In her honor, let’s grab a cup of coffee from the Coffee, Bean and Tea Leaf near her home in Hawaii and enjoy the interview.

Café:
What is the title of your latest book? 

Deborah:
Pleasing the Dead. Mystery, the fourth in the series.

Café:
Can you tell us little bit about it?

Deborah:
My series takes place in Hawai’i and features protagonist Storm Kayama. Each book takes place on a different island and integrates the local culture and folklore. I was inspired by Tony Hillerman! (And I’ll miss his work, along with millions of others) Pleasing the Dead takes place on Maui, where some nasty predators dwell, and they aren’t all hiding in the azure waters of the islands. Storm Kayama goes to Maui to help a new client open a dive shop and encounters a prostitution ring run by Yakuza. As she struggles to uncover who has finessed the murder of at least one child, she is forced to confront her own troubled ghosts, all before others die.

Café:
How long have you been writing?

Deborah:
About 20 years, yikes.

Café:
When did your first novel come out? 

Deborah:
Primitive Secrets came out in 2002 and The Green Room in 2005.

Café:
Please tell us a little about it?

Deborah:
In Primitive Secrets, Storm still struggles with the aftermath of her mother's suicide when she was 12 and her feelings of isolation when it becomes apparent that her adoptive family has kept secrets from her. Vividly described settings — from Honolulu's Chinatown to the spectacular scenery of the Big Island — will entrance readers of this fast-paced mystery debut, which effectively contrasts modern Hawai‘i with the lore of its past.

Café:
Have you always written mysteries?

Deborah:
No, like most fiction writers, I’ve also written non-fiction, such as magazine articles and essays. I’ve also written some short stories, though in the past five years, I’ve been focusing mainly on my mystery novels.

Café:
What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book? 

Deborah:
I live in Honolulu and there were no mystery series being written by people who live here. Like Tony Hillerman did for the Navajo, I wanted to tell a story about the islands from the perspective of locals, complete with the various cultures, folklore, and local legends.

Café:
Tell me a little about the setting and main character.

Deborah:
The Hawaiian Islands are a unique part of the U.S. in dozens of ways. One aspect that sets us apart is our cultural diversity. Storm Kayama is half-Hawaiian, half-Japanese, which is a fairly common blend in a place that has no majority race. Hawai‘i is the only state where Caucasians (known here as haole, and not always in a nice way) are a minority.

Café:
What is the main reason that you write?

Deborah:
I love to read. I also love to make up the stories, and hope that I have an entertaining tale to tell. I also want to explore, learn, examine social issues, and look at various people in a different, more sympathetic light.

Café:
Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to take away from your work?

Deborah:
This question ties into the one above. I started out writing to entertain, but quickly discovered how much I was learning, not just in doing obvious research (talking to cops, lawyers, teachers, members of different ethnic groups, folklore experts, and so on), but in examining human motives, distress, and social issues.

Café:
Do you have a schedule for your writing or just write whenever you can?

Deborah:
I get my son off to school, do some household things, and then sit down to write. I try to do this at least five days a week. I look at it as going to the office.

Café:
Do you outline?

Deborah:
I learned that I am better organized and can build a more interesting story if I do an outline. Not everyone feels this way, but outlining helps me. I also keep notes as I go, as the original outline changes (which is the fun of writing a novel — the characters take charge at times) and I often need to remind myself to follow up on a thread I’ve started. It’s a way of making sure I’ve tied up all the loose ends.

Café:
If you had your ideal, what time of day would you prefer to write?

Deborah:
The morning.

Café:
Another one of those morning people J Day job?

Deborah:
Mother, substitute teacher, writer.

Café:
Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning? 

Deborah:
Oh, yeah! Lots of rejections, just like most other writers.

Café:
Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Deborah:
The best rejections were those that gave me something to work on, even if the criticism hurt. My first Kirkus review wasn’t too great, but I learned from it. Like most people who pour themselves into their work, I need to listen to critics. The best rejections and criticisms gave me information I could use to improve my work.

Café:
That’s a good way to look at it. What kind of promotion do you find most affective?

Deborah:
If I know people in an area, book signings are terrific. Independent bookstores are a writer’s best friend. Also useful are all the conferences for writers and fans. I try to do radio and other media interviews (thanks, Lorie!).

Café:
Thanks Debby. Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Deborah:
One memorable book signing was at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego on a dark and stormy night — so dark and stormy that two people showed up. But not only did I have a great time with the book store staff and owners, they recommended my book to their customers later and it was one of the month’s top sellers! Ed Kaufman’s M is for Mystery and Thousand Oaks’ Mysteries to Die For are also wonderful stores to do signings.

Café:
Future writing goals?

Deborah:
I’m working on a stand-alone thriller right now, but have a number of ideas percolating. One of these is to have Storm’s boyfriend, Ian Hamlin, as protagonist in the Hawaii series. Of course, Storm will help out and get him out of scrapes.

Café:
Heroes?

Deborah:
Hmm, you mean real people? As in Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt? Or do you mean like James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux, who is a flawed but attractive protagonist?

Café:
Lol both work. Person you would most like to meet dead or alive?

Deborah:
Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. I’d love to be at a dinner table with Winston Churchill.

Café:
What do you read?

Deborah:
I read predominantly fiction, though I think Thomas Friedman writes some very important analyses of the world today. As far as fiction goes, I love the work of James Lee Burke, Denise Mina, Barbara Saranella, Michael Connelly, Pat Barker, Minette Walters, Cormac McCarthy. I could go on and on — and will later think of people I wish I’d mentioned. Like Jan Burke!

Café:
What are your hobbies?

Deborah:
I jog, surf, and ride my bike for exercise. I love to swim, and scuba dive with my husband and sons. We also enjoy skiing and traveling to different places. I read constantly, of course.

Café:
Favorite TV or movies?

Deborah:
I don’t watch much TV, but I do love movies. The Lives of Others was outstanding, as was Pan’s Labyrinth. Other movies I really enjoyed are The Usual Suspects, Fargo, Good Will Hunting. Then there are the classics, like many of Hitchcock’s films.

Café:
Pets?

Deborah:
A black Labrador Retriever, a feral cat who adopted us, and two guinea pigs.

Café:
Yay guinea pigs! We have rescued several. Family?

Deborah:
A cherished husband, two wonderful teenage sons, two sisters and a brother, nieces and nephews, great in-laws. These days, I count my blessings in the family department, though ALL families are grist for the writer’s page...

Café:
What part of the country/world do you live in?

Deborah:
Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Way out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, one of the most remote group of islands in the world.

Café:
What a wonderful place to write in. Any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Deborah:
Keep writing. Be politely persistent. Go to conferences, form a writers’ group for feedback. Listen to people’s comments about your work. If you hear the same comment more than once, make the change — even if it’s difficult. Sometimes those bring about the biggest breakthroughs. Writing is a learning experience, and we don’t stop learning even when we’re published.

Café:
Website?

Deborah:
Yes, there’s a contest — please check it out! www.deborahatkinson.com.

Café:
Where can people purchase your books?

Deborah:
Wherever they’d like. If your local independent bookstore doesn’t have it, it can order it. You can also purchase the books through a number of online sites: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Poisoned Pen Bookstore, and many others.

Café:
Thanks so much for being here at the Café with us today. Happy reading and good coffee!

©2009 Lorie Ham. All rights reserved.