Interview with Frances Devine

Today we want to welcome another Heartsong Mystery writer, Frances Devine. In her first mystery, Miss Aggie’s Gone Missing, Aggie Pennington-Brown mysteriously disappears on the same day the Cedar Chapel bank is robbed. The sheriff assumes she was kidnapped by the robbers, and the whole town seems to agree. Victoria Storm, owner of Cedar Lodge Boarding House and her elderly boarders reluctantly come to the same conclusion. But when secrets from their missing friend’s past begin to unfold, a horrible possibility arises. Could someone they know and love have harmed Miss Aggie? Could it be one of them?

As Victoria and her elderly friends attempt to solve the mystery and locate Miss Aggie, more secrets are revealed until Victoria begins to wonder if there is anyone she can trust.

Lisa: What was your initial reaction in finding out you sold your first book? In other words, tell us about. . .THE CALL

Frances: I think I screamed. Then laughed and cried. Then called everyone.

Lisa: Tell us some of the background behind the ideas for your stories and about the story itself.

Frances: Years ago, I read a book called You Must Have Seen Me Coming by Elizabeth Goudge. It was about a housekeeper who went to work at a home for senior citizens. The book was hilarious, and through the years I thought up several story ideas with groups of seniors as major characters. When I decided to try my hand at writing cozies, Victoria Storm and her boarding house residents just came to life in my mind.

Lisa: I find in my own writing that I often grow alongside my characters, especially spiritually. Is there a character who you relate to and who made an input on your life?

Frances: Probably all of them in one way or another.

Lisa: What is the number one thing you’ve learned from your writing journey?

Frances: Discipline

Lisa: Any future plans for your writing you’d like to share? Any specific dreams you’d like to accomplish in the area of writing?

Frances: For now, I want to write fun stories with fun characters. I do have some more serious ideas rolling around inside. Maybe I’ll pursue them, maybe not. I want to follow God’s leading and God’s timing in my writing as well as the other areas of my life.

Lisa: Because I know there are many aspiring writers out there, can you share any tidbits of wisdom on getting published, especially from someone who has just broken in?

Frances: The same two tidbits someone gave to me, I’ll pass on.
Don’t fall in love with your words. Be teachable.

Lisa: Any writer’s resources you could recommend?

Frances: You are probably talking about books, but the best resource I can think of is a good critique group. I couldn’t get along without my crit partners.