Interview With The Author

[Marva Dale]

 

I just want to highlight excerpts from an interview I gave with Emerging Novelists, a wonderful web site that promotes new authors.  For the whole interview go to www.emergingnovelists.com.

Marva Dale, author of "Death of a Flapper" mystery:

 

Tell us about your Death by the Decade Series.

 I wanted to write a mystery, but I wanted to write something unique, rather than a run-of-the-mill thriller.  So, I came up with the Death by the Decade series, a mystery per each decade, beginning with the 1920s.

 

Tell us about your latest novel.

 My next mystery is set in the Depression era where two entertainers in a burlesque show witness a murder aboard a train.  It’s called “Fatal Follies” and incorporates many events from the era.  I’m on my third mystery, “Dangerous Victory,” set in WWII-era Washington.  It involves a plot by Nazi supporters to infiltrate the U.S. with propaganda.

 

What challenges have you faced in writing a decade-specific mystery?

Each decade presents its own unique history, and I try to incorporate major events of the day into each plot.  That means doing a lot of research on the Internet as well as consulting history books at the library.  Besides utilizing the major news events of the day, I also touch on fashion, foods, fads, music, transportation, and the cost of living (how much food, housing, clothing, etc. cost.)  For instance, in the 1920s, a full-course meal at a diner could be had for under a dollar, and the price of an Auburn 1931 convertible was $1,045.

 

Like I mentioned, go to www.emergingnovelists.com for the whole interview.  "Death of a Flapper" is now available at Barnes&Noble.com and at Amazon.com (both print and ebook versions.)