|
Start to finish, how long did it take to write Fatal
February? |
|
|
I
started the Mary Magruder Katz stories as a group of short
stories, and later decided to turn them into a novel. The
whole process took about a year and a half. |
|
How did you get the idea? |
|
|
One day this character just popped into my head, full blown.
Mary fit the model of many Miami professionals, and her
stories came pouring out. |
|
Have you always wanted to write fiction?
|
|
|
Always. Even in grade school, I loved writing and entertained
my friends with stories. During the many years of law
practice and being a judge, there was no time for any writing
except legal briefs, orders, and opinions, but I looked at
these writings as relating a story. Fortunately, legal
writing didn’t ruin my ability to communicate clearly. |
|
How did you make the transition from your legal career to your
writing career? |
|
|
It
was easy. Instead of writing about the facts in a case and
how the law affected them, I began writing about the people
involved in the law and how cases affected them. It is very
refreshing to be able to be creative. |
|
What was the most difficult part of the writing process?
|
|
|
Stealing the time to write. I think most writers find that
daily problems, family, and all of life’s bumps cut into the
time that needs to be reserved for writing. |
|
Which part of the writing process did you enjoy most?
|
|
|
Every day that I sit down at the computer and let ideas flow
onto the page is not only enjoyment, it is euphoria. |
|
Is
there any similarity between being a judge and being a
novelist, and if so, how? |
|
|
A
judge must be a good listener. A novelist needs this same
talent. If the judge doesn’t listen attentively all the time,
she can’t render a fair opinion. A novelist must listen to
what real people say and how they say it, since real dialogue
is such an important component of creating real characters. I
read much of what I write out loud. If it doesn’t sound like
real conversation from a character, it needs a rewrite |
|
How do you get the ideas for your characters? Are any of the
characters in Fatal February based on people you know?
|
|
|
Having been in courtrooms for many years, the characters
parade out of my memory, but none are real people that I
know. They are compilations of many people, and they are
changed by my imagination. I have counseled many young women
lawyers and listened to their problems over the years. Some
of this interaction certainly comes through in some of Mary’s
problems. |
|
Do
any of the characters in Fatal February have an
autobiographical component? If so, who and how are you
similar? |
|
|
None of the characters are me! Mary is not my alter ego. For
one thing, she has commitment problems. I have been married
to my college sweetheart for a long time. However, some of
what comes out of Mary’s mouth about the law or a particular
set of facts in a case may come out of my thinking on the
subject. |
|
What do you think is Mary Magruder Katz’s most admirable
quality? Least admirable? |
|
|
Mary’s commitment to her clients is what a good lawyer must
have. Mary finds the best side of her clients and does what
is in their best interest. Her least admirable side is her
inability to bring that same commitment to her personal
relationships. Of course, if she didn’t have that personality
quirk, the story wouldn’t be interesting or fun. |
|
Who is your favorite character in the book and why |
|
|
It’s actually Carlos. He is fun, charismatic, and sexy. |
|
Who is your least favorite character in the book and why?
|
|
|
Gary Yarmouth. He has a big mouth, and is always trying to be
someone that he’s not. No wonder someone murdered him. |
|
Carlos Martin, one of the characters in the book is quite a
catch-but maybe a little bit of a bad boy. What do you think
attracts Mary to him – and vice versa? |
|
|
Mary and Carlos both love their careers and they both have a
spirit of adventure, so even though they have different ethnic
backgrounds, they have these basic traits in common. They are
also total products of Miami, born and raised there, so they
understand each other. As we like to say in Miami, “The rules
are different here.” Miamians learn early on that nothing is
black or white. We allow for many shades of grey which makes
people appreciate diversity and work to find common ground. |
|
Why did you choose Miami as a setting? |
|
|
There are several reasons. First, I think it’s important to
write about what you know. I have lived and worked in Miami
for almost 33 years. I was born in the Midwest, but I know
Miami better than any place else. Many writers today write
science fiction or about unknown species (vampires, etc.) but
if you look closely, those books are grounded in places that
do exist. Second, as a reader, I love to learn about a place
I’ve never visited. I wanted my readers to feel that they
could walk down a street in Miami and recognize the place and
the people. Instead of reading a travel book before a trip, I
prefer to read a novel in that setting. It gives information
from the viewpoint of a resident, not a tourist. Third, Miami
is not just South Beach. It’s a place where people live their
daily lives. I wanted readers to know the real city. And
finally, there are so many stories in Miami; enough to fill
many books. |
|
Fatal February
isn’t a book that’s in love with its setting etc. What’s your
feeling? |
|
|
My
family and I love Miami. Sometimes we get out of sorts with
the traffic, the quirkiness, and the crime that goes with all
urban areas, but who can not love a place where you can get up
every morning and go right outside into sunshine, flowers,
parrots, and newspaper headlines that can make you giggle or
scream or both? Miami is so diverse that it’s hard to be
bored. You can eat at a Jewish deli, a Cuban bistro, a Thai
restaurant. You can shop in a Chinese market, an Indian
market, or grab a hotdog at a famous diner, and all of it is
authentic. In my circle of friends and acquaintances, I have
elderly friends, young friends, Cuban friends, Colombian
friends, and New York transplants. There’s no better place in
which to dream up mystery novels. |
|
In
the book, Mary represents accused murderer Lillian Yarmouth.
Was Lillian’s case based on something that really happened?
|
|
|
More than one spousal murder has occurred in South Florida.
Some have been jealous exes murdering their wives or husbands
or significant others. It seems there is a society murder of
the year, so Lillian’s case isn’t based on any one case. It’s
not “ripped from the headlines.” |
|
What’s the significance of having the plot unfold during the
month of February? |
|
|
I
think February is the most beautiful month in South Florida.
The weather is at its most perfect. There always seems to be
romance in the air. Every tree is in bloom and there is the
heavy smell of night jasmine that fills the evenings.
Valentine’s Day and President’s weekend lavish tourists and
residents alike with wonderful events; art shows, boat shows,
outdoor concerts. It makes a great backdrop for a new romance
and for a murder based on passion. I thought readers in cold
climates might enjoy sitting by the fire and transporting
themselves to sunny South Florida. |
|
Protagonist Mary Katz has a wonderful canine companion, Sam.
Why did you choose to include a dog in Fatal February?
|
|
|
This is the one autobiographical part of the novel. My
husband and I have raised and showed German Shepherd Dogs for
twenty years. We have finished eleven champions of our
breeding in the show ring. We still have two Shepherds. Our
male, Ned, is the model for Sam. Sam’s antics are actual
things that our dogs have done to us and for us. Mary
deserved to have one constant in her life and that is Sam.
Those who love dogs know that no matter how stressful a day
you have, your dog will make you forget it all, and Mary’s
days are filled with stress. |
|
What’s next for Barbara Levenson and what’s next for Mary
Magruder Katz? |
|
|
I
have to answer both questions together as my future is tied to
Mary’s. I am working on a second Mary Magruder Katz mystery.
This time Mary is involved in two murders. She is hired to
represent a woman judge who is under investigation for
allegedly fixing drug cases. If that weren’t enough, she is
also representing one of Carlos’s many cousins who is believed
to be a terrorist. The third novel is underway as well. It
will take Mary out of Miami to a mysterious New England
village. Since I have a summer get-away in Vermont, I’ll
still be writing about what I know. |