I’d like to welcome author, Janis Wilson, to the blog for #ThisorThatThursday.
A few of your favorite things: Cats, books, travel and wine. If I can combine these things, I’m as happy as anyone can be.
Things you need to throw out: Dresses that no longer fit but hope springs far into the future.
Things you love about writing: I love researching the Victorian era in which I set my books. I love learning about Brits from that time period. As a result, I have an entire bookcase filled with Victoriana. I like finding ways to torture my protagonist, who really doesn’t deserve what I put her through. I also love fellow writers and researchers whom I’ve found to be generous and helpful.
Things you hate about writing: I hate it when my plot refuses to thicken, even after I add cornstarch.
Favorite foods: Pasta and seafood and any combination of them. I was born in the south, so my favorite confections are always a combination of brown sugar and pecans.
Things that make you want to gag: I have a real aversion to wet bread. Simply grosses me out. Makes it difficult for me even to eat sandwiches taken from cold storage because the bread always feels damp.
Favorite beverage: Pimm’s No. 1 cocktail. I’ve had Pimm’s 1 through 6, but No. 1 is my favorite.
Something that gives you a sour face: I know single malt whiskey is highly prized, but I detest the taste of scotch. Always reminds me of cough medicine, which I loathe.
Something you’re really good at: My critique group says I write convincing dialog and I appreciate that tremendously. I’m also a pretty good researcher, which is essential if I’m going to keep Lady Sarah Grey credible.
Something you’re really bad at: Anything involving technology. I keep Geek Squad at full employment.
Things you always put in your books: The feminist perspective. Lady Sarah is a progressive and I can’t write her any other way. My readers should also expect Sarah always to have a cat or two living with her in the castle.
Things you never put in your books: Animal cruelty. Can’t bear to even think of it, much less write about it.
Favorite place you’ve been: London. I love everything about it. The bookstores are old and musty. The people are polite. Fragrant pots of tea are readily available alongside cute little sandwiches and cakes covered in pastel frostings.
Places you never want to go to again: This is a tough one. Even a problematic visit makes for an interesting experience and often results in entertaining stories to relay at a dinner party. So, I wouldn’t disparage any locality. There are places where most of the residents disagree with my politics and that would make me uncomfortable.
Favorite books (or genre): The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. It is a cool mystery set in the Victorian era. I’d read anything by Collins or Charles Dickens. They were close friends and I can see why. Both were smart and talented.
Books you wouldn’t buy: I would refuse to read anything where animals are harmed. I also wouldn’t buy a book by an odious person because I wouldn’t want to give financial support to that author.
Favorite things to do: I love going to the theater. Even a sad play is immensely fulfilling.
Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Being subjected to mansplaining.
Most embarrassing moment: Pick any day from when I was 12 to 18 years old. You’re bound to come up with something I did that was humiliating.
Proudest moment: The launch of my first novel, Goulston Street. I loved being surrounded by people who like to read and celebrate those who go to the trouble of writing. Plus, the launch party was a lot of fun.
Best thing you’ve ever done: I learned to read. I don’t say marrying my husband was the best thing because if I’d never learned to read, I wouldn’t have been able to attract a smart man like him.
Biggest mistake: Not paying attention in math class.
The nicest thing a reader said to you: “I really love Sarah. I like how you allowed her to make mistakes but to go on and solve the crime.” If she likes mistakes, she’s going to love the future adventures of Lady Sarah Grey.
The craziest thing a reader said to you: “I thought it was cool that you left it up to the reader to decide who the killer was.” This really threw me, so I went about asking lots of readers if they knew whodunnit. Happily, all of them correctly identified the killer I had indicated. I don’t know how anyone could have misunderstood this, as there was a pretty dramatic scene in which the killer was captured.
