THE ECO-CONSCIOUS ONES
Q & A with Nancy about her book , Solo Sunderson .
Speaking of books , tell us about yours .
Solo Sunderson is a fun mystery about Amanda , a mess of a woman who is grieving the loss of her mother , and who stumbles into a murder mystery . There ’ s a cast of sidekicks and together , they create chaos . It ’ s set in Vancouver , taking readers to coves nestled beneath majestic mountains , beaches full of hippies and yuppies , and into some of the city ’ s seediest places .
Is it your first novel ?
No . I ghost-wrote three short YA novels then wrote my first novel — about a quirky actress with a vivid imagination , which she uses in her battle against cancer . She morphs into various superheroes to face increasingly difficult challenges . It ’ s based on my own experiences , and I ’ m proud of it . But when I queried agents and publishers , I had no luck . That was crushing . It kind of made me want to give up writing altogether . After working through the rejection , I wanted to find the joy in writing again . I love mysteries but so many are dark and disturbing , so I decided to write a cozy style mystery . It brought back the joy !
Does Solo Sunderson touch on any deeper issues ?
Yes . Although I love the fun parts of my books , I think that light and dark are both needed to tell a story well . The superhero patient can ’ t just Jane Bond her way out of illness , she has to turn and face it . In Solo Sunderson , the bumbling amateur detective has a ticking time bomb under her , so she has to solve the mystery but along the way she ’ s forced to confront losing her person . I also wanted to play with the theme of love , and why contemporary society is obsessed with the romantic type , like it ’ s some kind of holy grail .
What do you want readers to take away from the novel ?
Well , I hope they ’ ll laugh as they read , preferably out loud . If they laugh hard enough to spit out their drink , that ’ s even better . And I ’ d like it if they thought about love , loss and how to find your way back .
What are you working on now ?
I got attached to these characters and wanted to create a Solo series . The next book is Solo Gig , it ’ s set that dreaded first Christmas after losing a loved one . Amanda stumbles into an art mystery , zany complications arise and , again , she must figure out whodunnit . The goal is to publish in early 2023 .
What ’ s the hardest part about writing a novel ?
Aiyai , there are so many ! For me , the toughest part is always switching from the macro of the story structure and character arcs to the micro which holds all the details . When you write , plot lines and characters evolve and can pull you in unexpected directions . Then it ’ s back to the blueprints to make sure the foundation is solid , then back to the minutia . That means pulling apart the connective tissue that was created along the way , so it can be changed , moved , or — horror — cut . It ’ s an endless loop . It ’ s probably why writers drink .
Any advice to your younger self , or to budding novelists ?
I wish I ’ d taken more risks early on , said yes to more opportunities . I ’ m grateful to have a critique group that I trust and respect . We keep our feedback constructive and kind , and we keep each other accountable , on-track . The support is priceless , especially since writing is so solitary . I ’ d advise any writer to find the right support team .
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