Rochelle Staab Interview

Each book of Rochelle Staab’s Mind for Murder series contends for awards. In 2012, her first in series, Who Do, Voodoo, garnered nominations for Agatha, Anthony and the Eureka! Awards, and was a finalist in the 2010 Golden Heart Award in the Contemporary Series, Suspense/Adventure category. The next in series, Bruja Brouhaha, won the 2013 Watson Award for best sidekick and contends for the 2013 Daphne Du Maurier Award in the Published Mainstream/Mystery/Suspense category. Without resting on her laurels, Rochelle wrote the third book, Hex on the Ex, continuing the fast paced adventures of Liz Cooper, her main character. When the RWA Kiss of Death Chapter convenes next week, the 2013 Daphne winners will be announced. I can’t wait! Please welcome Rochelle Staab to WWK.

E. B. Davis

You were a marketing and advertising executive at Warner Brothers Records analyzing and writing about statistical trends in the music industry. Why the switch, and how did you accomplish this overnight transformation?

I loved my career at Warner Bros., surrounded by dedicated creative people who truly care about music. But I also had a dream to become an author…someday, someday. One afternoon I told a coworker (for the hundredth time) that I intended to write a novel. He rolled his eyes. Sure. That day I decided to either do something about writing or stop talking about it. I enrolled in a weekend class in the UCLA Writers’ Program, loved it, and never looked back. The switch didn’t quite happen overnight, but within a year I had retired from the music industry and was well into writing Who Do, Voodoo?

    

Would you give our readers a synopsis of your series?

The Mind for Murder Mystery series features Liz Cooper, a Los Angeles psychologist with no patience for mystical “baloney,” and Nick Garfield, a religious philosophy professor and renownedWho Do, Voodoo? centers on Haitian voodoo; the theme of Bruja Brouhaha is Santeria (Cuban voodoo); and my new novel, Hex on the Ex addresses devil worship. Nick, the academic, schools doubting Liz on the alternative belief systems they encounter, giving her (and the reader) the information to decide what is or isn’t real about the mystic elements surrounding a crime. 

occult expert. Liz and Nick use wit, their wits, and they play their intellectual differences to solve supernatural-related crimes. The first in the series,

How does Liz use her PhD in psychology to help solve murders?

Liz’s profession gave her insight into how people tick. Years of encouraging then watching her patients dig deeper into their feelings made her an expert on character, body language, and motivation. For example, Liz observes how the body reacts to situations before the mind rationalizes out a response. Body language often contradicts what a person says—very useful for spotting lies.

Liz Cooper and her boyfriend, Nick Garfield, are an interesting mix of left and right brain thinkers. Have you reversed the conventional roles each contributes in solving cases?

I intentionally created pragmatic Liz to challenge Nick’s open-minded viewpoint of the supernatural to present the reader with both sides of the mystic puzzle within the murder mystery.

When reading your books, I’ve often thought how much fun it must be thinking up religions and cults. Are any of them real?

You bet. Voodoo, Santeria, and devil worship are very real. Voodoo and Santeria are syncretic religions developed centuries ago by slaves blending African religions with Christianity. Devil worship (not to be confused with Satanism) is even older, though decentralized and often used as a cloak by deranged psychotics. All three belief systems generally practice in secret and without written canons. I took care to respect the voodoo and Santeria belief structure, however my spells, spell books, and rituals are fictional—to a point.

The series is set in Los Angeles, but so far you haven’t focused on the entertainment industry, the main employer in L.A. Why?

I featured Collins Talent and The Greek Theater in Who Do, Voodoo? but I hesitate to overuse the entertainment industry as a setting. I spent thirty years in the business and, being part of the family, I don’t want to give readers an impression that the industry is populated by a group of murderous, occult practicing nutcases. One of Liz’s clients is a movie producer who just may seek Nick’s expertise down the road.

Is L.A. a profusion of cults or am I getting a skewed perspective from your books?

Los Angeles is a profusion of culture—that’s why I love setting my novels here. I view L.A. County as a 4,083 square-mile quilt of small towns sewn together with each section populated by a unique blend of backgrounds, beliefs, and economic status. My novels are set in pockets of the city with eclectic reputations—like Hollywood or MacArthur Park—although I admit you will find a psychic reader shop within walking distance from almost anywhere.

Do you consider gangs cults?

In a very broad sense, yes, only because cults and gangs both isolate their members from mainstream society and create an us-against-them mindset. There are major differences: cults focus on a spiritual belief system dominated by a central figure (either human or divine,) while gangs focus on territory, survival, and often crime.

In Hex on the Ex, insightful psychic Tess disturbs Liz. Will Tess become a significant secondary character?

I loved writing Tess. While I don’t see Liz and Tess evolving into good friends like Liz and Robin, if Liz’s mom gets wind of Tess’s psychic talent and seeks her out for advice, Tess could definitely be back!

Do you rely on facts, statistics and science? Or are you a believer in the sixth sense, relying on intuition and instinct?

Well…both. Statistics and science fascinate me, and I was lucky enough to put my love of numbers to work in my radio and music industry career. I will scrutinize numbers and the science behind facts to hone my instincts. But after I’ve done my research and considered the odds, I let my intuition guide my decisions.

What reader is your market?

Traditional mystery lovers looking for a witty, fast read featuring a clever sleuth, her handsome

professor, and diverse characters involved in a murder plot with an occult twist. My readers are a lot like Liz—smart, curious, and wary of the inexplicable something-somethings that fall outside scientific logic.

Your preference, Rochelle: beach or mountains?

I visit the beach to calm down and catch my breath, but I prefer the mountains for breath-taking awe and inspiration. I’m a view junkie. The higher up I am and the farther I can see, the more I like it. Fortunately, living in Los Angeles gives me an opportunity to enjoy both.

Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about Liz and Nick at WWK today, E.B.! I’m looking forward to the upcoming Daphne ceremony with an open, open heart, and fingers crossed (Liz would so disapprove of that superstition.)

I’d love to hear the WWK readers comment on their superstitions!

Rochelle Staab’s books can be found at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but if you have a local indie store, please ask there first!