Killer Questions - What About Each of Us Would Surprise a Reader?

Killer Questions – What About Each of Us Would Surprise a Reader?

For fun, the members of Writers Who Kill decided to tell you something we think would surprise you. Let us know if we succeeded.

Sarah Burr - I love to sing. I did all kinds of performances in high school and college, and for a while, singing was a greater passion than writing.

Korina Moss - I started out wanting to write the next Nancy Drew, so I wrote a couple books in a young adult mystery series that never got published about a girl in boarding school, titled The Hillary Jones series. 

K.M. Rockwood - In my callow youth, I rode with a bike club for a while. Earned my colors and all. Decided it was not the lifestyle I wanted, especially for my daughters.

Kait Carson - I signed on as a cook on a cargo ship that transported fruit to see the Caribbean. That would have been fine – but I couldn’t cook. 

Lisa Malice - My first job was delivering newspapers for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, which is neither unusual, nor surprising--except that I often made my rounds riding my unicycle.

Martha Reed - In my twenties I lived in Texas and built an Arabian horse farm. 

Susan Van Kirk - When I was sixty-two and teaching at a local liberal arts college, I played electric guitar in an outdoor concert with a fraternity rock band. One of my former students had given me guitar lessons in exchange for my famous chocolate chip cookies. The concert was my semester final, I had so much fun, and my grown children thought I had lost my mind. (Always good to keep your kids off-guard.)

Annette Dashofy - I’ve answered variations of this question on so many panels, I don’t think there’s anything left to surprise folks. 

E.B. Davis - I read few bestsellers, and enjoy HEA endings. But that probably isn’t a surprise. Even in mystery, I try to have an upbeat ending.

Debra H. Goldstein – I was a Jeopardy contestant.

Grace Topping - I am a Navy veteran, having served seven years in the Navy. Loved it.

Lori Roberts Herbst - I love horror books and movies. Not slasher flicks, but psychological horror. Think Silence of the Lambs, Misery, Cape Fear. Also, I love roller coasters. I imagine those two things have a connection somehow.

Connie Berry - I taught theology for 25 years. Not a natural segue into murder.

James M. Jackson - I've lost games to world champions in both chess and bridge.

Heather Weidner - I am a CK (cop’s kid), and my childhood was not normal, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. One of my first jobs was to pick up shell casings on the range after my dad practiced at the range. When he commanded the SWAT team (way before paintball), he and I melted down my old crayons and made dummy bullets for their practices. I thought everyone talked about murder and mayhem at the dinner table. And I had no idea that not every six-year-old knew how to make fake bullets.

Margaret S. Hamilton - When I create a character and situation, I use details from many people I’ve met: hair color and style, distinctive earrings, midwestern slang. I never put a real person on the page.

Marilyn Levinson - I procrastinate every day before I sit down to write.

Mary Dutta - I am a citizen of India.

Nancy Eady - I played the clarinet in grade school and high school because my parents didn't want to spring for a piano.  When they finally did break down and buy the piano (my sophomore year in high school), I dropped it like a hot potato.  But now that I spend a lot of time typing, I don't enjoy playing the piano quite like I used to, either.  The motions are the same, but different. 

Shari Randall - A few years ago, I walked the Camino, the pilgrimage trail through Spain to Santiago de Compostela. I highly recommend it, especially if you're going through a time when you need to switch gears, come to terms with a change in your life, or just want to say you walked a way that's been traveled by seekers since medieval times.

Teresa Inge - Growing up was much like American Graffiti since I cruised with hotrodders as a teenager. A few years ago, I bought my high school dream car, a 1955 Torch Red, Ford Thunderbird. 

Paula G. Benson - I've really enjoyed watching the Amazon Prime series THE BOYS. While there are many gross scenes, I've been intrigued by the multi-faceted characters and the storylines, which touch on some serious topics.

Molly MacRae - I saved a cow’s life. Did I know the cow? No, but it was the right thing to do.