by Grace Topping
Clock
and Dagger
by Julianne Holmes
Ruth has three days to pull off four events—including the grand
reopening of Cog & Sprocket, the clock shop she inherited from her
grandfather—so she doesn’t have time for Beckett Green’s nonsense. The
competitive owner of a new bookstore, Green seems determined to put other
businesses out of business by also carrying
their specialty items. He’s trying to steal Ruth’s new watchmaker, Mark Pine,
not to mention block her plans to renovate the town clock tower.
Ruth is already all wound up when she’s alarmed to discover
Mark’s dead body. As the denizens of Orchard each chime in as to who they think
the murderer is, Ruth needs to watch her back as she investigates on her own.
Despite the danger, Ruth won’t stop until the killer is behind bars and serving
time…
I’ve been following
Julie’s career through the Wicked Cozy Authors blog that she and a number of
New England cozy writers contribute to. So it was with a great deal of pleasure
that I got to know Julie through our correspondence and through her Clock Shop
Mystery series. I particularly enjoy books where I learn something new, and
Julie taught me a lot about clocks. At the same time, she delivered an
intriguing mystery. Her first book in the series, Just Killing Time, was nominated for an Agatha Best First Novel
award in 2015. Clock and Dagger was published in August and received rave reviews.
Welcome, Julie, to Writers Who Kill.
In Clock and
Dagger, you nicely weave in information about clocks and watches. How did
you learn so much about them?
 |
| Julianne Holmes |
The Internet is
a wonderful thing, but I needed to do more hands-on research for this series. I
went to the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut, (http://www.clockandwatchmuseum.org/). That allowed me to immerse myself in
all different types of clocks and watches, which really let my imagination roam.
I talked about the series and discovered that a friend’s husband, David
Roberts, is a clockmaker. He and his brother own the Clockfolk of New England
shop in Wilmington, Massachusetts. David has been a terrific resource. Not just
about the clocks themselves, but the training required. He has also been a
great example of the passion required in order to be a clockmaker. I hope that
translates onto the page.
With modern methods of telling time and digital
time readouts glowing at us from every direction, why is it that old clocks and
watches still hold such allure?
There are two reasons
for that. First, clocks and watches are marvels, aren’t they? Gears, cogs,
springs, mechanics that allow us to capture time. Accuracy is possible with
digital, but the art is missing. Clocks and watches are art. Second, clocks and
watches get passed down in families, and their stories go with them. I have a
clock that I inherited from my grandmother. Every time I look at it, I remember
her. That’s powerful.
Although your main character Ruth Clagan is an
expert clockmaker, she frequently loses track of time. Are you plagued by a
similar problem? Is it a challenge meeting multiple deadlines?
I really,
really try, but am rarely early. My goal for the new year (I think of September
as a new year) is to leave myself plenty of time to get places so I can breathe.
I’ve started scheduling “travel” or “take a break” times in my schedule.
You’ve set your Clock Shop Mystery series in a
sleepy Massachusetts town in the Berkshires. What is it about small towns and
local businesses that appeal to readers?
Cozies set up
expectations for readers. The mystery is important, of course. But they are
also an opportunity for folks to visit with old friends and catch up on their
lives. Someone recently told me, “I have a crush on Ben Clover.” I know they’ll
read the next book in the series to see what happens with Ruth and Ben. Small
towns, or neighborhoods in cities, allow a framework around which to tell a
story that works.
You write under a pseudonym but are very open about
your real name. Why the pseudonym? Do you also write under your real name?
I have
published short stories under my real name, and hope to have a series published
under it at some point. Berkely came up with the Clock Shop Mystery series and
hired me to write it. I had to come up with another name, and Julianne Holmes
has some family history, so I chose that. I blog with the Wicked Cozy Authors,
and several of us are using multiple names. I don’t hide the fact that J.A.
Hennrikus and Julianne Holmes are the same person, because the success of one
supports the other. In this day of social media, it makes sense (to me) to just
own up to it.
With Just
Killing Time out and now a second book, Clock
and Dagger, you officially have a series. What is the greatest challenge of
writing a series?
I love reading
cozy series and am thrilled to be writing one. Keeping it fresh and allowing
the characters to grow are both challenges. But I think the biggest challenge
is to write each book so it can be read on its own, won’t tell the secrets of
the prior story, and works towards a narrative arc.
In your acknowledgments you wrote that Sisters in
Crime, especially the New England chapter, made a difference in your life.
Please tell us about that?
I joined Sisters
in Crime when I was barely willing to admit aloud that I dreamt of writing a
mystery. Joining the organization, and being a member of the New England
chapter, introduced me to other people who had the same dream. The classes they
offered, listservs like the Guppies, conferences like the New England Crime
Bake, all helped me become a better writer. The networking and connections I
made helped me meet my agent, and that led to my first contract. Just as
important, I met folks who have become wonderful friends and my greatest
boosters. Writing is solitary, but you need a community. I love being part of
Sisters in Crime and can’t imagine this journey without them.
You
wrote on one of your blogs that the difference between being an author and
being published is vast. Can you expand on this?
Being a writer
is about getting words into a document, editing them, shaping a story,
plotting, and taking classes to hone your craft. There are challenges to all of
that, but it is achievable on your own. Practice makes you better at the craft,
and you can also expand your efforts into different genres, or try short
stories instead of novels.
Getting
published (whether you self-publish, or go the traditional publishing route)
requires a different skillset. You need to understand marketing, create a
public persona, and meet contracted deadlines. Staying published can be hard. I
find that I think about the business, but I can’t let the business define my
success as a writer. Does that make sense?
Although readers know you from your novels and short
stories, I understand that the theater may be your first love. Tell us about
that side of your life? Have you thought of becoming a playwright as well?
I have been
very fortunate in that I’ve made my career in arts administration. I currently
work for StageSource, a service organization for the New England theater
community. I have also worked in museums and with music groups. But you’re
right. My first love is theater.
I think about
writing a play, or a screenplay, and suspect I will try. I marvel at the craft
of writing plays—telling a story through dialogue, without flashbacks. It will
be a great challenge.
How are you doing at balancing your writing,
blogging, promoting, day job, and home life? Does it ever get any easier?
I will admit,
it is a huge balancing act, and I’m not always good at it. I was in book jail*
for the first part of the summer and missed chunks of my favorite time of the year.
I have systems for my social media input, but I need to get better systems in
place for exercise and social time.
*Book jail is
that time right before your manuscript is due and you are way behind. Anything
besides what is absolutely necessary (work, sleep, eat) is not allowed in book
jail. Food is whatever gets you through. For me, Fritos and Humpty Dumpty All
Dressed potato chips are major food groups.
I also am very,
very grateful that I have this challenging life. Being a published author was
my dream. How lucky am I that I have to balance it all?
What’s next for Ruth Clagan and the small business
owners of Orchard, Massachusetts?
Chime and Punishment will be out next August. Both the title
and the release date may change, but the focus of the book is the clock tower.
In preparation, thanks to David Roberts, I went up to a clock tower and wound
the clock. Tons of fun. Lots of changes are coming up for Orchard.
Thank you, Julie.
To learn more about
Julianne Holmes/J. A. Hennrikus, the Clock Shop Mystery series, and her other
works, visit her web site https://jahennrikus.com.
Julie tweets under
@JulieHennrikus, is on Pinterest and Instagram, and has a page on Facebook. She
also blogs on Live to Write/Write to Live and Killer Characters.
