Amy Pendino writes mystery, women's fiction, and historical fiction. A member of the Twin Cities chapter of Sisters in Crime, her writing has been published in anthologies, several magazines and reviews. The Witness Tree, her first published novel, won 3 indie writing awards.
Q: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? A: I’ve written four and am drafting a fifth. The first two have not been published and are buried in the backyard. The Witness Tree is my favorite because of how it unspooled: Dani Holden (my main character) and her counterpart, Lilly, wrote themselves. My favorite scene, though, is the last chapter of Wild Horses.
Q: Which of your characters was the most challenging to create? Which was the most natural? A: It’s challenging to write “bad guys” because they all should have a redeeming quality or two. It’s easier to just write them BAD; it’s challenging to make them REAL. The most natural character was Lilly in The Witness Tree. She came fully-formed, whereas all of the others have needed to have background stories and family trees and unique drives created for them.
Q: What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?
“A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving “Ordinary Grace” by William Kent Krueger “Patty Jane’s House of Curl” by Lorna Landvik “Empire Falls” by Richard Russo “Accidental Tourist” by Anne Tyler
Q: Are there any real-life mysteries that lie in your past? A: Yes. [I guess that’s going to remain a mystery.]
Q: What are you working on right now? A: Dani has a new job (book 3 of the series) that prohibits her involvement with a mystery that literally shows up next door. I’m almost done with the first draft.
Find more about Amy Pendino at amypendino.com. Follow Amy on Facebook and Goodreads.
|