Interview: Tracy Weber (Author of Downward Dog Mysteries)

About Karma’s a Killer:



Yoga instructor Kate Davidson is about to discover that when it comes to murder, there’s no place like om. When she agrees to teach doga—yoga for dogs—at a fundraiser for Dogma, a local animal rescue, Kate believes the only real damage will be to her reputation. But when an animal rights protest at the event leads to a suspicious fire and a drowning, a few downward-facing dogs will be the least of Kate’s problems…

The police arrest Dharma, a woman claiming to be Kate’s estranged mother, and charge her with murder. To prove Dharma’s innocence, Kate, her boyfriend Michael, and her German shepherd sidekick Bella dive deeply into the worlds of animal activism, organizational politics, and the dangerous obsessions that drive them.

And if solving a murder weren't complicated enough, Kate will also have to decide whether or not to reconcile with the estranged mother who abandoned her over thirty years ago. Not to mention having to contend with an almost-bankrupt animal rescue, a cantankerous crow, an unwanted pigeon houseguest, and a rabbit in a doga class. What could possibly go wrong?

A taut tale with more twists and turns than a vinyasa yoga class, Karma’s a Killer brims with suspense, wit and whimsy. With a to-die-for plot, sensational storyline, and charming characters—of both the two- and four-legged varieties—Karma’s a Killer is a clever, colorful, and utterly captivating cozy mystery.

Interview

Socrates’ Book Review Blog would like to welcome author Tracy Weber to our blog. Tracy is the author of A Downward Dog Mystery series. Her newest book in the series is “Karma’s A Killer”.

Thanks so much for having me!

Let the questions begin…

1. Where did you come up with the idea of focusing a cozy mystery series on yoga? Do you do yoga yourself?

I’ve owned and operated my Seattle yoga studio, Whole Life Yoga since 2001. I’ve loved mysteries significantly longer. I love dogs so much that my husband calls me The Creepy Puppy Lady. I’m especially gaga over my German shepherd, Tasha. So it was only a matter of time until a story about a crime-solving yoga teacher with a crazy German shepherd popped into my head. ;-) The rest is history.

2. Do you have any idea how long this series will go? Do you have ideas for future storylines?

That’s the million dollar question. The truth is, any series lasts as long as there are enough readers buying it. Sales make a huge difference, especially when a series is with a traditional publisher, like mine is. I currently have a contract through book six, so theoretically it will last that long. Book four, titled A Fatal Twist, is written, and I’ve started writing book five. I have a definite plan for book six and an idea for book seven. I hope I have enough interested readers that The Downward Dog Mysteries are on the shelves for a very long time!

3. Do you outline a book before you begin? In other words, do you know who did it from the beginning or are you as surprised as the readers are?

I generally know who is going to die and who killed them when I start writing, but sometimes characters surprise me. I don’t outline before I write. Who has time for planning when you have characters like Kate and Bella yammering inside your head? I do, however outline as I write the second draft. That’s where I find plot holes, timeline issues, and consistency problems. It’s a weird process, but it works for me!

4. How long does it take for you to write a book?

I’m currently on a book-a-year contract, so I can’t take any longer than a year. Generally I spend about nine months writing a book. The other three months are spent on promotion, including blog tours, signing events, conferences, and launch parties.

5. How did you feel when your first book was published? What was your first published work?

My first published book was Murder Strikes a Pose, which is the first book in the Downward Dog Mystery series. I was over the moon when it was published. Who wouldn’t be? ;-)

6. What kind of environment do you do your actual writing in? Describe the setting for us.

I write in the disaster I call my office. Papers strewn everywhere, open bottles of Diet Mountain Dew lining the desk’s edges, a dozen pairs of reading glasses buried in the rubble. It’s a wonder I can even find my keyboard! My dog, Tasha, is usually sleeping nearby or bugging me to stop writing and pay attention to her.

7. Who is the greatest influence in your writing career?

Susan Conant. The idea of writing a yoga and dog-related mystery series came to me while I was reading her book Black Ribbon. I can honestly say that without her series, I would never have become an author.

8. As a child, did you read mysteries?

Yes. But then again, as a child, I read EVERYTHING. I’ve always been an avid reader. I segued into mystery and suspense as an adult, and that’s pretty much all that I’ve read (other than yoga textbooks) for years.

9. Do you have any current favorite authors or books to recommend?

I love cozy mysteries, and anything with a dog in it gets special notice. Laurien Berenson, Waverly Curtis, Sheila Boneham, and Susan Conant are some of my favorite authors.

10. Can you give us a sneak peek into your future releases?

In book four in the series, A Fatal Twist, Kate is preparing to be the doula for the birth of her best friend Kate’s twins. While at the hospital, she stumbles across the body of a renowned fertility doctor, who is also married to a nurse that Kate has befriended. Add to that a surly teen with a secret, a new “frenemy” sleuthing partner, and two puppies abandoned on Kate’s doorstep, and Kate has multiple mysteries to solve—and a even more chaos to overcome. It’s a lot of fun!

Thank you so much, Tracy, for taking the time to visit with us and good luck with your series.

Thank you so much for having me! It’s been a pleasure!

Author Bio

Tracy Weber is the author of the award-winning Downward Dog Mysteries series. The first book in the series, Murder Strikes a Pose, won the Maxwell Award for Fiction and was nominated for the Agatha award for Best First Novel.

A certified yoga therapist, Tracy is the owner of Whole Life Yoga, a Seattle yoga studio, as well as the creator and director of Whole Life Yoga’s teacher training program. She loves sharing her passion for yoga and animals in any way possible.

Tracy and her husband Marc live in Seattle with their challenging yet amazing German shepherd, Tasha. When she’s not writing, Tracy spends her time teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at her favorite ale house.

Karma’s a Killer is her third novel. For more information on Tracy and the Downward Dog Mysteries, visit her author website: http://TracyWeberAuthor.com/