Interview with Joan Havelange
Author of The Trouble with Funerals
Whodunnit author/ cozy mystery. Golfer, trailer storyteller
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Quick description of the book for a new reader - what should they expect?
- Humour and mystery. There are many layers to this mystery. Quirky characters and a visitor who is a fish out of water in a small prairie town. Is the man who he says he is, or is he a con man? And the mystery at the Gravenhurst Manor that Mabel must solve. Seniors seem to die in unexpected circumstances.
What was your inspiration for this book?
- I grew up in a small prairie town. Humour is always just around the corner.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- Richard Osman, Rhys Bowen, M. C. Beaton. Each author is different, but all tell a fine tale.
Can you tell us a little about the locations in your book?
- The Trouble with Funerals is set in a little fictional town on the Canadian prairie.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- Edit, edit and edit again. And never give up, you have a story to tell.
Could you talk a little about your writing process?
- I write better in the winter. I live in Canada. And it's not just chilly. It's darn right cold. So I curl up in a big comfy chair and let my imagination take me away.
Which character has had the greatest impact on readers?
- I think my protagonist, Mabel. She jumps in and asks permission later. I think we all wish we were a risk taker like Mabel.
If the book were to be adapted for TV or film, who would you see in the lead role? Who did you have in your mind’s eye ?
- A British actor, Helen Mirren.
How have readers responded ?
- I have had a great response. I have been the best-selling author for my publisher for two years in a row.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- 'Moving is Murder.] A mystery set in the same little prairie town. Publishing date October. And a historical mystery, 'The Séance Murders' set in the 1900s. Publishing date 2024.
