Authors talk mysteries at library

Peter Kingsmill has been a reporter, editor, conservationist and mayor, and he’s added fiction author to that list.

Hafford-area resident Kingsmill, along with Saskatoon author J.C. Paulson, were at North Battleford Public Library Monday night to speak about their new books and mystery writing in general.

Sunset at 20:47, Kingsmill’s first novel and the first book in a planned trilogy, is a mystery set in the lake country of Ontario. The story begins as protagonist Frank Anderson gets a knock on the door from an attractive woman who may have found a body in a lake.

“I hope I’m giving [readers] what they hope for, which is a way to spend seven to eight hours enjoying something or other and be left with something to think about,” Kingsmill said.

Paulson is a former journalist with the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Her novel is set in Saskatoon. In certain writers’ circles, Paulson said, there’s discussion “that we do not need one more mystery located in New York or L.A.”

Paulson's new mystery novel, Broken Through,features crime reporter Grace Rampling covering a case until a close friend is in the line of danger. Meanwhile, Grace’s lover, Detective Sgt. Adam Davis, must confront his PTSD and find a murderer.

Broken Throughis a sequel to Adam’s Witness, with another book, and possibly more, to follow.

Paulson said she combines mystery and romance, although mystery readers don’t always appreciate it.

“I'm not writing these love scenes just as love scenes, I’m trying to make some very specific points,” Paulson said, adding people who are aware of the combination of genres enjoy it, but not necessarily those who don’t know the genres are combined before reading.

To some degree, the authors said, aspects of themselves are in their books and the books feature personal experiences, but Kingsmill said he had to be careful in a small town context since people would ask if they’d appear in a book.

Kingsmill said his new novel is based on a lake he went to as a child. 

Questions from those in attendance concerned research, the writing process, and making it as an independent author, which Kingsmill and Paulson are both.

Sequels are important because they can motivate readers to buy the first book.

“Never judge a book by its cover, except that’s what sells,” Kingsmill said.

Paulson added blurbs and reviews sell books too.

Their books are available on Amazon and in bookstores including McNally Robinson in Saskatoon.