Lynn Slaughter Novelist
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I’m so delighted to welcome Linda Rawlins to my blog today. Her 40 years as a physician has given her a wealth of stories and insights that she has drawn upon to write compelling mysteries.

 First off, congratulations on the release this past year of MISTY MIDWAY, the seventh book in your Misty Point Mystery series. Can you tell our readers a bit about the book and the series and what inspired them?  

Thank you, Lynn. It’s great meeting with you today and I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the Misty Point Mystery series. I had written another series when I had lunch with someone at a major literary house who told me the key to being a career author is to write about things you love. Choose a passion and have fun with it.  

As you know, I am a physician and when facing stressful days and times, I would head to the Jersey Shore to let off steam and relax. Many people love the beach and find it a great place to gain new perspective on life, but who also doesn’t love a mystery??? I decided to set my new mystery series at the New Jersey Shore as it’s a great place to relax, escape and most of all, read!!  

How has your protagonist, Megan Stanford, grown and changed during the series? 

Megan had a difficult childhood despite having money and privilege. After college, she chooses to run to another state for work instead of going home. Although she was raised by a loving grandmother, she wanted to escape painful childhood memories with her parents. When she loses her job, she finds that her aging grandmother is in need with no one to take care of her. Megan’s parents have disappeared, her father galivanting in Europe. Facing anger and betrayal by her boss as well as guilt over not being closer to her grandmother, Megan returns home to support her grandmother, her charities and estate. She grows as she uncovers multiple lies, secrets, and problems and moves to solve them. 

You’re also the author of the popular Rocky Meadow Mysteries, featuring Dr. Amy Daniels. Can you share with our readers a bit about that series? 

 Thank you, yes! THE BENCH was my very first book and follows the journey of Dr. Amy Daniels who as a trauma surgeon saves the life of a man brought into the hospital under a police presence. She then finds out that he was caught during a home invasion at which her sister was killed. Dr. Amy suffers some very serious emotional conflict and flees to a smaller hospital in Vermont. There, she meets a psychologist priest who tries to offer support to her as well as a young volunteer who spends time at the church and the hospital. When they find out the teenage girl is being targeted, they work together to save her life as they continue to work on their own personal issues. This book has underlying themes of kindness, support and unconditional love. My first book and always my baby. 

 When you’re developing your characters, how important have you found exploring their backstories to be, even if much of it doesn’t appear on the page?  

 Developing backstory is extremely important. I try to develop a character enough to know her actions, feelings, pain, preferences, and passions. In that way, they are so very real to me and make writing about them feel very true. Although I would never want my living friends to think I would write about them, (without permission that is!) LOL  

As an author of mainly stand-alone novels, I’m always interested in how you keep readers engaged in book after book in a series. Any thoughts on how you’ve done this so successfully? 

 I grew up watching a lot of mystery shows with my parents and enjoying many mystery books with my mom and grandmother. I appreciate the concept of having a literary set of friends and community that I’m invested in and follow along in their struggles. However, I have a strong sense of justice and want to see it carried out. So, although a series will have an overreaching ARC of characters, each book or story covers a particular incident that is resolved by the end of that book. In that way, I can visit with them for the next adventure. 

 A related question: How do you decide that you’re ready to move on from one series and begin another? 

 I try to keep the storyline, the material and the interest fresh. Also, different locations as well as different characters synergize with different readers. Part of my choice depends on interest, theirs and mine, as well as current events. I try to focus my writing on a story that will provide escape for my readers as we live in a very tumultuous society now. Sometimes, it’s relaxing to turn off the news and get lost in a good book.  

 I was fascinated to learn that your former career was in medicine. What led you to make the switch to writing mysteries?  

 I can honestly say one thing is fatigue. I’ve been in medicine for over 40 years. I’ve been at work and on call 24/7 for long lengths of time. I love my patients, getting to know their families and all the joy, pleasures and unfortunately pain in their life. But in terms of self-care for myself and my family, it was time to change direction a bit. However, it is a lot of my patients combined emotions, stories, pleasures, passions, wins, as well as grief and loss that I dealt with daily that drive my narratives. 

I also love mystery and forensics as a science, so everything fits together. 

Many times, making a medical diagnosis is like solving a mystery. The patient presents symptoms which are your clues and the physician using the proper method, solves the mystery and offers the correct treatment. Plus, we are trained to avoid things that can kill people which makes good fodder for something to use for a plot. 

In interviewing authors, I’ve discovered that each of us has a unique writing process. Can you talk a little about your own process? 

I try to write daily. Although I have to say, a lot of critical thinking happens when I’m driving or going about my day so there are times when I am simply at my desk typing all the plot points that have come to me earlier in the day. I am somewhat of a pantser. I have a set of characters, a location, a victim and a villain but occasionally the story only unfolds as I write it!! 

What’s next for you writing-wise? 

I currently have a WIP about a character who is the Department Chairperson of a forensics school of health and sciences. They are often called upon to help the local police solve mysteries and in this way I can incorporate different types of forensics as well as different departments that would evaluate clues such as autopsy, medicine, cybersecurity, psychological, paranormal, and such. 

Anything else you’d like to add, or wish I’d asked that I didn’t?  

Once again, I want to thank you for the opportunity of speaking with you about writing! I want to say that I love hearing from readers and other writers and that literacy, education, and science are some of my passions. Reading a book and learning from it is not only an escape but a portal to thousands of other worlds whether it be fictional or scientific.  

BUY LINKS:

 https://a.co/d/0035fP7W  Misty Midway Buy link  

Also, all of Linda’s books are on Kindle Unlimited

BIO AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS 

Linda Rawlins is an American writer of mystery fiction best known for her Misty Point Mystery Series. She is also known for her Rocky Meadow Mystery Series as well as two independent novels, MIDNIGHT SHIFT and MYSTERY OF HEATHER HOUSE.  

Linda loved to read as a child and started writing her first mystery novel in fifth grade. She then studied science, medicine, and literature, eventually graduating from medical school and establishing her medical career.  

Linda Rawlins lives in New Jersey with her husband, family, and spoiled dog. She loves spending time at the beach and visiting Vermont. She is an active member of Mystery Writers of America. As a member of Sisters in Crime, Linda was the President of the Central Jersey Chapter for 2022, 2020, 2019, and the VP in 2018, 2025. She is an Amazon Best Seller and is currently working on a new series in addition to her Misty Point Mystery Series. 

 You can visit Linda’s website at www.lindarawlins.com 

Other links to connect with Linda –  

www.Facebook.com/lindarawlinsauthor 

www.twitter.com/LRL8 

www.Instagram.com/lindarawlins 

www.tiktok.com/lindarawlinsauthor 

www.goodreads.com/lindarawlins 

www.facebook.com/lindar.liotti 

www.threads.net/lindarawlins

 Readers who have read Linda’s books also have enjoyed reading –   

Ellery Adams/Ellie Alexander/Sandra Brown/Wanda E Brunstetter/Lynn Cahoon/Kathi Daley/Diane Mott Davidson/Maddie Day/Lauren Elliot/Joanne Fluke/Tracy Gardner/Eva Gates/Lena Gregory/Dianne Harman/Elin Hildebrand/Liz Johnson/Avery Kent/William Landy/Beverly Lewis/Karen McInerny/Susan Mallery/Fern Michaels/Nora Roberts/Elizabeth Spann Craig/Nellie Stein/Beverly Watts/JA Whiting/Susan Wiggs/Katie Winters/Jane Woods/Diana Xarissa