Tell us about yourself.
I am a retired print journalist. I live in Cape Girardeau, a city on the Mississippi River in Southeast Missouri. I retired in 2019 after more than 30 years as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Cape Girardeau, Since then, I have written four Elmwood Mystery novels.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. My parents were readers. They read books, magazines and newspapers. When I was young, my mother took me and my sister to the library every Saturday to check out books. That sparked my love of reading.
What was your journey to getting published like?
After completing my first novel, I tried unsuccessfully to land a traditional publisher. A former newspaper reporter friend of mine in Springfield, Missouri, had started writing mystery novels that he published on Amazon. He encouraged me to go the indie route and I haven't regretted it.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
Hook the reader at the start. If you're writing a mystery, you need to grab the reader. In a mystery, start with a murder. Or at least provide some conflict to draw in your readers.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Finish the book. I know people who have been working on a manuscript for years and still have not completed it. My advise is to finish the task. You can edit it later. But you need to finish the book. I believe writers get better the more they write.
What’s a fun fact about you that your readers might not know?
I love model trains. It relaxes me to operate my O gauge trains, including some antique Lionel trains that were my father's. I love to build roads and landscape my train board.
What’s your guilty pleasure book or genre?
Anything written by mystery writer Louise Penny.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
Besides my model trains, I love to read all kinds of mysteries. I also love the New York Times word puzzles including Wordle.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I don't remember the first book I ever read. I do know that I loved reading books from an early age, including Perry Mason and Agatha Christie novels. I loved trying to figure out who was the murderer and why.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
Louise Penny's novels with their emphasis on character development has influenced my style of writing. Her books involve relationships, the way different characters interact with each other.
How do you deal with negative reviews?
As a former reporter, I have received my share of criticism. You won't last long as a journalist if you don't have a thick skin. As an indie author, I've found loyal readers. If someone doesn't like my book, I don't worry about it. I'm not writing to please the critics.
How do you connect with your readers?
I promote my Elmwood Mystery novels on both my personal and author Facebook pages, as well as on my Amazon author page. I also send out news releases to local media and do media interviews.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am preparing to write a fifth Elmwood Mystery novel.
Are there any Easter eggs or hidden messages in your work?
The backdrops to my novels often involve environmental or cultural issues. My latest murder plot revolves around the issue of book banning.
How do you approach writing dialogue for your characters?
I write dialogue like people talk. I avoid long speeches.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
Read, read and read some more. If you want to write mysteries, you should read a lot of mystery novels. Want to write romance novels, read a lot of romance novels. I learn a lot about writing by reading the works of other authors.
Mark Bliss’s Author Websites and Profiles
Website
Amazon Profile
Mark Bliss’s Social Media Links
Facebook Page
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.