Mildred Abbott~ About the Author

April’s featured author is Mildred Abbott.

Preoccupied with everything found in cozy mysteries: Puppies, Books, Cozy Mountain Towns, and Baked Goods.  Although not obsessed with murder, however. At least not in real life (No contract killing here). But since childhood, starting with Nancy Drew, trying to figure out whodunit has played a formative role in everyday life.  Author of the Cozy Corgi series and the Twister Sister series.

I love Mildred’s books. However, I admit that she writes them faster than I can keep up with. I adore the corgis and the baked shop above the bookstore. Seriously, that is like heaven. I have also read the Twister Sisters and love their quirky ways. The recipes are all so yummy. I have tried a couple. See, now I am thinking that I should do another #bookishrecipe post.

Oh, but before I get off-topic. Let me introduce you to Mildred Abbott, our month’s featured author.

Tell us a little about yourself. Perhaps something, not many people know?

Oh…. Something people may not know… I don’t think many readers know this, but I am one of those who got married during the pandemic in 2020. Our wedding was on Zoom, believe it or not. And other than wishing it could have had a real photographer, I wouldn’t change anything about it. I ended up thrilled that we got married on Zoom. And… The top of our wedding cake featured two characters from The Muppets!

What made you want to become a writer?

School was never easy for me; I didn’t even read very well until I was around ten. At 15, when I was a sophomore, I had Ms. Hungerford for writing class. It was the first subject that I didn’t dread, didn’t have to get tutoring over, and wasn’t torturous. In fact, I loved it; she encouraged me by saying my writing was beautiful and that she enjoyed it. Things were set in stone from then on. I’m very grateful for her!

Who is your favorite author(s)?

Always the hardest question to narrow down, so I simply can’t. If I had to take one book on a desert island, I couldn’t even do that either—it would be all seven books of the Harry Potter collection. I’ve reread those more than any other. But I also adore Kelley Armstrong, JD Robb, Agatha Frost, and Angela Pepper; I could continue forever.

Do you play a musical instrument or sing?

I grew up singing in church and playing the saxophone. I don’t play the instrument anymore, but I do sing to myself and the dogs.

What is your favorite song or artist?

My favorite artist is Joy Williams; her Venus album is perfect. But the two songs which have impacted my life the most aren’t on that album, actually. Those are “Charmed Life” and “All I Need.”

 

What is the worst job that you have ever had?

Growing up, my family owned a paper factory, and I worked there during the summers. I loved the people I worked with, but factory work… No, thank you.

What is your favorite place to escape?

My home, actually. There’s nothing better than sitting on the couch reading in the evenings with my husband and our two dogs. As far as a place? There was a period in my life that was really hard, and I found a lot of solace in Seattle.

Who is your hero (real or fictional)?

Honestly… I don’t have one. I think maybe I’ve experienced them falling off their pedestals a little too many times. There are people I admire, but I don’t really put anyone in hero status.

Would you rather live in a haunted mansion or live in an un-haunted cottage?

I always say my dream house is a cottage, so I would have to go that route. Although if they were friendly, ghosts would be welcome to visit.

What is your favorite recipe or restaurant?

I grew up in the Ozarks, and there’s a casserole from my childhood that is still my favorite thing. Just a simple chicken, broccoli, and carrots, with a sauce of mayonnaise, chicken soup, lemon juice, covered in cheese, and crumbled potato chips. Served over brown rice. It is Midwestern heaven. And not at all good for the diet, lol. I’ve even included it in a couple of books.

Writing Style

What do you love most about your writing process?

Falling in love with my characters and getting to know their entire back story, sometimes through multiple generations. Most of the time, I get so much detail about each character the majority never makes it into the book. But I love getting to know them!

Do you like music or silence?

Silence! This is getting more and more important the older I get. I don’t understand people who can write with music or TV going on. If there’s noise, the voices in my head quit talking.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym, or do you?

I do! Mildred Abbott is actually a pseudonym. I also have written under the pseudonym Rosalind Abel and my given name, Brandon Witt. Currently, I am not writing under either of the last two names. It’s all Mildred, all the time, and I love it!

What comes first for you, the plot or the characters?

No matter what name I’m writing under, my books are so character driven that the two tend to happen simultaneously. The plot is always born out of who a character is, but the character is crafted to best suit the plot, so it’s a whole chicken and egg thing.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story, or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

Not the entire story, but they definitely throw in new twists and turns that I hadn’t planned and take different bunny trails, at times, to get to the same result. Although, there’s been a time or two in the Cozy Corgi series where I reached the end of the book and realized the murderer wasn’t who I thought it was the entire time. That’s both extremely fun when the characters make that happen, and a little overwhelming, as that obviously means a lot of rewrites!

Do you choose the character names based on how they sound or their meaning?

Typically, unless I want them to have a very left-of-center name, I get on those baby name sites and look at the most popular names for the year they were born and wait for one of the names to click with who I know the character to be.

Describe your writing space.

We have a two-bedroom house, and I have commandeered the guest bedroom. We have no bed in that room, lol, I took it over with a writing desk and a small couch. I sit on the couch with my dogs on either side of me, napping pressed against my legs, and write all day long. The best job ever, words and puppies! There’s an entire wall of bookcases to my right; a little shrine of my favorite collectibles and such in front of me; and to my left, an antique cabinet and an antique lamp passed down from my parents. The walls are a rich green/soft-teal color, and there are lots of wood and brass elements.

This sounds amazing! What a wonderful place to write cozy mysteries.

How do you deal with the emotional impact of a book (on yourself) as you are writing the story?

Even though I write cozy mysteries, which are happy, there are always scenes that tug at my heart here and there and that often lead me to tears as I’m writing—an experience I love. However, I write so much and spend so much time in the world of my books that the thin line between imagination and reality sometimes disappears. More than once, I’ve started to tell my husband about something that happened to people we know during the day, only to be a couple of sentences in and realize… no… that’s what happened in the book I was writing. But after thirty books in the Cozy Corgi series, these characters are quite literally as real to me as anyone else.

How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?

As mentioned, there are many books in the cozy corgi series, so at this point, I do not have to spend much time at all on world building as I’m writing. It’s all there and simply grows and deepens with every installment. However, starting a new book or a new series is always so much fun as I love, love, love world building. I’m a big fantasy and urban paranormal reader, so I relish creating those types of worlds for some of my other books.

What is your favorite cover out of all your books? Why is it your favorite?

That’s another nearly impossible question. If I absolutely had to choose one from the Cozy Corgi series, I think it is Lethal Lace. It’s just so wintery and lovely and contains a very important wedding. That installment is near and dear to my heart.

Book/Series

How did you come up with the title of this book?

The pattern for my Cozy Corgi series is the second word always has to do with whatever store the murder happens within my little tourist town of Estes Park or (occasionally) the theme of the crime. The first word of the title will begin with the same first letter and be a ‘negative’ adjective. For example, Cruel Candy happens in a candy store, Quarrelsome Quartz occurs in a new age shop, and Salacious Socialites happens in the home of an evil millionaire.

Does one of the main characters hold a special part in your heart? If so, why?

Again, with these impossible-to-choose questions, lol! I’m going to make myself not say either of the main characters–Winifred or her corgi, Watson. Instead, I’m picking the police officer of the series, Susan Green. While it takes a while for her and Winifred to see eye to eye, she is tough, smart, honorable, and strong. But what really makes her fun? She’s abrasive, rude, tells it like it is, and is absolutely hilarious, even though she doesn’t mean to be. She also has a heart of gold, although she’s screaming at me for even suggesting such a thing. She’s become one of the fan favorites, without a doubt.

I love Susan Green. I never know what she will say or how she will handle Fred or Watson’s assistance.

What is the future for the Cozy Corgi characters?

Hard to answer that without spoilers, but… They will all continue to develop and deepen, both on an individual basis and in their relationships. And while things won’t always be black and white, they will get answers to some of the remaining overarching questions and mysteries, and I can promise you, none of the dogs will ever die!

What is your favorite part about working in the Cozy Mystery genre?

The kindness, without a doubt. Not only are the readers some of the sweetest, most encouraging readers I’ve had, but there’s such a thread of gentleness, kindness, and love in cozy mystery books that it makes our own lives a little easier, better, and brighter.

How did you find the setting for the Cozy Corgi Series?

After moving from the Midwest, my family lived in Estes Park, Colorado, for a while. It’s this gorgeous little bitty mountain town nestled in a protected valley (bowl, actually). It has a main street with all types of touristy, charming, and lovely shops. There’s tons of wildlife. Even elk wander in between the shops rather frequently. It’s a magical place and an absolutely perfect setting for cozy mysteries.

How many books do you see in the Twister Sisters Mysteries?

I am just getting ready to write the fourth and final book of the Twister Sisters mysteries. It’s called Tornado Torment and should come out in late summer / early fall.

How about the setting for the Twister Sisters Mysteries?

The setting for Twister Sisters is Willow Lane, and the inspiration came from my little farm town in the Ozarks where I grew up. Although, I tried to make a very idealized version of it. Unlike Estes Park, which came fully formed and begging for a cozy mystery, my hometown required a little tweaking.

What was the highlight of writing this series?

I have loved writing from the perspective of three women in their 60s (Pamela is reminding me that she is currently 59, thank you very much). It’s something I was both craving to read and to write. I get tired of the main characters in their 20s and early 30s. Nothing wrong with it, but there’s more to life, and typically it gets much better in later decades. It also has an enormous and diverse cast, something that readers seem to either love or hate about this particular series. Personally, I love it!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

When I’m starting a new book or new series, most of the time, it comes from just allowing myself to dream and fantasize and go wherever I want to go. Though the themes are almost always pulled from aspects of real life. For the Cozy Corgi, with this long-running series, the inspiration comes from the characters themselves, always. They have all taken on lives of their own, and I’m merely recording their antics.

What project are you working on now?

I am writing the 4th and final Twister Sisters novel, and then I have three more Cozy Corgis to write before the end of the year. And then… fingers crossed… I’m hoping to begin a new series, to write in between Cozy Corgi installments. One with magical elements. I’m excited!

Thank you so much for having me. I’m flattered, and I very much appreciate your time!

Find Mildred on the web:

Check out her Patreon Subscription

The Cozy Corgi Mysteries

Reviews: Cruel Candy, Traitorous Toys, Bickering Birds, Savage Sourdough, Scornful Scones, Wicked Wildlife, Malevolent Magic, Killer Keys, Perilous Pottery, Ghastly Gadgets, Meddlesome Money, Precarious Pasta

The Twister Sisters Mysteries

Giveaway

Prize: One (1) ebook of The Cozy Corgi Cozy Mysteries – Collection One: Books 1-3 

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Thank you, Mildred, for taking the time to answer our questions and letting all of us get to know you. We are so grateful for you and your cozy mysteries. It is so wonderful to have you on Baroness’ Book Trove.

Until the next time, happy reading!

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