I’m delighted to invite crime author Marie Anders to join me for a chat about her latest release, living in Salzburg, and writing in the middle of the night!
Over to Marie…
Marie Anders was born in Kirchdorf an der Krems, in Upper Austria. She grew up multilingual in an international environment and has lived, studied, and worked in the United States, Serbia, Russia, France and Germany. She has recently returned to live and work in Austria.
Tell us a little about yourself. (How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?)
My name is Marie. I live and work in the beautiful Mozart city of Salzburg. As an entrepreneur, I am pretty busy. I am highly creative and love to paint, dance, and cook. Even as a kid, I made up stories and sometimes wrote them down.
For me, Salzburg is much more than just a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mozart city or festival city. It is the city I grew up in and know like the back of my hand. In addition to the many sights, such as the Hohensalzburg Fortress, the Getreidegasse or the Mirabell Gardens, there are exciting and perhaps surprising things to discover in Salzburg. Tradition and modernity make up the charm of this city. There are many small, romantic alleys, winding paths, beautiful gardens, parks and lakes that I would like to introduce to my readers.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
So far, I have published four German crime novels, two English ones and a fun colouring book for children.
The fifth crime novel of the Neuner series is currently on the way.
What genre is it, and what is it about?
My books are Austrian crime novels.
DEATH BY TRUFFLES: Marc Bergmann, known to enjoy the company of women a little too much, is found dead on a park bench. His downfall? Poisoned chocolate truffles.
THE FINNISH SOCK: Two well-known scientists are killed at a Medical Congress in Salzburg. Inspector Neuner and his team are bewildered by the signature of the murderer. What does a colourful hand-knitted sock have to do with all of this?
What or who inspired you to write this book?
I came up with the idea for DEATH BY TRUFFLES during a classical concert, which unfortunately didn’t sweep me off my feet. During the interval, chocolates were offered among other delicacies and to cheer myself up, I treated myself to one. After the break, the concert flew by, not only because I made up the plot for my crime novel.
During a somewhat lengthy lecture at a seminar, a participant was actually knitting socks, and when I asked her about it, she said she could concentrate better that way. I thought that was great, and that’s how I got the idea for the crime novel THE FINNISH SOCK.
When you walk through the world with an open mind, you see and hear the most exciting stories. Stories that you can eventually work into a book.
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
You have to be very disciplined and write every day. Sometimes you will be able to write page after page quickly and with ease. At other times you will end up with two sentences that you delete again. Writing is 30 per cent talent and 70 discipline. It is essential to take the time to write every day. See it as a job that needs to be done.
Once your book is finished, let random people read the manuscript and make them comment on it. Of course, every author is happy about positive feedback, but constructive criticism is just as important because you can develop as an author and learn from mistakes made through it.
Even if it’s hard to find a publisher, you should never give up or doubt your talent.
What do you enjoy most about writing and why?
As a writer, you start to see the world through different eyes. When you walk through the world with your eyes and ears open, you see and hear the most exciting stories. Stories that you can eventually work into a book. Somehow, as a writer, you are always working. The best thing about creative work is that, apart from publishing deadlines, you don’t have fixed times.
List three interesting facts about yourself
- I am a polyglot and love to travel and meet people around the world. It is always fun to talk to people in their native language and see their reaction.
- My favourite time to write is in the middle of the night when everything is quiet, and everyone around is asleep.
- Teatime is my favourite time of the day. I take a break and relax for about half an hour. Only I rarely drink tea – I prefer hot chocolate.
What is your least favourite part of the publishing/writing process?
Well, it is the permanent “fear” of not meeting one’s own standards and possibly disappointing the reader.
What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
It is always great to get feedback. Positive or negative, that is. Readers can help any author by writing reviews, telling people about the book and sharing it on social media.
What is your next project?
For spring 2022, I plan to publish a family saga/romance. Also, by then, the 5th Neuner should be translated into English.
Connect with Marie
Twitter: @MarieAnders5020
Instagram: @5020marieanders
Facebook: Marie Anders – Autorenseite
Website: www.marieanders.at
BUY your copy of Death by Truffles via Amazon UK or Amazon US
Book Blurb for Death by Truffles
Near the Salzach river, in the beautiful city of Salzburg, Marc Bergmann, the town’s gigolo, is found dead on a park bench. Marc Bergmann, the shady lawyer, was married, had a fiancée and various lovers and connections to the mob. Soon it is clear that poisoned chocolate truffles sealed Marc’s faith. The more Quentin Neuner and his team delve into the case, the stranger things get. When Neuner’s childhood sweetheart turns up, the case takes a sudden unexpected turn.
Or BUY your copy of The Finnish Sock via Amazon UK or Amazon US
Book Blurb for The Finnish Sock
During an International Medical Congress in Salzburg, a well-known surgeon and scientist, Doctor Thomas Steinmetz, is mysteriously killed. When Inspector Quentin Neuner examines the corpse, he notices something he has never seen before. The victim’s right foot had been dressed in a colourful hand-knitted sock, and his shoe nicely draped next to the body. Was this a sign? Or the signature of the killer? If so, what is the killer trying to flag up? In the course of the first interrogations, the killer strikes again in broad daylight and right under Quentin Neuner’s nose. The investigators quickly discover similarities between the two victims. Was it their research that sealed their fate?
Shelley Wilson Author 