INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DONNA FLETCHER CROW

Author Donna Fletcher Crow on the Riviera. 

So far, I've had several interviews on this blog (especially in '21 and '22, nowhere near as many last year), but I've only had one repeat interviewee. Well, the only twice-interviewed is now my first thrice-interviewed.

I've invited Donna Fletcher Crow, who I interviewed in '20 and '21 (links highlighted if you want to see them) to discuss her latest book "Going There: Tales From The Riviera and Beyond" (click here for book review).

Donna has just reached into the rarified air of authors I've read at least 20 books by (a state that she shares with only Agatha Christy, though Nancy Mehl is knocking at the door with me about to start on my 19th novel by her). The 22 books I've read by Donna include her 6 Monastery Mysteries featuring Father Antony and Felicia, the five part Lord Danvers Investigates, and the five Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense.

JR: Welcome back to the blog! Though you've been a guest here a couple of times, it's the first since COVID is more of a nuisance hanging around than the dreaded monster it was in '20 and '21. What is new with you, your family, your church, etc. since then?

DFC: Hello, Jeff! What an honor to be here with you again. Oh, goodness, what a question—I could write a novel. If only I had time. With 4 married children and 15 grandchildren, life is always intense, but it does seem to be more so now than ever. My husband once told our children it was their job to keep us from getting bored. Bad mistake—boredom would be a welcome break. Thankfully, it’s mostly good things. Job changes, some desired and some not, including my husband’s desire to retire, but not yet finding a good exit strategy from his business, and several grandchildren getting to the age that boyfriend/girlfriend relationships are serious prayer topics. Also, the grandson who returned from Afghanistan with PTSD and is now in rehab.

And thank you for asking about our church. The building project we were ready to launch before the Covid lockdowns struck is finally underway. Phase 1, the new parish hall and library are in progress. That’s a huge “Thanks be to God!” but also a major involvement in planning for future ministry to our neighborhood now that we will actually have the space for new programs.

And, yes, along with all of that I am plodding along with my writing. 

JR: Of course, one thing I want to talk about here is your latest book, I believe. (It wouldn't surprise me if you released a book or two or twelve since then.) Tell us all about "Going There: Tales From The Riviera and Beyond." What's the inspiration of the book? What was it like combining non-fiction with fiction in this story collection? 

DFC: Oh, Jeff—in my prime I did, indeed release 3 books a year. Now I struggle to keep up with one. Going There, though, was a fun project that just surprised me by turning up. In the summer of 2021 my daughter-in-law Kelly and I managed to slip through a narrow window of sanity between Covid lockdowns to chaperone my granddaughter Jane in a break between her ballet schools in Monaco and Basel. I was relaxing and reveling in the beauty of the Riviera when I realized characters from several of my series had tagged along. I kept seeing places Felicity was likely to find a body or visiting a church Father Antony would love. Then the home of a writer that Elizabeth and Richard would be certain to want to visit… Another factor grew as and Kelly and I became overwhelmed with the realization of what an extraordinary adventure we were having in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. My love of sharing my experiences with my readers took over as I wrote in my journal.

Combining fiction with non-fiction is really what I do all the time. I always try to use as much actual history and real experiences in my novels as I can. I’m not really very good at making stuff up—that’s one of the reasons I love using historical characters so much. And that’s why Father Antony is such a good character for me to work with—He loves recounting the stories of the saints as factually as he can. Of course, writing actual short stories between my travel memoir events was a new experience for me—which I enjoyed very much.

JR: Another project that was finished relatively recently was the completion of the Celtic Cross series. Was concluding that series a celebration, a relief, an appetizer for another similar endeavor, or some of each?

DFC: I would say it was a great satisfaction, Jeff. The Celtic Cross series was a project I had kept in mind for years. Covid was the perfect opportunity. I had written The Fields of Bannockburn and The Banks of the Boyne, epic histories of Scotland and Ireland in the 1990s. They had been out of print for many years and, of course, eBooks hadn’t even been thought of when they were published. I wanted to make these stories—which I still felt were wonderful, not because of my telling, but because of what the historic people did—deserved a modern audience. I felt rewriting them into a series, rather than 2 massive volumes made them more accessible to readers, and possible for eBook format, since they are limited as to length. Of course, it turned out to be one of those projects I would never have had the courage to launch if I’d had any idea how much work it would be, but I felt the end product, with the help of my wonderful editor and cover artist, was worth the journey.

JR: Okay, I'll ask you to take off your author hat and take your seat at the news desk. Has your time on the Riviera affected how you see things here in the USA? Are you optimistic, pessimistic, or some of both about the coming election and the world situation?

DFC: The thing that amazing trip to the Riviera and beyond most underscored for me was the necessity of grabbing the moment when the door is open. It was an incredible three-generation family time and an opportunity I had never dreamed of and is very unlikely to come again. There were many inconveniences and nerve-wracking moments caused by the world situation—but aren’t there always? I’m so thankful I seized the opportunity. 

Oh, my—the plight of the world… Well, at the end of the day, A Christian has to be optimistic, don’t we? We’ve read the Book—we know how it will end. In the meantime, however, we must face the fact that we live in a fallen world. Without getting into politics, I will have to say, though, that it does seem to be falling faster and further than I have experienced in my very long lifetime. (If you’re curious, I was born 3 weeks before Pearl Harbor.) Which is all to say my advice is to get on your knees, but keep looking up.

JR: Back to writing. What's your WIP ("Work in Progress " in case any reader's not used to writer lingo)? When shall we look for it?

DFC: At this moment I am writing a 4-part series on “The Landscape of Pride and Prejudice” for the “Jane Austen’s Regency World Magazine.” When that is done, I will get back to a project I did the onsite research for in 2001 when I went to the Outer Hebrides right after 9/11. It’s the story of the Hebrides Awakening—an account I’ve wanted to relate ever since I first heard about it. This will be Book 7 in the Monastery Murders—quite a departure for Felicity and Antony because it doesn’t involve old Celtic saints. Well, not very much, anyway. I hope to have it out by the end of the year, but we’ll have to see about that.

JR: Thank you for your time. Would you like to remind us how to keep in touch with you?

DFC: Thank you so much for this fun visit, Jeff! Readers can follow me on Facebook, subscribe to my newsletter (and get a free book), write to me through my website, follow my blog, see my YouTube videos, or find all my books on Amazon. Oh, and some might want to check out my brand new offerings on Audible.

BOOK REVIEW - GOING THERE: TALES FROM THE RIVIERA AND BEYOND BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

 

Is this book a non-fiction description of a trip to the Riviera in post-pandemic times? Does it contain fictional stories including favorite characters from her novels? The answer is yes.

"Going There: Tales from the Riviera and Beyond" is a travelogue of a 2021 trip author Donna Fletcher Crow took with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter as they were returning the latter to her ballerina school in Monaco. Yes, this was at the time where COVID-19 was still a major concern at a point when people were ready for normalcy. She does a good job of reminding us of what mask mandates felt like and the concern of passing a COVID test so she could return home to the States rather than being stuck in her hotel for over a week away from her family at her own expense.

But this book is also a short story collection including some of my favorite characters from her novels. Charles and Antonia from the Victorian True Crimes Lord Danvers Investigates series. Richard and Elizabeth who host a Literary Murder collection. And especially my hero Father Antony and Felicity of the Monastery Murders.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It helped me know the author better. (Coincidentally, I just started another, unrelated book, where the author mentioned too often you read books knowing nothing about the author.) The short stories were entertaining and allowed me to hang out with several of my fictional friends (and the Dowager Duchess as well). Additionally, both the fiction and the non-fiction give you an introduction to the Riviera and what the people there are like.

I highly enjoyed this book and recommend it.

I received a copy of this book for my unbiased review.

BOOK REVIEW - A TINCTURE OF MURDER (LORD DANVERS INVESTIGATES, VOL. 4) BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

 

 Was the fire at the Danvers' home accidentally started by an unextinguished candle? Who is killing the clients of the mission Lord Danver's brother is running? And is the man accused of poisoning his wife a murderer or an insane lunatic?

A Tincture of Murder is the fourth volume of Donna Fletcher's "Lord Danvers Investigates" series (there are currently five installments). As in the rest of the series, Donna tells a story of a true Victorian era crime, as well as a mystery Lord and Lady Danvers solve. 

As stated, this is part of a series. While I would recommend reading the stories in order, that is not a necessity to feel like you know what is going on in the story line. Likewise, reading later stories first won't spoil the surprises of the earlier tales.

I highly recommend the full series, but my personal favorites in it are the first book (A Most Inconvenient Death) and this book. 

BOOK REVIEW - TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN BY DONNA FLETCHER CROW

Who murdered an elderly woman and cut the throat of her maid? Is the artist interested in Lord Danvers' younger sister a good match or is the distrust of other family members deserved? And what secret is his wife Antonia keeping from him?

To Dust You Shall Return is the third installment of Lord Danvers Investigates by Donna Fletcher Crow, which not only is set in Victorian England, but has the main characters help solve a true crime story from that era. In this case, it is the above mentioned death of elderly Catherine Bacon.

The mystery is well written. There is some edge of the seat excitement in this tale. The characters are interesting as well: I enjoy the appearances of Lord Danvers' butler Hardy and the Dowager Duchess. My only squabble, and it is a small one, is if the main character of the Lord Danvers Investigates series is Lord Danvers or Lady Antonia?  And I mean it when I say it's a minor squabble. I have enjoyed this series (as well as Crow's other mystery series Elizabeth and Richard Literary Suspense and the Monastery Murders), and am looking forward to the next one.

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DONNA FLETCHER CROW, 2021 MODEL

 

Author Donna Fletcher Crow, with her latest book series

Since starting this blog, I may have had interviews with an author in one installment and review their book in another. But up to this point, I've never had a return interviewee, until now. Which not surprisingly is the same person I interviewed for this blog. Also, the first novelist I interviewed when I was blogging for Hoosier Ink, the blog of the Indiana Chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. So I'm pleased to welcome Donna Fletcher Crow back to my blog. 

JR: Let me start off with something that caught me by surprise. Do you know you have an entry on Wikipedia? I've tried to find some of my other favorite authors, and they didn't make it (though, unsurprisingly, Kerry Nietz did). Besides that major accomplishment, what other claims to fame do you have, such as writing awards or organization memberships, etc.?

DC: Oh, Jeff, my real claim to fame is my grandchildren—15 of them—and all stellar. But in the writing world, my first award, being named “Writer of the Year” at the Mount Hermon Writers’ conference in 1983, was such a thrill. I suppose my biggest awards have been having Glastonbury and The Fields of Bannockburn each named “Best Historical Fiction” for the years they were published. And then, if you’re looking for surprises, not many people know that I was Miss Rodeo Idaho in 1960. Yes, I know—before most of you were born.

JR: Before I get into reality, let me take a trip into the fiction zone, where fictitious characters spend their lives when not being written about. This particular day, Lord and Lady Danvers happen to have a table at the banquet with Elizabeth and Richard and Father Antony and Felicity. What do you think they'll be talking about? Literature? Theology? Classical music? History? And do you think your ears would be burning?

DC: Ah, well, since my current project is writing a collection of short stories using these characters in mysterious adventures on the Riviera and in Switzerland, I expect they’ll be sharing notes on their favorite places and how things have changed since Victorian times. Elizabeth and Richard, of course, will be most interested in the literature and Father Antony is sure to bring things around to theology. I do wish I could sit in on the conversation—that would make writing the up-coming stories much easier. If readers are interested in seeing the background to all this, I’m doing a blog series on my research trip now.

JR: I believe your latest endeavor is the Celtic Cross Series. Could you tell us about this look into the history of Scotland and Ireland?

DC: The Celtic Cross Series is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, so I’m thrilled that it is becoming a reality. My Scottish and Irish epics The Fields of Bannockburn and The Banks of the Boyne have been out of print for nearly a quarter of a century, so it was past time to do something about it. Since each of those 800+ page tomes is divided into historical sections, (and since Amazon won’t print books that big) it made sense to give each story its own book. I’m loving the process of completely rewriting these stories with a new editor and I’m thrilled with the covers Ken Raney is painting for them.

JR: Many of your stories have your modern characters learn lessons from the past. With your study of British History, is there any common threads or helpful applications from the past on the other side of the Pond to our COVID affected, politically divided country?

DC: History always speaks to today. I never feel I’m writing about history—I’m writing about today because the basics never change—just the technology. The most important thing that writing Glastonbury taught me was that, no matter how dark things look today, they have always been darker in the past. And humanity has always survived—triumphed, even. The Light always overcomes the Dark.

JR: This may seem like another way of asking the previous question, and pardon me if it does, but what struggles did Britain in the past have with religious liberty? Is that right more secure now, more vulnerable, or about the same in the 21st century than it was here?

DC: Always and everywhere religious liberty has been and is under threat. I’m not sure whether the greatest threat, though, is having political leaders oppose religious faith or try to suppress it. Real faith has always grown when it’s under threat. The important thing is not to look at the depressing statistics about how church attendance is slipping here and in Britain, but to look at all the good things that are happening—and try to be part of that. People often ask me about failing faith in England (and I know there are struggles), but I visit so many thriving churches in the UK, belong to so many super Christian organizations there, and have such wonderful Christian friends all over Britain—including many faithful pastors and priests—that I know there is definitely a strong beacon of light still shining.

JR: Besides the Celtic Cross series, what looms on the agenda with your writing?

DC: As I mentioned above, I am working on a short story collection. When that’s done, I hope to get to a stand-along mystery I have wanted to write for many years using as background the great revival that swept the Hebrides right after World War II. I did the research clear back in 2000, so I think it’s had sufficient time to germinate.

JR: Thank you for your time. For those who haven't taken the opportunity from my previous interviews with you (I believe this is at least the fifth... and interestingly the first that isn't following the release of the latest Monastery Murder), how can we keep in touch with you?

DC: Thank you, Jeff. I always love your interviews because you ask the most surprising, searching questions. I would love to have your readers follow me—and there are lots of options: Subscribe to my newsletter (and receive a free Lord Danvers book), follow my blog, follow me on facebook, or follow me on Amazon. And you don’t have to choose—it’s all free.