Today I’m joining the blog tour for Dashiki. I’m sharing my Q&A with the author with thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the tour and to Florence Wetzel for answering my questions!

Have you always wanted to write?

Yes! I was an avid reader as a child, and I worked on my school newspapers in junior high and high school in New Jersey. When I went to college in 1980, I started writing fiction, and that’s when I decided to dedicate myself to the writing life.

What were your previous jobs? Have they helped you with your writing process?

I’ve had many different jobs over the years, and all of them have probably contributed to my writing in some way. But the most important one was working as a copyeditor and proofreader for various publishers, which I did for about ten years. Those skills still come in handy when I edit my own work.

What was your inspiration for Dashiki?

My love for jazz was the first inspiration. I wrote the book during a period of my life when I was very involved in jazz journalism, including co-authoring clarinettist Perry Robinson’s autobiography, as well as contributing CD and book reviews to various websites. The second inspiration was Agatha Christie. I started reading her when I was in my forties, and I fell in love with her style and cozy mysteries in general.

How do you construct your characters? Do they have traits of people you know?

My characters tend to pop up on their own, but once they’re fully developed, I can often see other people in them. I also see bits of myself, which can be a bit shocking! But I would say that I learn the most about my characters during the writing process, because that’s when they reveal themselves completely.

What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

A little bit of both. I need a general outline to get started, but I like to leave lots of space. Writing would lose its magic for me if I knew every single plot twist in advance.

How did you research? Did you enjoy it?

I love research! I especially enjoy what I call “living research,” where I experience activities or visit places that will appear in my book. I keep a small notebook for each book, and I make notes during my outings that I later use while I’m writing. I also do plenty of research on Google, YouTube, and other online sources. I used all of those research techniques when I was writing Dashiki.

Who are your favourite writers? Are you influenced by them?

Jane Austen, Jack Kerouac, Agatha Christie, Stieg Larsson, and Tana French are a few of my favourites. I’m definitely influenced by them, even if my own style is quite different.

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why?

The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Gandhi. Three people who have endured immense hardship without losing their inner light.

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?

An elevator repairman! I don’t like confined spaces.

Who would play the main character/s in a film version of Dashiki?

Emma Stone could play the jazz journalist Virginia, and Tom Hiddleston could play the detective Robert. And I’d love to include real-life jazz musicians in the film!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Reading of course, going on walks, swimming in the sea if I can, and studying languages. Above all, I enjoy coffee and conversation with friends.

What is next for you?

In July 2025, I’ll be releasing a second edition of my book Aspasia: A Novel of Suspense and Secrets. Right now, I’m focused on editing and proofreading!

Favourites:

Book?

Pride and Prejudice

Film?

Withnail and I

Band/Singer?

The Smiths

TV show?

The Queen’s Gambit

Colour?

Green

Place?

London

Biscuit?

Actually I prefer cake!

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Dashiki is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: