Meet the WOTY Finalist: Margaret Mizushima

For all that is good and holy in the world, what possessed you to become an author?

Seriously, I know what you mean. When my kids were young, I would gaze longingly at the paperback novels on the racks beside the cashier at the grocery store, wishing I could publish one of those someday. I wanted desperately to be a storyteller and write books that entertained others, but I figured I’d better stick to my career as a speech therapist until my kids were at least through high school. Back then I had no idea how much work it would take to reach my goal—a good example of “Be careful what you wish for.”

How did you conceive the idea for your latest novel?

My latest is called Burning Ridge, and it’s book four in the Timber Creek K-9 mystery series. The idea for it originated with the title. When my publishing team and I were brainstorming a title for my third book, someone suggested Burning Ridge. It didn’t fit that book, but they asked if I might use the title for the next one. I liked it too, so I said sure. I knew my publisher wanted a forest fire in it for the cover, but I told him I wanted more than just trees burning up there on that ridge. “How about a body?” I asked. His reply: “Works for me.”

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m both. I used to write exclusively by the seat of my pants, but I’ve discovered that I can write faster if I have a lacey outline to follow, one with a lot of holes that I have to fill as I go along. I’m writing book six now, though, and I find I’m resorting back to my old pantser ways. I hope I can still meet my deadline this way.

If you were a taco or a pizza, what kind of taco or pizza would you be?

I’ve always had trouble choosing between tacos and pizza, but today I’ll pick pizza. I would be my favorite—Pizza Supreme with all the fixings, extra Italian sausage, and extra cheese. Mmm… What’s for dinner?

If you could describe your entire catalog of books in a single sentence, what would that sentence say?

I write the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries, which are set in a small fictional town in the Colorado high country and feature Deputy Mattie Cobb, her patrol dog Robo, and veterinarian Cole Walker.

If you had to start your career over again from scratch, what would you do differently?

I’d start earlier. Back then I had no clue how much I needed to learn. I could have been working on that by attending Colorado Gold and other writing conferences even before I stopped working full-time.

What is your favorite thing about RMFW?

I have many favorite things about RMFW—the daily blog, the Colorado Gold conference, and the podcast to name a few. But the thing I appreciate most is the camaraderie and support among this organization’s members. What a fantastic group of writers!

 

Margaret Mizushima is the author of the Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. Her books have been shortlisted for the RT Reviewers’ Choice, Colorado Book, Silver Falchion, Foreword Indies, and Benjamin Franklin awards, and Kings River Life listed her fourth episode, Burning Ridge, as a Best Book of 2018. Margaret is a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and Sisters in Crime, and she serves on the board for the Mystery Writers of America Rocky Mountain Chapter. She lives on a small farm in Colorado with her husband and a pack of dogs. She can be found on Facebook (Facebook/AuthorMargaretMizushima), Twitter (@margmizu), Instagram (margmizu), and her website.