Author, Penny Warner
Interviewed by Carol Wood

I met Penny at the first East of Eden Conference and I fell in love. I made the mistake of buying one of her Connor Westaphal books. Once you buy one, you can't stop. They're very addictive. Connor is a deaf woman who runs a small newspaper in the Gold country. Which means, lots of chances for people to sneak up on her and suspense filled moments when she's reading someone's lips across the room. I just love getting Connor Goosebumps.

When my CWC branch held a conference I was sure to invite Penny and she taught a class on children's writing for us. She's not just an award winning mystery writer. She also participated in a who-dun-it party. She was the victim's mistress and well, she dressed for the part. It was so unlike her, I couldn't believe ... well, really it showed me that she has a limitless imagination AND she's full of fun!

I met her again at the recent East of Eden Writers Conference and here is the interview as a result of that meeting.

Q. How many books do you have in print right now?
A. Over 40, last count. I have 19 published internationally (foreign rights).

Q. Is there a new Connor Westphal mystery in the near future?  I just love that series.
A. Thanks for the kind words. I'm working on the next one but need to find a new publisher for it.

Q. Your Connor Westphal series and in your children’s mysteries at least in the second book, both take place in the Gold Country.  You write about that area so believably.  Do you travel to the Gold Country quite frequently?  Or do you have friends that live there? 
A. Yes, we go twice a year at least, and love it up there. I also have relatives there, so we get to visit them. Last year I met with Andrea Ferrell there for a fun weekend. She's the deaf actress who plays Heather on "7th Heaven" and has optioned the series, hopefully for a TV movie or series.

Q. I had heard that one of your Girl Scout mystery series had been optioned.  I can certainly see those books in a movie.  Is that true?  What does that actually mean for you?
A. It's the Connor Westphal series that's been optioned. Actually, it's been optioned several times, so you know how that goes. I'll believe it when I see it. But the fantasy is fun....

Q. It’s so nice to see someone so diverse in their writing crossing so many genres and still successful.  If you could only write for one genre, which one would you chose?  Which is your favorite?
A. That would be tough, because they're so different. I like to write non-fiction because it's more left brained, and fiction because it's more right brained. I like to write books that help others, especially parents, but I also like to kill people, at least on paper....

Q. Between writing and teaching at the college in Danville and Planning parties and events and … How do you keep track of where you are?  Do you have an assistant?  Or are you just very organized?
A. I've had to cut down recently, so had to let go of one of my teaching jobs at the high school, but I'm still doing the rest -- teaching at the college, working on a party planning book, writing a weekly column for the newspaper, and working on books and articles. I WISH I had an assistant...

Q. We’ve heard people say “Don’t lose the day job.”  The mean for a writer’s salary is supposed to be 12k a year.  With all that diversity, what would you say brings the best income in for you?  Is it book sales or speaking engagements or teaching or your mystery parties or something else?
A. I thought the average was $4,000 per year so it's gone up! The non-fiction pays the best, but I also write for web sites, like Dr. Spock, ToysRUs, Oriental Trading Company, etc. and they pay well too. I got those jobs by having some books on the market in related fields. I do get to speak at lots of conferences and sometimes they pay well, sometimes not, but I enjoy doing them. Every little bit helps!

Q. When you pitched your first book, was it already written or just started?
A. The first non-fiction book was not finished. I sold it on the proposal. The mystery was finished -- that's about the only way you can sell fiction these days.

Q. When you got your first contract what did they do to help launch your book?  Did they rely on you for all the publicity and arranging book signings?
A. Some of the publishers have been helpfu in promotion and others not so much, but no matter who the publisher was, I had to do a lot myself, which I don't mind.

Q. How do you advertise for your mystery parties?
A. All word of mouth. We've sold over 500 of them, just by word of mouth, mostly to libraries who use them as fund-raisers. Been doing them for 15 or so years.

Q. Are you booking speaking engagements and signings for yourself?  How do you advertise?
A. When a book comes out, I do as much as I can, with booksignings, talks, etc. But often I just get asked to do a talk, or am hired by a company to promote one of their products and they promote the book that's related (plus pay me handsomely.) I don't do any advertising, per se. I have a web site but I don't do much with it.

Q. Do you have an agent?  What would you say was the hardest thing about that relationship?  What is the biggest benefit?
A. Yes, I have an agent. Hard to get published without one. It's hard when we have different ideas about how the proposal should be, or who to send it to, but it's nice because they can get your foot in the door more easily.

Q. Who submitted your books for the different awards you have won?  Was it you or the Publisher or your agent?
A. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it was the publisher. It wasn't me - never occured to me to submit for an award and never occured to me that I might win one -- or two!

Q. When you won the Agatha, what happened?  Did they fly you in to accept?  What was the process?
A. I didn't know I would win it. I happened to be at the conference and they called my name and I was in shock.
I went up to the stage in a daze and thanked everyone but forgot my husband....

Q. And what happened to your book sales after you won?
A. I'm sure they went up a little but I don't think awards have much impact on sales, other than to those in the mystery community. The public at large doesn't really care, I don't think.

Q. What writer organizations do you belong to?
A. Off and on: MWA, Sisters in Crime, Calif Writers Club, Women Writing the West, SCBWI.

Q. If you could give one piece of advice to a budding writer, what would it be?
A. Just don't give up. If you persevere, you will most likely sell your work. And in the process, you'll get better at writing.

If you want to read more about Penny, go to her website www.PennyWarner.com

And I highly recommend any of her Mystery Series for young and old mystery lovers and her children's activity books.

- Carol Wood
Carol@hazelst.com