There’s nothing more heart-warming than a brother and sister’s bond—or is there?
In
Minka Avery’s case, her relationship with her brother, Robin, has been strained
for years, but never more than it is in Brother of Interest. For the
past fourteen months, Minka's been basking in the joys of new motherhood, a far
cry from the life she had as a deaf police detective. She sometimes misses the
rush of chasing criminals, but she finds more excitement than she ever wanted
when Robin ends up at the top of the list of suspects in a high-profile assault
investigation.
She
may not have a badge anymore, but the sister and law enforcer in her impel her
unofficially explore the matter on her own. Will she find her runaway brother?
Will the evidence she unearths exonerate him...or point to his guilt?
Good morning, Minka. Let’s begin with you telling us a bit about Brother of Interest. It follows what happened after I resigned from my job as a detective for the Orlando PD. I decided to quit and stay home with my daughter because my husband and I had a crazy few months when I was pregnant, with him going into witness protection and all. Long story! Anyway, I relished motherhood for the first year, but my brother, Robin, landed in the crosshairs of a high-profile assault and dragged me back into crime-fighting. I didn’t expect to return to hunting fugitives, much less one to whom I’m related.
What
made you choose police work for a profession? I know it’s unusual, considering I’m deaf, but I never
wanted to be anything else. This may come as a surprise, but my desire stems
from my brother. Our neighbor kidnapped Robin when he was four. I was supposed
to be watching him, but at eight years old, I didn’t understand the danger that
could lay literally in your own back yard. Naturally, I felt—and still
feel—responsible, so I channeled that into doing my best to help others.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a
detective or do something different? I
don’t regret a minute of my five years with the department. I loved public
service, even if it took its toll now and then. I cherish being a stay-at-home
mom, too, but police work will always hold a special place in my heart.
What
is your biggest fear? Not being there
for my little girl, which is why I left law enforcement, of course. My husband
and I spent two months apart when he was on the run from the mafia—again, long
story. That really changed my perspective on life, especially when I realized I
had a baby on the way. I never want
anything to endanger our family and future again.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? Remember the television series, Monk? It aired during my early adulthood, and Adrian [Monk] inspired
me to continue in my endeavors, while most people tried to talk me out of them.
I appreciated how he used his disability and the point of view it gave him as
an asset. It made me determined to do the same.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? Never let anyone convince you to give up on your
dreams.
Thank you for your insight
into persons with different abilities. Now we’d like to chat with Karina.
Which writer or
character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on
your writing?
Nicholas Sparks. I thought about
becoming an author from a young age, but I questioned my ability—especially to write
a novel—because it seemed so daunting. When I started reading his work, I
appreciated his simple style and how he could touch a reader’s heart with it.
It impelled me to at least try.
With regard to research,
where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths,
thereby changing the original concept? I
don’t want to give away too much of the actual scheme at play, since it doesn’t
come out until halfway through the book, but the underground operation is what
I researched the most. My findings didn’t change the concept to a large degree,
but between drafts a few years ago, I learned that the crime is actually
handled on a federal level. Obviously, that called for some adjustments.
Tell us a bit about your
publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them. I came across The Wild Rose Press when I was shopping
my second novel in 2017; I don’t recall if a search engine or publishing site
referred them. That submission didn’t pan out, but I kept them in the back of
my mind. I thought they published strictly romance novels, but I discovered in
2020 that they do mysteries, as well, so I queried them about Brother of Interest.
How was the submission
process; what was the turn-around from date of query to date of release? After reviewing it, my editor determined it needed
some more work and gave me a few tips on how to improve the plot. Nevertheless,
she kept the door open for me to resubmit, so I did about five months later.
Including that intermission, almost a year and a half has passed between the
time I first submitted to the release, which is today!
What are you reading right
now? I just started The Mystery of Mrs. Christie.
What's next for you? My historical love story, Wrong Line, Right Connection, is coming out later this year, also
published by The Wild Rose Press. I submitted it two months before I decided to
resubmit Brother of Interest, never
imagining they’d eventually accept both! It follows a switchboard operator and
how she unexpectedly finds love by transferring a caller to the wrong number.
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Great interview! Best of luck with the book, Karina!
ReplyDeleteThanks a bunch, Judith.
DeleteThank you very much for having Minka and me!
ReplyDelete