I’d like to welcome the fabulous Judy L. Murray to the blog for #WriterWednesday. I had the privilege of reading an early version of her latest mystery.

A few of your favorite things: My books, all of them. Antiques and prints I’ve collected over the years. I remember where I found each one of them. It’s fun to reminisce about the hunt for treasures.

Things you need to throw out: Clothes I never wear. I always think – maybe next year I’ll wear this. I’m usually delusional, either because it will never be back in style, or I’ll never fit into it again.

Things you need for your writing sessions: Quiet, and my cats, Agatha and Dr. Watson.

Things that hamper your writing: Getting distracted by social media and the news. That’s a rabbit hole I still haven’t mastered.

Things you love about writing: Hearing from readers who love my people and all the twists and turns. That they relate to my characters. When someone asks me, “what will happen between Helen and Joe?” I smile. It means that they’re real people to my readers. Readers seem to love my Detection Club of famous sleuths in my series.

Things you hate about writing: Outlining. Hate it! Trying to improve my attitude but not being very successful.

Hardest thing about being a writer: Did I mention outlining?

Easiest thing about being a writer: Feeling good about giving yourself time alone with your thoughts. The excitement when I know my story is on a roll.

Things you never want to run out of: New ideas…and paper. Maybe pretzels. Chocolate to eat with the pretzels is nice too.

Things you wish you’d never bought: Any silly device for neck pain from working on my laptop. I think I’ve tried most everything. Heaven forbid, I force myself to exercise every day.

Words that describe you: People person, micromanager, persistent. I talk to anyone anywhere, especially in the grocery store. Yes, I’m one of THOSE.

Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: Not enjoying the moment when I should. A worrier about things that may not ever happen, especially involving my children. I’ve improved over the years, but not enough.

Favorite foods: Cake, ice cream, twice-baked potatoes, red wine in the winter.

Things that make you want to gag: Beets and other odd vegetables. Give me the basics.

Something you’re really good at: Being creative. I’m usually a problem-solver. I’m also very good at seeing the potential in neglected houses. My husband and I have been rehabbing all our lives. It truly is an addiction.

Something you’re really bad at: Holding back on giving my advice to my grown children. I’m not sure about yours, but mine usually don’t want it!

Something you wish you could do: Speak a foreign language. I just can’t roll my r’s. I’m terrible at it. This is from someone whose maiden name is Casanova. I admire people who speak other languages.

Something you wish you’d never learned to do: Clean house.

Something you like to do: Jump in and help.

Something you wish you’d never done: Shovel plaster off old walls into dumpsters. You have to be young!

Things you’d walk a mile for: My family when they need me. I’d go through fire. Or, run through the woods in the dark, like my protagonist Helen in her first mystery.

Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: A house with more visiting dogs than people after a long weekend. My cats will come with me. But please don’t tell my children.

Things you always put in your books: A little romance and a happy ending. Life should feel good at the end of a story.

Things you never put in your books: Sex. I’m too self-conscious and inhibited.

Things to say to an author: Keep writing, welcome feedback from your editors. Revise, revise, revise.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “I can’t believe you wrote that!”

Favorite places you’ve been: The Adirondacks, the Chesapeake Bay, and Bath, England.

Places you never want to go to again: Las Vegas. It’s just not my scene.

Favorite books (or genre): Books by other mystery writers. Jane Austen’s books – I own multiple sets. I re-read Rosamunde Pilcher’s whenever I need to sooth my mind.

Books you wouldn’t buy: Books about serial killers and explicit thrillers. They’d keep me up at night and I’m already a poor sleeper.

Favorite things to do: Sailing and sleeping overnight on our boat, Persuasion which was named after Jane Austen’s book and my forty years in marketing. Spending time with my family. If I can do those together, even better.

Things you’d run through a fire or eat bugs to get out of doing: Moving. Which is pretty funny coming from a Realtor of forty years. I get very attached to my surroundings. And doing taxes. I hate anything to do with accounting.

Things that make you happy: Meeting friendly people.

Things that drive you crazy: People who don’t smile. Smiling costs you nothing except the lines around your eyes. I have many.

Best thing you’ve ever done: Actually, a couple things: Teaching my children the importance of family. Also, I’m not sure if it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, but getting my first book, Murder in the Master, published.

Biggest mistake: Waiting so long to find time outside of work to write.

The nicest thing a reader said to you: “I love your mysteries. Brillant!” Ahhh.

The craziest thing a reader said to you: “Are you Helen?” “No. I’m not nearly so Nancy Drew brave!”

About Judy

An IPPY Silver Medalist, a Silver Falchion Award Winner, and Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Mystery. Judy L Murray’s debut novel, Murder in the Master – A Chesapeake Bay Mystery, came out in 2021. Her second in the series, Killer in the Kitchen, was released late September 2022.

The Chesapeake Bay Mystery Series Book One, Murder in the Master, introduced Helen Morrisey, a quick-tongued, gutsy, and mature woman long on loyalty and short on romance. A mystery story addict, Helen’s approach to solving problems was to call on the talents of her favorite, strong-minded female detectives within her own Detection Club, much like Agatha Christie formed in 1930.

A real estate broker in the Philadelphia area and restoration addict, Judy has worked with enough delusional sellers, jittery buyers, testy contractors, and diva agents to fill her head with back-office insight and truth versus gossip. She lives atop a cliff on the Chesapeake Bay with her husband where she writes long after sunset. They're buffeted by winds in winter and invaded by family and dogs in summer. Judy holds a newspaper journalism degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and an MBA concentrating on marketing with Penn State University. She began her writing career as a newspaper reporter and magazine columnist. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Judy is represented by the Blue Ridge Literary Agency and Level Best Books Publishers. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Follow her at www.judylmurraymysteries.com with her newsletter and Judy L Murray Author on social media. She welcomes your conversations. You can also reach her directly at judylmurray@gmail.com She’d love to hear from you!

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