darcy burke on writing what you love and knowing your market
Darcy Burke is the USA Today bestselling author of captivating, compelling historical mystery and romance as well as small-town contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. A native Oregonian and proud dual American-British citizen, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, artist daughter, and imaginative son who will almost certainly out-write her one day. They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a petite, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, an adorable former stray orange who wandered onto their deck and into their hearts, two bonded boys who used to belong to (separate) neighbors but chose them instead, and a cuddly void who squeaks. You can find Darcy in her comfy writing chair, folding laundry (which she loves), or having a hilarious game night with the family. Her happy places are Labor Dave weekend at the Gorge, Denmark, and anywhere in the UK—so long as her family is there too. Her new Regency whodunit series Only Murders in the Square kicks off with In the Midnight Hour where a murder, a mysterious widow, and a dangerous alliance collide!
In the Midnight Hour
by Darcy Burke
An inquisitive bachelor. A mysterious widow. A dangerous partnership in Regency London. Idle heir to an earldom, Viscount Northwood drifts through life with little purpose-until a shocking murder shatters the calm of his quiet London square. His prime suspect? The beautiful but enigmatic widow across the way. Determined to uncover her secrets, North calls upon the investigative tricks he's learned from his Bow Street Runner twin. Except anonymous broadsheets are circulating, exposing every lurid detail of the crime and bringing a crowd of intrusive onlookers into the square, complicating North's investigation. When he discovers the author of the scandalous publication is none other than the suspicious widow and that she is also apparently trying to solve the murder, they reluctantly join forces. Their uneasy alliance is soon tested when the killer sets his sights on them. Can they trust each other in the face of danger, or will the murderer claim two more victims?
Interview with darcy burke:
This is the first book in a new series called Only Murders in the Square. How would you pitch this series to readers? What can they expect from this book and future installments?
This is a Regency mystery with a very slow burn romance between the heir to an earldom and a widow who solve murders that happen only in their cozy London square. This first book is an introduction to Pemberton Square and its inhabitants. The hero is the brother of a hero in one of my romance novels, A Secret Surrender, so readers who enjoyed that book and have been looking for North’s story will be glad to see that he not only gets a book—he gets an entire series! North has many layers, and we begin to peel them back in this first book. The heroine, Lady Hypatia, also has layers—or perhaps secrets—and In the Midnight Hour teases each character’s complexity. Readers can also expect Hypatia’s sidekick, Quill, a black cat who likes to stick his nose into things.
What does your writing day look like? Any rituals or practices that have become important to your creative process?
My writing day seems to be an ever-evolving situation, but that is probably due to working from home and whatever is happening at any given time, particularly since we have seven cats (not on purpose, but here we are and we love them all dearly). I like to write first thing, even if it’s only for a short while because I’m then far more likely to get back to writing after completing whatever interrupted me. Days where I can’t start with writing can be difficult when I’m on deadline. The most important part of my writing space is my chair. I don’t write at my desk due to neck issues (perhaps brought on by writing in my comfy chair, but let’s not discuss that!), so the chair is where the magic happens. I often have one cat, Banana, sitting on the arm to my left. To my right is my giant green water bottle. Have to stay hydrated!
How did you first come up with the idea for this series? Did it start with the setting, the characters, or the plot?
I wanted to set a series in a London square. It was originally going to be a holiday romance series, but I’d started writing Raven & Wren (my Victorian mystery series), and I found myself thinking of mysteries. That led me to decide there could be a murder in the square and a couple of the residents could solve it. I’d long been mulling North’s story since his twin, Harry, had already appeared as a hero in a Regency romantic suspense. Harry is a Bow Street Runner, so it seemed like a murder solved by his twin brother could be fun. I love writing Raven & Wren, which has the same protagonists in every book, and I wanted to do that again. Then I got to thinking that they could just solve murders that only happened in the square, like the show Only Murders in the Building, which I love. I pitched the idea to some author pals, and everyone demanded I write it immediately, so here it is.
Your books have long featured intrepid women who push against society’s expectations. What did you want the mysterious widow in In the Midnight Hour to be able to do that a more conventional Regency heroine couldn’t?
Hypatia is a widow for a variety of reasons, but probably mostly because a widow could move about far more easily than an unmarried miss or even a spinster. That doesn’t mean she can act with impunity because people can be very judgy! However, Hypatia has been through Some Things, and she wants to live the life she chooses. That does not mean she isn’t aware of how others perceive her behavior. It’s a bit of a tightrope but, like many of my heroines, she is intrepid.
You've moved from writing primarily historical romance into historical mystery with Raven & Wren and now Only Murders in the Square. What have mysteries unlocked for you creatively that romance alone didn’t?
My first romance series, Secrets & Scandals, has a bit of suspense woven in. There are kidnappings, fleeing from villains (and the law!), and even a villain who becomes a hero. My second series, Legendary Rogues, are action-adventure treasure hunt romance with a great deal of suspense and mystery. I guess I’ve actually been trying to write mysteries for a long time! After sixty or so romances, I was eager to try something a little bit different. I don’t really know what mysteries have changed for me creatively, but I certainly approach them differently. They are still very much character driven—I have always particularly loved secondary characters. Both of my mystery series have plenty of those who recur. I outline my books generally before I start and then more specifically as I write. The easiest way to explain it is that I do it in batches as I work toward turning points in the book. The turning points for a mystery are different than for a romance, and I have found after writing seven mysteries that more specific plotting greatly helps the process go more smoothly. I spend much more time thinking through scenes before I draft them. The process of writing a mystery as a whole takes me more time than writing a romance, but I suspect part of that is the fact I’ve written over sixty romances and just the seven mysteries! I’m always looking to improve my process and hone my craft. I’m incredibly grateful to be able to continue doing that.
What makes a great mystery protagonist? Do you have a favorite one from other books, film, or TV?
There are so many things that make a great mystery protagonist! They usually have a very interesting (and often traumatic) backstory and have a unique way of approaching crime-solving. I have so many favorites—Sherlock Holmes of course (I do love Benedict Cumberbatch’s version!), Poirot, Sebastian St. Cyr, Veronica Speedwell, and Miss Scarlet (on television). My newest favorite is the show Bookish (on PBS here in the US). Book has an interesting and mysterious backstory, and the characters are well-drawn and engaging. To me, a great mystery is as much about the people as it is the mystery.
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from a fellow writer, and what advice would you give to a fellow author looking to create something special?
Probably the best advice I’ve ever gotten is when an author friend I’d known for several years had gone from traditional publishing to independent publishing (this was back in 2012). She encouraged me to self-publish my first three books after my agent was unable to find a home for them (we came very close several times). That set me on my current path, and I’m so grateful! To create something special, you need to feel passionately about it. For that something special to find a readership, you must be aware of the current market. I’m not saying someone has to write to the market—not entirely, anyway. Find a way to write what you love that also has a place in the current market.
What are you working on and looking forward to right now?
I’m currently writing the next Raven & Wren book, and it’s a bit different from anything I’ve written in the series yet. It’s been a fun challenge! After that, I’ll be back to romance, to the Rogue Rules series, and I’m excited to dive into a secret identity story. Those are my absolute favorite! As of this writing, I’m looking forward to several weekends of travel for concerts and weddings, culminating in a writing retreat with one of my author besties. Should be an excellent conclusion to summer!
And more!
Secrets, scandal, and murder await! Dive into Darcy's new cozy mystery series with In the Midnight Hour
Check out Darcy's website and join her reader club! Follow her on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop with her work and upcoming installments in her Only Murders in the Square series!
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