Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. My guest today is one of my blog partners on The Stiletto Gang. The Stiletto Gang | Home I’ve had Saralyn on my To Be Read Pile for quite a while now. After reading about Detective Parrott, she’s moved up to next in line! Please welcome Saralyn Richard as she talks about a character who appeared . . . well, quite by accident! ~ Donnell
The Accidental Detective
By Saralyn Richard
When I joined a writer critique group and became serious about writing a novel, I had so many story ideas floating around in my head. I’d attended a posh
Author Saralyn Richard
birthday party at a country mansion in Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania, and I thought it would be the perfect setting for a murder mystery, the story that became MURDER IN THE ONE PERCENT.
I began with the characters, old college friends attending the party, each with his or her own agenda and connection to the victim. I was so focused on these characters and their motivations, as well as the dazzling aspects of the party itself, that I never gave a thought to the detective.
Only when I got to the part where the victim is found dead in a fourth-floor bedroom did I realize I needed a detective. No problem—I created one. He was a perfect foil to the wealthy and powerful party-goers. Being an outsider, he could see through the glitz and glamor. That was fine, but as I wrote on, I realized Detective Parrott wasn’t just a character. He was the main character.
I put on the brakes and re-thought my entire plot with Parrott as the protagonist. I fleshed out Parrott’s character and revised the order and the thrust of my chapters.
When the book was published, I was pleased when readers embraced Parrott. “We want more Parrott,” became a refrain. Okay, by that time I had fallen in love with Parrott, too.
Since then, A PALETTE FOR LOVE AND MURDER and CRYSTAL BLUE MURDER have been published, and I’m working on the fourth Detective Parrott book. Parrott has evolved, solved some difficult and complicated cases, and made some life changes, but he’s never wavered from his strong moral compass, his determination to repair the world through truth and justice.
Other characters–victims, suspects, and perpetrators—have come and gone, but Parrott is the one who has the following that sustains the series. He’s the one I’ve spent the most time with in my imagination, the character I’m closest to. The fact that I practically stumbled into his character is perhaps the biggest irony of my writing life.
The Detective Parrott Mystery Series
Parrott’s an outsider in the lush Brandywine Valley community, where many of America’s wealthiest and most powerful citizens live. His ability to uncover their follies and secrets makes this series award-winning and fun to read. Best of all, the third book in the series is coming soon.
MURDER IN THE ONE PERCENT
A PALETTE FOR LOVE AND MURDER
CRYSTAL BLUE MURDER
Crystal Blue Murder. Who’s to blame for a meth explosion in a renovated barn, a disfigured body in the rubble? The case takes us on a twisted path through secrets & deceptions—until the last explosion rocks the Brandywine community and Parrott’s life.
About the Author: Saralyn Richard writes award-winning mysteries that pull back the curtain on people in settings as diverse as elite country manor houses and disadvantaged urban high schools. Whether she’s writing a police procedural or romantic suspense, Saralyn infuses the intellectual and emotional puzzle with depth of characters and humor. An active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn teaches creative writing and literature, and continues to write mysteries. Her favorite thing about being an author is interacting with readers.
Saralyn loves to connect with readers through book clubs, organization meetings, or on social media.
Email Saralyn at saralyn@saralynrichard.com to chat about your reading and/or writing ideas.
Amazon.com: Saralyn Richard: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
Saralynn, in many of my writing classes, instructors warn about secondary characters upstaging our protagonist. In this case, I’ll wager you were so glad he did. Well done. I’m going with your muse was on fire and saying, “No, girl, let’s go this way!” Thanks for joining me today.
I’m delighted to share blogspace with you, Donnell. Thank you for hosting me (and Detective Parrott). How about you, readers? Have you ever stumbled into something that turned out to be wonderful and meaningful?