Victoria Gilbert writes mysteries, but she has penned a few science-fiction as well. Her books are wide, published by Crooked Lane Books.
Where is your favorite vacation spot? Beach, Resort or Poolside?
I love traveling, and don’t have one place I would select over all others. I really prefer to explore new places and cultures rather than return to one spot over and over. But based on the list in the question, I would choose the beach.
Everyone takes a tote bag with them when they head out for a day at the beach, what is in yours?
Water bottle, sunscreen, a couple of books, keys to my timeshare condo, a small bag of salty snacks, hand wipes, a coverup if I get too much sun, my cellphone.
What makes your books perfect for a beach read? The setting, the story or the characters?
My Booklover’s B&B series is set in coastal community near Atlantic Beach, NC, so the setting of that series is perfect for a beach read. My Blue Ridge Library Mystery series is set in the mountains, but the stories are full of adventure and fun, and the characters are endearing, so I think they also make for enjoyable beach reads.
What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with new genres or age group classifications. I started out writing YA fantasy and scifi, and had books published in those genres. But after some issues with a former publisher, I switched gears and have ended up having a much more successful career writing in the adult mystery genre I wouldn’t have known I had that capability unless I had experimented with writing in a new genre and age category.
So I always say, if you find your career derailed or stalled, maybe try writing something different!
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I’ve completed 13 novels. Nine are published, two are permanently shelved, one was pubbed but is now out-of-print, and one is written but won’t be released until Dec. 2021. I also have four more books under contract for release in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
I don’t have a favorite. That would be like having a favorite child!
What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?
There will definitely be one more book (bk 3) in the Booklover’s B&B series and one more (bk. 7) in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series. After that, who knows? That’s up to my publisher (based on popularity and sales of the previous books).I also have a new series, the Hunter & Clewe Mysteries. Those books don’t release until 2023 and 2024, but you can read more about them here: HUNTER AND CLEWE MYSTERIES (victoriagilbertmysteries.com)
How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?
I always have a multitude of ideas. The question is whether they are marketable or not.
My most recent idea involves a 30-something art historian and her first cousin who discover that their barely known, recently deceased, grandfather was an art thief. They attempt to return the stolen art pieces without involving the authorities, which of course results in adventure and shenanigans!
Do you have a library membership?
Of course! I worked as a professional librarian for over thirty years, so libraries are a major part of my life. I’ve been a research librarian, reference librarian, and a library director for a performing and visual arts university. Libraries and librarians are also featured in many of my books.
If you could tell your younger writing-self anything, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid of failure – give it a try and start a lot earlier! Although I always loved writing, I didn’t actually complete a novel until I was 56, and I was 58 before my first book was published. But I have made up some of the time by writing 13 novels over the last nine years. (But I still wish I’d started sooner).
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, Victoria. I have read several of your books, and I’m a fan! Keep an eye out for her newest release, Renewed for Murder, to be released on December 7th.
Pen In Hand, Words on Page 