Q&A with Joni Folger

This week, Midnight Ink sat down with Joni Folger, author of Of Merlot and Murder (Tangled Vines Mystery #2).

Midnight Ink: When did you start writing?

Joni Folger: [I] started writing romance in the mid-1980s with a category romance that will never see the light of day! But that was followed by what eventually became Hidden Treasures, a romantic suspense that was published in 2012 (Story Vault).

MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?

JF: Huge. I have very eclectic tastes. I read everything from horror to historical romance. Biggest influence for my writing: Stephen King & Nora Roberts! Both have motivated me in different ways.

MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?

JF: [I] love Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, love Sherlock (in any form) and Martha Grime’s Richard Jury (and all his sleuthing friends). [I] also love BBC’s cozy mystery series Rosemary & Thyme and the Midsomer Murder mysteries by Caroline Graham. [And I'm a] huge fan of J.D. Robb’s In Death series—love the characters of Eve and Roarke.

MI: What was your inspiration for this series?

JF: It’s set in an area of the Texas Hill Country where I lived for several years. The town of Bastrop was my inspiration (and the quirky characters that live there). I made up the town of Delphine, but in my head...it’s Bastrop.

MI: Tell us about Elise Beckett.

JF: Elise is headstrong, perky and inquisitive, with a huge heart and boundless affection for her family and extended family. She is kind and compassionate, but will defend those closest to her with the aggression of a mama bear defending her cubs, should the need arise. She’s funny, intelligent, and a romantic at heart.

MI: How does the Tangled Vines series compare to your other works?

JF: This was my first foray into the world of cozy mysteries. I usually write romantic suspense or paranormal romance (my first love). I’m all about the romance!

MI: What are your favorite things to do when you’re not writing or working?

Brindle

JF: I LOVE working in my local theater, both on stage and directing. I also enjoy gardening and crafts.

MI: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

JF: Actor

MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?

JF: Accounting Clerk for Dept of Community Development in Tillamook County, Oregon

MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?

JF: Taco Bell! Also, if you put me in a vat of lobster, I would eat my way out...

Spritie-Marie

MI: Do you have a pet? 

JF: Until recently, I had three little girls—cats. Unfortunately, I lost my oldest baby girl to cancer in July. Brindle had been with me for eleven years, and her loss is still very fresh with me. But I have two little goobers left: Spritie-Marie (really beautiful middle child and very naughty), and Isabeau (Momma’s little gray bear—sweet as honey).

MI: What is your favorite part about being an Inker?

Isabeau

JF: 1. The other authors that I’ve met. 2. Terri is awesome. 3. But mostly, MY BOOK COVERS!! I’m in LOVE with them.

 Of Merlot and Murder is available online and in bookstores now!