Welcome back! Hope you are enjoying the holidays! 🙂 Yesterday I shared my thoughts on J B Michaels’ book The Christmas Walk Caper and today it’s time to share my conversation with him. He is an award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author of two series: Bud Hutchins Thrillers and the Tannenbaum Tailors.
He is a student of stories, whether they are riveting novels, the slam-bang action-packed world of comics or about film history. This steadfast dedication led him to writing stories of his own.
It was wonderful to connect with him! Enjoy the interview, and get some insights about the book, without any spoilers! 🙂
- How is The Christmas Walk Caper different from other books you have written? What inspired you to write it?
The book is very different than my other books. My other books lean really heavily into fantasy and supernatural action and adventure. This is a more grounded cozy mystery in stark contrast to the Pixar-like Tannenbaum Tailors and the Classic Universal Monsters vibe of my Bud Hutchins Thriller series.
I was inspired by my wife, who is from Geneva, and my love for a good murder mystery tale whether it be the classic film series “The Thin Man” or Sherlock!
There is always an element of mystery in all my books really. It is a very effective narrative hook!
- Are there any books that you love reading during the holiday season or remind you of it?
I love reading Dickens “A Christmas Carol” every year and perhaps, Geneva’s Third Street reminds me of a small-town American version of London that Ebenezer would have walked had he migrated to the Americas.
Be ready for a shameless plug! but I love reading the Tannenbaum Tailors series, especially Book 2 the Brethren of the Saints. Hard pressed to find a more action-packed Christmas read that pretty much has it all.
- The Christmas Walk in Geneva sounds like an amazing place to enjoy the holidays with loved ones. When did you first learn about it?
I first learned about it through my wife and her family. It is incredible and magical. It is just brimming and overflowing with holiday spirit and I had to write about it and the marquis retail mansion, The Little Traveler aka The Tiny Wanderer.
- The chemistry between Mac and Millie is so sweet. How did the two of them meet?
They actually met through online-dating. I thought that is a more contemporary way to meet someone these days. Mac wanted to move closer to family since Vince is out in Geneva and he thought he should try and meet someone and typed in Geneva in the search field of the dating website. Haha… and that is actually how my wife and I met. Identically.
- When will we hear more about the adventures of Mac and Millie?
The Valentine Dine or Die is up for preorder right now! A dinner theater experience gone horribly wrong, of course and our favorite conundrum-cracking couple is on the case! Geneva again is featured of course!
- Why did you choose Mac to be the way he is in this story – a retired police officer whose time in the force was up before he was ready for it?
I felt like Mac had to have a cool backstory that can mined in further stories but also, make him a credible investigator, someone who had been around dead bodies and investigations before. Also, his injury and trauma is something he deals with everyday so he overcompensates and is perhaps over eager to continue doing police work, the kind he likes, the active and (to him) fun kind. You know on the street, pounding the pavement, chasing the bad guys type.
- Apart from Geneva, do you know of other cities around the world which would be great for vacationing during Christmas time?
Downtown Chicago is also a great place to go. I always wanted to do Rockefeller Center in NY. Also, DisneyWorld is incredibly decorated around Christmas. I would love to do Colorado. I went to Breckenridge, Keystone, etc once and it was really neat up in the mountains, especially since I am from the Great Plains! Haha!
- When I think of a ‘cozy read’, I always imagine someone curling up with a blanket by a fireplace. Are there certain books that bring this image to your mind?
I hope that the Caper is one of those books for people!
- What would you tell your younger self when it comes to writing?
Be patient and continue to practice. Get better. Don’t expect the world after you finished your first manuscript.
I was so excited on Dec 23rd, 2007. The day after I finished the very rough first draft of the Tannenbaum Tailors and the Secret Snowball, I ran to Kinkos and printed out like 15 copies for all my friends and family. That first draft was significant but certainly not my best work! Haha! I look back now and sorta cringe! Alas, it doesn’t make it any less important. Luckily, my friends and family focused on the story rather than the typos and grammatical issues! Those early days were exciting and encouraging and discouraging all at the same time as I began to query agents over and over to no success while expecting success when I really was very new at the craft of writing. So again, be patient and write, write, write!
** The Christmas Walk Caper is now out in stores so get a copy and let me know what you think! **
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
(available for free on Kindle Unlimited)
Cover image: Photo by Алсу Ягудина on Unsplash
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