What inspired your latest novel?
The first book in this new series, What the Cat Knew was actually inspired by a dream my husband had! I hadn’t written any paranormal before this, haven’t written any kind of fantasy for decades, and I decided to give it a try.
How did you come up with the title?
I brainstormed a number of ideas, checked to see how many were already in use, and tried them out on the cover to see how they looked. The “cat” themed title has carried through the first three books, I’m not sure whether it will carry through the rest of the series.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There are a number of messages in What the Cat Knew; that people should be what they are and pursue their natural talents; that things are not always as they appear; not to judge a book by its cover; that there are many different kinds of talents; and one that is fleshed out more in the next two books… the issue of consent.
How much of the book is realistic?
These books are paranormal mystery, so there are witches, spiritual messages, other psychic phenomena and magical races. But it is a balancing act between the concrete, “real” world that Reg has always tried to survive in, and the new magical world she is just getting to know.
Are your characters based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
In some of my books, yes. In What the Cat Knew, there is not much that is pulled from my own experience.
Where can readers find you on social media and do you have a blog?
You can find me on most social media with the name pdworkmanauthor.
https://www.facebook.com/pdworkmanauthor
https://www.instagram.com/pdworkmanauthor/
My website and blog is at pdworkman.com.
Do you have plans or ideas for your next book? Is it a sequel or a stand alone?
I have three books written in the Reg Rawlins, Psychic Detective series so far, and you can expect more after that. You can find out my plans for the rest of the year at https://pdworkman.com/upcoming-in-2019
Of the characters you have created or envisioned, which is your favorite & why?
I created this spin-off series from the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series because I liked Reg Rawlins so much and saw that she had a lot of potential as a character, so she is at the top of the list. But I also really enjoyed the psychic cat, Starlight, and Sarah, the feisty old witch. The villainous Corvin is a lot of fun to write and really rounds out the story and adds intrigue. In books two and three, I started to explore some other magical races and have had a lot of fun with Callie and Ruan.
Of all of the stories/series that I am working on right now, the character I think I am enjoying the most is Zachary Goldman.
Do you favor one type of genre or do you dabble in more than one?
I write crime fiction, but that has turned out to be quite a wide umbrella, ranging from suspense/thriller to P.I. mystery, to cozy mystery, and now paranormal cozy mystery. I have both young adult and adult books and series. They all tend to focus on outcasts, underdogs, and social issues.
Do you plan your stories, or are you a seat of the pants style writer?
For thirty years I only wrote seat-of-the-pants. I have been writing using mind-maps and outlines the last few years, but I still occasionally pants a novel here and there. Because I am writing a lot in series right now, the books tend to develop a general shape that is reflected in each book in the series, so there is less planning to do in the later books, and I am settling into a sort of minimalist outline plan right now.
What is your best marketing tip?
I struggle with marketing. It doesn’t come nearly as naturally as the writing itself. Learn from others, try new things, and be willing to stick with what works.
Do you find social media a great tool or a hindrance?
While I am in a number of writing groups, I tend to answer other people’s questions more than to write mine. It can be good entertainment, but I find it best not to spend too much time on social media.
OPTIONAL QUESTIONS
What do you enjoy most about writing?
I like to work out the emotions I am feeling and get my thoughts down on paper, to produce something that both entertains and makes people think. I love the creative process and sitting down and rereading my characters’ stories again and again.
What age did you start writing stories/poems?
I wrote my first novel-length fiction at age 12. I have always loved writing and making books and have some of the little construction-paper books that I stapled together written in scribbles before I could even read or write.
What genre are you currently reading?
I am reading a murder mystery right now. I read a lot of crime, with some YA, literary, and nonfiction thrown in.
Do you read for pleasure or research or both?
I read mostly for pleasure. I do a lot of research, but generally rely on articles and short non-fiction rather than novels. I don’t generally analyze the writing of the fiction books I am reading, though I do take note if there are things I particularly like or don’t like.
Do you see writing as a career?
I am hoping to make it my full-time career in the next couple of years. I currently work full-time hours at my writing business as well as at my day job.
Bio:
P.D. Workman was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. She writes riveting young adult and mystery/suspense books dealing with mental illness, addiction, abuse, and other social issues. She has won several literary awards from Library Services for Youth in Custody for her young adult fiction. She currently has over 30 published titles and can be found at pdworkman.com. She has been married for 25 years and has one son.
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