Interview with Mystery Writer Emily Littlejohn
There’s just something about a good mystery novel that can draw us in like nothing else — we find ourselves attempting to put the puzzle pieces together ourselves, racing through every chapter, second-guessing what we thought to be true, staying up much later than usual reading because we simply can’t put it down. This is what reading Emily Littlejohn’s Detective Gemma Monroe mystery series is like.
Emily Littlejohn, born and raised in Southern California, is a writer who has called the mountains of Colorado her home for over a decade. A former librarian, Littlejohn’s deep love for books resulted in her writing her debut novel, Inherit the Bones: A Detective Gemma Monroe Mystery, over the course of two years. It went on to receive critical acclaim and was a 2017 Colorado Book Award Finalist. Since then, she’s added three more books to her Detective Gemma Monroe Mystery series.
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Emily, who offered us a peek into her creative process and plans for other books. Read on to find out more!
Q: At Wallflower Journal, we love seeing women find their purpose and passion. What ignited your love for writing?
A: I have always loved to read. After working as a librarian for a number of years, I decided to try my hand at writing. Very quickly, I found it to be the one thing in life that I’d done, where time just melted away. Writing, to me, feels like my passion and talent intersect perfectly. Although it’s hard to consistently carve out time to write, when I do, I’m so happy. That’s how I know that it’s my passion!
Q: How did the idea for your Detective Gemma Monroe series come to you? What made you decide to actually sit down and write it?
A: The idea for the first book in the series, Inherit the Bones, came to me in two parts: the opening sentences in the prologue, and the opening scene. The first sentence of that book is “In my dreams, the dead can speak,” and the opening scene was an image of a dead clown, on the grounds of a traveling circus, that has come to a small town. I knew I had something between those two seemingly disparate thoughts.
Q: Why do you think we love mysteries, and what makes a good one?
A: I believe we love mysteries for a number of reasons, perhaps most especially because they create in us a sense of wonder. If a mystery is well-written, the reader spends a significant amount of time wondering… what will happen to the hero? Who is the bad guy/gal? Why did the mysterious event happen the way it did? The good mysteries are the ones that surprise and delight us, and let us escape reality for a bit.
Q: What’s your favorite book?
A: I don’t have a favorite book. I’ve read Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth several times, because I learn something new each time I do. A few recent favorites from the last few months are Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant, and My Heart is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones.
Q: Tell us more about any projects you’ve been working on and where readers can find you and your work.
A: I’m working on a standalone thriller that involves fortune tellers, big tech, and the swamps of the Everglades! Readers can find my books at their local bookstores (please shop local if you can! Or find an independent bookstore that will ship to you, most will!). Online, I’m over at www.emilylittlejohn.com
Shop Emily’s books here:
