FAST FIVE: Karin, thank you for taking time out of
your busy schedule for this interview today. Rather than an “elevator pitch” of
140 characters (#hashtags included) can you share with us a more detailed
account of The Witch Tree and your
research for the novel?
KARIN KAUFMAN: Those hashtags take up a lot of
space, don’t they? My mystery is about Anna Denning, a thirty-something
genealogist who discovers that a client’s family tree holds the key to a
murder. She’s also a widow who’s still grieving the loss of her husband.
Throughout most of the novel, she swings between grief and anger—the latter
directed at God. When her life is threatened, that anger finds an outlet,
giving her the strength to protect herself.
When I decided to write The Witch Tree, it
was a no-brainer for me to make my protagonist a genealogist. I’ve been
researching my family tree for more than ten years now, so I was comfortable
with the subject. Plus, it’s a natural for mysteries. Genealogical research is
similar to detective work: you gather a multitude of puzzle pieces and try to
fit them together. Often, one small clue is the solution—the piece that allows
all the other pieces to fall into place.
FAST FIVE: You have drawn an interesting parallel between genealogical research and detective work, that of gathering and piecing together clues to form a more complete picture. Another similarity between detectives and genealogists is in the resolute way they approach their job, whether to locate a missing ancestor or to nail the guilty party. In The Witch Tree, is “the job” the most important part of your protagonist’s life?
KARIN KAUFMAN: No, Anna’s work as a genealogist is
just the catalyst. It gets her into trouble and, in the end, gets her out of
trouble. As much as I love genealogy, I didn’t want it to be the focus of the
story. I wanted anyone who likes mysteries to be able to enjoy my book. There’s
genealogy talk in the book, and the murderer is discovered through genealogy,
but the important parts of the book—the characters, their relationships, their
struggles—have nothing to do with genealogy.
Still,
like all genealogists, Anna loves to dig for and connect clues, and that makes
her a good amateur sleuth. She’s tenacious in her work and her life. When she’s
thrown into a dangerous situation, she discovers she’s more courageous than she
thought she was. And what she considers her weaknesses—her occasional sharp
tongue, her past involvement with wicca—turn out to be her strengths.
FAST FIVE: The Mystery/Suspense genre is the focus of Fast Five interviews, but what unique twist makes your novel stand out?
KARIN KAUFMAN: First, it’s a Christian mystery, and
believe it or not, there aren’t that many Christian mysteries. Lots of
Christian romances and even horror novels, but not so many mysteries.
Second, my protagonist begs to differ with those who
think being a Christian means being a doormat. She not only stands up for
herself, but in confrontations with decidedly antagonistic people, she stands
up for her faith. (Usually with a sense of humor.) I find this tough-mindedness
lacking in a lot of Christian fiction. Christian characters often limp through
their stories, not wanting to raise any hackles or offend anyone.
FAST FIVE: How does your main character’s profession draw her into suspenseful situations, (murder, for instance?)
FAST FIVE: How does your main character’s profession draw her into suspenseful situations, (murder, for instance?)
KARIN KAUFMAN: Where do I begin? When you explore a
person’s genealogy, you can find out almost anything! It’s not all about your
parents, grandparents, and so on. It’s about estates and wills, marriages and
divorces, natural and unnatural deaths, houses bought and sold, schools
attended and occupations held—the list is almost endless. If you start digging
into someone’s family tree, there’s no telling what you might find.
FAST FIVE: Oh, so true, Karin! Your comment, “If you start digging into someone’s family tree, there’s no telling what you might find,” is an eerily accurate foreshadowing of the second novel in my mystery series. Is your novel, The Witch Tree, part of a series, and are you working on a sequel?
KARIN KAUFMAN: Yes, it’s part of a series.
Definitely. And I’m currently working on the second book. The same Colorado
mountain town and same returning cast of characters—Anna and her friends, as
well as her dog Jackson. (I’ve received some lovely comments about Jackson, and
I’m so glad readers have taken to him. I’m a dog lover, and there was no way I
was going to write a book featuring a dogless protagonist!)
FAST FIVE: I think a protagonist who loves dogs automatically registers in a reader’s mind as honest and trustworthy. Include me with your other readers who appreciated that you wrote Jackson into the story. The following is not a Fast Five question, more an “if/then” scenario: If Paris is not an option, then where would you most like to spend your time writing and why.
KARIN KAUFMAN: Actually, I wouldn’t want to spend my
time writing in Paris, or being in Paris at all. (Does that sound crazy?) I’d
love to write in an adobe house outside Santa Fe or Taos, New Mexico. Northern
New Mexico both soothes and invigorates me—the perfect frame of mind for
writing. I also wouldn’t mind writing in a shockingly expensive lodge-style
house in the Colorado mountains.
FAST FIVE: Another stimulating hideaway to add to my wish list! Thank you for sharing your insiders’ knowledge of genealogical research and the process of creating a like-minded protagonist, Karin. You have offered an insightful look into the personality of your main character and given us much food for thought about research, animal lovers, and your expensive taste in lodging! I am on your list of readers who are looking forward to the sequel of The Witch Tree.
For more information about The Witch Tree and author Karin Kaufman, please visit:
