Interview Michael Murphy

by Suzanne M. Hurley

1) Michael, congratulations on your new novel, Cold File! Could you give us a brief synopsis of your book?

Seeking greater authenticity in his writing, crime novelist Adam Quinn, obtains the cooperation of the Arizona Department of Public Safety who assigns homicide detective Holly Farrell to work with him. Unknown to Adam, Holly is recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome after the shooting death of her partner, a murder she blames herself for not preventing. Together, Adam and Holly investigate a ten-year-old unsolved murder involving the death of the teenage daughter of a powerful Arizona media mogul. When their investigation gets close to the truth, Holly is taken hostage, and Adam is fleeing assassins’ bullets in a desperate scramble across the Arizona desert.

2. Does Casey Bannister make an appearance?

Casey, the protagonist for two of my books so far, appears in two more Wings books next year, but not this one. Adam Quinn is a lot more serious than Casey, though there are moments of amusing humor in Cold File as well as in my Casey Bannister novels. 

3. Do you write the whole book first as an outline - then go back and expand it? Or...do you write a chapter at a time and move on only when it is perfected?

I'm a seat-of-the-pants style of writing as opposed to an outline person. I begin knowing the beginning and the end, and then I fill in the meaty middle part. Come to think of it, that's the way I make a great sandwich.

4. I noticed in a previous interview that Cold File is about a ‘‘female homicide detective.’’ Did you find it easier or harder writing about a female detective as opposed to Casey?

In all my books I have strong female characters, so it wasn't difficult to write about Holly. She's strong, confident, if slightly flawed. She was great fun to create.

5. Did you do a lot of research for this book?

I spent several days with a homicide detective for the Arizona Department of Public Safety. I learned a great deal from him. I also attended an eleven-week citizen’s police academy in the city where I live. I learned a great deal about police procedures and was able to incorporate much of that into Cold File.

6. Do you have a routine when you write?

I generally write in chapter components. I'll write the chapter scenes the way I'd imagined them, but I try to get it down on paper without worrying too much about the details. Then I go back and flesh out the scenes, rewriting sometimes dozens of times before I think I have it right and can go on to the next chapter.

7. Do you eat, drink or smoke while writing?

I had to think about that one. I'll drink when I'm writing, but I don't eat. My keyboard doesn't like me dropping crumbs between its keys. And I quit smoking a long time ago.

8. How did you feel when you received your contract for this novel?

I have contracts for six Wings novels including this one. Each is exciting. I love working with the Wings editors and cover artists. They're great!

9. Do you write on a daily schedule? For instance do you write best in the morning, afternoon or evening?

I write best in the morning, but I'm often inspired throughout the day and have to sit down and get my thoughts on paper while the inspiration grabs me.

10. Are your characters based on real life experiences or are they completely fictional?

I've never taken even a part of a person and put them into a novel. They're completely made up.

11. What is your next project?

After Cold File comes my third Casey Bannister novel, Cuts Like a Knife, then comes a spin-off from the series that takes a secondary character and gives him his own novel. It's called Ramblin' Man. My current work in progress is a suspense novel called Scorpion Bay. Like Cold File, it too takes place in Arizona

12. Just for fun! I loved the picture on your website of the 'bike ride' with your grandson, Brian. Did you ever go for another ride where you made him ride up front? LOL! No, but when I do, he's pedaling me!

Michael, I wish you all the best with your new novel and the many more that are yet to be published.