BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--AN INTERVIEW WITH MYSTERY AUTHOR MATT FERRAZ

Today we sit down for an interview with mystery author Matt Ferraz who has penned an interesting mash-up of Pollyanna and Sherlock Holmes in his newest novel. Learn more about Matt and his books at his website. 

When did you realize you wanted to write novels?

I was five years old and my mother was helping my older brother with his school homework. She gave me a sheet of paper to draw on, so I wouldn't bother them. Instead of drawing, I wrote a short story about a wizard in a quest for a magic crow that can make him the most powerful man in the kingdom. It was my first story, and I haven't stopped since.

How long did it take you to realize your dream of publication?

I was twenty-three when I released my first book. Pretty young by regular standards, but considering I'd been trying to get published since my early childhood, it felt much longer.

Are you traditionally published, indie published, or a hybrid author?

I'm a hybrid author, but I'm inclined to do a complete transition to self-publishing in the near future.

Where do you write?

After my brother got married, I turned his room into an office, with a small desk, a computer and a printer. I keep a picture of Dashiell Hammett (as played by Jason Robards in the movie Julia) staring at me all the time, for inspiration. 

Is silence golden, or do you need music to write by? What kind?

Pink Floyd is the best music for me when I'm working on a new novel. I also like classical musical, especially Paganini. His music is full of energy, and gives me a boost.

How much of your plots and characters are drawn from real life? From your life in particular?

To write the character of Pollyanna in Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game, I stayed as faithful as possible to how she was portrayed in the original novels by Eleanor H. Porter. But there are touches of a couple of people I know who talk all the time and always seen to be happy about everything. It was tricky, because she had to be funny and quirky, but not too annoying. 

Describe your process for naming your character?

The main characters in Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game are taken from the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Eleanor H. Porter, and so are their names. I did have to come up with a new surname for Pollyanna after she gets married, and went with Bloom. It's a good match for her personality.

Real settings or fictional towns?

I'm used to creating fictional settings for my books, but this one takes place mostly in London. Having lived in the UK for a year, I know the place well, and it was easy to set the story there. 

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?

Pollyanna is always looking at the bright side of life. This was taken from the original books in which she was featured, and it was a challenge to recreate it. 

What’s your quirkiest quirk?

I drink so much water when I'm writing! There's always a bottle of water next to me when I start working, and it's always empty when I'm done.

If you could have written any book (one that someone else has already written,) which one would it be? Why?

The Glass Key, by Dashiell Hammett. I think it's one of the most perfect crime books ever written.

Everyone at some point wishes for a do-over. What’s yours?

I miss the UK very much, and wish I had stayed there after finishing my Masters Degree. 

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

I hate it when a book starts with something like "A week ago, if someone told John Brown would now be standing next to the most powerful man in the world, he wouldn't have believed it."

You’re stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?

Something I could use to write, something I could read, and a good sunblock. I would say a boat, but I already mentioned three things.

What was the worst job you’ve ever held?

Ghosting a novella for 50 dollars.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

Anna Karenina, by Liev Tolstoy.

Ocean or mountains?

Mountains

City guy or country guy?

Mostly city guy, but I enjoy the country.

What’s on the horizon for you?

I'm finishing the second volume in the Grandma Bertha Solving Murders series, and hope to release it in early 2019. After that, there are at least five different books I want to write. Let's see which one gets picked!

Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game

British sleuth Sherlock Holmes can solve any mystery from a small clue. American traveler Pollyanna Whittier can only see the good side of every situation. The only thing they have in common is their friendship with Dr. John Watson. When Pollyanna shows up in London with a mystery for Holmes to solve, she decides to teach the detective the Glad Game: a way of remaining optimistic no matter what. A dangerous - and hilarious - clash of minds, where these two characters of classic literature need to learn how to work together in order to catch a dangerous criminal.

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GUEST AUTHOR MATT FERRAZ AND HIS SENIOR SLEUTH

Author of all trades, Matt Ferraz has written thrillers, sci-fi, cozy mysteries and a lot of witty e-mails that sadly can't be published. With a degree in journalism and a master’s degree in biography, Matt has works published in English, Italian and Portuguese, and loves trying out new genres. Learn more about Matt and his books at his website. You can also sign up for his new mailing list here.

Today Matt offers us something a bit different—a short story to introduce us to his senior sleuth Grandma Bertha.

Innocent Man's Cake - A Grandma Bertha Short Story

Lydia Hepburn wasn't a morning person by any means, and it took a lot to make her get out of bed early on a Saturday. Stu wasn't a toddler anymore, and knew how to use the toilet on his own, which meant she rarely had a reason to get up before dawn. Plus, her husband Todd was an early bird, and would take care of any issue that required adult presence.

She was especially tired that Saturday, after spending the previous night in front of the TV waiting for the final sentence in the Jack Pyle trial. For months, the whole country had been divided whether that man had actually killed his wife. Now that he was in jail, it was like a long soap opera was over and they could rest.

All Lydia wanted was some more sleep, but the noise in the kitchen was unbearable. Only one person could annoy Lydia so much, and that was Grandma Bertha. What was she doing in the kitchen anyway? It wasn't like her to be cooking at that time of day.

Lydia jumped from the bed, put on her robe and walked downstairs, ready to kick Grandma Bertha back to her shed in the backyard. She stopped by the door and looked at the mess. There was flour everywhere, eggshells on the floor and chantilly on the drapes. Grandma Bertha offered a toothless smile to her daughter-in-law.

“Good morning, Lyd!” she said. “Up so early?”

Lydia tried to stay calm. “What are you doing?”

“I'm baking a cake!” said Grandma Bertha. “For a friend.”

“A friend? Who?”

“Did you seen the news yesterday?” said Grandma Bertha. “About that poor Jack Pyle? He was innocent, and I'm sending him a cake in jail.”

Lydia pulled out a chair. That was too much even for Grandma Bertha's standards. “You're baking a cake for…”

“Careful, Lyd!” warned Grandma Bertha. “Don't sit there!”

“What? Why not?” Her eyes went down to the seat, and there was a small hacksaw on it. “What is this doing here?”

Grandma Bertha picked the hacksaw from the chair. “There, there, you can sit. This is going into the cake.”

Lydia didn't sit down. “You're baking a cake with a saw in it?”

“No, that would be silly!” Grandma Bertha said, with a giggle. “I'm baking the cake and then I'm putting the saw inside it. Otherwise it would taste terrible!”

“Why would you do that?”

Grandma Bertha went serious for a second. “It pains me to see an innocent man in jail. I'll send him this cake so he can get out of jail and clear his name.”

Lydia rubbed her eyes. “In what world do you live? Are you aware that…”

Her phrase was interrupted by the voice of her husband, who just came in from the street. “Darling! Have you heard the news?”

Lydia turned to him, her face red with anger. “Do you know what your mother's been doing?”

“Just a minute, darling!” said Todd. “I just heard the morning news on the radio. They came out with undisputed evidence that Jack Pyle is innocent! They're releasing him today!”

Lydia stood there, not knowing what to say. She was still mad, but couldn't tell at whom. So she turned her head around and saw that Grandma Bertha's smile was even larger.

“Well,” said Grandma Bertha. “Who wants a piece of cake, then?”

The Convenient Cadaver

Grandma Bertha Solving Murders, Book 1

When Grandma Bertha moved to her son’s place, she brought along three dogs, several cases of beer and many, many horror film DVDs. While her daughter-in-law insists on the idea of sending Grandma Bertha to a retirement home, a dead girl appears near the house, shot three times in the back. Many years ago, Grandma Bertha let a murderer escape for not trusting in her own detective abilities. Now, armed with her wit and wisdom, she decides to solve that crime before the police. Could this crazy dog lady be a threat to a cold-blooded killer? And for how long can the family stand that situation?

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