Interview with Brenda Chapman
“Brenda Chapman is a Canadian crime fiction author with over twenty published novels. In addition to short stories and standalones, she has written the lauded Stonechild and Rouleau for police procedural series, the Anna Sweet mystery novellas, and the Jennifer Bannon mysteries middle grade. Her work has been shortlisted for several awards including four Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence.”
Once again, we find ourselves in the Great White North, specifically Canada’s capital of Ottawa. And this month, we profile one of Canada’s highest-profile mystery novelists in Brenda Chapman.
15) Brenda, like so many of my subjects, you’ve worn so many hats in your vocational life. Which one would you say has best informed your fiction?
I’ve been a teacher, which certainly helped me with grammar, but I’d say my work as a senior communications advisor at the Department of Justice with so many issues to delve into best informed my crime fiction writing.
14) For those out there who have not read the series firsthand, tell us about Stonechild and Rouleau. What makes them such compelling detectives?
Officer Kala Stonechild is Indigenous and grew up in foster care. She’s in her late twenties when the series begins. Her childhood turned her into a loner who has trouble staying in one place and forming lasting relationships. She’s also intelligent and dogged with a strong moral code and not averse to pushing limits. Staff Sergeant Jacques Rouleau is in his fifties, divorced but still in love with his ex-wife. He’s something of a workaholic, compassionate and lonely. He becomes a father figure to Stonechild as their relationship grows over the series.
13) Stonechild and Rouleau are the duo that anchors a police procedural series. How do you go about doing the requisite research? Is it strictly academic or do you pick the brains of real life Canadian cops?
The base of my research comes down to all the crime fiction books I’ve read and the stories I’ve watched on tv over the years. I’ve also been fortunate to belong to Capital Crime Writers, our local organization, which has brought in many police, detectives and other experts to speak about cases, crimes and job descriptions. A retired officer who was one of the guest speakers read Cold Mourning, first in the Stonechild series, and he gave great feedback about the crimes. More recently, an Ottawa officer moved in down the street and I pick his brain on occasion, and my ex-RCMP brother answers my questions, too. Of course, the Internet is another terrific research tool.
12) Describe your happy place, the one spot where you feel the most comfortable writing.
I’m happiest writing at home and usually in my office. I began my writing career working at a desk in our living room with the tv often on and my kids in the same room. I learned to concentrate and to tune out noise as a result! Some twenty years ago, my husband put an addition on our house and made an office for me, and I’m still grateful for this lovely gift.
11) Anna Sweet is another one of your series characters. What are her strengths and weaknesses as a detective?
Anna Sweet is an ex-cop P.I. living in Ottawa, created for a series of adult literacy novellas published by Grassroots Press. She’s funny, smart and independent, although very attached to her father and family. When the series begins, she’s bartending in Texas as she tries to deal with a few issues, including the fact her ex-fiancé broke off their engagement to marry her younger sister. She has difficulty letting go of the past and is reluctant to trust again when it comes to a romantic relationship.
10) What made you decide to write a series of mysteries for middle schoolers?
The first book I attempted to write is Running Scared, the first in a series of four books for middle grade readers. I wrote the book for my daughters who were twelve and nine at the time, mainly to see if I could do it. The protagonist Jennifer Bannon is going into grade nine, she’s having difficulty in school, her parents are separated, and she likes a boy who has a girlfriend. The books deal with real issues kids are facing, some of this coming out of my teaching experience. My nine-year-old daughter said after reading the manuscript, “Mommy, you write like a real author.” This spurred me on to seek out a publisher J
9) When you were growing up in Canada, who were some of the authors you’d read and had any of them gone on to influence your work?
I’ve been a huge mystery reader since picking up Enid Blyton’s The Secret Seven and The Famous Five books. The list of authors I’ve read and enjoyed lately include: Denise Mina, Anne Cleeves, Michael Connolly, Adrian McKinty, Jane Harper, Deon Meyer, and Liza Marklund. I also read a lot of Canadian crime fiction over the years and hesitate to name only a few since we have so many terrific writers. (You can check them out on the Crime Writers of Canada website.) I’d say that all of these authors have influenced my writing to some degree over the years. They make me want to strive to improve and to tell stories that readers can’t put down.
8) Plotter, pantser or plantser?
I consider myself squarely in the pantser category. I tend to know the crime, motivation and whodunit before I begin the first draft, but not always. Sometimes, I simply sit down and write a sentence and off I go.
7) What do you think it is about the capital city that provides such a fertile ground for crime fiction?
Yes, Ottawa has been a hub of crime fiction writing for a few decades now. Could it be all those politicians making people want to fictionally kill somebody?! Hard to know for certain, but the city is about a million people so a large pool of suspects and victims for murders – three waterways, two universities, a college, many distinct, vibrant neighbourhoods, parkland, bike trails, four seasons, numerous small towns within driving distance … this region makes for a varied and rich setting.
6) Are there any subjects or types of crimes you won’t write about in your mysteries?
Like most crime fiction writers, I wouldn’t kill a dog or beloved pet, but this is my only absolute writing taboo. I’m not into graphic violence, however, believing less is more. My interest is in the characters and their interactions and motivations, and in solving the crime puzzle. My books often raise current issues, such as teenage prostitution or the wrongly convicted, but these topics are woven into the stories.
5) Please describe your typical writing day, if there’s any such thing. Do you write in journals, a laptop, both, do you set word goals and, if so, what are they?
My writing days vary, but I usually get started around ten a.m. and can still be writing after supper. This tends to happen deeper into the manuscript as I’m nearing the end and picking up speed. Some days, I accomplish very little writing if my focus is on editing, publicity or an event. My goal is always to enjoy the process and not to put pressure on myself to achieve a certain word count. I manage to write a book a year, so this continues to be my target.
4) Your newest series is the Hunter and Tate series that takes place in your native Ottawa. For those who have not seen your interview on Ottawa TV, what’s the throughline for Blind Date?
The Hunter and Tate series has two main protagonists: Detective Liam Hunter and Ella Tate, a laid off reporter who begins a true crime podcast. Hunter meets Ella when she appears to be the target of a number of vicious crimes. The two begin unofficially to help each other out on cases and develop a tentative friendship. A third character named Tony appeared in Blind Date and has become a presence in the books. He’s a gay hairdresser who lives in the apartment below Ella, breaking many of the stereotypes and becoming a well-rounded character. Readers tell me they wish he were real and could move in next door to him.
3) Is there any temptation to do a cross-over entry between two of your series?
No, I will keep the two series separate, although there have been moments when I’ve greatly missed Stonechild and Rouleau. I like to think of them happily living their lives somewhere off the page.
2) All your mysteries transpire in modern-day Canada. Have you ever given any thought to writing a historical mystery in 19th century Ottawa?
One lure for writing a 19th century mystery would be the lack of technology. It is difficult these days to stay on top of all the new tech for solving cases, and there’s a need to work around these modern tools to write a plausible story. In any event, I wouldn’t say no to writing a historical mystery although I’d likely start with a short story first. The only ‘historical’ book I’ve penned is Second Chances, an older teen standalone novel set in the seventies. It’s a coming of age book and involved quite a bit of research to get the time period right.
1) So, what’s next for Brenda Chapman?
When Last Seen, second in the Hunter and Tate series will be released April 1st and I’m currently writing book three. I’ll be seeking out publicity/marketing opportunities over the summer, beginning with an Ottawa book launch in April. I might also add that if any of your followers belong to a book club, I love dropping in to talk mysteries, and Zoom means I can visit anywhere in the world. They can reach me through the contact page on my website.
Thanks so much, Robert, for inviting me to chat and answer such fun, insightful questions.
If you're interested in learning more about Ms. Chapman and her work, please follow the links below:
posted by jurassicpork @ Thursday, January 26, 2023
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