Diane Vallere loves fashion, costumes, and mysteries. In fact, the National Bestselling author loves mysteries enough that she started her own detective agency when she was ten years old. And costumes? Let’s just say she once dressed as Tippi Hedren’s ‘The Birds’ character for Halloween. Vallere writes four different cozy mystery series. Here’s the second behind her second Costume Shop Mystery, “Masking for Trouble.”
A love of fashion
Before Vallere wrote mysteries, she worked in luxury fashion. Each year, her company had a semiannual event in which the clearance designer apparel was consolidated down to a handful of stores. Her store was one of those selected to receive merchandise.
“After we organized the shipments,” Vallere said, “we would split off and try things on. It was a way to get them out of our system. One year, I found a pair of Giorgio Armani harem pants and a Pucci gown.” Both impractical garments, but very tempting for a fashion junkie.
“I remember thinking about the pants: ‘When am I ever going to find designer harem pants again?’ and about the gown, ‘this makes me feel like Heidi Klum!’ I bought them both. I’ve worn the gown three times, one of which was Tippi Hedren’s 80th birthday party at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.”
The idea behind “Masking for Trouble”
The idea for the Costume Shop Mystery series came after Vallere told her agent a story about her Halloween tradition of making a costume for her teddy bear each year. The agent sold the concept and Vallere agreed to write three Costume Shop Mysteries. Vallere said she always knew one of the books would be about Halloween. She was convinced Book Two would be the Halloween book when she learned it had an October publication date.
“There’s a funny publishing industry reality,” Vallere said. “When the publisher shifted the pub date for Book One a few months back, I asked about the pub date for this book and was told, ‘December.’ I politely pointed out that I had written a Halloween book. They felt it would still be okay. I respectfully disagreed.
“A few months later when they asked for rough back cover copy, I gave them my version, which was very specific to Halloween. A few weeks after that when they asked for input on the cover, I provided a list of costumes featured in the book and described how the shop might look during this busy time of the year. Somewhere around here, my editor emailed with the good news that the book was so obviously Halloween-y that they were moving it back to its original publication date.”
Vallere also said she enjoyed the costume angle so much she had to rewrite the first chapter several times. “I kept focusing on the characters’ costumes and not setting up an actual mystery.”
While the setting is Halloween, there’s also a serious issue behind the book. “When I started writing ‘Masking for Trouble,'” Vallere said, “I was hearing a lot of discussion about ‘The Millennium Project’ in Hollywood, California, which is where I live. In a nutshell, TMP was proposed construction that would change the landscape of a two-block radius of Hollywood surrounding the Capitol Building. There are many groups for and against for a variety of reasons, but the main argument against TMP revolves around the question of active fault lines running underneath the proposed site of two skyscrapers that would anchor the project.”
The heated arguments about the project polarized the community and gave Vallere an idea for “Masking for Trouble.” She took the concept and used it in the small fictitious town of Proper City, Nevada.
“The issue of the book is city expansion,” Vallere said. “Do the pros outweigh the cons? Is it a black and white issue of developer greed, or are there positives that come out of expansion that will boost a town’s economy with long-term benefits?”
Partway through the writing of “Masking for Trouble,” Vallere was called for jury duty. Pressed for time, she took her laptop to the courthouse and spent her lunch break sitting in the courtyard writing.
“Jury selection wasn’t finalized until the following day, so I returned on Day 2 and repeated the lunchtime writing routine. I didn’t get chosen for the jury, but I found the location, court case, and setting to be so creatively stimulating that I returned to the courthouse and sat in on the case every day until there was a verdict. On the fourth day, the bailiff pulled me aside and said, ‘You know you don’t have to keep showing up, don’t you?'”
Love Diane’s books!
Thank you, Terry, for inviting me to your blog!
You’re welcome, Diane. It was my pleasure!
I adore the premise of this book… sounds like a hoot!
Thank you for the excerpt & giveaway.
What a fascinating book! Great cover. Thanks for sharing your inspiration for the story.
would love to win
What an interesting story behind the story of the book. I am just starting Silk Stalkings but haven’t read this series.. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
This sounds like a book I would enjoy! Thank you!
I am so costume challenged that just maybe I might learn something from Diane’s book. 🙂
Thank you for the interview.
Great interview and interesting to learn about Diane Vallere’s career in the fashion industry.
where do you find inspiration for your characters?
Sandra, They really do come from everywhere. Sometimes I know that I picture a particular person as one of my characters, but they’re always different from their real life inspiration. In this book, the seismologist is based on a mystery writer who I’ve met a few times, but sometimes they’re a mix of TV and movie characters mixed with my own imagination.
With so many books published in this genre, it’s hard to pick but this is definitely getting added to My Read list.
Great interview. I’ve not read Diane’s books before, but I think I need to!
I LOVE GIVEAWAYS THANKS FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK
Oh my gosh…how funny that you were reminded that you did not have to keep coming to that trial. I have never sat on a jury, despite being called almost every year. I guess they don’t like me. Must be the murder mystery books I read. Next time I will read on my Kindle instead so they can’t see my title.
Hi Karen,
I think the bailiff was surprised that I kept showing up. It wasn’t that I didn’t know, but I was enjoying the case so much (and still getting my writing word counts in every day) so I figured why not shake up my regular routine?
I am truly looking forward to Diane’s newest release especially now that I read this blog post today. I have followed her since her series began and have really liked it. Thank you for the book giveaway too.
Cynthia B.
What was the final decision on the Hollywood Millenium Project? Or has there been one yet?
I guess when you are on a roll writing in a place, it’s good to continue in that place. Makes sense to me.
I love Diane Vallere’s books, thank you for this wonderful interview and chance to win!
All of Diane’s series are laugh out loud funny. What a glimpse into the fashion industry, something most of us aren’t very familiar with at all. Always look forward to the latest release. Thanks for this giveaway.
“Do the pros outweigh the cons?” Will I have the answers after reading or just the ammunition?
This would be a great read for October. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
Great interview!
Thank you Terry for the interview with Diane Vallere on her new book, Maskng For Trouble. It was a great insight to the book. robeader53@yahoo.com
I’d love to read this book. I’ve read all of Poly’s series. She is such a fun person, love the way she dresses.
i really want to read this!! looks so good
This read is right up my alley sounds so good and would love to read and review. I have put it down on my TBR list. Thank you Terry for finding this one also!
Nice article. Have read several of her books and always enjoy.
I look forward to reading the book but I haven’t read the first book either, ducks head in embarrassment. I love reading about Ms Vallere and her writing and this article is no exception.
Enjoyed the interview.
I was fortunate enough to meet Diane at Left Coast Crime this year and bought the first in the series (and loved it!) then. Can’t wait to read this new entry.
Great interview, interesting to know of Diane Vallere’s career in the fashion industry. “Masking for Trouble” sounds like a really great Halloween read.
Love Diane’s books. Always ready for the next one.
thanks.
Looking forward to winning a copy! Good luck with your prolific writing career.
–Michael
Interesting interview. I am a longtime mystery lover and would love to read the book. I just worked a raffle where we combined a large jointed Teddy Bear with a small child’s costume as the heart of one raffle basket. Wonder if that could be the basis of another mystery?
Terry and Diane, I really enjoyed the interview ~
Loved the interview, always like to hear a little about the book & the person who wrote it. Thanks for this generous chance.