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Writing is like a good barbecue sauce, if it ain't bold, it ain't worth doing.

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You are here: Home / Author Interviews / Connie di Marco and The Madness of Mercury

Connie di Marco and The Madness of Mercury

June 9, 2016 By Terry 17 Comments

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The Madness of MercuryAstrology is a fascinating, and controversial, subject for many readers. Some call it bunk, others won’t make a move without consulting their chart. For Connie di Marco, astrology created the perfect background for her Zodiac Mystery series, which begins with The Madness of Mercury.

“I think writers pull together stories from very diverse threads,” said di Marco, “perhaps not always aware that something they’ve read or stumbled upon, seen or heard, will end up in a book. And those things can percolate for a long time until they’re pulled out of the closet of an author’s brain when needed.”

Di Marco lived in San Francisco during the heyday of Jim Jones and the People’s Temple. She said, “Bear in mind, at that point in time, the deaths in Guyana had not taken place and Jones was admired and revered for his ‘good works’—soup kitchens, day care for children, retirement facilities. He was supported by both politicians and society people. I thought that setting the mystery against a similar background could make life very interesting for my protagonist.”

When di Marco is planning a story, she never thinks about issues or themes. “It’s the psychology of the crime, the mindset of the victim and the killer that is interesting to me. I might think about the broad circumstances of a crime, for example, human trafficking, missing persons or child abductions. So I’m always amazed when I realize I’ve written something that has any sort of a theme or message. Perhaps it’s my unconscious taking over!”

Although di Marco had lived in San Francisco, she felt a need to research the city when she decided to set The Madness of Mercury there. What she discovered were issues she hadn’t been aware of previously. “I was shocked to realize how much power Jones and the People’s Temple really wielded in the city, probably far more than my venal character, the Reverend Roy.”

I think of astrology as the next of kin to psychology, a frame of reference useful for character analysis.

Di Marco is confounded by the willingness of people to abdicate their autonomy to a group, whether it’s political, religious or otherwise. She portrayed this by having her protagonist, Julia, suggest a woman engage an attorney when a church pressures the woman’s mother to turn over her savings and property. “Julia becomes the target of a power-hungry preacher with a dark agenda,” said di Marco. “It lends a dystopian element to the story but ultimately Julia solves a crime much closer to home. The events that affect her highlight the evil that can happen when a mob mentality rules.”

One of the reasons di Marco chose astrology is because she is fascinated by the subject. “I’m not a practicing professional, but I have read a great deal. I think of astrology as the next of kin to psychology, a frame of reference useful for character analysis. Not to mention, it’s invaluable for timing and planning events. It just seemed a great choice to create a protagonist who practiced this arcane art, and by virtue of her profession, she’d come in contact with people from all walks of life with all sorts of problems.”

While researching astrology, di Marco discovered an interesting comparison about the charts of Charles Manson and Mahatma Ghandi. “Both men share a difficult Venus-Saturn aspect in their natal charts,” di Marco said. “Obviously, that aspect took entirely different forms in each man’s life. Manson turned to brutal murder while Gandhi led a life of asceticism in an effort to liberate his country. The natal chart is a blueprint of an individual’s intentions in life, but within those boundaries, everyone has a choice.”

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The biggest hurdle di Marco faced with The Madness of Mercury was selling the book. “It was an uphill climb,” she said. “Everyone who read it, liked it, but it was rejected several times because no one wanted to deal with the element of a religious cult. One editor even felt the astrology would be ‘too complicated’ for their readership.”

But, as di Marco pointed out, The Madness of Mercury is a mystery, not a study in astrology. “I was surprised anyone would find the subject complicated. I was completely delighted when Midnight Ink wanted to publish this book and this series. Midnight Ink is the fiction imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide, a publisher of many wonderful astrology books! The Zodiac Mysteries truly found its home.”

Learn more about Connie di Marco at conniedimarco.com.


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Filed Under: Author Interviews, One Step Ahead - Featured Tagged With: crime fiction, interview

About Terry

I started out as a skip tracer. Just in case you don’t know, that’s the guy who finds the people who don’t want to be found. It was the little things—getting paid to lie—that made skip tracing the fun part of the job.

Those years of chasing deadbeats taught me many valuable life lessons, such as liars come from all walks of life, and always keep your car in the garage.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura Frye says

    June 13, 2016 at 6:49 AM

    I”m really looking forward to this book. I asked the library to order it since it wasn’t on their order list yet.

    Reply
    • Connie di Marco says

      June 13, 2016 at 10:00 AM

      That’s great, Laura. Thank you! I get so thrilled when I find one of my books at a library! It feels as if the story will be immortalized for future readers. That was so thoughtful of you!

      Reply
  2. Peggy Clayton says

    June 12, 2016 at 1:58 PM

    Just love the cozies I can’t believe they are thinking of taking them away. I am hands down wanting to read and review this one. Love the backround on the comment page also!

    Reply
    • Connie di Marco says

      June 13, 2016 at 7:33 AM

      Hi Peggy – the good thing is that many other publishers are picking up cozy series — new ones and ones that have been cut from Berkley Prime Crime. I don’t think the market in traditional mysteries will ever die. So glad you’ve enjoyed the interview and the comments too. And I hope you get to enter Julia’s world very soon!

      Reply
  3. diannekc says

    June 12, 2016 at 11:05 AM

    Can’t wait to read “The Madness of Mercury “. Astrology and the zodiac seems like a great storyline for a mystery.

    Reply
    • Connie di Marco says

      June 12, 2016 at 1:17 PM

      Hi Dianne – I agree. The zodiac itself is a mystery. I thought a crime-solving astrologer would be great fun to write. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  4. Laurie Stevens (@LaurieStevens1) says

    June 10, 2016 at 7:32 PM

    A fabulous way to blend the mystical and the mysterious. I’ll be following these books and this author.

    Reply
    • Michael Helms says

      June 10, 2016 at 8:01 PM

      Hi, Laurie! I’ll be joining you in following this series. Sounds like an exciting read, and a winner to me! Thanks!
      –Michael

      Reply
    • Connie di Marco says

      June 11, 2016 at 7:50 AM

      Hi Laurie – Thanks so much for your interest! I hope you enjoy all the stories in San Francisco!

      Reply
  5. Michael Helms says

    June 9, 2016 at 1:50 PM

    Terry, very nice interview with Connie di Marco! She’s a favorite of mine. I loved her “Soup Lover’s Mystery” series (yeah, I’m a closet cozy fan), written as Connie Archer. This new series sounds like a winner. Can’t wait to dig into “The Madness of Mercury.”

    Reply
    • Terry says

      June 9, 2016 at 3:52 PM

      Thanks Michael. There’s no shame in being a closet cozy fan! 🙂

      Reply
      • Michael Helms says

        June 9, 2016 at 6:40 PM

        Yeah, of course not. Just trying to add a little humor there! The first dozen or so books I read before delving into the mystery genre as a writer were cozies. I must say, I learned a lot, especially the appeal of humor which I’ve incorporated into my Mac McClellan Mystery series. Again, thanks for featuring Connie–she’s a good one!

        Reply
    • Connie di Marco says

      June 9, 2016 at 4:47 PM

      Hi Michael ~ thanks for stopping by. You’re a brave man to admit to loving cozies! One question ~ does your detective Mac McClellan enjoy them too?

      Reply
      • Michael Helms says

        June 9, 2016 at 6:42 PM

        Of course Mac does. But…shhh…don’t spill the beans. Mac might never live it down, being the macho career Marine he is! 🙂

        Reply
        • Connie di Marco says

          June 9, 2016 at 7:28 PM

          LOL! I won’t tell a soul, Michael! Mac can always blame it on his girlfriend, right?

          Reply
          • Michael Helms says

            June 9, 2016 at 7:31 PM

            Yep–let Kate take the fall! Got the book–thanks so much! Hope to get to it soon. Take care & keep in touch. All best to you and yours,
            Michael

          • Connie di Marco says

            June 10, 2016 at 12:13 PM

            Thank you, Michael ~ and the same to you! And thanks to Terry for hosting the first Zodiac Mystery!

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