Behind the story of Flea Market Felony by Tricia Sanders

Tricia L. Sanders writes about women with class, sass, and a touch of kickass. Flea Market Felony is the first book in her Mattie and Mo Mysteries.

Friendship and Flea Market Felony  

“I wrote this book while going through some very difficult times in my life. My writing group encouraged me and kept me focused. We met online every weekday morning at six-fifteen and every afternoon at lunchtime and supported each other while we wrote. Some days we chatted, but most of the time we just enjoyed the company of one another while we all worked on our own projects.”

It’s friendships like the one Tricia with her writing group that have become a key component of the stories she writes. “The friendship between Mattie and her best friend Lizbeth is a composite of my real-life friendships. The developing friendship between Mattie and Sandi is a snapshot of the complexities of meeting new people. The friendship between Mattie and Mo is a sweet reminder that your spouse is truly your best friend or should be. I always explore the bonds between people in my stories.”

Getting out in the world

“I’m not an extrovert. I’m not one to toot my own horn or brag, so it’s difficult for me to put myself out there. I’m also not one for small talk. It’s just not comfortable. Often that’s taken the wrong way. Get to know me though, and you can’t shut me up.”

Tricia added that campgrounds and RV parks have always fascinated her. “Such a diverse group of people yet they all have something in common. I decided to throw in the element of a flea market which adds more diversity and a murder to test a new friendship and throw a kink into some old relationships.”

Never ask your doctor how to kill someone

Tricia likes to keep her characters’ actions as real as possible. Because of that she’s some of the scenes in her books to make sure they’re plausible for ‘characters of a certain age’. She said, “I don’t want to maim my seniors—at least not the ones that don’t bite the dust.” 

However, if a writer does want to kill someone, they usually have an available resource for those tricky ‘how to’ questions. “You can only do so much research on the internet. I asked my doctor several questions about the method of murder I’d chosen for the next book in this series. She raised her eyebrows and kind of hedged. When I finally showed her my books, she laughed and answered my questions.”

Learn more about Flea Market Felony and Tricia L. Sanders at triciasanders.com. Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.