Lori Roberts Herbst is the author of the Callie Cassidy Mystery series. Her debut novel, Suitable for Framing, won first place in the Murder and Mayhem category at the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards. A former educator, Lori spent much of her life writing, editing, and psychoanalyzing. Frozen in Motion is the third installment in the series.
Look up for inspiration
Lori said that she and her husband are huge sports fans. The idea for Frozen in Motion came to Lori during a Dallas Stars hockey game. “One night during intermission, a man ambled by on the catwalk above our heads. The thought popped into my head, ‘What if that guy fell?’ Then, the next thought: ‘What if someone pushed him over the side?’ These stream-of-consciousness processes sometimes freak my husband out, but I’ve concluded that it’s just how mystery writers view the world.”
Lori also noted that the saying, ‘Don’t annoy the writer. She may put you in a book and kill you,’ is true for her. “I view writing as a cathartic experience. When something upsets me, I take it out on a character. I suspect having the ability to vent in that fashion has made me more laid-back and pleasant in real life—but you should ask my husband whether that’s true.”
But the lady’s not all murder and mayhem
“My books are cozy mysteries—light, humorous whodunnits not meant to be especially issue-oriented. As a writer, I am very character-driven, though, so I do find several themes running through my books. The main one is the idea of forever being a ‘work in progress.’ My main character, Callie Cassidy, is forty-four in Frozen In Motion. She’s had a successful career as a big-time investigative photojournalist, but now she’s moved back to the mountainside village where she grew up and has opened a photo gallery. It’s a big change, and emotionally she sometimes feels ‘stuck’—especially when it comes to opening herself up to relationships and being vulnerable. She’s spent so many years entrenched in self-reliance that letting others into her world requires an act of will. It’s been so much fun for me as a writer to watch her grow as she navigates the psychological aspects of her life. It reminds me that we’re all evolving, and I love that.”
From teaching to writing…and more
“Being an author is my ‘late-in-life’ career, one I’d always dreamed of and finally created for myself, and I’m loving it. Don’t get me wrong—I was also happy in my former jobs. I spent twenty-five years as a journalism teacher, advising newspaper, yearbook, and broadcast staffs and teaching photography. After that, I was a counselor for six years. I have a deeply rooted passion for writing, darkrooms, psychology—all of it. It’s nice to be able to draw on that when I’m building stories and inventing characters.”
Of course, those stories take research. And, as any writer can tell you, there’s nothing like hands-on to get the details right. Lori said, “My husband serves as an ever-patient model for my villains’ nefarious acts. One time, I asked him to sit in a chair while I wrapped my hands around his neck so I could visualize bruising. I simulated strangulation with a camera strap, too. On the other hand, my most enjoyable research has been my frequent trips to Colorado, specifically Estes Park, on which Rock Creek Village is loosely modeled. I’ve always loved it there, and now I have an excuse to visit during each different season. I have to be accurate in my descriptions, right? The mountains are calling, and it’s my duty to go.”
Learn more about Lori Roberts Herbst at lorirobertsherbst.com . Did you like this interview? If so, click here to read more Behind the Story interviews from your favorite authors.
Leave a comment below if you’d like to win a digital copy of Frozen in Motion. One lucky winner will be selected. Entries close January 30.
Recent Comments