NANCY WIKARSKI

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Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I spent a few decades in the business world as a technology consultant before I got around to writing my first novel. Since that time, building a backlist and working to pay the bills has taken up all my spare time. When I can find a few hours for fun, I enjoy gardening and hiking in nature.

When and why did you start writing books?

When I hit forty, I had a midlife crisis. I'd been working for large corporations ever since I finished school, even though my childhood dream had always been to write. Shortly after my fortieth birthday, I had an epiphany. If I hadn't written my first book four decades down the road, when was I going to start?

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

Masochism.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

I love all my characters, even the villains because through them I can indulge my dark side. I suppose my two favorites are the protagonists of my two series--Evangeline and Cassie. I identify most closely with them on a personal level.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

The entire Arkana Thriller Series was hard to write because the story involves a global treasure hunt across multiple continents. I had to stretch to figure out how to capture the essence of places I had never visited.

Who is your favourite author and book?

Jane Austen for her subtle wit. Pride and Prejudice for its elegant social commentary. More recently, I became entranced with H. Rider Haggard's SHE series. I happened to be writing a book that was set in Africa at the time, so his eye for geographic detail helped me quite a lot.

What book are you reading right now?

I just finished a wickedly funny social satire called Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen. Having spent some time in rural Florida, I understand the world of his eccentric characters.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

The plots usually involve a psychological problem that I'm trying to sort out for myself fictionally. As for the source of the inspiration, I think I've just been blessed (or cursed) with a hyperactive imagination.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don't have any spare time. I'll let you know what I do when I do.

Do you have any new books in the works?

I just finished THE BLACK WIDOW'S PREY (Book 3 in the Gilded Age Chicago Mysteries). My next project will be to revisit my Arkana characters and give them a new adventure in a spinoff series called The Trove Chronicles. The first book in that group should be out toward the end of 2022.