Saturday, August 12, 2017
Q A with Linda Joffe Hull
Q A with Linda Joffe Hull
This week, we sat down with Mrs. Frugalicious Shopping Mystery author Linda Joffe Hull, whose latest Black Thursday, was just released.
Midnight Ink: How long have you been writing?
Linda Joffe Hull: I dabbled from the day I got out of college (cough) years ago, but didn�t start writing seriously until my boys started school in 2001. They are both in college now.
MI: What influence have other authors had on your writing?
LJH: My mom claims she found me hiding under the covers with a flashlight and a book on a regular basis starting at three years old. I have been influenced by everything from the Nancy Drew series to David Sedaris.
MI: If you weren�t a writer, what would you be doing?
LJH: I often say that at this point I would be a stripper at a nursing home, but I would probably be in sales and advertising, which I did in a former life.
MI: If you have a job outside of writing, what is it?
LJH: I do freelance editing and ghostwriting and work on everything from self-help and memoirs to fiction projects.
MI: What is/are your favorite thing/s to do when you�re not writing or working?
LJH: My boys are collegiate divers, so I love travelling to watch them compete. Go Hoosiers and Hawkeyes!
MI: Who is your favorite mystery sleuth and why?
LJH: I change my mind every time I read a new mystery, but the first favorite that came to mind was Precious Ramotswe.
MI: Do you have a favorite murder case from a book (either yours or another author�s)?
LJH: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote really sticks with me.
MI: What was your inspiration for the Mrs. Frugalicious Mysteries?
LJH: I was flipping through the channels one night and found myself watching Extreme Couponing. I realized, almost immediately, that anyone with the math brain and the ability to think on the fly the way couponers do, would make a crack amateur sleuth. Mrs. Fruglicious was born soon after.MI: How does the Mrs. Frugalicious Mystery series compare to your past works?
LJH: I like to write about the suburbs�specifically, the unexpected dangers and pitfalls of suburban existence. I describe my first novel, The Big Bang, as a suburban satire/pregnancy whodunit. The Mrs. Frugalicious mysteries are far lighter and have a lot less, shall we say, dark blue subject matter.MI: Tell us about Maddie Michaels.
LJH: Maddie Michaels is the wife of local TV financial guru Frank FinanceMichaels. When he loses all their money in a ponzi scheme, she reinvents herself as bargain shopper and coupon clipper Mrs. Frugalicious to (surreptitiously) save the family from financial ruin. I enjoy writing her because she is plucky and is endlessly able to look at the increasingly dire situations she faces with humor and a sense of optimism that some people (I�m looking in the mirror here) can�t always summon up.
MI: Tell us your top 3 couponing tips.
LJH:
- Always, always go through your Sunday paper and clip coupons for things you will buy anyway. There�s no reason not to save money every time you shop.
- When you use coupons, grocery and discount stores recognize you as a coupon clipper and give you additional discounts and savings offers in the form of Catalinas, those printed coupons that come with your receipt.
- Never ever go shopping without going online to check for coupons or specials. Practically every national retailer offers discounts and/or specials simply by going to their website.
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| Linda and Hazel |
MI: Do you have a pet? Tell us about him/her.
LJH: I have two pets, Andi the gecko who currently resides in my oldest son�s room. She was named Andrew (after him) until we discovered she is a girl. As my second son, Evan was headed off to college we adopted Hazel. She is a four-month-old Lab/Blue Heeler mix. Adorable only begins to describe her. Coincidentally, her kennel name was Eliza, which happens to be my daughter�s name. Clearly, she was meant to be in my brood.
MI: If you don�t have a pet, do you have a favorite animal?
LJH: I love exotic animals, many of whom are unsuitable for domestic life. Luckily we have Andi and Hazel.
MI: What food could you live off of for the rest of your life?
LJH: Homemade chocolate chip cookies.
MI: Do you have a favorite recipe?
LJH: I�m not the best cook, but I do make an easy, incredible grilled salmon marinated in soy sauce, lemon wedges, sugar and garlic.
MI: What is your favorite part about being an Inker?
LJH: Aside from working with the amazing Terri Bischoff? I guess I�d have to say the camaraderie amongst the authors who write for Midnight Ink. I�ve made and continue to make very close friends. What a great group of people!
Black Thursday, the second Mrs. Frugalicious Shopping Mystery, is now available in bookstores and online!
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