AUTHOR INTERVIEW
On writing:
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The hardest character is actually my FMC, Kyra. The book is told from her perspective and sometimes I have to remember to be in her head, to remember she’s not privy to everything I know, especially what the other characters are thinking. The easiest is a tie: between Cronkite and Ali, Kyra’s aunt. Cronkite is the epitome of “cat,” and Ali is the sister I’d want if I had one.
If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
If I were to write myself in, I’d write myself as a victim who gets her revenge from the grave. I think I’d be a beloved, local writer who, after an ugly exchange with an unruly summer visitor at a popular Vineyard Haven diner, met a very bloody, untimely death at the hands of the unpleasant woman. As the murder investigation progresses the murderess’s world is destroyed. Obviously, I’ve never been bowled over by an aggressive tourist at The Black Dog Tavern. Nor am I petty. It’s complete fiction.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
When people tell me they loved the book so much they recommended it to their friend, mom, neighbor, whomever. That warms my cold stone heart.
On rituals:
In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?
I draft out the outlines by hand before filling out the details on my computer, and I carry a notebook with me almost always to jot down ideas. I like the feel of pen and paper and it’s easier to carry than my laptop.
Fun stuff:
Favorite dessert?
I’m not really a dessert person. If I’m eating sweets, I’m not bothering with pre-sweets healthy nonsense. I’m just eating sweets, and nine times out of ten, I want fresh baked cookies: chocolate chip, shortbread, sugar cookies, lemon. As long as it’s free of offensive raisins, I’m happy.
What is something you've learned about yourself during the pandemic?
I learned that I hate leftovers. I rarely ate them before, but when faced with limited access to groceries, I refused to eat them and instead had to repurpose leftovers into something new. After a few weeks of lockdown, I was planning meals for days, so I could make many different things from the ingredients progressively. I roasted a chicken for dinner one night and used it to make chicken pot pie the next. Braised short ribs were then turned into ravioli and the most decadent tater tots you can imagine. I got pretty creative, but back then I used to cook.
What is your theme song?
I want it to be “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin, but I’m not that cool. I do have a terrible sense of direction.
What is your favorite thing to do in the autumn?
My favorite thing to do in the autumn is tea, coffee, or a glass of wine by the fire with a book. I love a wood burning fire when it’s chilly out. It’s so comforting.
What song is currently playing on a loop in your head?
Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste”. It’s funny.
What is the oldest item of clothing you own?
I have a pair of vintage chocolate-colored crushed velvet bell bottoms that would make Steven Tyler jealous.
Synopsis of The Wraith’s Return (from Amazon):
London based lawyer Kyra Gibson returns to Martha’s Vineyard and the beach house she inherited for an extended summer holiday. Still reeling from her father’s brutal murder and the role she and the handsome detective, Tarek Collins played in uncovering it, Kyra is hopeful for some peace and quiet. But when a summer squall reveals the wreckage of the pirate ship, Keres, rich with rumored treasure, all hopes of peace are dashed. Conservationists and treasure hunters descend on the exclusive island to lay claim to the ship. When two of the salvagers are killed, Kyra and Tarek’s friend, pub owner and amateur historian, Gully Gould is arrested for murder.
Determined to prove Gully’s innocence, Kyra, Tarek, and reformed playboy Chase Hawthorn team up to clear their friend’s name. But someone wants the treasure for themselves. And with someone willing to kill for it, there is more than just danger lurking along the island’s caves and coves. There is death.
Synopsis of Widow’s Walk (from Amazon):
Attorney Kyra Gibson has a lot on her mind this Thanksgiving. She’s been working long hours on a multi-billion dollar corporate merger, her family is visiting from London, and her relationship with former police detective Tarek Collins is heating up. When she and her companions are invited by her aristocrat client to attend a formal gala at a historic mansion on Chappaquiddick, Kyra reluctantly agrees.
But Chappy is more than just a playground for the wealthy. It’s a wild, remote place cut off from civilization. When the first body is found, the occupants are worried. Was it an accident or murder? When a second guest is brutally killed and then a third, there’s no doubt and the guests fearfully turn on each other. They are locked in a house with a murderer picking them off one-by-one. Kyra, her best friend Chase Hawthorn, and Tarek must survive the night and find the killer, or one of them could be next.
Both novels are from the Martha’s Vineyard Murders series, which starts with A Chain of Pearls. They can be read as standalones.
Author bio:
Raemi A Ray’s travels to Martha’s Vineyard and around the world inspire her stories. She lives outside Boston. When not writing or traveling she earns her keep as the personal assistant to the resident house demons, Otto and DolphLundgren.
Website: https://raemiray.com/
Instagram: @miss_raemi
Author Marketing Experts:
Twitter: @Bookgal
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The Wraith’s Return:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cD5wkk
Widow’s Walk:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zWiYTl
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