Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I’ve always loved mysteries. I like the logic aspect and the challenge of solving a puzzle, all wrapped up in a good story. As a mystery writer, I’m both puzzle master and storyteller.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
It might be a tie. I loved giving the chief of police terrible allergies in my Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries, and then filling all the crime scenes with scads of flowers. I also liked giving Liz McCall, my Toy Shop manager, a fear of dolls.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
In addition to the books I wrote under my own name, I also wrote a series under the penname Beverly Allen. I chose “Beverly” because if I say my name “Barb Early” too quickly, especially in a noisy room, people hear “Beverly” anyway, so a few times in my life I’ve answered to that name.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I did a little writing when my husband was pastoring a small country church, mostly Christmas programs and puppet shows for the children. But I started fiction writing as a bit of an accident. I was home recovering from surgery and I became addicted to the television show Monk. (I know, it’s a little chiche becoming obsessed over an obsessive detective, but I thought the show was genius.) When I’d watched all the episodes they’d made to date, and read all the tie-in novels that Lee Goldberg was writing at the time, I still wanted more. I tried reading some of the fan fiction, but I thought I might do better, so I tried it. The first efforts were well received, but I soon found myself studying how to improve my writing, and eventually was challenged to try something original.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Oh, loads. My degree is in electrical engineering, but even when I was still in school, I knew I needed a more creative outlet. I taught for a number of years, English and Science, in a small private school, then I homeschooled my daughter until graduation. I did a lot of church work when my husband was a pastor, and I worked briefly as an editor for a small press while I was still tweaking my writing skills.

How many books do you have published?
I currently have six published novels in two series: three in the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries as Beverly Allen and three in the Vintage Toyshop Mysteries as Barbara Early. I also wrote two novellas, the most recent came out with Guideposts: Love’s a Mystery in Panic, PA.

Where do you write?
I used to move my trusty laptop around the house, and sometimes outside, but alas, my eyes aren’t what they used to be, so I recently switched to a desktop with a larger monitor in my office.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Writing: chocolate. Editing: popcorn.

Who is an author you admire?
That’s actually a tough one, because it changes all the time, mostly depending on who I’m reading. I recently went on an Agatha Christie binge, which was interrupted by a little Margerie Allingham. These women of the golden age of mystery were pioneers.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
In addition to cozy mysteries, I love a good historical mystery. I’d never write one, though. Occasionally I like to read fantasy and sci-fi, just to break things up, but usually when I do, it’s YA. I prefer to keep it light.

What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading through the Murder, She Wrote books. It’s taking a while, because there are currently 58 of them!

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Decaf coffee, and maybe a little something sweet to go with it.

What is next for you?
I am really honored to have been able to join the Murder, She Wrote family. Terrie Moran is doing a great job (and will continue to do so!), but apparently Jessica is just too busy discovering dead bodies for only one author to help pen her exploits! My first book, co-authored with Jessica Fletcher (wink, wink), Snowy with a Chance of Murder, will come out in February, 2025. And I’ll have a second book in that series coming out in 2026.

Where can we find you?
The place where I engage the most right now is probably my Facebook page at AuthorBarbaraEarly. Plans to revamp my website are underway. When that’s ready, it will be at BarbaraEarly.com.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
Chocolate!!

Ice cream or cake
Yes!

Fruits or vegetables
Fruit

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Breakfast

Dining in or dining out
Dining in

City life or country living
Country

Beach or mountain
Beach, but not when it’s too hot.

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter
Spring and Fall

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert

Early bird or night owl
Neither. More of a midmorning puffin.

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
Without Love, with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. Followed closely by the original Parent Trap.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
– My tablet (and a good internet connection)
– A comfy chair
– Air conditioning

My bio:
Barbara Early earned an engineering degree, but after four years of doing nothing but math, developed a sudden allergy to the subject and decided to choose another occupation. Before she settled on murdering fictional people, she was a secretary, a schoolteacher, a pastor’s wife, and an amateur puppeteer. She and her husband reside in Western New York State, where she enjoys cooking, crafts, classic movies, campy vintage television, board games, and spending time with her granddaughters. She wrote the Vintage Toyshop Mysteries, the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mysteries (as Beverly Allen), and most recently became a co-author with the iconic Jessica Fletcher in the popular Murder, She Wrote book series.