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

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I primarily read crime fiction, so it seemed natural to me.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Em Kelton, the heroine of Bad Boy Beat, doesn’t like fresh scones. What’s up with that?!

Tell us how you got into writing?
I have always written! Seriously, as soon as I mastered reading and the alphabet I began writing stories.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I’ve been a journalist, which certainly helped me hone my craft and write under pressure. I also have worked (and still do some freelance) editing and copy editing – again, these have really made me more careful and conscious about my own prose.

How many books do you have published?
I have had 31 mysteries and three nonfiction books traditionally published.

Where do you write?
Often on my laptop on my kitchen table. I do have a lovely office, but somehow a lot of work gets done at that kitchen table.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Cheddar cheese rice cakes – even though the orange cheese dust gets all over my keyboard if I’m not careful.

Who is an author you admire?
Wow, so many… I really admire authors who can keep a series going and keep it fresh, especially if they do so with humor. That would include Toni L.P. Kelner, Catriona McPherson, Deanna Raybourn, C.S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, Laurie R. King, Marty Wingate, Dianne Freeman… the list goes on and I’m sure I’ve left some favorites off.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Mysteries! I seem to be on a historical fiction kick right now.

What are you reading now?
I’m alternating between Deanna Raybourn’s The Dark Enquiry, in her Lady Julia Grey series, and Percival Everett’s James, a retelling of the Huck Finn story from the perspective of the enslaved man formerly called “Jim.”

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
A nice glass of rosé and/or mint tea, depending on the day.

What is next for you?
My Blue Butterfly – a dark “he said/she said” standalone – will be published next March. It’s a real departure for me, telling the story of a marriage from two very different perspectives – and ending in murder, of course! This follows Bad Boy Beat, and I’ve promised Severn House that I’ll lay off the “B” titles after that.

Where can we find you?
Online at Home website: CleaSimon.com, on Instagram: cleasimon_author, on Threads: cleasimon_author, on X (Twitter): @Clea_Simon, on Facebook at CleaSimon Author, – and in person at Bouchercon this August.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor:
Chocolate.

Ice cream or cake:
Both, please. If I had to choose? Cake, specifically a nice, rich chocolate layer cake.

Fruits or vegetables:
Fruits.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
Dinner, though I could go for breakfast-for-dinner.

Dining in or dining out:
Hmm… I love to cook, but I love to go out too! I guess dining in wins.

City life or country living:
City.

Beach or mountain:
Beach – I need the sea and salt water.

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall:
Summer, if I can get to a beach. Otherwise, Fall.

Extrovert or introvert:
Introvert. Are you kidding? I’m a writer.

Early bird or night owl:
Night owl. I do my best writing and reading at night.

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
Hmm…. Maybe “Impromptu,” because it stars Judy Davis as the author George Sand.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Books, music, and my cat (with apologies to my husband Jon.)

My bio:
Before turning to a life of crime (fiction), Boston Globe-bestselling author and multiple Massachusetts Center for the Book honoree Clea Simon was a journalist. A native of New York, she came to Massachusetts to attend Harvard University and never left. The author of three nonfiction books and 31 mysteries, most recently the “newspaper noir” Bad Boy Beat, her books alternate between cozies (usually featuring cats) and darker psychological thrillers and amateur sleuth suspense, all with strong female protagonists. She lives with her husband, the writer Jon S. Garelick, and their cat Thisbe in Somerville, Massachusetts.