Why do you write the genre that you write?
Having worked in law enforcement for 22 years, I decided to write police procedural thrillers after hanging up my gun belt.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
In the Detective Cruz series, I wrote a character nicknamed Doc who is a hypochondriac. He’s not the main character, but he’s a detective on the homicide squad. They call him Doc because he’s attended almost as many autopsies as the Medical Examiner. Unfortunately, witnessing all sorts of trauma and disease inside human bodies has caused him to imagine he will soon end up on a steel table in the morgue.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
I write under my maiden name. Since I have locked up actual bad guys in real life, I like to keep a bit of separation between my personal life and my writing.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I have always wanted to write fiction, but I was too busy in my career to take time out. As a captain, I was on call 24/7 and 365 days a year. I worked long hours and had a crazy schedule. After I retired, I was finally able to indulge my dream, so I took five years to study the art and craft of writing before endeavoring on my first novel.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I joined the Fairfax County Police Department (just outside Washington, DC) shortly after graduating college when I was 22 and stayed with that career, progressing up the ranks into command staff, until my retirement. I worked at other jobs to help pay for college, but law enforcement was my only career.

Where do you write?
I usually write at a desk in my office at home. I have a nice portable setup with a laptop when I travel or if I need to work elsewhere, but my desk is the go-to. I also have several “think spots” throughout the house. I use these when I am stuck on a plot problem and need to get away from the screen to work out possible solutions.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Normally, I eat as few carbs as possible. When a deadline looms, however, I sometimes feel the urge to indulge in something carb-centric. When I can manage it, I will have coffee instead. I like my coffee with cream only—no sugar.

Who is an author you admire?
There are so many! Here are a few that I have come to know personally and can vouch for the fact that they are not only incredibly talented bestselling writers, but kind and wonderful people as well: Jeffery Deaver, JA Jance, Steve Berry, Gregg Hurwitz, and all the members of Rogue Women Writers.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I have wide-ranging tastes in reading, including both non-fiction and fiction of many genres. I cannot say I have a favorite since I deliberately switch things up. I read biographies, political thrillers, historical romance, young adult fantasy, self-help, cozy mysteries, medical texts, serial killer thrillers, science fiction, true crime, domestic suspense, and anything else that appeals at the moment. The only books I shy away from are depressing ones where everyone dies at the end and life seems to have no meaning. Honestly, I had my fill of that when I was a cop. No, thank you!

What are you reading now?
I am reading Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey, and it’s fantastic.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
A glass of chardonnay.

What is next for you?
I am currently working on two novels at the same time. In addition, I’m consulting with the screenwriters who are adapting my novel, The Cipher, for film. There is a lot on my plate, but I love the challenge and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Where can we find you?
The best places are my website: isabellamaldonado.com or my Amazon author page at isabellamaldonado.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
Chocolate if plain, but vanilla if toppings are added.

Cake or ice cream
Ice cream…sadly, I’m gluten-free.

Fruits or vegetables
Veggies, but only if cooked properly.

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Lunch.

Dining in or dining out
Dining in; my husband is a wonderful cook.

City life or country living
I’m a suburbanite: city convenience + country quiet.

Beach or mountain
Mountain. No sand in places I don’t want to mention.

Summer or winter
Summer.

Short story or full-length novel
Novel.

Extrovert or introvert
Extrovert (I know that makes me odd for a writer).

Early bird or night owl
Former night owl turned early bird so I can catch the worm.

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
Pride and Prejudice – the 1995 BBC miniseries with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Lizzy Bennet. Sorry, but no other versions are as good. The 1940 film with Sir Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson comes in as a close second.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Assuming these are extras and that essentials (food, water, shelter) have been taken care of, here are my three necessities:
1. A massive supply of pen and paper. Assuming I can’t have a computer, I must have a way to write, which would keep me sane.
2. Something to read. Ideally, I would have a Kindle and could download an endless supply of books and audiobooks, but I imagine there would be no electricity on a desert island. In that case, I would dream of stumbling into a cave to discover that thousands of scrolls from the library of Alexandria had been saved from destruction. Of course, there would be a handy Rosetta Stone-like device in the cave allowing me to interpret them…
3. Glasses. I’m nearsighted, so I’d need glasses to spot a boat in the distance and send up a signal.

My bio:
Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in her police department, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the bestselling FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera series (optioned by Netflix for a feature film starring Jennifer Lopez) and the Detective Veranda Cruz series. Her books have been translated into 22 languages. For more information, visit isabellamaldonado.com.