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

Why do you write the genre that you write?
I fell in love with mysteries when I read my very first book with chapters, “Elizabeth Gail and the Mystery at Johnson Farm.” I’m a child of the 80s who grew up on Encyclopedia Brown, The Westing Game, and detective television. I wrote my Sasquatch Hunters kid’s series because my youngest wasn’t a big reader and I wanted to write something he’d be interested in, and at that time he was obsessed with the show “Finding Bigfoot.”

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Audrey from my Chattertowne mysteries has a notoriously terrible poker face and a crippling case of aquaphobia.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
I thought about using a pseudonym besides my initials, but I can’t even pull off using a coffee name at Starbucks without confessing to the baristas it’s not really my name.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I’ve been writing my whole life. I started SECRETS DON’T SINK when I was my protagonist’s age and it took me until I was nearly her mother’s age to complete it. My grandfather was a writer, and I grew up seeing his books -translated into multiple languages – in our family bookcase.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Mostly I was a stay at home mom for nearly 30 years. I’ve been a grocery store courtesy clerk, a clothing store inventory clerk, I worked at a greeting card store, a music store, I’ve been a telemarketer, and a notary.

How many books do you have published?
I currently have 5 books published across 3 series.

Where do you write?
I briefly had my own writing she-shed, but we’ve since moved. I know have an office set up in the alcove of my bedroom. It doesn’t prevent my husband from constantly wandering through, but it does have a great view.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Extra toasty cheezits

Who is an author you admire?
First, I admire so many authors just for having finished their stories, and for putting themselves out there in the first place. This gig isn’t for the faint of heart. In terms of specific authors, I’m of course a huge Agatha Christie fan, and also J.A. Jance and Mary Daheim, both local Seattle mystery authors.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Mystery by a mile. I’ll occasionally pick up a romance, but not often.

What are you reading now?
In addition to reading a friend’s book to give a blurb, I’m reading Stephen King’s “On Writing,” and “A Killing on the Hill” by Robert Dugoni

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
A Coke Zero with lime and the good ice

What is next for you?
I have Killer Nashville and Bouchercon at the end of August. I’m exciting to be nominated for both the Silver Falchion in mystery and juvenile/YA, and the Anthony for middle grade/YA. The second book in my Cruising Sisters mysteries releases August 28. Book three in my Sasquatch Hunters series releases November 5th, and I’m currently working on something brand new that I can’t talk about yet!

Where can we find you?
My website is KBJackson.com, My email is info@KbJackson.com, Instagram: @KBJacksonauthor, FB: KBJacksonauthor, and TikTok: @generallykate.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate, vanilla, or another flavor
I typically tend toward chocolate

Ice cream or cake
ice cream

Fruits or vegetables
fruit

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
I love a good brunch, but breakfast at a restaurant is fun

Dining in or dining out
I make dinner almost every night so I love a good meal out

City life or country living
Depends on the season. Probably an equal split

Beach or mountain
Also depends on the season, but I lean heavily toward ocean

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Hah! After my last two answers I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that it depends on which season I’m in! By August I’ll be saying fall. By January I’ll be saying Spring.

Extrovert or introvert
Extrovert with anxiety about being too much

Early bird or night owl
Used to be a night owl. I’m now at my prime around 2pm

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
Once again, it probably won’t surprise you to hear that this also is seasonal, but my top 5 would be: Charade, While You Were Sleeping, the Goonies, Oklahoma, and Romancing the Stone

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
Coffee, Spotify, and my hubby

My bio:
Kate B Jackson (KB Jackson) is an Agatha Award winner, an Anthony Award finalist, and a 2x Silver Falchion finalist who writes mystery novels for both grownups and kids. An alumnus of the University of Washington—go Huskies!—she lives in the PNW with her hilarious husband. Together they’ve raised four amazing humans. Her favorite hobby is genetic genealogy and she loves to craft stories with elements of history and family dynamics.