Why do you write the genre that you write?
I’ve loved mysteries since my older sister introduced me to Agatha Christie when I was still in grade school. And I write cozy mysteries because I love their humor and hopefulness—I love rom-coms for the same reason.

What’s the quirkiest quirk one of your characters has?
Quasar, a misfit reindeer who lives in Castle Kringle with the Claus family, is from the Rudolph herd but his nose is undependable and tends to fizzle when Quasar is feeling anxious, which is often.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
On the day my agent called to say that I needed to come up with a pseudonym, stat, I was looking up at a poster that my sister had just brought me as a souvenir from her trip to Ireland. I said the name Liz Ireland aloud and that was that.

Tell us how you got into writing?
I started writing seriously in college, where I studied playwriting. After I graduated, I began a novel and I fell in love with writing stories in prose. It was like getting to be the director, the set designer, and the entire cast of characters without having to worry about stage fright.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I’ve worked as a bookstore clerk, a substitute teacher, a fiction editor, an essay grader for state standardized tests, and various temp positions. My most boring (and archaic) job was typing mailing labels for a Manhattan public relations firm. I was the world’s pokiest professional typist.

Where do you write?
I mostly work in an office in my house, but I have several work stations that I can move between—my cluttery desk where my computer is; a small writing desk in a spare bedroom where I write out the first drafts of chapters by hand; and a chair that I like to sit in while I read and edit.

What is your favorite deadline snack?
Popcorn with either garlic salt or dill pickle spice.

Who is an author you admire?
There are so many! I really admire Elly Griffiths for creating three great series, including her Magic Men series, which is one of my favorites. Until recently she was working on all three series at once, which is an amazing creative juggling act and my hat is off to all authors who manage it. (Looking at you, Ellen Byron, Julie Ann Lindsey, Lynn Cahoon and so many others!)

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I love cozies but I probably read an equal number of suspense books and police procedurals. I especially love authors who can combine both, like Val McDermid.

What are you reading now?
Physical book: This Lovely City by Louise Hare, a great mystery about Jamaican immigrants in postwar England. Ebook: The Secrets We Share by Edwin Hill. Audiobook: The Detective Up Late by Adrian McKinty.

What is your favorite beverage to end the day?
Lemon ginger tea.

What is next for you?
I’m currently writing my next full-length Mrs. Claus mystery, and there are also several Mrs. Claus novellas in the queue. The next one is “Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun,” in Kensington’s Irish Milkshake Murder anthology, which will be available in December.

Where can we find you?
On Facebook, Instagram, and my website at lizireland.wordpress.com.

Now to have some fun . . .

Chocolate or vanilla
Chocolate.

Cake or ice cream
Cake!

Fruits or vegetables
Fruits

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Breakfast

Dining in or dining out
Dining in—my husband’s a great cook.

City life or country living
City—I grew up in the country and experienced enough snakes and bugs for a lifetime.

Beach or mountain
My instinct is to say mountain, but I live in a seaside town and love it, so…

Summer or winter
Summer

Short story or full-length novel
Full-length novel

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert

Early bird or night owl
Night owl

And even more fun . . .

What’s your favorite movie?
I love classic movies and I have about a hundred favorites. One of the ones I’ve watched most is The Apartment.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
My clarinet, an audiobook device, and an instruction manual on how to make practical appliances out of coconut shells and bamboo, like the Professor on Gilligan’s Island.

My bio:
Liz Ireland grew up in Texas, where she experienced nothing but green Christmases for most of her life—until she moved to Canada. In addition to the Mrs. Claus mysteries, she writes the Cupcake Coven series of rom-coms under the name Elizabeth Bass. Liz is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. She currently lives on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia.