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

What drew you to the genre you write?
I’ve always loved a good puzzle, so writing mysteries felt like a natural fit for me. There’s something deeply satisfying about following the clues, uncovering secrets, and piecing everything together. I’m also drawn to the sense of justice in the genre—the idea that, by the end, the truth comes to light, the wrongdoer is held accountable, and order is restored.

Tell us how you got into writing?
For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been a writer. It’s how I process my feelings and how I entertained myself growing up. In middle school, my best friend and I used to pass a spiral notebook back and forth, each of us taking turns adding to an ongoing (and very dramatic) romantic saga starring us and our favorite boy-band crushes.

I have no idea what ever happened to those notebooks, but I’d love to get my hands on them now. At the time, I never imagined that those early stories were the beginning of something bigger—or that one day I’d grow up to write books for a living.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I’ve had quite an eclectic mix of jobs over the years—everything from working as a television stand-in to casting extras for movies, along with roles in newspaper reporting and public relations. My degree is in journalism, which I chose in part because my father was adamant that I study something “practical” so I could support myself someday. (Parents have a funny way of wanting to get their kids off the payroll.)

I did work as a journalist for a while, but I’ll never forget the moment my editor called me into his office and said, “I don’t want you to be creative—I just want you to report the facts.” That was when I knew I needed to make a change… and I’ve never looked back.

How many books do you have published?
53—and by the end of the year, I will have 55 published.

Where do you write?
I have an office upstairs in our house, and it’s truly my sanctuary. I’ve always wished I were the kind of author who could write in coffee shops, but I’m far too easily distracted.

There’s something about my office—maybe muscle memory, maybe a little Pavlovian conditioning—but when I sit down at my desk, my brain knows it’s time to work. That’s where I’m able to focus, get into the zone, and knock out my daily pages.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
Mysteries and thrillers.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
What might surprise people is that I know every single word to every song in Les Misérables. (Although, trust me—you would not want to hear me sing.) I absolutely love that musical and have seen it dozens of times.

Another fun fact: above, I mentioned that I worked as a stand-in on a television show. It was The All-New Mickey Mouse Club—the one that launched Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, and Christina Aguilera, among others. They were all preteens and teenagers at the time. While they were in school with their tutors, the crew would block the production numbers, and the stand-ins would step in wearing name tags—Britney, Justin, Ryan—whoever was in that number—and stand where the kids would stand so the crew could set lighting and camera shots. It was a lot of fun… and I got paid!

Who is an author you admire?
Agatha Christie—not only because she’s brilliant, but because she stepped into a male-dominated genre and completely owned it. She didn’t just write mysteries—she set the standard for them. Her influence is still everywhere in the genre today.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Read and write. Then read some more—and keep writing. Protect your writing time and show up to the page, no matter what. Even on the days when it feels hard.

Remember, if you write just one page a day, by the end of the year you’ll have a book. Then comes the real magic—rewriting it until your story shines.

What is next for you?
In March, I launched a brand-new series, The Sugar Hollow Amateur Sleuth Society. Book one, Dead to Me, kicked it off—and I’m completely in love with this series.

Books two and three are coming later this year, and I’ll be focusing on Sugar Hollow for the foreseeable future.

Where can we find you?
On my website at www.nancyrobardsthompson.com, on Facebook, on Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Amazon author page. Subscribe to my Substack newsletter at substack.com/@nancyrobardsthompson.

Now to have some fun . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Dinner

Fruits or vegetables
Both—I’ve never met a fruit or veggie I didn’t love… except for okra. Even so, if it’s fried, I can deal with it.

Sweet or salty snacks
Both—depends on my mood.

Ice cream or cake
Cake

Cooking or baking
Baking

Dining in or dining out
Dining out

City life or country living
City life, but right now, we live in a small town.

Beach or mountain
Beach

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Fall

Extrovert or introvert
I’m an introvert who can masquerade as an extrovert—but then it takes me a week to recover.

And even more fun . . .

What is your favorite movie?
This is a hard one, but I’ll go with nostalgia and say The Sound of Music because it holds so many memories. And again—I know all the words to every song!

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
An air conditioner. A comfy bed. A stack of good books.

My bio:
USA Today bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson writes cozy mysteries, romance, and women’s fiction. She once worked as a newspaper reporter covering government, tourism, and business, but soon discovered that reporting “just the facts” was boring. Happier reporting to her muse, Nancy has sold more than 50 books to five traditional publishers and has recently made the leap to independent publishing. Her work, which critics have deemed “…funny, smart, and observant,” has sold in 22 countries and been translated into 12 languages. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and their corgi, Luna.