התמלול המלא של Roger Skrypczak

Kristin Heintz: Ashley, I have got to tell you a really funny story about the book of our guest today. Ashley Quinto Powell: Tell me. Kristin Heintz: Well We're wrapping up his audiobook. We wrapped it up yesterday. with my audio rocks and his narrator, and the engineer, Alyssa, both kept gushing about how good this book was and how they were just so into it and they couldn't stop listening to it, and they both Ashley Quinto Powell: They listen to stories all day long. Kristin Heintz: I know, and listen, they were both getting so lost in the story, they were forgetting to do their work. Like Alyssa was forgetting to edit, Ashley Quinto Powell: that's such a great compliment. Kristin Heintz: and Bill was like, I'm no longer narrating, I'm reading the story, right? So he totally I gave him such a hard time for distracting our team. So, and then it was at this point, and this tickled Roger so much. Alyssa blurted out about this story. I don't know who to trust. I know. Ashley Quinto Powell: Such a good problem to have. What great writing. Kristin Heintz: Great writing. Ashley Quinto Powell: Welcome back to Authors Aloud, the podcast where we discuss all things books and storytelling. I'm Ashley Quinto Powell. Kristin Heintz: And I'm Kristen Heinz. We are so excited to welcome Roger Scripzak to the show to talk about Emma's demise, which is the latest in his Columbia County Murder Mystery Series. Roger writes stories about ordinary people who find themselves caught in extraordinary circumstances. There's courtroom dramas. Small town secrets, memorable characters, and plenty of twists that keep readers guessing. Ashley Quinto Powell: For listeners who may be meeting you for the first time, tell us a little about yourself and how you came to writing mysteries. Roger Skrypczak: Okay, well I I've married for fifty seven years. We have two wonderful children and four Kristin Heintz: By the way, that deserves applause. Fifty seven years Ashley Quinto Powell: Yes, congratulations. Kristin Heintz: of marriage. Whew. Roger Skrypczak: and we have four awesome grandchildren. And you're right. And Kristin Heintz: great kids but awesome grandchildren. I get it. Yeah. Roger Skrypczak: we're very fortunate to have them all nearby. So we're you know, it's great that we can see quite often. As far as my writing career, I actually wrote a number of articles for a sporting magazine about fifteen years ago and it was more based on human interest versus how to type of thing. And Kristin Heintz: Mm. Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: then I I didn't write for a while and I s except for a few short stories that I was writing for my own benefit I guess and and then when COVID hit I was working from home. we weren't going out anywhere out to dinner or anything going anywhere. So Kristin Heintz: Yeah. Roger Skrypczak: I had a lot of extra time on my hands and I s I started writing a few more short stories and a friend of mine read one of and he told me, wow, this is this is a book he said, Why don't you Kristin Heintz: Yeah. Roger Skrypczak: take it further? Because there's a lot of material here. So I did and that that came out to be Tatum's Alibi, my first book. and then you know, one thing leads to another and I wrote another one Kristin Heintz: Yeah. Roger Skrypczak: and th w which was Never Doubt Nadine and of course Kristin Heintz: Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: which followed up with Emma's demise. Kristin Heintz: Yeah. Wow. I can't believe you just started writing novels during COVID. That's amazing. Roger Skrypczak: What else you could I do? Ashley Quinto Powell: Title? Well, I mean, I also survived the pandemic and I did not write any mysteries. Kristin Heintz: Did not write a novel. No, no, me either. Roger Skrypczak: Okay. Ashley Quinto Powell: Roger, the title immediately grabs attention. Emma's demise makes readers ask questions before they even open the cover or start the audiobook. How did you land on that title? And without giving away too much, what's this story about? Roger Skrypczak: Hm. Yeah, Emma's d w demise, first of all it it kinda takes that, you know, she is actually brought to justice. But justice comes in different forms. Kristin Heintz: Hmm. Roger Skrypczak: And in Emma's case I think the readers will be somewhat surprised at how her demise comes about. Kristin Heintz: Interesting. So fans of your previous books are gonna be familiar with Mike Jorgensen, right? And several other familiar faces. What has kept you returning to these characters? Roger Skrypczak: Well, I I think a lot of it has to do with the interaction between the characters. Kristin Heintz: Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: and as we read about them in subsequent books, we learn a little bit more about each one of Kristin Heintz: Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: And I think what really got me is that, you know, just in my own life I've you know, the things that that end up being I end up having a relationship with that person as a friend Kristin Heintz: Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: or in case of my wife of romance. And and and also I see that with other people and that's why I I wanted to make sure that there was a continuity with with Kristin Heintz: Mm. Roger Skrypczak: those characters so that when the reader reads about them and they get to know them, they can really relate to them with their own lives. Kristin Heintz: yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Ashley Quinto Powell: Roger, would you recommend readers begin with Emma's Demise or should they read earlier Columbia County Mysteries first? Roger Skrypczak: You know, that's a good question. I get that often, when I'm doing book signings. And I but I think each each of the books could be read separately or on their Kristin Heintz: Hm. Roger Skrypczak: own. But they're gonna miss out on the relationship building part of it. And also Kristin Heintz: Hm, yeah. Ashley Quinto Powell: Mm-hmm. Roger Skrypczak: they're they'll they'll miss out on some of the aha moments because there's there's some