1--What is the title of your latest release?
FLORA FLOWERDEW AN THE SECRET OF THE SARCOPHAGUS
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
1889. With the winter season, Flora's séance society is quiet and life looking dull. A late-night visit from the too-handsome Benedict, Duke of Everton, and his aunt Lady Imogen changes all that. Imogen's long-ago lover, the renowned archaeologist Lord Crosbie, is missing, and she fears the worst.
Flora agrees to accompany them to a mummy unwrapping at the British Museum to see if anyone knows about the disappearance. It's the shock of the town when Crosbie himself is found in the ancient sarcophagus—murdered! Adventure awaits when Flora, Benedict, Imogen, the faithful Pomeranian Chou-Chou, and Mary the Cockney maidservant, set off for Egypt—and find a large cast of suspects who all had good reason to send the archaeologist off to his own underworld.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I’ve always loved archaeology and stories of ancient Egypt, as well as Victorian lady explorers! It all seemed to come together perfectly for Flora’s new story. I enjoyed the research on Egyptian river voyages and ancient temples so much
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Oh, definitely! Flora is so much fun, always looking for adventure. I’d love to follow her just to see where she goes next, and then sit by the fire in the evening with a glass of port to listen to her tales of theater life and seances gone wrong…
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Intelligent, intrepid, resilient (and creative, but that’s four!)
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I read “A Thousand Miles Up the Nile,” by another Victorian explorer, Amelia Edwards, and loved losing myself in her wonderfully descriptive passages and beautiful artwork on her voyage along the Nile and all the temples and tombs she saw along the way, the people she met. I knew Flora and her posse would see the same things
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
If I stopped to edit as I went, I would never finish the book because I would be too cautious and picky about what to change! I have to finish the manuscript first, and I try to write as clean as I can the first time so there isn’t a lot to tidy up at the end
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Chocolate, always!!! And good bread. I did a lot of baking during Covid, and perfected a chocolate chip roll.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I’m so lucky, we moved last year into a house with an extra space just for my office! But it’s also a library/extra closet space (I am a clothes fanatic). I found a lovely antique desk, perfect with my pink chair, and set it up by the window. It’s very cozy!
10--Who is an author you admire?
Oh, so, so many! Jane Austen introduced me to the Regency period, and Mary Stewart to the shivery delights of the Gothic. Agatha Christie got me into twisting, mysterious puzzles in unexpected locations. Elizabeth Peters inspired this particular book, as did DEATH ON THE NILE.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
There have been a few! I remember reading “Jane Eye” when I was about 10. I had no idea what it was about, I just found it on my mom’s shelf and liked the cover image of a crumbling castle. I stayed up all night reading it and was SHOCKED by Rochester’s secret! I also keep going back to read AS Byatt’s “Possession,” a book with a lot of meaning for me
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
My very first “call” was many years ago, but I will always remember it! It was so long ago (I was still in college, and read more Regency romances than algebra texts), there were no cell phones, and I got a message on my answering machine (I told you it was long ago!) from an editor at Kensington saying she wanted to talk to me about my book but was on her way to a conference and would call when she got back. I had to wait a WEEK!!! It was not so long for my Flora series; they loved the idea of my psychic medium/former chorus girl with the adorable Pomeranian from the start
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Hmm, that is tough! I’ve always read anything and everything that catches my attention. But I do love a good mystery so much, especially with a fun cast of characters and a hint of romance
14--What’s your favorite movie?
That’s a tough one, too! I do often re-watch “A Room with a View,” it’s so filled with sweeping, youthful emotion and gorgeous Italian scenery. Anything Audrey Hepburn, too, especially “Roman Holiday”
15--What is your favorite season?
Autumn, maybe? The colors, the crisp breeze, Halloween! But I also love the flowers and brought colors of summer
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I know there are some people who don’t like their birthdays, but I love mine! If I have to get a little older, I am going to have cake to go with it. I usually go to a fabulous dinner with a few friends, have a nice cocktail, a special dessert.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I don’t make it to the movie theater as much as I used to, but I did see a few Oscar movies lately and enjoyed them all! I cried and cried at “Wicked,” and marveled at the gorgeous costumes. I would definitely recommend that one! And I like to listen to “You’re Wrong About…” when I clean house
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
That’s as hard as deciding on a favorite dessert! I love Italian, Indian, a good steak, a beautiful crispy salad with summer vegetables. But I absolutely LOVE afternoon tea!
19--What do you do when you have free time?
Read!! I also live in New Mexico, where there is gorgeous natural beauty and lots of places to hike and explore. I try crafts, do a little baking, sing to my dogs (they don’t complain I’m off-key)
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m just starting another Flora adventure! I also have a romance, HOW TO COURT YOUR WIFE, out in October, and a historical fiction story that is the “book of my heart,” coming out very soon, SECRETARY TO THE SOCIALITE. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I have!
Flora Flowerdew Victorian #3
1889. With the winter season, Flora's séance society is quiet and life looking dull. A late-night visit from the too-handsome Benedict, Duke of Everton, and his aunt Lady Imogen changes all that. Imogen's long-ago lover, the renowned archaeologist Lord Crosbie, is missing, and she fears the worst.
Flora agrees to accompany them to a mummy unwrapping at the British Museum to see if anyone knows about the disappearance. It's the shock of the town when Crosbie himself is found in the ancient sarcophagus—murdered! Adventure awaits when Flora, Benedict, Imogen, the faithful Pomeranian Chou-Chou, and Mary the Cockney maidservant, set off for Egypt—and find a large cast of suspects who all had good reason to send the archaeologist off to his own underworld...
Mystery Historical | Romance Historical [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: March 11, 2025, e-Book , ISBN: 9781648398186 / ]
Flora's "RoMystery with Spirits
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion. She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.
When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook.
Amanda also writes as Laurel McKee for Grand Central Publishing, the Elizabethan Mystery Series as Amanda Carmack, and the Manor Cat Mystery Series as Eliza Casey.
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