Today I’m so happy to share an author interview with Sarah E. Burr! Sarah is the author of many wonderful and engaging books, including the Trending Topic Mysteries (cozy mystery with a modern twist!), the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries (featuring a magical, candle-making sleuth), and the Court of Mystery series (Game of Thrones meets Christie!). You can find all her links at the bottom of the interview (and also find her website here). Without further ado, let’s get into the questions (written in bold, with Sarah’s answers following):

How would you describe yourself and your career?

A continual work-in-progress! I learn something new about myself or my writing every day. I began my writing journey five years ago, and I feel like I’m just getting started. Besides the Trending Topic Mysteries, the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series, I feel like I have a whole lifetime of stories to tell, so I hope I find the time to write them all down.

You have three (or more?!) very distinct series of mysteries! How do you keep them straight? Do you have a favorite?

I think the fact that the Trending Topic Mysteries, the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series are all very, very different from one another really helps me keep them all straight. When writing in each of these worlds, I really feel like I’m visiting a real place and that immersion aspect allows me to fully invest in my writing experience. Of course, I do keep detailed notes (which include character bios, town maps, timelines, and plot items) in OneNote, serving as my “writing bible.” Being able to easily reference a person, place, or thing has been a lifesaver, especially jumping from book to book. I also try to use different character names across all the series so that no two people can be confused with one another. Although, there are some days where I write a whole chapter and the names are all mixed up!

Coming this fall is the next in your Glenmyre Whim mysteries! I loved the first book and
can’t wait for the second. What inspired you to write about candlemaker Hazel?

Hazel Wickbury first entered my life just as the world around us was changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Being confined to my small NY apartment and inundated daily with very tragic news, I had the itch to create a new world where I could escape. I wanted to surround myself with a warm, welcoming community where everyone had each other’s backs and where nothing really bad ever happened. Then I began to think, well, what if nothing bad did ever happen because of a magical element? That’s when Hazel and the town of Crucible began to take shape. When I began crafting the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries in my mind, I definitely wanted there to be a paranormal aspect to the series, but I wanted to write something other than a witch-like character. I began tinkering with how someone could have powers and not be a witch/wizard and that’s when the idea of “whims” presented itself. In Hazel’s family, each member has a little supernatural power, or whim, that sets them apart. Hazel’s whim is unfortunately a bit morbid. She can see a “lifeclock” hovering above the heads of everyone around her, showing her when
they are destined to die. Not fun at all, but Hazel finds a way to do good with her whim, regardless.

Once I came up with this idea of whims, I began toying with how Hazel’s career would factor into the mix. They say write what you know, and since I am a big-time candle lover, I thought, “What if Hazel made her own candles and sold them at a shop?” From there, the town of Crucible really unfolded before me. Crucible was actually the first “character” I created in Hazel’s world. Hazel didn’t even get her real name until after the first draft had been written!

You do so many things outside of writing–podcasting, making book trailers, and teaching other authors, to name just a few. How do you balance everything, and how does it all fit together?

Ha ha – I ask myself this question every day! Sometimes it doesn’t feel like they all fit together, but then some days, everything clicks all at once. For me, it bubbles down to two things. One, I love helping others and sharing what I’ve learned on my writing journey. And two, I love being busy because being busy makes me feel like progress is being made. With how slowly the publishing industry moves at times, there is also a lot of waiting involved, and I’m a really, really impatient person. Many of these other projects I have going on are a result of filling the space between books. And I have so much fun with them that it really doesn’t feel like work after a time. I think it all comes down to setting daily goals for myself about what needs to be accomplished. I am totally a goal-oriented person. I make a daily, weekly, and monthly checklist to ensure I’m on track.

What do you find to be the hardest part of your work as an author?

Writing the first three chapters of a book. I struggle so, so much with this. Not so much during the first book of a series, but any subsequent books that are written. Mostly, because recapping “just the right amount” is really tricky for me as a writer. You don’t want to overwhelm readers with information, but you also want to appropriately set the scene for what’s going on. It’s a fine line, and for me, it’s one the biggest challenges. I just got done writing Book Two in the Trending Topic Mysteries, and I had to work really hard to make Coco’s first three chapters full of action to show who Coco and her friends are, rather than tell the reader who they are.

And what is the most rewarding?

I absolutely love hearing from readers. I love hearing how much they love Hazel and Poppy’s relationship or how much they admire Coco’s “girl boss” attitude. Knowing that I’ve created something that not only entertains but resonates with readers is really quite amazing and just the best feeling in the world.


Any last comments–and let us know where to find you online!

Elle, thank you so much for having me. What fabulous questions! They got me to reflect on just how far I’ve come, and that’s a great feeling.

Readers can always find me somewhere online, whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
YouTube or my website. I love connecting with readers, so feel free to say hi!

Find Sarah Here!

Website: www.saraheburr.com
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrsignup
Socials: https://bit.ly/sarahsocialmediahub

FollowMe for Murder: https://bit.ly/followmeformurder

You Can’t Candle the Truth: https://bit.ly/glenmyrewhimmysteriesbook1

Court of Mystery series: https://bit.ly/courtofmystery

Sarah E. Burr is the award-winning author of the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, Trending Topic Mysteries, and Court of Mystery series. She currently serves as the social media guru for the New York chapter of Sisters in Crime and is the creative mind behind BookstaBundles, a content creation service for authors. Sarah is the co-host of The Bookish Hour, a livestreamed YouTube series featuring author interviews and book discussions. When she’s not spinning up stories, Sarah is singing Broadway tunes, reading everything from mystery to manga, video gaming, and enjoying walks with her dog, Eevee.