Mystery Book Tour Day 9 #MysteryNovember The Body on the T by Mike Martin

Welcome to Day 9 of The November Mystery Book Tour.

Today our guest is Mike Martin and his book The Body on the T

Where is your home town?

I was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland at the very eastern tip of North America. I lived there for most of my early life and then moved to Ottawa, the capital of Canada in my 30’s and have been there ever since.

How long have you been writing?

Like many writers I am also an active reader and have always been so. I had two older sisters who were teachers so they encouraged me to read early and often. They dragged me along to the library every week and I could pick and choose my books. As a result I grew to love reading and admire writers. As soon as I could I started writing, trying very poorly, to imitate my favourites. But I kept at it in one form or another until I finally got a little better. I have now been writing professionally for about 20 years. I have been a freelance writer, a ghost writer, an editor and a publisher. I started writing fiction about 5 years ago.

What is your favourite sub-genre of mystery?

I’m a traditional mystery kinda guy. I like the old stuff like Agatha Christie but also some of the more modern classic type detective mysteries like Donna Leon. In fact, my Windflower series draws some inspiration from Leon’s use of food and culture, although Venice is a long ways away from Windflower’s setting in small town Newfoundland. I also enjoy some thrillers and some cozy mysteries, although I tend to shy away from cats, knitting and southern comfort.

Where is your book set?

All three books in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. The Walker on the Cape, The Body on the T and now Beneath the Surface are all set in small communities on the southeast coast of Newfoundland.

Introduce the readers to Winston Windflower.

Sgt. Winston Windflower is a Cree from Northern Alberta. He is an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and as part of a national police service he gets posted all over Canada. For the last couple of years he has been in Grand Bank, Newfoundland and although he is a complete outsider he has been welcomed warmly into the community. He even finds himself a girlfriend who just happens to own the local café where Windflower can indulge his hearty appetite.

What incidents break up the peace of this part of Newfoundland?

Crime happens everywhere. It’s just more visible or more newsworthy in big towns or cities because there’s more reporting. In Windflower’s part of the world there is also a tradition of smuggling, back to the prohibition days, and an undercurrent of illegal activities that are often visible but ignored by the general populace. And there are always the deep human emotions of envy and lust and greed and anger that bubble to the surface. Sometimes people die as a result.

Tell us about Grand Bank, what type of town is it?

Grand Bank is an historic seaside town that has been in existence since the mid 1600’s, first as an inshore fishing station used only in the summer. Over time the population increased and it became a year-round settlement, primarily for English and Scottish immigrants. Grand Bank’s great claim to fame is as the home of the famous Grand Bank schooner whose vessels were built at the port. Its’ claim to infamy is as the rum-running capital of the southeast coast of Newfoundland during the American prohibition days. Today it is a quiet, almost semi-retired community with a few locally based businesses and a seasonal tourism industry.

What are some of the delicious foods that Windflower liked to eat?

First of all Sgt. Windflower likes to eat, a lot. That’s good, because food is almost a character in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. He likes barbequed steak, medium rare with a special spicy dry rub. He likes Newfoundland rabbit, also known as hare, braised or in a stew with pastry on top. He likes fish, lots of fish, from pan-fried scallops to baked salmon to sea trout to cod tongues. If you want to know about cod tongues, a Newfoundland delicacy, you have to read the books. And of course Windflower loves, just loves peanut butter cheesecake. He would do almost anything for it. No, he would do anything for it.

Tell us about the TV interest in your book series.

This is very exciting news!! In September I signed an option agreement with Producer Heidi Lasi  for the television and film rights to the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. Heidi Lasi is an award winning film and television producer who discovered one of my books and contacted me about buying the rights. We had discussions over a month or so and finally reached an agreement. Talks are underway with potential partners, showrunners, funders, broadcasters and investors. So now we are putting together a Windflower package – a TV pilot, or at the very least a few scenes from a possible show, as well as some screenplays, to pitch to broadcasters. I will be a creative consultant to this process and I will keep you and your readers up to date on the process.

 

Where can readers find out more about you?

http://www.beneaththesurface.co

Twitter @mike54martin

You can follow Sgt. Windflower on Facebook at        https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl

Buy links for The Body on the T

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Winston-Windflower-Book-ebook/dp/B00F1K0WT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411560417&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+BODY+ON+THE+T%2C+MIKE+MARTIN

 

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Body-Winston-Windflower-Book-ebook/dp/B00F1K0WT8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411560476&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+BODY+ON+THE+T%2C+MIKE+MARTIN

Mike has a Goodreads giveaway in place to win 5 copies running until November 21st

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/113083-the-body-on-the-t