Interview with Crime Writer Cathi Stoler: S. 6, Ep. 15

Debbi Mack interviews crime writer Cathi Stoler on the Crime Cafe podcast. For your podcasting needs, I use and recommend Blubrry Podcasting. I also recommend Stitcher Premium, if you’re a fan of podcasts. If you like true crime or crime fiction, there are loads of podcasts out there for you. And with Stitcher Premium you can listen to the exclusive archives from Criminology or bonus episodes from True Crime Garage. You can also listen ad-free to episodes of your favorite podcasts. I’ve subscribed, and for only $4.99 a month, it’s nice to have ad-free entertainment. Just go to www.stitcher.com/premium and use the promo code, CRIMECAFE, to try it out absolutely free for a month. And, once again, we have a transcription of the show notes. Click here to download a copy in PDF. Debbi (00:02): Hi everybody. My guest today writes mystery and suspense novels. Her latest novel and her giveaway book is BAR NONE from the Murder on the Rocks mystery series. A board member of Sisters in Crime, New York/Tri-State, MWA and the International Thriller Writers, she's also a founding member of Sirens of Suspense, a group that offers expertise and knowledge for aspiring crime writers. I'm pleased to have with me again, Cathi Stoler. Hi Cathi. It's great to have you on. Cathi (02:27): Hi, Debbi. It's great to be here. Debbi (02:32): Oh, well it's my pleasure. Believe me. And I'm just glad you're here and doing well I hope in New York? Cathi (02:40): Yeah. You know, I mean like everyone else, it's just been a little ... Debbi (02:45): Been a little off-putting? Cathi (02:48): Yeah. Even just going outside, there's not the usual energy, you know, you feel it after a while. I'm sure you know what I mean. Debbi (02:57): Mmm-Hmm. Yeah, it's strange times overall. Tell us a little about Jude Dillane. Am I saying that correctly? Jude Dillane? And the Murder on the Rocks series? Cathi (03:14): Well Jude owns The Corner Lounge on 10th street and Avenue B on the Lower East Side. She seems to have a penchant for getting in trouble and involved in murders and mysteries. There's three books in the series. The one that was, both BAR NONE and LAST CALL came out pretty close together. The end of last year, one in July and one in November. So I'm working on the third one, it's called STRAIGHT UP and it will continue that character. And will also continue part of the story from LAST CALL, but she has a good pal Sully Thomas, Thomas "Sully" Sullivan. He's her landlord and her friend. She has good friends from before and they both sort of work together and help each other. Debbi (04:12): So there are three books in the series so far, but you're working on the next one? Cathi (04:17): I'm working on the third one. I'm almost finished with that. And then there will probably be a fourth. Debbi (04:24): Got ya. Okay. So what's the third one called again? Cathi (04:28): The third one is called STRAIGHT UP a Murder on the Rocks mystery. They will all have that tagline, same tagline. Debbi (04:40): Yeah. What inspired you to write a mystery series set in a bar? Cathi (04:45): Well, my husband was in the restaurant business for many, many years before he left that business, and I used to go visit him. He always worked close to where we lived and I would visit him at the bar, and I got to know all the people, the waiters, the waitresses, the cooks, and you know, the other staff. And it was just fun. You know, it was a fun kind of environment. He always said, Oh, he thought maybe he'd write a book someday, but I knew he was not going to really do that. So I just stole his idea. No murders ever took place at the bars where he worked or anyone involved in any, so. [M]y husband was in the restaurant business for many, many years before he left that business, and I used to go visit him. He always worked close to where we lived and I would visit him at the bar, and I got to know all the people, the waiters,