Sunday, September 25, 2011

Ellen Hart

Ellen Hart's latest Jane Lawless mystery (Volume 19) is The Lost Women of Lost Lake.

From a Q & A at her publisher's website:

If you won the lottery, what would you do with your newfound wealth?

Well, let’s say it’s a lot. Say, twenty million. That’s a nice round number. I suppose, first, I’d make sure my kids were comfortable. I’d also invest a significant portion for each of them. With the rest, I’d set up trusts for my five grandkids, buy a summer home up on the north shore of Lake Superior that we could all enjoy -- including my friends. My partner could quit her job, if she wanted to, and continue with her fine art career. I’d invest some of the money for a rainy day, but I’d also try to do some good in the world. I’d give money to humane societies, and maybe establish some kind of grant for young writers. But I’d continue writing. That’s the one thing I know for sure.

Who's your favorite fictional character?

Oh, wow. I don’t think I can pick just one. Here are two, but from the same book. First, Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited. The novel is perhaps one of the most beautifully written in the English language. I was drawn in by Sebastian’s struggle with religion -- in his case, Catholicism. The character resonated so deeply with me. I was also taken by one of the other characters, Charles Ryder. We see the book through his eyes. He doesn’t entirely understand the hold the church has over the entire Flyte family because he grew up within a secular family, but he is compassionate, even as Sebastian’s guilt ultimately leads to...[read on]
Learn more about The Lost Women of Lost Lake.

--Marshal Zeringue