Interview with Gigi Pandian

Tell us about your publishing journey…

I started writing because it was a fun hobby, but I began taking my writing seriously after being awarded a Malice Domestic Grant for my work I progress. After polishing the book, I found an agent. She helped me edit the book, then she began pitching the book to publishers. While we waited to hear from publishers, I worked on my next novel. I was content to wait around for something to happen – until I had a brush with death.

After a cancer diagnosis, I needed to seize the day. I decided to I self-published my first novel, Artifact. I put the work in to do it professionally, and continued to work with my agent, so the year after published my first novel, I had offers from two publishers for two three-book deals.

After learning everything that goes into publishing behind the scenes, I’m now thrilled to be working with two wonderful publishers for two series: my Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series (Henery Press) and my new Accidental Alchemist paranormal mystery series (Midnight Ink).

What do you love about being an author?

I love that I get to follow my creative passion and share it with others. Hearing from readers is fantastic.

If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?

Tea with Amelia Peabody, Elisabeth Peters’ intrepid Egyptologist, at Shepheard’s in Cairo.

If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?

Female alchemist Zoe Faust hasn’t aged in over 300 years, except for her hair, which turned white. She keeps it cut into a stylish, short haircut, and people assume she dies it to be trendy, never realizing it’s truly white. I imagine that Zoe looks rather like Switch from The Matrix.

Dorian the gargoyle was once a stone carving, similar to the most famous gargoyle on Notre Dame in Paris, before he was accidentally brought to life by a French stage magician. He would need to be animated with CGI effects!

Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?

Can I have both? I’m thinking of Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?

My favorite era of mystery fiction was the Golden Age of detective fiction, in between the two world wars. One of my favorite authors is John Dickson Carr, who died shortly after I was born. I’d love to have met him to see how his mind worked.

What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?

Life’s too short to worry about what others expect of you. Follow your passions.

If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?

I’ve written a book about a stone gargoyle brought to life, so can you guess my answer? I’ve been fascinated by gargoyles since my first trip to Europe at age ten. They represent all things mysterious.

Where do you write best?

I can’t concentrate at home, because there are too many distractions. As I type this, I’m at my favorite café where I also write my novels.

What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?

Keeper of the Castle, a paranormal mystery by Juliet Blackwell. It’s the fifth book in the Haunted Home Renovation series, and it’s my favorite one yet. I love how Blackwell blends history and folklore into her stories in fascinating ways.

If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?

I’ve never been able to write a story without a mystery, so I write both traditional mysteries and paranormal mysteries. I have an idea for a young adult paranormal mystery. Now I just need to find the time to write it!

Where can fans find you online?

There’s more about me and my books on my website (http://gigipandian.com/) and blog (http://gigipandian.blogspot.com/).

I love Twitter (https://twitter.com/GigiPandian), track my obsessive reading on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/GigiPandian), am reluctantly on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/GigiPandian), and am having fun on Pinterest: (http://www.pinterest.com/GigiPandian/)

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