Featured Author: Christina Freeburn

I'm happy to feature another cozy mystery writer today. Christina Freeburn is the author of the Faith Hunter Scrap mystery series. She's here today to talk about book number 2 in the series, Designed to Death.

About the book:

Faith Hunter planned the perfect event at her grandmother’s shop, Scrap This, featuring local scrapbooker and Life Artist Diva, Belinda Watson. But the extravaganza goes up in a cloud of glitter when Belinda and her cousin, Darlene, brawl over scraplifted designs. Faith attempts to break it up, but only makes things worse. Then when Belinda turns up dead behind the Scrap This store, Faith’s involvement goes viral.

As accusations against her turn vicious, Faith sets out to prove her nemesis, Darlene, committed the crime, only to realize they are both innocent. Now they must team up or the murderer’s plan will come together seamlessly with the frenemies sharing a jail cell—or worse, a funeral.

Interview with Christina Freeburn

Christina, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I’ve been writing since I was a freshman in high school so ... wow ... almost thirty years. I started during a long, boring bus ride to school. It was thirty minute drive so a friend and I decided to write a teenage romance book together. She grew bored after a few weeks, but I continued on.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Since the first book in the Faith Hunter Scrap mystery series is Cropped to Death, I wanted to pair another scrapbooking term with “to Death.” The second book in the series deals with scraplifting/stealing designs so I went with Designed to Death.

How would you describe your book in five words?

Cozy, crafty, humorous, sassy, and engaging. 

How did you create the plot for this book?

The plot came from combining a couple of different incidents that happened years ago in the scrapbooking community and adding a twist or two to make it a little more unique. I didn’t want the plot to be similar to the actual events and also needed to up it just a little more so it seemed “reasonable” people would find themselves willing to commit murder. And since Faith is the kind of person who is driven to help others, I wondered what would happen if the person in need was someone she didn’t particularly like. 

How do you get to know your characters?

By writing about them. I try and do biographies and write out their back story, but I’ve discovered the most important things, and their deepest secrets, come out when I’m writing the stories and giving the characters freedom to do and say what they want.

What would your main character say about you?

That I’m bossy and fight to get my own way with the story even though she has a better idea and knows what’s really going on in Eden. I need to let go of what I want to happen so what is actually happening can take place on the page.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

Without giving too much of the plot away, it’s a toss-up between Faith and Darlene getting caught by Detective Ted Roget as their looking for clues at someone’s house, and a scene involving Washi tape.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

By the end of the book, Faith’s theme song is "Undo It," by Carrie Underwood.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?

Travel Unscripted by Mark Murphy in ebook format.

Where’s home for you?

West Virginia.

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

I used to work in a library and loved it. So I’d pick a library.

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

A house or condo in Florida that’s close to a port and also Orlando.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I like to scrapbook, read or quilt. And my favorite thing of all to do would be traveling, especially to Disney World though we can’t do that very often.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on Embellished to Death, book 3 in the Scrapbooking series.

About the author:

Christina has loved books since she can remember. There was nothing better than picking up a story and finding herself in another place and meeting new people. The love of reading evolved into the love of writing, and she's been writing since her teenage years. Her first novel, Parental Source, was a 2003 Library of Virginia Literary award nominee. Whether it's a detective story or an inspirational romantic suspense, her stories usually involve some sort of crime where the characters are determined to see those wrongs righted.