Joanna Campbell Slan: Cut, Crop & Die
Book Club Discussion

August 31, 2009. Joanna Campbell Slan "lays out" her intentions behind her scrapbooking mystery,Cut, Crop & Die, for Queenie D.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

Obviously you are a cropper! You have way too much "insider information" to be otherwise. How did you decide to combine your love for scrapbooking with writing?

I've always been a writer! I started putting together small books when I was in grade school. But it wasn't until my son got his driver's license that I was able to work on full-length fiction.

I've been doing modern scrapbooking since 1996, and my first book on it (Scrapbook Storytelling) came out in 1998. I've written six other technique books on the hobby. I've also taught scrapbooking all over the world. In 2002, I began a contest called "The Best of British Scrapbooking" that continues to be held yearly in the UK.

I love scrapbooking, so it was a natural to combine with writing.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

I like that your murder mystery is what I call a clean, whodunit mystery. These days there is so much gore and violence in the media that it's refreshing to read a mystery that still keeps you guessing without upsetting your stomach! Tell us a little bit about how the particulars of the murder (Orange Scone, Epipen) came to be.

I have this habit of asking people as I meet them: "How would you kill someone?" Once they get over the shock, they are remarkably chatty. (I know...it is a bit weird. However, most of us going about our business notice danger!) My pulmonary doctor told me, "Hmmm. You know a lot of people are very allergic to aspirin." The rest was easy.

I try to be accurate and realistic without being too graphic. It's a line I straddle. I've learned that a lot of mothers and their teenage daughters are reading my books together. Isn't that lovely? So I need to be mindful of both my audiences. It's a privilege that young women as well as adults can both enjoy the books.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

I have to be honest – I was a little confused by Mert's character. Is she a young woman that is just, for lack of a better term, "country?" Or is she an older woman? I also wanted to hear more about their friendship. Kiki and Mert seem like such polar opposites, how does a friendship like this happen?

Mert is in her late 40s, but she's from a very hardscrabble background so she often seems old as the hills. She's an autodidact, and surprisingly (given her mode of speech), she has a lot of formal education as well. She's incredibly practical and down-to-earth, and as one of many kids (seven), she's accustomed to nurturing people. Kiki needs that nurturing. In a later book, we'll learn why Mert particularly attends to the business of helping Kiki grow into an independent woman.

Why do friendships like this happen? I like the idea I once heard that each of us is an angel with only one wing. By clinging to each other, we can fly. Kiki and Mert are kindred spirits who fulfill each other's needs: Kiki needs Mert's practicality, and Mert needs the chance to "try again" with a younger woman. But I won't tell you why Mert needs to try again...not yet.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

I really like Shelia! I think she's a character with depth that has a story yet to be fully explored. This line was my favorite: "Tonight I'd seen a tantalizing hint of the woman other people so admired." I think there is way more to Shelia's interest in Kiki besides she's Anya’s mother. Where is their relationship headed?

Sheila is slowly coming to respect Kiki. However, Sheila does NOT have a good sense of boundaries. Sheila is also cursed by the mistaken belief that she has all life's answers. When it comes to looking into her own soul, she's a bit, um, foggy. Her relationship with Police Chief Robbie Holmes will become more complicated. Remember, Robbie and Sheila were once sweethearts. Whatever split them up in the past will re-surface in the future. Stay tuned!

As for her interest in Kiki, Sheila is learning a lot from watching Kiki grow. But Sheila would never admit that. Also, Sheila (despite her occasionally caustic mouth) is a mother who lost a child. A part of her longs to have a daughter. We see glimpses of that desire in how she interacts with Kiki.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

Will Kiki and Clancy continue to be friends? I feel like Clancy has the potential to become a much larger part of Kiki's life.

I like Clancy. I'm working on Book #4 (I've already turned in Book #3), and I see Clancy as becoming more and more involved in the store. Also, we will learn more about what Clancy's ex-husband (aka "The Jerk") did to initiate their divorce. At the same time, we'll learn a lot about forgiveness and character from Clancy because she will have a turning point in a future book. What she decides will create ripples in Kiki's life as well.

Clancy represents the "woman who has it all" or at least "had it all." But none of us gets out of here with no bumps, lumps and bruises, do we?

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

How many more Kiki stories do you think you have to tell?

Oh, gosh. That depends on how many stories my readers demand to hear! I've written a short story, and I'd even like to put together an anthology of Kiki stories, so I guess the real answer is A LOT. I find her fascinating. I love St. Louis, even though I'm writing this from a hotel room on our way to our new home in the Washington DC area. I have a lot to share about St. Louis, so Kiki will stay there. And my readers tell me wonderful stories that I want to incorporate into my books. Besides, I love writing about Kiki and company. I enjoy spending time with them—and my readers write to say they love Kiki, too.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

Can you tell us anything about your current writing projects?

I've turned in Book #3, which has a working title of Photo, Snap, Shot. I've started Book #4 and that's due in March. Book #3 will be out either Spring or Summer of 2010. After that, I guess we'll see what my publisher offers me. That said, sales are great. I'm incredibly fortunate that readers who meet Kiki want to share her with their friends. Meanwhile, in-between writing, I'm appearing at as many events as possible to meet folks and sign books. We just had a big Cut, Crop & Die crop at Jellystone Park in Eureka, MO this weekend! I signed books, taught a class in scrapbook journaling, and posed for photos. So...I can't imagine life without a writing project. Writing is too much a part of how I tick. As long as readers want more, I'm thrilled—no, I'm blessed—to have the chance to provide it.

Book Club Discussion: Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

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