I'm pleased to welcome author Trish MacEnulty to The Writing Desk:
Tell us about your latest book
My latest book is book #3 of The Delafield & Malloy Investigations. It’s titled Secrets and Spies. Here’s the book description: “After the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, New York society writer Louisa Delafield and her assistant Ellen Malloy join in the hunt for German saboteurs who are trying to stop America from aiding the Allies.
The spies have infiltrated all levels of American society, and they’ll do anything from churning out propaganda to committing cold-blooded murder to further their mission. Can Louis and Ellen expose them? In Secrets and Spies, both women sacrifice their personal happiness as they dive into a world of subterfuge and deception.”
I absolutely loved writing this book. I learned so much about what was going on in New York before America entered the Great War. The German ambassador to America was both a socialite and a spy! I was also fascinated by the story of the sinking of The Lusitania by a German torpedo. There were so many unnecessary deaths because of poor management. Half the lifeboats couldn’t even be used. The ship sank in about eighteen minutes. I found a lot of accounts by survivors, and there were several stories of heroism. One of the Vanderbilts was on board, and he saved several lives before perishing.
What is your preferred writing routine?
I’m a morning person so I generally write for about three hours every morning. Then in the afternoons I do research, edit, read other works of historical fiction or work on marketing.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
The obvious answer is to read widely in your genre. For historical fiction in particular, it’s important to do your research first. Know the time period thoroughly because it will actually impact your story.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
I’m still working on that! I do think that Amazon ads, sweepstakes, Bookbub, Facebook, Twitter and Tiktok all help. Blogs such as this are also a great way to reach readers who are interested in your particular genre.
Tell us something unexpected you discovered during your research.
I was pleased to discover that the American-born wife of the German count who was an American spy in World War I despised Hitler and the Nazis and came back home to die. It was also interesting to read the memoirs of Germans who had been involved in the sabotage of American vessels when America was a neutral country and to learn their rationale for their actions. After all, what we in America saw as treachery, they saw as patriotism.
What was the hardest scene you remember writing?
The sinking of the Lusitania was a tough one. So many people died, including infants. The survivors had to search through the Cunard sheds in Ireland to find the bodies of their loved ones, but not all bodies were recoverWhat are you planning to write next?
I’m excited to write about a woman who was influential in establishing freedom of the press. That’s all I can say about it at the moment because I haven’t even started my research yet. Of course, after that, I plan to return to my series.
Thanks so much for hosting Trish MacEnulty today, with such a fascinating interview. Much appreciated. x
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