Balancing Humour, Humanity, and Intrigue
Elaine L. Orr discusses her empathetic approach to mystery writing, blending humour and real-life issues, while maintaining distinct voices across her series and exploring diverse storytelling formats.
Elaine L. Orr is a masterful storyteller whose works have captivated readers with their unique blend of mystery, humor, and empathy. Her ability to weave real-life issues such as PTSD, food insecurity, and emotional pain into her narratives sets her apart in the world of traditional mysteries. Elaine’s characters are not just sleuths solving crimes; they are individuals who reflect the complexities of human nature and the struggles many face in their daily lives. Her stories are a testament to the power of fiction to illuminate the human condition, offering readers not only a thrilling escape but also a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Elaine’s impressive body of work spans four mystery series, each with its own distinct voice and setting. From the Jersey shore in the Jolie Gentil series to the mountains of Western Maryland in the Family History Mystery Series, her novels transport readers to diverse locales filled with rich, authentic characters. Her accolades, including the Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion for “The Unscheduled Murder Trip” and multiple Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Awards nominations, speak to her talent and dedication to the craft. Beyond novels, Elaine’s plays and novellas, such as “Common Ground” and “In the Shadow of Light,” showcase her versatility and commitment to exploring important social issues. As an advocate for electronic publishing, Elaine continues to influence the literary world, ensuring that her stories reach a wide and appreciative audience.
Empathy plays a significant role in your characters’ development and interactions. How do your personal experiences and observations of human behavior influence the empathy you portray in your stories?
It may sound corny, but my parents believed that helping each other is crucial. Neighbors helped my family when my mom had a stroke when we kids were young. I would add that it’s more important when someone is hard to assist. Sometimes you have to realize there’s only so much you can do, and that matters, too.
You write across multiple mystery series, each with its unique setting and characters. How do you balance maintaining distinct voices and atmospheres for each series while keeping them fresh and engaging for your readers?
Always a challenge! I choose settings I know, so I have a sense of local customs, history, and vocabulary. The perspective of someone in a beach town is likely to be different from someone who lives in the mountains. I constantly ask myself what a specific character would think about a situation — and it can’t be similar to most other people who populate a book. As a technical assist, I vary whether I use first or third person for my main character. A dash of understated humor is always good.
Your work addresses real-life issues such as PTSD, food insecurity, and emotional pain through the lens of mystery fiction. What inspired you to incorporate these serious themes into your narratives, and how do you approach writing about them sensitively and authentically?
I like to create situations that could happen anywhere, but it’s important not to let someone’s difficulties (or anything else) get in the way of the story. Plus, people read mysteries to escape the real world, so I try to insert some fun (or positive actions) into tough times. I have Jolie Gentil (the Jersey Shore sleuth) get talked into running a food pantry, but she and others hold amusing (to me) fundraisers that involve much of their Ocean Alley community. I also think readers gain satisfaction when a tough situation is made better.
In addition to writing novels, you also create plays and novellas. How does your approach to storytelling differ between these formats, and what unique challenges and rewards do you find in each?
With plays, your audience only knows what goes on in a very limited setting. Effective dialogue is essential, and I love to have characters talk — keeping in mind that few of us talk in paragraphs, and we interrupts each other a lot. I did plays first, but wanted the ability to expand the lens, so to speak, and now mostly do books. I like first person because the reader only knows what the sleuth knows and there’s no narrator stepping in to lecture readers.
I read a lot about places I write about, and I feel as if I can insert the setting into a novel almost as a character. That’s hard to do in a play.
Given your background in electronic publishing and writing-related presentations, how do you see the evolution of the publishing industry affecting new and established authors, particularly in the mystery genre?
I should be so prescient! It’s always about writing a good story, no matter how the words get to readers. Electronic publishing made reading more democratic because ebooks are generally less expensive — though some publishers often price them high. Economies of scale led to the “big five” publishing houses in the U.S. Well edited self published books can offer readers a lot of variety, and self publishing lets traditionally published authors continue to reach their readers if publisher interests shift.
What I find most challenging is readers’ lessening attention spans. They want “something big to happen” in the first few pages. Sometimes stories build at a slower pace, and I fear that such writing will be pushed aside.
Your novella In the Shadow of Light tackles the tragedies at the U.S.-Mexico border. What motivated you to write this story, and what do you hope readers take away from it regarding the broader social and political issues it addresses?
I seethed with anger while watching children be pulled from their parents. I felt helpless, and the only thing I could think to do was write something from the view of terrified children. Leaders have to make tough decisions, but there is no excuse for cruelty.
