Interview with Brett Monk, Author of Rum Away (Livvy Mercer Mysteries Book 1)

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Rum Away (Livvy Mercer Mysteries Book 1)?

I’m a very character-driven writer. I love a good twisty plot, but at the end of the day what I really want to do is to create characters that my readers (and movie viewers, since I’ve written and directed two movies) love to spend time with. So when my co-writer, McKenna, and I were developing this new series, we spent a lot of time thinking about what would make a really fun and engaging female amateur sleuth. Something that hadn’t been overdone already. McKenna has experience in the restaurant industry and I used to make training films for the FBI. So, we came up with the idea of a female bartender who reads body language and microexpressions. “Livvy Mercer, The Crime Solving Bartender Who Never Forgets a Face”. We paired her with a handsome FBI agent and gave them a turbulent backstory. From that point on, the story just took off on its own.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Rum Away (Livvy Mercer Mysteries Book 1), what would they be?

Since Livvy is a bartender and she always remembers her clients and their favorite drinks, her song would definitely be the theme song from Cheers… “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”.

For the male lead, FBI Agent Garrett Lucas, it would have to be “Every Breath You Take” by the Police. Because, he’ll be watching you!

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love reading several genres, including sci-fi and epic fantasy, but yeah, my main genre to read, write, and watch on TV is definitely mystery/thrillers. In particular, character driven mystery/thrillers with a little bit of humor and warmth.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

My TBR pile includes “The Man Who Died Twice” by Richard Osman, since I loved “The Thursday Murder Club”, “15 Minutes” by Larissa Reinhart, and “Tell No One” by Harlan Coben.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

This series is written in collaboration with McKenna Langford, so when I say “I wrote” I mean “we”. Having said that, there’s a scene in “Rum Away” where Livvy sees a girl being threatened and then murdered in a parking lot late at night. Livvy had previously tried to warn the girl in her bar that the guy was creepy, but the girl told her to “mind her own business” and ridiculed her. The scene is filled with both the usual tension and suspense of an impending death scene, but Livvy’s wildly clashing emotions as the event unfolds really make it delicious reading.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I don’t have any particularly quirky habits, other than having my guitar on a stand beside my desk and taking breaks from writing by grabbing it and playing for a few minutes. Also, I do a lot of my writing and thinking at my log cabin on a mountain in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” I know it’s actually from poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy, but I like the way Gene Wilder delivered it in Willy Wonka.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I’d love my readers to remember my characters as if they were a real person that they had met. I want them to think, “Oh I need to tell Livvy Mercer (or one of my other characters) about that… Oh wait… I forgot… She’s fictional.”