Today we’d like to introduce you to Mally Becker.
Hi Mally, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was a practicing attorney ten years ago, balancing work and family like so many of us. Maybe I was a little burned out—also like many of us. If you had told me then I’d become the author of a multi-award-nominated historical mystery series within a decade, I would have known you were nuts.
To address that bit of burnout I felt all those years ago, I volunteered to clear trails at the Morristown National Historical Park. Getting outside would do me good, I thought. Instead, I was assigned to dig into the Park’s historical archives, which is where I found a document that changed the trajectory of my life.
Not that I knew it at the time.
The slim legal filing I unearthed was dated 1780, and it accused a local farmer of the crime of traveling to New York City <span style=”font-family: "Times New Roman", sans-serif;”>during the American Revolution </span>without the government’s permission. I’d never heard of government restrictions on travel in America, not even during our War for Independence. That indictment stopped me in my tracks, and I took it to one of the Park historians for an explanation.
He said that our country was as divided then as it is now, with no more than a half the population supporting independence. So many of us were spying for the Redcoats and smuggling secrets into British-held New York City, the historian told me, that New Jersey’s government made it illegal to travel there without its permission.
I started playing the writers game of “what if” without knowing that’s what I was doing. What if I had lived in Morristown during those divided times and discovered my husband was a British spy? How would I feel? What would I do?
I started sketching out characters on the page…just for fun, I told myself. I signed up for a creative writing class at The Writers Circle Workshops here in New Jersey. My main character evolved into a solitary young widow who wants nothing to do with the Patriots or the British. But George Washington—who spent two winters in Morristown—makes her an offer she can’t refuse, and he enlists her help to uncover her spying husband’s secrets in Manhattan.
The number of words I deleted writing that first mystery, The Turncoat’s Widow, exceeded the length of the final book. I can’t count the number of times I stared at a blank page without knowing what would happen next in my story. I had this idea that because I love mysteries, that I’d know how to draft one. Silly me.
That first novel took years to write during which I vacillated between thinking the story was brilliant, that the manuscript was abject nonsense, and that I was an adult spending valuable and limited free time playing a child’s game of make-believe.
But amid the self-doubt, there was such pleasure in discovering my story as I wrote it. More than enough pleasure to keep me going. And I began to trust that each dead end I wrote myself into was a next step, not a final step.
I began looking for community, for the inspiration and camaraderie of like-minded writers. I found that community at The Writers Circle as well as at mystery writing conferences I began to attend. I shared my draft manuscript with writing friends, and, with their support, my world and goals expanded. The thought took root: Why not look for a publisher?
Two years later, a writing friend recommended my work to Level Best Books, an indie publisher specializing in crime fiction. The editors got back to me within weeks of my submission. They wanted my book and asked if the story was a stand-alone or part of a series.
I’d never considered writing a second book. “It’s a series,” I answered, my stomach queasy, because I couldn’t imagine writing a book in a year when the first one took about five. At the time, I didn’t know what the second or third book in my series would be about. But I was growing accustomed to saying “yes” to things—like writing a novel—that seemed impossible just years earlier.
The Turncoat’s Widow was nominated for the mystery community’s Agatha Award as “best first mystery” after it came out. The Counterfeit Wife, book two in the series, was also nominated for an Agatha as “best historical.” The Paris Mistress followed earlier this year, and I’m polishing the final draft of a fourth mystery right now.
My writing life has expanded step by step, or “bird by bird,” as Annie Lamott wrote in her wonderful book by that name. Now, I lead a mystery writing workshop for The Writers Circle, write for a historical novel website, talk to book clubs and other groups, and learn more about book marketing each month. Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this journey, but it’s become one of the best adventures of my life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A smooth road? No. Nope. Nyet. Self doubt was my biggest obstacle. It’s scary to be a beginner as an adult whether we’re choosing to learn a new skill or start a new career. I think we’re all trained to see less-than-stellar efforts as failures, and initial attempts often fall short of our ambition. And who needs that? It’s safer to stick to what we know.
I read an essay by a cognitive scientist who defined “imaginative courage” as having the grit to step into the unknown. That was a true challenge for me. I didn’t know how to craft a novel. I’d never looked for a publisher. I didn’t know how to “pitch” my book. The regret of not trying was ultimately more painful than the fear of failing. I suppose that’s when I stepped into the unknown.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My Revolutionary War mysteries feature George Washington’s two least likely spies, Becca Parcell and Daniel Alloway, who race time and traitors to uncover plots that threaten the new nation.
Set in New York City, Philadelphia, and Paris, the stories combine adventure and mystery with a touch of romance. Each is based on real history that surprised or shocked me, including an actual plot to bribe Benjamin Franklin into helping England win the war.
I’m known for the solid research that goes into each story and for making readers feel as if they’ve time traveled back to the 18th century. I’m most proud when readers reach out to tell me that they loved my characters and hope for more installments in the series.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Bird by Bird by Annie Lamont
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mallybecker.com
- Instagram: @mallybeckerwrites
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mally.baumelbecker/
- Other: https://bsky.app/profile/mallybeckerwrites.bsky.social
Image Credits
Headshot by: Sharyn Dobin Photography