We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Saralyn Richard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Saralyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

In 2012 we brought home an Old English sheepdog puppy and named her Nana after the dog in Peter Pan. From the moment we entered the house, Nana began a reign of terror that consisted of chewing, tackling, digging, demolishing, and wounding. Damage to our persons and our home occurred regularly, and we were at our wits’ end. We tried everything, including long walks (more like pulls) to expend her energy. During one of these walks, I realized that Nana’s mischief would make a good children’s book. Some children were like Nana, incorrigible and naughty. My mission was to write a humorous and vivid story that would teach youngsters the benefits of being nice, and teach their parents and grandparents the virtues of patience and positivity. The story, told through Nana’s doggie eyes, became a hit, and the real Nana, reformed into a “person in a dog suit,” has made over 200 appearances, been named the tourism ambassador dog of our city, and garnered a fan of club of thousands. Nana’s story is still touching lives, and the children’s book, Naughty Nana, launched my career as an author.

Saralyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

After I independently published the children’s book, Naughty Nana, I began writing mysteries for adults. To date, I’ve written five mysteries, three in the Detective Parrott Mystery Series (Murder in the One Percent, A Palette for Love and Murder, and Crystal Blue Murder), and two standalone mysteries, A Murder of Principal and Bad Blood Sisters. Some of these are traditionally published; others are independently published. All of my books are designed to entertain, but also to educate, and engage readers in intellectual and emotional puzzles. My settings and characters are as diverse as the underprivileged urban high school and the posh country gentleman’s farm. Themes of social inequality and the uncovering of secrets run through all of the books, and readers find that money doesn’t exempt a person from problems or obstacles, and it offers no guarantee of happiness. All of my books have garnered awards and wonderful reviews. The most important benefit of my writer’s journey, however, has been connecting with readers. I’m available to meet with book clubs, organizations, and individuals, locally, or virtually, to share insights about writing, publishing, or any other related topics. My website is http://saralynrichard.com.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

We often hear about writing as a lonely profession, because during the creation of a work of fiction, the author spends many hours alone. As a people person, the prospect of working in isolation held little appeal for me. What I learned, however, is that I am rarely alone when I am working. Not only is my world filled with many compelling characters, but I associate with hundreds of real-life people as I do my work. These include research resource people, other authors, beta readers, editors, publishers, booksellers, promoters, artists, illustrators, cover designers, reviewers, influencers, librarians, and, especially readers. The reading and writing community is vast, and it’s exciting to share the journey with so many bright, generous, and compassionate people.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2019, I was preparing to launch the second mystery novel in my Detective Parrott Mystery Series, A Palette for Love and Murder. My publisher, publicist, and I had worked hard to build a launch plan, and we had a multitude of reviews and book tour events lined up to hit the publishing world in March 2020. As word spread about the global pandemic just days and weeks before, we had to unwind all of the plans, one-by-one. Because of lockdown, no one was attending book events, and most readers were too distressed even to read. The investment of time and money into publicity for the book was wasted, and I needed to find alternative ways to conduct business. The big pivot was the virtual meeting. Whether by FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft, or some other platform, virtual meetings began taking over the industry world-wide. I learned how to lead book discussions, teach classes, critique other authors’ submissions, visit with readers and other stakeholders, and network from the safety of my office. I learned that I could expand my spheres of influence beyond local geography and time constraints. The possibilities were endless. Virtual meetings can never replicate the energy and immediacy that comes from face-to-face contacts, but they are the next best thing, and I’ve learned to be creative with them. Now that it is safer to participate in public events, I am still using virtual events to conduct some business, and all of my subsequent book launches revolve around them.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://saralynrichard.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naughty_nana_sheepdog/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Palmcirclepress/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saralynrichard/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaralynRichard
• Youtube: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+saralyn+richard&qpvt=you+tube+saralyn+richard&FORM=VDRE

Image Credits
Saralyn Richard headshot, courtesy of Jennifer Reynolds