Kathleen Bryant, author of Over the Edge, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Kathleen.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

OVER THE EDGE is an outdoor mystery/thriller set in Sedona, Arizona. I’m already writing a second book, once again featuring Del Cooper, a former crime reporter now working as a guide for a down-on-its luck Jeep touring company.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I lived in Sedona for twenty years, and its maze of red rock canyons and sculpted landforms are naturally mysterious. I started thinking about the story many years ago, in the midst of an unpopular Forest Service land trade. At the time, however, my focus was on travel writing. Then, during the first months of the pandemic, my musician husband and I had a friendly competition to see who could finish their creative project first. (He won.)

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

Several themes or motifs emerged as I was writing—betrayal, family secrets, mental health, environmental stewardship—but the one that really spoke to me was the idea of personal reinvention. More than once, I’ve had to pick myself up, dust myself off, and choose a new path, and I suspect the same is true for many people.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Character building is my favourite part of writing but also the hardest technique to quantify or describe. As they act, react, and interact, a book’s characters expand organically from a cast of simple cut-outs to dimensional individuals. I have a soft spot for the villains—maybe because I need to work harder at understanding them.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Years ago, shortly after my first-ever manuscript was rejected, I went to a writing workshop. The instructor shared the most valuable piece of writing advice I’ve ever learned—how to weave in sensory detail. Seems simple, doesn’t it? Yet most of us are visual people, and cuing the other four senses doesn’t necessarily come naturally. I followed his advice, and the next time I sent out the manuscript, it sold. I’ve relied on his technique ever since, no matter whether I’m writing fiction or a magazine article.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

Though OVER THE EDGE was set in Sedona, a place I lived in and wrote about for two decades, I used the same research tools I’ve used as a travel writer: maps, local histories, weather information, field guides, newspaper stories, and so on. I also dug out notebooks I’d filled up as an archaeology student and volunteer docent. Thanks to the internet, I could brush up on smuggling laws, Forest Service regulations, and the like.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

In Sedona, almost anything can happen, and truth is often stranger than fiction. But I invented specific story locations, particularly archaeological sites, and in a couple instances, turned back time with a wave of my writer’s license. My aim was plausible fiction, and I hope while turning the pages of OVER THE EDGE, readers will feel like they’re on a journey, experiencing aspects of red rock country a day-tripper might miss.

Thank you for answering my questions, Kathleen, and good luck with Over the Edge.

Readers can learn more about Kathleen Bryant by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, Library Thing, LinkedIn and Bluesky pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon Kindle    Amazon Hardcover    Apple Books    BAM!    Barnes & Noble    Bookshop.org    Google Play   Kobo    Random House

About Kathleen Bryant: Kathleen turned her boots-first exploration of the West’s landscapes and cultures into a career as a travel writer and novelist. Her publishing credits include romance novels, travel guides, magazine articles, an award-winning children’s picture book, and a cookbook highlighting National Parks. An avid hiker and history buff, she’s led tours of ancient rock art sites, participated in field school digs, and guided yoga experiences in the red rocks of Sedona. Today, Kathleen lives with her musician husband in California, where she continues to seek out new adventures. When she’s not writing or researching her next book, you might find her on a hiking trail taking photos of wildflowers or driving down a country lane to visit a dairy farm or vineyard.