Elizabeth McKenna, author of The Tarnished Son, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Elizabeth.

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

The Tarnished Son is about the demise of a prominent family. It is a standalone drama with both adult and young adult main characters. Chapters alternate between four points of view: Rose, Liam, Hank, and William Sr. Up to this point, the family has been able to mostly hide their secrets from their neighbors. But then a boating accident involving Liam sets off a chain of events that brings down the family dynasty. It’s a story involving flawed characters, and it was a lot of fun to write.

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

The Tarnished Son isn’t a mystery; it’s more of a domestic suspense. When I first read about Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina attorney found guilty of murdering his wife and son, amongst other crimes, I thought, someone will turn that into a book and Netflix series (which they did). You can’t make stuff like that up. One of the articles I read had quotes from residents expressing their shock, such as, “Things like that don’t happen around here.” I thought about the rumor mill of my village, and The Tarnished Son wrote itself. People are going to do bad things whether they live in a big city or a small town.

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

The story’s themes revolve around trust vs. betrayal within families, coping mechanisms for dealing with grief or guilt (substance abuse), and seeking redemption amidst chaos. What people choose to do under unfavorable circumstances interests me, and hopefully, readers will also be intrigued.

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

Often, I use the characteristics of people I know. My main characters always have a bit of me in them. Out of the seven novels that I’ve written, the main characters in my first one, Cera’s Place, are still my favorite. It’s a historical romance with a Western edge, and I love Westerns with rugged, good-looking men.

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

All of my books are set in places I have lived or visited, which makes describing the setting fairly easy. However, I do change any physical attributes as needed for the story. The Tarnished Son is set in my current hometown. For places that I’ve only visited, the Internet is extremely helpful in refreshing my memory. My stories aren’t heavy on description though. I prefer to use dialog and character actions to move the plot forward.

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

I do a lot of Internet searching. For The Tarnished Son, I had to learn about different hard drugs and their street cost. I also had to research Wisconsin laws and possible prison time. Some of the other background info, like ADHD, I have personal knowledge of.

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

The eBook version of The Tarnished Son is on sale for 99 cents until August 31. As an independent author, I need reviews to get noticed. So, if you read any of my novels, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I appreciate your time and feedback!

Thank you for answering my questions, Elizabeth, and good luck with the Tarnished Son.

Readers can learn more about Elizabeth McKenna by visiting the author’s Amazon page and her Facebook, Goodreads and Instagram pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at  Amazon  The ebook is on sale at .99 until the end of August.

About Elizabeth McKenna: Elizabeth’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories. Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include romances, mysteries, and suspense. Some are “clean,” and some are “naughty,” so she has a book for your every mood. Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband and Sidney, the rescue dog from Tennessee. When she isn’t writing, reading, or walking the dog that never tires, she’s sleeping.