Cozy mystery and psychological suspense author Lorraine Bartlett (who also writes as Lorna Barrett and L.L. Bartlett) talks about everything but writing…

What are your interests outside of writing?

I love to go to yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, tag sales…you get the picture. I was a vendor in an antiques/collectibles arcade for 12 years. You can take the girl out of the business, but not the business out of the girl. I never had a lot of money to invest, so I had to fill the booth with “smalls.” (Low-cost items.) For the past two years, I’ve been collecting vintage dishes and linens with the idea of opening an Etsy shop. Too bad there aren’t another 10+ hours in the day, because I just don’t have the time to do it. (Now. I’ll just buy another few totes to fill and enjoy the thrill of the hunt until I do find time.)

If money were no object, what kind of party would you throw and where?

A wonderful tea party for all my friends. Of course, that would mean bringing most of them from far-flung places (you did say money was no object), and putting them up in a hotel. I’d rent a gorgeous Victorian home, and we’d all dress up (pantyhose optional). And everybody would get some kind of lovely parting gift (vintage chintz cups and saucers, perhaps). Maybe it would be a marathon. A week’s worth of lovely teas in various Victorian homes.  

If you could donate one million dollars to charity, which one(s) would you choose?

I’m a sucker for animal charities and donate regularly to two of them. (I do donate to people charities, too, but these are my favorites.) One is devoted to farm animal rescue. Too many people believe farm animals are as disposable as dirty tissues. Not this girl. The one I donate to is called Crackerbox Palace in Alton, NY. They’re struggling because they end up with a lot of abused farm animals. There’s a lot of poverty in Wayne County, NY, and poverty is often the cause of abuse (for people and animals). I also donate to the Wayne County Humane Society. (Guess where Crackerbox Palace’s charges usually come from?) I don’t live in that county, but the Humane Society where I live is well funded. The Wayne County one is not.

What do you miss about childhood?

Doing stuff with my Dad. We used to go to the hardware store, or he’d take me on his hunt for antique watches (you knew I got the “thrill of the hunt” from somewhere, right?), things like that. I was Daddy’s little girl, and I loved it. I lost my Dad two years ago. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it. : (

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever collected?

Soap. You know the little cakes of soap you get in hotels? When I was a kid, my next-door-neighbor used to take a lot of vacations, and she always brought me back the soap from all the motels she and her mother stayed in. I had a whole (child-sized) suitcase full of them. I used to take them out and examine them, smell them, and admire the packaging. (Um…I still love beautifully packaged soap.)

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

I worked as a production worker in a machine shop for 18 months. It was the hardest, dirtiest job in the world. I used to come home with metal chips in my hair. I almost lost my finger to a drill press machine. The place had bad air, lax safety protocols, and paid terribly. Then again, I worked for corporate America for 26 years and some of those years as an office worker were pretty terrible, too.  

What’s your strangest or most irrational fear?

I don’t think it’s irrational, but other people do. Fear of flying (or rather, fear of crashing). I don’t do it anymore. I was in Scotland when 9/11 happened and had to fly home ten days later. I haven’t flown since. Consequently, I usually stick pretty close to home. If I can’t drive it, it’s not likely I’ll be traveling very far away.

You just won $100,000, and you have to spend it all on yourself today. No saving, no gifts, no charity allowed. What are you going to buy?

First, a new minivan with stow-and-go seats. Then I’d revamp my kitchen and dining room. If there was any money left over, I’d hire someone to run my errands (grocery shopping, runs to the P.O., etc.) I’d love to have a personal assistant. Then again, I’d probably end up doing all the work myself because I’m such a perfectionist.

LORRAINE BARTLETT, who also writes as LORNA BARRETT and L.L. BARTLETT, is the New York Times bestselling and Agatha-nominated author of eleven cozy mysteries and psychological suspense novels.  Lorraine’s latest release is THE WALLED FLOWER, the second book in the Victoria Square Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin USA). Visit Lorraine’s website or or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.