Get to know me

Were you always a storyteller as a kid, or did writing sneak up on you later? 

I was an eavesdropper as a kid who hovered on the perimeter and listened to the adult storytellers around me. I read constantly but didn’t recognize my affinity for writing until the early college years when I studied journalism. Writing columns at my first newspaper job out of college was the first time I received positive feedback for my writing. We had to write a column every day so my writing muscle got in good shape. After I fell out of newspaper work, the writing muscle got flabby. But I did complete a screenplay about the bike ride across Iowa during that time. 

What kinds of creative things were you involved in growing up? 

Music and singing were a big part of my growing up. My sisters and I often gathered around the piano after supper for singalongs. We all had to take piano lessons but only two of us kept up with it. My first and only solo was in seventh grade when we performed some Godspell songs. Linda Flaherty had to cue me with a guitar chord three times before I finally started. 

Did you have a teacher, or mentor, who really encouraged your creativity? 

Two of my music teachers, LeAnn Bigler, who chose me to sing Prepare Ye, and Kathleen Kelleher, from eighth grade on, stimulated our creativity with their cutting-edge music choices. Mrs. Kelleher really unleashed our creative spirit when we did a racy “King Tut” skit based on Steve Martin’s rendition. It’s one my favorite music memories! 

Tell us about your educational track after high school. 

My first year after high school I went to Colorado State in Fort Collins with the idea of going into forestry. I did not take into account that I’m not outdoorsy and don’t even like camping. Science and statistic classes opened my eyes and a second semester creative writing class steered me to journalism and back to Iowa. I spent the next four years at the University of Iowa but without getting a degree. The reality of working provided the motivation to get a degree and my sister Paula moving to Madison, Wisconsin, provided the destination. There I completed a degree in journalism. 

If you could teach one class about writing or creativity, what would it be called? 

Listening to Your Inner Voice 

What’s the hardest part about writing for you? 

Consistency. I wish I was better at writing every weekend morning but I don’t. Something else sounds better to do. But when I do, I always feel so much better and so fulfilled. 

Do you have any quirky writing rituals or must-have snacks while working? 

Definitely coffee as a beverage since I write in the morning. And sitting in either my big swivel chair or out on the front stoop when it’s warmer. 

What’s the most fun part about writing for you? 

Dialogue. I love letting the characters talk away in my head then transpose it onto paper. Dialogue is a great channel to advance character development. 

Tell us about your newest book. What can readers expect? 

Shelved is a murder mystery set in a bookstore. The victim is a store employee and all of the staff are suspects. The story unfolds through the eyes of three of the employees and the police detective. A focal point of the action is the store counter area, nicknamed the Crow’s Nest. It takes place in the late ‘90s so there are a lot of cultural references from that era. 

What inspired this story? 

One of my best job experiences. I worked at a Half Price Books for eight years and many co-workers became very good friends. That experience was chock full of characters and events, rich elements to write about. 

Is there a character that readers seem to connect with the most? 

Detective John Meyer. Initially, he wasn’t introduced until halfway through, but my brother-in-law suggested a run-in with store employees earlier on and in a writer’s workshop, fellow workshoppers expressed positive comments about him. I reworked it with John introduced on the first page. Plus, as I wrote, he grew on me too to the point that I’ve decided to make him a recurring character. John is in my next book. 

Where can people purchase your books?

Both can be purchased online, preferably from Little Creek Press, Little Creek Press - Wisconsin Book Publisher. It can be purchased on Amazon but I’d rather people support Kristin Mitchell than Jeff Bezos. 

If young you could see your published books today, what would you they say to you? 

Young me wouldn’t have touched “Get Me to The Abbey.” There was no way I was going to read a book about alcoholism and getting sober. But I think young me would have enjoyed Shelved. She liked mysteries and would’ve enjoyed the interactions and antics of the staff and the no-nonsenseness of John Meyer.