Authors Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti say it’s a no brainer coming to talk about their Quill and Packet cozy mystery series in a place like Minden Hills.
Blue Heron Books and The Arts Council – Haliburton Highlands is presenting Books & Bites: Cottage Mysteries with Hilton and Renzetti at the Dominion Hotel in Minden Sept. 14.
“It was important to us to do some events in that part of the province because I think that’s what we’re imagining when we write the books and we really hope that the people who live in that part of the province feel like we do it justice.”
The two have co-authored Widows and Orphans and Bury the Lead, and are in the midst of editing their third book, Put it to Bed.
Asked why the series is resonating with readers, Renzetti said partially that it’s funny, warm-hearted, and the main character is relatable.
“She’s definitely not perfect.” She added the world is chaotic and a giant mess “and I think people are looking to … reconnect with this basic idea of community and goodness, and people searching for truth, which is what Cat does.”
The main character is small-town journalist Cat Conway – a middle-aged woman who is divorced, struggling with her kid, and own mother, and in the aftermath of a career that had a lot of promise but she’s not where she wants to be now. She investigates high-profile death in the cozy murder mystery series.
Quill and Packet is taken from The Orillia Packet and Times newspaper name. It is based in the fictional town of Port Ellis. Renzetti is a journalist, so draws on that experience in the writing. Hilton is a writer and a psychotherapist.
Hilton said she has a “deep and abiding interest in what makes people tick and I hope that shows up in the characters on the page. That’s what I think I bring to it; a lot of thought about why people are the way they are, and do the things they do, and trying to bring a lot of empathy even to characters who are comic figures, or more villainous.”
She also likes to see how Cat struggles but grows.
Renzetti notes the character is a crusader in a time of a “crisis of lying.”
Asked about the collaborative process, Renzetti said because they are now editing, they are texting and talking a lot. When it comes to the genesis of a book, Hilton said they are usually fairly united on themes. They spend a lot of time together on outlines. Then they work more independently, often alternating writing chapters.
Renzetti said they share similar senses of humour and political sensibilities. “If we can nail Cat’s voice, then we’re off to the races.” When they have differing opinions about other characters, settings and plots, she said they talk it out. She said there is less ego, and writing as two can bring less pressure. There is a high degree of trust to make the writing seamless.
As for coming to the Highlands, Hilton said she went to Camp Gay Venture, a girls’ summer camp in the Haliburton Highlands, near Lochlin, for years. She knows of the Molou theatre. Renzetti has been to the region.
Hilton said she has learned to write faster, and Renzetti to relinquish some control.
The two said it’s a joyful collaboration. “It really is so much fun to do,” Hilton said. “An unexpected gift, really,” adds Renzetti, finishing her writing partner’s sentence.
Fundraiser
Mysteries in Cottage Country is an Arts Council literary fundraiser. It is at 1 p.m. Local editor Emily Stonehouse will interview the authors, followed by audience questions. There will also be a chance to chat during book signings.
Tickets are $60 and include a selection of sweet treats, coffee or tea, a donation to the Arts Council and a choice of either of the two cozy mystery books. Online tickets are available through the Blue Heron Books website https://blueheronbooks.com/ events/3194220250914
