The following is an interview with podcast host, educator, and author Jaime Parker Stickle (The Girl with the Same Name) regarding the upcoming release of the crime novel, Take Hart, as part of the “Corey in Los Angeles” series through publisher Thomas & Mercer. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Parker Stickle about her creative process of bringing the story and characters to life on the page, how motherhood has influenced her creativity, what she hopes that readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Take Hart! What can you share with us about the genesis of this project and its overall premise?
Jaime Parker Stickle: Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! I am so excited for readers to catch up with Corey. Take Hart picks up where book one, Vicious Cycle, left off — Corey is in the middle of investigating a cold case, working through the difficult part of non-marital bliss, and watching her beloved LA neighborhood Highland Park manage the growing pains of gentrification. Not to mention she is still struggling with PPPD (postpartum panic disorder) and thus brings her baby with her…everywhere.
BD: How would you describe your creative process in crafting this story? It’s always thrilling to follow a crime novel as the reader, but I would imagine that crafting the narrative and staying 3 steps ahead of your reader is quite the challenge!
JPS: You are absolutely right, staying ahead of readers who are prolific in this genre is always a challenge. I know, I am one of those readers, ha! My process doesn’t work for everyone, but it’s how I’ve always worked. I write the ending first and the beginning second. Then, everything in between. My first drafts are the length of a screenplay and read like one, as well. Then, on draft two I flesh it all out. I like to say that I’m writing the human experience, so you can imagine that developing the characters is the most important part of the story for me. I like it when they start chattering in my head, that’s when I know the whole thing is working. Corey is the loudest character I’ve ever written. She’s kept me up all night talking and plotting. She is a protagonist on a mission. An amateur sleuth with a lot to say about her neighborhood, her husband, her neighbors, and of course her baby.
BD: What makes Thomas & Mercer the ideal publishing partner for this book?
JPS: First, Thomas & Mercer has a reputation for publishing compelling, character-driven suspense stories. They’re also known for taking risks. As a debut author writing Postpartum Noir with a very voice-y protagonist, I knew I needed a publisher that was willing to take that risk.
Plus, they publish many authors I admire such as Ivy Pochoda, Rachel Howzell Hall, Lee Goldberg, and Tod Goldberg. I knew that the Corey in Los Angeles series would be well represented and cared for by T&M based on their resume of books and authors I admire. And, I wasn’t wrong!
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Corey’s story may connect with and impact readers, and what, if any, conversations do you hope that it might inspire?
JPS: I hope that Take Hart and Corey spark conversations around empathy. Corey isn’t the type of protagonist that calls out good guys versus bad guys. There’s no moral black and white to Corey – everyone is somewhere in the grey.
Take Hart’s narrator, plot, and the community show that people are really shaped by their circumstances, their fears, and their hopes. If readers finish the book and ask more questions than they did when they started, that’s impact because questions start the most important conversations. Like conversations around mental health such as postpartum panic disorder and gentrification.
BD: You are a multi-hyphenate creator (as a podcast host, an author, and an educator) and a mother (which is about 20 different jobs in and of itself). How do you feel that motherhood has influenced your creativity, and how, if at all, has it impacted your overall creative process?
JPS: I think you just called me a Triple Threat? I accept. But in all honesty motherhood has had the biggest impact on my creativity. Prior to having my son, I was very focused on acting and writing screenplays. I was incredibly serious about “making it.” I don’t even think I knew what that meant or looked like. When I had my son, everything shifted in the best way. I had to stop my insane focus on my career and learn to be present in the moment. You could say becoming a mother knocked the sense into me. Now, I find joy in writing women, like Corey, who must learn to be present. Who must learn to navigate work on limited time. That filters out to all my creative endeavors. I no longer say yes to every opportunity that presents itself. I’m selective and choose things that mean something to me, to my listeners, and to my readers.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
JPS: Absolutely, thank you so much for asking. Obviously, book one in the Corey in LA series, Vicious Cycle! I’d also like to highlight the work my partner and I have done with our two podcasts. Our true crime investigative show, The Girl with the Same Name, is the heart-breaking story about the unsolved murder of Jamie Stickle. (Yes, the same name.) We are working hard on a second season, but the entire first season is available to binge listen to now. And of course, our passion project, Make That Paper, which is beginning it’s ninth season! It’s the show that talks to artists of all mediums about all the jobs and side hustles they work while pursuing their careers. On this season we’re talking to one of the head writers of The Simpsons, Mike Price. We’re talking with the comedy group of No Conflict. We’ve got actor Brian Michael Smith of Lonestar 911 and Jalysa Conway screenwriter from Grey’s Anatomy and so many more talented artists!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Take Hart and your other work?
JPS: Everyone can find me as Jaime Parker Stickle on Substack where I’m doing live interviews and dropping weekly noir-inspired interviews and more. I’m also on Instagram at Jaime Parker Stickle, so let’s share those pics. Tag me with your copy of Take Hart and Vicious Cycle! I’ll also be touring around the internet on blogs and podcasts which I will always tag and share to Instagram. You can also check out my website at JaimeParkerStickle.com.
