The Heroine of Hollywood Fiction: A Conversation with Author Jennifer Colt
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Written by Carly Hope Finseth
It takes a special kind of talent to write mystery novels. Add to that a talent for snappy dialogue, a sarcastic wit, and a gut-clutching sense of humor, and you've got none other than Jennifer Colt. Author of the popular McAfee twins mystery series (The Butcher of Beverly Hills, The Mangler of Malibu Canyon, and the most recent, The Vampire of Venice Beach; Broadway Books), Colt is known for her ability to craft strong and sassy female leads. The twins in her series, Kerry and Terry, are polar opposites. Kerry is the sensible, level-headed one; Terry is the wild child, Harley-riding, ex-con lesbian. And the capers these two amateur sleuths find themselves on are unique, clever, and downright entertaining.
When given the opportunity to chat with Jennifer Colt via an e-mail interview, I jumped at the chance. Here is our conversation.
Carly Hope Finseth:How did you first get the idea for the McAfee twins series?
Jennifer Colt: I wanted to write a mystery series with a female protagonist, from a first-person point of view. A sidekick is a must, otherwise there's no one for the main character to bounce ideas off of, no one to help, no counterpoint to her approach. Too much of the narrative would consist of the protagonist's interior monologue, which could get boring.
It seemed to me that every conceivable type of sidekick had already been done. So I did what I usually do when I'm stuck in the writing process: I put myself into a meditative state, stared at the ceiling, and asked for the answer to come.
And it came. twins! Terry and Kerry are perfect foils for each other. They're physically identical but opposites in terms of personality: Kerry's straight, Terry's gay; Kerry's "good," Terry's "bad" - all of which creates comic conflict. Being two sides of the same coin, they allow us to see every circumstance from two different, equally legitimate points of view.
CHF:Vampires, bodies with missing heads, evil plastic surgeons, cult conspiracies, sibling rivalries, and crime-fighting sleuthing - all while driving a hot pink Harley. Where do you draw your inspiration for your oh-so-fun - and hilarious - storylines?
JC: Again, it's about trusting that inner creative impulse. I try to get myself out of the way as much as possible, to let things come. I call my first draft the "something/anything draft." I simply start, with only a general idea of where I'm going. It's one giant, incoherent burst - snatches of dialog, mysterious happenings, personal conflicts. It's so bad that I frequently despair of its ever making sense.
Once I have 50-70,000 words (usually without an ending), I start outlining in an Excel spreadsheet. That way I can map the direction of the narrative - seeing what makes sense and what doesn't. After working to make one chapter flow into the next, the story begins to cohere. I throw out whole pages, even whole chapters.keeping only what is essential to the main storyline.
And just so I don't get depressed, I write myself letters like this:
Dear Future Self,
Please remember that there will always be this stage of the project where nothing makes sense, people are running around without motivation, the dialogue is flat, there's no suspense, and it's all a mess!
You will fix it.
Love,
Me
Crazy as that looks, it gets me through the amnesia I have every time I write a novel about how it's done. Those letters serve as a reminder that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
CHF:Did you consciously make an effort to create a team of equally empowered (yet completely opposite) female leads for your books? And, if so, how do you find a balance between the "girly" sides of the twins and the rough and tumble lifestyle they often find themselves immersed in?
JC: Yes, I meant to make them equally empowered. By "girly" I'm assuming you mean that they're fashion-conscious? True confession: My editor insisted that I devote more space to the girls' clothes. (I panicked. "You have to help me with that!") She inserted a lot of the clothing description, except for Terry's signature pink jacket and helmet - that was original to her character.
In the opening of The Big Sleep, Sam Spade goes into some detail about the natty suit and shoes he wore to impress his new client. No one ever accused Chandler of creating an insignificant, superficial character just he happens to be a clotheshorse, or because he's frequently suckered in by women.
My girls are young, attractive, and contemporary, and their sartorial choices reflect that. They're interested in the opposite (or same) sex. But God help the bad guy who mistakes them for "helpless females" on account of their age, gender, or looks. They'll kick his ass!
My girls are young, attractive, and contemporary, and their sartorial choices reflect that. They're interested in the opposite (or same) sex. But God help the bad guy who mistakes them for "helpless females" on account of their age, gender, or looks. They'll kick his ass! - Jennifer Colt
CHF:I love how your books twist and turn throughout the plot - ultimately leading to something entirely fun, yet off the wall. How in the world do you come up with such imaginative storylines? Do you have a specific writing process?
JC: Thank you! I jumped the gun and described the writing process above. Inspiration runs the gamut from Shakespeare to the Weekly World News.
CHF:Which twin do you think you most resemble most in terms of personality: Kerry - the good girl - or Terry, the wild child?
JC: Both.
Kerry is solid and reliable, never straying too far from the straight and narrow. Terry thumbs her nose at convention, takes foolish risks, follows her inner urges to the edge of disaster. They're complementary, and I want the reader to feel that neither girl would fare as well on her own as the two of them do together.
I think we all have both types within us. It's probably Kerry - 80, Terry - 20, a ratio that allows for the forward motion of civilization. Terry is great fun, but her way lies chaos.
CHF:Do you identify as a feminist? Why or why not?
JC: Yes! I'm old enough to have been turned down for a job in a record store because there was "no girls' bathroom." Not so many years ago, a male boss told me I didn't need a raise because I was getting married. I'm amazed that we still don't have an Equal Rights Amendment, but I'm cheered by the advances that have been made in the past few decades.
CHF:One of my favorite parts of your books is the deliciously witty dialogue. Tell me a bit about your background as a screenwriter.
JC: The dialogue has been going through my mind my whole life - a wise-ass running commentary on the world at large. Now I have fictional characters who can give it voice with impunity!
I spent years hocking original screenplays. Although I had interest, won competitions, took meetings, etc., nothing ever panned out. I started getting paid work a few years ago, and that was adult stuff and horror. Not complaining! It put money in the bank, which allowed me to write the books.
CHF:Are you still screenwriting in addition to writing books? And, if so, how in the world do you find the time to do it all?
JC: I wrote five scripts for an HBO late-night series last summer, which didn't take a lot of time. But I can't claim to be "doing it all." I haven't written a book in more than a year because I've been working on promoting the three I have out now. I'm ready to start a new YA series, and I want to write a pilot for a McAfee Twins cable series on spec. Wish me luck!
CHF:I read from your online bio that self-published your first two books. How does it feel to be, essentially, a self-made success? And how has the journey changed from self-publishing to, now, landing a very big name publisher (Broadway Books)? Do you still do a lot of grassroots promotion on your own?
JC: I've had a wonderful experience with Broadway. They bought the first three books, marketed them as a trilogy, and did a great job releasing them. It was a relief and a pleasure to have the pros doing the lion's share of the work. I loved the covers they came up with, as well as the tagline: Two Pairs of Private Eyes are Better than One.
That said, I'm doing even more grassroots promotion now because I've learned it's the best way to connect with readers. By the time you run this, I will have given away more than 100 copies of my books through website promotions. When a new reader wins a book and writes to thank me, saying she loved it - that's golden. I answer all emails and have three pages on MySpace. The only true path to success, I'm convinced, is through word of mouth.
CHF:Any words of wisdom for other women writers?
JC: It's up to you to get what you want. Listen to your own inner guidance and nothing else. Always be true to yourself. And of course.Never give up! Never surrender! (Thank you, Galaxy Quest).
CHF:What's on the horizon for you - and for the McAfee twins? Is there another book in the works? Any upcoming appearances, news, or events you'd like to share?
JC: I hope I'll be able to announce the release of the McAfee Twins Christmas novel this year! Meanwhile, I'm going to start on the new YA series. I'm thinking it's something that will appeal to adults, as well.
Carly Hope Finseth spends much of her time pondering what she wants to be when she grows up. She alternates between days filled with cozy socks, hot tea, and meditative reflection - and others, which are loaded with caffeine fixes, grueling commutes, and one fire to put out after another. When she’s not sifting through e-mails, dropping her cell phone, or sticking another reminder Post-It on her desk, Carly also somehow finds the time to write and reflect on important (and the occasional not-so-important) feminist issues.
My curse is my gift. My nightmares, deep sensitivity, and emotional instability gives the best (and most uncomfortable) inspirations I could ever have. For me, art is passion - and visions are the mirror, which show my feelings and connect me with the rest of the world. Read More...
It takes a special kind of talent to write mystery novels. Add to that a talent for snappy dialogue, a sarcastic wit, and a gut-clutching sense of humor, and you've got none other than Jennifer Colt. Author of the popular McAfee twins mystery series (The Butcher of Beverly Hills, The Mangler of Malibu Canyon, and the most recent, The Vampire of Venice Beach; Broadway Books), Colt is known for her ability to craft strong and sassy female leads. The twins in her series, Kerry and Terry, are polar opposites. Kerry is the sensible, level-headed one; Terry is the wild child, Harley-riding, ex-con lesbian. And the capers these two amateur sleuths find themselves on are unique, clever, and downright entertaining. 
JC: Yes, I meant to make them equally empowered. By "girly" I'm assuming you mean that they're fashion-conscious? True confession: My editor insisted that I devote more space to the girls' clothes. (I panicked. "You have to help me with that!") She inserted a lot of the clothing description, except for Terry's signature pink jacket and helmet - that was original to her character. 
To learn more about Jennifer Colt and the McAfee twins series, visit 
Carly Hope Finseth spends much of her time pondering what she wants to be when she grows up. She alternates between days filled with cozy socks, hot tea, and meditative reflection - and others, which are loaded with caffeine fixes, grueling commutes, and one fire to put out after another. When she’s not sifting through e-mails, dropping her cell phone, or sticking another reminder Post-It on her desk, Carly also somehow finds the time to write and reflect on important (and the occasional not-so-important) feminist issues.
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