How did you become a writer?

I’ve known I wanted to write books since I was 5 years old but it still was a slow and winding 30-plus year journey to become a published author. Fear played a big role in that. I was on the high school newspaper and studied journalism in undergrad at Florida A&M. Then I spent three years in the field. I left for film school at USC right before print journalism collapsed. I spent 8 years in Hollywood developing TV projects and  working for a season on Cold Case. When my Cold Case contract didn’t get renewed, that’s when I finally decided to just write a book already. It helped that I had the idea for what would become my debut, Hollywood Homicide.

Name your writing influences (writers, books, teachers, etc.).

For writers, I grew up reading and admiring Valerie Wilson Wesley, Walter Mosley, Barbara Neely, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, and Laura Lippman. My favorite all time writing book is Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron. She walks you through the entire process from idea to revisions and has some amazing tips. I re-read it before I start a new project. 

When and where do you write?

I’m not one of those authors who writes every day – at least not putting words on the page. I will think about my book every day though. Since the pandemic especially, sprinting with friends has worked really well for me. We’ll pomodoro so we’ll do 25 minutes with a break. I’ve also started doing Zoom writing sessions with friends as well, which makes it feel more collaborative. It’s like how you’re at work where you spend a few minutes talking with your fave coworker then you both go off and do your own work a bit. You can also help each other brainstorm.

What are you working on now?

My next standalone about a black woman who goes on vacation in the tri-state New York City area. She comes downstairs one day to find her boyfriend gone and a missing white woman dead in her foyer. Like with Like A Sister, it has a very strong social media element.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block?

When do I not? 

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Writing is rewriting. I hate the blank page. It scares me. But I love rewriting. I have to force myself to spew words on the page – I call it the vomit draft – so I can clean it up later.

What’s your advice to new writers?

Celebrate every victory because they can be few and far between. Finished a draft? Celebrate. Sent off your first query? Celebrate. Get an agent offer? Celebrate. Get a R&R from an editor? Celebrate.

Kellye Garrett is the author of the suspense novel Like A Sister (Mulholland Books) about a black woman in New York City looking into the mysterious overdose of her estranged reality star sister. She also wrote the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries, which have won the Anthony, Agatha, Lefty and IPPY awards and been featured on the TODAY show as a Best Summer Read. She serves on Sisters in Crime’s national board and is a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color. Learn more at KellyeGarrett.com.