“When Cicadas Cry,” by Caroline Cleveland, is a high-profile, murder mystery in which a white woman has been bludgeoned to death with a cross in a rural South Carolina church. A blood-stained Black man is found kneeling over her. Nearby, a haunting cold case on Edisto suggests a possible connection. Was this crime racial or reminiscent?
Where did you get your inspiration?
Well, first, I’m a reader myself, who enjoys mysteries and crimes stories. As a lawyer in Charleston, I work with many public officials including law enforcement. I hear about the most dangerous and exciting stories that happen in Charleston. It’s fascinating.
What sparked your interest to write, let alone a book?
It was 10 years ago. I got to the point where I was reading and putting my own opinion or asking the questions. “Would it have been better if they did this or that?” I said to myself, “Maybe I could do this.” I was so naïve on how the process worked. I just sat down and started to write. I wasn’t aware of the proper formatting or technique of writing anything, let alone a book. It was a wonderful learning experience. I started to take online classes. I went to a seminar in NYC called New York Pitch. It was a small course with twenty people in a group. Paula Munier, a writer from Talcott Notch Literary, was our instructor. She wrote the book called “Plot Perfect.” It’s about writing and structuring. It helped me out a lot.
Going through the process of writing a book, do you read or watch television differently now?
Oh yes, even my husband reads differently. I see the craft now. I read a book called “Never lie” by Freida McFadden. It’s a time slip and with different points of view. Seeing the structure and pacing of storytelling is truly fantasticating. It’s fun reading now more than ever. I appreciate it more.
How did the process happen?
This book didn’t take a traditional path. I wrote another book previously and gave it to an editor. I didn’t have an agent at the time. This editor was from Harper Collins. We were trying to sell the book during COVID. It wasn’t going anywhere. We pulled it. Then we sent it out again a few years later. A friend of mine was working at Union Square Publishing, and they were on the fence with the book. They asked me if I have anything else written. I only had forty pages written of “When Cicadas Cry.” I submitted it and they wanted more. They purchased it on a C-note. I had four months to turn in the first draft.
Any advice to a new writer?
As a writer, you write what you know — whether it’s reading a magazine article, hearing an interesting story firsthand or experiencing something that has happened to you. Look at online courses if you don’t know where or how to start. The Pat Conroy Literary Center is a great place to visit. For structure purposes, buy the “Plot Perfect” by Paula Munier.
