5 questions with Nadine Nettmann

Terri Bischoff

Hi everyone! Who else is looking forward to the Edgar Awards and Malice Domestic this weekend? I am so excited to spend some quality time with friends new and old. I really can't wait. Please come say hi if you see me. I am an introvert and work from the assumption that people aren't interested in talking to me or they want to pitch me, which means I tend to keep my head down. ;)

Today I bring my friend and author Nadine Nettmann to the Dead Guy blog. Her first book, Decanting a Murder, made the final list for best first novel for both Left Coast Crime and Malice Domestic. Here is hoping she can bring that Agatha home this weekend! Book two, Uncorking a Lie, is just now available and will be available at Malice. When I asked her to do this, I threatened answering the questions for her, which I think motivated her to get it done quickly! Even though she did it on time, I am going to add five things at the end.

What is one thing that authors/editors/agents could do to make your job easier? I would have loved a super detailed list of everything I needed to do and the specific dates to do them as well as when things would happen. For example, on this date, let Sisters in Crime know your book is coming out. On this date, get bookmarks printed. On this date, the overwhelming fear will set in … Too much?

What do you want to be when you grow up? Happy and healthy. I know they may seem like odd answers, but these are definitely lifelong goals. We seem to only value our health the moment it’s gone and happiness is so precious and often fleeting. If you have your health and you’re happy, you’ve won the lottery of life. That being said, I also wouldn’t mind being a singer/songwriter when I grow up … A happy and healthy one, of course.

If you could travel anywhere in the world right at this moment, where would you go?

I dream of having a teleportation machine where I can visit friends or far off places at a moment’s notice. If anyone knows how to invent a teleportation machine — one that works and doesn’t make me end up like The Fly — let me know. As for actual trips, I’m eager to rent a car in Ireland and drive around the entire coast.

What is your perfect murder weapon? I always thought it was interesting at the end of The Addams Family how Wednesday said the best way to kill someone was to scare them to death. So I’m going to go with fright.

What is your favorite unsolved mystery?

I’m fascinated with the mystery surrounding the murder-suicide of Ned Doheny and his assistant, Hugh Plunket, at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. The fifty-five room house is stunning — I love historic houses — but the tragedy struck only five months after the family moved in. The incident is plagued with rumors and possible cover-ups about what really happened that February night in 1929 including who was killed and who committed suicide. There are disagreements in the details such as conflicting evidence, misstatements from the doctor who first arrived on the scene, and the fact that the family moved Ned’s body before calling police. The story goes even deeper including Ned and Hugh’s involvement in the infamous Teapot Dome Scandal, which was still being investigated at the time. I’ve been fortunate to tour the mansion on several occasions, however, all of those rumors about blood staining the floor? Not true.

Ok - now for my five random things about Nadine:

Even though she is a certified sommelier, she is not a wine snob.
She answers my random texts when I am at the wine store and don't know what to buy. I have to say, this is super, duper cool. I only drank one kind of wine, moscato, and thought I wasn't a real wine drinker. It turns out that I just wasn't trying the right ones. Nadine's recommendations have been pretty great so far. I like that I am expanding my horizons.
If you ever hear her swear, then you know she is very passionate about something. It always makes me giggle inside when she swears. I might be a bad influence on her.
She is probably as introverted and shy as I am. So definitely say hi to her when you can.
She taught me the healing powers of vitamin B. After a long night at the Bouchercon bar, before bed take a vitamin B pill. I have one that is a bunch of the Bs. I don't know why, but it works. No hangover the next day. Try it and see!