The Cozy Chicks | Cozy Up To Some Killer Books

China Who?

Hi, everyone!

I’m thrilled to be hosting one of my favorite authors — and role models — today. Susan Wittig Albert is a legend in the mystery world, and for good reason (pick up one of her many books and you’ll understand immediately). Read on to find out about one of Susan’s most enduring characters — the famous China Bayles!

Karen

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Hey, Karen and all you Cozy Chicks, thanks very much for hosting me on your blog today! You have a great thing going here, and I’m delighted that you’re hosting this stop on my blog tour.

China Who?

Have you met China Bayles yet?

Maybe so, maybe not—so let me give you the low-down. China Bayles (rhymes with “nails”) is a 40-something gal who dropped out of her fast-track, high-powered career as a Houston criminal defense lawyer. She bought a shop called Thyme & Seasons Herbs in the small Texas town of Pecan Springs, halfway between Austin and San Antonio, and opted for a quieter, gentler life in the garden and behind the counter of her shop. But things don’t turn out that way, of course. They never do, in a mystery series. Friends die, people get murdered, buildings burn, partners lie and cheat, stuff gets stolen—it’s always something, as Lily Tomlin has famously said.

China has been at this mystery business for going on 17 books now (although only about six “real-time” years have elapsed in the series), and things have changed a bit in the mystery world since she began.

Let’s just take one for-instance. In a great post on this blog (Feb. 25) Michele Scott wrote this: “ . . . the goal for your protagonist is to make a journey and grow from that journey.”

Michele is right, of course. But for mystery protagonists, that wasn’t always true. In the late 1980s, when I began thinking about China Bayles, mystery protagonists did not grow and change. Characters like Miss Marple and Travis McGee and even our old friend Nancy Drew stayed pretty much the same from book to book. (Did you know I was once a Nancy Drew author? Yep! I was Carolyn Keene, back in the mid-late 80s.)

But I didn’t want China Bayles to be one of these “snapshot” characters who are condemned to live inside the same skin and function within the same psychological framework forever and ever. What could be more false—and more boring?—than that?

What’s more, it seemed to me then (and is much clearer to me now) that the series form offers the writer a rare opportunity. It gives her a chance to create a multi-dimensional protagonist who grows through and is changed by the experience in each book. You’re a different person this year than you were last year and the year before that, aren’t you? You’ll be somebody very different five years from now, won’t you? I know that readers develop expectations about our series characters, but it still seems to me that our protagonists ought to have the same privilege as real people.

Of course, when I started China’s series, I had no idea whether I’d get a chance to write any books beyond the original three-book contract I was lucky enough to land at Scribner. But when China made it to the second contract (with Berkley Prime Crime), I began asking her to grow up a little. From book to book, some of the sharper edges are wearing off. She still insists on personal autonomy, independence, and private space, but she opens up more to other people—to her long-time boyfriend, McQuaid (now her husband), to her friend Ruby, and even to her mother (Leatha), a recovering alcoholic. (You’ll find all the books listed, in order, here.)

The things that happen to China in each book help to shape this changing, maturing woman. In Book Four (Rosemary Remembered), she and McQuaid take a house together—and she nearly loses Brian, McQuaid’s son, to a kidnapper. From being a very reluctant mom, she learns that kids can be pretty wonderful. In Book Five, Rueful Death), she learns an important lesson in forgiveness that enables her to cope with McQuaid’s affair with a co-worker (Book Six, Love Lies Bleeding). When he is shot (Book Six) she nurses him through a painful recovery (Book Seven, Chile Death).

China and McQuaid finally get married in Book Eight (Lavender Lies)—and the issue of having babies begins to come up. While China holds firm on that score, she still has to deal with McQuaid’s young son Brian, another learning experience (especially in Bleeding Hearts, where Brian witnesses a murder). In Book Nine (Mistletoe Man), China and Ruby have to face Ruby’s breast cancer—together. And in Bloodroot (Book Ten), she and her mother both learn that they may have inherited a fatal genetic disease and she finally makes her peace with Leatha.

In Books 14, 15, and 16, (a trilogy: Bleeding Hearts, Spanish Dagger, and Nightshade) she also has to make her peace with her father, and with a half-brother she didn’t know she had. And before long, in Holly Blues (#18, a book I haven’t written yet), she’ll have to cope with a growing family. Sorry. No clues. I’ll leave you to guess how this happens. J

China who? Well, the answer is that the longer I know her, the more I understand that China Bayles is like all of us. She’s smart, but she’s mixed up. She’s full of conflicting desires and dreams, rejecting some, embracing others, never quite getting what she wants, forever trying to do too much, always having to live with her faults and flaws: impatience, irritability, stubbornness, high expectations of herself and others, the conviction that she is right (even when she is wrong), her tendency to hold onto a hurt. Gosh. Sounds a lot like me. But then, I think every writer invests a great deal of herself in her characters, and that most fiction is at least partly autobiographical.

Where is China going from here? I’ve already written Book #17 (Wormwood—due out in April 2009), so I know about that. But as for the rest, I don’t have a clue. Over the nearly two decades I’ve been acquainted with China, the one thing I’ve learned is that there is a lot about her that I don’t know and can’t possibly predict.

I like that.

I can’t think of anything worse than being partnered in a long-running series with a character whose thoughts, feelings, and moods I completely understand. How boring is that?

Thanks again, Karen and Cozy Chicks, for inviting me to spend some time on your blog. And thanks to all you readers who’ve dropped in to read today’s post. I’ll be around for a couple of days to answer any questions and comments. Please don’t forget about the book drawing. And do check the calendar to see where I’ll be blogging next. Hope to see you there!

About the book drawing and Susan’s blog tour

If you’d like to enter the drawing for a copy of Nightshade go here to register. But you’d better hurry. The drawing for Cozy Chicks closes at noon on March 30, 2008.

Want to read the other posts in Susan’s blog tour? You’ll find a calendar and links here.

28 Responses to “China Who?”

I’ve always thought the appeal of a series was getting to know the main characters, having a history with them. Do you think there is more of a trend towards series than there used to be? And if there is, does it reflect economic realities, such as publishers only want to back a sure thing? Or does it say something about our society, that we feel less connected in real life, and so appreciate even more than we used to the chance to really get to know a series’ main characters?

by Kathy (New York) on March 27th, 2008 at 11:04 am
[...] blog tour? You’ll find a calendar and links here. To go to the next stop after this one, click here. Stumble [...]

by Prime Thyme Mysteries 1 | Cold Climate Gardening on March 27th, 2008 at 11:13 am
“Growing family” !!!! Ohmigosh Susan, … It’s going to drive me crazy thinking about this one! : )
I agree with you 100% about a main character’s growth. When I’m reading a series, I’m changing, so I guess I expect the main character to change as well. I always like to feel I am part of the story and like to relate with the main character–and I can with China.
Love the books–can’t wait for NIGHTSHADE to reach my front porch!
Thanks for a great blog tour!

by Linda Mandeville on March 27th, 2008 at 11:46 am
I love how China has grown throughout the series. I didn’t start reading this series until sometime last year…I’d read Earlene Fowler’s Benni Harper series & loved it…enjoyed Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson series…and then somehow stumbled upon China Bayles…I can’t even remember how I encountered it…the tiny library in my town isn’t exactly hopping with a lot of books. But, thanks to ordering from the county & having a library card for the neighboring county’s library, I was able to read all 15 books between March & April…having a nursing baby who didn’t sleep through the night was a big help! Anyway, at times I didn’t like China - in Love Lies Bleeding I hated both China & McQuaid and almost didn’t continue with the series - and at times I could relate to things in her life. I’ve really grown to like her…a couple of weeks ago I reread Bleeding Hearts & Spanish Dagger in prep. for Nightshade (which somehow got to my library a week early because it was waiting for me Tuesday and I finished it yesterday morning - I liked it…liked how it tied things up, liked seeing things from McQuaid’s point of view…and gives me an idea or two for how the family may grow in the future) and, with it having been almost a year since “connecting” with China & Co. I found that I’d really missed her and could appreciate more how she progressed and changed…so much like how we all grow and change. That’s what I’ve liked with several of the “grown-up” series (as my 6 year old calls my books) that I’ve read in the past year and a half is that the characters do grown & progress…they’re not stagnate like Trixie Belden (my all time favorite) and Nancy Drew and the other series I read as a child. I’m growing & progressing (hopefully) and learning daily and I like seeing that reflected in my favorite books…though, thankfully, I don’t have the murders to deal with - unless you count Star Wars & pirate battles daily in the living room I’m loving the blog tour…it’s so fun!

by Beth Lee on March 27th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Great to see you here Susan! I had a hard time, forgiving McQuaid for his affair! I really did not like him for a while. I love China and how she grows, and Ruby too. I’m a huge fan of Ruby

And I new you where a Nancy Drew Author once. I found that out when I was listening to your podcastst I believe. Is it possible you’ve mentioned it there?

by Marion on March 27th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I love this blog tour, Susan. As you write for different sites, I learn different things about China, about you, about how you approach writing, and about herbs, too. All good things. I found this column especially interesting for its focus on how you’ve developed the series and China’s character. While publishers do seem to want the “sure thing” these days, as in a predictable series, I think they must also see that the unpredictably of a character’s growth and change makes the work more valid (as literature) and therefore more appealing to those who read for insight and growth, not just for entertainment. They can tap into the market on multiple levels this way. And the author can keep growing and stay interested, making the work more alive. Genius on your part, to be ahead of the curve on creating the series in this way. I wonder if your publisher was disturbed when they saw China was changing? Did they object or support you in that direction?

by Susan 2 on March 27th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I started the series somewhere in the middle, eventually going back to pick up the first three books. It would have been more logical to read the books in order, but I found it to be pretty interesting this way, and it was closer to how I met people in real life, where you bump into each other in the middle, and then gradually reveal your pasts as you become comfortable with each other.

Rosemary Remembered is a favorite, Susan.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

by Annie in Austin on March 27th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Hi Susan,

Have I met China & Ruby, I am a wannabe customer!

The irresistible nuances of both China, Ruby and the rest of the characters that flit through the pages of this series is their incredible naturalness. They could be neighbors and friends and sometimes I think that they are! The mystery in each story is the chili pepper that adds the spice to the mix of r0mance, everyday responsibilities, and the experiences that evolve among friends and family. And then there is that little bit of mystery in each person’s story line. It is hard to put the book down. Further we get the added bonus of herbal lore, recipies, and uses for herbs, which is the reason I picked up the first book and started reading the series. Sweet enjoyment.

I have just started reading the Victorian series that you co-author with your husband and now I am badgering the library to get me the next book and the next.

I also enjoy the Beatrix Potter series. I just love the interaction between the animals, how they pal up to help resolve the mysteries that arise, how Beatrix interacts with them and things end up in good stead. Every animal has a character and a part to play, awsome. This is my favorite series because it brings a long time childhood favorite author back into my life.

Very creative thank you.

Kathy

by Kathy Lee on March 27th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Hi Susan, thanks for fleshing out the creation of China. She certainly is someone who is not static in her series. Although we too, were angry at McQuaid, it made the whole lot of your characters more real, to have those flaws. But my favorite line was early on, about Smart Cookie, the one with when she kicks off her pumps to reveal those ‘toenails to die for”. (PS, big fan of Travis McGee here. Sorry that there wasn’t a ‘black’ book when he died, like had been rumored.)

Frances

by Frances on March 27th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know China in the books. I’ve missed a couple along the way so it is interesting reading on this blog tour as it is helping to fill in a few missing pieces.

by Crafty Gardener on March 27th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Well I have to say that of all of the many mysteries I have read China is my favorite character. She has shown me different views of my own life’s experiences. Please continue the series - the books seem to be maturing and growing right along with me - though I truly hope neither she nor I ever “grow up”!

by Pat on March 28th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Oooh, goodie–lots of comments. So here I go, catching up. I’ll do these in order, okay?

Kathy: since Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) mysteries have been published in series. Wanna write a mystery? Think series. That said, it is true that there are NOW more series mysteries than ever before–thanks to the popularity of the mystery genre itself. And yes, part of this is because of the publishers’ interest in finding/exploiting a winning series–much better for the bottom line than one-off books.

Plus (and here’s the big difference), in the last 15 years, we are seeing more character development in mysteries. Remember Miss Marple? Always the same, book to book. Contrast that static character to any of the protagonists in a successful contemporary mystery series, and you’ll see the difference. China grows. Miss Marple stays the same.

And yes, it may have something to do with our sense of disconnect. Think, too, about the way we connect to TV series characters–soap operas, for instance. Or my all-time favorite, West Wing. They’re like family.

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
To Linda, re: “growing family.” Yeah, I put that in just to TEASE you, Linda! I get so many questions about China’s biological clock (tick-tock)–when is she going to get pregnant, etc. You may have some suspicions about this situation after you finish NIGHTSHADE, but I can tell you that they won’t be resolved in WORMWOOD (#17, already written, out in April 2009). I can’t think of a greater motivation for character growth than a change in family situation, can you?

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Hey, Beth–you’ve said it very well, the thing about growing characters. But what is really interesting is that this developed so late in the history of the mystery. China was one of the first–and the Love Lies Bleeding episode (#6, testing her relationship to McQuaid) was difficult for a lot of readers (like Marion, just below your comment). At the end of Rueful Death (#5) China learns about forgiveness–it’s a lesson she needs, because that’s what she will have to practice in order to stay with McQuaid. This happens in real life all the time, doesn’t it? The thing is, our mystery heroines usually aren’t tested in this way, so it was hard for some readers to handle.

But maybe easier than Star Wars battles in the living room, and a new nursing baby. You go, girl! You’re MY hero!!

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Susan 2, hey, you can say “genius” any day of the week, and I’ll love it. But it was dicey, back around Love Lies Bleeding. My editor and I had a couple of serious talks about where the series was going–and there were quite a few readers who swore they were quitting the series. But I’ve got to say that my editor/publisher have been incredibly supportive over the years.

One thing to think about: Berkley (my publishing house) produces a very wide range of mysteries, from the “merely” entertaining (read very light, very little character development) to the more character driven and quasi-literary (like China). They do many niche mysteries (tea, chocolate, knitting, beading, etc), many regionals, paranormals (like Charlaine Harris’ vampires). They are constantly tinkering with their mix of offerings. As readers, we’re the beneficiaries of this kind of bounty, don’t you think? Something for everyone.

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Annie, I hear from other of readers who say they’ve met China mid-series, then filled in the gaps. (That’s a terrific compliment to any author, BTW.) And I do agree that we learn about our friends that way: we hear a story about someone’s past, and it helps to make sense of who she is today. In the China series, too, there are the other characters–Ruby, Sheila, McQuaid–all of whom have back stories, some of which have yet to be told.

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Frances, I had to laugh at your mention of those toenails. And here’s a scoop (you heard it here for the FIRST time): Sheila Dawson will have her very own book, in 2011. Negotiations just concluded. Look for something a little grittier than the China novels, more police procedural, but Pecan Springs of course, with a big helping of Texas and plenty of China and Ruby on the side.

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I began reading the China Bayles series about 3 years ago, in preparation for my move to the Hill Country. We couldn’t make the move right away and I was thirsty for the experience of living here. China Bayles gave me that and much more. As I read this blog, I realize how much I have enjoyed this changing, growing personality, so real to life. I am looking forward to Nightshade.

by Debi on March 28th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
I always find it interesting, how books can help us get to a place, without leaving where we are. I try to make China as “Texas/Hill Country” as I can, although I worry sometimes about slowing the story while I expand the setting–it can be a difficult balance. I also love writing the Cottage Tales, because they take me to the lovely green, cool (mostly)English Lake District. Such a pleasure, on a hot July day in Texas!

by Susan Albert on March 28th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I have a passion for gardening and for reading mysteries, and am happy to have recently discovered China Bayles. I read one of the books, and bought another. It is a fun series. I hosted my first blog book tour recently, for a friend’s book, and enjoyed being the hostess and sending out two of her books.
Hurray for blog book tours and for Susan’s dedication to continuing this series.

by Terra Hangen on March 28th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I am just now learning about China Bayles. I can tell that she will be on my ‘must read’ list from now on. Thanks so much for listing the series in order. The first series I read was the “Cat Who” novels. I know that series novels can stand alone, but it is so much fun getting to know the character by starting from the beginning.

I will be visiting China Bayles real soon. I am not sure what a blog book tour is, but will continue reading to find out.

by Vannie on March 29th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Thanks to all of you for participating in the discussion. It’s been fun! Hope you stick around for the rest of the blog tour–all of the blogs are interesting, each in a unique way. I hope you’ll learn something new and different from each visit. Oh, and a special thanks to Cozy Chicks, and to Karen in particular!

by Susan Albert on March 29th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Another great read from Susan. I just finished Nightshade tonite–didn’t put it down until I was done !(I was first on the reservation list at my public library and picked it up immediately) I have read each book as they have come and have yet to be disappointed. I enjoy following China’s character and appreciate your writing here about her growth and change as a positive part of your novels. Her character’s evolution along with the herbal subject matter keep me hooked. I also appreciate the small suprises that link the characters to the main plot along the way–yet are not always obvious and at times downright suspense-filled. I anxiously await the next China adventure!

by Zoe on March 29th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Zoe, thanks for the comment about the “small surprises” that “are not always obvious.” I always try to include intriguing bits for the discriminating, careful reader. And sometimes, when people tell me that the China books are a “fun, easy read,” I want to say, “Read again, dear. There’s more to it than you’re finding.”

by Susan Albert on March 30th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Thanks to Susan Albert’s visit, I have ordered my first four China Bayles novels. I can’t wait to get acquainted with Ms. Bayles

by Vannie on March 31st, 2008 at 1:28 am
Susan,

What a great post! It’s been fun to watch China grow over the years — and it’s been wonderful getting to know an author I admired long before it ever occurred to me to write my own mysteries.

Thanks so much for guest-blogging… and I must tell you, I’m having a wonderful time with Nightshade. Your readers are in for a real treat!

by Karen on March 31st, 2008 at 4:34 am
I am brand new to your books. I am just finished,”Table for Five” and signed up for your newsletter.

I have had countless gals, on Yahoogroups, recommend the China Bayles series, so that is next on my list.

I am enjoying follwing you on your blog tour!

This is fun!!!

by Char on April 7th, 2008 at 10:36 am
OH DUH……sorry, Susan Wiggs….Susan Wittig Albert! I am continually getting these two authors mixed up! Sheesh!

by Char on April 7th, 2008 at 10:58 am

China Who?

28 Responses to “China Who?”

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