In Conversation with Author S. C. Perkins

Today might look like a regular Tuesday, or the day I see my accountant to do taxes, but for a friend, S. C. Perkins, it’s a very special day. Her debut mystery, Murder Once Removed, is published today!

Murder won the 2017 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery competition, and is set in Austin, Texas. It follows a genealogist named Lucy who loves tracking down tacos and her clients’ ancestors. When a coworker is murdered, she realizes poking into long-buried family secrets is more dangerous than she expected.

A fifth-generation Texan who loves tacos herself, Perkins agreed to be grilled (heh) by me and our mutual friend Lauren of Malcolm Avenue Review.

The dedication in Murder Once Removed is broken, because bourbon is not mentioned ANYWHERE. I mean, Mom and Dad can get you only so far. What were your beverages of choice while writing?

So, there are the “whilst writing” beverages and the “post-writing” beverages, and then there’s your “this scene is not going as I planned and I’m about to scream and throw my computer at the wall” beverages. My writing go-to is tea—-hot or iced, but almost always black and unsweetened. Then after writing, I love me a glass of wine or a cocktail, with some of my favorites being an Old Fashioned, bourbon and Sprite, or a Cape Cod.

And for those moments when screaming is imminent, it’s a shot of Wild Turkey, baby. All the way.

We should’ve asked if you had a “I have to answer inane interview questions” drink. As an old-timey Texan, you must have plenty of fascinating family lore. Was there one particular story that made you want to dig deeper, into your family or genealogy in general? (Bonus points if it includes chaps.)

A bit o’ history here: Besides the formidable native Texans, naturally there are six nations that have claimed Texas as their own. One was Spain, which technically called dibs on a part of modern-day Texas in 1519, but treated it like the semi-useless slivers at the bottom of a glorious bag of tortilla chips until the 1700s, when they thought France was going to take it.

Then they got all, “It’s ours and you can’t have it, you silly French snail-eaters!” and began giving out land grants, or porciónes, to loyal Spanish subjects to govern and cultivate. One of them was my ancestor, José Matias Longoria Chapa. His porción is in modern-day Starr County, in South Texas. I’d love to dig deeper into that particular link to Texas history!

Since I do indeed own chaps, I would even be willing to wear them in honor of my findings. Or when I go riding, one or the other.

That is a very intriguing bit of family lore. Share three more details from your family history—two truths and one lie but don’t tell us which is which. 

1. My great-great grandfather on my dad’s side was the pitcher of very first organized Latin-American baseball team in history. They won, too.
2. My maternal great-grandfather was an obstetrician in Corpus Christi, Texas, and delivered close to 16,000 babies in his career, which amounted to around one-quarter the population of the time.
3. I descend from Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, the Plantagenets, Pocahontas, the Hatfields, and the McCoys.

Hmm. They all sound truthful so let’s move on. If you had to be related to Lauren or Elyse, what story would you tell Elyse about the tree of Perkins weirdos to make her feel better that you chose me?

Are you sure Elyse and I aren’t already related? I haven’t checked the entire family tree but we’re both really short, the Force is strong within us, and we have the same taste in snacks and men.

My apologies to Mr. PCN, but I’m talking about Harrison Ford here. Rowr! As for snacks, the answer is just yes. HF might also qualify as a snack. (FOR THE EYES, Lo, for the eyes. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

But when it comes to gutter talk, love of dogs, and penchant for bourbon, you’re my cousin all the way, Lauren. There were no doubt some hooligans in my mom’s side of the family way back in England. It’s highly possible one of them was shipped off to Australia and we just haven’t found proof yet. I do get my love of bourbon from my maternal grandfather, so the possibility of a Lolo-Steph ancestral link could be a high one.

Now, what was the question? I’ve got the idea of Harrison Ford as a snack now firmly lodged in my mind…

We’re gonna need a moment to process that image. [Insert 7-minute intermission.] OK, we’re back. Which famous historical figures do you wish you were related to?

 I’m limiting this to three, because otherwise I’d never stop listing historical women and men I find fascinating and y’all would have send a SWAT team to Texas to take my keyboard away.

1. Jane Austen. Holy cow, this woman could write! And she created Mr. Darcy, who, one could argue, is the Han Solo of the Georgian/Regency eras. He’s a snack for the mind.
2. William J. “Wild Bill” Donovan, who headed the OSS during World War II. This might explain my fascination with anything spy related.
3. Hedy Lamarr. She was smart as all get out, an inventor (hello, WiFi!), and an actress who killed it on the screen. Her style and beauty for days are fabulous extras, too. Total inspiration.

If a vegan showed up at a party thrown by Lucy, would there be vegetarian tacos, or would said vegan be forced to spend the evening out in the back forty tied to the mechanical bull? 

Y’all need to come to Austin. It loves its vegetarians and vegans almost as much as California does, no kidding.

I’m a huge fan of veggie fajitas myself, especially with warm, clarified butter and homemade flour tortillas, and I’d willingly share a big, sizzling cast-iron skillet full of them with you. Sure, I might have to sneak in a beef taco al carbon on the side, but I’d just point wildly out the window, say something like, “Hey, look it’s a jackalope!” and shovel said beef taco in my mouth while you’re falling for my ruse. Plus, guacamole and queso are both vegetarian, and the guac is vegan. High five!

No need for fake jackalope sightings. Feel free to scarf all the tacos. Now for the most important question: how much booze and cake will be involved in your pub day celebration?

There will be lots of wine and cookies at my launch party, and as much eating and booze as I can get my hands on at all other points surrounding my pub date. And I will send a toast y’all’s way! Cheers to my wonderful, bookish, geeky, bourbon-and-Star-Wars-loving gang! Y’all are the best and I absolutely loved doing this interview! xoxo

Thank you, and happy pub day! 

Buy Murder Once Removed at Amazon | Buy at IndieBound

PCN is an Amazon affiliate and could earn a small commission if a purchase is made via the link.