Kris from Murder Lab

Today please welcome Kris, who blogs at Murder Lab.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

Murder Lab is a workshop for the mystery/thiller genres. "Murder" because ... it's for mysteries and thrillers. "Lab" because a) I like thinking of mystery and thriller writers like mad scientists in a lab cooking up literary Frankensteins. And also because I am a mad scientist in my day job.

How long have you been blogging?

My first blog was a travel blog detailing a solo trip to Egypt that I took in October 2010...sort of like an online diary that I kept just to keep myself sane on the trip. After that, I was hooked.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

As mentioned before, Murder Lab is a niche blog, strictly focused on the mystery and thriller genres. The blog is fairly interactive; we have a very cool, loyal following and discuss everything from plot and character development to book reviews to ins and outs of publishing and marketing.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Mysteries and thrillers

What's your earliest memory of reading?

When my brother was 5 and I was 3, he was in kindergarten and thought it would be funny to teach me how to read. So every day he came home from kindergarten and worked on it with me, which we kept secret from our parents. One day I went in and showed my mom that I could read. She thought I was some kind of child genius and didn't believe me when I told her my five-year-old brother had been teaching me for the entire school year.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

I don't tend to re-read books. There are always so many new ones!

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Hell to the no. 

What's your favorite place to read?

On the couch, by the fire, in the winter, wearing sweats, with a cup of something hot next to me, covered in sleeping dogs.

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

Not really.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

Overstacked.

My TBR pile is...

Too high.

What's a book that's changed your life?

Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown. I was already into reading mysteries and thrillers and writing mysteries and thrillers, but this book really was the one that made me want to write historical thrillers. So it's fair to say it shaped my focus.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I can't think of one, or rather, I can always find someone else as freaky as I am to like the same book.

To DNF or not to DNF?

Sob. I always finish books, even if I hate it. Annoys me.

What's one book that intimidates you?

Anything by Khaled Hosseini. Even though he's outside of the genres that I normally read, I absolutely love his books and they make me feel like, "wow, just when I thought I could write..."

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

I have to agree with the previous blogger who said "The Great Library of Alexandria." This place features prominently in my own novel, and shaped the world as we know it, and yet, we don't even know what it looked like or exactly where it was. Damn. I would love to visit Alexandria in its heyday, browse through the library, and climb the lighthouse.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Writing. Oh, wait...

Hanging with my husband and my dogs, watching movies, walking on the beach, having a drink somewhere with a cool view...

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Mystery Writing is Murder
Murder is Everywhere
Sisters in Crime

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Thank you for joining us today, Kris! Remember to check out Kris's blog, Murder Lab, and leave a comment or question.