Author M.A. De Neve

This week’s Writer Wednesday features Writing Room member M.A. De Neve!

Based in Royal Oak, Michigan, Mary is currently working on “The Dog Who Knew Too Much,” a novel about neighbors, their attitudes toward pets and murder. She holds a masters in English from Northern Michigan University.

When she’s not writing, you’ll likely find her spending time with her three cats — or one of the eight she fosters! Learn more about her below!

What writing projects are you currently working on?

“The Dog Who Knew Too Much” is a novel about neighbors, their attitudes toward pets and about murder. No animals are killed in this story. A little beagle has some misadventures, but she survives. It’s really about the people.

What inspired you to write a mystery about neighbors and their pets?

I’ve written two other book length mysteries and published many short short stories, so I’m always looking for ideas. This one came to me after attending a meeting about rats. Royal Oak, where I lived, had a rat problem — maybe they still do. As my husband and I left the meeting, I had an idea for a story. I wrote a short story that for many reasons didn’t work. But the basic idea and some of the characters were good. I just had to work on the story, and expand it.

Since I was a teenager, I’ve volunteered in animal-related work. I’ve cleaned dog and cat cages, and chaired committees on fundraising, education and publicity. When I started this story, I was taking phone calls for a rescue group. It was a great volunteer opportunity for a retired lady. Many people called to complain about neighbors and their pets.

Lots of pet-related issues come up in suburban neighborhoods. Some neighbors feed the birds, and some neighbors let their cats roam to kill the birds. Sometimes we find dog poop on our lawns and sidewalks. The idea for the part of my novel where the little beagle Tiki eats poison (and survives) came from a NextDoor post. Here in Royal Oak, squirrels and other wildlife disappeared after some residents put out rat poison.

I’ve long wanted to have a Crazy Cat Lady antagonist. She would be based largely on me. I now only have three cats of my own, but at the moment the total cats living in my home numbers 11. The extra eight are all fosters.

All the other characters are figments of my imagination and nothing like my real neighbors. Many are based on people who used to call the rescue line.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

The creation process. I love making up stories and putting new characters into imaginary worlds. I love the writing and even the revising.

What does your writing workspace look like?

It’s a mess.

What do you think makes a story truly compelling?

Strong characters and plot make a story. Robert Newton Peck wrote that plot is two dogs, one bone. 

What is your favorite non-writing hobby?

Cats. I’m a foster mom to seven of them.

What is your favorite piece of writing advice?

Read, study and learn the art of fiction and/or nonfiction. Anyone can publish a book, but not everyone can write a good one.