Welcome to Friday and Help From My Friends. Today, I’m pleased to introduce award-winning author Marie Sutro, creator of the San Francisco Police Detective protagonist Kate Barnes. A magnificent storyteller, who puts the reader firmly in step with her protagonist, Marie writes crime fiction and thrilling suspense. She also writes dark. What does she do to ease tension in her stories? Changes the channel, of course. Please welcome Marie Sutro and read on.
Quirky Channel Changes
By: Marie Sutro
Readers of my stories are usually surprised at the incongruity between what I write and who I am. It seems anyone
who writes unflinchingly about the darker Author Marie Sutro side of humanity must be a distinctly dour sort. I am not. Don’t get me wrong. Being devoured by the darkness is a very real occupational hazard. Which is why after writing something as incredibly intense as an autopsy scene, I need to shake off the heaviness. If I do, it’s safe to assume the reader does, too. In those cases, the next scene requires a mental channel change.
Author Marie Sutro
who writes unflinchingly about the darker Author Marie Sutro side of humanity must be a distinctly dour sort. I am not. Don’t get me wrong. Being devoured by the darkness is a very real occupational hazard. Which is why after writing something as incredibly intense as an autopsy scene, I need to shake off the heaviness. If I do, it’s safe to assume the reader does, too. In those cases, the next scene requires a mental channel change.
The menu for potential topics is vast. It spans from historical exposition of a location or person, to (and this one tends to be a personal favorite) something unusually quirky. Whatever the topic, the goal is always the same—to provide a much needed break. The challenge is finding something interesting enough to do the trick.
My job is to get at least one, if not two, of the reader’s eyebrows to bounce skyward because they are discovering something interesting and new. Wonder will always be a light in the darkness. The weight is immediately lifted and the channel is changed. The eyebrow bounce is the bar, but there is a next level—the Holy Grail (HG). HG topics not only prompt one to wonder, but go a step further to learn more about the topic and ultimately compelling one to share the wonder with their friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member.
Sadly, there is no immediate gratification in the topic choice. I’m doomed to wait until the book is published to know whether any of the topics hit the bar, let alone whether any achieve HG status. While I love to share little known facts about places and people, my favorite channel changers tend to be quirkier. Keeping the proper tone given the gravity of my overall subject matter strictly limits how often I can go to that particular well, which makes those rare instances all the more special. One of my favorites is nestled deep in the pages of my recent release, Dark Obsessions.The book is set in the dark forests of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, a region I had never visited when I chose it. I began with the usual research suspects (i.e. geography, weather, demographics, etc.). After that the quest for the interesting, fun, and unique began in earnest. Full disclosure: I do have diverse interests, starting with an affinity for old B horror movies. By “old” I mean those filmed in black and white, whose special effects were limited to use of miniature sets and monster suits cobbled together from a third grader’s science fair project. I’m also a fan of the shows Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Outer Limits, and The Twilight Zone.
In that vein, I submit for your consideration, one Rosie the Salmon of Sekiu. I vividly recall sitting before my laptop at my dining room table, hunting for 
treasure in a seemingly unending rabbit warren, when the clouds parted. The moment Rosie appeared played out like a scene from out of an old Disney cartoon. All it took was one glance and I was hooked (no offensive pun intended, Rosie). There was only a brief moment of second-guessing. Was she bar worthy, better yet, could she be a HG?
treasure in a seemingly unending rabbit warren, when the clouds parted. The moment Rosie appeared played out like a scene from out of an old Disney cartoon. All it took was one glance and I was hooked (no offensive pun intended, Rosie). There was only a brief moment of second-guessing. Was she bar worthy, better yet, could she be a HG?
Standing taller than the average person, Rosie is the unique combination of two distinctly different species. Her upper body is that of a salmon, while her lower body is entirely human. She is also an unabashed representative for positive body image. Fashion forward in a bright pink strapless bra, matching skirt, socks and tennis shoes, she stands frozen in midstride, greeting visitors to town in a fantastically fishy way that is impossible to replicate. The writing was easy. It was almost as if she penned her own lines. All that was left was to wait and hope. Oh, and there was the matter of needing to meet her in person, (or perhaps in half person…?). In retrospect, I looked forward to that particular aspect of my research trip far too much.
Finally the book was released. Emails began trickling in. Not only had Rosie prompted readers to look her up, but some had actually shared her photos. A few actually mentioned wanting to work a visit to Sekiu into their next trip to Washington, just so they could see her. Yes, I write heavy and dark topics, but every journey needs periodic moments of rest. I’m always on the hunt for the next Rosie!
About Dark Obsessions: A GRUESOME MURDER IN THE WOODS IS ONE OF MANY TERRORS TO BE UNCOVERED
Reeling from the trauma of her last case, SFPD Detective Kate Barnes heads to the Olympic Peninsula hoping to heal the present by resolving the past. When the ravaged corpse of an unidentified teen is discovered, her search for personal peace takes a back seat to the quest for justice.
…IN A DEADLY WORLD OF DARK OBSESSIONS As Kate digs deeper, she discovers the victim was not the only one who had been taken against her will. Racing against the clock to rescue the remaining girls, she uncovers a complex series of ever-increasing horrors. In the darkest corners of Washington state, Kate Barnes will come face-to-face with an adversary so ruthless and powerful that it will take everything she has to save herself, let alone the girls.
About the Author: Marie Sutro is an award-winning and bestselling crime fiction author. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, her writing is inspired by three generations of family service in the San Francisco Police.
In 2018, she won the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for the Best New Voice in Fiction for her debut novel, Dark Associations. In 2022, she won Best Suspense in the Authors on the Air Book of the Year Awards for her newest novel, Dark Obsessions.
Marie serves on the board of Bouchercon and is a past Vice President of her local chapter of Sisters in Crime. She resides in Northern California with her husband and three well-loved felines.
Marie, I read Dark Obsessions and loved it. I do remember Rosie, but most of all I remember the unstoppable Kate Barnes!! And for someone who’s never visited the Washington Olympic Peninsula, you nailed it, my friend! Such a gifted storyteller. Thank you for joining me.
Thank you for having me, Donnell! And thank you for the kind words about Kate and Dark Obsessions. I adore your work, and I’m truly humbled when someone I consider such an outstanding and talented author gives me such kind feedback.
I’m hoping to head back to the Olympic Peninsula in April. If so, you can bet I’ll stop by and say hi to Rosie!
You are very kind, Marie. Speaking of my comment to George referencing the Starship Enterprise … your vocabulary is out of this world 🙂
I have to admit, I’m a bit of a word nerd!
Marie, just reading your post, I got the chills. I love the Olympic Peninsula. I’ve probably been there ten or more times. I ordered Dark Obsessions a moment ago; maybe I should have ordered Dark Associations. but I do like dark crime stories. Looking forward to seeing a part of the Olympic Peninsula never before seen.
George, I think you will love both novels. I’ve also spent time in the Olympic Peninsula. When I read Dark Obsessions, Marie Sutro might as well have been on the Starship Enterprise. She beamed me there! A great cast of characters, good and bad!
Thank you, George!! The Olympic Peninsula holds a special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy Dark Obsessions as well as Rosie’s cameo!
(Hoping you’ll enjoy the reference to a very old case involving Lake Crescent in particular.)
Awesome, Marie! I’m downloading Dark Obsessions now and can’t wait to read it. I’ll look up Rosie too!
Thank you, Margaret! I hope you enjoy it!! By the way, not many people know this but Rosie has a boyfriend. (Although he’s nowhere near as charming as she is.)
Oh, my gosh, I’m just blown away by Marie’s research and inventiveness. I was wondering what exactly she meant by quirky. Now I know.
Candace
Thanks Candace! It’s a labor of love!!
I LOVED Dark Obsessions! Such a great book and Rosie was definitely fun to read about. You made me want to go back to Washington for a vacation and yes, I’d love to meet Rosie. 🙂 I can’t wait for your next book!
Thank you, Kathleen! If I’m lucky enough to get back up to see her in April, there may be some Rosie sightings on my social media in the near future.
In the meantime, I can’t wait for Hunting the Truth in October!!
Thank you, Donnell and Marie. On my TBR list! (Bumped up to the top.) 🙂 Marie, your kindness to other authors is so admirable. Thankful for you.
Thank you, Rhonda. And ditto on the kindness!! I hope our paths will cross in real life soon!