How long did it take you to write Red Hot Lies and what was the toughest challenge in writing the book?

Red Hot Lies took about nine months to write, which I consider pretty fast.  I turned it in, but the manuscript ended up getting tweaked numerous times because MIRA, my fabulous publisher, decided to put all the books out in Summer 2009, so every time something big changed in books # 2 or 3, Red Hot Lies had to be changed accordingly.  I ended up having to write Red Blooded Murder and Red, White & Dead even faster than the first one, but that was a blessing, too, because I was able to hold all three books in my head at once and edit them accordingly.

As the author, how exciting is it to know that you will have a new book out in June, July and August?

Putting out 3 books back-to-back-to-back is a relatively new concept within the literary world, although it's been done with much success in the romance world for years.  Only recently did the concept hit the mystery market. One of the best examples of quick release books are the excellent novels by Allison Brennan- The Prey, The Kill, The Hunt.  When MIRA proposed the 3 month release of the Izzy McNeil books, I was thrilled at first, but then I realized that all my deadlines would have to be truncated. 2008 was a fast and furious year, which at any given time involved writing one book, editing another and plotting out yet another all at once. My assistant was a huge help in this process, as were my agent and editor.  Our hope is that people will love Izzy McNeil and her adventures as much as we do and will get hooked on the first book and quickly come back for Red Blooded Murder and Red, White & Dead.

You started out writing chick lit and moved to mysteries. Was that a smooth transition and why the genre change?

When I first started writing, I wrote a story called Burning the Map about a girlfriends' trip to Italy and Greece that changes their lives.  There was no 'chick lit' market in existence then--no Bridget Jones' Diary (at least not in the US), no Sex & the City on TV yet--and I didn't consider the novel 'chick lit' since the term hadn't yet been developed.  Because of the lack of that market, there was a distinct lack of love toward Burning the Map.  I couldn't find an agent.  But I loved reading mysteries and thought I might have better luck there.  So I moved on and wrote a mystery.  By the time I met the woman who would become my editor at a cocktail party, I was already working on mystery number two.  I sold Burning the Map first, followed by three more chick lit novels, then I sold six mystery/thrillers, including the Izzy McNeil/Red trilogy.

Chicago works as the setting for several reasons doesn't it?

Chicago is a character and not just in the Izzy McNeil books.  It is a fascinating, fluid city.  Not only does our weather change constantly--testing us and delighting us--but the city itself doesn't sit back and rest on any kind of laurels.  Instead, Chicago is constantly striving, adapting, changing. And yet there are so many great things about Chicago that never change--the good-natured people, the Midwest work ethic, our ability to bounce back from profound sports losses.  And hey, our politics are entertaining, too.

What are some of your personal favorite Chicago landmarks mentioned in the Izzy McNeil  series?

So many parts of the city are explored in Red Hot Lies, Red Blooded Murder and Red, White & Dead, from restaurants to events to landmarks to every day locales.  Here are just a few:
- RL Restaurant (the only Ralph Lauren restaurant in the world)
- Old Town
- Marge's
- Lincoln Square
- the Loop
- North Avenue Beach
- Lincoln Park Zoo
- Old Town Art Fair
- Café Brauer
- Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
- Lake Forest
- Union League Club
- Roscoe Village
- Nomi at the Park Hyatt
- Old Town Ale House
- Lincoln Park
- Viagra Triangle
- Hugo's Frog Bar
- Chinatown
- East Bank Club
- St. Pat's Block Party
- Michigan Avenue

(And if you don't see a location or a locale in the books that you'd like to have appear in following books, please email your suggestions to info@lauracaldwell.com).