Tracy Brown lives in the beautiful Finger Lakes of New York State dreaming up epic stories and quirky characters. She believes magic still exists; you just need to look in the right places.

Tracy is the author of the DOOR TO DOOR Paranormal Mystery Series, three books penned under the name T.L. Brown. She is also the author of the adult dark fantasy BELLEROSE WITCHLINE books.

Although this is a standalone series, it shares some of the author’s most popular characters found in the “Door to Door books.” She’s working on the third installment now, WALKING A FINE WITCHLINE, due out in 2024.

Tracy’s married to “one damn amazing man.” Together they talk about music for hours, cook up fabulous meals, and raise clever chickens.

Okay Tracy, today we’re going to jump right in with some Lunchtime Poll silliness. Let’s go:

1) If aliens landed on the Earth, which of your characters would you send to greet them?
Emily Swift (the main character of the DOOR TO DOOR series) wouldn’t even wait to be asked to go. She has a habit of taking off, you know.

2) Oh, I absolutely do; although I suspect Templeton might come along as her lieutenant, Kenickie to her Zuko. Speaking of Grease, you and I first bonded on Instagram over being Gen X writers. If DOOR TO DOOR was a Sunday Night Movie, which 80s TV actor would you stunt cast, and in which role?
Brilliant question! James Spader as John Templeton…even though the hair color is all wrong. He would have been a little too young, but close if we’re talking about 1989.

3) Fabulous choice! Templeton definitely gives me Morgan Hiller/Tuff Turf vibes.
Doors are used for travel within the world of your books. Where would you go first using door travel?
I’d go visit my older sister in South Carolina. I miss her a lot.

4) Awww, that’s lovely. Hi, Tracy’s sister!  My next question is also about family (of sorts): How did your flock react when they found out you were calling the individuals working as a collective to protect the Empire “Rabbits” and not “Chickens?”
Ha! Ironically, my chickens like rabbits. Last year, a wild rabbit hung out with them in the chicken run. He even ate out of the chicken feeder alongside them. My girls are pacifists.

5) You and I often joke about our love of spreadsheets. Would you say you Excel at them?
That’s a groaner, Joanna! No to excelling, but I use Excel almost every day.

6) I had to do at least one dad joke, sorry/not sorry. Speaking of sorry/not sorry, your “is-he-a-hero-or-a-villain” character, Templeton, has garnered quite a devoted fanbase. Give us the plot of his (completely imaginary) spinoff romance series: “Temptington.”
Funnily enough, some time ago I was futzing with a novella called “Templeton’s Tale,” and early on we learn he had a fling with a woman named Izabella Ivanova. Eventually, he broke it off because he tired of her spoiled behavior.
When Templeton was forced to tell Rabbit the breakup story over a mysterious dead body found in his penthouse, Rabbit asked how the “Ivanov princess” took the break up. (Readers might recognize that name…Ivanov Transport, anyone?) Templeton’s reply: “Not well. Izabella set fire to my house at the estate. Specifically, she torched the corner where my master bedroom was located. Spoiled little psychopath.”
Ah, romance.

Okay, I think I speak for all your readers when I say we want to read that novella! Let’s turn to our more serious questions now:

1) You have two very different series – DOOR TO DOOR is a paranormal mystery trilogy, while THE BELLEROSE WITCHLINE books are dark adult fantasy. What made you decide to change genres, but remain within the same world?
I started writing DOOR TO DOOR about 10 years before I finished it. During the pandemic, I thought, “Well, it’s now or never!” I also wanted to write a book my mother would enjoy reading (i.e., sex and most violence happens off-page, no heavy swearing, etc.). I enjoy mysteries and the paranormal/fantastical, so I combined the two and kept things PG-13. I didn’t plan for it to be a series but then books two and three happened.

I knew I wanted to explore darker themes, and I love my main cast of characters. As I was writing book three in the mystery trilogy (DOORS WIDE OPEN), I made sure the storyline lent itself to the launch of the first book in the BELLEROSE WITCHLINE Series, A THIN WITCHLINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE (Rated R). Emily Swift was ready to step aside and let Lucie Bellerose pick up the tale.

Some readers made the jump from the lighthearted mystery series to adult dark fantasy and embraced Lucie’s story. Others preferred to stick to something with less…drama and pain. That’s okay. In Lucie’s series, diving into themes of who is “good” and who is “bad” (light and dark) while living in the gray space between the two has been one of my favorite writing experiences. I think most of life happens in the gray. I also believe “bad people” can do very good things — and vice versa.

2) You know that I am all in on books exploring that gray area between “good” and “bad;” I love both your series! How does your process change when writing a book versus writing a trilogy?
I never planned to write a series when I started with DOOR TO DOOR — it just happened. But yes, processes are different when you are writing a series. Everything you write in one book affects what you do in the books that come after, and you can’t go back and change the facts once everything is out there for readers. I keep a timeline and a list of facts to help me stay on track. Writers also must think ahead to future books in a series and set the storyline in one book to support what happens in the next. I plan to produce a standalone book with one of the more “colorful” characters from my two series. I started writing Sebastian St. Michel’s new story this year just to get a feel of what that will look like. He’s quite the demanding character and is always chattering away in my head to work on it. He’s a royal pain. I adore my half-demon.

I do think about writing a standalone book having nothing to do with anything I’ve published. I have a few wild drafts on my laptop. Every now and then I’ll open a file and think: I should run with this.

3) Your characters have… hmm, let’s call it… a “healthy disregard” for rules (looking at you, Emily Swift). Which rules do you follow when writing and which do you break?
Follow: When I started writing my first (published) book, I was reckless in my use of commas. I’m pretty “by the book” with commas now. I also love the Oxford comma and cringe when people do not use it — even though it’s optional.
Break: I use adverbs every now and then. Yes, yes I do. (Cue shock and horror in the writing community.)

4) What are you reading right now?
A SHIVER OF RAINBOW AND SHADOW, by Rose J. Fairchild on Kindle Vella. Rose has written some of the darkest and most beautiful fiction I’ve ever read. She’s an author to watch. She’s on Instagram here.

5) What are you working on next?
Publication of the third book in the BELLEROSE WITCHLINE series, WALKING A FINE
WITCHLINE, has been pushed into 2024, so I’m working with a voice narrator on the audiobook version of THROUGH THE DOOR, book two in the DOOR TO DOOR series.

6) Where can readers find you?
Right now, I’m stepping back from most social media to refocus my energies. The best way to keep up to date with me is via my bi-monthly email newsletter. Also, Goodreads is such a wonderful network, and my author page is here. I do hope to get back to making videos soon and invite readers to follow me on YouTube and TikTok. But if you want to find all my socials, please visit: https://writertracybrown.com/contact/

I encourage everyone to go follow Tracy. Not only is she a fabulously talented author, but she is also one of the most encouraging people I’ve met in the writing community. She is a wonderful cheerleader of other authors, and the reason why my To Be Read list will never get any smaller. Tracy, thank you so much for being here!