I first heard about Mary Pauline Lowry when I came across her debut, The Roxy Letters, on Bookstagram a few years ago. I haven’t read it yet (it’s on my list!), but it’s set in Austin, so it’s been on my radar ever since I moved here. And now that I’m reading and loving her newest book, Last Night Was K!ller, I’m kicking myself for not picking up her debut sooner!
Her new book (out now!) is a hilarious romp of a murder mystery featuring pole dancing and a whole lot of shenanigans, perfect for fans of the Finlay Donovan series and Margo’s Got Money Troubles. I’m reading it right now and thoroughly enjoying it! It’s truly such a fun read—I swear it has me cracking up every other page. But it’s also suspenseful and heartfelt in equal measure.
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(Thank you to Lavender Public Relations and William Morrow for my gifted review copy.)
I had the pleasure of meeting Mary recently at an event celebrating her book release (we took a pole dancing class and it was a blast!). She is so incredibly kind, and she agreed to let me interview her so I could share more about her and her new book with you, my lovely blog readers!
Get your copy at Bookshop.org here!
Author Interview with Mary Pauline Lowry
And now, the main event: my interview with Mary! Enjoy. 🙂
Can you share a quick pitch for the book? What is it about?
Last Night Was Killer is a comedic murder mystery set in the world of amateur pole dancing. Here’s the pitch:
After a rare wild night out bonding with new friends from her “Intro to Pole Dancing” class, single mom Tilly Turner has a raging hangover. But when she pops open the trunk of her car during a grocery run, she finds she has a raging problem too. Because there’s a bloody corpse inside. Who is he? More importantly, who killed him?
Tilly’s search for answers will take her on a wild quest involving snowmobile chases, criminals bent on revenge, and one smoking-hot ATF agent.
What is the origin story for this book? Did the character come to you first, the premise, or something else?
The idea for this book came to me when I started taking “intro to pole dancing” lessons.
I was forty-six, with zero dance background. It surprised me that shaking it on a pole in booty shorts to pop bangers blasted me out of a rut I’d been in for a long time. And pole dancing class was unexpectedly hilarious. I knew I wanted to write about it!
Is this book similar to your debut or very different? In what ways?
My novel The Roxy Letters was a raunchy comedy set in my hometown of Austin, Texas, but it wasn’t a murder mystery. This is the first time I’ve written a “crime novel.” But I tried to keep it funny!
What is your favorite thing about this book?
I wrote this book as a love song for all mothers of small children who feel overwhelmed and wish they could escape their problems for awhile (and maybe even make some wild reckless choices)!
But maybe my favorite part of the novel is the physical comedy, and the chance to write about pole dancing as a beautiful balletic art form that was developed by women dancing in strip clubs. Put people—in this case women—in any situation, no matter how difficult, and they will make art with the materials at hand. I love that about us!
Do you have a book tour planned for this release? Tell us about it!
YES! Indie bookstores and booksellers make the world go round! I’m so excited to have events at these indie bookstores:
- July 7, First Light Books, Austin
- July 9, Murder By the Book, Houston
- July 11, Lark & Owl, Georgetown
In the fall I’ll also have events in Boise, Idaho; Ketchum, Idaho; and the Texas Book Festival! Come see me!
How are you feeling about the book being out in the world?
It’s a tender and vulnerable thing to put a book out into the world. But it’s also my dream come true! I’m nervous, excited, and thrilled!
How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer, or did you come to it later in life?
I dedicated myself to being a writer in June of 2000 (when I was 24-years-old) and I’ve been writing in a very committed way ever since. I’ll be honest, the road has not been easy. The only reason I have a new book coming out is because I’m so stubborn and never gave up! If you have a dream and things feel hard, keep trudging! The landscape will change.
Are you working on anything new? Can you tell us anything about it?
I’m working on another comedic murder mystery, this one set in my hometown of Austin, Texas during the week of the South By Southwest music festival. It’s full of shenanigans, but that’s all I can say for now.
Thanks for reading! I hope you get a chance to check out Mary’s wonderful book (you can order a copy from Bookshop.org here), and maybe even run into her at one of her book tour events. 🙂