By Alex Carrier

Date: Robert Frost may have pondered the road not taken but Ann Mullen has followed her path to Greene County and novel murders. In May, Mullen debuted her fifth mystery novel appropriately titled “Greene County Killer.”

“I often think about the different paths we take,” says Mullen “and all the little life-changing side streets along the way. I look at how different people’s lives are in comparison to each other and wonder what paths they must have taken to reach this point.”

For Mullen, the journey to becoming a writer and publisher began after retirement when she and her husband moved from Tidewater, Virginia to the home they had built in Greene County.

“When we moved here I wanted the freedom of not needing to work. I had worked hard and earned my retirement,” she admits. “But I look back and wonder what would have happened if I had never set down that first day and started writing that first book.”

That first book “What you see” became just one in a series following the life and relationships of Mullen’s main character, a fictional female detective named Jesse Watson.

“My stories are not about real people but they are based in Greene County and always will be,” Mullen stresses. “In my next book, some of the characters go on a cruise but the story still comes back to something local. The characters will come from Greene and Madison and Central Virginia.”

It is Mullen’s characters as much as the Greene County location that keep readers coming back for each new addition to the series.

“The series is just a long story about characters developing relationships. People are introduced. Some stay and some go,” explains Mullen. “In each book I try to introduce a few good characters that readers will really like and not forget. I have developed a whole population I can pick from and add to.”

“Each book is just another chapter of the story and just like life, I keep adding on. I don’t see a time when this series will end but I do see a time when I might go on to another set of characters and write two or three books, then merge both series in some future event.”

“I feel so connected to these characters I could not leave them behind,” admits Mullen. “Plus my readers have also developed a connection with each one.”

“I have many women tell me they have fantasized over Billy Blackhawk. (Blackhawk is the main male character and has appeared in all five books.) They think he is a hunk. Others feel they have personalities similar to Jesse’s and relate to her. They like reading about her because Jesse does things they believe they would also do.”

Women readers were Mullen’s original target audience but now she finds she appeals to men, women and even teenagers. One young reader just received an autographed copy of the fifth novel as an 18th birthday gift.

Like her perception of her readers, Mullen’s perception of herself has changed after five years and five books. She points to the author photo on each successive novel.

“On the first book, my photo is really small and now it takes up the whole back cover,” she says with a laugh. “When I first started out, I was very insecure and did not know what I was doing. It has taken this long to get my feet on the ground and feel nothing will set me back. It takes drive and determination and confidence to put all your money into getting this done.”

Experience has taught Mullen to stay connected to her readers. Although she keeps books stocked in local stores, she is putting more emphasis on her website www.aftonridge.com. With rising fuel prices, she is seeing more shoppers on-line. Email also allows what she considers an important component of being a good writer – communication with readers.

“Readers feel they know me personally from my books,” says Mullen. “They want to know what is going to happen with characters and even make suggestions on who they would like to see get together. At the end of each book, I try to leave them with a little taste, a little insight into what is going to happen in the next.”

After the first five years, Mullen is looking forward to the next chapters in her life. The success of her series has included two reprints of the first title with another planned as well as reprints of successive titles.

“I want to continue doing what I’m doing now and grow just like anyone else in their own business. I want to progress as a good writer and become better known and I want my business to financially progress as well.”

“There is nothing I don’t like about the business but there are things I would like better,” admits Mullen. “There is always another path you can take, another avenue. Your life is what you make it. If you can’t make it what you want then you need to change direction and find something else.”

Mullen’s readers look forward to the paths her books, her business and her writing will take in the future.

Read more about Ann Mullen and her books including reviews...Link

Photographs of Ann Mullen courtesy of Elaine Barnett Photographer

Order Ann's books at her website AftonRidge where you can find out more about Ann, her books and all the characters that between the pages.

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