Nina Mansfield is a Greenwich, CT-based writer. Her YA mystery novel Swimming Alone was recently published by Fire & Ice. Her short fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Mysterical-E. Her plays have been produced throughout the United States and internationally, and are published by Smith and Kraus, One Act Play Depot, YouthPlays and Original Works Publishing.
- What is your writing routine?
I’m wildly undisciplined and my writing hours are erratic. In an ideal world I would write for several hours each morning, but these days I must balance writing with diaper changes and stroller walks, so writing tends to happen late at night. When I am in the midst of a project, I tend to get obsessed and write every free moment that I can. Otherwise, I do a lot of thinking. An idea will often stew in my brain for a long time until I need to drop everything and write.
- Tell us about your current project.
I’m working on another YA novel. Like Swimming Alone, this book also takes place near the water — the Long Island Sound in this case. I’ve always been drawn to bodies of water as a source of inspiration. This book has a paranormal element, which has been thrilling to explore.
- Which writers, living or otherwise, would you host at a dinner party and why?
Lois Duncan and Joan Lowery Nixon, because their books made me want to write; P.D. James, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, and Laurie R. King, because I’ve enjoyed books by them recently, so I think it would be cool to chat; and Agatha Christie (do I really need a reason?).
- What do you enjoy about your MWA membership?
The events and the opportunities. Getting to read my work at KGB Bar was a blast!
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