Author Rita A. Popp
Rita A. Popp writes light and twisty mysteries and other entertaining fiction. Her debut novel, The First Fiancée: A Bethany Jarviss Mystery, was released in 2022, followed by the second in the series, The End of Promise, in 2024. Both are published by The Wild Rose Press as well as her novelette, Passing on the Farm. Her mystery short stories have appeared in online magazines and two Sisters in Crime Guppy anthologies. In 2022, she won the Six-Word Mystery Contest sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America Rocky Mountain Chapter. Her entries in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine’s Mysterious Photograph Contest have earned several honorable mentions. She and her husband divide their time between their home in Colorado and cabin in the New Mexico mountains. Links to Rita’s fiction can be found at https://ritapopp.com.
This is Author Rita A. Popp’s writing and publication journey in her own words…
Inspiration to start writing…
I’ve been a fan of mystery novels since I read Nancy Drew as a little girl and, as a teenager, cracked into an uncle’s castoff box of Detective Book Club crime fiction. I own crumbling paperback collections of the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and other Golden Age mystery authors. I began writing fiction for a master’s degree in English at New Mexico State University while employed there as a staff writer and editor for most of my career. Now, as a retiree, I write at the home I share with my husband in Colorado and at our cabin in the New Mexico mountains.
The First Fiancée Blurb
The discovery of human bones near a remote New Mexico mountain village sets Bethany Jarviss on a treacherous path to solve a murder. Bethany fears that her sister’s fiancé, Matt, killed the long-missing young woman, Krystal Decker. He was first engaged to her and swears he thought she left him to pursue a singing career. News of the murder swirls as the newly engaged couple get set to open their bed-and-breakfast inn shortly before Christmas. As Bethany investigates, she meets plenty of locals besides her future brother-in-law with motives for killing his beautiful, thieving, secretive first fiancée.
One of Rita’s favourite scenes from The First Fiancée…
Alone with Matt, Bethany said, “It must be hard, the situation you’re facing, finding out about the death of someone you loved so many years after it happened. I’m sorry to say it so awkwardly.”
He acknowledged her apology with a nod. “It’s been a shock. I thought Krystal left me and didn’t want to be found.”
“Joni told me someone killed her. Is that possible? Couldn’t it have been an accident?”
“At first that’s what I assumed, but apparently somebody hit her on the head and left her in a gully. In the national forest beyond the lodge. The police seem to think I could be capable of doing that.” He cleared his throat. “It’s good you came, but I don’t want you burdened with my problem.”
“It’s Joni’s problem, too. She sounded frantic when she called.”
“That’s because of the rumors that I’m some sort of monster.”
He put his hands on her shoulders, locking eyes with her. His grip felt so tight she winced. “Look, I didn’t kill Krystal. Joni believes me. But we can kiss goodbye to paying guests if people worry they’re not safe under this roof.”
She stepped back to free herself from those hands.
“Sorry.” He led her out of the lodge and down the front steps, their hiking boots thudding on the hard wood.
Advice and words of encouragement from Author Rita A. Popp for aspiring authors…
As one of my favorite professors advised years ago, “Find your tribe.” If you seek them, you will find writers’ organizations in your genre and authors who inspire and encourage you. And help and encourage other writers at every stage of your creative journey.
