Terri Reid is the author of the Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mysteries. Reid uploaded her first book “Loose Ends – A Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mystery” as an independent author in August 2010. By the end of 2013, “Loose Ends” had sold over 200,000 copies. Reid lives in northwest Illinois near Freeport, Illinois, which is the setting of the Mary O’Reilly series. A mother of seven and a grandmother of 23, she loves sharing ghost stories with her family. She writes a weekly blog called Freaky Friday through her website at www.terrireid.com. She can be reached at author@terrireid.com.
Website: terrireid.com
Facebook: terrireidauthor
Instagram: @terrireid10
X/Twitter: @terrireid10
Amazon Author Page: Terri-Reid/author/B004S8D0R0
When you began the Mary O’Reilly series with your first book release in 2010, what were your initial expectations for it in terms of planned length and reception, and has/how has that changed over the past 14 years of writing?
I have to admit that I didn’t have many (or any) expectations for the book. It had taken me years to write it and because of the market crash, I had time on my hands and was looking for some way to earn money. The Wall Street Journal had just published an article about Kindle and interviewed this new rising generation of indie authors. One of them was Karen McQuestion – who was kind enough to answer my questions about the viability of publishing through Kindle.
After her positive response, I uploaded Loose Ends in August and then Good Tidings in November, and they both sold more than I could imagine. From that point, I tried to upload a new book every 4-6 months. I just looked at my KDP reports and Loose Ends has sold 385,000 copies. So, how has that changed over the past 14 years? The market is so much more crowded with authors. I know that I got in at the right time because there weren’t that many choices. I have found that books can be shorter—I like to come in at about 55,000 words—because readers like to be able to devour a book in one sitting. I have also been blessed with devoted and loyal readers and a much more intimate relationship with them (thanks to social media.) And I think having that kind of relationship is important.
Where did the character of Mary come from, and what about her presented herself to you as a protagonist for your novel “Loose Ends”?
My sister, Mary, and her (now ex) husband used to buy houses in Ohio and flip them. I have to say – Ohio is a spooky state. She had worked all day, came home and took care of the kids, put them to bed, and then scrapped an old parquet floor on her hands and knees until about 2 a.m. Her husband was out of town for work. She dragged herself to bed, and when she was almost asleep, she felt like someone was watching her. She rolled over in bed to see the ghost of a Civil War soldier standing next to her bed, his head in his hands (not attached to his neck) and bullet holes seeping blood throughout his torso. My sister looked at him and said, “No! I am too tired for this crap tonight. You need to leave now.” And it did. She is my inspiration for Mary O’Reilly.
What is the spookiest thing that has happened to you in real life (if you’re happy to share that!) and did that, or a version of it, make it into the series?
I was up late – like 4:30 a.m. – writing up in my attic office. My dog, Riley (a Bernese Mountain Dog), was sleeping on a couch in my office, keeping me company. As I was typing, I happened to see him raise his giant head and look towards the attic stairs, his fluffy tail wagging a welcome. I was in the middle of a thought I didn’t want to lose, and I figured it was my husband coming up to check on me, so I kept typing. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this GIANT man standing on the attic stairs. He was dressed in overalls and a flannel shirt, and my quick impression was that he was the size of a linebacker. When I turned to look, he was gone. I tried to talk myself out of the fact that I had just seen a ghost when I remembered Riley saw him first. Later, when I was chatting with a descendant of the people who built our 150-year-old farmhouse and was beginning to tell him about my encounter, he stopped me before I could describe the ghost and instead described him to me. He described him perfectly. It was his grandfather – the man who had built the house.
Other than your MC, which character do readers love in the first novel “Loose Ends”?
My readers love Bradley – Mary’s love interest. So much so that I just released a book retelling Loose Ends from Bradley’s point of view. It’s called Divergent Paths. They also love Rosie and Stanley – a couple of senior citizens who are just a hoot.
Where did you get the idea for the “Loose Ends” plot, and can you tell us a bit about your process in drafting that initial idea into a full mystery?
Well, as I mentioned earlier, from my sister’s experience, but I also wanted to write about a character who was real. Someone who was teased by older brothers but loved by them, too. Someone who had insecurities but also believed in herself. Someone who came from a loving family who supported her. Someone who doesn’t go down into the basement when she hears a weird noise because she’s watched those movies, too. And, I have always loved ghost stories – from the time I was little, we shared ghost stories. So, it’s a legacy thing for me – sharing my ghost stories with my readers.
What’s next for Mary O’Reilly?
I’m not sure. She has over 23 books about her, a bunch of short stories, and now the new Bradley book. My readers love to visit with those characters. Many of my readers re-read the series every year so they can visit with them again. (That just fills my heart with joy when I hear that.) I’m sure that there is another book or two – perhaps Ian’s point of view or Mike’s story. I’m not sure yet – I’m still pondering on that.
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