Interview with Micki Browning, author of Adrift

What can you tell us about your new release, Adrift?

Marine scientist Mer Cavallo struggles to debunk paranormal explanations and salvage her reputation after a ghost-hunting documentary leader disappears on one of her dives on a Florida Keys shipwreck. Maybe dead men do tell tales.

Name a book that you feel has impacted your life significantly. Why was it so impactful?

I internalize a bit from every book, so many books have impacted my life or manner of thinking. Recently, I read Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell. The subject matter is very dark, and the setting in the Ozarks is stark, but the writing is beautiful, evocative, even poetic at times. I’ve dealt with crime my entire professional life. Woodrell proves a writer can capture the darkness in people without sacrificing their humanity. After I finished it, however, I had to reread all three volumes of The Complete Calvin And Hobbes.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

In writing? Plot from the antagonist’s viewpoint; write from the protagonist’s perspective. In life, the best advice I ever received was a lesson from the police academy: Never give up.

You’re hosting a literary dinner party. Which three writers are invited?

Limiting the guest list to three writers is just cruel, but here goes; Ellis Peters, author of the Brother Cadfael mysteries because I’m a medievalist by education; Marion Zimmer Bradley, because I love her Arthurian legend world-building; and Stephen King, because I don’t know anyone who can go medieval better than the horror master, himself.

Pretend you qualified for the Olympics. What sport would you compete in?

Archery. Definitely. I own a longbow. I’d lose to everyone who has a fancy compound bow, but how often do you have the opportunity to unleash your inner Katniss?

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a pioneer like Laura Ingalls Wilder and live in a little house on the prairie. That lasted until I developed an appreciation for indoor plumbing. Then I saw the opening montage of Charlie’s Angels. They were pioneers of a different ilk. As an adult, I served as a police officer for twenty-two years. I guess I missed the part about them leaving to become private investigators.

What scene in Adrift was your favorite to write?

I love writing the underwater scenes. The scene when the documentary team dives the USS Spiegel Grove was a lot of fun. Since I retired from law enforcement, I’ve been able to indulge one of my passions—scuba diving. I’m a professional divemaster and the Spiegel is my favorite wreck dive.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

“Leap, and the net will appear” by John Burroughs

Micki Browning is the author of the new book Adrift. 

Connect with Micki:
Author Website
 Twitter