Interview with V.S. Kemanis, author of the Dana Hargrove Legal Mysteries
The Indie Crime Scene is pleased to interview V.S. Kemanis, author of the Dana Hargrove Legal Mysteries. This interview was conducted by Dennis Chekalov.
1. You are an experienced lawyer,
writing legal dramas. Why did you choose a legal career?
I applied to
law school because a college roommate I greatly admired was going to apply—not
a very impressive reason! But, as it turned out, my career choice was the right
one. I love the intellectual challenge, and a law degree opens many avenues. I initially
thought I’d want to be a criminal defense attorney, but my direction changed in
law school after I had a scary interview with a public defender. As a result, I
ran to the district attorney’s office, where I spent the first part of my
career.
2. You have worked for the prosecution
and defense. What would you say is the difference? Your main character is a
prosecutor, not a judge or a defense lawyer. Why?
Your
questions bring back that interview I just mentioned! The interviewer posed a graphic
hypothetical—a gruesome murder—and asked what my objective would be in
representing the murderer. “I’d make sure he got a fair trial,” I said. “Nope,”
the public defender replied. “Your objective is to walk him. Get him back on
the street.” Well…really? Could I do that? A defense lawyer represents the
client’s interests, which usually involve a desire to beat the rap regardless
of guilt or innocence. By contrast, a prosecutor represents “The People” and is
ethically bound to do justice, not simply to “win” at all costs. I spent most
of my years in criminal justice as a prosecutor, so it came naturally to write about
a female assistant district attorney in my novels. But, at other points in my
career, I represented criminal defendants on appeal and worked for judges, so I
understand the viewpoints of all participants in the system.
3. When did you start writing? How did
it happen?
I first experimented
with writing short fiction in the early eighties, after graduating from law
school, moving to New York City, and starting my career at the D.A.’s office. Life
in the big city and my courtroom experiences were giving me ideas and
inspiration for fiction.
4. What are the books that changed your
life and why?
This is a
very tough question because there are so many writers I admire. The books that
resonate are those by authors who have the ability to tap deep psychological
wells. Among the classics, these are writers like Kafka and Dostoyevsky. Among
contemporary authors, Ian McEwan is an absolute master at understanding and
depicting his characters’ subconscious motivations. My favorite short story
writers are Katherine Mansfield and Alice Munro.
5. Please introduce your main
character, Dana Hargrove. Who is she?
Dana
Hargrove is
a strong and smart woman with a conscience. She always strives to do the right
thing in every case, but the path to justice is never easy. Interesting
roadblocks and ethical dilemmas always seem to get in the way! She’s also not
without her vulnerabilities. She feels
conflicted when personal loyalties interfere with her professional goals. The
biggest challenge in my own life was juggling the demands of career and home.
6. How true-to-life should a legal
drama be? How do you keep the balance between the mundane legal routine and
storytelling?
Jurors, and even judges, can be
caught napping in court. If my novels included every detail of the case, I’d
put you to sleep too! The main technique to make the law flow is to cut out a
lot of filler. The dramatic bits are highlighted: a brutal cross-examination,
the surprise testimony, the jury’s verdict in a close case. This doesn’t make the
narrative inaccurate or unrealistic—just condensed. Another way to make the
story come alive is to focus on the consequences of a prosecutor’s decision,
instead of the technical rules underlying it. If Dana does X, she could be
disbarred. If Dana does Y, the killer could go free.
7. How do your characters deal with legal
and moral dilemmas?
I love to throw Dana into the fire!
All of my novels feature a few mind-bending dilemmas. For Dana, they usually
involve conflicts between professional ethics and her loyalties to family and
friends. In Thursday’s List, for
example, she stumbles upon ambiguous evidence that could point to a good friend’s involvement in a crime. Should she
tell her boss, or simply remain quiet about it and beg off the case? Should she
keep her friend in the dark while she investigates, or ask her friend to
explain?
Dana does a lot of soul searching and mentally debates her options. She also
reaches out to mentors and respected colleagues. In the later novels, her main
go-to person is her husband Evan, who’s also a sharp lawyer with excellent
judgment.
8. What are your creative plans? Will
you continue the series about Dana Hargrove?
I’ve written
four Dana Hargrove novels and plan to write two more. This series is unique
because I’m covering Dana’s entire professional career from 1988 through 2022!
Of course, there are big time gaps between each story. The latest book is Deep Zero, which takes place in 2009. Each
novel is a standalone, finding Dana at a unique stage of her professional
experience and family life.
9. Your short fiction was published in
various journals and magazines, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Please
tell us about these stories.
My stories
cover a wide range of characters and styles. Most of them are included in my
four published collections. Three collections are loosely categorized as tales
of women, tales of family, and tales of misdemeanor. Dana Hargrove was
introduced to the world in “A Simple Case,” included in my collection Malocclusion, Tales of Misdemeanor. Two
stories of psychological suspense that were originally published in Ellery Queen are included in my latest collection,
Love and Crime: Stories.
10. What’s more difficult for you —
writing short stories or novels? Why?
Each format
presents its own challenges. In the short form, every word counts, and I
struggle to attain the intended mood or message with well-drawn characters.
Completing a short story is more satisfying, however, because it’s compact and the
process takes less time. On balance, a novel is more difficult because of the long-term
effort and focus, which requires revisiting the earlier chapters to maintain
consistency. Unlike some writers, I’m not able to jump back and forth between
the two forms. I write my short stories during the break between finishing a
novel and starting a new novel.
11. What role in your life does dancing
play?
Dance is a
very big part of my life. My early training was in ballet, later in modern
jazz, still later in contemporary forms of dance. I’ve performed, taught, and
choreographed at various times in my life. Now, I take about four dance classes
a week for the fun and exercise, and I still perform occasionally.
12. What’s in your opinion an ideal
novel?
I love realistic novels with
well-drawn, relatable characters embroiled in the big issues of their lives.
These basics of a good story transcend genre. Plot alone doesn’t do it. The
writing has to make me feel what the characters are feeling. My test: If you
have to yell my name more than three times while my nose is in a book, I must
be reading the ideal novel.
About the Dana Hargrove Legal Mysteries:
- Short story: Simple Case (Apple iTunes)
- Book 1: Thursday's List (Amazon | B&N | Apple iTunes)
- Book 2: Homicide Chart (Amazon | B&N | Apple iTunes)
- Book 3: Forsaken Oath (Amazon | B&N | Apple iTunes)
- Book 4: Deep Zero (Amazon)
About V.S. Kemanis:
Short fiction by Ms. Kemanis has been widely published in literary journals and magazines, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The Crooked Road Volume 3 anthology, The William & Mary Review, and Thema, among others. Her stories are currently available in four award-winning collections. She is the author of the Dana Hargrove legal mystery novels, which draw on her personal experience juggling family life with a high-powered professional career in criminal law. Ms. Kemanis is a member of the Mystery Writers of America.
Excellent in-depth interview!
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