Chapin novelist Paul Barra writes mystery and suspense novels. His latest, “Westfarrow Island,” is set on the New England coast. As a naval officer he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Combat Action ribbon in Vietnam. He draws on his own experiences for his novels set in such places as the Mekong Delta and the Black Hills of Wyoming. Here he answers Editor Emeritus Jerry Bellune’s questions.

Q. How did you get started writing mysteries?

A. I got started writing novels when I worked for the diocese of Charleston in the mid-90s.

I learned about the 3rd bishop of Charleston, a man the diocese did not want publicized because he was a slave owner. I wrote a profile of him, Patrick N. Lynch, for Catholic Heritage, and the publisher (Our Sunday Visitor Press) wanted a book about him.

Having neither the time nor expertise to write a history, I incorporated the real-life character in a mystery set in antebellum Charleston (“Death of a Sacristan”).

Although I didn’t get that book published until 2 decades and 5 major rewrites later, I was hooked on mysteries which I love to read.

Westfarrow Island was my second mystery/thriller.

Q. From where did the characters and plot for West-farrow Island come?

A. All my fictional characters come entirely from my imagination. I was growing tired of protagonists who get pushed around and are victimized by bad guys so I dreamt up Big Anthony Tagliabue, a competent man with a mysterious military and mercenary background.

Agnes Ann seemed like the kind of woman he would fall for, and he does, but he doesn’t pine for her constantly and she doesn’t call him every hour.

She is an integral part of the story line, although, Anthony handles all the black ops adventures himself.

Aggie and her filly have their own adventures on the racetrack, so she is not diminished in any way by his proficiency. That’s the kind of love story I like to read, between two independent characters who let the other live his or her own life.

I also wanted to use some of what I had learned in the Navy, so I made Anthony a cargo boat captain and wrote in a sea story.

Q. How did you research technical details such as training race horses, etc.?

A. My wife and I go up to Saratoga for the race meeting every other summer. Handicapping horses taught me a lot about them.

We raised horses in Conway when our children were younger. Mostly, though, I scoured the internet and read trade magazines for the thoroughbred industry, veterinary blogs about the nature of horses and good racing novels by writers like Dick Francis. And there are just tons of information about racing and betting on races. It’s fascinating stuff.

Q. What’s next on your writing project list and what will it be about?

A. At the request of my publisher, I’m writing a sequel to Westfarrow Island, set in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, and I just completed a mystery involving a whiskey priest who seeks redemption at – surprise – a race track, where he solves a murder. I haven’t sought publication yet because I am waiting for reviews to come in on Westfarrow Island.

Q. Any advice for wannabe writers for finding an agent or publisher?

A. I’ve not had any luck finding an agent yet, although I believe to make it big in writing novels you do need a good one. My strategy has been to work up slowly through the independent presses (4 so far. There are many now, only giving away limited publication rights. Then when I make it big, those paperbacks will be available for top publishers to exploit.

The Permanent Press was one of my top publishers for years and they are so admired that they garner reviews in important places. High profile reviews are the key to success as a novelist. Depending on sales and royalties, I may just stick with them for the foreseeable future. I like to write and worry as little as possible about the business end of writing.

More about Paul Barra and his books at http:// www.paulbarra.com .