Murder by Moonlight
American and Italian author, Sandra Carrington Smith
My name is Sandra, and I am a professional killer.
However, I don’t spend all of my time killing people; during the day I am a mother of three, a wife, a writer, a philanthropist, and even a part-time librarian at my son’s school.
But when the sun goes down, I shed my daytime persona, and my mind begins to wander in all directions, aching to single out my next victim and plan the perfect murder. Unlike a serial killer, I don’t limit myself to victims in a specific gender or age group; I kill all: young and old, male and female, rich and poor. This, my friends, is the double life of a murder mystery writer.
My writing preference has come as a surprise to many who know me as a “people person” and a caring member of society. I have often been asked why someone who spends her days reaching out to others and trying her best to make this world a better place, would spend the evening hours inflicting pain and destruction on innocent, unsuspecting individuals, if only on paper.
First of all, I should say that I respect life in all its forms, and I strive to live in perfect awe of God’s creation. I try, to the best of my abilities, to make use of the blessings that were bestowed on me to guide people toward their own inner truth, and I gladly help anything or anyone on my path, human or animal, even if that means changing my entire schedule at a moment’s notice. A few years ago, I even decided to become a vegetarian when I found out that animals raised for food were subjected to unnecessary pain and suffering. Although I am aware that I can’t save all of the animals in the world, I feel better knowing that I am not a contributor to their suffering.
The combination of my personality and my writing preference is strange enough as it is. So it came as a surprise to me when I recently discovered that I share many of these character traits with a writer I met online,whose writing preferences fall into the realm of horror. Like me, Alison Hill wouldn’t harm a fly in the real world, yet she doesn’t hesitate to snuff out a life on paper. So, what motivates women like us to write about pain, death, and destruction, rather than using our skills to inspire love, forgiveness, beauty, creation?
For one thing, I will come out and say that love and forgiveness can be inspired in many ways. Sometimes, people are inspired to feel compassion directly by great teachers like the Dalai Lama. Others are indirectly inspired because of the suffering caused by heinous acts and crimes. Similarly, by murdering people on paper, I allow readers to safely bring to light their unique conflicts and inner demons, but I also lead them to explore the devastating emotions and buried feelings of guilt that survivors are forced to experience. This dynamic brings to light an excruciating clarity concerning how the actions of one can potentially hold consequences that will forever change the lives of all involved.
Killer in Sight, Published June 2012 by Sandra Carrington Smith
In my latest psychological thriller, Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery), a young, beautiful woman is senselessly murdered and her body abandoned in a park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Although Tracey Newman had amazing potential as a human being, and was deeply loved by her parents, sister, and many friends, her life had no value for the killer. Her deathwas merely seen as a coping tool to shed mounting pressure from a life laden with pain. Being forced to deal with the devastating emotions of losing someone they loved dearly, Tracey’s mother and other individuals whose lives are intertwined with Tracey’s have no choice but to bring their own inner conflicts and subconscious blocks to the table,and deal with them once and for all. Thus, Tracey’s death inadvertently allows them to seek redemption, forgiveness, healing, and togetherness.
As I sat down to write this article, something else occurred to me. Could it be that, by releasing our primal instincts on paper, Alison and I have found a way to relieve the animalistic pressure that lies at the base of human nature? Maybe, just maybe, inflicting pain and death upon people who only live in our imagination gives us a chance to extinguish the ugliness that’s connected to our imperfect human status, and allows us to be free, and more in tune with our spiritual side in our daily lives.
As days pass and more stories form in my mind, I will continue to love by day and kill by night. If you ever want to know me better, or have a need of any kind, feel free to call me, and be assured that I will be there to help – at least, while the sun shines high in the skies.
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Book Review Contest!
Sandra is having a book review contest through July 11th for Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery). Order the ebook or paperback online, and post your review by July 11th to be considered in the drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card.
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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, Italian Women Writers, Just Published, Multi-National Women Writers, Multicultural Writers, Multinational Women Writers, Paranormal Mysteries by Women, US American Women Writers, Women Writers Across Cultures, Women Writing Fiction, Women Writing Horror
About the Author (Author Profile)
Sandra Carrington-Smith is a mother, writer and self-titled “life observer,” currently living in North Carolina with her family.
A native of Italy, with poetry published there as a young adult, Sandra grew up in a fascinating environment: her father is a devout Catholic, her mother a Voodoo priestess, her maternal grandmother a Strega witch (a centuries-old practice of Italian witchcraft), and her paternal grandmother a Christian healer. Although these paths are often perceived as being at odds with one another, Sandra realized at an early age how similar they are; she learned to travel through life with an open mind, viewing her journey from multiple angles. This early lesson in perception has allowed her to create a full, diverse, loving life experience, and in turn offer guidance to those in search of the same.
It is Sandra’s vast knowledge of Voodoo which makes her background even more fascinating. She has crafted her own path in the realms of a more elusive, secretive following of Voodoo, which made her uniquely qualified to write the intriguing novel, The Book of Obeah, the first in the Sacred Awakening Series.
People from all backgrounds and life situations are naturally drawn to Sandra. Her blogs are read by people around the world; they have been used by ministers in their weekly sermons, and have also led to invitations to speak at various gatherings. Sandra combines the charming, worldly sophistication of Isabella Rossellini; the delightful, upbeat attitude of magickal-yet-practical mom, Samantha Stevens of Bewitched; the timeless, maternal wisdom of Olivia Walton; all flavored with a dash of Erma Bombeck’s sensible humor.
Through her life and her work, Sandra has developed a consistent message: A shift in perspective can drastically alter one’s perception of reality. It is her mission to offer people ways to see the world differently, gently guiding them toward self-discovery and healing, encouraging them to create a more fulfilling, more joyful reality.
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yes, truly interesting. To be honest, i have asked the question so many times after I’ve been reading certain violent murder books. What kind of person is able to write this stuff…And you answered that. And the truth is, I find it hilarious. I’m really looking forward to read the Killer in Sight now!
Thank you so much, Liselott! And I hope that if you read Killer in Sight, you will enjoy the story.
Yay! So exciting! Slay ‘em, sister!
LOL!! Thank you, Kelley!
Sandra ROCKS!
Thank you, Sherrill! So do you!
Everybody, meet Sherrill, my amazing cover designer.
Anora, it is always my pleasure to contribute to your lovely magazine.
You’re too kind, Elaine.
I really enjoy reading and writing mysteries, but I really think that my fascination revolves mostly around the intricacies of the human mind. To see the reactions, not only of the people directly involved, but also of those who become indirectly pulled into the drama, is something I have always found extremely interesting.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment!
Sandra, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the question of why kind women like you write about horrible things. Your work is always interesting and multi-dimensional. Thanks for writing another guest post for us.
Whew! Thank you for explaining all that, Sandra. I was beginning to wonder about you.
Seriously, you are one of the kindest people I know and it’s interesting that you’ve found a way to help your readers explore the themes of “redemption, forgiveness, healing, and togetherness” through this genre. After all, violent crimes are all around us and many are affected by them. I appreciate your being willing to share your writing insights with us!