Marc: I’m joined today by Mary Banks, Elizabeth’s mother, from Jenkins, Arkansas. Doc, how ya doing today?
Mary: Don’t call me “doc.” I’m Dr. Banks or Commissioner Banks if you want to talk to me about county business.
Marc: I apologize. I didn’t mean any disrespect.
Dr. Banks: Your apology is accepted. Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Marc: Of course. How do you find the time to balance your work as a doctor plus the county commission plus the school board, not to mention acting as the town medical examiner as needed—all on top of an active social life?
Dr. Banks: Now you’re prying into my social life? I can see your apology wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.
Marc: I’m sorry again. Let’s move on. How’s it been having your daughter and son-in-law living with you these past few months?
Dr. Banks: Well, let’s just say no one’s killed anyone yet and they’ll be moving into their own place soon enough.
Marc: Speaking of people getting killed, were you surprised that Elizabeth and Jonas helped solve the latest murder in Jenkins?
Dr. Banks: You know you make it sound like we’ve got a big-city crime wave going on here. The occasional fool killing someone doesn’t make us the murder capital of America or nothing.
Marc: Of course not. Perhaps we’ll try a lighter topic. I hear you’re a big-time card player—
Dr. Banks: Who’s been gossiping about me? That’s not right for people to go behind your back making up things.
Marc: No one specific. Let’s just say it came to me. But I understand you have some unusual rules in your card games.
Dr. Banks: Unusual?
Marc: Yes. Perhaps you can explain your special rule about “test-taking” a card? Or the “May I?” rules around discards?
Dr. Banks: You know, young man, I do believe you’re making fun of me. And, I use the term “young man” very broadly in your case, you understand.
Marc: Yes, Ma’am.
Dr. Banks: I heard tell that you wrote a story about all these events and called it Swimming with the Fishes. That’s a ridiculous title. I better sit down and fact-check it closely to make sure you didn’t muddle up what happened.
Marc: Sure. I’d be happy for you to read it. You know, it’s a fun clean read with lots of twists and surprises.
Dr. Banks: I’ll be the judge of whether you’re funny or not. And there best not be any surprises if you told the story right. After all, I know what happened.
Marc: Don’t you think it’s pretty cool to have these stories about Jenkins in the Ozarks Lake Mystery series?
Dr. Banks: I’ll have you know that summers in Arkansas aren’t cool.
Marc: Well, I am writing more books in my Silicon Valley Mystery series. They’re really funny too.
Dr. Banks: I haven’t read those so I’ll reserve judgment. But it wouldn’t surprise me if I chuckled a time or two as them Californians are strange folk, and none stranger than that main character, Marty, I heard about.
Marc: If you prefer listening, the first three of those books are also out on audio book, available everywhere audiobooks are sold. And they’re all free for Kindle Unlimited members.
Dr. Banks: Well, now you’re just plain trying to sell me a load of goods. This interview is over.
Character Interview with Dr. Mary Banks
