"Whodunits & Wellness: Patricia Miller on Writing Mysteries and Mental Health"

This week, Billboard Magazine award-winning broadcaster Burke Allen on Big Time Talker, who is live from the American Library Association’s annual conference in San Diego. Guest Patricia Miller discusses her book series, The Mysterious Tales of the Unexplained, a collection of cozy mysteries targeted at middle school readers. With three volumes already released and a fourth on the way, each book contains four separate whodunits, illustrated by middle school and high school students. Patricia shares her passion for mysteries, inspired by her love of Agatha Christie’s works, and how she incorporates a blend of paranormal and ghostly elements into her stories. In addition to her writing, Patricia is a seasoned mental health therapist with over 35 years of experience, and she discusses how her deep understanding of human behavior informs her character development. While her books focus on middle grade readers, she mentions that fans of all ages, including adults, enjoy her work. Patricia also talks about her plans to write books for parents and therapists to help teach children mental health skills through a series based on dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). The episode offers insights into both Patricia's writing process and her dual career in mental health. Burke Allen's Big Time Talker Podcast is sponsored by Speakermatch; subscribe today and get new episodes each week!