Welcome to the Story Impact author interview podcast.

What happens when the homicide detective becomes the murder suspect?

Acclaimed author, editor, playwright, filmmaker, and writing instructor Victoria Zackheim returns to Story Impact with Murder at Hotel Gloriosa, the second mystery in her latest series featuring journalist Aria Nevins and homicide detective Noah Roche. This time, Victoria moves the action from Paris to the high desert of New Mexico, where an international conference of homicide detectives and forensic experts takes a deadly turn.

When Noah’s nemesis is found murdered in Aria and Noah’s hotel suite, Noah is arrested—and a man accustomed to being in control suddenly has none. As Aria works to uncover the truth, the story becomes as much about loyalty, vulnerability, guilt, and resilience as it is about solving a murder.

In this in-depth conversation, Lisa Towles and Victoria Zackheim discuss:

• Taking control away from a character—and what it reveals
• Building meaningful character arcs across a mystery series
• Aria’s continuing journey through guilt, shame, and self-forgiveness
• Why Victoria believes deeply in outlining and knowing her characters before she writes
• Point of view, overwriting, and trusting readers to understand what isn’t explained
• The importance of emotional truth in both fiction and nonfiction
• How our own experiences, traumas, and transitions inform the characters we create
• The unforgettable story of a Holocaust survivor who learned to carry her past “in a box” rather than allowing it to obstruct her life
• The books that taught Victoria about the extraordinary power of words
• A first look at Aria and Noah’s third mystery, which takes them back to Paris

This episode is ideal for mystery and crime-fiction readers, writers interested in character development and craft, and anyone fascinated by the ways our experiences shape the stories we tell.

Learn more about Victoria Zackheim: victoriazackheim.com

Learn more about Host Lisa Towles: lisatowles.com

About Story Impact: Story Impact is hosted by Lisa Towles—award-winning crime novelist and founder of the Story Impact multimedia platform. This literary podcast features visionary authors, entrepreneurs, and changemakers exploring creativity, meaningful work, and the deeper purpose behind powerful stories.

Learn more about the Story Impact multimedia platform: storyimpactconsulting.com

Follow Story Impact on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and subscribe on YouTube for full-length video interviews.

Stories hold the world together.