I MURDERED THE PTA FAQs

When did you write I MURDERED THE PTA?

Way back in 2000. I would go for a walk in the morning, come back, write a chapter, and e-mail it to my bud Chillpaw for a critique. Her advice was invaluable.

What’s it about?

Daphne Lee-Lee is a rock-and-roll mom trying to live a quiet life in the ‘burbs until an explosion blows up a bunch of elementary school PTA ladies, and she ends up being the prime suspect.

So, the main character is you?

No! We share some similar traits and the book is written in first-person, so readers might think she’s me, but she’s an entirely made-up character. As are her best friend, her love interest, the women of the PTA…

Who you call “Cupcakes.”

That was something Chillpaw and I came up with many years ago, before cupcakes were a popular theme. We called PTA ladies “Cupcakes” because they baked so many of them for various functions. Hey, I admit to baking my share of 'em, too, when my kids were little. I even made sure to leave a single unfrosted cupcake in every batch. You know, for that one kid in class who was lactose-intolerant.

Why did it take so long to get it published?

That’s a funny and tragic story. As a professional freelancer of mostly nonfiction, I knew that selling a first-time novel was a longshot for someone who wasn’t already a celebrity or a telegenic fifteen-year-old. (I’m neither.) I hit up a few smaller publishers that take unagented submissions, but had no luck. I then got a literary agent who mostly spent her time sending mass e-mailings to her clients telling them why the market was so bad. Then I got a schmancy New York agent, who burned out and moved on to a different job. She passed me along to her colleague, who managed to sell a porn star’s autobiography within a week, but dropped my novel and me after two years. She tried to get me to write a nonfiction version of IMPTA, but I wondered how I was supposed to do that, considering I blow up eighteen people in the book.

What did you decide to do after losing your agent?

I’d quasi-given up on becoming a novelist, but then a friend told me about Court TV’s (now TruTV) 2006/2007 Search for the Next Great Crime Writer. IMPTA was a top five finalist out of an alleged* 900 entries. (*I could never get anyone to confirm the exact number.)

Cool! What happened?

Public voting happened. All five were great entries and I’m not under any illusion that mine was the best, but popular vote requires a larger fan base than I had at the time.

Oh. Were you disappointed?

A little, but I try to have low expectations. Then, when something fabulous happens, I’m always pleasantly surprised. This philosophy works equally well for company cocktail parties, family gatherings, anniversary gifts, and trying out recipes you found on the Internet.

How’d you get a publisher?

I spent nearly every day of 2009 sending out something writing-related--query, short story, article, contest entry, etc.--keeping a diary of my successes, failures and weird experiences. During that time, I sent a you-wouldn’t-want-to-look-at-this-would-you? e-mail to Elizabeth Burton of Zumaya Publications. I knew her from the Small Publishers Artists and Writers Network. She read it, sent me a contract, and two years later, I MURDERED THE PTA was published by Zumaya Enigma.

Hasn't the book changed after eleven years?

Sure. A lot of its original pop culture references had to be updated. I changed the ethnicity of the characters to represent the diversity of our world. And I tried to make it even funnier than it was. I was really happy that it still made me laugh when we were copyediting the galley two years later. People should know that it has some off-color language and violence and mature situations, but it’s primarily a humorous mystery. I think it’ll be of great appeal to a large audience--not just because many of us can relate to what goes on in those PTA meetings, but also because Daphne is someone who says what everyone is thinking but is afraid to say out loud.

So, she is you!

NO! OK, well, maybe a little.

To order a SIGNED copy of I MURDERED THE PTA, buy it now through Paypal. $18.50 includes paperback SIGNED by Wendy Dager, applicable sales tax, IMPTA bookmark and shipping/handling. Limited time offer for USA/Canada residents only.

Click here for Wendy Dager's Facebook author page.

For Wendy's appearance dates, please go to the home page of this website.

Simi Valley Acorn article about I MURDERED THE PTA.

Ventura County Star article about I MURDERED THE PTA.

Great review at Sharon's Garden of Books!

Great review at The Las Vegas Review-Journal!

To find a cupcake baker near you, visit The Cupcake Bakers Association.