Wendy Gee’s writing journey didn’t follow a straight line—from the U.S. Navy to community volunteering to mystery fiction, her path has been anything but ordinary. Inspired by her time with the Charleston Fire Department and her deep roots in the mystery community, Wendy’s debut novel Fleet Landing blends real-world grit with a heartfelt understanding of resilience, service, and second chances.
Wendy, you’ve had such an interesting path—Navy career, community volunteer, and now mystery author. When did the idea first strike that you might turn your experience with the fire department into a novel?
My skill set was more aligned to write lab reports and research documents than mystery novels. That was until a North Charleston bookseller suggested I give the local writer’s guild a visit. The group was filled with successful writers (i.e., published and making money) across genres. They were heavily craft-oriented and required participants to contribute work to remain onboard.
Their motto: “write what you know” or “what you want to know” struck a chord and I looked no further than the Charleston Fire Marshal Division, where I was a clerical volunteer, for inspiration. I remember toiling over an action sequence and asked one of the firefighters to read it. I almost passed out when he said (paraphrasing here) … “It’s very realistic.” High praise, but then added, “It reminds me of that movie…” Thus, my career began in rewrites.
Your time volunteering with the Charleston Fire Department clearly left an impact. Were there specific moments or stories that stuck with you and helped shape Fleet Landing?
There are several poignant events that still resonate with me and I hope to integrate them in a future novel. For example, any excruciating loss of life from fire or traffic accidents. Or comical incidents whereby some knucklehead tries to drive away in a ladder truck or ambulance. Since U.S. fire departments respond to more EMS rescue calls than fires (almost 9:1 for those data geeks like me) I’d love to focus a story on paramedics/EMS first responders. And of course, firefighters have biting wit and witticisms that are priceless.
The book is inspired in part by a real-life case of a man wrongfully imprisoned for arson. How did you go about weaving that real-world tragedy into a fictional plot?
I’m awestruck by the fortitude and resilience of wrongly convicted people. I remember being punished as a kid for something I did not do, and was ineffective at pleading my case. I won’t begin to claim my minor experience mirrors the damage inflicted on the man who serves as the inspiration for my story, but it offered me insight into imagining his character able to forge an optimistic path after release from decades in prison. I also interviewed a different prisoner who gave me the line, “property of the state” which serves as a dramatic moment (no spoiler alert) in Fleet Landing.
Let’s talk about your process process—once you’ve got the core crime in mind, how do you go from that spark to a full novel? Do you outline, write in sprints, or just follow the characters’ lead?
I am a “road mapper” who uses a lot of sticky notes plastered across a panel of butcher paper to storyboard before ever putting a single word on paper. That gives me a visual representation of the big moments I want to include and the latitude to move the stickies around. From that endeavor, images of where the story will unfold take shape in my head (setting).
I seek to capture the city of Charleston and its surrounding communities in a positive manner, so I use real places when something good will transpire there, and a facsimile if it’s something bad. I especially like to visit the people and places I’ve envisioned will be my motivation. If they give me a green light—they are cast in the golden roles. If they decline my request to drop in for a looksee (some have…which is their privilege), my antagonists are born.
Once I begin writing, I draft the final confrontation first so I imprint that location in my mind. Then, I tend to write the initial draft as sequentially as I see things unfolding. The rewrite is fun for me and scenes move, get chopped, and most often new ones developed. I always listen to my characters. They are the aspirational me, so they are pretty wise.
Coop and Sydney are both navigating tough personal and professional challenges. How did you develop their dynamic, and what made you want to center the story around them?
The work v. family tug-of-war is not a new theme, but a realistic one. Coop and Sydney are resilient souls, each bearing the physical scars of their professional journeys. Their experiences have also left them emotionally bruised, a reality that I believe resonates with many who navigate similar paths. Beneath their stoic exterior lies an unyielding core—a cinder block fortress built on integrity, competence, and perseverance. This inner strength not only defines them, but also propels them forward in the face of adversity. I didn’t want them to battle it out for the sake of conflict, but rather demonstrate the push-pull of their respective professions.
You’ve said you love a story that pulls the rug out at the end. How do you approach writing twists—do you know them in advance, or do they reveal themselves as you go?
I often attempt to anticipate the twists and turns of a narrative, yet there’s an undeniable thrill in uncovering surprises that I hadn’t meticulously planned. While I recognize that writing isn’t magic, the enigmatic dance of artistic muses is a fascinating privilege to to leverage, guiding my creativity in unexpected directions.
You’re a member of Sisters in Crime and have been shortlisted by Killer Nashville and the Writer’s League of Texas. How has being part of the mystery writing community shaped your journey so far?
I’m fortunate to attend conferences and workshops where I can hone my craft while rubbing elbows with the giants in my field. In short, the writing community is wonderful. I haven’t met a NYT bestselling author who didn’t coach and encourage newbies at those events. I’m a sponge and a fan-girl in their presence, but I hope I never waste their valuable time.
You mentioned that Sydney will take the lead in Book 2 and Dino in Book 3. Did you always envision Fleet Landing as the start of a series, or did that idea come later as you wrote?
In my “crappy first attempts,” Sydney was the star of a cozy series which took place in Cooter Ferry (the Cabot Cove version of Charleston). My critique group (see question 1, above) steered me toward traditional mysteries/procedurals and that’s where I found my footing. During that growth period, I came to admire Sydney, and didn’t want to lose her or make her a second fiddle. So, I envisioned serialized co-stars (Sydney, Coop, and Dino)—each with a distinctive role to play that showcases their talents.
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