Deceit in the City of Masks is the first in Michal Strutin’s 16th-century Blood & Wool mystery trilogy. Her debut novel was Judging Noa: a Fight for Women’s Rights in the Turmoil of the Exodus. Michal’s award-winning nonfiction focuses on natural and cultural history: Places of Grace: the Natural Landscapes of the American Midwest with photographer Gary Irving, Discovering Natural Israel, Florida State Parks: a Complete Recreation Guide, History Hikes of the Smokies, and others. Michal’s articles have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Outside, and other periodicals. She worked as an editor at National Parks, Outside, and the San Francisco Examiner, and copy editor at Rolling Stone. A research librarian, she served as science and environmental science librarian at Santa Clara University.
Books 2 and 3 of my Blood & Wool trilogy are set in Istanbul and Split, Croatia, respectively. Why wool? The wool trade drove Renaissance economies. Only the wealthy had glass windows, and winters were cold. Wool kept people warm, was readily available, and durable.
I’m an inveterate traveler: Africa, the Himalayas, Kansas prairies, you name it. Besides book and online research, I find in situ research evocative: the smell of the sea, pulling a bowline. Why historical fiction? Despite differences in technologies and material culture, the problems of then and now are often chillingly similar.
When I get stuck on a scene, weeding is my go-to problem solver. And native-plant gardening goes with my climate activism. My husband and I live in the Bay Area to be close to family. When I’m in my comfort zone, I’m hiking, birdwatching, or relaxing with family and friends. And I love doing talks and slide shows related to my books.