Trouble Afoot at the Three Hounds Bakery follows a mystery writer who inherits her aunt’s home and three dogs, where she finds herself in the middle of trouble in a town that is unwelcoming to her. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I grew up around dachshunds. They are extremely unique dogs, with definite ideas and temperaments of their own, and I wondered what it would be like to be plopped down in the middle of dachshund territory with no prior experience or warning. Setting up a character who is already a bit moorless and dropping her without warning into a nest of wiener dogs and a tricky mystery seemed like a very fun premise.

I found Willa Lattner to be an intriguing character. What was your inspiration for this character?

Willa sort of wrote herself. I planned on a plucky heroine who happened to write mystery stories, and she just showed up–every messy bit of her, from her crazy hair to her self-deprecating writing style. I liked her, so I let her stay awhile to see what would happen. I find I do my best work when I just let the characters show up and introduce themselves. Then my only job is to stay out of the way as much as possible.

What was the hardest part about writing a mystery story, where you constantly have to give just enough to keep the mystery alive until the big reveal?

I usually have to write a dozen versions of the same story before I’m satisfied with the pace at which the mystery is being delivered. Sometimes I say too much too quickly, and other times I get to the end and think I haven’t earned any of it! It’s always a tricky dance. Often, when I’m stuck, I bring in a reader to help me out. They haven’t been staring at the same story for months, and they can read with a fresh mind and let me know who they suspected, why, and what point, and help me really refine the ultimate clues and reveals.

When will book two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?

Book two, Death Pays A Call To The Three Hounds Bakery, will be out on Kindle on January 31st. We’ll be seeing a lot more of Willa and the dogs, and may even meet a few more human (and canine) friends. Willa’s past life plays a huge role in this mystery, and we get a lot more insight into who she was before she came to Humboldt Cove.

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