Murdered by the Books follows a new children’s bookstore owner who becomes an amateur sleuth when her friend is killed in a hit-and-run, causing her to navigate family interference, a clairvoyant aunt, and a killer determined to keep her from discovering the truth. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

You asked about the inspiration for my story, Murdered by the Books. I’ve always loved reading cozy mysteries, so this seemed the natural place to begin my writing journey. It was the people in my life – family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and even passing acquaintances, that inspired the characters throughout the novel. Each character is loosely based on the people mentioned combined with a healthy dose of literary license as I developed them into full-blown characters. Jillian, her sisters, Travis and the rest of the cast took up residence in my head for quite some time as I then worked out the overall plot. I would often come across a situation in real life and then write a scene in my head based on how I thought the characters would react and handle things. 

How did you develop Jillian’s personality and her determination to pursue both her bookstore dream and the truth about her friend’s death?

Next, you asked how I developed Jillian’s character. As I mentioned before, she is based on someone in my life – ME. She is determined to follow her dream and open the bookstore after leaving her job as a teacher. I have done the same. After retiring from a 35-year career in education, I pursued my lifelong dream of being a published author. She, like myself, is a go-getter and doesn’t let anything stand in her way no matter how hard things might get. I have an intense curiosity for unsolved mysteries and consider myself a loyal friend. I shared these qualities with Jillian as she persisted with investigating/solving her friend’s death and seeking justice for Maggie.

What inspired the town of Willow Springs, and how did you develop its atmosphere and community?

What inspired the town of Willow Springs?  This quaint small town is fashioned after the tiny town where my dad grew up and where my parents met and fell in love. Having spent a lot of time with my grandparents in my dad’s hometown, it felt like a good place to start when building a town appropriate for a cozy mystery. Much like Willow Springs, all the businesses were clustered around 2-3 streets in the heart of town, including my grandpa’s general store. Everyone knew everyone else and was friendly and welcoming. Yet, a few hidden secrets did come to light from time to time.  As I wrote the book and developed Willow Springs, I drew from childhood memories of the people and places in this small town. I wanted to give the readers the same feelings for Willow Springs that my dad’s hometown always gave me. Interesting side note, there is a real town called Willow Springs in my home state, but it’s 300 miles from the tiny town I drew inspiration from.

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

Book Two is already available! Murdered by the Blooms will celebrate its first birthday on October 14th. This second installment lets us get to know Jillian’s sister, Amanda better as a murder occurs right behind her beloved flower shop. She and Jillian get drawn into the mystery as someone is also threatening harm to Amanda. A few new characters pop up (as they will in each book) as I continue to build and develop Willow Springs and its cast of fun, quirky characters. As is my goal with each book, Book 2 is full of plot twists and turns, red herrings and chapter-ending cliffhangers that reviewers have said kept them fully engaged in the story.

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