Devil Days in Deadwood follows Violet, mother/demon executioner, who must risk her life to save her aunt. What was the inspiration for the setup to this entertaining novel?

Throughout the first 10 books in the Deadwood Mystery series, we travel along with Violet Parker as she grows from being a newcomer, both in town and as a real estate agent, who knows nothing about her family history as “Executioners,” to her finding out she comes from a long line of killers. Eventually she realizes there is no escape from doing what she was born to do—kill supernatural troublemakers. Until now, through books one through ten, Violet has fumbled and stumbled with her duties, both as a real estate agent and as an executioner. But, at this point in the series, she has accepted her role and is now going forth with help from those around her. Inspiration wise, I’ve had a fun time building Violet’s character and skills through the first part of the series. Readers came along for the ride, cheering Violet on as she faltered, fell, got up again and began to see more and more successes. Now that we’ve rounded the first bend in the series along with Violet, we are able to watch her face foes that would have been the death of her back in the beginning. For those readers who have read the previous ten books, this eleventh in the series is doubly exciting.

Violet is a riveting character that I had fun following. What were some driving ideals behind her character motivations?

I have always enjoyed reading about heroes and heroines that I can relate to on different levels. Violet is a mother trying to protect her two kids. At the start of the series, she is like many single moms I’ve known—struggling financially, trying to raise her kids without a strong father figure, and wishing she had someone in her life to offer companionship, emotional support, and love. From the beginning, I wanted to create a heroine who was not only relatable, but funny, too. Violet handles her fears, frustrations, and worries with humor. I’ve always turned to humor in tough times, so it felt natural to write about a heroine who does the same. My goal with Violet was to give readers someone with whom they could laugh and cringe. Someone they could identify with on some level. A heroine who would refuse to give up, keep pushing onward and upward. In the end, I think Violet is a fun character because she doesn’t quit when the going gets tough, even though she sometimes would rather hide under her bed than go forth and conquer.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Executioner and devils throughout the story. How has this changed as your series progressed?

Initially, Violet’s reaction to supernatural beings included a lot of fear and fumbling. While many of her skills as an Executioner are innate, she is always learning about what else she is able to do both physically and mentally. Of course in the beginning, she struggled to accept what she was becoming and wanted more than anything to go back to her everyday life struggles rather than deal with the frightening creatures and adventures in front of her. By this eleventh book, though, she has more confidence in her abilities and a better understanding of what she can accomplish on her own, as well as with the help of her crew of friends and family. I’ve enjoyed watching Violet’s confidence and skills grow through the series. There have been a lot of laughs in the process that have made her journey even more fun.

This is book eleven in your Deadwood Humorous Mystery Book series. What can readers expect in book twelve?

There will be more laughs, more chills, and more fast-action page-turning fun. Violet has accepted what she is and what she needs to do to fulfill her role in her family line and protect those she loves. I have book 12 plotted and the first chapter written. I’m putting it aside to work with my husband, Sam Lucky, on book 3 of our Deadwood Undertaker series (which is the prequel series to the Deadwood Mystery series), but I will return to finish book 12 this fall for release in late 2020 or early 2021.

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