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Behind the Writing of Murder by the Book

Tell us about the background for the theme, what inspired it or why you wanted to write in this setting, or with play with these tropes?

The trop in my series is the culinary aspect of cozy (tidy) murders. Food connects people; the smell of baking bread evokes memories; celebrations are held around food; and recipes are often handed down from one generation to the next. I have wonderful memories surrounding the family recipes that are in my books and the recipe my daughter created for Murder by the Book.

The background for the theme was inspired by the desire to give Ivy, the protagonist, a new life and for the reader to see her navigating dating and allowing some of her past to come together with her present. I’ve spent years facilitating support groups for survivors of intimate partner violence. Every group and the majority of group members struggled with trust. The only way for them, or for me at one time in my life, to have a new relationship was to choose to take intentional risks. Ivy has become real to me. I hope readers watch her risk, admire her strength, recognize her courage, and cheer her on.

Rhoda, Xander’s mother-in-law, was inspired by my recent marriage and the challenge of introducing my new husband to my own mother.

The setting, Balefire Bay, was inspired by two of my favorite towns on the Oregon Coast. As a longtime Coastie, I’ve gone whale watching and deep-sea fishing from one of these towns. Can you guess the name of the town that inspired Balefire Bay? It’s small and has a tiny bay. The main highway and shops run along the ocean. On the ocean-side of the road, the rocky cliffs create a magnificent view and some wild waves when a storm blows in.

Anything that happens in the small beach town, on a boat, or in a home on a cliff is based on my life experiences. I don’t write about anything I don’t know, like working with law enforcement. And if I don’t know something, my kids do. My son is a licensed large vessel operator, or ship’s captain. Any radio jargon comes from him. If it has to do with crime, emergency health care, or a medical examination at the time of a death, one of my kids has the scoop.

I write about what I love! Living in a small town by the sea, where the news comes first, as it is happening, from a Facebook scanner group and second from the online local newspaper.

Are any of your characters based on real people you know?

Aggie is based on the personalities of my great aunts. I was close to 4 great aunts and my grandmother. There is a photo of them in the Balefire Bay Recipe book. They were a clean version of The Golden Girls and twice as fun.

Tell us about character traits that were fun or hard for you to include in the book.

One of the characters suffered a great loss before they arrived in Balefire Bay. Although I’ve never experienced that particular loss, I have to admit that I completely understand why he is there and how he is feeling. They were familiar feelings that exhausted me as I wrote about them.

Create a playlist with 5 to 10 songs with the below in mind:

The playlist in Booked for Murder’s Book Club Kit has been updated and is still good. I cut and pasted your beautiful list into a Book Club Kit for both books. It’s here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/ns2s5po4yn

Were there any alternate endings you considered?

Yes, but the characters took over and wrote their own ending. I was so happy with the change; it made me cry!

Which scene, character or plotline changed the most from first draft to published book?

I don’t want to give too much away. The final scene or chapter.

Which of the side characters would you love to explore more, or turn into a main character in another series?

I always enjoy seeing my characters evolve and progress, either from evil to good or good to evil. I think I’d like to write another mystery told from the perspective of 3 characters and how their relationships push each other along on their heroes or villains’ journey.

What special knowledge or research was required to write this book?

Everything I write about including the weather, tsunami’s, boats on the ocean, deep sea fishing, and life in a small town on the coast provided me with the back ground I needed to write Murder by the Book. While working alongside law enforcement and supporting survivors in court, I learned about their systems and the law.. However, if I have a question, I have enough kids in law enforcement, nursing, and deep sea fishing that I rarely have to look further for expert advice. Two of my girls are medical examiners who respond to murder. And if all else fails there is always google and AI. But I try to go to the source or people who have done the work and walked the walk.

What’s the strangest thing you had to do to create this story?

I don’t play cards. I had to have my daughter-in-law walk me through a poker game. I needed her expert advice. My other kids tell me she is so good at poker, she almost always wins.

What do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope readers learn that no matter what their story is, or where they have traveled to arrive where they are, they are worthy of respect, love, and friendship. I hope they and those who love them take another look at them, stop victim-blaming, and start recognizing the courage they have to survive so far and to go forward after painful experiences.

Was there something major that happened in your personal life while writing this?

Yes! I moved to Utah for the winters. A publisher asked for the manuscript and had it for several months, changing the date it was published. I married a managing editor. Our 11-children, 18-grandchildren, cousins, my mother and his friends and colleagues came to a formal garden wedding at Heritage Park. It was catered; I had a dress. We brought our families together and threw a massive party to start our journey together right.

As soon as the honeymoon was over, his daughter, who had special needs, had a large brain-tumor removed. The recovery, because of her needs, was difficult. A few months after her brain surgery, they removed a baseball-sized tumor from her liver. This recovery was also difficult for her.

The good news? I retired in 2025 and am writing full-time.

Share a Recipe to go with the read:

Downloadable Recipe Book: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/fglndc4uj9

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Synopsis:

Welcome to Balefire Bay, Oregon. Here the cinnamon rolls are hot, the book club is loyal, and murder is just a plot twist away.

Ivy Kelly has finally found peace in the coastal town she now calls home. Not only does she have a book club that feels like family, she’s entered an exciting new romance with her handsome boss.

But then someone drops dead at the Book and Tea Shop.

Ivy’s gut insists it’s murder. She even thinks the real target might be her boyfriend’s prickly mother. Everyone else thinks past trauma is clouding her judgment… Until a celebratory boat ride turns deadly.

With a killer on the loose and danger hitting way too close to home, Ivy recruits her book club back into sleuthing mode. But solving the mystery means confronting feelings she’d rather keep buried and facing a past that never really let her go…

This cozy mystery is perfect for fans of small town whodunits, quirky book clubs, and scrappy amateur sleuths with heart!

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