Yesterday I did my annual event at the Okeechobee Library welcomed again by the staff in the library and some of my local fans.

 

In the above picture I’m joined by my good friend, Jan Day, writer, my former critique partner and co-founder with me of the Okeechobee Writers League (on left) and, on my right, Kim, who always introduces me for the programs. She does children’s programs at the library and will head up the book club this coming year.

I took this opportunity to talk about some of the principles that guide my work, a kind of tongue in cheek look behind the writer’s curtain, and illustrated them by reading from my short stories as well as from my novel length mysteries.

Here’s a quick recap:

1.Florida is the perfect setting for a murder or for many crimes. The murder rate in urban areas may be higher than here in rural Florida, but homicide here is done with flourishes never dreamed of in other settings, and can be covered up by nature’s best sanitation engineers, alligators.

2. The hero isn’t always a human. I like to use pot-bellied pigs as protagonists.

3. Family is a good place to find material, but always laugh at yourself first. Friends can also appear in my work (just ask my next-door neighbor, Vicki, my source for great recipes to insert into my books).

4. For me funny is always necessary if you’re gonna kill someone.

 

Here’s my friend Vicki in one of her favorite colors, yellow. I’m including many of her terrific recipes in my upcoming book Scream Muddy Murder, which will appear sometime this coming summer. Next to her is one of my fans, the one who liked those awful cookies I brought to the event! Thank you for appreciating them.

Thanks, too for the support of both the Okeechobee Library and the Friends of the Library. It was a fun day.

Don’t forget that Killer Tied is still on tour, so it’s not too late to visit one of the stops and sign up for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

 

 

March 25 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

March 27 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – REVIEW