Eastover Treasures, Book 2
Cozy Mystery
Date to be Published: 12 Mar 2024
Publisher: Blue Dragon Publishing, LLC
Aury and Scott travel to the Finger Lakes in New York’s wine country to get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings at the Songscape Winery. Disturbed furniture and curious noises are one thing, but when a customer winds up dead, it’s time to dig into the details and see what ferments.
Is there any truth to the Native American legends that cluster near Seneca Lake? Is the warrior’s disapproval of wineries growing legs?
Aury will need to pour over the clues to unearth the mystery before the winery’s reputation is crushed. With the annual wine festival just around the corner, Aury harvests more than she bargained for when the killer tries to bottle her up for good.
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You Want Readers to Grasp?
Each book in the Eastover
Treasures series has some chapters that are written in the past, giving the
reader a taste for historical fiction. I’ve really enjoyed doing the research
for those chapters because I love to continually learn. I find reading historical
fiction is a fun way to absorb history and easier for me to remember.
If the reader learns a
little something from my stories, I consider that a win. Oaky With a Hint of
Murder addresses life in the late 1700s of the Haudenosaunee (hoe-dee-no-SHOW-nee),
which means “people who build a house.” The name refers to a confederation or
alliance among six Native American nations living in upper New York.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Tying up loose ends
without making it look too “neat” is a challenge. You want to answer the reader’s
questions, but you don’t want to gift wrap it. Life isn’t like that. If you
wait until the end, then answer everything at once, it feels fake to me. It’s a
tough balance.
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
Oaky With a Hint of Murder is my 19th
book. I think the most recent is commonly a writer’s favorite because we get
better with each book. Not counting Oaky, I would say Eastover
Treasures, the first in this series, is my favorite. I’m a crafter and quilter.
In Eastover, Aury and her sewing sisters are on a quilt retreat when a
storm rolls in. They get stuck inside a manor house where they find a diary
that was written during the Civil War. In the diary, Mary has left clues to a
hidden treasure, so they go on a treasure hunt. I even include a free quilt
pattern in the back of the book.
If You had the chance to cast your main character from
Rosario Dawson. She
embodies thoughtful, mature women who are inquisitive. I would love to see her
as Aury.
When did you begin writing?
I dabbled with short stories in
college, only writing for myself. But when I was in the Air Force at my first
duty assignment in 1989, I had a stalker. Someone was breaking into my house
and messing with my phones. My friends thought it was a fascinating story that I
should write down. I finally did, but it wasn’t exciting enough. I added a few
murders to make the story more interesting and created The Obsession. I
finished my fourth or fifth draft in approximately 2017.
How long did it take to complete your first book?
It took me eight years to get The Obsession
written down and through all the wickets. It finally published in 2010. The
stories come a little quicker now, but I’ve learned to allow plenty of time for
my critique group, Beta readers, and editors.
Did you have an author who inspired you to become a writer?
When I was young, Matt Christopher wrote middle grade sports books, but
they were all boys’ sports. I couldn’t get enough. He inspired my Lady Tigers
series about a girls’ fastpitch softball team where the girls learn that being
part of a team is more than what happens on the field.
Anne McCaffrey is my
favorite in the fantasy realm. Her world-building of Pern really got me hooked.
For the longest time, I wanted to write my own fantasy but felt all my ideas
were coming from something else I’d read. One year for my birthday, my younger
daughter wrote me a poem called The Silent Mountain and three opening
scenes. I took one of the scenes and created The Dragons of Silent Mountain,
so Paige definitely inspired that book.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
I like initially coming up
with the ideas and talking through the scenarios with my oldest daughter,
Rachel. Once, we outlined a novel on a road trip between Virginia and Texas. That
story is still bouncing around in my head. I hope to get it on paper someday
soon.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
Why haunt a winery?
Can you share a little bit about your current work or what is in the
future for your writing?
For the third book in the Eastover Treasure series, Aury and Scott will be
back in Surry, Virginia. Each book has a treasure associated with it, but it’s
not always a monetary treasure. I’m researching local legends and myths to get
ideas for the historical chapters that help dictate the main plot. As you can
imagine, Virginia is saturated with history, so I have a lot to choose from.
I’m also working on another book for Scout, my chameleon dragon from If
I Look Like You, a picture book. In the first book, Scout learns the
importance of being herself. For the second one, I’m focusing on patience.
Because I value learning, the books come with free teacher lessons plans.
Former Disney illustrator Chad Thompson has created a character the kids have
fallen in love with. I get a lot of repeat customers who have been asking me
for more Scout adventures.
About the Author
Dawn Brotherton is an award-winning author of nineteen books and featured speaker at writing and publishing seminars. When it comes to exceptional writing, she draws on her experience as a colonel retired from the US Air Force as well as a softball coach and Girl Scout leader. Her variety of interests has led to a range of genres including mystery, romance, young adult fantasy, middle grade sports, picture book, and nonfiction. When she isn’t using her words, Dawn is in her craft room in Williamsburg, VA, quilting, painting, or taking online classes. Her affection for travel and all-things-crafty keeps her imagination in high gear for the next Eastover Treasure Mystery.
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