Author Kate Damon, aka Margaret Brownley, chats with me about her new cozy mystery novel, Jury Duty Is Murder.
Kate has a $25 Amazon gift card giveaway during her virtual book tour. Go here to enter for a chance to win!
Bio:
When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with family and friends, raising Monarch butterflies, and playing a wicked game of bridge.
Writing as Margaret Brownley, she has published more than 46 novels and is a New York Times bestselling author. Known for her memorable characters and humor, she is a two-time Romance Writers of America Rita finalist.
Not counting the book she wrote in sixth grade, and the puzzle of the missing socks, this is her first mystery.
Welcome, Kate. Please tell us about your current release.
The verdict is in; a famed athlete is headed for prison. The jurors have done their job and are free to go back to their lives.
But after being sequestered for three months, life as most jurors knew it, no longer exists.
HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed when a reporter drives through it. Exotic dancer, CEECEE LAINE, discovers that her boyfriend is two-timing her, and she no longer has a job. Actor ALEX MANNING learns his career is down the tubes, and 72-year-old, HELEN RYDER, discovers her family is plotting to put her in an old folks home.
Then things take a turn for the worse. When jurors start dropping like flies, CeeCee, Helen, Harold and Alex are convinced there’s a killer on the loose. Now the feuding foursome must find the killer before he finds them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.
What inspired you to write this book?
I tend to be the type of person who, after a week away, can find myself three weeks behind on everything. This made me curious about how jurors who are sequestered for extended periods—sometimes even weeks or months—manage their lives. In my book, the jurors experience significant impacts on their careers and relationships due to the lengthy time they are away from their normal routines. This concept served as my starting point. Additionally, I wanted to explore the dynamics that unfold when four jurors, who initially cannot stand each other during the trial, are forced to work together to catch a killer before they become victims themselves.
Excerpt from Jury Duty Is Murder:
The ringing telephone woke me up. Without opening my eyes, I felt around until I touched the nightstand and finally, my cell phone.
“Hello,” I murmured, my voice groggy.
“Wake up.”
I groaned. “Alex, what do you want?”
“I need you to wake up.”
I forced myself to sit up. The clock on the radio said 9:15 a.m. “This better be important.”
“Nobody’s dead,” Alex said.
“Hallelujah.” I hung up and dived back into my pillow. The phone rang again. Alex wasn’t going to give up.
I rolled over and grabbed the phone. “Now what?”
“No one’s dead.”
“I heard.”
“I called the other jurors. I even checked to make sure Helen and CeeCee were okay and—”
“I know, I know, “I said. “No one’s dead.”
“That’s not all,” Alex continued. “I called the restaurant, and Carter didn’t go in to work today.”
“Maybe he’s trying to catch up on his sleep,” I said.
“I think it’s more than that. Every month for five months, the guy kills someone. Then suddenly, nothing? I’m telling you, something’s not right.”
I rubbed my head. Trust Alex to think that the lack of a murder meant something was amiss.
What exciting project are you working on next?
After writing more than 46 romance novels, I’m often asked why I suddenly shifted to writing a mystery. The change stemmed from a challenging period in my life. Following the passing of my husband and the onset of the Covid pandemic, my thoughts took a darker turn, leading me to explore themes of murder in my writing. However, now that I have recently remarried, I find myself once again thinking about romance. However, readers are clamoring for a sequel to Jury Duty Is Murder. So I’m trying to decide which way to go. Stay tuned.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Oddly enough, I think I had to publish something like twenty books before I considered myself a writer.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
When I’m working on a book I write first thing in the morning before there are any distractions. I can usually bang out a chapter in an hour or two. I find the important thing is to stay connected to your characters and touch base with them every single day.
The business of writing is something I do in the afternoon, this includes book signings and other promotions. Other than writing, my husband and I play bridge three times a week and spend time with family and friends. So it’s a pretty full schedule.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write by the seat of my pants, which is to say all I need is an opening sentence and I’m off and running. A writer friend was shocked to learn I wrote without a plan. She made me sit down and outline a book, which I did. The problem was, after writing the outline, I had no desire to write the book. I already knew how it would end, so why bother?
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a writer, but when I couldn’t outline a sentence and flunked English, my teacher told me not to even think about becoming one. Guess what? After writing 51 books, I still can’t outline a sentence.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I just want to thank my readers for supporting me through the years. I also hope you’ll give Jury Duty Is Murder a try. I also want to thank you, Lisa, for letting me be a guest on your fabulous blog.
You’re very welcome! Happy touring!
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