Interview with Duffy Brown, author of 'Tandem Demise' #interview

“Sutter draped his arm over my shoulder and brought me close. “Bodies float, Chicago. They get washed ashore with the tides, especially with the big diesels churning up the water. Disposing of a body has to be done right. They have to be tied and weighed down and dumped out in the middle of the lake. Something to keep in mind the next time you and your sidekick here think about dragging me away from dessert. I can take care of things from here. You two take care of my horse then get back to whatever you were doing.””

--From Tandem Demise by Duffy Brown

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She is a National Bestselling author and now conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own. She has two series the Consignment Shop Mysteries set in Savannah along with rescue pup Bruce Willis and the Cycle Path Mysteries set on Mackinac Island with judgmental cats Cleveland and Bambino. Her latest book is the cozy mystery, Tandem Demise.

Book Description:

Smugglers on the hunt, a police chief on the run, lost loot and a dead wedding planner have the Mackinac Island regulars riding in circles. 

After solving two murders, bike shop owner Evie Bloomfield thought life on Mackinac Island would settle into boredom until she finds out Nate Sutter, island police chief and once-upon-a-time under cover cop is on the run. Some badass guys from Nate’s Detroit days think he stole money from them in a champagne smuggling operation and now they’re headed to the island to get their loot. ​Evie is determined to help Nate because he’s a good cop. Nate is determined to keep interfering Evie and island locals out of harms way, and the crooks are determined to get their money.

Interview:

Welcome, Duffy!  Your new cozy mystery sounds thrilling! Can you tell us how you came up with the idea?

                

Duffy: I love Mackinac Island! I took my daughter there to do research. She’s from NYC and Mackinac is so so different and a huge adjustment. So, Evie Bloomfield was born…a designer from Chicago who comes to Mackinac and is completely out of her element. 

Can you tell us a little about the main characters?

Duffy: My main characters are not perfect. They’ve made mistakes, been in bad relationships, failed at marriages and jobs, BUT they always bounce back. And they put family above all else. I think that’s what most people are like and what is real. Also I like to have my characters change and grow from their mistakes. I don’t want them to be the same book after book. In my Cycle Path series Evie owns a bike shop and she can’t ride a bike…but she’s learning. The learning part is so important to all characters.  

They say all books of fiction have at least one pivotal point where the reader just can’t put the book down. What is one of the pivotal points in your book?

Duffy: When the chief of police is accused of murder and all the evidence is stacked against him. How did this happen and why? And how will the Mackinac regulars get him off the hook. 

Do you proofread and edit your work on your own or pay someone to do it for you?

Duffy:  I pay a professional. I suck at catching those pesky typos that are always there and it really helps to have a professional look things over. Typos still sneak though but I do the best I can.

Do you believe a book cover plays an important role in the selling process?

Duffy: You bet! My daughter designed the cover for Tandem Demise and she’s a professional designer and special effects artist in NYC. I just love the cover she did for me. The cover tells the story and draws in the readers.

What did you want to become when you were a kid?

Duffy: Something with horses and now that I’m an adult I’m scared to death of them. LOL. I did always make up stores in my mind and I think that’s why I’m a writer now and that I read Nancy Drew over and over. Deep down I wanted to be Nancy Drew. Didn’t we all. 

Do your novels carry a message?

Duffy:  I think they do and it’s that best friends are priceless, family first, have some fun and never giver up. 

Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?

Duffy: Thank YOU! Meeting and chatting with readers is the very best part of writing. I’ve met so many wonderful people along my journey as a writer. I’ve truly been blessed.