📚 A Bookish Chat with 'Jury Duty is Murder' Kate Damon & Win $25 Amazon Gift Card | Author Interview | #AuthorInterview

Today we welcome Kate Damon to The Writer's Life e-Magazine! Kate is the author of the new cozy mystery, Jury Duty is Murder. This interview is part of her Blog Tour by Pump Up Your Book. Enjoy!

When Kate Damon is not writing, she and her husband enjoy RVing, 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 40 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.

Website ➜http://margaret-brownley.com/

Twitter ➜https://www.x.com/katejuryduty

Facebook ➜https://www.facebook.com/MargaretBrownleyAuthor/ and https://www.facebook.com/p/Kate-Damon-61565155275435/

Instagram ➜https://www.instagram.com/katedamonbooks

BookBub➜https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kate-damon

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4072660.Kate_Damon and https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/163681.Margaret_Brownley

Jury Duty is Murder offers mystery, thrills, and humor. Which of these traits were the most fun for you to write?

They were all fun to write, but my favorite part was when humor popped up unexpectedly. The humor comes from the characters, and I never knew when they were going to surprise me by saying or doing something that would make me laugh. It’s not something I planned.

Which of the characters from Jury Duty is Murder do you most closely identify with and why?

I hope my family won’t see this, but I have to say it’s CeeCee, the pole dancer, who is the one I most identify with. She resonates with me because of her resilience as she deals with loss and other challenges.

Would you classify this book as a cozy mystery? If so, what do you think sets it apart from typical books of the same genre?

Yes, Jury Duty is Murder is a cozy mystery. The story revolves around jurors who have been sequestered for an extended period during a high-profile trial. This setting not only adds tension to the story but also allows for a deep exploration of the characters' lives post-trial. Unlike many cozy mysteries that often feature amateur sleuths in familiar settings, this book introduces the complexities of jury duty and its aftermath, making it a fresh take on the genre.

Surprise me. What is something that happens in the book that would make my mouth drop without giving too much away?

In Jury Duty is Murder a shocking twist occurs when the jurors, who have just completed a lengthy trial, begin to experience a series of alarming and dangerous events. After being sequestered for four months, they return to their lives only to find that they are being targeted one by one.

Who is your favorite cozy mystery author?

No list is complete without mentioning Agatha Christie, whose books introduced me to the genre. I’m currently working my way through a Richard Osman’s series. His book, The Thursday Murder Club, reminded me of my own book as it has four protagonists trying to solve a murder, and it was a delight to read.

Do you think writing a good cozy mystery is more complex than writing books of other genres?

Each genre has certain complexities, of course, but writing a good cozy mystery requires a unique combination of plot structure, character development, tone management, reader expectations, and thematic integration. These elements have to be balanced in such a way as to create suspense.

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 four months, life as some knew it no longer exists.

HAROLD ASHMAN’s house is almost destroyed by a careless driver. 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 former 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 him before he kills them—or before they save him the trouble by killing each other.

Jury Duty is Murder is available at Amazon.