Mystery author, Marilyn Meredith (on the right)
Though I’ve often put bits and pieces of people I know into
my books, I’ve disguised them so well no one has ever recognized him or
herself. In Raging Water I did something
completely different.
A friend, who is also a big fan of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree
series, had been asking me for quite some time to put her in one of my
mysteries. She said, “I don’t care who I am, you can kill me off, make me the
murderer, just make me a character.” So
I did.
Though I changed her name to Miqui, anyone who knows this
person will recognize her. She’s the same age and has the same physical
appearance—and personality. So much so, my friend said when she read the book
she had to laugh sometimes at what the character said or did. She also said she
didn’t realize I knew her so well. We’re not bosom buddies, in fact what we
share in common is watching General Hospital, the soap opera (though I must confess,
I sleep through most of the hour), a love of reading, and we do go to movies
together sometimes to see ones her other friends can’t be bothered with: all
the Harry Potter movies, the Twilight movies, Avatar.
Her two little dogs are in the book too, though when she
read it she informed me I got them mixed up, wrong name for the type of dog. Oh
well, they are still brave and actually save the day.
If you read Raging Water you’ll see that Miqui
Sherwood plays a most important part. As to whether or not the character
learned anything, I don’t think so. I think she’d be just as brave and
foolhardy no matter what came along.
Raging
Water Blurb: Deputy Tempe
Crabtree’s investigation of the murder of two close friends is complicated when
relentless rain turns Bear Creek into a raging river. Homes are inundatedand a mud
slide blocks the only road out of Bear Creek stranding many—including the
murderer.
http://tinyurl.com/9xp7642
http://tinyurl.com/9xp7642
I know there
are some people who like to read a series in order, but let me reassure you
that every book is complete. Though the characters grow through each book, the
crime is always solved. . Here is the order of the books for anyone who wants
to know: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Unequally Yoked, Intervention, Wing Beat,
Calling the Dead, Judgment Fire, Kindred Spirits, Dispel the Mist, Invisible
Path, Bears With Us, Raging Water.
Bio: Marilyn Meredith is the
author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy
Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Raging Water from
Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime
novel us No Bells, the forth from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of
EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on
the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and follow her blog at http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/
Marilyn borrows a lot from
where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the
surrounding area.
Do enter Marilyn’s
giveaway contest for a copy of the previous Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery,
BEARS WITH US. Leave a comment and you're automatically entered. Include
your email addy so she can get in touch with you should your name be selected
at random. The winner will be announced on her blog (http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com)
on December 11,
2012. Good luck!
