Character Interview –
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself--both something we learn from [the story] and something that readers might not guess?
I’m a self-employed accountant with a thriving second career as a portrait photographer. I live in Garland, New York, a pretty Hudson River community in northern Orange County. Though my days are packed with accounting and photography work, I’ve also become an amateur sleuth after I found the body of my client Brooke Gibson in her backyard shed. Someone killed her with a garden shovel. It was horrifying. When Brooke’s mother asked me to help her collect the deposits Brooke gave vendors for her upcoming wedding, I decided I’d ask a few questions around town and gather information to help the police find Brooke’s killer.
What wouldn’t readers guess about me? I was named after my writer’s father, Robert. His middle name was Louis; mine is Louise. Bob was an accountant, amateur photographer, and an avid fan of the New York Rangers hockey team. My writer named my father’s dog Ranger in honor of her dad’s dedication to his favorite sports team.
2) How did you first meet your writer?
Jeanne and I connected through our shared interest in photography. She thought about writing about my life for a long time before she put together a story about my photography work and crime-solving adventure.
3) Want to dish about him/her?
Jeanne and I have a lot in common. We both attended parochial school, are of Irish and German descent, love dogs, and have lived in New York our whole lives. Jeanne’s an avid reader. She follows a number of cozy mystery series, but is also a fan of authors Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, Alexander McCall Smith, and Daniel Silva.
Jeanne appreciates her readers very much and asked me to pass along her gratitude for the warm welcome you have given me!
4) Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
Jeanne believes it’s never too late for a person to pursue a career change or lead her life in a new direction. She says I’m a wonderful example of a woman who entered mid-life not with regret or dread but with determination and an excellent action plan. Jeanne admires how I, at the age of forty, left a comfortable career to start my own accounting business and then pursued a second career in an unrelated field.
My writer knows readers will relate to my dedication to my family and friends, my career decisions, and how I, like so many people have done in the last few years, turned my hobby into a source of income.
5) Who's your favorite character? Why?
I can’t choose just one!
Of course, my parents, Geri and Ed, are at the top of the list. They are a bit over-protective at times (you’ll know what I’m talking about after you’ve read The Double Exposure Murder), but they’ve always loved me unconditionally and have supported my life decisions. They’re fun to spend time with; we have dinner together every Saturday night, usually hamburgers Dad cooks on the grill.
I’ve also been spending time with my friend Will Vonderlin, who grew up in my neighborhood. We bumped into each other at the Town Tavern when I was there to talk with Brooke’s boss. I told Will about the murder case and he offered to help me search for clues. I’m enjoying his company . . .
And my dog, Yogi! He’s a fabulous companion, an excellent listener, and a handsome fellow.
6) Who's your least favorite character? Why?
The person who killed Brooke Gibson. Brooke was a beautiful, twenty-seven-year-old woman about to be married. As a high school math teacher, she had a positive influence on many young people and helped them get a great start on achieving their dreams. She was a loyal daughter to her widowed mother and a big sister to her cousin Jessica. Brooke was a hard worker; instead of taking summers off, she worked as a server at the Town Tavern restaurant to earn extra cash. I’ve learned about a few of her flaws, but none of them dim Brooke’s bright memory. Whoever killed Brooke is an awful human being who must be punished for ending her life.
7) What's next for you?
I just set up a meeting with C.C. Linden Paxton; her husband, Doug; and her father, Hank. They run the family’s century-old farm, Linden Acres, and are developing a marketing plan to reach more customers. They want to hire a photographer to take photos of their farm and the country store where they sell the apples from their orchards as well as other produce grown on the farm, Linden’s popular gourmet popcorn, and locally-made products. The photographs will be featured on their website and in their promotional materials.
I’m nervous about my interview. I want this job; a contract with the Lindens would be the most lucrative of my photography career. It would also be a joy to photograph the gorgeous farm. Cross your fingers the meeting goes well!
About The Double Exposure Murder
Robyn Cavanagh enjoys a thriving second career as a portrait photographer in her beloved suburban hometown of Garland, New York. Having built a large portfolio of high school senior photos and family portraits, Robyn is thrilled when math teacher Brooke Gibson hires her to take photos of a different subject: 16 Clover Lane, the house Brooke has recently inherited from her late great-aunt. Brooke will soon put the home on the market and wants Robyn to take the photos for the real estate listing. Robyn thinks the cozy house will attract prospective buyers—until she finds bride-to-be Brooke’s battered body in the garden shed.
When Brooke’s mother asks her help in canceling the wedding plans, Robyn plays amateur sleuth and gathers clues while also collecting refunds from Brooke’s wedding vendors. With help from her friend Will Vonderlin, Robyn assembles evidence of a possible love triangle, financial indiscretions, and neighborhood feuds and builds a suspect list that includes Brooke’s fiancé, a jealous relative, a longtime rival, and a shady bartender. The clues lead Robyn to the killer and a spectacular July Fourth finale complete with a marching band and a parade of howling dogs.
About Jeanne Quigley
Jeanne Quigley is the author of the Veronica Walsh Mysteries and the Robyn Cavanagh mystery series. Unlike her fictional sleuths, she has never been a soap opera star or an accountant (though she was an accounting major for a few minutes in the spring of 1985), but she has worked for an educational publisher and in the music industry. A lifelong New Yorker, Jeanne lives in her native Rockland County.
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