I’m excited to have Kate Dyer-Seeley here today to talk about her new book, Scene of the Climb. The book takes place in the Pacific Northwest and I loved reading all the places that Meg visited because I’m quite familiar with them myself. 🙂
1. Tell me about your new release.
SCENE OF THE CLIMB is set in the ruggedly beautiful Pacific Northwest and features Meg Reed, a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventure in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme Magazine. In reality, she’s a total klutz and terrified of heights. The magazine sends her out to Angel’s Rest trail (a steep climb up to a breathtaking view of the Columbia River) to cover an adventure race filming on location. Meg prefers vintage fashion and artisan coffee to scaling cliffs, but she’s desperate for a job and to prove herself. So she laces up her kicks and hits the trail. Once she finally huffs her way to the top, she sees a body sail off the summit and from there things just get worse.
2. Where did you come up with the idea for this story?
One of my all-time favorite holiday movies is Christmas in Connecticut. I have clarify that I mean the original with Barbara Stanwyck, not the 1992 remake with Kris Kristofferson. The premise of the movie is that Elizabeth Lane is a food writer for a major magazine in the 1940s, with a country home in Connecticut and a family. Of course she has none of these things–she can’t cook, lives in a small apartment and is single. I love the idea of trying to be something you’re not, and how quickly things can unravel when you’re not being authentic. I think we’ve all had experiences like that, and it provides a great opportunity to watch Meg grow in the series.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and do a lot of hiking with my family. Angel’s Rest is one of my favorite hikes. It’s a relatively easy climb and the payoff at the top is truly stunning. However it seems like every year someone falls up there. I guess it’s sort of a case of life imitating art. I spent a semester in college on an eco-tourism trip in New Zealand and Australia which I used as inspiration for the storyline too.
3. What was the most interesting thing that you had to research as a writer?
I feel like writing this was kind of like cheating because most of my “research” entailed me going out to hike the trails featured in the book. My dad, who’s a retired English teacher, was my hiking partner on many of the climbs and a great sounding board for plotting and structure. I interviewed the Crag Rats, who are the first-ever mountain rescue team in the United States. It was really interesting to learn about the kind of work they do. They’re all volunteers who literally put their lives at risk to rescue others. Very impressive.
4. Which authors do you feel have influenced you to become a writer?
How much time do you have? I was so lucky to have parents who were readers and ignited that passion for me at an early age. As a kid, I loved Maud Lovelace, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Willa Cather. In terms of cozies, Jacqueline Winspear, Rhys Bowen, Cleo Coyle, Michelle Scott, Louise Penny. I could keep going…
6. Favorite TV guilty pleasure? Favorite Food? Favorite book that you’ve read recently?
Great question. I love Castle. I mean, Nathan Fillion–he’s such a dream. I could watch him all day. Food…hmm. I love anything with cilantro. It’s so versatile–Thai, Mexican. I’m itching to plant a new vegetable and herb garden. It’s the best when you can pop out to the backyard to pick dinner. In terms of books, I read pretty much everything I can get my hands on. When I’m working on a new manuscript it’s hard to read the genre, which is a bummer because I LOVE cozies. Beautiful Ruins is probably my top pick. I read it a little while ago, but it’s one of those books that has stayed with me.
About the Author:
Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.
Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.
She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.
– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf
Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.
Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.
She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.
– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf
Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.
Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe. She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.
But a girl needs a job, so Meg bluffs her way into writing for Northwest Extreme magazine, passing herself off to editor-in-chief Greg Dixon as an outdoor adventure enthusiast. Never mind that Meg’s idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte. So when she finds herself clawing to the top of Angel’s Rest – a two-thousand-foot peak – to cover the latest challenge in a reality TV adventure show, she can’t imagine feeling more terrified. Until she witnesses a body plummet off the side of the cliff. Now Meg has a murder to investigate. And if the climbing doesn’t kill her, a murderer just might…It includes Adventure Guides.
Jennifer’s Review of Scene of the Climb
Review (4.5. Stars): I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this book because it takes place in the Pacific Northwest which I’m quite familiar with since I live here in Portland. Meg Reed is down on her luck, living on her best friend’s couch, trying to find any job that will utilize her Journalism degree. A chance meeting with the editor-in-chief of Northwest Extreme gives Meg the opportunity that she has been hoping for. An actual job that will pay her to write for a magazine but the kicker is that Meg must be an outdoor enthusiast and Meg is the exact opposite. On her first exclusive assignment, Meg finds herself climbing cliffs to cover the final leg of the popular reality show, Race the States. What she doesn’t expect is to witness a contestant flying over the side of the cliff to their death and now she has to investigate a murder before the killer claims another victim.
I really enjoyed Scene of the Climb and I was amazed at how quickly I got involved with the story. Meg was a great character and I enjoyed following her through the course of this book. I think that we’ve all done something to help us get a job when we are just starting out and there were times that I was laughing out loud by some of the things that she did. Scene of the Climb was a delightful start to what will be a great mystery series. I loved having the Pacific Northwest as the backdrop to the novel and I knew exactly where each location was that Meg was visiting as part of her new job. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ms. Dyer-Seeley and reading the next book in the series.
Giveaway
I’m excited to give away a copy of Scene of the Climb. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by June 15th, answer me this question in the comments:
What is your favorite place to hike/camp or just visit?
Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.
Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.
She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.
– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.NSHO2GJN.dpuf
Kate Dyer-Seeley’s work has been featured in a variety of regional, national and international publications. She writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Books. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, was released June 3, 2014 and is now available at bookstores and online.
Kate also wrote a memoir Underneath the Ash (published in 2011) that chronicles her experience becoming a mother for the first time while losing her mother to young-onset Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, Kate writes and co-produces a monthly online magazine Broadsheet360. The magazine has a steady readership from all around the globe.
She lives in Vancouver, Washington with her husband and son.
– See more at: http://www.katedyerseeley.com/about#sthash.6fAz8TSu.dpuf
Love the title; looks great and I hope I get a chance to read it 🙂
jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com
We camped at Yosemite once. It was fantastic. Also at the Kern River, that was cool too!
For hiking here in the US, Grand Tetons National Park and Yellowstone. Tetons isn’t a jam packed as Yellowstone. Plus it is a great break from the Texas heat in the summer. 🙂
Locally I enjoy The Lake Guntersville State Park.
My favorite place is Bluestone State Park. I would love to read this book. Thanks for having the giveaway.
any beach