I’m delighted to have Dawn Eastman here to discuss her new book, Be Careful What You Witch For. This is the second book in her Family Fortune Mystery series and it is just as delightful as the first. Please welcome Dawn to Books-n-Kisses.
1. Tell me about your new release.
Be Careful What You Witch For is the second novel in the Family Fortune Mystery series. It takes place in October, a few months after Pall in the Family ends. My main character, Clyde Fortune, helped her friend, Diana, to plan and organize the annual fall festival. Because Diana is Wiccan, she planned a ceremony in the woods on Halloween as part of the festival. Right in the middle of the ceremony, one of the participants dies from an allergic reaction. Accident or murder?
2. Where did you come up with the idea for this series?
I have two versions of this story – one is the out-of-the-blue version, the other is that it percolated for many years! I was working on developing a series that would be entertaining and unique. I had written a couple of “practice” novels and focused on fixing the things that didn’t work in those books for developing a new series idea. I knew I wanted to write something lighter, like a cozy.
The characters themselves seemed to just show up. I saw Clyde and her mother and aunt talking and arguing about the family business. I wondered what kind of family business they might have, and once I realized it was a psychic business I wondered what kind of a town would support such a business. I decided to place the town in one of my favorite places – Western Michigan – and before I knew it, a bunch of other characters showed up and started populating the town. A psychic tourist town amused me and I thought I could develop some entertaining stories with that setting and the new characters that were lining up to live there.
3. What was the most interesting thing that you had to research as a writer?
Because I have psychics and Wiccans in my books, and I am not psychic or Wiccan, I have been able to research all sorts of interesting things. I’ve researched psychic phenomena, ghost sightings, Wiccan philosophy, and divination techniques. It would be difficult to pick one interesting thing since it is all fascinating to me and whatever I’m currently researching is always the most interesting.
4. Which authors do you feel have influenced you to become a writer?
I love all sorts of books and have always been a reader. My obsession with mysteries began with Nancy Drew and quickly moved to Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle. When I discovered Janet Evanovich and realized that mysteries could be funny as well, I was sold. I had to try it for myself.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up book three in the series and working on plotting out the next few.
6. Favorite TV guilty pleasure? Favorite Food? Favorite book that you’ve read recently?
TV: I can’t pick one. I’ll go with Castle, Murdoch Mysteries, and anything on Masterpiece.Food: chocolate chip cookies and tea. Book: The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Thank you for being here today on Books-n-Kisses.
Thank you for hosting me on your blog!
About the Author:
Dawn Eastman is the national bestselling author of Pall in the Family, the first book in the Family Fortune Mystery Series. She lived in Michigan for many years in a house full of animals, unusual people, and laughter. She now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, daughter, and one extremely bossy small dog.
Leaving a traumatic police career behind, Clyde Fortune has returned to her seemingly quiet hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan. In spite of the psychic powers of its residents, there’s no telling what trouble is brewing in this burg…
The highlight of the fall festival in Crystal Haven is a bonfire with a witch’s cauldron resting over it. Clyde’s best friend Diana leads a ritual to divine the future, but it seems no one foresees that one of their own will drop dead—or that Diana will be a prime suspect.
Clyde already has her hands full with her eccentric family, runaway nephew, and burgeoning secret romance with a hunky homicide detective. But after another coven member is attacked, Clyde suspects there’s a witch hunt afoot and focuses her psychic and sleuthing skills to clear her friend’s name and catch a killer.
Jennifer’s Review of Be Careful What You Witch For
Review (4.5 Stars): I am a big fan of this series because Ms. Eastman has written a delightful series with memorable characters, supernatural elements and laugh out loud humor that will have you clamoring for more. Be Careful What You Witch For is the second book in the Family Fortune series and I was hooked from the very first page. Clyde is a great heroine for me because she used to be a police officer so she is smart and strong but just happens to be a member of a family full of psychics. This mystery involves Clyde’s best friend, Diana, who is suspect in the murder of a family friend during a fall festival ceremony. Clyde is on the hunt for the true killer to clear her friends name and protect other people from getting hurt.
This book was fast paced and well-written so I had no trouble following along with the story. I love Ms. Eastman’s humor in these books and Crystal Haven is definitely a fun place to visit. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series and see what these zany characters are up to next.
Giveaway
I’m excited to give away a copy of Be Careful What You Witch For.
This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by July 11th, please leave a question or comment for Ms. Eastman:
(Please include email address in comments)
Question: How did you come up with the psychic theme for your book? Thank you for the chance to win it 🙂
jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com
Hi, Lisa – thank you for your interest in Be Careful What You Witch For! The short answer is that I thought it would add a fun element to the series and I liked the idea of turning things around so that the whole town believed in psychics and the skeptics were in the minority. I do have a lot of fun researching and using the psychic elements.
I love the title , and Hallowen themed cozies are my favorite ! kathambre@yahoo.com
Thanks for the fun post and giveaway! Thanks for sharing! My question would be: where do you find inspiration?
Thank you for stopping by! I find inspiration just about everywhere. Sometimes just a brief conversation, or news article will get me thinking about a new story. For the third book – I saw a billboard on the highway and before I knew it, I had the setting for the book.
Sounds like a good read.
This sounds great! Two of my favorite things – Fall and cozies…can’t go wrong there! robin(dot)christofaro(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sounds like an interesting series
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Sounds like an interesting book. Thank you for the giveaway . Neoterragoddess(at)gmail(dot)com
What a fun sounding series. I will be looking for the first one while hoping to win this one.
would love to win and read
PicardsMom at yahoo dot com
This sounds delightful, I’d love to read it!
Sounds like a such a fun read. Thank you for a chance to win a copy of your book.
Interesting book would love to read.
Sounds like a good book. I’m adding it to reading list.
kvmatlock(at)gmail(dot)com
I’ve read stories about psychics but not Wiccans so it sounds interesting to me.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com