Monday, May 4, 2015

Jean Henry Mead, Guest Author



This week my friend Jean Henry Mead is my guest and she’s interviewing one of her characters, Sarah Cafferty. I got a kick out of this interview, and I think you will, too. I enjoy the Logan and Cafferty books and it was fun getting to know Sarah a bit better. Welcome, Jean!


 Protagonist Revolt by Jean Henry Mead

Like Marja, I include humor, romance and murder in my mystery/suspense novels, so I decided to interview one of my protagonists, who, after six books, seems like old friend that I eavesdrop on during the writing process. Sarah Cafferty is one of two senior amateur sleuths who hasn’t been her usual cheerful self since completing her latest adventure in Murder at the Mansion.

Author: Sarah, why are you so cranky? You’ve shown good humor in my previous Logan and Cafferty novels. You're too old for PMS.

Sarah: Cranky? What do you expect? First you destroy the mansion. Then you send us flying off to Texas to escape the killer. And if that wasn’t bad enough, you allow a questionable character to talk us into hiding in a mountain cabin in the Alaskan outback, which is even more dangerous.

Author: I’m sorry, Sarah. I know it was traumatic, but you have to admit that it was suspenseful.

Sarah: Where were you when we nearly froze to death in the tundra? Sitting in your comfortable chair thinking up ways to get us into deeper trouble?

Author: That’s my job. Would you prefer that I replace you and Dana with younger sleuths?

Sarah: Dana and I are only in our early sixties. Not some elderly widows with walkers. We can do everything that younger sleuths do.

Author: Well—

Sarah: With the possible exception of skateboarding and scaling tall buildings.

Author: If that’s true, I think I’ll have you bungee jump in the next novel.

Sarah: Unless you’re joking, Dana and I are taking a hiatus from your mystery series.

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Author: What about our readers? You don’t want to disappoint them, do you?

Sarah: Haven’t we done enough? In The Village Shattered you send a serial killer after us. In Diary of Murder a vicious drug gang. In Murder on the Interstate you have a homegrown terrorist group kidnap us while they’re planning to take down the entire country. And if that wasn’t enough, you have a wolf killer cause us to wreck Dana’s Escalade and then stalk us on Gray Wolf Mountain. (Taking a deep breath.) Then you send us to Texas in Murder in RV Paradise where you have me wading into a lake to retrieve a woman’s body, only to be suspected of the murder. I don’t call that paradise.

Author: I’ve got some ideas that will knock your socks off.

Sarah: That settles it! You can email us in Argentina. That’s where we’re going on vacation. If we don’t answer, you’ll know that some other novelist has decided to adopt us and treat us fairly.

Author: You’ll be bored within a week and out of a job in a month. Novelists who are nice to their protagonists don’t last long in the publishing business. Readers want suspense as well as mystery.

Sarah: I’ve got a great idea. You take my place and I’ll write you into some mysterious and suspenseful situations. You’ll love bungee jumping over a crocodile pit or waking up with rattlesnakes. I can think of lots of exciting scenarios to place you in.

Author:  Point taken, Sarah. From now on we’ll concentrate on mystery and go easy on the suspense.

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Bio: Jean Henry Mead is a former news reporter and photojournalist. She’s the author of 21 books, half of them novels, which include the Logan & Cafferty series, Hamilton Kid’s mysteries, Wyoming historical novels, and nonfiction interview and history books, one of which served as a college textbook. She has also served as a news, magazine and small press editor, contributor to the Denver Post, and has been published in magazines domestically as well as abroad.

Visit Jean’s website at http://www.jeanhenrymead.com/
You can read her blogs at:
            Mysterious Writers    http://mysteriouspeople.blogspot.com/
            The View from My Mountaintop http://theviewfrommymountaintop.blogspot.com/
            Murderous Musings  http://murderousmusings.blogspot.com/
CLICK HERE to buy books




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A Well-Kept Family Secret – A Sandi Webster Mystery is available in audio format. Try it, you might like it. Don't forget How Now Purple Cow - A Bogey Man Mystery.



14 comments:

  1. This is SO amusing ...I am still laughing...! :-)

    Thanks for such an interesting interview, Jean ...I am really looking forward to reading your books now...! :-)

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    1. I'm happy you enjoyed the interview, Ramia. I hope you enjoy the series as well. Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. Jean, I loved your interview with Sarah and I thoroughly enjoy your Logan and Cafferty mystery series. Maybe next time you can interview Dana. :)

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    1. Thanks, Pat. I'm glad you enjoy the Logan & Cafferty series. I've had fun writing it. I enjoy your books as well.

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  3. Thank you, Marja, for hosting Sarah and me. While Sarah and Dana are vacationing in Argentina, I'll be working on a standalone novel set in Wyoming.

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    1. I'm glad you and Sarah could stop in, Jean. The two of you brightened my day.

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  4. That was a fun interview, Jean. I haven't read any of the novels in this series, but now after reading this interview,I'll have to make them a priority on my TBR list.

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    1. Oh, I almost forgot. While Sarah and Dana are in Argentina, I hope they meet up with my protagonist, Charlotte Ross, who happens to be in the resort town of Bariloche, in search of her errant fiance. :)

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    2. I'll tell them to look Charlotte up, Evelyn. : ) Thanks for the kind words and for leaving a comment.

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  5. What an entertaining "interview"! I've read one of the Logan and Cafferty novels, The Village Shattered, and am looking forward to the others.

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    1. You've made my day, Palmaltas. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.

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  6. I love the Logan and Cafferty novels and I understand how cranky a character can get when she doesn't like what the author does to her. Funny how uppity these gals can get when you make them work a litte to find a killer! Great interview.

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  7. LOL, Lesley. I can't say I blame them. Thanks for the kind words. I've enjoyed your books as well.

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  8. Deepest condolences for Marja and family on the sudden death of her husband, Al. I know she appreciates your prayers.

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