Friday, April 27, 2018

CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH JUDY PENZ SHELUK'S ARABELLA CARPENTER






ABOUT THE BOOK

Hoping to promote the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, co-owners Arabella Carpenter and Emily Garland agree to sponsor a hole in one contest at a charity golf tournament. The publicity turns out to be anything but positive, however, when Arabella’s errant tee shot lands in the woods next to a corpse.

They soon learn that the victim is closely related to Arabella’s ex-husband, who had been acting as the Course Marshal. With means, opportunity, and more than enough motive, he soon becomes the police department’s prime suspect, leaving Arabella and Emily determined to clear his name—even if they’re not entirely convinced of his innocence.

Dogged by incriminating online posts from an anonymous blogger, they track down leads from Emily’s ex-fiancĂ© (and the woman he left Emily for), an Elvis impersonator, and a retired antiques mall vendor with a secret of her own.

All trails lead to a mysterious cult that may have something to do with the murder. Can Arabella and Emily identify the killer before the murderer comes after them?


Book Details:

Title: A Hole in One

Author: Judy Penz Sheluk

Genre: cozy mystery

Series: A Glass Dolphin Mystery, 2nd in series
Publisher: Barking Rain Press (March 6, 2018)
Paperback: 178 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours






CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH JUDY PENZ SHELUK'S ARABELLA CARPENTER 



Arabella, how did you first meet Judy?
My life started in a short story called "The Blue Dolphin." It was written as an assignment for a Creative Writing Class in 2011. The story wasn’t particularly good, but it did set up the town, Lount’s Landing, and my antiques shop, which she later renamed the Glass Dolphin.

Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
Judy tells me I’m her favorite character, and I think it’s true. I’m the only one who is in both her series, the Glass Dolphin Mysteries, where I’m one of the main characters, and the Marketville Mysteries, where I have more of a cameo appearance.  My motto is authenticity matters, and between us, I think it’s Judy’s motto, to.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
Is it wrong to say it’s drinking cognac with my ex-husband, Levon Larroquette? I should know better, of course. Cognac tends to strip away my common sense. But you know, sometimes common sense is overrated.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
I love researching antiques. I have an extensive library of books and old auction catalogues. You have to vet what you find online.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
Emily Garland is my business partner and best friend. I do adore her, but the whole vegetarian thing she believes in escapes me. What’s wrong with a steak now and then? And if I’m forced to admit it, I’m probably still a little bit in love with Levon. Have you seen him? Drop dead gorgeous. Looks like Kris Kristofferson in A Star is Born.

What impression do you make on people when they first meet you? How about after they've known you for a while?
Well, that depends on where they meet me. If it’s in the shop, I hope they think I’m knowledgeable, honest, and fair. But if it’s at a town meeting where some greedy developer wants to bring a mega-box store to our town (like in The Hanged Man's Noose), they’ll probably think I’m a bit of a hothead. Anyone who knows me for a while, though, knows that I’m a loyal friend, hard worker, and I’m passionate about what I do and what I believe in.

What's the worst thing that's happened in your life?
Without a doubt, the worst thing was when Levon cheated on me with Camilla Mortimer-Gilroy. He said nothing happened, but I don’t believe it. Sure we were going through a tough time, but that was no reason for him to move into her B&B. What did I learn? Life goes on, even when you have a broken heart.

If your story were a movie, who would play you?
Oh my gosh, a movie! Amy Adams? Jessica Chastain? Both redheads like me, both around my age. Or maybe I should pick a Canadian actress, in which case, Rachel McAdams, but she’d have to dye her hair. All three of them would have to eat a few more shortbread cookies, though. I’m definitely not Hollywood thin.

Describe the town where you live.
Lount’s Landing is a small town about 90 minutes north of Toronto. It is named after Samuel Lount, a Canadian politician who was hanged for treason in the 19th century. History has since restored his good name. We have this terrific Main Street filled with indie shops and restaurants. That’s where my antiques shop, the Glass Dolphin, is located.

Describe an average day in your life.
I work at the shop 6 days a week. I eat a lot of my meals at The Hanged Man’s Noose, a local pub named for Samuel Lount. It’s owned by my good friend, Betsy. I also enjoy a nice glass of Australian chardonnay and hanging out with Emily.

If you could be “adopted” by another writer, who would you choose?
Kristina Stanley. She lives in British Columbia, Canada, and her Stone Mountain Mystery series is fantastic! I think Kristina would “get me.”

Will you encourage Judy to write a sequel?
Of course! In fact, Judy is hard at work on book 3 in the Glass Dolphin Mystery series. I shouldn’t admit this, but I sort of enjoy solving mysteries.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries (The Hanged Man’s Noose and A Hole In One) and The Marketville Mysteries (Skeletons In The Attic).

Judy’s short crime fiction appears is several collections. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Regional Representative for Toronto/Southern Ontario.

Find Judy on her website/blog, where she interviews and showcases the works of other authors and blogs about the writing life.

Connect with Judy:
Website/Blog  |  Facebook  |   Twitter  |  Pinterest  |  Amazon

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble