Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman

In her novel, PALL IN THE FAMILY, Dawn Eastman unleashes a plot so entertaining that Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the LIBRARY LOVER’S MYSTERY says, “A tightly plotted, character driven triumph of a mystery, PALL IN THE FAMILY had me laughing out loud while feverishly turning pages to try and figure out whodunit.  This novel sparkles with charmingly peculiar characters and a fascinating heroine, Clyde Fortune, who effortlessly shuffles the reader into her world like a card in a tarot deck. Eastman is fabulous!”Crystal Haven is the destination for tourists seeking psychics, séances, and the promise of contacting the spirit world. Ex-cop Clytemnestra (Clyde) Fortune has come home to kooky Crystal Haven to re-evaluate her life.

When a local psychic is killed, leaving behind a traumatized Shih Tzu, it seems to be in the cards for Clyde to get involved. With her old flame, Mac, leading the investigation, that may prove awkward. Whether she uses her skills as a cop or her long-denied psychic abilities, it’s up to Clyde to divine a killer’s identity before someone else suffers more misfortune.

Dawn Eastman 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. PALL IN THE FAMILY is her first novel.

I had the chance to catch up with Dawn the other day and ask her a few questions.

Is there anything special you’d like to tell us about PALL IN THE FAMILY?

My hope for the Family Fortune Mysteries is that they will entertain and also that Crystal Haven becomes a place that readers will look forward to visiting. There are several series out there that I love to follow because I can visit “friends” I have become attached to, or spend time in a small town I would love to visit in real life.

Did any particular event inspire the plot?

There wasn’t a specific event so much as a series of pieces that came together. I spent some time in Lilydale, NY many years ago and was struck by how psychic abilities were treated as a given, as a way of life that wasn’t questioned. Many years later, I vacationed in western Michigan and loved it. I combined the small town in Michigan with psychics, and added a character who is at a crossroads in her life. She is dealing with the expectations of her family while struggling with her own sense of who she is. I threw in a couple of dogs and some quirky characters and created a place that I enjoy writing about.

What are you doing to promote your book?

I am excited to be doing a blog tour starting August 5th. Details can be found at escapewithdollycas.com. Also, I’m doing a book signing at a great indie bookstore near my home – Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, IA.

I am also participating in ITW’s debut authors program. This welcoming and supportive group has given me some great opportunities for promotion.

What’s next?

Book 2 in the series is due out in June 2014, and I’m currently writing Book 3 for an April 2015 release date.

When you’re not writing, what are you doing (hobbies, family, etc)?

My teen son and tween daughter are very creative, so taking them to music lessons and drama camps keeps me busy. I have a bossy bichon shih Tzu mix who takes his lap dog tendencies very seriously. Fortunately, my husband is very supportive and also very funny – spending time with him keeps me sane. If I’m not reading, writing, or dealing with the dependents, I’m probably knitting or planning a vacation.

Your book looks terrific, Dawn.  I look forward to reading it.

*****

“A kooky small town filled with eccentric characters, psychics, and murder make Eastman’s Family Fortune Mystery series a stellar launch. Add a dog walking ex-cop paired with her old flame investigator, and it’s not hard to predict a brilliant future for this quirky new series!”–Kari Lee Townsend, National Bestselling Author of the Fortune Teller Mysteries

*****

Dawn Eastman 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. Pall in the Family is her first novel.

To learn more about Dawn, please visit her website.