Interview with Christian Cozy Mystery Author Deborah Malone

Deborah Malone first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was nominated for 2012 and 2013 Georgia Author of the Year Award in Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association, Advanced Writers and Speaker’s Association and American Christian Fiction Writers. Deborah has two grown daughters and lives in the North Georgia mountains with her husband.

Welcome back to my blog, Deborah. Please tell us about the Skye Southerland Cozy Mystery series.

Thank you for having me again, Linda. It’s a pleasure to be here. The Skye Southerland Series is my second cozy mystery series. For those who don’t know what a cozy mystery is I’ll explain. The murder takes place off stage, the sleuth is an amateur, and it usually takes place in a small village or town. Most cozies are humorous and can have some quirky characters.

Skye is an interior decorator and lives in Buckhead, a wealthy section of Atlanta, GA. Her husband, Mitch, deals in rare antiques. Honey Truelove is her best friend and assistant at Stylish Décor, Skye’s business. Everything is rocking along pretty good until Ginger, Honey’s cousin comes to live with her. Ginger, an exotic dancer, has decided to go cold turkey and quit the business. She’s ask Honey to help her during her rehabilitation. Skye is dubious at first but comes to see Ginger for the caring person she is.

Seems like the girls keep stumbling over dead bodies - well not literally, but they do help solve a couple of murders. The first book in the series is Buckhead Dead, and the second book is Decatur Dead. Like all my books the settings are real so if you’re familiar with the area you’d recognize the roads, restaurants and landmarks.

A married couple investigating a mystery sounds intriguing to me. One of my mystery series, The Adventures of John and Julia Evans, has a married couple, also, and it was so much fun to write. Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

Skye and Mitch are married, but don’t have any children. He doesn’t actually help her solve the murders, but he is an important character in the books. He does warn her about getting in trouble and worries about her sleuthing with Honey and Ginger.

Buckhead Dead is the first book in this series. What is it about?

Skye Southerland and Honey Truelove have just finished an interior design job for Sylvia Landmark, one of Buckhead’s most eccentric characters, and their designs are to die for.  After a celebration at Sylvia’s home where they reveal the new décor, including a desk with a possible link to the pirate Blackbeard, Sylvia turns up dead, leaving the ladies wondering if this desk is worth more than they bargained for. Skye and Honey are now suspects in the murder of a woman who had few friends, and plenty of possible enemies. In an attempt to clear their names, Skye and Honey, and Honey’s loveable cousin Ginger embark on a journey to find the real killer, figure out the history behind the desk, and clear their names before they end up going to jail, or even worse, becoming the next victims! With plenty of warnings from Skye’s husband Mitch, and the ruggedly handsome Detective Montaine assigned to Sylvia’s case, these girls still manage to get right in the middle of the investigation, while having time to enjoy all that Georgia has to offer.   

Tell me about the two main characters and what you love about them?

Skye Southerland is the main character and she’s married to Mitch. They’ve been married a long time, but Skye was unable to have children. Skye is an interior decorator with a swanky business, Stylish Décor. She was raised in family where social status was important. Even though Skye has fought this for years, she slips up now and again and feels the same way. You will see her grow though the first two books of the series.

Skye’s best friend is Honey Truelove. Honey also works with Skye at Stylish Décor. She was raised in the North Georgia mountains and grew up with very little. She moved to Atlanta in hopes of gaining more opportunities – and she did find them. She met and married an older man that was wealthy. She had a penchant for marrying older men. She did this twice with both of them dying and leaving her a wealthy widow. But is her love life over? You’ll have to read the book to find out😊 You’ll enjoy a lot of laughs with Honey and her southern charm.

Where is your website, so my readers can check out your recent and past books that you have written?

www.deborah-malone.com

Thank you so much for this interview. I hope my followers will check out your books.