The Case of the Whale Watching Wedding Planner
(Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
by Debbie De Louise
It is my pleasure to welcome Debbie De Louise to
Escape With Dollycas today!
Hi Debbie,
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a retired librarian and have published eighteen novels and more stories, poems, and articles than I can count. I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a child but didn’t start publishing until I was in my thirties. I’ve been publishing two to three books a year since 2015. I write two cozy mystery series and standalone mysteries and thrillers.
What is the first book you remember reading?
I don’t recall my very first read, but I recall loving the Wizard of Oz books and series of books when I was young and, when I was a teenager, I had a gift of a Phyllis Whitney gothic mystery that started my obsession with mysteries.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Ghost Cat at the Mystery Hotel by my fellow Cat Writers Association member and friend Mollie Hunt who was on tour with you recently and have started a standalone mystery for one of my book clubs called Watch Where They Hide by Tamron Hall.
What books have most inspired you?
Books by past and present gothic mystery and suspense authors Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, Barbara Michaels, Nora Roberts, Mary Higgins Clark, and others. Also, cat cozy authors past and present, Carole Nelson Douglas, Rita Mae Brown, Shirley Murphy, Patricia Fry, Mollie Hunt, and many others.
What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?
I love to read them.
Do you have a special place where you like to write?
I recently moved and used to have to work on a desk in my living room which wasn’t too private. Now I have a sitting room near a window facing the woods and nature. It’s much nicer.
Where do the ideas for your books come from?
Everywhere: Dreams, Other books, TV shows, My imagination, Past experiences, Current Experiences. I don’t plagiarize anything. My subconscious mixes up portions of real and fictional facts and then my characters take over and create the storyline and plot.
Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?
I find writing much easier than marketing, as most authors do. It’s a tough market, and I have a challenging time promoting myself. It’s easier to do it online than in person, but it still takes time away from writing and doesn’t produce the best results because you have to stand out in an enormous crowd.
What do you think makes a good story?
Interesting characters that readers can identify with, surprises and twists, emotions and detailed descriptions and settings that make readers feel they’re part of the story.
Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?
All my main characters are like me. Alicia in my Cobble Cove series is a librarian. She, like Cathy in my Buttercup Bend series, overcomes her shyness because of her inquisitiveness and curiosity. While I’ve never worked at a pet rescue like Cathy, I love animals. I’ve also never been an amateur sleuth or detective but, as Cathy tells her librarian friend Mildred, librarians and detectives have a lot in common because they know how to search for things.
What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?
In each of my Buttercup Bend books, I focus on a different animal as well as an occupation of the victim and provide information of interest about both. In The Case of the Whale-Watching Wedding Planner, I feature facts about whales and wedding planners. In addition, I weave the information from each book into the ongoing exploits of Cathy and her friends in Buttercup Bend. You need not read the series in order because of this due to the fact that each story stands alone and features enough back story to update you without spoilers.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
I’m already working on Buttercup Bend #5, tentatively titled, The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist. I won’t elaborate on it, as I’ll leave that to readers’ imaginations for now.
Thank you Debbie so much for visiting today!
Keep reading for information about Debbie and her new book!
About The Case of the Whale Watching Wedding Planner
The Case of the Whale Watching Wedding Planner (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher : Next Chapter (April 10, 2024)
Paperback : 266 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8322564232
Digital ASIN : B0CW1LNJXZ
Cathy, Nancy, and Mildred are on their way to Long Island to plan a triple wedding. When they try to meet with Georgia Hampton, a wedding planner who leads whale-watching tours, they discover her body upon her boat.
Teaming up again, the trio investigate the crime. Suspects include Georgia’s sister who is a partner in their wedding planning business, an artist who is a naturalist and conducts whale-watching tours, several couples whose relationships ended after consulting with Georgia, and employees of the tour company.
Reuniting with her great aunt after many years, Cathy learns that another suspicious death has occurred at Captain Sharp’s Whale Watching Tours. Can they solve the mystery, or will their efforts sail out to sea?
More About Debbie De Louise
Debbie De Louise is a retired librarian. She’s the author of 16 novels including the six books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center. Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes articles for Catster.com and has published dozens of short stories and poems in anthologies. She’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She’s recently moved from Long Island to South Carolina with her husband, daughter, and two cats. Learn more about her and her books by visiting https://debbiedelouise.com.
Author Links
Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up Facebook Twitter/X Goodreads Amazon Author Page All Author Instagram Linkedin Bookbub Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog
Purchase Links –
Amazon B&N Kobo Apple Books
Also written by Debbie De Louise
TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops.
May 30 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 30 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 1 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
June 2 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 3 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 4 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 5 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
June 6 – Baroness’ Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
June 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 7 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! – REVEW
June 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 8 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
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Thanks so much, Lori, for featuring my interview and all your help with my blog tour.
The Buttercup Bend series sounds intriguing. I enjoy mysteries that feature animals and have added this series to my tbr list. Great interview. Thanks for sharing.