Tag: D.S. Lang

The Jammed Judges: Doro Banyon Historical Mysteries
by D.S. Lang

It is my pleasure to welcome D.S. Lang
to Escape With Dollycas today!

Hi Debbie, 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a retired educator, but I have had several other jobs, including mentor, tutor, and golf shop manager. As far back as I can remember, I have loved books and dreamed about being an author, so it’s a thrill to write and publish books.

One of my favorite quotes (from George R.R. Martin) is: “I have lived a thousand lives and I’ve loved a thousand loves. I’ve walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time. Because I read.” I hope my readers feel like they’ve lived a new life in a different time and place with each book, and maybe loved a new love, too, since my amateur sleuths always work with a lawman.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading (of course!), swimming, and walking with my dog, Izzy. She is the inspiration for Tee, the dog in my Doro Banyon series.

What is the first book you remember reading?

The Little Engine That Could. I read it over and over and over. We lived next door to a train track, and I was enthralled with trains. Plus, I loved: “I think I can. I think I can.” The message of the book, believing we can overcome difficult odds, is good for any age.

What are you reading now?

I’m listening to Sisters Under the Rising Sun, which is based on the real-life experiences of women held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II. When I’m focusing on writing, I don’t read mysteries. However, I have several in my TBR stack! When I take a one-week break from writing, I will dig into them.

What books have most inspired you?

Many books have inspired me. One that I go back to often is Wisdom of the Ages by Wayne Dyer. He includes works by famous poets, writers, and scholars, along with his interpretations of their implications for today. Each chapter is inspiring.

What made you decide you wanted to write mysteries?

When I was a little girl, a friend and I were avid fans of Trixie Belden. Since Trixie had a friend (Honey Wheeler) who worked with her on cases, we played those roles. I was always Trixie! I still love untangling whodunits, so writing them is fun.

Do you have a special place where you like to write?

I generally write in the living room. There is a small ottoman next to my “writing” chair. Izzy often snoozes on it. When she thinks it’s “quitting time,” she takes her paw and hits my arm.

Where do the ideas for your books come from?

I have a vivid imagination, and I like to make up stories about familiar places. My books are set in my home state, Ohio. The first series features a resort near a small town. My dad was a golf pro, and my heroine has several pros in her family. My second series is set just outside my hometown in a village that fell off the maps before I was born. It was the birthplace of my dad and his siblings, but I’ve taken considerable license by making the town larger and putting a college there. I changed the spelling to avoid comparisons, but it’s fun to create a fictional village and school.

I chose the 1920s because so many changes happened in American society after the Great War (World War I). Women got the vote (in 1920), and many more worked and went to college. Although most ladies weren’t flappers, styles changed. The bob became a popular haircut, and hemlines rose. Automobiles filled the roadways, and the appliances we now take for granted made housework and cooking easier.

Is there anything about writing you find most challenging?

I taught and tutored English at the junior high, high school, and college levels. Sometimes, I find my dialog is too formal or correct, so I have to catch myself when I write it. (If I don’t, at least one of my beta team members will!) During the Roaring Twenties, the median education among American adults was about eight years. Even in 1930, the high school graduation rate was only 30%. That led to a weaker grasp of grammar, so average folks spoke differently than today. I keep that in mind when I assign dialog to characters who didn’t finish grade school, since authenticity is important. The same is true for slang. I review words and phrases that might not have been common in the 1920s. An example is when I wanted a character to say: “I’ve got your back.” When I checked, that phrase did not come into usage until World War II, when it was used in the military.

What do you think makes a good story?

A compelling setting is important to me. That doesn’t mean it needs to be exotic or far-off. I love stories set in small towns, because they lend themselves to creating a strong cast of recurring characters. Appealing characters are important, too. In a mystery, I like enough red herrings to keep me guessing and plenty of clues, so I have a chance of solving it before the amateur. That is my aim with my books.

Which, of all your characters, do you think is the most like you?

Recently, a good friend told me that Doro reminds her of someone. I was taken aback because I try hard not to pattern characters after real people. With reluctance, I asked who? When she said Doro is like me, I laughed, but it made me think. In some ways, we are similar. I worked at a college for a number of years, and I love mysteries. We’re both only children, and we live in and love our hometowns.

What makes your books different from others out there in this genre?

Many cozy historical mysteries are set in England or in large cities like New York, Chicago, or San Francisco. Mine are set in small-town Ohio. This gives me a chance to showcase life in America a century ago. Adventures can happen any place!

Sometimes, people who have never been to my state have misconceptions. The phrase “Rust Belt” comes to mind, but it doesn’t really fit. My hometown, Sylvania, is a “Tree City.” The entire area has beautiful parks and waterways, with Lake Erie only ten miles away. To give the stories a strong sense of time and place, I include lesser known vestiges of the past. For example, The Jammed Judges features a small-town May Days celebration, so I incorporated old-fashioned events like a cakewalk, a picnic basket auction, and May baskets. The last is a fun practice that is seldom seen today, but I was enthralled with it as a child. After reading a book where baskets were given away, I convinced my mother that we should make a few for neighbors and my grandparents. May baskets typically have fresh flowers, and they’re left anonymously left on doorsteps on May first. I’ll have a how-to to make a May Day cone on my Facebook page and in my newsletter. The cones can hold flowers, candy, or other treats.

What’s next on the horizon for you?

The next book in my Doro Banyon series will be out in August or September. I have part of it written, but I’m working out details. Doro’s lawman counterpart will be out of town when she returns from summer vacation. Although they aren’t sweethearts (yet), she is worried because he’s a former Prohibition agent. When he doesn’t come back on schedule, she investigates.

Thank you, Debbie, so much for visiting today. I love that Izzy stays by your side when you are writing. She sounds like a wonderful pup!

Keep reading for information about D.S.’s latest book!

About The Jammed Judges

The Jammed Judges: Doro Banyon Historical Mysteries
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Ohio
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Debra Sue Lang (April 2, 2024)
Number of Pages – Approx. 310
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CSXQQQ81

Journey back to the Roaring Twenties in small-town America and join Doro Banyon, college librarian and armchair detective, as she confronts another mystery.

Spring in the air, and Doro is looking forward to her hometown’s May Day celebration. When her friend Aggie wins the baking contest, their celebration is short-lived because the two local lawmen—judges for the competition—fall ill after consuming extra portions of Aggie’s jam roll. Rumors run rampant, especially when the town doctor pinpoints the cause as arsenic poisoning.

With the constabulary down for the count, the two friends must unravel the mystery. As they study possibilities, Doro and Aggie find plenty of dangling threads and likely suspects. Is someone trying to make Aggie look bad or get even with her? Or do area bootleggers want the police out of their way while a big load of illegal liquor is transported through the area? Doro resolves to crack the case before more trouble hits town.

Great Escapes Praise for The Jammed Judges:
Doro Banyon Historical Mysteries
by D.S. Lang

I adore historical mysteries and The Jammed Judges combines two of my favorite things – historical mystery and a librarian amateur sleuth. Fans of historical cozy mysteries will enjoy this latest mystery
and I am anxious to get my hands on book four!
~Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books

More About D.S. Lang

D.S. Lang is a former teacher, tutor, mentor, and program manager. As an only child, she often created stories to entertain herself when she didn’t have her nose in a book. She is still making up stories, but now she puts them in writing.

She writes historical mysteries set in small-town America during the Roaring Twenties. Her books feature women amateur sleuths dedicated to solving crimes, along with a team of colorful characters—often including a local lawman.

Author Links
GoodReads    Facebook    Website

Purchase Links

 Amazon – B&N – Apple – Kobo – Smashwords 

The Rest of the Series

Also written by D.S. Lang

TOUR PARTICIPANTS – Please visit all the stops. 
April 4 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW
April 5 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
April 6 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 7 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 8 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
April 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 10 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 11 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 11 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 12 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST  
April 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 13 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
April 13 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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