As a working journalist for most of my life, I was always doing research. If someone told me something and wanted to put it into my newspaper or magazine, I always verified the facts. You can’t just print hearsay or rumor.
I love research. You learn so much about your surrounding area, the people nearby, businesses, nature, you-name-it, everything becomes more interesting, sad, beautiful, or funny with research. I once shadowed a dying man for the last six weeks of his life, spending hours near his bed, talking with him about how he felt and his personal history. It ran as a series in my newspaper in New Jersey. It won several awards and was and published in that area as a booklet for nursing homes.
Not only did I speak with the patient, I interviewed doctors and nurses who part of his team. I spoke with family members. I learned a lot and showed my readers how one can die comfortably and with no regrets.
My next murder mystery is called FOOTES CREEK and will be published shortly. It is about a series of grisly murders at a prestigious old boy club in New Jersey. The US Open is coming to the course in a few years, and Police Chief Ed (Mac) McSorley is under a lot of pressure to solve the crimes. Ed is drinking heavily after the loss of his wife to cancer two years ago and wonders if he can fulfill his duties.
He meets Abby Mitchell, a member of Footes Creek, and as they begin to work together, a romance begins.
Research? Yes, a lot. I’ve played golf for most of my life, I’ve been Chairman and Tournament Director of two different l8-Hole Ladies Golf Associations. My husband started playing golf when he was eight years old and won 10 different championships at three different clubs. We’ve travelled all over the United States playing golf and loving life. Today, we live on a golf course in North Carolina.
In addition to that, my son-in-law is a PGA Pro, his father and two brothers are green superintendents, we have personal friends who are club pros and superintendents. I wrote am award-winning golf column called Golf Gab for 14 years. I attended regional meetings of the PGA and the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Associations. I read books, interviewed pros and superintendents.
Out of this came FOOTES CREEK. Stay tuned for more information as it become available. Both golfers and non-golfers will love this thriller. It has blood, gore, suspense, romance and a truly vicious and clever killer.
