Welcome, Wendy!

Tell us about what you write.

I've written this first novel of the In Purse-Suit Mysteries and its prequel novella. I enjoy both story structures very much. Since then I've written a second novella that's currently in editing with my wonderful publisher The Wild Rose Press, and I'm so excited for when it will be published. It's a mystery/romance about a Bayside elementary school teacher, Dez Tucker. Katherine and Jason make appearances in the story, but the focus is on Dez's romance and the mystery surrounding it. In the meantime, I'm in the midst of writing the sequel mystery novel in the series – it's a very exciting case. I'm looking forward to submitting it to my publisher. And I already have plotting done for the third book in the series.

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Tell us about the inspiration for the setting of Kat out of the Bag.

Like Katherine Watson, the amateur sleuth in Kat Out of the Bag, I'm a transplant from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. I adopted this beautiful part of the country as my home. It's a fabulous setting for a cozy mystery. The scenic Puget Sound and lakes frame the mountain ranges and majestic Mt. Rainier. The ferries are highlights in the plots of Kat Out of the Bag and the prequel Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash.

The incredible plants and flowers of the region inspired an interesting hobby for Jason Holmes, the local Bayside cop who is the first to track the killer with his K-9 partner Hobbs. I learned a lot about K-9 patrol officers in my research, including an exciting ride along with a local patrol.

It was on a hiking trip to Mt. Rainier that I discovered my inspiration for the remodeled farmhouse Katherine lives in on the top floors, with the Purse Museum on the lower floors. It is a unique bed and breakfast that I stayed at with a small pond and water wheel. That wheel is noteworthy in Kat Out of the Bag.

Not all the inspiration for my mystery is from the Pacific Northwest. Katherine's Purse Museum that shows women's history reflects my research in Little Rock, Arkansas at Esse Purse Museum. That's a fun place to visit, highly recommended and it's not just for women. I wish we really had one in this region too. 

What was your inspiration for the story?

I truly believe in writing about what you love. I'm an avid mystery reader, especially cozy mysteries. My hero author is Laura Childs. I love her series. That's what inspired my choice of genre. I've always had a passion for the artistry, history, and functionality of purses and bags, so it seemed natural to accessorize my mysteries with them.

What was the most interesting part to research?

My research included a ride along with a K-9 patrol. What an experience! I've included so much from this adventure in my novel. I won the ride along in a raffle and it completely hooked me on having K-9 police partners in the book. I love having the dog in the book – he's a whole additional character. So is Katherine's pampered cat Purrada, but the dog Hobbs is so very different with his loyalty to Jason, his playful side, his training, and because he has a job.

The ride along shift was 7:00 pm to 5:00 am. One of the major advantages of a K-9 officer is they can see in the dark, unlike their human partner. The German Shepherd responded to commands given in German, to reduce the possibility of civilians confusing the dog with their own instructions. Their job is chase and search immediately on the scene. Once done they must hand off the case to a detective.

You can imagine, that can be a little frustrating to hand the investigation over. When in the chase, the best chances of following the scent is in the first 4 hours. What the dogs are tracking are the dead skin cells that people shed all the time. Where I live, in the Pacific Northwest is surprisingly an excellent place for tracking. The drizzling rain and small puddles are places where the dead skin cells float on top and are easier to track. The biggest problem for this type of tracking is wind. The dogs are tracking suspects, or evidence and any clues they can find.

 Sometimes the human checks on a situation on his own, like a domestic violence call. He leaves the K-9 in the car. If the situation escalates and he needs his partner, the officer clicks a switch on his uniform vest that automatically opens the door for the dog to run out and join him in a hurry.

This working dog had a lot of personality, and whenever the man reached for the radio to talk with dispatch his dog wanted to talk too, and he did always share some choice, and loud dog words. After his shift, the dog understands he's off duty and at home with the officer and his family he becomes a loving pet.

I learned so much on my ride along and it's fun to incorporate it in the mystery plot. If you'd like to know more about the ride along, you can hear about it on my YouTube podcast Kendall and Cooper Talk Mysteries.