Today Penny Brannigan is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about On Deadly Tides, the latest novel in the Penny Brannigan mystery series.

Welcome, Penny. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Hello! My name is Penny Brannigan and I’m the protagonist in On Deadly Tides. This is my eleventh outing as an amateur sleuth in my own mystery series. I’m a Canadian who has lived in beautiful North Wales for about thirty years, where the series is set.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

I’d say we follow the 80-20 rule. Eighty per cent of the time I take the lead. My author is smart enough to recognize that this is my story, not hers. She lets the story unfold the way I want to tell it, because after all, everything happens to me, not her. I’m glad she listens to me. A few books back she thought it would be a good idea if I got involved with a police detective inspector, but I wasn’t having it, and the romance fizzled out.

How did you evolve as the main character?

When the series opened, I was running a little nail bar in the town of Llanelen. Now, with my partner, Victoria Hopkirk, I’m the co-owner of a successful spa. I’ve definitely become more business savvy, and I’ve also gained confidence as an amateur sleuth because I’ve learned to trust my instincts. I’ve also grown as an artist, and in On Deadly Tides the owner of a local gallery invites me to participate in a Christmas exhibit. This invitation leads to some pretty interesting developments, I must say.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

I love sharing the story with Mrs. Lloyd, the town’s former post mistress. She’s always good for a laugh, through her unintentional humour, even if she does sometimes drive us crazy. In fact, there have been times when it occurred to me that Mrs. Lloyd might be my author’s favourite character.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

The story opens on the picturesque island of Anglesey, set in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales, where I was enjoying a painting holiday. And there’s lots of scenic subjects for a painter to choose from – a lighthouse, a ruined castle, stunning views across the Menai Strait to the mountains of Snowdonia, quaint little fishing villages – it’s all here. I live in the beautiful market town of Llanelen, as my author calls it, but the real name of the town is Llanrwst. I love it here. We’ve got a beautiful seventeenth century bridge, lovely stone houses, spectacular views, countryside walks … everything you could possibly want. I never imagined I would leave Llanelen, but then something happened in On Deadly Tides to change my mind. Or maybe I should say, someone happened …

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

There are some big changes for me in On Deadly Tides, and if you’ve been following my story, I think you’ll be happy for me. If you haven’t been following my story, you can read the book as a stand alone. And if you’d like to get caught up on my series, the ebook version of Remembering the Dead, the previous title in my series, is on special offer until the end of November for $1.99. You can order it here.

It only remains for me to thank Dianne Ascroft for giving me this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself and my new book, and to thank my readers for all their support. Hope to see you soon in North Wales!

Thank you for dropping by, Penny, and good luck to you and your author, Elizabeth J. Duncan, with On Deadly Tides, the latest book in the Penny Brannigan mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Penny and her author, Elizabeth J. Duncan by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    B&N    Kobo

About Elizabeth J. Duncan: A two-time winner of the Bloody Words (Bony Blithe) Award for Canada’s best light mystery, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two series: the Penny Brannigan mysteries set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax. A former journalist, public relations practitioner, and college professor, Elizabeth is a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers. She divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.