Leah Jordan is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about I Thee Dead, the first novel in the Wedded Bliss mystery series.

Welcome, Leah. 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.

Nice to meet everyone! My name is Leah Jordan. I own The Wedded Bliss in Ashford, Ohio. We are an event planning and wedding venue in central Ohio. My mom and aunt started the business back in the early 1980s. I have recently come back to take over the business after my dear Aunt Sissy passed. While it wasn’t a happy reason that I had to return home, it was good timing because I needed a change. However, soon after I began working, I learned the business was struggling. Our only saving grace is a wedding for a local socialite that could bring in a lot of money and help things improve. Until her groom ends up dead…. I have to work with my best friends, a sexy private investigator and a handsome detective to find the real killer when my best friend Chelsea becomes the number one suspect.

Yes, I Thee Dead, is the first book in The Wedded Bliss Mystery Series. There will be a total of six. You can follow my adventures or misadventures as I take over as the new owner of The Wedded Bliss and stumble upon bodies along the way.

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

She likes to think she is in control all the time, but I get a say. I mean there wouldn’t be a story without me, right? She writes all the plot points on index cards, but this allows for some new scenes to trickle in between. In one of the future books, there end up being two killers, she had no idea that was going to happen!

How did you evolve as the main character?

In the first book when the series begins, I am starting over, I lost my fiancé and my job. Then my aunt died and left me the family’s wedding planning business. Throughout the book, I realize that I am stronger than I thought. I began working to solve a murder and fight to clear my best friend’s name. I realize family is not just who you’re related to, but those you love you and you surround yourself with that become family.

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

Oh yes, my best friends Meg and Chelsea. We have been friends since the third grade. They are my ride or dies. No matter what is going on in each other’s lives, we are there for one another. I do have to say working with Caleb, the sexy private investigator has been quite a journey. I have learned a lot from him while at the same time, realizing I have quite a knack for investigating.

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

Ashford, Ohio, my hometown, is small, everyone knows one another, and it’s laid back and tranquil. I always wanted to get away from my hometown when I was younger and for a brief period, I did, but it’s been a blessing in disguise to be back home.

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

There’s a lot of humor and some quirky characters.

Thank you for answering my questions, Leah, and good luck to you and your author, Christine Lawrence, with I Thee Dead, the first book in the Wedded Bliss mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Leah and her author, Christine Lawrence by visiting the author’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Linktree pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Gramercy Books 

About Christine Lawrence: Christine resides in a small town in Northwest Ohio with her husband, stepdaughter, son and four spoiled dogs. An avid reader since childhood, she decided to mesh her two favorite genres, romance and mystery. Working hard to complete the next book in The Wedded Bliss mystery series, she spends her free time participating in local writing groups, traveling and spending time with her family.

Christine has a bachelor’s degree in forensic science with a specialization in Crime Scene Investigation and a master’s degree in forensic psychology. Her background as a private investigator and obsession with all things crime related gives her endless fodder for her small-town cozy mysteries.