Marc Jedel, author of Whine and Dine, the latest novel in the Redwoods Country mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Marc.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Whine and Dine is the second book in the Redwoods Country Mystery series, which I describe as “Grumpy Old Men” meets “Schitt’s Creek.” This novel can be read as a standalone but is more enjoyable to read after Rivers and Creaks (book 1). During this tour, the price of Rivers and Creaks has been reduced to $0.99 for the ebook so readers can catch up on this fun series.

Andy, the protagonist, is not your typical cozy mystery bed and breakfast owner. He wants nothing to do with the place and toys with the idea of becoming a recluse. He regrets having sunk his entire retirement savings into it, especially after his wife tragically died shortly after they bought the place a year before the first novel takes place. Gradually (and against his intentions), he’s making friends and finding that he enjoys this new home.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I thought it would be fun to have a series that is superficially similar to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot stories where the sleuth brings everyone together at the end of the book and proceeds to execute the full grand reveal. Although Andy brings all the suspects into his inn when he believes he’s solved the murder in these stories, he always discovers that he has gotten the accusation all wrong. The final portion of each novel finds Andy scrambling to save face while he progressively accuses different people of murder, discovers their innocence, and finally solves the case in the end, thanks to his attention to detail. However, Andy isn’t all bad at the sleuthing stuff as he manages to solve an unrelated crime at the same time, some times without even meaning to.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

When I started writing my first novel, Uncle and Ants, I made the protagonist a forty-year old engineer. Although I didn’t work as an engineer, I was closer to forty and familiar with plenty of engineers from living in Silicon Valley. After ten books in several series and a number of years later, I feel more attuned to the sixty-five-year-old Andy in the Redwoods Creek Mystery series. He’s grumpier than I am (I hope) and happily, my wife is still alive. In fact, she’s claimed her role in my writing is as my emotional developmental mentor. I’m still not quite sure whether she meant just for my latest novel, or my entire life.

The character of Charlie was inspired by the character Stevie Budd, the motel receptionist in the Schitt’s Creek TV series. I knew Andy would need a sidekick and thought it would be funny to have him paired with a woman a generation younger who often saves the day, whether because of her plumbing and electrical skills, her improvisations, or her physical strength. The quirky, developing friendship between her and Andy has been fun to write.

Sandra, the “chicken lady” in Whine and Dine, was inspired by a woman I met on a vacation. I took some of her stories, exaggerated them, and made this character into a high-energy, wacky person who lights up every scene she’s in. She’ll be back in future novels, if only because I enjoy writing her so much.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

My family and I took a vacation to Monte Rio a few years ago. It’s a beautiful small town in the Sonoma redwoods, located about ninety minutes north of San Francisco. Hiking in the redwoods, kayaking along the Russian River, visiting nearby wineries, and enjoying the multiple small towns in the area made me think about basing a new series in this area. Rivers and Creaks was the first novel in this series, followed by Whine and Dine, and more in process.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

Besides visiting the area in person twice, I use the internet to collect most of my background information. Doing a bunch of searches for ways to kill people and get away with it creates an unusual browser search history, and one that I hope law enforcement isn’t watching. Honest, Officer, I write humorous murder mysteries. Fiction! No actual people are injured from my work, unless people really hate puns.

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

Whine and Dine, is on sale for only $2.99, and book 1, Rivers and Creaks, is only $0.99, during this tour. They’re available at: https://mybook.to/WhineandDine and https://mybook.to/RiversandCreaks. You can find all my cozy mysteries at: https://www.amazon.com/Marc-Jedel/e/B07H7MVKJL. They’re available in e-book, paperback, and audiobook formats. My novels are free to read by Kindle Unlimited members.

I love hearing from readers as that motivates me to keep going on the next blank page. Let me know what you liked, what you didn’t, and what you’d want to see more of in the next book.

Thank you for answering my questions, Marc, and good luck with Whine and Dine, the latest book in the Redwoods Country mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Marc Jedel by visiting the author’s website and his Facebook, Bookbub and Goodreads pages.

About Marc Jedel: Marc Jedel writes funny, feel-good murder mysteries filled with quirky characters, twisty plots, and the kind of humor that goes down easy with a cup of tea—or glass of wine. After years writing marketing copy in Silicon Valley, Marc finally started crafting fiction people actually wanted to read. He’s the author of multiple cozy mystery series, including the Silicon Valley Mystery, Ozarks Lake Mystery, and Redwoods Country Mystery series. His books have earned thousands of glowing reviews.

Like Andy from the Redwoods Country Mysteries, Marc keeps getting older and sincerely hopes retirement doesn’t involve running a B&B. Like Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, he lives in tech-heavy California, has worked in high-tech, and proudly wields bad puns. Like Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, Marc grew up in the South and spent many a summer in and around Arkansas.

He lives with his endlessly patient wife and a sweet, neurotic dog who remains deeply unimpressed by Marc’s jokes. When not writing, Marc can be found hiking, plotting murders (on the page, officer, really!), or avoiding whatever home improvement project he’s been putting off.