Today, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Lane Stone. She has graciously offered to give one lucky commenter a $10.00 gift card to Starbucks.
Hi Lane, tell us a little about your book. Does your protagonist have a sidekick?
The Collector is my first non-cozy book. Art expert, Emma Kelly, must stop a world war on art while protecting a very big secret. Since she has a secret life, no sidekicks for her. She does have some amazing women friends. Elisa is Director of the Vatican Museums. Bobbi runs an escort service made up of men, which the police overlook because she fights sex trafficking in New York City. Florence is the first woman CEO and president of the Metropolitan Museum.
Who is your favorite sidekick from any cozy mystery?
Umm, if the Lord Peter Whimsey books are cozies, can I call Harriet Vane a sidekick? I’m not sure of either. Harriet has such depth she might be another main character. Here are a few real cozy sidekicks: In Arsenic and Adobo, Mia Mansala’s protag Lila’s best friend, Adeena, is very funny. In Carolyn Rowland’s paranormal Haunted City series, the sidekick is her deceased aunt. In Judy Murray’s Chesapeake Bay Mysteries her sidekick is her daughter. In so many cozies these days, pets are sidekicks. You gotta love that. And I have to say I’m enjoying writing scenes with the sidekick I have in my November book, Dead Men Don’t Decorate. Opal is the only cruise boat captain on the Potomac River.
When did you realize you wanted to write? Have you always enjoyed reading mysteries?
My favorite part of any job I ever had was the writing part. I was in corporate human resources and when I was doing something as mundane as writing a training manual, I felt like I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.
Oh, yes. I’ve always loved reading mysteries.
Where is your favorite place to write? Do you have a favorite snack and/or drink by your side when you write?
Pre-Covid I wrote at Panera almost every day. The white noise worked for me. Now I write mostly in my office in Lewes. I tried writing on the beach and quickly learned that’s what writers on TV or in the movies do – not IRL. The beach is good for plotting, but not the actual putting words on the screen.
Do you remember the first cozy mystery you read?
Of course, they were YA’s. Mystery at Medicine Wheel is the book I still have. The sleuth is Annette Funicello.
Do you have a favorite light house?
The light house I volunteer for! I’m on the board of the Delaware River and Bay Light House Foundation. We own and maintain the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse. It sits on a breakwater wall and is still an active aid to navigation.
Lane, it’s a beautiful lighthouse!
Tell us about your dog.
Ah, my favorite subject! Cordy is a three-year-old schnauzer who makes our lives interesting. It’s like she has love running through her veins.
You can find Lane on her webiste: http://www.lanestonebooks.com/
Lane, thanks so much for stopping by.
Friends, be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a Starbucks card.
A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery 
Annette Funicello as a sleuth! How fun is that? I’m intrigued by your heroine having a big secret and not being able to have a sidekick. Very intriguing, indeed! I enjoyed the interview…especially the puppy pics! 🙂
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That Cordy is such a ham, isn’t she!
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Thank you so much!
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Hi Sherrinda, thanks for stopping by. The puppy pictures are adorable!
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Lane, I love that lighthouse. I would enjoy visiting one someday.
And I’ve always wondered about the people who writing training manuals. LOL. So not exciting, huh?
Thanks for sharing your writing.
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Hi Connie,
Thanks for stopping by. I’ve always been fascinated by lighthouses and lighthouse keepers.
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Cordy is absolutely adorable! Bless your heart. What a fun interview—and to volunteer at such a gorgeous lighthouse. Your life is truly blessed. Writing is such a wonderful gift!
Thank you for sharing ☕️
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Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing. It’s nice to meet you!
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Thanks, Connie. Here’s the website for the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, http://www.delawarebaylights.org/. We offer tours, so I hope to see you one day.
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Yes, I am blessed! I am grateful for everything!
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I love your description of The Collector. It sounds like a book I would love to read. And I love lighthouses! So cool that you volunteer for that one.
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LadyBugBookLover – that’s great. Love it!
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Lane, I love the lighthouse!! How cool! And Cordy is adorable!
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Hi Sharee, it’s good to see you here. I agree about Cordy. What a cutie!
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Thank you for sharing, your characters sound like strong and interesting women. What gave you the idea for a female ran escort service, I do like the idea of role reversing and itust be high class if it is in Manhattan!
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Wow, are you really a chef? Bobbi fights human trafficking and she’s so good at it, the police choose to think of her escort service as “matchmaking.” She was a fun character to write.
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Thanks everybody! This was fun! And I needed it. I’m just getting over Covid – which I caught at ThrillerFest. And today my husband tested positive. Guess what he said? “I had the car washed yesterday. Do you think I caught it at the carwash?” Duuuh.
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I finally met your dog. Adorable! And never knew Annette Funicello had her own mystery featured.
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