Joyce and Jim Lavene's Dae O'Donnell

Mitch Malone here on the 10^th day of the Murder We Write Blog Tour. Today I’m interviewing the honorable mayor of Duck, North Carolina, Dae O’Donnell. Dae is a rather unique mayor featured in A HAUNTING DREAM by Joyce and Jim Lavene. She has a bit of an odd streak but I’m going for a soft opening here. I’ll get to the hard questions at the end. There you are Mayor. Thank you for joining me. Can you tell me a little bit about Duck? Is it really named after a Mallard?

Dae: Yes, Mitch. Duck IS named after the water fowl in question. It was a famous place to hunt ducks long before there was a town here. It’s very quiet here in the winter. Stores are closed and many people drift away. We have a population of about 500. During the summer months, the population goes up to about 25,000. It’s a problem for us sometimes, as I’m sure you can imagine. Those of us born here, love it, even through hurricanes and other issues.
 

Now as mayor, you get to make lots of decisions about things that should be done. I understand you help out the police and others. How do you do that?

Dae: Actually, I don’t get to make many decisions. A mayor is a figurehead in a small town like Duck. I can help influence the council, but they make all the decisions. I help the police from time to time with my special gift – the ability to find lost things. Right now, I’m helping on a kidnapping case that involves the FBI. I’m not sure they really want my help, but I have had dreams about the missing girl, Betsy Sparks. I’m not going to quit until we find her.

Drat. My pen just ran out of ink. I can’t take notes for my exclusive, if I don’t have a pen. Where is that spare of mine?

Dae: Here, Mitch. Hold my hand a second. No, I’m not making a pass at you. It’s how I find things. Poking around in someone’s head is a lot like rummaging through an old attic. Ah! There is is – in the pocket of your jeans!

You are pretty good at finding things. You could make some money doing lost and found. Have you ever considered opening your own business?

Dae: I have a small thrift store I call Missing Pieces. It’s located on the Duck Shoppes Boardwalk. My grandfather (I live with him) said I was bringing home too many things. The house wasn’t big enough to hold all my treasures. So I opened the shop. It pays the rent and gives me some spending money.

Duck has had some pretty major crime lately what with that murder of Chuck Sparks. Do I understand as well as finding things you now are talking to the dead? Is this for real?

Dae: Chuck’s death was a tragedy. I hope we can find his killer and that will lead us to his little girl. As far as talking to the dead, it seems to be something new for me. I hope it doesn’t happen again. My friend, Shayla, is a medium. She says sometimes your abilities change when you’re too emotional. Right now, with my boyfriend’s ex-fiance in Duck, the mayor’s election, and trying to find Betsy Sparks, it’s a little hard to dial it down!

No need to get testy. I’m looking for my next exclusive story and I think this might just be it. Would you be willing to give me access to the police department so I could get some verification and all the details?

Dae: I’m afraid I don’t have that authority, Mitch. You can ask our police chief, Ronnie Michaels.

The FBI is involved. I have a pretty good relationship with one hot agent. I could work with them. Well maybe my relationship isn’t so sound but I don’t want to talk about that. Would you give this reporter the scoop?

Dae: I’m afraid that’s all I can say for now, Mitch. It was nice talking with you.

 

Thanks, Dae for dropping by and answering my questions. To read more about A HAUNTING DREAM that is out today, visit www.joyceandjimlavene.com . You heard the scoop here first. Get A HAUNTING DREAM hot off the press. Find out all about Dae and her gift, gift for murder that is.

To win a copy of A Haunting Dream, the fourth book in the Missing Pieces Mysteries, leave your name at my blog: http://romanceofmystery.blogspot.com

 The mayor of Duck, North Carolina, Dae O’Donnell, is a woman with a gift for finding lost things. When her boyfriend Kevin’s ex-fiancée Ann arrives in Duck looking for a second chance, Dae suddenly finds herself facing certain heartache. And while her romantic life is in shambles, she’s even more concerned by the sudden change in her gift. After touching a medallion owned by a local named Chuck Sparks, Dae is shocked when her vision reveals his murder—and a cry for help. Dae doesn’t know what to make of the dead man’s plea to “Help her,” until she has another vision about a kidnapped girl—Chuck’s daughter, Betsy. With a child missing, the FBI steps in to take over the case. But Dae can’t ignore her visions of Betsy, or the fact that Kevin’s psychic ex-fiancé might be the only person who can help find her.

Joyce Lavene writes bestselling mystery with her husband/partner Jim. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley and Charter Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. She lives in rural North Carolina with her family, her cat, Quincy, and her rescue dog, Rudi. Visit her at www.joyceandjimlavene.com, Facebook/JoyceandJimLavene.com. Twitter: @authorjlavene, http://romanceofmystery.blogspot.com.

Purchase: A Haunting Dream at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-haunting-dream-joyce-and-jim-lavene/1111363964