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The Drawing Game
by Deirdre Verne
This is a fun series that makes me wonder about the characters and their lifestyles almost as much as I wonder about the mystery itself.
~Michelle’s Romantic Tangle
I really loved reading this book. It’s a great mystery.
~Books, Dreams, Life
This is a really interesting mystery with lots of twists and turns! It is well written with a brisk pace and lots of interesting characters.
~View from the Birdhouse
The Drawing Game (A Sketch in Crime Mystery)
Release Date – December 25, 2016
Gatekeeper Press
Number of Pages 275
Synopsis
A lover of all things green, CeCe Prentice is not impressed when a fully-sustainable development, Green Acres, pops up next to her family’s homestead. It’s not so much the ridiculous price tag of the million dollar homes built entirely from re-usable materials and powered by the sun, but rather the new neighbors who think they can simply buy a green lifestyle.
To make matters worse, one homeowner turns out to be CeCe’s high school nemesis, Phoebe Purcell, a hair-tossing vamp who tried to break up CeCe and her long-time boyfriend, Charlie.Already disillusioned by the so-called eco-friendly development, CeCe’s family home is threatened when a series of power-outages at Green Acres kicks off a rash of home invasions. When neighbors start showing up dead, the mood at Green Acres turns south. But when Charlie, CeCe’s on-again, off-again love interest is implicated in the murders, CeCe springs into action when she discovers the only clue – a portrait she painted years ago.
Interview with the Author
Author Interview –
Please send graphic files of yourself and the works you wish to feature, a description of the featured books, a bio, plus answers to the questions below.
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What initially got you interested in writing?
I think like most writers, I’ve always been a big reader. When my children were small, I was looking for a hobby that allowed me to stay home and didn’t require glue and scissors. Writing seemed to fit the bill.
What genres do you write in?
I’ve written three cozy mysteries but I’ve just finished my first thriller – The Devil’s Blind Spot. I’m hoping my agent will be able to sell it. Fingers crossed!
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
When I started writing, I’d never heard the term cozy and I was surprised that the Sketch in Crime series was marketed as a cozy. That being said, I’m happy with the books and I think cozy readers relate to my main character, CeCe Prentice, a Dumpster-diving sleuth.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m in the process of writing a thriller which has turned out to be a bit of a challenge. Unlike a cozy, you have to get comfortable with the nastier, more graphic side of murder.
How did you break into the field?
I joined Sisters in Crime. They are a wonderful organization that supports mystery writers. A few months after I joined, The New York Chapter sponsored a short story contest and I entered. My short story was chosen for their anthology.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
What do you find most rewarding about writing? I love writing dialogue. I enjoy bantering back and forth with my characters and allowing their personalities to develop through their words.
What do you find most challenging about writing? Descriptive paragraphs are tough for me which is why I’m big on dialogue. My characters seem to be better at describing a scene than me explaining it!
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field? Don’t hide! I think writers tend to be shy, but for me the key was attending conferences and shaking hands. It was hard, but necessary. The writing community is very welcoming and willing to offer direction. Find a writing group in your neighborhood or online and be open to criticism.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
Of course, I love a good mystery. My favorite author is Nelson DeMille, partially because his books, like mine, take place on Long Island. I just finished Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography which I adored. I’m a huge Bruce fan and have attended many, many concerts.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
I’m a college professor and I write a college blog about all the wacky things that happen in my classroom. My students share their comments and the end result is really fun.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
Facebook! Please! I love when fans reach out and connect with me. You can also email me and send me green-living tips to incorporate in my books.
About The Author
Deirdre Verne is the author of Drawing Conclusions 
(2015), Drawing Blood
(Feb 2016) and The Drawing Game (Dec 2017). Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character, CeCe Prentice, who Dumpster dives her way through the Sketch in Crime mystery series. “Verne’s mystery is a winner…” Kirkus Reviews. A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s stories appear in all three NY chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.
Author Links
www.facebook.com/deirdreverneauthor
https://twitter.com/DeirdreVerne
