JanDunlap.com » A Bobwhite Killing

Heading north

admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:11:50 +0000

I’m making my annual trip to Two Harbors, MN, next week, and I can’t wait! Even though the fall colors will be past their peak, it’s always a delight to be up north and leave my responsibilities and Twin Cities busyness behind for a few days. This past month has indeed been busy with promoting the third book in the Birder Murder series – a book launch, an author’s brunch, a book fair and lots of marketing both locally and online. I’m going to make a stop at the Wild Birds Unlimited in Duluth next Thursday to sign copies of “A Bobwhite Killing” on my way to Two Harbors, but then I’m ‘off-duty’ for the weekend. If you’re in the Duluth area, stop in and we’ll chat at WBU – I’ll be there from 1:30 to 2:30 pm.

Now that the leaves are down, I realized it’s time to think a little about the approaching holidays. Yes, I’ve picked up a few gifts for giving already (if you’ve got birders or mystery lovers on your list, I highly recommend a little series called the Bob White Birder Murders – okay, I’m biased!), but more than that, I’m trying to figure out the best ways to truly celebrate the season and I think I’ve come up with a good idea. I’ve talked with my friend who owns Millie’s Deli in Chanhassen, and we’re putting together a book benefit in the deli to raise some supplies and money for the local food shelves. How will you share your gifts this year?

Book Launch set for “A Bobwhite Killing”

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:46:38 +0000

It’s September, which means I’ve got a new book coming out!

“A Bobwhite Killing” will be unveiled at our Book Launch party on September 18. Gary and Pat, the proprietors of Once Upon A Crime mystery bookstore in Minneapolis, have once again graciously agreed to host my party from 1 to 3 pm. Last year when we launched the second book in the Birder Murder series, we had a mix of readers and many of my close personal friends in attendance, and it was a blast! Birders were chatting with mystery buffs, and book club members were hobnobbing with my neighbors. I hope you’ll take some time on Saturday, September 18 to stop in at OUAC and join us in launching this third book in the series. Wow – three books already! It seems like I just fledged “The Boreal Owl Murder” yesterday…

The countdown is on for 3rd Bob White Birder Murder

admin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:32:19 +0000

A funny thing happened on the MOU listserve last week. (If you aren’t familiar with the listserve, it’s the Minnesota Ornithologists Union’s means of keeping all the birders updated on what bird was seen where, along with other items of interest to Minnesota birders. Since I am a member of the MOU (as is my fictional protagonist Bob White), I get all the emails, and the one that caught my eye last week was a sighting of Northern Bobwhites, which is the premise of my third Birder Murder, titled “A Bobwhite Killing”. Another birder responded to the one who saw the bird, explaining that Northern Bobwhites are no longer considered wild in Minnesota because they have been so domesticated by farms. This is true, as I point out in my new book. Because it IS fiction, though, I do take a little creative license in my story…and that’s all I can tell you because I don’t want to spoil the story. I just thought it was one of those funny coincidences in my life – just as my book about a Bobwhite is about to debut, Bobwhites pop up in the MOU listserve.

This reminded me of when my first book, “The Boreal Owl Murder” came out. Boreal Owls were almost impossible to find in the northernmost reaches of the state for many years….until the year my book came out. Then there was a flood of sightings of them that winter of 2008. Everytime I had a book talk, I’d explain how Boreals were very hard to find…usually. The owls were making a liar out of me publicly. Actually, this profusion of a bird wasn’t unique – I recall some winters back when we had Great Grey Owls all over the place, and other years have likewise been marked by unusual numbers of an atypical bird for the region and/or time of year. It’s all part of the intrigue and variety of the world of birding.

A final note – I just saw that “A Bobwhite Killing” is now listed on Amazon.com for advance orders. That means I’ll be out promoting the book in another month. I hope to see you soon!