Whidbey Island – Lit World Interviews

Synopsis

Beneath the serene facade of Whidbey Island, danger silently weaves its way through the community. Deputy Sheriff Roger Wilkie thought he’d seen it all, but when the sinister leader of a polygamist religious sect and his ruthless enforcer unleash chaos, Roger is thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Wilkie knows the chilling truth, but capturing these elusive and cunning killers is an almost insurmountable challenge. With the help of the island’s colorful residents-including a physically intimidating former inmate who always seems to be in the thick of things-and two German Shepherds with uncanny detection skills, Wilkie navigates a world of tongue-in-cheek dialogue and razor-sharp sarcasm. This pulse-pounding thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

You can get Ferry Tails at Amazon.

What genre do you write and why?

Cozy Mysteries, mostly for an enjoyable humorous journey that takes the reader somewhere else, if only for a little while.

What makes your books different from other cozy mysteries out there?

The locales and perhaps the sarcastic sense of humor from the principal characters.

How did you come up with the ideas for your books?

Because of many hours spent on the ferries to Whidbey Island, I had always entertained the idea of a murder on one of my trips. Ferry Tails was my chance to bring the thought to life.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?

Mostly the quirky characters I bump into while living on an island.

How did you do research for your book?

Much of the background for Ferry Tails is the result of my travels in Southern Utah and Arizona. My friendship with a retired Ferry Captain was invaluable in detailing the inner workings of the Washington State Ferry System

Your book is set in the Puget Sound area. Have you ever been there?

I live there.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?

The most difficult was the leader of the breakaway religious cult. The easiest, of course, was Roger Wilkie.

How long have you been writing?

Off and on since my high school newspaper.

Do you write every day?

Pretty much. Unless I’m playing golf.

What is your writing schedule?

Every morning about 9 am until I get too stiff to sit in the chair.

Do you have another profession besides writing?

Nope.

What advice would you give budding writers?

Sit down and write. Then when you’re done for the day, think about what you’ve written, but write without thinking first—that’s when the real you happens.

What is your next project?

A mystery surrounding a murdered CEO of a pharmaceutical company whose demise is the result of an unknown organism.

What is the last great book you’ve read?

It’s an old one, but Word of Honor by Nelson DeMille made an indelible impression. Probably because I was a junior officer in the US Army during the same period as the story.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

“Ripple” by the Grateful Dead

Which authors inspired you to write?

Justin Scott, DeMille, and Rosenfelt.

You can get Ferry Tails at Amazon.

Author Bio:

Ted Mulcahey has lived most of his life in the Pacific Northwest. He is an Army Veteran, sales and marketing VP, entrepreneur, business owner, avid reader, one of nine children, and proud husband who attributes his sense of humor to his mother and his wife.

Find out more:

Website: http://tedmulcahey.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/224052306-ferry-tails

Ferry Tails Tour Banner — Ferry Tails Tour

An invention that can save the planet?
Somehow, someway the O’Malleys have found themselves in the thick of things once again. On peaceful, bucolic Whidbey Island, they become entangled in a corporate plot to stifle a paradigm-shattering discovery, one that promises to upend conventional thinking, topple markets, and create an entirely new industry.
Kevin and Jenne, along with scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, find themselves pitted against a band of bumbling criminals who will stop at nothing to get what they want—including arson and murder.
It’s another rollicking adventure for the retired interior designers ably assisted by their favorite detective, the FBI, and Emma, their ever-vigilant German Shepherd Dog.

Juiced by Ted Mulcahey

What makes your books different from other cozy mysteries out there?
The locales and perhaps the sarcastic sense of humor from the principal characters.

Do you have another profession besides writing?
Nope.

How long have you been writing?
Off and on since my high school newspaper.

How did you come up with the ideas for your books?
The idea for Juiced began when I came across an interesting article on vanadium battery technology.

For Little Dirt, it was more of a desire to highlight the many beautiful areas of the Pacific Northwest.

With your book set in the Puget Sound area, have you ever been there?
I live there.

How did you do research for your book?
For Juiced I found a number of articles discussing the projects (including their battery research) at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

For Little Dirt I spent many hours researching harmful drug culture as well as the geography of the Puget Sound waters.

For both, my many years in business were immensely helpful.

If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
There’s a good deal of Kevin O’Malley in me, but he’s likely an improved version.

Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The easiest, of course, are the O’Malleys. The mercenary corporate characters are fun to write but often difficult. Emma, our GSD is the dearest.

If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
Paul Rudd and Sandra Bullock.

If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
“Ripple” by the Grateful Dead

What is your next project?
The O’Malleys find themselves enmeshed in nastiness among folks in the Walla Walla wine country.

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
“I really had fun reading it”, is always my favorite.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you? The scariest? The strangest?
Brushed my teeth with glue instead of toothpaste as a kid. (I think that’s the answer for all three questions)

Who was your childhood celebrity crush?
Barbra Feldon, agent 99

If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
I tried to lighten their day.

Author Bio:

Ted Mulcahey has lived throughout the US, the past 35 years in the Pacific Northwest. He’s an Army vet, sales and marketing VP, entrepreneur, business owner, avid reader, one of nine children, former caddie, and lover of dogs and golf. The last twenty-five years were spent in partnership with his wife Patte, as the owners of a highly respected and published hospitality interior design firm in the Seattle Area. They’re now living on Whidbey Island and enjoying its rural bliss.

Ted writes about things he’s seen and places he’s been. He tries to incorporate personality traits of people he’s known into his fictional characters, although none of them exist in reality. Many of the locations are real but the names have been changed.

Website: http://tedmulcahey.com

Visit Amazon for Ted’s Books:

LITTLE DIRT ROAD: https://amzn.to/3P0aVq

JUICED: https://amzn.to/3RBsE9Q

See Reviews for LITTLE DIRT ROAD and JUICED! at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60282401-little-dirt-road?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=3F5ErlwX8h&rank=1

JUICED:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60839464-juiced?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=1g0MCjNXuI&rank=1