Daffodils and Deadly Deeds Kickstarter
Writing for Therapy and Self-Discovery
Do you enjoy clean heartwarming mysteries with gentle humour and a lighter tone – nothing too graphic, gory or profound?
Are you intrigued by small town charm and historic English settings?
Do you relish teaming up with a savvy female amateur sleuth to solve a puzzling whodunnit?
Then you’ll love Daffodils and Deadly Deeds, the next book in my Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series, featuring thirty-three-year-old aspiring antique expert, Dotty Sayers, and her British Blue cat, Earl Grey.
Readers of this blog will know that we’ve been rooting for Dotty in the previous eight books in the series as she grows from a downtrodden, timid, military widow, to an independent young woman. Through hard work and her ability to connect the dots, she’s blossoming into a confident investigator solving one puzzling demise after another.
But Dotty finds herself pondering what’s next both professionally and in her personal life. And then there’s Zach, the attractive American, who’s requested her sleuthing abilities to help piece together his family’s ancestry. Or could it be that he’s simply seeking a reason for Dotty to stay with him?
Daffodils and Deadly Deeds is all about springtime and new beginnings. And that resonates with me as well as Dotty. Like many people, I’ve found the past few years challenging.
It’s been particularly difficult living with a husband still in the military, suffering with PTSD and other mental health issues, while being based abroad and receiving very little support from the British Army. We both suffered burnout.
This finally pushed me to seek therapy and through it I’ve discovered more about myself, my relationship with my family, and my interaction with nature and the wider world.
Northumberland, the northernmost English county called to me last summer. It’s open, untamed landscape, and it’s miles of varied shoreline with wide, empty beaches, secluded coves, and rocky coastline.
And I did feel grounded there, enjoying the simple pleasure of the wind on my face while eating a packed lunch, and watching the waves, dog walkers and passing ships while sitting on Bamburgh’s vast, sandy beach.
I also felt my place in the land, and in time. The monks on Holy Island, the many ruined castles, and the centuries of conflict with Scotland are a reminder of all the people who have come before us and how insignificant I am. Rather than being sad, I actually felt free and comforted by this.
So, like Dotty, I’ve been processing and coming to terms with a lot that has happened in my life. Family is important but not always easy, and this, too, is reflected in the storyline of Daffodils and Deadly Deeds.
Only after I’ve written a book do I truly understand the part of me within it, and the issues I was processing while writing it. Reflection and new beginnings are as important to me as they are to Dotty. And perhaps, after the last few years, you feel the same.
I’m excited about Daffodils and Deadly Deeds. Springtime and a fresh start, and Easter with family gatherings, Easter egg hunts and … chocolate!
Which is why I’m trying something new. Launching a special early edition of this book on Kickstarter, a creator crowdfunding site.
I can offer readers far more than just the book they buy on retail stores. The special early edition has my hand drawn map of Alnwick, the Northumbrian town where the book is set, a selection of my research notes and commentary on the story, and an Easter egg hunt. Certain chapters will have custom Easter egg headings and a trivia Easter themed question to answer.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Backers of the project can also receive an Easter themed puzzle pack and recipe cards. They can even choose the name of the Chief Inspector’s two Border terriers.
Even if you only buy from Amazon, or read on Kindle Unlimited, please check out my campaign so you can see what I, and other authors, would like to offer you, our readers. Check out the Kickstarter campaign here. This campaign will run from Saturday 20th January to Sunday 11th February.
Blurb
Spring signifies new beginnings, yet rookie antiques expert, Dotty Sayers, feels uncertain about her future.
A colleague’s invitation to Northumberland, in search of hidden family treasure, offers a fresh start. Once there, she immediately befriends her neighbour and assists with a prestigious project at a nearby castle.
But when her mentor vanishes, and a body washes up in a secluded cove, Dotty wonders why so many people she knows end up dead.
Determined to assist, this budding amateur detective is hopping mad when the police ignore her insights. With the inquest approaching, Dotty must decide if she’s ready to crack open the case, even if it makes the local police inspector as mad as a March hare.
Can Dotty put aside her doubts and pull a rabbit out of the hat to ensure justice prevails?
Visit the historic county of Northumberland with the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series, where springtime blossoms with mystery and murder.
If you delight in entertaining characters, complex family dynamics, and charming English settings, you’ll be captivated by Victoria Tait’s entertaining tale.
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