Annette Dashofy Interview--Lost Legacy

 

On a sultry summer afternoon, Paramedic Zoe Chambers responds to a call

and finds a farmer’s body hanging from the rafters of his hay barn. What

first appears to be a suicide quickly becomes something sinister when Zoe links the

victim to a pair of deaths forty-five years earlier. Her attempts to wheedle information

from her mother and stepfather hit a brick wall of deception, one that brings into

question everything Zoe knows about her late father, who died in a car crash

when she was eight. Or did he? Police Chief Pete Adams fears Zoe’s inquiries are

setting her up for deeper heartbreak and putting her in danger. As Zoe and Pete

inch closer to the truth, they discover that a missing gun links the crimes,

which span more than four decades. But the killer isn’t done. Two more Vance

Township residents fall victim to the same gun, and when tragedy strikes too

close to home, Zoe realizes her family is in the crosshairs.

Annette Dashofy (Jacket Copy)

http://www.annettedashofy.com/files/Pete_and_Zoe.html

After the explosive plot of Circle of Influence, the first Zoe Chambers/Pete Adams mystery, I wondered if Annette Dashofy could write a second book of equal intensity. She met that goal in Lost Legacy, making me wonder how she accomplished that—my own selfish goal of this interview. After reading the book and asking Annette questions, I surmise her research was key in making this book a page turner you won’t want to miss. But you’ll have to wait until September 18th when Lost Legacy will be released.

Please welcome Annette back to WWK.                                                                          E. B. Davis

I’m thrilled to be back! Thanks for inviting me.

Did you start this series with a planned arc?

I knew there were several aspects of Zoe’s life that would carry over into future books. Some storylines will be revisited down the road, perhaps skipping a book (or two). She’s had a troubled past and that will come back to haunt her in various forms. If that’s an arc, then the answer is YES.

The animosity between Zoe and her mother, Kimberly, is apparent. The two women have no common interests. Readers discover in Lost Legacy that Zoe takes after her father. I’ve often thought that sons take after their mothers and daughters take after their fathers. Do you think this is true?

I do think there’s a lot of truth there. I was definitely a tomboy. Growing up, I preferred being outside helping my dad or my grandfather tinker on cars or farm equipment to staying inside and learning to cook. For the record, though, unlike Zoe and Kimberly, my mom and I get along great! Just wanted to make that clear. I love you, Mom!

Pete Adams struggles with unexpected complications. The story could have unfolded without these two elements. Why did you include them?

I gather you mean Pete being forced into the role of caregiver and his injury. When Harry first shows up at Pete’s door, Pete is resistant—to say the least. I think a lot of family members draw away from their elderly parents or grandparents because they can’t deal with illness or watching them fail. I wanted to explore those feelings even though it might make Pete seem a little “unlikeable” in the beginning. But we really see Pete’s growth as a son and as a man throughout the pages of the book. At least that’s my intention. As for the injury, I had no such plan for that! It happened organically in the writing of the book. But I decided to keep it because it forced Pete to have to rely on others, it was a good excuse to have Pete and Zoe working closely together, and I liked the idea of tough-guy Pete being cornered into not only the caregiver role, but also needing to be cared for.

I learned a lot about Alzheimer’s disease through your book, including the meaning of “sundowning,” the caretaker’s dilemma, and that dementia can accompany Alzheimer’s. Have you dealt with Alzheimer’s patients? 

My dad had Alzheimer’s. Harry is my way of paying tribute to him. It’s an ugly, horrible disease and my dad had additional complications, so his final years were entirely too depressing to put on the page in this kind of book. But I was able to bring some of his quirks and pet phrases to the character of Harry Adams.

Sylvia Bassi is a continuing character I love. What happened to Pete’s mother, and has Sylvia taken her place?

Pete very much looks at Sylvia as a maternal figure. She’s great at giving advice, even if he doesn’t

want it. As for what happened to Pete’s mother, she passed away when he was a teen. I haven’t explored that part of his past yet, but it will probably come up in some future Pete and Zoe story.

The investigation results from the coroner’s report that states the manner of death as “undetermined.” You must have done a lot of research. Can you explain the coroner’s process of cause and manner?

Yes, I love research! The cause and mechanism of death can be any number of things—heart attack, blood loss, brain injury, poisoning, asphyxiation…. These are determined by autopsy and/or lab tests on blood and tissue samples. The manners of death are more limited: Natural, Accidental, Suicide, Homicide, or Undetermined. The findings of the coroner (or Medical Examiner) as to the manner of death is vitally important in whether or not the police are involved. And as we see in Lost Legacy, sometimes the lines get blurred.

A letter to Zoe’s mother left by the victim claims that Zoe’s father didn’t die as they thought, which leads Zoe to investigate her father’s death. Why wouldn’t Kimberly want to know the truth?

For one thing, Kimberly believes she does know the truth. Her husband died in a car crash. Case closed. But also, for all of Kimberly’s self-righteous bluster, she’s actually a very weak person. She can’t face learning anything different about her husband’s death than what she’s always been told.

Is there such a thing as coincidence?

In real life? Yes. In fiction? No.

Although Pete’s father has Alzheimer’s he acts from his values. In the end, is it character that defines people more than intelligence?

Oh, wow. That’s a great question. I’m not sure I have a great answer, though! I think when all is said and done, when the mind is stripped away by disease or injury, what’s left is our heart. Harry has a very big heart. So did my dad.

Has the truth brought Zoe closer to her father even if it has widened the gap between herself and her mother and stepfather?

Absolutely. But that leaves the door open for another book, doesn’t it?

Will Patsy become a recurring character?

Yes, she will. Patsy was in Circle of Influence, too, although she had a very small role in that one. She’s absent from the next book, but will return in book #4.

What’s next for Zoe and Pete?

Nice segue! The third Zoe Chambers mystery, Bridges Burned, has a little less to do with Pete and Zoe’s past and more to do with their future as they both face major decisions about home and career—and their relationship. There’s also a matter of a deadly natural gas explosion that kills a young wife and mother. When Zoe bonds with the grieving 10-year-old daughter and jumps to the defense of the dead woman’s husband, she and Pete are once again at odds in a murder investigation. Bridges Burned is set for release in April 2015.