An Interview with Sherry Harris by E. B. Davis

When it comes to running a successful garage sale, Sarah Winston believes in doing her homework. She also believes in giving back. But when she agrees to manage an athletic equipment swap, she doesn’t bargain on an uncharitable killer. The day of the event, the school superintendent is found dead in the gymnasium.
 
Suddenly the murder suspects are the school board members—including the husband of a very difficult client who’s hired Sarah to run a high-end sale and demands she do her bidding. In between tagging and haggling, Sarah studies the clues to see who wanted to teach the superintendent a lesson. But as she closes in on the truth, the killer intends to give her a crash course on minding her own business . . .

https://sherryharrisauthor.com/

Although Sherry Harris’s title of the fifth book in the Sarah Winston series, I Know What You Bid Last Summer, is a humorous take off of a movie title, I’m also reminded that the movie was a horror film. No one would think something as mundane as a school sponsored athletic equipment swap would result in murder, but then horror is unexpected, which is why this cozy mystery strengthens Sherry’s series.

Another reason I liked this book? It’s a departure for the main character, who is in transition from a long-term relationship, which Sarah simultaneously finds freeing but mindboggling. She’s always possessed self-reliance, but now that asset is put to the test without having an old relationship to fall back on for protection.

Another reason? Sherry pinpoints a problem in our youth sports programs that can result in serious injuries—something I’ll only mention for spoiler fear, but having had children who played sports, I appreciate her focus.

Please welcome Sherry Harris back to WWK.                                                                          E. B. Davis

Thank you so much for having me back! You always ask questions that make me think about my books in different ways.

The murder takes place at an athletic equipment swap. It sounds like a great idea, but I’ve never heard of one—really. Are they common in New England? Yes, and I believe they are popular across the country. Kids outgrow things so quickly that it saves everyone money.

Having grown up in CA, I was surprised Sarah decided not to go to Florida with CJ. She knew it would cause a breakup—why did she decide not to go? There are many reasons. Sarah and CJ married young so when their marriage initially broke up twenty years later, Sarah had to stand on her own for the first time ever. She supported CJ during his military career, sacrificing the chance to have her own. When Sarah set up her business in Ellington it was because she loved it there, and she was ready to have some roots. While she and CJ tried to patch things up, CJ wanted the old Sarah back and not the woman she’d become. Sarah wanted to CJ to choose her and not a job.

What does Pellner think of CJ leaving for Florida and leaving Sarah behind? Interesting question! Pellner was sorry CJ left. He respected him as chief of police. His first loyalty was always to CJ. However, he also sees Sarah’s value – that she is smart, resilient, and resourceful. Pellner is a happily married man and wished the two of them could have worked things out.

Although Sarah’s parents are in CA, Rosalie and Angelo, owners of the local Italian restaurant, become Sarah’s surrogate parents, worrying about her. How does Sarah feel about that given Angelo’s emotional, tomato-sauce-flying temperament? Sarah loves the DiNapolis. She knows that Angelo’s gruff exterior and temper come from a place of love and concern for those around him.

Perhaps to keep Sarah busy and her mind off CJ, Angelo asks Sarah to shop the competition when he enters a lasagna contest. But the job is hard since the competition always seems to know of her presence. How do they know? Sarah is well-known in the area not only because of her garage sale business, but also because of her ability to solve crimes. Her picture has been in the paper and on the news so she isn’t exactly a low profile person. Her connection to Angelo is also well know. At the first restaurant she went to the owner recognizes her and suspects she’s up to something. He warns the other competitors.

Sarah got to know the victim, Melba, the School Board Superintendent, when they attended the same sales and auctions. Does continually bidding against someone reveal their character? I based this relationship on one I observed in a friend. We used to go to auctions together, but we usually didn’t bid against each other. She had a knack for letting people bid while she laid low. Then she’d swoop in at the end at outbid them. People didn’t like that. I pictured Melba doing that to Sarah, only Sarah wasn’t as upset about it as the people I observed. Sarah knew it’s part of the game when you go to an auction. And she was good at setting budgetary limits for herself and sticking to them. It doesn’t mean she wasn’t ever disappointed with the outcome. And yes, I think it does reveal character – good or bad.

Have you figured out why people get so passionate about teams and brands? My family all likes different footballs teams. There must be something deep down in us that likes to root for one team being pitted against another. Maybe it boils down to good versus evil on some level. Or maybe it’s more like I’m better than you if my team wins.

Seth, the DA and Sarah’s old flame, wants to keep their relationship professional even though CJ is now gone and Sarah saves his life. Does he protest too much? My lips are sealed.

I was surprised Sarah bought the food and drinks for the Long’s sale. Does she trust that they will reimburse her? She did. She’s had very good luck with her clients paying her when they said they would. The Longs have a lot of resources so it’s not a concern for Sarah.

Why don’t they sell nut grinders anymore? Food processors over-process nuts. I based this on at nut grinder my mom had. It was so cute and I was so fascinated with it when I was little. I would drop a few nuts in, crank the handle, and watch the nuts drop into the little glass jar. However, food processors are amazing too – not that I know how to work ours, but I love to watch my husband whip stuff up in it.

Was the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Sarah passes by the same one connected (sorry) to the Headless Horseman or am I confused? The Sleepy Hollow cemetery associated with the headless horseman is in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Washington Irving is buried there. He also helped establish the cemetery.  The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord is famous because of its age and the famous authors who are buried there including Louisa May Alcott, Thoreau, Hawthorne, and Emerson. It is a beautiful, peaceful place.

“Military life was about relationships and helping others.”

Kindle Loc. 580

I never would have characterized military life in that way. Of course, I have no experience. How is it so? It’s one of those “everyone is in the same boat” things. You get sent to a base in a place you’ve never been before and perhaps it’s a place you didn’t want to move to. You don’t know anyone. But if you live on base or a neighborhood with lots of military your neighbors become your family. Things always seemed to go wrong when the military person is away. You lean on your neighbors for support. You have people over Christmas or a big group of women and children will spend Valentine’s Day together. A military spouse has to make the best of what life hands her. It’s a wonderful and tough life.

At what point does “protection” become “control?” It’s a very fine line. All of us want to protect our loved one, but when someone wants to isolate them it becomes control. I think the lines are more blurred now than ever before. We can track people with apps or stick something on their car. There’s things you can put in cars so it will tell you how fast it’s gone and where it’s gone. I wonder if we are losing our ability to trust someone.  

What did Ryne do before he moved to Ellington to help with his uncle’s antique store? Sarah doesn’t know.

Sarah’s favorite Dunkin Donuts are coconut and chocolate glazed (same as mine). What are yours? I admit to being partial to the coconut donuts at Dunkin Donuts. Other than that I would choose a cinnamon roll.

When Lance asks Sarah if she intends to sue the school board due to the attack, she feels “slimed.” I haven’t heard that slang for years—but it was perfect for the situation. Do idioms come easily for you? I’ve picked up different bits of language from all of the different places we’ve lived. I used the term “goat rope” in one of the Sarah books and didn’t realize it wasn’t familiar to people until my editor questioned its use. I found out it is common in the military but not so much anywhere else.

Sarah admits one of her biggest faults is doing something just because someone tells her not to do it. What’s her greatest asset? Sarah is tenacious especially if it involves a loved one. If she sees an injustice she wants to right it, even if it costs her personally – and it has.

Have you plotted the arcs of your major characters throughout the series? To some extent. It’s not always easy because of how many books I’ve had for each contract. It’s been three, two, two, two. I have always thought I would have ended the third book, All Murders Final, differently if I’d known there would be more. But as the series has continued I realize maybe it was the right choice after all.

What’s next for Sarah? Book six – The Gun Also Rises – comes out in January 2019 followed by Let’s Fake a Deal in July of 2019. I’m writing the eighth and will write book nine as soon as it’s finished. I feel very, very lucky!