Introducing Alternate Sunday Blogger, Annette Dashofy

By James M. Jackson

As regular readers of Writers Who Kill know, I have been sharing the Sunday blogging duties with Julie Tollefson. She posted her last regular WWK Blog last Sunday. I’ll miss her interesting perspectives on writing and the world and wish her great continued success in her writing. (I bet we’ll have the fun of reading a future guest post).

The title of this piece gives away my announcing WWK’s newest Sunday blogger, Annette Dashofy. She is the USA Today national bestselling author of the Zoe Chambers mystery series. The first book of the series, Circle of Influence, was an Agatha Award Best First Novel nominee. Two other novels in the series were nominated for Agathas in the Best Contemporary Novel category. If you aren’t aware of the series, check it out.

Annette is a member of the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and that is where I first recall crossing her path. In 2010-2011, I helped coordinate the chapter’s first anthology, Fish Tales: The Guppy Anthology. One of the selected stories was Annette’s “A Murder Runs Through It.” (WWK bloggers Gloria Alden, Warren Bull, and I also had stories in the anthology.)

One thing that catches my attention in Annette’s writing is the rural settings she employs. They come naturally to her. She’s spent her entire life in rural Pennsylvania, living today on a portion of what had been her grandfather’s dairy farm. She not only brings readers her love of the country, but she provides them an insider’s understanding of life as an EMT.

It’s Zoe Chambers’ career, but the knowledge comes from the five years Annette spent as an EMT.

Annette and I first met in person at Malice Domestic 2014. We shared a panel having to do with bad weather. It was her first experience as a panelist and before we started, she was nervous. My suggestion was to be herself and enjoy the moment. She did great. At Hank Phillippi Ryan’s suggestion, the panelists wore cold-weather hats! (Fellow WWK blogger KM Rockwood was also a member of the panel—far right.)

The Zoe Chambers series includes six novels (Circle of Influence, Lost Legacy, Bridges Burned, With a Vengeance, No Way Home, and Uneasy Prey). While best known for her novels, she also publishes short stories (including one nominated for a Derringer).

Next Sunday we’ll hear from Annette. In the meantime, please join me in welcoming her to the WWK fold. I’m sure she’ll respond to questions or comments readers have.

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James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree mystery series. Empty Promises, the fifth novel in the series—this one set in the deep woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—is now available. You can sign up for his newsletter and find more information about Jim and his books at https://jamesmjackson.com.