“Off the Page” with Johnny and Toby by The Wren (Sarah E. Burr)

 A Note from Sarah Burr: I'm handing over the blogging reins to none other than Winnie Lark, the savvy sleuth and bookish brain behind my Book Blogger Mysteries series. Winnie runs What Spine is Yours—a literary hub often dubbed “Metacritic for Books,” but with a delightfully cozy twist. Under her secret blogging identity as The Wren, Winnie dishes out captivating content while keeping her true self under wraps. Her favorite way to spotlight authors? Interviewing them through the voices of their very own characters. And that’s precisely what’s in store for today’s feature. Settle in and enjoy the fun!

Greetings, bookish friends! It’s your friendly, neighborhood book blogger, The Wren, here to chat with Johnny and Toby, two engaging characters from Debra Goldstein’s new short story collection, With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying.

Welcome, Johnny and Toby! I appreciate you coming “Off the Page” with me. This is the first time I’ve ever interviewed an undercover police officer and a sheriff’s young son, so I’m looking forward to gaining some valuable insights.

 

Johnny, let’s begin with you. Why did you pursue such a high-risk career?

 

I didn’t originally plan to be an undercover cop. Being one found me. I went to college and then the police academy. After my graduation, I worked my way up the officer ranks. When a serious crime ring situation occurred, my superiors realized the only way to obtain enough evidence to break it up was to have someone infiltrate the group. Because of my training and emotional background, I was asked to go undercover to become a trusted member of the gang. Eventually, enough evidence was gathered to gain convictions against the ring leaders.

 

This time, as explained in “So Beautiful or So What,” someone has been killing people in the tent cities, but no one can figure out the motive or who is doing it. With an election coming up, the political ramifications between everyone are such that it was determined undercover officers were needed. That’s how I fell into being the second officer assigned to go undercover.

 

Wow! How do you handle dangerous situations while on the job?

 

My first response is to say “carefully.” Not only does one have to always be aware of something that might blow one’s cover, but an undercover officer must be alert to people, place, and everything going on. If the situation begins to deteriorate, I either must find a way to remove myself from the scene or do some fast talking.

 

I can’t imagine how “high stakes” this must all feel. What role does your intuition, if at all, play in your undercover work? How do you navigate tense situations?

 

Over the years, I’ve learned that if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Consequently, if a situation becomes tense, my first instinct is to remove myself from it, but if that isn’t possible, I try to communicate a logical explanation or suggestion in a calm manner. For example, in “So Beautiful, So What,” which addresses my current undercover assignment, everyone was handing up cans of soup or vegetables to one person who was making us a gumbo. I kept one can. When others in the tent city became aware that I still had a can of food, they turned on me. Thinking fast, I held it up to show everyone that, because it didn’t have a pull tab and I didn’t have an opener, I hadn’t turned it in. The tension of my withholding food was dissipated when others understood why I still had the can, and they were able to come up with a solution that was more than acceptable to me to open it.

 

Your current assignment is being undercover at a homeless encampment. What has this experience taught you about people experiencing homelessness?

 

I’ve learned that there are lots of reasons people are homeless, including falling on hard times economically, mental illness, or making a conscious decision to live in this manner. I’ve also learned how important it is, no matter who we are, to have each other’s backs.

Thank you, Johnny, for sharing your story and for shining a light on these issues. Turning our focus to young Toby, can you share how old you are and what fascinates you so much about forensic science?

 

At the time the incident in “Forensic Magic” occurred, I was twelve. Because I was obsessed with the idea of solving crimes like a real detective, I saved my allowance and odd chore money until I had enough to buy a mail-order detective kit. Because the kit claimed that forensic science was the wave of the future for detectives and came with a Magic of Forensic Science book, I knew I had to learn as much about forensic magic and applying it to crime scenes as I could.

 

Can you share a bit about your relationship with your dad?

 

My dad is our town’s sheriff. Not only is he my hero, but his even-handed fairness and ability to keep people safe has led to him being respected by everyone. After my mom died when I was nine, we became especially close, probably because he always listened to me rather than treating me as some little kid. 

 

How did you get involved in investigating the death of Pastor Smith?

 

It was the night of the town’s Summertime church bazaar. I hate to admit it, but after all the lemonade I drunk, I needed to pee. And you know how it is, when you gotta go, you gotta go. The problem was that everything was in use, so I went behind the pavilion to find an out-of-the-way tree, and on my way back to the bazaar activities, I almost tripped over Pastor Smith’s body. I could have screamed, but instead, my detective and forensic training kicked in.

 

How brave! I can’t say I’d react the same in that situation. What makes you such a good investigator, Toby? What traits do you have that others in your town don’t?

 

I admit that most twelve-year-olds would have panicked, but I knew, after watching Daddy deal with people and spending a lot of time studying the different parts of my detective kit, especially the forensic science parts, I had to hold it together. A lot of people in town think I’m mature for my age, but it’s really a matter of using my skills to focus on the task at hand and to think beyond it, which may make me a little different than the people who have more things to juggle in their minds.

 

A final question for both of you: What is one thing you have learned while “on the job” in these cases that surprised you?

 

That people aren’t always what they seem.

 

Wise advice to heed. Readers will have to find out just how you learned that lesson in Debra Goldstein’s collection, With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying, available now where books are sold.

Johnny and Toby, thank you so much for coming “Off the Page” with me today and sharing more about your fascinating stories. Readers, you can meet Johnny and Toby, as well as a host of other intriguing characters, in With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying.

 

To stay connected with Johnny and Toby’s author, Debra Goldstein, head to her website: https://www.debrahgoldstein.com.

Learn more about The Wren, Winnie, and the Book Blogger Mysteries at www.saraheburr.com.