Make Note of Brook Peterson

Greetings, my dear Noters!

I hope spring has sprung in your area of the world, or maybe at least, is beginning to spring. We’ve had a few gorgeous days tapered by some pretty dreary ones. I haven’t been able to write out on the porch yet, but I have high hopes that those days are just around the corner. I can’t wait to spend time editing Too Much to Candle and working on the next Court of Mystery novel out in the sun.

I hope you enjoyed getting to meet Kathryn Long in my inaugural Make Note Of post. This week, I am delighted to host cozy mystery author Brook Peterson. Brook is here celebrating her book A History of Murder —what a fun title!

Without further ado…

A Bit About the Author: Brook Peterson is the author of the Jericho Falls Cozy Mysteries and The Cameo’s Secret, a middle-grade mystery that will be published in 2023 by Level Best Books. She has been a mystery fan since the age of nine when she discovered Alfred Hitchcock’s Three Investigators Series. Brook enjoys writing stories that contain intriguing family secrets, valuable antiques, and a bit of romance.

When she’s not reading or writing a mystery, Brook likes exploring the Idaho outdoors with her husband, their daughter, and the family’s two spoiled pooches.

Brook, it’s a delight to have you on Noteworthy, and the cover for A History of Murder is absolutely gorgeous. So eye-catching! Tell us, how did you begin your writing journey? When did you first feel like an “author?” I have always been writing; stories, articles for my school and college newspapers, memoirs of family events. But I truly felt like an author at the publication of my first novel in the Jericho Falls Cozy Mysteries in December 2020. I had finally completed an entire novel and polished it until it was ready for others to read. It was a great feeling.

What book made you first fall in love with reading? I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t intrigued with books. I’m very lucky to have a mom who started reading and reciting nursery rhymes with me very early. I had a huge collection of the Little Golden Books and remember reading them myself and with my parents often.

When I was in the third grade I discovered The Three Investigators. It’s a mystery series produced by Alfred Hitchcock featuring three young boys who solved mysteries together. From then on, all I wanted to read (and write) were mysteries, or at least stories with lots of suspense.

Third grade was when the Nancy Drew bug really bit me. I remember playing in my backyard, pretending to be Nancy, running all over the place trying to solve a mystery (not a very well thought out one, mind you LOL). How does a book’s setting take shape for you? How do you create a world within your book? My series takes place in a fictional location, but it’s heavily influenced by some of my favorite “ghost towns” including Virginia City, NV, Silver City, ID and Idaho City, ID. Visiting those places and imagining different scenarios has helped me create Jericho Falls. I refer to my own photos from my trips to the towns, but also enjoy looking online at photos to help write descriptions. I hope to visit Tombstone, AZ and Bodie, CA soon for even more inspiration.

What did you set out to accomplish when you began writing A History of Murder? What message did you want to convey? As with a lot of genre or commercial fiction authors, my main intention is to write fun, entertaining stories that create a bit of escape from everyday life for my readers. But nestled in there are the themes of family ties, specifically the love between grandmothers and granddaughters, and the connections we have to place.

I agree so much with creating an escape from everyday life! The last thing I want to do as a writer is make my reader suffer or feel down. That’s why I love the cozy mystery genre so much; it brings joy. Even though our characters aren’t perfect, they are trying their best to do what’s right. Character complexity adds a special magic to a story. What would you say is Chloe’s biggest strength? Flaw? I agree, complex characters are key to strong stories. A lot of what Chloe is learning in this series is that things she sees as flaws, such as her stubbornness, her black and white thinking, and her dogged independence, can be strengths, too. In fact, it’s those very traits that enable her to solve mysteries. Over The course of the series, Chloe will work on her softer side--showing vulnerability and lowering her guard.

All right, let’s talk a little bit about your writing process. Tell us three things that are always on your writing desk/writing space. A hot drink (no matter the season). My writing notebook where I’ve scribbled down ideas, snippets of dialogue, brainstorming, you name it. And two dogs nearby.

Doggies make for such great writing buddies. Eevee always reminds me to take breaks and walk out those tough scenes. I do some of my best plotting while walking with her. What is your favorite, can’t-live-without writing tool/application/software/aid? I love my stand-up desk. After years of sitting at a 9-5 office job, I began to experience back pain. After using my stand-up desk and rotating between bouts of sitting and standing, my back feels great.

Yes! I love a standing desk! I was fortunate to install one just before world went into lockdown and have been very grateful to work from it. Brook, thank you so much for sharing a bit about yourself, A History of Murder, and your writing process! For your last question, let’s have a little fun (only mystery writers would think this question is fun, right).

You stumble across a dead body. What book character (your own or another literary hero) are you alerting first? Why? Without a doubt, Chloe Martin, my main character. She’s the one who always manages to solve the mysteries in Jericho Falls, so I want her by my side.

It makes total sense to team up with someone who always gets results! Noters, if you’d like to solve a mystery with Chloe Martin, make sure to check out A History of Murder, available now!

Once a booming gold town, now a quiet tourist spot with a history of murder!

When Chloe Martin makes the long overdue trip to Jericho Falls, Nevada, to check on her grandma, she doesn’t plan to stay for long. In fact, she has every intention of hightailing it right back to Idaho and leaving the historic mining town she loves to hate, for good.

But when a man turns up dead in their flowerbed, Grandma Lily becomes the prime suspect. Chloe is forced to stay in town long enough to prove her innocence. To complicate matters, Chloe finds herself in a love triangle almost as tricky as the mystery she has to solve. Will Chloe be able to solve the murder and keep Grandma out of jail?

Just as important---will she finally find peace in Jericho Falls?

If you love mysteries set in small towns, with cute sidekick pets and a bit of romance, the Jericho Falls Cozy Mysteries are for you.

Readers, did you ever work for your school newspaper? What was it called?

Let us know in the comments!

Authors, are you interested in appearing on Noteworthy? Send me an email at connect@saraheburr.com!