A Monster’s Touch
by S. Y. Thompson
Released: Jul 06, 2023
Genre: Mystery
Why this book and why now?
I just love Scooby-Doo and watch him every morning. And who doesn’t remember Nancy Drew Mysteries from our youth? I wanted to write something fun, but with a little more grown up take on a cozy mystery. For that reason, I took my detective over the globe to add a little spice and different climates where she could get into trouble and have some fun at the same time.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Absolutely! Carmen Bravo’s last name held a sense of honor and duty to me. I wanted her to sound like a hero in figurative shining armor. Grace Wickford is a wicca and needed a name that sounded dutifully mysterious. Her last name filled that requirement. The most important character name in the book is Cricket, the black cat. She is named after my very own little familiar (you guessed it) Cricket! Cricket (the real one) has such mysterious ways, like somehow transporting inside a closet. No idea how she does that.
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
Haven. This show has everything. A detective in a quirky town, a mystery to solve, and all kinds of freaky incidents to suss out.
Aside from the obvious food and shelter, what 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
A compass, a utility knife, and a mylar blanket. With a compass you can keep heading in the same direction and not get turned around. With a utility knife you can create anything from weapons to traps for food. With a mylar blanket, you can use it as a covering to keep warm or form a container to catch rain water for drinking. Carmen is a pretty savvy gal, after all.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book!
Carmen would celebrate finishing a book with a drink called a ‘Road Kill’. She’s definitely celebrating, but also experiencing a sense of relief for finishing that final sentence that brings her book-baby completion. This drink reveals her twisted sense of humor. Here’s the recipe: Tequila (dealer’s choice), Smirnoff Apple in equal measure, and just a splash of Apple Pucker. Salud!
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
For this particular book launch party, Carmen would of course choose Scooby-Dooby Doo, Where are you? After all, it’s right in the synopsis! She would see the relation to Scooby after all the crazy mysteries she manages to tie up. Also, Carmen does have a bit of child-like wonder in her character and leans toward acting unexpectedly.
