I was born and mostly raised in
North Carolina, until I moved with my family to Texas. I met my husband here in
TX and we have been happily married for over 43 years. We live in the Houston
area with our dog Oy, and 4 cats, Niko, Cholula, Rorschach and Echo. I am
fortunate to have both my children Heather and Jason and my grandchildren,
Giselle, Angel and Isabella all living nearby. After working over 26 years in
the nursing field, I retired in 2019. Now I enjoy writing full time. I didn’t
start writing cozy mysteries until the spring of 2019 and my first book Murder
Down the Hill was released mid – May 2020. Since then, I have released books 2
through 6 in the Copper Ridge Mystery series. Actually, writing was something I
never thought I could do. My husband was the person who first encouraged me to
try my hand at writing cozy mysteries. I have since discovered that I really
enjoy writing and the process of creating characters and their stories.
Website: www.amygrundy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmyGrundyAuthor/
Instagram:
[http://www.instagram.com%3eamygrundyauthor]www.instagram.com>amygrundyauthor
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/review/list/110874076-amy-grundy
Amazon: www.amazon.com/Amy-Grundy/e/B088X27KLH
Tell us about your life outside
of writing.
When
I’m not writing I enjoy spending time with my kids and grandkids. (which
doesn’t happen as often as I’d like these days, due to covid.) I have always
loved reading, thrillers, true crime, traditional mystery and cozy mystery
books. Besides reading, my hobbies include working on jigsaw puzzles, playing
sudoku and running. I didn’t start running or participate in my first half
marathon until I was 52 years old. This just goes to show you that it’s never
too late to start a new hobby. Currently I have completed 7 full marathons, 1
ultra-marathon, 1 duathlon and numerous half marathons. And
let’s not forget, I always enjoy a good cup of coffee, cappuccino or latte.
Do you have a work in progress?
Yes,
currently I am working on Murder At the Manor. This is book 10 in the Copper
Ridge Mystery series. Unless I change my plans, this will be the final book in
that series. Who knows maybe sometime down the road, I’ll come back and write
another follow-up seasonal story.
I am also working on out lining and creating the characters for my
next series which will be based around a botanical garden.
What was the most difficult
section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?
Alright,
I’ll be honest, the most difficult part of the story for me to write is a love
scene. When I say love scene, this is only a character kissing her love
interest. You’d think this would be easy for me, since I’ve been fortunate
enough to be happily married and in a loving relationship for so long. And yes,
we met in high school. Maybe I have trouble writing the romantic scenes because
I was raised in a private family or maybe that’s just me being insecure with my
writing…
What sort of research do you do
for your work?
I
do research various parts of my stories. The amount of time I spend researching
did surprise me when I first started. Whether it’s a google search about
poisons, (and yes there have been many) or talking to a friend who may have
specialized knowledge in a certain area. I have a friend who is a former deputy
sheriff. She answers my questions when necessary. Also, I suppose I’m a visual
person. I have created significant backgrounds for my characters, which helps
me determine things like how would they feel in certain situations, what are
their likes and dislikes, what kind of clothes they would wear. So, I do a lot
of searching for just the right photos. As I develop these characters, I find
pictures of them, their homes, the town, their pets, clothing for special occasions.
I find it easier writing if I have a picture of what I am trying to describe.
This helps me to develop a believable character.
Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an
author who inspires you?
Agatha
Christie – especially the Hercule Poirot books
Dorothy
Gilman – the Mrs. Pollifax series
Lillian Jackson Braun -
the Cat Who series
My other favorite authors
include Dean Koontz, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Kelley Armstrong, Hugh
Howey.
I have also recently discovered
Steve Higgs. So far, I have only read one of his books in the Patricia Fisher
Village Mysteries, but reading his book, made me want to be a better writer.
His writing moved the story along and kept my attention. It made me want to
become a better writer, and believe that I could.
Was there a person who
encouraged you to write?
Definitely,
my husband. I never ever would have considered writing a book. In fact, writing
wasn’t something that I ever thought I could do. That’s what other people did,
not me. I especially didn’t think I could ever write good dialog. He did a
little exercise with me while we were in the car together. It was on how to
build a story, starting with a single person, then make one decision, then
another. He showed me how to build a story one step at a time. It just made me
realize that I didn’t have to have the whole story in my head before I began. I
just had to get started and then the details would come. He was right and I
found out that I really love writing and creating characters.
Murder on the Stage, A Copper Ridge Mystery - Book 5
Published
August 2020
Copper
Ridge is about to get hit by a storm and a stray cat has decided to take up
residence at Emily’s little Craftsman bungalow. Luckily Emily takes her in
before the first snowflakes begin to fall.
When the snowstorm turns into an
all-out blizzard, Emily, Maggie and Mrs. Smithers become trapped inside the old
historic and possibly haunted Gage Hotel. To make matters worse, Emily has
started to see ghosts, specifically the ghost of Mr. Gage.
As the storm of the century rages
outside, the bodies begin to fall inside. There is nowhere to go and everyone
is trapped in the hotel with a murderer. Could the killer be the entitled
socialite or someone from the theater group?
Can Emily put the pieces of this
latest puzzle together before the roads are cleared and the killer slips away?
Read Murder on the Stage, the fifth
installment of the Copper Ridge Mystery series. Available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GZK3KW6
Murder Down the Aisle, A Copper
Ridge Mystery – Book 6
Published
September 2020
Wedding
bells are ringing in Copper Ridge and it’s time for the ‘I do’s.’
Emily and Maggie work hard to make sure everything is set for the big day. The flowers have been ordered and Claudette has made a beautiful wedding cake. Maggie even makes sure Emily has picked out the perfect dress for the day.
But when someone turns up missing,
will the wedding go on? More importantly, where did they go?
Things continue to deteriorate when
Emily discovers a dead body at the wedding. How could this be happening on the
brides most important day? One minute the guests are having a good time, the
next police investigators have swarmed the building.
Was the killer the jealous ex-girlfriend
or someone else? Will Emily be able to solve this murder?
Read
Murder Down the Aisle – Book 6 of the Copper Ridge Mystery series.
Available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K84RKGC
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