One of the really fun things I found in writing this book was that it allowed me to create a fictional book series from another time which had inspired the main character of A SHADOW ON THE VIOLETS. The book series focuses on an old farmer named Leery and his goat, named Lucifer, who helps him solve mysteries.
I think that these are fun little asides and add to the flavor of the book.
Here’s the first tease of that.
That night Mabel dreamt she was Tomas Leery, from her beloved mysteries. She had hurt her leg working the garden and had it not been for Betsy, her cow, she may have had to crawl all the way into town to get help. Betsy had seen what had happened though and hurried off to the Falpinsin family’s house who were able to bring their horse and cart over and the sons were able to load her in and get her to the doctor, where she was sitting now. She looked around and saw that the doctor was nowhere to be seen but her dear old Lucifer was there, rifling around some papers on the small desk Doc Harvey used. She called to Lucifer, and he looked up and shook his head from side to side at her, then stamped his foot, then picked up a piece of paper and trotted over to her with it in his mouth. She took the piece of paper and saw it was a hastily scrawled note.
Do you ever wonder who it is that walks the halls at night? Who is it that puts in us a fright? Do you ever wonder where it is they go, with our pills and potions all in tow.
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 