Curator Chloe Ellefson is happily
planning to spotlight home-front challenges and German immigrants at Old
World Wisconsin’s first Civil War reenactment―but her overbearing boss
scorns her ideas and proposes staging a mock battle. And when a
reenactor is found dead at one of the historic site’s German farms,
Chloe’s boyfriend, cop Roelke McKenna, suspects murder.
The more Roelke learns about reenacting, the more he fears that a killer will join the ranks at Chloe’s special event. Then Chloe discovers a disturbing secret about Roelke’s Civil War-era ancestors. Together they struggle to solve crimes past and present . . . before Chloe loses her job and another reenactor loses his life.
The more Roelke learns about reenacting, the more he fears that a killer will join the ranks at Chloe’s special event. Then Chloe discovers a disturbing secret about Roelke’s Civil War-era ancestors. Together they struggle to solve crimes past and present . . . before Chloe loses her job and another reenactor loses his life.
View from the Birdhouse: When
did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Kathleen Ernst: I
was a voracious reader as a child. When
I was about ten I realized that if reading was so much fun, writing my own
stories would be even more satisfying.
View from the Birdhouse: What
was your favorite book as a child?
Kathleen Ernst: The
Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder had a huge influence on me, and
helped inspire my lifelong interest in history.
They are beautifully written. My
6th Chloe Ellefson mystery, Death on the Prairie, featured all of
Laura’s homesites, which was great fun!
View from the Birdhouse: What
is your writing day like? Do you have any interesting writing quirks?
Kathleen Ernst: I
balance the actual writing with the business aspects of being a
writer—answering email, writing blog posts, etc. I often write in coffee shops. They are noisy, but none of that noise has
anything to do with me! I also go on several
writing retreats every year.
View from the Birdhouse: What
was the most surprising thing you learned while creating this book?
Kathleen Ernst: A
subplot features German immigrants who arrive in Wisconsin just before the
American Civil War, and I thought a lot about what a difficult situation they
faced. Some felt duty-bound to fight for
the country that had welcomed them.
Others felt compelled to avoid the conflict, and focus on developing
their new farm or home.
View from the Birdhouse: What
is your next writing project?
Kathleen Ernst: I’m
working on the 8th Chloe Ellefson Mystery, which will feature a new historic
site and an ethnic group I haven’t written about before. Coming fall 2017!
About the Author
About the Author
Kathleen Ernst is a former museum
curator who remains passionate about history! In addition to the Chloe
Ellefson Historic Sites series, she has written many books for American
Girl, including nine about the historical character she created,
Caroline Abbott. Over 1.5 million copies of Kathleen’s 33 titles have
been sold. The Chloe series has earned a LOVEY Award for Best
Traditional Mystery, and several of her mysteries for young readers have
been finalists for Edgar or Agatha awards.
Author Links:
www.kathleenernst.comAuthor Links:
www.sitesandstories.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/kathleenernst.author
Purchase Links:
Amazon – B&N –Indie Bound
Giveaway
One lucky reader will win a print copy of Memory of Muskets (U.S. only). This giveaway ends at midnight on October 18. The winner will be notified by email, and will need to respond within 48 hours. The book will be mailed to the winner from the author or her publicist.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
