My Guest Today - Marilyn Meredith

Instead of Hump Day sillies, I have a speacial guest today - author Marilyn Meredith.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Marilyn at last year's Public Safety Writers Association conference and at Killer Nashville.  She's here today as part of her blog tour for her newest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, RAGING WATER.

Tell us, Marilyn, WHO IS DEPUTY TEMPE CRABTREE?


To be perfectly honest, I know more about Deputy Tempe Crabtree than I do most of my friends and relatives. The biggest difference with Tempe is I know how she thinks—something I don’t have the privilege of knowing with any of the others. The reason I know how she thinks is because I climb right inside her and go along with her on every adventure.

For some background of Tempe, I should begin by telling you that she is an eighth Native American of the Yanduchi tribe. (I made up the name of the tribe but I’ve borrowed a lot from the Yokuts, many of whom reside on the Tule River Indian Reservation near where I live.) Though in the first few books Tempe doesn’t know much about Indian traditions, she does remember stories her grandmother told her.

Tempe was widowed when her son, Blair, was only two and she had to figure out a way to support herself and her son. (Blair grows up through the series.) She became a deputy and in the series she is the resident of the small mountain community of Bear Creek located in the Southern Sierra and the surrounding area.

She’s married to a Protestant minister, Hutch Hutchinson, though most folks calls him Pastor Hutch. Hutch isn’t happy when Tempe dabbles in the spiritual side of her Indian heritage—but fortunately his love for her is strong enough to overcome his fears.

Of course in every book there is a murder, and the latest, Raging Water, is no exception.

I know there are some people who like to read a series in order, but let me reassure you that every book is complete. Though the characters grow through each book, the crime is always solved. Here is the order of the books for anyone who wants to know: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Unequally Yoked, Wing Beat, Intervention, Calling the Dead, Judgment Fire, Kindred Spirits, Dispel the Mist, Invisible Path, Bears With Us, Raging Water.

About Raging Water: Deputy Tempe Crabtree’s investigation of the murder of two close friends is complicated when relentless rain turns Bear Creek into a raging river. Homes are inundated and a mud slide blocks the only road out of Bear Creek stranding many—including the murderer.

And here's that Contest I promised: The person who leaves comments on the most blogs in Marilyn's blogtour will have his/her name used for a character in her next book—you can choose if you want it in a Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery or a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel.


Marilyn at the Springville library



Bio: Marilyn Meredith is the author of over thirty published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Raging Water from Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is No Bells, the forth from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Visit her at http://fictionforyou.com and follow her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Marilyn borrows a lot from where she lives in the Southern Sierra for the town of Bear Creek and the surrounding area.

Thank you, Marilyn, for being here today.