She got to find this killer quickly - Slayed on the Slopes (Pacific Northwest #2) by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley

“A splendid overview of the greater Portland and Columbia River Gorge region, perfect for travel buffs. Her protagonist shows promise with her determined attitude and moxie.” –Library Journal

Description:

After talking her way into a job writing for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .

She’s at Mount Hood’s remote Silcox Hut, covering the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers—Oregon’s elite high-altitude rescue team–during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she’s still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg’s now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!

Includes Adventure Guides!

GUEST POST

A Dust of Romance in a Great Mystery 

Is there anything more mysterious than romance? Not in my opinion. I think that’s why romance and mysteries pair so well together. It’s like chocolate and fine wine—you just have to find the right balance. Ultimately the mystery drives the plot forward, but the romance adds a layer of richness and flavor to the story as readers puzzle through the clues to figure out whodunit. 

In my Pacific Northwest Mystery series my protagonist, Meg Reed, is fresh out of college and just starting her career as a writer for Northwest Extreme magazine. She billed herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land the job, but in reality her idea of sport is knocking back a pint of Portland’s famed microbrew with her friends at the local pub. She’s in over her head when the magazine sends her out on assignment, and she’s in over her head when it comes to romance too. 

I knew I wanted to write a young character, someone who was learning to navigate her way in the adult world. Meg is in her early twenties, which I think is an equally exciting and terrifying time in our lives. It’s a time when we’re striking out on our own and forming our identity outside of our family. And it’s a time of firsts—a first job, a first apartment, a first serious relationship etc. 

Meg has a bit of a crush on her editor, Greg. Not only is he older than her, and much more athletically inclined, but she knows it’s not a great idea to gush over her boss. Her good friend, Matt Parker, has been her steadfast supporter, and perhaps interested in taking their friendship to the next level. However Meg has been oblivious to his subtle advances. 

I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops over the course of the series. Because she’s young and also afraid of ruining a good friendship, she and Matt are going to take things slow. Plus she’s constantly going to be crossing paths with an assortment of gorgeous adventure-loving men while she’s on assignment. That should lend some natural tension to her budding romance with Matt. 

My challenge as a writer is hitting the sweet spot in terms of how much to develop her relationship and how long to drag it on. I know I’ve read a number of mystery series where there’s been no movement for eight or nine books. That starts to make me crazy. I find myself yelling at my paperbacks, “Just have them kiss already!” I want to be authentic to Meg’s character. She has some work to on herself before she can fully invest in a relationship with Matt, but I also want to make sure that readers get a payoff too. 

*Spoiler alert… 

I promise they kiss long before book eight or nine. But I can’t promise things are going to work with them either. Young love—who knows? 

TOUR SCHEDULE

Goodreads ** Amazon ** Barnes&Noble

About the author:

Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing. The first

book in the series, Scene of the Climb, features the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme.

Her work has appeared in a variety of regional and international publications including: The Columbian, The Vancouver Voice, Seattle Backpacker, Portland Family Magazine, and Climbing Magazine.

Kate lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.

Website ** Goodreads ** Facebook ** Twitter