Ghosts of Painting Past-Great Escapes Tour-Character Interview

MY READING JOURNEYS

Character Interview-Aurora aka Rory

MRJ Hello welcome to the blog. Thank you for taking a moment to chat. I know you’re getting ready for Christmas. Can you share a few of your plans?

Rory   

        There’s always a lot to do here in Vista Beach around the holidays. I try to get to as many events as possible. First up is the holiday concert put on by the local schools. The little ones are so cute and some of the older kids have amazing voices. One of my favorite events is the pier lighting ceremony. There’s live entertainment and the businesses downtown really get into the holiday spirit. Plus the pier looks so beautiful all lit up! This year, my BFF, Liz Dexter, and I are painting ornaments to sell at the local craft fair. It’s been a fun project, but a lot of work. We had to start months ago to get everything ready by fair time. I’m also helping out with the sand-snowman contest. My parents are in charge of it this time around. As you might guess, we don’t get snow here at the beach, but we still like our snow people, so we create them out of sand.

MRJ Do you have a favorite holiday?

Rory

Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday. There are so many great Christmas projects to work on. Every year I find new ornaments and decorations I just have to paint. Plus there’s all the great food. I like making cookies and my mom makes a killer apple pie. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! Then there are the Christmas carols. I’m not the best singer in the world, but I love singing them, anyway.

MRJ It’s so nice here on the beach has this always been your home?

Rory

I was born in Vista Beach, but left when I was two years old. That’s when my birth parents died and I was adopted by Arika and Swan Anderson. We moved back a few years ago when my grandmother passed away and we inherited some property.

MRJ   I love a small town can you tell us a bit about yours?

Rory

Vista Beach is a typical Los Angeles County beach city. The weather’s generally nice so we can do a lot of outdoor activities year round. We have our share of events and festivals. A lot of them center around the pier and the beach. There’s the pier lighting ceremony I mentioned earlier, a chalk art festival in August and the pumpkin race in October.

MRJ Since I live in Texas not anywhere near the beach my favorite season is Fall the weather is gorgeous in the Fall. Do you have a favorite season?

Rory

Winter is my favorite season. The weather’s pleasant and you pretty much have the beach to yourself. One of my favorite things to do is walk along the beach in the winter.

MRJ All this chatting is making me a bit hungry. Maybe we should go for a bit of a snack. Can you suggest a nice place for maybe a snack and a drink?

Rory

Let’s go to my favorite restaurant. It’s right next to the beach so we can look at the waves and do some people watching while we talk. I’m sure you’ll find something you like there. They have just about everything.

MRJ  It’s so nice here. What’s your favorite snack? I am bad I love anything fried and chocolate. Oh yes!

Rory

I love desserts, especially chocolate mint ones. I have a stash of Thin Mints in my freezer. On the non-sweet side, I’m a guacamole and chips gal. If I’m being particularly health conscience, I dip carrot sticks in the guacamole. But, between you and me, that doesn’t happen very often.

MRJ  Now that we’ve had a nice snack let’s get into some nitty gritty questions. Is your town really as quiet as it seems?

Rory

Vista Beach is a pretty quiet town, but you never know what’s happening beneath the surface, do you?

MRJ  Sounds like you’ve had some success in solving crimes. Can you tell us about that?

Rory

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to have anything to do with murder. It all started when I found the body of my painting teacher in my garden. I don’t look for crimes to solve, but I keep on being drawn into investigations. I just can’t stand aside when I see people being accused of crimes they didn’t commit. I know what that’s like. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

MRJ  You must be a huge help to the local police. Have you gotten in credit or accommodation for your help?

Rory

No, they’re not thrilled to have me poking my nose in their cases. I do have a bit of an in with the department. My boyfriend is Vista Beach police detective, Martin Green. He’s always worried that something bad will happen to me. To be fair, I have had more than my share of problems.

MRJ Isn’t the sunset just so pretty on the beach. I hate to cut this short but I am sure you have lots to do to get ready for the upcoming craft fair. I can’t wait to visit the Sand Snowman contest. It should be great fun.

MRJ

You’ll really enjoy it. It’s always fun to see what people come up with every year.

Rory Thanks for the chat and the snacks! Let’s talk again soon maybe after all the holiday events!

MRJ

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I’ve loved chatting with you too! Stop by any time.

About the book 

It’s Christmastime in the quiet Los Angeles County city of Vista Beach, home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson. The magic of the season fills the air as residents enjoy school concerts, a pier lighting ceremony and the annual sand-snowman contest.

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Rory plans on painting ornaments to sell at the local craft fair and joining in on the holiday fun. But she finds the season anything but jolly after the house across the street is torn down, revealing a decades old crime. Past meets present when her father is implicated in the murder.

Fearing for her father’s future, Rory launches her own investigation, intent on discovering the truth and clearing his name.

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