Meet A Character Interview Great Escapes Tours feat. A Tourist's Guide to Murder by V.M. Burns

 

Hello Samantha. Thank you for visiting with me. I know you must be super busy getting ready for your trip. 

Oh yes. There are tons of details and things to do when you’re going on vacation. I’ve had to make sure that everything is okay with Market Street Mysteries while I’m gone and also making arrangements for my brother-in-law to take care of my poodles, Snickers, and Oreo. Not to mention all of the details with international travel. There are just so many things to do, so I’ve been crazy busy. 

As a busy bookstore owner, I know you must get a lot of local press. But have you ever been interviewed for a blog?

As a business owner, I don’t think you can ever get too much publicity. So, I’m really grateful whenever I have an opportunity to talk to the press. I’ve done interviews for a few blogs, but no matter how many interviews I do, the nerves are still a problem. 

I know you only have time for a quick chat before your departure but I didn't hear where it is you are going.

I’m really excited to be taking a trip to London and the British countryside. As you may know, in addition to running my mystery bookshop, I’m also writing a British historic cozy mystery. So, I’m really thrilled to get a chance to spend a week in England and tour sites that (I hope) will provide inspiration and color for my books. 

 

Oh how exciting. A week in London. Are you going alone?

No, I’m traveling with my grandmother, Nana Jo, and several of our friends from Shady Acres Retirement Village, Irma, Dorothy, and Ruby Mae. They're a great bunch of ladies and I've gotten to know them pretty well over the past two years.

 

What a group! How fun. Was it hard to choose your location with so many folks involved?

Actually, choosing a location wasn’t hard at all. Since I write, British historic cozies, the choice to travel to England was easy. My grandmother is a big mystery lover. In fact, she’s the person who got me started reading mysteries. Since opening my mystery bookshop, ‘the girls’ have developed an appreciation for the genre and have even started a Sleuthing Seniors Book Club. 

 

I am sure there is much to prepare and details to leave the shop? Will it be closed or will someone cover for you?

I’m so fortunate to have help so that I can keep my bookshop open while I’m on vacation. My nephews, Christopher, and Zaq will help out. Plus, I have an assistant, Dawson Alexander, who bakes wonderful treats for the bookshop patrons. In addition, I have met some nice young college students, Jillian Clark, Dorothy’s granddaughter and Dawson’s girlfriend, and Emma Lee, who is dating my nephew, Zaq, who have all agreed to help out. I’ll admit, leaving my bookshop in the hands of several college students, did fill me with a bit of trepidation, but my boyfriend, Frank Patterson, has a restaurant down the street from the bookshop and he’s agreed to keep an eye on things, too. 

There are always so many details. Is any of your group leaving behind pets. There are such nice retreats nowadays for pets. 

I’m the only member of the group that has pets. I have two toy poodles, Snickers and Oreo. Fortunately, I’m the only member of the group with pets. I have two toy poodles, Snickers and Oreo. Fortunately, my sister Jenna Rutherford, and her husband, Tony, have agreed to look after my fur babies while I’m out of the country. I’ll miss those two poodles, but I know that they’ll be in good hands. 

 

Did your group plan your trip or are you going on Tour.

We’re actually taking a mystery lovers’ tour. I figured it would be the best way to see the most sites in a short period of time. I hope that it will provide inspiration. I’m especially looking forward to touring the home of my favorite mystery author, Agatha Christie. 

It is so nice to have someone handle details.

The Peabody Mystery Lovers’ Tour is great. The guide is a former detective with Scotland Yard and he’s very knowledgeable. I’m really looking forward to this tour. 

 

Oh yes. It looks like our time is up. I hope you'll visit with me again after your trip and tells us all the highlights. Take lots of pics 

Thanks for the interview. I’d love to come back again. I’m sure I’ll have tons of pictures from the trip, but I hope you won’t be bored. After all, it’s only a week abroad traveling across the British countryside. What could possibly go wrong? 

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