Brainstorming

Jackie Layton

Jackie Layton

Dog-Gone Dead is the second book of A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series. I created the fictional town of Heyward Beach, South Carolina for the setting of this series. It’s south of Myrtle Beach and north of Charleston. I took parts of some of my favorite beaches to create this special place. The island section of Heyward Beach has a few shops, homes, a pier, and of course a beach. A marsh separates the island from the mainland area of Heyward Beach.

I love the ebb and flow of island life. There’s so much life, beauty, and movement, it’s hard to get bored. Each morning there are new shells to be found, birds to see, and if you’re lucky dolphins to watch playing in the ocean. People who enjoy fishing can choose to fish in the ocean or the marsh, or as the locals often call it, the creek. People may fish from their boats, off a dock, from the bridge on the causeway, and some even pull on their waders and walk right into the creek and fish with nets.

Andi Grace Scott is the main character in this series. She’s a dog walker and grew up in this community. She knows the locals, and they trust her to take care of their pets. In creating Andi Grace, I wanted a character with a big heart who loves people. She thinks everybody needs a dog, and she enjoys matching stray dogs to people. She likes people who aren’t dog people, but she feels sorry for them. When Andi Grace isn’t working

When I started brainstorming this series, I researched careers with flexibility and mobility. I didn’t think my sleuth could be a pharmacist, stockbroker, or banker because these jobs don’t allow people to run around tracking down clues. I also wanted something fun, and what’s more fun than hanging out with animals?

Another interesting aspect of the Low Country is the warm weather and ability to grow different varieties of flowers throughout the year. Oak trees with Spanish moss, pine trees, palmettos, front porches, raised houses, plantation homes, sea turtles, alligators, and golf courses are all part of life in the Low Country.

Dog-Gone Dead opens as Andi Grace and her best friend head to a local historical site early one morning before it opens for tours. Before long, they discover a body and soon Andi Grace is investigating another murder. 

If you love small-town coastal life, dogs, and strong heroines, you’ll love Dog-Gone Dead.

South Carolina has been my home for three years. I’ve fallen in love with the people and the area, and it was easy to pick this for my setting. I hope readers enjoy visiting Heyward Beach and hanging out with Andi Grace and her friends. 

Former Kentucky pharmacist Jackie Layton loves her new life in the Low Country. Walks on the beach, bike riding, and collecting shells are a few of her hobbies when she's not writing. She and her husband also enjoy spending time with their family in Kentucky and Texas.

Jackie enjoys connecting with readers, and she can be found on social media as well as her blogs.

Social media links:

https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/

http://jackiesbackporch.blogspot.com

Twitter: @Joyfuljel

https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel

https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor

https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor