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Murder by 4: The Story Behind The Asset

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Who is Karen Vaughan and why does she kill people in books?

I've been killing people off on paper for more than 10 years.

Why murder mysteries you ask? Don't ask me that because I don't know. The muse brought me the idea in 2005 when I penned Dead on arrival since then it's been a love affair with murder.  My stories are not greedy hard-core murder mysteries their light and humorous with a dash of romance thrown in.
While I never really planned to write a series, people who read the first book asked for more Laura and Gerry after Dead on arrival came Over her dead body, Daytona dead, Dead men don't swing and Jamaica dead.  I haven't stopped there and I have lots more ideas.  The game was on to find interesting ways to knock people off!

Here's what I have used so far:

Dead on arrival               gunshot to the head.                   Former coworker of Laura
Over her dead body         blunt force trauma with a baseball bat  elderly neighbour of Laura and Gerry
Daytona dead                   run over by man driving a vintage 1940s Chevy- Laura's ex-husband Lou                                                                                                                             and a few others
Dead men don't swing     high heeled shoe use like a dart, and stabbing    tenant in the building were                                                                                                                         Laura and Gerry live,
                                                                                                                      witness to a previous crime.
Jamaica dead.                   Deadly voodoo spell                                            undercover DEA agent.

How I choose my victims:

• From my imagination, i.e. dreams or suggestions by the muse.
• Request from people who have a death wish -at least on paper they wanted to die in a heinous manner.
• People who have an axe to grind with someone else and want to see them die. 
• People who generally piss me off so watch out.

My caveat to all: do not annoy the author or she may put you in a book and kill you!

Dead on arrival: Character quotes

From DEAD ON ARRIVAL

Upon finding the corpse of a former co-worker rotting on her expensive rug. Laura smells a rat in the form of the hunky building superintendant Gerry.

DEAD ON ARRIVAL

CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN LAURA & GERRY

CHAPTER 1

 “Okay Gerry," I said, "cut the crap!  How did you get Velcro’s’ body in here?"

“What do ya mean how? You mean you think I did this, thanks a lot!” he said, somewhat pissed.

“This wasn’t your handy-work?”

“No! Why would you think I would do such a horrid thing?”

“Not sure really; maybe because you and Ray have the only keys besides me, and you love practical jokes.”

Writer's Sanctuary: First Meeting - Schooled by Love

Writer's Sanctuary: First Meeting - Schooled by Love: I am a big fan of first meetings, or the Meet Cute as they are called in romantic comedies. These often set the tone for the relationship...