Whiskey is the name of an Irish Wolfhound who’s featured in the Sullivan Investigation Mystery series. Her creator/owner is Evelyn David, who’s an interesting lady, namely because she’s not exactly real. She’s the alter egos of two authors, Marian Edelman Borden and Rhonda Dossett, who write as a tag team. Their first book, Murder Off the Books, was recently released and they graciously agreed to an interview…
Courtney Mroch: I read on your website that you two wrote the entire manuscript via the Internet. How did you two meet and decide to start writing “together”?
Evelyn David: It’s true. Evelyn David is the pen name of the writing team of Marian Edelman Borden and Rhonda Dossett. Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David, lives in New York. Rhonda, the Southern half, lives in Oklahoma. We “met” on an Internet writing forum. Each of us was posting stories.
Marian: I enjoyed reading Rhonda’s stories because they always had the perfect blend of compelling drama, great characterizations, and delightful humor.
Rhonda: And I enjoyed Marian’s stories. I liked her sense of humor. That’s important to both of us – in our writing, in our lives!
Marian: We began to correspond about the writing process and discovered that we both love mysteries. I suggested we try and write something together. We started with short stories and then decided to tackle a full-length mystery. It took us a year and lots and lots of rewrites, but finally we had Murder Off the Books.
CM: I also read on your website that Whiskey was inspired after viewing a photograph. Did you already have in mind that a dog would feature in the series? Did you have an idea of what breed it would be, or was there something about that photo that sold you on Wolfhounds?
ED: We had already decided on including an Irish Wolfhound in the story when we discovered a marvelous photo on the Internet. We asked Hillary Rupp, the owner, if we could use the photo and she graciously agreed. We’ve also included a page in the book about Irish Wolfhound rescue groups and web sites that offer information on this magnificent breed. Wolfhound owners adore their dogs and we patterned Mac after the many proud owners who have written about these fabulous hounds. Making Mac a devoted pet owner gave the character depth and soul.
CM: Have either of you owned an Irish Wolfhound?
ED: Neither of us has owned an Irish Wolfhound, but we’ve both had dogs in our lives. Irish Wolfhounds are loyal, playful, and smart.
CM: Let’s talk about Whiskey. What part does she play in the book?
ED: Whiskey is adorable and adored by everyone – except the murderer and Snickers, the cat. Whiskey serves as Mac’s confidante and, like most dogs, can sniff out the good guys and bad guys. She worms her way into the most reluctant heart and provides comfort and solace when things are looking bleak. Whiskey, like most pets, offers unconditional love and affection. Mac is lucky to have Whiskey in his life.
CM: Who writes from Whiskey’s point of view? Both of you, or do you divvy up who will write what character?
ED: We both write all the characters, including Whiskey. We talk through each chapter and what we hope to accomplish in each scene. Then we divide up the writing, sometimes taking a whole scene or sometimes just a snippet, before passing it back to the other writer. We go through lots and lots of drafts before the chapter is complete.
CM: What are some of Whiskey’s quirks and endearments?
ED: Whiskey is a people person, so to speak. She’s got a playful sense of humor and gourmet tastes. She knows when Mac needs a sympathetic ear, and when he needs to take a break and toss around a bag of burritos. She’s fiercely loyal and protective of Mac, and of those who Mac loves. Whiskey even tries to make friends with Snickers, Rachel Brenner’s cat, who has no patience at all for this furry hound.
CM: Do either of you have pets of your own? If so, what are their names, ages, breeds, etc.
ED: Marian owns an Irish Terrier named Clio. Her husband and son are very allergic to dog hair, but this breed has a kind of dander that is hyper-allergenic. Clio, who spends her days next to the radiator in Marian’s office, is a tad irritated that we opted for a Wolfhound to star in the book – but accepts additional doggie treats in compensation.
Rhonda doesn’t have a dog now, but grew up with them, usually rat terriers. Her parents own a Jack Russell Terrier named Jake, who has no literary aspirations, but enjoys lounging in his own wading pool and digging for buried treasure – usually a properly aged corncob or bone that he’s buried sometime in the past.
Special Note:
Evelyn David has a page on her site devoted to Irish Wolfhounds. If you have one, she openly solicits photos from Irish Wolfhound owners. Each month they pick a new picture to feature.
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