Author’s Choice with Annette Dashofy

Please welcome Annette to Author’s Choice.

Dear readers, here’s where you get to play along. The author will tell us two truths and one lie (ed comment –I randomized the order). At the end of the questions, we’ll reveal what really happened. Remember, we write crime fiction, so lying is in our nature . . .

Two Truths, One Lie

Truth or Lie?: I completed an Iron Man Triathlon in Erie, PA

Truth or Lie?: I once rode an elephant owned by an illegal gun dealer.

Truth or Lie?: I watched James Garner and Joanne Woodward film a movie.

Eight Quick Questions

Now for some fun insight into today’s author. Here are eight forced choice questions.

1.         First draft: longhand, keyboard, or dictation? Definitely keyboard. I jot tons of notes longhand, but I type my draft directly into a Word document.

2.         Editing as you go, or vomit draft first and fix it later? I do some editing as I go, but I try not to get bogged down by it.

3.         Character names: meticulously researched, stolen from real life, or whatever sounds right? Names are the bane of my existence. I like using names from my family tree on Ancestry, but I also find them during walks in cemeteries or browsing old phone books. And, yes, some just pop into my head and demand to be used.

4.         Writing space: coffee shop chaos, library quiet, or home sweet home? I prefer my home office, surrounded by research materials.

5.         Writer's block: push through, step away, or "it's not real"? If I get stuck, it’s almost always because something is happening off the page (for instance, I don’t know what the villain is doing) that I need to work out. Once that is sorted through, the story takes off again.

6.         Social media for authors: necessary evil, genuine fun, or absolutely not? It’s a necessary evil, but I try to focus on keeping it fun. I think if it’s a drag for the writer, the reader can tell.

7.         Deadline approaching: calm and prepared, thriving on adrenaline, or full panic mode? Panic. Full blown, hysterical panic.

8.         Book launch day: celebrate big, feel quiet relief, or hide under the covers? Relief, especially once a few good reviews come in. But it’s also a hectic day of promoting on social media and in my newsletter.

About the Book

Enough about you, let’s turn to three questions about your book.

Q: If your main character in this novel showed up at your door right now, what would be the first thing they'd say to you (and would it be a complaint)?

A. “Stop putting my friends in danger!” Definitely a complaint. .

Q: What's one thing you hope readers take away from this book?

A. Matthias Honeywell, despite his anger issues, does have a soft side

Q: What question did you want me to ask, and what is your answer? 

A. What are you working on now? I’m completing edits for the fifth Honeywell mystery, coming September 2026, and I’m tinkering with a stand-alone thriller.

The Big Reveal

Now let’s see how good a sleuth (or guesser) our readers are. Please reveal all.

The lie is my completing an Iron Man. The triathlon requires swimming, which I can’t do. Then provide a brief, interesting explanation of the two truths: James Garner and Joanne Woodward filmed Breathing Lessons in our area, and I spent one lovely summer afternoon sitting on my porch, watching them in a car being towed by a camera truck, driving up and down the road in front of my house. The elephant in question was housed on a farm not far from my house along with several other exotic animals as part of a “petting zoo.” The whole operation was shut down shortly afterward. In my defense, I was dragged there by a friend and was clueless about the illegal activities going on at the time.

Here’s a blurb for and some links where you can find Annette’s latest:

Book Blurb

When a local Erie vet is shot during a robbery, Erie City Police Detective Matthias Honeywell and his partner Cassie Malone are tasked with pursuing the perpetrators. But as they close in on the truth, a mysterious sniper targets those involved in the case.

Emma Anderson has seen more than her share of cases since becoming a journalist in Lake Erie, and with news of the shooting becoming local interest, her instincts kick in. What she didn’t expect to uncover was a secret that could cause an ethical dilemma between Matthias and Cassie.

As the search for the sniper continues and the investigation taking a dark turn, Cassie and Emma find themselves caught up in a kidnapping plot. As the women are forced to draw on their resourcefulness to survive, will they manage to escape or is time against them?

[Mystery Lovers]       [Blackwell's (UK)]       [Amazon]

Want to know more?

For more information about Annette https://annettedashofy.com