A WALK ON THE BEACH with Maria Hudgins

 Maria Hudgins was the first ever mystery writer I ever met as she stood on the precipice of her first launch, Death of an Obnoxious Tourist. She has gone on to achieve publishing greatness, with seven full-length mysteries and many short stories. We were so thrilled she accepted our invite to hop aboard the Mutt Train for To Fetch a Villain. Her story, “At Your Service” introduces Mystery writer Jessica Chastain, who is deaf. She relies on her service dog Trey who acts as Jessica’s ears. Kim, a Bichon like Trey, is the latest addition to their family. But life is not a walk in the park when someone threatens all they hold dear. Together they take on an unethical breeder and dog-napper, whose bite is worse than his bark. Enough about the story, let’s learn more about Maria.

What’s your favorite beach to visit? I like the beach at old Nags Head, down around the 13-15 mile posts. The houses there are old style for the most part and it’s not crowded.

Is there an exotic beach vacay on your bucket list? If so, where is it? Cape Cod, MA is not so exotic, but I haven’t been there since I was 10 years old. Now my daughter and her family are going there in the summer and my granddaughter is learning to surf. I want to see that before she gets good at it.

What’s a must-have item to tuck in your beach bag? Binoculars. I love to see dolphins and pelicans and boats that are hanging around way off the beach. I wonder what they are up to.

What is the most irritating aspect of a trip to the beach? If you are with kids, it’s the need to get up every 2 minutes to get water, snack, more sunscreen, etc. it’s something all the time.

Are you (or have you ever been) a bikini girl? No photos remain, I hope. I think I’ve destroyed them all. I did make myself a bikini once, but when I jumped into the waves, I found the elastic wasn’t strong enough to do the job.

When it comes to beach movies, is there a particular scene that sticks in your head? Sandra Dee (Gidget) on the beach with Moondoggie (whoever) How did they do her hair so perfectly? On the beach? I know, that’s going WAYYY back.

What beach song are you most likely to sing along to? 26 miles (across the sea)

Do you prefer building a sand castle or strolling along the water’s edge? Strolling. You never know what you’ll find.

      Are you more likely to watch a sunrise over the water, or a sunset? I’ve been known to do both in the same day.

What’s your favorite seaside meal? Fried softshell crab on a bun.

When it comes to quenching your thirst after a day at the beach, what beverage are you most likely to reach for?  Beer is best. It’s been a long time since I had a beer. Wonder why?

Can you recommend a good beach read? How about a Mutt Mystery? <<details and click to buy links at www.muttmysteries.com>>

Have you ever written a story with a coastal setting? Yes I wrote a story set in Grandview Beach in Hampton. It involved a teacher and her students finding a headless corpse on the beach. I called it “Twenty Five Head are better than None” included in Virginia is for Mysteries. I also wrote a mystery novel about sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, but it’s now taken up residence in my “never pubbed” drawer.

Maria Hudgins is a mystery writer and a former high school science teacher. She is the author of the Dotsy Lamb Travel Mysteries, the Lacy Glass Archaeology Mysteries and several published short stories. Her favorite things are traveling, reading, dogs, and cats. She lives in Hampton, Virginia with her cat, Lulu.

Website: MariaHudgins.com