A WALK ON THE BEACH with Yours Truly!

It seems only fair if my fellow Mutt Mysteries authors reveal a little about themselves on this blog, that I do so, too! So, today I’ve “interviewed” myself. Read on to learn more about me, Jayne Ormerod, and a few of my favorite beach things. And a bonus at the end, in lieu of a bio I’ve included memories of my childhood Christmases. 

What’s your favorite beach to visit? Being a military spouse, I have spent most of my adult life living within a flip-flop’s throw of the ocean. (There was that two-year tour in Memphis, TN. Yes, the military has some offices in Millington. Go figure.) But since I’m not much of a sitter, I like a beach with some action, so I have to say the rocky shores along Easton Bay in Newport, RI. Cliff Walk makes for a fabulous stroll, with the water breaking below you and the ostentatious mansions on the other. My all-time favorite Cliff Walk experience was a snowy New Year’s Eve. We were the only ones crazy enough to be out there in that weather, and the icy snow made the rocky path very slippery. But it was absolutely magical.  

Is there an exotic beach vacay on your bucket list? If so, where is it? I’m very lowkey, so exotic beaches are not my thing. Give me an isolated beach. During a rainstorm.

What’s a must-have item to tuck in your beach bag? Um, wine? In a glass. No plastic. It’s a crime against nature to drink wine from a plastic goblet.  Sitting and sipping while watching a sunset is pure nirvana.   

What is the most irritating aspect of a trip to the beach? Parking and schlepping.

Are you (or have you ever been) a bikini girl? Good gawd, no! I’m not even a one-piece girl anymore! In fact, give me a good ol' late 19th century suit any day!  

When it comes to beach movies, is there a particular scene that sticks in your head? Misty of Chincoteague, when the saltwater cowboys herd the ponies across the channel. In fact, I just wrote a short mystery using that setting. Sort of. And there was a dead body, of course, which has nothing to do with Misty’s sweet story, but a girl’s gotta write what a girl’s gotta write. Not sure when it will be published, though.

What beach song are you most likely to sing along to? “Toes in the Water” by Zach Brown Band.  

Do you prefer building a sand castle or strolling along the water’s edge? Strolling. My sandcastle-building skills are pathetic.  

Are you more likely to watch a sunrise over the water, or a sunset? Sunset. Especially after a productive day. With a glass of wine.

What’s your favorite seaside meal? Coconut shrimp and greasy fries. Preferably while watching a sunset on the water, after an exhausting day. Oh, and don’t forget the wine. A crisp Pinot Gris pairs well with that!

When it comes to quenching your thirst after a day at the beach, what beverage are you most likely to reach for?  Wine. (You may see a theme developing here.)

Can you recommend a good beach read? I consider anything by Mary Kay Andrews a quintessential beach read. Her most recent release (May 2020) was Hello Summer. One of my favorites of hers.

Have you ever written a story with a coastal setting? Just about all of my stories have a coastal setting. “Ruff Day” in To Fetch a Villain is set in a fictional seaside town. My Blonds at the Beach series, The Blond Leading the Blond and Blond Luck are both set along the shores of a large lake in Ohio. I often draw on my experiences living along the Chesapeake Bay. A complete list of my stories can be found at www.JayneOrmerod.com

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Usually at this point I include a bio about the author, but with my complete life story on the About Jayne tab at the top of this page, it seems a tad redundant. So how about, in the spirit of the season, I tell you about my childhood Christmases. We lived in a 100-year-old farmhouse, which I swear was haunted! (But that’s another story for another day.) It had more rooms than we knew what to do with but left plenty of space for the largest tree we could find. And big trees emit big piney smells! Wonderful! My mother loved Christmas, specifically Christmas ornaments. She added to the collection every year (A tradition I’ve kept up with lo these many years.) We had a magical tree stand, handed down from my grandparents, which rotated the tree while playing Christmas music (the Ice-cream-truck variety of music. Very tinny, but still holds a special place in my heart.) My favorite gifts were, no surprise, books.  Specifically, a new Nancy Drew mystery! I spent all Christmas day curled up in a big wing chair by the rotating tree with the twinkling lights and reading the latest adventures of the intrepid girl detective, only stopping to partake of the feast. A few years ago, my husband found some reprints of the original 1930s Nancy Drew books (I grew up on the 1960s versions) to give me on Christmas morning. I spent the morning wrapped in that cocoon childhood memories and emotions.  What a special gift to be a child on Christmas morning again! Yes, our feast was late that day (since I am the only one capable of cooking the traditional meal properly) but we ate eventually. As we all hunker down and try to get through the final pages of this pandemic, I wish all of my readers good health and good spirits this holiday season. May you all find time to lose yourself in a good book!