Interview with Jackie Layton

I am honored to host author of A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series – Jackie Layton on the blog today. I am a fan of the series and I am chuffed to having gotten a chance to chitchat with Jackie. 🙂

Apart from the amateur sleuthing which is the main attraction of any cozy mystery, Jackie’s stories also gives importance to family, relationships and sends out a strong message on ‘Never Give Up’. In brief, a feel good cozy mystery.

Hello Jackie and welcome to my blog, The Book Decoder. Please tell me and my readers about yourself.

Hi Rekha, thanks for having me on The Book Decoder. I’m married and have two grown sons and four grandchildren. I’m a pharmacist and have always loved to read. For years, I dreamed of writing and finally dared to try. It took a while to find my voice then find an agent, but it happened. I live on the coast of South Carolina now. We moved here for my husband’s job, and we love living close to the beach. We often go for walks in the evening and sometimes take our Westie, Heinz.

Tell us about Low Country Dog Walker cozy mystery series.

Andi Grace Scott is a dog walker who lives in the fictional town of Heyward Beach, South Carolina. She’s lived in the area all her life, and she knows the locals. While going to a client’s home early one morning, she finds a dead body. In order to prove her innocence, she begins to search for clues to catch the killer. Besides a mystery, this series includes family, friendships, and lots of dogs and even some cats.

What is the inspiration behind the Low Country Dog Walker series? 

My love of the coast, cozy mysteries, and dogs was the inspiration for this series.

What was the most challenging part of writing Bag of Bones? 

As a pharmacist, I’ve heard lots of stories about drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and brain injuries. I used bits and pieces of different real-life events and combined them with my imagination to write Bag of Bones. I think my biggest challenge was making it believable.

What are you currently working on? 

I’m working on the fourth book of this series, tentatively titled Bark and Seek. Books 5 & 6 are also under contract.

Has the pandemic affected your writing schedule? If yes, how? 

I’ve had more time to write and more time with my dog. I’ve also met people on social media who enjoy reading cozy mysteries, and that’s been fun. I’ve done my best to make the best of the situation. (In case you’re wondering, I got laid off from the pharmacy and only fill in for sick days.)

What does a day in Jackie Layton’s life look like? 

I get up and drink coffee and watch the news with my husband before he leaves for work. I think better when I’m dressed, so I get ready for the day the same as if I was going to the pharmacy. I have a home office, so I go in there and get busy writing or editing. I almost always have music playing softly in the background. After lunch, I check social media, fix another cup of coffee, and go back to editing or writing. I probably take four to five breaks to take my dog outside for a few minutes, but I try to stay focused on my writing.

Rekha, thank you so much for having me on your blog today. It’s been fun!

Thank you, Jackie, for giving me an opportunity to host you on the blog today. I am honored. 🙂