GOOD READ

“I use real places in my books, with my only caveat being that if I write anything negative, like murder, that will be ‡ ctional,” says Dyer-Seeley.

“Most of the people in my books are ‡ gments of my imagination or amalgams of people I’ve known,” she says. “But everything I pepper in historically — like in book nine, ‘Live and Let Pie’ when they ‡ nd a body in Emigrant Lake and discover there once was a town now covered by water — is all true.”

 e bakeshop and brewpub series are a genre of mystery called “cozies,” which downplay the violence and CSI-like forensics. Dyer-Seeley says she grew up a fan of famous mystery madams Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and P.D. James.

“ e cozy mystery is a bit of a modern-day fairy tale; something horri‡ c happens, but everyone comes together to bring right to the world and justice is served — which is not always true in the real world,” she says. “ at resonates with the readers, allowing some light escapism.”

Dyer-Seeley was 40 years old when her ‡ rst book was published. A self-starter, she previously had a successful online business and also worked as a communications and public policy director for the Alzheimer’s Association Oregon Chapter. As a full-time author, Dyer-Seeley has found another outlet for her restless energy.

“Writing centers me,” she says. “ at’s good not just from a professional standpoint, but for my mental health. It can be cathartic. In my most recent book, there is a † ashback, origin story to Torte’s early days and remembering a parent who has died. I wasn’t expecting the layers of grief that got unpacked, and I cried through the last half of the book.”

Food is a love language in Dyer-Seeley’s home, remembered fondly from her childhood. She incorporates recipes of her own invention in each of her books.  ough she has always dabbled in baking, Dyer-Seeley invested research time working in commercial kitchens with professional bakers and baristas to create authentic expertise for her characters. She’s done the same for her brewpub series, learning to pour a perfect pint and other brewery secrets of the trade.

In a normal year without a pandemic, Dyer-Seeley would be making the book tour circuit.  is year, she’s taken to social media with interactive choose-your-own-adventure-style mysteries with her readership.

“I would pose a question every week and readers would vote,” she says of the bakeshop short story. “We collaborated for two months this spring. I’m doing another this summer for the brewpub readers.”

Dyer-Seeley also is working on a mystery series masterclass taught through videos and worksheets.

“ is is the biggest project I’ve ever done; it’s harder than the mysteries,” she says. “ e goal is that it will take someone from the seed of an idea for a book to query letters, agents and more.”

What’s next for Juliet and Torte?

“ e Rogue Valley is lush with options,” says Dyer-Seeley. “I’d love to send her up to Mount Ashland or maybe further a‡ eld to Crater Lake or the Applegate.

“On a more personal level, I think what’s been so surprising to me over the years is how connected readers feel to the stories. It’s a heartwarming and rewarding part of writing for me.” 

Double-Chocolate Cookies With Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting INGREDIENTS : 1 cup butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3 cups † our 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed. 3. Sift together the dry ingredients and combine with wet ingredients in mixer on low speed. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. 4. Form dough into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool and frost with chocolate-cream cheese frosting according to recipe below. FROSTING: With an electric mixer, whip 1/2 cup room-temperature butter with 8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese until light and † u’ y. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Slowly sift in 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until blended. Mix in up to 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency. Spread frosting onto cooled cookies. From “On  in Icing” by Ellie Alexander. 2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars. Add the