Book Spotlight: Birds Alive

Would you read a book about birding? Well, if the answer is yes, I have a guest author today who has just the thing. If the answer is no, read on anyway. You might be more interested than you think. ;)
Welcome, guest author, Jen Dodrill, as she chats about her new book, Birds Alive.

Erma Bombeck once said, “It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.” And that’s what writing is all about—being courageous."
I still remember the first contest I entered – over fifteen years ago! I was crushed when I received my scores. No one knew I entered, and I didn’t want to tell them how badly I did. I am proud of myself for being courageous back then.
Writing a book and then sending it to an agent or publisher is sort of like having a baby and leaving it with someone you don’t know. It's intimidating and nerve-wracking, and you question every decision you’ve ever made.

​In 2021, I decided to stop “playing” at writing and set my mind on learning the craft.
Why I wrote about birding
I never thought I would write a book about birds or birding. I’m more of a cat person. But my dad and stepmom loved everything birds. They were part of a birding group in Pensacola, FL, and often traveled to find particular birds.
When my dad received his cancer diagnosis in 2021, I stayed with them for three weeks to help out, and later, when he was in hospice, my sister and I stayed with him. Our brother lived close by.
My siblings and I, along with his caregivers, would spot birds in his yard and describe them to Dad. He would identify them; the man could do that by their birdcall. My bird identification skills then were limited to seagulls, pelicans, and robins. They haven’t progressed much, but that’s neither here nor there.
During that time, I came up with the idea for Birds Alive! book #1 in The Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery series. It was released on February 27, 2024. I use Dad’s house as the main character’s house, which helps me visually as an author.
Places I used in Birds Alive!
I lived in Gulf Breeze, just outside of Pensacola, from sixth to twelfth grade and attended college in Pensacola, which gave me plenty of places to use in my stories. In the first book, I have the birding group go on an outing at NAS Pensacola. My husband is retired Navy, and so was my dad, which made it fun to “visit” the base in the book. The birders hike a short trail at Fort Barrancas and eat lunch at Cubi Café, a replica of the old bar area at the Cubi Point Officers’ Club in the Philippines. It's such a unique place to eat!
For my next book in the series, I visit Fort Pickens and explore some of Pensacola’s shipwreck history.
Themes and characters
My main character, Peg, is a blogger, something I’m familiar with. She’s also a widow, and I made her that so I didn’t have to write in a husband! Plus, it opened up room for a possible romance.
Peg’s youngest child just left for college, and she is experiencing life as an empty nester. My husband and I are empty nesters, and I thought this would be something to explore through the series that many people will relate to.
I lived along the Gulf Coast for a long time—my husband was stationed in Pascagoula for eleven years—so I am familiar with hurricanes. Having a hurricane in the story introduced another character, Hazel. She popped onto the page without me knowing she was coming. That’s one of the things I love about writing. From reviews, Hazel is a favorite character for many readers! I know she’s mine.
There has to be an animal in a cozy
Cozies often have animals involved in solving mysteries. Birds Alive! has a mouthy parakeet, Roscoe, and a beautiful Weimaraner, Charlie Brown, CB for short. Animals are fun to write about and can be a way to use humor in a story.
Any good story has what writers call external and internal issues. It wouldn’t be an enticing read without both, so besides hurricanes and murders, relationship issues abound. Peg meets two men she is interested in, her oldest daughter is pregnant, and Hazel, whom I mentioned earlier, is Peg’s mother-in-law, and she moves in with Peg mid-hurricane.
What’s next?
Book #2 in The Empty-Nesters is Where’s the Quetzal? My dad’s favorite bird was the quetzal, and I enjoy writing about them while incorporating a mystery into the story. It will be published in February 2025.
I used to teach public speaking and reminded my students that the audience was rooting for them when they gave a speech. In the writing world, at least in the Christian writing world, I have found that other writers are rooting for me. They are willing to answer my many questions, encourage me, and help me as I promote my book. I’m thankful I stepped out and showed my dream to someone else.

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Birds Alive!

Peg -- widow, mom blogger, and empty nester, is desperate for a new hobby. After a late-night blog post leaves her dedicated Mamma Birds followers fearful that she’s closing her blog, she adopts a reader’s suggestion and forms the Empty Nesters Birding Group. On their first outing overlooking beautiful Pensacola Bay, a birder dies from an allergic reaction to peanuts in the birdseed. Seed that should be peanut-free.
A hurricane barrels toward the Gulf Coast, and Peg’s overbearing, animal-collecting, but well-meaning mother-in-law crashes Peg’s empty nest. After the hurricane passes, Peg checks on her new birder friends and finds one wounded and dying. The assailant is still there and knocks Peg down a steep staircase. Stuck in a boot with a broken foot and still reeling from the two murders, Peg recruits a fellow birder and her mother-in-law to help solve the crime. She even teams up with the detective investigating the case, whose dimples draw her in a way she hasn’t experienced in years.

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​Jen Dodrill is married and is the mother of five adult children and grandmother of three: two girls and a boy. She homeschooled for thirteen years, taught Oral Communication for her local community college, and is a ‘retired’ Navy wife. After her youngest graduated high school, Jen started writing her first book. Her inspiration comes in many forms, and she loves incorporating humor and personal experiences into her stories. Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery, released February 27, 2024.
Jen is an avid fiction reader with an eclectic collection of novels, many of which sit in an old embalming fluids box belonging to her great-grandfather, Captain Alfred, MD.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her family or curled up on the couch with her favorite black cat, reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee.
For more information about Jen, her books, writing info and tips, and author interviews, check out her blog: https://jendodrillwrites.com/
 
 
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47887511.Jen_Dodrill
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