About the Author

Ann Charles is an award-winning author who writes romantic mysteries thatare splashed with humor. Her book NEARLY DEPARTED IN DEADWOOD won the2010 Daphne du Maurier for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense Award and the2011 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award for Best Novel WithStrong Romantic Elements. She has also been a Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest finalist. Currently, she has several fiction books available: NEARLY DEPARTED IN DEADWOOD, OPTICAL DELUSIONS IN DEADWOOD, and DEAD CASE IN DEADWOOD, which are all part of herongoing Deadwood Mystery Series. The fourth in this series, BETTER OFF DEAD IN DEADWOOD, will be outin late 2012/early 2013. Also available from Ann are the first two books in her Jackrabbit Junction Mystery series: DANCE OF THEWINNEBAGOS and JACKRABBIT JUNCTION JITTERS. The third book in thisseries, THE GREAT JACKALOPE STAMPEDE, will be out in mid-2013. A member of Sisters in Crime and Romance Writersof America for many moons, Ann has a B.A. in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington. She is currentlytoiling away on her next book, wishing she was on a Mexican beach withan ice-cold Corona in one hand and her Kindle in the other. When she is not dabbling in fiction, she is arm wrestling with her two kids, attempting to seduce her husband, and arguing with her sassy cat. Mostnights, you can find her hanging out over at anncharles.com, onFacebook as Ann Charles, or as DeadwoodViolet on Twitter--especiallyaround midnight when her quirky fictional world comes to life.