If you've read about me in Survival of the Fritters, you'll know why National Police Week (May 13 - 19 this year) can be difficult for me.
I'm not going to dwell on that, though. I'll let you catch glimpses of some of the police officers who are in my life now.
Retired police chief Tom Westhill is my father-in-law. He and I own Deputy Donut together. Because of our shared grief (but I promise not to wallow in that), we share a strong bond. Here he is in Goodbye Cruller World (coming out in September 2018):
Beside the space obviously reserved for a band, a break in the white drapes revealed glossy pine double doors. A squarish red glow lit the white drapes above the doors.
“Well,” my father-in-law grumbled, “I guess people will be able to see the exit sign after one of those candles on the tables tips over and the room fills with smoke.” We turned around. The exit sign above the door we’d used wasn’t clearly visible, either. We went out that way, into the service corridor. “There are lots of places to hide in that banquet hall,” Tom commented.
I laughed. “Who’s going to hide at a wedding reception?”
“The bride, if she’s smart. Or anyone who needs a nap.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
He held a hand over his heart. “A hopeless romantic. With the accent on ‘hopeless.’”
I laughed again. And then I sobered and asked him, “Do you know something about Roger?” Maybe when Tom was police chief, he had arrested or charged Roger. . . .
“Who’s Roger?”
“The groom. Roger Banchen.”
“Nope. But I’ve seen grooms who’ve made me want to hide.”
Misty, one of my best friends since junior high, is a police officer. Here she is in Survival of the Fritters:
Misty twirled a pretzel on the tip of her index finger “Did you notice a change in Brent?”
“He was unusually businesslike, which wasn’t surprising, since he was on duty.”
“He worries me. He always seems to have a new, leggy, and beautiful girl on his arm, but he doesn’t seem happy.”
I leaned my head back on the soft headrest and gazed up at the sky, that dusky blue preceding twilight. “I’m sure he misses Alec and wonders what he could have done differently that night.” Just like I wondered what I could have done differently . . . Brent and Alec had been best friends as well as partners, first as patrolmen, and then as detectives.
“Have you talked to him recently?”
“Maybe I said ‘hi’ to him this evening.” Actually, I couldn’t remember saying anything. I’d stared back at him, and that was all.
“If you gave him any encouragement, he’d come running.”
I recrossed my ankles. Dep jumped off my lap. I immediately missed her warmth. “I admire him, but we’re just former friends who’ve drifted apart, and that’s fine with me. He’s too much like Alec, too likely to be hit by a bullet some dark and horrible night. If I ever fall for anyone again”—highly unlikely, considering the way I felt about Alec—“it will be a man with a nice, safe career, like a librarian.”
“Ever hear of protesting too much?”
“I’m just saying what I think.” I patted my lap. “Dep, come here. I’m getting cold.” Dep turned her back, sat in the grass, and stared toward my rosebushes.
“Brent’s the lead investigator in Georgia’s case. He’ll need to talk to you.”
“No problem. No matter how much I sound like one, I’m not a weak-kneed blob of jelly.”
“I wouldn’t know what one of those sounds like.”
“Police officers are supposed to know things like that.”
And then there's Detective Brent Fyne. I'm afraid I don't know what else to say about him besides what I said in the above conversation with Misty.
Note from Ginger: Cops & Doughnuts, a bakery in Clare, Michigan, was one of the prime inspirations for the Deputy Donut Mystery Series. Here I am at Cops & Doughnuts, posing as a criminal and eating one of their criminally delicious fudge-frosted donuts.
Follow me on
facebook
twitter
goodreads
Do you have friends in law enforcement? Do they like donuts or avoid the stereotype?
For a chance to win a copy of Survival of the Fritters, please answer below with your e-mail address in a bot-resistant form like name at mail-server dot com.
Posts
I'd love to win this book! I haven't heard of this series yet, but now I definitely want to read it! The cover is adorable, too!
ReplyDeletedigicats {at} sbcglobal {dot} net
My husband is retired from the state police. They used to enjoy the stereotype and joked about it a lot.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
I have wanted to read your book since I first read reviews. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria at hotmail
My Uncle Gary was a motorcycle policeman, an FBI agent and a county sheriff. I am not sure if he ate doughnuts, but he loved enchiladas!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway!
[email protected]
Uncle Ed is a cop in CA and he loves donuts and fritters. Once. Off duty he was taking us kids to Dairy Queen when the guy in front of us stopped suddenly. The guy was driving a 4 door sedan. We were in a doodlebug. He guy got rear ended, of course. No red light or anything just suddenly stopped. He was irate that he was hit. He came back to us yelling and cussing. Ed said "calm down. There are kids in this car" the guy cut him off. Ed opened the door and unfolded himself. The guys jaw dropped a little as he watched Ed grow and grow. The guy was 5'6" Uncle Ed was 6'4" and was broad. Muscled. Ed got fully out of the car. The guy just turned around. Got in his car. Took off. Never said another word. This was back in 1968. He died in 1997. I would very much like to read this book a new author is always so exciting. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance. sclickner at juno dot com
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this! 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI use to work for a city department that fell under the police department umbrella so I know lots of police officers. I don't know of a one that would be the least bit embarrassed or mad about being offered a donut and none of them would ever think of turning one down if offered one. :) I can sure think of a lot worse things to be associated with than a sweet, yummy donut or fritter.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win a copy of " Survival of the Fritters"!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Yes please I'd love to win this book. I know my youngest daughter would love it Her husband is an adrenaline junkie who is a volunteer Para-Medic with Hatzolah (largest volunteer group in the US) the Lt. of the town's volunteer fire dept. AND a member of the NYPD.
ReplyDeleteNoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com
This book sounds delightful and wonderful. The cover is so special. Donuts are always a great treat. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks for Survival of the Fritters which I would enjoy greatly while eating a donut or fritter.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteNo friends or relatives in law enforcement.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly see her point about the dangers of being in this line of work!
libbydodd at comcast dot net
yes friends in law enforcement, and military. Can be very dangerous. Although donuts are liked and appreciated, neither one indulges much! Bothmust stay “fighting fit” as they say. The youngest is a submariner.
ReplyDeleteI do not have friends in law enforcement. Can't wait to read this book, though!! mcastor07 (at) gmail (dot) com.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win. I don't have friends in law enforcement. Thanks for a chance to win. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteThis book looks really good. I love cozy Mysteries. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.
ReplyDeletefaithdcreech at gmail dot com
I have an old family friend who is a detective, but he's not fond of donuts.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
I would love to win , rhybirch (at) gmail (dot) com . I used to know a cop who would only sneak a good donut when no one could see him.
ReplyDeleteI don't know anyone in law enforcement, but I've seen our local police in Dunkin Donuts. This is a new author and series to me, would really like to read.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I don't really have friends in law enforcement, but the cops I've been around seem to be able to laugh at the stereotype. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3 ay hotmail(.)com
ReplyDeleteNo friends in law enforcement, but I LOVE donuts.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
My hubby has a friend who is a recently-retired cop. I'll take the fritters and donuts! Hope to read this soon. jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI do not have any friends in law enforcement, but I don't know a single person who doesn't like some kind of donut! mbradeen at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteI don't really know anyone in the police force but I want to read this series. ematov(at)comcast(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI've had many friends thru the years that are cops. Yes they enjoy doughnuts just as much as anyone else does. I would love to win this book. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeletei have a friend who’s is a parole agent. I have never seen him eat donuts but assume he eats them occasionally. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteI have a relative in law enforcement. He loves the stereotype - so much that his children's first birthday pictures included his hat and a pile of donuts! cheers (at) MarjimManor (dot) com
ReplyDeleteDon't know any on a personal level. I'd be willing to bet they love them. Thanks for the chance to win this book. nschwenkner (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, I met some wonderful cops over the years. It takes a special kind of person to work with at-risk young people. bobwiesmann (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteDon't know anyone in the police force, but have a lot of respect for Most of them. Thanks for this opportunity. jluebke(at)frontier(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy son works in law enforcement. I love donuts, bought some yesterday.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
I do not, but I would love to read your book! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your comments. I should mention that Emily is quick to point out that cops loving donuts is a stereotype. But most people like them, at least once in awhile!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Rita Wray, the winner of a copy of Survival of the Fritters! I'll be in touch with you, Rita.