DYLAN'S SONG by P.M. Terrell and Author Interview

My 2 cents:

Dylan's Song by P. M. Terrell is the fourth book in her Black Swamp Mysteries Series. It takes place in Terrell's own Lumberton, NC and Ireland. Full of mystery, intrigue and rich Irish atmosphere, Dylan's Song weaves a tale around a trio of CIA operatives, reunited sisters, an Irish Catholist priest, peat bogs, an ancient castle and a prisoner who needs to be rescued. Dylan Maguire and Vicki Boyd (who has paranormal psychological powers) live in Lumberton, NC and raise angel fish, while waiting word on their next mission. They don't have to wait long, as their skills and experience are in high demand, and lives, a world away, are hanging in the balance.

Length: 277 pages

Worth Your Time? Yes. This book is classified as Adult Fiction, Mystery/Suspense. The author is a founder of the annual Book 'Em Literary Event held each February in Lumberton, NC.

Bonus: Read below for an enlightening author/interview with P. M. Terrell.

 Q: This is the fourth book in your Black Swamp Mysteries Series. How does

 DYLAN'S SONG differ from the first three?

The first three books in the series take place entirely in
southeastern North Carolina. The same main characters appear in this
book - Dylan Maguire, Vicki Boyd, Brenda Carnegie and Sam. But in this
book, Dylan, Vicki and Brenda journey to Ireland to locate and extract
a missing CIA operative. So while the book begins in North Carolina,
it quickly moves to the backdrop of Ireland.

 Q: Where did the inspiration for Ireland come from?

Dylan Maguire made his first appearance in Vicki's Key, the second
book of the series. He had recently arrived from Ireland to care for
an aging Laurel Maguire, who had suffered a stroke. But his past
remained largely a mystery; all we really knew in the first two books
is he'd left his native Ireland behind for a new start in America. I
knew at some point, he would have to return to Ireland and face his
past.

 Q: I found the parts about Ireland's peat bogs and ancient castles very
 interesting. Can you tell our readers a little about that?

I loved writing about the Irish bogs and ancient castles, and I plan
to do more where Dylan and Vicki return to the village where he was
raised. The bogs are actually the Bog of Allen, which covers 370
square miles in Ireland. It was formed when lakes and ponds began to
fill up with vegetation, but they are quite spongy and sometimes
dangerous. The peat that grows along the top of the bogs is harvested
for fuel but Ireland is now researching wind farms in the region.

The bogs have swallowed up whole ancient forests and homes. Artifacts
dating back centuries have been found, including ancient weapons and
even portions of castles, which inspired the dungeons that Vicki and
Dylan locate--and where they find the missing operative.

 Q: How does your background in computers add intrigue to your stories?

I was very fortunate to have been in the computer industry during the
infancy of personal computers. My specialty was computer crime and
computer intelligence - working on the right side of the law, versus
one of the main characters in this series, Brenda, who prefers the
dark side. I know what is possible with computers, how the law could
be broken or how law enforcement could catch criminals using new
technology. I enjoy weaving those elements throughout the series.

 Q: How did you get from Washington to Lumberton?

I was born in Washington, DC and spent most of my life there. I met my
husband there when he was serving in the military and stationed in the
DC area. When he retired from the military, his parents were elderly
(they have since passed away) and he wanted to be closer to them
during their last years. When a flying opportunity arose in Lumberton
(he is a pilot), we moved here. He has since gone back to working for
the military as a contractor and is assigned to Afghanistan. But I
have fallen in love with this area and the people in Lumberton have
been very friendly and very good to me. I enjoy the small town
atmosphere.

Thanks, Patricia!