Q: Tell us about the main character’s nickname, Fancy Pants. Where did that come from, and why is he saddled with that nickname?
Jim: Frank was playing college football. He was a fullback who rarely carried the ball, but on a day that Georgia was wearing special new uniforms with red and black striped pants, he broke into a long run, and the Bulldogs’ announcer blurted out, “Look at that Fancy Pants run,” and the nickname stuck, much to his chagrin.
Q: The premise of the book is that Frank — aka Fancy Pants — works as a bed & breakfast sitter. Is that a real thing?
Jim: Yes, it’s a real thing. My wife and I met a B&B sitter when we were vacationing at an inn in Montecito, California, many years ago. Turns out even B&B owners need a vacation now and then, and when they do get away, they need someone to keep the lights burning while they’re gone. We thought it was a pretty cool job because it allows you to travel around the country. We even flirted with the idea of doing that someday.
The beauty of being a B&B sitter is that it takes Frank to a variety of locales where he inevitably finds himself embroiled in unraveling incidents involving murder and mayhem. It keeps the setting interesting for readers and prevents one place from becoming Murder Capital, USA.
Q: In the book, the main character has a boat. What inspired that? Do you have a boat?
Jim: No, but we are part of the Freedom Boat Club and go boating a lot. You can see places differently from the water.
Q: I was surprised to see that Frank Riley seems to know his way around a kitchen. Do you cook? Are those your recipes?
Jim: Those are my recipes, and I can cook, though Frank is a better cook than me.
Q: Is Flea Flicker based on a real dog?
Jim: In a way, yes. His character is a combination of three different Cocker Spaniel rescues that we’ve owned.
Q: Are you working on anything now?
Jim: I’m working on the second book in the Fancy Pants series. The latest book takes place in Savannah, and Frank has to deal with some nefarious types trying to gain control of an area for a housing development. The working title for now is Murderous Development.
Jim Halley 