Interview With Mayoral Candidate: Gnarly Faraday—and a Giveaway!

Lauren and Gnarly

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The eleventh installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Cancelled Vows, was released on January 28, 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Visit Lauren’s websites and blog at:
E-Mail: writerlaurencarr@gmail.net
Websites: http://acornbookservices.com/
http://mysterylady.net/
Blog: Literary Wealth: http://literarywealth.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lauren.carr.984991
Gnarly’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GnarlyofMacFaradayMysteries
Lovers in Crime Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/LoversInCrimeMysteries?ref=ts&fref=ts
Acorn Book Services Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/AcornBookServices?ref=hl

Twitter: @TheMysteryLadie

Reporter: Hello, everyone! We are thrilled today to have here, in canine, Gnarly Faraday, who recently announced his candidacy for mayor of Spencer, Maryland.

Now, I know all of you must have been shocked, as well you should be, when Gnarly, a veteran of the United States Army, decided to jump into what has to be one of the most—umm—what’s the word?—Stupid? elections in Spencer’s history. I mean, like, why would anyone want to be a part of that?

On one side, we have Bill Clark of Spencer’s town council—a devious manipulative opportunist bully—and that’s when he wants to impress you.

On the other side, we have Nancy Barton, a delusional pathological liar who keeps her staff working overtime keeping her secrets undercover.

So, it should be of no surprise to anyone that as soon as Gnarly announced his candidacy that his poll numbers rose to double that of his opponents—making this handsome German shepherd the front runner!

Yes, everywhere this political candidate goes, Gnarly has been mobbed by the media and supporters. So, as you can imagine, I am very excited to have him here today for a sit down interview to answer all of your questions.

First off, Gnarly, we are thrilled that you managed to take time out of your busy campaign schedule to sit down with us for a couple of minutes.

Gnarly:  (pauses in chewing on his dog toy) No, thank you for having me.

Reporter: Gnarly, what made you decide to throw your dog collar into the political arena and run for mayor as an independent?

Gnarly continues to chew on his dog toy. Reporter clears his throat to get Gnarly’s attention.

Gnarly:  Because the good people of Spencer needed another choice for mayor. That became obvious at the last debate when Nancy Barton and Bill Clark got into a fist fight and Police Chief David O’Callaghan had to arrest both of them. The only reason they’re the nominees is because their party bosses shoved them down Spencer’s throat. Someone had to do something or one of those idiots was going to become our town’s leader. I couldn’t stand by idly, chewing on my dog toys, and do nothing. That’s impossible for me. Loyalty is embedded in my DNA. I had to run.

Vote For Gnarly

Reporter: What are your plans for when you’re elected? What are you going to do your first day in office?

Gnarly: Repeal the leash law.

Reporter: And after that?

Gnarly: Go for a walk without a leash.

Reporter: According to the polls, over ninety percent of the voters rank you as the most truthful and trustworthy candidate running. Clark and Barton rank less than five percent.

Gnarly: Of course. They’re politicians. If they were truthful and trustworthy, they wouldn’t have gotten where they are.

Reporter: Right now, you are leading both of your opponents by over twenty points. That being the case, it goes without saying that their people are going to try to dig up dirt on you. Are you prepared for that?

Gnarly’s ears fall to the side.

Gnarly: Dirt?

Reporter: Is there anything in your past that they may uncover to discredit you as a candidate?

Gnarly: I’m not a crook.

Reporter: Crook?

Gnarly: No one has ever pressed charges against me.

Reporter: (stunned) Are we talking criminal charges?

Gnarly: I’ve been diagnosed as a kleptomaniac. I don’t steal things because of poor character but because I can’t help myself. When I get bored—

Reporter: Well, I’m sure if you’re open and honest about that… Are there any other issues that you’re concerned about being made public by your enemies during the campaign? You look worried.

Gnarly returns to chewing his dog toy.

Reporter: Gnarly?

Gnarly stops chewing.

Gnarly: Well … There was that thing that happened when I was in the army …

Reporter: What thing? I found that you received a dishonorable discharge. What happened?

Gnarly: I’m sorry. I’m out of time. I have a rally that I need to get to.

Gnarly picks up his chew toy and leaves.

Reporter: (calls after him) Gnarly! Wait!

Gnarly turns around.

Reporter: Can I have my wallet back?

Candidate for Murder

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure.

With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!

To enter the drawing for an ebook
advance reading copy of Candidate
for Murder by Lauren Carr, leave a
comment below with a suggested
campaign slogan for Gnarly. The winning
name will be drawn on Monday
evening, April 4th, and the ARC
will be sent when it’s ready in May.

Note: any and all suggested
campaign slogans may be used
in Candidate for Murder.