Behind the story of Frosty the Dead Man with Christine Husom

Christine Husom has been writing and creating stories since the age of six. She currently writes two different series. Her latest release is a Snow Globe Shop Mystery, “Frosty the Dead Man.”

“My stories address things that are happening in our communities and the impact they have on people’s lives,  Husom said. “I deal with a variety of crimes, the victims of those crimes, the psyches of criminals and what motivates them to do what they do, such as greed, power and control, and selfishness.”

Husom describes “Frosty the Dead Man” as a multi-layered mystery. She said, “The characters have personal lives and relationships. There is some humor, a little romance, and conflicts; the crime may or may not be as it first appears; the bad guy has done something the good guy has got to resolve, and hopefully put the bad guy in jail for a long time to come.”

How the Snow Globe Shop Mysteries began

The Snow Globe Shop Mysteries came about after Husom pitched the idea to her agent. Husom, who lives in Minnesota, said “Frosty the Dead Man” originated during a cold and dark December afternoon. “I had given my daughter a ride to a doctor appointment. I sat in my car, under a street light in the parking lot, scribbling out ideas and thought about book titles with snow globe/winter themes for books. The big question for book three was, just who was the man with the nickname of Frosty?”

The character of Mayor Frost came about because Husom had just been elected to a public office. She said, “Differences of opinion among elected officials, constituents, and outside interests get heated at times, and provided good conflict in the subplot. When Frosty dies from a snow globe blow to the head, there are a number of suspects.”

Of course, since this is a mystery, many of the people who appear in the story know more about the mayor’s death, and a large criminal operation, than they’re revealing.

Husom said, “My heart breaks for people who are victimized, especially children and those who are vulnerable, for any number of reasons. I feel compelled to give victims a voice, to tell their stories. And in a perfect world, to see that they are awarded the justice they deserve, but don’t always get. I’m committed to my faith, my family and my friends, and much of that works its way intrinsically into my writings.”

Double Trouble Bonus Code: #JumpingPig

For the most part, Husom considers herself a pantser, one of those writers who doesn’t outline or plot extensively. She said, I’ve tried to do an outline, or storyboard, for my books, but have never succeeded at it. When I mentally formulate the main story of my books, I figure out the beginning, the end, and usually a few key plot points.”

At one point, Husom served with the Wright County Sheriff’s Department, where she saw many unusual happenings. “There are so many ‘you can’t make this stuff up’ things I wish I had written more down.” Many of those incidents were heartbreaking, but not all, especially when the call involved an animal.

“I also had some unique animal calls, like when a skunk got his head caught in a plastic drink container that had a dome lid, and couldn’t shake it off. There was one with a llama on the loose, and another with a trespassing pig that could jump over fences. I kid you not—you had to see it to believe it—my partner and I witnessed that 250-pound pig jump over a four-foot fence. That account found its way into one of my stories.”

Learn more about Christine Husom at christinehusom.webs.com.