Claudia Rose sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we, the readers, can get to know her better. Are you ready? Claudia, take it away!

What is your full name?
Claudia Louise Bennett Rose (I was married to Allan Rose for a short time and kept his name).

How old are you?
That’s not the most polite question. Let’s say early-mid forties.

What is your profession?
I’m a forensic handwriting examiner, which means I authenticate handwriting in cases of forgery, and for some clients, I analyze it for personality traits.

Do you have a significant other?
Oh, yes. In my view, my husband is the most significant person in the world.

What is their name and profession?
Joel Jovanic, LAPD homicide detective.

Do you have any children?
Sadly, no, but my niece, Monica (whose mom was killed when she was twelve), and her best bud Annabelle Giordano (who was for a while my ward) are a close second.

Do you have any siblings?
I have one brother, Monica’s dad, Pete Bennett.

Are your parents nearby?
I live in Southern California. My parents retired and moved to the Seattle area a few years ago.

Who is your best friend?
Since the first day of kindergarten, my best friend has been Kelly Brennan, who grew up to be a family law attorney.

Do you have any pets?
No, but for a long time, my neighbor’s German Shepherd, Flare, was my pretend pet. She used to go running on the beach with me, but she’s now crossed to spirit.

What town do you live in?
Playa de la Reina.

Do you live in a small town or a big city?
It’s a small beach town near LAX.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
I own a two-story house with a home office upstairs. Joel moved in with me before we got married.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
The bedroom when Joel is there with me.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Pot roast with fresh, warm bread (I’m drooling just writing that), and for dessert, creme brulee.

Do you have any hobbies?
Not so much. When I’m not working (which is most of the time) I like to relax and read or watch a good Rom Com on TV.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
I just visited Egypt, Gibraltar, and the UK. It’s a tie.

What music do you listen to?
All kinds, but smooth jazz is a favorite.

Do you have a favorite book?
Anything by Robert Crais—I love reading good mysteries.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Getting together with the people I love at an old-fashioned backyard potluck barbecue. I’ve really missed that during the time of covid!

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Fighting for Justice Between the Lines.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I guess you could call me an accidental sleuth—it’s not something I ever intended to be. Sometimes, I work with the police, though Joel doesn’t like it when I get involved in murder cases. Other times, I work with attorneys and private clients.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
There’s no such thing. Because I work for myself, it depends on what’s going on that day. It might include a media interview or presenting a lecture, or studying handwriting for a client.

What is a typical day when you are on a case?
When you say “a case,” you mean something different from what I think of, which is a court case involving handwriting. When I’m working on a case like that—and this doesn’t sound very interesting—I photograph the handwriting in question and upload it to my computer and enlarge it. Then I do the same with a bunch of other handwriting exemplars that we know for sure are genuine. Then, I compare hundreds of factors in each of them and come to an opinion as to who wrote it. Sometimes, when I’m working with Joel or another law enforcement officer, I go with them to interview suspects and witnesses, which means trying to get some of their handwriting so I can see how honest they are! (But shhhh, don’t tell anyone).

Dead Letters, A Forensic Handwriting Mystery #8
Genre: Traditional
Release: August 3, 2021
Purchase Link

With her brother jailed on a charge of homicide, Claudia Rose takes his place when his teenage daughter goes missing from an archaeological dig in Egypt. Traveling to Cairo and Luxor, Claudia discovers that her sheltered niece, Monica, is behaving entirely out of character. She’s taken off on a romantic weekend getaway with Colin Vine, an archaeologist with a shady past that seems to be spilling into the present. Her search for Monica takes her into a tomb, to Gibraltar, and to the UK, where her skills as a forensic handwriting expert of international renown are needed to help foil a terrorist plot-if only she can find her niece before she and Colin are used as pawns in a deadly game.

About the author
Sheila Lowe writes stories of psychological suspense that put ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances. Like her fictional character Claudia Rose in the award-winning Forensic Handwriting series, Sheila is a real-life forensic handwriting examiner who is recognized as an expert in the court system. She also writes the Beyond the Veil paranormal suspense series and nonfiction books about handwriting and personality.

All comments are welcomed.