Dawna Carpenter sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings so that we can learn more about her. Let’s get to know Dawna.

What is your full name?
Dawna Leoma Carpenter

How old are you?
62, though I’m edging up on another birthday

What is your profession?
A gazillion years ago now, Bob, my late husband, and I opened Carpenter’s Corner Hardware and Building Supply. Bob was a building contractor, so while he was out hammering nails, I ran the store. I’ve been at it for over thirty years now. Even after Bob passed, I decided to hang onto the store. There was enough sudden changes in my life, I didn’t need the upset of selling the store on top of it. I love what I do and getting the opportunity to visit with folks and help them with their projects. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Do you have a significant other?
Bob and I had been married for 44 years when he unexpectedly passed a little over three years ago. He was the love of my life and I have no desire to ever date again. The fact that Bob is still hanging around the house, albeit in ghostly form, has no bearing on my decision. Though it would make dating a bit awkward, wouldn’t it?

What is their name and profession?
Robert Clay Carpenter – former building contractor and current ghostly (nice!) presence.

Do you have any children?
Three. Becky, Patrick, and April. They’re all grown. Becky lives on the Oregon coast, Patrick in Kansas, but April moved back to Pine Bluff less than a year ago. I’m delighted to have at least one of them back home.

Do you have any siblings?
Yep. Two older brothers—Chad and Neil. Neither of them live close anymore so I rarely see them.

Are your parents nearby?
Sadly, they’ve both passed and I still miss them every day.

Who is your best friend?
Evonne Ford. We’ve been best buddies since we were 8 years old. She’s my ride-or-die, and always has my back no matter what crazy idea I have. She’s the city manager and knows even more about what is going on in town then I do, if you can believe it. We get together over pie at least once a week.

Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
Funny you should ask. When the kids were growing up, we always had at least one cat, and sometimes a dog or two. I haven’t had a pet since my sweet little cat, Lilac, died a decade ago. You’re going to think I’ve lost my mind, but Lilac jumped up onto my bed one night last August and has been in the house ever since. I can’t pet her because…well, you know…she’s a ghost, but her presence is quite comforting.

What town do you live in?
Pine Bluff, Oregon. My gorgeous hometown sits in a small valley right in the heart of the Blue Mountains.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
Bob and I bought our two story brick house with a turret shortly after we got married. The house was one of the original homes in Pine Bluff, built by the first blacksmith in town. It was a great place to raise our family. The kids think I should sell and downsize, now that it’s just me, but I love every square inch of my home and refuse to even consider such a ridiculous notion. Sometimes I swear they think I’m 83 instead of 63.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
The sunroom, hands down. That’s what I call the rounded turret area off the living room. It’s not very big but the three long windows let in the perfect amount of light for cozying up in my favorite chair to read. From there, I look out at the big Elm tree in the front yard and can watch the squirrels and birds.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
Anything I don’t’ have to cook myself! I can burn boiled eggs, for crying in the buttermilk. The Stage Stop Café usually has something delicious for a daily special, and their homemade pies can’t be beat, unless Evonne is in a baking mood. Last night, April and I stopped in the Stage Stop. I had their crab mac and cheese followed by a slice of Dutch apple pie. It was incredible!

Do you have any hobbies?
Reading and gardening are my two biggest loves right now. I’m kind of fickle in the hobby department and have tried a bunch of different things. I used to love to paint and repurpose furniture, but gave all my supplies to April when she moved back.

What music do you listen to?
I’m a country music fan through and through. My mom always had the radio tuned to a country station when I was a kid, and I still love it. The older stuff, from the 60s to the 80s, mostly. None of that “bro country” nonsense.

What is your favorite color?
Blue has been my pat answer since I was a kid, but I’m not sure if that’s even true anymore. I like lots of colors, but notice I’ve been gravitating to deep, royal colors lately. I feel like with my silver hair, those deep colors look better on me. Pastels wash me out.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Bahahahahaha. Oh, sorry for laughing. When you’re a business owner, a vacation is a pipe dream. I did close the store for a week late last summer. April and I went to the Oregon coast to visit my oldest daughter and grandkids, so I’d go with that. I loved the cooler temperatures and playing with the kids on the beach.

Are you a morning or night person?
I think I’m turning into a night person. I’ve always had to get up early to get the store opened on time, but recently on my days off, I’m staying up later and later. I like the quiet of the late nights.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Having all the kids and grandkids together and playing board games or going sledding. They’re all coming for Christmas this year and I cannot wait to have their voices ringing off the rafters. April’s going to make a huge lasagna dinner for us all one night. I’m super excited.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Oh, amateur for sure! The only training I have is years of being nosy. April is my reluctant sidekick, and Evonne has provided much appreciated back up from time to time. I’m always grateful when our police chief, (and April’s boyfriend!), J. T. Dallas lets me tag along. Mostly he’s just exasperated with me for conducting my own investigations, but even he has to admit, the things I’ve uncovered have been pretty important.

What is a typical day in your life like?
Roll out of bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition…see? I told you I like country music and Dolly Parton got that part right. Three mornings a week, I’m up and out early for yoga before opening the hardware store at eight. The coffee klatch guys come in and solve all the world problems while I restock the shelves with one ear cocked to pick up the gossip they always bring with them. Wait on customers, close the store at 6, and think about dinner. Right now, I’ve been roped into participating in the next play at the Emery Theater, so have practice a few nights a week. Once home, I immediately get into my flannel jammies and read or watch TV to unwind. Then head to bed and start it all over again in the morning.

A ZAPPY LITTLE CHRISTMAS – A Hometown Hardware Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: October 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Silver bells ring out, but in the air there’s a feeling of…murder.

Pine Bluff, Oregon resembles a perfect cozy Christmas card. Sparkling Christmas trees line snowy main street. Wreaths, red ribbons, and colored lights adorn every door. Hardware store owner Dawna Carpenter is in a festive mood. She invites her elderly neighbor, Smitty, to join her and daughter April on the Christmas Light Tour, a trolley that takes guests through all the best decorated neighborhoods while they enjoy steaming mugs of hot cocoa and scrumptious treats.

But when Smitty spies one of the homeowners dead—a macabre decoration in an otherwise merry display—the cheerful ride turns somber fast. Dawna notices the ghost of the deceased woman standing next to the display, clearly angry over her recent demise. As snow blankets the valley and her newest employee is implicated in the crime, it’s up to Dawna to find out who’s been naughty and who’s been nice—before it’s lights out for her, too.

About the author
When Paula Charles isn’t writing, you can find her reading and contemplating murder under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of the Hometown Hardware Mysteries, as well as the Zen Goat Mysteries written as Janna Rollins, both cozy mysteries. She lives in Washington state with her extremely patient husband and a gaggle of furry and feathered creatures. Find links to her social media on her website – www.paulacharles.com.