What happens when two mystery writers realize their characters are soul sisters? The writers make their characters meet, much like two friends forcing their children on a playdate. Both characters — gunshop owner Tai Randolph and the artist Cherry Tucker — are sassy, southern spitfires with a penchant for trouble and appetite for justice. After first clearing the scene of dangerous objects, like men and guns, the writers dropped their characters off at a bar and let them get to know each other.

The result: Just Tai and Cherry Talkin,’ two Georgia girls dishing on life with a side order of solving crimes. Get to know the amateur sleuths, Tai Randolph and Cherry Tucker, in Just Tai and Cherry Talkin,’ a free read available on Wattpad.

Red’s County Line Tap, found just across the tracks from the bitty town of Halo, could be mistaken from any number of tin roofed roadhouses wedged between Blue Law zoning restrictions in Georgia. Under the ownership of said Red, you’ll find the County Line has been renovated as a sports bar to attract Halo’s families, but on the weekend, the original juke joint vibe returns with the regular clientele of barflies, babes, and bikers. This particular drinking establishment has the added benefit of resting within stumbling distance of the artist Cherry Tucker’s home, the in-town Georgia bungalow of her deceased Great-Gam. And as Red serves the best hot wings and coldest beer in town, (along with plenty of unwanted advice), Cherry Tucker and her friends can usually be found at Red’s on any given weekend night. And Thursdays.

And the occasional Monday and Tuesday. And then there’s Wednesdays. . .

Tonight, Tai Randolph has found a seat at Red’s bar. As the owner of a Confederate gun shop in Kennesaw, Georgia, (which is a fair skip and hop from Halo), Tai has been told by customers from every corner of the metro Atlanta area that she needed to meet this Cherry Tucker person. She decided they might be right when she did a little bit of online research and saw Cherry’s name linked to not one, not two, but a whole mess of murders.

How about that? she thought. Another spitfire Southern blonde with a penchant for corpse-finding. She wondered what else she and Cherry might have in common besides an unfortunate affinity for trouble. So without further ado, Tai locked up the gun shop and pointed her Camaro toward Halo, where she pulled up a barstool next to the one and only Cherry Tucker.

Read on (for free) on Wattpad for more conversation with Tai and Cherry.

Tina Whittle’s Tai Randolph/Trey Seaver series — featuring intrepid gunshop owner Tai and her corporate security agent partner Trey — has garnered starred reviews in Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Published by Poisoned Pen Press, this Atlanta-based series debuted with The Dangerous Edge of Things, followed by Darker Than Any Shadow (2012) and Blood, Ash and Bone (2013). The fourth book in the series — Deeper Than the Grave — releases in November 2014. www.tinawhittle.com

Larissa Reinhart’s best selling Cherry Tucker Mystery series from Henery Press features artist Cherry Tucker: big in mouth, short in stature, and able to sketch a portrait faster than kudzu climbs telephone poles. The first mystery, Portrait of a Dead Guy, was a 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, 2012 The Emily Finalist, and 211 Dixie Kane Memorial winner. The series follows with Still Life in Brunswick Stew, 2012 Georgia Author of the Year Nominee Hijack in Abstract, Death in Perspective and the prequel “Quick Sketch” in the mystery anthology, Heartache Motel. The fifth book, The Body in the Landscape, will release June 9, 2015. larissareinhart.com