Nora Blake 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 Nora.
What is your full name?
My full name is Nora Katherine Blake.
How old are you?
I’m 28 years old.
What is your profession?
I am an actress and singer. I currently work in a unique venue inside a castle. I was reluctant to apply for the job, but working at Castle Dark has changed my life in several significant ways.
If you have a significant other, what is their name and profession?
My romantic interest is named John Dashiell, but his friends (and his girlfriend ) call him Dash. He is a detective with the Wood Glen Police department. I first met him in his professional capacity, soon after I came to Castle Dark. Meeting him is one of the unexpected rewards of taking this job.
Do you have any children?
I do not have any children, but I hope to be a mother someday. Right now I focus my nurturing instincts on my little brothers, who are 18-year-old twins. Luke and Jay have always brought out the maternal side of me, since I was already 10 when they were born. I’m very proud of them, and I’m excited that they will be spending Christmas in the castle with me.
Who is your best friend?
My best friend is named Constance Lancaster. I know that makes her sound like an heiress or an actress from 1940s Hollywood. But she’s actually a very talented and pretty girl from South Bend, Indiana, who also happens to be an actress and singer in The Castle Dark troupe. We hit it off on the first day we met, and we’ve been best friends ever since. Connie is in love with my boss, Derek, and watching them interact is like watching a very sexy soap opera. 😊
Do you have cats, dogs, or other pets?
I have three cats, gray females that I adopted not long after moving into the castle. The castle’s Gothic look, the gray cats, and the stormy clouds outside my window made me realize that there was only one perfect name for them: the Brontës. So they are Emily, Charlotte, and Anne, and they are delightful and much loved companions in my castle room on the third floor. Derek also has a dog that we all consider partly ours because we love him. His name is Hamlet, and he is a huge black Labrador. Like the Brontës, his look seems to fit the castle perfectly. Since it’s Christmastime, I’ll be wrapping presents for the pets along with all of my human friends. And I have little stockings for the Brontës that I have hung from the fireplace in my room. Yes, I indulge my cats. Even my sarcastic brothers have fallen in love with the Brontës and with Hamlet. They all have that sweetness that turns people into pet lovers.
What town do you live in?
I’m originally from Chicago, but the castle is located in Wood Glen, Illinois, so I am currently a resident of Wood Glen. It’s a lovely little town that is rural without being isolated.
What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I don’t own any dwelling, nor do I rent. One of the most appealing things about the Castle job offer was that it included free room and board. My room is as big as some Chicago apartments, and our meals are provided by a wonderful chef named Zana. Derek Corby, our boss, does everything on a grand scale, and we actors feel rather spoiled by him.
Do you have any hobbies?
I play the piano quite well, and I am able to accompany myself and others. When I used to audition for plays, I would sometimes sing and play the piano. Derek actually saw one of my audition tapes, and that was how he came to contact me and ask me to come and work in the castle troupe. I also love reading, and I am incredibly lucky because the castle has not one, but two libraries! One of them is located right next door to my room.
If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
Hmm. Probably something like, “The Magical Castle That Changed My Life,” Or “An Enchanted Existence.” You caught me at a time when I’m feeling rather dreamy – – it’s a long story – – so forgive me if those titles are a bit dramatic.
Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I don’t generally think of myself as a sleuth at all. I just like to sing and act. But because I was embroiled in the original mystery that introduced me to Dash, I have in fact been caught up in several Investigations that Dash has been in charge of. I do seem to have a knack for stumbling across dead bodies. That unhappy reality has given our castle an unfortunate nickname: Murder Castle. But the castle isn’t like that at all. It’s a beautiful building on absolutely lovely grounds which include a wide green lawn and several acres of woods.
Right now, we’ve got a very busy schedule which includes daily choral concerts in the castle chapel; an afternoon children’s show filled with slapstick humor and holiday sing-a-longs; and a family-friendly evening show, full of fun skits with clever repartee and nostalgic holiday music. But reserve your tickets now – the shows are selling out fast!
Happy Holidays, everyone! 🌲
From Nora and the Castle Dark staff.
DEATH AT A CASTLE CHRISTMAS
Series Name: A Dinner and a Murder Mystery, Book 3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: November 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
In the winter darkness, on the cold and windy grounds of Castle Dark, a murderer lurks, creeping ever closer to the residents of the holly-bedecked manor . . . .
Nora Blake, now a veteran member of the Castle Dark acting troupe, is thrilled to contemplate a December full of Christmas-themed performances, and she’s hoping for a picturesque snowfall to enhance the holiday aesthetic. What the residents of the castle get instead is an exhausting schedule compounded by several local mysteries: an attempted break-in at the castle, a missing man, two mysterious children, an unidentified body, and Nora’s hunch that they are somehow all related.
Her boyfriend, Detective John Dashiell of the Wood Glen Police, tries to solve a confusing puzzle and calls upon residents of the castle to help the police with their inquiries. As they all hunt for the truth, the level of danger grows, yet the perpetrator remains determinedly out of sight. Nora and her companions (including the Brontes, her three gray cats, and Hamlet, the castle dog) must come together to catch a killer before he—or she—can strike again.
And they must resolve their mysteries before Christmas, which Nora is determined to make a happy one for all the people she loves.
About the author
Veronica Bond (A.k.a. Julia Buckley) Is a Chicago area mystery writer and teacher. Her newest title, DEATH AT A CASTLE CHRISTMAS, brings all the cozy elements of Christmas Into a moody Gothic-inspired mystery. Like Nora Blake, Veronica lives with her significant other and a variety of animals, including four cats and a black Labrador, who looks a lot like Hamlet, the castle dog. Find out more at www.juliabuckley.com.