Kallie E. Benjamin was born and raised in the Midwestern United States. South Bend, Indiana to be exact. She currently resides in the warmer region of the country with her two poodles, Kenzie and Chloe. Sound familiar? If you guessed that Kallie E. Benjamin is me, then you’re right!
WHY the penname?
Berkley, my publisher for this new series wanted a fresh start and asked if I would be willing to use a penname. In all transparency, I wasn’t thrilled. I’m currently writing as V. M. Burns and Valerie Burns. I can barely keep up with things related to those two personalities, I wasn’t interested in throwing anyone else into the mix. However, after talking things over with my agent, I decided, what the heck. I don’t fully understand publishers reasons for asking authors to use a penname, but I decided to trust that they know what they’re doing. Regardless, I will do everything I can to make it as easy for readers to stay connected and find my books. In fact, if you were to type www.KallieEBenjamin.com into your browser, it should take you to the same place if you typed vmburns.com.
WHAT’S behind the name?
There’s a lot of me in my books and this book is no different. In fact, I’ve added even more of my family in this book. First, there’s the name. Kallie was my great grandmother’s name. My mother’s mom died before she graduated from high school, so I never knew her. However, I did know my great grandmother. I called her, Mama Callie. My mom died in January 2013. Her name was Elvira, but that didn’t sound very authory. So, I used the E. to represent her. And, the last name is my dad’s name, Benjamin. But, the family connection doesn’t end with the penname. The new mystery is set in the fictional town of Crosbyville, Indiana. Crosby is my great nephew’s name. The protagonist in this series is a children’s book author and her agent’s name is Cameron, again named after my other great nephew. Lastly, The protagonist’s best friend is Marcella (aka Marcie). That’s my great niece’s name. So, readers will find lots of family connections in this new series.
The first book in the series, Sniffing Out Murder, will release on December 5, 2023. The cover art isn’t available yet, but here’s a description:
Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.
With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?