Julian Author Has Model Characters
Mystery Story Set in Julian

Kaaren Terry

By Ruth Lepper

Meet Cathy and Tim, somewhat newcomers to Julian who live at the end of a very bumpy dirt road. They are characters in Kaaren Terry’s recently published mystery novel, “Across the Creek.”

Terry and her husband, Tom Spielman, also could be considered newcomers to Julian since they moved here six years ago from San Diego. They, too, live at the end of a very bumpy dirt road.

In fact, Terry and Spielman have many things in common with the fictional couple, Cathy and Tom. Terry has modeled her characters after herself and her husband. And the locale for the book takes place in none other than Julian.

The story, however, and other characters are figments of Terry’s imagination or, she admits, “bits and pieces of people I have known.” The fictional grandchildren have the same names as Spielman’s grown children, Greg, Glenn and Kim.

While attending a Padres baseball game in San Diego, Cathy and Tim have a chance meeting with an undesirable character named Mike, who, it turns out, is at the crowded ballpark in pursuit of his favorite pastime — picking pockets.

When Mike hears the town of Julian mentioned, he tunes in to the conversation. Many years ago, his grandfather was a gold miner in Julian. Being new in town, Mike starts asking questions and before long, Cathy has another encounter with Mike — outside Jack’s Market in downtown Julian.

The plot thickens when a body is discovered buried by a creek bed on Cathy and Tim’s property. The body has been there for 100 years. The only clue is an unusual ring found on a skeletal finger.

Terry said the characters “just kind of took on a whole life of their own” while she was writing the book.

“The scary thing was, I started writing this and stuff came out of me like someone else doing the typing,” she said. “It took its own direction. I knew what had to happen to make the book.”

Things heat up when Cathy is home alone with the grandchildren and one of the boys has disappeared. Cathy discovers she can take care of herself — and the grandkids — when backed into a corner.

The book is Terry’s first attempt at writing fiction. She had several careers before moving to Julian and becoming a dedicated writer. She was a professional glass artist, with customers around the world buying her fused-glass picture frames. She also has tried her hand as a tour guide, secretary, bookkeeper and grocery store clerk. She has an associate of arts degree in commercial art from San Diego City College and has taken several creative writing and literature classes over the years. She continues to work in real estate from her home office.

There are more books in the works, keeping many of the same characters in the sequel.

Cathy and Tim will lose their home to the ravishing Cedar fire that also destroyed Terry and Spielman’s home in 2003. She knows the villain will be a tow-truck driver working out of Julian but has yet to come up with a title, although she has about 20 versions she is considering.

“Across the Creek” was published in January through AuthorHouse, (cq) a print-on-demand publishing firm in Bloomington, Ind. It sells for $29.45 in hard cover and $16.95 in paperback. The book is available at Books in Nooks in Wynola.