Carlene O'Neil | Character Blog: Penny Lively of ONE FOOT IN THE GRAPE

Hi, I’m Penny Lively, owner of Joyeux Winery (ONE FOOT IN THE GRAPE). Joyeux is a smaller winery in comparison to several of our neighbors, but enjoys a great reputation. As it happens, I’ve also managed to gain a reputation for my knack for finding bodies. I don’t know if knack is the right word…Connor would call it a gift, but the statement would be said under his breath and likely dripping with sarcasm. Connor’s my winery manager. My manager and nothing more. Yup, nothing more. He’s the best manager on the central California coast and I’m lucky to have him in that capacity, which is why I’ve stifled any urges I might have for him in any other capacity…

Where was I? Right. So after a long career as an investigative photojournalist,
I came home to the winery I’d inherited. I’d been worried small town life would
be too slow. Instead, I’ve been back less than a year and so far I’ve managed to
find more bodies than I did in an entire career investigating situations where
one might reasonably expect to find bodies. The local police can’t decide what
to do with me, but it’s not like I’m asking for this. Although, I have to admit,
once I’m involved I’m not about to walk away. Either the police manage to get it
wrong, or someone I care about is a suspect and asks for my help. The first time
it happened, my neighbor, Antonia Martinelli, thought someone was sabotaging her
winery. She didn’t want to go to the police because she thought one of her
children might be involved. Simple, right? Nobody mentioned murder. They never
really do.

Between running the winery and running just ahead of whatever mess I’m no doubt
in, I stay pretty busy. Connor does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to
the winery, so I have free time on my hands. I spend most of it with my camera,
a holdover from my last profession. My focus is on the landscape now, and this
is a part of the country where it’s easy to find inspiration. The winery is
beautiful, vineyards stretched across rolling hills in tones of bronze and
umber, and just a short drive from Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach and the fabulous
town of Cypress Cove.

That’s another thing; murder just shouldn’t happen somewhere so beautiful. The
mean streets of Los Angeles? Sure. The underbelly of Chicago? Who’s surprised?
Nobody. Here, when you find a body set against such beauty, it seems so much
more shocking, vicious, and wrong. There’s a Latin saying, “It is well to
remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend;
one's present or future thirst; the excellence of the wine; or any other
reason.” After what I’ve just been through I would include finding a body in
your neighbor’s crusher. Just saying.

About ONE FOOT IN THE GRAPE

In California wine country, the town of Cypress Cove may seem peaceful. But someone’s about to pop their cork…

After losing her job as a photojournalist, Penny Lively is trying to get her
life back in focus. Inheriting the family winery from her late aunt may be the
fresh start she needs. Thankfully she’s got her niece Hayley and her handsome
winery manager Connor to help. But the person in need of more urgent assistance
is Antonia Martinelli, the owner of the neighboring winery, who has her own
barrel full of problems. Someone’s spoiling her wine, and with the upcoming
Autumn Festival, she needs Penny’s nose for clues to sniff out the culprit.

But Penny’s search for answers sours after the body of a staff member is found
in a grape crusher. Since Hayley was the last to see him alive, she’s the prime
suspect in the case. Now Penny must hurry to find the real killer before Hayley
withers on the vine…

About Carlene O'Neil

Carlene O’Neil grew up in the heart of Northern California Wine Country and is
accredited by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. A former television writer,
she currently makes her home outside Los Angeles, where she can be found sailing
in the Santa Monica Bay or doing research for her next novel.