FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Cattail Mystery takes readers back in time to small-town Depression-era Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado -- December 4, 2006 -- The years of the Great Depression were a difficult time for Dora Bornschein, whose father died when she was 7-years-old and whose invalid mother was left to raise her children in poverty. In spite of all the hardship that Dora's family faced, her childhood in Pueblo, Colorado, was filled with interesting and quirky events. Much of it has been captured in Dora's second book, The Cattail Mystery, which is set in Pueblo during the late 1930s.
"Many of the events in the book are based on my memories of events and people from my childhood," Dora explains. "For instance, I know a policeman's son whose father worked in Pueblo during and after the Depression. I found the way that police work was carried out in those days fascinating."
The Cattail Mystery is an old-fashioned whodunit that involves the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl who decides to defy her mother and sneak off to the secluded cattail marsh down by the river. When the child doesn't return, fear and panic grip the town, and the local police begin their investigation. "I had a lot of fun creating the police characters. The chief homicide detective has a condition called acromegaly, which is a form of adult-onset gigantism. He's based on a real detective in Pueblo during this time period who had that condition."
The writing of this book was quite an emotional experience for the author. She drew heavily on her own family and friends for inspiration, and Rachel Mueller, the missing child's mother, is based on Dora's own mother, who died when Dora was only 14-years-old. "There's a lot of myself and my history in this book," says Dora.
Dora began writing murder mysteries when she was nearly 70 years old. "When I released my first book last year, I was overwhelmed by the support of the local community." Writing literally has been a lifesaver for Dora. She has dealt with several major health crises in the past few years; she nearly lost her life twice. "Writing keeps me focused and gives me the drive to keep going. And I feel like I've really improved in my writing since my first book. I think that nearly losing my life has caused me to examine my life and my past and helps me to have a more authentic quality to my writing."
The introductory book signing for The Cattail Mystery will take place December 10 from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. at the Rosemount Museum's Carriage House Restaurant at 419 West 14th Street in Pueblo. Over the next several weeks, Dora will attend other book signings, as well as present The Cattail Mystery to local book clubs and workshops.
"I think my experience shows that it's never too late to realize your dreams," says Dora of her writing debut late in life. "I can't think of a more fulfilling way to spend my final years."
