Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Permanent Sunset
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://cmicheledorsey.com/
CITY:
STATE: MA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://cmicheledorsey.com/about
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2015112026
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2015112026
HEADING: Dorsey, C. Michele
000 00550cz a2200157n 450
001 9944559
005 20151205073752.0
008 150824n| azannaabn |n aaa c
010 __ |a no2015112026
035 __ |a (OCoLC)oca10251836
040 __ |a IlMpPL |b eng |e rda |c IlMpPL |d HU
100 1_ |a Dorsey, C. Michele
374 __ |a Lawyers |a College teachers |a Novelists |2 lcsh
375 __ |a female
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a No virgin island, 2015: |b title page (C. Michele Dorsey) jacket flap (C. Michele Dorsey; a lawyer, mediator, and adjunct law professor; This is her first novel)
NOTE FROM COPYEDITOR: THE LAST TWO REVIEWS QUOTED FROM IN SIDELIGHTS DO NOT APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THE RESEARCH.
PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, lawyer, and mediator. Also works as an adjunct law professor. Former nurse.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
C. Michele Dorsey began working as a nurse before switching careers to become an attorney, mediator, and adjunct law professor. She is also an author and the creator of the “Sabrina Salter Mystery” series. The first installment, No Virgin Island, was published in 2015, and it was followed by the second installment, Permanent Sunset in 2016. On her home page, Dorsey has noted that the law is rife for writing inspiration. Dorsey specializes in family law, and the human stories she encounters in her job help her to present and argue cases as much as they fuel her writing. She practices law in a small town in Massachusetts, and she also credits this setting for inspiration. Close ties with everyone in the community is yet another source for human stories, the author admits.
From writing wills for recluses to helping people as a nurse and arguing for them as a lawyer, Dorsey centers both her career and her writing on understanding and helping the people around her. As Dorsey put it on her home page, “the writer in me can’t help but see each client as someone who presents a story unfolding. I am fascinated by the behavior of people and the follies we create.” She went on to explain that “lawyering can be just another kind of story-telling, a writer’s dream job. . . . I am never bored. If you ever run out of ideas, run to the nearest family court, and bring a notebook. You can’t make this stuff up.”
No Virgin Island
Indeed, in No Virgin Island, Dorsey introduces readers to property manager Sabrina Salter. The protagonist manages Ten Villas, a rental business for wealthy vacationers on St. John in U.S. Virgin Islands. Before moving to St. John, Sabrina was a well-known newscaster. After catching her husband cheating, Sabrina fled to her vacation home on Nantucket. When her husband entered the house with his mistress in the middle of the night, Sabrina mistook him for an intruder and shot him. St. John is one of the few places where Sabrina can escape from the scandal, but when a renter is found dead at the Villa Mascarpone, Sabrina is once again thrust into the spotlight. In fact, Sabrina is named the prime suspect. Determined to clear her name, Sabrina investigates on her own. She suspects Rory Egan, who is also connected to her past life.
While a Publishers Weekly critic noted that the story is not without flaws, they concluded that “readers will look forward to Sabrina’s future adventures.” Sue O’Brien, writing in Booklist, was even more positive, and she found that “Sabrina is a complex character” in “a richly described tropical paradise.” O’Brien then concluded that this is “a series to watch.” Offering further applause on the Fab Book Reviews Web site, a reviewer announced: “I see the potential for more mystery titles in this series; though the locales and characters may need to evolve or expand to give the novels more room to breathe and experiment. No Virgin Island is a solidly done mystery, perfect for curling up with over the weekend or when you need a cozy mystery to lose yourself in.”
Permanent Sunrise
When Permanent Sunrise opens, Sabrina is back to managing her properties, and this time around she is joined by her business partner, Henry Whitman. Sabrina and Henry are working to add a new villa to their inventory, the Villa Nirvana, and their new property is slated to be the site of an A-list wedding. The wealthy construction magnate, Sean Keating, will be marrying a beautiful business woman named Elena Rodriguez. When Elena refuses to sign the prenup just one day before the wedding, the fate of Sabrina’s new venture is in doubt. The next day, everything (from flowers to cake) is set up for the nuptials, and Sabrina seems reassured that all will go well. But as soon as her fears begin to settle, Sabrina discovers Elena’s body.
Lauding the novel in Publishers Weekly, a critic stated that Permanent Sunrise is “chockablock with unanticipated plot twists, complex supporting characters, and terrific dialogue,” all of which makes for mighty good pageturning turning fun.” Karen Keefe, writing in Booklist, was equally laudatory, and she advised that “a divine locale and a quick-thinking amateur sleuth make this a great bet for vacation reading.” According to a reviewer on the Dru’s Book Musing Web site, “the author has a way with the narrative making this a visually appealing drama with engaging dialogue and the perfect backdrop just setting the scenes. Another glowing critique appeared on the Carstairs Considers Web site, and a columnist declared: “The pace in this book is strong. I never wanted to put the book down and raced through it in two days. The plot is solid with good clues and red herrings to keep you guessing until the end.” The columnist then concluded that “Permanent Sunset is a great follow up that is over all too quickly. Settle in and watch the pages fly.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, August 1, 2015, Sue O’Brien, review of No Virgin Island; August 1, 2016, Karen Keefe, review of Permanent Sunset.
Publishers Weekly, June 8, 2015, review of No Virgin Island; August 29, 2016, review of Permanent Sunset.
ONLINE
Carstairs Considers, http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/ (June 7, 2017), review of Permanent Sunrise.
C. Michele Dorsey Home Page, http://cmicheledorsey.com (June 2, 2017).
Dru’s Book Musing, https://drusbookmusing.com/ (June 7, 2017), review of Permanent Sunrise.
Fab Book Reviews, https://fabbookreviews.com/ (August 20, 2015), review of No Virgin Island.*
Like many people these days, I have more than one day job. I am a lawyer, a mediator and an adjunct law school professor. I complain about each of these jobs, but I really love my work because I truly enjoy learning about people and in each of these jobs, people share their stories with me.
I have a small law practice in a sleepy coastal Massachusetts community where people feel free to drop by with their papers and say hello to their lawyer at the same time. For years, one of my landlords collected his rent each month in person so we could have a nice chat and catch up. While these intrusions may not enhance my efficiency, there is great charm to life as a local lawyer. The first will I drafted was for a recluse who never left the second floor of her home. She executed her will hanging over a windowsill, while her witnesses gazed up from her lawn.
I’m not sure how I ended up concentrating mostly in family law (divorce, custody, etc.) because most people predicted after my first career as a nurse, I’d end up doing personal injury law. I think knowing how to talk to people in physical pain taught me how to help people who were wrenched with heartbreak.
I am passionate about my work, even after 30 years, particularly about the protection of children. I consider it a privilege when someone trusts me to represent them regarding what matters most to people: their family.
The writer in me can’t help but see each client as someone who presents a story unfolding. I am fascinated by the behavior of people and the follies we create.
When I present a case in court before a judge who has heard a hundred cases before me, my job is to tell the judge the story of my client in a way which is more compelling and distinguished from the masses he hears before or after me. When I interrogate a witness at a trial, I am really just asking questions to a person who is telling the court his story through his testimony.
Lawyering can be just another kind of story-telling, a writer’s dream job. And while some lawyers complain about sitting, waiting to be called in court, I listen to every single word uttered in every case before me. I am never bored. If you ever run out of ideas, run to the nearest family court, and bring a notebook. You can’t make this stuff up.
Not long into my legal career, I decided that many people could be spared the expense and agony of litigation and resolve disputes privately at mediation. I started a parallel practice, mediating mostly family matters. Because I continue to have a law practice and represent clients in court, I am able to share the realities of what might happen in court if my mediation clients don’t settle, the ultimate reality check.
Mediation offers people a private forum where they retain their dignity and right to self-determination. As a mediator, I listen to the stories of people, hearing their pain, their anger and sadness. It’s rewarding to be able to facilitate agreement between people who otherwise might duke it out in court, neither getting much of what he or she wants.
Between litigating and mediating, I am up to my knees in conflict. I welcome the relief and challenge I get teaching law students Mediation. I am stimulated mentally, not allowed to fall behind the times, and always learn more each semester from my students than I teach them. Plus, I get to go to the big city a couple of times a week.
The writer in me is thrilled to have day jobs which are rich in material and remind me daily that everybody does have a story.
C. “Michele” Dorsey is the author of Permanent Sunset, the second mystery in the Sabrina Salter series set on St. John in the Caribbean. No Virgin Island, published in 2015 by Crooked Lane Books, is the first book in the series. Michele is also a lawyer, mediator and adjunct professor of law, who finds inspiration and serenity on the island of St. John and on Cape Cod.
Happy Thanksgiving — Late Fall Reads
Posted on November 24, 2016 by Sherry Harris
82
thankful-for-our-readers-giveaway-3It’s double giveaway day! Edith and Sherry are both giving away a book to one lucky winner! Sherry is giving away a copy of one of her books: Tagged for Death, The Longest Yard Sale, or All Murders Final — readers choice! And Edith is giving away one of her 2016 mysteries: Delivering the Truth, Grilled for Murder, or Murder Most Fowl — also readers choice!
Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers! After all the cooking and cleaning we hope you have time to put your feet up and enjoy a good book. Here’s what we are reading:
Liz: I’m super excited I’m getting a pre-read of Barb’s Iced Under! We’re doing some joint blog posts to celebrate our dual launch next month, so we’re reading each other’s books in advance. As usual, I’m loving it.
Sherry: I just finished reading Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger — what an amazing and beautifully written book. Next I’m going to read Permanent Sunset by C. Michele
Dorsey. I loved the first book in the Sabrina Salter series and a trip to St. John sounds perfect this time of year.permanentsunsetfinal1
Jessie: After my recent visit to Iceland I can’t get enough of Icelandic crime novels. I’m currently reading Cold Comfort by Quentin Bates. Next up is The Day is Dark by Yrsa Sigurdardottir.
Barb: I’m excited to have an ARC of Liz’s Custom Baked Murder in my hot little hands. I am also reading Mediterranean Summer, a non-fiction about a chef who spends a summer working on a yacht, for my “work.” My work is so hard!
Edith: I’m also thrilled to be reading Permanent Sunset by C. Michele Dorsey, and when I’m done I’m diving, finally, into Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Say No More.
Julie: I just turned in Chime and Punishment (book #3), so I can read again!! My pile is large, but on top a book Sherry recommended–Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye. Really looking forward to finally cracking it open.
Readers: What are you reading?
Permanent Sunset: A Sabrina Salter Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
263.35 (Aug. 29, 2016): p69.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Permanent Sunset: A Sabrina Salter Mystery
C. Michele Dorsey. Crooked Lane, $25.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-62953-770-2
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Sabrina Salter's enormous charm, as well as her grace under duress, is on full display in Dorsey's outstanding sequel to 2015's No Virgin Island.
Duress comes in waves as she and her partner in her rental property business on St. John in the Virgin Islands, Henry Whitman, prepare a recent
acquisition, the ostentatious Villa Nirvana, for a splashy wedding. Sean Keating, scion of Keating Construction, is set to marry the beautiful,
business-savvy, yet mysterious Elena Rodriguez. Tensions naturally run high as Elena resists signing the proffered prenuptial contract. The night
before the big day, everybody goes to bed angry. The next morning, but for the absence of the bride, everything is picture-perfect with a profusion
of gardenias and twinkle lights timed to alight amid the sunset ceremony. Sabrina eventually finds the bride floating dead in the ocean, and the
ensuing mystery, chockablock with unanticipated plot twists, complex supporting characters, and terrific dialogue, makes for mighty good pageturning
fun. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary Agency. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Permanent Sunset: A Sabrina Salter Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 29 Aug. 2016, p. 69. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA462236436&it=r&asid=ea2b8542413d3b441d38a2ea8a2cdbfd. Accessed 14 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A462236436
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5/14/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
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Permanent Sunset
Karen Keefe
Booklist.
112.22 (Aug. 1, 2016): p37.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Permanent Sunset. By C. Michele Dorsey. Oct. 2016. 272p. Crooked Lane, $25.99 (9781629537702); e book (9781629537955).
In this follow-up to Dorsey's 2015 debut. No Virgin Island, meteorologist-turned-innkeeper Sabrina Salter finds herself involved in another
Caribbean murder investigation. The night before her wedding, Elena Consuela Soto Rodriguez drowned outside the Villa Nirvana property in
Saint John, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she was staying. The powerful family she was about to marry into are all under various degrees
of suspicion. Sabrina and her business partner, Henry, run interference with the local police, while Sabrina's sometime squeeze Neil Perry tries to
keep the grieving fiance from incriminating himself. A divine locale and a quick-thinking amateur sleuth make this a great bet for vacation
reading.--Karen Keefe
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Keefe, Karen. "Permanent Sunset." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2016, p. 37. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA460761702&it=r&asid=1bc42e6e535fb6f971ea99d15b3f7fbf. Accessed 14 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A460761702
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No Virgin Island
Sue O'Brien
Booklist.
111.22 (Aug. 1, 2015): p36.
COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
No Virgin Island. By C. Michele Dorsey. Aug. 2015. 272p. Crooked Lane, $24.99 (9781629531908); e-book, $11.99 (9781629532035).
Former Boston meteorologist Sabrina Salter and her business partner, Henry Whitman, own Ten Villas, a vacation rental company in St. John,
one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. When stopping by Villa Mascarpone to clean it, Sabrina discovers the body of guest Carter Johnson. Since she was
recently acquitted of her adulterous husband's murder, she panics. History seems to be repeating itself, especially when the local police seem to
think she is a viable suspect. She is also being harassed by investigative reporter Faith Chase, who tormented her during her trial in
Massachusetts, and Sabrina and Henry both have something to hide. Complicating matters, the couple who were to rent Villa Mascarpone want to
move in once the police investigation is complete, even though they were offered a more luxurious substitute. The various plot strands come
together as Sabrina races to save an innocent teen. Sabrina is a complex character, damaged by her past experiences, but looking to start a new
life in a richly described tropical paradise. A series to watch.--Sue O'Brien
O'Brien, Sue
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
O'Brien, Sue. "No Virgin Island." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2015, p. 36. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA428997827&it=r&asid=d691cbfe73dbfebbd179ef5fb8bedd97. Accessed 14 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A428997827
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No Virgin Island: A Sabrina Salter Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
262.23 (June 8, 2015): p40.
COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
No Virgin Island: A Sabrina Salter Mystery
C. Michele Dorsey. Crooked Lane (crookedlanebooks.com), $24.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-62953-190-8
Dorsey's fun first novel introduces Sabrina Salter, who runs Ten Villas, an upscale home rental business on St. John, one of the U.S. Virgin
Islands, where she has sought refuge after an unfortunate experience involving the police on Nantucket. Sabrina's discovery of a renter lying dead
in a hammock by the Villa Mascarpone's pool, however, brings her unwelcome media attention. Since the members of the local constabulary
already dislike Sabrina, she gets top billing as a murder suspect. Another possible culprit is Rory Eagan, the drunken bum husband of Sabrina's
friend Mara Bennett, a devoted stepmother to Rory's twin teens, Kelly and Liam. Just when things couldn't get any weirder, new renters reject a
lavish upgrade and insist on staying in the Villa Mascarpone near Mara. The nonchalant treatment of Kelly's relationship with the overage pool
guy is the one negative aspect of this book, but readers will look forward to Sabrina's future adventures. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch
Literary Agency, (Aug.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"No Virgin Island: A Sabrina Salter Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 8 June 2015, p. 40. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA417571500&it=r&asid=ac431f53a53c569fc944e9b32f294814. Accessed 14 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A417571500
Review: No Virgin Island by C. Michele Dorsey
posted in Adult Fiction, Reviews by michellefabbookreviews
No-Virgin-Island_r1_c1Review: No Virgin Island (A Sabrina Salter Mystery #1) by C. Michele Dorsey
Source: Hardcopy courtesy of Crooked Lane Books. Thank you!
Publication: August 11, 2015 by Crooked Lane Books
Verdict: Good
Book Description:
In this sun-soaked mystery set in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sabrina Salter traded a high-pressure job as a Boston meteorologist for life as an innkeeper on St. John. But storm clouds roll in when Sabrina finds Carter Johnson, her most attractive guest, tucked up in a hammock way past check-out time… and he’s not just dead to the world, he’s just plain dead, with a bullet hole in his chest.
This isn’t the first time Sabrina has seen a dead body, and the island police are well aware of that. Thanks to her checkered history, not to mention the fact that she was the last person who saw Carter alive and far from entirely clothed, she finds herself marked as the prime suspect.
The Virgin Islands may be the sort of place where even defense attorneys wear flip-flops, but the laid-back life is over for Sabrina unless she can clear her name. So, she sets out to solve the crime, only to find herself caught in a tidal wave of adultery, kidnapping, identity fraud and murder in No Virgin Island, C. Michele Dorsey’s outstanding mystery debut.
If you are looking for a mystery title perfect for summer and/or holiday reading, No Virgin Island may be just the ticket. Imagine, if you will, a mystery novel full of guest starring secondary characters, a slightly remote yet beautiful location, multiple possible suspects and main characters with legal secrets and heartache to spare. Reading like a reliably comfortable episode of Murder, She Wrote, (which I watched and loved!) C. Michele Dorsey’s debut is lighter, escapist murder-mystery fun.
When we meet protagonist Sabrina Salter on idyllic St. John, she (as co-owner of gorgeous rental villas) is on rounds to get one villa ready for the next set of guests. But when she gets to Villa Mascarpone, she finds their guest Carter Johnson dead from a gunshot wound. We soon find that the island police are immediately suspicious of Sabrina’s involvement in Carter’s death- but why?
Slowly but surely we learn major pockets of Sabrina’s history- and recent drama with the legal and media system in the States- and why she’s moved to St. John to start fresh. With a rather large rotating cast of (often less-defined) secondary characters, I would have welcomed more time spent on particular characters- especially on Sabrina, her Villas co-owner and friend Henry, and enigmatic lawyer-turned bar owner Neil Perry. It looks as though there are plans for more Sabrina Salter mysteries, so I am keen to read further novels and see if Dorsey delves more into the main characters’ back stories and if or how she builds the budding relationship between Sabrina and Neil. I was really intrigued by Sabrina’s headline-news-making arrest and past and think that a novel that would return Sabrina (and Neil) to the States might be something potentially very interesting to follow!
Overall, No Virgin Island is well-done, lighter mystery fare. While most characters are, as noted above, moderately developed, and the mystery of Carter’s death is itself relatively uncomplicated, Dorsey’s debut is an altogether enjoyable, page-turning story that sets itself up well for future escapades. I see the potential for more mystery titles in this series; though the locales and characters may need to evolve or expand to give the novels more room to breathe and experiment. No Virgin Island is a solidly done mystery, perfect for curling up with over the weekend or when you need a cozy mystery to lose yourself in.