In twelve days, my new novel, Accidental Allies, will be released by The Wild Rose Press. Today, I’m wrapping up my series of character spotlights to introduce readers to the main characters, their storylines, and a little about what inspires them.
Dawson Michaels is another fresh character to the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, and he was one of those characters who started out as a minor one but then just kept growing. As I researched downtown Orlando around the courthouse that’s besieged in the novel, I found a diner right across from it. I figured that’d be a good setting to implement in the plot, where the detectives would interview the owner and attempt to collect leads.
With the book centering on allies, I saw this as another opportunity to pay homage to an ally of mine, like I did with Gus Channing. Ironically enough, one of my classmate’s family owns a local diner, so plugging him into this role seemed like a natural fit. Since picking a name is always a challenge, I took the easy route and flipped his easily transposable name, Michael Dawson, into Dawson Michaels. I figured my hometown readers would get a kick out of the cameo.
Given Mike and I went to school together, Dawson and Minka attended the police academy together. In their interactions, I sought to capture that ease you feel when you run into an old friend and how you can just fall right back into your regular patter, regardless of how much time has passed between meetings. Because of the difficult obstacles Minka faces throughout the plot, I also wanted her to have a bit of reassurance in her talent and value, as Mike’s extended to me over the years despite his busy schedule with his large family.
In the process, Dawson took on a life of his own, proving to be an astute investigator even though he no longer wears a police badge. To fill you in more about his contribution to the case, here’s a fictitious news article that doesn’t appear in the book.
Former Police Officer Aids Bombing Investigation
By Doreen Packard
Dawson Michaels, owner of City Diner, stepped away from the Brevard County Sheriff Department eight years ago because he deemed the career too dangerous in view of his growing family. When part of the courthouse neighboring the diner exploded, he learned no job is guaranteed to be risk-free.
“We’re just thankful we were closed when the blast happened,” Michaels states. “The building sustained some damage to the front exterior, but repairs are already underway.”
Michaels reports that he’d been at the diner just before the bombing, waiting on a late delivery. By the time he returned home, the chaos was unfolding on the news. While assessing the damage the next morning, detectives arrived to interview him, and he received a surprise in the form of an old friend.
“Detective Avery and I graduated from the academy together. I knew she used to serve with OPD, but I didn’t realize she’d returned,” he says. “Having her at the helm of the investigation reinforced my confidence in the police to get to the bottom of this.”
According to sources, several leads have taken Detectives Avery and Hart back to the diner. Michaels reluctantly admits he’s assisted with the investigation.
Michaels declined to elaborate on the details of the insight he’s provided, but he maintains that he believes the detectives will carry out justice.
“From the little I’ve observed, the detectives have done their due diligence to identify the responsible parties,” Michaels concludes. “I suspect they’re closer to the truth than many think.”
Will Dawson’s tips lead the detectives
to the truth?
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Also See
Character Spotlight: Minka Avery
KarinaBartow.com 
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