Author

Peggy Gaffney

 

Peggy Gaffney brings a wealth of experience to her Kate Killoy mystery novels. She has spent over fifty years as an exhibitor/breeder/trainer of Samoyed dogs. Her dogs have earned fame by winning the Samoyed National, going Best in Show at the International, and even being the first BIS Samoyed in the country of Mexico. She’s added champions and performance-titled dogs to her line over the years, but for her, the greatest value of her Samoyeds is as companions. This has given her a wealth of material for her books. 

As a child, Peggy would write, essays and poetry which her teachers would have published in national anthologies. When she got to college, she joined a group of about ten students all of whom wanted to be writers, and for the next four years, got the best writing education imaginable under the tutelage of her advisor and professor, Walter Tevis. He was the author of the HUSTLER, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT, and  other best sellers. He was a hard taskmaster, but after four years of being asked to produce multiple stories a week, he told us we could be writers.  

Though Peggy’s careers were mainly as a teacher or a librarian, she constantly used her writing skills. After retiring from those careers, she made extra income designing picture knit sweaters and accessories for dog lovers to wear. This career that morphed into writing a dozen knitting books on the topic. She finally got to return to writing fiction when she sat down and created her first Kate Killoy Mystery, FASHION GOES TO THE DOGS. Her protagonists, were each a product of an unusual childhood that kept them on the outside of what society considers normal upbringing. However, now as adults this creates a pair of fascinating characters who can not only use their backgrounds to stop crime and make the country and their friends safe but also are perfect for each other. The eighth book in the series is due out in fall 2022.

Peggy lives in Connecticut with two Samoyeds, named for the main characters in the series, Dillon and Quinn. Since she designs the book’s covers, the Samoyeds pictured there are all hers. At her book signings, many readers, after telling her how much they enjoy the series, often ask for dog grooming tips and handling advice.