Authors promote new works about pastries and pets at Vancouver events

A pair of notable new books by local authors will bring murderous pastries and planet-minded pet parents to Vancouver next week.

First comes Ellie Alexander, whose real name is Kate Dyer-Seeley. She’s a central Vancouver writing machine whose 17th murder mystery novel is really quite tasty — it’s the latest in her “Bakeshop Mystery” series, set in Southern Oregon’s theater mecca, Ashland. That quaint town doesn’t sound like the site of major intrigue, but Dyer-Seeley has cooked up eight bakeshop mysteries starring artisan pastry chef Jules Capshaw, who thought she was going to have a quiet life helping run the family patisserie.

But murder keeps finding its way to Capshaw, in books with names such as “A Batter of Life and Death” and “Another One Bites the Crust.” This time, in “Till Death do us Tart,” it’s a poisoned cup of wedding party wine that Capshaw discovers was meant for her.

To celebrate Bakeshop Mystery No. 8 in appropriately sweet spirit, Dyer-Seeley will host a book launch at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the new Tod and Maxine McClaskey Culinary Institute, the home of Clark College’s Cuisine Management and Baking and Pastry Arts programs. You can buy a book and meet the author as well as the Culinary Institute’s staff, take in baking demonstrations and tours of the state-of-the-art facility — including a production kitchen, retail bakery, dining room and more — and, of course, taste some great baked goods.

Under various pen names as well as her own, Dyer-Seeley has made a cottage industry out of writing what are known as “cozy” (that is, not too gritty or violent) murder mysteries set in this region. In addition to the Bakeshop series, she’s got a “Rose City” series set at a flower shop in Portland; a “Pacific Northwest” series starring a hapless recreation reporter; and another series starring “Sloan Krause,” a Leavenworth brewmaster.

Pets and the planet

Then, on July 21, Clark County author and eco-activist — and dog lover — Stephanie Feldstein comes to Vancouver’s Vintage Books to introduce a new book that brings together her passion for pets and for saving our planet.

“The Animal Lover’s Guide to Changing the World: Practical Advice and Everyday Actions for a More Sustainable, Humane, and Compassionate Planet” is Feldstein’s simple, hands-on guide to transforming yourself from a pet lover into an animal advocate (even if you’re not ready to give up bacon, as the marketing materials say).

The book features pointers on everything from tweaking your own lifestyle habits and cutting down on consumer pet waste, to becoming politically active and networking with other conscience-driven pet owners.

“I’ve been an animal lover my whole life,” said Feldstein, who lives in Clark County and works as the director of the Population and Sustainability program at the Center for Biological Diversity, a national organization based in Arizona.

“Ever since I started realizing where furs and fur coats came from, and then where the food on my plate came from, I’ve become more and more concerned about my impact on animals,” she said. And she keeps running into animal lovers who profess good intentions but seem baffled as to how they can work toward a greener world for their pets. Other than giving up bacon, of course.

“There are so many things we can do. We make choices every single day that affect animals,” Feldstein said. That’s why she wrote the book: “I wanted to help people make that connection, between the little things we do” and the large effects they have, she said.

The book includes small tips such as using less water and buying less plastic packaging, she said. And it includes large suggestions such as supporting social services and family planning for an overpopulated planet.

“Having compassion toward humans is really an important part of being compassionate toward animals,” Feldstein said. “A kinder world for people will be a kinder world for animals, too.”