Rosie Winter is bursting at the seams with personality, much like her creator local author Kathryn Miller Haines.

Rosie finds herself in decidedly stickier situations as an actress and part-time detective in the 1940s than Kathryn finds as a contemporary actress and writer, but the two are fairly similar.

Readers can meet Blackridge resident Kathryn during a publication party for her second novel, "The Winter of Her Discontent," at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont on Friday, June 27, from 7 p.m. to 9.

Meeting Rosie is just as easy. She made her debut in Kathryn's first novel, "The War Against Miss Winter." Both novels in the Rosie Winter Mystery Series were published by Harper Collins.

The series, which will feature at least two more books, begins in World War II New York City where Rosie -- a nod to Rosie the Riveter and Rosalind Russell, an Oscar-nominated actress from the same time period -- is an aspiring actress and amateur sleuth.

The overriding mystery that keeps Rosie's attention throughout the series is the fate of her boyfriend who shipped out with the Navy and hasn't been heard from since. Of course, there are other mysteries that keep this dame busy while she waits.

Kathryn didn't start out as a mystery author; she became one thanks to a writing exercise she imposed on herself to build up her plot-development skills. Combining a successful experiment with a love of all things 1940s led to the birth of Rosie Winters.

"I was always really interested in World War II," says Kathryn. "I wanted to take a female artist in that period to see how the war affected her, not only as a woman, but as an artist, to see the impact the war had on the theater."

The time and setting was a dream for Kathryn, who found ready-made stories just waiting to be written, such as Broadway's mobster funding source. Rosie's best friend and fellow actress, Jayne Hamilton, is dating a mobster.

Rosie's world required a lot of research and Kathryn says she probably did a little too much in preparation for the first book.

"The Winter of Her Discontent" takes place in the same setting a few months later, so Kathryn already knew 1943 New York well, which was a good thing because she had considerably less time to write the sequel.

She always envisioned Rosie's story as a series, but Kathryn didn't want to write the sequel before selling the original. When the two-book deal came, she had to present "The Winter of Her Discontent" in six months.

She got a lot of help from local writers' groups that meet to critique the members' work.

"It was really useful to get feedback and not to write in a vacuum," she said. "Mostly I go in already knowing there is a problem and they confirm it. I got help from people who were picking it up cold (without reading the first book), which was very helpful."

After the second book, Kathryn wrote a stand-alone contemporary suspense novel. The as-yet unpublished story is set in the rare book world, which Kathryn is familiar with through her day job as an archivist and librarian for the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh.

She's been with the Center for 14 years, since she moved from San Antonio with Garrett, who is now her husband. She moved to Pittsburgh to get a master's of fine arts degree at Pitt and Garrett, a Latrobe native, went to Carnegie Mellon University for graduate school.

Rosie's third book is already in the hands of Kathryn's publisher. The new book deal continues through at least book number four.

The third book was more difficult for Kathryn as Rosie leaves New York for a new, needed-to-be researched setting and the mysterious fate of her boyfriend is nearly resolved.

"There are so many weird stories in the war and interesting areas to explore," she says.

"I want to give Rosie an opportunity to work in the munitions industry and maybe go to Los Angeles. There is a lot of stuff I'm interested in learning about that is more obscure than most know about."

The as-yet-untitled book will hit shelves June 2009 and book number four, which isn't written yet, will be ready for a June 2010 release.

In the meantime, Kathryn keeps busy as actress and artistic director of Mystery's Most Wanted, a murder mystery dinner theater group in Pittsburgh. The group performs original comedic mysteries at regular venues and private shows.

Kathryn is an award-winning playwright and one of the group's writers.

This week's Mystery Lovers Bookshop publication party will offer fans and first-time Rosie readers a chance to dress in 1940s garb and mingle with Kathryn and other local authors. Costumes are not required but snacking and conversations are encouraged.

For more information on the event or to RSVP, visit online at www.kathrynmillerhaines.com or www.mysterylovers.com, or call the store at 412-828-4877.