Death by Trombone

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Annette Drake

Today I welcome mystery author, Rebecca M. Douglass, to talk about Death by Trombone, the second installment in her Pismawallops PTA mystery series. Welcome, Rebecca.

Why do you write cozy mysteries?
I have been reading cozy mysteries for years, so when I set out to write a mystery it was natural that it would be a cozy. That also fits with my sense of humor — I just can’t take things too seriously, so I wasn’t likely to pull off a thriller or even a good police procedural. I like to keep the tone light, and I like reading books where the setting, people, and community are as important as the mystery, so that’s the kind of book I try to write.

Please tell us about your book. What ideas or images inspired this novel?
Death By Trombone is the second book in the Pismawallops PTA mystery series, so the main characters and setting were developed with Death By Ice Cream. Writing about a PTA was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek answer to the constant advice to “write what you know,” as at that time I was fully immersed in running a PTA (a task for which I’m not really any better suited than JJ MacGregor is). Pismawallops Island is in part based on Vashon Island, the Puget Sound “Rock” where I grew up.
The idea for DBT came from the title, which I’m pretty sure I selected just because it was a bit absurd. Having the title, I simply went looking around my brain for a trombonist, and the rest followed! JJ struggles with her impulse to investigate, because she knows it can be dangerous, and she’s a single mom. She is also at least half in love with the police chief, so if she forgets she shouldn’t be interfering, he’s always willing to remind her. But as she herself would say, things just happen to her, and she can’t ignore them, can she?

Do you have an ideal reader in mind when you write? If so, please describe that reader.
I don’t think I have an ideal reader in mind, exactly. I do keep a certain type of audience in mind, as much as anything to keep me from wandering too far into non-cozy situations (violence, cursing, or sex). My mom (I admit it!) is in many ways that audience, and I sometimes run things by her to see if I’ve gone too far. Because this is a series about a PTA, I’m also thinking of the PTA parents who often share the same frustrations as JJ and her friend Kitty: the difficulty of finding volunteers, too many expectations, and the way that kind of work can keep drawing you in deeper. On reflection, that pretty much explains how JJ got started sleuthing, too!

Please describe your writing routine.
I wish! On an ideal day (I’m pretty sure I’ve had one of those, sometime), I would see the kid out the door at about 7:20, finish my breakfast and read the paper, and at 8:00 start working. I’d work for 2-3 hours, break for a workout and lunch, and then go to my job at the library. Evenings are for social media.
What really happens is that I have to run to the grocery store after breakfast, and then I just have to peek at Facebook, and someone wrote a great trip report on the backpacking forum where I hang out, and I need to run a load of laundry and bake some bread and… I do usually try to work for 1-2 hours each morning on writing or editing, and to spend some time at Goodreads and reading and commenting on other people’s blogs each day.

What advice do you give new writers just starting out?
Read. Read, read, read! And write. If you haven’t internalized English grammar, read more, and study it, because having the mechanics come without thinking really helps. Read in your genre and in others, including at least some of the time in genres you don’t really like. Pick a book in your genre that you like and dissect it — re-read, listen to the audio, figure out why you like it, and what works or doesn’t work. And write a lot. Don’t expect your first novel to be any good, but do finish and revise it. That’s all part of learning the craft. Finally, if you don’t enjoy the process, and I mean most of it (we all have something we struggle over), then it probably isn’t for you. Writing is unlikely to make you rich, so you need to love it.

More about Death by Trombone:
JJ MacGregor’s very bad day has just gotten a lot worse.
JJ thought starting the day without coffee was a disaster, but now there’s a dead musician behind the Pismawallops High School gym. His trombone is missing, and something about the scene is off key. JJ and Police Chief Ron Karlson are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, but will they be able to work harmoniously or will discord ruin the investigation? With the music teacher as the prime suspect, JJ could be left to conduct the band, and then graduation might truly end in a death by trombone, or at least the murder of Pomp and Circumstance!

Grab your copy here: [amazon text=Amazon&asin=B019HK8VI6]

How to connect with Rebecca:
Website: http://www.ninjalibrarian.com
Email address: Rebecca.douglass@ninjalibrarian.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaDouglassNinjaLibrarian/
Twitter: Douglass_RM

Other places to buy Death by Trombone:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/601273

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-trombone-rebecca-m-douglass/1123153621?ean=2940152530179

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A Muddied Murder

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Annette Drake

Author Wendy Tyson visits my blog today to talk about her new mystery novel, A Muddied Murder. Welcome, Wendy!

Why do you write fiction?
I write because in a sense I have to. It’s my favorite form of expression and a therapy of sorts. I write because I want to connect with other people, and the written word is the most direct, lasting, efficient way I’ve found to communicate with others. I write because I am in awe of language and the power of words. I write fiction because I love it. Probably like most of your readers, I’ve been a voracious reader since I can remember. My mother used to kick me out of the house (“put that book away and get some fresh air!”) because I always had a novel in my hands. It feels only natural to write fiction. I relish the challenge of using an imaginary story as a vehicle for communication and entertainment—and writing mysteries is particularly enjoyable. Each mystery is a puzzle, as much fun to create as to solve.

Please tell us about your book. What ideas or images inspired this novel?
A Muddied Murder, the first novel in the Greenhouse Mystery Series, was inspired by a personal hobby and a trip to North Carolina. My husband and I are passionate organic gardeners. We live on a four-season micro-farm in the Philadelphia suburbs, grow most of our own produce, and a few years ago, we started an urban farm. I’d long been thinking about a way to incorporate gardening/farming into my novels. One day, during a book signing in a small town in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, I had the idea to set an organic farming series in a small Pennsylvania town, a town similar to the one I had been visiting. The more I thought about the project, the more excited I became. I’d spent my childhood in the kitchens and gardens of my grandmothers, and, later, at my husband’s grandparents’ rural homestead. What better way to pay homage to those family members than a cozy about farming, sustainable agriculture and slow food? I couldn’t wait to get started, and A Muddied Murder was born.

Do you have an ideal reader in mind when you write? If so, please describe that reader.
I don’t really keep an ideal reader in mind while I write. I’d like to think that anyone can enjoy my mysteries. That said, I think the new Greenhouse series will especially appeal to people who enjoy mysteries with a colorful cast of characters (including animals), set in a small town. If they love gardening and/or “real” food? A bonus!

Please tell us about your writing routine.
I work full-time and have three kids, so I have to take advantage of any free moment I get to write or promote my books. Right now, I write largely in the mornings. I typically get up early, around five, and write for an hour or two before work. At night, I log on to Facebook and Twitter and attend to social media.
If I’m in the midst of a revision, or it’s crunch time for a book deadline, all bets are off. I use weekends, my lunch hour, PTO days — whatever it takes to finish the book.

What advice do you give new writers just starting out?
My best advice is that if you want to be a writer, you need to write. Develop the habit of writing. There is no getting around the fact that you must write often and regularly. And stick with it. Don’t wait for inspiration. You have to foster inspiration, coax it out of its shell, make it come to you. Too often I see new writers focus on research, outlining, how to get published — anything but the act of writing itself. Stop making excuses and get that first draft done.

More about A Muddied Murder:
When Megan Sawyer gives up her big-city law career to care for her grandmother and run the family’s organic farm and café, she expects to find peace and tranquility in her scenic hometown of Winsome, Pennsylvania. Instead, her goat goes missing, rain muddies her fields, the town denies her business permits, and her family’s Colonial-era farm sucks up the remains of her savings.
Just when she thinks she’s reached the bottom of the rain barrel, Megan and the town’s hunky veterinarian discover the local zoning commissioner’s battered body in her barn. Now Megan is thrust into the middle of a murder investigation—and she’s the chief suspect. Can Megan dig through small-town secrets, local politics, and old grievances in time to find a killer before that killer strikes again?

Grab your copy here: [amazon text=Amazon&asin=B01A1I8J6W]
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More about Wendy:
Wendy Tyson is an author, lawyer and former therapist whose background has inspired her mysteries and thrillers. Wendy’s latest novel, Dying Brand, the third Allison Campbell mystery, was released in May 2015. The first Campbell novel, Killer Image, was named a best mystery for book clubs in 2014 by Examiner.com. Wendy is also the author of The Greenhouse Mystery Series, the first of which, A Muddied Murder, premiered March 29. Wendy and her husband are passionate organic gardeners. They live with their three boys and three dogs on a micro-farm just outside of Philadelphia.

How to connect with Wendy:

Author website: http://www.watyson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendytysonauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyTyson

Pinterest: Greenhouse Mystery Series: https://www.pinterest.com/henerypress/greenhouse-mystery-series/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7132379.Wendy_Tyson?from_search=true&search_version=service

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Secrets in the Stones

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Annette Drake

Today, I profile author Tessa Harris and her newest mystery, Secrets in the Stones.

Within the mysteries of the body, especially those who have been murdered, 18th-century anatomist Dr. Thomas Silkstone specializes in uncovering the tell-tale clues that lead towards justice…
Newly released from the notorious asylum known as Bedlam, Lady Lydia Farrell finds herself in an equally terrifying position – as a murder suspect – when she stumbles upon the mutilated body of Sir Montagu Malthus in his study at Boughton Hall.
Meanwhile Dr. Thomas Silkstone has been injured in a duel with a man who may or may not have committed the grisly deed of which Lydia is accused. Despite his injury, Thomas hopes to clear his beloved’s good name by conducting a postmortem on the victim. With a bit of detective work, he learns that Montagu’s throat was slit by no ordinary blade, but a ceremonial Sikh dagger from India – a clue that may be connected to the fabled lost mines of Golconda.
From the mysterious disappearance of a cursed diamond buried with Lydia’s dead husband, to the undying legend of a hidden treasure map, Thomas must follow a trail of foreign dignitaries, royal agents – and even more victims – to unveil the sinister and shocking secrets in the stones.

Grab your copy here: [amazon text=Amazon&asin=B00Y6RB0SY]

Since leaving Oxford University with a History degree, Tessa Harris has been a journalist and editor, contributing to many national publications such as The Times and The Telegraph. She has also acted as a literary publicist for several well-known authors. Readers can visit her website at tessaharrisauthor.com.

Would you like to win a print copy of this novel? Me too! But I can’t. But you can. Just comment on this blog post, and your name will be entered to win. The print copy will be mailed to your home address, but don’t put that in your comment. Just your name. I will find you! (My mascot is a basset hound, after all!)

Between Good and Evil

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Annette Drake

Today, I welcome R. Michael Phillips to talk about his novel, Between Good and Evil. I really enjoyed this interview, and I hope you do too. Welcome, Michael!

Why do you write fiction?
Fiction is, and always has been, a great escape from the demands and sometimes drudgery of our everyday lives. Before there were movies, or TV, or Smartphones, there were books. Books filled with stories of faraway lands, colorful characters, or worlds far beyond our own. The authors of these books allowed an individual to experience other cultures or different periods in time. They brought romance into some lives and mystery into others. They introduced us to Pip and Mrs. Havisham, Holmes and Watson, Mr. Darcy, Scarlett O’Hara, and so many more leading to current favorites like Harry Potter, Jesse Stone, and Katniss Everdeen. Characters so real we feel we’ve known them forever.
So, why do I write fiction? Having the ability to create a character, develop a story around them, and then present them to readers is one of the most creatively rewarding things you can do. Over the course of writing the new Auburn Notch series I’ve developed a few new characters that I hope readers will come to love or hate as I do. I’m just finishing the second book in the series, so I’ve gotten to know these characters pretty well. My reward for doing this is hearing what my readers think of them.

Please tell us about your book. What ideas or images inspired this novel?
Between Good And Evil is the first book in my new Auburn Notch Mysteries. The book introduces Sheriff Promise Flynn, an overly impulsive Metro Detective whose disregard for procedure finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch. What she wasn’t expecting were her troubles following her there.
Promise is a combination of the personalities of two people I met years ago. My recollection of them was so strong that when it came time to develop a main character for the new series I drew from those memories. With a little creative license I added something extra to her background, darkening the past enough to add a mysterious note to an otherwise outwardly carefree appearance. We all have skeletons in our closets; it’s when they choose to rattle their bones that make our lives interesting.
As for the town of Auburn Notch? I spent many years in New Hampshire, skiing, hiking, and just enjoying the scenery and the hospitality of the wonderful New Englanders. I still look forward to every trip back there. There is genuineness to the towns I spent time in and the people who make up those towns. It was an easy choice for a setting when I was putting together the series. I believe location is so important to any story that it should be treated like a character. The setting has to make sense of the events.

Do you have an ideal reader in mind when you write? If so, please describe that reader.
I’ve read mysteries all my life, so the progression to writing them seemed to just happen. The readers I hope will enjoy my books are readers quite like myself — people who enjoy whodunits with quirky characters, surprising plot twists, and Aha! moments peppered in throughout the book. They enjoy a good puzzle and get to the answer right along with the main character. The Auburn Notch Mysteries are a little darker than my Ernie Bisquets Mysteries; they’re English cozies. The new series has a bit more suspense to it, something I hope my readers will enjoy as much as I do writing it.

Please describe your writing routine.
I have, since I first opened my laptop and typed the first words of my first book some 10 years ago, devote all day Saturday to writing. Whether it’s one paragraph, one chapter, or research for certain technical aspects of the book, I devote 8-10 hours every Saturday to writing. This is not to say I don’t throw together notes and plot ideas during the week, because I do. I’m constantly jotting down ideas, dropping them off on my desk all week long. But when Saturday comes, I hit the keys hard and stay at it all day. My family is very supportive, which I appreciate immensely. I think the key to writing is establishing a routine and sticking to it. I talk to other writers all the time who write just about every day. They all tell me the same thing — they get distracted and don’t get as much done as they hoped. Treat writing like a job; set hours and be there on time.

What advice do you give writers just starting their careers?
There are many stumbling blocks along the way when writing your first book, too many to really mention but none that you can’t overcome. Along with those you should remember, there are no magic formulas. If you follow a few basic steps it will take the pain out of writing that first novel. First, get the story out of your head and into a basic book form. This is your first draft. It will be short, terrible, and an editor’s nightmare, but it will at least be a story. Second, go back to the beginning and start fleshing out your characters, cleaning up the plot, and correcting grammar. Done correctly, this should significantly increase your word count along with polishing your book. Third, hire an editor to check the entire book. This can be done relatively inexpensively, and should be looked at as an investment in your work. This is important, so don’t skip this step. If you want to be taken as a serious writer, a polished manuscript will speak volumes. From here you start the query process and the next book. A good query is just as important as the book itself. It is the first impression an agent/publisher will have of you and your work. Make it count. I highly suggest a query-writing seminar. There are a lot of good ones out there. While the query process is going on, get the next book started. Don’t be surprised if the second book is hands-down better than the first, it happens more than you think.

More about Between Good and Evil:
Years after the Willis Asylum closed, the secrets of its past lingered in its decaying halls as a reminder to the good people of Auburn Notch. When Evil closes a door, he opens a window. Sheriff Promise Flynn was new to the town, and she was about to find out some windows should never be opened.
Promise Flynn is an overly impulsive Metro Detective whose disregard for procedure finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch—a favorite vacation spot of her youth. For two years everything was idyllic, until the body of a young girl found in the abandoned asylum outside of town awakens the insecurities she thought her new life would insulate her from.
As the new Sheriff she begins her investigation refusing to accept the similarities between the young woman’s death and her own case, oblivious to being unexpectedly recognized and penciled in at the top of a clever murderer’s To-Do list. Her internal struggle intensifies when a discredited crime reporter from the past suspiciously arrives in town to resurrect his threadbare reputation, along with an FBI agent chasing down a lead in a cold case. Both men quickly become entangled in Flynn’s investigation and her attempts to finally put her past to rest.
Flynn reluctantly accepts the murder of the young girl might be the work of the two men responsible for her hasty departure from Chicago, but Agent MacGregor insists the evidence points to a man he’s been chasing. As the rising current of her past threatens to pull her under, Flynn finds herself unprepared for option three.

Grab your copy here: [amazon text=Amazon&asin=B01B12YPTC]

Michael Phillips is a classically trained artist turned mystery writer. By combining his creative talents with a passion for mysteries he conceived his first series—The Ernie Bisquets Mysteries. It introduced Ernie Bisquets, a retired London pickpocket who decided he was going to assist the London police with their most difficult cases, whether they want his help or not. Michael has completed three books in the series, and has plans for at least five additional books.

Michael travels a bit, especially to Great Britain, but also has a fondness for New England. He spent many winters in the shadow of the White Mountains, skiing and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Those fond memories are the backdrop now for the new Auburn Notch Mysteries being published by Sunbury Press. The main character is Sheriff Promise Flynn—an ex-metro detective who left a dark past and her big-city detective shield behind and moved to a small New England town. What follows is anything but therapeutic.

When not painting or writing Michael is an avid antique collector, filling his current home — an 1894 Queen Ann Victorian he is restoring with his wife and son — with an assortment of antiques from around the world. Michael also enjoys cooking, working in the garden, and playing in the yard with their two rescues, Beau and Pup.

How to connect with Michael:

Website:
http://www.rmichaelphillips.com/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/R-Michael-Phillips-104782886282707/?ref=tn_tnmn

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995205.R_Michael_Phillips

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/rmpbook

A Fifer’s Blog:
http://rmichael-fifer.blogspot.com

Death by Sunken Treasure

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Annette Drake

Author Kait Carson is visiting my blog today to talk about her newest book, Death by Sunken Treasure. Welcome, Kait!

Florida, where the rules are different.
Both of my mystery series are based in Florida. The Catherine Swope series is set in the greater Miami area. The Hayden Kent series is based in the fabulous Florida Keys.
Florida is a state of contrasts and a state of mind. Glance at a map of the United States. Down there, deep in the Southeast, is the Florida peninsula. Now keep following the coastline. Dribbling from the end of the peninsula is a series of buff-colored bumps connected by a skinny road and a number of bridges. At the very end of the trail, Key West. Some say that when you run out of places to go, you end up in Key West. That was probably true at one time, heaven knows the place has (and has had) far more than its fair share of eccentrics.
Take the lone road north from Key West and you’ll soon come to Miami. A thriving metropolis, the financial center of the tropical south where life and business is conducted with a Latin accent. Eccentrics who don’t get all the way to Key West roost in Miami. It’s a place of reinvention. No one delves too deeply into the past. A fall from grace elsewhere can be a leg up in this last bastion of free enterprise and the American dream.
Leave the tri-County area of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and you’ve left the tropics. The East Coast continues through largely sleepy beach towns until you arrive in Jacksonville, the insurance capital of Florida. Venture through the center of the state (avoiding the mouseland of Disney) and you’ll find the Deep South. Central Florida is a place of cattle ranches and orange groves. Accents here bring with them the soft drawl of the South and the taste of sweet tea. Follow the west coast to the big bend (try to skip Tampa – another big city in the State) and you’ll meet more cracker than conch. Yes, it’s a state of contrasts.
For a writer, Florida quickly becomes a character in the story. The state has so much of its own energy it won’t be ignored. Hayden Kent in both Death by Blue Water and Death by Sunken Treasure knows that life can change in an instant in the Keys. Living in an area with one road in and out, that is subject to blinding rainstorms, hurricanes, floods, and the ever-present threat of waterspouts, tornadoes, and lately, earthquakes, keeps you humble. Life is always at the mercy of the weather. God had a sense of humor when he made the Keys. Like the gorgeous Angel Trumpet plant that grows everywhere in the tropics, it is beautiful, but deadly.
Hayden is doubly aware of the danger. She’s a SCUBA diver, often visiting underwater wrecks and dive sites in excess of one hundred feet below the surface. It’s a dangerous place for the uninitiated. And it’s where Hayden has found not only bodies, but almost her own death. Only Hayden’s training and skill at the sport have saved her. As she says in Death by Sunken Treasure, “If the sea wants you, then no amount of skill will matter.” She will tell you that it’s underwater that she feels most alive and she returns to the underwater environment again and again. Even though she knows, underwater, no one can hear you scream.
Readers, do you feel drawn to a book that uses the setting as an integral part of the story? Writers, do you use setting as a character?

More about Death by Sunken Treasure:
When Hayden Kent’s mentor and friend discovers her son Mike’s dead body, dressed in full scuba attire, washed up on Pigeon Key, she needs Hayden. Her paralegal and dive skills may help unravel the tragedy of Mike’s last days. He’d recently discovered a sunken Spanish galleon and rumors that he hit the mother lode ran through the Keys like wildfire.
Hayden’s dive on the treasure site uncovers gold, and clues that Mike’s death was something far more sinister than an accident. When two different wills, both signed the day Mike died, are delivered to the courthouse, the suspect list grows, as do the threats against her. The danger escalates as she tries to save herself, discover the motive, and find the killer.

About Kait:
Kait Carson spent a lifetime living and working in the tropical paradise of south Florida. She opted for a day job as a paralegal, practicing in the world of high-end estates and probate litigation. Legal pads give way to a keyboard in the evening and Kait spins tales of murder and mayhem set in the steamy Florida heat. Like her protagonist, Hayden Kent, Kait is an accomplished SCUBA diver. She lives with her husband, six rescue cats and three tropical birds at an airpark in Florida. Not too far from the water.

How to connect with Kait:

Website: http://www.kaitcarson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/kaitcarsonauthor
Twitter – @kaitcarson
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5769655.Kait_Carson

Grab your copy of Death by Sunken Treasure here:
[amazon text=Amazon&asin=B01A1HZ6U0]

For those who want to read series in order, here’s where to grab a copy of the first installment, Death by Blue Water:
[amazon text=Amazon&asin=B00N11OD80]

Those Who Walk in Darkness

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Annette Drake

Authors Joyce and Jim Lavene are revisiting my blog today to talk about their newest release, Those Who Walk in Darkness. Welcome back!

Why do you write cozy mysteries?
I like to write about criminals getting their comeuppance and not thinking about all the gore that goes into other type of mysteries.

Please tell us about your book. What ideas or images inspired this novel?
My daughters worked at Pinkerton and brought home a video of how the company began. Then Joyce and I thought what if and it took off from there.

Do you have an ideal reader in mind when you write? If so, please describe that reader.
I guess any author would like a reader to enjoy what they write and want to read all of their books.

Please describe your writing routine.
I start out at six writing for an hour. Eat breakfast then take the grandkids to school. When I get back I make a latte, then write until noon. After that it’s basically revision time and promo work.

What advice do you give new writers just starting out?
Know what you want to write and be persistent about it. Never give up on your dream. If you want it bad enough, you will achieve it.

More about Those Who Walk in Darkness:
Three years ago, Julia Jackson was a well to do young woman from Boston whose fiancé, Jonathon, was killed right before her eyes. Obsessed with finding the killer, a man whose face she saw only in a flash as he walked up and shot Jonathon, she leaves her family and her life behind. She starts a new life as ‘Jacks’ Jackson—a cigar smoking, dead eye, female Pinkerton agent…pretending to be a man.
Now Allan Pinkerton needs Jacks to find the man who kidnapped the wife and son of a railroad official, David Boyd. Their only clues are the severed finger from the man’s wife, complete with wedding ring, and a map of the Qualla boundary, the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina.
Jacks doesn’t like the way the whole thing sounds from the beginning. David Boyd isn’t important enough to target for a kidnapping. And why travel so far with two hostages?
But Pinkerton tells her that he believes the man responsible for the kidnapping worked with Jonathon’s murderer in a train robbery five years ago. Jacks agrees to go after the kidnapper with hopes of catching him before he can reach his home grounds.
Pinkerton insists that Jacks bring three men with her—Boyd, her new partner, and a Cherokee guide named Running Wolf, who’s always watching her, like he’s trying to figure it out.
Can Jacks catch the kidnapper with her secret — and her life — intact?

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

Webpage – http://www.joyceandjimlavene.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene

Amazon – http://amazon.com/author/jlavene

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene

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Plateful of Murder

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Annette Drake

Welcome author Carole Fowkes!

Why do you write fiction?
I write fiction because I adore letting my imagination run wild. It’s the one time I don’t have to be a responsible adult.

Please tell us about your newest release. What ideas or images inspired this story?
My latest release, Plateful of Murder, is the first book in the Terrified Detective series. It’s about a young woman, Claire DeNardo, who is afraid of many things but becomes a private investigator because she can’t find a decent job in her field of mass communications. In spite of being fearful, she finds herself drawn into solving murders. The idea for the series came about when a friend and I were discussing careers. My friend asked me how I’d feel about being a private investigator and my response was, “I’d be terrified.” Thus the series was created.

Do you have an ideal reader in mind when you write? If so, please describe that reader.
I hope my books appeal to a broad range of readers. If I had to describe an ideal reader, though, that reader would have a good sense of humor and appreciate irony. This reader would also love food, especially chocolate, because it’s what keeps Claire going.

Please describe your writing routine.
I usually start writing early in the morning and go until my stomach growls, which it does around 7 a.m. After breakfast I continue writing until late morning. By then, other aspects of my life need attention. During this time away from writing, I allow my words from the morning to “stew.” After dinner I pick up where I left off on my project and write for another couple hours. Also, I don’t plot ahead, preferring to “ad lib.”

What advice do you give to authors just starting their journey?
My advice is to keep at it. The more you write, the better you’ll get. Also, if at all possible, join a writers’ group. I’m part of one and attend every week. The advice and encouragement of other authors is of immense value and can push you through a tough scene or a rejection. That brings me to my last bit of advice. Rejections are part of the game and everyone receives them. If writing is your dream, don’t let one or 100 rejections cause you to give that dream up.

More about Plateful of Murder:
Private Detective Claire DeNardo is afraid of everything. Simple things like balloons, roller coasters, and hairpieces make her knees knock loud enough to be a band’s rhythm section. Unfortunately, the only job Claire can find is working for her Uncle Gino in his seedy detective agency. Until now, her cases have all been middle-aged men with trophy wives who needed watching. But Claire gets swept up in a murder case despite being afraid of conflict, bodily harm, and hurting anyone’s feelings. She enlists a jaded security guard, Ed, to help her. But when Ed is attacked and left comatose, Claire must stumble along by herself. Both the client who hired her and the handsome police detective want her off the case. When the wrong person is charged, it’s up to the terrified detective, to summon all the courage she can to find the true killer.

How to connect with Carole:

http://www.carolefowkes.com

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https://www.goodreads.com/carolefowkes

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City of Gold

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Annette Drake

Today, author Carolyn Arnold talks about her mystery novel, City of Gold.

What inspired you to write City of Gold?
A while back, I was searching for an action-adventure book to read, and I quickly noticed that most stories in the genre start off at a point long ago in history with people who never enter the story again after an initial prologue. But I wanted to read something more in the vein of Indiana Jones, that started in the present day, with action right from the start that just keeps going. Who doesn’t remember the boulder scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indy is running for his life? Now, that’s what I’m going for!

You are primarily a mystery author. Why did you decide to write an action adventure?
I’m not sure whether I actually decided or was simply inspired. It is such a mysterious place, and people can’t seem to decide whether the city is fact or legend. The child in all of us wants to believe that a place like the City of Gold exists, but the grown-up in us tends to squash that curiosity. So when mine was piqued, I wanted to try my hand at going on an adventure along with my characters.

What were some challenges you faced while writing the book?
As a mystery author who specializes in police procedurals, I found it hard to let myself go. With my regular genre, there are procedures that I need to follow. I need to know how real-life detectives and FBI agents would handle an investigation, how the forensics work, et cetera. So when it came to writing about what is, at this point, a fictional city, it was hard to open my creative mind. It almost felt like I had to literally discover the city in order to write about it. But with all the research and resources on Paititi — and some of it conflicting — I had to decide for myself what bits to incorporate into my story. I had to remind myself that I’m a storyteller, not a professor.

Tell us about the characters.
Twenty-nine-year-old Matthew Connor is the son of Toronto’s mayor, and while he’s educated in archeology, you won’t find him on excavations. His passion is hunting down treasure and legends the world has all but forgotten. While he feels the need to hide his true occupation from his father, this secret affects more than only him. Matthew’s two closest friends, Robyn and Cal, travel the globe with him and put their lives at risk to secure priceless artifacts.

What can readers expect from this book? This series?
City of Gold is not your everyday action adventure. In fact, it’s been designed for the mystery lover. For example, in City of Gold, there is a kidnapping, a ransom, and a police investigation, as well as lots of action-packed adventure and exploration itself.

More about City of Gold:
Archaeologist Matthew Connor and his friends Cal and Robyn are finally home after a dangerous retrieval expedition in India. While they succeeded in obtaining the priceless Pandu artifact they sought, it almost cost them their lives. Still, Matthew is ready for the next adventure. Yet when new intel surfaces indicating the possible location of the legendary City of Gold, Matthew is hesitant to embark on the quest.
Not only is the evidence questionable but it means looking for the lost city of Paititi far away from where other explorers have concentrated their efforts. As appealing as making the discovery would be, it’s just too risky. But when Cal’s girlfriend, Sophie, is abducted by Matthew’s old nemesis who is dead-set on acquiring the Pandu statue, Matthew may be forced into action. Saving Sophie’s life means either breaking into the Royal Ontario Museum to steal the relic or offering up something no one in his or her right mind can refuse–the City of Gold.
Now Matthew and his two closest friends must find a city and a treasure that have been lost for centuries. And they only have seven days to do it. As they race against the clock, they quickly discover that the streets they seek aren’t actually paved with gold, but with blood.

How to connect with Carolyn:
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It’s time to be honest

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Annette Drake

Yesterday, I bought a romance ebook from one of my favorite writers. It was on sale for $1.99, and years ago I read and loved her other books. I started reading it last night, and bam! The hero raped the heroine on their wedding night. Foolishly, I kept reading. And bam! He accused her of being a whore and assaulted her. I made it to maybe 15% of the book, and I was done. I couldn’t finish it. This morning I asked Amazon to return my money. I’m tempted to write to the author and ask, “What were you thinking?”
So, as a writer, this makes me question my own boundaries. Do I write rape scenes? Am I willing to have one of my characters physically or emotionally abuse another? I mean, those books sell, right? Didn’t E.L. James make more than $90 million on Fifty Shades of Grey? Give the reader what they want, right?
Nope. Not for me. I will never write a book where the hero rapes, assaults or verbally abuses the heroine. Never. I will not write scenes like the ones that tortured my eyes last night. As for Fifty Shades of Grey, I do not write erotica. I never shall. I don’t write scenes where men bully women or if I do, it’s because he is the villain. I think many women, myself included, make enough bad decisions on our own. We don’t need an “alpha male” to create obstacles for us. We can do that just fine on our own, thank you.

I made this chocolate cake last night. Yes, there is a slice or two missing. My husband and I cut into it last night while watching Downton Abbey. Speaking of honesty: would you like to know the calories and fat grams for one slice? No. Me neither. I’ll take my honesty in measured doses.

I’m going to come clean with you: after studying the genre as I write my Celebration House trilogy, it’s time to confess: I don’t write romance. I don’t. Because the definition of romance – “the core story is the developing relationship between a man and a woman*” – isn’t really what my books are about. My books are about, well, a lot of things, but my heroines’ happiness doesn’t hinge on a successful romance. It’s more of the frosting on the cake, rather than the whole dessert. It’s time to be honest: I write women’s fiction.
And there’s one more thing I’ve recently come to realize: I really enjoy writing for children. Earlier this month I attended a Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference. It was held at a hotel where I attended a children’s writing conference in 2010 and 2013. I sat in that classroom, desperately fighting to stay awake, and I remembered past conferences where I felt alive with the idea of writing books for children. This gave rise to the idea of Louisa, a little witch who is allergic to cats and afraid of flying (we share this attribute). It’s a series of chapter books meant for first and second-grade readers. Louisa feels like she’s a misfit. I get that.
Hands and arms inside the cart. Next: Sharing an “aha” moment.

*Quote from Leigh Michaels’ book On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells

Happy Homicides 2: A collection of cozy mysteries

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Annette Drake

Love can be deadly. As proven by these traditional mysteries, cunningly crafted by thirteen bestselling and award-winning authors. Nearly 500-pages of heart-warming, brain puzzling, and character-driven reads. Your purchase includes a free gift, a file with recipes and craft ideas sure to put you in a romantic mood any time of the year!

Author Teresa Trent answers the question:
Does It Take a Police Detective to Solve a Mystery?
Absolutely Not.
I have had the great pleasure to collaborate with eleven other authors in Happy Homicides 2: Crimes of the Heart. What amazes me is the variety of characters and stories we all bring to the table. I was fascinated with some of the jobs the various sleuths in our series do. Between all of us, we have hundreds of books published, so I couldn’t get every occupation, but here are just some of the professions our sleuths work at in our individual series.

Helpful Hints Writer
My main character, Betsy Livingston Fitzpatrick is a helpful hints writer for a local newspaper. She can solve the crime while using cold water on that nasty blood stain in the Pecan Bayou Mystery Series.

Beach Décor Store Owner
Joanna Campbell Slan writes about Cara Mia Delgatto, the owner of a store filled with recycled beach-themed decor, The Treasure Chest. I love the name Cara Mia and now I know what to do with all those old seashells!

Adjunct English Professor
Neil Plackcy writes about an adjunct English professor Steve Levitan aided by his golden retriever, Rochester. This is really a buddy series because yes, dogs can solve crimes.

Mystery Shopper
Elaine Viets comes up with a clever idea for a series that centers on mystery shopper, Josie Marcus. Haven’t you always wanted to do that? Shopping and mysteries! Two of my greatest weaknesses.

Physicist
Quick, try to remember your periodic table! It’s a mystery, right? Camille Minichino writes a series about retired physicist Gloria Lamerino who lives in an apartment above a funeral home. She must have received a pretty good deal on the rent.

Flowershop Owner
Annie Adam’s Quincy McKay has them pushing up daisies all around her! Quincy owns a flower shop and finds herself deep in the compost pile in three different mysteries.

Gardening Columnist
Nancy Jill Thames writes a series about Jillian Bradley and her cute little dog Teddy. So you would think she would spend all of her time in the garden, but this lady leads an incredibly exciting life going everywhere solving mysteries. I hope she has a timer on the sprinkler.

Tea Shop Owner
Linda Gordon Hengerer gives us a mystery in a tea shop. Do you take milk with your tea or arsenic?

Teacher/Coach
Kathi Daley creates the character of TJ Jensen, a high school teacher and coach in the alpine town of Serenity, Nevada. I love the idea of a coach solving mysteries. So why does the locker room smell that way?

Southern Belle
I’m from Texas and can tell you that, yes, this is an actual occupation around here. (Pronounced ‘round hare). Carolyn Haines writes the Sarah Booth Delaney series where her belle finds herself not only with a murder mystery to solve but living in a haunted house.

Private Eye
Randy Rawles writes about Ace Edwards, a private eye he dreamed up while on a bike ride outside of Dallas. Actually, the character’s name is Arthur Conan Edwards. Which is yet another great thing about him! Ace solves mysteries in Texas, a hotbed of crime for us mystery writers.

Lawyer
Anna Celeste Burke writes Jessica Huntington, a woman who took a beating in her marriage and dusted off the old law degree. I just love a woman who knows the judicial system and can take revenge on a cheatin’ man anytime she wants.

A Landscaper With Big Dreams
Maggie Toussant writes about a psychic landscaper Baxley Powell who gets insights through dreamwalking. One of my favorite titles of Maggie’s is “Bubba Done It”. Why have we not picked up this phrase around my house? Who left that mess in the living room? Bubba done it.

Visit Amazon.com to buy your copy. The collection is on sale for $2.99.

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