GUEST POST BY JULIE CHASE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lacy Marie Crocker has settled into a comfortable groove back home in New Orleans, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, she’s busier than ever running a thriving pet boutique, helping her mother organize the upcoming National Pet Pageant, and untangling her complicated love life. But when delivering a king-sized order of dreidel-shaped doggy biscuits for a Saint Berdoodle’s bark-mitzvah, Lacy stumbles into yet another murder scene—and the last person to see the victim alive was her own father.

It’s up to Lacy to clear her dad’s name from the suspect list before Detective Jack Oliver has to cage him for good. But just when she starts pawing at the truth, she receives a threatening letter from a mysterious blackmailer bent on silencing her with her own secrets. And Lacy’s not the only one with bones in her closet.

GUEST POST BY JULIE CHASE

Inside the Mind of an Author

The mind of an author is a vast and busy place. There are innumerable stories floating in pieces and strips, collaged with memories, ponderings and opinions waiting to be said.

Many of us are introverts, meaning that we gain energy from being alone and give our energy to others when we are not. So, sometimes we’re smiling silently and dreaming of valiantly slaying a dragon. An hour later, we are probably just thinking of our beds.

When you hear writers complain of “writer’s block,” don’t be mistaken. There’s never a dull moment in a writer’s mind. It’s just that, occasionally, we’re in need of a story idea that will stand up to the industry’s scrutinizing glare. It doesn’t mean our minds are idle. Our minds are never idle. It may simply be that the things spinning round in there aren’t up to publication standards. Interesting? Absolutely. Salable? Not so much.

I probably speak for myself here, but I’m also usually thinking about my next cup of coffee, wine or snack.

Finally, in every author’s mind is the dream of one day “making it.” Feeling validated for our efforts, our lost sleep, neglected families and housework. One day, we all want to be that writer whose book is tucked under the arm of someone passing on the street or in the hands of a reader, whose attention is far too rapt in our words to know that we are standing obnoxiously in front of them taking a selfie to share with our friends because THAT is my book and I created it from nothing but my harried thoughts.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Chase is a mystery-loving pet enthusiast who hopes to make readers smile. She lives in rural Ohio with her husband and three spunky children. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and Sisters in Crime (SinC). She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Julie also writes as Julie Anne Lindsey.



Connect with Julie:
Webpage  |  Facebook  |  Twitter   |   Goodreads   

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |   IndieBound    

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FEATURED AUTHOR: JULIE CHASE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lacy Marie Crocker’s whimsical pet couture has gained a following in New Orleans’s cozy Garden District, and word of mouth has traveled all the way to her favorite fashion designer, Annie Lane. Lacy’s thrilled when Annie schedules a private session at her home to discuss a companion line for her evening wear, but when Lacy arrives for the appointment, she enters the kitchen to two mewling Siamese cats--and one very dead Annie.



Lacy takes the kittens home to care for them until they can be properly claimed by Annie's family or friends, but after a busy day of work, she returns home to find them missing. And when Lacy learns the cats are set to inherit Annie's fortune, she begins to wonder if the killer was after the kittens all along. Now Lacy will stop at nothing to save the Siamese and find justice for Annie--if the killer doesn’t sink his claws into her first.



Luckily, Lacy has the help of handsome NOLA PD homicide detective Jack Oliver to help her catch the cat-napper before its too late in Cat Got Your Cash, the endearing second Kitty Couture mystery from Julie Chase.


INTERVIEW WITH JULIE CHASE

Julie, do you write every day?
Yes! But I try to take one weekend day off. (It doesn’t always work out.) I typically write Monday through Friday from the time my youngest child’s school bus leaves until my oldest child’s bus comes home. It’s a constant and ongoing affair, writing. The work never ends because my brain never rests, and the juggle/struggle is real. Being a mom who is engaged in the three miraculously full lives of her offspring while pursuing a personal dream is hard. Daunting, even. And some days it’s flat out impossible, but I never stop trying. I also write after they are asleep at night, and I get up at 5am for a jump-start on the work, before their alarms begin dragging them from bed. 

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process?
I wish I would have taken more time getting started. I tend to run headlong at my goals, full speed ahead, and I think if I could do it over again, I would have taken my time getting those first stories published. I wouldn’t have rushed to find an agent. I would have honed my craft and waited for the right opportunities, right presses, right representation, before entering the industry. But, that’s not like me at all, so… *laughs* The important thing is that I have all that now. I just wish I would’ve slowed down at the beginning and made better choices early on.

What books do you currently have published?
I’ve just finished a romantic suspense manuscript that will release in February 2018 from Harlequin Intrigue. That will be my twenty-first published novel. There are currently about sixteen out there in the wild. Some sweet romance. Some young adult. Cat Got Your Secrets, the third book in this Kitty Couture Mysteries series will release in September, and my first Christmas cozy, The Twelve Slays of Christmas (written as Jacqueline Frost) releases in October. My dance card is filling up fast!


Is writing your dream job?
Yes! I was thirty-three before I had any idea that I could be an author. I’d never given much thought to how books got on shelves until I saw an interview with Stephenie Meyer (the author of Twilight). She was a stay at home mother of three just like me, and she’d never written anything before Twilight, but she wound up on my bookshelf. That was all it took for me to be bitten by the writing bug. I walked away from that interview wondering if I too could write a novel. Turns out, I could! And I can’t imagine ever doing anything else.


What do you love about where you live?
Everything. I live in a semi-rural area of Ohio. The crime is low. The schools are good. We’ve got a great “small town” vibe here and a strong sense of community. People are friendly. Life moves a little slower. There are plenty of parks, tow paths, and rivers to get away and enjoy the beauty of nature or a day on the water. And the seasons. Wow. The seasons are magnificent. Absolutely mind-bogglingly gorgeous.


What’s your favorite thing to do on date night?
My favorite night out is a slow walk along a street of local shops with a coffee or an ice cream in hand and at least an hour lost in a book store.

What’s your favorite fast food? Chipotle! I LOVE the veggie bowl with white rice, fajitas, black beans, lettuce, cheese, guac, and tomato salsa. YUM.


Where is your favorite place to visit?
The ocean. I’m completely at peace there. Mesmerized by the sea air and endless movement, by the way the horizon meets the water. I think I am perhaps part mermaid.

What’s your least favorite chore?
Laundry. Good night. The Laundry! It never ever ends. There is no satisfaction from completing the chore because it’s never finished. And I hate it. 


Describe yourself in 5 words.
Kind. Compassionate. Loving. Fun. Determined.


What are you working on now?
I’m writing book 4 in the Kitty Couture Mysteries. Cat Got Your Crown, and so far, I’m in love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Chase is a mystery-loving pet enthusiast, and the alter-ego of author Julie Anne Lindsey. Today she hopes to make readers smile. One day she plans to change the world. Julie lives in rural Ohio with her fantastically patient husband and three spunky children. Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and Sisters in Crime (SinC). She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Connect with Julie:
Website  |   
Facebook  |   Twitter  |   Goodreads  

Buy the book: 
Amazon   |   B&N   |   BAM!  |  IndieBound

a Rafflecopter giveaway