PROMOTE YOUR BOOK!

Blogs are a great way to spread the word about a book, and A Blue Million Books is now taking requests for author features. 

FEATURED AUTHOR: MARY ANGELA

ABOUT THE BOOK


In the sleepy college town of Copper Bluff, South Dakota, English professor Emmeline Prather is enjoying the start of a new semester. But when one of her students dies working on the fall musical, it disrupts life on the small, quiet campus. Although the police rule the death accidental, Prof. Prather has good reason to suspect foul play.

Unmasking the murderer proves much more challenging than finding dangling participles, so Em recruits fellow English professor Lenny Jenkins for assistance. Together, they comb the campus and vicinity for clues, risking their reputations and possibly their jobs. After an intruder breaks into Em’s house, Lenny advises caution—and perhaps a change of address. Em, on the other hand, is all the more determined to forge ahead, convinced they’re on the brink of an important breakthrough.

Book 1 in a new cozy mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Professor Prather.

INTERVIEW WITH MARY ANGELA



Mary, what's your favorite thing about the writing process?
My favorite thing about the writing process is that you get to create your own world and then jump in it. Most days I feel like I’m walking around with a wonderful secret. I know what these characters are doing or planning, and sometimes it’s a fantastic retreat—or distraction—from the real world. 



Do you have a writing routine?
Since I’m a teacher, my routine depends on the time of the year, but I always write early in the morning. In the summer, I set my alarm for six o’clock so that I can write before my kids get up. During the school year, I write on my days off campus after dropping off the kids at school. I write for about four or five hours (when I’m not dealing with an unexpected crisis, which unfortunately, happens more often than you’d think). In the afternoons, I edit or work on other writing, like my blog.

How often do you read?
I read every day for work and every night for fun. I look forward to climbing into bed with a book; it’s one of the best parts of my day. I’m prone to terrific tangents where I read certain writers or genres. For two years, I read everything I could find on Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. My latest tangent included the Elena Ferrante novels—a month of pure bliss!



What do you think makes a good story?
I love stories that immerse me in their settings. I love the thrill of escaping into a world that is new and foreign. When I shut off the light and forget what time it is or what’s for hot lunch tomorrow, I know it’s a good book. I also love mysteries with clever plots. I don’t mind when the author tricks me!



What do you love about where you live?
I love the wide open spaces of the Great Plains. Although I live in a city of about 165,000, I can get in my car and within ten minutes be surrounded by farmland. My family and I went to southern California last summer, and I was agog at the traffic between LA and San Diego. I’ve never been in a car so long without moving. 



What is one of your happiest moments?
Hands down, the day after my daughter Maisie was born. I remember sitting in the hospital eating apple pie with my husband and our other daughter, Madeline. At that moment, I felt completely happy. 



What’s your least favorite chore?
Laundry. My daughters are eight and ten, which means they pretty much wear the same size undies, socks, and other tiny things I don’t like to fold. Still, I have to sort them so that someone doesn’t accuse someone else of wearing her underwear at seven o’clock and cause a before-school meltdown.  



What is your most embarrassing moment?
After I had my first daughter, Madeline, I went back to teaching full time. But being a first-time mom, I constantly had Maddie on my mind. One day, I was teaching a literature class and discussing Edgar Allan Poe. In the course of the conversation I said, “Edgar Allan Pooh.” I kept talking for a moment because nobody said anything. Then I stopped and asked, “Did I just say Pooh?” The entire front row, the ones actually listening to the lecture, nodded their heads! 



What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul’s emphasis is always right.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson. I love this quote and wish I had followed the advice sooner. The idea for the Professor Prather Mysteries came to me years ago, but instead of following what I thought was great, I followed what others thought was great. Although this is a much better time in my life for the series, I still wonder what life might have been like if I had written the novel sooner. 



Who is your favorite fictional character?
I adore Ariadne Oliver, the mystery writer who shows up in Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels. She is the opposite of the great detective; she makes up things as she goes. Yet she’s bright and curious and a fun amateur sleuth when she gets involved in Poirot’s cases. 



What are you working on now?
I am working on the second novel in the Professor Prather series, Passport to Murder. It takes place during spring break when 13 unlucky passengers book their flight out of Copper Bluff—and into murder and mayhem!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Like her protagonist in the Professor Prather mystery series, Mary Angela lives on the Great Plains and teaches college writing and literature. When she’s not grading papers (when is she not grading papers?), she enjoys reading, travelling, and spending time with her family. She and her husband have two amazing daughters, one adorable dog, and a cat who would rather not be limited by an adjective. For more information, go to maryangelabooks.com.


Connect with Mary:
Website   |    Blog   |   Facebook  |   Goodreads   
Buy the book:
Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Help Wanted!

I don't understand it, I can't explain it. The first book in the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series, Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction currently has 574 reviews on Amazon.com. Great, right? Yes! Thank you and hallelujah! I am so grateful for that response. What am I whining about, right? Well, the problem is: reviews for the other three books have been slow to come in. The second and third books currently each have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars, and the fourth book has a 4.9 rating. Meaning, for the most part, reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. But the number of reviews is . . . well, kind of sad:
Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction: 203 reviews. Not bad, but more are needed!

Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction: 23 reviews. Considering the book has been out for nine months, that number seriously needs improvement.
Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction: 16 reviews. Sixteen reviews in six weeks—yikes! That number makes me want to take up scorpion petting.

Please, Please, Please

So this is my unabashed plea for more reviews. 

What's that you say? You don't know how to write a review? Pshaw! What did you like or dislike about the book? Write it down. Write it like you are telling a friend about it. Reviews don't have to be long; in fact shorter reviews are usually preferable because longer ones tend to give away plot lines or attempt to be a synopsis of the book. Once you've read the review detailing the book, you pretty much don't need to read the book! 

You want to remain anonymous? Perfectly fine! Just register for an Amazon account under the name of your choice.

 

Here are some examples of perfectly good (and short) reviews for the three books desperately in need of reviews:

Book 2: Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction
"To say I enjoyed Ms. Metz work would be an understatement, I relished it, adored it, want to marry it. "
". . . be careful drinking while you read. You could be snorting soda out your nose."
" . . . a side-splitting, pee-in-your-knickers hilariously funny cozy mystery, thanks to its cast of colorful characters.

Book 3: Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction
"Reading these short tales was like hanging out with friends."
"She still writes each character in a realistic, distinctive, and three-dimensional manner . . . "
"I can truthfully say this book was laugh-out-loud funny and impossible to put down."

Book 4: Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction
". . . full of oddball eccentric characters that you just have to love."
"Southern charm meets murder."
"This was such a fun read I really hated for it to end and just FYI it has one heck of an ending."
"Absolutely love this series!"

These reviews are short and sweet yet convey the feelings of the readers/reviewers. Yes, I shortened them, because really, any of these would be fine reviews by themselves. Of course, reviews are really just a person's opinion, and you can be the juiciest, ripest peach in the world, but there will still be people who don't like peaches. But bad reviews are welcome too. They tend to get people talking about the book, or even better, curious about it. And curiosity leads to book sales. 

Stars matter

I would ask one favor: if you loved the book, give it five stars. It doesn't mean it's your most favorite book of all time. It just means that you loved the book. If you liked the book, give it at least a four-star rating. Because ratings contribute to ranking, and reaching the top 100 best seller list in a particular genre gives more exposure to the book, which means . . . MORE SALES! Plus, there are some sites that won't promote a book if its rating is below 4.0. So the difference between the number of stars you give a book really does matter.

What's the point?

My point is . . . you don't have to love the book to leave a review. The thing is, Amazon.com pays attention to the number of reviews. After you reach a certain number, they start promoting your book for you. And the more reviews a book gets, the more promo time it's going to get, which translates to what? Yes! Sales! And critical reviews are sometimes very helpful feedback that help an author make necessary changes in future books.


So . . . if you've read any of the four books in the Goose Pimple Junction series but haven't written a review and posted it on Amazon.com, I need your help. I would so appreciate it if you could take just five minutes to leave a short review and rate the book(s) from 1-5 stars. If you haven't read the book(s), why not? They are each currently priced at just 99 cents for a Kindle copy. If that is still too much for your budget, leave a comment, and you may just win a copy.

Go On, Get Goose Pimples!

One more thing: word of mouth really is the best promotion for a book. So if you like a book, tell your friends. Post it on Facebook, Tweet about it on Twitter, Pin it on Pinterest, Google+ it on Google+, add it to a shelf on Goodreads, ask your local library to order it, like and follow the author on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, Amazon, etc. Show an author some love and spread the word! We will be eternally grateful.

ABOUT THE BOOKS

In case you're not familiar with the Goose Pimple Junction series, here are the book blurbs for each book:

#1 Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction

When Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder. Suddenly she’s learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle.

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery that Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.

#2 Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction

Goose Pimple Junction is just recovering from a kidnapping and a murder, its first major crimes in years, when trouble begins anew. Life is turned upside down in the quirky little Southern town with the arrival of several shifty hooligans: A philandering husband intent on getting his wife back, another murderer loose in town, a stalker intent on frightening Martha Maye, and a thief who’s stealing the town blind of their pumpkins, pies, and peace. Together, they’re scaring the living daylights out of the residents and keeping the new police chief busier than a set of jumper cables at a redneck picnic. Suddenly, he has his hands full trying to apprehend a killer, stop a stalker, and fight his feelings for the damsel in distress.

#3 Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction

This is not your average Southern town. With a hint of mystery, a lot of laughs, and its unique charm, you'll catch a glimpse of everyday life in Goose Pimple Junction in this short story compilation. Short & Tall Tales occurs chronologically between Murder & Mayhem, book 1, and Heroes & Hooligans, book 2, in the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. Book 1.5 is a fun escape that will answer questions readers may have about the residents of this quirky small town.

How did Johnny Butterfield become police chief?
How did Tess and Jack get engaged?
How did Ima Jean come to live with Louetta?
How do you celebrate an Apple Day?

These questions and more are answered in Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction. Five short stories, one novella, and three recipes will give you more of life in Goose Pimple Junction, make you laugh, and have your mouth watering. If you want a feel-good read, you've come to the right place. Grab some sweet tea and escape to Goose Pimple Junction.

#4 Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction

Like any good Southern belle, Caledonia Culpepper was raised by her mama to be gracious, charming, witty, and above all, a devoted mother and loving wife, so she's baffled when her marriage falls apart.

Wynona Baxter is a master of disguise but is often a ditzy airhead. A hit woman wannabe, when she's hired for her first job in Goose Pimple Junction and things don't go as planned, she's forced to resort to Plan B. She'll also need Plan C and D.

Crooked lawyers, restless husbands, a teenaged hoodlum – it seems there are rogues and rascals everywhere you look in Goose Pimple Junction.

When Caledonia and Wynona's paths cross, they prove there isn't a rogue or a rascal who can keep a good woman down. Mama always said there would be days like this . . .

SPOTLIGHT ON: BOOKGRABBR

BookGrabbr: A great way for readers to discover new books and an innovative marketing tool for authors. 

For Readers:

BookGrabbr is a social media-marketing tool that allows authors to share both full books and previews of their books with readers. Readers, you can have access to these books by signing in through Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn and using their ability to share as a form of currency. The “Share” is the payment! Share the book, and it will allow you to read it. Just click the “Grabb this book” button next to the book and our system will prompt you to share in exchange for reading!

BookGrabbr contains books of many genres, so visit today, "grabb" a book that catches your eye and start reading!


For Authors and Publishers:

Through their unique marketing tool and platform, BookGrabbr helps authors connect to readers that they wouldn't generally be able to connect to through their friends and their friend’s friends. The noise in the marketplace is deafening, and at times can be a bit overwhelming for authors trying to promote their books.

BookGrabbr created a way to generate some more buzz by harnessing the power of each individual author’s social media platform.  Once you create your profile on BookGrabbr it allows potential readers to read a preview of your book or the full copy and then directs them to your site of choice to purchase your book in the format that you desire. And since BookGrabbr doesn’t make any money on book sales, you can send them to a retailer, or to your own personal page or wherever you choose! BookGrabbr's purpose is to help you sell more books, gain momentum and generate exposure.


See how it works:

How does iRead Book Tours help?


For Readers: 

We help you discover new authors that have put their profile and books on BookGrabbr through our BookGrabbr Promotion Service.

For Authors and Publishers:

Don't have time to dedicate to yet another marketing campaign? Let us take care of it for you. Through the BookGrabbr Promotion Service we create your profile, help you share your books on your social media and ours too, of course. In addition, we provide you with ideas and the support on how to best use your BookGrabbr profile. This is a cost-effective, efficient way to publicize your books! Contact us to see how we can help you spread the word about your book through BookGrabbr.

Like the idea? Enter the giveaway below to win a BookGrabbr Promotion Service worth $75 and $100 in cash!

Not an author? You can still win the $100 in cash.


Giveaway starts March 14 and ends April 15, 2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy New Year!

 

THANK YOU, READERS

As we say goodbye to 2015, I want to thank everyone who logs on to A Blue Million Books and who reads my Goose Pimple Junction series. You keep reading, and I'll keep writing. (Or as a GPJ resident once said, "You keep drinking and I'll keep thinking.") I hope you have found some new books and new authors by stopping by A Blue Million Books. May you have a fantastic new year filled with a blue million books!

THANK YOU, AUTHORS

Thanks to all the authors who visited A Blue Million Books in 2015:

Traci Hayden, Black & White

Brandi Haas, Tales from Suburbia 

Crazy Lady Authors, Treasured Moments 


Jack Getze, Big Mojo

D.S. Williams, 
Protective Hearts

Heather Thurmeier, 
Pinch of Me, Dash of You


Amy Saunders, 
Overkill

Alice Loweecey, Nun Too Soon

Traci Andrighetti, Prosecco Pink

Jennifer Fischetto, One Garish Ghost & Blueberry Peach Jam

Lea Wait, 
Twisted Threads

Dianne Harman
, Kelly’s Koffee Shop

Thomas Maurin, Broken Trust

Carolyn Arnold, 
Valentine’s Day is Murder

Gustavo Florentin, The Schwarzschild Radius

Rachel Higginson, The Five Stages of Falling in Love

Sally Carpenter, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper 


Brent Hartinger, The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know

Christina George, Climax

Diane Daniels Manning, Almost Perfect

Amanda Aksel, The Commitment Test

Shevaun Delucia, Jayded

SK Wills, Starting from Lost

Rosemary DiBattista, A Dish Best Served Cold

Cheryl Matthynssens, Bloodmines

Alexander McCabe, Greater Expectations

Barbara Jean Coast, 
Death Of A Beauty Queen

Laura Morelli, Authentic Arts: Venice Travel Guide

Dierdre Verne, Drawing Conclusions

Lora Lee, Bringing in the Thieves

Lauren Carr, Three Days to Forever

Julie Mulhern, The Deep End

Connie Archer, Ladle to the Grave

Nancy G. West, Dang Near Dead 


Jeanne Bannon, Beautiful Monster

Emily Craven, Adventures in Fashion

Tonya Kappas, Ghostly Undertaking

Kevin V. Symmons, SOLO

Amy Korman, Killer Getaway

Amelia Ford, Togan's Child

Annette Dashofy, 
Bridges Burned

Pamela Fagan Hutchins, 
Heavens to Betsy


Julie Seedorf, Granny Snows a Sneak Peak

Dawn Eastman, A Fright to the Death

Judi Culbertson, Bookmarked to Death


Glenn Conley, Glenn Hates Books

Melanie Denman, Visiting the Sins 


Susan M. Boyer, Lowcountry Boneyard

Grady Miller, The Hostages of Veracruz


John Forelli, The Simulations

Victoria Klahr, That’s a Lie

Jerold Last, Deadly Dog Show


Paty Lager, Double Duplicity

Marie Moore
Side, Trip To Kathmandu

Amy Reade, 
The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor

Jo-Ann Lamon Reccoppa, Hide Nor Hare

Tammy Grace
, Killer Music

David Burnsworth, 
Southern Heat

Jaime Boust, Book Club

Timothy Klein, Cries From a Crusty Heart

Russ Colchamiro, Genius De Milo 


DD Marx, Beyond Believing


Ellen Mansoor Collier, Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville


B.L. Blair, Forgive Me

Miriam Auerbach, Boca Overboard 


Penny C. Sansevieri, How to Sell Books by the Truckload

Sarah Booth Delaney,
 Bone to Be Wild


Susan Russo Anderson, Too Quiet in Brooklyn


Jennifer Ammoscato, Dear Internet: It’s Me, Avery

Susan Pashman, Upper West Side Story


Colleen Helme, Crossing Danger


Heather Siegel, Out from the Underworld


Herbert L. Smith, Hurricane Kingdom

Jennifer Chow, Seniors Sleuth

Nina Post, Danger Returns in Pairs

Clea Simon, Kittens Can Kill

Melissa Marni

, Little Word Studio

Tess Woods, Love at First Flight

Diana Helmer, Belles of the Ballpark


Dennis Hart, Sand Key

Kevin Doyle
, The Litter

Joanne Guidoccio, A Season for Killing

Dianne Harman
, Murder at Cottage #6


Wendy Tyson, Dying Brand

KS Thomas, Until It’s Not


Julie Sarff, The Hope Diamond

Donna McDonald, Next Song I Sing


Kathi Daley, Much Ado About Felines

Elizabeth Perona, 
Murder On the Bucket List

KS Thomas, With Whom We Spend Our Lives

Joanne Phillips, Flora Lively and a Date with Death

Tonya Kappas, A Charming Fatality

Maris Soule, 
A Killer Past

Ace Varkey, The Girl Who Went Missing


Shelley Freydont, 
Trawling for Trouble  


Barbara Venkataraman, Jaime Quinn Mysteries


Rich Zahradnik, Drop Dead Punk

Maris Soule, Eat Crow & Die


Jim Webster, Flotsam & Jetsam

Nancy Cole Silverman, Beyond a Doubt


Abby Vandiver, Bed & Breakfast Bedlam

Jim & Joyce Lavene, 
Give Em Pumpkin to Talk About


Maria Nieto, Breaking the Silence

Scott Wilbanks, 

The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster

Ellie Ashe, A Good Kind of Trouble

Rosie Genova, 
A Dish Best Served Cold


Steve Hockensmith, 
Fool Me Once

Brydie Walker Bain, 
The Secret of Sinbad’s Cave


Lynn Cahoon, 
Killer Run


Chris Six
, iKidney

Chiari Warriors, An Anthology

Diane Burton, 
The Case of the Bygone Brother


EJ Journey, Welcome Reluctant Stranger!


Elaine Faber, 
Black Cat and the Accidental Angel


Graeme Smith, The Awakening of Abraham Brown

Maxine Nunes, Dazzled


Amy Metz
, Short & Tall Tales in Goose Pimple Junction

Clea Simon, Code Grey


Andrew Joyce, Molly Lee


Julie Ann Lindsey, 
A Geek’s Guide to Murder

Joyce & Jim Lavene, Be My Banshee

Nancy J. Cohen, 
Peril in Ponytown


Louis Alan Swartz, Constructed Magic


Kim Boykin, A Peach of a Pair


Gene Ayres, Red Tide


Karin Gillespie, Girl Meets Class


Susan Russo Anderson, 
The Brooklyn Drop


Alice Loweecey, Second to Nun 

Lois Winston, A Stitch to Die For

Lauren Carr, Kill and Run


Ellen Byron, Plantation Shutters


M.J. Schiller, Blackout

Paul Hollis, The Hollow Man


Bernie Otis, How to Prepare for Old Age

Grady Miller, 
The Havana Brotherhood


Andrea Pearson, 
Discern

Gilda Morina Syverson, 
My Father’s Daughter: From Rome to Sicil

Julie Mulhern, Guaranteed to Blee

Tammy Grace, Pieces of Home

Linda Johnston, Knock on Wood

Kathleen Irene Paterka, Secrets of the Royal Wedding Chapel

Danielle Soucy Mills, Illusion Of An Ending

Susan McBride, Say Yes to Death

Terri L. Austin, 
Diner Knock Out

John Gaspard, The Misers Dream

Lois Winston, 
A Stitch to Die For

Amy Metz, Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction

Lindsay McKenna,
 Nowhere to Hide

Mike Phillips, Hazard of Shadows

D. Bryant Simmons, Blue Sky

Emma Stein
, Into the Void


Billy Thomas, Murder in a Two-Seater


Caroline Fardig, Death Before Decaf


D.E. Haggerty, 
Love in the Time of Murder 


John Enright, 
New Jerusalem News


Lisa Becker
, Clutch


Ellen Mansoor Collier, 
Jazz Age Mysteries

Frankie Bow, The Case of the Defunct Adjunct


Dan Buri, 
Pieces Like Pottery

Peter Riva, Murder on Safari

Richard Godwind
, Wrong Crowd 


James Moushon
, Operation Alpha Dog

Breigh Forstner, 
Straight From The Heart 


Nancy G. West, 
Smart But Dead

Waverly Curtis, Silence of the Chihuahuas

Eric Yates, 
Epitaph to ‘Nickle Eck’


R. Breuer Stearns, The Question


Thomas Brooke, 
Roman Mask


Richard Audry, King Harald Mysteries


Bourne Morris, 
Rise of the Red Queen
     

Steve Myers, Dreaming .400 

Larissa Reinhart, The Body in the Landscape
 

Jennifer Ott, Desperate Moon
, A Piece of You 

Teresa A. LaRue, A Talent for Murder

Diamente Lavendar, Breaking the Silence, The Secrets of Yashire

CONGRATS!
The winners of the GPJ giveaway are:

Paperback copy:
Phylis Carpenter

ebook copies:
Barbara Tobey and Marty Crosson.

Thank you for entering!

Happy 1st Birthday, France Book Tours!

France Book Tours is celebrating its first anniversary on April 18!

  France Book Tours has been thrilled to present amazing books related to France for a year. To thank the authors who submitted their books and the bloggers who read and reviewed them, France Book Tours organizes a mega giveaway from April 18-25! Depending on the number of entries in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this page, they may give away up to 10 books, so spread the word! The winners will be chosen on April 26. Here are all the books available to win! Click on each cover to know more about it. Please note what format the book is available in. Note also that some books are only available for US/Canada residents. If nothing is specified, it means you can receive the ebook or the print copy where ever you live.

Historical fiction

Spirit of Angels = print + ecopy Wolfsangel = print + ecopy Becoming Josephine = print for US/Canada only

Unravelled = print The Ambitious Madame Bonaparte = print for US/Canada only

Mystery

The Paris Lawyer = print for US/Canada only + ecopy The Mona Lisa Speaks = print for US/Canada only + ecopy

Fiction

I See London I See France = print for US/Canada only Paris, Rue Des Martyrs = ecopy

Romance

The Paris Game = ebook Moonlight & Love Songs = ebook City of Jasmine = signed print copy for US/Canada only

The Promise of Provence = ecopy

Nonfiction - memoir

Confessions of a Paris Party Girl = ecopy

AND THERE WILL BE 4 EXTRA BOOKS OFFERED DURING OUR TWITTER PARTY!

April 23 at 5pm Central Time #franceBT

Spread the word!

AND NOW PLEASE ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BY CLICKING ON THE RAFFLECOPTER LINK:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Blog Tour

Yes, I do realize it's only October and we haven't even had Halloween yet. But what you may not know is...as of today, there are only 70 more shopping days until Christmas. And what better present to give someone than a good book? So without further ado, I present to you one stop on the Paul Anthony Associates Christmas Book Blog Tour.

Paul Anthony Associates Christmas Blog Tour

Welcome to the Christmas Blog Tour: A group of authors entertaining their readers with some thrilling tales of fiction. Let’s find out what they are up to at the moment. Santa Claus wants to ask some questions. Indeed, they’ve all been asked the same questions as they introduce themselves and their work. So, let’s hear what they have to say. First up is Amy Metz.

Q. Whereabouts do you live, Amy?

A. Sometimes I live in Goose Pimple Junction and sometimes Louisville, Kentucky, known as Louavul to native Louisvillians!

Q. Would you describe yourself as a full-time writer or do you have another job?


A. My day job is being a mom to a seventeen-year-old. Since he’s a high school senior, that doesn’t take up as much time as it used to, so I would describe myself as a full-time writer. Especially since my laptop is my constant companion.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time? 


A. I love to read, bake, and take pictures. Once I’ve been on a photography shooting spree, I love to create digital photo books. Outside of the house, my favorite thing to do is to attend my son’s marching band shows and his concerts. I never turn down an invitation to go out to dinner or to a movie either.

Q. Name three people you would like to entertain for Christmas dinner and why?


A. 1) An accountant. I’d like to talk to him or her about how to audit a publisher’s books. 
2) My publisher. I’d like to talk to him about his business practices. I’d also like to feed him an Ex-Lax martini.
3) Betty White. Who wouldn’t want Betty White at their table?

Q. If you could live anywhere in the world this Christmas, where would it be?


A. Ordinarily, I’d answer an “anywhere in the world question” with some place in the South, but Christmastime has to be cold, so I’d say in a house on Nantucket Island, overlooking the water.

Q. If you had one Christmas wish, what would it be?


A. Besides peace on earth, I would wish to be free and clear from my publisher.

Q. Describe yourself using only three ‘Christmas’ words.


A. Faith, hope, and fruitcake. And no, the last one is not because I like fruitcake or resemble it. It refers to my mental status.

Q. What makes Christmas special for you? 


A. Family traditions. I also like to decorate the house with my Santa and Snowman collections, along with a gazillion other decorations. And it wouldn't be Christmas for me without the smell of a real Christmas tree.

Q. What is your favourite childhood memory of Christmas?


A. It would be of my sister and me, ages 4 and 2, running down the hall toward the Christmas tree in the living room, bleary-eyed after just waking up but excited as only a child can be on Christmas morning. Although, I don’t know if it’s an actual memory or if I’m remembering it from the home movie my dad made. By the way, I'm the little one in the picture to the left, but I have no recollection of it!

Q. What is the worst Christmas you have ever experienced?


A. That would probably be Christmas 1987. Our dog was very sick, and a few days before Christmas we learned he wasn’t going to live much longer. I was pregnant with my first child at the time, and I either threw up or wanted to throw up 24/7. It was hard to get into the Christmas spirit that year.

Q. Are you currently published for Christmas or do you have a ‘work in action’ you can tell us about?


A. Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction is available on online bookstores, and some Indie stores in and around Louisville. I’m hoping to publish Heroes & Hooligans in Goose Pimple Junction, and Rogues & Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction, but because I stupidly signed a bad contract, it may be a while before I can publish again.

Q. Tell us about your work and what influenced you to write in this exciting genre?


A. As a child, I’d heard stories about several murders that happened in my family in the 1930s. One of them was never solved, and I always thought it would make a great book. So I used that murder as the basis for the plot. At the time, I wasn’t familiar with the term cozy mystery, but that’s what it turned out to be.

Q.  Do you have a particular character that figures consistently or are you in the stage of developing a lead character?


A. The books will all have the same core characters throughout the series, although each book will focus on different main characters. Murder & Mayhem features Tess and Jack, Heroes & Hooligans features Martha Maye and Johnny, and Rogues & Rascals features Pickle’s mama, Caledonia.  Although you never know when a new character will move to town and demand attention. 
  
Q. Where can we find out more about your work?


A. My website is: http://amymetz.com. You can buy Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction at any of the online stores. Specifically, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Q. And where can we follow and support you on social media sites?


A. My 
Facebook page--like and/or friend me; follow me on 
Twitter; friend me on 
Goodreads; or connect on 
Linkedin.

Q. Santa Claus thanks you for taking part in this interview, Amy, and wishes you good luck with your writing in the years ahead.


A. Thank you, Santa. Can I invite you to meet my friends in this wonderful world of writing? Just click on the names below and you’ll find yourself reading a different set of answers to the same questions. Please support my friends and fellow authors by visiting their sites and checking out their contributions. Thank you for joining me on my blog tour.

PS You do believe...don’t you? Just remember...when you stop believing in Santa Claus, you get underwear for Christmas.


Check out these other stops on the Christmas Blog Tour:

1. Jennifer Degl

2. Maria Swan
3. Jean Reinhardt
4. Joan Fallon
5. C C Champagne
6. Meg Johnston
7. Ceri London

Santa says to also take a look at Paul Anthony's Espionage & Crime Thriller Blog Tour:
Paul Anthony, Kenneth Kerr, James Bruno, Tom Reinhart, Dan Pollock, Ken Boehs, and Khallid Muhammad