Featured Author: Marie Moore

About the book: 

Sidney Marsh’s job as a New York travel agent is on the line. On her last two tours, she and her colleague Jay ended up smack in the middle of murder and mayhem. Their sleuthing sideline did not endear them to their employer, Itchy Feet Travel, so naturally they are relieved when their wealthy friend Brooke requests their presence on a no expense spared tour of India and Nepal. Another agency has made the arrangements, so all they need do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Well, not quite all. Brooke has enlisted them to keep a sharp eye on their fellow travelers, all “friends” who have grown rich from the demise of others. After surviving an attempt on her life, Brooke is certain the culprit must be one of the five: a handsome Scotsman, a Bollywood actress, an investment banker, a Parisian filmmaker, or a twice widowed blonde. Many of the tour accommodations prove to be as dodgy as the reputations of the travelers themselves. After one of the members of the moving house party dies of an apparent heart attack, everyone’s nerves are on edge. Sidney can hardly be blamed for assuming a deadly game is afoot … or for falling for Adam, the doting Scotsman. Now, if only she can unmask the killer before the killer beats her to the punch. Side Trip to Kathmandu is the third book in the Sidney Marsh Mystery series, which began with Shore Excursion.

Interview with Marie Moore


What’s the story behind the title Side Trip to Kathmandu?
All of the titles of my books in the Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series, Shore Excursion (2012), Game Drive (2013) and Side Trip to Kathmandu (2015), are travel terms, because Sidney Marsh, the protagonist, is a young, Mississippi-born, New York-based travel agent who travels the world with her best friend and colleague, the irrepressible Jay Wilson.

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Sidney and Jay work for Itchy Feet Travel, a New York retail travel agency, and as part of their jobs, they escort groups of tourists around the world to exotic destinations.  The trips are great, but unfortunately, some of the clients don’t make it back home alive.  Then it is up to Sidney to try to discover the killer is without getting murdered herself.
The books in this series are written to stand-alone so that the reader does not have to read them in order to enjoy them, but many prefer to do so.

Where’s home for you?
I’m a Mississippi girl, bound by kudzu to a tiny town in the South. I split my time between my hometown of Holly Springs, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee, but have also lived in New York City, Florida, and Virginia.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
No, but prior to becoming an author I owned a retail travel agency for fifteen years, so I was able to travel all over the world. That experience is invaluable in writing this travel mystery series, for I was able to personally visit the countries I write about in the Sidney Marsh books. On those trips, I took good notes and photos, and that really helps in conveying the feel of a place to my readers. Before the travel agency, I worked for a newspaper, and right out of college I taught school (junior high science), and raised a family. 

Who are you? 
That’s a tough question, and I’m not entirely sure I can answer it! But I can tell you who I am not, and that is Sidney Marsh. She may live in my head, but she is not me, and I am not her. I am often asked by readers if Sidney is me, or my daughters, and the answer is emphatically no. This series is not autobiographical.

What’s your favorite line from a book?
One of my favorites is actually from a play, from George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion:
“The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another.”

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
No, because I think that in doing so you limit your imagination, plus, it is not entirely fair to those close to you. If I base a character on a friend, I am influenced by the likes, dislikes, appearance and personality of that friend. Pure imagination is far easier to manipulate. That said, I will sometimes use a detail from the appearance or demeanor of a stranger I observe on the street, or in a restaurant. I think that’s fair. But I really don’t think it’s fair to exploit your friends and family.

Is your book based on real events?
No, except in a larger sense. For example, the systematic decimation for profit of the elephant and rhino in Africa that I present in Game Drive is very real, and very sad.

Who are your favorite authors?
I have many, in many genres, for I have always loved to read. Some of my favorite mystery and thriller authors are Lawrence Block, Carolyn Hart, Michael Connolly, Annamaria Alfieri, Maddy Hunter, Sarah Wissemann, Michael Stanley, Randy Wayne White, and the late great authors Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, Elizabeth Peters, John D. McDonald and Tony Hillerman.


What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I just finished Every Day by the Sun: A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi by Dean Faulkner Wells. She was William Faulkner’s niece, raised in his home after the death of her father, and her personal recollection of the great author is fascinating. I read it in paperback. I am a great admirer of the work of William Faulkner and also Eudora Welty.  Those Mississippi authors were utterly brilliant and so is their work. I can in no way compare my little writing with theirs. We all share in the time-honored Mississippi tradition of storytelling; however, the similarities between us stop right there.  My books are brain-candy — certainly not brilliant, but they are lots of fun! I enjoy writing them. I enjoy discovering what Sidney is going to do next.

What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
I hate falling asleep with the light on, which often happens when I read late at night.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing? 
I mostly write really early in the morning, before anyone else is awake, before dawn, before phones start ringing. If I’m on a roll, I may keep it up until noon, but usually I’m done for the day by nine o’clock. I have to be in a zone to write, so I really can’t do it with a lot of interruptions.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
Midwest Book Review Bookwatch said, in the February 2015 issue, “Side Trip to Kathmandu" is the third book in the Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery series by Marie Moore, who has now clearly established herself as a master of the mystery/suspense genre. Simply stated, Marie Moore is an exceptionally gifted author who never fails to satisfy her readers and leave them eagerly looking toward her next novel."

Now that may be a bit over the top, but I loved it!

Another reviewer once said that “Sidney Marsh is what would happen if Nancy Drew were a travel agent.”

I liked that too, for I grew up as a big fan of Nancy Drew!

How did you find your publisher and how long did your query process take?
I was fortunate enough to sign with Jane Gelfman of The Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency/ICM Partners in New York. My fabulous, hard-working agent there, Victoria Marini, sold the series to Camel Press in a three-book deal. There was no query process on my part, for Victoria handled it all.

What are you working on now?
Sidney’s fourth adventure! And I really can’t wait to find out what will happen to her next. Sidney is beginning to take over my life! Do you think I should be worried?

About the author

Shore Excursion is Marie Moore's first novel, but not her first writing experience, and like Sidney Marsh, she is a native Mississippian. She graduated from Ole Miss, married a lawyer in her hometown, taught junior high science, raised a family, and worked for a small weekly newspaper, first as a writer and later as Managing Editor. She wrote hard news, features and a weekly column, sold ads, did interviews, took photos, and won a couple of MS Press Association awards for some of her stories.



In 1985, Marie left the newspaper to open a retail travel agency. She completed agency and computer training with Airlines Reporting Corporation, Delta Airlines and TWA, earned her CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) designation, and joined the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). For the next 15 years, she managed her agency, sold travel, escorted group tours, sailed on 19 cruises, and visited over 60 countries. Much of the background of her first book, Shore Excursion, comes from that experience.



Marie also did location scouting and worked as the local contact for several feature films, including Heart of Dixie, The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag, and Robert Altman's Cookie's Fortune.



In mid-1999, because of her husband's work, Marie sold the travel agency and moved to Jackson, Mississippi, then New York City, Anna Maria Island, Florida, and Arlington, Virginia. She and her husband now live in Memphis, Tennessee and Holly Springs, Mississippi.



Marie and her mystery novels have been featured in Click! Magazine, At Home Memphis and MidSouth Magazine, Portico Magazine, and Southern Writer's Magazine, She has been a featured guest on WREG's Live at 9, BookTalk, and The Earle Farrell Show. She has given 30 minute presentations: "Whodunnit? Crafting the Mystery Novel" and "Finding A New Career in Mid-life" to numerous civic groups, senior citizens groups, writer’s groups, libraries, and from The Balancing Act Stage as part of the program of The Southern Women's Show. She has served as a panelist on the programs of Malice Domestic Mystery Conference (Bethesda, Maryland, 2012, 2013, 2015) and Killer Nashville Mystery Conference (2013). 



Game Drive, the second book in The Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series, was named Finalist for ForeWord Review's 2013 Book of the Year Award in the Mystery category. On March 15, 2015, the third novel in the series, Side Trip to Kathmandu, set in Northern India and Nepal, was released by Camel Press. 



Marie is an active member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with Marie:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Camel Press  

Featured Author: Sally Carpenter

About the book:

It’s been years since Sandy Fairfax was a teen idol and starred in his hit ‘70s television series Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth, but he still has his fans. Now it’s 1993 and many of his grown-up fans see a leisurely cruise as the ideal vacation. So, when Sandy’s agent finds him a pleasant gig aboard the SS Zodiac, he jumps at the chance. And, when the offer includes a spot for his musician sister, Celeste, who is blind, Sandy sees an opportunity to re-engage with his estranged sibling. However, the brother-sister duo are barely aboard the ship, when Sandy finds a singer from another shipboard show murdered in his dressing room. When the ship’s security officer does little to investigate, Sandy feels obligated to jump in, even though he isn’t a detective––he just used to play one on TV. Soon he’s grilling potential suspects, including a burnt-out piano bar player, a Southern-fried magician, a blackmail victim, a ventriloquist with a sassy dummy and even a former flame. Will Sandy unmask the killer before the cruise ends? Will he connect with the girl of his dreams? Will he have time to enjoy the sights of Nassau? Or will he end up sleeping with the fishes in the Atlantic Ocean, another victim in this killer’s Cunning Cruise Ship Caper?

Interview with Sally Carpenter

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
The Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series is about a former ‘70s pop star that has been out of the business for too long, but now at age 38, he’s quit drinking and making a comeback. He’s also making amends with his estranged family. There’s a development arc over the series as Sandy regains his confidence on stage and deals with family issues. It helps to read them in order, but each book stands on its own as well. A new reader can pick up the story at any time.

Where’s home for you? Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Princeton, Indiana, a county seat town of about 10,000. I lived in various cities in the Midwest until 2000 when I moved to Southern California. Now I reside in Moorpark, which is considered “small” even thought it has about 34,000 people.

What do you love about where you live?
No snow to shovel and not driving on icy streets. 


Do you have another job outside of writing?
I work a full-time job to pay the bills. I work at a weekly community newspaper, but I’m not a reporter. I use my writing skills for headlines, and photo cutlines, and in editing articles.

What would your main character say about you?

“Stop putting me in so many deathtraps! I also lose my life in every book!”

How did you create the plot for this book?
Research. The plot points arise from what I know about the subject matter. For this book, I took a cruise years ago and saved every scrap of information and took tons of photos from that event. In writing this story, I went through all of that and built my story from there.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
My protagonist, Sandy Fairfax, was inspired by The Monkees. I did plenty of research into teen idols of the 1960s/70s, including reading several autobiographies by various real life pop stars. Sandy is a mash-up of the guys I read about, but he doesn’t represent any particular person.

Is your book based on real events?
It was based on the cruise I took and the fact that some of the older teen idols have performed on cruise ships.
 
Are you like any of your characters?
I’m a little like Bunny McAllister, Sandy’s biggest fan, and Celeste Farmington, Sandy’s sister. There are a few of my traits in these women, but they are not exactly like me. The fact that Celeste can sing and play keyboards is not a skill I have!

Who are your favorite authors?
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (naturally), Robert Levinson and William Link, Rod Serling. 


What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I don’t have a Kindle/ereader. Looking at a computer screen all day strains my eyes, so I go with paper for pleasure reading. I’m re-reading the entire Sherlock Holmes canon in order. I’m enjoying those stories more now than when I was younger. On my next-up list is “Granny Snows a Sneak" by Julie Seedorf.

What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
I usually read before I go to bed, but by then I’m generally too tired to cover more than a few pages. And if I take too long in reading a book, I forget what I read days ago.


Do you have a routine for writing?
First drafts are always handwritten. I can’t compose fiction on a computer. It feels too much like a job, and I stop constantly to make corrections. I’m trained as a touch typist, so I can’t look at my fingers or the screen when I’m composing. Handwriting helps the story flow better onto the paper. I have a refillable pen I use only for writing. Then I type up the draft into the computer and revise from there.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
At home. I work a day job, so my writing time is limited to evenings and weekends.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
That I made the reader laugh.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?

I’ve lived in various towns, and one of the first things I did after settling in was to get a new library card. I’ve been in many libraries but the most memorable was in the town where I grew up. During the summers mom dropped me off at the library while she shopped, instead of leaving me at home. The library was an old-fashioned brick building with a couple of “nooks” where one could get lost among the books and some chairs for reading. It was quiet, not like modern libraries where people are talking. No computers or activities going on, just paper books to read. In eighth grade, I won the summer reading contest for taking on the most books. I’m sure that library is much different now—-I haven’t been in it for years. But I have fond memories.

Why did you decide to publish with Cozy Cat Press?

Like most authors, when I started out with my first book I wanted an agent and a big advance and nice contract. Reality is, agents/large publishers won’t touch an unknown/unpublished author. Publishers won’t take a chance on an author until she’s a celebrity who will guarantee huge sales. After several agents turned me down, I queried small presses that do not require agents. My first book was with another publisher. After two years, that publisher put my book out of print. Many publishers won’t pick up a series that started with another press, so I was fortunate to find Cozy Cat Press. The publisher, Patricia Rockwell, liked my series and was willing to publish the second book. I got the rights back on my first book and self-published an ebook version to keep it in print.

Are you happy with your decision to publish with CCP?

I have cats, so I love the name! CCP is very encouraging of its authors. Patricia works hard to get books on the market promptly as soon as they’re finished. CCP doesn’t set deadlines so authors can take as much time as they need to write. Authors can give input regarding book titles, book covers, and the promotional copy—-large publishers handle these areas with no regard to the author’s wishes. The other CCP authors support and promote each other.

How did you find them, and how long did your query process take?

I Googled “mystery publishers” and eventually found a list of various small presses; CCP was on the list. The query process went fast—-I think Patricia responded to my query in just a few days! Large publishers take months because they pass queries through several layers of readers, editors, marketing directors, etc.

What are you working on now?

The next Sandy Fairfax book, number four, The Bloody Black Tie Benefit Caper. Sandy’s taking part in a fundraiser to help save his father’s orchestra, and he’s also appearing on a TV game show. He’s handling some serious issues with his kids, and he’s trying to woo his girlfriend. And of course, there’s a corpse or two. I’m also starting on a new cozy mystery series set in the 1960s. I’m still working on the details, but it should be groovy and fab!

About the author:

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, California.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. Common Ground also earned a college creative writing award and Star Collector was produced in New York City.

Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for a major movie studio. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.

Her initial book in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series, The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper, was a 2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel.

Her short story, “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in,” appears in the anthology Last Exit to Murder.

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet was published in the Plan B: Vol. 2 e-book anthology.

Her short story “The Pie-eyed Spy” appeared in the Nov. 23, 2013, issue of Kings River Life ezine.

Connect with Sally:
Blog  |  Facebook