FEATURED CHARACTER: SUSAN BOLES' LILY GAYLE LAMBERT

ABOUT THE BOOK

"Beware the sign of the vampire blood," said the fortune-teller. "It brings madness and turmoil."

Lily Gayle knows what that means, but, for the life of her, can't figure out how the fortune-teller does. A quick road trip with Dixie. An unplanned stop at a roadside park. And, an hour later a dead body. Lily Gayle, Dixie and Miss Edna find themselves knee deep in another homicide investigation when the local vet assistant turns up dead behind an outbuilding at the farmers market.

Lily Gayle believes the words of the fortune-teller will have a major impact on the investigation but can't bring herself to tell the other ladies. To reveal what she believes the words mean might bring trouble to another old friend. And would betray a trust. Only Ben knows and he, as usual, advises Lily Gayle to stay out of his investigation – which she isn't about to do.

When the secret is revealed, the townspeople go mad and the fortune-teller’s words come true. Can Lily Gayle, Dixie and Miss Edna solve the murder before more people are harmed?

Book Details:


Title: Death said the Gypsy Queen

Author: Susan Boles   

Genre: Cozy mystery

Series: A Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery, book 4


Publisher: Argent Ocean Publishing
Print length: 210 pages

On tour with Great Escapes Book Tours 

ABOUT LILY

Lily Gayle is late forties, a graduate of Ole Miss University and a widow. She came back to Mercy, Mississippi after the death of her husband eight years ago. She makes a living by combining her skills as a seamstress making costumes for re-enactors with her research skills to do genealogy searches for various clients. She lives alone in the home built by her grandparents and left to her after their death. Along with her lifelong best friend, Dixie, and town busybody, Miss Edna, she helps solve mysterious deaths that happen in the town. Much to the consternation of the sheriff, Ben Carter, who is also her cousin.

INTERVIEW WITH SUSAN BOLES’ LILY GAYLE

Q: How did you first meet Susan? 

A: We met about fifteen years ago. She started writing Death of a Wolfman all the way back then. She got the idea from an old episode of CSI. And, since she loved cozy mysteries and doing genealogy work, she decided to write her first cozy mystery with me as the main character. She decided my age, hair color and eye color. Then made up the town. Which was originally called Mercyonus instead of Mercy. We were perking right along with the story and then, she just left me sitting around on a computer disk for years! Can you believe it? What the heck was that about? Thank goodness she dug me out of that drawer and finished my first story.

Q: Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

A: My favorite scene in this book is with Doc Johnson. He’s the coroner in Mercy. I find a vampire doll on my porch and it’s wearing a white jacket. I take it over to show it to Doc and warn him that someone may be out to get him. He decides it’s a joke and points out that the doll has hair and he’s bald and an egg so it can’t be about him.

Q: Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters? 

A: Well. Just between us, Miss Edna drives me up the wall. I mean, she’s eighty years old! Can’t the woman just stay home and tend to her flowers? Why does she have to keep butting into my cases? Dixie and I handle those just fine. We don’t need any help. Dixie is my best friend, you know. We’ve been friends since we were babies in diapers. She’s the best person I know. She’d give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. But, don’t think she’s all wishy-washy. She can give you what for if you get out of line. And Ben. He’s my cousin so I kind of have to love him. Right? Family is important to me. But, I have to confess, he drives me almost as nuts as Miss Edna. Trying to pull off that big brother protection routine with me. I don’t need anyone to take care of me like that. I think he does it just to try and keep me out of solving the murders around here. I know he’s the sheriff and all, but I’ve done some good work getting cases solved around here. So why does he always have to try and keep me out of the loop?

Q: Do have any secret aspirations that your author doesn’t know about?

A: I’m putting together a bucket list of things I wanted to do. The big one right now is I want to go skydiving. And then learn standup paddle boarding. I haven’t told her yet. But she needs to work those into future books. I think both of those things would be a lot of fun. Especially the skydiving!

Q: Tell us about your best friend. 
A: My best friend is Dixie. We’ve been best friend since we met. We were in diapers at the time. Our mothers were best friends growing up. That’s how it is sometimes in small towns. Dixie tends to be a lot more cautious than me. But, in the long run that’s probably a good thing. I can’t say that she’s ever actually talked me out of doing something, but she’s made me rethink how I was going to go about it. And she’s always there to get me out of trouble. Her super power is working magic with people’s hair. She owns the It’ll Grow Back hair salon in downtown Mercy. If you want to get your hair done somewhere else, you’ll have to drive to the next town. And that would be a shame since people from those towns come to Mercy just to get Dixie to do their hair.



Q: How do you feel about your life right now?

A: I really like my life right now. I’m getting some issues resolved. Some that probably should have been resolved a long time ago. But, things take time, you know? I’m getting over my fear of driving for one thing. For some reason, after my  husband John was killed in a car wreck years ago I got to where I couldn’t drive at all. The minute I tried it, my hands would shake so bad I could hardly keep them on the steering wheel and my feet just would not press on the accelerator. The strangest thing I ever heard of. A doctor told me it was panic and anxiety and that it would clear up eventually. So, it’s finally starting to do that. And I’m starting to think about romance again. Nothing all crazy fireworks. Just maybe having someone in my life I want to wake up next to every morning.

Q: If your story were a movie, who would play you? 

A: Oh, definitely Reese Witherspoon. Why, we’re so much alike it’s eerie. Maybe we’re related. I need to do a genealogy search on her family. Maybe we are related! Would that just be a hoot!

Q: Describe the town where you live. 

A: It such a sweet little town. The downtown is still doing well, even though there’s a Walmart out on the edge of town now. But I’m glad everyone supports the local businesses. Why, my friend Dixie, has the best hair salon around. It’s right on the square. The name is It’ll Grow Back. I wasn’t in favor of that when she told me, but it seems to be a big hit around here. Just goes to show people do have a sense of humor. And, the Grits and Gravy Café is on the town square, too. It’s the place where Dixie, Miss Edna, Missy Elliott, Harley Ann and I get together for breakfast every Thursday morning. That’s when I get my chocolate gravy fix for the week. They make the best for a hundred miles around at the Grits and Gravy. The courthouse is smack in the middle of the town square. It’s almost two hundred years old. And there’s a monument on the lawn with the names of all the original settlers of Barkley County engraved on it. Along with a monument to all the people from Mercy who died in all the wars. That giant magnolia by the gazebo in the town square was planted a hundred years ago by my grandfather. He was county sheriff back then.

Q: Will you encourage Susan to write a sequel? 

A: Absolutely! She’s working on one right now. I think everyone will really like it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of the Lily Gayle Lambert Mystery Series and a contributing author to the Brotherhood Protectors World.



A lifelong long love of all things mysterious led Susan to write cozy mysteries. Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden were the first to show her that girls can be crime solvers. Agatha Christie showed her that even small towns have big secrets. And Phryne Fisher showed her lady detectives can be outrageously individual. She lives in Mississippi with her rescue mini dachshund, Lucy, and her rescue cat of no particular breed, Zimba. She currently writes the Lily Gayle Lambert mystery series set in the fictional town of Mercy, Mississippi featuring a multi-generational cast of female sleuths and romantic suspense in the Brotherhood Protectors Kindle World.



Connect with Susan:

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Buy the book:
Amazon  

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CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH ELENA HARTWELL'S EDDIE SHOES

ABOUT THE BOOK

Private investigator Eddie Shoes heads to a resort outside Leavenworth, Washington, for a mother-daughter getaway weekend. Eddie's mother, Chava, wants to celebrate her new job at a casino by footing the bill for the two of them, and who is Eddie to say no?

On the first morning, Eddie goes on an easy solo hike, and a few hours later, stumbles into a makeshift campsite and finds a gravely injured man. A forest fire breaks out and she struggles to save him before the flames overcome them both. Before succumbing to his injuries, the man hands her a valuable item. He tells her his daughter is missing and begs for her help. Is Eddie now working for a dead man?

Barely escaping the fire, Eddie wakes in the hospital to find both her parents have arrived on the scene. Will Eddie's card-counting mother and mob-connected father help or hinder the investigation? The police search in vain for a body. How will Eddie find the missing girl with only her memory of the man's face and a photo of his daughter to go on?

Book 3 in the Eddie Shoes Mystery Series, which began with One Dead, Two to Go.

Book Details:

Title: Three Strikes, You’re Dead

Author’s name: Elena Hartwell

Character’s full name: Eddie Shoes (Edwina Zapata Schultz)

Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Private Eye

Series: Eddie Shoes Mystery Series, 3rd in series

Camel Press (April 1, 2018)
Paperback: 288 pages
On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours

ABOUT THE CHARACTER


Eddie was born to a teenage mother in Spokane, Washington. After dropping out of high school and spending a few years on the move, she settled in Seattle, Washington, where she worked for a private investigator. She earned a private investigator license not long before her mentor committed suicide. Unable to deal with the tragedy, and her feelings of guilt over her failure to save him, she fled her romantic relationship and headed to Bellingham, Washington to set up shop. Book one in the series picks up a few years later. Her estranged mother arrives on her doorstep and her ex-boyfriend moves to town. Then dead people start showing up.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH ELENA HARTWELL’S EDDIE SHOES

Eddie, how did you first meet Elena?
According to her, she was on a road trip with her husband, and he came up with the name Eddie Shoes. She likes to say the name started it all. She claims I’m the love child of James Rockford and Kinsey Millhone. I think that’s a joke, but it’s a little hard to tell.

Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
I blame my mother. Life was going along great before she showed up and butted her way into my house and my work. She keeps getting us tangled up in homicide investigations, which is not my forte, as I lean toward safer clients. Okay, maybe that’s not totally fair. My life wasn’t exactly great, but at least no one shot at me. Things have gotten a little more interesting having Chava around. And she takes great care of my dog when I have to work. I seem to be extending my circle of friends, I’m not quite the loner I used to be. All right, I’ll admit it. Life is going along great now with my dog, my friends, and my mother. But do me a favor, don’t tell Chava that.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
The best scene to be in is when I get to eat this fabulous dinner at the resort where I end up with both my parents. They haven’t really seen each other since before I was born (you can read One Dead, Two to Go to find out how my father came back in my life). But the best scene to read is probably my escape from a forest fire. It’s very exciting!

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?
I would be independently wealthy and have at least one more bathroom now that Chava is living with me.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
I wish I was some of my fellow characters. They have pretty great lives. My best friend Iz has it made. She’s sassy and gorgeous and tough, I’d love to spend time in her shoes. She’s smart and doesn’t get hung up over anything or anyone. Chance Parker is a homicide detective and my ex-boyfriend. People respect him because of the job he does. He’s smart, methodical, fair, and always solves his cases. He’s very sought after because he has such a high solve rate. If I could be him for a little while, maybe I could figure out how he feels about me. My friend Debbie Buse would be a lot of fun to be too. She lives above her bookstore with her two dogs, Indy and Gracie Allen. I’d love that life. I don’t want to be Chava though. Then I’d have me for a daughter … although maybe that would be okay too.

Do have any secret aspirations that Elena doesn’t know about?
Rock star! She should totally write a scene where I sing karaoke! I know I could do it.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
I would go get coffee at Rustic Coffee in Fairhaven, head over to The Book Keeper and peruse the shelves. Then I’d have lunch at the Skylark. I’d visit the dog park with Debbie Buse and her dogs. I’d probably get another coffee in the afternoon, then later, I’d have dinner with my mom. It doesn’t sound like much, but that’s probably my favorite day.



What's the worst thing that's happened in your life?
My mentor Benjamin Franklin “Coop” Cooper, committed suicide. I learned you can’t stop someone who’s serious about killing themself. I think I have more to learn from what happened, but I don’t know what that is yet. It shadows everything I do.

 

What are you most afraid of?
Missing out on the chance for true happiness.



What’s the best trait Elena has given you? What’s the worst?
The Best? I’m funny. The worst? My mother is funnier.


What’s Elena’s worst habit?
She really has a messy desk. I keep trying to get her to clean up, but she’s hopeless. She usually has a couple coffee cups, a half a bag of dark chocolate covered walnuts (which she will NOT share with me), and receipts she should have entered into her tax documents a month ago. Every couple of months I talk her into tidying up, but that only lasts a day or two and things start to pile up again. She also keeps killing her houseplant. I told her she should just get an air fern and call it a day.



Describe the town where you live.
I live in Bellingham, Washington. It’s a town of about 80,000 people not far from Vancouver, Canada. It’s a college town, so it has a lot of young people and that laid back college vibe. It has a beautiful “old town,” which was actually the town of Fairhaven, settled in the 1880s. Fairhaven became a part of Bellingham around 1900. It has brick buildings and cobblestone streets, and it sits near Bellingham Bay. In addition to the bay, there are also lakes and rivers around the area and the Cascade Mountain Range is nearby, so there’s a lot of natural beauty.

What makes you stand out from any other characters in your genre?
Besides being half Latina and half Jewish, I’m almost six feet tall, and my sidekick is my mother. Add in we live in the far northwest corner of the country, and I think I’m fairly unique.

If you could be “adopted” by another writer, who would you choose?
I would love to be written by the late, great Sue Grafton. My author attributes a lot of her voice to falling in love with Kinsey Millhone. I think Kinsey and I would be very good friends.

Will you encourage Elena to write a sequel?
I’m always after her to get me and Chance back together again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elena Hartwell is the author of the Eddie Shoes Mystery series, about a mother/daughter, crime-fighting duo set in Bellingham, Washington. The third book in the series, Three Strikes, You’re Dead launched April 1. Elena lives in North Bend, Washington, on the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River. When she’s not scribbling mysteries, Elena can be found playing with her horses. She loves reading, writing, and the Oxford comma. If you follow her on Facebook or visit her website, you can see cute pictures of all her animals.



Connect with Elena:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  | Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble 

FEATURED AUTHOR: JEANNETTE DE BEAUVOIR

ABOUT THE BOOK

Wedding coordinator Sydney Riley never thought she’d get caught up in a murder investigation, but she became an amateur sleuth when her boss was killed during Bear Week. Now she’s back, this time as the Race Point Inn hosts Provincetown’s venerable transgender event, Fantasia Fair… and murder is once again an uninvited guest!

It’s all hands on deck at the inn as visitors arrive for the week-long event and Sydney helps coordinator Rachel Parsons organize the occasion. Guest Elizabeth Gonzalez is attending with her spouse, Bob, who–as Angela–is taking a bold first step into a whole new existence. Angela, Elizabeth, and Sydney learn the ropes and politics from other guests, some of whom have attended annually for more than forty years.

But the next day, Sydney’s detective friend summons her to one of the town beaches where Angela’s body has been found–with a knife in her back, a knife stolen from Adrienne, the Race Point Inn’s diva chef.

Fair organizers and attendees try and carry on as Provincetown is overrun with police, press, and rampant speculation. Sydney, her boyfriend Ali, her friend Mirela, her boss Glenn, and a host of Fantasia Fair participants scramble to find out who killed Angela–and why–before the killer strikes again.

Book Details

Title: Murder at Fantasia Fair: A Provincetown Mystery

Author: Jeannette de Beauvoir

Genre: Cozy Mystery, 2nd in series

Publisher: HomePort Press (September 28, 2017)

Paperback: 282 pages

Touring with: Great Escapes Book Tours

LOVE OR HATE INTERVIEW WITH JEANNETTE DE BEAUVOIR

Things you need in order to write: Silence. My MacBook. Um, did I mention silence?
Things that hamper your writing: Music. Others love to write to music; I find it completely distracting!



Hardest thing about being a writer: Keeping the seat of your pants in the seat of the chair.

Easiest thing about being a writer: When your characters are talking to you and telling you the story.



Things you love about where you live: I live in a cottage by the sea and get to start every day with a walk on the beach. How lucky am I?
Things that make you want to move: Tourists in the summertime, the inconvenience of isolation in the winter.



Favorite foods: Wine, bread, cheese, coffee, chocolate, shellfish.
Things that make you want to throw up: Hot dogs, tripe, yuck!

Favorite beverage: Red Bordeaux wine.

Something that gives you a pickle face: Gatorade.


Something you’re really good at: Driving—my mother taught me performance driving when I was young, and it’s served me well ever since.

Something you’re really bad at: Math. I count on my fingers. It’s really pathetic.



Things you always put in your books: Places. Real places. I think the location is as important as the characters.
Things you never put in your books: You know, I can’t think of anything! I try to stay open to whatever is going to make the story work.



Things to say to an author: I couldn’t put the book down, I was up until 4:00 reading it!
Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: I don’t like to read.



Favorite places you’ve been: Montréal, my hometown of Angers (France), some fictional places (Ledwardine in Phil Rickman’s books, for example!).
Places you never want to go to again: Dentist’s office, middle school.



Favorite genre: Mysteries! Anything by Phil Rickman or Tana French. I especially like British authors; they tend to be smart and articulate.
Books you would ban: Bodice-ripper romances—they diminish women.



People you’d like to invite to dinner: The cast of Hamilton.
People you’d cancel dinner on: Anyone in the current US administration.



Things that make you happy: My cat, early summer mornings, a great book and glass of wine in a warm place during a snowstorm.
Things that drive you crazy: People who travel poorly: act as though they own the places they visit.



Best thing you’ve ever done: Bringing joy to people.
Biggest mistake: Taking myself too seriously.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jeannette de Beauvoir grew up in Angers, France, but has lived in the United States since her twenties. (No, she’s not going to say how long ago that was!) She spends most of her time inside her own head, which is great for writing, though possibly not so much for her social life. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or traveling . . . to inspire her writing. The author of a number of mystery and historical novels, de Beauvoir’s work has appeared in 15 countries and has been translated into 12 languages. Midwest Review called her Martine LeDuc Montréal series “riveting (…) demonstrating her total mastery of the mystery/suspense genre.” She coaches and edits individual writers, teaches writing online and on Cape Cod, and is currently writing a Provincetown Theme Week cozy mystery series featuring female sleuth Sydney Riley.

Connect with Jeannette:
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |   Goodreads  

Buy the book:
Amazon   

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FEATURED AUTHOR: HEATHER WEIDNER

ABOUT THE BOOK

Private investigator Delanie Fitzgerald, and her computer hacker partner, Duncan Reynolds, are back for more sleuthing in The Tulip Shirt Murders. When a music producer hires the duo to find out who is bootlegging his artists’ CDs, Delanie uncovers more than just copyright thieves. And if chasing bootleggers isn’t bad enough, local strip club owner and resident sleaze, Chaz Smith, pops back into Delanie’s life with more requests. The police have their man in a gruesome murder, but the loud-mouthed strip club owner thinks there is more to the open and shut case. Delanie and Duncan link a series of killings with no common threads. And they must put the rest of the missing pieces together before someone else is murdered.

The Tulip Shirt Murders is a fast-paced mystery that appeals to readers who like a strong female sleuth with a knack for getting herself in and out of humorous situations such as larping and trading elbow jabs with roller derby queens.

Book Details
Title: The Tulip Shirt MurdersAuthor: Heather Weidner

Publisher: Sandpiper Productions

Pages: 264

Genre: Mystery – Female Sleuth
Touring with: Pump Up Your Book

LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT INTERVIEW WITH HEATHER WEIDNER

A few of your favorite things: Books, chocolate, my two Jack Russell Terriers.
Things you need to throw out:
 Old clothes (I tend to keep stuff until it comes back in style).

Things you need in order to write: Chocolate, Paper/Pen or Laptop, Music (loud for writing; calmer for editing).
Things that hamper your writing: Distractions (Usually the Internet) – I’ll go to research something and get lost in the world wide web.


Hardest thing about being a writer: Balancing the writing life with all the other things life throws at you.

Easiest thing about being a writer:
 Getting in the zone and writing; plotting a new mystery.

Things you love about where you live: I love that we are central to just about everything in Virginia. I can be at the beach, mountains, or in Washington, DC in a few hours. I love taking day-trips. Virginia has so much history, beauty, cultural sites, and wonderful restaurants.
Things that make you want to move: We usually have moderate temperatures, but we do have a few cold snaps. And during winter, I always get the urge to move somewhere warm.


Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate, iced tea, electricity (I am not a ruffing-it kind of girl).
Things you wish you’d never bought:
 I have some clothes that have inspired buyers’ remorse. It looked good in the store…

Words that describe you: Creative, energetic, sassy.
Words that describe you but you wish they didn’t: Tired (I try to cram a lot into twenty-four hours. I have to take a break once in a while).

Favorite foods: Pizza, cheese, apples, chocolate, french fries.
Things that make you want to throw up: Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrot/raisin/mayonnaise salad, the smell of eggs.

Favorite beverage: Dr. Pepper (once in a while); iced tea, iced coffee.

Something that gives you a pickle face: Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, the smell of eggs.

Something you’re really good at: Scrabble and Yahtzee.

Something you’re really bad at:
 Cooking when multiple dishes have to come out hot and ready at the same time – Cooking stresses me out.


Last best thing you ate: Chocolate Fudge Pie.

Last thing you regret eating: Greasy tacos.

Things you’d walk a mile for: Caffeine.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Too much talk radio or TV; Golf on TV.

Things you always put in your books:Pets (usually dogs).
Things you never put in your books: People who hurt/endanger animals.

Things to say to an author: I liked your book, and I left you a review online.

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: Here’s my idea for a book. You should write it. I don’t have time.

Things that make you happy: A fully edited/finished manuscript, when my husband finishes his latest classic car project, and my two crazy Jack Russell Terriers
Things that drive you crazy: Telemarketers, paper cuts, people who leave their grocery carts in parking spots instead of returning them.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Weidner’s short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series and 50 Shades of Cabernet. She is a member of Sisters in Crime – Central Virginia, Guppies, Lethal Ladies Write, and James River Writers. The Tulip Shirt Murders is her second novel in her Delanie Fitzgerald series.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers.

Heather earned her BA in English from Virginia Wesleyan College and her MA in American literature from the University of Richmond. Through the years, she has been a technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She blogs regularly with the Pens, Paws, and Claws authors.

Connect with Heather:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  LinkedIn  |

Buy links:
Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Apple  |  Kobo 

CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH LOIS WINSTON’S ANASTASIA POLLACK

ABOUT THE BOOK

Crafts and murder don’t normally go hand-in-hand, but normal deserted craft editor Anastasia Pollack’s world nearly a year ago. Now, tripping over dead bodies seems to be the “new normal” for this reluctant amateur sleuth.

When the daughter of a murdered neighbor asks Anastasia to create a family scrapbook from old photographs and memorabilia discovered in a battered suitcase, she agrees—not only out of friendship but also from a sense of guilt over the older woman’s death. However, as Anastasia begins sorting through the contents of the suitcase, she discovers a letter revealing a fifty-year-old secret, one that unearths a long-buried scandal and unleashes a killer. Suddenly Anastasia is back in sleuthing mode as she races to prevent a suitcase full of trouble from leading to more deaths.

ABOUT ANASTASIA POLLACK

When magazine craft editor Anastasia Pollack’s husband permanently cashed in his chips in Las Vegas, her life crapped out. Previously clueless about her husband’s gambling addiction, she’s now dealing with debt greater than the GNP of Uzbekistan. She’s also stuck with her semi-invalid Communist mother-in-law as a permanent houseguest, who’s sharing a bedroom with her mother, a self-proclaimed descendant of Russian nobility. Anastasia’s two teenage sons, her mother’s cat, her mother-in-law’s dog, and a Shakespeare-quoting parrot all vie for space and attention in her too-small suburban home.

When Anastasia returns to work, she discovers the body of the magazine’s fashion editor glued to her office chair. The woman collected enemies and ex-lovers like Jimmy Choos. When evidence surfaces of an illicit affair between her and Anastasia's husband, Anastasia becomes the prime suspect. Suddenly she’s thrust into the role of reluctant amateur sleuth to prove her innocence.

As the series progresses (there are currently six books—Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, Death By Killer Mop Doll, Revenge of the Crafty Corpse, Decoupage Can Be Deadly, A Stitch to Die For, and Scrapbook of Murder and three novellas—Crewel Intentions, Mosaic Mayhem, and Patchwork Peril), Anastasia takes on various moonlighting jobs to pay down her debt, only to find herself constantly tripping over dead bodies, forcing her to continue sleuthing. The one bright spot in her life is photojournalist and possible government operative Zack Barnes. Simmering sexual tension between the two eventually leads to romance.



CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH LOIS WINSTON’S ANASTASIA POLLACK

Anastasia, how did you first meet Lois?
I was a typical middle-class suburban working mom when author Lois Winston hijacked my life. Now I’m a penniless widow who’s constantly dealing with murder and mayhem. Why would she do that to me? I’m a magazine crafts editor, not Jane Rizzoli!

Want to dish about her?
I’m no psychiatrist, but personally, I think Lois Winston has some unresolved family issues, especially with her communist mother-in-law. Why else would she foist a nasty communist mother-in-law on me?
 
Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
I don’t know, but I definitely lost the heroine lottery. Lois used to write romance. Why couldn’t she have chosen me for a heroine in one of her earlier romances? Six books and three novellas into the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, and I’m still looking for my happily-ever-after. Lois isn’t a total sadist, though. She did allow hunky Zack Barnes to rent the apartment over my garage when she could just as easily have rented to a couple of rowdy college kids. So I have to thank her for that. But then, of course, she couldn’t leave it at that. I seriously suspect that along with being a photojournalist, Zack is also a government agent, and the photography gig is merely a cover for his spy work.

Did you have a hard time convincing Lois to write any particular scenes for you?
I’ve begged for some steamy love scenes featuring Zack and me. I know Lois is capable of writing them. I’ve read her romances. But she keeps denying my request. She says it’s all about reader expectations and the differences between the romance genre and the mystery genre. In cozy and amateur sleuth mysteries readers are more interested in the solving of the mystery. They don’t want mushy love scenes getting in the way. So Zack and I are limited to the occasional passionate kiss before Lois slams the bedroom door. And she’s made it clear she’ll continue slamming that door.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
Let’s see . . . I’m a single mom who’s been forced to take on moonlighting jobs to try to whittle down the debt my dead husband stuck me with. When I’m not working, I’m busy keeping my mother and my mother-in-law from killing each other. And then there are all those dead bodies Lois tosses in my path on a regular basis. I did have one short respite, though. In Mosaic Mayhem, Zack took me to Barcelona on one of his photo assignments, but I wound up getting kidnapped, so the vacation was a bit of a bust.

Bummer! Besides that particular plot, if you could rewrite anything in your books, what would it be?
I’d like my pre-Lois life back, but she rattled off something about the need for plot arcs and character goals, motivation, and conflict and said no one would be interested in reading about a protagonist with a boring, normal life.

Well, she does have a point. Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
I love my sons, and I love Zack. And as much as she tries my patience, I love my mother—most days. But then there’s my mother-in-law Lucille. She would try the patience of a hundred saints. I understand one of Lois’s good friends keeps asking her to kill off Lucille, but Lois claims she’s the character readers love to hate. So I guess I’m stuck with her.

With the exception of our prima donna fashion editor (and what fashion editor isn’t a prima donna?) my coworkers are wonderful, especially food editor Cloris McWerther. Along with keeping my sweet tooth satisfied, she also saved my life once. I owe her big time. So I don’t hesitate to jump in and help when she finds herself in trouble in Scrapbook of Murder.

Do you have any secret aspirations that Lois doesn’t know about?
Not really. I’m not shy about letting her know how I feel and what I want. Unfortunately, she rarely listens to me.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
What I wouldn’t give for a spa day! Ever since Dead Louse of a Spouse left me in debt up the yin-yang, I can barely afford a haircut once a year, let alone anything else.

What's the worst thing that's happened in your life? What did you learn from it?
That would be discovering my husband had a serious gambling addiction that he kept well hidden from me. When a man says, don’t worry, he’ll take care of everything—especially when it comes to money—don’t believe him. Trust but verify.

What are you most afraid of?
Winding up living in a cardboard box over a subway grate.

What’s Lois’s worst habit?
Given what she’s done to me? She’s obviously a sadist.

What aspect of her writing style do you like best?
Her ability to write humor. As bad as I have it, thanks to Lois imbuing me with a sense of humor, I’ve been able to survive everything she’s thrown at me—at least so far. Can you imagine what my life would be like if she’d decided to write a series of dark mysteries?

Horrors! If your story were a movie, who would play you?
Tina Fey, hands down. Publishers Weekly even compared me quite favorably to her Liz Lemon character from 30 Rock in their starred review of the first book in the series.

What makes you stand out from any other characters in your genre?
Most cozy and amateur sleuth mysteries feature small-town women from New England or down South. I’m a Jersey girl with a Jersey girl’s attitude.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.




Connect with Lois:
Website  |  Blog  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble 

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FEATURED AUTHOR: NANCY COLE SILVERMAN


ABOUT THE BOOK

As radio reporter Carol Childs investigates a series of Beverly Hills jewelry heists, she realizes her FBI boyfriend, Eric, is working the same case. Even worse, she may have inadvertently helped the suspect escape. The situation intensifies when the suspect calls the radio station during a live broadcast, baiting Carol deeper into the investigation.

In order for her to uncover the truth, Carol must choose between her job and her personal relationships. What started out as coincidence between Carol and Eric becomes a race for the facts—pitting them against one another—before the thieves can pull off a daring escape, leaving a trail of dead bodies behind, and taking the jewels with them.

INTERVIEW WITH NANCY COLE SILVERMAN

Nancy, how did you get started writing?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories. My first blush at writing, however, was in second grade. I wrote my first short story for a spelling assignment. You know one of those tasks where kids have to use each new word in a sentence. I decided instead to write a story. I loved the story and was so excited about it. I don’t think I slept a wink the night I turned it in. I was convinced it was the best thing my teacher would ever read. Only trouble was, I’d paid no attention to my spelling words or to grammar and I don’t think my teacher thought I demonstrated any appreciation for the tools I’d need to pursue my passion as a writer. I remember getting my paper back the next day with lots of red marks on it–corrections I should have known–and a note telling me I needed to pay more attention in class. Umph! I thought she needed to pay more attention to the story and less to the minor errors I had made.

Do you have a writing routine?
I write every day. After retiring from a career in radio—where I wrote news, commercial copy and promos, I returned home and established a home office. I’m there nearly every day and busy as I ever was writing. I think it’s important writers write.

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process? That’s a difficult question. The world of publishing changes daily and staying informed and on top of what’s working and what’s not is a full-time job. I prefer to think my publisher does most the heavy lifting.

What do you think is the hardest aspect of writing a book?
Re-writing. A draft is just a draft or the skeleton of what will become the book. There’s so much that is revealed as a writer works and reworks a manuscript. I think the biggest mistake a writer can make is trying to rush a finish.

What’s more important—characters or plot?
I like to think character. Readers relate to characters. The news is full of nasty things that happen every day to people but when the public has a face to go with the story it permeates our psyche so much deeper than if were just an event with a face. I try to put a face to all my plots.

How often do you read?
Everyday. People ask me all the time, must writers read. I answer, must a musician listen to music. A talent can’t be developed unless it is groomed and educated. Reading is the best thing a writer can do.

What books do you currently have published? 
The Carol Childs Mysteries are my first published full-length novels. I’ve self-published several books, and I have a series of short stories on the internet, in various anthologies and magazines.

Is writing your dream job?
Yes, writing is my dream job. I’ve had a number of different jobs since I was a kid and every one of them shows up in my work at various times. It’s as though everything has come together as it should.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
PBS.

Would you make a good character in a book?
I like to think that Carol Childs is a memorable character because in my opinion, she’s real. She’s not a character that thinks she’s stronger than her male counterparts, but believes, "Brains Beat Brawn and a Mic is More Powerful than a Forty-five.”  It’s the theme line of my books and one I hope that demonstrate that women have their own powers, different from their male counterparts, but equally as effective.

What five things would you never want to live without?
My computer with internet access, coffee, wine and stack of good books to read.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without (besides your phone).
My sense of humor. I like in L.A. to venture out into traffic one needs a sense of humor and patience.

What do you love about where you live?
The diversity of people and places to go and things to see. We’ve everything Hollywood to the Space Shuttle here. Lots to see. 
What’s your favorite thing to do/favorite place to go on date night?

What's the biggest lie you ever told? 
I like to think that’s an unfair question. I don’t lie and I don’t respect people who do.  But, that said, to write a mystery, one must learn to lie. A lie is a series of small stories and to be good at telling a story one must learn how to lie. I once mentioned that in a seminar and a woman took great issue with it. But the truth is, writers must learn to lie, it’s the basis of mystery. 

Um . . . I think you forgot your sense of humor. What’s your favorite beverage?
Wine. White wine. Red wine.  It doesn’t make a difference.

What is your superpower?
My belief that I have a connection to a higher power. 



What do you wish you could do?
Ride horses. Up until several years ago I used to ride and own horses, and I loved it.  Unfortunately, I had a bad accident and had to hang up my stirrups. It was one of the highlights of my life and I miss it.

Where is your favorite place to visit? 
There are so many. When I was very young, I travel a lot through Europe. I had such fun exploring so many areas, particularly in Italy. I don’t think there is anywhere I wouldn’t like to go. I grew up in the Southwest and loved the four corner regions of the US. I am very lucky. My life has been rich in travel, and I believe it has opened my eyes to so much I never would have known about with the opportunity to travel.

What’s your least favorite chore?
Grocery shopping. I love to cook and I view food as an art. In fact, in my series, Carol Childs’ best friend is a gourmet cook. If everyone could have such a friend, we’d all be ten pounds heavier.


Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Do I have to be honest? Carol is driven. I was driven. I loved working for a news talk station and Carol is much the same.  Consequently, relationships frequently took a back seat to her career. 


If you had a talk show who would your dream guests be?
Stephen King and Lee Child.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Obsessive. Compulsive. Sensitive. 



What is your favorite movie?
Gone with the Wind
.

Do you have a favorite book?
Gone with the Wind.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on the fourth book in the Carol Childs Series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Cole Silverman credits her twenty-five years in radio for helping her to develop an ear for storytelling. In 2001, Silverman retired from news and copywriting to write fiction full time. In 2014, Silverman signed with Henery Press for her new mystery series, The Carol Childs’ Mysteries. The first of the series, Shadow of Doubt, debuted in December 2014 and the second, Beyond a Doubt, debuted July 2015. The third, Without A Doubt, is available in May 2016.

Connect with Nancy:

Website  | Blog  |  Facebook  | 
Twitter  | 
Goodreads 
Buy the book:
Amazon

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FEATURED BOOK: HAPPY HOMICIDES

Happy Homicides 2: Thirteen Cozy Mysteries (Crimes of the Heart)
Cozy Mystery Collection
Print Length: 597 pages
Publisher: Spot On Publishing (February 14, 2016)
ASIN: B01B3FKGOU

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this mystery anthology, Happy Homicides 2: Thirteen Cozy Mysteries, Crimes of the Heart, the authors include Joanna Campbell Slan, Teresa Trent, Neil Plakcy, Elaine Viets, Annie Adams, Camille Minichino, Nancy Jill Thames, Linda Gordon Hengerer, Kathi Daley, Carolyn Haines, Anna Celeste Burke, Randy Rawls, and Maggie Toussaint. 


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!

A COMPLETE LIST OF THE STORIES:

Stupid Cupid: A Cara Mia Delgatto Novella by Joanna Campbell Slan: Cara Mia’s search for love gets her involved in a star-crossed, homicidal romance.

A Heart for Murder by Teresa Trent: An expensive family heirloom is stolen from a local jewelry store, and Betsy Livingston Fitzpatrick would love to figure out who’s responsible.

 For the Love of Dog by Neil Plakcy: A young woman’s death causes a man to consider the many aspects of love. Is it ever a justification for murder?

Wedding Knife by Elaine Viets: A groom learns to take his vow – Till death do we part — very, very seriously.

Death and a Dozen Roses by Annie Adams: Plucky florist Rosie McKay is reunited with an old love, thanks to complications that happen when she tries to deliver a dozen roses.

The Sodium Arrow by Camille Minichino: The love of a student for a favorite teacher drives a freelance embalmer to seek out justice.

Sweets, Treats, and Murder by Nancy Jill Thames: Jillian Bradley is a widow with no children, but she still has a keen sense of family. Her love of a good mystery sets her and her canine companion, Teddy, on a quest for justice.

Dying for Valentine’s Tea: A Beach Tea Shop Novella by Linda Gordon Hengerer: The three Powell sisters want their friend Thelma to find true love, but they’re having trouble believing her fiancé has her best interests at heart.

The New Normal by Kathi Daley: Although her own dreams have been shattered, Ellie Davis finds it impossible to quit loving an old friend, even after he’s accused of murder.

Bones and Arrows by Carolyn Haines: Intrepid Sarah Booth Delaney would rather face a gun than a party on Valentine’s Day. Not surprisingly, she’s decided that Cupid is a big phony. But is he a jewel thief, too?

Murder at Catmmando Mountain: Georgie Shaw Cozy Mystery 1 by Anna Celeste Burke: Georgina Shaw loves her cat, chocolate, and cooking. When she’s framed for a crime, she’s forced to reconsider her priorities.

The Missing Jacket by Randy Rawls: A golfing buddy offers Jonathan Boykin big money to retrieve a stolen jacket, but Jonathan suspects something else is going on. Jonathan is smart enough to discern the difference between love and lust. But can he also figure out the scam?

Really, Truly Dead by Maggie Toussaint: Lindsey McKay has no desire to return to small town life. But her love for her father brings her back home when he’s accused of murder.

~ Bonus Story ~

Impediments: A Kiki Lowenstein Short Story by Joanna Campbell Slan—Family problems and priestly politics threaten to derail a love match, until Kiki Lowenstein suggests a surprising solution.

Find out about the authors on their webpages below.

Joanna Campbell Slan

Teresa Trent

Neil Plakcy

Elaine Viets

Annie Adams

Camille Minichino

Kathi Daley

Nancy Jill Thames

Linda Gordon Hengerer

Carolyn Haines

Randy Rawls

Anna Celeste Burke

Maggie Toussaint


And get to know one of the authors, Maggie Toussaint, in the interview below.

INTERVIEW WITH MAGGIE TOUSSAINT

Maggie, do you write every day?
I stay on track when I set word count goals by the week. I write best in the morning, so that’s my top priority each morning. As we know, life often intervenes, and we don’t have our “primo” time available for writing. Then I have to get creative to meet my word count goal. I might jot down bullets on areas to pursue, or I might deepen someone’s character so that I learn something else about him or her. I might search out photo writing prompts related to my work-in-progress. Sometimes, I’ll pull out a notebook and write everything that comes to mind – the story will eventually make its way into the narrative. There’s just more junk in the way during the non-prime time writing window.

How often do you read?
Daily. Sometimes hourly. Enough said!

What is your writing style?
My style is heavily about the people and the places they live. I do my level best to make setting a character in each story. Though my early books were set in Maryland, I now write exclusively about the Georgia coast and the unique flavor of life here.


What do you think makes a good story?
I thoroughly enjoy a book with a solid whodunit that keeps the reader guessing. That book is even better if it has a romantic subplot. Since I write what I like to read, my favorite genre is romantic cozy mystery. My Really, Truly Dead novella falls solidly into this genre.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
My keys. It is no fun being locked out of your own home. We’ve left keys with neighbors before, but they are often busier than we are. We’ve hidden keys in safe places, but someone always forgets to put that key back. It’s better to carry your keys with you all the time.

What do you love about where you live?
My house looks out onto a salt marsh. Every day, there’s something different outside. Some days the marsh is golden like a wheat field; other days it’s the color of growing corn stalks. Birds come and go, chasing after the marine life in the twice daily tides. If I didn’t have this drive to keep writing, I’d be out and about snapping pictures all the time.


What’s your favorite beverage?
Everyone who knows me can answer this question: tea! I have always loved tea, even during my young adult Coca Cola phase. No matter what other liquid tempts me, tea is what I always come back to, whether it’s iced or hot. This beverage can be both energizing and comforting, and the peppermint kind can even settle your stomach. How can you go wrong with tea?

I totally agree! What is the most daring thing you've done?
Back in the day, my friends and I loved climbing trees to the very tippy-top. From there we became entranced with the idea of climbing on roofs. As children do, we figured out when there would be no adults at my one-story house and figured out to climb up on the roof. The view was excellent up there, but I didn’t like getting near the edge. Too scary.

If that wasn’t enough, from there we climbed down and used a plum tree to gain access to the carport, which had a tin roof. The metal flexed made creaks and groans as we walked on it. Because we had to drop down on the roof from the tree, we would have to leap up and out to grab the branch. None of us wanted to do that. The other two gals jumped to the ground from the carport roof just fine. It took me a long time to jump down.

Miraculously, we were safe, but apparently we dislodged shingles from the main roof by walking on it and were busted! Our punishment included a long lecture, and bedtime right after supper for a week. Purely torture when there was at least three good hours of daylight left.

What would your main character say about you?
Lindsey McKay in Really, Truly Dead would consider me a soulmate. Both of us have spent time in the newspaper industry, both of us have had to face fears, both of us love dogs and our families, and both of us value the results of hard work. Although, of the two of us, Lindsey is the only one who is still a natural redhead.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
One of the scenes in Really, Truly Dead was very hard to write. My sleuth, Lindsey, has been dumped in the ocean. Her brother drowned in the ocean and that’s been her biggest fear of her adult life – drowning. I share this fear with her, though my brother is alive and well. 

Consequently, I’m careful about water safety, but it was nearly paralyzing to write of her being stranded offshore. I tried glazing over her fear, but a beta reader felt the scene lacked intensity. I realized the intensity was in my head, so I bled it out on the page. I hope it will leave everyone with a healthy respect of the world’s oceans.

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
I have a beautiful scene from a kayak trip I took with my husband. The water is slick calm, and the surface reflects nature’s beauty from all sides. It still takes my breath away.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I enjoy photographing the sights of coastal Georgia and showing them to readers and fans. We have something quite beautiful and unspoiled down here.

What is your favorite movie?
Galaxy Quest. If you’re not familiar with it, the premise is a take-off on Star Trek and stars Tim Allen. I regularly watched every Star Trek show as a kind, so this spoof was hysterically funny for me. I’ve even watched it multiple times and still laugh at the jokes.


If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
I was struck by the aptness of this phrase long ago, and it still applies. “The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get.” There’s a lot to be said for going about things in a logical manner and not flinging around trying to get an inhuman amount done in five minutes.

What are you working on now?
I’m writing a sequel to my Really, Truly Dead novella for the next Happy Homicide anthology. Turtle Tribbles will be out in June. In the novella, my sleuth, newspaper editor Lindsey McKay, faces death as she tries to figure out who killed the Turtle Girl.

ABOUT MAGGIE:

Southern author Maggie Toussaint loves writing mysteries. She’s published twelve novels in mystery and romantic suspense. Under the pen name of Rigel Carson, she’s published three dystopian thrillers. Bubba Done It, book two in her dreamwalker series, is her latest cozy mystery release. The next dreamwalker book, Doggone It, releases October 2016. She also writes and publishes short stories and novellas. She’s a board member for Southeast Mystery Writers of America and Low Country Sisters in Crime.

Connect with Maggie:
Website   |  
Blog  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  
Goodreads  

Buy the book:

Amazon

 

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FEATURED AUTHOR: CHRISTA NARDI

ABOUT THE BOOK 

An amateur sleuth, Sheridan Hendley jumps at the chance to work with the defense when a favorite waitress is arrested for the murder of her ex-husband. Determined to prove Zoe’s innocence Sheridan probes into the victim’s past and why he chose to return to Cold Creek 15 years after the divorce. Personalities clash and Zoe’s family closes ranks as Sheridan attempts to unlock the carefully kept secrets of the family that owns and operates the Grill. The closer she gets to finding the truth, the more her own life might be in danger – a situation that strains her increasingly serious relationship with Detective Brett McMann.

INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTA NARDI

Christa, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I’ve probably been writing since elementary school. First, it was those assigned creative writing tasks, and then for fun. I always wrote stories and then in high school also wrote poetry. Since then, most of my writing has been nonfiction and more technical in nature (e.g. textbooks), but occasionally I would jot down an idea or two.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
This is the third in the series and each of the others started with Murder at or Murder in . . . The setting for this one is the family-owned restaurant in small town Cold Creek – the Grill.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
Yes, I do. As noted in the bio, like Sheridan, I am a professor and a psychologist.  Thankfully, the stories are all fiction – I’ve no experience with dead bodies or the other characters in the story.

How did you create the plot for this book?
I started with some basic ideas and, of course, the personalities and relationships from the first two in the series. It seemed a bit of a stretch for another dead body to be on the college campus so I needed another location that fit with the setting I’d created – the Grill.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Max is still my favorite. He represents the ivory tower stereotype and the old boy network. He is intelligent, smart, productive, and has a good heart, but sometimes lacks common sense. Although a scientist in his work, when it comes to social interactions, he is quick to jump to conclusions. He fully expects that others will defer to him and that makes others crazy. He has the melodrama of an adolescent but spouts science.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
I think the characters are all conglomerates of people I’ve known at some point, and then exaggerated like a caricature. 

Are you like any of your characters?
I am most like Sheridan, but she is probably my “ideal” self. We share the curiosity, the analytic thinking, and the desire to solve a puzzle. On the other hand, Sheridan is a bit more contemplative and more grounded than I am. She’s never grouchy and she’s more social.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
I do allow Sheridan to be ‘human’ but she has much better self-control than I do and is also better at finding the silver lining.

Who are your favorite authors?

Of current cozy mystery writers, I always look forward to the next one in the series by Vanessa Gray Bartal (Lacy Steele Mystery Series), Kassandra Lamb (Kate Huntington Mystery Series), Ellen Crosby (Wine Country Mysteries) and, of course, Amy Metz (Goose Pimple Junction Mysteries). I recently started reading Dianne Harman too. But there are so many great writers out there, it is really hard to pick favorites.

I'm honored to be on your list! How long is your to-be-read pile?
As of today, I have about 300+ on my Kindle that I haven’t read and a few I still need to write reviews on. Then there is the stack of paperbacks in my nightstand . . . and the ones I have marked in Goodreads . . . I am very glad when Amazon points out that I have already bought a book since I cannot remember all the ones already on the Kindle but not read yet.

Do you have a routine for writing?
(I wish.) I start with a basic idea, a basic plot and key characters, and write – how long I write depends on the demands of my day job and family. The next time I write, I start at the beginning again, and edit, elaborate, and continue the story line. Sometimes I have an idea for a later scene, write it, and then weave it in where it fits best. I envy those who can sit and write 2,000 words at a time and know exactly where their story is going and how to accomplish it (and write multiple books per year).

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Some place relatively quiet, usually at home. I have pulled out paper and pen on a plane or an early morning on vacation when I’m the only one awake when an idea came to me. Most of the time though, I “write” on my laptop.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love to read – mystery, cozy mystery, romance, and scifi/fantasy. I also love to garden, and spend many hours working in mine. When not writing, reading or gardening, I am likely doing jigsaw puzzles or logic puzzles.

How often do you tweet?
More than I should. I only started tweeting about a year ago and, like most of the Internet and social media, it is a huge black hole – I go to Twitter and time just disappears . . . I retweet a LOT and try to support my fellow indie authors.

You're very good about that! How do you feel about Facebook?
Again, I think it’s very easy to spend way too much time on FB. On the other hand, I have learned a lot about self-publishing and marketing through one of the FB groups – Clean Indie Reads. It’s a great group of authors, all very supportive and helpful. Unlike many others, I don’t tend to post anything ‘personal’ but I enjoy the interaction around writing.

What’s your favorite beverage?
That’s an easy one – Diet Coke (not Coke Zero and definitely not Pepsi!). All my caffeine comes from Diet Coke since I don’t drink coffee. When we go on vacation, before we leave, my husband figures out the closest place to find Diet Coke.

What are you working on now?
The fourth in the series – title TBD. I also have an idea for a new series and started the first of that one (title also TBD). The grand plan is that come fall, both will be done, but we shall see . . . 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christa Nardi is and always has been an avid reader. Her favorite authors have shifted from Carolyn Keene and Earl Stanley Gardner to more contemporary mystery/crime authors over time, but mystery/crime along with romance and scifi/fantasy are her preferred choices for leisure reading. Christa also has been a long time writer from poetry and short stories to the Cold Creek series, Christa has joined many other reader/writers in writing one genre she enjoys reading – the cozy mystery. The series started with Murder at Cold Creek College; Murder in the Arboretum is the second in the series. Murder at the Grill is the third. Christa Nardi is a pen name for a real life professor/psychologist from the Northeast who is well published in nonfiction and technical venues.


Connect with Christa:
Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

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Amazon 

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