FEATURED CHARACTER: MEG MACY’S SASHA SILVERMAN

ABOUT THE BOOK

As autumn air settles into the quaint small town of Silver Hollow, there’s nothing more popular than Sasha’s teddy bears—and murder in cold blood . . . 
 


Silver Bear Shop and Factory manager Sasha Silverman is cozying up to the fall season by hosting Silver Hollow’s Cranbeary Tea Party, the opening event of the village’s Oktobear Fest—a too-cute celebration themed around teddy bears. She barely has a moment to agonize over the return of her former high school rival, Holly Parker, whose new toy and bookstore in town could spell big trouble for the Silver Bear Shop and her cousin’s small bookstore . . .
 


But when Sasha discovers Holly’s shop assistant dead with a knife plunged in her body, the unpleasant woman suddenly looks like a real backstabber. So does Sasha’s ex-husband, rumored to have rekindled the fiery extramarital affair he once had with the victim. Now, before a gruesome homicide case takes the fun out of both the Fest and her personal life, Sasha must identify the true culprit from a daunting suspect list—or risk becoming as lifeless as one of her stuffed bears . . .
 



Book Details

Title: Bear Witness to Murder

Author: Meg Macy

Character’s full name: Sasha Silverman

Genre: cozy mystery

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours



INTERVIEW WITH MEG MACY’S SASHA SILVERMAN

Sasha, how did you first meet Meg?
Meg chose the teddy bear shop before me, believe it or not. First I was a widow and then I became a divorcee instead. Given my ex-husband’s wackiness, I rather wish she’d stuck with widowhood. I think she named me Kit at first, and then Julie, but I prefer Sasha – a nickname for “Alexandra Victoria”. I adore my dad and sister. Mom’s another story.

What do you think of Meg?
I can’t complain too much, because Meg did come up with a neat guy for me in book 2, Bear Witness to Murder. But I’m the one in the hot seat, stumbling over dead bodies and getting labeled as a “corpse magnet.” Here’s hoping someone else finds the next one in book 3, Have Yourself A Beary Little Murder.

Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
I’m pretty lucky, living with family and friends in a small town, selling shamelessly adorable teddy bears – I love seeing kids hugging a new toy! – and planning bear-themed events for Silver Hollow’s seasonal celebrations.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
That’s tough – I loved all the fun at the village’s annual teddy bear picnic in book 1, and seeing all the painted fiberglass statues in the Parade of Bears in book 2. I guess my favorite, though, was seeing the kids having a blast with their teddy bears at the Cranbeary Tea Party.

Did you have a hard time convincing Meg to write any particular scenes for you?
Nope, Meg includes me in everything. I would rather convince her to exclude me from finding the next dead body. (wink)

What do you like to do when Meg's not writing about you?
I love to relax with a bowl of popcorn and a classic movie like My Fair Lady, or any Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, or Astaire/Rogers films. But I want to try my hand at painting – not the walls, though. My sister Maddie is an artist, and I’m going to convince her to host a “paint” party in book 3. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Absolutely. If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?
Um . . . finding the body. That was awful, on a foggy morning, and my poor teddy bear dog led me right to her. (shiver) Way too soon after finding our company’s sales rep’s in our shop’s factory – stuffed to death! Murder’s a nasty business.

I'll say! Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
I love my sister Maddie – she’s so creative and fun, pixie-petite and adorable. I’m lucky to have two wonderful besties, Mary Kate and Elle, and we are so needing a Guilty Pleasures Gossip Club meeting again. We’ve all been swamped, and I haven’t had a chance to share my news about Jay Kirby.

Do have any secret aspirations that Meg doesn’t know about?
I’m not about to spill. Not yet! That’s what secrets are for . . .

If you had a free day, what would you do?
Go to Mackinac Island! But that would take a whole weekend. For a day off, I’d take my dog Rosie to the local dog park. Or pack a picnic basket, a book to read, plus my gravity chair, escape to Hudson Mills Metropark and find a remote spot with a shade tree, and chill away from everything.


What impression do you make on people when they first meet you?
They’d find me open and friendly, easy-going. If they knew me for a while longer, they’d know I was reliable and willing to drop everything to help in a fix.



What's the worst thing that's happened in your life?
Finding my ex in our bed with one of our bridesmaids, on New Year’s Eve, a mere nine months after our wedding day. Flynn Hanson cheated regularly, but I’d been blind to it until that fateful day. Ugh. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women. I wish I could say I’ve learned to be less trusting, but nope. Must be a built-in flaw.



Tell us about your best friends.
My besties are the best! Mary Kate Thompson is a first class baker at Fresh Grounds, the coffee shop she and her husband manage. She has an adorable baby, too. Elle Cooper is married to my first cousin, and they own The Cat’s Cradle, a children’s bookstore. Elle has two adorable daughters. How do they manage careers and kids? I’m jealous! I want a family, but need to find a decent, honest guy I can trust first.



What are you most afraid of?
Not having a child – I love kids, and my biological clock is ticking away. I really want to pass on the family business and keep it running for future kids and families, but if a son or daughter had other plans. . . Sigh. But so far, Maddie and I haven’t had much luck in the love/marriage game.



What’s the best trait Meg has given you?
I’d have to say my independence, despite being close with family.
What’s the worst?
My worst, being vulnerable and way too trusting.



What do you like best about Jay Kirby?
I have to admit I was intrigued by Jay Kirby when he showed up at the end of Bearly Departed with our new mailbox. Hand-carved, a mother bear and two cubs, unique and stunning! I vaguely remembered him from woodshop class back in high school, which I dropped after a month. He remembered me, though! Hmm. Or was it my banged-up thumb? We’re so busy, I hope we have time to get to know each other more. We’ll see.

What’s Meg’s worst habit?
Too much time on Facebook with friends! (LOL)



How do you feel about your life right now? Is there anything you would like to change?
I love my life, my family, my friends. But I really wish some woman would marry Flynn Hanson, my ex, and take him out of state. Or out of the country.

What do you like best about Meg's writing style?
I love all the details – especially the outfits, hats, and designer purses she lets me wear. But my sister Maddie always looks more stylish. Hmm.

If your story were a movie, who would play you?
If it can’t be Audrey Hepburn, then I guess Emily Wickersham of NCIS.

Describe the town where you live.
Silver Hollow – a quaint, Southeastern Michigan town where most of the streets are named for Teddy Roosevelt’s family, everyone knows everyone else’s business.

What's an average day in your life like?
I roll out of bed, yawning like crazy, take a shower, dry my hair or gather it in a wet ponytail, get dressed for work – black jeans and one of our silver logo tee shirts – and then drag my lazy pooch outside. Rosie’s not a morning dog! Breakfast is coffee, a bagel with peanut butter, or a muffin from Fresh Grounds, maybe string cheese or a hard-boiled egg. Shop opens at ten, and I’m busy until the lunch hour when I take Rosie for a walk to the Courthouse square. I usually take along a sandwich and a bottle of water. Then it’s back to work, sometimes leading a tour of the factory and shop, and then dinner with my sister, mom, dad, aunt and uncle – unless they’re all busy doing something else! Maddie does our shop’s social media and graphics, and she’s swamped with painting her statue for the Parade of Bears. I love going for a bike ride after work, or a swim at the Y, or just watching my favorite TV shows like NCIS or a Brit series on Netflix. That’s a typical day, but only if there’s not something crazy going on that puts sleuthing on the agenda.

What makes you stand out from any other characters in your genre?
There aren’t any other cozy mysteries with someone who manages their family’s teddy bear shop and factory!

If you could be “adopted” by another writer, who would you choose?
Sharon Farrow of the Berry Basket mysteries. I love berries of all kinds, and the small town of Oriole Point sounds wonderful. I love the Lake Michigan coast.

Will you encourage Meg to write a sequel?
I believe Meg is working on book 3 now – set at Christmastime. My favorite season!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning mystery author Meg Macy lives in Southeast Michigan, close ​enough ​to Ann Arbor, Chelsea, and Dexter – the area she chose for the setting of her Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear cozy mysteries for Kensington. She is also one-half of the writing team of D.E. Ireland for the Eliza Doolittle & Henry Higgins Mystery series; two​ books, Wouldn't It Be Deadly and Get Me to the Grave On Time​ ​were​ Agatha Award finalists​ for Best Historical​. Meg's first published book, Double Crossing, won the 2012 Best First Novel Spur Award from Western Writers of America.


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

Buy the book:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble



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CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH J. DUNCAN'S PENNY BRANNIGAN

ABOUT THE BOOK

The competition is friendly and just a little fierce at the annual Llanelen agricultural show as town and country folk gather for the outdoor judging of farm animals and indoor judging of cakes, pies, pastries, chutneys, jams and jellies, along with vegetables, fruit and flowers. But this year, there’s a new show category: murder.

Local artist, Spa owner, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan agrees to help with the intake of the domestic arts entries and to judge the children’s pet competition on show day. When the president of the Welsh Women's Guild isn’t on hand to see her granddaughter and pet pug win a prize, the family becomes concerned. When a carrot cake entered in the competition goes missing, something is clearly amiss.

A black Labrador Retriever belonging to the agricultural show’s president discovers the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table. A newcomer to town, a transgender woman, is suspected, but amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan believes her to be innocent. She sets out to find the real killer, but when a second body is discovered days later, the case is thrown into confusion, and Penny knows it’s up to her to figure out what happened—and why.

Book Details:

Title: The Marmalade Murders

Author: Elizabeth J. Duncan

Genre: cozy mystery

Series: Penny Brannigan, 9th in series

Publisher: Minotaur Books (April 24, 2018)

Hardcover: 288 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours

ABOUT PENNY BRANNIGAN

A Canadian ex-pat, Penny Brannigan lives in the picturesque North Wales town of Llanelen, where she co-owns the local Spa. A watercolour artist of some note, she has a growing reputation as an amateur sleuth.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH DUNCAN’S PENNY BRANNIGAN

Penny, how did you first meet Elizabeth?
I met Elizabeth J. Duncan on her first visit to the North Wales back in 2005, I think it was, in Llanrwst (fictionalized as Llanelen). We actually passed each other in the street. She was on her way to lunch with friends at the Eagle Hotel, and I was walking up Station Road on my way back to the little manicure salon I had at the time. She didn’t make a great impression on me, to be honest; she just looked like an ordinary tourist. I never dreamed she’d write all those books.

Why do you think that your life has ended up being in a book?
I’ve never really understood that. I wouldn’t have thought my life was particularly interesting, or at least it wasn’t, until the first murder (The Cold Light of Mourning, St. Martin’s Press, 2008).

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I’d love to, but that would give away the ending. I’ll just say it’s delightful because somebody gets her heart’s desire.

Intriguing! Did you have a hard time convincing Elizabeth to write any particular scenes for you?
Not in The Marmalade Murders, but we have had differences of opinion in the past, when she wanted me to become romantically involved with a senior police officer. It made sense on paper, if you know what I mean, and although she tried desperately, my heart just wasn’t in it. In the end, she had to give up on the idea. It just wasn’t meant to be.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
I’m a great rambler and I love roaming the beautiful, rolling Welsh hills with my sketch pad. Sometimes I bring paints and easel. I do my best thinking when I’m walking.

If you could rewrite anything in your book, what would it be?
Not in The Marmalade Murders, but in a previous book someone I loved very much drowned. I’d give anything if we could go back and undo that.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
I love them. Oh, a certain someone can be annoying sometimes, but she always means well and has a heart of gold, so you just have to let it go, don’t you? I’ve lived here in fictional Llanelen amongst these wonderful Welsh people for more than 25 years, and they’re my family now.

Tell us about your best friend.
My best friend is Victoria Hopkirk, my business partner. We met, oh, nine books or so ago, and we’ve solved quite a few mysteries together. I can depend on her for anything, and I hope she knows how much I value our friendship.

What’s your author’s worst habit?
She’s not as disciplined as she should be. The other characters and I hang about for days, sometimes weeks, waiting for the story to get going again. And she definitely plays too much Candy Crush.

What aspect of Elizabeth’s writing style do you like best?
She writes in a clear, simple style that’s easy to read and her dialogue is accurate. As it should be, considering she spends almost half her life her in North Wales.

Describe the town where you live.
Llanelen (the fictionalized Llanrwst) is a market town in North Wales. It’s got a cobbled town square, and a beautiful three-arched bridge designed by Indigo Jones. Some might consider the town old fashioned, but Elizabeth J. knew the minute she arrived here that if she were ever to write a mystery, she would set it in our town. People think that nothing much happens here, but take it from me, things happen. Sometimes dark, evil things.

If you could be “adopted” by another writer, who would you choose?
That’s easy, because I make cameo appearances in the Dorothy Martin series by Jeanne M. Dams, and I have to say it’s always great fun meeting up with Dorothy. And I’m in capable hands with Jeanne!

Will you encourage Elizabeth to write a sequel?
She’s already taken care of that. She’s agreed to write two more books in the series, which will bring us up to 11! Not bad going for someone who never intended to write one book.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR


A two-time winner of the Bloody Words Light Mystery award, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two series of traditional mysteries: the Penny Brannigan series set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer and amateur sleuth Charlotte Fairfax. Elizabeth divides her time between Toronto, Canada, and Llandudno, North Wales.

Connect with Elizabeth:
Website |  Facebook  |  Twitter 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble

BOOK BLAST: OPERATION NO SANCTUARY

Operation No Sanctuary - A Jonathon Stone Mystery Short Story 
by James Moushon - Mystery, Murder, Intrigue and Politics
 


ABOUT THE BOOK

A gang war erupts in East LA between neighborhood gangs and the notorious MS-13 gang from San Salvador and a Mexican cartel from Tijuana is right in the middle of the conflict. CIA Agent Jonathon Stone is assigned the operation. He joins a crime task force to try to stop the violence and capture the cartel leaders. Along with FBI Agent Jodi Shannon, he pursues the elusive Raul Romero, the cartel kingpin, who he has been after for a decade.
 
Drug trafficking, gang shootings and politics all play a role as Jonathon battles the sanctuary city LA which seems to protect the innocent and the guilty.




EXCERPT FROM OPERATION NO SANCTUARY 


Twenty-One. My favorite words unless the dealer is looking at her hole card. I was on a great run which doesn’t come too often. The dealer kept busting and I kept raising my bet and the Jack and Cokes kept appearing at my elbow. The Ocean Queen Casino was my sanctuary.



Being an at-large agent for the CIA had its perks. Of course, tomorrow I could be anywhere in the world. Actually, tomorrow was the day for our weekly phone conference so I was safe until 0900. My boss, Russ Evans, would be prompt. 



I liked the freedom but I liked the action more. I am a part of the DOT division which is the domestic unit of the CIA. We handle terrorism matters that originate outside the country.



And you are asking me if that is legal? It’s not. And it’s not a well-kept secret either. Yet here I am in the Long Beach area living in the shadows. 



I motioned to the cocktail waitress for one more. This would have to be my nightcap. Jill was back in a flash. “Here you go, Jon,” she said, taking a long look at the stash of chips in front of me. I put a five dollar chip on her tray as she brushed against me.



I had about two thousand in black and green chips so she had higher expectations. “Not tonight, Jill,” I said to myself. I was going to cut and run shortly. 



The next morning came quickly. I made it to the back patio with my coffee just in time to catch the first ring of my cell phone. Wiley was controlling the calls, taking roll and passing along the weekly code word. Sometimes I got confused with this process but Wiley had my back. The regular agents used the code regularly. Me, not so much.



“Good morning, gentlemen,” Russ said in an authoritarian voice. “Before I get too far into the briefing, I want to talk directly to Agent Stone.” 



That comment got my immediate attention. I could hear him asking Wiley if I was there in the background. 



Russ continued. “Last night we had two murders in East LA. I know that’s not very unusual but the LAPD and now the FBI are trying to identify the deceased. The victims had false ID’s on them and the documents were excellent forgeries. In fact, they were so good that the FBI got called in and they traced them back to one of our old ops. The ID’s were made by the Romero Cartel in Tijuana. They are a merciless group of thugs and they are right in the middle of a drug war with a gang in LA.” 



He paused for a second. “Agent Stone, this is the group you were chasing several years ago in Mexico. The Feds have a meeting to setup a task force at the FBI office downtown LA at two this afternoon. I want you to get involved. We have to stay to the sidelines on this one. Oh, and Agent Jodi Shannon is in charge of the FBI portion.” 



I could hear someone on the other end chuckling. That damn Wiley. He knew about Jodi and my history. 



“I would love to snag Raul Romero,” I said.



I remember Romero, I thought to myself. In 2006, I was involved in a gun sting. We were selling guns through straw purchases, trying to trap Romero’s Cartel into using the guns for their illegal activities. Unfortunately, the op went sideways and the guns wound up back in the states. We concluded that Romero got tipped off someway about the sting and resold the weapons to gangs in Southern California. This deal in LA could give us another shot at Romero. 



That afternoon I checked through security at the LA Federal Building and was directed to a conference room on the second floor. I slowly opened the door to find at least a dozen people already seated. I saw Jodi in the front with a man dressed in a LAPD uniform and another guy in a suit. Probably FBI.



It sounded like Jodi was taking roll. She saw me and smiled. I halfway raised my hand in acknowledgment and took a seat in the back of the room. Except for Jodi, I didn’t recognize anyone. 



On the side wall was a map of LA with a big red ‘X’ and a bigger map of Southern California next to it. After studying the LA map a little, I noticed an area painted in blue and another area with a green ‘X’ that I recognized as the City of Whittier. 



Also there were two rows of pictures next to the maps. The first row had only two pictures which I assumed where our two victims from the murder yesterday. The second row had four pictures. The last one caught my eye. It was Raul Romero, the cartel kingpin. I turned in my seat to face the front as one by one people introduced themselves. We had the whole alphabet here. We had people from the ATF, a guy from ICE, a DEA guy and, of course, the LAPD and the FBI. I sat there trying not to make eye contact with anyone. I was there for observation but that didn’t last long. 



Jodi had the floor. “I want to thank everyone for attending on such a quick notice. The quicker we get on these murders the better chance we have to resolve this case.”



Then she turned and looked straight at me. “We have a new member of the task force I would like to introduce.”



I shook my head slowly no. 



“Agent Jonathon Stone from the CIA will be joining us. We think his involvement with the Romero Cartel can be invaluable especially south of the border. Everything we know now points to the Romero Cartel from Tijuana.”



A man at the front table raised his hand. 



“Yes, Agent Lopez,” Jodi said, acknowledging the man. 



“Are we sure that we want the CIA involved in this? I know from the DEA’s point of view, we can handle the Mexicans. Besides we already have people in place there that can give us live intel. We are all setup to handle both sides of the border. Besides, the CIA can’t work domestically.” 



Agent Lopez had a good point in a perfect world. With my division involved, that changes the game but Lopez didn’t know that. I wish Jodi had let me sit by myself in the back. 



Jodi got a big frown on her face but didn’t say a word. I had to jump in on this and try to keep my cover. 



“I need to say something about my role. I am here to just add information if it’s needed. I will not be a part of the active task force. I was involved several years ago with the Romero Cartel in a gun sting so I know the players in the cartel, that’s all.”



Now it was Lopez’s time to frown. He wasn’t going to give up. 



“Mr. Stone, I think that the DEA can handle this. We don’t need someone coming in and blowing everything that we have going against the cartel.” “I understanding what you’re saying, Agent Lopez,” Jodi said. “We will be careful not to expose the DEA’s position on this. I would like to introduce LAPD officer, Jerry Martin. He will explain our working theory on what we’re faced with. Officer Martin.” 



A tall officer with a large brown hat stood up from the table and took Jodi’s place at the podium. “Thanks Agent Shannon. I am in charge of the LAPD gang unit. We believe we are in the middle of a gang turf war. The Romero Cartel has become real aggressive in the last six months. There MO for years has been to supply drugs and guns to the small, individual gangs in Southern California. The gangs, in turn, distribute their drugs in their own neighborhoods.” 



I surveyed the audience. Lopez was staring directly at me. Something was up with this guy. He must feel I’m going to intrude on his turf.



“We believe two things happened. The MS-13, the Salvadorian gang, has started taking over various areas in LA and eliminating the gang members. We understand from informants that they want the drug trade all to themselves,” The LAPD officer continued.



That sounds like a regular gang war to me. 



“The other thing that happened was the establishing of the sanctuary areas in the state. That’s where Romero comes in. He is taking advantage of it by crossing people from Mexico with forged documents and getting them into safe zones. These guys are setting up businesses and using those as fronts to distribute drugs, guns and false documents. Also, because of the sanctuary status, we have a problem getting warrants for wire-taps to try to pin them down. As long as these guys stay squeaky-clean, they are home free.” 




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author James Moushon is a self-published mystery author of the Jonathon Stone Mysteries. Also, he is a short story writer and an author advocate. James is the creator of the industry blogs: The eBook Author's Corner, the HBS Author's Spotlight, and the HBS Mystery Reader's Circle.


Starting over 15 years ago, he helped lead the startup of the electronic forms industry in the creation, conversion and usage of electronic forms by supplying that industry with a continuing source of published literature, software products and training seminars. 



In 2003, Moushon changed his focus to ebooks and their development.



He is the author of the Jonathon Stone Mystery Novels. He has published three books: Black Mountain Secrets, Game of Fire, The Cajun Ghost and Operation Alpha Dog, a collection of short stories all featuring Jonathon Stone, CIA undercover agent. 
 



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

Operation No Sanctuary is NOW AVAILABLE at Amazon: only 99 cents
 

FEATURED AUTHOR: ABBY L. VANDIVER

 ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s the sixth installment of an Amazon #1 Best Selling cozy mystery series by Author Abby Vandiver! South Seas Shenanigans continues the adventures of amateur sleuths, Logan Dickerson, archaeologist, and Vivienne Pennywell, aka, Miss Vivee - a five-foot nothing, ninety-something Voodoo herbalist.

Fans of this series have enjoyed the unusual, rarely heard causes of death that only Miss Vivee and her new husband can recognize, and this one doesn’t disappoint! Sail away on a Fijian paradise vacation with Logan, Miss Vivee and Mac as they suffer the shenanigans of a prankster, dance the Meke, and solve an untimely death. Oh, wait! Did I say “a” death? Make that two! Can you guess whodunit?

Additionally, Abby is offering a boxed set of the first three books in the series. Both South Seas Shenanigans and the Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery Boxed Set were released March 29, 2017. Meanwhile, Abby had only planned to write one more book in the series, but in listening to her fans, she has decided to continue writing the series a little longer. Check out her website for more information.

INTERVIEW WITH ABBY VANDIVER

Abby, how did you get started writing?
A college professor didn’t believe I wrote an assignment because she said my grammar was bad, but the writing was so good that I should be writing prose. The two didn’t mix for her. I tried to improve my writing, and then later found I was a natural.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
My favorite thing is making people laugh. But it’s really hard. I’m funny in person, but to do that on paper is more difficult than I’d thought.

Do you have a writing routine?
I write thoughts and characters down in a notebook. I scribble in the margins, on the sides, bottom, and back of the pages. My son told me it looked like the writing of a madman. Actually, it’s just the beginning of my book.

Do you write every day?   
I try to write every day, but life gets in the way. But there is always a story going on in my head. Sometimes I have to write down ideas and conversations on napkins and receipts so I don’t forget them.

I can relate. What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process?
Learned about writing. I wrote well, especially persuasive, scholarly papers, but boy is that different. I learned so much about the “rules” of writing after I published my first book.

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
Staying on track. I just have so many things I want to say – to share with my readers. But everything in my head doesn’t belong in a book.

What’s more important – characters or plot? (You cannot say both!)
Both!! Haha. No. I think it’s the characters, right? They drive the plot. When you figure out who they how, how they react, then you know what will happen with the story. You should of course have a plot in mind when you start writing. That always helps.

What books do you currently have published?
I have about ten books. Three sci-fi-ish mystery books, six cozy mysteries, an historical fiction novel, and a Kindle Worlds book based on A.G. Riddle’s Atlantis Gene. I also have a short story in an anthology that I keep saying I’m going to make into a novel. So far, that’s only an idle threat.


What’s the oldest thing you own and still use?
My fingers and toes.

That's cheating! Is writing your dream job?
Yes!


If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
It used to be MSNBC, but now it’s HGTV.

How do you feel about Facebook?
Facebook should not be for people to post all the happenings and drama in their life. I post info on my books, and sometimes I get suckered into debates, which I immediately regret after I post.

Would you make a good character in a book?
Yes. And I am a character in one of my books. Read them and see if you can guess!

What’s one thing you never leave the house without (besides your phone)?
I will definitely leave home with my cell phone. I usually don’t know where it is. But the answer is glasses. I need them for distance.

What’s your favorite beverage?
Pepsi. I think it’s a panacea.

What drives you crazy?
There are so many things that drive me crazy, consequently crazy is my normal state of being.

What is your superpower?
I have a way with people. 


What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
I like to do nothing. Sometimes I don’t even turn on the television or the radio. I just enjoy the company of me.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Yes, and boy did reviewers hate that character!

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
South Euclid/Lyndhurst Library (Shhh! I’m there now).


Five Fives

5 things you need in order to write: The internet, paper to write on, a pen, a computer, and somewhere I can work out the story out loud.

5 things you never want to run out of: Vaseline, ice, love, tweezers, and wrinkle cream.

5 favorite foods: Pizza, chicken, Stouffer’s Mac & Cheese, pork chops, and BBQ ribs.

5 things you always put in your books: Humor, mystery, true facts, personalities of people I know, and the copyright page.

5 favorite places you’ve been: Nicaragua, Jamaica, Montreal, Aruba, and Lakeview Cemetery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Through her various occupations, Abby discovered her love of writing. She'd always been told she had a gift for telling stories, combining the two, she became an author.



Her debut novel, the mystery/sci-fi, In the Beginning, Book I in the Mars Origin "I" Series was an Amazon #1 bestseller. It was written on a whim, packed away, and rediscovered some twelve years later. After publishing it in 2013, Abby decided to make writing a full-time endeavor. She's penned a slew of novels since then and has even more in her head. Although she writes mostly mystery, she has co-authored a historical/women's fiction novel with author and friend, Kathryn Dionne, under the pen name Kathryn Longino. Currently she is working on several cozy mystery series, including the Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery Series which was an Amazon #1 International Best Seller and soon-to-be released Normal Junction Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series.


A former lawyer and college professor, Abby has a bachelor's degree in Economics, a master's in Public Administration, and a Juris Doctor. A lifetime resident of Cleveland, Ohio, Abby spends all of her time writing and enjoying her wonderful grandchildren.

Connect with Abby:

Website  |  Blog  |  
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FEATURED AUTHOR: LIA FARRELL

ABOUT THE BOOK

As Halloween approaches, engaged couple Mae December and Sheriff Ben Bradley have devoted all their energy to Ben’s campaign for reelection as sheriff of Rose County, Tennessee. The race is already too close to call when the sheriff’s office is hit with yet another maddeningly tricky murder case. In recent years the town of Rosedale has had more than its fair share of murders, a fact Ben’s smarmy opponent is all too eager to exploit.

Investigator Dory Clarkson and her friend, Counselor Evangeline Bon Temps, are visiting the mysterious Voodoo village when a resident tells them her granddaughter, Zoé Canja, is missing. Her dog, a Weimaraner nursing four pups, escapes the house and finds the young woman’s body in a shallow grave. Evangeline becomes Sheriff Ben Bradley’s unofficial consultant because her grandmother in Haiti and later her mother in New Orleans practiced Voodoo. A threatening symbol is left on the pavement by Dory’s front door, effectively banning her from the case. Evangeline and the sheriff’s office ask too many questions, and Evangeline soon wears out her welcome. Voodoo curses aside, Ben’s job is at stake, and no one associated with the case is safe until the killer is found.

Book 5 in the Mae December Mystery series, which began with One Dog Too Many.

INTERVIEW WITH LIA FARRELL

Note: Lia Farrell is a mother/daughter writing team. These answers are from the mother, Lyn.

Lia, how did you get started writing?
Wrote grants and journal articles for much of my career. Started writing fiction when I took early retirement in 2008.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
Starting a new book.

Do you have a writing routine?
Normally write 2 hours each morning.

Do you write every day?
Usually 5 days a week.

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process? Started years ago!

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
Getting a publisher.

How often do you read?
Every day and normally in my genre.

What is your writing style?
I am plot oriented and set up problems my characters need to solve.

What do you think makes a good story?
Great characters, a cool setting, and a writer who can take me there.

What books do you currently have published?
One Dog Too Many, Two Dogs Lie Sleeping, Three Dog Day, Four Dog’s Sake, Five Dog Voodoo (release date 11/16) also Indie published by Lyn Farquhar: Journey to Maidenstone, The Songs of Skygrass, Skygrass Reunion Sab-ra’s Story, Skygrass Reunion, Ruby’s Story.

What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
How much of an author’s life has to be devoted to marketing and publicity. I don’t like this part as much as writing.

Do you have any secret talents?
I have a nearly perfect color sense and most of my memories are in still images like photographs. Most people’s memories are like movies.

Is writing your dream job?
For sure. Only wish it made more $.

What is the worst job you’ve ever had?
Running a cash register at a student book store (when I was 19) at the beginning of fall semester. Routinely gave customers back too much $. My cash register never balanced. They fired me. Taught me I needed to do something that didn’t involve handling cash.

Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
I love the Goodreads and the Amazon Book Giveaways. It’s really good for a series writer.

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

How do you feel about Facebook?
I don’t love the personal side of it, but it has been helpful in posting updates about the May December series to friends and for posting book covers.

For what would you like to be remembered?
As a person who left behind something for others to enjoy.

What scares you the most?
Being too ill at the end of my life to take care of my pets.

Would you make a good character in a book?
I think I would because I’m energetic, open-minded, love kids and dogs, and commit myself to what I want to get from life.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
Debit card and most of the time, my dog.

What do you love about where you live?
We have many large 40 acre parcels with mowed paths for walking in my area and my yard is filled with huge trees and multiple gardens.

What’s your favorite thing to do on date night?
Going to a play in Stratford, Canada.

What's your favorite treat for movie night?
Junior Mints.

What's the biggest lie you ever told?
Goodness, there are so many . . . I consider exaggeration and sometimes making things up part of the life of a story teller and author.

What’s your favorite fast food?
Pizza.

What’s your favorite beverage?
Water.

What drives you crazy?
People who won’t try to learn new things.

What is your superpower?
An eidetic memory for images.

Name one thing you’re really good at and one thing you’re really bad at.
I have an excellent sense of time and always know how much time something will take whether it’s cleaning the garage or writing a chapter of a book. I am badly coordinated and I was always the last person chosen for sports teams in school.

What do you wish you could do?
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

What is one of your happiest moments?
The day our publisher sent us a contract. 

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
There is never nothing to do in my life! When things are slow, I read, write, or take long walks, even when it’s below zero outside. 

Where is your favorite place to visit?
Santorini, an island in the Cyclades. 

What’s your least favorite chore?
I hate to iron because I’m so bad at it. Actually I think I’d hate it even if I were good at it.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Yes, Detective Nichols suffers from low self-esteem and has a hard time forgiving himself. I do too.

What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
I don’t suffer fools gladly.

What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?
Amazon.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
I make chocolate melting cakes for family dinners and often have extras chilling in the fridge. They only take 16 minutes to cook in the oven. Delicious.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
I am 73 years old. This year I hiked to the top of the Acropolis in Athens in 103 degree heat. 

What is the stupidest thing you've ever done?
Going to a bar late at night with a girlfriend who ditched me and took my car keys with her.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” -Anias Nin

What would your main character say about you?
That I should get a life and a boyfriend.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I have a hard time writing scenes that are violent. Hate doing it. It’s because I deplore violence in life.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I love the Special Collections room in the basement of the MSU Library for all the old books that have to be handled with white gloves under the gimlet eyes of a librarian.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Ruth Galloway, the archeologist in the Ellie Griffith books.

If you had a talk show who would your dream guests be?
Spock, the Dalai Lama, and Jane Goddall.

What’s one thing that very few people know about you?
That I’ve always wanted to own a farm.

How do you like your pizza?
Thin crust, sausage, green peppers.

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
Pictures of flowers.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Intellectual, energetic, creative, animal lover, self-critical, grandmother.

What’s your favorite song?
"Bridge over Troubled Waters" by Simon and Garfunkle.

What is your favorite movie?
Out of Africa. 

Do you have a favorite book?
Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandrian Quartet.

What are you working on now?
Book 6 in the Mae December series.

ABOUT LYNN

Lyn Farquhar taught herself to read before starting school and honed her story telling abilities by reading to her little sister. Ultimately, her mother ended the reading sessions because Lyn’s sister decided she preferred being read to over learning to read herself. She fell in love with library books at the age of six when a Bookmobile came to her one-room rural elementary school. The day the Bookmobile arrived, Lyn decided she would rather live in the bookmobile than at home and was only ousted following sustained efforts by her teacher and the bookmobile driver.

Lyn graduated from Okemos High School in Michigan and got her college and graduate degrees from Michigan State University. She has a master’s degree in English literature and a Ph.D. in Education, but has always maintained that she remained a student for such a long time only because it gave her an excuse to read. Lyn holds the rank of Professor of Medical Education at Michigan State University and has authored many journal articles, abstracts and research grants. Since her retirement from MSU to become a full time writer, she has completed a Young Adult Fantasy trilogy called Tales of the Skygrass Kingdom. Volume I from the trilogy is entitled Journey to Maidenstone and is available on amazon.com. Lyn has two daughters and six step children, nine granddaughters and three grandsons. She also has two extremely spoiled Welsh Corgi’s. Her hobby is interior design and she claims she has the equivalent of a master’s degree from watching way too many decorating shows.

ABOUT LISA

Lisa Fitzsimmons grew up in Michigan and was always encouraged to read, write and express herself artistically. She was read aloud to frequently. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she was seldom seen without a book in hand. After becoming a mom at a young age, she attended Michigan State University in a tri-emphasis program with concentrations in Fine Art, Art History an Interior Design.

Lisa, with her husband and their two children, moved to North Carolina for three exciting years and then on to Tennessee, which she now calls home. She has enjoyed an eighteen year career as a Muralist and Interior Designer in middle Tennessee, but has always been interested in writing. Almost five years ago, Lisa and her mom, Lyn, began working on a writing project inspired by local events. The Mae December Mystery series was born.

Lisa, her husband and their three dogs currently divide their time between beautiful Northern Michigan in the summertime and middle Tennessee the rest of the year. She and her husband feel very blessed that their “empty nest” in Tennessee is just a short distance from their oldest, who has a beautiful family of her own. Their youngest child has settled in Northern Michigan, close to their cabin there. Life is good.

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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.


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FEATURED AUTHOR: LESLEY COOKMAN

 

About the book

The sixteenth in the Libby Sarjeant Mystery Series
.

INTERVIEW WITH LESLEY COOKMAN

Lesley, how did you get started writing?
Professionally, as a feature writer for trade publications.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
Characters.

How often do you read?
Every day, 365 days a year.

What books do you currently have published?
All my books are still in print, so that’s sixteen mysteries, two novellas and two romances. Not to mention seven pantomimes and a musical play.

How often do you tweet?
Once or twice a day.

How do you feel about Facebook?
I enjoy Facebook, and use it a lot, both personally and professionally.

What do you wish you could do?
Play the piano.

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
Read.

Where is your favorite place to visit?
A tiny Turkish village that few people know about.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Yes. My main character has most of mine!

Do you procrastinate?
Of course. What writer doesn’t?

What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Misuse and mispronunciation of words.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by." -Douglas Adams

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
A commissioned short story for Christmas, because it had to be part of my series, but there was no time to develop the plot. Drove me mad!



What is your favorite movie?
Some Like It Hot


What are you working on now?
The seventeenth in the Libby Sarjeant series, to be called Murder On The Run.

Connect with  the author


Website     |   Blog   |    
Facebook   |   
Twitter   |   Accent Press
 

CHARACTER INTERVIEW: SHERIFF PROMISE MARY FLYNN

ABOUT THE BOOK

Years after the Willis Asylum closed, the secrets of its past lingered in its decaying halls as a reminder to the good people of Auburn Notch—when Evil closes a door, he also opens a window. Sheriff Promise Flynn was new to the town, and she was about to find out some windows should never be opened. 

Promise Flynn is an overly impulsive Metro Detective whose disregard for procedure finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch—a favorite vacation spot of her youth. For two years everything was idyllic, until the body of a young girl found in the abandoned asylum outside of town awakens the insecurities she thought her new life would insulate her from. As the new Sheriff she begins her investigation ignoring the similarities between the young woman’s death and her own case, oblivious to being unexpectedly recognized and penciled in at the top of a clever murderer’s To-Do list. Her internal struggle intensifies when a discredited crime reporter from the past suspiciously arrives in town to resurrect his threadbare reputation, along with an FBI agent chasing down a lead in a cold case. Both men quickly become entangled in Flynn's investigation and her attempts to finally put her past to rest. Flynn reluctantly accepts the murder of the young girl might be the work of the two men responsible for her hasty departure from Chicago, but Agent MacGregor insists the evidence points to a man he’s been chasing. As the rising current of her past threatens to pull her under, Flynn finds herself unprepared for option three.

ABOUT SHERIFF PROMISE MARY FLYNN

Promise Mary Flynn was a decorated Metro Detective, one of the youngest to achieve the rank. She was overly impulsive, charging right into danger without regard to procedure at times.  She ruffled a lot of feathers on her way up the ranks, but she didn’t care. Her penchant for disregarding procedure when it suited the situation finally resulted in her being shot and left for dead during an investigation. It had a devastating affect. Her was ironclad outer shell was shattered, along with her confidence. To repair her bruised ego and splintered confidence, she abandons the callous dark alleys of Chicago to patrol the quiet, birch-lined streets of Auburn Notch where she spent summers with her family. What follows is anything but therapeutic.

INTERVIEW WITH SHERIFF PROMISE MARY FLYNN

Sheriff, how did you first meet your writer?
Michael also spent a good deal of his youth in New Hampshire. He was very familiar with Auburn Notch, so when it came time to develop a new mystery series he decided to use our town as the setting. I was delighted to be included, though I could do without the murder and mayhem that goes along with his stories. Just don’t tell him I said that.

Want to dish about him?
He’s a very polite and modest kind of guy. I wouldn’t want to embarrass him. I can tell you he’s incredibly creative when it comes to new ways to remove people from this world. He doesn’t just use the old bang-bang-shootem-up methods, he’s always looking for new ways to surprise a reader and raise a few eyebrows. If you want to know what I mean, in this first book I would have never guessed you could kill someone that way.

Did you have a hard time convincing your author to write any particular scenes for you?
I’m a little irritated that the only men I meet are either deranged or a bit slimy around the edges. Michael and I have had a small discussion about this, and he has assured me in the next book I’ll be meeting a “rather dashing fellow,” as he put it. I’m looking forward to it, but I’m sure there will also be a few strings attached.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
For the most part I get along with most of them. Sure councilwoman Johnson and I have words every once in a while, but at the end of the day we’re friends. My deputy, Hank, and I had a rough start, but we worked it out just in time. Agent MacGregor is as good as any fed could be. The only problem is he just shows up at the worst times, and trouble is not far behind. I’ll let you size up Bob Clayton for yourself, just don’t do it at night alone.

Do have any secret aspirations that your author doesn’t know about?
As my confidence is returning, I sometimes think I’d like to go back to a big city. Not Chicago, but maybe Boston.



What's the worst thing that's happened in your life?
The worst thing that happened is a result of the stupidest thing I’ve done, but it turned out to be the best thing I’ve done. I was a Metro detective in Chicago when I ignored procedure and followed up on an anonymous tip without backup. It lead me right into a trap, where I was shot and left for dead. If it weren’t for Williams, my partner, I would have died that day. I won’t admit this in public, but it was an irritating reporter that had been shadowing us during a case involving a serial killer that alerted Williams to my stupidity. The one good thing that came out of that whole ordeal is I came to Auburn Notch to recuperate and never looked back . . . at least not until the incident at the asylum. I wouldn’t have put the two together if it wasn’t for that black candle they left burning in the window.

Tell us about your best friend Dr. Laura Dearing.
She is the precinct’s clinical psychologist in Chicago and my close friend for many years. It was Laura’s suggestion for me to return to the quiet, pleasant ambiance and familiarity of Auburn Notch to recuperate. We met there years ago during one of our family summer vacations. We were so surprised when we both ended up in the same precinct in Chicago. It didn’t take long to rekindle the friendship we enjoyed so many years ago.

What are you most afraid of?
The bitter scent of ash, and lets just leave it at that. 



What’s the best trait your author has given you?
My ability to size up a person within minutes of meeting them is the greatest strength he’s given me. It’s come in handy more than once. 
What’s the worst?The most irritating trait, and I’m embarrassed to say it, are what he refers to as my “runway looks.” I’d be much happier with a pleasant expression and authoritative glance.

What do you like best about your deputy, Hank Harris? Least?
Hank and I started out on a friendly note when I first arrived in town. He knew I was a detective from Chicago, but he didn’t know what brought me to Auburn Notch. There was a mutual respect for the badge between us. Everything changed when the mayor offered me the sheriff’s position. Hank became gruff, deliberately irritating, and went running to the town council about every little decision I made. I began to wonder if I could trust him. I found out he did a little digging into my past, which fueled his fire even more. He also felt he should have been made sheriff instead of me. I’ve worked with a lot of cops. Hank is a good one, but still a little wet behind the ears. This became very evident, even to him, when we found the body of that young woman in the abandoned asylum. Our relationship changed dramatically after that. I’m so happy it did, otherwise I might not be here today.

What’s your author’s worst habit?
He has an uncanny knack for digging up the worst humanity has to offer and giving them directions to Auburn Notch. Sure, he dresses them up a bit, makes them appear somewhat normal, but it isn’t long before I start to unravel their true character. And people in town wonder why I’m so suspicious of every stranger that strolls into town.

What aspect of your author’s writing style do you like best?
Michael has an artist touch when it comes to describing the setting of a chapter. I really believe it gives the reader a deeper understanding of the surroundings. He doesn’t just explain where the scene is taking place; he places the reader in the room experiencing all the sights and sounds the characters experience. At times it’s quite creepy.

If your story were a movie, who would play you?
This is the one reason I would be happy about my looks and say I would be thrilled to see Charlize Theron play my character in a movie. Putting her stunning looks aside, she has just the right edginess to her attitude and the toughness to carry the badge.

Describe Auburn Notch.
Auburn Notch is a quiet New Hampshire town nestled beneath the shadows of the White Mountains. I spent many summers here as a young child with my parents, so returning after so many years felt like going home. The people are friendly, the air is clean and brisk, and the fresh scent of pine lingers over the town like a delicate lace throw. It’s the complete opposite of the gritty streets of Chicago I left behind. It’s the last place you would expect to find crime, but unfortunately it rears its ugly head from time to time even in this tranquil setting.

What makes you stand out from any other characters in your genre?
That’s a tough question. I don’t know whether I would want to stand out from others in my genre. What I would really like is to be accepted as an equal to some of the great characters that have come before me. Having accomplished that would be a great achievement.

Will you encourage your author to write a sequel?
I’m very excite to say I just found out a second book has been submitted to Sunbury Press for publication toward the end of this year. It details a very strange occurrence in town, and will introduce readers to Alice Norbury. Alice is the town matriarch, and she becomes embroiled in an eco-terrorist plot after the mysterious death of her husband. I’ll tell you this one is not a story to miss. They say it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature; but when you do, look out. Her fury has never been so threatening. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael is a classically trained artist turned mystery writer. By combining his creative talents with a passion for mysteries he conceived his first series—The Ernie Bisquets Mysteries. It introduced Ernie Bisquets, a retired London pickpocket who decided he was going to assist the London police with their most difficult cases—whether they want his help or not. Michael has completed 3 books in the series, and has plans for at least five additional books. Book 4 is in the works now.
   
Michael travels a bit, especially to Great Britain, but also has a fondness for New England. He spent many winters in the shadow of the White Mountains, skiing and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Those fond memories are the backdrop now for the new Auburn Notch Mysteries being published by Sunbury Press. The main character is Sheriff Promise Flynn—an ex-metro detective who left a dark past and her big-city detective shield behind and moved to a small New England town.
   
When he’s not painting or writing, Michael is an avid antique collector, filling his current home—an 1894 Queen Ann Victorian he, his wife, and son are restoring—with an assortment of antiques from around the world. Michael also enjoys cooking, working in the garden, and playing in the yard with their two rescues, Beau and Pup.

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

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Barnes &Noble  |   Sunbury Press  

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