FEATURED AUTHOR: TERESA A. LARUE

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Kate Spencer learns her aunt’s fiancé is two-timing her with an old rival, she has no choice but to pass along the information to her mother, who promptly informs her sister what a cad the man is. They are as shocked as the rest of the town when the rival turns up dead and the two-timing fiancé disappears. Worse yet, an anonymous call places her aunt at the scene of the crime.

Complicating matters, the lead investigator on the case turns out to be Kate’s old boyfriend. Though he has a hard time believing the woman who once marched in front of his school carrying a ‘save the frogs’ sign is capable of murder, he has to consider her aunt his prime suspect.

Can the trio find the killer before Kate’s aunt is arrested for murder? Are they putting their own lives in danger by investigating the crime?

A Talent for Murder is a cozy, southern mystery filled humor and colorful characters, with a touch of romance thrown in for added fun.

INTERVIEW WITH TERESA A. LARUE

Teresa, how did you get started writing and when did you become an “author”?
I’ve been writing for years, and have two unpublished novels in my filing cabinet to prove it. But I never considered myself an author until last year when my novel, A Talent for Murder, was accepted for publication by FiveStarCengage.

What’s your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love the revision process. Once I have something to work with, I enjoy adding textures, tightening the tension, etc. The hard part for me is staring at a blank page.

How long is my to-be-read list?
Too long to count. I have tons of books on my kindle, plus a stack of library books, and a closet full of books “I’m going to get to.” Somehow, it never grows shorter.

If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
Most of the shows I love are on CBS: Scorpion, all the NCIS shows, Elementary, Hawaii Five O. Do I sense a pattern here?

For what would you like to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered for being a kind person. There are so many hurting people in the world, I want them all to know someone cares.

What scares you the most?
That’s easy: heights. When I was younger I always rode the Ferris wheel because I didn’t want anyone to call me a chicken. One day I got stuck at the top with my cousin and she began rocking the seat back and forth. I lashed into her. After that, she never asked me to ride with her again.

YouTube is . . . Great! I couldn’t figure out how to replace the string in my weedeater. I went online and found a How-To video. It amazes me how much good stuff you can find on it.

What five things would you never want to live without?
I’d never want to live without books, and lots of them. Chocolate, which makes everything better. Sunshine, I tend to get cranky when the weather stays dreary. My family, I have to talk to someone, besides myself. My computer, it beats a typewriter any day.

Do you spend more on clothes or food?
I definitely spend more money on food. I HATE to shop for clothes. I only do it when I absolutely have nothing to wear.

Are you an introvert, or an extrovert?
I’m an introvert. I hate big social gatherings. I much prefer one-on-one interaction.

What would your main character say about you?
She knows my pain.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
My favorite library is the St. Tammany Parish Library in Slidell. The librarians do a super job! My holds are often waiting for me at the desk before I even get to the check-out counter. And they never complain about all the inter-library loans I place.

What’s your relationship with your cell phone?
I have one of those cheap pay-as-you-go phones, which has more minutes on it than I’ll ever use.

What is your favorite movie?
Gone With the Wind.

Do you have a favorite book?
The one I’m reading at the moment.

Do you sweat the small stuff?
You bet! I usually have a list of “things I want to get done today” in my head. I hate it when I don’t get to the end of the list.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on another Flower Patch Mystery. Once again, Happy and Lula Mae are up to their old antics as Kate works hard to solve another murder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Teresa LaRue grew up in a small town along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She’s worked as a secretary, assistant manager of an audio book store, and manager of a fashion jewelry store. She is an avid reader, gardener, and movie buff. She lives across the lake from New Orleans with her husband, two of her children, a dog named Bones, and a cat named Chloe.

Connect with Teresa:       
Website  |  Goodreads        

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FEATURED AUTHOR: ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

ABOUT THE JAZZ AGE MYSTERY SERIES 

Boardwalk Empire meets Downton Abbey in this soft-boiled Jazz Age mystery series, inspired by actual events. Real-life rival gangs fight over booze and bars during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, Texas — the “Sin City of the Southwest.” The series features Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross, a 21-year-old society reporter, who feels caught between two clashing cultures: her brother’s seedy speakeasy underworld and the snooty social circles she covers in the Galveston Gazette.

Jazz longs to cover hard news and wants to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces. Still she manages to show up at most crime scenes, butting heads with seasoned male reporters, determined to make her mark.
As turf wars escalate between rival gangs, Jazz tries to protect her black-sheep big brother from violent gangsters, as well as threats from her not-so-secret admirer, Prohibition Agent James Burton.

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play (2012)
Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets (2013)
Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns (2014)
Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville (2015)

TWO Q'S WITH ELLEN MANSOOR COLLIER

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a frequently featured author on A Blue Million Books. See past interviews here and here. She has recently redone all four covers in her mystery series, and I asked her to share some thoughts with us about covers and marketing.

Ellen, I loved your originals covers, but I love the new ones too. Why did you decide to redo them? 
Thanks! I like using authentic Art Deco illustrations for my covers — all the covers except for Bathing Beauties are by French artist George Barbier. c. 1920s. Then a year after my first novel in my Jazz Age series, Flappers, Flasks, and Foul Play, came out I was perusing Pinterest and I found this photo of a flapper in a fancy frock with fur cuffs and huge buttons sitting in front of  a typewriter, holding a candlestick phone and I thought, “That’s Jazz!” Who else but a 1920s society reporter would dress that way to work? I imagined her rushing to her desk after an exciting social event and pounding out the story on her old typewriter, perhaps calling a source for  more information or a juicy quote.
I just updated and colorized the cover with a new background, a postcard showing Murdoch’s Bathhouse and the Galveston Seawall. Though the original Murdoch’s was destroyed during the hurricanes, it’s still standing after all these years — a tribute to the tenacity of the Galveston locals.

Later, I  came across a colorized photo of real-life bathing beauties in a variety of wacky outfits, and thought it was perfect for my sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze, and Bullets.  BBB is based on the actual Miss Universe Pageant founded in Galveston in 1920 to compete with Atlantic City’s Miss America Contest — with a couple of twists. After that, I wanted to update all of my covers using vintage photographs so that readers who preferred “realism” could have a choice of illustrated or photographic sets. Also, I tend to be a bit matchy-matchy, if possible . . . it’s a Southern thing. Quite a few people buy a whole set as gifts or to keep.
 
What are some creative ways that you market your books? Do you have any marketing advice for indie authors?
I actually used to work in PR as well as advertising/marketing and sales, so I’ve come up with a variety of ideas — but executing them is difficult. Since I don’t blog or tweet (yet), I’ve had to create alternative ways to sell trade copies of my books. I’ve found out the hard way that it can be really depressing and demoralizing (not to mention frustrating) to market your own novels, especially if you’re an indie author.

At first, I was really ballsy and brave and even approached my local Barnes and Noble — the manager seemed quite interested until he found out I was an indie. As a journalist, I’ve been writing for and editing newspapers and magazines since high school, but no one seemed willing to read the actual story once they found out I was self-published.

Still, I persevered and realized that I had to think outside of the big-box bookstores, literally. Who can compete with thousands of books, besides best-selling authors with huge displays if no one has ever heard of you?

The local bookshop sold dozens of my titles and held book signings for me, but I had to place my books on consignment. So I began approaching gift/souvenir shops in Galveston that also sold books. I even dropped my books off at major luxury Galveston hotels who expressed interest but wanted too high of a percentage. At one hotel, I met the retail manager who told me I needed to contact their Houston headquarters — so I left my first two novels along with my contact info, but was too chicken to follow up.

Over a year later, after I’d written two more novels, I left a message with the merchandising manager — and he called me back the same day! Turns out the hotel retail manager actually read Flappers and enjoyed it so much, that she wanted to start selling it in their gift shops. When I talked to him, he asked about the publishing company, ISBN numbers, etc — and barely hesitated when I told him I was the publisher — then sent me a W-2 form, and placed a large order. I think he became interested later because then I had four novels to sell — so they could turn a decent profit. Finally my persistence paid off!

My advice to indies is: Discover what is unique and special about your novels and target your books to that market. e.g. If your book centers on a candy store or bakery or spice shop, locate shops in your area who might want to sell your books. If your novel involves pets or animals, perhaps a grooming salon or pet shop may want to display your books for sale. Better yet, find a chain who can place your books in several locations so you won’t be running all over town just to sell a handful of books.

Since my books are set in 1920s Galveston, I’ve approached local and regional stores as well as souvenir/gift shops. In addition, I’ve set up at a few antique shows and sold several books per show (usually 10-20). Not only do I make twice as much selling my novels directly, I’ve made new friends who come back for the latest titles. So far at these shows, I’ve been the only author who sells books along with vintage Deco items — and my books seem reasonable in comparison. LOL. A dealer friend who also specializes in 1920s-era items displayed my books at the International Quilt show in Houston — resulting in several sales. (If only my novels were about quilts!) A few dealer friends also display my postcards on their tables during major antique shows.

Why not ask your friends and contacts about various markets/shops that might be interested in featuring your books? They may even be willing to set up a book-signing or talk . . . I’ve donated my books to the Houston Vintage show, the Galveston Art League fund-raiser silent auction, and Miss Houston Vintage contest (held at the 1940 Hobby Airport) — not only is it a great way to make gain new readers and contacts, your books receive wonderful publicity and exposure. Once you find that unique niche, you may hit just the right target market for your novels. Good luck — and think outside of the big box shops!

The Jazz Age Mystery Series

Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play

Rival gangs fight over booze and bars during Prohibition in 1920s Galveston: the "Sin City of the Southwest." Jazz Cross, a 21-year-old society reporter, suspects foul play when a bank VP collapses at her half-brother Sammy's speakeasy. Was it an accident or a mob hit?

Soon handsome young Prohibition Agent James Burton raids the Oasis, threatening to shut it down if Sammy doesn't talk. Suspicious, he pursues Jazz, but despite her attraction she refuses to rat on Sammy. As turf wars escalate between two real-life rival gangs, Sammy is accused of murder. To find the killer, Jazz must risk her life and career, exposing the dark side of Galveston's glittering society.

Bathing Beauties, Booze and Bullets

It’s 1927 in Galveston, Texas—the “Sin City of the Southwest.” Jasmine (“Jazz”) Cross is an ambitious 21-year-old society reporter for the Galveston Gazette who tries to be taken seriously by the good-old-boy staff, but the editors only assign her fluffy puff pieces, like writing profiles of bathing beauties. The last thing Jazz wants to do is compare make-up tips with ditzy dames competing in the Miss Universe contest, known as the “International Pageant of Pulchritude and Bathing Girl Revue.”

She’d rather help solve the murders of young prostitutes who turn up all over town, but city officials insist on burying the stories during Splash Day festivities. After Jazz gets to know the bathing beauties, she realizes there’s a lot more to them than just pretty faces and figures. Jazz becomes suspicious when she finds out the contest is also sponsored by the Maceos, aspiring Beach Gang leaders and co-owners of the Hollywood Dinner Club, where the girls will perform before the parade and pageant.

Worse, her half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis, a speakeasy on a rival gang’s turf, asks her to call in a favor from handsome Prohibition Agent James Burton—an impossible request that could compromise both of their jobs and budding romance. While Agent Burton gives her the cold shoulder, she fends off advances from Colin Ferris, an attractive but dangerous gangster who threatens Sammy as well as Burton. In the end, she must risk it all to save her friends from a violent killer hell-bent on revenge. Inspired by actual events.

Gold Diggers, Gamblers and Guns

During Prohibition in 1920s Galveston, the Island was called the "Free State of Galveston" due to its lax laws and laissez faire attitude toward gambling, girls and bootlegging. Young society reporter Jasmine (Jazz) Cross longs to cover hard news, but she's stuck between two clashing cultures: the world of gossip and glamour vs. gangsters and gamblers.

After Downtown Gang leader Johnny Jack Nounes is released from jail, all hell breaks loose: Prohibition Agent James Burton’s life is threatened and he must go into hiding for his own safety. But when he’s framed for murder, he and Jazz must work together to prove his innocence. Johnny Jack blames Jasmine’s half-brother Sammy Cook, owner of the Oasis speakeasy, for his arrest and forces him to work overtime in a variety of dangerous mob jobs as punishment.

When a bookie is murdered, Jazz looks for clues linking the two murders and delves deeper into the underworld of gambling: poker games, slot machines and horse-racing. Meanwhile, Jazz tries to keep both Burton and her brother safe, and alive, while they face off against a common enemy.

Vamps, Villains and Vaudeville

In 1920s Galveston, society reporter Jazz Cross is in for a surprise when she attends a traveling vaudeville show with her beau, Prohibition Agent James Burton, and discovers that an old flame acts in the production. That night, they find a stabbing victim behind the Oasis — her half-brother Sammy’s speakeasy — who’s identified as an actor in the troupe. When the victim disappears and later turns up dead, Jazz must help prove that Sammy wasn’t the killer. After a second vaudeville actor is found dead, Jazz discovers that the events behind the scenes are much more interesting than the outdated acts onstage.

To make matters worse, Sammy’s old nemesis demands that he settles a score and forces him into yet another illegal scheme involving the troupe’s money-making ventures. Can Jazz help solve the murders and prove her brother’s innocence—so he can escape the Downtown Gang for good?

A historical Jazz Age mystery inspired by real-life Galveston gangs and local landmarks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellen Mansoor Collier is a Houston-based freelance magazine writer and editor whose articles, essays, and short stories have been published in a variety of national magazines. In the 1990s, she reviewed mysteries for The Houston Chronicle, which was like a crash course in writing novels. During college summers, she interned as a reporter for a Houston community newspaper and once served as a cocktail waitress, both jobs providing background experience for her Jazz Age mysteries.

A flapper at heart, she's worked as a magazine editor/writer, and in advertising/marketing and public relations (plus endured a hectic semester as a substitute teacher). She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Magazine Journalism and was an editor and writer on UTmost, the college magazine. During her senior year, she served as the president of WICI (Women in Communications, Inc).

Flappers, Flasks, and Foul Play is her first novel, published in 2012, followed by the sequel, Bathing Beauties, Booze, and Bullets, in 2013. Gold Diggers, came out in 2014, and last but not least, Vamps was released in 2015.

Collier loves to travel with her chemical engineer husband Gary and visits Galveston whenever possible.

"When you grow up in Houston, Galveston becomes like a second home. I had no idea this sleepy beach town had such a wild and colorful past, and became fascinated by the legends and stories of the 1920s."


Connect with Ellen
Website   |  etsy  |  Amazon author page

BUY THE BOOKS

Featured Author: David Burnsworth

About the book: 

Gunshots echo down an antebellum Charleston alley. Brack Pelton, an ex-racecar driver and Afghanistan War veteran, witnesses the murder of his uncle, Reggie Sails. Darcy Wells, the pretty Palmetto Pulse reporter, investigates Reggie's murder and targets Brack.


The sole heir of his uncle's estate, Brack receives a rundown bar called the Pirate's Cove, a rotting beach house, and one hundred acres of preserved and valuable wetland along the Ashley River. A member of Charleston's wealthiest and oldest families offers Brack four million dollars for the land. All Brack wants is his uncle's killer.


From the sandy beaches of Isle of Palms, through the nineteenth-century mansions lining the historic Battery, to the marshlands surrounding the county, Southern Heat is drenched in the humidity of the lowcountry.

Interview with David Burnsworth

David, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?In answering this question, I used to say since about 2006 when, after telling my wife that I wanted to write a novel, she hounded me to get started. She will always deserve the credit for getting me started on this publication path. But, I loved writing as far back as grade school. I just didn’t think I could actually write a book until my wife told me it was time.

So in this instance, a wife telling you what to do was a good thing. Do you have another job outside of writing?
I sure do. I am an engineer with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee. After graduating from U.T. in ’97, I was fortunate enough to land a job as a manufacturing engineer. I’ve held various positions in manufacturing ever since. Now I help coach people to improve their jobs both for them and the company. And I love what I’m doing now almost as much as I love writing.

How would you describe your book in five words?
Southern noir in the lowcountry.

How did you create the plot for this book?
Trial and error. It took me a while to get the characters. Once I got them, they took over and wrote the book. I just had to keep up with the typing.

How do you get to know your characters?
I spend a lot of time with them, even when I’m not at the keyboard. Sometimes they are in my head when I need to focus on other things.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
It would be hard to choose between them. The main ones, Brack, Brother Thomas, Darcy, Shelby, and Mutt are favorites. But then I enjoy the minor characters as well. The police detectives that Brack has to interact with. The other women Brack crosses paths with. It is so much fun pouring them all into a soup pot, stirring them up, and seeing what comes out.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?
Brack Pelton, my protagonist. In some regards, he’s got a few of my bad traits at amped-up levels. Like overreaction and an uncontrolled mouth. My tongue is not as tame as I’d like it to be, while his has never seen a leash. But, he’s the hero, albeit a dark one.

Who are your favorite authors?
I love James Lee Burke, Lee Child, John Sanford, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, Walter Mosley, Susan Boyer, and C.J. Box.

How long is your to-be-read pile?
Longer than I have time to read as long as I have a day job!

You get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?
Very good question. The obvious choices are Dick Hill and Will Patton. Those guys are phenomenal. But I think Billy Bob Thorton would be a very interesting choice. There are so many people with great voices out there. I know when the timing is right, the perfect one will be there.

What book are you currently reading and in what format?
Normally, I have a few books going on at once. I’ll start with the bible. I perpetually read a chapter most days. Next is usually a mystery or thriller, or history; one in print or ebook and one on audio in the car. Right now, I have Alex Berenson’s Twelve Days rolling in the car, and I’m reading K.M. Rockwood’s Brothers In Crime ebook. She and I will be on a panel together at Malice Domestic this year.

Cool. Do you have a routine for writing?
Not really. I try to get in some time before work in the morning, and then in the evenings after my trip to the gym. And of course Saturdays and Sundays. Anywhere from five to fifteen hours a week.

When and where do you prefer to do your writing?
I have an office at home that my wife avoids because it isn’t the neatest. My desk faces the street in front of our house which, during daylight hours, provides enough of a distraction when I need it, yet isn’t so active that I can’t focus when I’m ready to resume. I’ve written in hotel rooms and airplanes and airports. When it comes crunch time, there isn’t anywhere I’ve found I can’t write.

Where’s home for you?

Boiling Springs, South Carolina. It is peaceful here and the cost of living is reasonable. Both my wife and I work in the area so that is why we are here.

Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
In the winter season, Spartanburg has an ice rink in the downtown area. I’d call that both weird and nice. We live by two battlefields: Cowpens, a civil war battlefield, and Kings Mountain, a revolutionary battlefield. I love the history of the Carolinas.

Your last meal would be . . .
Oreos

I like the way you think. Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?
Library, for sure. The access to just about anything is so much greater.

You won the lottery. What is the first thing you would buy?
My wife’s and my dream home.

You’re given the day off, and you can do anything but write. What would you do?
Daydream about my next book. I’d get things mapped out in my head. One of my bad habits as a child has paid off in my adult years. I have a pretty active imagination. That’s how I form some of my scenes now anyway.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Wow! What a question. Mad Max comes to mind. Something about driving fast cars and running down rogue bikers. Gotta love that.

What would your dream office look like?A lot like the one I currently have, except maybe room for a couch and more bookshelves.  And a view of nature or a body of water would also be nice. For the most part I am a simple person. I have a nice long desk that seems to perpetually be cluttered with things needing attention. But my laptop is front and center, where it needs to be. Everything in the room revolves around it, from the view out the windows to the speakers from my late-eighties stereo.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Patty and I love to travel for vacation. New England is a favorite area. This year we are heading to Jackson Hole. We are so excited about seeing Yellowstone! I also am a car buff, but I seem to be in a transition more to classic cars than new ones. Could be my age.  Another passion is music. Listening to, not playing it. I love eighties music the best, but the University of Tennessee has a great jazz program and Knoxville has a great jazz scene. When I was in college, I spent many a night with my friends in one or more of the jazz clubs there. Some of those nights I actually remember, too.

What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up the third book in the Brack Pelton series and thinking about the fourth.  The names are a secret right now.

About the author

David Burnsworth became fascinated with the Deep South at a young age. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and fifteen years in the corporate world, he made the decision to write a novel. Southern Heat is his first mystery and Burning Heat will be out October 21, 2015. Having lived in Charleston on Sullivan’s Island for five years, the setting was a foregone conclusion. He and his wife along with their dog call South Carolina home.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads 

Featured Author: Joanna Campbell Slan

About the book:

Cara Mia Delgatto’s cup runneth over with worries. Her ex-husband is refusing to pay their son’s college tuition, her evil sister is pulling mean pranks, and her old boyfriend has broken her heart. And that’s just the personal stuff. She’s also concerned about keeping the cash register ringing at The Treasure Chest, her retail store specializing in upcycled, recycled, and repurposed décor items with a coastal theme. The media event that Cara plans turns nasty when reporter Kathy Simmons threatens to share unsavory details from the shopkeeper’s past. Things get really dicey when Kathy mysteriously disappears. Cara’s other problems seem trivial in comparison to…a murder investigation!

Interview with Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I started as a kid, by stapling sheets of scrap paper together and telling everyone, “This is my book.” Honestly, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I started winning awards in junior high, and I majored in journalism in college.

How did you come up with the title of your book?
Since I write more than one series, I keep collecting title ideas. The Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series revolves around a “trash to treasure” type of store. Therefore, I want all the titles to reflect that theme. It’s amazing how many euphemisms we have for stuff we toss away! I also try to match the title to the plot in some unexpected way. In this particular book, the title (Kicked to the Curb) mimics the plight of several characters. They are all “kicked to the curb,” that is, abandoned by our society.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m a wife and mother. I edit articles for my son’s website. Other than that, I write full-time.

How would you describe your book in five words? 
Thought-provoking, timely, mystery, heart-warming, crafty.

How did you create the plot for Kicked to the Curb?
I always start with what’s happening in my character’s lives. Their problems become the wire armature that the plot is built on. I had been following the news about the forensic investigation into the burials at the Dozier School for Boys, and I knew I wanted that to be part of the book. From there, it was like working a puzzle. Getting all the pieces to fix was challenging, but satisfying! At one point, I didn’t know how the mystery was going to be solved. Ugh. That was a bleak moment. Luckily, I came up with a clue...

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for. 
The Ugly American by Burdick and Lederer.

I think this book should be required reading in high school. After you read it, you’ll have a better understanding of how our country gets into some of the foreign policy messes we’re in. We’re not culturally literate, and that’s a huge problem.

How do you get to know your characters?
I talk to them. I observe them. I think about them. I also fill out little charts and pigeon-hole them into one of four personal styles. When all else fails, I take walks on the beach with them. That’s when they usually open up to me.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?
In this book, probably Honora McAfee. She’s new to this series, but she’s a real asset. Because she’s an older lady, she brings a different world-view to the cast of characters. I like a good mixture of folks in my books. They rub up against each other and then the sparks fly.

What would your main character, Cara Mia Delgatto, say about you?
She would say that I’m too creative and not as business-minded as I should be. She would encourage me to be more diligent about doing profit-and-loss statements. But once she finished scolding me, she’d give me a big hug and feed me biscotti and coffee.

Are you like any of your characters?
I’m a combination of several of my characters. I’m like Skye Blue in that I love turning trash into treasure. When it comes to clothes, I most enjoy wearing things with a bohemian edge to them, like she does. (I think she looks better in them than I do because she’s slimmer, but that’s why I love fiction.) I’m also like Honora McAfee, because I’m an avid miniaturist. I love, love, love making dollhouses and roomboxes.

With what five real people would you most like to be stuck in a bookstore?
Terry Gross of Fresh Air, because she’s met so many of the movers and shakers of our time; Hillary Clinton, because we met once and she impressed me, plus I’d like to know more about how she keeps her emotional balance; Neil Degrasse Tyson, because he’s fascinating and thoughtful and I’d love to ask him questions; Maureen Corrigan of Fresh Air, because she’s reviewed so many delightful books; and Diane Rehm, because she’s overcome such adversity and talked to so many fascinating people.


Do you have a routine for writing?
Yes, I get up, eat breakfast, get dressed, and start writing. Every day, all day. I break for lunch. I stop around five. Often I do my reading for research in the evening.

Where’s home for you?
Jupiter Island, Florida.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I love it when my house is empty, because I can sink down into my work and know I won’t be disturbed. I adore writing at my house on Jupiter Island, because it’s so quiet here. If I get stuck, I walk the beach. I alternate between sitting on my sofa and working upstairs in my office. I do that because of the strain on my back and arms. Changing locale seems to help.

Tell us one weird thing, one nice thing, and one fact about where you live.
(Weird thing) Celine Dion is my neighbor, and she almost ran over me while taking her son to soccer practice. (Nice thing) This is one of the biggest sea turtle nesting sites in the world. (Fact) Less than four hundred people live on this island year-around.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Right here. In fact, I want my ashes sprinkled over the beach after I die.

What are you working on now?
Doing edits for the next two Kiki Lowenstein books—Handmade, Holiday, Homicide (Dec. 15) and Shotgun, Wedding, Bells (Jan. 15, 2015).

Anything else?
We have a special bonus for readers who join my mailing list—two recipes, two craft tutorials, and an outtake scene from Kicked to the Curb. All readers need to do is send an email to KTTCBonus@JoannaSlan.com  They’ll automatically receive these free gifts!

From the author: 

I grew up dirt poor in a little town in Indiana. (Actually, we could afford the dirt, but that was about it.) Since I didn’t have the money to buy what I wanted, I learned to be creative with whatever I could find, including trash, junk, and stuff other people kicked to the curb. Consequently, I do my best thinking while I’m puttering around. Most of the time, my mind is a million miles away, and I’m in my own little world, making up stories. You might say that I’ve built my own “happy place” from scratch. You can read more about my adventures in crafting on my Facebook page.

Not surprisingly, I have chosen to write books about women, who are creative, passionate, and spunky. If you like Cara Mia and her friends, you’ll probably like my Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series. If you like courageous women and history, check out my series featuring Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth. You’ll find a complete list of my works on my author page.


Connect with Joanna
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy the book:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other books by Joanna Campbell Slan:

Tear Down and Die (Book #1 in the Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery Series)

Killer, Paper, Cut (Book #9 in the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series)

Death of a Dowager (Book #2 in the Jane Eyre Chronicles)

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Featured Author: R. Michael Phillips

R. Michael Phillips' novel, Passage of Crime, is a traditional English mystery that brings together the unlikely combination of a dowdy old Scotland Yard Inspector and Ernie Bisquets, a reformed pickpocket, in a whodunit set in contemporary London. This is Michael's third book in the Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series. He's here today with a great guest post about how he gets ideas for his novels. (I love this line: “Your last statement gave me a rather unique way to murder someone.”) Don't miss the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post. And I have to say, I think Michael has the best title for a mystery author's website: Murder, Tea & Bisquets. Check it out!

About the book:

London’s East End, once known for poor boroughs and a derelict rail yard, is enjoying an optimistic resurgence. It’s becoming an affordable option for middleclass residents looking to have their pounds go further. Despite this sweeping out of old rubbish, a cautious step is still advised when passing by a few remaining dark alleys. If only Mary Walsh had listened.

Prophet Brown, a disfigured, pathetic little man, called Detective Inspector Flannel after stumbling upon the body of a young woman in one such alley. Flannel quickly realizes she is not the random victim she appears. Add to that, the crime scene is hauntingly reminiscent of an old unsolved case; a case that almost ended an otherwise brilliant career eight years ago.

For the moment, Prophet Brown is the only solid link between the two cases. He has been in the employ of a charismatic and well-connected Member of Parliament for 17 years–the very man Flannel unsuccessfully accused of the murders in the previous case.

Flannel finds himself navigating a very treacherous course. His superiors have warned him for the last time to tread cautiously around the MP, and the rising tide of the past threatens to pull him under. Reluctantly, Inspector Flannel turns to a most unlikely ally, a reformed pickpocket named Ernie Bisquets. Together they disentangle a mesh of old lies and current clues attempting to bring a ruthless murderer to justice–ignoring the dangerous notion of murder being a carefully disguised trait passed from one generation to the next.

The Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series

Guest Post by R. Michael Phillips

So, where do I start?

Starting a new mystery book is the exciting part for me. Having a mystery series affords me a small group of main characters to work with. So with each new mystery I need to establish three factors–crime, antagonist, and motive. Filling in those blanks can come from the most unexpected of places–a phase overheard on a train platform in Worchester; the headline from a centuries-old newspaper; the chance meeting of an interesting (or not so interesting) guest at a party, and so on. It seems the seeds for murder and mayhem are endless. For that reason I keep a small notepad in my pocket. It isn’t odd for me to excuse myself during a conversation to quickly jot down a few notes. The action usually prompts a somewhat confused look from the person I’m speaking with over what was so important that I had to write it down. Some leave it at that; other will go so far as to ask what I was doing. “Just a thought I don’t want to forget,” is my usual reply. I dare say it would be quite unnerving if I replied, “Your last statement gave me a rather unique way to murder someone.”

After returning home I take the note and place it in one of three small boxes I keep on my desk that it most aligns with. If you haven’t guessed, those boxes are labeled: Crime, Antagonist, and Motive. Because of Ernie Bisquets being the protagonist in all the stories, there is, at time, a deuteroganist in the stories. There is a box for that too. This is where it starts to get exciting.

When I sat down to start the most recent book in my Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series, the first thing I did was place the boxes in front of me. Having been compiling small shreds of paper in each of the boxes over the course of time I’m at odds to remember what any of the scraps had written on them. Reading the resulting scrap of paper pulled from the first box, Antagonist, rekindled the flame it raised in me when I first jotted it down. The note read thus: Older Member of Parliament. Well respected, but with a dark, hidden past. Not obviously evil. I’ll not reveal where I was when I jotted this note down, but I will admit I was terribly intrigued more with the outward appearance of the person I was talking to than to what he had to say.

To add a twist to the dark past and hints of evil in the Antagonist I felt there was a need for a Deuteroganist. From that box I pulled the following note: Pathetic wretch, valet or servant of some sort. Kind but hints of a questionable character or background. (I eventually named this character Prophet Brown.) As I remember this note derived from a combination of two people I met within minutes of each other. One seemed incredibly kind, the other not so much. Combined they created an exceptional character persona.
Next came the Crime. The notes in this box are short and to the point. Reaching in I extracted the following: Murder.

The final piece of this puzzle was Motive. There is no shortage of scraps of paper in that box. It’s sad, but people are driven to do bad things for three basic reasons–greed, jealousy, and revenge. This scrap read thus: Revenge for mistaken belief.

With all the pieces assembled I started the synopsis for Passage Of Crime, third book in the Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series released a few months ago. Not to worry though, this post is not the spoiler it may seem. I reach a point when writing the books where I break away from the synopsis and allow the characters to take over direction of the story. This usually leads to an “Aha!” moment for me. I also feel if it surprised me, it most certainly should surprise my readers. It’s that twist at the end where you thought you had everything figured out and then, without warning, the ambiguous foreshadowing comes flowing back like a flash flood. The obscure becomes the obvious and a smile of satisfaction comes over you. It’s what we writers live for.

About The Author

Michael is a classically trained artist who has been painting for over 25 years. By combining his creative talents with a passion for London he conceived the fictional world of the East London Adventurers Club, home to The Ernie Bisquets Mystery Series. Three books in the series are complete and there are plans for at least five additional books following the adventurers of London’s most remarkable pickpocket. Michael is a proud member of the Crime Writer’s Association and Mystery Writers Of America.

Connect with Michael:
Website/Blog | Goodreads |

Buy the book:
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