FEATURED AUTHOR: PAULA PAUL

ABOUT THE BOOK

Irene Seligman loves the warmth and beauty of her Southwest hometown, but only one thing could make her quit her prestigious job as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan to return there: the guilt applied by her demanding mother, Adelle. After Adelle’s most recent husband dies, leaving her with nothing, Irene decides to take a break from prosecuting criminals to move back to Santa Fe and open an upscale consignment store. With Irene’s determination and her mother’s eye for haute couture, they’re sure to make a killing.
 
But on the day of the grand opening, Irene discovers the body of one of Adelle’s friends in her storeroom. And although the intrigue causes business to boom, when someone else from Adelle’s social circle is murdered, Irene begins to suspect her mother might be in danger too. Ever the protective daughter, Irene investigates her mother’s friends, suspicious that they’re hiding more than designer clothes in their closets. But as she gets closer to uncovering some real skeletons, Irene might not live to regret coming home again.

INTERVIEW WITH PAULA PAUL

Paula, how did you get started writing?
I loved writing stories as a child, but I began my professional career as a journalist, working for newspapers in Texas and New Mexico. I had my first book published while I was on hiatus as a journalist to raise my children. I continued to write novels after I returned to the newsroom and have continued ever since. I no longer work as a journalist and spend all of my writing time on my novels.
 
What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love the research, and I love developing characters.

Do you have a writing routine?
I try to write every day Monday through Friday. My goal each week is to write 6000 words or approximately 20 pages. I write as long as it takes to do that—usually three to four hours a day. If I don’t make my quota, I write on weekends.

What do you think is hardest aspect of writing a book?
The discipline to write even when it doesn’t come easy. From a technical perspective, plotting is the most difficult for me.

What’s more important–characters or plot?
Character is the most important part of any book, in my opinion. It is the character’s motivation and personality that drive the plot.

How often do you read?
I read every day, and I always have a book going. Sometimes it’s fiction and sometimes non-fiction.

What is your writing style?
Writing style is hard to define or describe, especially for oneself. I believe my style is simple and straight-forward with a lyrical twist. The straight-forward aspect is the influence of my career as a journalist while the lyrical influence comes from my reading.


What do you think makes a good story?
A good story is one that interests the reader. For my own personal taste, I want it to be character-driven and lyrically written.


What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
Sometimes I say that I wish I’d known how hard it is to keep writing after so many rejections. However, I don’t think it would have changed anything even if I had known that when I first started. I wanted to be a published writer so badly that even knowing that wouldn’t have made me stop.

Do you have any secret talents?
I am a water deviner, or water witch as it is known in Texas. I can use a forked stick or wand made of wood to find underground water by walking along a field until the straight end of the wand points downward.

Is writing your dream job?
Writing novels is my dream job. I have a love/hate relationship with this career.


Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
The best marketing tip I can offer is to read bestselling novels in the genre in which you wish to publish then try to make your work measure up to them.

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

How often do you tweet?
Rarely. I just can’t get the hang of it.

How do you feel about Facebook?
Facebook is a wonderful marketing tool. Posting about my works in progress, pub dates, when my books go on sale, when I win an award or get a good review has helped my sales. I like using Facebook to keep up with family and friends as well.

For what would you like to be remembered?
I’d like to be remembered first for being a good mother and second for writing meaningful novels that are a pleasure to read.

What scares you the most?
Not publishing again.

What five things would you never want to live without? 
Books, the Internet, and a computer for writing.

What do you love about where you live?
First, I love that my family lives here and second, I love the climate and beautiful scenery of New Mexico.


What’s your favorite thing to do on date night?
I love the symphony and dinner afterward in a good restaurant.

What’s your favorite fast food?
Tacos.


What’s your favorite beverage?
Water.

What drives you crazy?
People who don’t seem to be able to think before they speak.

What is your superpower?
Sticktoivness.


What do you wish you could do?
Write a Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel.

What is one of your happiest moments?
The births of my two children.

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

Where is your favorite place to visit?
Someplace I’ve never been.

What’s your least favorite chore?
Cleaning house, especially drawers and closets. Why? It takes time away from reading or writing.



Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
All the time (impatience, absent mindedness, temper).

Do you procrastinate?
Unfortunately, yes.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Besides milk and eggs, there is wine, cheese, stuffed grape leaves, blackeyed peas.

What is the most daring thing you've done?
Flew an airplane.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”

What would your main character say about you?
“Why can’t you remember what I did in the last chapter?”

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
My novel called Crazy Quilt because it was a fictional account of the after-effects of my bout with breast cancer.


How do you like your pizza?
With sausage, cheese, and green chili.


What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
Northern lights.

Describe yourself in 5 words.
Passionate, impatient, stubborn, curious, short.


What’s your favorite song?
“El Paso.”

What is your favorite movie?
Dead Poets Society.


Do you have a favorite book?
Shogun because of the way the character development was handled.


If you had to choose a cliché about life, what would it be?
Life is interesting.


What are you working on now?
The second book in the Irene’s Closet series. I’m almost finished with the first draft, and it still doesn’t have a title, but it has to do with stolen Native American artifacts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paula Paul is the author of more than 30 novels including mysteries, historical novels, and literary novels. She is the winner of several national awards and has been an Amazon bestseller. Among her most popular novels are those in the Alexandra Gladstone mystery series. A Killer Closet introduces a new series. A native of Texas, Ms. Paul now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Connect with Paula:
Website  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  Goodreads  

GUEST POST BY BRANDI HAAS

ABOUT THE BOOK

Life in the suburbs ain’t easy. Squeezing into those tiny chairs on the back-to-school night. Finding the beloved pet fish floating at the top of his bowl. Planning a romantic evening–only to fall asleep on the couch with your honey.

Lucky for us, we’ve got Brandi Haas to make us laugh. As the author of the popular blog Tales from Suburbia, Brandi tackles the big issues of our day—like whether to pay six bucks to valet park or search for a spot and walk ten blocks to the restaurant. Her stories about the daily absurdities of life will make you laugh out loud.

Heartfelt and seriously funny, More Tales from Suburbia: Yes, It Gets Even Crazier is like sharing a bottle of wine and conversation with your best girlfriend.

GUEST POST BY BRANDI HAAS

Fresh Mountain Air . . . and Bears

“Enjoy your hike!” the ski lift operator said cheerfully.

“We will!” I yelled back.

I put one arm around my husband and the other around my daughter and said, “What could be better than a little hike through the mountains of Big Sky, Montana? It’s a gorgeous day in June! The sun is shining and the evergreens are bright and lush and swaying in the breeze. Look at us! We took a quick jaunt up the mountain on the ski lift and are now treated to a view of the tree-covered mountain and that green valley below. My lungs feel renewed just breathing in this fresh mountain air! Can’t you just feel the peace and tranquility up here?”

“And be careful to avoid the bears!” the ski lift operator shouted at us.

My transcendental moment came to a screeching halt.

“Did he just say bears?” I looked at my husband for confirmation.

“Yeah, but it’s just a precaution,” he said like he was reading from the brochure he picked up at the front desk of our hotel. “Bears don’t want to be anywhere near people,”

“You’re telling me you forced me and our infant daughter to ride that damn Stairway to Heaven ski lift up this godforsaken mountain so we could spend the day getting covered in pine sap and dodging ravenous, bloodthirsty bears?” I demonstrated my fury by pacing back and forth while madly waving my arms. 

“Forced you? Wait, what happened to a quick jaunt, fresh air, green valleys? And our daughter hasn’t been an infant for over seven years,” my husband said.

“Don’t bother quoting me—the addition of bears changes everything.” I flung my hand in the air for emphasis and planted the other hand on my hip.

“Look, we’re up here, it’s beautiful, and the map says it’s an easy, thirty-minute hike back down. No bears are going to bother us. We just stick to the trail and make lots of noise so we don’t startle them.” My husband sounded like an overly peppy counselor from Camp Woodchuck.

“I’m in!” our daughter screamed excitedly. “I like bears!”

“You do know that we’re not talking about a bear wearing an ill-fitting red shirt with his paw stuck in a pot of honey, right?” I asked—more to my husband than to my daughter.

They started down the trail, then turned and looked back at me.

“Okay, I’m in,” I said, slowly walking toward them. “What should we do to make noise? Maybe I could sing.”

My husband shook his head. “We want to startle the bears, not terrify them. Your normal volume and usual hand gestures should do the trick.”

As it turned out, the hike was a lot of fun and we didn’t encounter any bears—with or without honey pots.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brandi Hass is a former high school English teacher. Born and raised in California, she now lives in Missouri with her husband, daughter and their dog. She is consistently inconsistent about her weight and age because, really, it’s no one’s business anyway. She sees humor in everything and began writing stories about her life as a way to share her insanity with the world. You can read Brandi’s Blog or follow Tales From Suburbia on Facebook.

 Buy the book on Amazon.

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FEATURED ARTIST: KAREN COMMINS

Have you heard that Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction is now available in audiobook? Well it is, and today I want you to meet the narrator, Karen Commins. Karen is a professional narrator with over fifty audiobooks to her resume. We had such a long talk, I'm breaking up her interview into two parts. Today, I want you to get to know Karen the person. On October 20, Karen will be back with Part 2 where she talks more about the audiobook process. She has a lot of great information, so please stop back. Scroll to the end of this post to hear a sample of Karen reading Murder & Mayhem. And now . . . here's Karen . . .

INTERVIEW WITH KAREN COMMINS

Karen, tell us a little about you.
I have been blessed to be married to Drew, fellow Atlanta native and the love of my life, for over 30 years! We love to travel; most recently, we took our 13th cruise, this time to Canada and New England from New York. My favorite city is Paris, and my favorite thing is the Eiffel Tower. We are proudly childfree by choice, and we have an adorable miniature schnauzer named Yogi. I worked for the US government for over thirty years, mostly in information technology positions, and am thrilled to finally be a full-time audiobook narrator!

Where are your people from?
Daddy was born in a small town in south/central Texas, and Mother came from a small town in NW Georgia. They met and married in Atlanta.

As you said, you’re happily married, but do you ever fall in fictional love with a character?
I don’t fall in love with a character as much as I can love the way an author describes that character. I always hope to fall in love with an author’s facility with the language throughout the story.

What’s the first thing you would order at Slick & Junebug’s Diner?
I’ve heard that Slick makes the best cheeseburger you’ll ever put in your mouth, so I’d get one medium-well but without the garden (lettuce and tomato) or a rose (a sweet Vidalia onion) with fries and a Coke. I’d want one of those hand-dipped milkshakes in the silver cup that you can only get at a great diner, but I think I’d have to pass on it so I could have a slice of chocolate cake with that oh-so-yummy inch-thick icing or lemon meringue pie.

Oh yeah, those are excellent choices, and Slick could totally hook you up! What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Weedeaters! I can’t stand the sound they make. Fortunately, I don’t hear them when I’m in my soundproof studio!

What’s your favorite/most visited Internet site?
It’s a 3-way tie among ACX, Amazon, and eBay.

What’s in your refrigerator right now?
Drew and I eat out most of the time, so the refrigerator contains several take-home boxes, along with bread and cheese for sandwiches, hamburger buns, and condiments. As Atlanta natives, we have the requisite cases of Coke and Diet Coke, and we have a pitcher of sweet tea that is getting dangerously low and needs a refill!

A woman after my own heart. What is the most daring thing you've done?
I bought a scooter, and Drew taught me how to ride it. However, I’m not really an outdoorsy girl and would much rather ride in the air-conditioned comfort of a car. We sold the scooter a year later.

That is daring! What is the stupidest thing you've ever done?
When I was a teenager, I let a boy I liked convince me to put some dish detergent in an amusement park waterfall. Since I was a “goody two shoes,” maybe he thought my punishment wouldn’t be too severe if I was caught, or more likely, he didn’t care. The waterfall made an incredible amount of suds that were probably difficult and time-consuming to clean. I hereby apologize to the park employees that I was ever part of such a stupid prank!

Ah, the things we’ll do for a boy. What choices in life would you like to have a redo on?
Every moment has meaning, so I try to live with no regrets. However, if I had a time machine and could go back to Munich, Germany on 5 March 1994, I would ask the person who was working in the record store to sell or give me the poster that was hanging in their window promoting the supposedly upcoming Barry Manilow Munich concert!

I already knew from his fan club that his European tour was cancelled, so that Munich concert wasn’t going to happen. I decided that night I should have asked for the poster. We went back the next day, but we couldn’t find the store again in the maze of unfamiliar streets. I’ve started looking on eBay for that poster. I saw the one from the cancelled Frankfurt date, so I know that Munich poster has got to be out there somewhere!

What do you like to do when you're not reading or narrating?

Words are my life! If I’m not recording a book, I might be writing an article to help authors or narrators in recording books. I write in my journal, am learning calligraphy, and play Words With Friends relentlessly! I also spend time playing with and walking Yogi, who is the executive producer of all of my audiobooks. I search eBay for antique Eiffel Tower inkwells and other collectibles that catch my eye. I like to swim and am sad to see pool season coming to an end. Of course, the best part of any day is the time I spend with Drew!

ABOUT THE NARRATOR

Karen Commins is a professional audiobook narrator who has given voice to over 50 audiobooks. She is an Audible Approved Producer who specializes in performing cozy mysteries and sweet romances. She especially shines in books containing humor and/or Southern voices. Karen also has excelled in narrating biography, history, self-development, and other non-fiction titles. In addition to earning a BA in broadcast journalism, Karen has completed extensive specialized training in voiceover and audiobook narration technique, as well as digital audio production. Visit her web site KarenCommins.com to hear demos, see a list of her titles, and watch a video demonstration of her stunning soundproof studio. She writes articles about audiobooks for DigitalBookWorld.com and curates and maintains information for authors seeking to create audiobooks at this link.

Connect with Karen:
Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest  |  LinkedIn  |  YouTube  |  Audible  |  Soundcloud 

ABOUT THE BOOK

With their coven’s spell book still missing, Molly and Elsie—along with their ghostly friend Olivia, her daughter Dorothy, and her boyfriend Brian—are all on edge, especially now that Dorothy’s infamously wicked father is back in the picture. So when they receive an invitation to an exclusive Witches Ball, the ladies jump at the chance to dress up and have some fun.

The castle locale is spectacular and the party is hopping, but the festivities come to a swift end when a member of the Grand Council of Witches is murdered. With the whole place on lock down, the coven is determined to find the cunning killer, even with an angry council and a real Spanish Inquisitor breathing down their necks . . .

 

About The Authors

Joyce and Jim Lavene wrote award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They had written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. Joyce passed away October 20, 2015 and Jim passed on May 5, 2016. They are missed by family, friends and their many fans.

Find more about Jim and Joyce:
Website   |  Facebook  |  Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  

Tour Participants
October 3 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
October 3 – Queen of All She Reads – SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – Blogger Nicole – SPOTLIGHT
October 4 – Sleuth Cafe – REVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
October 4 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW*
October 4 – The Angry Grey Cat Reads – REVIEW
October 5 – The Book's the Thing – REVIEW*
October 5 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW (Interview)
October 6 – Book Babble – REVIEW
October 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT
October 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 7 – Mallory Heart's Cozies - REVIEW, SPOTLIGHT
October 7 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW*
October 8 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW*
October 8 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW*
October 9 – Shelley's Book Case – REVIEW*
October 9 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW*
October 10 – Socrates' Book Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
October 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW*
October 10 – Cassidy Salem Reads & Writes - SPOTLIGHT
October 11 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW, SPOTLIGHT*
October 11 – Deal Sharing Aunt – REVIEW*
October 12 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
October 12 – A Blue Million Books – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – Booth Talks Books – REVIEW*
October 13 – The Cozy Mystery Journal – REVIEW
October 14 – Brooke Blogs – REVIEW, SPOTLIGHT*
October 15 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 16 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW  
October 16 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
October 17 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
October 17 – MysteriesEtc – REVIEW
October 18 – Kathy Loves 2 Read – REVIEW
October 19 – ChristyMystery – REVIEW
October 20 – My Interdimensional Chaos – REVIEW
October 21 - Murder, Mystery & More... – REVIEW
October 22 – centraleast2 – REVIEW
October 23 – Lori's Reading Corner - SPOTLIGHT
October 24 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT
October 24 – Polished Nails and Puppy Dog Tales – REVIEW

Joining us with Reviews/Spotlights Nicole G. Linda L. Kendrea P. Robin C. Daniele K. Lisa C. Stacie A. Karen K. Brittany A. Kathy D. Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here Find Details and Sign Up Today!

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FEATURED AUTHOR: LINDA O. JOHNSTON

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rory Chasen, manager of the Lucky Dog Boutique in Destiny, California, hopes her new line of good-luck doggy toys will be a hit, especially the stuffed rabbits with extra-large feet. The timing of the line’s debut proves ill-fated, though, as several local shops―including Rory’s―are ransacked and vandalized with spilled salt and other unlucky charms. The most likely culprit is disgruntled real estate agent Flora Curtival, whose issues with the town give her a motive. But after Flora is murdered and one of Rory’s toy rabbits is found with the body, Rory needs all the luck she can get while trying to determine just who killed the superstitious vandal.

INTERVIEW WITH LINDA O. JOHNSTON

Linda, do you have a writing routine?
Yes, of sorts. I find myself getting other stuff out of the way first in the morning, like responding to interview questions. And then, usually in the afternoon, I face the computer and get to work, knowing I've accomplished everything else I have to that day.

Do you write every day?
Yes, unless I'm traveling or at a writing event. I've done that for years!

What’s one thing you never leave the house without?
My purse, of course, and its important contents, most especially all the bookmarks I carry for my most recent releases, to leave in bookstores, or introduce myself to new people when appropriate, or just look at now and then for fun!

Do you have any secret talents?
Of course, but if I told you what they were they wouldn't be secret anymore. But I can tell you that I think I attract dogs. Or at least I hope I do. Dogs are my friends, my loves, my writing themes . . . but that's no secret to anyone who reads my stuff.

What’s your favorite beverage? 
Flavored coffee, like hazelnut, not sweetened or drowned with any other flavor. Yes, I'm an addict. Caffeine and I are good friends.

What drives you crazy?
That's a literal question for me. Traffic literally drives me crazy, and it's gotten so much worse since I moved to L.A. a long time ago.

What is your superpower?
What—only one? Let's see . . . I can fly. I can read other people's minds. I can send zingers or otherwise punish people who harm dogs. I can fight off anyone without lifting a finger. I can see through walls and hear whispers and catch scents as well as any dog. I can turn into a shapeshifter. I can... well, heck, I can do anything, at least on the computer. That's part of the power of writing.

What is one of your happiest moments?
When I can share hugs with the right people: family, including grandkids and dogs, especially my Cavaliers.

What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do?
Do you mean there actually is a time when there's nothing to do? My mind doesn't think so. If I'm not actively working or moving, I'm always plotting.

Do you procrastinate?
Let me think about that for a while . . . Oh, yes. Do I procrastinate? I'm still pondering . . . Well,  yes, I suppose I do procrastinate sometimes—but never when one of my dogs gives me a command.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"Reality is only for those who lack imagination."

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Go visit Isaly's in Pittsburgh. That's where they started, and I loved them there as a kid. I don't think many Isaly restaurants exist anymore although some of their products are still sold in other stores—including Klondike bars!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda O. Johnston, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, currently writes two mystery series for Midnight Ink involving dogs: the Superstition Mysteries, where her protagonist runs a pet boutique, and the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries where the protagonist, a veterinary technician, also owns a barkery and a bakery. She has also written the Pet Rescue Mystery Series, a spinoff from her Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime and also currently writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as the Alpha Force paranormal romance miniseries about shapeshifters for Harlequin Nocturne. Her latest releases, Covert Attraction, a Harlequin Romantic Suspense novel, and Unlucky Charms, the third Superstition Mystery, are her forty-third and forty-fourth published novels.

Connect with Linda:   
Website  |  Blog  | Facebook 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |  Midnight Ink Books  |  Barnes & Noble 

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CHARACTER INTERVIEW WITH LAURA CHILDS’ CARMELA BERTRAND

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace . . .

The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.

The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.

Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon . . .

 “It’s not October without a new spectacular Scrapbooking Mystery from Laura Childs.”
     Romantic Times Book Reviews

“Thrills and chills.”
     St. Paul Pioneer Press

“Local color is Childs’ strong suit, and on this romp with Carmela, the details of the Big Easy, from absinthe to etouffee, do not disappoint.”
     Publisher’s Weekly

ABOUT THE CHARACTER

Carmela Bertrand is the proprietor of Memory Mine Scrapbooking Shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Divorced from her rat-fink husband, Shamus, Carmela has struck gold with her little shop and delights in hosting classes on scrapbooking, papercraft, and rubber stamping. Although Detective Edgar Babcock is eager to put a ring on Carmela’s finger (and hopefully retire her from amateur sleuthing!) our dear Carmela’s been dragging her feet. After all, she’s happy living in her charming garden apartment with her two dogs, Boo and Poobah. And the nightlife with her best friend, Ava, isn’t bad either. But what really keeps things popping for Carmela is the city of New Orleans itself. After all, this is a city that has elevated Mardi Gras to a national holiday, is spooky, charming, mythic, and – oh yes, let’s not forget those crazy above ground cemeteries! What’s not to love?

INTERVIEW WITH CARMELA BERTRAND

Carmela, how did you first meet Laura?
I popped into my writer’s head one day as she was wandering through a scrapbook shop. She was looking at all the cool albums and scrapbook papers and saw how much fun all the ladies were having—you know, sitting at a big craft table in back, laughing together and working on scrapbook pages. When I felt my author’s brain begin to whirl, I just gave her a subtle whisper and said, “Wouldn’t it be fun if you wrote a Scrapbooking Mystery?”

Tell us about your favorite scene in Crepe Factor.
In the very first chapter, Ava and I are strolling the Winter Market in the French Quarter. We’re minding our business, looking at jewelry, nibbling food, and drinking wine (well, lots of wine), when suddenly, out of nowhere, we hear this horrible moaning and gurgling going on. Imagine our surprise when a man staggers out from behind one of the tents with an enormous kitchen fork stuck in his throat! I mean, this guy looked like some kind of zombie. He clomped right up to us with this dead-eyed look, and all Ava could do was let loose a blood curdling scream. What did I do? Um, well I did wonder who could have done this—and if the guilty party might be standing around watching the fun? I guess you could call me a wanna-be detective.

What do you like to do when you are not being actively read somewhere?
I create paper theatres, do stamping on velvet pillows, and generally hone my crafting skills. I also volunteer with the Children’s Art Association and occasionally help build Mardi Gras floats with my good friend Jekyl Hardy.

Tell the truth. What do you think of your fellow characters?
Well, everybody in New Orleans is a little bit crazy. But I do love my fellow characters a whole lot. I mean, Ava is the best friend (and devious accomplice) that a girl could ever want. And Baby and Tandy are great friends, too. As for my ex-husband, Shamus? Meh. Maybe he should take a hike and not be in these books anymore.

Do you have any secret aspirations that your author doesn’t know about?
In one of the upcoming books Ava and I do a little modeling for The Latest Wrinkle, this great resale shop over on Magazine Street. So . . . I sure wouldn’t mind strutting the catwalk again sometime soon.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
I’d wander the antique shops in the French Quarter, stop by Café du Monde for chicory coffee and a beignet, hit the Old French Market for quirky shopping, then have lunch at The Court of Two Sisters. I’d probably head down to Magazine Street then for some more shopping. Around dinner time I’d call Ava and we’d pop into Commander’s Palace. Did I mention that food is a huge part of life in New Orleans?

Sure sounds like it! What’s the worst thing that happened in your life?
Getting divorced from Shamus Mechum was no piece of cake. For one thing, he hails from the banking Meechums, so getting any sort of settlement was horrible. It took me years and then I still had to deal with his parsimonious big sister Glory, who Ave and I like to call the Great Stone Face.

Tell us about your best friend.
OMG, where do I start? Ava Grieux is my BFF, and she runs Juju Voodoo, a little voodoo shop in the French Quarter. Maybe as a result of this slightly off-kilter enterprise, she’s a little more daring than I am. For example, Ava wears tight leopard tops, leather pants, and sky-high stilettos. And she does Botox big time. The other thing is, we are always getting in trouble together. We don’t look for it, but we’re forever being chased through a New Orleans cemetery or a bayou or rushing out of some fancy Garden District party. Yeah, it’s funny how trouble just seems to follow us around.

Describe the town where you live.
I’m the luckiest girl in the word because I was born and bred in New Orleans. You see, this is a city that should come with a warning label. This city is historic, charming and highly seductive. It’s filled with charming old homes and antique buildings decorated with lacy ironwork. Music is everywhere—blues, jazz, Cajun, whatever you want. And the food is to die for. We’re talking beignets, muffalettas, shrimp gumbo, fried catfish, turtle soup, red beans and rice, po-boys, eggs Sardou, jambalaya, alligator sausage, etouffee, pecan pie, bread pudding, and bananas Foster. And then, of course, we have Mardi Gras. With enormous floats, marchers, strings of beads, bands, exotic costumes, and all-night revelry, it’s the biggest, baddest party you’ve ever seen!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Laura Childs is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbooking Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Connect with Laura:
Webpage  |  Facebook  

Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year. The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.

Connect with Terrie:
Facebook  |  Blog  |  Goodreads  



Buy the book:
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FEATURED AUTHOR: ANNA LOAN-WILSEY

ABOUT THE BOOK

Traveling secretary Hattie Davish is taking her singular talents to Washington D.C. to help Sir Arthur research his next book. But in the winding halls of the nation's capital, searching for the truth can sometimes lead to murder . . .

Hattie is in her element, digging through dusty basements, attics, and abandoned buildings, not to be denied until she fishes out that elusive fact. But her delightful explorations are dampened when she witnesses a carriage crash into a carp pond beneath the shadow of the Washington Monument. Alarmingly, one of the passengers flees the scene, leaving the other to drown. The incident only heightens tensions brought on by the much publicized arrival of "Coxey's Army," thousands of unemployed men converging on the capital for the first ever organized "march" on Washington. When one of the marchers is found murdered in the ensuing chaos, Hattie begins to suspect a sinister conspiracy is at hand. As she expands her investigations into the motives of murder and closes in on the trail of a killer, she is surprised and distraught to learn that her research will lead her straight to the highest level of government . . .



INTERVIEW WITH ANNA LOAN-WILSEY

Anna, how did you get started writing?
I’ve been writing on and off my whole life. I wrote poems and short stories from elementary school through college. After that I focused more on technical writing than creative writing. It was only after my job was downsized several years ago, and I had the time, did I attempt to write a novel.

What's your favorite thing about the writing process?
I love being immersed in the story so deeply that I forget that I’m writing and not simply watching the story evolve in front of my eyes.

Do you have a writing routine?
I write in the morning as soon as my daughter is off to school. I try to work until it is time to pick her up again. As my brain is mush after 4:00 or so, this works out nicely.

What do you wish you’d done differently when you first started the publishing process?
I wish I had connected with more with fellow published writers. When I first started the process, I did everything on my own. Much of the invaluable information and lessons I’ve since learned from other writers would have helped ease the way.

What’s more important – characters or plot?
Definitely characters. Great characters can drive a weak plot, but if a reader doesn’t like the characters, they won’t care about the plot, no matter how great it is.

How often do you read?
Every chance I get, which these days isn’t very often.

What books do you currently have published?
I have five books in the Hattie Davish Mystery series: A Lack of Temperance, Anything But Civil, A Sense of Entitlement, A Deceptive Homecoming and, the latest, A March to Remember.


Is writing your dream job?
Absolutely! When I was little I envisioned a scene from my future—I was in my study in my home on Beacon Hill, Boston, writing diligently at my typewriter (yes, I’m that old) with a Basset Hound at my feet. I am lucky enough to say I’ve had two of the three dreams come true! (I may someday still get to live on Beacon Hill!)


Beacon Hill is a dream of mine too. If you could only watch one television station for a year, what would it be?
That’s an easy one-PBS. With few exceptions, it is the only television station I watch.

What’s one thing you never leave the house without (besides your phone)?
I never leave without a tissue, a packet of tissues, if I’ve planned ahead. I have allergies and am ALWAYS in need of tissues.

What’s your favorite beverage?
I have two favorites: tea and seltzer water. I prefer black tea but have tried and like a wide spectrum of different teas. I usually have a nice cuppa in the afternoon in one of my antique tea cups. Seltzer water is something I crave and drink plain throughout the day, every day.

What is your superpower?
I find things. Truly, if there is anything missing, lost, or misplaced in my household, I’m the one who finds it every time. And if there is a piece of information someone needs, I’m the go-to person. It helps that I’ve been trained as a biologist and a librarian. But inquiring minds beware. One cannot idly mention a need for information, for, like many with superpowers, I feel compelled to use my powers whether they asked for it or not! But fear not, I’m very careful to use it for good.



What do you like to do when there’s nothing to do (nothing lost, missing, or misplaced!)?
I love to binge watch BBC TV mysteries. I’m currently watching WPC56 about the first woman police constable in England’s West Midlands in 1956.

Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Of course! I think every writer “borrows” traits, good and bad, from people they know. And who else do they know better than themselves? (You don’t expect me to tell what they are though, do you?)

Of course . . . um . . . not! What’s your most visited Internet site?
When I’m writing, the site I visit the most is the Online Etymology Dictionary. I am constantly having to check whether a word or phrase is appropriate to my book’s time period.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
To be honest, one of my favorite quotes is one I wrote myself completely by mistake! It happened in the course of writing an essay in French for French Literature class in college. I wanted to use the word “regardless” but couldn’t remember the French translation. I wrote myself a note on a post-it and stuck it to my lamp. A friend came in while I was still writing and said, “Wow, that’s such a great quote. I love it!”  I had no idea what she was talking about and told her so. When she read the note out loud, I realized her wonderful mistake. It read: "Look Up Regardless." I’ve tried to take my own inadvertent words to heart ever since.


What’s one thing that very few people know about you?
My first job out of college was training monkeys named Billy, Bob and Hank. Hank was by far my favorite. He never bit or scratched me once.

How do you like your pizza?
Growing up in Upstate New York, I definitely have a preference for traditional New York style (with mushrooms!). But who am I kidding? I’d eat almost any kind of pizza. In Montreal, I had some of the best “white” or garlic pizza and when I lived in Finland, I even ate pizza with corn and tuna fish on it!

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
A slideshow of all my family photos. I just checked and the picture was of my dog lounging by the fire pit in the backyard followed by a picture of my daughter “helping” me bake. Every picture makes me smile.

What’s your biggest pet peeve about writing?
Having to get through that first draft. It is always awful and such a chore. I love it when I’m finally done and can go back and fix everything!



What are you working on now?
I’m working on developing a new mystery series. Stay tuned to find out more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anna Loan-Wilsey, biologist, librarian, and author, writes the historical Hattie Davish Mystery series featuring a Victorian traveling secretary who solves crimes in every historic town she visits. The first in the series, A Lack of Temperance, set in 1890’s Eureka Springs, Arkansas, (an Amazon #1 bestseller) was followed by Anything But Civil (set in Galena, IL), A Sense of Entitlement (an iBook #1 bestseller set in Newport, RI), and A Deceptive Homecoming (set in St. Joseph, MO, Hattie’s hometown). A March to Remember finds Hattie caught up in the political intrigues surrounding Coxey’s Army and the first “march” on Washington, D.C. Anna lives in a Victorian farmhouse near Ames, Iowa with her family where she is happily working on new mystery adventures.

Connect with Anna:

Website  |  Blog  |  
Facebook  |  
Twitter  |  Goodreads 

Buy the book:
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