Featured Author: Elle Marie

Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours brings Elle Marie here today to talk about her novel,Chronicle of the Mound Builders. She's also here with a guest post and an excerpt from the book. Elle will be running a Rafflecopter giveaway during the tour for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. Scroll to the bottom of today's post to enter. Somebody has to win...

About the book:

When archaeologist Angela Hunter discovers an ancient codex at a Mississippian Indian dig site, she is mystified. The Mississippians, also called the Mound Builders, vanished more than 700 years ago and had no known written language. Who could have written this journal?

In the early 1300's, Chipahua’s family is torn apart. After he rebels against the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice, Chipahua is cursed by a jealous priest. The curse prevents him from bleeding, thus casting a cloud of shame over him since he is unable to participate in blood-letting rites to worship the gods. He escapes his enemies with his 12-year-old son and undertakes an arduous journey from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River. Guided by strange visions, they finally settle in the thriving community of Migaduha - modern-day Cahokia Mounds, Illinois.

Angela will let nothing stop her from solving the chronicle’s mystery – not Dr. Franklin Oettendorf, her former professor and lover, or Joseph Edgewater, grand master of a secret Native American society. She translates the symbols in the codex and learns a terrible secret that threatens the balance of nature today. Only by joining forces with Joseph does she stand a chance of conquering the horrifying evil. But can she trust him? Despite her growing attraction to Joseph, she senses he’s not telling her everything.

Guest Post:

One of the challenges I faced in writing Chronicle of the Mound Builders was deciding how much detail was necessary for each scene, particularly the science-related chapters. I call this the 'Goldilocks Concept.' You can't have too much detail, and you can't have too little – it has to be just right.

I love math and science, so my tendency was to thoroughly research a procedure – say carbon-dating – and then incorporate the techniques into the lab chapters in lots of detail, explaining just how the process works. But what's exciting and fascinating to a scientist might not be so interesting to the average person. Too much technical detail could slow down the story and – dare I say it? – bore the reader. So I then simplified the scientific mumbo-jumbo, using my judgment as to what level of detail would captivate my readers.



The next step was to ask for feedback from my early readers. Results were definitely mixed - "Too much jargon" "I want more details" "Skip the whole chapter" "Love the scientific parts."

I had a similar experience with the romantic scene. I don't feel comfortable writing graphic sex, nor do I feel it's appropriate for this type of book. My sex scene was meant to be soft, romantic, and fairly brief – you get the idea. When my husband read my first draft, he didn't realize that my characters had just made love. I guess I was a little too subtle. So I beefed it up a bit, then got more feedback from some early readers. Again, results were mixed – "That sex scene wasn't necessary" "What sex scene?" "It was very romantic".



Writing is an art, not a science. Getting the level of detail just right – not too much and not too little – is something I'll continue to work on. But of course you can't please everyone!

Interview with Elle Marie:

Elle, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I started my writing career with the publication of a nonfiction book, Living the Thin Life, in 2008. In it, I tell my story of losing weight and keeping it off. I was a bit intimidated by the idea of writing fiction, but after the success of this book (and with a lot of encouragement from my husband, Doug) I decided to try my hand at a novel.

Describe your book in a tweet. (140 characters or less.)

Archaeologist Angela Hunter races against time to decipher an ancient codex before tragedies of the past return to the present. How’s that? Thirteen characters to spare!

Excellent! How did you create the plot for this book?

I’ve always wondered what happened to the ancient civilization at Cahokia Mounds. They disappeared 700 years ago with few traces left behind - one of archaeology’s greatest mysteries. When a Mound Builders village was discovered in my hometown of Chesterfield, Missouri, it gave me the idea to write about what might have actually happened to destroy the prosperous community. Once I came up with the mystery’s solution, I worked backward to develop the plot leading up to the dramatic climax.

How do you get to know your characters?

This may seem silly, but I started by finding pictures of people who looked the way I imagined my main characters would look. Whenever it was appropriate to describe a character’s appearance in the story, I looked at the pictures for inspiration on what struck me about each one. To flesh out their personalities, I included bits and pieces of real people I know. But after a while, they took on their own unique personalities and became real to me.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

I created a spreadsheet with sections for women’s names, men’s names, last names, and Indian names. I started listing my favorite names, then went through the daily newspaper and the telephone book to get ideas for additional surnames. As each new character came up, I referred to my list to pick a combination of first and last name, keeping track of the names I had already used. I tried to keep the names different enough so the readers wouldn’t confuse the characters, so I made sure to start names with different letters and use a variety of ethnicities. All that being said, sometimes I just came up with the perfect name as soon as the new person appeared.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Definitely Angela Hunter, my main character. She’s smart, funny, and courageous, but not perfect. I’d love to be more like her.

What are your favorite books or favorite authors?

a) As a child: I devoured Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries.
b) As a teenager: When I was a teenager, I loved reading romantic classics, such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
C) As an adult: Today I enjoy an eclectic mix of mysteries, historical fiction, and fun chick lit books.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix me? I mean, him. Or her.

Obviously, you would be my first choice! But I suppose my second choice would be Tina Fey. I just finished reading Bossypants and it was hilarious! Cooking isn’t my best skill, but I think I could whip up an Italian pasta dish and toss a salad. Then provide plenty of wine for a fun night.

Well, if Tina can't make it, just let me know! What are you working on now?

I’m helping to edit an exciting new book from Vicki Lesage, my daughter. She’s lived in France for the past 7 years and is writing about her experiences as an American in Paris. It’s fun for me to be on the editing side vs. the writing side for a different perspective.

Tell her to stop by and tell us about it sometime!

Excerpt:

From Chapter 27

Angela heard a loud, familiar voice in the reception area.

“I need to see Dr. Hunter.”

Angela groaned. Franklin must be here to see the jar. She shut down her laptop and put the codex in her desk as she heard Franklin arguing with their receptionist, Stella.

“Dr. Angela Hunter, of course,” he boomed. “Why would I want to see Dr. Peter Hunter?”

“I’m just trying to help, sir,” said Stella, a model-pretty twenty-something. “Maybe you don’t realize there are two Dr. Hunters here.”

Angela quickly opened her door, calling, “It’s all right, Stella. Franklin, I’m in here.”

Franklin stormed over to her. “Have you purposely trained your receptionist to stall visitors?”

Behind Dr. Oettendorf’s back, Stella stuck out her tongue.

Angela stifled a smile.

“Of course not. Please come on in. What can I do for you?”

Slightly appeased, Dr. Oettendorf entered her office and glanced around.

“I was told you found a codex in my jar from the Faust Park burial mound.”

Taken aback, Angela admitted, “That’s true. We opened the jar and found a codex inside.”

“When were you planning to tell me?” he demanded.

“We only discovered it a few days ago,” said Angela, trying not to sound defensive. “Remember, I’m the one Major Benton assigned to do the analysis. It’s my responsibility.”

“I’m responsible for the Faust Park burial mound and that includes the jar as well as anything inside it!”

Angela crossed her arms with a defiant look. “There’s no need to shout. I was planning to show it to you.”

“Well? Where is it?”

Angela reluctantly opened her drawer and pulled out the ancient artifact.

“It’s very delicate. Be careful,” she advised as she handed it over.

Franklin looked at her haughtily. “I know how to handle archaeological artifacts.”

He examined the book from all sides, in awe of its pristine condition. It could provide the basis for a very attention-getting publication. Perhaps it contained information about the powerful talisman! He flipped through the pages as if reading a modern book.

“Actually, it reads from back to front,” corrected Angela.

“Whatever. What do all these symbols mean? Have you determined the iconography system?”

“The pictographs are similar to Aztec symbols. In fact, some are identical to those found in Aztec codices salvaged from the Spanish conquistadors. Others are either symbols from older codices that were destroyed or else invented by the author specifically for this chronicle.”

“Chronicle? Why do you call it that?” asked Franklin, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s telling a story, rather than the more typical Aztec trading accounts or religious mythology. I’m attempting to translate it.”

“Yes, that’s what the Major said. Please give me your translation.”

“But I haven’t gotten very far,” she protested, subconsciously glancing at her laptop. “I haven’t shown it to anyone yet.”

“I assume you’ve been documenting the translated work on your computer,” said Franklin, noting the telling look.

“Yes, of course, but as I said I haven’t made much progress. I’ve been preoccupied with the Chesterfield Valley dig.”

“Although I understand you found time to go gallivanting around the countryside yesterday.”

Angela bit her lip. “Carl mentioned you stopped by. We were only gone a few hours.” As if it’s any of your business!

“Well, give me what you have. I’ll need to analyze it myself to determine its context as part of the Faust Park burial mound.”

Angela held out her hand.

“I’ll give you a copy once I complete the translation. Now may I have the codex back?”

“I insist you give me what you have so far,” Franklin said, his voice rising in irritation at her stubbornness.

“What’s going on in here?” asked Peter, poking his head in the doorway. “Is there a problem?”

“Hi, Dad,” said Angela. “I believe Dr. Oettendorf was just leaving.”

Peter entered the room and took Franklin firmly by the arm, handing the codex back to Angela. “Here, I’ll show you out. Thanks for visiting.”

Franklin turned back as he left Angela’s office, saying, “I’ll be expecting that translation soon.”

Peter returned in a few minutes.

“He’s gone now. Was he bothering you? You’re shaking.”

“I’m just angry,” Angela replied, taking a calming breath. “He’s such a bully!”

“Don’t let him get to you,” urged Peter. “He doesn’t know chalk from cheese.”

“Oh, Dad!” she said, giving him a big hug. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Happy to be of service. I’m sure you could have handled him yourself, though. You know, you reminded me of your mother just then. She sure knew how to hold her ground.”

Angela sighed. “You’re right. She wasn’t afraid of anyone. I still miss her a lot.”

“Me too, sweetie.”

He broke free. “Well, time to get back to work.”

About the author:

Coming from a large family of readers, Elle Marie grew up with a love of reading. Her passion for reading led to a desire to write. After first publishing a nonfiction book, Living the Thin Life, she turned to fiction.

A visit to Cahokia Mounds sparked a fascination with the mysterious Mound Builders, about whom so little is known. What was their culture like? How did ordinary people live in the 14th century? What caused the civilization to vanish, seemingly overnight? She put her imagination to work and came up with a story line that put it all together. Extensive research enabled her to create a believable, engrossing world.

By day, she works in the information technology field at a large financial services firm. She is a graduate of the Missouri University of Science & Technology and lives in the St. Louis area with her husband. Chronicle of the Mound Builders is her first novel.


Elle's website

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Featured Author: Madison Johns

Madison Johns is the author of Grannies, Ghosts and Guns, a cozy mystery. She's here on the last stop of her blog tour with Cozy Mystery Book Tours for an interview, and she also brought an excerpt. I ain't afraid of no ghosts! Don't miss the link at the bottom of this post for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.

About the book:

Senior snoop, Agnes Barton, has taken up residence in a Winnebago at a campground in East Tawas, Michigan. It’s not the ideal place for a woman of seventy-two to live, but she’s making do. She had planned to start a detective agency with partner in crime, Eleanor Mason, but a snag with the license has them free wheeling it, not that it matters because they are the ones folks call when dead bodies turn up.

A frantic phone call has Agnes and Eleanor racing to the scene of yet another crime scene. Herman Butler has fallen to his death from a third story window, and the widow, Betty Lou, is beside herself with either grief or competing for the Oscars, and it’s up to Agnes and Eleanor to unravel the mystery, which gets more interesting when a ghost is listed as a possible suspect.

This time around, Agnes and Sheriff Peterson can agree, the widow is nuts, but wait, a few days later the ghost ship, Erie Board of Trades, was spotted off the shores of Lake Huron. Ghost hunters, G.A.S.P., hightail it into town, and East Tawas is overrun with ghost sightings.

Agnes and Eleanor must sort fact from fantasy before another body is found or a curse is realized.

Interview with Madison Johns:

Madison, what prompted you to start writing?

I started writing four years ago. I have always wanted to be a writer and felt I was at the point where I had enough life experiences to draw from. I just started typing out short stories, but felt restricted and ended up writing novels.

How did you come up with the title Grannies, Guns and Ghosts for this book?

It’s the second in the series, and it’s about female senior-aged sleuths, so Grannies was a perfect fit. They always carry a pistol, so that’s where the guns came from, and the book has a ghost theme. Grannies, Guns and Ghosts fit perfectly.

It sure does! Do you have another job outside of writing?

I used to work as a nursing care assistant, one of the reasons my series features senior-aged characters, but now I work as a housekeeper.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I totally write from the seat of my pants, but I will jot down a few ideas and try to fit them in.

How did your cover art come about?

I hired Paul Beeley from Create Imaginations. He read the manuscript and came up with a great concept for the cover. I absolutely love it.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

Shoe Marks. It’s written by Karen Vance Hammond and it’s a great paranormal, and I usually don’t read books like that.

Have you ever bought any books just for the cover? Did you enjoy the book(s)?

Yes, I bought Girl of my Dreams by Morgan Mandel. It had a cartoon-looking cover and it turned out to be a great book. I love it!

What do you do to market your books?

Right now I’m trying to get onto some great blog tours, but besides that my first book in the series has landed on some high profile sites as a bargain book and that has helped with the sales of book two.

Do you have imaginary friends? When do they talk to you? Do they tell you what to write or do you poke them with a Q-tip?

Laughs. I have had imaginary friends for many years now, only now I start to listen to them. Having a vivid imagination is a gift, and I would never poke my imaginary friends with a Q-tip with fear that they would leave. What would I write about then?

I was just joking. Actually, speaking of characters talking to you--Pickle put me up to it. He has a t-shirt that says something about poking voices with a Q-tip. When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

With this series I do, but not all cast members return in a sequel other than the main character and her best friend. I try to let their love interests come back too.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

I love writing about Eleanor Mason because she is based on a real person. I think that’s why she comes across so strong. She has opinions and has no fear. She’s also very fun to write about.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names and even troll the obits for good ones. How do you name your characters?

I have no idea where their names come from. I like to use real names. When I meet someone with a name that just sings to me, watch out. They’ll definitely end up in a book. I have also used the telephone book in search of names. My daughter likes to name characters too.

What would your main character say about you?

That I put her into difficult situations and find people to bug her like Sheriff Peterson. They have a love/hate thing going on.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people?

Eleanor Mason, she’s a resident at a nursing home who I used to care for. She’s the one person where I kept her name as it is. Dorothy and Frank Alton were inspired by a married couple I used to care for also.

Do you put yourself into any of your characters?

I’m a little like many of them. It’s hard not to put yourself into your characters.

If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Eleanor Mason, because she can get away with anything. She can do anything or say anything and nobody ever messes with her.

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

Trooper Sales, he’s a hot state trooper, what could be better than that?


Beats me! I wonder if your Trooper Sales knows my Trooper Butterfield. Hmmm...

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

My favorite scene is when Agnes Barton shows up at the scene of a crime and she questions the widow of the man they found dead. It brings up many fictional characters for laughs, and I play it off like she’s real, not fictional. It turned out to be very funny.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

The Ghostbuster theme song, “We ain’t afraid of no ghost.”

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

I could read One for the Money more than once. I love Janet Evanovich.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix her?

I’d invite Janet Evanovich and make her fettuccini alfedo with chicken, garlic bread and have plenty of wine on hand. I bet she’d be funny to get tipsy with.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on yet another sequel to this book. This time the girls get to go to Florida for the winter.

Sounds fun! I hope you'll come back and tell us more about it.

Excerpt from Grannies, Guns and Ghosts

I rolled my eyes; following Eleanor’s directions, and drove up a drive that led to a well-manicured lawn of the Butler Mansion. I braked hard as I saw a group of seniors surrounding a man lying on the ground.

I narrowed my eyes. “They called us before the sheriff or the state police?”

“Yup, I told them to wait a spell,” El said.

“You do know that this is potentially a crime scene, right? The law should be here before everybody else is called.”

Eleanor fidgeted with her fingers. “They'll shoe everyone off and we'll never get to find out what happened. It's not my fault folks trust us more than that lame-brained sheriff.”

I didn't much care for Sheriff Peterson myself, but I do have some respect for law enforcement. Of course, I much preferred Trooper Sales to him, but it didn't matter who I liked or didn't like. I need to be a law-abiding citizen, and that means securing the crime scene at this point.

El and I got out real quick and approached the hysterical crowd.

“Oh my God, my poor husband is dead!” a woman's voice wailed. It belonged to fiery redhead poured into a tight, strumpet-red dress, her breasts nearly popping out. “I can't b-believe this, oh God why did you have to take my husband on our wedding day.”

“Wedding day!” Eleanor shouted and shuffled her feet as the woman turned to look at her.
“I'm Agnes Baron P.I. and this here is my assistant, Watson.” I thumbed in El's direction.

El's eyes narrowed. “That's fine, Watson is way smarter than Sherlock Holmes ever was.”

“Have you ever read Sherlock Holmes dear? If you had... oh forget it. We’re here to investigate.”

“Are you Miss Marple?” a woman dressed in a maid uniform asked me inquisitively.

I smoothed my hair back. “I fancy myself more of a Jessica Fletcher.”

“She's such a know-it-all, Aggie, you don't want to be her,” Eleanor laughed.

“I'm certainly not trying to be Miss Marple or any other fictional character. I'm the real deal.” I took an elegant stance like I was posing for a magazine. “I have never even read an Agatha Christie book before,” I insisted.

I walked toward the body, knelt to check for a pulse, but found none. I glanced at an open window on the third floor, and then back at the maid. “How long has he been laying out here?”

“Thing is,” the redhead started, “we’re just not sure. You see, we moved here yesterday and—”

“I thought you just were muttering that this was your wedding day.”

“I heard her too, Aggie,” Eleanor affirmed with a bob of her head.

The woman's eyes shifted slightly. “Like I was saying if you'd quit interrupting me. We were married yesterday and had a reception celebrating the event late into the night,” She giggled. “Of course, we did manage to consummate our marriage.”

“Why would I think anything else?” I asked.

Red glared at me, but continued. “He left momentarily and—”

“Needed to take another Viagra,” Eleanor slipped in.

“Point is, I must have fallen asleep, and when I awoke this morning, I realized he was missing. We then tore the place apart looking for him.” She started bawling something awful now.

“What did you say your name was?” I asked. It had occurred to me that I should tell somebody to call the sheriff's department, but I wanted the rest of this woman's story.

“I didn't,” the woman snapped. “My name is Betty Lou Butler, but don't you dare call me just plain Betty ever.”

“Okay, Betty, and your husband's name is?”

She glared at me and tightened her lips, not saying a word. I had struck a nerve.

“His name was Herman,” the maid said. “Herman Butler.” She nodded. “I'm Teresa,” the maid shook my hand vigorously. “I knew right away that I should call you.” She smiled just then. “I know you can find out what really happened to Mr. Butler.” Her black uniform with ruffed white collar flapped in the wind. Her round cheeks blushed slightly in a show of a possible sunburn. I guessed her to be about thirty.

“And Herman just moved here. Is that right?”

“He just inherited the house since the latest Butler died unexpectedly a few months past,” the maid said.

“I see, and how did the last Butler die?”

“Hunting accident.”

“I see. Herman inherited the house and got married to this Betty Lou and now he’s dead.”
“Yes, quite,” the maid replied.

“Gee, these Butlers sure are accident prone,” El said. “Presuming he fell out the window up there,” she observed.

Betty Lou pushed the maid aside, “I don’t know what you’re implying here, but I had nothing to do with—”

El interrupted her with, “Marrying a guy and then him kicking the bucket soon after?”

“And after he just inherited a mansion, quite coincidental if you ask me,” I added.

I stared at the body that was face down on the lawn. My eyes drifted upward toward the open window on the third floor again. It was a tiny window though; too tiny for this man to squeeze through, or so it seemed.

Herman's arms were both bent at the elbows and his legs were at an odd angle.

“His legs look broken,” Eleanor observed.

I nodded. “Somebody call the sheriff's department and please move away from the body.”

“It was just an accident,” Betty Lou said. “He must have gotten confused last night and fell out the window is all.”

“So now he was confused?” I countered. “But not too confused to get married just yesterday?”

“I just know that I didn't have nothing to do with this, and when the sheriff shows up he'll tell you so.”

“Will he now?” I couldn't help but stare at that open upstairs window. “Mind if I go inside?”

Betty Lou huffed in the background and pulled a pack of cigarettes from her cleavage complete with lighter and lit up while we made our way toward the house.


                                                                  Other books by Madison Johns:

About the author:

As a child, Madison Johns preferred to distance herself from other children her age, and had been described as a dreamer. Even as a small child, she remembers staying awake many a night fighting dragons, whisked away to foreign lands, or meeting the man of her dreams.

She was a voracious reader of historical romance in her teen years and has always wished to one day journey to England, France, Ireland, and Scotland.

The writing bug bit her at the age of 44 and she pounded out three books since that time. As the publishing climate changed she took a risk and decided to self publish, first a collection of two horror short stories geared for YA, Coffin Tales Season of Death.

Madison's caring nature had led her to work in the healthcare field, where she was employed as a nursing care assistant at a nursing home, and it was there that she was inspired to write her first mystery, Armed and Outrageous, introducing amateur detective Agnes Barton. The book depicts two elderly ladies digging up clues with enough laugh out loud antics to make James Bond blush.

Connect with Madison:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon | Amazon UK

Cozy Mystery Book Tours Giveaway:

Cozy Mystery Book Tours is giving readers SIX chances to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card or Paypal cash!

To enter:
1. Complete the form.
2. Giveaway closes on May 26, 2013 at midnight, and winners will be contacted by email.
3. Don’t forget to follow their Facebook page because they will be giving away copies of six authors' books during the tours.

Featured Author: Leslie Matthews Stansfield

Leslie Matthews Stansfield is stopping by on her blog tour with Cozy Mystery Book Tours to tell us about her novel, Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacup, a Madeline's Teahouse mystery. Cozy Mystery Book Tours is giving away three Kindle copies of the book to three random readers who leave a comment.

About the book:

After the death of their mother, sisters Terry and Karen Sutter, turn their childhood home into a teahouse. It's a dream come true, but the dream begins to resemble a nightmare when teacups start crashing to the floor in the middle of the night. Could the teahouse be haunted? There's a list of possible ghostly candidates: the prior owner who is rumored to have left behind a buried treasure, two spinster neighbors who disappeared without a trace over forty years ago, or perhaps it's Terry and Karen's own mother trying to communicate with them. Karen, the older sister, thinks running a haunted teahouse might be fun, until the sisters come home one night to find the attic stairs covered in a trail of what appears to be blood. Is it a ghost or a warning? The teahouse's new mascot, a psychic macaw, may provide some unexpected clues, but the sisters will encounter many more surprises before they solve this mystery.

Interview with Leslie Matthews Stansfield:

Leslie, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I have been writing for a number of years. I started by taking a few Writer’s Digest Classes. Eventually, I met Kathie Giorgio who runs Allwriters Workplace and Workshop. She became my writing instructor and mentor. 

Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacup is quite a title! How did you come up with it?

The original concept for the book was to include descriptions and pictures of teahouses all over New England. I even had a photographer lined up. The idea of a “traveling teacup” incorporated that. When Cozy Cat Press decided to publish the book, the name was changed to Mr. Tea and The Traveling Teacup. The name of Mr. Tea in the title will carry through this series.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

I have two. I am a math tutor for children in grades five and six and the Christian Education Director for my church. 

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I do a little bit of all of that. I start out with an outline. I figure out the who and why, then I go from there. However, I can change the who and why in mid-stream.

Did you have any say in your cover art? What do you think of it?

I love my cover art. I was given a few choices to start with. I got opinions from friends and my students. It was a really tough choice. I liked parts of all of them. One thing that caught my attention immediately was the picture I use for Mr. Tea. The moment I looked at it, I thought, 'That’s him. That’s Mr. Tea!' I worked from there. 

What do you do to market your book?

I take my book to craft fairs. I have friends that do beautiful crafts. I take their crafts and my book. It’s worked well for me. Also, I have done book signings in book stores and libraries. 

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

Definitely not! I know most of the main characters, but I feel free to improvise.

I like writing characters who do and say things I never would, as well as characters who do and say things I wish I could. Do you have characters who fit into one of those categories? Who, and in what category do they fall?

Mr. Tea is my character that can say anything. I am enjoying allowing the senior citizens to come out of their shells and say a few surprising things. I have a few obnoxious characters in my second book who say things I would never say.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him or her?

I write with a group of wonderful authors from Cozy Cat Press. I would love to have them all to a catered Italian dinner. I don’t want to cook, because I just want to be able to chat with them. 

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I have to fit my writing in whenever I can. I write at night, after school, on the weekends, and during school vacations. 

Where’s home for you?

I grew up I Delmar, New York. A part of me will always consider that home. I currently live in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Tell us about where you live.

My first book was about the town I live in. It is called Windsor Locks, and talks about its history. I went to the senior center and found seniors who wanted to share their stories. Many families in the town today have ancestors that came off the boat at Ellis Island, got on a train and came here to find work. 


Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

My friends.

If you could only keep one book, what would it be?

The Bible

Would you rather work in a library or a bookstore?

At the moment, it would be the library. The books are free!

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

A new car!

Where would your dream office be?

In the school where I work. I love being around children. I also have a number of friends in the school building. I would love to be a type of author in residence. 

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow?

I love listening to piano music when I write. If I am stuck, I clean a room or walk the dog.

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Buried in a Bog, by Sheila Connolly
Assaulted Pretzel, by Laura Bradford
Bertie and the Seven Bodies, by Peter Lovesey

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Delmar, New York.

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? (Don’t worry about the money. A publisher is paying.)

If it had to be one place, I would love to go to England for at least six months and get to know the people.

I would also love to travel the United States in an RV and promote my books and do book signings.

What are you working on now?

I am in the editing and revising phase of my second book, Mr. Tea and the Bobbin’ Body.

About the author:

Leslie Matthews Stansfield is the author of Mr. Tea And The Traveling Teacup, the first book in the Madelineís Teahouse series. She is the author of a previous book, Windsor Locks, on the town she lives in. She grew up in Delmar, New York, and credits her friends with developing her imagination. Leslie is a graduate of University of Hartford and recently received her masters degree from the University of Phoenix in Educational Leadership. She is a math tutor in a public school as well as the Christian Education Director of her church. She is currently working on her second book in the Madeline's Teahouse series. She has four children and eight grandchildren and lives in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.


Connect with Leslie:
Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Featured Authors: Jim & Joyce Lavene

Cozy Mystery Book Tours brings the best-selling author team Jim and Joyce Lavene here today to talk about their newest novel, A Thyme to Die, a Peggy Lee Garden mystery. And don't miss the $25 Amazon.com gift card or PayPal cash giveaway at the end of the post!

About the book:

Peggy Lee and her gardening friends have managed to persuade the International Flower Show to move to Charlotte from Atlanta this year. Excited and enthusiastic, Peggy agrees to step into the role as director of the event, but on opening day, a good friend of hers is found dead in the middle of the show.

Dr. Aris Abutto, an orchid grower from South Africa, has been shot and buried in a makeshift grave covered with pink thyme. Peggy is especially devastated since he came at her personal invitation. The presence of the pink thyme, a plant once used for ancient burial rites, tells her it’s possible one of the show’s growers may be involved in his death.

She plans to work with the Charlotte Police on this one, in her position of contract forensic botanist, and is surprised to learn of the Charlotte FBI’s interest in the case—which means her husband, Steve is involved too.

Peggy is focused on finding her friend’s killer and running the flower show with hundreds of sometimes disgruntled vendors. Her questions will find a devious plot with her friend and his young daughter, unwittingly, at the heart of it.

Asking the wrong questions can be dangerous, however, as Peggy knows so well. If she isn’t careful, finding her friend’s killer might also lead to a flower-covered grave for her.

Interview with Jim & Joyce Lavene:

I'm in awe. You all have written umpteen million books. How did the plot for this one come about?

We have written five other Peggy Lee Garden Mysteries and a novella. This time, we created a perfect place for Peggy who loves to garden – a flower show. She has the chance to shine, and to spotlight her garden shop, but the show is overshadowed by the loss of Peggy’s friend who is found dead on opening day.

How do you get to know your characters?

In the case of Peggy Lee, she has been a friend since 2003 when we wrote her first book, Pretty Poison. We are both Master Gardeners and enjoyed creating Peggy with her love of plants. We always create master lists of character traits, both physical and mental, when we write a character. Peggy’s specialty is poisonous plants. She is also a forensic botanist with the Charlotte Police Department.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?

No, we never know the entire cast, only the main characters. We enjoy finding who else is in the book as we go along. You never know who will pop up.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?

We add names to our database all the time from obits, real estate signs, and names we hear in our travels. Sometimes, we look names up in baby naming books but that’s a rare case.

I'm an obit watcher too! Glad to hear I'm not the only one. Do you have a routine for writing?

We write rough draft in the morning and revise work, promote and whatever else is necessary in the afternoon.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

We have a small office where we write each day. Usually we start working by nine, mocha lattes in hand.

Where’s home for you?

We’ve lived so many places that we don’t know anymore. If it is where the heart is, then it is here in North Carolina.


Name one thing you couldn’t live without.

My phone!

You won the lottery. What’s the first thing you would buy?

A pop-up tent camper.

You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?

Sherlock Holmes.

Where would your dream office be?

In a large sunroom!

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“Not to write, for many of us, is to die.” ~ Ray Bradbury

Love it. I'm adding it to my quotes page! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

We like to drive around back roads and take photos of old houses and anything else interesting we can find.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Where we are right now. All of our family lives close by. Why would we want to live anywhere else?

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

We would definitely go to Vancouver, BC. We have friends there.

What are you working on now?

We are working on the sixth book in our Renaissance Faire Mystery series, Murderous Matrimony.

I'm looking forward to hearing more about it!

About the authors:

Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, best-selling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. Visit them at www.joyceandjimlavene.com.


Connect with Jim & Joyce:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads |Twitter | Amazon |  
Shameless plug! I was a guest on Jim & Joyce's blog last August. Check out that interview here.

Book Trailer

Giveaway!

Enter here to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card or PayPal cash.

Featured Author: Karen Frankola

Karen Frankola is here as part of her Chick Lit Plus blog tour for her novel, Appetites. In addition to answering some of my questions about writing, Karen treats us to a book excerpt and a guest post. Everyone who leaves a comment below will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card. Anyone who purchases a copy of Appetites before June 1 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries. Appetites is free on Kindle May 18-19.

About the book:

Sarah hates her life. Even though she’s got a great job in Manhattan, she's on the wrong side of forty, chubby, and can barely remember the last time she had sex. It doesn’t help that her younger sister Max has the world’s best butt, despite a diet of burgers and beer.

Out of the blue, Sarah hears from Harry, the Brit she almost married twenty years ago. He's visiting New York in four months. Sarah refuses to see him unless she can lose a lot of weight—fast! Her solution? She asks Max to lock her up in her basement and feed her nothing but healthy meals. Max, a struggling waitress, agrees begrudgingly. She has her own set of appetites—for drink, drugs, and great-looking losers.

Sarah thinks a summer in Max’s basement will give her a new body, a fresh start with Harry, and the friendship she’s long craved from her sister. But things quickly go wrong. Can Sarah turn back time with the man she lost or will she and Max kill each other first? Can either sister ever learn to say no?

Guest post

Writing for the Ear

by Karen Frankola

Dialogue is my favorite thing to write. Once I get a handle on my characters, I almost feel as though they are coming up with their own words and I’m just eavesdropping.

One of the hardest challenges for a writer is to give her character’s different voices.  Unfortunately, in  many works, everyone seems to talk in a similar manner. I loved Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing, but all of his characters tended to speak like geniuses in a hurry. Well, it was a show about overachievers.

I think one of the most effective ways to write realistic dialog is to read aloud as you write. And early in the process, I’ll even record myself doing that and play it back.  It almost allows my characters to exist outside my own head. This can make me realize that they sound too similar, or don’t sound genuine.

In Appetites, it was a challenge to contrast the voices of Sarah and Max because they are sisters who share the same upbringing and a similar level of education. But Sarah writes for a living and likes to use words as a weapon, overusing big words and long sentences. Max says less, but the few words she says carry more weight.

One major driver of the plot in Appetites is that the sound of Max and Sarah’s voices is almost identical. I got the idea because my sister and I have very similar voices. When I say “Hi Mom” on the phone, I immediately have to say “It’s Karen” afterwards or my poor mother won’t know who she’s talking to. I put that into the book, but the deception that occurs because of it is pure fiction! I can’t imagine writing a novel about identical twins because it would be even harder to contrast their dialogue.

The most fun character to write dialogue for in Appetites was Harry, the British man Sarah almost married and now wants to reconnect with. He speaks much more formally than anyone else and of course, uses British expressions. I lived in England for a few years and it seemed most college-education people spoke that way.

In Appetites, a good chunk of the dialogue is actually email messages between Sarah and Harry. It’s tougher to keep a reader’s interest because you don’t have that back-and-forth. But email is so informal that it’s similar to conversation. I’m sure there is someone out there now writing a novel made up of tweets! Another challenge in writing Harry’s emails was that my spell-check kept trying to correct his British spelling.

As a reader, I love to listen to books on tape, and of course, dialog really comes alive there. A skilled actor can make up an author’s deficiencies by changing the pitch and tone of his or her voice for various characters.

The ultimate technique in writing for the ear is creating dialect. I admire authors who do this, but as a reader, it’s quite a distraction that slows down my reading. I think a little unconventional spelling of words goes along way.

A similar challenge is the use of regional slang and idioms. I wrote a memoir set in my home town of Pittsburgh where characters use words like yins (the plural you) and gumbands (rubber bands). If you’re trying to write realistic dialogue, you want to use slang. But you don’t want to confuse the reader, so you need to put it into context.

I hope the dialogue in Appetites rings true for my readers. My ultimate dream would be to see it turned into a movie and actually hear Sarah and Max arguing!

Interview with Karen Frankola:

Karen, how did you come up with the title Appetites?
I had the title almost from the beginning because it covers all of the book’s themes—the obvious desires of Sarah and Max for food, drink, and sex, and their much deeper desire for love. Not just romantic love, but love for each other. I think in general, women believe their appetites are bad, shameful, and unhealthy. I wanted to explore those feelings, which have impacted much of my own life.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Writing has pretty much paid my bills my entire life. I was a journalist for a long time and now work in corporate communications. I do all types of writing and help others communicate. Writing for work is much easier than writing creatively. A press release, blog, or white paper has a structure that simplifies the process. Not to mention, hard deadlines help you to focus!

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

A woman desperate to lose weight for a man she almost married does the unthinkable. Appetites – a novel for anyone with a problem saying no.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Max, because she’s so different from me. She’s the kind of woman I spent my whole life being jealous of—because she’s beautiful and is indifferent to food. She’s also an alcoholic and has made a mess of her life, but I would still be jealous of her! I really wanted to explore her choices, because they are so different from my own. There is one point in the book where Max forgives one of the main characters for something that is really unforgiveable, because I honestly believe that’s what Max would do.

Are you like any of your characters? How so?

I am a lot like Sarah in that I have struggled with overeating for much of my life. I have also had trouble finding a balance between work and the rest of my life, although I’ve done a little better since I got married! And I have had a tendency to think about old boyfriends and wonder, what if? Sarah is a version of a woman I might have become if I had made different choices. I have never locked myself in a basement to lose weight, although I have to say in some ways it sounds very tempting.   

With which of your characters would you most like to be stuck on a deserted island?

Adam, the man both Sarah and Max fantasize about in different ways. He’s gorgeous, great in bed, and smart. Best of all, on a desert island I wouldn’t have to worry about him cheating on me!

What song would you pick to go with your book?

“In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. I know you could never use it in a movie again after Say Anything, but that song taps into the desire and longing I think we all have felt for someone at some point in our lives. An alternative would be “Just Say Yes” by Snow Patrol. Sarah is so obsessed with saying no to food that she has trouble saying yes to love.

How do you handle criticism of your work?

Gosh, it’s hard, but criticism is so important to improving. I used to teach at the University of Missouri and every day we did a group critique in the television newsroom of everyone’s work. I honestly believe one of the best predictors for success at work is a person’s ability to not just accept the criticism that comes your way, but to actively seek it out.

I really want to learn from my readers—about what they thought worked and what didn’t. Of course, you also have to realize that everyone has different tastes and not get too upset when people tell you they dislike your writing, without explaining why. I belong to a book club and for any given classic we read, half of the group doesn’t like it. It helps you appreciate the varying perspectives readers bring to a book.

Where do you prefer to do your writing?

I’m lucky enough to have a desk with a window overlooking our back yard and woods behind it. I often glance away from the computer screen to watch squirrels chasing each other, cardinals and blue jays flocking around our feeders, and sometimes even a deer nibbling away. My dog Rascal keeps me company, either napping on the couch next to me, or often curled up under my desk.

Where’s home for you?

A little over two years ago, my husband and I had the opportunity to move anywhere because I was working virtually. We liked New Jersey but were getting tired of the cost of living. We chose Durham, N.C. It’s amazing—-really friendly, highly educated people, and lots to do. I’m a little Type A, so I like the slower pace. I feel like I’m a better, more patient person when I live in the South. Plus I love seeing my daffodils come up in February!

Excerpt

When their food arrived, Sarah looked jealously at Max’s swaggering stack of three fluffy pancakes. Sarah had ordered was the spinach omelet, no toast, no home fries.

“So, do you do reference checks on your roommates?” Sarah asked.

“Sure, my HR department handles that,” replied Max, spreading the giant pat of butter in the center of her pancakes out to the edges in excruciatingly slow, even strokes. "It wouldn’t have mattered,” she continued. “She would have just given me the name of any lowlife she was friends with.”

“Did she even pay you any rent?”

“A month’s worth, but I gave three weeks of it back, except for what she stole, of course. Well, she said she was just borrowing it.”

“Hmm,” said Sarah, as she swallowed another small bite of her omelet. The smell of Max’s pancakes, mixed with the butter and the maple syrup she was now drenching over them, was almost overwhelming. It made her bland omelet—-she had also told them to hold the cheese-—taste almost like cardboard. Sarah put her fork down. Maybe Max won’t finish her pancakes and I can have a bite or two, just so it won’t go to waste?

“Oh, so you would have had her arrested, or sued her, or what?” Max asked, slicing off a large section of the pancake tower and stuffing it into her mouth.

Sarah shrugged. Neither of them talked for a few moments, while they focused on their meals. Sarah could never understand why Max was able to eat whatever she wanted and stay so skinny—-although she had to admit that Max could easily skip a meal. It was like Max never thought about food or took great pains to get a hold of it, but if something tasty was placed in front of her, she would enjoy it. If Max and Sarah were two cars driving down the interstate, Sarah would pull off every time she saw a new gas station with a tempting sign, while Max would just wait until she was on empty.

Sarah tried to get a conversation going, but her sister was so focused on plowing through her pancakes that Sarah ended up delivering an extended monologue about how much she hated her boss. When Max finished everything on her plate, Sarah felt so pained that she thought about coming come back the next day to get her own pancakes. She was starting on her third day of healthy eating, but there was no way it was going to last.

“Sorry, I gotta go,” Max said, flagging down the waitress. Sarah reached for the check as soon as it came.

“Sarah, for Christ’s sake, I can afford pancakes.”

“You get the next one,” Sarah said, pulling out her wallet.

“Whatever,” said Max, and a beat later, delivered a soft “thanks.”

“So, are you in a rush?” Sarah asked.

“Uh, well, I’m meeting this guy in the city-—we’re going on some yacht around Manhattan with an open bar, so I can’t be late.” Max described this as though she was planning to have her nails done, which was what Sarah’s afternoon plans were.

“So you’ve replaced Ed already?” Sarah asked. It was a stupid question because Max met someone new every night.

Max yawned.

“It’s just a guy who asked me out before I even met Ed. He was at the bar on Wednesday, and this time I said yes. He lives in Tribeca and is some kind of investment guy. He’s got a few clients in Montclair which is why he goes to McCabe’s a lot.”

Sarah tried to imagine a world where a rich, smart guy pounced the moment she broke up with her boyfriend. When she was growing up in Ohio, Sarah used to read Glamour magazine and imagined living in New York City, where handsome men in limos took her to fancy parties with champagne and lobster. She pictured herself dressed in some fantastic outfit that showed off her cleavage and small waist. Her hair and makeup would be perfect and her heels would be high enough so she could kiss her tall boyfriend while they slow-danced.

But that world never existed for Sarah. The only time she went to an expensive restaurant or hotel was for a work party. She would wear a cheap black dress because she was always planning to be thinner in the future and it didn’t make sense to spend money on something fancy she would never wear again. Her feet suffered from plantar fasciitis, no doubt caused by her excess weight, so she could never wear anything higher than a one-inch heel.

Sarah told Max to have fun and they hugged clumsily. When Sarah got home from the nail salon, she picked up her laptop and finally, there was a message from Harry, sent just a few minutes ago. He had written to her at ten-thirty on a Saturday night. Had he come home after a movie or dinner with his wife and tell her he would be upstairs in a few minutes?  Or perhaps he spent the evening at home watching T.V. with her, composing an email on his laptop?

I've stared at your message many times this week, trying to work out how best to reply.  If we are to keep corresponding, I must be honest - with both you and myself.

Firstly, let me apologise profusely. I clearly caused you great pain; indeed, it comes through even from this distance in time and location. You must know, however, that the last thing I ever wanted to do in my life was hurt you. So what happened, why didn’t I contact you?

About the author:

Karen Frankola wrote Appetites to explore the hard choices women make in love and work. Karen spent much of her career writing very short stories at news organizations like CNN and MSNBC, so creating a novel was challenging. She now does a variety of writing for corporations and nonprofit organizations. Karen is lucky enough to work mostly from home, with her dog Rascal curled up under her desk.

Karen grew up near Pittsburgh, where she spent much of her childhood reading books in the cemetery that bordered her family’s backyard. Karen moved to nine different states and England. Some of her favorite jobs were teaching journalism at the University of Missouri, working as a television news director, and handling video shoots for Deloitte around the world. She also spent a summer repairing motors at a steel mill and hopes to soon publish a coming-of-age memoir about that experience.

Karen and her husband Troy now reside in Durham, North Carolina, where they enjoy watching deer in the woods behind their house, lots of live music, beautiful biking trails, and great neighbors.

Karen is working on a sequel to Appetites and would love to hear what you think of it.

Connect with Karen:
Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Featured author: P.J. Morse

P.J. Morse is on tour with Cozy Mystery Book Tours, and she's here today with her novel, Heavy Mental. Reviewers have described main character Clancy Parker as a rock 'n roll detective. P.J. Morse says this is definitely not your nana's cozy mystery.

About the book:

A musician’s gotta eat, which is why rock guitarist Clancy Parker takes on side gigs as a private eye. When she gets a new case involving a stolen necklace, Clancy's thrilled at the prospect of easy money.

The job turns out to be anything but. Soon enough, Clancy must dodge threats from disgruntled secretaries, unhinged society matrons and rampaging ice cream trucks. The only person who can provide answers about the necklace is her client’s sexy psychiatrist, but Clancy’s budding crush on him only leads to more trouble.

Eventually, Clancy must rely on all of her contacts— her stoner bandmates, her Socialist landlord, and her yoga-loving, flask-toting mother—to stop the thief from turning into a killer.

Interview with P.J. Morse:

How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I was an editor and sometimes blogger for a news web site. One of my jobs was pulling out weird stuff from the local police blotter, which was fun, but it wasn’t creative beyond making jokes about stupid criminals. So, one day I’m riding with my husband in California. We have “Pet Sounds” by the Beach Boys blasting in the car, and I’m looking at all the palm trees and I decide that I’m going to use some of the crazy stuff I read in the blotter and start writing mysteries.

I started an outline, and I started talking to my brother, who used to play keyboards for a funk band in Northern California, and the next thing you know I’ve churned out a rock ‘n’ roll mystery!

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

Ever wondered what would happen if Jessica Fletcher entered a mosh pit? Find out in the rock ‘n’ roll mystery “Heavy Mental.”

How did you create the plot for this book?

I made myself a “book map.” I assembled all the main traits for the characters, and then I figured out where each character would be and what each character would do in the chapter. It’s all really uptight and not rock ‘n’ roll at all, but it helped me see where I was going, and I felt like I understood the characters and their motivations before I got started.

I like writing characters who do and say things I never would, as well as characters who do and say things I wish I could. Do you have characters who fit into one of those categories? Who, and in what category do they fall?

All of them! I am usually reserved and quiet, but the Marquee Idols all say what they are thinking, probably too much. I admire Clancy's bravery. She might do stupid things, but she's not a chicken. And Clancy's best friend, Muriel, is the queen of trash talk. She has so much to say that she's getting her own series, too!

Are any of your characters inspired by real people? Who?

None of the characters are inspired by real people, but my brother did tell me plenty of stories about band auditions gone wrong. There is nothing worse than losing a band member because it is hard to find someone else who plays well and who isn’t crazy! His band's bassist really did quit, and it took them forever to figure out what to do next.
Out of respect for my brother, I tried not to make any characters exactly like him because that would make Thanksgiving hell, and he asked me not to use any real names, but the band “Black Ice” is definitely a shout-out to his old band!

What song would you pick to go with your book?

“Pictures of Matchstick Men” by Camper Van Beethoven. The band got its start in Santa Cruz, which is where Clancy Parker started her career as a rock ‘n’ roll guitarist. The song title is appropriate – here’s Clancy, and she’s surrounded by all these people who might be fakers, and she needs to find out who’s real and who’s not.




Who are your favorite authors?

Carl Hiaasen is the man. My favorite is Basket Case, which is about an obituary writer who investigates the death of a rock star, is the ultimate in rock ‘n’ roll mysteries. Florida mysteries are the greatest because the characters are out of control. I like to think I write Florida mysteries that just happen to take place in California.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

If you are looking for another rock ‘n’ roll mystery, check out Anne Marie Stoddard. She just released Murder at Castle Rock, about a concert booker who must solve a death at an Atlanta concert venue. We didn’t know each other until meeting on Goodreads, and then I read the book and thought – wow, here’s two different people who are trying to push the limits of the cozy mystery a little and give it some rock ‘n’ roll edge.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

My favorite is from Joan Jett: “Girls got balls. They're just a little higher up, that's all.”

What are you working on now?

Exile on Slain Street, which is the second book in the Clancy Parker series. As usual, Clancy needs some money for the band's upcoming tour, so she takes a job as a bodyguard on a reality TV dating show that stars a past-his-prime grunge musician. Needless to say, Clancy does not get along with the women who would compete on a dating show!

Excerpt from Heavy Mental:

Chapter 1 — The Woman in Yellow

The lady didn’t see Anmol’s ice-cream truck coming. She didn’t even flinch at his rumbling sound system, which was blasting rap music that could be heard all over South Park, if not all over San Francisco’s South of Market District. She didn’t hear him yell as she crossed his path, “Ice cream! Fruit cream! Soy cream! Yo!”

Nor did she listen when Harold and I put down our beer bottles and shouted, in unison, “Look out!”

“Baby!” Anmol yelled. “Get a move on!”

The woman held herself in tight, as if she were in a bubble. She didn’t seem to know how to act in our neighborhood, so she froze up. For starters, she was driving a Jag, and her bob haircut was almost as black and as sleek as her car. Tailored and tidy, this classy sister was unlike the rainbow-haired tech geeks who dominated our part of San Francisco. She was one of those people who looked intelligent without seeming to have any skills whatsoever, except maybe on the tennis court.

She was clad in a beautiful, light, lemony-shaded shift and matching short jacket that just barely prevented her from breaking the cardinal fashion rule that one does not wear white after Labor Day. She had on glimmering black Olsen Twin sunglasses that blocked a third of her face, but the skin that was visible was creamy and perfect, even if it did seem just a shade too taut. I thought of how my mother’s face looked after she had her first face lift and wondered if they went to the same doctor.

Harold leaned over and whispered, “Oooh! Oooh! I'll be your backup. I'll pretend to read." He stuck his hand in his cheese nibbles, and then he stuck his nose in the Adlai Stevenson biography was reading. He got so excited when I got new clients that I wondered what he'd do during retirement without me.

Anmol leaned his turbaned head out of his truck to get a better look at the woman in yellow. “Damn!” he yelled, “If you weren’t so fine, I would be mad right about now!” Then he backed up and parked the truck as hipster computer programmers promptly sprang out of South Park’s live-work spaces, ready to relive their youth through Drumsticks and popsicles.

When Anmol's ice-cream truck paused for customers, the woman in yellow continued to float across the narrow street toward me and Harold. Although she never once acknowledged Anmol, she raised an eyebrow at the sight of the two of us. You don’t see teams like me and Harold all that often: a young redhead like me and an old man lounging in lawn chairs on the sidewalk, both of us drinking Heinekens in the early afternoon. Neither one of us liked to wait until happy hour.
    

“I’m looking for Ms. Parker,” the woman said.

“You’re looking at her,” I replied. I finished what was left of my beer and smiled.

Pulling her chin in ever so slightly, the woman stammered, “I thought you would be...older.”

I figured what she really wanted to say was “cleaner,” but I wasn’t exactly dressed professionally. No private investigator dresses well. The other ones I knew were schleppy dudes who favored Hawaiian shirts. However, that day was one of my good ones, as I was wearing a polka-dot secretary shirt and jeans I picked up at a thrift store in Berkeley.
As she was sizing me up, I was already returning the favor. I quickly processed the woman's car, outfit, and manner of walking. Although you wouldn’t have known it to look at me, I grew up with money, thanks to my father’s incredible knack for convincing people to pay big money for organic produce and imported European sweets. I didn’t fit in Dad’s world, though. I played music on the side, and I snooped on people for a living, so I had minimal access to Daddy's pocketbook. I knew how the higher rungs of society worked, but it didn’t belong to me, even if I was related to it. I liked to say that I could read the language of rich, but I preferred not to speak it.

Now, this woman spoke the language of rich fluently. She might have known some words I didn’t. Watching her impeccable posture, I imagined the woman floating through the world on a cushion of inherited wealth. Maybe she got dirty once or twice if she had a pony, like a lot of those girls I grew up with back on Cape Cod. But the woman in yellow sure didn’t look like the type to muck a stall.

Harold, my landlord and spiritual advisor, tried valiantly to be more interested in his thick volume about the life of a perennial presidential candidate. But he was already radiating dislike toward my potential client. I knew he couldn't help it. He'd been raised not to trust anyone who looked like they never had a real job. One time, when I confessed to Harold that my own family had been in the Social Register, Harold begged me not to repeat it again because he might have to lecture me for it. He went as far as to clap his hands over his ears.

The woman in yellow summoned the courage to approach me, held out her right hand, and declared, "Hello, Miss Parker. My name is Sabrina Norton Buckner." Sabrina darted a quick, dismissive glance at Harold, who responded by swigging from his Heineken. "I need to speak with you -" she tossed a second pointed glance at Harold "-privately."

I did not like the way Sabrina looked at Harold and had half a mind to tell her to take her business elsewhere. You work with me, and you have to deal with Harold. He sits out in his lawn chair every day, and he sees all my clients coming and going. On numerous occasions, he has steered me away from those who look like trouble or won’t pay up.

Then again, someone like Sabrina was bound to pay well. Women who dressed like that and who sported good face lifts were often involved in divorce cases, and they could always afford my rate because they were using their ex-husband’s money. I decided to take a chance. "Well,” I told her, “Let's head upstairs so my good friend Harold—this is Harold Cho, by the way, my landlord—can read in peace."

Harold stood and extended a damp, cheesy hand toward Sabrina, saying, "Pleasure to have your formal introduction." Sabrina, who possessed a perfect boarding-school sheen of manners, had no choice but to accept the handshake, but, when it was over, she held her hand out to her side as if she might catch plague. Harold grinned as he sat down.

As we headed for my door, Anmol finished his sales and rang his bell, advising Sabrina, “Open your eyes, baby! Next truck might not stop!” Then he threw the rap music on full blast, tossed me a free Drumstick, winked, and rolled on.

“Is your neighborhood always like this?” she asked.

“Yes,” I told her, taking out my keys. “But you know what they say: Try it, you might like it.”

She looked nervous, but she still followed me through the entrance and up to my office.

About the author:

I write cozies your nana might not like. Then again, that depends on your nana.

I have two mystery series in the works -- one featuring the rock 'n' roll detective Clancy Parker and the other starring the erotic bakery entrepreneur Muriel Kovacs. The first novel in the Clancy Parker series, Heavy Mental, is out now. The first novel in the Muriel Kovacs series, Missionary Position, made me a quarterfinalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. It will be out soon.

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Featured Author: Helen Smith

Helen Smith is on tour with Cozy Mystery Book Tours to promote her book, Invitation to Die, a British mystery, just published by Thomas & Mercer. I'm happy A Blue Million Books is one of her stops.

About the book:

Twenty-six-year-old Emily Castles is out of work...again. So when famous romance author Morgana Blakely offers her a job helping out at a conference in London, Emily accepts. Just as eagerly, American blogger Winnie Kraster accepts an invitation from Morgana to attend as a guest, not realizing she has, in effect, accepted an invitation to die.

As a cast of oddball characters assembles at the conference hotel, grievances, differences, and secrets begin to emerge. When Winnie goes missing, and then is found murdered nearby, Emily begins to suspect that someone involved with the conference is responsible. Could it be one of the organizers, one of the authors, a member of the hotel staff, or even the supplier of the chocolates for the conference gift bags? Emily teams up with guest speaker and eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to find out.

Offbeat and engaging, this entertaining comic mystery is the first full-length novel featuring amateur British sleuth Emily Castles.

Interview with Helen Smith:

Helen, Invitation to Die is your sixth published novel. How long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I used to write terrible poetry when I was a child. My first piece of professional writing was a short radio play which was broadcast in the UK. I won an award for it in a new writing festival. I had already started writing my first novel so instead of following that up by writing more radio plays, I kept going with the book and was lucky enough to have that published. Even though my radio play was broadcast before that, getting my first novel published feels like the start of my career.

How would you describe your book in a tweet? (140 characters or less.)

Invitation to Die: Amateur sleuth Emily Castles teams up with eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel in this entertaining British mystery.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

I outline, but I find that the story develops as I begin to write, with some characters becoming more important and getting a bigger role than I had originally conceived for them. But I always have to know how the story will end before I start writing.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

I used to reread books all the time when I was a child. I rarely do it now, but books I’m planning to reread including The Liars’ Club by Mary Karr and The Interrogative Mood by Padgett Powell.

What’s your favorite line from a book?

I always find it difficult to choose just one. But the opening line in I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith is sweet: “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”

I love that! If you could be one of your characters, which one would you choose?

I’d like to be Dr. Muriel, the eccentric philosophy professor who teams up with my main character to solve the mystery in Invitation to Die. She has a slightly off-kilter way of looking at things. She likes asking questions without worrying about coming up with answers. She’s a fun character to write.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
I’m reading Feast Day of Fools by James Lee Burke on my Kindle. It’s my first James Lee Burke book and I’m enjoying it. I’ll definitely be reading more of his.

Is there anything in particular that you do to help the writing flow? Music? Acting out the scene? Long showers?

I think it’s a good idea to take some exercise every day. I’m terrible at doing this, but I have promised myself I’m going to start going to the local pool and swimming every day. I think that exercise helps you think, and thinking’s important for writing!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I live in London, and I love it here. I feel very lucky to live in such an interesting place with pretty parks, historical buildings, and plenty of cultural events to keep me entertained.

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I have just come back from a last-minute trip to Hong Kong. A friend was getting married there. I have lots of friends in Hong Kong, and I wish I could visit more often. I know I have just come back, but I’m going to say Hong Kong!

What are you working on now?

I have just finished the follow-up to Invitation to Die. It’s called Beyond Belief and it’s set in Torquay at a conference of philosophers, psychologists, mediums, hypnotists, and TV psychics. Celebrated magician and self-professed sceptic Edmund Zenon has offered £50,000 to anyone who can prove the existence of the paranormal that weekend. When a death by drowning is predicted in a vision, Emily is called in to investigate.

I’m just about to start writing the next book in the series which is set at the Edinburgh Festival. Emily takes part in a theater show in which the boundaries between reality and art begin to blur. She finds herself in danger when she tries to investigate the death of a fellow performer.

Both books sound great! I'm looking forward to hearing more about them.

About the author:

Helen Smith is a British novelist and playwright who lives in London. She’s the author of Alison Wonderland, Being Light and The Miracle Inspector as well as the Emily Castles mysteries.



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