Featured Author: Julie Mulhern

About the book:

Swimming into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress tends to ruin a woman’s day, but becoming a murder suspect can ruin her whole life.

It’s 1974 and Ellison Russell’s life revolves around her daughter and her art. She’s long since stopped caring about her cheating husband, Henry, and the women with whom he entertains himself. That is, until she becomes a suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. The murder forces Ellison to confront her husband’s proclivities and his crimes—kinky sex, petty cruelties and blackmail.

As the body count approaches par on the seventh hole, Ellison knows she has to catch a killer. But with an interfering mother, an adoring father, a teenage daughter, and a cadre of well-meaning friends demanding her attention, can Ellison find the killer before he finds her?

Interview with Julie Mulhern

Julie, what’s the story behind the title of your book?
The Deep End is – hopefully – punny. My heroine swims into a body in the deep end of a pool, or it could have something to do with the end of someone’s life.

Tell us about your series.
The Deep End is the first book in The Country Club Murders. The books revolve around the country club set in 1974 Kansas City. The second book, Guaranteed to Bleed, will release in October of this year.

Where’s home for you?
I am a Kansas Citian, born and raised.

If you had $100 a week to spend on yourself, what would you buy?
Books. Or, I might save up for a really nice handbag.


What do you love about where you live?

My roots run deep in Kansas City. Fifth generation. I live within a mile or two of the house my great-great grandfather built in 1858.

I love the art, the food and the friendliness of my city.


What’s one thing that you wish you knew as a teenager that you know now?

To pick nice boys over naughty ones.

Amen, sister! What makes you happy?
My husband, my children, fresh snow, spring breezes, a good margarita, and a good book.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
I work as a fundraiser for a not-for-profit that helps people who live with serious or chronic illness.

How did you meet your husband? Was it love at first site?
I met my husband at a party, and it was love at first sight. We’ll celebrate our twentieth anniversary this October.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
How about two? Okay!

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." -Albert Camus

If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best. - Marilyn Monroe

If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
Right where I am. That said, world travel sounds delightful.

What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
Being interrupted.


Do you have a routine for writing?
I get up very early every morning, push the button on the coffee maker, and write before I go to work. Like Jessica Fletcher, I write at my kitchen table.

On weekends, I grab my laptop and go to the library or a coffee shop.

What would your dream office look like?
It would have a view of verdant hills and forests and maybe a lake and a mountain or two – which would be odd given that Kansas City is perched on the edge of the plains.

How did you find Henery Press, and how long did your query process take?
I was incredibly lucky in that The Deep End found a home with Henery Press very quickly. It was out on submission for only a few months.

What are you working on now?
I am working on edits for Guaranteed to Bleed as well as edits for a historical romance set in 1902 New Orleans that will release in August from Entangled Select. I’m also writing the second book in the historical series. When that is finished in May, I’ll roll up my sleeves and start the third Country Club murder.

About the author:

Julie Mulhern is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean — and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is — she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dog and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions. She is a 2014 Golden Heart® Finalist. The Deep End is her first mystery and is the winner of The Sheila Award.

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

Buy the book:
Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo

Lauren Carr answers The Dirty Dozen

Lauren Carr is the author of the Mac Faraday mystery series and the owner of Acorn Book Services. Her newest book, Three Days to Forever has just been published, and she is here to brave the Dirty Dozen. Give this woman a prize! She answered all twelve questions.

About the book:

With three days left to the year, Deep Creek Lake is hopping with holiday vacationers and wedding guests pouring into the Spencer Inn for Mac Faraday and Archie Monday’s huge wedding ceremony which is being touted as the social event of the year.

But droopy flowers and guests who failed to RSVP are the least of Mac and Archie’s problems when a professional hit squad descends on Spencer Manor to send the groom, Joshua Thornton, the bride’s mother, and Gnarly running for their lives.

In this latest Mac Faraday Mystery from best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr, readers will embark on a rollercoaster adventure with old friends (including the Lovers in Crime team of Prosecutor Joshua Thornton and Homicide Detective Cameron Gates), but also meet new ones as Mac Faraday’s daughter Jessica Faraday and Joshua Thornton’s son Murphy Thornton join the team in the race to get the love birds to the altar!

Best-selling mystery author Lauren Carr takes fans of past Mac Faraday and Lovers in Crime mysteries down a different path in her latest whodunit. “Don’t worry,” she says. “We have plenty of dead bodies and lots of mystery—as well as intrigue, suspense, and page turning twists.”

However, Lauren does issue a warning for readers. “The key job of a fiction writer is to look at a situation, make observations about how things are and how they work, and then ask, ‘What if ...’  This is what I have done with Three Days to Forever.”

Lauren Carr’s latest mystery plunges Mac Faraday, Archie, David, Gnarly, and the gang head first into a case that brings the war on terror right into Deep Creek Lake. “Current political issues will be raised and discussed by the characters involved,” Lauren says. “It is unrealistic for them to investigate a case involving terrorism without these discussions.”

With this in mind, Lauren reminds her readers that “Three Days to Forever is fiction. It is not the author’s commentary on politics, the media, the military, or Islam. While actual current events have inspired this adventure in mystery and suspense, this fictional work is not meant to point an accusatory finger at anyone in our nation’s government.”

Fans of Lauren Carr’s mysteries, both the Mac Faraday Mysteries as well as the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, are in for an added treat with Three Days to Forever when they meet new characters, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton. Next year, Lauren will feature Joshua’s son and Mac’s daughter in their own book series, The Thorny Rose Mysteries!

In the meantime, with New Year’s Eve approaching, time running out in Three Days to Forever! Mac Faraday and Spencer’s small police force have to sort through the clues to figure out not only who has been targeted for assassination, but also who is determined to stop everything . . . FOREVER!

Lauren Carr Answers the Dirty Dozen

1. What’s one thing that drives you crazy?
Letting my life get so hectic and out of control that I end up having no time to write. If I don’t have time to write, then I start to get a little nutty . . . and bad tempered. Usually, when I let that happen, it’s my fault because I can’t say no.

2. What is your guiltiest guilty pleasure?
Eating a whole bag of Hershey Kisses or Nuggets in one sitting while watching a really good mystery movie.

3. What is your most embarrassing moment?
Several years ago, when I worked for the federal government, I had an asthma attack at work. I went to the clinic, which was on site, and they gave me medication and told me to rest. Then, they left me alone in the examination room. After a long time of lying there on the gurney, I got bored, which is never a good thing for me. So, I’m looking around and I see a blood pressure monitor with the tube cut. The pump has been cut off, but it has the dial on it. So — remember I’m bored — I ask myself if I could make the dial work if I blew into the tube. No way to know that unless you try, right? So, there I am, with the tube in my mouth, blowing as hard as I can on the tube when the doctor comes in to check on his patient who had come in complaining that she couldn’t breathe because she was having an asthma attack.

Needless to say, I got sent right back to work.

4. What is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?
I’m a do-it-yourselfer. Most of the appliance and computer repairs in our home, I do myself. If I don’t know how to do it, I’ll find out.

Well, last year, my fancy oven needed a new heating element. It was ten years old and I had replaced three elements already. After replacing so many, I had the process down. You turn off the circuit breakers to the oven, unplug it, pull it out from the wall, take off the back, and disconnect the wiring to the element. Then, in the front, you pull out the element, slip in the new element, reconnect the wiring, replace the back, plug it in, and then turn on the circuit breaker.

Well, the only area where I need help is pulling out the oven from the wall. That, I need my husband for. That morning, I decided ten minutes after he had left the house that I wanted to replace the element. So, I decided to take a short cut. I turned off the power, and climbed into the oven and tried to pull out the element from the front, pull out the wires, and disconnect them from inside the oven.

I believed that with the power off that I would be safe. I was wrong. There I was with my head in the oven when it blew up, blowing a hole out the back of the oven. I found out from a friend that even though the circuit breaker was off, electricity was still going through the wiring.

But hey, on the bright side — I now have a new big fancy oven!

5. What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
Sticking my head in an oven and blowing it up.

6. On what life choices would you like to have a re-do?
I wish I had ordered that hot fudge brownie delight that I turned down last Spring because I was on a diet. I mean, since I didn’t reach my diet goal, I could have had that mass of calories after all.

7. What makes you nervous?
Releasing a new book. It’s like sending your baby out into the big bad world and praying that everyone will love him as much as you do, which you know is not possible at all because no one can love your baby the way you do.

8. What makes you scared?
Hearing about real murder cases of young people. Being a mother, I can’t help but put myself in the parents’ shoes.

9. What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?
Well, it’s not the biggest lie, but it is one that comes up.

Several years ago, a neighbor who was moving gave us a propane tank from his outdoor grill. Unfortunately, the plug was not the same as we used for our grill and it was useless. My husband tried to leave it with the garbage collectors, but they would not take it. He checked everywhere, but couldn’t get rid of it. Even the dump refused it.

After years of this thing sitting on our deck, he suggested that I take it to the local store and leave it next to the tank bin when I was exchanging our empty tank.

At that time, our son Tristan was six years old. When we arrived at the store, I took out the two tanks, ours and the useless tank, and set them next to the tank bin. When the clerk with the key came out to unlock the bin and take out a filled tank, he pointed at the useless tank and asked, “Is that your tank?”

“No,” I said.

“Yes, it is,” Tristan said loud enough for the man to hear.

“No, it’s not,” I said.

“Mom, don’t you remember taking it out of the car and putting it on the curb?” Tristan looked at me like I had lost my mind.

The man just shook his head and gave us a tank, and I drove home with a very red face. 

10. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Did I mention that hot fudge brownie delight that I missed out on last Spring?

11. When was the last time you did something for the first time?
A few years ago, I took up kayaking and kayaked by myself across Deep Creek Lake. It was exhilarating. Would love to do that again.

12. One of your main characters has to die. Which one would you kill off?
Oh, dear. Now that is a hard question. I think if I did have to kill someone, it would have to be Chelsea Adams, Police Chief David O’Callaghan’s girlfriend. She doesn’t play as important of a role on the team as the rest of the characters and I’ve had a few readers complain about David O’Callaghan, a hottie, being tied down with a steady girlfriend.

But I think killing her would be a little extreme. Can’t I just have her move out of Deep Creek Lake?

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Three Days to Forever is the ninth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder.

Three Days to Forever introduces Lauren Carr’s latest series detectives, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday in the Thorny Rose Mysteries. Look for the first installment in this series in Spring 2015.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Visit Lauren Carr’s website to learn more about Lauren and her upcoming mysteries.


Connect with Lauren:
Website--Acorn Book Services  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Gnarly’s Facebook Page  |  Lovers in Crime Facebook Page  |  Acorn Book Services Facebook Page  |  Twitter  

About the book:

Frankie Lou's back, and Poppy's madder than a wet hen.

Create a church choir filled with teenage misfits?

Over Poppy's dead body.

Minister's daughter Frankie Lou McMasters has come back to Ruby Springs, Texas with her daughter, Betsy, eleven years after running off to marry the town bad boy. Her mild notoriety as a bad girl is prime gossip for her childhood enemy, Poppy Fremont, now choir director of Faith Community Church--where Frankie Lou's daddy, now retired to Florida, was the preacher.

When Frankie Lou comes to the deacons with a request to add a youth choir of at-risk teens she's been coaching, Poppy throws a fit. A few hours later, Frankie Lou finds her dead in the baptistery pool. And Poppy's not playing possum.

Frankie Lou sets out to clear her name as the main suspect, and tries to locate the real killer. Could he be sexy Joe Camps, the father of one of her teen singers? In the meantime, her momma shows up from Florida to take charge of Frankie Lou's life. Bless her heart.

Lora Lee also writes as Loralee Lillibridge. Learn more about her contemporary romances and keep in tune with the Joyful Noise at lora-lee.com

Interview with Lora Lee

How long have you been writing, and how did you start?
I started writing stories as a child but only became serious about writing novels when I was about fifty years old. I’d been reading romance novels my sister-in-law shared with me and that sparked the desire to try my hand at writing one. I started with a Western historical romance (manuscript still buried in my files) because I loved all the Westerns on television at that time.

How did you come up with the title Bringing in the Thieves?
The title came after I’d written some rough brainstorming passages and had decided what direction I wanted the story to go. Since my amateur sleuth/heroine is a preacher’s daughter, using a spin-off of gospel hymns seemed like an eye-catching hook to use. The Joyful Noise Mysteries will follow using similar titles.

How did you create the plot for this book?
Oh, the plot had a few changes along the way, but the basic idea had been brewing in my head for a very long time. I just needed a clearer road map.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?
I am not an outliner, but I do write my first ideas in a spiral notebook using a  Bic MatiCgrip pencil with .007 black lead. That’s my seat-of-pants time when I listen for my characters to talk to me.

When you start a new book, do you know what the entire cast will be?
I begin with the main character and develop a character sketch. Usually that’s when the secondary characters make their appearances.

I’m constantly on the lookout for new names. How do you name your characters?
I love coming up with names and often try several before I find one that is a perfect fit for my character. In Bringing in the Thieves, Frankie Lou shouted her name to me right from the beginning. Sometimes I get lucky that way.
 
What would your main character say about you?
Oh, my goodness . . . she would probably say I’m a bit controlling and ask me to give her a little less stressful confrontations with the local police department.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
I really don’t have a favorite scene, but the one I had the most fun writing was the accidental, sweet tea baptism Frankie Lou gave good ol’ Poppy Rose at the deacons’ meeting. I’d love to see that scene in the movies.

What song would you pick to go with your book?
I think "This Little Light of Mine" would be perfect, since Frankie Lou is trying to instill self-confidence in her group of teen singers and in doing that, she builds her own inner strength when she has to prove her innocence in a murder. 

Who are your favorite authors?
It depends on what genre I’m reading. I’m finding new favorites all the time. Keeping within the cozy mystery series, I love all Laura Childs’ series, also Julie Hyzy’s White House Chef series, Sheila Connolly’s (new to me) County Cork series, Peg Cochran’s Lucille mysteries, Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse mysteries . . .and I know there are many more.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix me? I mean, him. Or her.
Well, since I’m Texas born and raised, I’d probably fix you some chicken-fried steak with peppered country gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, sliced tomatoes, hot biscuits, and homemade peach cobbler. How does that sound? Would you come?

What time should I arrive?! That sounds wonderful. What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
Well, I just finished Early Wake by Sheila Connolly and loved reading a cozy set in Ireland. So happy I found her series. For a change of pace, I’ve started reading The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and am totally involved in this emotional novel of WWII set in occupied France. I’ve also recently finished Eileen Dreyer’s Regency Twice Tempted, one of her Drake’s Rake’s novels with wonderfully unique characters in a story that pulls you in from the first page. So you can see read a wide range of genres.

How do you handle criticism of your work?
If it’s constructive criticism, I try to learn from it and use what works for my story. I hope I can handle negative criticism with grace. 


Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?
Laughing about this! I have to say all of the above, although I do get up quite        early in order to have quiet time. Same goes for late at night, but I can’t do very early and very late in the same day. I need to sleep once in a while.

Where’s home for you?
West Michigan is home now, but I was born in Texas and lived there until I married and moved north.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?
Don’t know if it is writer’s block or just lack of concentration, but it has happened when real life gets complicated. That’s when I lose my focus on my writing project. It does help to acknowledge the problem and set it aside until real life calms down.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Spend time with my family. I have four adult children, nine grandchildren and five (soon to be seven) great-grandchildren. Life is good!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I would love to have a home in Ireland for part of the year and a warm, sunny beach home where my family could visit the rest of the year.

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

What are you working on now?
Book #2 of the Joyful Noise Mysteries is underway, though not as fast as I’d like. I’m not the fastest writer in the crowd, but I have a wonderfully patient editor and publisher. 

About the author:

You can't be a preacher's kid and raise a little hob without some serious repercussions. Yes, ma'am, that's the gospel truth. Lora Lee's Joyful Noise mystery series for Bell Bridge Books, sheds a little light on just how serious those consequences can be when Frankie Lou Birmingham McMasters returns to her hometown of Ruby Springs, Texas after ten years in hopes of putting some shine on her tarnished reputation, but finds herself in the middle of murder and mayhem instead.

Though author Lora Lee insists the series isn't about her in any way, shape or form, she does admit to being a real-life P.K. (that's preacher's kid, in case you didn't know.) She was born in Texas and her Southern blood runs deep. Her daddy told her any place below the Mason-Dixon line was part of the South, including the Lone Star State.

Since living in West Michigan most of her married life, she's lost some of her Texas twang, but once in awhile, a might could and a y'all or two slips into her conversation with her critique partners. They love her, anyway. So does her husband of fifty-plus years and their children. With a current family count of twenty-three, get-togethers often resemble an old time revival when they all gather for fun and food.

Lora Lee is a member of RWA, Mid-Michigan RWA, Sisters-in-Crime, and is currently published in contemporary romance. She is also a proud graduate of the Grand Rapids Citizens Police Academy.

When not writing or trying to keep up with her ever-growing family, she enjoys reading, music and travel.

Featured Author: Deirdre Verne

Tour Page Here:
http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-tours/drawing-conclusions-deidre-verne/

About the book:

CeCe Prentice – environmentalist, peace-lover, artist – will stop at nothing to discover the truth behind her twin brother’s untimely death.

Interview with Deirdre Verne

What’s the story behind the title of your book?
My protagonist, CeCe Prentice, is a portrait artist who employs her creative skills to help the police sketch suspects. When the book was in draft form, I described the plot to my mother and she came up with the title. Thanks, Mom!

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Drawing Conclusions is the first book in a three book series. I definitely recommend that readers read the books in order as characters carry over from the first and second books.

Where’s home for you? 
I’m a life-long New Yorker. I currently live in Westchester County, about 30 miles north of Manhattan. I grew up on Long Island.

What dumb things did you do during your college years?
Now, that’s a question that could get me in trouble! Here goes – I hitchhiked along the main drag in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break.

Tell you mom the statutes of limitations have passed! 

Have you been in any natural disasters?
We survived hurricane Sandy. Two weeks without electricity or heat. Luckily, we had a wood-burning stove that provided some warmth, but most of the time we were roughing it. I read by candlelight each night.


What makes you bored?
I lose interest immediately in repetitive tasks. My current pet peeve? Loading and unloading the dishwasher twice a day.


What is your most embarrassing moment?

In sixth grade, I was wearing a nifty denim wrap-around skirt that unfortunately unwrapped during lunch period.

Yikes! That was also probably one of your most memorable moments. Do you have another job outside of writing?
I’m a college professor.

How did you meet your spouse? Was it love at first site?
I worked a music company in Manhattan and my husband came in for an interview. He said he would have taken the job for minimum wage just to get a chance to ask me out.

Awww . . . sounds like you got a good one. If you could only save one thing from your house, what would it be?
Assuming my house was up in flames, I’d rescue my kids first and photo albums second.

What brings you sheer delight?
A day at the beach.

Would you rather be a lonely genius, or a sociable idiot?
As long as I’m having fun, I don’t care how I’m labeled.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
"You are your actions." I think this quote goes a long way in describing the mindset of my protagonist.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where in the world would it be?
Montauk, New York.  The town’s nickname is the “The End” because it’s literally the last town on Long Island. One more foot to the east and you’re in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a nice play on words for an author.

What would you like people to say about you after you die?
She was always on time.

How did you create the plot for this book?
I love to spend time at the public library reading magazines and newspapers. Most of my ideas come from reading about trends. I followed a bunch of articles on green living and the Freegan lifestyle to build the characters for this book.

Are you like any of your characters?
I think CeCe Prentice and I share a similar outlook on life. We’re both straightforward, no nonsense woman with strong personalities.

Who are your favorite authors?
I’m a diehard Nelson DeMille fan. 


He's at the top of my list too! What’s one pet peeve you have when you read?
My Kindle doesn’t turn pages fast enough! I much prefer a paper book. I like to leaf through pages both forward and backward.


Do you have a routine for writing?
I have a husband and two boys. There is no room for a writing routine. I’ve trained myself to write through play dates, televised sporting events, and any other major distraction my family can conjure up.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your writing?
“This is publishable.”

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
I think most writers would agree that a synopsis is a challenging task. You’ve just completed an entire book and now you need to summarize it in a few pages. It seems easy, but it takes discipline to pull out the key plot components and condense them to a quick and compelling read.

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
I love the Scarsdale library in Scarsdale, New York because they have a separate room for mysteries with four cozy chairs. The room has dark paneling and built-in bookshelves and mimics a library in an upscale home.

What would your dream office look like?
Floor to ceiling windows with lots of light. I’d like a simple desk and no other distractions.

How did you find your publisher, Midnight Ink? How long did your query process take?
It took a year to find an agent, and then only a few months for the agent to find the publisher.

What are you working on now? 
I’m currently working on the third book the Sketch in Crime mystery series.

About the author:

Deirdre Verne is a college professor and an active college blogger. Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character who Dumpster dives her way though the A Sketch in Time mystery series. The first book, Drawing Conclusions, is available in February 2015.  A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s short stories appear in all three New York chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Connect with Dierdre:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest 

 

Interview with Laura Morelli

Laura, tell us about your Authentic Arts series.
My Authentic Arts series leads you beyond the museums and souvenir shops for an immersive cultural experience that you won't find in any other guidebook. In Venice, you’ll go inside the workshops of the most accomplished makers of Venetian fabrics, Murano glass and millefiori, carnival masks and masquerade costumes, gondolas, Burano lace, mirrors, marbleized paper, hand-carved frames, and other treasures. Other destinations in the series include Florence, Naples & the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany & Umbria, Sicily, Sardinia, Paris, and Provence.

What’s the dumbest purchase you’ve ever made?
The first time I visited Venice as a wide-eyed teenager, I knew I was supposed to buy Murano glass, but I had no idea why. All I knew was that I was whisked to the famous “glass island” on an overcrowded, stinky boat. I waited behind two dozen American and Japanese tourists to pay an exorbitant price for a little glass fish — what a bewildering experience! Still, it was the artistic traditions of the world that lured me back and inspired me to study the great artists of the past. Living in Europe and Latin America, I realized that in many places, centuries-old craft traditions are still living traditions.

Venice is such a touristy place. How can travelers make sure they don’t get ripped off?
Venice is arguably the most touristy place on earth, and naturally it has its share of scams, mostly in the form of overpriced Venetian-looking souvenirs that were made elsewhere. If you want to make absolutely certain to avoid being scammed, before you buy, ask yourself: Is the item traditional of Venice? Do you know who made it? Did you buy it directly from the person who made it? If you answered yes to these three questions, then chances are you do not need to worry about becoming the victim of a scam, and you can rest assured that you’re likely paying a fair price for the item by Venetian economic standards.

Who are your favorite authors?
I enjoy reading other historical fiction authors, including Barbara Kingsolver, Abraham Verghese, Ken Follett, and Umberto Eco. I appreciate authors who are masters of sensory writing--the art of conveying sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and physical sensations through words. One of the best examples of sensory writing is Perfume by Patrick Suskind. It's one of my all-time favorite stories.

Why did you decide to self-publish?
When I first conceived my novel, The Gondola Maker, self-publishing wasn't where it is now. I started writing in 2007, finished the first draft that same year, and then I put it away for a while to work on other projects. It took seven years. During that time, the market for self-publishing changed so drastically that I was lured by the opportunity. Publishers’ Weekly recently chronicled my self-publishing journey, and you can read about it here.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m enjoying working on my Authentic Arts series, leading travelers to overlooked treasures in particular cities and regions. I’m looking forward to returning to historical fiction later this year. So many stories behind the world’s works of art—whether true or imagined—remain to be told.

About the author:

Laura Morelli holds a Ph.D. in art history from Yale University, where she was a Bass Writing Fellow and Mellon Doctoral Fellow. She authored a column for National Geographic Traveler called “The Genuine Article” and contributes pieces about authentic travel to national magazines and newspapers. Laura has been featured on CNN Radio, Travel Today with Peter Greenberg, The Frommers Travel Show, and in USA TODAY, Departures, House & Garden Magazine, Traditional Home, the Denver Post, Miami Herald, The Chicago Tribune, and other media. She has also written and produced art history lessons for TED-Ed. Laura has taught college-level art history at Trinity College in Rome, as well as at several American universities. Laura is the author of the Authentic Arts guidebook series, and is well-known for her travel series that includes Made in Italy and Made in France. The Gondola Maker, a coming-of-age story about the heir to a gondola boatyard in 16th-century Venice, is her award-winning historical novel. Sign up for Laura’s newsletter at www.lauramorelli.com.

 

Featured Author: Barbara Jean Coast

Tour Page Here: http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-tours/death-beauty-queen-barbara-jean-coast/

About the book: 

It’s the 1950’s in Santa Lucia, California, and the height of the social season.  Time for the new Miss Santa Lucia, Nora Burbank, to display her loveliness at a high society fashion show produced by the city’s own fashionistas--Margot and Daphne, owners of Poppy Cove, the most elegant and “in” little dress shop in the county.
 
Nora steals the show in her designer gown and custom-made necklace created by local jeweler Isaac Mendelson, and used on the sly by his apprentice son-in-law, Efrem Goldberg. At the conclusion of the show, the young queen is allowed to keep her dress and a replica of the necklace for her own. But Monday morning, Efrem arrives in a panic at Poppy Cove to beg Margot and Daphne’s assistance in tracking down the real necklace, which he believes was inadvertently switched for the replica backstage. The girls get involved in Efrem’s dilemma and try to help him before Isaac’s any the wiser. But before that can happen, Miss Santa Lucia is found dead in her bed and the necklace is missing.
 
Who killed Nora Burbank? Is it someone jealous of her new royal position and all of its perks?  Or did she just happen to be in the way when a thief attempted to steal her diamond-studded necklace? Did Nora have the real or the fake necklace, and how much did the thief and murderer know about it? But, of course, before the girls can find the killer, they’ll have to create several beautiful ensembles, calm numerous irate clients, and flirt with their ever-so-attentive boyfriends, before solving this mystery. 

STRANGLED BY SILK   http://www.amazon.com/Strangled-Silk-Poppy-Cove-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00B8YKKBG/
DEATH OF A BEAUTY QUEEN   http://www.amazon.com/Death-Beauty-Queen-Poppy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00LBDLZ8Q/

Interview with Barbara Jean Coast:

First of all, I have to acknowledge that Barbara Jean Coast is the pseudonym for not one but two writers: Andrea Taylor and Heather Shkuratoff, both of whom are with me today.

Barbara--or Andrea and Heather--what’s the story behind the title of your book?
We took the title Death of a Beauty Queen as it appeared in the Santa Lucia Times (our fictional town’s newspaper), announcing Nora Burbank’s murder. It seemed to have a good punch when we came up with it, so it stuck.

Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
Poppy Cove Mysteries are cozy novels set in the fictional town of Santa Lucia, loosely based on Santa Barbara in the late 50′s, early 60′s and revolves around the glamorous comings and goings of the social set of the town, with a little murder and mayhem thrown in for good measure. Well, we all know I love murder and mayhem! Death of a Beauty Queen is the follow-up to Strangled by Silk in the series.

Each book does tell a complete story, but it probably is best to read them in order as the characters will evolve and change over time.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned?
Tell your stories and connect with others. When opportunities comes, say yes! Be grateful and follow the signs along the way, because they’re always there if you are willing to see them.

What do you love about where you live?

We live in Kelowna, BC, Canada. It’s about four hours inland from Vancouver in the Okanagan Valley. It’s naturally beautiful and abundant with four distinct seasons, and many creative and supportive people.


What makes you happy?
Andrea: Connecting with our readers, hearing from them that they can relate to our stories. I also really love my life – it’s full of great people and plenty of laughter and love.

Heather: Playing with our alter ego, Barbara Jean Coast is such fun! When we may get nervous and neurotic at times, we think, “What would Barbara Jean do?” and remember her fearless and fun attitude, and it pulls us through our worries to new results.

How did you create the plot for this book?
We were watching Gentlemen Prefer Blondes specifically the scene where Marilyn Monroe was wearing that beautiful fuchsia strapless dress and signing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” We started discussing whether or not the necklace in the movie was real or fake and then moved on to talking about costume jewelry – the quality of paste pieces - and it evolved from there, involving both Miss Santa Lucia and the Poppy Cove Fashion Show.

Are either one of you like any of your characters?
Andrea: Maybe I’m a bit like Loretta: her snoopy nosiness and a curiosity for news. Also a bit like Daphne, sporty and seeking fun.

Heather: I’d say I’ve got a bit of Margot in my make-up. I can be quite reserved and live in my head, contemplating, mulling over before outwardly producing results.

Who are your favorite authors?
Andrea:  There are so many! Currently Tracy Chevalier, Louise Erdich, Alexander McCall Smith, Barbara Gowdy, Donna Andrews, Leslie Meiers, Jeri Westerson.

Heather: It so hard to narrow down. Let’s see – Whitney Otto, Susan Gregg Gilmore, Fanny Flagg, Alice Hoffman, Carola Dunn, Rhys Bowen, Susan Wittig Albert.

We both could go on and on . . .

I hear you. That really was an unfair question to ask! What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)?
Andrea: Kindle: Deathbed And Breakfast By Bart J. Gilbertson

Paperback: Oscar And Lucinda By Peter Carey

Hardcover: Blood Lance By Jeri Westerson

Heather: Kindle: Bingoed By Patricia Rockwell

Paperback: Gunpowder Plot By Carola Dunn

Hardcover: Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots By Jessica Soffer

Do you have a routine for writing?
Yes, and actually we’re in the middle of re-organizing our time, devoting more hours to our craft. We start in the morning by going through our correspondence, then writing throughout the day. Every few days we change the focus to marketing to keep up. That’s been the most interesting challenge. When we first started out, we were just writing, but now that we have a couple of books out, we need to fit in promoting as well. It’s great fun, but quite the juggling act.

I totally agree. Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
We have a writing room set up and generally work there. Every now and then when we’re plotting, we’ll go out to a library or café and take up a table as we scheme away for hours. Generally, we don’t work much in the evenings – we need to refuel those creative tanks with entertainment or at least entertaining friends and/or family!

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
Our local library system! The Okanagan Regional Library runs beyond the length of the valley and has over 25 branches, an extensive catalogue and a decent budget. As writers, they have been very encouraging to us, welcoming us to do readings and events, as well as carrying our books. As patrons, we love to do library crawls and gather books from various branches like magpies.  We get such a kick when we see so many of our fellow author friends’ books on the shelves.

What would your dream office look like?
We’re planning that right now. It would be so good to have a room dedicated to writing where we can leave everything out. Ideally, we’d like to have space for about three different tasks: writing; Andrea likes to do collage; and Heather to have sewing space.  We’ve got a whiteboard for plots and ideas, but we’re thinking one big full wall size would be neat that we could just scrawl all the points and ideas on in free form. We also need some more book cases and storage units to keep track of our research materials on 50’s/60’s vintage design.

Are you happy with your decision to publish with Cozy Cat Press?
We’re very happy with Cozy Cat Press – our little group sees it as the little engine that can! Patricia Rockwell, owner and founder, is always there, guiding us all when we need it and every single author does something in their own way to help promote the label. We’re a close group, and we feel honored to be in such a supportive and talented bunch.

What are you working on now?
We’re working on the third novel in the Poppy Cove mystery series. It digs up the past of one of our major characters and makes the others question about how they feel about it and themselves. We’re really enjoying it. We also have plans for at least two other series and are currently laying the groundwork to start a new series, set locally in modern time, as well as carrying on Poppy Cove.

About the authors:

Barbara Jean Coast is the pen name of authors Andrea Taylor and Heather Shkuratoff, both of whom reside in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Barbara Jean, however, is a resident of Santa Lucia, California (eerily similar to Santa Barbara), where she enjoys long lunches, cocktail parties, fancy dinner dates with attractive and attentive gentlemen. Her interests include Alfred Hitchcock movies, reading Carolyn Keene, music by popular musicians, such Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, shopping for new dresses, attending society events, and always looking fabulous in kitten heels. Death of a Beauty Queen is her second novel in the Poppy Cove mystery series. 

Connect with the authors:
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook: Barbara Jean Coast  |  Facebook: Poppy Cove Mysteries  |  Twitter  | Pinterest  |  Goodreads 

Buy the book:
Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes  |  Smashwords  

Featured Author: Alexander McCabe

About the book:

It is said that the course of true love never runs smooth - even for us men. Yet it has never been easier to find love than in this modern digital era where the mighty computer has all but rendered Cupid redundant. Love is now to be found, quite literally, at your fingertips. Although love also seems to have changed with the times. This new love is deceitful and manipulative, cunning and untrustworthy. Love has gotten ugly. Thankfully, not all the answers to life’s mysteries are to be found in the computer and Cupid - battered and bruised as he may be - proves that he still has some game and a few tricks up his sleeve . . .

Interview with Alexander McCabe

Alexander, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?
Actually, I can be rather specific about when I started writing. It was September 2013 as my wife got a job in Saskatchewan, Canada. As I am Scottish, I have no legal right to work and so began to write whilst my visa was being processed. It is a long and laborious process and, 18 months or so later, we are still waiting and I am still not allowed to work. So, I have kept up the writing to preserve my sanity, what’s left of it!

I started writing articles for the local paper and the book sort of developed from there.

What’s the story behind the title Greater Expectations?
The real story behind the book was that of a chance meeting I had with a war veteran. His story is spread over 2 chapters within Greater Expectations, although there wasn’t enough of a story in itself so the rest just sort of grew around it.

Do you have another job outside of writing?
No, not at the moment although I expect to start working again once my visa is eventually granted. However, like almost every author, I would love to write full-time.

How did you create the plot for this book?
I didn’t so much create the plot as let it unfold. Having never written a novel before, I watched interviews with other successful authors but quickly determined that it is a very unique process. So, I wrote for myself and just let my imagination run riot and was pleasantly surprised with the result. I wrote the first draft of Greater Expectations in 3 months and it was an amazing sense of accomplishment.

What would your main character say about you?
I would hope that he would say only nice things and, if not, then I could only hope he would follow my mother’s advice - “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”.

Good advice. Are any of your characters inspired by real people? 
They all are to some extent. In actual fact, the character “Mike Taylor” is very real, so much so that I used his real name. He is a fantastic friend and a very funny man. He read the book and we are still great friends, so I guess he was pleased with my portrayal.

It is funny though that, on occasion, I have had friends and family call me and say they recognize a character in the book. As I am now writing the sequel, I always tell them that they are correct and they better be nice to me or else they will end up in the next book! There is a certain devilment that lives in me. . . 

Is your book based on real events?
Practically every story within the book is real, although in most cases, exaggerated for comic effect. I would stress that not all of these events happened to me personally but rather were friends stories passed onto me.

Tell us about your favorite scene in the book.
The final scene was quite special for me as it drew everything together without being too obvious. It was also a natural conclusion for this book whilst setting up a sequel.

What song would you pick to go with your book?
I actually named a couple of songs within the book and so would have to pick one of them. That being the case, it would be “She” by Elvis Costello.

Who are your favorite authors?
As a law graduate, it will come as no surprise that John Grisham is a favorite of mine. I also really enjoy some of Jeffrey Archer’s earlier works. Dan Brown’s books are quite intriguing, and Steig Larsson. Such a sad loss, I finished his Millennium Trilogy in 5 days and would loved to have read what he would have done next.

You get to decide who would read your audiobook. Who would you choose?
As the main character is Scottish, then I suppose, being true to the role, Gerard Butler would be the most obvious choice. He, like myself, also graduated from the University of Glasgow, so it’s hardly surprising that he would top my list.


Do you have a routine for writing?
I do but it is completely chaotic! I need to let my ideas stew and build until they are, quite literally, bursting out of me, and then I hammer them onto the page as quickly as I can. This “routine” has seen me go for weeks at a time without writing a single word and then suddenly waking up at 2am and 3 chapters are written within a few hours. It is wonderfully illogical, completely irrational, yet fantastically liberating.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Oh how I wish I had a cool and enigmatic answer for this but, in reality, it is generally in my own living room where I need complete solitude and total silence to let my imagination flow.

In actual fact, it is in exactly these circumstances that I am writing these answers now!

Where’s home for you?
This is a rather complicated question and one that has multiple answers. Scotland is a huge part of me although I currently live in Toronto, Canada. However, having lived on 3 continents in the past 4 years, I can safely say that “home” is where the heart is. For me, that is wherever my wife and son are.

If you could only keep one book, what would it be?
Predictably and unashamedly, it would be the book that I wrote - Greater Expectations. Although this may seem like complete vanity on my part, it actually could not be further from the truth. It had long been an ambition of mine to write a book and so this represents the culmination of hard work, determination, focus but, perhaps most importantly, the realization of a dream. There is so much of myself invested within it that no other book will ever be as close to my heart as this.

For these reasons, it is not so much a book to me but the realization of a dream.

What would your dream office look like?
It would be housed in an old home in the countryside and have high wooden bookshelves on three walls. The door would be set somewhere within them and would disappear when it was closed. A wooden ladder would be on runners to ensure complete access to every title. There would be a floor to ceiling bay window on the final wall that overlooks a small loch and rolling hills in the background. A purpose-built desk and comfortable chair would allow me to work here and enjoy this magnificent view when needing a distraction and time to quietly contemplate.

A small log burning fireplace on the side wall provides that warm smoky aroma. Two worn couches facing each other and a coffee table atop a plush rug in the center would complete the room.

As you can no doubt tell, I haven’t given this much thought.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?
At the risk of sounding cliché, I like to believe Paulo Coelho when he says in The Alchemist:
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Thank you so much for having me. For those that may be interested, the prelude for my second book can be seen on my website.
Have a great day everyone!

Excerpt from Greater Expectations

When first I met my now estranged wife during our Master’s year at university, I was seeing someone else too. In the main, this defines me as a “bastard,” although I preferred to think of myself as a “player.” Indeed, I would argue that it falls under the guise of “sowing wild oats.” That’s the phrase that makes the practice somehow acceptable, and mothers the world over tell their sons that this is what they need to do before they settle down. The rite of passage into manhood, as it were. At least, it’s what my mother told me. Women may argue this point - sorry, women will argue this point - but then they become mothers.

Naturally, they just don’t want those “wild oats” sown with their own daughters.

However, it is a fallacy to think that we men are completely heartless. I realised that I actually liked the girl that I eventually married, so quickly ended all contact with the third party. In actual fact, she was a girl that I had been seeing first but only by a matter of a few weeks. I got the usual tirade of “bastard” texts, emails, and drunken voicemails. “I thought you were different” being the obligatory phrase that she just had to use during every one of these “opportunities.” In one particular instance, during which she also branded me a “coward,” I foolishly responded. I explained to her that I was merely being cruel to be kind as it was blatantly obvious to me that we had no future together. Furthermore, after everything that had been said and done – more on her part now than mine - she would surely realise and accept that there was no going back as any trust and respect that had been built was now completely shattered.

I got the following reply:

“See, I knew you were different. That was lovely, you thinking of me and my feelings and us and our future. Why can’t we make this work? We can, you just have to trust yourself to trust me. Call me.”

It took another six weeks of ignoring and blocking her before she finally gave up. We had only been dating, if it could ever have been called that, for three weeks.

It takes true courage and bravery to finish any relationship. As my marital separation was only a week old, I understood that there may be some element of hope that we could fix it and move on. Yet I knew there was no way I could, or would, allow myself to stoop to such a level of indignity. My sense of pride has taken a pounding and is undoubtedly battered and bruised, but it is still there, standing tall and intact, however weakly. It is also getting stronger with every passing day.

All thanks to “Hope.”

“Hope” is a very strange feeling that displaces others such as “confidence,” “faith,” and “trust,” and one that I have naturally gravitated towards my entire life. We are old friends, hope and I. Never have I dared to have “confidence” in my academic or sporting abilities, rather I always “hoped” that I would perform at my best as necessitated in any particular circumstance. When things had gone better than I had even dared “hope,” then I defaulted to the notion that is was merely my “good luck,” and vice versa. “Luck” has always provided me an excuse for all of life’s highs and lows and everything in between. Now I wanted to change all that. Now I wanted to control my existence.

Now I wanted to stir the stagnant pool that is my life proactively to feel like I am living again.

So that may well explain why I am now sat in only my boxer shorts in front of my computer, as the rain batters the window behind my curtains, and trying to focus on completing an online dating profile that includes a “personal statement” section. Apparently, its purpose is to allow me to describe myself in as broadly generic terms as possible in order to seem “normal” and “average” - and so maximising my appeal - whilst also trying to ensure that I am unique enough as to stand out. The logic of the concept is irrefutable and yet fantastically ridiculous.

It is also proving so challenging to the point of being quite impossible.

As a truck driver, I work most weekends and so this job commitment removes the more conventional ways of meeting women. Using a dating site makes far more sense in this new age of technology as it allows for an immediate connection without the need to wait for the weekend, or the demand of a decent chat up line. It cuts to the chase, so to speak. The site has posted a statistic that states over 28% of couples now “meet” online, so I am still happily in the minority. However, it is utterly galling to me that I should ever try to be “normal” or “average” to anyone as I have never considered myself as such.

It seems to me to be morally fraudulent.

Online dating. It really is quite an absurd concept yet totally in concert with the modern era where people are too busy with work and life to take the time and make the effort for actually dating. Yet where is the romance of it? You will never hear a love song that refers to such sites. Can you imagine Rod Stewart singing “The Algorithm of my Heart” or some such like?

No? Me neither.

About the author:

After graduating with a couple of useless degrees in law, Alexander McCabe left his Scottish homeland and wandered nomadically around the globe to experience the rich diversity of culture that the world has to offer. For the moment, it is Toronto's turn to provide a suitable abode for him and the wife that he picked up along the way. . .

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