Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Monday, July 13, 2015
FEATURED AUTHORS: ELIZABETH PERONA
ABOUT THE BOOK
When the septuagenarian women of the Summer Ridge Bridge Club gather in secret late one July night, their goal is to check #10 off Joy’s bucket list (#10 Go Skinny Dipping). But as Francine observes, the jittery members seem more obsessed with body issues and elaborate preparations than actually stripping down and getting in the pool. A pungent smell emanating from the pool shed leads them to open it and a dead body flops out, practically an answered prayer for Charlotte and her bucket list (#1 Solve a Murder Mystery). But before Charlotte and Francine can discover who really killed the dead man, they must negotiate neighborhood tours of the crime scene, press coverage of their skinny dipping, warnings from the Homeowner’s Association about keeping dead bodies, a disastrous appearance on Good Morning America, media offers sought by a hungry publicist, and a clever killer determined to frame the husband of one of their friends.
INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH PERONA
The father/daughter
writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky
Liz and Tony, where's home for both of you?
Liz: Home, for me, is in Warsaw, Indiana. We have a cute 100-year-old house (full of lots of projects) that I share with my husband, Tim, and our two kids.
Tony: Home, for me, is Plainfield, Indiana. My wife Debbie and I still live in the house we bought in 1982, the year after we were married. We’ve raised our two daughters here and built our life here. The house has seen an addition and a remodel, but we still live here and hope to continue to do so well into our retirement.
So from that answer, we now know that Liz grew up in Plainfield. Where did you grow up, Tony?
I grew up in Speedway, Indiana, about two blocks from the Indianapolis 500 track. Though I’m not a true racing fan, I do enjoy a lot of the fanfare and hoopla surrounding the 500. The first story about Francine and Charlotte, the two main characters of the Bucket List series, came about because I was asked to be part of an anthology in which all of the stories revolved around the race. The book was Racing Can Be Murder, and my story, “The Land Grab” takes place in a house across the street from the track. Charlotte and Francine find the body of Charlotte’s uncle in the house, and though the police think he died of natural causes, Charlotte believes he was murdered and proceeds to prove it. That became the genesis of this series, which I’m pleased to say Liz has become a part of.
What’s your favorite memory?
Liz: My parents took us on family vacations most summers. These trips usually involved LOTS of time in the car, but we got to see many amazing landmarks all over the United States. My sister and I would complain and whine sometimes, but I’m really glad that we got to experience so many things. I hope that I can do that for my kids when they get older.
What do you love about where you live?
Liz: I love the summer. Our town is full of lakes, parks, bike trails, and lots of things to do outside. Almost every weekend there is a festival to check out or a concert in the park to enjoy with friends.
What makes you happy?
Liz: Spending time with my family. We moved about 3 hours away from where I grew up, and I look so forward to visiting them and having them come visit us.
Tony: I completely agree with Liz. This past Father’s Day both of my daughters and their families were able to come to our house and celebrate. It was truly a wonderful day!
What makes you scared?
Liz: Still storms. I’ve been afraid of them since I was tiny. I remember sleeping on my parents’ floor because I was so scared, and I guess I thought it was safer in there than my room. Obviously I don’t do that anymore, but just this week we were under a tornado watch, and instead of sleeping (which is a hot commodity at our house with a newborn), I was trying to set up text alerts just incase anything rolled through during the night.
Elizabeth is a stay-at-home-mom (the hardest but most rewarding job in the world, if you ask me). Tony, do you have another job outside of writing?
Tony: I have had a variety of jobs outside of writing books. I was the Public Relations and Advertising Manager for a division of General Motors, a stay-at-home dad, and managed my own communications business, Tony Perona Writing. Currently I’m serving as the Interim Town Manager for the Town of Plainfield, Indiana.
What brings you sheer delight?
Liz: Watching my kids learn new things. Our littlest just started smiling this week, and I can’t get enough of it!
Those are precious times. What’s your favorite line from a book?
Liz: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Suess, The Lorax (The elementary school teacher in me can’t resist Dr. Suess.)
Ditto! Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
Tony: Francine is a lot like my mom, Frances. She died from cancer when Liz was only 4 years old. Writing in her voice is a real joy for me because I get to remember her again. She always saw the best in people, which is how Francine is able to cope with Charlotte’s wilder side. Charlotte is a lot like my Grandma Bonte, who was my mom’s mother. She was quite a character. She cheated at cards, for example. Playing euchre with her was hilarious. If she was partners with her sister, my great-Aunt Annie, there was a lot of table talk we couldn’t understand because they could both fluent in Slavish. They also had elaborate hand signals.
Do you have a routine for writing?
Tony: Because I work during the day — I serve in town government and have a lot of evening meetings as well — morning is the only reliable time I have for writing, so I get up between 5 and 5:15 most every morning to write. I also try to fit in time during the weekends to write.
As a new mother, I'm assuming Liz writes whenever and wherever she can! Tony, where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Tony: If I didn’t have to work — and retirement is looking better and better - I love to write at Starbucks. Nothing works better for me than having a strong cup of coffee by my side and my Microsoft Surface in front of me and the bustle of busy people around me that forces me to block everything else out. I also enjoy writing at my local Panera Bread. Morning is always my best time to write. I feel like I’m at my best creatively.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
Tony: This is going to sound odd to mystery readers, I think, but killing a character off is always tough. It’s less difficult if it’s a bad guy, but it’s never easy. I remember it took me two weeks to recover from killing off a character in my first novel, Second Advent, part of my Nick Bertetto mystery series. And I had tears in my eyes when I wrote a couple of chapters in Saintly Remains when Nick is dealing with the death of a pet.
You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Liz: I’d be Hermione Granger. She’s such a strong female character, full of brains and wit. She’s a quick thinker, able to solve problems, and drops everything to help her friends. Not to mention, she’s a witch and gets to do all of the awesome stuff that comes along with that!
You’re published by Midnight Ink. How did you find them and how long did your query process take?
Tony: I want to mention this, because I want to give hope to writers who are trying to get published traditionally. When I was first trying to get published, I made a list of agents with another writer friend, and we developed a methodology for how we would send out five queries at a time and when we got three back we would send out another five. Although I would from time to time get a response from an agent asking for sample chapters, it took a year and a half before I got an agent to represent me, and I was down to #36 on my list. It took another year and a half before that agent placed the book with Five Star Publishing. The agent and I parted ways before I started this new series, and despite having been published before, it took three years of querying publishers and agents before Murder on the Bucket List landed at Midnight Ink. That happened without an agent, although a good friend provided the introduction to the editor at Midnight Ink.
And the all-important question: What are you working on now?
Tony: Liz and I are working on book #3 in the Bucket List series. We just finished up book #2 and sent it in to the publisher.
Ditto! Are any of your characters inspired by real people?
Tony: Francine is a lot like my mom, Frances. She died from cancer when Liz was only 4 years old. Writing in her voice is a real joy for me because I get to remember her again. She always saw the best in people, which is how Francine is able to cope with Charlotte’s wilder side. Charlotte is a lot like my Grandma Bonte, who was my mom’s mother. She was quite a character. She cheated at cards, for example. Playing euchre with her was hilarious. If she was partners with her sister, my great-Aunt Annie, there was a lot of table talk we couldn’t understand because they could both fluent in Slavish. They also had elaborate hand signals.
Do you have a routine for writing?
Tony: Because I work during the day — I serve in town government and have a lot of evening meetings as well — morning is the only reliable time I have for writing, so I get up between 5 and 5:15 most every morning to write. I also try to fit in time during the weekends to write.
As a new mother, I'm assuming Liz writes whenever and wherever she can! Tony, where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
Tony: If I didn’t have to work — and retirement is looking better and better - I love to write at Starbucks. Nothing works better for me than having a strong cup of coffee by my side and my Microsoft Surface in front of me and the bustle of busy people around me that forces me to block everything else out. I also enjoy writing at my local Panera Bread. Morning is always my best time to write. I feel like I’m at my best creatively.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to write?
Tony: This is going to sound odd to mystery readers, I think, but killing a character off is always tough. It’s less difficult if it’s a bad guy, but it’s never easy. I remember it took me two weeks to recover from killing off a character in my first novel, Second Advent, part of my Nick Bertetto mystery series. And I had tears in my eyes when I wrote a couple of chapters in Saintly Remains when Nick is dealing with the death of a pet.
You can be any fictional character for one day. Who would you be?
Liz: I’d be Hermione Granger. She’s such a strong female character, full of brains and wit. She’s a quick thinker, able to solve problems, and drops everything to help her friends. Not to mention, she’s a witch and gets to do all of the awesome stuff that comes along with that!
You’re published by Midnight Ink. How did you find them and how long did your query process take?
Tony: I want to mention this, because I want to give hope to writers who are trying to get published traditionally. When I was first trying to get published, I made a list of agents with another writer friend, and we developed a methodology for how we would send out five queries at a time and when we got three back we would send out another five. Although I would from time to time get a response from an agent asking for sample chapters, it took a year and a half before I got an agent to represent me, and I was down to #36 on my list. It took another year and a half before that agent placed the book with Five Star Publishing. The agent and I parted ways before I started this new series, and despite having been published before, it took three years of querying publishers and agents before Murder on the Bucket List landed at Midnight Ink. That happened without an agent, although a good friend provided the introduction to the editor at Midnight Ink.
And the all-important question: What are you working on now?
Tony: Liz and I are working on book #3 in the Bucket List series. We just finished up book #2 and sent it in to the publisher.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Elizabeth Perona is the father/daughter
writing team of Tony Perona and Liz Dombrosky. Tony is the author of the
Nick Bertetto mystery series, the standalone thriller The Final Mayan
Prophecy (with Paul Skorich), and co-editor and contributor to the
anthologies Racing Can Be Murder and Hoosier Hoops & Hijinks. Tony
is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served the
organization as a member of the Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He
is also a member of Sisters-in-Crime.
Connect with the authors:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Liz Dombrosky graduated from Ball State
University in the Honors College with a degree in teaching. She is
currently a stay-at-home mom. Murder on the Bucket List is her first
novel.
Connect with the authors:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Saturday, July 11, 2015
FEATURED AUTHOR: KATHI DALEY
ABOUT THE BOOK
A cozy mystery series set on Madrona Island, a fictional island within the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. As a fourth generation islander, Caitlin Hart is struggling to make her way as the economy and culture of the island evolves toward a tourism based industry. Cait lives in a cabin on her aunt's oceanfront estate where she helps her aunt run Harthaven Cat Sanctuary. When she isn't working with the cats, she helps best friend Tara, operate the coffee bar/bookstore/cat lounge they own, named Coffee Cat Books. In the fourth installment in the series, the body of a long time island local is found buried in her own grave. Cait and the gang set out to investigate the strange occurrence and along the way they uncover the truth about the mysterious man who arrived on the ferry every week and is followed everywhere he goes by a black and white cat.
INTERVIEW WITH KATHI DALEY
Kathi, what’s the story behind the title Much Ado About Felines?
All of the books in this series are created by taking the title of a classic and reworking it to demonstrate a cat theme. The gang that hangs out at Kathi Daley Books Group page (Facebook) is often asked for their input on things such as book titles, covers, character names, etc. This title was a result of a brainstorming session by this very active group of fans.
Tell us about your series. Is this book a standalone, or do readers need to read the series in order?
This book is part of a series and is probably best enjoyed when read as part of the series, but the mystery is a standalone so can be read independently. The series is set on Madrona Island, a fictional island within the San Juan Islands off the Washington Coast. The setup for the series is one of change and transition. Madrona Island was originally inhabited by Irish Catholic fishing families and the culture of the island was based on both fishing and traditional Irish Catholic values. We find that in recent years the fishing regulations have changed to the point where the cannery closed and many of the original fishing families have moved away. This decline in the old way of life coincided with the arrival of ferry service to the island bringing a new industry, tourism. There is a natural conflict on the island as the families who want to protect the old way of life clash with those who are bent on progress and economic renewal. Caitlin Hart, a middle daughter of five children from one of the founding families, is the protagonist in the series. In addition to solving murders (this is after all a cozy mystery) we follow her as she tries to walk the fine line between her old life and the new life she hopes to build. The main themes of the series are personal growth in the midst of environmental change, romance as she falls in love, and close friendships that have stood the test of time. I really love writing this series. There is something very interesting about a group of people who live in such a close and isolated environment.
Where’s home for you?
Lake Tahoe. I moved here as a teenager and LOVE living here. I would not want to live anywhere else in the world. It is a beautiful location with a crystal clear lake, world class skiing, abundant wildlife, and enough outdoor activities to keep even die hard sporting enthusiasts happy.
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned?
As far as what I’ve learned in life, it is to be kind. You never know what someone else might be going through, so if you have the opportunity to choose kindness in any situation, do so.
What makes you bored?
Waiting. I hate waiting for anything. I am not a patient person although I do try.
What makes you happy?
A lot of things. I am a happy person. I love my family, nature, holidays, animals in general, my crazy dogs, sunsets, sunrises, rain, sunshine, being outdoors in nature, hot coffee on a cold day, sentimental movies, new flip-flops in crazy colors, finding the perfect pair of faded shorts at the bottom of my closet.
What makes you excited?
Having a really good idea for a new plot. I think I publish so often because I have a lot of ideas I want to explore.
How did you meet your spouse?
My husband Ken and I are high school sweethearts. We married right out of high school and have two grown sons in their mid-thirties. We also have six grandchildren. I’m not sure if it was love at first sight, but it was definitely like at first sight. We became friends first and then began dating. We have been together for over 40 years, and we are still very much best friends who enjoy spending time with each other.
If you could only save one thing from your house, what would it be?
The photo albums would come first and books that I love to read and reread that are out of print (mostly old Harlequin Romances).
Are you like any of your characters?
I am a little bit like all of my protagonists but not completely like any of them. I tend to write athletic females who love animals and nature and are just a tad quirky. I think my characters are a bit gutsier than I am and the level of energy they possess more closely resembles my younger self, but I can definitely see parts of me in all of them.
Do you have a routine for writing? Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I live in a state of chaos most of the time. I have animals and people in my life and my house is crowded. While I’d love to have a really awesome office, I do my writing at the kitchen counter due to the fact that is the only space left available. (Two of my grandchildren live with me.) I treat writing like a job, and I write every day when I am working on a book. I put in the seat time required to complete the number of words I have set as a goal for any given week.
What would your dream office look like?
I would love someday to build a third story on my house. I live on a meadow with a breathtaking view of the summit, so I can envision a wall of windows facing south so I can watch the storms roll in. I’d have to have a fireplace (gas) and a comfy sofa for my kitty assistant to curl up on. My dogs like to lie under my feet while I work, so I think a soft carpet would be in order as well. I’d also like to have the wall to the north that does not feature windows, to be equipped with floor to ceiling bookshelves. Oh, and I’d need to have a coffee station and mini fridge so I wouldn’t have to run up and down the stairs every time I needed a refill.
Sounds good to me! Why did you decide to self-publish?
I decided to self-publish because I am impatient. It really is as simple as that. The amount of time it takes to get a book from completion to publication via the traditional route is absurd. I publish a book a month (or more) and I do it on my terms. I also like the fact that I own my work. I decide on the cover, and I control the length, content, and title. I guess I’m a bit of a control freak as well.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on Halloween In Paradise – A Paradise Lake Cozy Mystery with a Halloween theme. After I get that off to the editor, I plan to start Ghostly Graveyard, a Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery with a Halloween theme.
OTHER BOOKS BY KATHI:
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:Halloween Hijinks
The Trouble With Turkeys
Christmas Crazy
Cupid’s Curse
Big Bunny Bump-off
Beach Blanket Barbie
Maui Madness
Derby Divas
Haunted Hamlet
Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies
Christmas Cozy
Alaskan Alliance
Matrimony Meltdown
Soul Surrender
Heavenly Honeymoon
Hopscotch Homicide – August 2015
Ghostly Graveyard – October 2015
Santa Sleuth – December 2015
Ashton Falls Cozy Cookbook
Paradise Lake Cozy Mystery:
Pumpkins in Paradise
Snowmen in Paradise
Bikinis in Paradise
Christmas in Paradise
Puppies in Paradise
Halloween in Paradise – September 2015
Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery:
Romeow and Juliet
The Mad Catter –
Grimm’s Furry Tail
Much Ado About Felines
The Legend of Tabby Hollow – September 2015
The Cat of Christmas Past – November 2015
Seacliff High Mystery:
The Secret
The Curse
The Relic
The Conspiracy – October 2015
Road to Christmas Romance:
Road to Christmas Past
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.
Kathi has been a top 100 mystery writer for Amazon for over a year and she won the 2014 award for both Best Cozy Mystery Author and Best Cozy Mystery Series.
She currently writes four series: Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery, Whales and Tails Mystery, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Mystery.
Connect with Kathi:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Facebook teen | Twitter | Goodreads | Tumblr | Pinterest | Amazon
The Whales and Tales Mystery Series:
Thursday, July 9, 2015
FEATURED AUTHOR: DONNA MCDONALD
Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy
Date Published: 5/17/2012
They say life gets more interesting after 40. Chloe sure hopes so.
Freshly divorced at 40, Chloe has few illusions left about her ability to make any of her dreams come true. She is never going to be thin, never going to be a famous singer, and obviously never going to be sexy enough to keep a man like her handsome ex-football player husband from cheating. Thank heavens she at least has great friends.
Celebrating her return to Cali with a long weekend at the 5-star Blue Skies Hotel and Spa with them seems like just the thing she needs to jump start her “do over” post-divorce life. How much Chloe ends up liking sexy owner, 45-year-old Jasper Wade, is a surprise though. So is the way Jasper's unrestrained kisses send lust and renewed hope singing through her.
EXCERPT FROM NEXT SONG I SING
Chloe had laughed so much in the last hour that her face hurt. And several mai tais had put a humorous haze over pretty much everything.
“Emma, those quizzes are all going to say that I can’t get a guy because I have some sense of decorum about not groping a guy’s crotch in public. Do women in their twenties actually follow that advice?” Chloe demanded.
“Yes,” Emma said firmly. “And I think they have a lot of sex.”
“But do they ever find a genuine love-that-lasts kind of relationship?” Taylor asked, trying to sound wise.
Emma scrunched up her face. “Well, two of them found mine and Chloe’s husbands, so I think the answer is yes in some cases. Of course, this is assuming they actually love our ex-husbands and vice versa.”
Chloe snorted. “Well, I say good luck to them for trying. My ex’s new woman better stay skinny for the rest of her life.”
They laughed again and took another sip of their drinks.
“Okay—okay,” Emma said more soberly, “one more question and I’ll quit.” She paused until she knew Chloe and Taylor were paying close attention.
“You and your best friend are having lunch. She tells you there’s a hot guy checking out your breasts,” Emma said seriously. “What do you say in reply? Taylor—you go first.”
Taylor laughed, the drinks having worked their magic on her by loosening her tongue. “Well, I would dip into the sarcasm I hold back just for these special situations. I would say ‘Sure, him and every other guy’ in my best, most confident voice. Then I’d do this.”
Lifting her small breasts in her hands like an offering to the gods, Taylor pursed her lips in a smooch, and leaned over the table to her friends. They laughed so hard and so loudly that all the people in the pool starting leaving.
“Just like the old days,” Taylor said. “We’re clearing the area.”
“Okay Chloe—what would you say?” Emma said, swinging an innocent gaze in her direction.
“If the man is checking out my breasts, it’s because he’s not used to seeing so much untanned flesh in the state of California,” Chloe declared, laughing and holding the edges of her lapels open as wide as she could to peer into her dress. “Look—the girls and I haven’t seen sunlight in five years. It will take me months to tan all this.”
They all looked at Chloe’s large and very white breasts, giggling without denying her statement. It was the truth after all.
“Maybe you can start with one of those self-tanners or a bronzer. You have to work your way up to a real tan again,” Emma said with a laugh.
“Emma—that question didn’t sound like the other quiz questions,” Taylor commented, looking at her not-so-innocent friend who was giggling softly and looking guilty.
“Okay—fine. It wasn’t a real question on the quiz. There’s a good-looking guy in the dining room who has been admiring Chloe’s cleavage since we sat down to have lunch,” Emma said, laughing. “I think she should practice her subtlety theory on him.”
“Well I’m certainly in the mood to practice after three mai tais. Show him to me,” Chloe demanded on a tipsy laugh.
Emma’s eyes grew larger as she giggled and whispered. “Okay I will, but just don’t turn around. He’s headed to our table. Just smile at Taylor and pretend to be fascinating.”
Chloe’s eyes widened as she heard the deep voice at her side.
“Good day, ladies. I’m Jasper Wade, hotel manager. I hope you’re enjoying your stay. If you need anything while you’re here, please let me know,” he said gallantly, his gaze taking in all of them before coming back to Chloe and her breasts.
Chloe, full of mai tai and happy laughter, turned her head and smiled into his very nice face, sighing with ego happiness as she watched Jasper Wade’s gaze straining to stay away from her cleavage. The day was certainly turning out to be a very nice way to celebrate her return to California.
“Well, aren’t you sweet, Mr. Wade? I was just going to look for the ladies room,” she said, laughing. “Can you point me in the right direction?”
“It’s in the hallway just outside the dining area. If you like, I’d be happy to show you,” Jasper said, his heart beating rapidly as she rose slowly to her full height.
Jasper couldn’t remember the last time he had been so excited by a woman he didn’t even know. She was tall, smiling, and quite an alluring woman altogether. It was all he could do not to reach out and put his hands on her to assure himself she was real.
Chloe purposely stayed bent over the table until the last minute, and then straightened slowly, her breasts following her slow moments. “Sorry. I seem to be a bit tipsy. Too many mai tais.”
“Lovely way to enjoy a sunny afternoon by the pool,” Jasper said with a smile, placing a solicitous hand on her arm, or at least he hoped it was coming off that way.
Chloe took two steps and stumbled slightly, forcing Jasper to catch her, which momentarily squashed her ample cleavage against the front of him. “Oops—sorry.”
She watched his eyes darken and had to restrain the giggle fighting to be set loose. Behind her, Chloe could hear Emma and Taylor’s in-drawn breaths at her boldness.
Turning innocently to look at them, she had to fight laughter at their obvious surprise. She didn’t need a damn quiz to tell her how to interest a man. She just needed the good-looking motivation currently with his hands on her. It was the most wickedly confident thought she’d had in years, and it brought an equally wicked smile to her face.
“I’m fine girls, but I guess I need to walk off a little of the buzz. Don’t worry. Mr. Wade seems quite dependable. I’m sure he won’t let me fall,” Chloe said, winking at their wide-eyed expressions.
Chloe turned back slowly, brushing her breast lightly across his sleeve as she put her arm through Jasper Wade’s. He inhaled sharply at the contact, but Chloe pretended not to notice or hear, though of course she had. It was all she could do to bite back a sigh of happiness. “Sorry again. Can’t believe I’m so tipsy. Thank you for helping me, Mr. Wade. You really do have a nice hotel.”
“Really?” Jasper asked, his voice breaking on the word so he cleared it. “Sorry. I mean—thank you.”
About the Author
Donna McDonald is an active dreamer and finds writing to be the best way to use her creativity. Needing to satisfy both sides of her brain, she is a cross-genre author of contemporary, fantasy, and paranormal romances. Her books appear on bestseller lists for humor, romantic comedy, space opera, and more. She craves laughter from her readers and focuses her attention on making that happen as often as possible. She loves to hear from anyone who has read her books.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
Giveaway
2 Signed Print copies (US ONLY)
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Guest Post by Julie Sarff
ABOUT THE BOOK
Lily Bilbury needs to find the remnants of the French
Blue and find them fast. It’s been three long years since her Italian
husband cheated on her, and she is facing financial ruin. In
desperation, she teams up with fellow housemaid, Francesca – an
irascible Italian fashionista and self-proclaimed psychic. Together they
search Villa Buschi for some of the most famous gems in the world, the
diamonds that were cut away from the French Blue to make the infamous
Hope.
But when Lily can’t find the diamonds, and nothing seems to go
her way, she briefly contemplates running around ranting drivel and
frightening the whole reserved population of Arona, Italy.
Follow Lily
and several rambunctious rescue kittens on her quest for precious
antiquities; a journey which may lead to something far better than long
lost gems.
GUEST POST BY JULIE SARFF
Writing the Sweet Delicious Madness mystery series all started after reading a book about the lost and stolen treasures of the antiquity world. These true stories seemed more fabulous than anything a fiction writer could invent. Fights over antiquities between upstanding museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the government of Turkey put a spotlight on the murky underworld of smuggled artifacts and the desire by some in the antiquities world to obtain the treasures at any cost.
As a reader, I have always preferred the stories of the hapless heroine that works her ways into our hearts by being the everyday sort. This kind of heroine isn’t pulled together or polished, but rather struggles to pay her bills, take her kids to school on time. This kind of heroine never has a good hair day. Enter Lily Bilbury, one extraordinary mess who takes a job as a maid in a villa on the romantic shores of Lago Maggiore. It is here that she enters into the world of dusting around Imperial Faberge Eggs while being unable to make her rent payment at home. When a fellow maid, Francesca, claims to be a psychic channeling Carlo Buschi, former owner of the villa, Lily doesn’t pay much attention – after all she has a lot on her mind. She’s trying to obtain a divorce from a cheating husband, she has children to look after, and she is several thousand miles for her closest relatives.
The stakes soon rise for Lily when her big-hearted girlfriend also falls on hard times. After learning that Carlo Buschi was an avid collector of smuggled antiquities, Lily teams up with Francesca to search for the remnants of the French Blue, the diamond that was last seen intact before the French Revolution. The same diamond that was later cut into the Hope.
As a reader, I have always preferred the stories of the hapless heroine that works her ways into our hearts by being the everyday sort. This kind of heroine isn’t pulled together or polished, but rather struggles to pay her bills, take her kids to school on time. This kind of heroine never has a good hair day. Enter Lily Bilbury, one extraordinary mess who takes a job as a maid in a villa on the romantic shores of Lago Maggiore. It is here that she enters into the world of dusting around Imperial Faberge Eggs while being unable to make her rent payment at home. When a fellow maid, Francesca, claims to be a psychic channeling Carlo Buschi, former owner of the villa, Lily doesn’t pay much attention – after all she has a lot on her mind. She’s trying to obtain a divorce from a cheating husband, she has children to look after, and she is several thousand miles for her closest relatives.
The stakes soon rise for Lily when her big-hearted girlfriend also falls on hard times. After learning that Carlo Buschi was an avid collector of smuggled antiquities, Lily teams up with Francesca to search for the remnants of the French Blue, the diamond that was last seen intact before the French Revolution. The same diamond that was later cut into the Hope.
The search for the diamonds that were cut away from the Hope is the first in a series of mysteries based on stolen and lost antiquities that will lead a very unlikely heroine into the dark world of antique smuggling. Along the way she will fall hard for the new owner of the villa, Hollywood heartthrob Brandon Logan. One part romantic comedy, one part cozy mystery, the first book in the Sweet Delicious Madness series was released March 21st.
*This guest post originally appeared on Dianne Harman's blog.
FROM THE AUTHOR
I am a happily married mother of two. Raised in Colorado, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of years of my life in Northern Italy. I graduated with an M.S. in math and economics from The Colorado School of Mines, and then promptly went to work on the Titan program for Lockheed Martin Astronautics.
I have to say, I worked on the more boring bits of rocketry, but the fun thing was we all got to wear shirts that said, "Actually, it is Rocket Science." Around the same time, I began working as a part-time professor of Economics and Statistics. Some people find these subjects a little dry, but I made my classes super scintillating by dressing up on occasion as Professor Trelawney form Harry Potter and trying to forecast the future. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be the next Carolyn Keene. When I was in third grade, I used to sit on the porch and read Nancy Drew in the morning, and then write my own mysteries in the afternoon. My characters in Sweet Delicious Madness are completely fictitious, but draw on people I met when I lived in Italy. For my first series I wanted to write a Cinderella story, I wanted to ask, what if a perfectly ordinary woman, flawed in many ways, messed up her life the first go around, but got a second chance to meet and fell in love with her own version of Austin's Mr. Darcy. And what if, along the way, she met and learned from other characters who surrounded her; characters that had quirks of their own - a women with a passion for animal rescue, an Italian housemaid who talks to the dead, and a curator of a museum who intimately knows the history of the stolen antiquities market. All of these items synthetized into the making of The Sweet Delicious Madness Series.
In 2015, I am busy tying up loose ends in the fifth book in the series, tentatively titled The Knotty Bride. I am also asking myself a new question: what if Arthur Pendragon had a daughter? I look forward to releasing my newest series, Magda Pendragon: Heir to Arthur in the coming months. Oh, and for the record, I was lucky enough to meet and marry my own version of Mr. Darcy on the first go round. We live our lives in the Colorado sunshine, with an ever-changing collection of adopted dogs and cats.
Connect with Julie:
Website | Facebook | Twitter
I have to say, I worked on the more boring bits of rocketry, but the fun thing was we all got to wear shirts that said, "Actually, it is Rocket Science." Around the same time, I began working as a part-time professor of Economics and Statistics. Some people find these subjects a little dry, but I made my classes super scintillating by dressing up on occasion as Professor Trelawney form Harry Potter and trying to forecast the future. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be the next Carolyn Keene. When I was in third grade, I used to sit on the porch and read Nancy Drew in the morning, and then write my own mysteries in the afternoon. My characters in Sweet Delicious Madness are completely fictitious, but draw on people I met when I lived in Italy. For my first series I wanted to write a Cinderella story, I wanted to ask, what if a perfectly ordinary woman, flawed in many ways, messed up her life the first go around, but got a second chance to meet and fell in love with her own version of Austin's Mr. Darcy. And what if, along the way, she met and learned from other characters who surrounded her; characters that had quirks of their own - a women with a passion for animal rescue, an Italian housemaid who talks to the dead, and a curator of a museum who intimately knows the history of the stolen antiquities market. All of these items synthetized into the making of The Sweet Delicious Madness Series.
In 2015, I am busy tying up loose ends in the fifth book in the series, tentatively titled The Knotty Bride. I am also asking myself a new question: what if Arthur Pendragon had a daughter? I look forward to releasing my newest series, Magda Pendragon: Heir to Arthur in the coming months. Oh, and for the record, I was lucky enough to meet and marry my own version of Mr. Darcy on the first go round. We live our lives in the Colorado sunshine, with an ever-changing collection of adopted dogs and cats.
Connect with Julie:
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Monday, July 6, 2015
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