I’m pleased to have author Kate Young from Cartersville, Georgia here to chat about her writing and her cozy mystery, Southern Sass and Killer Cravings that’s on blog tour with Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book.

Nice to have you here, Grace. How long have you been published? What titles and/or series have you published and with which publisher: Have you self-published any titles? Please give details.

This will be my first traditionally published series. Southern Sass and Killer Cravings the first in the Marygene Brown Mystery series is published by Kensington Publishing Corp. and is releasing May 28, 2019.

Congratulations! Have you self-published any titles? Please give details.

I’ve self-published 16 fantasy/romance novels. The commonality in all my work including Southern Sass and Killer Cravings is that I write novels with strong female leads with a dash of humor.

Sounds great. Tell us a little bit about your books.

I write the Marygene Brown Mystery Series about a Southern belle foodie, Marygene Brown, who is haunted by her mother’s spirit, making her a magnet for murder and mayhem. Marygene discovers that her sleuthing grit is her saving grace. Southern Sass and Killer Cravings is releasing on May 28, 2019. Book 2 Southern Sass and A Crispy Corpse is with my editor and my current WIP is book 3, Southern Sass and A Battered Bride.

Very nice. They sound wonderful. Please describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years?

My goal as a writer is to give readers a chance to escape, relax, and be entertained with a good chuckle or two. I also hope to continue the Marygene Brown Series. I love Marygene and the Peach Cove gang! Along with Southern Sass, I’m always working on other proposals for more stories that I hope will see the light of day.

Peach Cove sounds like the southern version of my upstate New York Cobble Cove where my series takes place.

What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

Just keep writing.

A perfect goal.

What type of reader are you hoping to attract, and who do you believe would be most interested in reading your books?

Anyone who enjoys Southern culinary mysteries with a twist of supernatural will enjoy my cozy series. Anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit will enjoy Marygene’s escapades.

I’m sure you will attract a large group of readers.

What advice would you give other authors or those still trying to get published?

Never stop writing and never give up.

That says it all. I’m still working towards being traditionally published.

What particular challenges and struggles did you face before first becoming published?

I suppose the transition from being an indie author to a traditionally published author. That meant I needed an agent. Securing the right one proved to be daunting process, but so worth the effort. I had to learn to become comfortable with rejection (not an easy task) until I finally signed with the right fit.

I can certainly identify with that, as I’m sure many readers of this blog will.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I belong to Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. I’ve learned so much from this wonderful organization and highly recommend joining to any mystery author.

I second that, as I’m also a member of this same great group.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I love to cook, read, and travel.

Great pasttimes for an author.

What do you like most and least about being an author?

I love the writing. The toughest challenge by far is marketing. Finding the correct advertisement channels can be a challenge with so many amazing titles on the market.

Those feelings are shared by many authors including myself.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

I love the charming settings, the wonderous islands, the picturesque towns with hosts of shops and diners you wish you could visit. The warm characters that by the end of the story they feel like our closest friends, or we wish they could be. And then there’s the mystery, the gripping mystery that keeps us guessing write up till the very end. There’s something satisfying about solving a crime along with your favorite amateur sleuth. And it thrills me to be able to write and join the delightful genre with the Marygene Brown Mystery Series.

I agree completely. Cozy mysteries are a delightful genre to write and also read.

Can you share a short excerpt from your latest title or upcoming release?

“Wake up!” Mama shouted at my ear.

“I’m tired,” I groaned, rolled over, and pulled the blankets over my head.

“Marygene Francis Brown, I’m not telling you again,” Mama said.

I jolted upright, suddenly aware my mama meant business. Wait a minute, Mama was dead. I rubbed my face with my hand, feeling the grittiness of dried mascara. “Lord help me, what a nightmare.” Mama was about to bless me out for something or another. In her mind, I had always been guilty of something.

“This isn’t a dream child,” Mama flipped on the lamp next to her. She was sitting in the beige Queen Anne chair across the room, wearing her yellow dress with white daisies and matching yellow belt. Her brown hair was curled and styled closed to her head like she always wore it.

“I see I have your attention.”

I didn’t speak, completely amazed with how vivid this dream was.

“I don’t have much time, so I’ll be brief.” That was Mama all right. She was efficient. “There’s going to be a murder at the diner tomorrow.” She leaned forward. “Close for the day.”

“What? Close the diner?” I covered a yawn with my hand. Am I really seeing this?

“Listen to me, young lady! Neither you nor your sister needs to go to work tomorrow.” She faded away.

I hard blinked and stared at the empty chair.

Excellent. Thank you for sharing that intriguing excerpt.

Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you or your books?

Hmm, well an interesting tidbit that Marygene Brown and I have in common is that we both bake when we’re stressed.

It’s always fun to share something in common with your protagonist. I know I share a few habits with Alicia, who is a librarian like me.

Thanks so much for the interview, Kate, and I’m sharing your blog tour below. Best wishes on your new release and series.

Southern Sass and Killer Cravings
(Marygene Brown Mysteries)
by Kate Young

About the Book

Southern Sass and Killer Cravings (Marygene Brown Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kensington (May 28, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 1496721454
ISBN-13: 978-1496721457
Digital ASIN: B07H1VWGBS

Life has always been sweet on Georgia’s Peach Cove Island, but a case of murder has Marygene Brown down in the pits . . .

For generations, the women of the Brown family on Peach Cove Island have been known for their Southern sass and sweet homemade desserts at their beloved Peach Diner. Since their mother’s passing two years ago, Marygene has been stuck in Atlanta while her sister Jena Lynn has been running the family business. Now Marygene has left her husband and returned to her hometown, where she can almost feel Mama’s presence.

But all is not peachy back home. Marygene has barely tied on an apron when a diner regular drops dead at the counter. When it turns out the old man’s been poisoned, Jena Lynn is led away in handcuffs and the family eatery is closed. Now, to save her sister and the diner, Marygene must find the real killer. With some startling assistance from her Mama’s spirit, Marygene will be serving up a special order of just desserts . . .

Includes Seven Recipes from Marygene’s Kitchen!

The author is hosting a pre-order giveaway!
CHECK IT OUT HERE!

About the Author

Kate Young writes humorous southern mystery novels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Guppy Chapter. Kate lives in a small town in Georgia with her husband, three kids, and Shih Tzu. When she is not writing her own books, she’s reading or cooking.

Author Links

Website – https://www.kateyoungbooks.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKateYoung/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/KAYoungBooks

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527572.Kate_Young

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kate-young-b3339e9c-d2e4-482d-a637-5afd7b064d73

Purchase Links — Amazon B&N Kobo Indie Bound ibooks BAM
TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 18 – Baroness’ Book Trove – REVIEW

May 18 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

May 18 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 18 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT

May 18 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT