Category: Interview

Posted in Authors, Interview

Interview and Blog Tour with Jann Franklin, author of Muffalettas and Murder

Posted on by Debbie

Welcome to Ruff Drafts, Jann. I understand you’re from Louisiana. How long have you been published?

3 years

What titles and/or series have you published and with which publisher?

They’re all self-published through my publishing company, Rougarou Press.. Small Town Girl Mysteries: Muffalettas and Murder, Boudin and Bloodshed, Fruitcake and Fraud, Mardi Gras and Mayhem, (coming out July 11) Sweet Tea and Suspects.

Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

I write faith-based books—my characters go to church and pray before meals. But they definitely aren’t perfect, nor do they think they are. They have their fair share of faults and quirks, just like the rest of us.

 Small Town Girl Mysteries (4 books with 5th coming out July 11)-Evangeline Delafose finds Graisseville, Louisiana just as she remembers—boring and uneventful, until her brother asks her to help solve a murder. Now she’s hooked. Follow Ev as she takes on each mystery, with her frustrating but loveable private investigator by her side. And, of course, a bit of insider info from the quirky residents of her small town.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I plan to release 2 more books this year, including the first of my 3 Dog Mysteries. Then I will focus on 3 books a year, 2 from 3 Dog Mysteries and 1 from Small Town Girl Mysteries. I love writing cozies!

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

My readers enjoy twisty Southern mysteries with a touch of romance and a dose of humor. My books offer characters who exasperate as much as they endear. These quirky yet charming residents are just like family—sometimes you want to hug them, and sometimes you want to disown them. My readers immerse themselves in small town culture as they exercise their sleuthing skills and their funny bones.

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

  • Don’t give up-just keep writing.
  • Find a community of authors, either locally or online. Or both!
  • Marketing terrifies everyone. Don’t scattershot everything! Just focus on one area of marketing (newsletter, social media, local events, etc.) that seems the least scary and perfect it. Then move on.

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

I didn’t realize I had to market my books—I thought if I wrote books, readers would find me and love me. But I didn’t give up, I found my community of fellow authors both locally and online. We support and encourage each other, and keep each other sane.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Association of Christian Fiction Writers is my source for fellow authors, both the national and the local groups. I was a member of Sisters in Crime, but our Louisiana chapter folded and the others are so far away.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

My husband and I just started a food truck called Tin Roof Chef. Is that a hobby or an interest? Or both? I’ve got plans to develop a cozy mystery series based on a couple who run a food truck and solve mysteries—I’ve already got some good plot lines.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

Finding my audience is definitely the most challenging, and the best methods to do that. I’ve scattershot myself the last few years, but have settled into perfecting my newsletter and my website. I try to work social media in the nooks and crannies, but it’s not my focus at the moment.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

What’s not to like about it? I create protagonists who are clever and kind and solve the crimes, and villains who deserve to go to prison—and they do. It’s just as how we wish the world could be. I do throw in some twists and turns—not every villain makes it to prison, and some victims were actually pretty nice. You know, more like how the world actually operates.

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

Of course! My newest release, “Sweet Tea and Suspects”, will come out on July 11—you can find it at your favorite major retailers:

The community theater is putting on “Death of a Salesman,” but someone has turned the play into reality!

Who killed Daniel Sullivan, star of the show and all-around jerk? Hometown heroine Jen Guidry was arrested, but did she really do it? Maybe it was the director, or the understudy? It could have been the producer, or the naïve ingenue. There are more suspects than cups of sugar in a pitcher of sweet tea.

Can Ev and Shorty solve their fifth case and bring the killer to justice? Regardless, the show must go on!

This book is the fifth of the Small-Town Girl Mysteries, a clean faith-based series of books with no profanity, sex, or graphic violence.

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

My husband, John and I enjoy Sundays at Grand Cane Baptist Church, supper with family and friends, and the sense of community that comes from living the small-town life. Our kids come to visit, when they aren’t too busy living their big-city lives. You can visit me at http://www.jannfranklin.com

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. and include some book cover graphics and author photos if possible.

My Website Link:

https://jannfranklin.com

My Blog Link:

https://jannfranklin.com/blog/

My Facebook Page Link:

https://www.facebook.com/jannfranklinauthor

My Instagram Profile Link :

https://www.instagram.com/jannfranklinauthor/

My Goodreads Profile Link:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22583014.Jann_Franklin

My Bookbub Profile Link:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jann-franklin

My Amazon Author Profile Page Link:

http://bit.ly/3HN7aD3

Thank you so much for the interview, Jann. I’m sharing your Great Escapes blog tour below. Best wishes on your new release and upcoming releases.


Muffalettas and Murder: Small Town Girl Mysteries
by Jann Franklin

About Muffalettas and Murder


Muffalettas and Murder: Small Town Girl Mysteries
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Louisiana
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rougarou Press (January 30, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 238 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8987739402
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BPQYJQ3T

Evangeline Delafose is finding Graisseville, Louisiana just as she remembered—boring and uneventful. Until her brother Nate asks her to help solve a murder.

Follow Ev as she navigates clues, dead bodies, and quirky small-town residents to solve a mystery. And of course, show her little brother that she’s still got it.

If you like cozy mysteries with twists and turns, deep South settings, and a hint of romance, you’ll love this series! Let’s not forget quirky yet charming characters who remind you of family—sometimes you want to hug them, and sometimes you want to disown them. Enjoy small town Graisseville with Ev as she solves crime with help from her family and friends. This is a clean faith based read with no profanity, sex, or graphic violence.

This book is the first of the Small-Town Girl Mystery Series.

Author Links

Webpage: https://jannfranklin.com

Blog: https://jannfranklin.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jannfranklinauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jannfranklinauthor/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22583014.Jann_Franklin

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org –

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 16 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 17 – Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

May 18 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW

May 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

May 20 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

May 21 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading – REVIEW

May 22 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

May 23 – Baroness Book Trove – REVIEW

May 24 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 26 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 26 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW

May 27 – FUONLYKNEW – RECIPE

May 27 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

May 28 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 28 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 29 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

May 29 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
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Posted in Blog Tour, Excerpt, Interview

Interview, Excerpt, and Blog Tour for Murder at a Scottish Castle by Traci Hall

Posted on by Debbie

Murder at a Scottish Castle: A Scottish Cozy Mystery
(A Scottish Shire Mystery) by Traci Hall

About Murder at a Scottish Castle

Murder at a Scottish Castle: A Scottish Cozy Mystery (A Scottish Shire Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Setting – Nairn, Scotland
Kensington Cozies (January 23, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496744373
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496744371
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C3WTZYGT

USA Today bestselling author returns with the latest novel in a Scottish seaside cozy knitting mystery series featuring busy single mom Paislee Shaw, owner of a specialty sweater shop, knitting enthusiast, and reluctant sleuth who must untangle another murderous yarn!

With the summer days getting shorter in the seaside village of Nairn, the annual bagpiping competition at Ramsey Castle promises to be quite the end-of-season blowout. Paisley has snagged a special invitation from the Dowager Countess, who wants to showcase her cashmere goods in the castle gift shop, and she’s brought her son Brody, Grandpa, and their black Scottish terrier Wallace.

There’s a fierce rivalry between Robert Grant, the Earl of Lyon, and last year’s winner Jory Baxter, with Grant loudly vowing to show up the blowhard Baxter and claim clan bragging rights. But the reigning champion has barely put the reed to his lips when he turns red and collapses, soon to take his dying breath. DI Zeffer confirms foul play, suspecting the reed may have been poisoned.

With a murderer in their midst, the rest of Nairn won’t breathe easy until Paisley applies her sleuthing skills to make sure justice is served and the killer pays the piper . . .

About Traci Hall

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone.

Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.

Author Interview

Five Fast Favorites:

  1. Favorite genre of movie
  2. Horror
  3. Favorite food
  4. Shrimp
  5. Favorite genre of books
  6. Historical fiction
  7. Favorite color
  8. Periwinkle

And last favorite….

  1. Favorite hobby
  2. Walking outside in nature

Excerpt from Murder at a Scottish Castle:

Paislee, Grandpa and Brody followed the last of the band members to a large open-air covered area perfect for outdoor parties. It could easily seat two hundred or more with wooden tables for eating, and higher serving tables with platters of food and kegs of drinks.

Brody flicked his fingers toward his mates, all clustered together at a table. “Can I eat with them, Mum?”

Paislee checked out the situation, seeing them supervised, loosely, by other parents. “Aye. Be good. I’ll keep Wallace for you.”

“Why cannae he come?”

“After you finish. Wallace has a special diet that can’t be ruined by fatty meat.” It was bad enough that the terrier was better than a broom when it came to catching crumbs beneath the table.

“The dog has a diet,” Grandpa scoffed. “Nothing wrong with sturdy animal bones. It’s guid for him.”

“They can splinter and catch in his throat,” Paislee cautioned.

Brody scowled, but then nodded and joined his mates. Wallace whined. Paislee patted the pup’s head. “I’ll make sure you get some lean pieces of venison.”

Wallace lay down on the stone slab of the dining area with a whine.

“Dinnae blame ye boy,” Grandpa said. He looked at Paislee. “You’re making the dog a sissy.”

“Keeping the dog healthy,” Paislee countered. She eyed the lines for food. “Why don’t you go first, Grandpa? I can wait here. Unless you want me tae get both our plates?”

“I’m no bairn you need tae coddle, lass.” Grandpa straightened his tam over his silver-gray hair. “Want me tae get you a plate? Mibbe something soft, like porridge?”

Oh! That’s what she got for just trying to be nice. Paislee exhaled. “No, thank you.”

Grandpa returned with a paper plate piled high with meat, not a single vegetable to be seen. He sat opposite her and smacked his lips, daring her to say a word.

She kept her mouth shut. “Can you watch Wallace?”

“Aye.” The dog lead was tied to the wooden bench and the pup watched her actions with a legitimate canine pout.

“Thanks.” Paislee joined the end of the queue, and it was as if there hadn’t been a dent in the massive platters of roasted beef or venison.

She chose several ribs and then a leaner selection with no bones for Wallace. Next, she added roasted potatoes, mushrooms, and corn. A fresh salad of tomato and herbs, and last, a bannock. She took two, knowing that Grandpa would enjoy a piece of the flat bread to sop up the juices from his carnivore feast.

On her way back to the table, she saw Brody and a group of kids all telling jokes as they ate. It made her happy to be part of this community, as he was too.

Upon her return, Paislee noted that a woman from Clan MacTavish had joined them and brought two mugs of whisky for Paislee and Grandpa.

“How sweet!” Paislee sat opposite Grandpa. Clan MacTavish took up the rest of the table. Most of the instruments had been put along the back partition wall made of lattice. Bagpipes had different kinds of cases, hard to soft, and same for the drums.

“My pleasure,” the lass next to Paislee said. “I’m Nettie. Thanks for sharing your table!” Her eyes were the exact hue of her sky-blue jacket, her hair a soft brown styled to her chin.

“Paislee. Nice tae meet you.” Paislee handed Grandpa a bannock. He accepted with a grin, already happy with the whisky and the company.

She bit into the tender meat feeling Wallace’s eyes on her as if he’d never had a meal in his life. She shredded the cooled leaner cuts and put them aside on an extra plate she’d grabbed for the purpose.

“Slowly! Taste it!” she said. Wallace waited until her hands were free and then dove in. It was gone in seconds, and he looked at her for more.

“He didnae savor a bite,” Grandpa laughed.

“He didn’t. I’m lucky tae have my fingers.” When she’d bought the adorable puppy to fill the hole left by Gran’s death, he’d stolen her heart with his dark eyes and soft wiry fur. She hadn’t cared about the terrier’s temperament. Like many human Scots, the Scottish terrier was fierce, loyal, willful, and loving. Dr. Kathleen McHenry, the veterinarian, had suggested a trainer when Wallace was at the pet clinic for eating socks the first week they’d had him.

Now, six years later, Wallace was much better behaved than many dogs and she credited that to Dr. McHenry. The lifespan for the breed was twelve to fifteen years, so long as he didn’t eat any more clothes. He had a special diet to keep from gaining weight which would hurt his short legs. Wallace was a loved member of her family.

“More whisky?” Nettie asked Grandpa and Paislee. “I’m going for a refill. I’m not driving, and the earl brews his own. Cannae get it anywhere else.”

“None for me,” Paislee said. She’d been so busy eating that she’d barely touched her drink. “Thanks though.”

“I’ll help you,” Grandpa said, getting up.

“You’re a dear,” Nettie said.

Her grandfather blushed.

Paislee hid her smile behind a bite of roasted mushroom. The herbs were grown in the wild as well as in the greenhouse. Maybe one day when she wasn’t so busy, she could put a few pots in the back garden for some container vegetables.

When Grandpa returned, Paislee went for just a few more of the roasted veg and another bannock, perusing the tables for Brody.

Ah, he was done eating and playing a game of catch with the other kids by the barn.

It was good that he was having fun and independent. It hurt a wee bit as she realized he was loosening his attachment to her. As it should be. Her heart ached. Trying to hold onto time was as impossible as catching rain in a sieve.

Paislee shifted with her plate. There was Lissia and Cinda, in conversation about how Patrick had excelled with the roasted meat. Cinda’s eyes sparkled as she watched Patrick. At the far end of the long table, Sorcha and Robert appeared to be having heated words.

Clan Cunningham members sat at their own table, the director often checking his phone. Clyde was no doubt waiting for word about Jory. Was he finally worried? She didn’t have a high opinion of the pipe major.

She checked her watch. It was seven in the evening. It had been three hours since Jory had collapsed to the grass.

Jerry and the other Campbell clan members were not as joyful as some of the others. Did they feel that they’d lost today by not forcing a forfeit?

Jerry saw her looking and waved, no usual smile for her as he dug into his food.

She was going to ask him what was wrong but then decided against it. A room of competitors wasn’t the place for a private conversation. She trusted that he would take care of Jory’s bagpipes, knowing the importance of the instrument, even if they were competitors.

Clyde’s phone rang and the director answered with a loud, “Hello?”

Clyde turned very pale. His next words were murmurs as he frowned and asked more questions. “Are ye okay?”

Clyde gulped and jumped up to the table, knees visible in his red and black kilt as he cleared his team’s plates with an angry foot. His longish hair in the front flopped over his eye.

“What’s wrong?” his bass drummer asked. The big man scowled at the meat on his shirt from Clyde, then brushed it off. “It better be guid.”

“Jory Baxter is dead.” Clyde pointed with fury toward Robert. “You have some explaining tae do.”

Traci wants to hear from you!

Traci@TraciHall.com

Author Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracie.hall.35/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20716027.Traci_Hall

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/traci-hall

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor/

Website: https://www.tracihall.com/

Purchase Links

Amazon   Barnes and Noble    Apple    Kobo 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 23 – The Mystery of Writing – CHARACTER GUEST POST WITH EXCERPT

January 23 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST WITH EXCERPT

January 24 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

January 24 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

January 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST – WITH EXCERPT

January 25 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

January 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 26 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 26 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

January 26 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

January 27 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – CHARACTER GUEST POST – WITH EXCERPT

January 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST WITH EXCERPT

January 29 – FUONLYKNEW – CHARACTER GUEST POST WITH EXCERPT

January 29 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

January 29 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

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Posted in Blog Tour, Interview

Author Interview of J.B. Michaels and Blog Tour for Murder on the Geneva Express

Posted on by Debbie

It’s my pleasure to interview James Michaels from Chicago. Welcome to Ruff Drafts, James. 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.

2015- The Tannenbaum Tailors series! The Chronicles of the Order series! The Mac and Millie Mystery series, “The Viking Throne”- standalone and some non-fiction books like “Plot Your Author Path” and “Why the F Do I Need Life Insurance.” Proudly, independently published under Harrison and James Publishing. After years and years of querying and rejection I decided to do it myself and have had much success! I was watching a Walt Disney documentary and Walt never asked for anyone’s permission to accomplish his dreams. So I took that route. Ha!

A man after my own Indie publishing heart. It sounds like you’ve certainly pursued your writing dreams. Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

I write fast, fun, engaging books with lots of heart and wonderful characters. Maybe a bit of fantastical whimsy here and there. The Mac and Milly Mystery series is my most popular series because people love a good murder mystery but I truly believe they stay for the characters and setting! Geneva, IL is the backdrop for this series and it is such a great town!

Awesome. As a cozy mystery author myself, I know how important it is to have engaging characters and an interesting setting.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

My goals are to keep writing and writing and writing. Improving with each book and further developing rather honing my imagination to keep my readers entertained, engaged, and fulfilled! I love stories and am very passionate. Eventually, I would like to expand my books into other formats and mediums. Film and TV adaptations are certainly a goal of mine!

Great goals. Best of luck to you.

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

Give me the avid reader who wants to be entertained! I want the thinker but also the child at heart. My books are smart but also very fun with a sense of humor and frankly youthful exuberance!

I’m sure that you have a wide audience.

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

Hmm… this one is tough. Keep writing and writing and always improving. Don’t stop honing your craft ever. Always challenge yourself. My Mac and Millie series books are all unique. Yes there are common themes but they are different in structure and feel and this is purposeful. There are many ways to get published and you can enjoy success traditionally or independently. Sometimes both.

Whatever you do, don’t stop writing. And decide for yourself how you want to put your book out into the world. Find your audience and be generous with them too.

Excellent advice.

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

Oh my gosh! So many. I got so excited after my very first draft of my first book that I started querying and sending out so many letters and getting so many rejections! It was so wild. I should have relaxed a bit and regrouped. It was hard but then I realized I needed to get better so I joined a writing society, went to conferences, took classes, joined a critique group and improved myself all the while I kept writing!!

That will be inspiring to those starting on their writing journeys.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

 I was a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for years and the Chicago Writer’s Group. I had the same critique group for 8 years! We met once a month for 8 years. That was super helpful!

I’m sure you got a lot out of that.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

 Ooooh I love the Chicago Bears and Cubs! I am a huge fan of cinema! I have two Podcasts! One about movies and my books called the MisterMichaels.com Podcast and then The Magic in the Midwest Podcast about Walt Disney World!

You sure keep busy.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

What I like the Most? Hmm, the finished product and engaging with my readers!

 The Least: Sometimes, in the thick of it. You don’t know if your story is making any damn sense whatsoever. Not all the time but self-doubt and neurotic thinking tends to dominate. Sometimes though, you are so in the zone and so into what you are creating that all of that melts away and you are just living in your imagination! It’s one of the best feelings ever. Nothing like a great story to keep you happy and engaged!

I certainly relate to that.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

 There is so much fun to be had when you are the one holding all the cards! Pulling the strings! Making things happen and not happen! Setting expectations, subverting expectations, and delivering twists galore all wrapped up in a clean, cozy, place that most people find idyllic and transportive.

Nicely said.

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

Mac O’Malley holed up in the newly renovated Atrium café. His heart beat much harder than normal, not only from moving fast down Third to The Tiny Wanderer,

but also from the fear of a situation he’d never found himself in before: the prime suspect in a murder and with the possible murder weapon in his hand. He

recounted the events in his head. He paced the floor without the use of his cane; he examined it with the flashlight from his phone. Were there any markers on

it to indicate he did strike the man in the head with the cane? There was a lot of blood. There had been a ton spewing from the side of the man’s head.

Mac remembered he’d nodded off on the train. He awoke to a man yelling for someone to wake up. He’d quickly sprung into action to help when the man who

screamed—but it turned out to be the vic’s brother. He’d accused Mac of killing his brother with a devastating blow to the side of his head, using the cane Mac

examined as the weapon. The cane was a replica of a prop in one of Mac’s favorite “lms, The Wolfman. As much as Mac trusted what he saw, and tried to will it

from his mind, the more prevalent the dark reality set. The handle of the cane resembled the head of the wolf and was covered in bloodstains. Mac had seen his

fair share of murder weapons. This cane, his cane, was used to murder a man on the Geneva Express? The pit in his stomach grew larger. Someone on the train

had grabbed his cane and then was powerful enough to use it to bludgeon a man in the head with one powerful blow and kill him. Or could something

else have happened? Maybe he hit his head earlier which caused some bleeding from his ear; maybe it got worse over time and he was too drunk to notice.

No. Someone in his party would have noticed. Mac shook his head and forced in a deep breath. The Atrium Café was dark and newly renovated. It was

refreshed to look like the original that had been ravaged by an awful storm a few months ago. It normally eased his mind but tonight it didn’t. He sat

on a wrought iron chair; he needed to gather his thoughts. He needed to just stroll back to the scene and talk to his brother, Vince, and explain exactly

what happened. Not many other plausible suspects had the luxury of having their brother on the force—and probably the responding detective on a fresh

crime scene. He could just go back and explain that he was afraid of getting beat down by a group of drunk bachelors and that he responded to a slumped man

who, upon examination, happened to be hemorrhaging blood from the side of his head.

Simple.

Mac stood in the dark Atrium Café. He activated his phone’s “ashlight once more to #nd his way out, but before leaving, he looked down at his cane once

more. The snarled snout and piercing eyes of the were‐ wolf stared back at him. A chill managed to raise the hair on the back of his neck and his arms.

“Snap out of it, Mac.” Mac drove the cane into the tile “floor and made his way forward to the Fulton Street exit.

He stopped.

He wasn’t sure if this was the right move. He needed some guidance. Sometimes, tough situations required consulting with his best partner, Millie.

“Sorry it’s so late, Millie, but I need to talk to someone about this.” He mumbled as he dialed her number.

The phone rang and rang.

“Mac. It’s 4:10 in the morning. What’s happening?

You okay?” Millie asked.

“Usually, I give a flippant answer: yes. But no. I am definitely not okay. In the next few hours—or sooner—I might be officially wanted for murder.”

Love it!

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

My books are all page-turning romps designed to entertain, delight, keep you guessing, and hopefully positively impact you! Oh and make you think as well. Thinking is important!

People appreciate a thoughtful read.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. and include some book cover graphics and author photos if possible.

facebook.com/mistermichaels

instagram.com/jbmichaelswritesbooks

instagram.com/jbmichaels11

jb@mistermichaels.com is my email address!

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


Murder on the Geneva Express: A Mac and Millie Mystery
by JB Michaels

About Murder on the Geneva Express


Murder on the Geneva Express: A Mac and Millie Mystery
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Geneva Illinois
Independently Published (October 26, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 164 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8865567547
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CLW9X12L

Dead body found on Geneva Express!

In a perfect storm of misfortune, Mac O’Malley finds himself embroiled in a whodunnit that has everyone convinced HE has done it. Mac and Millie race against time, flee from authorities both municipal and magical, and attempt to clear Mac and his good reputation from absolute incarceration.

About J B Michaels

I have spent my life in the study of story from riveting novels to the slam-bang action-packed world of comics to the examination of film history, I have spent a lifetime learning and examining the elements that make a story incredible. This steadfast dedication has led me to write stories of my own.

I am married and with a son, I have a great love of family. I hope that you enjoy my bestselling books that mash genres from thrillers to science fiction to fantasy!

Author Links

Facebook www.facebook.com/mistermichaels

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21568640.JB_Michaels

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jbmichaels11/

Purchase Links – Amazon – Apple – Kobo – B&N

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 8 – Bigreadersite – REVIEW

January 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

January 10 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST

January 11 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 12 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 12 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 13 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

January 14 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

January 15 – CelticLady Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 16 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 17 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

January 18 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

January 19 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

January 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

January 21 – Nadaness In Motion – AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Posted in Blog Tour, Interview

Interview and Blog Tour for Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mysteries by Chris Abernathy

Posted on by Debbie

Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mysteries
by Chris Abernathy

About CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation

CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
by Chris Abernathy
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC (June 20, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 170 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8398356731
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C4M4RYFM

A cat who thinks he’s a detective. A group of amateur female sleuths in a quiet beach town. A dead man. It’s a recipe for fun – unless you’re the local police chief.

There are worse ways to go than sitting on a beach chair in Paradise Cove with a refreshing drink in your hand. But who wanted the victim dead? Detective Whiskers will need all his new friends to solve the case, but do they even want to talk to him after solving his first murder has gone to his head?

Sheila’s grandson comes to visit Paradise Cove and love is in the air, along with too much body spray, when young Freddy meets Susi the housecleaner. He might regret staying in town, though, when the murder investigation turns in his direction.

The Paradise Cove Murder Society and Detective Whiskers are on the case … and getting in Chief Anderson’s way again.

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy CSI: Cat Sleuth Investigation now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

About Miami Mice


Miami Mice: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
by Chris Abernathy
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC. (July 18, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 202 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8852554123
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C52LVYQG

A cat who thinks he’s a detective. Some amateur female sleuths. A fisherman hooks a dead body in the water.

A pair of stowaway mice find themselves stranded at Sheila Mason’s cottage when the boat they are on sinks. They may be forced to go into the Whiskers Protection Program once it is discovered that the boat was carrying a shipment of illegal drugs. Can Detective Whiskers keep his witnesses safe and stop a dangerous cartel from destroying life in Paradise Cove?

Sheila and her friends in the Paradise Cove Murder Society are also busy investigating a suspicious stranger who showed up in town at the same time. Is he responsible for the body discovered on the beach?

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy Miami Mice now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

About Purrder, She Wrote

Purrder, She Wrote: A Detective Whiskers Cat Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Florida
Wright on the Mark, LLC (September 12, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ ~204 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CBT5V6ZZ
GoodReads Link – Coming Soon

Who would be crazy enough to commit murder while surrounded by dozens of crime mystery writers?

The evidence clearly points to one suspect. The problem is, there’s no way they could have done it.

Our cat detective and the Paradise Cove Mystery Society face an old foe in the fourth installment of the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series. The stakes have never been higher and the mystery has never been stranger.

If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for. Buy Purrder, She Wrote now and find out why the only thing better than a K-9 cop is a feline detective!

About Chris Abernathy

Chris Abernathy has narrated more than 200 audiobooks and now he is writing his own stories. He has been a storyteller his entire life — around campfires at a summer camp as a counselor, on the radio for more than 30 years, as an actor with background roles on major motion pictures and TV series, as a producer of short films for social media and more. Chris is married with two sons and lives on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. He is a dual national with citizenship in the US and UK and visits family in the Scottish Highlands as often as possible.

INTERVIEW

Name: Chris Abernathy

State and City or Country and City where you live:

Alabama, Spanish Fort

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.

I published my first book in 2016 but that was just a short non-fiction book. In 2022 I released a couple of books under a pen name (Chris Wright). The Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is my first series in the Cozy Mystery genre and book one was released in May of this year.

Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

By the time this interview is published I will have released my fourth book in this series, Purrder, She Wrote (Sep 12). Book 5 is scheduled for release October 31st. The series is about a cat and his human who move to the beach and start a new chapter in their lives. Whiskers had been helping Sheila’s detective husband with his cases (he even has a small police badge on his collar) and now he’s investigating on his own. Sheila is also investigating with the help of her new friends who call themselves the Paradise Cove Murder Society.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

My goal as a writer is simply to bring my stories to life and bring a little joy into the lives of readers. I hope that I can sell enough books to focus on the writing full time and get as many books as possible to as many readers as possible. I don’t want to be retired but I do want the freedom to work from wherever my wife and I choose to be and writing allows me to do that.

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

The readers I have in mind are people who want to believe there is lots of good in the world. It may seem strange since each of my books begins with someone getting murdered but it provides an opportunity for the characters to help each other. I try to provide inspiration for anyone who feels like they are trapped by their daily lives. There is good around you and good within you and it’s never too late to explore new adventures.

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

You don’t need anyone else’s approval. Today, anyone who is willing to sit down and write a story can publish it. Finding your readers is usually the hardest part so keep in mind who you think your readers might be and explore how you will reach them while you are creating your books so that you can make sure your story will match your marketing. Then just write it and get it out there.

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

My biggest struggle was just convincing myself that my dream was attainable. I had lots of people depending on me and felt that I had to stay focused on work that was more traditional. When I spent a weeklong vacation writing and loved doing it I knew that I needed to pursue it and make it happen.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Not really. I’m in a few groups on Facebook but the only one I’m really active in is 20BooksTo50K which is more about the business end of writing. I’ll be moderating a panel at their conference in Las Vegas in November.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I love traveling and soccer. Earlier this year I got to combine the two by taking my son to the Scottish Cup Final in Glasgow. That was an amazing experience! We recently bought a boat and have enjoyed cruising around the Gulf Coast and finding beaches that we can enjoy all to ourselves.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

The toughest challenge is avoiding distractions. My wife has an office job and it’s very tempting to ask me to do anything that needs be done at the house since I’m here all the time. I do take care of a lot of chores (she still does plenty as well) but I have to make sure I set aside plenty of time for writing and all the other things required to get books into readers’ hands.

The best thing about writing is the freedom to create whatever I want. If I think the world needs more love and kindness, I can write characters who are loving and kind. The thing I like least about being an author is the self doubt. I’ve gotten great reviews on my books but I still find myself wondering if anybody really wants to read what I write.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

Cozy mysteries are great because they make you laugh. And, believe me, if you’re laughing when you read it, I was laughing when I wrote it. We all need more laughter in our lives.

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

Preview of Purrder, She Wrote

Chapter One

“After I killed him, I encased his body in bronze and displayed it as a statue outside his favorite football team’s stadium.”

The young man speaking in the crowded lobby of the Parrot Eyes Inn wore a self-congratulatory smile to match his flashy clothes and seemed briefly lost in his imagination.

His audience was an attractive young woman and a senior gentleman wearing an old fishing hat like the one made famous by Ernest Hemingway. They laughed, drawing looks from a few individuals pulling suitcases. Paradise Cove hadn’t had this many visitors since the summer beach season ended several weeks before.

“And you, Isabella?”

The man who had made the confession clasped his hands to his chest and waited eagerly for an answer.

“My first?”

“Yes.”

“I pushed him off the roof of an abandoned warehouse then put a parachute on his body and rolled it out of an airplane over Yellowstone. Some hikers saw the body fall so it was discovered quickly, but by the time they realized he had died elsewhere, the crime scene was cleaned up.”

The gentleman in the hat let out an appreciative “oooooh” as the younger man typed a note into his phone.

Isabella pointed a finger at the phone. “Don’t copycat me, Max, or you’ll be my next!”

My fur bristled at the term “copycat.” As if cats were prone to copying what humans do. Ridiculous. We couldn’t care less what humans do other than feed us and clean our litter boxes, unless it’s our job to care. Which in my case, it is. I’m a detective. Detective Whiskers.

The inaccurate and inconsiderate word, of course, wasn’t my main concern. First and foremost was the casual discussion of killing people.

As a cat, I was used to hearing humans confess things that they wouldn’t normally say in front of strangers. It was one of my greatest advantages as a detective, along with my feline sense of smell and being so close to clues on the ground. Clues that taller detectives often overlooked. But I had never overheard such casual talk about murders. If I had the ability to talk to humans, I would have made a quick exit and returned with Chief Anderson. Instead, I turned away to hide the police badge dangling from my collar. A floor-to-ceiling mirror allowed me to watch from behind a plastic palm tree as the older man glanced around conspiratorially. He spoke in a soft voice with a distinguished English accent.

“My first victim … “

Isabella interrupted. “Was shot with a poison dart from a Mardi Gras float in New Orleans. I remember that one!”

The man shook his head. “That’s what everybody _thinks_ but it wasn’t my first.” He leaned in and softened his voice even more, pulling his hat an inch lower and squinting his eyes. “The poor man was killed at high noon in a gun duel with an alien pretending to be a cowboy.”

Max stepped backward and stared. The woman grimaced.

“And now you know why I changed my name to Victor Bloodworth – so no one unfortunate enough to read that book would know that I wrote it!”

Victor tipped his hat and made his exit, walking into the hallway past a sign that read “Welcome Murder Mystery Writers.” He turned back to his laughing audience and added, “Should you ever stumble upon one of the very few copies in existence, I’ll gladly pay you £50,000 and open my oldest bottle of Scotch while we burn it!”

The black and white fur on my back, which had been standing straight up, fell back into place. I breathed out a long sigh. For one of very few times in my life, I appreciated my inability to speak to humans. And I was extremely grateful that Kojak, my K-9 officer friend, wasn’t nearby. He would have never stopped teasing me. I shamefully walked away from the mirror so that I could no longer see my badge reflecting at me and zig-zagged my way between legs to check on my human, Sheila, who was standing behind the long, wooden reception desk.

Evelyn, the elderly owner of the Inn, came out of her office holding a screwdriver. “I’ll be right back, Sheila. Thanks again for getting everybody checked in. You’re the best friend in the whole world!” She rushed toward the elevator where a man was growing agitated as he repeatedly pressed the UP button. “Kevin! Put those bags down and help me get the elevator working again.”

I had to dodge quickly as a familiar figure placed a set of luggage where I had been standing by the desk. A few guests had gathered behind the button-pusher. They looked at each other warily and walked to the stairwell. One severely obese man in a bright Hawaiian shirt spoke loudly. “You won’t catch me getting on that thing!”

“That’s a relief,” a man still waiting at the elevator joked, drawing laughter from most of the group.

As Kevin reached the elevator I spotted a bulge at the bottom of his pants leg near his left ankle — low and hardly noticeable for people, but right at eye level for a cat. It surprised me that Evelyn had agreed to let him stay with her during his house arrest. Having him interact with guests may have been an even bigger mistake. Even if he behaved perfectly, at least one observant human was bound to see what I had seen and the gossip would start.

“Isabella Nightshade! You’ve got some nerve showing up here.”

In the center of the lobby, a conservatively-dressed woman held her nose high in the air and averted her gaze as she passed Isabella and Max. Max called out in defense of his companion.

“You’re just jealous, Buffy! Maybe one day your rich daddy will buy you a best-seller.”

Isabella, smiling and relaxed moments ago, had begun shaking. She covered her face with her hands.

“Hey, don’t let them get to you,” Max told her. “Winning is winning. I don’t even care if the rumors are true. You hit #1 on the Times, and that advance you got paid for your next book? Boom! You can laugh all the way to the bank.”

Isabella pulled mascara-covered hands away from her face and glared at Max.

“C’mon,” he continued. “You’re making the most of your new fame and fortune, aren’t you? From what I see, you’ve hired a personal trainer. That tight skirt is looking good on you. It would look even better on my … “

The whole lobby heard Isabella’s hand slap against Max’s cheek. Most gawked as she walked off in a huff. Max stared at her skirt and smirked.

Victor Bloodworth, oblivious to the drama or refusing to acknowledge it, passed Isabella heading in the opposite direction. He had re-entered the lobby and walked purposefully to the reception desk where Sheila was helping someone check in.

Victor moved beside the other guest, tipping his hat, and interrupted as politely as possible. “Excuse me. May I have a word?”

Apologizing to the woman checking in, Sheila allowed Victor to lead her down the desk to a quiet corner.

I was curious so I padded across the stained and worn carpet floor. I know. Curiosity killed the cat. But you can’t exactly be a world-class detective without it, can you?

“I don’t want to cause this hotel any more problems than it already has, but an extremely important item has gone missing and I need it back. Urgently.”

“But you just checked in. Are you sure it’s at the Inn?”

Victor took a deep breath before replying slowly to make himself very clear. “I am not one to throw out idle accusations. My bags were taken to my room and when I opened them, a vital item was missing. If it is not returned to me by 10:00 tonight then I will be forced to go to the police which, I suspect, will put an end to the limited freedom being enjoyed by the man wearing an ankle monitor. Yes, I noticed it when he walked away with my bags. Please don’t make me regret my hasty decision to avoid causing a scene. The proprietor of this once-beautiful Inn seems like a lovely woman. She also bears a strong resemblance to the man in question. While it is honorable that she is giving her son a second chance, let us hope that he, also, can find some honor within himself before it is too late.”

With that, Victor smiled and tipped his hat again to the waiting guest as he walked back toward the hallway.

As a detective, I was impressed by his observational skills and powers of deduction. It made me want to read his books. Preferably on an electronic device. Turning pages with furry paws isn’t easy and Sheila gets upset when I use my claws to punch holes in the paper. But we cats are a skeptical bunch and I did not share Victor’s optimism that Kevin might discover some personal code of honor. He had passed up too many opportunities before.

Sheila rushed back behind the reception desk, apologizing to the woman waiting there. Her face had drained of color as she glanced at Evelyn and Kevin.

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

I hope that readers feel free to reach out through my website or social media and tell me what they enjoy about my books. We all find things we don’t like and that’s fine.But when we find something we like it’s important to tell someone – hey, I like that. That’s how they know to give us more of it. I try to remember to do that in all of my relationships and it can be just as powerful in the relationship between readers and writers.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc.

My website is www.AuthorChrisAbernathy.com

I am most active on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/authorchrisabernathy

Author Links

Webpage – http://authorchrisabernathy.com

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

Amazon author profile – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chris-Abernathy/author/B07YLJPKNQ

Newsletter signup – https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a7s6c0

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 12 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 12 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 13 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 13 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 14 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW

September 15 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 15 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 16 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

September 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – The Plain-Spoken Pen – REVIEW

September 20 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 20 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 22 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

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Posted in Blog Tour, Interview

Author Interview of Alyssa Maxwell and Blog Tour for Murder at the Elms: A Gilded Newport Mystery

Posted on by Debbie


Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
by Alyssa Maxwell

About Murder at the Elms


Murder at the Elms (A Gilded Newport Mystery)
Historical Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Setting – Rhode Island
Kensington (August 22, 2023)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1496736192
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496736192
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNCLTC7P

As the nineteenth century comes to a close, the illustrious Vanderbilt family dominates Newport, Rhode Island, high society. But when murder arrives, reporter Emma Cross learns that sometimes the actions of the cream of society can curdle one’s blood in the latest installment of this bestselling cozy historical mystery series . . .

1901: Back from their honeymoon in Italy, Emma and Derrick are adapting to married life as they return to their duties at their jointly owned newspaper, the Newport Messenger. The Elms, coal baron Edward Berwind’s newly completed Bellevue Avenue estate, is newsworthy for two reasons: A modern mansion for the new century, it is one of the first homes in America to be wired for electricity with no backup power system, generated by coal from Berwind’s own mines. And their servants—with a single exception—have all gone on strike to protest their working conditions. Summarily dismissing and replacing his staff with cool and callous efficiency, Berwind throws a grand party to showcase the marvels of his new “cottage.”

Emma and Derrick are invited to the fete, which culminates not only in a fabulous musicale but an unforeseen tragedy—a chambermaid is found dead in the coal tunnel. In short order, it is also discovered that a guest’s diamond necklace is missing and a laborer has disappeared.

Detective Jesse Whyte entreats Emma and Derrick to help with the investigation and determine whether the murdered maid and stolen necklace are connected. As the dark deeds cast a shadow over the blazing mansion, it’s up to Emma to shine a light on the culprit . . .

About Alyssa Maxwell

Alyssa Maxwell is the author of The Gilded Newport Mysteries and A Lady and Lady’s Maid Mysteries. She has worked in publishing as a reference book editor, ghost writer, and fiction editor, but knew from an early age that she wanted to be a fiction author. Growing up in New England and traveling to Great Britain and Ireland fueled a passion for history, while a love of puzzles drew her to the mystery genre. She and her husband have make their home in South Florida. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the South Florida Fiction Writers.

INTERVIEW

Name: (If you have a pen name under which you write, please list both names)

Lisa Manuel; I write as Alyssa Maxwell

State and City or Country and City where you live:

Coral Springs, FL

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.

I’ve been published in mystery, as Alyssa Maxwell, for nine years. All of my mysteries have been with Kensington Publishing. There are currently 11 books out in my Gilded Newport Mysteries and 8 in my Lady & Lady’s Maid Mysteries. I haven’t self-published any titles as yet.

Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

The most recent book in my Gilded Newport series is Murder at The Elms, which came out August 22nd. This series features the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, RI, along with the historical figures who owned them, and a female journalist sleuth who is a relatively poor relation of the Vanderbilts.

My Lady & Lady’s Maid series features duel sleuths who work together, Lady Phoebe and her maid, Eva, who solve crimes above and below stairs at Phoebe’s family estate and surrounding areas in the Cotswolds.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I plan to continue my mysteries series with the goal of continuing to expand my readership, while possibly branching out into historical fiction in hopes attracting a new audience as well. So as I continue to plot new mysteries, I’m doing some preliminary research and hunting down books and other materials that will provide me with insight into the lives and time period I want to write about enable me to present as accurate a picture as possible. The prospect of branching out is a little daunting! But exciting at the same time.

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

Mystery readers, who enjoy experiencing life in the past, with its many challenges as well as its charms, will enjoy my two series.

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

First, envision the kind of career you want. What genre most interests you? It’s important to define where your books will fit into the market, and who your target audience will be. Secondly, do you want a publisher? Would you rather be self-published? Or a combination of both? Think about what suits you and your personality, goals, and work ethic best. Then stick to it. Be persistent. Don’t let rejections discourage you.

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

I had lots of rejections in the beginning, often with lots of positive comments, which actually makes it harder because how do you know what to tweak and improve upon? Sometimes rejections are a result of a publisher’s existing schedule of releases; sometimes it’s the story itself, which might be good, but doesn’t quite capture the editor’s enthusiasm. It’s important to keep writing and not dwell on any one submission. Always move forward, because it only takes one editor to kickstart your career.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I belong to the Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, and the South Florida Fiction Writers. They’ve both been invaluable in my career. I was a member of a critique group for over twenty years, which helped me enormously, but between the pandemic and some of the members moving away, we’ve disbanded. Sadly.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

My husband and I love to go antiquing. We also enjoy museums and touring stately houses. On weekend mornings we ride our bikes, usually to go vegetable shopping for the crockpot stew we’ll make later on. We’re both into miniatures. With him it’s train sets, and for me, dollhouses and miniature room boxes. And, of course, I’m an avid reader.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

I love making my own hours and having flexibility in my schedule, and going to work in whatever clothes I want. I love turning to the past, and “walking” the streets and lanes, visiting the homes, and exploring what the lives of my characters would have been like in their respective time periods. I also enjoy the puzzle of building a mystery plot.

The hardest thing about being an author is finding the self-discipline to turn off the real world and silence thoughts about the mundane things I need to do, what I’ll cook for dinner, etc., and focus completely on the writing. Some days, it can feel exhausting!

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

I especially like the challenge of solving crimes without forensics or police procedures, relying solely on my sleuths’ skills of deduction, powers of persuasion, and sheer luck, to solve a crime. I also enjoy writing books that most anyone can read, even teens, because there is no foul language, graphic violence, or overtly sexual situations.

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

Excerpt: I turned in at the service driveway. Approaching the delivery entrance was like venturing into another world entirely from the one the owners, Edward and Herminie Berwind, inhabited. Gone were the statues, the exotic trees, and the carefully designed flowerbeds that graced the rest of the property. Here, it seemed the sun ducked behind thick clouds. That was only an illusion. Dense and tangled vines of wisteria grew like a roof above the circular drive, shielding the delivery carts and wagons from view of anyone gazing down from the first or second-story windows. Likewise, coal deliveries were made at the mouth of a tunnel that opened onto Dixon Street beyond the stone wall on the south side of the house. As far as the family or any of their guests were concerned, The Elms ran as if by magic.

Yet it wasn’t magic that had brought me there that morning. As soon as I passed through the delivery hall and into the cold-preparation kitchen, the tension wrapped like tentacles around me. The house had been open a mere few weeks, but even so, by now the staff should have fallen into a seamless rhythm as they went about their tasks. I felt no such rhythm, no harmony of a well-tuned orchestra.

Footmen, maids, kitchen staff—even the butler and housekeeper, judging by their clothing—stood gathered two and three deep around the long, zinc-covered table used for the preparation of cold dishes. A quick glance through the wide windows looking into the main kitchen—normally the heart of any great house—revealed a stillness I found astonishing, especially at that time of day. Only one man hovered over the cast iron range with its many burners and oven doors. His white tunic and tall hat identified him at the Berwinds’ chef. No assistants chopped food or mixed ingredients at the worktable, no scullery maids collected used pots and pans to scrub at the long sink.

If I hadn’t known better, I’d have ventured to guess that nearly all the servants, over forty of them, were planning to . . .

“That’s it, then,” the butler said with a sigh and a yank at his necktie, “we are going to strike.”

I swallowed a gasp.

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

I began The Gilded Newport Mysteries because of my own connection to and love for the city. My husband is a Newporter born and raised, as were his parents and several generations before them. Through him and my in-laws, I gained an insider’s insight into what life is like for the people who live there year round, as opposed to what tourists experience. Writing these books has been an absolute joy and I hope that comes across in the stories.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. and include some book cover graphics and author photos if possible.

Author Links

Website www.alyssamaxwell.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlyssaMaxwellauthor/
Facebook Sleuths In Crime https://www.facebook.com/SleuthsInTime
Twitter https://twitter.com/Alyssa__Maxwell
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alyssamaxwellauthor/
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7163135.Alyssa_Maxwell

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 18 – Mystery, Thrillers and Suspense – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 18 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 18 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

September 19 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

September 19 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 19 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – SPOTLIGHT

September 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

September 20 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

September 20 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 21 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

September 22 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

September 22 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

September 23 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

September 24 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

September 24 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Posted in Blog Tour, Interview

Author Spotlight of Jackie Layton and Blog Tour for Weeding Out Lies

Posted on by Debbie

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing author Jackie Layton from Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

Hi, Jackie. Nice to have you on Ruff Drafts. Please tell us how long you’ve been published and what titles and/or series you’ve published and with which publisher. Have you self-published any titles? Please give details.

Bite the Dust was published in February 2020. It’s the first book in A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series.

Previously published books:

A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery Series:

Bite the Dust- Bell Bridge Books February 2020

Dog-Gone Dead- Bell Bridge Books June 2020

Bag of Bones- Bell Bridge Books October 2020

Caught and Collared- Beyond the Page February 2022

A Killer Unleashed- Beyond the Page February 2023

A Texas Flower Farmer Mystery Series:

Weeding Out Lies- Level Best Books July 11, 2023

Very nice. Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

Weeding Out Lies was released in July by Level Best Books.

Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.

A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series follows the adventures of Andi Grace Scott the local dog walker in Heyward Beach, South Carolina. She finds her first dead body one morning when going to walk a dog. Andi Grace has always lived in Heyward Beach, and it’s easy for her to get information from friends and family. She discovers she has a knack for solving mysteries, and it’s a good thing because more dead bodies appear in this series.

Both those series sound great. I also write two cozy mystery series; The Cobble Cove Mysteries that include six books and are published by Solstice Publishing and my new Buttercup Bend series published by Next Chapter Publishing of which I just released the third book, The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian, and am working on the fourth.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I’m excited to share that I have a contract for two more books in A Texas Flower Farmer Mystery series. I also have a contract with Level Best Books for a cozy mystery series set on the coast of Georgia. Clutter Free is the first book of An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery Series, and it features a professional organizer as the amateur sleuth.

Also, the sixth book of A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series will come out in February, 2024. It’s the last book in the series, and there’s another dead body as well as a wedding and a family secret is revealed.

I love writing cozy mysteries and connecting with readers and other authors. I enjoy events where I can meet readers, and I have already registered for Malice 2024.

My next few years will focus on writing the books for these series. I’m excited about all of them.

Congratulations! Sounds wonderful.

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

I hope all cozy mystery readers will enjoy these series. Dog lovers should especially enjoy A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series. New dogs appear in each book, and the regulars reappear. No dog will ever die in my books. It’s too painful.

I’m not crafty. I don’t sew or knit. I’m a fair cook, but now that we’re empty nesters, I focus more on healthy food. I don’t bake many desserts these days.

The amateur sleuths are different ages, and I hope to appeal to all readers.

It seems your audience would be dog lovers, while mine would be cat lovers. However, in my new series, I focus on a new animal each month. The first focused on cats; the second parrots; and the new release focused on llamas. My next book will feature whales, and there will be a dog book at some point, although there are already two dogs in the series (two cats, too).

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

Read, read, and read more. Don’t give up and connect with other authors. Sisters in Crime is an amazing group to join if you’re interested in writing mysteries. There are many chapters to choose from, and the authors are encouraging.

I agree about Sisters in Crime. I’m a member, too. I haven’t been to Malice yet, but it’s on my conference bucket list.

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

Rejections. They hurt. Becoming published was my dream, so I kept trying. I took online classes and joined groups like Sisters in Crime. Time management was another challenge. Working as a full-time pharmacist and family commitments made it challenging to find time to write. I got up early in the morning and started writing before work. My husband has always been supportive of my desire to write. We used to joke about how happy I was when a friend asked him to golf on the weekends because I had at least four uninterrupted hours of writing.

Interesting. I’m a morning writers, too.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Sisters in Crime, the Grand Canyon Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and the Guppy Chapter of SinC.

I belong to all of those except the Grand Canyon Chapter.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I enjoy walking, especially walking on the beach. I also enjoy gardening and taking golf cart rides around Pawleys Island.

Nice. I also enjoy walking when the weather’s nice or doing walking videos indoors. I’m not much of a gardener, but I do love visiting them.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

I enjoy creating stories and writing. Marketing is my biggest challenge.

Same for me.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

I love the characters and the small towns of each series. It’s also fun to create mysteries that I hope readers will enjoy solving.

I feel the same way about writing cozies.

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

I hope readers enjoy my characters. They’re not perfect people, but they have big hearts for their friends and family.

I believe cozy characters (and other book characters) are one of the most important element of stories.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc. and include some book cover graphics and author photos if possible.

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:

https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel

https://twitter.com/joyfuljel

https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor/

AUTHOR WEBSITE:

https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/

BACK COVER COPY:

Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.

Thank you so much for the interview, and best wishes on your new release and future books. I’m sharing your blog tour information below.


Weeding Out Lies: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery
by Jackie Layton

About Weeding Out Lies


Weeding Out Lies: A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Texas
Level Best Books (July 11, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C7JT33B4

Flower farmer Emma Justice’s life is firmly rooted in Lutz, Texas where she has recently begun her new business. One morning while delivering flowers, she stumbles upon a prominent citizen. Dead. When a friend is accused of murder, Emma launches her own investigation. She’s used to separating weeds from flowers. Emma will dig for clues, weed out red herrings and cultivate a plan to find the killer.

About Jackie Layton

Jackie Layton is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies. She always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Be careful what you say around her, because it might end up in a book.

Author Links

Author Website https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor/

Twitter https://twitter.com/joyfuljel

Goodreads https://bit.ly/37slujv

Bookbub https://bit.ly/37RqGQ8

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 9 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 9 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

August 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 10 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

August 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 12 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

August 12 – Jane Reads -CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

August 13 – ebook addicts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 14 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 14 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

August 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 15 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

August 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

August 16 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

August 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 17 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

August 18 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

August 18 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

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Author Interview and Blog Tour for Murder at the Pontchartrain by Kathleen Kaska

Posted on by Debbie


Murder at the Pontchartrain
by Kathleen Kaska

About Murder at the Pontchartrain


Murder at the Pontchartrain
Cozy Mystery (Humorous)
6th in Series
Setting – New Orleans, Louisiana
Anamcara Press LLC (June 15, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1941237940
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1941237946

“My name is Sydney Lockhart. I solve murders, most of which I’m the primary suspect.

My boyfriend/partner, Ralph Dixon, and I came to the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans to get married. Instead, Dixon’s in jail for a double murder. I’m in a swamp, spying on the KKK. Helping me untangle this mess is my bubble-headed cousin Ruth who’s undercover as a chef at the Pontchartrain. My twelve-year-old charge, Lydia LaBeau, dressed as a voodoo queen, is looking for clues at Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter. Rip Thigbee, a ghost detective, is my only hope.

I’m not making any of this up. This is my life and this is what I deal with, like it or not.

So, mix yourself a Hurricane and join me in the Big Easy for another historic hotel murder case.”

AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

Welcome to Ruff Drafts, Kathleen. Please tell us where hail from?

I live in Anacortes, Washington, a small town on the coast. I have the mountains and bays outside my window. But since I’m a Texas gal, I spend much of time in my home state. My family, the Gulf Coast, and TexMex Tacos keep pulling me home.

Nice. How long have you been published? What titles and/or series have you published and with which publisher? Have you self-published any titles?

My first book was released in 1996. It was the first of three mystery trivia books, each published by a different publisher.

The Agatha Christie Triviography and Quiz Book: Citadel Press

The Alfred Hitchcock Triviography and Quiz Book: Renaissance Books

The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book: Globe Pequot reissued the updated Holmes book in 2020.

My next series was the Kate Caraway Animal Rights Mysteries, published by The Wild Rose Press. There are three books in that series: Run Dog Run, A Two Horse Town, and Eagle Crossing, which recently won first place in the Murder and Mayhem category of the Chanticleer International Book Awards. Each book in this series features an animal-right issue.

My Sydney Lockhart mysteries are published by Anamcara Press. These are lighthearted, humorous, and set in the early 1950s at different historic hotels.

Murder at the Arlington (The Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas)

Murder at the Luther (The Luther Hotel in Palacios, Texas)

Murder at the Galvez (The Galvez Hotel in Galveston, Texas)

Murder at the Driskill (The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas)

Murder at the Menger (The Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas)

Murder at the Pontchartrain (The Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans)

The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story is a biography published by the University Press of Florida.

Earlier this year, I wrote a children’s book with my grandniece, who is six years old. I wanted us to work on a special project together. She told me the story and drew the pictures. Then, I added the final touches. The title is Rapunzel and the Sea Monster. This book is self-published, available on Amazon, and she gets the royalties.

Wow! You are very prolific. I love that you helped your young niece write a book. I’d wanted to do that with my daughter when she was young. I wish I had. Kids have such imaginations.

Tell us a little bit about your books.

My Kate Caraway series, Run Dog Run, is set near Austin, Texas, and involves greyhound racing. A Two Horse Town deals with saving wild mustangs in Montana, and Eagle Crossing features a wildlife rehab facility for injured birds located on Lopez Island, Washington. Eagle Crossing was released in October 2022 and won first place in the Mystery and Mayhem category of the Chanticleer International Book Awards contest. The idea for this series came to me when I was a volunteer for Wildlife Rescue in Austin, Texas. Our purpose was to rescue orphaned and injured wildlife and, if possible, return them to the wild.

The Sydney Lockhart books came about from my love of traveling. My husband and I search for historic hotels in which to stay. On one trip to the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, our room was not ready, and we had to wait about two hours. My imagination kicked in, and I envisioned a dead body in the bathroom of our room. Then Sydney showed up and told me the story. That was when I discovered I could write humor.

So interesting. Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I will continue to write my two series, but I like trying new things. I just finished a quirky British detective mystery set in a small village on the Cornish Coast and a gritty hardboiled mystery set in the 1940s in Manhattan. Those will be ready to submit by the end of the year.

I also have two mystery series: The Cobble Cove and Buttercup Bend mysteries. I hope to continue both of them, as well and also write other standalones. Like you, I enjoy trying new genres.

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

Readers who like humorous cozy mysteries will enjoy the Sydney Lockhart series. They have been compared to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. Evanovich was a significance influence on me to start writing humor. The series is considered historic because it is set in the fifties. It also appeals to young women because my main character, Sydney Lockhart, is a feisty, sassy young woman who’s trying to make it in a man’s world. There weren’t many female private detectives during that decade, and Sydney is ahead of her time. I also have a lot of male readers who enjoy this series. One fellow who lives in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the setting of Murder at the Arlington, told me he read the entire book in the lobby of the Arlington Hotel.

I love that story.

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

Do not give up. And in the meantime, keep honing your writing skills. If you’re having trouble finishing a WIP, join a critique group. Receiving help and advice from other writers keeps you on task. Writing is a lonely business; reaching out to other writers keeps your mind fresh and your imagination active.

Great advice.

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

Before I gained the courage to write fiction, I tried my hand at different things: travel writing, writing stage plays, short stories, and even science writing for textbooks. When I started writing books, I went the agent route and found one quickly, so that part was easy. But challenges and struggles come with being a writer. It’s like riding a roller coaster that never stops.

I hear you. I’m still trying to land an agent. I began by writing for my college newspaper and then writing articles for pet magazines, but I was also writing full-length mysteries and short stories that I hadn’t published. I still have those manuscripts, some handwritten. I now have 16 published books by two Indie publishers, and the 17th is coming soon.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I belong to the Skagit Valley Writer’s League, the Houston Writer’s League, Whatcom Writers and Publishers. I’m also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Authors Guild.

I belong to Sisters in Crime and am thinking of joining MWA and the Authors Guild.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

Birding, running, and watching baseball. I have many friends who enjoy birding; and getting together with them is a blast, especially when we spot a rare bird. Running is a great way to let my mind wander to generate new ideas. My husband and I also love taking roads. Getting outdoors and seeing something new helps clear my mind and get my priorities straight. And during baseball season, watching a game is a great way to unwind. I won’t reveal my favorite team; you might hate me.

Lol. I’m not into baseball. I enjoy walking and am looking forward to moving to a more rural area next year where I can be closer to nature. Maybe I’ll take up birding, too.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

Creating something out of nothing is what I love. It never gets old, and I never take it for granted. When the ideas start rolling, I get them down immediately. The toughest challenge is having so many ideas pop into my head that I don’t have time to develop all of them.

I feel exactly the same. It’s a challenge. So many ideas, so little time to write them all.

 What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

I like writing what I like reading. Cozies help me unwind and relax when the world seems too insane and the news is troublesome.

I agree.

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

Murder at the Pontchartrain is the sixth mystery in the Sydney series. It will be released by Anamcara Press on June 28. It is set at the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans. This city has so much to offer, and I couldn’t help but use some of its culture and charm in the plot. I bring in the practice of voodoo, the festivities of Bourbon Street, and the eeriness of the swamps located nearby.

This excerpt features Sydney and her bubble-headed blonde cousin, Ruth, discussing the hotel. Sydney is trying to focus on the case she’s investigating, and Ruth is more interested in the goings-on involving the Pontchartrain.

“Hey, look at this.” Ruth held up the hotel’s brochure, kicked off her heels and crawled into my bed. “It says Tennessee Williams wrote A Streetcar Named Desire while staying here.”

“Yeah, I heard that.”

“I wonder which room he stayed in.”

“The concierge could probably tell you.”

“Why would any playwright name a streetcar Desire as part of the title?”

“Go see the play.”

“He could have named it, Streetcar Named New Orleans or Streetcar Named Louisiana.”

“Ruth! He named it Desire after the street in New Orleans named Desire.”

“Why would anyone name a street Desire? What’s wrong with Oak Street or Elm Street, or Main Street?”

“I can’t answer that, Ruth. But you have to admit that the title A Streetcar Named Main, doesn’t have the same ring to it. It’s flat. Something named Desire has a sultry, maybe passionate or erotic feel.”

“Hmmm, now that I think about it, why would anyone name a child Tennessee?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he was born in Tennessee.”

“Thank goodness, he wasn’t born in Massachusetts.”

That’s great. Thanks for sharing.

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

I also write the humorous blog, “Growing Up Catholic in a Small Texas Town,” because sometimes, when you find yourself taking life too seriously, you just have to laugh.

That’s the truth.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc.

http://www.kathleenkaska.com

http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Kathleen%20Kaska

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B001K88UMQ

https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/kathleenkaska/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-kaska-942aa511/

https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Kathleen+Kaska

Thanks so much for the interview, and best wishes on your new release and blog tour.

About Kathleen Kaska

Kathleen Kaska is the author of the awarding-winning mystery series: the Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the 1950s and the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights Mystery Series. Her first two Lockhart mysteries, Murder at the Arlington and Murder at the Luther, were selected as bonus books for the Pulpwood Queen Book Group, the country’s largest book group. She also writes mystery trivia. The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book was published by Rowman & Littlefield. Her Holmes short story, “The Adventure at Old Basingstoke,” appears in Sherlock Holmes of Baking Street, a Belanger Books anthology. She is the founder of The Dogs in the Nighttime, the Sherlock Holmes Society of Anacortes, Washington, a scion of The Baker Street Irregulars. Watch for Murder at the Pontchartrain: the 6th Sydney Lockhart Mystery in June 2023.

  • Author Links

Website http://www.kathleenkaska.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/KKaskaAuthor

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/kathleenkaska

Instgram https://www.instagram.com/kathleenkaska/

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Kathleen%20Kaska

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/www.kathleenkaska.com

Purchase Links – Anamcara Press – Amazon

Tour Participants

June 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

June 15 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

June 16 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 19 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 20 – Indie Author Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 21 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

June 23 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 24 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 27 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 28 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER INTERVIEW, GIVEAWAY

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

 

Posted in Authors, Blog Tour, Interview

Interviews with Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell, Authors of Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder

Posted on by Debbie

Today, I’m pleased to welcome authors Brenda Whiteside from Arizona and Joyce Proell from Minnesota to talk about themselves and their new release, Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder: A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery. Hello, ladies. Glad to have you on Ruff Drafts.

How long have you both been published?

What titles and/or series have you published and with which publisher?

Brenda: 14 years. I published one 5-book series (Love and Murder) with The Wild Rose Press. I also published single titles with them: Sleeping with the Lights On, The Morning After, Post-War Dreams, Amanda in the Summer. Have you self-published any titles? Please give details. I acquired the rights back to the 5-book series and have self-published under the series name Wild Horse Peaks. I have self-published another series, The MacKenzie Chronicles. It is a 3-book series. Both of these series are romantic suspense. My current project is the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mysteries. This is self-published with a co-author, Joyce Proell. The first of three books released March 7, 2023. The second book will release in September, 2023.

Joyce: Ten years. The books are in this order: Eliza (Champagne Books), A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth (The Cady Delafield, Champagne Books) Amaryllis (Wild Rose Press) and Candy, Cigarettes and Murder (self-pubbed).

Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

Brenda: I’ve been concentrating on romantic suspense for years. Both of those series are set in Arizona. I enjoy writing from several points of view. Most of the books have three points of view: the heroine, the hero, and the villain. My current series is a cozy mystery. I’m having great fun with this more light-hearted genre. The first book in the series, Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder released March 7. What makes writing this series so much fun is my co-author. The idea came from a twice a year ritual I have with my sister. We have a chocolate martini at an historical inn and saloon on our birthdays. We laughingly called ourselves the Chocolate Martini Sisters. The name conjured the story idea, and I presented it to Joyce. It’s been great fun creating the sisters and the mystery.

Joyce: Amaryllis and Eliza are historical romances. The Cady Delafield books are romantic suspense set in the late 1880’s. Candy, Cigarettes and Murder is the first in a series of cozy mysteries.

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

Brenda: I want to continue on the cozy mystery path for at least another three books beyond the three Joyce and I have planned. Having a writing partner helps keep me on track. We have different styles in both writing and life so we balance each other. In fact, she has a much calmer approach, so she’s good therapy for me.

Joyce: I aim to challenge my mind, continue to perfect my craft, and deliver a product readers will love and enjoy, and hopefully, continue to read. My current energies focus on completing the next two books in the Chocolate Martini Sisters series.

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

Brenda: The current series, Chocolate Martini Sisters Mysteries, should have wide appeal. Mystery entertains regardless of age or gender. Since it’s cozy, a reader can expect to not have graphic violence or sexual situations. It’s a good whodunnit read.

Joyce: With the Chocolate Martini Sisters, any reader who loves a light-hearted mystery will do.

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

Brenda: Practice and keep at it. Every paragraph you write will be better than the last. Never give up. I’ve been lucky to have a group of critique partners who have helped me improve my craft over the years. I highly recommend finding a group to share your stories. And please, if you plan to self-publish, get yourself an editor.

J0yce: Keep your butt planted in the chair and write. Don’t fret with making it perfect. Revisions will soothe out the snags, add the pizzazz, and make it pretty.

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

Brenda: I wanted an agent and I had a stack of rejections. But I didn’t lose faith. That’s important. I gave up on the agent route and started submitting directly to small publishers. I was working fulltime at an outside job so just finding the time to write was a challenge. I wrote one of my books almost entirely in fifteen-minute sessions before work every morning. When a publisher accepted my first book, I was ecstatic.

Joyce: I worked in a vacuum, days alone typing. I believed once a writer finished their manuscript and sent if off to a publisher, an immediate contract for publication would appear. Nah. Such success stories happen only to the storied few. Most writers receive countless rejections. Many never find a publisher. For most writers, myself included, getting published is a long, frustrating slog.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Brenda: I have my critique partners. I belong to Arizona Professional Writers and Central Arizona Writers.

Joyce: Not at the moment. For years, I was in a critique group with fellow authors, and wear I met Brenda Whiteside, my co-author on the cozy series.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

Brenda: I adore time with my granddaughter. I try to spend several days every few weeks with my mom who is 92. I have a fairy garden that takes up way too much time, but I love to play in the dirt (as my husband FDW calls it).

Joyce: I’m an avid reader of mysteries, thrillers and general literary fiction. I swim early in the morning. I love walking, and now that I have a puppy, I can’t wait for the snow to melt and long walks with my little buddy. I tend my flower garden in the summer. Baking is very relaxing, and testing the cookies when they’re still warm from the oven is a sacrifice I make to ensure a good result.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

Brenda: I really am not fond of promo. But in this day and age, with the competition so fierce, an author has to put herself out there. My toughest challenge is allowing myself some personal time outside of writing.

Joyce: Analyzing a sentence and tweaking the words until the statement is bright, vivid and packs emotion is great fun. The toughest challenge is promoting me, and my work. I’m an introvert and naturally reserved and private.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

Brenda: F U N! My partner is a mystery weaver extraordinaire. It’s great fun working with her. I have a good time with dialogue and the repartee between the sister I writer (Nic) and Joyce’s sister she writes (Em). I love setting the scene. Making it real for the reader.

Joyce: Cozies are essentially fun, upbeat adventures with a puzzle to solve. The stories often occur in bucolic settings with a cast of characters that are charmingly quirky, and who are always on hand to offer support and kindness when needed.

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

Brenda: Yes. I chose this one because it is from the point of view of Nic, who is my character to write. It says a little about the two sisters’ different personalities.

Nic stood in front of the dresser mirror. One last burst of warm air to her mane, and she switched off the hair dryer. After a quick brushing, she gave her head a shake and left her locks to hang loose on her shoulders. “I don’t know how you can’t jump to that conclusion,” she shouted at Em in the shower. “Jillian’s personality and motivations make her the prime suspect.” Her sister, always the cautious one, still had doubts about the hotel owner’s guilt in the murder. She held dangly yellow and silver earrings from her jewelry pouch toward the sunlight pouring in from the hotel room window. Glancing at her blouse on the bed, she liked the color combination. Inclining close to the mirror, she hooked them in her ears.

Em, now out of the shower, poked her wet head from the bathroom doorway. “I do think she’s a strong possibility, but we need more substantial facts. Throw me my robe, would you? And you might think about wearing one considering the curtains are wide open.”

She glanced down at mostly skin. “I had a two-piece bathing suit twenty years ago that covered less than my underwear.” To appease her sister, she lifted the green and yellow blouse from the bed and slipped it on.

Robed, Em drifted into the room toweling her brown hair, the highlights of auburn and gold not yet shining with the dampness. “I’m jelly after that massage.” She lifted the hair dryer, and leveled her with a big, green-eyed there-you-go-again face. “You were all set on Chef Payne being the murderer earlier. Remember?”

She zipped her stone-washed, skinny jeans, and held her comment until Em shut off the dryer. “Yes, I admit he seemed a likely candidate. His abrasiveness, added to his drive to move to an exclusive restaurant in the valley, creates a volatile situation. The man appears to act out of angry passion in all manners of his life—under his chef hat anyway.”

“And you know this how?”

“I have my sources.” She grinned, feeling cocky. “At any rate, murdering won’t get him the review he wanted. More important though, I’m not feeling it anymore.” And she always trusted her gut over her sister’s analytical reasoning.

Joyce:

“What the hell?”

The painful howl jabbed at the very core of Emma’s center. It hurt her ears. “Sounds like a wounded dog or a coyote.” She exited the car and quietly closed the door, afraid any noise would further frighten the distraught beast. “Pathetic thing.” Images of the animal’s bloodied leg possibly snared in a jagged trap sickened her.

“Sounds like its coming from behind the house or the nearby woods.” Without hesitation, Nic pounded up the walkway to Joe’s front stoop, shoulders rigid in a no-nonsense manner.

She hung back a second checking her surroundings. The house had a vacant appearance as though no one lived there, though why she couldn’t say. They had the correct address and assumed the black truck belonged to Joe. The house, a one-story with stone on the bottom third and logs comprising the balance of the structure, sat a good shouting distance from the neighbors. A decorative A-frame in rustic wood crowned the front door. Next to it stood five side by side windows. A vacant carport sat off to the right.

She hurried after Nic, wincing at another volley of ear-piercing yowls. The tormented sound set her nerves on edge. Nic rang the doorbell, then cupped her hand against the door’s window and peered in. “I don’t see him. Wow! That is one honking big L-shaped couch.”

“We’re not here to critique furniture.” She squinted through the window. The open-concept design afforded a view through the living room to the dining area and a bit of the kitchen. Two windows at the back flooded the space with late afternoon light. Next to the massive television mounted on the wall, a hallway led off presumably to the bedrooms.

“Joe. You in there?” Her sister’s elevated tone raised another beastly cry.

“He could be out back, trying to help that tortured critter.”

“C’mon. Let’s take a look.” Nic shone with a “take no prisoners” expression as she hurried from the porch, her sandals smacking against the steps. Ogres. Hurricane winds. Vicious animals. Nothing would get in her way.

“Nic! Wait! Let’s take this slow. What if we spook it?” She envisioned a yet to be determined creature attacking. A scan of the area revealed no weapon they might use for protection should the animal, crazed with pain and fear, pounce on them. Dang!

“Hey. Don’t worry.” Her sister resumed her purposeful march. “Animals love me.”

“Uh-huh,” she replied with an eye roll. This could be one of those situations where optimism had its limitations. She prayed it wasn’t. They followed the cracked, sloping concrete walkway between the house and the carport, bypassing a banged-up dumpster. At the back, steps led to an elevated wooden deck. Without warning, Nic thrust up her arm and paused.

“Geez, Nic,” she hissed, almost tripping. “I about ran into you.”

“Sorry.”

How unlike her sister to show restraint when rushing in with great abandon was more Nic’s style. The added caution prickled the hairs on her neck. Evidently, the dangers of the wailing animal hadn’t gone amiss. After checking left and right—Nic’s idea of aerial recon—she proceeded up the steps.

She followed, uneasy at the scrape and dragging noise against the planks of the overhead deck.

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

Brenda: I’ll toot my horn and say that my romantic suspense books have won awards. Also, if they would like to keep up to date on releases and bits and pieces of my life as well as be entered in quarterly gift drawings, an end of the year grand prize, and receive a free book just for joining, they can join BNG (Brenda’s Newsletter Group) https://us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4804e039587723cfe02e83f2c&id=5e4b22a4ac

Joyce: Candy, Cigarettes and Murder is a story about two mystery-loving sisters on a fun weekend getaway. When a murder occurs, they are excited to apply their sleuthing skills to finding the killer, an experience making for a memorable trip. It’s a wild frolic you’re sure to enjoy.

Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc.

Visit Brenda:

https://www.brendawhiteside.com

Or on FaceBook:

https://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/brendawhitesid2

She blogs and has guests:

https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page:

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

BookBub:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-whiteside

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/brendawhitesideauthor/

Join her Newsletter Group here:

https://us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4804e039587723cfe02e83f2c&id=5e4b22a4ac

Visit Joyce:

Author Joyce Proell

Joyce Proell/Author | Facebook

Joyce Proell (@jproell1) / Twitter

Joyce Proell (Author of Amaryllis) | Goodreads

www.amazon.com/stores/Joyce-Proell/author/B009K432O8

Joyce Proell Books – BookBub

Thank y0u both for your great interviews. I’m sharing your blog tour below. Best wishes on your new release.


Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
by Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell

About Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder


Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Wyatt, Arizona
Independently Published (March 7, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 266 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BN96RS4G

It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.

Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?

About the Authors


Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

Visit her website at: www.joyceproell.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyceProellAuthor

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Joyce-Proell/author/B009K432O8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6545483.Joyce_Proell

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won’t discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Visit Brenda’s Website: https://www.brendawhiteside.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brendawhitesid2

She blogs and has guests: https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003V15WF8

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3972045.Brenda_Whiteside

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/brenda-whiteside

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendawhitesideauthor/

Join her Newsletter Group here: https://us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4804e039587723cfe02e83f2c&id=5e4b22a4ac

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 15 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 16 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

March 16 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 17 – I’m Into Books – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 18 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

March 19 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 20 – Novels Alive – REVIEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

March 21 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

March 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 22 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 22 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

March 23 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

March 24 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

March 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – The Mystery Section – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

March 27 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

March 28 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

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Posted in Blog Tour, Cozy Series, Interview

Interview of Elizabeth Pantley, Author of Bakeries and Buffoonery, the Fourth Magical Mystery Book Club Cozy Mystery

Posted on by Debbie

Today, I’m interviewing one of my favorite cozy mystery authors, Elizabeth Pantley from Washington state.

Welcome, Elizabeth. 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.

I’ve been writing parenting books for over twenty years with McGraw Hill, and am the author of twelve popular parenting books, available in twenty-seven languages, including the best-selling No-Cry Solution series. I began writing cozy mysteries when my youngest graduated from college and now have published ten mystery books in two different series: Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic, and the Magical Mystery Book Club.

Interesting. I haven’t read any of your parenting books, but I love both your cozy mystery series. Please tell us a little bit about them.

I have two magical cozy mystery series. The six-book collection for Destiny Falls, and the four available books for Magical Mystery Book Club. I’m now writing a novella for the book club series that will be part of an anthology – along with a dozen other prolific, well-known para-cozy authors! I’ll be sharing info about that soon in my newsletter.

 That sounds great. Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

I’ve found my rhythm writing these books, and four new ones per year is a schedule I can work with. I set out to write two books per year, so I’m chugging along at twice my goal! These books are so much fun they almost write themselves!

Wow! That’s wonderful. I know that feeling with my own two cozy series, the Cobble Cove and Buttercup Bend mysteries. It’s amazing how plots seem to come together, almost like magic, and how characters can lead stories forward.

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

I write for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted cozy mystery with main characters you’d love to be friends with. I would say my style is more along the lines of magical realism. The worlds in my books are ones you recognize and aren’t so different from yours – except that a vampire, shifter, or fairy lives in your town!

I love that. It makes your books so much fun.

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

I think Stephen King said it best. He said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” I suggest you read every day from the genre you wish to write in. Pick highly rated books with enthusiastic reviews. Then write, even if it’s not fantastic from page one, it will get better with practice.

 Excellent advice.

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

My path has been different from most because I wrote non-fiction for over twenty years. When I switched to fiction, I found it to be a whole new ballgame! I had to learn so much, it was a major pivot in my writing career. I did it one step at a time. But I’m getting the hang of it!

I think you’re doing terrific.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I am a member of Sisters in Crime – which provides an amazing amount of support and camaraderie. I’m also a member of several Facebook writing groups so daily doses of friendship and support.

I’m also a member of Sisters in Crime. It’s a great group.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I enjoy the wide outdoors. Hiking in nature is my favorite non-work activity. My four adult kids are hikers, climbers, and mountaineers – so I’m always getting an invitation to try something new!

Nice.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

What I love most is creating fun experience for my readers – taking them away to another world for a grand adventure. I love reading reviews!!! I’ve been lucky that the vast majority are very positive, and those bring me great joy. I have an entire Wall of Fame in my office with all my favorite reviews posted!

My toughest challenge is handling all the marketing and administration. It takes a lot of time away from writing, but it’s critical to getting my books out to the world, so it’s time that must be taken.

I think most writers feel the same way about the business side of writing. I really like your idea of a Wall of Fame. It sounds like a perfect way to keep inspired.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

Oh, my gosh! Absolutely everything! Writing stories, reading reviews, meeting my readers! It’s the most fun I’ve ever had in my work life.

It’s such a good thing to love what you do.

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

Of course! I would be happy to! Here’s a snippet from Bakeries and Buffoonery!

CHAPTER 1

A rhythmic tapping on the wall started somewhere near the front door. It moved down the hall toward us, and then Frank, our dashing Siamese library cat, burst into the room with the swagger he was so good at. The tapping continued, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor in a pulsating beat. He started to shimmy his shoulders and hum a tune. As if that wasn’t odd enough, he began to rap.

“Book club day is here.

Adventure, do you dare?

Tell me where we’re goin’

But I don’t really care.

Dead bodies they are waitin’

For some investigatin’

Lead the waaay—”

He looked up and stopped mid-rap, his extended claw in the air. He saw me and Glo sitting at the counter. His entire demeanor drooped.

“Seriously?” he grumbled. “That spectacular entrance and only two of you are here to witness it? What a complete and total waste of talent.”

“You could always go outside and wait. Come back when more of the group has gathered,” I suggested, taking a relaxed sip of my tea.

“Nah. The freshness is lost.” He jumped up onto the counter. “How about you make up for it by brewing me a pot of coffee?”

“What exactly are we making up for?” asked Glo, her brows lifted in question.

“Your lack of enthusiasm. Your inability to appreciate the art. Your failure to acknowledge the artist.”

“I won’t admit to any of that, but I can make you a pot of coffee,” I said.

“Thank you, Paige.” He took a deep breath, sat down, and settled in to begin grooming his tail.

“I’m happy to see that you’re so excited for book club day.” I took out a small bowl and a container of my favorite creamer, the one I knew he loved, too. I held up the bottle toward him. “You know this stuff isn’t good for you, right?”

“And yet it’s good for you?” His whiskers twitched. He walked across the counter, leaned over to look at the bottle and squinted at the label. “Corn syrup, mal-toe-dextrin, mono-digly-cerides, carra-gee-nan—”

“Yes, yes. I’m aware of the ingredients, but I don’t care to be reminded of them. I like the front label better: Caramel Cinnamon Cream.”

“But I don’t see caramel, cinnamon, or cream on this label, Miss Paige-o-paper. You told me you shouldn’t eat things you can’t pronounce.”

“And you could learn to keep those kinds of thoughts to yourself, because frankly I don’t give a—”

Glo snickered, then covered it with a cough.

“Do you want this delicious caramel cinnamon creamer in your coffee or not?” I asked the cat.

“Did I ever say I didn’t? Load me up, girl!”

What a great excerpt. Thanks for sharing. I just love Frank, the talking cat you created. He reminds me of my library cat, Sneaky who is also Siamese but only talks currently to the other pets in my book but has his own blog where he actually interviewed Frank. Their interview can be found here: https://wp.me/p7XcB0-1dZ

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

Every book in the Magical Mystery Book Club series can be read as a standalone, but it’s more fun to read them in order, so you can learn how the book club was created and meet the characters as they appear in the stories.

Excellent. That’s the same way with my two series. I try to include enough back story, so people aren’t lost, but it’s always better to read them in order if possible.

 Please list your social media links, website, blog, etc.

SERIES LINKS

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB5R43N1

Goodreads: Magical Mystery Book Club:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/345907-magical-mystery-book-club

Goodreads: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic
https://www.goodreads.com/series/302365-destiny-falls-mystery-magic

Website:  https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.nocrysolution.com/mailing-list/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinyfallsmystery/
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-pantley

International Amazon Links:

CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BB5R43N1
UK  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BB5R43N1

AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BB5R43N1

Thanks so much for the interview, Elizabeth. I’m sharing your blog tour for Bakeries and Buffoonery.


Bakeries and Buffoonery: Magical Mystery Book Club
by Elizabeth Pantley

About Bakeries and Buffoonery


Bakeries and Buffoonery: Magical Mystery Book Club
Paranormal Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Small Midwestern Town
Independently Published (February 15, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BLLCTKCM

It’s a magical book club! When this group chooses a book, magic happens. The mystery comes to life, and they find themselves part of the story. To exit the book and get back home, they need to solve the mystery and reach The End.

This time, the club chooses a book called The Great Cake Rivalry, because, well … cake! They read the back cover and it’s unanimous. So off they go into another grand adventure into a town aptly named Frosting.

Frosting is a rural town in an idyllic setting. The people live quiet lives most of the year. But in the spring, things change. The Annual Cake Competition becomes the focus of every man, woman, and child. They take this competition seriously. The cakes are spectacular. The festival is fabulous. For a week there are contests featuring all kinds of cakes. The people of the community become official tasters and vote for the winning cakes in each category.

The grand finale is a display of finely decorated cakes, made by the town’s bakeries. The winner of the best design receives a prize package that would make any baker dizzy.

Sadly, this event has been tainted. Once a year, each one different, but all somehow related to this event, a person is murdered. The main investigator is stumped, but that could be because he’s an inept buffoon.

Can the book club help the people of this community figure out who is causing this disturbing pattern of deaths, and stop another murder from happening? Can they figure out why some of the citizens dress so oddly, and why they always wear those unique backpacks? All while they fill themselves to the brim with cake, of course.

About Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth Pantley is the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents, published in over twenty languages.

She simultaneously writes the well-loved Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the new Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books. Visit her and sign up for her newsletter at www.nocrysolution.com

Author Links

Website: https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/
Newsletter Sign-up: https://www.nocrysolution.com/mailing-list/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinyfallsmystery/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-pantley

Purchase Link – Amazon

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

February 20 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT

February 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

February 22 – I’m Into Books – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 23 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

February 24 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 25 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

February 26 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 27 – Elza Reads – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 28 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW

March 1 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 2 – Angel’s Guilty Pleasures – SPOTLIGHT

March 2 – Nadaness In Motion – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 3 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

March 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?

Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!

Posted in Blog Tour, Interview

Author Interview of Leah Dobrinska and blog tour for her new release, Death Checked Out

Posted on by Debbie

It’s my pleasure to welcome author Leah Dobrinska from Wisconsin to Ruff Drafts.

Hi, Leah. Please tell us how long you’ve been published and what titles and/or series you’ve published and with which publisher? Have you self-published any titles? Please give details.

I’ve been a published author for two years. I independently published my debut small town romance novel, Love at On Deck Café, in 2021. I published the second and third books in that series, Good To Be Home and Together With Together With You, earlier in 2022. Readers describe the Mapleton novels as heartwarming, exploding with charm, and full of the best sort of Hallmark love stories. Self-publishing was a humbling and transformative experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I learned so much and loved having complete control over the process. I hired professionals to help me along the way, including editors and a top notch cover designer, and I built a small following of devoted readers who are not afraid to shout from the rooftops about my books. I’m so grateful for the experience, and I love being an indie author.

I also love that I found a home with a publishing house for my debut cozy mystery, Death Checked Out. Getting to tap into the expertise and knowledge of the industry professionals at Level Best Books and having them back my cozy mystery series has been wonderful and a huge stepping stone for my career. I have a three book contract for the Larkspur Library Mysteries, so at least two more stories of Greta and the gang are forthcoming!

Congratulations! Tell us a little bit about your books — if you write a series, any upcoming releases or your current work-in-progress. If you have an upcoming release, please specify the release date.

Death Checked Out is the first book in the Larkspur Library Mystery series. It’s a library-focused cozy mystery set in a lakeside town in the Wisconsin Northwoods that’s perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay’s Library Lovers mysteries and Holly Danvers’s Lakeside Library mysteries. In Death Checked Out, we meet Greta, a glass-half-full kind of girl. She’s the library director in Larkspur, and she copes with the hard things in life with consummate cheerfulness. Unfortunately, her positive outlook takes a hit when murder darkens the idyllic streets of Larkspur, and not only does she find the dead body but she becomes a suspect in the murder investigation. With her librarian co-workers, the community, and her lawyer mom, Greta sets to work to clear her name and close the book on the murder before she’s checked out for good.

Death Checked Out is the first book in the Larkspur Library series. At the moment, it’s a three book series, but I’m always open to writing more! The next two books will publish in December 2023 and December 2024.

For fans of my small town romance novels, I hope to return to Mapleton in 2023, as well. I also have another series up my sleeve that I can’t wait to share in the New Year! It’s in a new genre to me, one that I’ve very excited about breaking into…*cough* rom-com *cough*.

Your series sound wonderful. I also write a cozy mystery series featuring a librarian in the small, fictional town of Cobble Cove, New York. My Cobble Cove series has six books and also features a library cat. I also started a new series featuring the co-owner of a pet rescue center. I just released the second book of that series and hope to start the third after the holidays. I’ve also written a rom com, but I prefer cozies and standalone mysteries. My books are published by two Indie publishers, Solstice Publishing and Next Chapter Publishing. I’m still seeking an agent and to publish with a larger publisher one day. I’ll be working toward that goal after I retire in a few days. I wish you luck and happy holidays!

Describe your goals as a writer. What do you hope to achieve in the next few years? What are you planning to do to reach these goals?

This is such a great question. It’s my greatest hope that with my books I’m putting something good, true, and beautiful into the world. I use that as my compass, but in short, I hope my stories spread a little joy!

In the next few years, I want to establish myself as a cozy mystery author, not only with the release of Death Checked Out this month but also with the two upcoming books in the series. I’d love to keep the Larkspur Library series going as long as readers want to keep checking it out. Pun fully intended!

I have another cozy mystery series that I’m very excited about running with, as well. The first book is written, but my goal will be to take it through several rounds of edits until it hits all the right notes. Once it’s ready, I’d like to take that out on submission to try to find a publishing house for it. That’ll take a lot of work, a lot of synopsis writing (and re-writing!), and a lot of waiting.

Alongside my cozy mystery efforts, I hope to continue to pursue my career as an indie romance author. Breaking into the rom-com genre is a big goal of mine, and to do so—and to juggle the multiple projects I seem to always find myself in the midst of—I have to set reasonable word count goals and deadlines for myself along the way.

Those sound like great goals. I also have many projects in mind for 2023 and beyond and am also planning a move next year, so I have to prioritize all these ideas and, like you, juggle multiple projects.

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

I’m hoping to attract readers who appreciate down-to-earth characters and quaint, charming settings. My books are happy and fun, so readers looking to be entertained and escape to beautiful fictional worlds are my target. I market my romance novels as being like Hallmark movies with a little less cringe…and I say that as a devoted Hallmark movie fan. I also love the Hallmark Mystery Channel, and I like to think that my cozies reflect that sort of style, as well. So, fans of the Hallmark Channel, I’ve got you covered!

People tell me that my books would also make great Hallmark Mysteries.

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

First of all, keep writing! Writing is like a muscle. It’ll get stronger the more and more you work it out. It’s like anything. The more you write, the more confident you’ll be, and the better you’ll get.

Second of all, be a reader! Read books in and out of the genre you’re writing. I have learned so much from other authors, and I find myself constantly inspired by and in awe of the creative outputs of those around me. I look up to so many authors, and I’ve learned more about the craft of writing from reading actual works of fiction than I have from reading books on the craft of writing.

Finally, never forget that the world needs your story, and no one but you can tell it. It’s easy to get sucked in to the comparison game and constantly be looking around to see what others are doing and how they’re doing it. While in some cases it’s great to learn from and be inspired by others, don’t lose sight of your unique voice and the story you have to share.

I couldn’t have answered that better. I agree completely with everything you said, especially the importance of reading that helps authors learn from others. As a retiring librarian, I’ve had the opportunity to read a variety of genres and both popular and Indie authors.

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

The greatest struggle for me on the path to publication was self-doubt. There’s a lot of waiting and wondering when you’re querying agents and again when you’re out on submission. It’s easy to let the inner critic get a little too loud and to start questioning whether what I’ve written is any good at all.

So very true.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I’m a member of the International Thriller Writers Association, and I try to participate in my local library writing events and the UntitledTown writing group in the Green Bay area.

Nice. I’m also a member of International Thriller Writers and also Sisters-in-Crime and the Cat Writers’ Association.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

Shocking no one, I’d say that my favorite hobby outside of writing is reading. I’m a member of two book clubs, and I look forward to them all month. I also love running for exercise, and I’m a huge music fan. I have a particular soft spot for Taylor Swift and have been known to spout off her lyrics whenever they apply. When given a blank space, you’d be surprised at how frequently I can work them into a conversation.

Funny. I’m a big reader, too. I like to exercise, but my knees are now preventing me from running. I do low impact aerobics and walking. I also adore my two cats and enjoy playing with them.

What do you like most and least about being an author? What is your toughest challenge?

My favorite thing about being an author is creating something that spreads joy. It follows then, that I love interacting with readers. My author newsletter is one of my favorite things. I love getting responses from subscribers and being able to interact and chat with them about all things books, writing, and life.

Let’s see. Challenges! I’d say the toughest challenge I face as an author is that writing isn’t my full-time gig. I’m a stay-at-home mom to four lovely and precocious little ones. They are my first priority, and getting to be at home with them is a great gift to me. It also sometime provides a unique hurdle to my writing efforts. Because I can’t always be writing. I get asked a lot How do you balance it all? The short answer is, I don’t. Something usually falls through the cracks, and something always has to give. I struggle with the guilt of not being able to be everything to everyone all the time, both on the mom side of things and on the author side of things. I’m always working to strike a balance!

I hear you. That is also a big challenge to me. Even though my daughter is an adult now, my full-time job made writing time difficult to find. Now that I’m retiring, I can devote myself more fully to it and to my family.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

When I was little, I wanted to be Nancy Drew. I find myself feeling that way about all the heroines in the cozy mysteries I read, and in those that I write. I love the idea of crafting an amateur sleuth that readers can relate to, see themselves in, and root for. I also have to say that cozy mystery settings are my favorite thing to develop. Give me all the small town drama, local shops, and gorgeous locales. That, and the puns! I live for the puns!

Lol. I feel the same way about cozies. I love developing quirky characters and fun mysteries.

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

Death Checked Out

Four months ago, when Greta first met Franklin, he hadn’t given her the time of day. He had opened the door on her first visit only to shut it in her face before she could so much as say, “Hi, my name is…” But Greta was not to be deterred. She’d kept at him, and slowly, he warmed to her presence, especially when she offered to courier library books directly to him.

What could she say, she was not above bribing her way into someone’s good graces with the promise of books.

After a few seconds, the rough sound of wheels rolling across wood floor reached Greta’s ears, and she turned as the door swung inward. Franklin sat in his wheelchair a couple feet inside the entryway, but the smile she had ready for him died on her lips.

Franklin’s eyes blazed with disgust and his voice was as frosty as a Wisconsin winter. “I understand what you’re asking, but you don’t seem to understand what I’m telling you!”

Great excerpt. Thanks for sharing it.

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

I’d just like to say thank you! Of all the books you could read, I’m so grateful you’ve chosen to give mine some of your time. I hope my books make you smile. If you do enjoy them, please be generous with your stars and leave an online review. Nothing helps an author keep writing more than positive momentum in the form of hearing their books resonate with a reader.

I love interacting with fellow book lovers, so please don’t be shy. Sign up to receive my newsletter so we can email each month. Find me on Instagram or Facebook. I like to have fun with social media, and I hope you’ll join in!

Newsletter: https://leahdobrinska.com/newsletter

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3zB9eeg

Barnes & Noble Author Page: https://bit.ly/leahdbnhome

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatleahwrote/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatleahwrote/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatleahwrote

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leah-dobrinska

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/leahdobrinska

Thanks for the great interview, Leah, and I wish you the best on your new series and forthcoming cozies and Rom coms.

 


Death Checked Out: A Larkspur Library Mystery
by Leah Dobrinska

About Death Checked Out

Death Checked Out: A Larkspur Library Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Wisconsin
Level Best Books (December 6, 2022)
Number of Pages ~300
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BHJJ1QRT

She’s used to checking out books. A death? Not so much.

Greta Plank, resident librarian in the small, lakeside town of Larkspur, Wisconsin, prefers her rose-tinted glasses extra rosy, thank you very much. Ever since a family tragedy landed her in Larkspur, she’s kept a happy-or-bust outlook. But Greta’s cheery resolve takes a hit when she finds the town recluse dead at the base of the stairs leading from his deck to the lake. What she assumes is a terrible accident Greta soon learns is something more sinister, and to make matters worse, new-to-town Detective Mark McHenry cites her as not only his primary source for the case, but his top suspect.

To clear her name and return to life as she knew it before the murder, Greta decides to do some clue cataloging of her own. After all, she’s got her master’s degree in library science with an emphasis in research methodology…how hard could a criminal investigation be? With the help of her fellow librarians and her lawyer mom, Greta begins checking out the pages of the murder, uncovering details about the recluse’s rare book collection and Larkspur’s real estate market as she tries to understand why anyone would have authored his death.

But with friends and neighbors stacking up as both victims and suspects, Greta must cross-reference the facts and put a hold on her idyllic worldview if she wants to get the full story without paying the fine of her life.

About Leah Dobrinska

Leah Dobrinska is the author of the Larkspur Library Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and the Mapleton novels, a series of standalone small town romances. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison and has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. As a kid, she hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet. Now, she fulfills that dream by writing mysteries and love stories. Death Checked Out is her debut cozy mystery.

A sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new—Leah lives out her very own happily ever after in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she’s not writing, handing out snacks, or visiting local parks, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her newsletter community, and connect with her through her website, leahdobrinska.com.

Author Links

Website: https://leahdobrinska.com/

Newsletter: https://leahdobrinska.com/newsletter

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3zB9eeg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatleahwrote

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatleahwrote/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatleahwrote/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leah-dobrinska

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/leahdobrinska

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

Death Checked Out Purchase link (Barnes & Noble): Coming soon!

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December 12 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT

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