Tag: Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book

Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Mrs. Odboddy And Then There Was a Tiger by Elaine Faber

Posted on by Debbie

The Formulaic Cozy Mystery Template

Whether Thriller or Cozy, avid mystery readers consume thousands of books each year. They acquire their reading material from the library, through book sales, garage sales, borrow from a friend and sometimes, actually purchase from the author!

Let’s pretend for a minute, we’re an author desirous of writing and publishing a new cozy mystery series. How is it done? What shall we write about? What is the secret of success? After careful analysis of numerous successful cozy mystery series,’ we begin to notice a certain template to the storyline of each novel.

If we follow this template, our story should begin with a beautiful, blonde female sleuth, recently divorced. She has a dog to capture the hearts of animal lovers. The dog doesn’t have to solve crimes, but it helps. Her sweetheart, (who likely resists a committed relationship) is connected to an inept police department, allowing her access to official information and documents generally withheld from the public. She also needs an unusual profession.

The best jobs or hobbies have already been snagged by other popular mystery series’. These include book store owners, catering services, dog groomers, travel agents, writers, pet sitters, private detectives, cruise ship directors, college professors, librarians, etc.

For any hope of a successful series, she’ll need a career that hasn’t been done to death, but one that gives her access to plenty of potential murder victims. It is a series, remember?

Here’s a thought. Our sleuth will own her own septic tank truck giving her access to plenty of back yards where she spots nefarious ‘going’s-on’, or how about the door-to door Avon lady selling wrinkle cream? Plenty of opportunities to look beyond the screen door and see someone bound and gagged…Maybe not.

Let’s stick with the septic tank pumper-outer lady concept.

We must follow the cozy mystery template. The lady plumber and her quirky sidekick (did I forget to mention the quirky sidekick?) find a body in the pump house. Proceed to red herrings, unrequited love, and suspicious characters, sadly, all have alibis. Toss in some plumbing trivia, stopped up toilets, overflowing bathtubs, (a humorous scene or two), and move right on to the climax where our heroine agrees to meet the  Home Depot plumbing salesman in the plumbing warehouse, but doesn’t tell anyone where she’s going. The killer-plumber strings her up to the rafters, because he’s been ‘flushed out.’ Her death is imminent. However, her dog, tracking her scent, led her detective boyfriend to the warehouse. He arrives in the nick of time. The killer is apprehended, every toilet is unstopped, and the heroine rides off into the sunset in her sewer truck.

To be fair, there are many ways writers change up the various topics; hobbies, quirky friend, red herrings, suspects, mysterious packages, murder, theft, kidnapping, contraband, , secret message, villains (always the most unexpected cast member), etc.

This is the formulaic template, with assorted variations, that most cozy mysteries follow.

Mrs. Odboddy – And Then There was a Tiger is a mystery/adventure that diverges from the monotonous, formulaic cozy mystery. Framed for burglary, and accused of passing counterfeit bills, elderly, eccentric Agnes Odboddy is determined to clear her tarnished reputation, locate and return the war bond money she misplaced, and seek justice for the local county fair’s carnival tiger, whose reputation is almost as besmirched as her own. Not a whisker of a formulaic template here, except that, of course, everything works out in the end.

Available at Amazon in print and e-book.

Read more about my mysteries at www.mindcandymysteries.com

Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There Was a Tiger: (Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries)
by Elaine Faber

A WWII tale of conflict and carnivals, turmoil and tigers.

About the Book


Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There Was a Tiger (Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries)
WWII tale of conflict and carnivals, turmoil and tigers.
Cozy Mystery/Humorous/Historical
3rd in Series
Elk Grove Publications (July 25, 2018)
Print Length: 349 pages
Digital ASIN: B07FXDV1C6

While the ‘tiger of war’ rages across the Pacific during WWII, eccentric, elderly Agnes Odboddy, ‘fights the war from the home front’. Her patriotic duties are interrupted when she is accused of the Wilkey’s Market burglary.

A traveling carnival with a live tiger joins the parishioner’s harvest fair at The First Church of the Evening Star and Everlasting Light. Accused again when counterfeit bills are discovered at the carnival, and when the war bond money goes missing, Agnes sets out to restore her reputation and locate the money. Her attempts lead her into harm’s way when she discovers a friend’s betrayal and even more about carnival life than she bargained for.

Granddaughter Katherine’s turbulent love triangle with a doctor and an FBI agent rivals Agnes’s own on-again, off-again relationship with Godfrey.

In Faber’s latest novel, your favorite quirky character, Mrs. Odboddy, prevails against injustice and faces unexpected challenges . . . and then There Was a Tiger!

About the Author
elaine-4.-touchup

Elaine Faber lives in Northern California with her husband and two feline companions. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, California Cat Writers, and Northern California Publishers and Authors. She volunteers with the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. She enjoys speaking on author panels, sharing highlights of her novels. Her short stories have appeared in national magazines and multiple anthologies. She has published seven books. In addition to the Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries Elaine writes the Black Cat Mysteries.

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 19 – Here’s How It Happened – GUEST POST

November 19 – The Book Diva’s Reads – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 20 – Mythical Books – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 20 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT, RECIPE

November 21 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 22 – Thanksgiving U.S. – Off

November 23 – Maureen’s Musings – REVIEW

November 23 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

November 24 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 24 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

November 26 – Books Direct – GUEST POST, EXCERPT

November 27 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 27 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

November 28 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

November 29 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

November 30 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW

December 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT

December 1 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW

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Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Let Her Go, a Lillian Dove Mystery, by D.J. Adamson

Posted on by Debbie

AN IDEA AT ITS ORIGIN.

When a teenager, at the end of an evening, maybe after a movie, several of us would go to the T&R, a large truck stop which also served as one of the many restaurants in our city providing an exquisite dining experience. Actually, you didn’t see many older patrons unless they were doing their own non-culinary business. It was mostly teenagers and young adults several deep in the booths on the restaurant side because they had no legal tender to get into the cocktail lounge.

This was, however, a great incubator to escalate my storytelling.  I had always been a storyteller. Show and Tell was a stage for my realistic imaginings. In the second grade, I told a whooper about how a television crew was coming to our house to film my family, and Mrs. Whitaker decided to make it a “Class trip.”  She asked every day for over a month when the filming was going to take place. This gave me the ability to add chapters to a story once started. When she found out the truth, she said I was a good enough liar to become a writer. Thus…here I am.

There is, after all, a little bit of truth in every story.

While I learned chapter and plot sequences in Show and Tell, I developed strong characters at the T & R. For each person I picked out, I made up a story of why they had come to the restaurant. My friends then began to ask for the back stories of these characters, and I found I enjoyed making up the back story of why they were at the T & R almost more than the invariable reason they were sitting in the booth and what might happen to them.

Lillian Dove in the Lillian Dove mystery series is a little truth in fiction, as well. I never met my Aunt Lillian, my father’s sister. She was estranged from our family due to her over-enjoyment of alcohol. Back in the 1940’s, alcoholism was just becoming understood as something more than just a bad habit. Today, we can actually see generational alcoholic behaviors. Learning that Mormons believe a soul can be saved after they have passed, I decided, to give my Aunt Lillian recovery. Only, there are a great many alcoholic detectives out there in fiction-land, and I wanted to research and advise my readers on other aspects of life besides crime-doesn’t pay.  So, while Lillian IS five years in recovery, her individual journey in the series is to learn how to take on life with all its challenges.

(From Let Her Go.)

If only I could go back and do life differently.

Isn’t that what people say? 

Life would be so much better.

Would it?

            If only was the mantra I’d repeated most of my life. If only I never took that first drink from my father’s bottle of Absolut, wondering at the age of twelve, what he found so exhilarating.

            Why did he like it more than us?

            Would I have always taken that throatful no matter the day or time, the year, or moment? No matter if my father drank himself dead every night? No matter if my mother killed him every day?

            Was it my destiny?

Dahlia, my mother.  Did she want to go back? Do it differently?  She always seemed so sure of herself. Right vs. wrong. White over black. Many people think she is hard to manage. Abusive. But she lived the same life I did.

Might she be unsure? Reactive? Defensive?

Are we so different?

My name is Lillian Dove. I am five years sober.

This rebirth I’ve taken has given me more questions than answers.

I have admitted my life was and is full of mayhem, but I have also admitted I have choices. I have come to suppose there is more for me if I want to take steps to create it.  I choose to believe in the Lillian buried deep inside fighting to come out.

Life shouldn’t be this hard.

Right?

LET HER GO: Lillian Dove Mystery
by D. J. Adamson

About the Book


LET HER GO: Lillian Dove Mystery
Suspense Mystery
3rd in Series
Horatio Press (November 6, 2018)
Paperback: 448 pages
ISBN-10: 1732672210
ISBN-13: 978-1732672215
Digital ASIN: B07G9TTMZ5

Murder. Betrayal. Love Gone Wrong

With her ability to present clues without giving away the endings and offering surprising twists encouraging the reader to the next page, D. J. Adamson delves into a family tragedy ending up in murder and a teenage daughter missing. When Lillian Dove finds herself involved in the police investigation, she realizes the daughter holds the key to unravel who killed her mother.

It is three days before Christmas when Lillian Dove comes across Dr. Conrad standing out in front of his house, covered in blood. When going inside the house to help other members of his family, she finds his wife killed, his son seriously injured, and his teenage daughter, Peyton Clayton, missing. Even more shocking, the police suspect Dr. Conrad. Understanding how emotional dilemmas have strained the family emboldens Lillian to help Detective Jacque Leveque, Major Crimes Detective for the Frytown Police Department, find the prime witness to the Conrad truths.

Let Her Go is a nerve-wracking exploration into a family lost, and the extent love elicits both the good and the bad. In this Third Step in Personal Recovery Lillian works to find Peyton Clayton, while battling the worse arctic freeze in Frytown’s history, untangling human frailties, and confronting the ghosts of Christmas.

About the Author

D. J. Adamson is an award-winning author for both her mystery novels and her science fiction novel. She is the editor of Le Coeur de l’Artiste, a newsletter which reviews books, and a blog, L’Artiste with offers authors the venue to write on craft, marketing, and the creative mind. D.J. teaches writing and literature, and to keep busy when she is not writing or teaching, she has been a board member of Sisters in Crime Los Angeles and Sisters in Crime Central Coast, a member of the Southern California Mystery Writers Organization, California Writers Club and Greater Los Angeles Writer’s Society. Her books can be found and purchased in bookstores and on Amazon. To find her, her blog L’Artiste, or newsletter go to http://www.djadamson.com.

Author Links

Website: http://djadamson.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/adamson_dj

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8511075.D_J_Adamson

Purchase Link

Amazon

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Posted in Author Spotlight, Blog Tour, Cozy Mystery

Author Spotlight of Leigh Perry, Author of The Skeleton Makes a Friend, a Family Skeleton Mystery

Posted on by Debbie

I’m pleased to have author Leigh Perrry who also writes as Toni L.P. Kelner from Malden, Massachusettes here to speak about her writing and new release, The Skeleton Makes a Friend that’s on blog tour with Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book.

Welcome, Leigh.

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.

Are you trying to make me feel old? My first book came out just over 25 years ago! I had eight books of the Laura Fleming series with Kensington. (Though two were under the Zebra imprint.) The three books of the “Where are they now?” series came out from Berkley Prime Crime. The anthologies I co-edited with Charlaine Harris came out from Ace. (Though one came out from Audible first.) The first three books of the Family Skeleton series were published by Berkley Prime Crime, and the most recent two are coming from Diversion. And I published one collection of the Laura Fleming series under the auspices of JABberwocky, my literary agency. That’s not counting short stories—if we throw those into the mix, it’ll be far too confusing.

Wow! that’s quite a publishing history. I’m impressed.  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.

These days I’m writing the Family Skeleton mysteries for Diversion Books, and the fifth—The Skeleton Makes a Friend—came out November 6. The elevator pitch for the series is this: Adjunct English professor Georgia Thackery moves her teenaged daughter back to her family’s home, and has to confront the family skeleton. Which is a skeleton. Named Sid. He walks, he talks, he makes bad bone jokes. Together, he and Georgia solve crimes!

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?

That’s the big question, isn’t it? I’d like to hit the New York Times Best Seller List (extended list would be fine), get a movie or TV show option, and receive an Edgar nomination. And all I can do for all three is to write the best books and stories I can.

Well, good luck with those excellent goals. I hope you achieve them.

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

Generally, I think I appeal to the cozy reader. But these books also appeal to a handful of young people who are usually science fiction and fantasy readers.

That’s a good mix for a readership.

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

Don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to try new things. I started out trying to write science fiction, and honestly wasn’t very good at it. When I switched to mystery, I did much better, but it still took a lot of query letters, rewriting, and more query letters before I got a contract.

It’s even harder in today’s publishing world. I’m trying to find an agent myself, although I’ve been publishing my series with a a very good online publisher.

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

I don’t know that I had it any harder than anybody else. It might have been a little more difficult getting interest in a Southern series back then, but Margaret Maron, Carolyn G. Hart, Sharyn McCrumb, and Joan Hess were doing just fine. In some ways it’s harder now because there are fewer big traditional publishers.

Very true. As a librarian, I recognize those authors and have enjoyed their books.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

I’m in some writer’s organizations (Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, American Crime Writers League, Shore Mystery Fiction Society), but no writing workshop kinds of groups.

Those are good organizations. I belong to Sisters in Crime and also their guppies group.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

Reading and playing on the computer.

Those are my hobbies, too, although I also like to exercise to video DVD’s to get away from the computer and play with my cat and new kittens.

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

I hate the waiting. Waiting for a contract, waiting for an edit, waiting for reviews, waiting for sales figures. It’s a powerless feeling, and I despise it. My personal challenge is belief in myself, even after all these books.

I think those challenges are pretty common for most authors.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

I don’t think I set out to write cozies—I just set out to write the world I know, and my world is pretty cozy. That being said, there’s still plenty of meanness, anger, fear, vengeance, and of course murder to keep my mysteries moving.

I relate to that because I didn’t set out to write my cozy series either. I thought the first book was a romantic suspense standalone novel, but readers thought differently, and so the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series was born.

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

Sid unzipped the rest of the way, pulled himself out of the suitcase and back together, and tried to turn the knob. “It’s locked.”

“Can you open it?”

“Easy peasy,” he said, pulling a set of lock picks from inside the suitcase. My locksmith sister Deborah probably hadn’t realized that teaching my daughter Madison how to pick locks was tantamount to teaching Sid. Madison had shared everything she’d learned with him, and he’d promptly ordered his own picks online. “You really should learn to do this, Georgia. It’s not that hard.”

Despite his assurance, it seemed to take an awful long time to get the door open. Or maybe it just seemed like a long time because I kept looking down the stairs, worried that somebody would hear us and come to see what was going on.

Finally there was a loud click, and Sid said, “Nailed it!” He opened the door, and cold air streamed out.

“Brr!” I said. “Wouldn’t you know that a department with everybody on vacation would be the one with overachieving air conditioners?” The window unit in my classroom had gone out twice. “Not to mention the waste of electricity.”

“You can complain about it later,” Sid said. “Come on.”

I followed him into the human resources department, pulling the empty suitcase along.

There were four more closed doors: three offices labeled with names and one marked File Room.

“Here we go,” Sid said, using his picks on one of the office doors.

This lock was easier to deal with, which was a relief, but unfortunately, the smell seemed to be coming from that office. “I’m going in.”

“Remember what I said. Get in, look around fast, get out.”

“Got it.” He stepped inside.

Between the cold, the horrid stink, and the fear of being caught, I was hoping that Sid would be swift, but I was surprised when he came out in under two minutes. “That was fast. Did you find something?”

“Don’t go in there.”

“I wasn’t going to—”

Then I looked at him.

He shouldn’t have been able to look like anything but bone-colored, but somehow he seemed paler than usual, and his bones were so loose he was nearly falling apart. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s in there. At least I think it’s him.”

“Did he see you?” I said stupidly.

He slowly shook his skull, and only then did I realize what it was we’d been smelling.

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

Just that the Family Skeleton is not a metaphorical skeleton. Sid is a real live… Okay, not live, but a real living skeleton. So many mysteries use skeletons and skulls on their covers, and I don’t want anybody getting upset when Sid shows up on the page.

Thanks for clearing that up for those who may have misunderstood.

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

Website: http://leighperryauthor.com/

Sid’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Family_Skeleton

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LeighPerryAuthor

My Alter Ego

Toni L.P. Kelner: www.tonilpkelner.com

The Skeleton Makes a Friend (A Family Skeleton Mystery)
by Leigh Perry

About the Book


The Skeleton Makes a Friend (A Family Skeleton Mystery)
Diversion Books (November 6, 2018)
Paperback: 280 pages
ISBN-10: 1635764440
ISBN-13: 978-1635764444
Digital ASIN: B07GT39K2X

Georgia Thackery is feeling pretty good about her summer job teaching at prestigious Overfeld College, and she’s renting a rustic cabin right by a lake for herself, her daughter, Madison, and her best friend, Sid the Skeleton. Together again, the trio are enjoying the quiet when a teenager named Jen shows up looking for her friend. Georgia doesn’t recognize the name, but she learns that the person Jen was looking for is actually Sid.

Sid reveals that he and Jen are part of a regular online gaming group that formed locally, and one of their members has gone missing. Sid admits that he might have bragged about his investigative prowess, enough so that Jen wants him to find their missing player. Given that Sid doesn’t have many friends offline—none, really, unless you count the Thackery family—Georgia agrees to help him search. They manage to discreetly enlist Jen, who lives in town, and follow the clues to… a dead buddy.

Now they’ve got a killer on their hands. Probing the life of Sid’s friend, they realize a lot is wrong both on campus and in the seemingly quaint town, and someone doesn’t want them looking deeper.

Purchase Links:

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November 5 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

November 5 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

November 6 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

November 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 7 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

November 8 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

November 8 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

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

November 10 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW

November 11 – This Is My Truth Now – REVIEW

November 12 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

November 12 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW

November 13 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

November 14 – Varietats – REVIEW

November 14 –My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

November 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW

November 16 – The Layaway Dragon – REVIEW

November 17 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 17 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW

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Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Killalot, an Ivy Meadows Mystery, by Cindy Brown

Posted on by Debbie


When Your Subplot Just Isn’t Working…

As you can tell by the titles (Macdeath, The Sound of Murder, Oliver Twisted, Ivy Get Your Gun, The Phantom of Oz, and now Killalot) all of the Ivy Meadows mysteries are set during plays. Writing those theatrical subplots is lots of fun (they are very silly) and really tough (you try to mash The Sound of Music with Cabaret). This time around I wanted to set my mystery at a Renaissance Faire. The obvious theatre connection (and the only one, really) was Camelot. I decided to parody the show by setting it during the Kennedy era, since that time is often referred to as America’s Camelot. But try as I might, I could not make the idea work. I didn’t want to give up the Ren faire plot. What could I do?

I made the parody not work. Read on, and you’ll see what I mean:

“So I’d like to welcome you to the first rehearsal for our new musical…” John Robert spread his arms wide to the sky. “Kennelot!” Silence. He dropped his arms. “Kennelot! Get it?”

“Um,” I said, “Doesn’t that sound a little like kennel? As in dog kennel?”

“No, no, no. Don’t you see? It’s a combination of Kennedy and Camelot.”
I was pretty sure we all got it. “Now let’s talk about your characters. Of course, I want you all to research Jackie, JFK, and Marilyn respectively. Let’s talk about them as they relate to Camelot. We’ll get back to the songs tomorrow. The only ones I really have worked out so far are “Kennelot” and “I Love You, the Hell with Silence.”

“That’s a reworking of ‘I Loved You Once in Silence’? The song Guinevere sings to Lancelot?” Hayden asked.

“Exactly. But now you’re going to sing it to Marilyn.”

“But did he really love Marilyn? I mean, me?” I really hoped John Robert was serious about feedback, because I couldn’t seem to keep my mouth shut. “Wasn’t it more about sex?”

“Honey, how old are you? Do you really not know that men confuse sex with love?”

“If you’re talking to Marilyn, no, I don’t think I ever did figure it out. If you’re talking to Iv—”

“No, no, no. Stay Marilyn.”

“It does seem rather a generalization,” said Jackie. “And it’s not just men who confuse the two. Though I do think women are more likely to confuse love and romance.”

“Which brings us right back to Camelot,” John Robert said. “Since that’s precisely what Guinevere does.”

“So I’m Guinevere?” I asked. “And JFK is Lancelot?”

“Exactly,” said John Robert. “Now…”

“Wait, I thought I was Arthur,” said JFK. “Wouldn’t that make Jackie Arthur?”

“Well…oh.” John Robert’s face fell. “That’s a problem. Yes.” His tongue played with his front teeth while he was thinking. “So…Marilyn, you’re the one who destroys Camelot.”

“I’m pretty sure it was Lee Harvey Oswald.”

“In the play, you’re the one who destroys Camelot. So you’re Lancelot.”

“And I’m Guinevere?” said JFK. “I really need to be a man.”

“You are a man, darling,” said Jackie. “That’s why you’re president.”

“Okay, maybe I need to rethink that song. I’ve also been wondering about the round table…Who do you think should be invited to the table?”

“The Cabinet?” said Hayden.

“Too boring.” John Robert shook his head. “Maybe it’s full of JFK’s women?”

“Mistresses aren’t very knight-like,” I said.

“Maybe it’s the Kennedy women,” said Jackie. “You know: me, Ethel, and Joan?”

“Ooh, we could do ‘The First Ladies Who Lunch,’” John Robert said. “Maybe even use the tune from the song in Company. Do you think Sondheim would approve?”

I doubted it.

See? I think it works. What do you think?

Killalot (An Ivy Meadows Mystery)
by Cindy Brown

About the Book

Killalot (An Ivy Meadows Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Henery Press (November 15, 2018)
Hardcover: 282 pages
ISBN-10: 1635114330
ISBN-13: 978-1635114331
Paperback: 282 pages
ISBN-10: 1635114306
ISBN-13: 978-1635114300
Digital ASIN: B07H3CH4RH

A jouster, a playwright, and a detective walk into a faire…but it’s no joke when one ends up dead.

Actress and part-time PI Ivy Meadows is thrilled when she learns that the famous playwright behind Hello Dolly Madison is in Arizona. Not so much when she realizes he’s a suspect in the murder of a Renaissance faire jouster.

As is her friend Riley. And about a thousand other people, all disguised in Renaissance costume during the fatal jousting match.

When Ivy is hired to investigate the killing, she goes undercover as a Cockney belly dancer at the faire and finagles her way into the playwright’s Kennedy-inspired version of Camelot—as Marilyn Monroe, no less.

Then, in the midst of her toughest case ever, Ivy has to solve another dilemma: Will she follow her lifelong dream of being an actor or settle down with the love of her life?

The murder investigation, the play, and real life come together in a twist that begs the question: Is there a happily-ever-after for anyone?

Books in the Ivy Meadows Humorous Mystery Series:

MACDEATH (#1)
THE SOUND OF MURDER (#2)
OLIVER TWISTED (#3)
IVY GET YOUR GUN (#4)
The Phantom of Oz (#5)
KILLALOT (#6)

About the Author

Cindy Brown has been a theater geek (musician, actor, director, producer, and playwright) since her first professional gig at age 14. Now a full-time writer, she’s lucky enough to have garnered several awards (including 3rd place in the 2013 international Words With Jam First Page Competition, judged by Sue Grafton!) and is an alumnus of the Squaw Valley Writers Workshop. Though Cindy and her husband now live in Portland, Oregon, she made her home in Phoenix, Arizona, for more than 25 years and knows all the good places to hide dead bodies in both cities.

Author Links

Website & Blog: www.cindybrownwriter.com

Twitter handle: @friendlybrown

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Brown-author/288210721356802?ref=hl

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

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November 14 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

November 14 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

November 15 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

November 16 – The Editing Pen – REVIEW

November 16 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

November 17 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW

November 19 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT, Renaissance Recipe

November 20 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 20 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf– SPOTLIGHT

November 21 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

November 21 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW

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Spotlight of A Cold Brew Killling, an All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery, by Lena Gregory

Posted on by Debbie

A Cold Brew Killing (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
by Lena Gregory

About the Book


A Cold Brew Killing (All-Day Breakfast Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Lyrical Underground (November 6, 2018)
Print Length Approximately 250 Pages
Digital ASIN: B079R5Y14L

When an ice cream vendor discovers a frozen stiff, Florida diner owner Gia Morelli has to serve up some just desserts . . .

Gia has become good friends with Trevor, a fun, flirtatious bachelor who owns the ice cream parlor down the street from her popular All-Day Breakfast Café. Trevor has the scoop on all sorts of local attractions and activities. But when he bursts into her diner, trembling and paler than a pint of French Vanilla, she can tell something’s very wrong. Trevor points her toward his shop then passes out cold. When Gia runs down to his shop, she discovers a chilling sight—a dead body in the open freezer. But the ice cream man’s troubles are just beginning. The police suspect him of this murder a la mode, especially when details of his questionable past surface. Gia believes in her friend and is determined to clear his name and find the real cold-blooded killer before someone else gets put on ice . . .

Lena Gregory lives in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island with her husband and three children.

When she was growing up, she spent many lazy afternoons on the beach, in the yard, anywhere she could find to curl up with a good book. She loves reading as much now as she did then, but she now enjoys the added pleasure of creating her own stories.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true

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

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N Kobo

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November 6 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

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November 13 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW

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November 17 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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November 18 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Character Guest Post and Blog Tour for Purls and Poison, a Black Sheep and Company Book 2 by Anne Canadeo

Posted on by Debbie

This post was contributed by Anne Canadeo. Her cozy mystery, Purls and Poison, is currently on tour with Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book.

PURLS & POISON VIRTUAL TOUR

Character POV – Suzanne Cavannaugh

Anne Canadeo

 Three Things I Learned from Being A Prime Suspect

Here’s some advice I hope you never have to use. But, as dear Grandma Rosa used to say, “Suzanne, you never know what’s going to happen when you wake up in the morning. For better or worse.”  Being named the prime suspect in a murder investigation definitely falls into the latter category and I am, right now, at the top of the list of some very shady characters who may have killed  my co-worker, Liza Devereaux.

How did I win this dubious honor?  Let’s just say everyone has a Liza in the office; that annoying someone who always has to one up you, poaches your clients and steals the big deals out from under your nose. All of my co-workers – the whole town, practically — knows the nasty truth about our relationship, and someone did a bang up job framing me. It’s a living nightmare and a learning experience, I have to say. Here are a few tips that might help you navigate these choppy waters—and keep you from falling overboard.

# 1) Don’t trust the police to figure it out. And keep your big mouth shut: I guess that’s two tips,  but they are connected.

I hate to talk down the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us every day. Most of the time, they do flush out the guilty party. But if I leave it to them to track down the real culprit of this crime, I’ll be trading my designer wardrobe for an orange jumpsuit in no time.

Each question the detectives pose pushes me closer to an official murder charge.  Partly my fault, since I can’t always control what pops out of my mouth. I know that women especially want to be helpful. But take it from me, the less said the better when you’re stranded in an interview room. Which brings me to my next point…

#2) Support, support, support: Find a smart lawyer. You’ve read it in books and seen it in the movies. The advice is so obvious, why even say it. Hey, it’s a cliché for a reason. Because it’s true! I struggled like a moth caught in a web until super-sharp, no nonsense attorney Helen Forbes flew to my rescue. Then I pressed a hand over my mouth while she did the talking.   (See point # 1 again.) I just hope we can hold out until the truth is discovered.

I also have the greatest family, which goes without saying. And the most amazing group of loyal and true friends, who not only love me unconditionally (while the rest of the town treats me like a soon-to-be jailbird)  but have been putting their very clever heads together 24/7 to find out who really killed Liza.  Let’s hope they can untangle this mess before my time runs out. In the meantime, I cannot neglect self-care, right? Which brings up point number three…

#3) Pamper yourself! Yes, it sounds crazy, but I am so not kidding. Don’t let all the rumors and accusations get into your DNA. You are totally innocent and you know it, even if no one else in the office, or all of Plum Harbor – except for your nearest and dearest – believe you.

Don’t hide in your house, binge on cup cakes and pizza, or dress like a bag lady. Get your hair done, have a massage and a facial or eyebrow threading while you’re at it. The best revenge is looking good, my lovelies. You have nothing to hide. Let the world know it.

The bonus to this strategy? You can and will pick up some very juicy gossip at the salon. What better place to get the low down on the desperate characters who might be involved in this dirty business.

Those are my pearls of wisdom – no pun intended. I will let you know if I wiggle out of this mess. Right now, it’s got a tighter hold on me than a pair of Spanx three sizes too small.

Wish me luck !

Purls and Poison (A Black Sheep & Co. Mystery)
by Anne Canadeo

About the Book


Purls and Poison (A Black Sheep & Co. Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Kensington (October 30, 2018)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1496708636
ISBN-13: 978-1496708632
Digital ASIN: B079KT54BW

When a fellow Black Sheep Knitter is suspected of poisoning her coworker, the group puts down their needles and takes up their friend’s defense . . .

Suzanne Cavanaugh has just about had it with her office rival at Prestige Properties. It’s bad enough that Liza Devereaux is constantly needling her at work, but when she shows up at one of Suzanne’s open houses to poach potential buyers, it’s the last straw. No one in the office fails to hear the two snarling at each other.

When Liza is later found dead in her office cubicle—poisoned by a diet shake—Suzanne becomes the prime suspect. It’s soon discovered, though, that Liza had double-crossed so many around town and stashed their dark secrets in her designer handbags that anyone could be the culprit.

The Black Sheep Knitters have no doubt their friend has been framed—but they need to prove it. Stirred to action, they get together to catch a sneaky killer who’s trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes . . .

About The Author

Anne Canadeo is the best-selling author of more than 30 books, including the Black Sheep & Company Mysteries, and as Katherine Spencer, the Cape Light and Angel Island series. She somehow manages to write a lot, despite many and much loved distractions — such as digging up the garden, hanging out with her dog, trying new recipes, drinking copious amounts of mint tea, eating chocolate and volunteer work in the community. She lives in Northport, NY, a village on the Long Island Sound very much like the settings of her stories. Anne loves to hear from readers. Answering their messages is definitely another favorite distraction in her day.

Author Links

Website: annecanadeo.com
Facebooks: www.facebook.com/AnneCanadeoAuthor
Instagram: www.instagram.com/annecanadeo

Purchase Links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Powell Books

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November 14 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

November 15 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 16 – The Montana Bookaholic – SPOTLIGHT

November 17 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 18 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, GUEST POST

November 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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Posted in Author Spotlight, Blog Tour

Author Spotlight of Loretta Marion, Author of House of Ashes, a Haunted Bluffs Mystery

Posted on by Debbie

I’m pleased to have author Loretta Marion from Bristol, Rhode Island here to speak about her writing and new release, House of Ashes that’s on blog tour with Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book.

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.

My current book, HOUSE OF ASHES, releases on November 13th and is published by Crooked Lane Books.

My debut novel, THE FOOL’S TRUTH, was independently published through a company I set up, Time at Last Books. (Fall of 2016)

Very nice. 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.

HOUSE OF ASHES is the first in the Haunted Bluffs Mystery series that takes place in the fictional town of Whale Rock on Cape Cod. The story centers on Cassie Mitchell, a thirty-seven-year old painter who is about to lose her beloved family home to mounting debt. The mystery involves the disappearance of two young people who happen upon Cassie’s property and end up staying for a while to help her out of her bind. Interwoven into the present-day story is the account of Cassie’s great-grandparents and the century-old curse that still threatens the Mitchell family. That the spirits of these ancestors still inhabit The Bluffs adds another element of mystery to the story. Why are they still there and what do they want of Cassie?

HOUSE OF ASHES has the upcoming release date of November 13, 2018. The next book in the series will be published in the fall of 2019.

THE FOOL’S TRUTH is a twisty mystery with whispers of romance, following Cordelia Richmond, a desperate young mother who becomes stranded in the backwoods of Maine. Dark secrets, deceit and danger emerge when she and her young daughter are taken in by a witch-like hermit living off the grid. THE FOOL’S TRUTH received the following awards: Finalist in two categories (Mystery & Suspense) IAN 2017 Book of the Year Awards, Honorable Mention New England Bookfest, Literary Titan Gold Book Award

Both books sound fantastic.

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 never been a goal-oriented individual, but simply put, I hope to continue to write books that entertain, to hone my craft and to build a readership following for my writing,

I was told early on, the more you write, the better you become. I intend to keep writing.

That’s a great goal in itself.

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

As a mystery with elements of the paranormal and a touch of romance, HOUSE OF ASHES has a lot to offer. It would appeal to readers of mysteries, romantic mystery, romantic suspense and paranormal mysteries. With a main character who struggles with hardships – many brought upon herself – and evolves to become more resilient, I think the story would also be appealing to fans of women’s fiction.

Sounds like there’s a large audience for your book.

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

Make sure you are submitting a very clean and polished manuscript to agents and editors. Continue to learn about the craft and be open to constructive suggestions. Attend writing conferences and learn how to pitch your book. Be persistent but patient and realistic. Not every book has a Cinderella story attached to it.

Good advice.

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

Probably my greatest struggle was in determining if my writing would attract a following, which is difficult to assess until you are actually published. I struggled with the decision of whether to take one of my books to the market independently to make that determination. I ultimately took that route with my first book, which was quite a journey and a long learning curve. But I’m glad for the experience as it helped me better understand the publishing world as well as my own personal expectations.

All publishing journeys are educational.

Do you belong to any writing groups? Which ones?

Not at present but I’m looking into which would be a good fit for me and my writing.

There are many to choose from, some are better than others.

What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

I love to travel as well as outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and kayaking. My quiet hobby is knitting, and I especially enjoy making baby blankets and scarves – nothing too complicated please!

A nice variety of interests besides reading and writing.

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

I enjoy entertaining people with my stories and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to do so. It’s wonderful to be able to spend time with my characters. At the beginning of a project they are mere acquaintances, by the end they’ve become a part of me.

What I like the least are deadlines. It’s a different process when you are writing to serve someone else’s timetable.

The toughest challenge is probably book promotion. Although I’m proud of my writing, it’s not easy for me to tout my work. Also, finding a good balance between the writing, the promotional aspects and life can be a challenge.

I know exactly how you feel. Characters definitely grow on an author. As far as book promotion, most authors struggle with that. I certainly do.

What do you like about writing cozy mysteries?

Though a mystery, HOUSE OF ASHES would not be considered a cozy. Most of my writing involves a mystery in some form, though I didn’t start out with that intent. I was originally headed in the direction of Women’s Fiction, but that element of mystery kept insinuating itself into my writing. I must admit, there is something uniquely satisfying about plotting out the intricate threads of a mystery and then weaving them together to reveal unexpected results.

I write different types of mysteries in addition to my cozy mystery series. I also love to read them.

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

Since the book interweaves two stories, I’ll share excerpts from both the historic and present-day accounts.

EXCERPT ONE:

Eighty years ago ~ Whale Rock, Massachusetts ~ Cape Cod Bay

Friday, December 13th

The fire bell was ringing, and someone yelled in through the tavern door, “There’s a fire up on the north end! Battersea Bluffs. We need all the hands we can get!”

“No, it can’t be,” Percy whispered. The Bluffs was his home. He leapt from the barstool and ran for the street, bumping into a stranger as he passed through the tavern door. The man’s eyes were ominously familiar to him, but with more pressing concerns, there was no time to bring to memory why. He had to get home to Celeste.

It sickened him to see the flames as his Ford pickup rounded the top of Lavender Hill. How hard he and Celeste had worked to build this house, a grand Victorian with a widow’s walk and a proud front porch facing out to sea. Fire trucks were already there, and men he’d known these many years were working hard to contain the blaze.

As he ran toward the house, it came to him who the stranger in the tavern had been, and later one of the firefighters would recount that Percy had screamed: “Damn that lighterman’s curse. Damn you to hell, Robert Toomey!” Nobody was quick enough to keep Percy Mitchell from entering the inferno. Moments later he emerged, his clothing and hair afire, carrying a charred human form. Any man would have been delirious from the pain, but as the firefighters looked on in shocked disbelief, Percy walked with a purposeful bearing and a swift gait toward the bluffs. A few men chased after their friend, but before anyone could stop him, Percy reached the ledge and cried out, “I am not finished!”

And then, with his already dead wife in his arms, he hurled them both into Cape Cod Bay.

 EXCERPT TWO:

Present day ~ Whale Rock, Massachusetts ~ Cape Cod

September ~ three days since the disappearance

Back at home, I took a good look at my beloved Battersea Bluffs, with its towering widow’s walk, double chimneys, and impressive wrap-around porch. It had become part of Whale Rock’s lore that the majestic Victorian sitting high above the cliffs on the craggy northern end of town was possessed by the spirits of my great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, its original owners. The legend evolved from a rumor initiated by my father when he was trying to take back his rightful home. It had been a successful strategy, but he could never have guessed how prophetic his fable would become—or maybe he’d already sensed the mysterious aspects of the old house. To be fair, Papa and I had never discussed the lurking scents and sounds presented by the spirits sharing our home.

I unlatched the gate, to a warm greeting of soft whimpers and an exuberant tail.

“You’re missing them too, aren’t ya, buddy?” I reached down to stroke the German shepherd’s glossy black fur, those usually erect ears momentarily relaxed. I widened the gate.

I followed the dog to the ledge of Percy’s Bluffs, so named after my great-grandfather’s dramatic leap from the cliffs overlooking Cape Cod Bay. I stared down to where the waves were crashing against the rocks below. Through the years, this spot had become my refuge, where I’d come to contemplate decisions or brood over troubles. Exhausted and numb, I sank to the ground and idly fingered an abandoned champagne cork, probably left here the night Vince and Ashley moved in with me. We’d brought a bottle down to the cliffs to toast our new alliance and the home they were going to help me save. I closed my eyes to bring to memory the feel of the fizzy liquid against my tongue, the first I’d tasted in years.  There’d not been much to celebrate in recent times. But that night, a sense of hope had returned to me.

Excellent excerpts. You’ve got me hooked.

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

My desire to become a writer of fiction evolved from the unlikely world of hospice. As a volunteer, I started a Legacy Story program for the patients who were still able to tell their stories. It was an incredibly meaningful experience. I credit the courage demonstrated by those patients who were facing their grim realities for inspiring me to be bold enough to step out onto that path that may or may not lead to publication. I’ll be eternally grateful for how those patients’ stories touched my heart and for the journey that resulted from the experience.

The paranormal aspect of HOUSE OF ASHES was inspired by my own experience with an otherworldly visitor.

How interesting. It’s not uncommon for authors to weave their own personal experiences into their books, and that makes them more realistic.

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

Website: https://www.lorettamarion.com/

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15863622.Loretta_Marion

Links for HOUSE OF ASHES:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/House-Ashes-Haunted-Bluffs-Mystery/dp/1683318439

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house-of-ashes-loretta-marion/1128856330?ean=9781683318439#/

Books-A-Million:  http://www.booksamillion.com/p/House-Ashes/Loretta-Marion/9781683318439?id=7293377974282

Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781683318439

Links for THE FOOL’S TRUTH:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997788607

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LY8U5B1

I’ve enjoyed answering these interview questions. Thank you for your interest in my spotlighting my writing!

My pleasure. I’m just sorry I posted your interview late. I’ve been preparing for an author talk at my library and got caught up. I wish you the best of luck with your new release and your future mysteries.

House of Ashes: A Haunted Bluffs Mystery
Supernatural Mystery
1st in Series
Crooked Lane Books (November 13, 2018)
Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN-10: 1683318439
ISBN-13: 978-1683318439
Digital Details Coming Soon

A family patriarch’s dying proclamation, an enigmatic disappearance, and a century-old curse converge in the shadows of a majestic home on Cape Cod’s craggy coast.

Thirty-seven-year-old painter Cassandra Mitchell is fourth-generation to live in the majestic Battersea Bluffs, a brooding Queen Anne home originally built by her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, and still standing despite tragedies that have swept the generations. Local lore has it that there was a curse placed on the family and the house is haunted, though opinions are divided on whether it’s by malicious or benevolent spirits. Cassie believes the latter―but now she stands to lose her beloved home to mounting debt and the machinations of her dream-weaving ex-husband.

Salvation seems to arrive when a nomadic young couple wanders onto the property with the promise of companionship and much-needed help―until they vanish without a trace, leaving behind no clue to their identities. Cassie is devastated, but determined to discover what’s happened to the young couple…even as digging into their disappearance starts to uncover family secrets of her own. Despite warnings from her childhood friend, now the local Chief of Police―as well as an FBI agent who pushes the boundaries of professionalism―Cassie can’t help following the trail of clues (and eerie signals from the old house itself) to unravel the mystery. But can she do so before her family’s dark curse destroys everything in its path?

About the Author

An author of fiction, Loretta Marion’s writing bridges the genres of mystery and suspense and women’s fiction, always with hints of romance and humor, sometimes delving into the psychological and paranormal. She creates strong but flawed and struggling characters as appealing as the rich atmospheric settings in which the stories take place.

Loretta is a true bibliophile and has loved reading and creating with words since she was a young girl. And that affection for the written word followed her like a shadow throughout her life as she put pen to paper crafting marketing and advertising copy, educational brochures, and newsletters. But her passion for writing fiction evolved from the unlikely world of hospice. As a volunteer, she set out to establish a Legacy Story program to honor and preserve the rich heritage of the fascinating people who were soon to leave this world. The meaningful experience inspired her to create her own interesting characters and stories. Her debut novel, The Fool’s Truth, was a twisty and suspenseful mystery with whispers of romance. Her newest novel, HOUSE OF ASHES – A Haunted Bluffs Mystery, is the first in a series published by Crooked Lane Books.

Though born and raised in the Midwest, Loretta fell in love with New England and has made it the setting for much of her writing. When not whipping out words on her laptop, she is traveling, enjoying outdoor pursuits, or is curled up with a delicious new book. Loretta lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Geoffrey, and their beloved Mr. Peabody, a sweet, devoted and amusing “Corgador” (Corgi-Labrador cross). (www.LorettaMarion.com)

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

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November 1 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

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Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Mardi Gras Murder, a Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron

Posted on by Debbie

A GUEST POST WITH TUG CROZAT

Hi there, y’all, I’m Tug Crozat. You’re probably more familiar with my daughter, Maggie, but I thought I’d drop by and fill you in on what all’s going on these days at Crozat Plantation B&B.

Mardi Gras is a huge deal in Louisiana. Maggie once bought me a joke Christmas sweatshirt that said, “Happy Almost Mardi Gras.” Yup, that’s kind of how we think of it around here. The part of the year that isn’t Carnival Season basically serves as a lead-up to Carnival Season.

The literal translation of “Mardi Gras” is “Fat Tuesday.” It’s the last day you really get let loose before Lent starts. Let me tell you a little about how we celebrate here in our little village of Pelican, Louisiana. (Town motto: “Yes, We Peli-CAN!”) Yes, we have a parade with floats and throws like beads and doubloons. We also have several Courir de Mardi Gras. That means “Mardi Gras Run.” Folks dress up in these colorful costumes and wear handmade masks. Each courir has a capitaine, who keeps the group in line as much as possible as they go from house to house to cajole ingredients for a communal gumbo out of agreeable residents. The Mardi Gras – yup, here it’s a proper noun as well as a holiday name – sing, dance, and beg to get those ingredients. Then everyone comes together at one location where the communal gumbo is made and served. (Nowadays, a lot of the ingredient-gathering is purely ceremonial because the gumbo’s pre-made by local cooks to save time.)

In Pelican, we have a big Mardi Gras party once the Courirs show up with their ingredients. There’s a pageant queen, dancing, and my favorite part of the whole deal – the Gumbo Cookoff. Yup, in addition to the communal gumbo, there’s a whole contest for making it. A lot of men in our village love to cook, and the only thing we like cooking better than jambalaya is gumbo. I always make mine a big old cast iron pot that’s so important to me I store it in our family safe between competitions. It’s been handed down to Crozat men from one generation to another. Nobody knows how old it is, but boy, do I love that baby. Maggie, who’s an only child, jokes that while some of her friends had to compete with a sibling for attention, she had to compete with a black pot. (That’s what we call them – black pots.)

I always spend the week before Mardi Gras fixing up batches of my gumbo, making sure I have the right ingredients handy, doing a little fine tuning of the recipe, which I also keep in the safe. Like the black pot, that recipe’s been handed down through the family for generations, and Crozat men have won the Pelican Mardi Gras gumbo contest more times than I can count. I got my eye on the prize again for this year.

I can’t imagine anything going wrong. Can you?

Mardi Gras Murder: A Cajun Country Mystery
by Ellen Byron

About the Book


Mardi Gras Murder: A Cajun Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Crooked Lane Books (October 9, 2018)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 168331705X
ISBN-13: 978-1683317050
Digital ASIN: B078LZ5W3H

Southern charm meets the dark mystery of the bayou as a hundred-year flood, a malicious murder, and a most unusual Mardi Gras converge at the Crozat Plantation B&B.

It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. But when a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana—and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B—the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The citizens of Pelican are ready to Laissez les bon temps rouler—but there’s beaucoup bad blood on hand this Mardi Gras.

Maggie Crozat is determined to give the stranger a name and find out why he was murdered. The post-flood recovery has delayed the opening of a controversial exhibit about the little-known Louisiana Orphan Train. And when a judge for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant is shot, Maggie’s convinced the murder is connected to the body on the bayou. Does someone covet the pageant queen crown enough to kill for it? Could the deaths be related to the Orphan Train, which delivered its last charges to Louisiana in 1929? The leads are thin on this Fat Tuesday—and until the killer is unmasked, no one in Pelican is safe.

A simmering gumbo of a humorous whodunit, Mardi Gras Murder is the fourth piquant installment in USA Today bestselling author Ellen Byron’s award-winning Cajun Country mysteries.

About the Author

Ellen Byron authors the Cajun Country Mystery series. A Cajun Christmas Killing and Body on the Bayou both won the Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery and were nominated for Agatha awards in the category of Best Contemporary Novel. Plantation Shudders was nominated for Agatha, Lefty, and Daphne awards. Mardi Gras Murder launches October 9th. Ellen’s TV credits include Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents. She’s written over 200 national magazine articles, and her published plays include the award-winning Graceland. She also worked as a cater-waiter for the legendary Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing.

Author Links:

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Crooked Lane – BookBub – Kobo

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October 20 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, RECIPE

October 20 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

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October 29 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

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October 31 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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Posted in Cozy Mysteries, New Releases

Spotlight for Drop Dead Ornaments, an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery by Lois Winston

Posted on by Debbie

Drop Dead Ornaments (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
by Lois Winston

About the Book


Drop Dead Ornaments (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Self Published
Print Length: 209 pages
ASIN: B07GMZ2H4B

Anastasia Pollack’s son Alex is dating Sophie Lambert, the new kid in town. For their community service project, the high school seniors have chosen to raise money for the county food bank. Anastasia taps her craft industry contacts to donate materials for the students to make Christmas ornaments they’ll sell at the town’s annual Holiday Crafts Fair.

At the fair Anastasia meets Sophie’s father, Shane Lambert, who strikes her as a man with secrets. She also notices a woman eavesdropping on their conversation. Later that evening when the woman turns up dead, Sophie’s father is arrested for her murder.

Alex and Sophie beg Anastasia to find the real killer, but Anastasia has had her fill of dead bodies. She’s also not convinced of Shane’s innocence. Besides, she’s promised younger son Nick she’ll stop risking her life. But how can she say no to Alex?

About the Author


About the Author

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

Author Links

Website: www.loiswinston.com

Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog: www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/anasleuth

Twitter at https://twitter.com/Anasleuth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/722763.Lois_Winston

Newsletter sign-up: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z1z1u5

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N Kobo iTunes

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October 22 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

October 22 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 22 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

October 23 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

October 23 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 23 – Christa Reads and Writes – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT

October 24 – The Ninja Librarian – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 25 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

October 26 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

October 26 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 27 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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October 28 – Readeropolis – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

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October 29 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

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October 30 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

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October 31 – StoreyBook Reviews – CRAFT POST

November 1 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

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November 3 – The Self-Rescue Princess – REVIEW

November 3 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

November 4 – My Devotional Thoughts – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 4 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

November 4 – Curling Up by the Fire – REVIEW

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Posted in Cozy Mystery, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Murder in the Museum, an Edmund Decleryk Mystery by Karen Shughart

Posted on by Debbie

Blog by Karen Shughart, Author, Murder in the Museum: An Edmund DeCleryk Mystery

What is it About Cozies?

Merriam Webster’s definition of the word “cozy”:

Enjoying or affording warmth and ease; marked by or providing contentment or comfort; marked by the intimacy of the family or a close group. 

When I decided to write my first mystery, Murder in the Museum: An Edmund DeCleryk Mystery, there was no question that it would be a Cozy. I had no idea what the market was for this type of book even though my own reading preferences lean heavily to the genre, and then I learned how large the market is. There are bloggers, private and public Facebook groups, book groups that support Cozy authors and books, and of course thousands and thousands of readers.

So, what is it about Cozies that people like? I can’t speak for everyone, but here’s my observation: Many of us like Cozies because they transport us to a gentler and more peaceful world where the characters are polite, courtesy and civility reign, there are no explicit adult scenes, violence or gratuitous language, and the sleuth always solves the crime. And there’s typically a diverse and close-knit community of quirky and interesting characters who get together for meals, and for family and community gatherings.

Many of us Cozy fans either grew up when life was a bit more orderly or, if we didn’t, we long for a time that is. We are overwhelmed by the constant stream of news about a violent and unstable world where something disastrous occurs every day. Cozies help us escape from the realities of the world and transport us to a time and place where certainly there’s good and evil, but good always prevails.

I’ve heard that Cozies are a women’s genre, that many men aren’t interested in them because they don’t feature macho sleuths who frequently sacrifice personal relationships to get the job done. In contrast, comfortable, companionable relationships abound in Cozies. What I’ve learned is that many men do like Cozies, once they are introduced to the genre.  My husband, brothers, male relatives and even friends who work in the field of criminal justice as sheriffs, commanders, and deputies read Cozies, but what they expect is a plot that makes sense, well-developed characters, and a somewhat realistic investigation. Don’t we all?

I’ve been struck by something else. Since writing the novel I’ve met many avid Cozy readers in person and online. Despite the size of this group, it’s a close-knit community of unfailing kind women and men who not only enjoy reading the genre but seem to live their own lives treating others as they would like to be treated.

A new online friend, a Cozy lover and blogger, recently was the victim of an astonishingly cruel incident of unprovoked verbal abuse at a local shopping center. This lovely and beautiful woman posted about her experience to her community of Cozy readers and within seconds received messages of support, encouragement and love that continued for several days. While haunted and sickened by what my friend had been subjected to, I was incredibly grateful for the kind messages she received from the Cozy community, which hopefully helped her recover from the disturbing and hateful attack. I’m getting the picture that Cozy readers are cozy people, by and large.

So, what is it about Cozies that draw me and so many others to the genre? Just about everything- good writing, intriguing plot, great characters, for sure- but also because Cozies expose us to a world that many of us prefer and appreciate, a world where people are kind, good prevails, and we’re not constantly assaulted with one disaster after another. Escapism? Maybe. But what’s so bad about that?

Murder in the Museum: An Edmund DeCleryk Mystery
by Karen Shughart

About the Book


Murder in the Museum: An Edmund DeCleryk Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Cat Press (February 13, 2018)
Paperback: 266 pages
ISBN-10: 1946063509
ISBN-13: 978-1946063502
Digital ASIN: B07CF74JHQ

Early one gray November morning, retired Lighthouse Cove, NY police chief, Edmund DeCleryk, finds Emily Bradford’s body on the beach at the base of the bluff where the local museum and historical society stands. At the same time, a break-in has been reported at the museum, and Emily’s coat and purse are found hanging on a peg in the museum’s gift shop where she worked. Was her death the result of a burglary gone bad or something more sinister?

When the police chief is called out of town for a family emergency, he hires Ed, now working as a criminal consultant, to assist deputy police chief, Carrie Ramos, with the murder investigation. After several leads don’t pan out, the chief, now back in Lighthouse Cove, decides to close the case. Confident that with more time the murder can be solved, Ed is determined to continue investigating on his own, with encouragement from his wife, Annie the museum’s executive director.

One morning while in the basement of the museum, the couple discovers a copy of a map dated 1785, and Ed’s instincts tell him it may be connected to Emily’s death. On a hunch, he and Annie travel to Toronto, Canada, where he learns of the original map and a manuscript written in 1847 that were unearthed during an archaeological dig. The manuscript contains information about a ship that capsized during a fierce storm on Lake Ontario — in 1785. Now Ed has clues as to why the murder occurred, but he still doesn’t know who committed the crime. Or does he?

About the Author

Karen Shughart received a B.A. in Comprehensive Literature from the University of Pittsburgh and completed graduate courses in English at Shippensburg University.

She is the author of two non-fiction books and has worked as an editor, publicist, photographer, journalist, teacher and non-profit executive. A Murder in the Museum: An Edmund DeCleryk Mystery is her first work of fiction.

Before moving to a small village on the shores of Lake Ontario in upstate New York, she and her husband resided in south central Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, PA. For more information, visit her website: www.karenshughart.com.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.karenshughart.com

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

Blog: https://ladiesofmystery.com/karenshughart

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2094018.Karen_Shughart

Hometown Reads/Rochester Reads: https://hometownreads.com/books/murder-in-the-museum

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-shughart-738970161/

Purchase Link – Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 10 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW

October 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 11 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, RECIPE

October 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 16 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Varietats – REVIEW

October 18 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 19 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, RECIPE

October 20 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 21 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST

October 22 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW

October 23 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

October 23 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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