The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady – Character Guest Post

Posted on June 24, 2022June 24, 2022 by Debbie

Cathy Carter is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady, the first novel in the Buttercup Bend mystery series.

Welcome, Cathy. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady is the first of the Buttercup Bend cozy mystery series. It’s the first one in which I help solve a crime. I’m reluctant at first because I’m somewhat shy, but my more aggressive friend, Nancy, brings out the amateur sleuth in me. Together, we help investigate the murder of Maggie Broom, Buttercup Bends “Cat Crazy Lady” who just happened to leave my pet business a substantial amount in her will and much more than she’s left her brother and sister, both of whom the sheriff suspects…

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Blog Tour and Podcast for THE CASE OF THE CAT CRAZY LADY

Posted on June 14, 2022June 25, 2022 by Debbie

My new cozy mystery, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady, the first Buttercup Bend Mystery, will be on tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours from June 14 to June 27. The tour schedule is below. Please follow the tour for excerpts, guest posts, and giveaways.

THE CASE OF THE CAT CRAZY LADY TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 14 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 15 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – GUEST POST

June 16 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 16 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 17 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 18 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 19 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT

June 20 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 22 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 22 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW (Cozy Wednesday)

June 23 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST

June 24 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 26 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 26 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

June 27 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

I was also featured on the Once and Future Authors podcast where I spoke about my cozy mysteries and other books. Check the show out here:

Blog Tour, Cats, New Releases

June Author News: A Triple Treat for Cat Lovers

Posted on May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 by Debbie

This June, I have three treats for cat lovers: the first book of a cozy mystery series, a collection of cozy mystery stories, and a non-fiction cat book.

The first book of my new Buttercup Bend cozy mystery series, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady, was recently published by Next Chapter. It is on widespread distribution and is available on many book sites, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and others.

Cathy Carter and her brother Douglas own a pet cemetery and animal rescue center in the small, upstate New York town of Buttercup Bend.

After the local “Cat Crazy Lady,” Maggie Broom, is found dead in her home, Cathy is stunned to learn that Rainbow Gardens and Rainbow Rescues is the recipient of most of Maggie’s estate.

Maggie’s estranged brother and sister come to town and are upset with the terms of their sister’s will. Sheriff Leroy Miller is convinced one of them killed Maggie.

When another person turns up dead, Cathy sets out to solve the murders with her reporter friend, Nancy Meyers. But who really wanted to kill the “Cat Crazy Lady,” and why?

Get your copy here: https://books2read.com/u/bOzPdN

For excerpts, guest posts, and a giveaway, follow the blog tour on Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours from June 14 -27: https://bit.ly/3wK0Uaq

Just published by Solstice Publishing, Sneaky’s Supernatural Mystery and Other Cobble Cove Stories. This collection includes four previously published eBooks, including the award-winning, Sneaky’s Christmas Mystery and the new title story. It is available in paperback and eBook and is free on Kindle Unlimited.

This collection of short stories includes four previously published Cobble Cove mysteries that appeared exclusively as ebooks along with a new story. The collection features the award-winning Sneaky’s Christmas Mystery, Sneaky’s Summer Mystery, KittyKai’s Easter Mystery, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, and the new title story, Sneaky’s Supernatural Mystery.

Each of these stories includes a note from the author explaining her inspiration for it and a cover image. If you’re a fan of the series, a cozy mystery lover, and/or a feline fancier, you’ll enjoy these mysteries that feature the pets in starring roles with Alicia, the librarian.

Get your copy here: mybook.to/CCcollection

Follow the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour here from July 18-25: https://bit.ly/3LRVVIZ

Also coming soon from Next Chapter Publishing, Memories and Meows.

Ever wonder what cats are thinking? If your cats could write a blog, what would they talk about? In this collection, you’ll meet Debbie De Louise’s current cats and two from the past who share their everyday activities, health concerns, behavior issues, and more.

Floppy relates his hospital experience, gives advice about taking pills, and discusses feline diabetes. His sister, Holly, talks about her weight issues, describes how she made the change from a feral to a house cat, and even writes a fictional story featuring her fur and human family members. Harry talks about the merits and perils of being a black cat, shares his bad habit of wire and shoelace chewing, and even gives tips about how to cope with a crisis. His sister Hermione reveals her fascination with high and low places, discusses how she mastered the cat flap door, and even reviews the Cat Writers’ Association Conference.

If there’s a feline in your home or you enjoy reading about these quirky, beautiful, wise, and inspirational creatures, you’ll find these fur-st person tails from the cats’ point of view a purrfect read.

I’m sure you’ll find my three new releases the cat’s meow.

Cozy Mystery, New Releases

Sharing Good and Bad News Including a New Release

Posted on May 19, 2022May 19, 2022 by Debbie

As some of you might know, I lost my handsome 14-year old cat, Stripey, to cancer on Friday, May 13. He’d been sick for some time, losing weight rapidly and becoming very weak. We tried a prednisone shot which only helped briefly but got him through Mother’s Day, my birthday, and my husband’s birthday. We made the decision to send him to Rainbow Bridge because his quality of life was deteriorating. He could hardly walk, eat, or do any of the things he once enjoyed. It was so sad to see him that way. He is now with his friend, Oliver, the Siamese I lost four years ago. Even though I still have two cats, there’s someone missing in my house. The three “mouseketeers” are down to two. It hurts, but I know it was our only choice.

They say when it rains, it pours. After putting Stripey to sleep, my daughter and I tested positive for COVID. We had ignored some earlier symptoms thinking they were allergy-related and having other things on our minds. But once we starting running fevers, we took tests to check. They were positive. My husband tested positive the next day, so the whole family had caught it. We are on the mend but still have symptoms and are quarantining.

But when it pours, a rainbow sometimes appears afterwards. I’m happy to announce that the first book of my new cozy series, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady, has been published by Next Chapter. This book will be available in several formats including paperback, hardcover, large print, eBook, eventually audio, and it may also be translated. It will be distributed on several platforms including Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Kobo, Scribd, Overdrive, and many others. For now, I have the universal link to the Amazon purchase page. When I receive the universal link to all the places that sell it, I will update this post. If you have a favorite online booksite, just check and see if it’s available there yet.

Purchase Link: mybook.to/cclady

Without sharing any spoilers, I’d like to introduce a few of the characters in the book.

Hi, I’m Cathy Carter, and the main character of The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady. I live in Buttercup Bend which is a lovely small town in the Catskills. I live with my grandmother, Florence and Siamese cat, Oliver. I co-own a pet cemetery and rescue center with my brother, Doug, who lives next door with his pregnant wife, Becky. Doug and I are orphans. We lost our parents five years ago in a car accident. I was injured in the accident and have a scar on my cheek. It wasn’t the only scar I received. I became very shy and withdrawn and found it easier to be around animals. Opening the pet business helped me, as did my friend, Nancy and my work as a photographer for the Buttercup Bugle, the town newspaper. You’ll learn more about me in the book. I hope you enjoy it.

Here are a few of the other characters you’ll meet in The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady:

Florence Wilson, my grandmother, a self-reliant widow who meets a strange yet charismatic man named Howard Hunt at a church square dance. She enjoys needlework and gardening.

Douglas Carter, my brother, who works at the Buttercup Bend Post Office and is married to Becky and has two dogs, Max and Millie.

Maggie Broom, the murder victim, who was known in the town as “The Cat Crazy Lady.” She enjoyed playing BINGO but kept to herself and the dozens of indoor and outdoor cats that she cared for. Relatively new in town, she arrived two years ago and had not made many friends before she was found murdered.

Nancy Meyers, my best friend, who convinces me to join her in investigating Maggie Broom’s murder. Nancy is outgoing and likes to flirt. She has her eye on the town’s vet and the deputy sheriff, while I’m interested in my gardener.

Brody Broom, Maggie’s brother, who is the prime suspect in the murder. After the will is read, he and his sister aren’t happy with what they are left. Brody has been in trouble with the law since he was 15, Sheriff Miller believes he is guilty of his sister’s murder, but I learn some things about him that make me believe in his innocence.

Keep an eye out for more updates on the book and its upcoming blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours in June.

author news, Blog Tour, Freebies and Special Offers, New Releases

Spring Author News: Blog Tour, Sale, and New Release

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Debbie

My new Cobble Cove cozy mystery is on tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours from March 22 – March 28. Follow the tour at these stops and enter the giveaway for 3 free Cobble Cove cozy stories:

March 22 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, GUEST POST

March 22 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

March 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 24 – Maureen’s Musing – REVIEW

March 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

March 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 28 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

March 28 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

My medical mystery, Memory Makers, about a woman who volunteers for the trial of a new memory drug hoping to recall the face of the “shadow man” who killed her sister twenty-five years ago, is on sale for 99 cents from March 23 – 27. Pick up a copy here: mybook.to/memorymakers

Blog Tour, New Releases

Two Fresh New Spring Releases

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Debbie

It may still feel like winter some days, but spring isn’t far away. It’s great to offer some fresh new reads to my followers. Just in time for Easter, my new Cobble Cove cozy mystery story, “KittyKai’s Easter Mystery” is now available.

Purchase Link: mybook.to/KKEaster

During an Easter egg hunt at the Cobble Inn, a ring is found on the grounds by Alicia’s daughter, Carol. When the sheriff has it examined, he discovers it belonged to him and Gilly’s neighbor, Gretchen Miller, who disappeared the month before. An investigation leads to the discovery of Mrs. Miller’s body buried on the site of the inn’s new construction.

As Alicia and Gilly set out to solve this new mystery despite their husbands’ discouragement, Sneaky and Kittykai, the library and inn cats, secretly lend them a paw.

KittyKai’s Easter Mystery will be on blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours from March 22 to 28.

Here’s the tour schedule if you’d like to follow along and enter the giveaway.

March 22 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, GUEST POST

March 22 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 23 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW

March 23 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 24 – Maureen’s Musing – REVIEW

March 24 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 25 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

March 26 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 26 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 27 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 28 – Literary Gold – REVIEW

March 28 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT

I’m also proud to announce the publication of The Roaring ’20s: A Decade of Stories in which my short story, “Growing Up in the Summer of 1971” appears. I received a wonderful certificate for being included in this collection of timeless tales with 10 other authors.

Are You Looking For a Collection that Roars as Loudly as the Exciting Greatest Decade?

Journey through the last hundred or so years of history as “The Roaring ‘20s”, an anthology for the greatest decade and all that have come and gone since, takes you from flappers and speakeasies to hippies and beaded doorways. With the next “twenties” still more ahead of us than behind, we could all use a little escape back to the glistening, dangerous, and thrilling world that once was.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/385G7kQ

Cozy Mystery, New Releases, Reviews

Book Review: Brewed Awakening, A Coffeehouse Mystery, by Cleo Coyle

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Debbie

*****5 stars

Brewed Awakening, the 18th mystery in the Coffeehouse cozy mystery series, of which this book introduced me, is a highly recommended read for those who like books with twists, adventure, mystery, humor, clean romance, art, and delightful recipes.

The main character of the series, Clare Cosi, a coffee shop owner and a divorcee who still works with her ex-husband and his family, is also an amateur sleuth who assists her boyfriend, Detective Mike Quinn, on cases. In the second chapter of the book, after Mike proposes to her, Clare awakes on a park bench in Washington Square Park with Amnesia. While she can recall her ex, Matt Allegro, and her daughter, Joy, she remembers them from 15 years ago when Joy was a child. She recalls hardly anything of her present life including her relationship with Mike.

As the story progresses, Clare and her coffeehouse co-workers, her ex, and her fiancee all try to discover what happened to her while attempting to thwart Dr. Lorca, a psychiatrist who wishes to admit her to a medical facility away from any contact with them. Aware that Clare’s memory loss is tied into a crime she witnessed and that also involves a missing woman, her friends know the urgency of retrieving her recall of the incident. Her fiancee also has his personal reason for wanting Clare to remember him.

As a Long Islander, I particularly enjoyed the New York and Long Island’s East End settings. All the characters were well depicted, and I liked the mock jealousy between Mike and Matt who obviously both love her. Some recipes included at the back are mentioned in the book and are also available with others online at the included website. The ending features a nice twist and resolution. I look forward to catching up with this series written by a husband and wife team and highly recommend this book.

This book is on blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Brewed Awakening (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
by Cleo Coyle

About Brewed Awakening

Brewed Awakening (A Coffeehouse Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
18th in Series
Berkley (December 3, 2019)
Hardcover: 368 pages
ISBN-10: 0451488873
ISBN-13: 978-0451488879
Digital ASIN: B07GQHK51D

From Cleo Coyle, the New York Times bestselling author of Shot in the Dark and Dead Cold Brew, comes a delicious new entry in the “fun and gripping” (The Huffington Post) Coffeehouse Mysteries.

When coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi awakens on a bench in Washington Square Park, she has no idea she’s been missing for the past week, or that her friends and family have been frantic with worry. Now that she’s back, everyone is overjoyed, including a handsome NYPD detective who claims to be her fiancé. But to Mike Quinn’s crushing distress, Clare doesn’t remember him, or much of anything about the last decade of her life.

Clare’s missing memory is tied to a crime she witnessed. An acquaintance of Clare’s elegant employer–and fellow member of an exclusive Gotham circle known as “The Ladies Who Brunch”–invited Clare to her posh hotel to sample gourmet wedding cakes. The pair took a stroll after their indulgent tasting and, according to security camera footage, a masked figure snatched the hotel heiress at gunpoint with Clare looking on. Did the kidnapper take Clare, too? The camera went dark, just like Clare’s memory. Soon authorities grow suspicious. Is Clare really a victim? Or merely acting like one? Evidence is mounting that she set the woman up.

To clear her name, Clare must find a way to reclaim her memories and rescue the heiress before this high-stakes crime ends in tragedy. Otherwise, instead of walking down the aisle, Clare may find herself perp-walking to prison as an accomplice to kidnapping and murder.

About Cleo Coyle

CLEO COYLE is the pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. CLEO COYLE grew up in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning scholarships to study writing at Carnegie Mellon and American Universities, she began her career as a cub reporter for The New York Times. Now an author of popular fiction and New York Times bestselling media tie-in writer, Cleo lives and works in New York City, where she collaborates with her husband (also a bestselling author) to pen the Coffeehouse Mysteries for Penguin. Together Cleo and her husband also write the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries under the name Alice Kimberly. When not haunting coffeehouses, hunting ghosts, or rescuing stray cats, Cleo and Marc are bestselling media tie-in writers who have penned properties for NBC, Lucasfilm, Disney, Fox, Imagine, and MGM. In their spare time, they cook like crazy and drink a lot of java. You can learn more about Cleo, her husband, and the books they write by visiting www.CoffeehouseMystery.com.

Author Links

Visit Cleo online: www.coffeehousemystery.com

Friend Cleo on Facebook:www.Facebook.com/CleoCoyle

Follow Cleo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleocoyle/

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play IndieBound

Cozy Mysteries

Book Review: Cozy Food Edited by Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Debbie

This cookbook features recipes by 128 cozy mystery authors. The Table of Contents lists the recipes by category: Starters and Beverages, Pasta and Casseroles, Main Course Dishes, Veggies and Side Dishes, Desserts and Pies, etc. Each category section is illustrated with a cozy graphic. The recipes feature ingredients and instructions as well as the books and page numbers where the recipe was originally listed. An alphabetical list of author biographies is located at the back of the book along with websites and social media links of the contributing writers.

A perfect read for the holidays for those who enjoy cozy mysteries and cooking. This is a resource that can also be used all year to expand your recipe and mystery book collection. I found many interesting recipes that I’d like to try myself including Maggie’s Lasagna, Shepherd’s Pie, Cashew Chicken, Sweet Potato Casserole, Make Ahead Caramel French “Toast,” Killer Quiche Lorraine, Nana’s Cream Puffs, Deep in the Black Forest Cupcakes, and Classic New York Cheesecake. I even found some recipes for my cats: Kitty Cat Tuna Crackers and Catnip Burgers.

This book is currently on tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Cozy Food:
128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes
by Nancy Lynn Jarvis

About Cozy Food

Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes
Cozy Cookbook
Good Read Mysteries (May 15, 2014)
Number of Pages: 241 (167 of recipes, 70 of contributor bios and books)
ISBN-10: 0983589178
ISBN-13: 978-0983589174
Kindle ASIN: B00KGZSEQ6

What happens when 128 cozy mystery writers get together to do a cookbook? You get more than 220 recipes that are as varied and interesting as an amateur sleuth’s day job.

Regional recipes come from every part of the United States and England — a couple find their way from Australia and Italy, too — and from diverse times. There are recipes from people looking to keep gluten out of their lives, eat vegetarian, or make a treat or two for their furry four-legged friends. And yes, there are recipes that appeal to the sweet tooth, lots of them, in fact.

There’s no mystery about what happens when cozy writers get together. They bring the wit, inventiveness, and adventure found in their books right along with their recipes.

The recipes are introduced by their authors and linked to the writer bios in the back of the book.
You can look up your favorite cozy writer and see which recipes are their favorites; they’ll tell you what the recipe means to them. Or you can enjoy a dish and then link to the recipe’s author’s biography and books.

Either way you enjoy the cookbook, you’re sure to find great new recipes to make and terrific new cozy authors to read.

Contributing Authors: Sparkle Abbey, Ellery Adams, (aka J. B. Stanley, Jennifer Stanley) Judy Alter, Marian Allen, Ritter Ames, Donna Andrews, Traci Andrighetti, Amy Beth Arkawy, Mignon F. Ballard, Sandra Balzo, JoAnn Bassett, Cynthia Baxter, (aka Cynthia Blair) Jenna Bennett, (aka Jennie Bentley) Sally Berneathy, (aka Sally Carleen, Sally Steward, Sara Garrett) Maggie Bishop, Cindy Blackburn, Juliet Blackwell, Susan Furlong Bollinger, Sheila Webster Boneham, Laura Bradford, Frances Brody, Duffy Brown, Joyce Ann Brown, Mollie Bryan, B.B. Cantwell, Laurie Cass, (aka Laura Alden) Nancy J. Cohen, Shelley Costa, Judith Cutler, Rebecca (aka R.P.) Dahlke, Kathi Daley, Kathleen Delaney, Diana Dempsey, Pamela Frost Dennis, Lesley A. Diehl, Leighann Dobbs, Vicki Doudera, Pamela DuMond, Carola Dunn, Jean Erhardt, Chloe Evans, Monica Ferris, (aka Margaret Frazer, Mary Monica Pulver, Mary Kuhfeld) Judy Fitzwater, Chris Forman, Kaye George, Sally Goldenbaum, Barbara Graham, Sarah Graves, Carolyn Haines, (aka R.B. Chesterton) Vinnie Hansen, Traci Hilton, Sibel Hodge, Valerie Horowitz, Mary Ellen Hughes, Linda Joffe Hull, Ellen Elizabeth Hunter, Dawn Greenfield Ireland, Melanie Jackson, Holly Jacobs, Miranda James, (aka Dean James) Nancy Lynn Jarvis, Heather Justesen, Pamela Kelley, E.E. Kennedy, Mary Kennedy, Josi S. Kilpack, Kelly Klepfer, (aka Michelle Griep, Ellie Marks) Barbara Lee Cool, Marilyn Levinson, Liz Lipperman, Gail Lukasik, Elaine Macko, Sylvia Massara, Sonja Massie, (aka G.A. McKevett) Edith Maxwell, (aka Tace Baker) Lorena McCourtney, Marja McGraw, Eileen Haavik McIntire, Staci McLaughlin, Catriona McPherson, Camille Minichino, (aka Margaret Grace, Ada Madison) Marie Moore, Ruth Moose, Amy Myers, Tamar Myers, Christa Nardi, Radine Trees Nehring, Kerri Nelson, Clare O’Donohue, Diana Orgain, Joyce Oroz, Elaine L. Orr, Helen Osterman, Gail Oust, K.B. Owen, Sharon Pape, Nancy J. Parra, (aka Nancy J. Coco) Allison Cesario Paton, Joanne Pence, Maggie Pill, Ann Purser, Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, (aka Melissa Bourbon) Nanci Rathbun, Rosalee Richland, Becky Lyn Rickman, Karen Robbins, Carolyn J. Rose, Pamela Rose, Cindy Sample, June Shaw, Connie Shelton, Clea Simon, Joanna Campbell Slan, Karen Rose Smith, Lane Stone, Maria Grazia Swan, Denise Swanson, Marcia Talley, Nancy Jill Thames, Sharon Burch Toner, Elaine Viets, Lea Wait, Wendy Lyn Watson, (aka Annie Knox) Christine Wenger, Gayle Wigglesworth, Lois Winston, Joan H. Young, Suzanne Young

About Editor Nancy Lynn Jarvis

Nancy Lynn Jarvis was a Santa Cruz, California, Realtor® for more than twenty years before she fell in love with writing and let her license lapse.

After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News. A move to Santa Cruz meant a new job as a librarian and later a stint as the business manager for Shakespeare/Santa Cruz at UCSC.

Nancy’s work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years, a philosophy she applies to her writing, as well. She has written seven Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries; a stand-alone novel “Mags and the AARP Gang” about a group of octogenarian bank robbers; edited “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes” and a short story anthology, “Santa Cruz Weird;” and even done a little insider’s book, “The Truth About Hosting Airbnb” about her first year as a host.

Her newest venture is “The Glass House” is the first book in a planned series of PIP Inc. Mysteries. Now she’s trying to figure out when to work on another series she’d love to do called “Geezers with Tools” about two older handymen who will solve mysteries in the course of doing their work, and setting up writer retreats at her house.

Editor Links

Website – https://www.nancylynnjarvis.com/

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

GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2918242.Nancy_Lynn_Jarvis

Purchase – Amazon – Kindle – Amazon Paperback

Blog Tour, Cozy Mysteries, Guest Post

Guest Post and Blog Tour for Died in the Wool, A Whiskey Business Mystery, by Melinda Mullet

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Debbie

Melinda Mullet – Died in the Wool Blog Tour

Alright, I’ll admit it — I have a borderline obsession with sheep.

I adore them. They are essentially overgrown dogs with the sweetest ruminative faces and tails that can wag when they are pleased to see you. In all honesty, I’ve tried to convince my husband that raising sheep in rural New Zealand is a viable retirement plan for the two of us. I mean you have to love a country where sheep outnumber humans by 7 to 1. But, so far he isn’t going for it.

Sheep are amazing animals. Consider the following fun facts offered up by Dave Thomas, retired head of sheep studies at the University of Wisconsin. (Yes, that is a legitimate occupation and perhaps my next career move if this writing thing doesn’t pan out.) Dave tells us that:

Sheep have very good memories. They can remember at least 50 individual sheep and humans for years. (Better than most humans I know.)
Sheep have rectangular pupils that give them amazing peripheral vision that helps to keep them safe from predators. The field of vision is somewhere between 270 and 320 degrees. (Humans average a mere 155 degrees.)
Some sheep are gay. (No, really.) While there are instances of homosexuality in almost all animal species, sheep are the only animals besides humans that show a same-sex preference for life. In any flock up to 8% of males prefer other males.
Woodrow Wilson kept a flock of sheep on the White House lawn during World War I to keep the grass trimmed as a cost-cutting measure and to show support for the war effort.
Sheep can display emotions usually reflected in the position of their ears. They can feel stress and isolation and will show signs of depression similar to humans.
Contrary to popular belief, sheep are extremely intelligent animals capable of problem solving. They can differentiate facial expressions and prefer smiles to frowns.

Naturally, these intelligent creatures figure prominently in my stories. Died in the Wool, the fourth book in the Whisky Business Mystery Series, finds whisky distiller Abi Logan continuing to act as foster parent to a growing flock of sheep saved from being turned into c-h-o-p-s. All named for authors, Agatha (Christie) and Oscar (Wilde) have become deeply attached to their foster mother and live adjacent to the house.

Agatha and Oscar are protective, and like all sheep know their names and will respond when called. Aside from being guard sheep when necessary the flock is producing their share of wool. (A single sheep can produce up to thirty pounds of wool a year. Once pound of wool can make ten miles of yarn.) As if Abi didn’t get tangled up enough in the mysteries she solves, her flock is churning out more than 3,000 miles of wool a year. Something has to give.

Abi is forced to find an outlet for the wool and becomes involved with a charity for women who are victims of domestic abuse that is funded by the proceeds of an artisan knitting cooperative. Abi donates her wool and her energies to the shelter known as the Shepherd’s Rest, but soon finds herself knee deep in a mystery. As she tries to unravel a murder and a kidnapping at the shelter it becomes clear that at least on of the shelter’s benefactors is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Watch as Abi and her wooly wordsmiths solve the case before things go from baaad to worse!

Died in the Wool:
A Whisky Business Mystery
by Melinda Mullet

About the Book

Died in the Wool: A Whisky Business Mystery
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Alibi (June 18, 2019)
Print Length ~300 pages
Digital ASIN: B07GN17SQJ

No good deed goes unpunished in the Whisky Business cozy mystery series as distillery owner Abigail Logan uncovers dark secrets—and murder—at a local charity.

Photojournalist Abi Logan is finally ready to put her hectic career on hold and set down roots in the heart of the Scottish countryside. Studying the business and art of distilling whisky at Abbey Glen and volunteering at the Shepherd’s Rest women’s shelter in her spare time seem a surefire way to find the peace and stability she craves. It’s also the logical way to take her mind off her personal life. Abi’s business partner, Grant MacEwan, is facing a career-threatening disability, and as much as Abi longs to be there for him, he seems to prefer the company of a rival.

But as Abi becomes more involved with Shepherd’s Rest, she discovers that their refuge is elusive. When the shelter is rocked by a murder/suicide, Abi is outraged by the police’s lack of attention to these already marginalized women. Increasingly confident in her own skills as an investigator, Abi steps in to find out what the police will not: who left one young woman dead and another missing. But when more deadly deeds come to light, Abi must race to unravel the connections between the shelter’s benefactors and the women they have pledged to protect—and expose the killer before he strikes again.

Melinda Mullet’s delightful Whisky Business mysteries can be read together or separately. Enjoy responsibly:
SINGLE MALT MURDER | DEATH DISTILLED | DEADLY DRAM | DIED IN THE WOOL

About the Author

Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.

Author Links

Website – http://melindamullet.com/

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

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Guest Post Recipe and Blog Tour for Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Murder, A Cast Iron Skillet Mystery, by Jodi Rath

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Debbie

Recipe for Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

Ingredients

2 jalapeño peppers, seeds* removed and diced
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (1 tsp. if using fine salt)
4 large eggs
1 cup cooked corn kernels plus enough cream, milk, or buttermilk** to equal 1 1/2 cups
1 cup grated cheddar cheese*** plus bit more for top before baking
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar

*see Notes

Instructions

Place diced jalapeños in skillet, then place in a 10-inch top diameter cast iron skillet in cold oven on middle rack. Preheat oven to 400°F and leave skillet with jalapeños in oven as it preheats. Check periodically to make sure they aren’t burning and to give them a quick stir. Remove when they are lightly browned and allow to cool. Return skillet immediately to oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs. Whisk in corn/cream mixture and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with a wooden spoon,**** just until butter absorbs the sugar. Add the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the cooled jalapeños. Mix in the dry ingredients just until barely incorporated.
Remove skillet from oven and lightly coat with nonstick spray. Spoon batter into hot pan and quickly top with a bit more grated cheddar cheese. Bake cornbread until top is golden brown and springs back when gently pressed, 25-28 minutes when baked in a 10-inch skillet (may be longer if your skillet is smaller). Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

*If you like your food extra spicy, then leave the seeds in the jalapeños.

**This means you add the corn kernels to a measuring cup first, then pour in the milk until the milk rises to the 1 1/2 cup level. (I was not able to find buttermilk at my local store. If you have the same problem, then you can add one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar for every one cup of milk.)

***I’m a cheese lover—I added an extra half cup of cheese!

****I tried the recipe mixing with a wooden spoon and again using my Kitchenette mixer. Call me crazy, but I truly believe it tasted better when using the wooden spoon to stir ingredients.

This recipe was adapted from seasonsandsuppas.ca and foodiecrush.com.

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder
(The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)
by Jodi Rath

About the Book

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in the Series
MYS ED LLC (June 21, 2019)
Digital ASIN: B07Q1K4DN3

Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder? Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village’s own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!

About the Author

Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven cats.

Author Links: Webpage: https://www.jodirath.com/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/jodirath FB Author Page: Author Jodi Rath Twitter @jodirath

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath

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

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