Sleuthing and the BFF… Guest Post/Review/Contest

Sleuthing and the BFF…
By Duffy Brown

It’s that dark and stormy night we hear so much about, your car just broke down in the middle of nowhere and you forgot to recharge your cell phone. In the moonlight you see an old dilapidated farmhouse off in the distance.

The question is… Who’s walking to that farmhouse with you?

Sherlock has Watson with him, Perot has Captain Hastings, Nancy Drew has boyfriend Ned, Stephanie Plum has Lula. Some sleuths even have a cat or dog. Sometimes they even talk. I wish my cats talked. Actually I wished they did the laundry and vacuumed but I digress.

Every sleuth has a BFF to chat with, get into trouble with, drink with.

On TV Beckett has Rick Castle. The SCI people have each other kicking around and Lizbeth has tea-drinking Patrick Jane in the Mentalist.

It’s not just solving the crimes together that makes them BFFs, but sharing their personal lives. IMO it’s this personal touch that’s the most interesting part of the show or book. Don’t you love when Sherlock does something nice for Watson or Perot and Hastings travel and take on the chase together or when Becket and Castle turn to each other and say I know who the killer is!

That LuLa is a once-upon-a-time hooker makes for a great character, that Patrick Jane is hunting for Red John keeps us riveted, that Rick Castle is has a grown daughter and a boyfriend who is nothing like Rick and has his mother is living with him gives a human touch to finding killers and tripping over dead bodies.

In my book the Consignment Shop Mysteries protagonist Reagan has BFF Auntie KiKi. KiKi was once a roadie for Cher and spouts Cher-isms when giving sage advice like A girl can wait for the right man to come along but in the meantime she can have a darn good time with all the wrong ones. When KiKi was born the angels chanted cha-cha-cha over her crib and turned her into Savannah’s resident dancing teacher, when Reagan’s mom was born she was wrapped in a blanket with pink elephants resulting in Reagan being named Reagan.

In Pearls and Poison, Reagan’s mom is running for city council and her opponent winds up dead…that’s one way to win an election. Daughter Reagan and Auntie KiKi run to the rescue to find the real killer discussing suspects over martinis.

Back to our dark and stormy night. We know who our sleuths have at their sides when going into that creepy old house. So who would you have tagging along. Who is at one person that when you show up at their house with a dead body grabs a shovel and doesn’t ask questions.

When life goes right to hell in a hand-basket, who do you want at your side?

CONTEST:

Answer Duffy's question  (When life goes right to hell in a hand-basket, who do you want at your side?) in the comments section of this post and be entered to win a Pearls and Poison tote bag. Be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can contact you should you win. Two winners will be chosen by random.org. This is a quick contest-get those comments in by Saturday night (March 8, 2014 by 11:59pm EST) to qualify! Sorry, US mailing addresses only.

Review

Peals and Poison by Duffy Brown
Third in the Consignment Shop Mystery series

Reagan Summerside's mom, the judge, is running for Alderman, but things get sticky when a nasty mudslinging opponent winds up dead, poisoned by some honey bourbon; bourbon the judge said she was bringing him as a good will gesture. Reagan just wants to protect her mom and keep Aunt Kiki out of harms way, but. as usual, she finds lots of trouble.

Duffy Brown gives us another fun romp through Savannah with Reagan, her family, and friends. While trying to clear her mother, Reagan antagonizes several suspects and makes plenty of new enemies, who may want to do her serious harm. Aunt Kiki, afraid of being replaced as a partner in sleuthing, is also determined to help, and thus cause Reagan more worries.While things are heating up between Reagan and Boone (which neither of them can believe) we also learn there's a relationship of another kind between Boone and Guillotine Gloria (AKA Reagan's mamma). With all the stress and downright danger, as well as a surprise new hairstyle, Reagan's biggest shock may be what happens on the final page of the book!

I just love the antics of this Southern crew. Duffy Brown has a great cast of characters who make murder fun! I'm pleased to meet Mercedes, a new character (and what a character she is) and a great addition to the local ensemble. If you like your mysteries on the zany side, as I certainly do, this book and series is for you!  I only wish I could visit and give a hot dog to Bruce Willis while sipping a martini on the porch of the Prissy Fox.


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Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, her license plate is Sherlock and she conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Duffy’s national bestselling Consignment Shop Mystery series is set in Savannah and the Cyclepath Mysteries are set on Mackinac Island. Duffy writes romance as Dianne Castell and is a USA Today bestselling author.

http://www.duffybrown.com

Currently Reading...

I just started reading All Things Murder by Jeanne Quigley. This book is the first in the Veronica Walsh Mystery series which will be released May 21.

For 32 years Veronica starred in the soap opera, Days and Nights, but when the show is cancelled she realizes roles are more difficult to come by for an almost 54 year old actress. She decides a change of scenery is what she needs, so Veronica moves back to her home town in the Adirondacks. However, I have a feeling the slower pace of her charming town will soon prove dangerous. I've already had a brief introduction to an unpleasant character and I have a feeling a murder is imminent!

Spotlight - Pearls and Poison

I'd like to shine a spotlight on the upcoming release Pearls and Poison by Duffy Brown. This book is the 3rd Consignment Shop Mystery and a great addition to this fun series.

From the back cover:

It's election time in Savannah, Georgia, and Judge Guillotine Gloria-aka Reagan Summerside's mom-is neck and neck in the polls with Kip "Scummy" Seymour. But the already dirty campaign is about to get downright filthy-with one candidate getting buried six feet under...

With her strong opinions and knack for getting into trouble, Reagan is not an ideal volunteer for her mother's alderman campaign. Plus, she'd rather be running her consignment shop, the Prissy Fox, and eating doughnuts with her dog, Bruce Willis. But when her mother's opponent, Kip, is found poisoned and her mother is pegged as a suspect, Reagan nominates herself as lead murder investigator.

Reagan is intent on finding Kip's killer and clearing her mother's good name, but she soon finds herself on the bad side of Kip's enemies-turned-suspects.This time, no amount of costumes and makeup can keep her inconspicuous and out of danger. Because the closer Reagan gets to the truth, the hotter things get...

Be sure to visit the blog this Friday, March 7th as I'll have a guest post by Duffy Brown as well as my review for this book.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Inherit the Word by Daryl Wood Gerber. This book is the second in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series. The book will be released March 4th.

I really enjoyed the first book in this new series and was excited to see what happened next, especially after that ending in Final Sentence. The mystery of Jenna's husband continues as Jenna prepares to host the Grill Fest. Cooking competitions can get fierce and there was no love lost between Natalie and some of her other contestants. Natalie won't get her 8th consecutive win, however, instead she gets murdered. Jenna's second mom is a prime suspect and, although Jenna doesn't want to get involved, she has to look into things, at least a little.

I enjoy the adventures of Jenna learning to cook, the antics of Tigger, and all the talk of grilled cheese, so I'm going to stop writing this post and continue reading this fun book!

Recipes are included! Since Daryl Wood Gerber is also Avery Aames, author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series, you can be sure the grilled cheese concoctions will be wonderful!

Sinister Sitcom - An Interview with Sally Carpenter

I'd like to welcome Sally Carpenter to the blog today. Sally writes the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol Mystery series.

Kathy: Sandy Fairfax is a former teen idol. Did you have a favorite teen idol when you were young? Was Sandy based on him?

SC: Sandy was inspired by The Monkees, specifically the Monkees TV show. I had watched the show in its initial run when I was a kid but didn’t fall for the guys until the late 1990s when Nickelodeon ran the episodes every night. Then I became a die-hard fan and started going to concerts. I read everything I could about The Monkees. I was intrigued by the whole teen idol mystique. When I started writing my series, I read up on other teen idols of the era—David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman and Donny Osmond. Sandy is a composite of all these guys.

Kathy: Sandy has some interesting sidekicks. Can you tell us about them? Is there any particular reason you chose an animal and a little person?

SC: I wanted to get away from every character being a healthy, average type of person. We live in such a diverse society but in cozies everyone tends to look alike. Joseph Graves is an actor who’s also a dwarf. Joseph is cocky and hard-nosed guy but that’s his defense against a hostile world. The character was inspired by two dwarf actors: Michael Dunn, who played Dr. Loveless on “The Wild Wild West,” and David Rappaport, who portrayed a lawyer on “LA Law.” Because of their size they stood out (pun intended) amid the other actors. Dunn stole every scene he was in.

Scruffy is an animal actor who plays the family pet on the sitcom “Off-Kelter,” the show on which Sandy is a guest star. Scuffy’s a terrier mix and he’s handled by his owner and trainer, Frances Fontenay. When I worked at Paramount Pictures we had two animals actors on the lot: Moose, who played Eddie on “Frasier,” and Salem, the cat on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Salem had his own dressing trailer. Two or three black cats were used in the scenes in which Salem moved and the animals were kept in the trailer when they were not in use.

I had the privilege of meeting Moose’s trainer, Mathilde DeCagny. I’d see her walking Moose around the lot. She was friendly and nice. I used her as the starting point for the character of Frances.

A few times I saw other animals on the lot, usually in trucks or a trailer outside the soundstage waiting to start work. A number of companies in Los Angeles handle animal actors (that’s the term). Providing animals for pictures is a big business.

Kathy: You've had a variety of interesting careers. Do you have a favorite job?

SC: Certain aspects in all of my jobs were enjoyable. Each job had its “season.” Some of the jobs would be too physically taxing for me now. My current job at a newspaper is probably the best fit for my temperament at this time. I learned about good writing techniques from the editors and copy editors. I write headlines and photo captions which sharpens my skills. Of course, I’ve always loved writing fiction. My life seems “settled” for now and I can focus on writing books without having to look for another job or think about moving.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SC: I never knew cozies existed until a few years ago. My hometown library didn’t stock many cozies, only the gory, graphic crime novels that I don’t find entertaining. I like cozies because they won’t offend me and sometimes they make me laugh. I write cozies because I don’t want to spend my time with gritty, coarse characters.   

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SC: I started out writing science fiction but couldn’t crack into the genre. I’ve also written plays for churches. In college I wrote two plays that were award finalists. But playwrighting is a tough field as most theaters won’t produce new plays. Producers are particular about how many and what type of characters they want in a play (so they can cast the show from their company), how much the setting will cost and if people will pay to see the show. I ended up in the mystery field because that’s where I found the most support and success.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SC: I have one series, the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series. Sandy’s a former ‘70s teen idol and TV star that discovers that making a comeback can be murder. When he performs at various venues he keeps stumbling over dead bodies, sometimes literally.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

SC: I assume someone other than my own series character! My favorite fictional detectives are Sherlock Holmes (naturally), Lt. Columbo and Trixie Beldon. I like Columbo because he’s funny and down to earth but he’s brilliant. I love how the clues unravel on the show and how the characters interact. My parents gave me two Trixie books for Christmas and that started me reading that series. Trixie was much like me as a kid.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

SC: Besides The Monkees TV show, the whole genre of ‘70s detective shows, including “The Hardy Boys,” with the “personality cop.” Those shows were short on accurate police reality but were family friend and highly entertaining. I liked the idea of a guy who played a kid cop on TV in the ‘70s and is now solving crimes, somewhat reluctantly, in real life.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SC: I always write with an eye toward publication. I have a worthwhile message that I want to share with others. And I feel good when someone says they enjoyed my book. In my mind, providing wholesome entertainment to others is a worthy service.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, whom would you invite?

SC: Rod Serling, William Link and Robert Levinson (do writing partners count as one or two?), Mildred Wirt Benson (she wrote the original Nancy Drews) and E.A. Poe because he needed a friend.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SC: I’m finishing up “Schlock Homes: The Complete Bagel Street Sage” by Robert L. Fish and “A Deadly Justice” by Kate Bennet. Next up are “Burying Ben” by Ellen Kirschman and “The Accused Architect” by Christian Belz. Hope to squeeze in a re-reading of “The Parables of Peanuts” by Robert Short. I like to mix in religious reading when I can.

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

SC: Years ago I earned a black belt in tae kwon do which was hard work but great fun. I took part in a number of tournaments and brought home trophies. I plan to use martial arts in one of my books. I used to act in plays which I don’t do now because it would take time away from writing. I have black cats. I’m a lector (scripture reader) at my parish and involved in a Bible study. When I crash at the end of the day I like watching my favorite TV shows or old movies or listing to music from my record and CD collection.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

SC: Milk, Hansens Diet Cherry Vanilla soft drink, Dark Chocolate Dreams (peanut butter with chocolate) and cheese slices for making grilled cheese sandwiches.

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

SC: The first Sandy Fairfax book, “The Baffled Beatlemanic Caper” is out of print but I will be re-releasing and self-publishing the ebook version on Kindle. I’m looking for an early 2015 release for the third Sandy mystery, “The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper.” He’ll be performing on a cruise ship with his estranged sister. I have ideas for other series but my writing time is limited. Maybe after a few more Sandy books I’ll try to work in another series.  

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

SC: Playing god (not The God of course) in that I can create a world, populate it how I wish, make everything work out in the end and bring the bad guy to justice. As Michael Nesmith would say, I have “total control.”

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Pearls and Poison by Duffy Brown. This book is the third in the Consignment Shop Mystery series. If you haven't started this series-you need to do so! I love, love, love this series and this book is a great addition.

Reagan Summerside's mom, the judge, is running for Alderman, but things get sticky when a nasty mudslinging opponent winds up dead, poisoned by some honey bourbon, bourbon the judge said she was bringing him as a good will gesture. Reagan just wants to protect her mom and keep Aunt Kiki out of harms way-but as usual, she finds lots of trouble.

I just love the antics of this Southern crew. Duffy Brown has a great cast of characters who make murder fun! If you like your mysteries on the zany side, this book and series is for you!

Meet Traci Andrighetti - Interview & Contest

I'd like to welcome Traci Andrighetti to Cozy Up With Kathy. Traci writes the Franki Amato Mystery series...and Franki and I have something in common.

Kathy: Like Franki Amato, I was a police officer in Austin, Texas, however, I left the force and moved to Western New York while Franki went to New Orleans. Why did you decide to set your story there?

TA: Oh, WOW! I wish I could have picked your brain before I wrote Limoncello Yellow! I knew I was going to write colorful mysteries (can you tell by the color in the title?), so I wanted a colorful setting for the series. Of course, Austin’s motto is “Keep Austin Weird,” but no city in the U.S is as weird, wonderful and wild as New Orleans. I mean, Austin has jazz, but we definitely don’t have plantations, voodoo, or Mardi Gras debauchery!

Kathy: In addition to murder, Franki has to deal with a meddlesome Sicilian grandma. Are you able to admit to some personal experience in this matter?

TA: My nonna was from Le Marche, one of the lesser known regions of Italy (among Americans). But she was definitely a meddler, i.e., a manipulator, so I do have some personal experience in the matter. But the inspiration for the Sicilian nonna actually came from my studies of the Sicilian language and culture and my hilarious experiences with an old friend of mine’s elderly Sicilian great aunt.

Kathy: If you had to choose between eating only Tex-Mex food or Italian, which would you choose?

TA: I can’t believe that I’m going to publicly admit this, but I would have to say Tex-Mex food. Here in Austin the breakfast taco reigns supreme, as do cheese enchiladas and the mighty burrito. These things are as essential to my diet as water, and every time I leave Texas (even to go to Italy), I crave them like a junkie (probably) craves heroin.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

TA: Reading Nancy Drew as a child and years of watching Murder She Wrote reruns. I also blame Agatha Christie for my cozy obsession, even though I think she’s considered traditional mystery. What it all boils down to is that I’m not interested in reading about gory murders—I just want to know about the personalities and motivations behind the murders.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

TA: No, just cozy mystery because I view it as such a flexible genre. In addition to the mystery piece, it allows for romance, hobbies and comedy. And I’m all about funny.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

TA: Here’s the official blurb: “When Franki Amato left her cheating ex and unpredictable job as a rookie cop in Austin, Texas, she was hoping for a more ordinary existence working for her best friend Veronica’s private investigation firm in New Orleans. But life in The Big Easy turns out to be anything but routine. To solve a series of colorful murders and the mystery of her lackluster love life, Franki must rely on a highly unlikely cast of characters.” But unofficially, I tell people that my series is about color, as in personality. Specifically, it’s about colorful characters in a colorful setting solving colorful murders.

Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?

TA: Oh yeah. Glenda O’Brien (a.k.a. Lorraine Lamour), Franki and Veronica’s ex-stripper landlord. I love describing her risqué outfits, creating her brash dialogue, and cooking up her outrageous behavior. And it’s a whole lot of fun researching her stripper shoes.

Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?

TA: Yes, Italian authors Andrea Camilleri and Gabriella Genisi. He writes the Inspector Montalbano series set in Sicily, and she writes the Inspector Lolita Lobosco series set in Bari, Puglia. From Camilleri, I took the Sicilian heritage and the emphasis on language and culture. And Genisi’s flamboyant protagonist and fruit-themed titles inspired me to come up with my own colorful character and titles.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

TA: It was kind of an accident that I got published. A fellow writer suggested that I enter an online contest for the experience. So, I did. And to my complete shock, I ended up with a two-book publishing deal.

Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?

TA: Hm. As of right now I would say Janet Evanovich, Gemma Halliday, and the two Italians who inspired me, Andrea Camilleri and Gabriella Genisi. It would be fun to see how the American and Italian mystery writers would interact, especially since all of them have so much personality.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

TA: I’m just about to start J.B. Lynn’s Nearly Departed. The book is getting rave reviews, and it’s about a crime-scene cleaning lady who can talk to ghosts. How can I lose?

Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?

TA: Yes, but you may die of boredom! I worked for years to learn Italian, and then I was lucky enough to teach it at the University of Texas at Austin for eleven years. To maintain my language skills, I watch Italian soap operas and write a nerdy Italian literature and language blog called italicissima. I interview Italian authors for the blog, which played a huge role in the creation of Limoncello Yellow.

Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.

TA: Nutella, pasta, espresso and olive oil. Can you tell I’m Italian-American? LOL!

Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?

TA: Yes to both! Right now I’m writing the second novel in the Franki Amato Mystery series. It’s called Prosecco Pink, and you can read the book blurb on my website at http://traciandrighetti.com/books/.

Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?

TA: Seeing my books come to life in the minds of my readers. I love it when someone tells me that the book reminds them of their grandmother or a vacation they once took to New Orleans. That’s the best!

Kathy: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

TA: Thank YOU! Grazie mille!

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