tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15366146180612552122024-03-28T00:30:32.202-04:00Cozy Up With KathyKatreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.comBlogger2465125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-55631818898054970642024-03-28T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-28T00:30:00.244-04:00Poppies, Perils, and Poison - An Interview & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Erica Wynters to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Erica writes the Camelot Flowers Mystery series. <i>Poppies, Perils, and Poison</i> is the second book in the series and was released last week.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWR6egTQi8QQ4iV_se50HqxgJMGrjezmH84uCX7eIDC9W6RtKHJxaFYIGOmlKfLoIyMfSUKBH1OvJ0UeYseUjwH6tcR_uhOynn5Mwc5XqsHi8OV_URg9Ncu2nP7LfGg5XrTpRKKcjReU_gkJMk9TMLfgbSo_KYclLM8zIWlF2ff58xNjxgXCbUK5E9KYT/s5090/F25EBA6C-B11B-40AA-AAE2-55FD4A4C2D20_1_201_a_pp.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5090" data-original-width="3599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWR6egTQi8QQ4iV_se50HqxgJMGrjezmH84uCX7eIDC9W6RtKHJxaFYIGOmlKfLoIyMfSUKBH1OvJ0UeYseUjwH6tcR_uhOynn5Mwc5XqsHi8OV_URg9Ncu2nP7LfGg5XrTpRKKcjReU_gkJMk9TMLfgbSo_KYclLM8zIWlF2ff58xNjxgXCbUK5E9KYT/s320/F25EBA6C-B11B-40AA-AAE2-55FD4A4C2D20_1_201_a_pp.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><p></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p>Kathy: Politics can be a nasty business, especially when it comes to the matter of Garden Club presidencies. Have you ever been involved in club politics, gardening or other? <br /><br />EW: While I haven’t had personal experience with the political maneuverings of a club I’ve been a member of, I have been on planning teams at church for a variety of events. It’s been interesting over the years to see how different personalities can create different dynamics. Even the number of people impacts how difficult running those teams can be. You’d think the more people, the better, but too many opinions in the mix actually makes committees less efficient. Anytime I’m in a position to plan something, I like to keep my planning team small. I can imagine Margie, the woman running for garden club president in the <i>Poppies, Perils, and Poison</i>, would love a small team too. She’s definitely a woman with strong opinions, who wouldn’t want a team full of people arguing with her. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Gwen Stevens works in the family business, Camelot Flowers. Have you ever worked as a florist? Do you enjoy giving and/or receiving flowers? <br /><br />EW: I’ve never personally worked as a florist. I’ve had a variety of jobs in my life including lifeguard, swimming lesson instructor, receptionist, a temp job that had me working some jobs with very funny stories, and now, my career as a marriage and family therapist. As far as whether or not I enjoy giving and/or receiving flowers, you’re outing me a little bit here. This might sound funny as someone writing a series centered around a florist, but I don’t actually like receiving flowers. I’m very aware of how expensive flowers are and how quickly they die. I’m obsessed with live plants and have more than I know what to do with at my house if that counts for something, but getting a bouquet of flowers from my husband wouldn’t be the most romantic thing for me. Now, I love giving gifts to people that they love. My mother-in-law loves getting flowers, and I really enjoy buying them for her because they make her happy. Let’s just not tell Gwen or her parents that I don’t love getting flowers. It can be our little secret. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Are you a gardener? Do you grow flowers yourself? What's your favorite flower? <br /><br />EW: I live in Phoenix, Arizona and while we have a good growing season in the winter, gardening has never been something that appealed me to. However, I love to visit elaborate flower gardens. You know, ones that I didn’t have to plant or do the work to maintain. My husband and I visited The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC on our honeymoon, and I was blown away. I also love visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, and I have a dream to walk through beautiful gardens in the English countryside someday. My favorite flower has been the tulip for a really long time, but I’ll add two recent favorites—dahlias and chrysanthemums. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? <br /><br />EW: I started reading cozy mysteries after college. I love murder mysteries but get easily creeped out and having nightmares isn’t my idea of a fun time. You won’t find me watching true-crime documentaries or even the evening news. Cozy mysteries let me enter the world of mysteries and investigations without any of the grit or gore of traditional mysteries. I love the fact that most cozies are set in charming small towns. I grew up in a small town and while I know they aren’t always as charming as what we read about in books, cozies capture the best of what small town life has to offer. I took a trip to Leavenworth, WA a couple of summers ago based solely on reading about that town in Ellie Alexander’s Sloan Krause mystery series. I’ve also read a series set in Bar Harbor, Maine and would love to visit there someday. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? <br /><br />EW: Besides my cozy mysteries, I also write closed-door romantic suspense. I currently have a series of romantic suspense novellas on Kindle Unlimited set in Phoenix that follow Dr. Alexandra Briggs, an FBI profiler, who stumbles into danger more than her desk job should allow. I have two other romantic suspense series that I’ll be publishing over the next two year—Empire City Secrets set in New York City and Windy City Secrets set in Chicago. I love the books in these series and can’t wait for readers to meet those characters.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series. </p><p>EW: The Camelot Flowers Mystery Series follows florist, Gwen Stevens, as she balances working at her family’s flower shop, figuring out her complicated love life, and, of course, solving murders in the dreamy town of Star Junction, Illinois.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why? <br /><br />EW: There are so many characters to fall in love with in this series. I feel like I should say that my favorite is Gwen, since she’s the main character, but if we remove her as an option (because of course I love Gwen) then I’d pick Penny, one of Gwen’s best friends. She’s so funny and always pulling Gwen into crazy situations throughout the investigation.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series? <br /><br />EW: A few years ago, I was thinking about writing a cozy mystery, and I had the idea to have a woman named Guinevere (Gwen for short) who got her name because her dad was obsessed with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Hence, naming the flower shop Camelot Flowers. In this first brainstorming session, I also considered naming the romantic interest Lance, so that Gwen’s friends could tease her about dating someone whose name could be short for Lancelot. That didn’t make it past the brainstorming stage, but I still think it’s a funny idea.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? <br /><br />EW: I started writing on a whim almost seven years ago after having a dream that I couldn’t shake. I thought the dream would make a good story. I decided to sit down and write the first chapter later that next night. Three weeks later, I’d finished the rough draft of my first book. Needless to say, it wasn’t very good, but I’ve edited it over and over again throughout the years as I’ve learned more about writing. That book, called <i>Saving Stella</i>, will come out in 2025. I always knew that if I was going to write, I wanted other people to read my books. I was never going to be satisfied with just writing for myself. It’s too much work for that!<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? <br /><br />EW: Oh my goodness! That’s a hard question. First, I would invite Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’ve loved her books since I was a kid and still read them as an adult when life gets particularly stressful. They’re soothing to me, like a perfectly broken in, cozy sweater. Then I’d invite my favorite authors in the cozy mystery field so that I could pick their brains about the craft of writing and more importantly the craft of building an audience. That would include Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams. Finally, I’d invite Denise Grover Swank. She’s an indie author who writes mysteries with a heavy dose of romance. She’s mastered the indie author field, and I would love to learn from her.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading? <br /><br />EW: I’m currently reading <i>Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Wealthy Widow</i> by Kelly Rey and Gemma Halliday. It’s the third book in the series, and I’m loving this whole series. The mysteries are interesting and the characters are really funny. <br /> </p><p>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? <br /><br />EW: I love being out in nature, but I don’t like sleeping in nature, so no camping for me, but I love to hike. I especially love to hike to waterfalls. There’s something especially satisfying about finding water in the desert. I also love to travel, Maui being my favorite place. I read a ton. While I write cozy mysteries and clean romantic suspense, I also love to read fantasy. I tore through all the books published in the Magical Midlife Madness series last fall and can’t wait for the next one to come out this month!<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. <br /><br />EW: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Perfect Bars, pistachios, sumo citrus oranges (when they’re in season), and oat milk for my matcha lattes.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? <br /><br />EW: I’m writing a proposal for the fourth book in the Camelot Flowers Mystery Series right now and will send it to my publisher soon. I have endless ideas for this series. I also have a book I started a year ago that I haven’t had time to work on, but am really excited about. It would be romantic suspense, but it has the same kind of feel as the cozy mysteries. Even my suspense books have plenty of humorous moments in them. Think rom-com meets suspense. The third project waiting in the wings, until I have more time, is a romantic suspense series set in a fictional ranching town in southern Arizona. Starting in 2025, I’ll be publishing two romantic suspense series. They are each shared-world series, which means each book in the series is about a different couples, but the previous couples show up in each other’s books.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author? <br /><br />EW: I love connecting with readers. As my readership has slowly grown, I’ve had people reach out through email, on Instagram, and on Facebook with things they’ve loved about the Camelot Flowers series. It’s my favorite thing to message with people about these characters. Probably one of my favorite memories, though, is when I was driving my daughter and her friends home from my daughter’s birthday party. One of the friends started enthusiastically telling me that Gwen needed to choose Finn, because Chris didn’t deserve her. Another friend in the backseat piped up that she agreed. They had a lively discussion about the book. I hadn’t even realized they’d read it. It was so fun to listen to teens be so invested in reading and so in love with a book that I had written.</p><p>********************************************************************** <br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #073f00;"><b>Poppies, Perils, and Poison (Camelot Flowers Mysteries)</b></span>
<span style="color: #073f00;"><b>by Erica Wynters</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Poppies, Perils, and Poison</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAisMa3GaO77el5uR7ylTypEXbN9yblyJV8g5btdkFM6-5fkj0HVAzigk9YfIpOScr5MT6rxm9ck-Fy9EJ45lswZpZ5DS9Ch1vk4Q9GEgiEDrqm1yBChNVtAMPek1dMCmFS1j0ZPtjqfS7b5Tsmt1bkz7KYggq7c8LwLOEmzm0JLL8_fXeDshc3dzRbs8/s794/POPPIES%20PERILS%20POISON%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="794" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAisMa3GaO77el5uR7ylTypEXbN9yblyJV8g5btdkFM6-5fkj0HVAzigk9YfIpOScr5MT6rxm9ck-Fy9EJ45lswZpZ5DS9Ch1vk4Q9GEgiEDrqm1yBChNVtAMPek1dMCmFS1j0ZPtjqfS7b5Tsmt1bkz7KYggq7c8LwLOEmzm0JLL8_fXeDshc3dzRbs8/w400-h303/POPPIES%20PERILS%20POISON%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3Uyka78">Poppies, Perils, and Poison (Camelot Flowers Mysteries)</a> <br />Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series <br />Setting - Illinois <br />Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing (March 19, 2024) <br />Number of Pages - ~280 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>From author Erica Wynters comes another Camelot Flowers Mystery blooming with secrets, suspicions, and danger at every turn...</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Things are finally looking up with florist Gwen Stevens’ family business, Camelot Flowers, which means her biggest problem now is making her heart choose between her lifelong crush on the charming Chris Crawford and her budding romance with Finn Butler, the new police detective who makes her want to stop and smell the roses.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But Gwen’s thorny love life takes a backseat when Shannon Wentworth, a newcomer to the small town of Star Junction, drops dead in the local coffee shop the day after she announces her candidacy for garden club president. Unfortunately, Margie Philips, Gwen’s surrogate aunt, has been garden club president for years and had threatened to win again this year at any cost—which suddenly puts her in the role of prime suspect in Wentworth's untimely demise!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Determined to clear Margie’s name, Gwen digs deep and discovers a bouquet’s worth of secrets, including marital infidelity, a lawsuit threatening to ruin a local business, and even doubts about where Margie was right before the murder. With too many suspects all hiding something, will Gwen uncover the truth before the killer poisons her chances of a happily ever after?</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Erica Wynters</span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-196351" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/F25EBA6C-B11B-40AA-AAE2-55FD4A4C2D20_1_201_a_pp-212x300.jpg" width="212" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Erica Wynters</b> may have lived most of her life in the frigid Midwest, but now she spends her time in the warmth and sunshine of Arizona. She loves hiking, hunting down waterfalls in the desert, reading (of course), and napping. Can napping be considered a hobby? When not weaving tales of mystery with plenty of quirky characters, laughs, and a dash of romance, Erica works as a Marriage and Family Therapist helping others find their Happily Ever Afters.</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Website -</b> <a href="http://www.ericawynters.com">ericawynters.com</a></li>
<li><b>Facebook -</b> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ericawynters">facebook.com/ericawynters</a></li>
<li><b>Instagram</b> - <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ericawyntersbooks">instagram.com/ericawyntersbooks</a></li>
<li>Purchase Links - <a href="https://amzn.to/3ugMbFM" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> - <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/poppies-perils-and-poison/id6473804595" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Apple</a> - <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poppies-perils-and-poison-erica-wynters/1144453362?ean=2940167655249" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble </a></li>
</ul>
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Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-26951513212651765752024-03-27T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-27T00:30:00.262-04:00Currently Reading...<p>I just finished reading <i>Battered and Buried</i> by Lena Gregory. This book is the seventh in the All-Day Breakfast <span>Café</span> Mystery series and was released last week. </p><p>Gia Morelli strives to make every customer happy at her <span>café, but it's not always easy. Rusty Bragge despises the food, the service, </span><span>and everything about her caf</span><span>é</span><span> declaring she needs to shut down and return to New York! Gia soon learns Rusty has a history of destroying people and their businesses. He also has a history with her good friend and cook, Cole. A kayaking trip to try and get the nasty encounter out of her mind leads Mia and Trevor into the Ocala National Forest where they find Cole standing over Rusty's dead body. While she knows Cole could not have murdered the man, Cole has shut down and isn't talking. When it becomes obvious that someone is trying to frame Cole Gia and her friends will use all their skills to uncover the killer.</span> </p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-56926339228589028212024-03-26T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-26T00:30:00.161-04:00Mayhem in Circulation - An Interview & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Leah Dobrinska to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Leah writes the Larkspur Library Mystery series. <i>Mayhem in Circulation </i>is the second book in the series.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo9GSm6C8puKvEIP5vnBrGorIeA0oxgrA5dK-3vrpnaviL5_BOYcI9a6pUP_g7NX0b9Qy_jixZd9s2NS5Adc4SEygu6RnMf6xksSfmzcdmsJAKLOOM7eTd1_5ue75PsU-VQuMHGH1W03JKizn4YBU0y4RQC9pvfhGNOOMA1QVbCtDWKOxA5ywwu_tbZ8g/s3530/leah_dobrinska_headshot_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3297" data-original-width="3530" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCo9GSm6C8puKvEIP5vnBrGorIeA0oxgrA5dK-3vrpnaviL5_BOYcI9a6pUP_g7NX0b9Qy_jixZd9s2NS5Adc4SEygu6RnMf6xksSfmzcdmsJAKLOOM7eTd1_5ue75PsU-VQuMHGH1W03JKizn4YBU0y4RQC9pvfhGNOOMA1QVbCtDWKOxA5ywwu_tbZ8g/s320/leah_dobrinska_headshot_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div><p></p><p>Kathy: In <i>Mayhem in Circulation</i> Greta Plank prepares for Larkspur’s Fall Festival and regional tourism showcase. I love attending festivals and with fall being my favorite season, I consider autumn festivals the best. Do you enjoy fall festivals? What's your favorite part of them? <br /><br />LD: Yes! I love festivals, and I agree…the season of fall provides the best backdrop! Nothing beats the scent of crisp leaves, pumpkin spice, and apple cider. I love how these local gatherings bring people together. Seeing the community out and engaged warms my heart. I also appreciate the good food and good music! The Larkspur Fall Festival is actually the second festival I’ve included in one of my books. My debut novel,<i> Love at On Deck Café</i>, which is a sweet, small-town romance, centered around a summer festival. So yeah, a big festival fan over here! <br /> </p><p>Kathy: A series of pranks wreaks havoc in the town. Personally I hate pranks, even supposedly funny ones. Do you appreciate a good prank? Or are you a prankster yourself? <br /><br />LD: I’ve never been a fan of pranks myself. I feel like it’s disrespectful to harm someone’s property or person, even if it’s supposedly in good fun. I knew my main characters in <i>Mayhem In Circulation </i>would respond in the same way and be outraged at the destruction of property in Larkspur. It was a good way for me to bring the community together and kick off the events of the books. <br /> </p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? <br /><br />LD: I devoured the Nancy Drew books as a kid, so as an adult, I was looking for something with similar vibes. Amateur sleuths have always been my investigators of choice, I suppose. I love seeing an everyday woman put her smarts to good use and piece together a compelling puzzle. I appreciate that cozies focus less on the murder and more on the mystery. This makes this genre incredibly appealing for readers like me who love a solid, intricate mystery plot but who are maybe a little squeamish when it comes to descriptive death and crime scenes. In case you had any doubts, I’m kind of a big scaredy-cat. I want to read and write books that are gentle and happy, with characters who feel like old friends. Enter the cozy mystery. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? <br /><br />LD: I do! Like I mentioned above, I also write romance novels and romantic comedies. When people ask me to describe them, I say they’re like Hallmark movies but with less cringe, better kissing, and more swoon! I have two romance series, the Mapleton novels, which starts with <i>Love at On Deck Café</i>, and the Fall In Love series, which starts with <i>Friends Don’t</i>.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series.</p><p>LD: The Larkspur Library Mysteries are my cozies. The series kicked off with <i>Death Checked Out</i>, and <i>Mayhem In Circulation</i> is the second installment. I consider these books to be my love letter to libraries, Nancy Drew, and the Wisconsin Northwoods. <br /><br />The Mapleton novels are sweet, small town romances. Mapleton is filled to the brim with quirky characters, one-of-a-kind places, and a whole lot of heart. In these books you’ll find a close-knit community that’s ready to welcome you, whether it’s your first or forty-first visit. <br /><br />The Fall In Love series follows three sisters as they find love after moving across the country to the small town of Cashmere Cove, Wisconsin. These are closed door romcoms with plenty of sizzling chemistry and romantic tension, but no spice. <i>Friends Don’t</i> is the first book in the series.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why? <br /><br />LD: I absolutely adore Greta Plank, the amateur sleuth in the Larkspur series. She’s cheerful (almost to a fault), endearingly clumsy, both clever and kind, and she goes to bat for the people she cares about (which is pretty much everyone). <br /><br />Greta loves: </p><p><br />•Her family & friends <br /><br />•Coffee <br /><br />•Books <br /><br />•Water sports <br /><br />•Nancy Drew <br /><br />•Children’s story time <br /><br />•Her lakeside cabin <br /><br /> <br />She doesn’t love: <br /><br />•Finding a dead body <br /><br />•Being accused of murder <br /><br />•A certain grumpy detective <br /><br />•A certain ex-boyfriend <br /><br />•Having her reputation tarnished <br /><br />•Not knowing answers to questions <br /><br />I hope readers love her as much as I do! <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series? <br /><br />LD: The idea for the Larkspur series was inspired by its setting, actually. Larkspur, the small lakeside community where the events of <i>Death Checked Out</i> and <i>Mayhem In Circulation</i> take place, is based loosely on a small, unincorporated town in the Wisconsin Northwoods. When I was a kid, my extended family would gather each summer at a resort of log cabins. Almost all of my favorite childhood memories are tied to this place. We still laugh about our time spent on that lake to this day. <br /><br />When I set out to write a cozy mystery, it was after I had returned from a visit to Northern Wisconsin as an adult. While ‘up north’, I came across a log cabin set on a hillside near a lake, not far from where my family used to vacation. I knew it would be the setting for my mystery. <br /><br />I took the vision of that cabin and my love for the resort we used to visit and created my cozy mystery world around it. I had to take some liberties, but the bones of Larkspur were all there! I try to infuse my fictional setting with my real, sensory memories as much as possible, and as a result, I hope Larkspur rings true for cozy mystery readers. <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? <br /><br />LD: I write because I feel most like myself when I’m creating, so I think I’ll continue writing even if I stop publishing. My stories will always have happy endings because it’s my greatest hope to spread joy with my words. I believe words are powerful catalysts for hope, healing, and happiness. <br /><br />Mostly, I wanted to publish for my kids. I’m a mom of five—three girls and two boys who range in age from eleven to six months old. They keep me on my toes, and it’s my goal to make sure they know that their words and their stories matter, and that they can and should pursue their dreams. For me, that’s the dream of publishing. <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? <br /><br />LD: This is way too difficult! Great question! The only author I know for sure I’d want to invite is Jane Austen. <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> is my all-time favorite book. But I’d also want to meet up with some fellow cozy mystery authors and my critique partners who I’ve yet to meet in person. So let’s say Paula Charles/Janna Rollins, Sarah E. Burr, and Christina Romeril.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading? <br /><br />LD: I just finished<i> Public Anchovy #1</i> by Mindy Quigley, and I absolutely loved it. The Deep Dish series has been a recent favorite of mine. It makes my mouth water, and the mysteries are so well-plotted. Each book keeps getting better and better. I also enjoy that it’s set in a fictional version of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? <br /><br />LD: I’m a big reader. I belong to two book clubs, so I’ve always got several titles that I’m juggling. I also enjoy running, but usually only when it’s warm enough to jog outside. In my spare time, I mostly hang out with my husband and our five kids. Lately, we’ve been big into playing board games as a family. I’m tickled that the kids have taken to Clue!<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. <br /><br />LD: Apples (With chocolate chips and peanut butter…It’s my go-to writing snack!) <br /><br />Sparkling Water (My year-round drink of choice.) <br /><br />Cheese (In Wisconsin, we have a designated cheese drawer in our fridge.) <br /><br />Popcorn (It’s a favorite munchie around here!)<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? <br /><br />LD: I am hard at work on book three in the Larkspur Library Mystery series. It’s called <i>A Killer Hold</i>, and it’s set to release in December. I think it’s my most fast-paced and twisty story yet! Greta and the gang are hosting the Wisconsin Library Organization’s annual conference in Larkspur, and they’re also preparing for the anniversary of the Little Bohemia Lodge shoot-out. I’ve been able to weave in some real Wisconsin history as it pertains to the Gangster Trail (think John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson), and I’m having a blast with it. I can’t wait to share it with you.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author? <br /><br />LD: I love the process of creating for its own sake. But hearing from readers that my words brought them joy or helped them through a difficult time is the icing on the cake.</p><p>********************************************************************* <br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #a52465; font-size: 14pt;"><b>Mayhem in Circulation: A Larkspur Library Mystery</b></span>
<span style="color: #a52465; font-size: 14pt;"><b>by Leah Dobrinska</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a52465;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Mayhem in Circulation</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a52465;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehxEoVDArvzC-RHh7Jp5w8GZIl52Uj_nyw4MtajY5hn4ixk9ZhD2ZsrQwe_X33itVbswlWMMNO8fCawc5VEo-kJgx6o3SYrvGcVH9Smw-CZRYMDm55aPXqQxyvZXhvGgXYpDPYDqrF84N0ltRh8VPUKbImauFEEb6vvf1rfSEEhWU6QUPVdcvfsKnhnS9/s800/mayhem%20in%20circulation%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehxEoVDArvzC-RHh7Jp5w8GZIl52Uj_nyw4MtajY5hn4ixk9ZhD2ZsrQwe_X33itVbswlWMMNO8fCawc5VEo-kJgx6o3SYrvGcVH9Smw-CZRYMDm55aPXqQxyvZXhvGgXYpDPYDqrF84N0ltRh8VPUKbImauFEEb6vvf1rfSEEhWU6QUPVdcvfsKnhnS9/w400-h300/mayhem%20in%20circulation%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3Uzpc3u">Mayhem in Circulation: A Larkspur Library Mystery</a> <br />Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series <br />Setting - Wisconsin <br />Publisher: Level Best Books (December 5, 2023) <br />Paperback: 262 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Librarian Greta Plank is hard at work planning and preparing for Larkspur’s Fall Festival and regional tourism showcase which, if successful, will be a boon to the local economy. But disaster strikes and chances of a positive review look slimmer than a periodical’s spine when a series of pranks escalates and one of Larkspur’s own is found dead the same day the reporter is set to arrive.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Desperate to defend her town’s character and get to the bottom of the circulating mayhem, Greta begins indexing suspects. Could the crimes be an outside job, undertaken by someone intent on harming the town’s reputation? Or is someone closer to home trying to ruin Larkspur from the inside?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">With destruction of property, sabotage, and strange animal mishaps piling up on top of murder, Greta wouldn’t recommend this ‘choose your own (disastrous) adventure’ to anyone. In the end, she must decide who she can trust so she can close the book on these crimes before the shadowy vandal authors another kill.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a52465;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Leah Dobrinska</span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-182280" height="280" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/leah_dobrinska_headshot_2-300x280.jpg" width="300" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Leah Dobrinska</b> is the author of the Fall In Love romcom series, the Larkspur Library Mysteries, a cozy mystery series set in the Wisconsin Northwoods, and the Mapleton novels, a series of award-winning standalone small town romances. She earned her degree in English Literature from UW-Madison where she was awarded the Dean’s Prize and served as a Writing Fellow. She has since worked as a freelance writer, editor, and content marketer. As a kid, she hoped to grow up to be either Nancy Drew or Elizabeth Bennet. Now, she fulfills that dream by writing mysteries and love stories.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A sucker for a good sentence, a happy ending, and the smell of books—both old and new—Leah lives out her very own happily ever after in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and their gaggle of kids. When she's not writing, handing out snacks, or visiting the local library, Leah enjoys reading and running. Find out more about Leah, join her <a href="https://leahdobrinska.com/newsletter">newsletter community</a>, and connect with her through her website, <a href="https://leahdobrinska.com/">leahdobrinska.com</a>.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Website</b>: <a href="https://leahdobrinska.com/">https://leahdobrinska.com/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Newsletter</b>: <a href="https://leahdobrinska.com/newsletter">https://leahdobrinska.com/newsletter</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Amazon Author Page: <a href="https://amzn.to/3zB9eeg" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3zB9eeg</a></b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b>: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/whatleahwrote">https://www.facebook.com/whatleahwrote</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b>: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatleahwrote/">https://www.instagram.com/whatleahwrote/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>TikTok</b>: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@whatleahwrote/">https://www.tiktok.com/@whatleahwrote/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>BookBub</b>: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leah-dobrinska">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leah-dobrinska</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Goodreads</b>: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/leahdobrinska">https://www.goodreads.com/leahdobrinska</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links -<a href="https://amzn.to/493hgMb" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> Amazon</a> - <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mayhem-in-circulation-leah-dobrinska/1144458733?ean=9781685124557" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> - <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/91071/9781685124557" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a> - <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mayhem-in-circulation" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a> -</b></p><p><b> </b>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-44042243930166449222024-03-24T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-24T00:30:00.149-04:00Dying To Go - An Interview & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Marcy Blesy to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Marcy writes the Tucson Valley Retirement Community Mystery series. <i>Dying to Go </i>is the first book in the series.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumw2V7CKq7IcYnyrrOedvcZoTRqq5PeuBfErGjLZsVfqKqM8hnBkV_ICD9OFp9F-ihIwlbvFn_uGL6qjBOf_f1wABd8NJsPT1d3eHG6xg6RDzUSkxZVyVMHabLfnqiiAdhYCxK_ikLMP1GwWfzp8kxSw4539e7_hCsxoijbx3kGk3yfPwYA2C_KrNCXKK/s4506/MarcyHead%20HIGH%20RES.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4506" data-original-width="3004" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumw2V7CKq7IcYnyrrOedvcZoTRqq5PeuBfErGjLZsVfqKqM8hnBkV_ICD9OFp9F-ihIwlbvFn_uGL6qjBOf_f1wABd8NJsPT1d3eHG6xg6RDzUSkxZVyVMHabLfnqiiAdhYCxK_ikLMP1GwWfzp8kxSw4539e7_hCsxoijbx3kGk3yfPwYA2C_KrNCXKK/s320/MarcyHead%20HIGH%20RES.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p><br />Kathy: In <i>Dying to Go</i> we meet Rosi Laruee—named Rosisophia Doroche after her mother’s beloved Golden Girls. I love the Golden Girls, though I would never name my daughter Rosisophia Doroche! While I probably am most like Dorothy I think Blanche is my favorite. Who is your favorite Golden Girl?<br /><br />MB: I am definitely most like Dorothy, the responsible, former teacher. I love Sophia, though. She is unapologetically real and doesn't have a filter. LOL<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: In the first Tucson Valley Retirement Community Mystery Rosi finds the body of a local tart and business owner. I do enjoy a good tart, partly because you can get several in an assortment of flavors instead of just one pie! Are you a fan of tarts? What kind?<br /><br />MB: LOL I am more of a cake girl with extra frosting, but if I had to choose a tart, I would choose cherry!<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Rosi meets a lot of interesting people and a Golden Retriever puppy she names Barley. I love dogs, although I only have cats at the moment. Why pick a Golden for the breed and why a puppy instead of an older dog? <br /><br /> MB: I am more of a cat girl, too, and my next series will feature a cat. However, I adored my old dog. She was a mutt but so sweet. I wanted Barley to be a puppy because puppies, by nature, are more apt to create funny problems for the owner. Goldens are sweet family dogs.</p><p> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? <br /><br />MB: I LOVED Murder, She Wrote as a child. As an adult I tended to read thrillers, but they can be too intense for me. Cozy mysteries are the perfect solution to my interest in mysteries that don't make me keep the light on at night. I also love creating memorable characters, and cozy mystery books are often character driven.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? </p><p>MB: Yes! For a decade I wrote only children's books, mostly early chapter books for second-fourth grades. I was a school librarian and inspired by my elementary students.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series. </p><p>MB: The Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series is currently a five book series with more to come. Rosi visits her retired parents at their retirement community in Tucson Valley where they spend their winters away from the snow of the midwest. Her dad is having knee replacement surgery, and she is going to help. Her long marriage has recently ended, and she's become an empty nester. She needs a break, and Tucson Valley is a good excuse to get away. However, things get crazy when she discovers a dead body and becomes fully immersed in the world of a retirement community as a 39-year-old divorcee. It's funny and light-hearted with an interesting murder mystery.<br /><br /><i>The Secret of Blue Lake </i>and <i>The Secret of Silver Beach</i> are part of my romance, mystery series full of heart-warming family drama. <br /><br /><br />Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why? <br /><br />MB: I love Rosi. She's been knocked down and made some poor choices herself, but she evolves and matures as she starts a new life for herself. She's also accident prone and gets into lots of silliness which makes her human.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?<br /><br />MB: I describe the series as a mix between a funny Golden Girls episode and a Murder, She Wrote episode. I'm a girl of the '80s. What can I say? LOL<br /><br /><br />Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?<br /><br />MB: I love to write and have made my passion into a job. I hope others can take my books and escape for a few hours and enjoy the time with my mystery and characters.<br /></p><p><br />Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? <br /><br />MB: I have to go old school to some of the books that made me fall in love with reading: Louisa May Alcott (<i>Little Women</i>), Katherine Paterson (<i>Bridge to Terabithia</i>), Wilson Rawls (<i>Where the Red Fern Grows</i>), and a current author of my favorite books when I was a school librarian, Mo Wilems. He is hilarious. Humor and tears describe my reactions to my favorite books. When a book makes me feel something, that's the best. (Except fear!)</p><p> </p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading?<br /><br /> MB: I am currently reading <i>The Extraordinary Life of Same Hell</i> by Robert Dugoni<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? <br /><br />MB: I like walking along Lake Michigan looking for beach glass or interesting rocks. My husband and I like to travel, and any chance we can get to spend time with our adult sons, we take it!<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. </p><p>MB: Coca-cola, Ritz crackers, eggs, cereal<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?<br /><br />MB: Yes! Book five in the Tucson Valley Retriement Community Cozy Mystery Series comes out March 17. Book six will be out by early May. At some point, I will pivot to another series I have planned and hope to write back and forth between the two series.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?<br /><br />MB: I love the feeling I get when I have passed beyond that sticky plot point and all the pieces seem to fall into place like a great puzzle. Writing is also wonderfully therapeutic.</p><p>**********************************************************************<br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="color: blue;">Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About):</span></b></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="color: blue;">A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery</span></b></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><span style="color: blue;">by Marcy Blesy</span></b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>About Dying To Go</i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNeoMobcshk5Vs_a4zQDzXBMWUcYYCy4XPQtBP_CITO1X3YKab-86A1prU8ZGDfC4a69Dk4rQdxEeOtEU11Aoh_PmMXj3NnlyDTUZ_sx6LQXBz00Y_Vvd2pbPoN_VPIj9Z0I2kDuS7TWuddzst1VQyEt8ZOGoF5qyqUv-LiO_OKaJsTChVQNl4aXn5yEz/s784/DYING%20TO%20GO%20COVER%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="784" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNeoMobcshk5Vs_a4zQDzXBMWUcYYCy4XPQtBP_CITO1X3YKab-86A1prU8ZGDfC4a69Dk4rQdxEeOtEU11Aoh_PmMXj3NnlyDTUZ_sx6LQXBz00Y_Vvd2pbPoN_VPIj9Z0I2kDuS7TWuddzst1VQyEt8ZOGoF5qyqUv-LiO_OKaJsTChVQNl4aXn5yEz/w400-h306/DYING%20TO%20GO%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></i></span><br /></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3SNcPiX">Dying to Go (Nothing to Gush About): A Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery</a><br /> Cozy Mystery 1st in Series <br />Setting - Arizona <br />Publisher: Independently Published (November 9, 2023) <br />Paperback: 281 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Thirty-nine-year-old Rosi Laruee—named Rosisophia Doroche after her mother’s beloved Golden Girls—decides that the end of her twenty-year marriage and her dad’s impending knee replacement surgery are all the excuses she needs to visit Tucson Valley Retirement Community. But the drama follows Rosi when she finds the body of local tart and business owner, Salem Mansfield. The information she discovers using her newspaper reporter sleuthing skills coupled with the clues she picks up from lackluster Police Officer Dan Daniel lead to a surprise discovery when the murderer is revealed. Along the way, she meets a cast of characters in her parents' social circle who leave her questioning her parents' choices in friends while simultaneously befriending many of the residents, including a handsome landscaper and a brand-new Golden Retriever puppy she names Barley. Rosi’s visit to Tucson Valley proves more than she’d bargained for, but maybe, she realizes, it’s just the kind of change she needs.</p>
<b>Laugh out loud with Rosi, and be prepared to get the happy feels along the way!</b>
<b>Book 2</b>
<b><a href="https://amzn.to/47ZnxXS" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Dying For Wine (Seeing Red)</a></b>
<b>Book 3</b>
<b><a href="https://amzn.to/48asxce" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Dying For Dirt (All Soaped Up)</a></b>
<b>Book 4</b>
<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3OyjZov" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Dying to Build (Nailed It)</a></b>
<b>Book 5</b>
<b>Coming Soon!</b></blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Marcy Blesy</span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-196317" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MarcyHead-HIGH-RES-200x300.jpg" width="200" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Marcy Blesy </b>is the author of over thirty books including the popular cozy mystery series: The Tucson Valley Retirement Community Cozy Mystery Series. Her adult romance mystery series includes The Secret of Blue Lake and The Secret of Silver Beach, set in Michigan. Her children's books include the best-selling Be the Vet series along with the following early chapter book series: Evie and the Volunteers, Niles and Bradford, Third Grade Outsider, and Hazel, the Clinic Cat. Her picture book, Am I Like My Daddy?, helps children who experienced the loss of a parent when they were young.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Marcy enjoys searching for treasures along the shores of Lake Michigan. She's still waiting for the day when she finds a piece of red beach glass. By day she teaches creative writing virtually to amazing students around the world.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Marcy is a believer in love and enjoys nothing more than making her readers feel a book more than simply reading it.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b> <a href="http://www.marcyblesy.com">www.marcyblesy.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550966870826&mibextid=kFxxJD">https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550966870826&mibextid=kFxxJD</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marcy_blesy?igsh=MXhlYXpibnhoeWkyNw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr">https://www.instagram.com/marcy_blesy?igsh=MXhlYXpibnhoeWkyNw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Link - <a href="https://amzn.to/3w5CN8i" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </b></p><p><b> </b>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-2494116880446506792024-03-22T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-22T00:30:00.130-04:00Kilned at the Ceramic Shop - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway<div><p>I'm pleased to welcome Donna Clancy to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Donna writes the Braddock Mystery series. KILNED AT THE CERAMIC SHOP is the first book in the series and was released last week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT7E1LQKgfYQFM94AdioMgnqXvAIgbi6bPft4K0sDwey25Ww59lJi-Rgmh7tYSO1p7WdoznNAOOhCY58i7Zqiaq7HdtifdoWeZ1oAMwNOWLp-z0RBavg1D7pEqMgbErxVBK8AcjzgFBd2OsaRN-TJE19J_bIMHSxW_n6-YIobjDyzcSUt5qlE9SCUAc_X/s2000/KILNED%20AT%20THE%20CERAMIC%20SHOP%20cover%20FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoT7E1LQKgfYQFM94AdioMgnqXvAIgbi6bPft4K0sDwey25Ww59lJi-Rgmh7tYSO1p7WdoznNAOOhCY58i7Zqiaq7HdtifdoWeZ1oAMwNOWLp-z0RBavg1D7pEqMgbErxVBK8AcjzgFBd2OsaRN-TJE19J_bIMHSxW_n6-YIobjDyzcSUt5qlE9SCUAc_X/s320/KILNED%20AT%20THE%20CERAMIC%20SHOP%20cover%20FINAL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> <br />Kathy: Bestselling mystery author Tammy Wright returns to her hometown in KILNED AT THE CERAMIC SHOP. Why made your protagonist an author? <br /><br />DC: I made Tammy a mystery author because I believed it would give her a leg up in solving mysteries. Besides, I enjoy being an author and creating stories so what better occupation to give my main character. <br /><br /><br />Kathy: Tammy has returned to help her aunt run her ceramic shop during the busy tourist season. I teach ceramics to my patients at work. We don't have a wheel, but rather pour slip into molds. Do you make ceramics? <br /><br />DC: Back pre-children, I ran the ceramic shop for The Otis Air Force Base. And then, later, when the base closed, I worked at the Brewster Ceramic Shop giving classes and coordinating shows for the students to sell their pieces. I haven’t done any ceramics in many years but still have many of the pieces I did back then and they decorate my house on the holidays. <br /><br /> </div><div>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? <br /><br />DC: When I was eight years old, I read my first Nancy Drew book. I was hooked on the mystery without the gore. I also lived up in the sticks of Maine for nine years and liked the small-town vibe and the people who lived there. You can find so many different characters who have been there their whole lives. I also am an animal fanatic and like the fact that many cozies include cats and dogs. <br /> <br /><br />Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? <br /><br />DC: I do. When time permits, I self-release a new Christmas Romance each year. I also love to read and write thriller/suspense and also have written in the YA genre, but most of my books are in the cozy genre.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Tell us about your series. </div><div><br />DC: I have signed a seven-book deal with Level Best Books for The Braddock Mysteries series. Tammy, an author returns to her hometown in Braddock, Maine and finds one mystery after another to solve. <br /><br />Summer Prescott Books Publishing publishes two other cozy series of mine, Trash to Treasure Mysteries and a new one, Paint and Sip Mysteries. Trash to Treasure sees Sage Fletcher, flipping furniture and other items in between finding herself involved in mysteries. Paint and Sip centers on two retired art teachers, Jannelle and Anita, who open a business that offers wine tasting while creating art pieces. <br /><br />I also have two self-published cozy series. The Shipwreck Café Mysteries feature a handsome male protagonist, Jay Hallett, who has purchased a lighthouse and surrounding buildings to turn into a café. Throw in a lighthouse keeper’s ghost and it’s great mysteries on Anchor Point. The Jelly Shop Mysteries, feature Tabby, who inherits her gran’s jelly recipes and turns it into a business. She has a nose for trouble and her mother insists she is a magnet for dead bodies. <br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why? <br /><br />DC: I do. Gladys Twittle will always be my favorite out of all the characters I have written. In the Jelly Shop Mysteries, she is the town busybody, the town gossip, and if trouble is around you can be sure Gladys is right in the middle of it. She dyes her hair to match the big, bright flowered dresses she will be wearing. She can’t stand Tabby and cause most of Tabby’s problems around town. She is the character you love to hate. <br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series? <br /><br />DC: I don’t have one specific inspiration. I write what catches my attention at the time although I am partial to Maine and Cape Cod as settings.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? <br /><br />DC: I told my mom way back when I was eight years old that someday I would be an author like Carolyn Keene. In 2011, I started to self-publish my works but always had that yearning to be traditionally published. I signed with a terrific agent, Cindy Bullard, at Birch Literary, and now my first traditionally published book, Kilned at the Ceramic Shop, has been released. I’m now sixty-five years old. Lesson here: don’t ever give up on your dreams.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? <br /><br />DC: I think the first author would be Stephen King. I used to love his books but they have become gory and dark. I would like to ask him why he changed his style of writing. The second would be Misty Simon, She seems like such a fun person to be around and I’m sure she would liven up the dinner party. Next would be Edgar Allen Poe. I would like to pick his brain and see where the stories came from that he wrote. And finally, it would be a toss-up between Ami Brunni or Adam Berry. They both deal with spirits and the afterlife which fascinates me.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: What are you currently reading? <br /><br />DC: I am currently reading LOST LIKE ME by Ivanka Fear. It is a new release, the second in her series, and it is excellent.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? <br /><br />DC: I have many hobbies. My favorite pastime is painting but I also love various other crafts. I dabble in cooking and trying new recipes, but my daughter, Meghan, is a much better cook than I am. For about twenty years I was a wedding planner but gave that up as the brides and families became more demanding. I also love floral arranging as I worked at a florist for eight years and did a lot of their designing and many of my bride’s wedding flowers.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. <br /><br />DC: I always have PopTarts, Campbells tomato soup, saltine crackers, and root beer. I have to have my daily bottle of A&W root beer while I am writing.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? <br /><br />DC: KILNED is the first of seven cozies signed by Level Best. I have twenty-two books laid out for all my different series and two new series that haven’t been started yet.<br /> <br /> </div><div>Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author? <br /><br />DC: I love being able to work at home. My health isn’t what it used to be and I enjoy staying at home with my rescue Papillon, Zumiez, who is fourteen years old and no spring chicken either. It also make me extremely happy when people enjoy my stories. Many hours go into my writing and when it makes people smile and takes them away for the short time they are reading them, I can’t ask for more than that.<span face=""Aptos",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal">*************************************************************************</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Review</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_u2UBCiWRWAMz4IvrARjjdf0DMUWxgrA7hD_boJm-EOWzzVPOO7Uoz7wNK-1Md7RhvfSqrsyapx87KxEOw537IbuY1PuXrSDV-5jAChU4Ql6z3Dl67YFkyF8y-IZO3EDXSFLKTj86kZ4Kca49dUSjmnJgsf64swgOgvZMsIYKRsHfY3mWJmlK12do7uJ/s2000/KILNED%20AT%20THE%20CERAMIC%20SHOP%20cover%20FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_u2UBCiWRWAMz4IvrARjjdf0DMUWxgrA7hD_boJm-EOWzzVPOO7Uoz7wNK-1Md7RhvfSqrsyapx87KxEOw537IbuY1PuXrSDV-5jAChU4Ql6z3Dl67YFkyF8y-IZO3EDXSFLKTj86kZ4Kca49dUSjmnJgsf64swgOgvZMsIYKRsHfY3mWJmlK12do7uJ/s320/KILNED%20AT%20THE%20CERAMIC%20SHOP%20cover%20FINAL.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">KILNED AT THE CERAMIC SHOP by Donna Clancy<br />The First Braddock Mystery </div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Bestselling author Tammy Wright has returned to Braddock, Maine to help
her Aunt Clara. It's tourist season and lifting the heavy slip and molds
as well as keeping up with customers is getting to be a bit much. Her
imagined boring summer at the ceramic shop becomes anything but when Tammy learns her aunt
is being pressured to sell her store. After encouraging her aunt not to
give in Tammy makes a grim discovery. Their delivery person has been
killed and left in Idle Chat and when Clara still refuses to sell she
disappears. Now Tammy will move heaven and earth to find her aunt and
restore Braddock to the peaceful neighborly town it once was. <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I really enjoyed getting to know the people in Braddock. Tammy is smart, self reliant, and doesn't back down from a fight. She's resilient and no matter the problems, and there are some major ones in the first Braddock Mystery, she comes at them head on. Aunt Clara, though missing for a good chunk of the book, is a strong presence, one who doesn't suffer fools gladly. Zeke is a perfect romantic interest, as everyone can see, and a great friend. There are many great people...as well as some horrible bullies and nasties.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The mystery was well plotted with intricate sub mysteries and shocking events set so that interest never flagged. I appreciated how people worked together, not only to solve the crimes, but to help one another as well. Plenty of funny moments are interspersed with serious scenes. I still chuckle at Mabel and her shotgun.</p><p class="MsoNormal">A compelling mystery, a touch of romance, and the love of family and friends make KILNED AT THE CERAMIC SHOP a wonderful start to a new series. I look forward to spending more time in Braddock!<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">***********************************************************************<br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #5e0f00;"><b>Kilned at the Ceramic Shop: A Braddock Mystery</b></span>
<span style="color: #5e0f00;"><b>by Donna Clancy</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #5e0f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><b>About Kilned at The Ceramic Shop</b></span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #5e0f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh4lnZ_3FIBH4xRlOZlXwXwCHK1IgHyocoJIROX7bEh-QzizVt_mCXdZsGZx94dXqB4MmDqChvArbK5ZBQJ7N1x6_zlK_w_qUz4jMFhKmncCyu8yZQF23Xp30IFos3XUNqdVN9fJkttMdXs9h7xZDc0l1cZUC1vx79T5YDeNtiRkc3qBXsF8IJqH-6skv/s640/kilned%20at%20the%20ceramic%20shop%20cover%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="444" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKh4lnZ_3FIBH4xRlOZlXwXwCHK1IgHyocoJIROX7bEh-QzizVt_mCXdZsGZx94dXqB4MmDqChvArbK5ZBQJ7N1x6_zlK_w_qUz4jMFhKmncCyu8yZQF23Xp30IFos3XUNqdVN9fJkttMdXs9h7xZDc0l1cZUC1vx79T5YDeNtiRkc3qBXsF8IJqH-6skv/w278-h400/kilned%20at%20the%20ceramic%20shop%20cover%201.png" width="278" /></a></div></b></span></i></span><br /></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3OBvDz6">Kilned at the Ceramic Shop: A Braddock Mystery</a> <br />Cozy Mystery 1st in Series <br />Setting - Maine <br />Publisher: Level Best Books (March 12, 2024) <br />Print length: 234 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tammy Wright, a bestselling mystery author returns to her hometown to give her Aunt Clara a hand with running her ceramic shop during tourist season. She discovers that two vindictive realtors have been bullying her aunt and others into selling their properties to make room for new housing developments. Those who don’t comply pay the consequences.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tammy stumbles upon a body, and when her aunt refuses to give in to either realtor she disappears without a trace.
With the help of an old schoolmate turned policeman, the writer must step out from behind her computer screen and her fictional mysteries to confront real life crime. If she doesn’t, she may never see her aunt again.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #5e0f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Donna Clancy</span></i></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Donna Clancy</b> lives on Cape Cod. She has three grown children and one rescue Papillion named Zumiez. She has a seven-book deal with Level Best Books for The Braddock Mysteries, writes The Trash to Treasure and Paint and Sip cozy series’ for Summer Prescott Books Publishing as well as self-publishing The Shipwreck Cafe and Jelly Shop Mysteries. She loves to write in various genres including suspense, thriller, romance, and YA.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b> <a href="http://www.donnaclancybooks.com">http://www.donnaclancybooks.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dwaloclancy/">https://www.facebook.com/dwaloclancy/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>BookBub</b> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/donna-walo-clancy">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/donna-walo-clancy</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Link - <a href="https://amzn.to/3SBz0Y3" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> </b>
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</p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-46629212540850770322024-03-20T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-20T00:30:00.147-04:00Currently Reading...<p>I just finished reading <i>Kilned at the Ceramic Shop</i> by Donna Clancy. This is the first book in the Braddock Mystery series and was released last week. </p><p>Bestselling author Tammy Wright has returned to Braddock, Maine to help her Aunt Clara. It's tourist season and lifting the heavy slip and molds as well as keeping up with customers is getting to be a bit much. Her imagined boring summer becomes anything but when Tammy learns her aunt is being pressured to sell her store. After encouraging her aunt not to give in Tammy makes a grim discovery. Their delivery person has been killed and left in Idle Chat and when Clara still refuses to sell she disappears. Now Tammy will move heaven and earth to find her aunt and restore Braddock to the peaceful neighborly town it once was.<br /></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-75184311545579453652024-03-19T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-19T00:30:00.130-04:00Call of the Void - A Guest Post Interview<p>I'm pleased to welcome Jeremy Siemens back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Jeremy writes the Sloane Donovan Mystery series. CALL OF THE VOID is the second book in the series and was released earlier this month.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XBHTcVApOPpTgmgJxIk2En7YKN5gGkEqFXGEpQnAIuDojjyRXrLANZJm3Pr4yHQAZsM9pKdeVcPVm8WLCP5xZlTtS9Y4FM3KPKu5JrAerQcagglmYyO4mwfEK0E5Rpx72txiaXMoVa_PugyyzZXCfPfFEAdBuil2ELnMbUQT9hUjk3myk82CCILhxKfT/s1400/Headshot(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="933" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XBHTcVApOPpTgmgJxIk2En7YKN5gGkEqFXGEpQnAIuDojjyRXrLANZJm3Pr4yHQAZsM9pKdeVcPVm8WLCP5xZlTtS9Y4FM3KPKu5JrAerQcagglmYyO4mwfEK0E5Rpx72txiaXMoVa_PugyyzZXCfPfFEAdBuil2ELnMbUQT9hUjk3myk82CCILhxKfT/s320/Headshot(3).JPG" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p>Q: In TO THOSE WHO KILLED ME we met Sloane
Donovan, an ex-cop struggling with mental illness as she delves into the
circumstances surrounding her friend’s murder. Tell us something about
the sequel, CALL OF THE VOID. <br /><br />A: This novel takes place roughly
six months following the events of TO THOSE WHO KILLED ME. Sloane had a
rough go in that first book, and while the physical damage may be
healing, the psychological scars are still very fresh. She is now
working as a full-fledged private investigator with her partner, Wayne
Capson, and against his wishes, she takes on the case of Emily Pike, a
girl who has been missing for seven years. The case takes leads them
into far deeper and darker territory than they anticipated, involving
organized crime and women who have been missing for up to forty years. <br /><br />Q: What’s the significance of the title? <br /><br />A:
CALL OF THE VOID refers to a psychological phenomenon that many people
have experienced at one time or another, usually involving something
like an unnerving and sudden thought to step over the edge of a cliff or
veer into the path of an oncoming car. The impulse seems to come out of
nowhere, and though it is not the same as suicidal ideation, it can
feel quite troubling to the person experiencing it. One of the
characters is a young woman who managed to escape abduction and conveys
how these urges have continued to haunt her since the event. Since
Sloane’s impulses often pull her toward dangerous situations, this is
something she can relate to. <br /><br />Q: What drew you to this story? <br /><br />A:
Certain crimes really get under my skin, enough so that I feel
compelled to write about them. The first novel dealt with the teenage
sex trade and human trafficking, and this one deals with young women
going missing, just vanishing from the face of the earth. Most people
don’t really want to think about what happens to them, and I can only
imagine how traumatic and gut-wrenching their disappearances are for the
families. Often those cases eventually go cold, and parents will
exhaust their savings, hiring investigators to attempt to locate their
missing children. Most of the cases end in futility and financial ruin.
Reports from investigators and cops alike often say how this type of
unsolved case haunts them for the rest of their careers, even into
retirement. It would haunt me, too, and it certainly does Sloane, whose
obsessive tendencies will allow her to stop at nothing in her quest to
discover what happened to Emily Pike. <br /><br />Q: How did writing the sequel differ from writing the first book? <br /><br />A:
CALL OF THE VOID was written before the first book was published. In
fact, the first book had received so many rejections I was beginning to
think it was a lost cause and was ready to move onto something new.
Since some of the main characters were already living in my head, and I
had what I believed to be a solid story idea, I just ran with it, and I
believe the enthusiasm to be working on something fresh translated into
the fast-paced energy of the story. Another change in the second book is
that Sloane is now a licensed P.I., which legitimizes her and
realistically broadens the scope of what she is able to do to solve
cases. <br /><br />Q: What is your research process like? <br /><br />A: Before
embarking on the first draft, I try to front-load as much research as
possible, otherwise it’s too easy to procrastinate with a never-ending
need to look things up. For me, a big part of research means physically
going to places where the story is to be set. Once there, I try to
absorb as much of the surroundings as possible, as well as take photos
and notes. Whenever possible, I like to talk to people and ask questions
that pertain to details of the story I want to get right. I do online
research, which is also helpful, but to me there’s nothing that compares
to boots-on-the-ground kind of learning. It takes more work, but I
think it’s good for us writer-types to get away from the screen and out
of our comfort zones. <br /><br />Q: Which authors have been your biggest influences? <br /><br />A:
Michael Connelly, Don Winslow, Tana French, George Pelecanos, Dennis
Lehane, and Jo Nesbo. There are many others as well, but those are the
authors that resonate most deeply with me. These are exciting, dynamic
authors who tell a great story, but also have something to say about the
world around them. They also represent the level of excellence that I’m
aiming for as a writer. I have a long way to go, but the desire to
steadily improve at my craft is a huge motivator and fires me up like
nothing else.</p><p>***************************************************************************</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLMTB7XbosN5WRUuqsAfSCFbc_v0pEM6Yr60eGby_XvqfSaxkFiMWr2v3Bif32KlvFjGh3xgTY7YTYhKEhwkb4b1_xSDMJFMuTvo6w7_tMbIPWqAkQF-keX5oSWw41oiYsB0frU7FAiMLbtq_ll8mX_4WYTH8TO8rFUzUM56SkI2k0M2nc9PkuMkQEepy/s1000/Cover%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="625" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLMTB7XbosN5WRUuqsAfSCFbc_v0pEM6Yr60eGby_XvqfSaxkFiMWr2v3Bif32KlvFjGh3xgTY7YTYhKEhwkb4b1_xSDMJFMuTvo6w7_tMbIPWqAkQF-keX5oSWw41oiYsB0frU7FAiMLbtq_ll8mX_4WYTH8TO8rFUzUM56SkI2k0M2nc9PkuMkQEepy/s320/Cover%20(2).jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Blurb:</p><div aria-expanded="false" class="a-expander-content a-expander-partial-collapse-content"> <p><i><span>Now
a fully-fledged private investigator, Sloane Donovan is bored by her
latest task of keeping a debauched starlet alive and out of the
headlines as she films a movie in Vancouver. When she and her partner
Wayne Capson are contacted by a grieving mother looking to resurrect the
cold case of her missing daughter, Sloane finds herself inexorably
drawn into a clandestine world of disappearing girls, illegal narcotics
and loose ends dating back forty years.</span></i></p><p><i><span>Careening
from the hardest edges of the city to creepy rural backroads where cries
go unheard, Sloane’s relentless quest places the people closest to her
at risk, while her own personal demons threaten to devour her.
Lightning-paced and unputdownable, </span><span class="a-text-italic">Call of the Void</span><span> cements Sloane Donovan’s position amid the new generation of hard-boiled sleuths.</span></i></p><p><i><span>****************************************************************************</span></i></p><p><b><span>Author Website: </span></b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jtsiemens.ca/&source=gmail&ust=1710777102817000&usg=AOvVaw26a-jXbXS4Af1dHQQPhAbA" href="https://jtsiemens.ca/" target="_blank">https://jtsiemens.ca/</a></p><p><b>Purchase Link: </b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Call-Void-Sloane-Donovan-Mysteries/dp/1774390868&source=gmail&ust=1710629204873000&usg=AOvVaw1DIVS8UH95JxZZtEDgRk9W" href="https://www.amazon.com/Call-Void-Sloane-Donovan-Mysteries/dp/1774390868" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Call-<wbr></wbr>Void-Sloane-Donovan-Mysteries/<wbr></wbr>dp/1774390868</a> </p></div><p></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-5856411323498242282024-03-17T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-17T00:30:00.129-04:00Murder in the Tea Leaves - A Review & Giveaway<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePXXtQ1PTl2537OcK7kgJiveAmm7jVCiHnJN-pIH7t8AifnHCl6p7OFCVdVccSCBK32bxe1xuNvMlv7ZbDBWXfN3f2PNRiGcSG-utO2nuUHB5JOaoOijZeFkuanyOojT6OcjEogfJ0_HQ-YnkMjRmuR_4wsD6V4HRjic98BvkyCa_JFVn6mLjffrlPTgU/s640/MURDER%20IN%20THE%20TEA%20LEAVES%20COVER%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="407" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePXXtQ1PTl2537OcK7kgJiveAmm7jVCiHnJN-pIH7t8AifnHCl6p7OFCVdVccSCBK32bxe1xuNvMlv7ZbDBWXfN3f2PNRiGcSG-utO2nuUHB5JOaoOijZeFkuanyOojT6OcjEogfJ0_HQ-YnkMjRmuR_4wsD6V4HRjic98BvkyCa_JFVn6mLjffrlPTgU/s320/MURDER%20IN%20THE%20TEA%20LEAVES%20COVER%202.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MURDER IN THE TEA LEAVES by Laura Childs<br />The Twenty-Seventh Tea Shop Mystery </div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The movies have come to Charleston, South Carolina and Theodosia
Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, has landed the sweet gig of
providing craft services. Josh Morro, the film's director, is disgusted
with the actors and the script and Theo soon finds herself on set as a
tea leaf reader! The scene is running smoothly until there's a hiss,
crack, and sparks, resulting in a dead director. Who had it in for Josh?
The scriptwriter he accused of plagiarism? The new director who was so
conveniently available? The electrician with a debt? Even Delaine Dish
is a suspect. When Theo finds a member of the Charleston Film Board
murdered she's determined to dig even deeper until she finds a killer
and justice is served.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Making movies can be murder, as Theodosia Browning discovers in the twenty-seventh Tea Shop Mystery. Theo is at it again, running her tea shop, creating new and inventive tea parties, expanding her catering business, helping friends, and solving murders! I don't know how she manages to cram so much activity into a day. I thoroughly enjoy the tea events and the description of the teas and food, plus the fact that recipes and tips are included at the end of the book. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In MURDER IN THE TEA LEAVES we also get involved in movie making. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of the filming of Dark Fortunes and the harsh reality of production. As for the mystery, I loved the misdirection and how everything finally came together. As usual there were fast paced, pulse pounding scenes making the book a quick read. There were also times I shook my head at Theo is disbelief. Why not report the attack to the police? It's not like you were in a restricted place. And the whole breaking into places to snoop. Ugh. </p><p style="text-align: left;"> Cozy teas and thrilling action combine in MURDER IN THE TEA LEAVES making a fun addition to this long running series. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">************************************************************************<br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #00002d;"><b>Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)</b></span>
<span style="color: #00002d;"><b>by Laura Childs</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d; font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><i><b>About Murder in the Tea Leaves</b></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d; font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><i><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsdyU84z8LRY1qADNduhQukGOe_gpA6UT7wLxY9Sznm8mX63bF2BgPqkYPrnK9u_yWyL7eBeJeeLyQIwLR-9JPRBwpgFj7h_WA2P7mZG44NUfR8BuYAfE74LPHkvGysMQmT0kSW7fgkG-WIbNnR7qHXstyRARmm7jTeL9YtjJraC1UL3yZsbLDU397_PV/s742/MURDER%20IN%20THE%20TEA%20LEAVES%20COVER%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="742" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsdyU84z8LRY1qADNduhQukGOe_gpA6UT7wLxY9Sznm8mX63bF2BgPqkYPrnK9u_yWyL7eBeJeeLyQIwLR-9JPRBwpgFj7h_WA2P7mZG44NUfR8BuYAfE74LPHkvGysMQmT0kSW7fgkG-WIbNnR7qHXstyRARmm7jTeL9YtjJraC1UL3yZsbLDU397_PV/w400-h324/MURDER%20IN%20THE%20TEA%20LEAVES%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></b></i></span></h2> <div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/47QFSq9">Murder in the Tea Leaves (A Tea Shop Mystery)</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 27th in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - South Carolina </b><br /><b>Publisher: Berkley (March 5, 2024) </b><br /><b>Hardcover: 304 pages </b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It’s Lights, Action, Murder as tea maven Theodosia Browning scrambles for clues in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series.</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When Theodosia Browning reads the tea leaves on the set of the movie, Dark Fortunes, things go from spooky to worse. Lights are dimmed, the camera rolls, and red hot sparks fly as the film’s director is murdered in a tricky electrical accident.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Or was it an accident? Though the cast and crew are stunned beyond belief, nobody admits to seeing a thing. And when Theodosia’s friend, Delaine, becomes the prime suspect, Theodosia begins her own shadow investigation. But who among this Hollywood cast and crew had murder on their mind? The screenwriter is a self-centered pot head, the leading actress is trying to wiggle out of her contract, the brand new director seems indifferent, and nobody trusts the slippery-when-dry Hollywood agent.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Between hosting a Breakfast at Tiffany’s Tea, a Poetry Tea, and trying to launch her own chocolate line, Theodosia doggedly hunts down clues and explores the seemingly haunted Brittlebank Manor where the murder took place. And just when she’s ready to pounce, a Charleston Film Board member is also murdered, throwing everything into total disarray. But this clever killer will go to any lengths to hide his misdeeds as Theodosia soon finds out when she and her tea sommelier, Drayton, get caught up in a dangerous stakeout.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!</b></p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d; font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><i>About Laura Childs</i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-189106 size-full" height="447" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20140226__140302sl-Gerry_schmitt2_300.jpg" width="300" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Laura Childs</b> is the New York Times bestselling author of the <a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="0425179451" data-amzn-link-id="26515d44645e89a96fa6aef1716fd04a" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Tea Shop Mysteries" href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Darjeeling-Tea-Shop-Mystery/dp/0425179451/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=26515d44645e89a96fa6aef1716fd04a&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_4856589" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tea Shop Mysteries</a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_4856589" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=26515d44645e89a96fa6aef1716fd04a&_cb=1471729767131" width="0" />, <a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="0425252590" data-amzn-link-id="17c7fce55f60d5079ff362cce5d5d392" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Scrapbook Mysteries" href="http://www.amazon.com/Gilt-Scrapbooking-Mystery-Laura-Childs/dp/0425252590/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=17c7fce55f60d5079ff362cce5d5d392&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_935163" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scrapbook Mysteries</a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_935163" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=17c7fce55f60d5079ff362cce5d5d392&_cb=1471729779427" width="0" />, and <a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="0425269086" data-amzn-link-id="4045b937dda93095d128a4853d35d564" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Cackleberry Club Mysteries" href="http://www.amazon.com/Eggs-Casket-Cackleberry-Club-Mystery/dp/0425269086/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=4045b937dda93095d128a4853d35d564&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_7489618" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cackleberry Club Mysteries</a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_7489618" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=4045b937dda93095d128a4853d35d564&_cb=1471729792028" width="0" />. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="B01KGZVXTK" data-amzn-link-id="e6618dd12dd2737f2df3474ff940d6a3" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Tea Shop Mysteries " href="http://www.amazon.com/Pekoe-Most-Poison-Shop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01KGZVXTK/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=e6618dd12dd2737f2df3474ff940d6a3&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_6732682" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tea Shop Mysteries </a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_6732682" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=e6618dd12dd2737f2df3474ff940d6a3&_cb=1471729812160" width="0" />– set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="B01AHKY37I" data-amzn-link-id="f347cf81858fd7096ba25d09384c64f0" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Scrapbooking Mysteries" href="http://www.amazon.com/Crepe-Factor-Scrapbooking-Mystery-Childs-ebook/dp/B01AHKY37I/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=f347cf81858fd7096ba25d09384c64f0&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_918486" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Scrapbooking Mysteries</a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_918486" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=f347cf81858fd7096ba25d09384c64f0&_cb=1471729828226" width="0" /> – a slightly edgier series that takes place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-asin="0425281701" data-amzn-link-id="cb6797f651d64970a563fca0dbbded81" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Cackleberry Club Mysteries" href="http://www.amazon.com/Drop-Dead-Cackleberry-Club-Mystery/dp/0425281701/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=dollycsthoug-20&linkId=cb6797f651d64970a563fca0dbbded81&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_4911397" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Cackleberry Club Mysteries</a><img alt="" border="0" class="jetpack-lazy-image jetpack-lazy-image--handled" data-lazy-loaded="1" id="amznPsBmPixel_4911397" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=dollycsthoug-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=cb6797f651d64970a563fca0dbbded81&_cb=1471729856464" width="0" /> – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.</p><p>
<b>Laura’s Links: </b><b><a href="http://www.laurachilds.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Website</a> – </b><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Facebook</a> </b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links – <a href="https://amzn.to/3HFr5E0" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> – <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-the-tea-leaves-laura-childs/1143296479?ean=9780593200988" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> – <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-in-the-tea-leaves-3" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a> – <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/91071/9780593200988" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a> – <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/653836/murder-in-the-tea-leaves-by-laura-childs/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">PenguinRandomHouse</a> – </b></p><p><b> </b>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921630" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921630/" id="rcwidget_6nymjroh" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-91331669680843942902024-03-15T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-15T00:30:00.260-04:00An Offer to Die For - An Interview & Review<p>I'm pleased to welcome Rita Webb to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Rita writes the Julia Novo Mystery series. AN OFFER TO DIE FOR is the first book in the series.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkFVBZrxKkFviGT3tM6ZZ7lYhY-98GFY4aYj-S-JQJsYfthLlWn3c5v4E-A3up2JcrPYMSiTyNEOhDO4lEjcXewU8txYzfAf1M49U5PY0GMByKS36sHb72GxUpzLFeAQ87S_WXA-IIgL_JCGmS1TIwbwNcvPivfvjjn4RJQfY-SEpkJtPCXmlUoKWzvHp/s2776/Author%20photo%2010.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="2154" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkFVBZrxKkFviGT3tM6ZZ7lYhY-98GFY4aYj-S-JQJsYfthLlWn3c5v4E-A3up2JcrPYMSiTyNEOhDO4lEjcXewU8txYzfAf1M49U5PY0GMByKS36sHb72GxUpzLFeAQ87S_WXA-IIgL_JCGmS1TIwbwNcvPivfvjjn4RJQfY-SEpkJtPCXmlUoKWzvHp/s320/Author%20photo%2010.JPG" width="248" /></a></div><p><br />Kathy: In AN OFFER TO DIE FOR we meet snowbirds Louise Lemay and her husband, Roger. Staying in their friend’s condo while trying to find a home of their own, the couple are invited to a very unusual open house. Is this idea of potential buyers spending the night in the home something that really happens?<br /><br />RW: As far as I know overnight open houses aren't a thing, though I've been to some open houses where I would have liked to stay over for a night or two!<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Have you ever attended an unusual open house? Or one where something unexpected happened?<br /><br />RW: In Rhode Island my husband and I went to an open house for a home built in the 1800s. The realtor let us wander around through addition after addition. It was like walking through a creepy, creaky museum. I asked the realtor if it was haunted and she didn't say no!<br /><br /><br />Kathy: After seeing an announcement posted in the condo where they’re staying Louise decides to attend a meeting of Ghost Stories. Would this be a group you’d be interested in attending?<br /><br />RW: I have been fascinated by the supernatural since I was a kid. Though I've only had one or two personal experiences, I love to hear others' stories, so yes, I'd sit in on this group.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Julia Novo has distinct abilities. Do you believe in psychics and/or mediums? Have you ever had a reading done?<br /><br />RW: I believe that all of us have certain abilities at different levels. I've been to several psychics but only one medium, along with thirty other people one night. What the medium said to me was so very specific to my deceased loved one that it blew my mind. He even handed me a drawing that he had done before we got there that was completely relevant, things he couldn't have just guessed.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Although your series is called the Julia Novo Mystery series, AN OFFER TO DIE FOR is told from Louise Lemay’s perspective. Why did you choose to do this?<br /><br />RW: When I started writing, I wanted to find my voice, if you will. Having read most of the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie, I kept thinking about how many of those stories were narrated by Poirot's friend Hastings. That's when I decided that Louise would be Julia's sidekick and tell the stories from the perspective of someone looking on in appreciation and recognition of what she was seeing and learning.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?<br /><br />RW: I have always been a mystery fan. I started with Nancy Drew as a kid and never really grew into books that had a lot of blood and gore. There's too much of that on the nightly news. Cozy focuses on the mystery, the whodunit.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?<br /><br />RW: I once tried to write a sci-fi book but I discovered that my imagination isn't as vivid as I thought it was.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series. <br /><br />RW: In the Julia Novo Mysteries, we follow a couple of not so typical Florida snowbirds who solve unusual murders by finding themselves in the right place at the right time, or maybe it's the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, as the ever-ethereal Julia says, everything is connected.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?<br /><br />RW: I think my favorite character is Pili Alvarez. She is kind of an amalgam of several of my cousins from Cuba. She can be demanding, going after what she wants, but also fun-loving with a dry humor. She is serious and funny at the same time.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?<br /><br />RW: When writing the character Julia Novo, I thought of several people including my mother who always had a sunshiny outlook even through a very difficult life. I've also had a couple of spiritual teachers who have been very helpful to me in the past, and sometimes I still hear their voices giving advice from afar. I strive to write books that are both helpful and entertaining.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?<br /><br />RW: The late Wayne Dyer, a very popular self-help author, once said "Don't die with your words in you." Though I have difficulty opening myself up to public scrutiny, praise, or anything at all, his words helped me decide to see what I had in me and see if my stories might help others get their minds off of the trials of everyday life just as reading helps me.<br /> </p><p>Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?<br /><br />RW: Wayne Dyer, Tony Hillerman, Lao Tzu, Tom Straw who wrote the Richard Castle books.</p><p> </p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading?<br /><br />RW: THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN by Agatha Christie, and Reiki History by Shoshana Shay.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?<br /><br />RW: I don't do it much anymore, but I love to paint using acrylics, anything from seascapes on clamshells, to large wall murals. I also love to work out a great deal, either at the gym or at home. I need to balance my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical bodies.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.<br /><br />RW: Rice, black beans, eggs, chocolate.<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?<br /><br />RW: I have started my second book in the Julia Novo Mystery series, and will keep writing them until I'm drawn to a different series or genre.<br /> </p><p>Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?<br /><br />RW: I have always had social anxiety. Speaking in public or even just around a few friends, I tend to forget what I'm saying, trip over words, focus on people watching me, and turn bright red. When I write, words flow so easily. I can say whatever I want no matter how long it takes me and get my message or story across. The best part about being an author is that my writing provides a way for me to, hopefully, help others find a little bit of enjoyment during their day.<br /></p><p>*************************************************************************</p><p style="text-align: center;">Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUX7z2q0u9Sx_4mOVpsyx4WqYkBQrS2_ul4yLNrP5T0xaGjEBlrcv5qTkd2v664XSgrcHbDmDAHFYXWmRj0e8yVx0c8ZQSt5rpB8NejzygSpPlguztPj9V_mnyzrnxi2mSdFpAcsAKyM56DZr5xfFJQqYmuausus2vYq46Cg4xbc41UGpnP2pqVY0ALxS/s350/An%20Offer%20to%20Die%20For%20Cover.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="234" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUX7z2q0u9Sx_4mOVpsyx4WqYkBQrS2_ul4yLNrP5T0xaGjEBlrcv5qTkd2v664XSgrcHbDmDAHFYXWmRj0e8yVx0c8ZQSt5rpB8NejzygSpPlguztPj9V_mnyzrnxi2mSdFpAcsAKyM56DZr5xfFJQqYmuausus2vYq46Cg4xbc41UGpnP2pqVY0ALxS/s320/An%20Offer%20to%20Die%20For%20Cover.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">AN OFFER TO DIE FOR by Rita Webb<br />The First Julia Novo Mystery </p><p style="text-align: left;">Louise Lemay and her husband, Roger, have decided to give up snowy
winters and become snowbirds as they slowly begin the retirement
process. Staying in a friend's condo while they house hunt, the couple
are invited to a unique open house. They, along with other interested
buyers, will meet, have dinner, and spend the night in the house. This
unusual concept becomes less of an adventure and more of a nightmare
when a storm hits and the owner dies. Louise's only consolation is that
Julia Novo is also a guest. Having met Julia at a meeting of paranormal
enthusiasts, she's sure Julia will have some insight and is in awe of
the woman's gifts. Was the untimely death of the owner murder? Will
Louise be able to assist Julia and the police? Or will a murderer get
away?</p>I loved the whole idea of the book, snowbirds house hunting, a unusual open house, and a woman with unique abilities, but admit to being concerned as I first started reading. The writing seemed somewhat stilted and unnatural. However, partway through that changed, the writing no longer appeared forced and I became immersed in the story. <br /><br />Although it is the Julia Novo Mystery series, the mystery is told through the eyes of Louise Lemay. Louise is a likeable, relatable protagonist. She’s open to new ways of thinking as well as an alcoholic beverage or two. Her relationship with her husband, Roger, is real and I appreciate their relaxed entry into retirement. Julia Novo is an intriguing character with special abilities. She’s highly observant, intuitive, and receives messages from angels. As otherworldly as she is, Julia is also grounded and real…and fun too. I love her way of looking at the world.<br /><br />While not a locked room mystery, AN OFFER TO DIE FOR can be considered a closed circle mystery, but, despite the limited number of suspects. the mystery was complicated, and even the reveal was complex! I liked how Julia and Louise ferreted out clues, talking to people and getting to the heart of the matter. <br /><br />An OFFER TO DIE FOR is a unique and enjoyable start to a new mystery series.<p style="text-align: left;">******************************************************************************</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bCWdrxaW6YWO-P5EdUsKUr1M2pSjglDn9guV2bzd2FN7LxJPFBHC3Qe62E7SowFJa17SiwrQl9kjgwI_6jZa9kCdoqN_prNFPIrOA1yotBD6QOPKalztu5oex-oXGAQBsOyvFLxENWD2gOvPysyxGUFdQ_YZtD3ccYga6z9gftcb2-mCiIBY4KnW2_hB/s2776/Author%20photo%2010.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2776" data-original-width="2154" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bCWdrxaW6YWO-P5EdUsKUr1M2pSjglDn9guV2bzd2FN7LxJPFBHC3Qe62E7SowFJa17SiwrQl9kjgwI_6jZa9kCdoqN_prNFPIrOA1yotBD6QOPKalztu5oex-oXGAQBsOyvFLxENWD2gOvPysyxGUFdQ_YZtD3ccYga6z9gftcb2-mCiIBY4KnW2_hB/s320/Author%20photo%2010.JPG" width="248" /></a></div>Rita Webb was born and raised in New England, where her
family’s heritage, on her mother’s side, goes back to the 1600’s. In this part
of the country, steeped in local lore, it is practically against the law not to
believe in unexplained phenomena. She inherited her sense of humor and love for
mystery from her mother, and her healthy respect for the mystical from her father,
who was born in Cuba. Now splitting her time between Rhode Island and Florida,
Rita brings her admiration for dark and stormy nights, all things ethereal, and
anything with the word Mystery in it to the brightness of the Sunshine State. Everywhere
Rita has lived, she has met many charming personalities that inspire her to
create clever and compelling characters, some of whom she hopes will become unforgettable
to her readers. As a student of healing arts and proud graduate of an Angel
Communications class, she knows that things are not always what they seem to be,
and that answers can be found in the most astonishing places. She has won no
awards since self-publishing in December 2023, except from her granddaughter
who proudly calls her “Nana”.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Author Links:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ritawebb.com/&source=gmail&ust=1710187403515000&usg=AOvVaw23gb0XMfBwQDKkamqUqDMD" href="https://ritawebb.com/" target="_blank">https://ritawebb.com/</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204311246-an-offer-to-die-for&source=gmail&ust=1710187403518000&usg=AOvVaw1XMuBl3oOdC4l-QvdHq7Q5" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204311246-an-offer-to-die-for" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/<wbr></wbr>book/show/204311246-an-offer-<wbr></wbr>to-die-for</a></p><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bookbub.com/books/an-offer-to-die-for-the-first-julia-novo-mystery-by-rita-webb&source=gmail&ust=1710187403518000&usg=AOvVaw1nyEuWfxR9QkL-Iy5QA877" href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/an-offer-to-die-for-the-first-julia-novo-mystery-by-rita-webb" target="_blank">https://www.bookbub.com/books/<wbr></wbr>an-offer-to-die-for-the-first-<wbr></wbr>julia-novo-mystery-by-rita-<wbr></wbr>webb</a><br /></div><div> </div><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/authorritawebb/&source=gmail&ust=1710187403518000&usg=AOvVaw3uSRQKmNWOhQaYjmZXMTvn" href="https://www.facebook.com/authorritawebb/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/<wbr></wbr>authorritawebb/</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-offer-to-die-for-rita-webb/1144903574?ean%3D9798989584802&source=gmail&ust=1710187403518000&usg=AOvVaw3Q2o6s9scKlezHqIby9q3T" href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-offer-to-die-for-rita-webb/1144903574?ean=9798989584802" target="_blank">https://www.barnesandnoble.<wbr></wbr>com/w/an-offer-to-die-for-<wbr></wbr>rita-webb/1144903574?ean=<wbr></wbr>9798989584802</a><br /></div><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rita-Webb/author/B0CQZ2D979?ref%3Dap_rdr%26isDramIntegrated%3Dtrue%26shoppingPortalEnabled%3Dtrue&source=gmail&ust=1710187403518000&usg=AOvVaw0VrUfHnQc_jz8ohmnzC-fJ" href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rita-Webb/author/B0CQZ2D979?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/stores/<wbr></wbr>Rita-Webb/author/B0CQZ2D979?<wbr></wbr>ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=<wbr></wbr>true&shoppingPortalEnabled=<wbr></wbr>true</a></p><p></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-63997556852280571182024-03-13T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-13T00:30:00.315-04:00Currently Reading...<p>I'm currently reading <i>Murder in the Tea Leaves</i> by Laura Childs. This book is the twenty-seventh in the Tea Shop Mystery series and was released last week.</p><p>The movies have come to Charleston, South Carolina and Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop, has landed the sweet gig of providing craft services. Josh Morro, the film's director, is disgusted with the actors and the script and Theo soon finds herself on set as a tea leaf reader! The scene is running smoothly until there's a hiss, crack, and sparks, resulting in a dead director. Who had it in for Josh? The scriptwriter he accused of plagiarism? The new director who was so conveniently available? The electrician with a debt? Even Delaine Dish is a suspect. When Theo finds a member of the Charleston Film Board murdered she's determined to dig even deeper until she finds a killer and justice is served.<br /></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-34430074124190160782024-03-12T00:30:00.001-04:002024-03-12T00:30:00.138-04:00Tragic Tuesday - An Interview & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Denise Jaden to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Denise writes the he Tabitha Chase Days of the Week mystery series. <i>Tragic Tuesday </i>is the seventh book in the series and will be released this Thursday!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWNlJkHG3cJWFNCc1wMXpvyXTtzRz96wykY6zVyuX15UN2eAPzR6sV-9LYJV-kSfXpSZLqNi6t032nZ8GDKsz9m8IRPaMELp9rmaL9ftQPbM4wgYp78oD4zmdm_dzIJNUHUTNiEDKD7kVrK6MEgGGIMjZ5Ax7SbxfV-giI4-DJSf61jmQ0NaNd-EtQVqy/s1378/DeniseJaden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1378" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWNlJkHG3cJWFNCc1wMXpvyXTtzRz96wykY6zVyuX15UN2eAPzR6sV-9LYJV-kSfXpSZLqNi6t032nZ8GDKsz9m8IRPaMELp9rmaL9ftQPbM4wgYp78oD4zmdm_dzIJNUHUTNiEDKD7kVrK6MEgGGIMjZ5Ax7SbxfV-giI4-DJSf61jmQ0NaNd-EtQVqy/s320/DeniseJaden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Kathy: In <i>Tragic Tuesday </i>Tabby
decides that creating a community garden will help unite the town of
Crystal Cove. Have you ever been involved in a community garden? <u></u><u></u></p><p>DJ: I
have not. I do, however, have friends who are part of community
gardens, and my mom lives in a complex where there is a community garden
right outside her window, and she is regularly telling me about the
goings-on in and around that garden.</p><p> </p><p>Kathy: Do you enjoy gardening? If so, what are your favorite things to grow?<u></u><u></u></p><p>DJ: I really love gardening, but I have to admit, it’s usually only every few years when I put in the time and effort to do anything significant. But once I get going, I love figuring out what each plant needs to thrive, and especially watching them grow.</p><p> </p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? <u></u><u></u></p><p>DJ: I love the puzzle of cozy mysteries. At first, as a reader, I found the genre daunting because of the many characters involved. But now I love treating it like a puzzle. I write down character names as I’m reading and tidbits I think may be important. It’s really a fun genre and very intellectually stimulating!<br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? <br /><br />DJ: I used to write some young adult fiction and some romance, and I may go back to those one day, but at the moment I’m enjoying the cozy mysteries too much.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Tell us about your series. </p><p>DJ: The Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Series is set in the seaside town of Crystal Cove, Oregon. Tabby lives aboard her late aunt’s houseboat with her spectacled psychic cat, and even though Tabby has never considered herself similar to any of the local witches, she is slowly learning about her family’s magical gifts.<br /><br />My other cozy mystery series is the Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Capers. Mallory and her cat Hunch solve the mysteries of Honeysuckle Grove, West Virginia with the help of her former seventh-grade crush—now a swoon-worthy detective, and an obstinate teenager whose dad has just been murdered.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?<br /><br />DJ: It’s hard to choose, but if I HAD to, I’d have to pick Sherlock the cat. He wears glasses on his face and a magical crystal around his neck and mind-speaks to Tabby—but only when he’s in the mood.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?<br /><br />DJ: I polled my readers about a year ago and asked what kind of cozy mystery series they’d like to see me write next. The resounding answer was a Para-cozy. I’ve never been a big reader of paranormal, so I decided to write the series from the point of view of a character who is skeptical of all things magical. It works for both of us!<br /><br /><br />Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?<br /><br />DJ: Back when I was writing young adult fiction, a million years ago, my critique partner convinced me to try to get a literary agent. It was great feeling like I had an agent on my side, and very exciting when I started having interest in my books from publishers. <br /><br /><br />Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?<br /><br />DJ: Oh, gosh, that’s a tough one! I would have to pick at least one Biblical author—probably John. I would also love to invite Elana Johnson, Gillian Flynn, and Agatha Christie. I think they would all have a lot of insight and I imagine it would be a very lively party!<br /> </p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading? <br /><br />DJ: At the moment, I’m reading through a new book I’m working on and trying to plot the ending. While I do this sort of work, I prefer not to read anything else. This book will be the start of a new cozy mystery series set on a cruise ship.<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?<br /><br />DJ: In my spare time, I love to go to the gym and I also have been a Polynesian dancer for many years. I also dabble in graphic design—mostly to promote my books—but I really enjoy creative ventures other than writing. It gives my mind the break it needs. <br /><br /><br />Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.<br /><br />DJ: Cheese, protein powder, chia seeds, and romaine lettuce. That sounds strange, but those are the things I could come up with that we always have!<br /><br /><br />Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?<br /><br />DJ: Yes! Like I said above, I am hard at work on a new mystery set on a cruise ship. It will launch a new series and I’m really excited to share it with readers!<br /><br /><br />Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?<br /><br />DJ: I LOVE interacting with readers. If you have ever thought of writing to an author and decided not to, I would encourage you, please do it! I love getting to know readers and what they enjoy about my books. I also love working in my pajamas. J</p><p>**************************************************************************<br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #073763;"><b>Tragic Tuesday: A Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mystery</b></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><b>by Denise Jaden</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Tragic Tuesday</span></i></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWOOnznguVaoBU8GMUh4DVMqS4Jyqj2Q229sZJfpG-_rxX-xMzL7nhbrIAdtWt7iBfJ4i_qntdDkR5fvTDUWRz2tjaxM7e7G2_Ei28YCSsZZhYAIW8rJXIsTODHzyZFdxLQp8pPS_yM8-WpXparMHC0evUEdc0g30ffYMSF0nb0PaX3_wPdAUJ_pdlDcD/s800/tragic%20tuesday%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWOOnznguVaoBU8GMUh4DVMqS4Jyqj2Q229sZJfpG-_rxX-xMzL7nhbrIAdtWt7iBfJ4i_qntdDkR5fvTDUWRz2tjaxM7e7G2_Ei28YCSsZZhYAIW8rJXIsTODHzyZFdxLQp8pPS_yM8-WpXparMHC0evUEdc0g30ffYMSF0nb0PaX3_wPdAUJ_pdlDcD/w400-h300/tragic%20tuesday%203.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/47YtR1T">Tragic Tuesday: A Tabitha Chase Days of the Week Mystery</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 7th in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - Oregon </b><br /><b>Independently Published (March 14, 2024) </b><br /><b>Number of Pages - 250</b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It’s springtime, and Tabby figures what better way to unite the town of Crystal Cove than creating a community garden! The problem is, she knows nothing about tending the earth. However, there are several folks in town who have strong beliefs in how to start a garden right—unfortunately, all of these strong beliefs seem to disagree with one another.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tabby thinks she has it handled when she comes up with a system that makes each group of gardeners feel valued in their plans and opinions, but when one of the most opinionated women turns up dead in the middle of the fresh soil, it seems she has another murder on her hands—and one she feels at least partially responsible for.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Join Tabby, Jay, Aaron, and Sherlock as they investigate and try to get to the bottom of this garden tragedy.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><i>About Denise Jaden </i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-196209" height="288" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DeniseJaden-300x288.jpg" width="300" />
<p style="text-align: justify;">For a limited time, stop by Denise's website at <a href="http://www.denisejaden.com">www.denisejaden.com</a>, sign up for her newsletter, and get a bonus mystery just for signing up! Get freebies, exclusive content, and book news - you can unsubscribe at any time!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Denise Jaden is a co-writer for the Rosa Reed Mystery Series by Lee Strauss. The Mallory Beck Cozy Culinary Capers will be released throughout the year. Her young adult novels have received critical acclaim and her non-fiction books are touted as staples for any writers' bookshelf.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In her spare time, she acts with the Vancouver film industry and dances with a Polynesian dance troupe. She lives just outside Vancouver, Canada with her husband, her son (a budding filmmaker), and one very spoiled cat.</p><p>
<b>Author Links</b>: </p><p><b>Website:<a href="http://www.denisejaden.com">http://www.denisejaden.com</a></b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Bookshop: <a href="http://shop.denisejaden.com">http://shop.denisejaden.com</a></b> </p><p><b>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/denisejadenauthor">https://www.facebook.com/denisejadenauthor</a></b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/denisejaden">https://twitter.com/denisejaden</a></b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/denise.jaden">https://www.instagram.com/denise.jaden</a></b> </p><p><b>GoodReads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2919206.Denise_Jaden">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2919206.Denise_Jaden</a></b> </p><p><b>BookBub: <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/denise-jaden">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/denise-jaden</a></b>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Link - <a href="https://amzn.to/42sQjz6" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon </a></b></p><p><b>
</b>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921631" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921631/" id="rcwidget_546ng48k" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-1832975216955505132024-03-10T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-10T00:30:00.143-05:00The Wilderness Trap - A Guest Post & Giveaway<p>I'm happy to allow Jodi Linton to take over Cozy Up With Kathy today. Jodi writes the Southwest Exposure Mystery series. <i>The Wilderness Trap </i>is the fifth book in the series and was released last month.<i><br /></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2QpYS_5J7mtTKW4LdBP3dlFdJNeOfMr0qoE0LH4xzlOkleYKzx_lP5pe6c7E8qiVUGIqxAkPZAEtv2f6-5qQBmTqT8OlRdjGQuoDvoKb-KHO37PAmqL4pRRp_Tq2ytISisLD6tRqBz1UEhDSpHy9DKvC3eUK4owWkaSzUw5V0YGxJIOXAX_iUw3qqGTP/s509/jodi%20linton%202%20cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2QpYS_5J7mtTKW4LdBP3dlFdJNeOfMr0qoE0LH4xzlOkleYKzx_lP5pe6c7E8qiVUGIqxAkPZAEtv2f6-5qQBmTqT8OlRdjGQuoDvoKb-KHO37PAmqL4pRRp_Tq2ytISisLD6tRqBz1UEhDSpHy9DKvC3eUK4owWkaSzUw5V0YGxJIOXAX_iUw3qqGTP/s320/jodi%20linton%202%20cropped.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Authors and Their Day Jobs <br />By Jodi Linton<br /></div><div> <br />When I was trying to think about something to write for a guest blog post, I hit major writer’s block. Mostly, I found myself at a loss for words because I’m juggling so many balls in the air right now from work, school, and writing books. Don’t get me wrong, I love all three, but something your brain screams no more words. And that’s where I was until today when Lori, who put my blog tour together, emailed me with a list of ideas to write about. She mentioned that I should talk about my work and school, and I found the topic somewhat interesting. Not sure if you will, but I’m writing about it anyways. So read or scroll by, because either way you’re going to find out an awful lot about teaching writing classes and earning an emergency teacher’s certification. <br /><br />I sometimes think when I’m writing my books do readers think authors sit 24/7 at a desk and write all the words. Are authors always talking to their characters? Are authors outlining book plots on cocktail napkins? Some might be. Me? Nope. I barely have enough time in the day to eat lunch, let alone create story plots. Most my writing happens at night after gym class, dinner, and schoolwork. Yes. You heard that right. I’m in school. Again. And at forty-something. Let me tell you—going back to college for a second degree while working fulltime is exhausting. However, I’m done in June and counting down the days until I can say, “School is out for the summer.” And I might celebrate with a cupcake. <br /><br />You may be asking yourself how I came to going back to school. Well, I moved to a state with a major teacher shortage. Honestly, there’s a teacher shortage everywhere, but my state is bad. They offered emergency certification to professionals with degrees to teach a subject in a field they have work experience in. Naturally, I was hired as a writing teacher. So, all day I teach fourth graders how to write, format papers, and work on their handwriting skills. I give weekly spelling tests and grammar lessons. It’s been a different challenge, but a fun one. I can happily say my fourth graders can put together a typed, five-paragraph research paper without breaking much of a sweat. And through teaching writing classes to elementary students, I found an academic outlet I was missing by writing fulltime. <br /><br />Now at night, until I graduate in June, my fingers fly across the keyboard typing up schoolwork and drafting manuscripts, and I wouldn’t have any other way. <br /><br />I hope you found learning about my day somewhat interesting. If not, I guarantee Andie Sullivan’s job in <i>The Wilderness Trap</i> is more exciting. She solves crimes alongside you. </div><div> </div><div>***************************************************************************** <br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About The Wilderness Trap</span></i></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithjW665WKWsxib-9QfU2rLATzGpVGK-AvHhSTraHaaJfCE4_6W7sPKsbAM-fMm4vGTgpfhq8ZSCMxw0kg1-5JDGriFA6j-LLZzoWMZepqJcfJNhMOE5ncX7p9Ln-0toPJILMmAHWzN5F2c06CtdJsX2JV3Ci3R7JkxDL7KZeWIn1PvslWwAEo8FHX7Baq/s797/THE%20WILDERNESS%20TRAP%20COVER%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="797" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithjW665WKWsxib-9QfU2rLATzGpVGK-AvHhSTraHaaJfCE4_6W7sPKsbAM-fMm4vGTgpfhq8ZSCMxw0kg1-5JDGriFA6j-LLZzoWMZepqJcfJNhMOE5ncX7p9Ln-0toPJILMmAHWzN5F2c06CtdJsX2JV3Ci3R7JkxDL7KZeWIn1PvslWwAEo8FHX7Baq/w400-h301/THE%20WILDERNESS%20TRAP%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3SujRsB">The Wilderness Trap (Southwest Exposure Mysteries)</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 5th in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - Bushwhack, New Mexico </b><br /><b>Independently Published (February 28, 2024) </b><br /><b>Print length: 164 pages </b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Explore nature, where the outdoors are wild, the tourists are clueless, and murder is the new adventure.</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Andie Sullivan never thought her old nemesis would be running the elementary school career day. She was supposed to be discussing the wonders of nature, but when questions arise about her crime-solving side gig, some of the locals aren't impressed.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But when career day turns into an actual murder, Andie finds herself on the case. And to make matters worse, the victim is her old nemesis. With the help of her hunky boyfriend, Sheriff Zac Mars, Andie dives into the investigation, determined to find the killer before they strike again.</p>
Can she juggle her thriving outdoor business, her budding relationship with Zac, and find an elusive killer? Or will her pursuit of the truth lead her straight into the crosshairs of a ruthless killer.</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><b>About Jodi Linton</b></span></i></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-196625" height="509" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/jodi-linton-2-cropped.jpg" width="335" />
<p style="text-align: justify;">USA Today Bestselling author<b> Jodi Linton</b> pens funny romances, whodunnits, and thrillers. She is the author of the Southwest Exposure Cozy Mystery Series, The Deputy Laney Briggs Series, and several standalone romances. She lives in the city with her husband and two teens. When she isn't writing her next page-turner, she teaches and hikes.</p>
<b>Website:</b> <a href="http://jodilintonbooks.com">jodilintonbooks.com</a> </div><div><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JodiLintonBooks/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/JodiLintonBooks/</a>
<b> </b></div><div><b>Bookbub:</b> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-linton">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-linton</a>
<b> </b></div><div><b>Purchase Links: The book is KU - <a href="https://amzn.to/48LbVsE" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> - <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/uk/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0CL34N9JJ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a> - <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/ca/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0CL34N9JJ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon CA</a> - <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/amazon-dp-action/au/dualbookshelf.marketplacelink/B0CL34N9JJ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon AU</a> </b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b> </b>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921629" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921629/" id="rcwidget_fscbvfc2" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-62414039427767368692024-03-08T00:30:00.002-05:002024-03-08T00:30:00.158-05:00Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles - A Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8nRmG3erK8QZnabzFB7Bn_-nxbcDn-ccxtLZWNyHOafxso9uMPL4sgXcmYn1leTeUiExza-3E5KRYtGmZUeyK8q66gWj2viL20OWhZOu3pcYYvJGpIRw75wVykj34qBMsthBuD46Tpe8DMORFGbHpUp3CFmUYjYMEzlkA0SzQyUZlre6WLF1hSTqYuBa/s888/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens--cover-web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8nRmG3erK8QZnabzFB7Bn_-nxbcDn-ccxtLZWNyHOafxso9uMPL4sgXcmYn1leTeUiExza-3E5KRYtGmZUeyK8q66gWj2viL20OWhZOu3pcYYvJGpIRw75wVykj34qBMsthBuD46Tpe8DMORFGbHpUp3CFmUYjYMEzlkA0SzQyUZlre6WLF1hSTqYuBa/s320/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens--cover-web.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES by Elizabeth Crowens<br />The First Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Having left the world of acting and an abusive husband Babs Norman is trying to make it as a Hollywood PI. When she discovers that Basil Rathbone's dog, Leo, has gone missing Babs persuades the star that she is just the woman to find his canine friend. She and her business partner soon learn that Leo isn't the only Hollywood pup to pull a disappearing act. Asta, famed co-star of the Thin Man movies, is also missing and the studio is desperate to get him back. With the help of various film stars and studio workers Babs and Guy try to figure out who is behind the dognapping and why! Will they be able to catch a thief or will this case put them out of business?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="yiv3966936936MsoNormal">I love dogs and many of the films of
the 1930s and 40s so I was excited to see a mystery set around these
themes. It was fun seeing memorable actors involved in a new fictional
mystery, especially the sleuths, Sherlock Holmes and Nick and
Nora Charles…well, their “real life” counterparts. Despite having
tremendous backstory, somehow the characters seemed flat. Though
interesting they came off as two-dimensional.</p>
<p class="yiv3966936936MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv3966936936MsoNormal">The pace was slow and Babs and Guy
weren’t making much headway in their investigation. That is until the
final showdown aboard the Queen Mary. Everything came together perfectly
with fast paced action, laugh out loud scenes, and some shocking
revelations. I'm still laughing at the play on that famous Marx Brothers scene in A Night at the Opera!</p><p class="yiv3966936936MsoNormal">Missing dogs, Hollywood stars, and a woman PI, oh my! HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES brings together Hollywood legends and a new detective in a 1940s era mystery.<br /></p></div><div style="text-align: left;">****************************************************************** <br /></div><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h2><a href="https://partnersincrimetours.com/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens/" title="Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens"><img alt="Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens Banner" class="aligncenter size-full" height="338" src="https://partnersincrimetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens-banner-.png" width="600" /></a></h2>
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<h2><i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i></h2>
<h3>by Elizabeth Crowens</h3>
<h4>February 26 - March 22, 2024 Virtual Book Tour</h4>
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<h2>Synopsis:</h2>
<div style="float: left; margin-right: 15px; width: 225px;"><img alt="Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens" border="0" height="300" src="https://partnersincrimetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens-cover-web.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px 15px 5px 0px;" width="200" /></div>
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<p>“Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog? We have bigger crimes to solve. Go find him yourself!” That’s what the Los Angeles Police Department told Basil Rathbone. The City Pound ridiculed him as well.</p>
<p>Asta, the dog from the popular <i>Thin Man</i> series, has also vanished, and production for his next film is pending. MGM Studios offers a huge reward, and that’s exactly what young private detectives Babs Norman and Guy Brandt need for their struggling business to survive. Celebrity dognapping now a growing trend, Basil also hires them to find his missing Cocker Spaniel.</p>
<p>The three concoct a plan for Basil to assume his on-screen persona and round up possible suspects, including Myrna Loy and William Powell; Dashiell Hammett, creator of <i>The Thin Man</i>; Nigel Bruce, Basil’s on-screen Doctor Watson; Hollywood-newcomer, German philanthropist and film financier Countess Velma von Rache, and the top animal trainers in Tinseltown. Yet everyone will be in for a shock when the real reason behind the canine disappearances is even more sinister than imagined.</p>
<p>Jump into <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i>, Book One of the Babs Norman Golden Age of Hollywood Mystery series, Finalist in the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards for Comedy and First Prize winner in the Chanticleer Review’s Mark Twain Awards for Comedy and Satire.</p>
<h5>Get ready for its sequel, <i>Bye, Bye, Blackbird</i>, featuring Humphrey Bogart and the cast of <i>The Maltese Falcon</i>.</h5><!--wp:spacer /-->
<h3>Praise for <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i>:</h3>
<p>"I heartily enjoyed Elizabeth Crowens latest book <i><b>HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES</b></i>. This comedy-mystery is set during the golden age of Hollywood. Crowens’ detectives, Babs Norman and Guy Brandt, believe the case (involving dognapping and other nefarious doings) could put them on the map—especially with a star client like Basil Rathbone and suspects such as Myrna Loy, William Powell, Nigel Bruce, Dashiell Hammett, Lillian Hellman—and more. A nice look behind the scenes of the dream factory known as MGM and Hollywood in its glory days with a delicious whodunit with witty repartee to boot. This book is a real winner." <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Charles Tranberg, author of <i>MURDER OVER COCKTAILS: THE THIN MAN FILMS</i></span></p>
<p>"Move over, Holmes and Watson. Stand aside, Nick and Nora Charles. Make room for PI Babs Norman and her Guy Friday, Guy Brandt! Author Elizabeth Crowens deftly combines humor, excitement, and epic name-dropping in this entertaining adventure set in Hollywood’s Golden Age." <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Carla Coupe, editor of <i>Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine</i>, member of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes and The Baker Street Irregulars</span></p>
<p>"Elizabeth Crowens’ <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i> is a thrilling and hilarious romp through the days of Old Hollywood. If you ever wanted to jump into the screen and spend time with Nick Charles and Sherlock Holmes, this is the next best thing. I, for one, can’t wait for more adventures with Babs and Guy! Delightful!" <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Phoef Sutton, Emmy Award-winning producer of <i>Cheers</i>, author of the Crush novels, and co-host of the <i>Film Freaks Forever</i> podcast</span></p>
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<h3>Book Details:</h3>
<p><b>Genre:</b> Golden Age of Hollywood Humorous Mystery <br /><b>Published by:</b> Level Best Books<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> March 2024 <br /><b>Number of Pages:</b> 299<br /><b>Series:</b> A Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery, Book 1<br /><b>Book Links:</b> <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/uZrMB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/mGh0H" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kindle</a> | <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/TsSyN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p>
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<h3>Read an excerpt:</h3>
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<h4>Chapter 1</h4>
<h6>Flea Circus Hollywood, 1940</h6>
<p>Babs bundled Miss Marple in a beach towel. Otherwise, she would get clawed. Her disgruntled partner flinched from fleabites while holding a box of kittens. She looked around the vet’s waiting room to see if she recognized anyone, but all she noticed were an unknown house frau with a French-cut Miniature Poodle, a uniformed nurse with a Cocker Spaniel, and a frumpy elder with a Shirley Temple hopeful hugging her Saint Bernard.</p>
<p>The front door flew open, revealing a tall, thin, but athletic gentleman with his chestnut hair slicked back. His striking profile rivaled classic sculptures, except for the sweat which dripped down his forehead. Under one arm were photostat flyers. Under the other, a folded-up copy of Daily Variety. Both featured photos of dogs.</p>
<p>Guy poked Babs in the ribs to get her attention. “Recognize him?”</p>
<p>She observed the newcomer, who explained his dilemma in haste to the assistant, but most of what Babs could see was from behind. “Who?”</p>
<p>“Rathbone…Basil Rathbone.”</p>
<p>“The actor who plays Sherlock Holmes?”</p>
<p>“Shush. Don’t advertise it to everyone on Sunset Boulevard.”</p>
<p>In a whisper, he disclosed the highlights of the actor’s resume. “That, and Captain Blood, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and more, not to mention quite a bit of theater. If we keep it discreet, maybe we can find out why he’s here.”</p>
<p>Basil approached the lady with the cocker and asked if he could scratch him under his chin. “Such a handsome boy. My Leo looks a lot like him, except his coat is a deep red rather than brown.”</p>
<p>He pointed to the bulletin board with listings for lost pets and adoptions and handed the front desk assistant his entire stack. “I’ll have more printed. Please give them to all of your clients. If I can’t find my poor Leo, I don’t know what I’ll do.”</p>
<p>Babs saw this as an opportunity to get acquainted. She sprang from her seat, clutching the hissing fuzzball wrapped like a jellyroll. “Maybe I can help in your search.”</p>
<p>Basil narrowed his eyes. “Do I know you?”</p>
<p>“Babs Norman.” She attempted to extend her hand for a proper introduction, but struggled with the snarling feline. “Cast as an extra in The Adventures of Robin Hood.”</p>
<p>“Ah…with Errol Flynn, in the days when the studios always had me play the villain.”</p>
<p>She gleaned from the subtle shift on his face he didn’t care for his co-star.</p>
<p>He eyed her with sudden skepticism. “Refresh my memory. What scene were you in? Almost all parts were male.”</p>
<p>“When Sir Robin of Locksley revealed to Maid Marion that he saved the lives of desperate villagers. I played a peasant wife, but my back was toward the camera.”</p>
<p>“What a shame,” Basil said.</p>
<p>Babs blushed. “I used to be an actress, but not anymore.”</p>
<p>“What do you consider yourself now?” Basil asked.</p>
<p>The vet’s assistant came between them. “Miss, maybe he desires privacy.” He ignored Babs and asked Basil. “Sir, have you filed a report with the pound?”</p>
<p>“I tried, but I have little faith they can help. Everyone laughed and said, ‘Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog!’”</p>
<p>Babs cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. First, she addressed the rude assistant. “Excuse me, but you interrupted us before I could answer his question.” Then she turned to Basil. “The reason I’m no longer an actress is now I’m a private investigator. The gentleman next to me is my associate, Guy Brandt.”</p>
<p>Basil dismissed the employee’s well-meaning intervention. “Such an odd transition from acting. What compelled you to get into that business?”</p>
<p>She lowered her head. “It’s a long story.” He didn’t need to know the truth about her father’s murder. “I also have an acute talent for finding things, whether they are people…or pets.”</p>
<p>“You have an actual private investigator’s license?” Basil asked.</p>
<p>“In my purse.” She tried to fish it out while wrestling with the cat, who broke free from her grasp. Between Guy and another staff member, they corralled the anxious tabby into a handheld cage.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry.” Babs looked around at the bedlam of barking dogs. “This stray doesn’t want to nurse her kits, and I think she has—”</p>
<p>“Fleas.” Basil scratched his arms. “Looks like we’re both having kittens.”</p>
<p>She also felt an oncoming rash. “Come again?”</p>
<p>“Ha! It’s a peculiar old English expression. People believed a witch’s curse caused painful pregnancies, but instead of a child, they thought the woman had kittens inside her, clawing to get out. Since I’m not expectant, it shows my uncomfortable position in more ways than one.”</p>
<p>Babs flushed; aware this was an awkward introduction for a potential client. Meanwhile, staff members brought the kittens into the back for examination.</p>
<p>She plucked her ID and her business card out of her purse. “B. Norman, Investigations. In case you need proof.”</p>
<p>He put down his copy of Daily Variety to accept her card. Babs swiped his tabloid, attracted by a photo of another dog on its cover.</p>
<p>“Someone else’s dog is missing.” Babs read the article out loud. “Skippy, the wire-haired Fox Terrier known as Asta in the Thin Man movies, has vanished. Production is supposed to start on the next film featuring the lovable detectives Nick and Nora Charles. A one-thousand-dollar reward. No questions asked.”</p>
<p>Guy whistled. “That’s one hefty jackpot.”</p>
<p>Basil looked at her business card one more time. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ll match that for the return of my red cocker. My wife will think I’m insane. I was offering one hundred.” He showed them his flyers. “For you, as professionals, I guess I’ll make an exception, since now it looks like I have serious competition from producers with studio funds. Is that enough of an incentive?”</p>
<p>“Our agency is on Hollywood Boulevard, close to La Brea,” she said with a confident smile.</p>
<p>“Let’s say I stop over tomorrow on the way to the studio. Perhaps I should trust your expertise if you say you’re so good with animals.”</p>
<p>Babs nodded and forced herself to contain her excitement. “Sir, do you mind if I borrow your newspaper?”</p>
<p>“Keep it,” Basil said. He handed her both his copy of Daily Variety and several of his flyers.</p>
<p>After he left, she turned to her partner. “Who says we can’t go after both Asta or Skippy and Leo?”</p>
<p>The vet returned with the verdict. “There’s no doubt your adult cat has a case of fleas, which might have also infested your furniture. The kittens are another matter. They’re too young to eat food on their own. The obvious issue you overlooked is the adult is not their mama, because she’s a he. Not so obvious with his long and thick matted fur. That’s why he wouldn’t nurse the little ones.”</p>
<p>Babs turned red. “I can’t believe I was so caught up in the moment that I overlooked something that simple.”</p>
<p>“A coincidence, I’m afraid. You must’ve put two and two together when you found this fellow near a box of abandoned kittens,” the vet explained. “The newborns will need around-the-clock attention, and Old Tom will need a few flea baths before he’s ready to go back to anyone’s home.”</p>
<p>Babs grimaced. She looked at Guy and then back toward the vet. “Can’t play nursemaid while running a business.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry.” The vet reassured her. “Leave them here. My staff will handle it. We’ll find good homes for all of them.”</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Excerpt from <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i> by Elizabeth Crowens. Copyright 2023 by Elizabeth Crowens. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Crowens. All rights reserved.</p>
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<h2>Author Bio:</h2>
<p>Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in the entertainment industry and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. She has three award-winning alternate history novels. Awards include 2020 Leo B. Burstein Scholarship from the MWA-NY Chapter, New York Foundation of the Arts grant, an Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Awards, and two grand prize and five first prize Chanticleer Awards, including Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, the first in her Babs Norman Hollywood series, which is also a Killer Nashville Claymore Awards finalist and part of her three-book publishing deal with Level Best Books</p>
<h3>Catch Up With Elizabeth Crowens:<br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/au3FRAUw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.ElizabethCrowens.com</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/rpGMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/jolXmrhY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BookBub - @ECrowens</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/3GD2ANMv" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram - @crowens_author</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/ISscN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter/X - @ECrowens</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/5YfLZ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook - @thereel.elizabeth.crowens</a></h3>
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<h2>Tour Participants:</h2>
<p>Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway!<br /><script src="https://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=312635" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
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Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-30225877621177790892024-03-06T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-06T00:30:00.140-05:00Currently Reading...<p>I'm currently reading <i>An Offer to Die For</i> by Rita Webb. This book is the first in the Julia Novo Mystery series. </p><p>Louise Lemay and her husband, Roger, have decided to give up snowy winters and become snowbirds as they slowly begin the retirement process. Staying in a friend's condo while they house hunt, the couple are invited to a unique open house. They, along with other interested buyers, will meet, have dinner, and spend the night in the house. This unusual concept becomes less of an adventure and more of a nightmare when a storm hits and the owner dies. Louise's only consolation is that Julia Novo is also a guest. Having met Julia at a meeting of paranormal enthusiasts, she's sure Julia will have some insight and is in awe of the woman's gifts. Was the untimely death of the owner murder? Will Louise be able to assist Julia and the police? Or will a murderer get away?<br /></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-33314586793539647152024-03-05T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-05T00:30:00.133-05:00Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Elizabeth Crowens back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Elizabeth writes the Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery series. HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES is the first book in the series and is being released today! Be sure to come back to the blog Friday when I'll share my review.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIBBROMJwFUfFyDA8mcvc_-fz1Cqauuy1kohx_C3_5AAR2aIeUFy7Zwui4PReJn2nHFzTXEQ4jEi1Zs8GWA61JgA0ldYtYKuDVsrha2jH79EKmpywzUxUaHC813DqKanRpGo8ILCRSdwK8T3kHpkU_Hg4ZaHCAa4nVRX6vYPc2Enq7tDbyX7OW5Pia2mA/s227/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens--author.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="203" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIBBROMJwFUfFyDA8mcvc_-fz1Cqauuy1kohx_C3_5AAR2aIeUFy7Zwui4PReJn2nHFzTXEQ4jEi1Zs8GWA61JgA0ldYtYKuDVsrha2jH79EKmpywzUxUaHC813DqKanRpGo8ILCRSdwK8T3kHpkU_Hg4ZaHCAa4nVRX6vYPc2Enq7tDbyX7OW5Pia2mA/s1600/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens--author.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
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<p></p><p>Kathy: HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES is the first book in the Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery series. What made you decide to set your series at this time? <br /><br />EC: Babs Norman, my heroine, is based on my best friend who would’ve turned 100 last year had she still been alive. She was an actress in Hollywood during the 40s and gave me the rights to her life story. However, memoirs are nearly impossible to sell unless you are famous, and she wasn’t, but as long as I knew her she was always watching mysteries on television and animal shows. When she went to the library, she always checked out mysteries. I approached her one day and said, “I finally figured out how to market your story. We’ll turn you into an actress-turned-private investigator.” She loved the idea and gave me her blessing. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: I love old Hollywood films, from the popular films such as the Thin Man and Topper series to less well known films like Bachelor Mother. Do you have a favorite? <br /><br />EC: It’s funny. Recently on Facebook I posted a question and asked my friends and followers which films they’ve watched well over a dozen times and can watch over and over again without getting old. My list spanned many decades to include titles by Kubrick and the first and third Indiana Jones films. However, during the 30s and 40s, I listed The Thin Man, The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, Wizard of Oz, and Bringing Up Baby which, by the way, did terrible at the box office, but that one is so classic for Cary Grant. How can you not love Cary Grant? <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: How did you decide which stars to put in your mystery? <br /><br />EC: That was easy. Previous to writing HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES, I wrote three books in the alternate history Time Traveler Professor series featuring Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, and Harry Houdini, so I knew a lot about Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes and had a lot of “reader expectations” that I might write another book with a “strong Sherlock Holmes element.” Besides, growing up in the Midwest with three analog channels featuring only the major TV networks with the addition of one PBS channel later on, Basil Rathbone was the only Sherlock Holmes I was familiar with. Cable subscriptions with hundreds of channels and streaming services didn’t exist back then. <br /><br />Once I picked Rathbone and started reading his biographies, everything fell into place. He was a major dog lover. He always had at least five dogs at any given time, several cats, and canaries. If someone had stolen one of his dogs, with everyone identifying him as Sherlock Holmes, he’d get ridiculed at the city pound and the police station. That’s why he ended up hiring two young detectives who are my protagonist and her sidekick partner, but I needed to raise the stakes. Obviously, I watched a lot of TCM while researching ideas. One day, The Thin Man came on. That’s when I realized that one of my favorite parts of those films was Asta! Picking my characters, as I said before, fell into place after I settled on Basil Rathbone. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period? <br /><br />EC: Research is a HUGE part of the process. I read more biographies and non-fiction books than I care to admit, but I don’t know what I’d do without Turner Classic Movies. I even have the app on my phone, because I’m too busy to keep up with the schedule to watch the films live. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries? <br /><br />EC: Funny you asked that question. It all started with Sherlock Holmes stories when I was researching Conan Doyle and my time travel books. Then it expanded to other contemporaries of his along with Poe, who first inspired him. Then it exploded all over the spectrum when I got tired of reading bad science fiction and fantasy and became more intrigued by well-written mysteries. The downside is that great mysteries are harder to write. I always seem to paint myself into a corner and pick the toughest projects to accomplish. When I get high praise and compliments (and good reviews) it makes it all worth it. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you write in any other genres? <br /><br />EC: Yes. Alternate history. I have SILENT MERIDIAN, A POCKETFUL OF LODESTONES, and A WAR IN TOO MANY WORLDS in my Time Traveler Professor series.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series. <br /><br />EC: The Babs Norman series is about two young PIs, former actors, who take on celebrity cases in the 1940s. It’s full of humor. I have another Hollywood series that takes place during the nineties I’m trying to sell. The Time Traveler Professor series is an epic SF/F and fictional biography starting in 1898 and follows the life of the narrator until 1931. Starts out in the Victorian era, goes through his involvement in WWI, and his interactions with famous people and historical events. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why? <br /><br />EC: That’s like asking if you have a favorite child.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series? <br /><br />EC: My best friend. I mentioned that earlier.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? <br /><br />EC: I had every intention of publishing this. I’ve always been a “commercial artist” in any field I’ve worked in.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite? <br /><br />EC: 1) Arthur Conan Doyle, 2) Agatha Christie, 3) H.G. Wells, and 4) Richard Mathieson. I was supposed to have met Mathieson back in 2013 but he passed away before he could be the Guest of Honor at the World Fantasy Convention. I met his son instead. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: What are you currently reading? <br /><br />EC: Currently rereading non-fiction stuff for my current project. I need to take a break and read some fiction written during the forties. <br /><br /></p><p>Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us? <br /><br />EC: Who has time between writing and marketing and social media? I used to love to go antiquing, used bookstores, to yard sales, and flea markets, but in NYC we’ve lost almost all those options.<br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry. <br /><br />EC: Coffee, milk, sugar, and cheese. Maybe I should swap cheese for chocolate. It sounds more romantic. LOL <br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series? <br /><br />EC: All of the Babs Norman books will center around a famous film and the actors involved in it. <br /> <br /></p><p>Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author? <br /><br />EC: That “ah-hah!” kismet moment when you find the perfect piece of research to fill in the blanks…the perfect timing for something happening, like an event in history or the right punchline. </p><p>************************************************************************<br />
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<h2><a href="https://partnersincrimetours.com/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens/" title="Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens"><img alt="Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles by Elizabeth Crowens Banner" class="aligncenter size-full" height="338" src="https://partnersincrimetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/hounds-of-the-hollywood-baskervilles-crowens-banner-.png" width="600" /></a></h2>
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<h2><i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i></h2>
<h3>by Elizabeth Crowens</h3>
<h4>February 26 - March 22, 2024 Virtual Book Tour</h4>
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<h2>Synopsis:</h2>
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<p>“Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog? We have bigger crimes to solve. Go find him yourself!” That’s what the Los Angeles Police Department told Basil Rathbone. The City Pound ridiculed him as well.</p>
<p>Asta, the dog from the popular <i>Thin Man</i> series, has also vanished, and production for his next film is pending. MGM Studios offers a huge reward, and that’s exactly what young private detectives Babs Norman and Guy Brandt need for their struggling business to survive. Celebrity dognapping now a growing trend, Basil also hires them to find his missing Cocker Spaniel.</p>
<p>The three concoct a plan for Basil to assume his on-screen persona and round up possible suspects, including Myrna Loy and William Powell; Dashiell Hammett, creator of <i>The Thin Man</i>; Nigel Bruce, Basil’s on-screen Doctor Watson; Hollywood-newcomer, German philanthropist and film financier Countess Velma von Rache, and the top animal trainers in Tinseltown. Yet everyone will be in for a shock when the real reason behind the canine disappearances is even more sinister than imagined.</p>
<p>Jump into <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i>, Book One of the Babs Norman Golden Age of Hollywood Mystery series, Finalist in the Killer Nashville Claymore Awards for Comedy and First Prize winner in the Chanticleer Review’s Mark Twain Awards for Comedy and Satire.</p>
<h5>Get ready for its sequel, <i>Bye, Bye, Blackbird</i>, featuring Humphrey Bogart and the cast of <i>The Maltese Falcon</i>.</h5><!--wp:spacer /-->
<h3>Praise for <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i>:</h3>
<p>"I heartily enjoyed Elizabeth Crowens latest book <i><b>HOUNDS OF THE HOLLYWOOD BASKERVILLES</b></i>. This comedy-mystery is set during the golden age of Hollywood. Crowens’ detectives, Babs Norman and Guy Brandt, believe the case (involving dognapping and other nefarious doings) could put them on the map—especially with a star client like Basil Rathbone and suspects such as Myrna Loy, William Powell, Nigel Bruce, Dashiell Hammett, Lillian Hellman—and more. A nice look behind the scenes of the dream factory known as MGM and Hollywood in its glory days with a delicious whodunit with witty repartee to boot. This book is a real winner." <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Charles Tranberg, author of <i>MURDER OVER COCKTAILS: THE THIN MAN FILMS</i></span></p>
<p>"Move over, Holmes and Watson. Stand aside, Nick and Nora Charles. Make room for PI Babs Norman and her Guy Friday, Guy Brandt! Author Elizabeth Crowens deftly combines humor, excitement, and epic name-dropping in this entertaining adventure set in Hollywood’s Golden Age." <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Carla Coupe, editor of <i>Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine</i>, member of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes and The Baker Street Irregulars</span></p>
<p>"Elizabeth Crowens’ <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i> is a thrilling and hilarious romp through the days of Old Hollywood. If you ever wanted to jump into the screen and spend time with Nick Charles and Sherlock Holmes, this is the next best thing. I, for one, can’t wait for more adventures with Babs and Guy! Delightful!" <br /><span style="color: #c3ba2a; margin-left: 40px;">~ Phoef Sutton, Emmy Award-winning producer of <i>Cheers</i>, author of the Crush novels, and co-host of the <i>Film Freaks Forever</i> podcast</span></p>
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<blockquote class="details" style="margin: 20px; padding: 20px;">
<h3>Book Details:</h3>
<p><b>Genre:</b> Golden Age of Hollywood Humorous Mystery <br /><b>Published by:</b> Level Best Books<br /><b>Publication Date:</b> March 2024 <br /><b>Number of Pages:</b> 299<br /><b>Series:</b> A Babs Norman Hollywood Mystery, Book 1<br /><b>Book Links:</b> <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/uZrMB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/mGh0H" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kindle</a> | <a href="https://pictbooks.tours/TsSyN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></p>
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<h3>Read an excerpt:</h3>
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<h4>Chapter 1</h4>
<h6>Flea Circus Hollywood, 1940</h6>
<p>Babs bundled Miss Marple in a beach towel. Otherwise, she would get clawed. Her disgruntled partner flinched from fleabites while holding a box of kittens. She looked around the vet’s waiting room to see if she recognized anyone, but all she noticed were an unknown house frau with a French-cut Miniature Poodle, a uniformed nurse with a Cocker Spaniel, and a frumpy elder with a Shirley Temple hopeful hugging her Saint Bernard.</p>
<p>The front door flew open, revealing a tall, thin, but athletic gentleman with his chestnut hair slicked back. His striking profile rivaled classic sculptures, except for the sweat which dripped down his forehead. Under one arm were photostat flyers. Under the other, a folded-up copy of Daily Variety. Both featured photos of dogs.</p>
<p>Guy poked Babs in the ribs to get her attention. “Recognize him?”</p>
<p>She observed the newcomer, who explained his dilemma in haste to the assistant, but most of what Babs could see was from behind. “Who?”</p>
<p>“Rathbone…Basil Rathbone.”</p>
<p>“The actor who plays Sherlock Holmes?”</p>
<p>“Shush. Don’t advertise it to everyone on Sunset Boulevard.”</p>
<p>In a whisper, he disclosed the highlights of the actor’s resume. “That, and Captain Blood, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and more, not to mention quite a bit of theater. If we keep it discreet, maybe we can find out why he’s here.”</p>
<p>Basil approached the lady with the cocker and asked if he could scratch him under his chin. “Such a handsome boy. My Leo looks a lot like him, except his coat is a deep red rather than brown.”</p>
<p>He pointed to the bulletin board with listings for lost pets and adoptions and handed the front desk assistant his entire stack. “I’ll have more printed. Please give them to all of your clients. If I can’t find my poor Leo, I don’t know what I’ll do.”</p>
<p>Babs saw this as an opportunity to get acquainted. She sprang from her seat, clutching the hissing fuzzball wrapped like a jellyroll. “Maybe I can help in your search.”</p>
<p>Basil narrowed his eyes. “Do I know you?”</p>
<p>“Babs Norman.” She attempted to extend her hand for a proper introduction, but struggled with the snarling feline. “Cast as an extra in The Adventures of Robin Hood.”</p>
<p>“Ah…with Errol Flynn, in the days when the studios always had me play the villain.”</p>
<p>She gleaned from the subtle shift on his face he didn’t care for his co-star.</p>
<p>He eyed her with sudden skepticism. “Refresh my memory. What scene were you in? Almost all parts were male.”</p>
<p>“When Sir Robin of Locksley revealed to Maid Marion that he saved the lives of desperate villagers. I played a peasant wife, but my back was toward the camera.”</p>
<p>“What a shame,” Basil said.</p>
<p>Babs blushed. “I used to be an actress, but not anymore.”</p>
<p>“What do you consider yourself now?” Basil asked.</p>
<p>The vet’s assistant came between them. “Miss, maybe he desires privacy.” He ignored Babs and asked Basil. “Sir, have you filed a report with the pound?”</p>
<p>“I tried, but I have little faith they can help. Everyone laughed and said, ‘Sherlock Holmes has lost his dog!’”</p>
<p>Babs cleared her throat to get everyone’s attention. First, she addressed the rude assistant. “Excuse me, but you interrupted us before I could answer his question.” Then she turned to Basil. “The reason I’m no longer an actress is now I’m a private investigator. The gentleman next to me is my associate, Guy Brandt.”</p>
<p>Basil dismissed the employee’s well-meaning intervention. “Such an odd transition from acting. What compelled you to get into that business?”</p>
<p>She lowered her head. “It’s a long story.” He didn’t need to know the truth about her father’s murder. “I also have an acute talent for finding things, whether they are people…or pets.”</p>
<p>“You have an actual private investigator’s license?” Basil asked.</p>
<p>“In my purse.” She tried to fish it out while wrestling with the cat, who broke free from her grasp. Between Guy and another staff member, they corralled the anxious tabby into a handheld cage.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry.” Babs looked around at the bedlam of barking dogs. “This stray doesn’t want to nurse her kits, and I think she has—”</p>
<p>“Fleas.” Basil scratched his arms. “Looks like we’re both having kittens.”</p>
<p>She also felt an oncoming rash. “Come again?”</p>
<p>“Ha! It’s a peculiar old English expression. People believed a witch’s curse caused painful pregnancies, but instead of a child, they thought the woman had kittens inside her, clawing to get out. Since I’m not expectant, it shows my uncomfortable position in more ways than one.”</p>
<p>Babs flushed; aware this was an awkward introduction for a potential client. Meanwhile, staff members brought the kittens into the back for examination.</p>
<p>She plucked her ID and her business card out of her purse. “B. Norman, Investigations. In case you need proof.”</p>
<p>He put down his copy of Daily Variety to accept her card. Babs swiped his tabloid, attracted by a photo of another dog on its cover.</p>
<p>“Someone else’s dog is missing.” Babs read the article out loud. “Skippy, the wire-haired Fox Terrier known as Asta in the Thin Man movies, has vanished. Production is supposed to start on the next film featuring the lovable detectives Nick and Nora Charles. A one-thousand-dollar reward. No questions asked.”</p>
<p>Guy whistled. “That’s one hefty jackpot.”</p>
<p>Basil looked at her business card one more time. “Well, if it’s any consolation, I’ll match that for the return of my red cocker. My wife will think I’m insane. I was offering one hundred.” He showed them his flyers. “For you, as professionals, I guess I’ll make an exception, since now it looks like I have serious competition from producers with studio funds. Is that enough of an incentive?”</p>
<p>“Our agency is on Hollywood Boulevard, close to La Brea,” she said with a confident smile.</p>
<p>“Let’s say I stop over tomorrow on the way to the studio. Perhaps I should trust your expertise if you say you’re so good with animals.”</p>
<p>Babs nodded and forced herself to contain her excitement. “Sir, do you mind if I borrow your newspaper?”</p>
<p>“Keep it,” Basil said. He handed her both his copy of Daily Variety and several of his flyers.</p>
<p>After he left, she turned to her partner. “Who says we can’t go after both Asta or Skippy and Leo?”</p>
<p>The vet returned with the verdict. “There’s no doubt your adult cat has a case of fleas, which might have also infested your furniture. The kittens are another matter. They’re too young to eat food on their own. The obvious issue you overlooked is the adult is not their mama, because she’s a he. Not so obvious with his long and thick matted fur. That’s why he wouldn’t nurse the little ones.”</p>
<p>Babs turned red. “I can’t believe I was so caught up in the moment that I overlooked something that simple.”</p>
<p>“A coincidence, I’m afraid. You must’ve put two and two together when you found this fellow near a box of abandoned kittens,” the vet explained. “The newborns will need around-the-clock attention, and Old Tom will need a few flea baths before he’s ready to go back to anyone’s home.”</p>
<p>Babs grimaced. She looked at Guy and then back toward the vet. “Can’t play nursemaid while running a business.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry.” The vet reassured her. “Leave them here. My staff will handle it. We’ll find good homes for all of them.”</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Excerpt from <i>Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles</i> by Elizabeth Crowens. Copyright 2023 by Elizabeth Crowens. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Crowens. All rights reserved.</p>
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<h2>Author Bio:</h2>
<p>Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in the entertainment industry and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. She has three award-winning alternate history novels. Awards include 2020 Leo B. Burstein Scholarship from the MWA-NY Chapter, New York Foundation of the Arts grant, an Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Awards, and two grand prize and five first prize Chanticleer Awards, including Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, the first in her Babs Norman Hollywood series, which is also a Killer Nashville Claymore Awards finalist and part of her three-book publishing deal with Level Best Books</p>
<h3>Catch Up With Elizabeth Crowens:<br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/au3FRAUw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.ElizabethCrowens.com</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/rpGMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/jolXmrhY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BookBub - @ECrowens</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.review/3GD2ANMv" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram - @crowens_author</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/ISscN" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Twitter/X - @ECrowens</a><br /><a href="https://pictbooks.tours/5YfLZ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook - @thereel.elizabeth.crowens</a></h3>
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<p></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-89865816194503187772024-03-03T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-03T00:30:00.137-05:00Murder in Masquerade - A Review & Giveaway<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mMAVjs8RugwSW3OSFAGde4AAdqzfDbEDia8Q7EValyyYVa0XIqB1sjx9WZdq_zFDLrKnlmN6DO5PzsydAFoArJ_75ZEA2CPnVV_eYo6Rocur_P-o0tYg5MyStq_l3X2xptDFX1s76hVTUFb6-j3a6e3QxlvTvZY116T_pB8tWgMSBhPE8xpIjB6tFkel/s2400/MurderinMasquerade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mMAVjs8RugwSW3OSFAGde4AAdqzfDbEDia8Q7EValyyYVa0XIqB1sjx9WZdq_zFDLrKnlmN6DO5PzsydAFoArJ_75ZEA2CPnVV_eYo6Rocur_P-o0tYg5MyStq_l3X2xptDFX1s76hVTUFb6-j3a6e3QxlvTvZY116T_pB8tWgMSBhPE8xpIjB6tFkel/s320/MurderinMasquerade.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MURDER IN MASQUERADE by Mary Winters<br />The Second Lady of Letters Mystery </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Concerned that his sister is encouraging the affections of a rogue and scoundrel Simon Bainbridge persuades Amelia, Lady Amesbury, to accompany him to the opera in order to keep an eye on Marielle. Upon meeting the man in question, Amelia finds him charming, although with an apparent eye for the ladies, and not just Marielle. Walking to their carriage after the performance Amelia stumbles upon a body, literally. George Davies has been stabbed to death! Amelia is keen to solve another murder as well as mend the rift between the siblings, but will she be successful?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Amelia is the most delightful protagonist. She's caring, funny, and oh so competitive! She and Lady Tabitha had me chuckling at their competitive nature and skill at various sports. I will never challenge these ladies at croquet! But the laughs, of which there are many, are only a part of this wonderful book and series. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I love how Amelia is coming to grips with her new found status. Now that her mourning period is over, she's able to rejoin society, learn to be a mum to a tween daughter, and perhaps pursue a new love. One of her favorite tasks, and mine, is her secret job as Lady Agony. I particularly love how the letters she receives mirror the action of the mystery and her life. I enjoy how a letter proceeds each chapter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">The mystery was exhilarating, as were the scrapes Amelia found herself in. Running into a tree? The twists and turns kept me enthralled and even when Amelia knew killer, I was sure it was someone else! And the romance. The teases and forays into something more. I can't wait to see where things lead!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Lady of Letters is a historical mystery series and the female characters are bound by the societal rules of Victorian England. That being said, I love how almost all of the female characters push those boundaries of propriety. Even Lady Tabitha, the woman with a strict code to follow the demands of propriety has a willingness to bend at times.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In a series that has it all MURDER IN MASQUERADE brings the best of historical drama with witty repartee, fantastic characterization, and a thrilling mystery. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">***********************************************************************<br /></div>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)</b></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>by Mary Winters</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Murder in Masquerade</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyOX-_ogG23hih7ZsnTBlWRT7bP14Vu92auH7Ds4VoMVgPkYrRyBlVBFEr9bWa9p6l49EPrht4VeFHXMR_6dVUfg7RkhPqNfkuihSq9Gn0QzZK34i9Ld32KdL_thKfAF-X8QAyLcuQut7vFXFvkrvyDlWZk2nzQLXEADtYJQaWXrpErvEoajSMYKFVbN6/s796/murder%20in%20masquerade%20cover%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="796" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyOX-_ogG23hih7ZsnTBlWRT7bP14Vu92auH7Ds4VoMVgPkYrRyBlVBFEr9bWa9p6l49EPrht4VeFHXMR_6dVUfg7RkhPqNfkuihSq9Gn0QzZK34i9Ld32KdL_thKfAF-X8QAyLcuQut7vFXFvkrvyDlWZk2nzQLXEADtYJQaWXrpErvEoajSMYKFVbN6/w400-h301/murder%20in%20masquerade%20cover%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2> <div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3vLbTlY">Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters Mystery)</a> </b><br /><b>Historical Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - London, 1860 </b><br /><b>Publisher: Berkley (February 20, 2024) </b><br /><b>Paperback: 336 pages</b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Extra, extra, read all about it! Countess turned advice columnist Amelia Amesbury finds herself playing the role of sleuth when a night at the theatre turns deadly.</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Victorian Countess Amelia Amesbury’s secret hobby, writing an advice column for a London penny paper, has gotten her into hot water before. After all, Amelia will do whatever it takes to help a reader in need. But now, handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge desperately requires her assistance. His beloved younger sister, Marielle, has written Amelia's Lady Agony column seeking advice on her plans to elope with a man her family does not approve of. Determined to save his sister from a scoundrel and the family from scandal, Simon asks Amelia to dissuade Marielle from the ill-advised gambit.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But when the scoundrel makes an untimely exit after a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Amelia realizes there’s much more at stake than saving a young woman’s reputation from ruin. It’s going to take more than her letter-writing skills to help the dashing marquis, mend the familial bond, and find the murderer. Luckily, solving problems is her specialty!</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Mary Winters</span></i></span></h2>
]<img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-184600" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Mary-Winters-smaller-200x300.jpg" width="200" /> © Julie Prairie Pho<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Mary Winters</b> is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. She also writes cozy mysteries under the name Mary Angela. A longtime reader and fan of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip! Find out more about Mary and her writing, reading, and teaching at <a href="http://www.marywintersauthor.com/">marywintersauthor.com</a>.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b> <a href="http://www.marywintersauthor.com/">http://www.Marywintersauthor.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Blog</b> <a href="http://www.marywintersauthor.com/blog">http://www.Marywintersauthor.com/blog</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/marywintersauthor">http://www.Facebook.com/marywintersauthor</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b> <a href="http://www.instagram.com/marywintersauthor">http://www.Instagram.com/marywintersauthor</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>GoodReads</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157979415-murder-in-masquerade" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157979415-murder-in-masquerade</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links - <a href="https://amzn.to/3vKPDJ3" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> - <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-8373827-11819508?sid=PRHEFFDF5A7F1&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9780593548783" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> - <a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-8373827-10747236?SID=PRHEFFDF5A7F1--9780593548783&url=http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9780593548783" rel="noopener" target="_blank">BAM</a> - <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/91071/9780593548783" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a> - <a href="http://www.powells.com/book/-9780593548783?utm_source=randomhouse&utm_campaign=randomhouse&utm_content=PRHEFFDF5A7F1--9780593548783" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Powell's Books</a> - <a href="http://www.hudsonbooksellers.com/book/9780593548783?utm_source=prh&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_term=301&utm_content=PRHEFFDF5A7F1--9780593548783&utm_campaign=9780593548783" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Hudson Booksellers</a></b></p><p><b> </b>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921626" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921626/" id="rcwidget_m5l5dylv" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-55497738072972880202024-03-01T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-01T00:30:00.134-05:00Double Scoop of Murder - A Review & Giveaway<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq8_r1sVsUXpMg6daETZk8pvrjKbuJSj3ODav_uyc2p-gMxDETBfQXDgIDllBHLKaIOCcl8CsM5wJxI0bwGCantYpWUNBLosPGE8KReZYJ3LqNsiJUdIXF5YNfmHDZtZWxRvPo1_pDXw0tCxYIrjXWfe7nnBT9tnioPBTA5XbOCtubm-eq93kPN9W61Xm/s3000/Double%20Scoop%20Final%20Master.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq8_r1sVsUXpMg6daETZk8pvrjKbuJSj3ODav_uyc2p-gMxDETBfQXDgIDllBHLKaIOCcl8CsM5wJxI0bwGCantYpWUNBLosPGE8KReZYJ3LqNsiJUdIXF5YNfmHDZtZWxRvPo1_pDXw0tCxYIrjXWfe7nnBT9tnioPBTA5XbOCtubm-eq93kPN9W61Xm/s320/Double%20Scoop%20Final%20Master.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> DOUBLE SCOOP OF MURDER by Lena Gregory<br />The Third Coffee & Cream Caf<span>é</span> Mystery <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal">After two brushes with murder, Dani is
content to stay in her Coffee and Cream Café, creating homemade ice
cream as well as a place where people can relax and feel at home. Her
best friend, Gwen, and employee, Eli, have something else in
mind. A treasure hunt in underway in Watchogue and with a prize of over
four million dollars adventurers and social media influencers are
swarming the town. Even her Uncle Jimmie is part of a team. Agreeing to
join in Dani and her friends have an idea where
to find the first clue in the progressive hunt, but instead of digging up the next clue they
dig up a dead body. Will Dani be able to stay on Detective Barlow’s good
side? Will she and her team decipher the clues and find the big prize?
Or will someone stop her for good?</p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal">Dani dreams of making the Coffee and
Cream Café a home away from home for her customers and that’s what Lena
Gregory has done with the Coffee and Cream Café Mystery series. It’s a
comfortable respite from the world filled with good friends,
a dependable family, and lots of good food to eat. Banana chocolate ice
cream anyone?</p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal">There’s so much to like about DOUBLE SCOOP OF MURDER, but the humor found here tops my list. I love Dani's self deprecating remarks and the situations she and her pals get in to make me laugh out loud. There's a bit of angst to the romantic quandary in which Dani finds herself, but to me there's only one choice. I appreciated the twists and turns the mystery provided and was shocked by the dangerous confrontations. <br /></p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="yiv3229851513MsoNormal">With gasps and laughs DOUBLE SCOOP OF MURDER is a delectable treat.</p> *******************************************************************</div>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d;"><b>Double Scoop of Murder</b></span>
<span style="color: #00002d;"><b>(Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)</b></span>
<span style="color: #00002d;"><b>by Lena Gregory</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Double Scoop to Murder</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_nAOkKPmeN6qzdbTYE_rSMIcVpBk3BAZCiPtzSNOzBW2MbJdo5td3raL_A3sAmfPYZaLmgwa8JiM5Hv4qYVdjcRAWO_UJOroKTYhi5AtZTrWbzAUXuPXnNEnfmjj_KervUk4F7p11xWGI04aH0CnGf49YOqwkjKGw1qKwd2PM1DWwKorZyJnTR_zLnBB/s791/DOUBLE%20SCOOP%20OF%20MURDER%20COVER%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="791" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_nAOkKPmeN6qzdbTYE_rSMIcVpBk3BAZCiPtzSNOzBW2MbJdo5td3raL_A3sAmfPYZaLmgwa8JiM5Hv4qYVdjcRAWO_UJOroKTYhi5AtZTrWbzAUXuPXnNEnfmjj_KervUk4F7p11xWGI04aH0CnGf49YOqwkjKGw1qKwd2PM1DWwKorZyJnTR_zLnBB/w400-h304/DOUBLE%20SCOOP%20OF%20MURDER%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2> <div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3u9vLPq">Double Scoop of Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries)</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - New York </b><br /><b>Gemma Halliday Publishing (February 27, 2024) </b><br /><b>Number of Pages: 226 </b></div><blockquote><b>From author Lena Gregory comes a hunt for more than just treasure...</b>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Danika Delany is loving running her uncle's old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Café join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00002d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Lena Gregory</span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36364" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/lena-gregory-portrait-256x300.jpg" width="256" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lena Gregory</b> is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.</p>
<b>Author Links</b>
<ul>
<li><b>Newsletter:</b> <a href="http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1">http://lenagregory.us12.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9765d0711ed4fab4fa31b16ac&id=49d42335d1</a>.</li>
<li><b>Website:</b> <a href="http://www.lenagregory.com/">http://www.lenagregory.com/</a></li>
<li><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986">https://www.facebook.com/lena.gregory.986</a></li>
<li><b>Facebook Page:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/Lena.Gregory.Author/?fref=ts</a></li>
<li><b>Twitter/X:</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03">https://twitter.com/LenaGregory03</a></li>
<li><b>Goodreads:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true</a></li>
<li><b>Pinterest:</b> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/">https://www.pinterest.com/lenagregoryauth/</a></li>
</ul><p>
<b>Purchase Links - <a href="https://amzn.to/3Oh8Fgo" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> - <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-scoop-of-murder-lena-gregory/1144200494?ean=2940166118370" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> - <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/double-scoop-of-murder" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a> </b></p><p><b> </b>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-37002204810504298972024-02-28T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-28T00:30:00.134-05:00Currently Reading...<p>I just finished reading<i> Double Scoop of Murder</i> by Lena Gregory. This is the third book in the Coffee & Cream Caf<span>é</span> Mystery series and is being released today! </p><p>After two brushes with murder, Dani is
content to stay in her Coffee and Cream Café, creating homemade ice
cream as well as a place where people can relax and feel at home. Her
best friend, Gwen, and employee, Eli, have something else in
mind. A treasure hunt in underway in Watchogue and with a prize of over
four million dollars adventurers and social media influencers are
swarming the town. Even her Uncle Jimmie is part of a team. Agreeing to
join in Dani and her friends have an idea where
to find the first clue in the progressive hunt, but instead of digging up the next clue they
dig up a dead body. Will Dani be able to stay on Detective Barlow’s good
side? Will she and her team decipher the clues and find the big prize?
Or will someone stop her for good?</p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-50299666951489974212024-02-27T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-27T00:30:00.132-05:00Chapter and Curse - A Review<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WKoN7qdKMP-RVTw1KexMC3CwFMNP___eNLFoeVdLdwNLWXSs5n1Oo9VQW9S84naZP0XagX3FplWimZ-fGLA2k6qkHGklPC-60Ul4VzuzLx2TWh8zfIM5JHeN7v8aq0FRp01yMqCdTPCuI8awPIbGqb6R2AAm602R270Vhc2Q4rrbN73wURKpppDw_tij/s1500/Chapter%20and%20Curse%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1018" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WKoN7qdKMP-RVTw1KexMC3CwFMNP___eNLFoeVdLdwNLWXSs5n1Oo9VQW9S84naZP0XagX3FplWimZ-fGLA2k6qkHGklPC-60Ul4VzuzLx2TWh8zfIM5JHeN7v8aq0FRp01yMqCdTPCuI8awPIbGqb6R2AAm602R270Vhc2Q4rrbN73wURKpppDw_tij/s320/Chapter%20and%20Curse%20Cover.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> CHAPTER AND CURSE by Elizabeth Penney<br />The First Cambridge Bookshop Mystery</div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">With nothing holding them in Vermont Molly Kimball and her mum, Nina,
move to England to help run the family bookshop. Thrilled to be working
at one of the oldest bookstores in Cambridge, Molly has lots of ideas to
get the struggling store into the black. Their first major event, a
poetry reading with Persephone Brightwell, Aunt Violet's old college
classmate, is a huge success; that is until Molly stumbles upon the dead
body of one of their guests in the back garden. It seems the victim
wasn't exactly a nice old pensioner and when Aunt Violet becomes a prime
suspect, Molly knows she can't just sit idly by. Along with her mum and
newfound friends, Molly starts quietly looking into things. It turns
out plenty of people had reason to want the victim dead, but who would
also want Aunt Violet found guilty? </p><p style="text-align: left;">Starting over and new beginnings mark the first Cambridge Mystery. Who wouldn't love to move to a quaint English town famed for knowledge and learning to help run Cambridge's oldest bookshop?! I love that Molly goes with her mom and that running the bookstore is a true family endeavor. Molly makes a delightful protagonist and the friendships she develops are truly special. I enjoyed the mystery and look forward to reading more.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">With appealing characters, a delightful setting, and an intriguing mystery CHAPTER AND CURSE is an enchanting start to a new series.<br /></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-10554862724692021932024-02-25T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-25T00:30:00.132-05:00The Snow Job - A Guest Post & Giveaway<p>I'm pleased to welcome Lois Stone to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Lois on the pages of the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series by Diane Ascroft. <i>The Snow Job</i> is the third book in the series. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIfmLD2ccbwZ10-iEblHi1S4sTMeD5dzlJYDZ6P93qG1p9eIiUN1pBe2n1U3j_LOXVmMcmOJGmOSw1obE0V16irxxPmp6RVz3ZAqWLP72-Lx8a41OVNtJOqQieC8yWaG8NoOLUZgoNjKzdsEd8rOHZbtW9R-UCu0daVuBK776k-RSTvzPUamZRAo5LbIA/s1200/Piper%20in%20hall%20decorated%20for%20Burns%20supper.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIfmLD2ccbwZ10-iEblHi1S4sTMeD5dzlJYDZ6P93qG1p9eIiUN1pBe2n1U3j_LOXVmMcmOJGmOSw1obE0V16irxxPmp6RVz3ZAqWLP72-Lx8a41OVNtJOqQieC8yWaG8NoOLUZgoNjKzdsEd8rOHZbtW9R-UCu0daVuBK776k-RSTvzPUamZRAo5LbIA/s320/Piper%20in%20hall%20decorated%20for%20Burns%20supper.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p>Lois Stone’s Scottish Dilemma <br /><br />Hello! Thanks for inviting me to drop by. I’m Lois Stone and I’m the main character in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. The books are set in Fenwater, a fictional small town in rural Ontario, Canada that was founded by immigrants from Scotland during the early 1800s. The residents of our town have a strong connection with its Scottish heritage, and everything Scottish is important to them, so the annual Burns Night supper is the biggest event on the calendar. <br /><br />I’m a bit conflicted about it though. I only moved to town about six months ago. I have Scottish ancestry that my friends want me to celebrate since I’m now living in a really Scottish Canadian town, but I don’t really want to talk about my Scottish roots. You see, my grandfather was a bit of a scoundrel and my mother refused to tell me anything about him. My Scottish roots come from his side of the family so I wouldn’t want to explore them and upset my mother. But I can’t seem to get away from my ancestry here in Fenwater. Everyone around me is excited that the Burns Night supper is coming up and they want me to delve into my ancestry. <br /><br />I might have been able to avoid all the fuss about the Burns Night supper if I didn’t play the bagpipes in the local pipe band. As <i>The Snow Job</i>, Book 3 in the series, opens our band is getting ready to play at the supper. I guess I’m actually looking forward to that part as this is the first Burns supper that I’ve played at with this band. I like our band uniform’s tartan kilt and I’ve learned all the tunes we’re playing. I’ll even know lots of people at the supper. My neighbours and friends will be there to toast the haggis and Burns’ memory. Though I’m still new in town, it will make me feel like I’m part of the community. <br /><br />Oh, I’ve been rambling on but do you know what a Burns supper is? If you have any Scottish ancestry, you may have attended one. But, for those who haven’t, a Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the Scottish poet Robert Burns or Rabbie Burns as he is more commonly known. <br /><br />Burns Night is celebrated each year in Scotland and in Scottish communities worldwide to honour Rabbie Burns, and it has also become a chance to celebrate all things Scottish – sort of like St Patrick’s Day without the green beer. <br /><br />So, who was Rabbie Burns? He was a poet and song lyricist from Ayrshire in the southwest of Scotland, who was born on January 25, 1759. Only 37 when he died in 1796, he is regarded as the most prominent poet to have written in Scots, a UK regional dialect that is now recognised as a minority language. You probably know at least one of his works – he penned ‘Auld Lang Syne’. <br /><br />The first supper was a memorial dinner organised by nine of Burns's friends on July 21, 1801, the fiftieth anniversary of his death. It was held at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burns_Cottage">Burns Cottage</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayrshire">Ayrshire</a>, where the poet was born. Although those present at the first supper didn’t foresee it, the supper has become an annual occurrence and Burns Clubs have been founded throughout Scotland and further afield. Burns suppers are now normally held on January 25th, the poet's birthdate. <br /><br />Burns Night is steeped in respectful tradition but there are elements of fun and humour to the proceedings too. So, what happens at a Burns Night supper? There’s a traditional meal which consists of tatties (potatoes), neeps (turnips), and haggis, which was a favourite dish of the poet. Are you wondering what haggis is? Haggis is made from a sheep’s liver, lungs, and heart and mixed with suet and oatmeal. It may not sound particularly appetising to some of you, but it really is tasty – sort of like a spicier minced beef. There are also vegetarian versions available. Guests are piped in to the dining room and a Scottish grace is said. The haggis is then piped in with great ceremony and before the meal commences a guest recites Burns’ poem the 'Address to a Haggis', which extols how wonderful haggis is. <br /> <br />After the meal there are several toasts and speeches. The most important is the ‘Immortal Memory’, which is a speech commemorating Burns and his life followed by a toast to the poet. <br /><br />At our supper, Dave Stewart, who has an antique stall in our market, is giving the toast, ‘The Address to the Lassies’. It’s a thank you to the women who prepared the meal, and the speaker often includes humorous opinions about women in general. My friend Marge is giving the ‘Reply to the Laddies’, rebutting any comments Dave might make about women. I’m rather nervous about that as you never know what she’ll come out with. <br /><br />Preparations for our supper were going well until one of the Burns Night committee members died in suspicious circumstances the week before the event. My friend Connie found him lying in the snow. I had just been chatting with her on the street and I rushed back to help her when I heard her scream. I tried to revive the man while we waited for an ambulance. I was sad to hear later that he died, but I didn’t expect to have any more involvement in the matter. Marge had other ideas though. She worked with him at the museum and she wants to see justice done. So, she asked me to help her find his killer. I’ve promised my partner Bruce that I’d stay out of police matters but Marge is persuasive and what’s the harm in asking a few questions? So, I turned my thoughts from getting ready for the Burns Night supper to helping Marge find the killer. What could possibly go wrong?</p><p>****************************************************************** </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: blue;"><b>The Snow Job (Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries)</b></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><b>by Dianne Ascroft</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About The Snow Job</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSlRJIHpd1FMw9ZflsdaBh5j7fkbsk47fmpdYGiy6FnwQ5yGnZ6ucDerGGdq917s1F8T3xe9NquwwrPsO6YfgrVZoZUd-jiuFnHXGjftK2OPOrAh_PA7x7k40Z_qUfsVQQYTVWWYeccbdOVa4lpzNlXbAMew7y4uxw-os88O0l_NkozkM1dKkdjdbAFdG/s787/SNOW%20JOB%20COVER%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="787" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSlRJIHpd1FMw9ZflsdaBh5j7fkbsk47fmpdYGiy6FnwQ5yGnZ6ucDerGGdq917s1F8T3xe9NquwwrPsO6YfgrVZoZUd-jiuFnHXGjftK2OPOrAh_PA7x7k40Z_qUfsVQQYTVWWYeccbdOVa4lpzNlXbAMew7y4uxw-os88O0l_NkozkM1dKkdjdbAFdG/w400-h305/SNOW%20JOB%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3SdjZLS">The Snow Job (Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries)</a> <br />Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series <br />Setting - Fenwater, a fictional small town in the province of Ontario in Canada during the early 1980s. <br />Independently Published (December 13, 2023) <br />Paperback: 310 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Scottish shindig, a pretty pin, a cold corpse.</b>
When a well-liked and respected townsman is murdered on a snowy street
in Fenwater, it’s up to Lois Stone to sift through a multitude of
motives to find the killer.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Middle-aged
widow Lois is beginning to feel part of the Fenwater community, and as
winter sets in, she is getting ready for the town’s biggest Scottish
event, the annual Burns Night supper. But when one of the committee
members dies in suspicious circumstances, Lois has more to worry about
than the fate of this year’s celebration. She tried unsuccessfully to
revive the man and her friend Marge worked with him. So, they want to
find his killer even though Lois promised her partner Bruce that she
would stay out of police matters. But, what’s the harm in asking a few
questions? Such as does someone want to safeguard their inheritance or
give their business a boost? Will finding the motive for the murder lead
them to the killer or maybe more?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">And
so begins a fortnight of slippery sidewalks, angst about ancestors,
capable firemen and cunning firebugs, unreliable records, swirling
Scottish music and swinging tartan kilts, calico cats and smouldering
spooks set against the backdrop of snow glistening under streetlamps on
serene streets, the comfort of ritual in a cold churchyard, the swish of
skate blades in crisp night air and the tang of mouthwatering meatloaf
in rural Canada in 1984.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Century Cottage Mystery series is mainly set in rural Ontario, Canada during the early 1980s.</p>
<i>A tale for fans of Cindy Bell, Leighann Dobbs, Dianne Harman and Kathi Daley.</i></blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Dianne Ascroft</span></i></span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-195913" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Dianne-headshot-burgundy-300x300.jpg" width="300" /><b> </b></p><p><b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.dianneascroft.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://www.dianneascroft.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook page</b>: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter" rel="noopener" style="font-size: 1.0625rem;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter</a><span style="font-size: 1.0625rem;">/</span>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Twitter/X</b>: <a href="https://twitter.com/DianneAscroft" rel="noopener" target="_blank">@DianneAscroft</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Newsletter</b>: <a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3">https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links</b>: <a href="https://books2read.com/u/bW8O01" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Books2Read</a> <a href="https://amzn.to/48K1BRM" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p>
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Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-91004688368021176952024-02-23T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-23T00:30:00.132-05:00Sprites and Scuttlebutt - A Review & Giveaway<div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WNSvS9X5U0ECVOUAOCom2gNUbbUIc16wxeJGVmjKd5r2E1Gf4nmpUqQlgDzXCgCl6kVk_V0FUmlF6sBezzZ7pfJe-UaUx_Pwo6Vq0jzG-QXMKcyyt57XbK97kU7IDKQr7gLZ6D0Am6BdkZaiHiW9r7OxSBxEs3LIdQyOzfOgEbSmTMRiLmyyhm6w5KOz/s2700/Sprites%20and%20Scuttlebutt%20eBook%20Ccover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WNSvS9X5U0ECVOUAOCom2gNUbbUIc16wxeJGVmjKd5r2E1Gf4nmpUqQlgDzXCgCl6kVk_V0FUmlF6sBezzZ7pfJe-UaUx_Pwo6Vq0jzG-QXMKcyyt57XbK97kU7IDKQr7gLZ6D0Am6BdkZaiHiW9r7OxSBxEs3LIdQyOzfOgEbSmTMRiLmyyhm6w5KOz/s320/Sprites%20and%20Scuttlebutt%20eBook%20Ccover.png" width="213" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">SPRITES AND SCUTTLEBUTT by Elizabeth Pantley<br />The Sixth Magical Mystery Book Club Mystery</div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">The Magical Mystery Book Club has started another book journey, this
time going to the Kingdom of Everglow . This fairy tale land is a
multi-hued place where everything in nature is enhanced, from the green
sky and pink clouds to the houses that appear to grow out of trees.
Everglow is inhabited by sprites, dazzling beings with vibrant hair and
delicate wings. A concert is just beginning as the gang arrives, but the
beautiful music is cut short when a hulking sprite falls to the ground,
dead. Frank's surprising revelation gets the Book Club members invited
to stay at the castle where they offer to help solve the murder. Things
get complicated when they witness a break-in and one of the princesses
falls under what appears to be a sleeping spell. The Magical Mystery
Book Club team will have their work cut out for them as they interview
sprites both inside and outside of the palace in order to unravel the
mystery.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Opening the pages of a book will take you on a journey, and for members of the Magical Mystery Book Club, doing so literally takes them places. It's a book lovers dream come true and it's fun tagging along with this silly and loving group of friends. There's also a bit of a moral to be found in the sixth Magical Mystery Book Club Mystery; things may look completely
different, but there are more similarities between beings and worlds than
differences.</p><p style="text-align: left;">SPRITES AND SCUTTLEBUTT is a dreamy, more relaxing trip for the crew. Although they are faced with a murder early on, their investigation is more meandering. While they always take time to enjoy their surroundings as they try to solve the mystery, this time they seem less invested in bringing a killer to justice. They are truly unsure of who the murderer is and they really don't even solve the crimes...they are merely witness to the resolution. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I was thrilled to learn Frank's history...and laughed as Zell tried in vain to keep his secret. I appreciate his desire to hide this aspect of himself, though loved his taking advantage of his past in this tale. I am also enamored with the author's imagination, painting a world with green sky and pink clouds, wacky characters, and splatberry juice. It's uniquely different, yet with it's family of characters, it still has the comforting feeling of home.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">SPRITES AND SCUTTLEBUTT is a magical story about relationships, envy, and partaking in a snack whenever possible!</p><p style="text-align: left;">************************************************************************ <br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #073f00;"><b>Sprites and Scuttlebutt: Magical Mystery Book Club</b></span>
<span style="color: #073f00;"><b>by Elizabeth Pantley</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Sprites and Scuttlebutt</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe2f7sOGqOhidjKt2JRyrv3_GEgDY1R3PaKBiwIv-nds3gOOY0_72dTru5nJ4otOlyMgUuMEA6AS5CNEp_tuXsHvoKcR1tspT_i_Vp_uSH5aM3uv4bNx16OYT5AID2vg3_LnOmyD-a0mBrsIIjrROkiDdKa1NG_K3XjBjneDkMSqZlTrAgSxeukt_wtmi/s793/SPRITES%20AND%20SCUTTLEBUTT%20COVER%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="793" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe2f7sOGqOhidjKt2JRyrv3_GEgDY1R3PaKBiwIv-nds3gOOY0_72dTru5nJ4otOlyMgUuMEA6AS5CNEp_tuXsHvoKcR1tspT_i_Vp_uSH5aM3uv4bNx16OYT5AID2vg3_LnOmyD-a0mBrsIIjrROkiDdKa1NG_K3XjBjneDkMSqZlTrAgSxeukt_wtmi/w400-h303/SPRITES%20AND%20SCUTTLEBUTT%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3OJEZc3">Sprites and Scuttlebutt: Magical Mystery Book Club</a> <br />Paranormal Cozy Mystery 6th in Series <br />Independently Published (February 15, 2024) <br />Print length: 289 pages </b></p><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Would you join a book club that gets absorbed right into their cozy mysteries? These people did, and now they are hooked on traveling into books to become the amateur sleuths!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In this journey, the book club travels to the Kingdom of Everglow, where the royal family is rocked to the core when a key staff member falls dead at a community event. In the turmoil that follows, any evidence of what happened is destroyed, so they must go by the recollection of witnesses who were too busy enjoying the celebration to offer any valuable testimony. The royal family is further distressed when they return to the castle to see signs of a break in that somehow defied their complex security system. They wake the next day to discover that one member of the royal family has fallen into a deep, deathlike sleep.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Can the Snapdragon Inn Book Club uncover the plot behind this attack on the royal family? Can they find the antidote to wake the princess from her supernatural slumber? Can they bring peace back to the worried royal family and the frightened community? Let’s hope they can, since they must solve the mystery and reach The End to get out of the book and back to their home in Colorado.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073f00;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Elizabeth Pantley </span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-160442" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Head-shot-HIGH-RES-2-200x300.jpg" width="200" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Elizabeth Pantley</b> is the author of fourteen fun, magical cozy mystery books, as well as the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting series.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Goodreads:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24811.Elizabeth_Pantley">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24811.Elizabeth_Pantley</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Website:</b> <a href="https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/">https://www.nocrysolution.com/books/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic">https://www.facebook.com/DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram:</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/destinyfallsmystery/">https://www.instagram.com/destinyfallsmystery/</a>
</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Amazon Purchase Links: </b><a href="https://amzn.to/44A6E54" rel="noopener" target="_blank">US</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Sprites-Scuttlebutt-Magical-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CJ5K611Z/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=a2nll&content-id=amzn1.sym.c4fab35d-b090-4423-824d-e237058f5000&pf_rd_p=c4fab35d-b090-4423-824d-e237058f5000&pf_rd_r=140-8555683-5549064&pd_rd_wg=LOCdR&pd_rd_r=389dad73-3fa7-4a18-a3e7-b0b1caf485ae&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">CA</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sprites-Scuttlebutt-Magical-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CJ5K611Z/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=uahs9&content-id=amzn1.sym.3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_p=3413293e-3815-4359-96ba-1ec5110e0b30&pf_rd_r=261-3516268-8352416&pd_rd_wg=YMFep&pd_rd_r=95b0b263-53ef-4322-bb29-af15c5e8c3a5&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">UK</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Sprites-Scuttlebutt-Magical-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0CJ5K611Z/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=sdcI3&content-id=amzn1.sym.3d6c6878-a04d-4b91-ba39-79050b3d3bb8&pf_rd_p=3d6c6878-a04d-4b91-ba39-79050b3d3bb8&pf_rd_r=357-5273661-2317838&pd_rd_wg=lzX86&pd_rd_r=6569a632-0003-49eb-9dcd-db60c68d5ad3&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk" rel="noopener" target="_blank">AU</a>
<b>All the books in this series are now available as Audio Books!</b> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdj3ZHEGPAQxCc0-W2dTorLis2CmH0n1Ymn2GjMCurPJcTg96oEDKbyYhL2Sba5dqu3yiU9TCzfzsU5_AsjPkPMb99j57Uhhn3Rb4_4eQcvdd1N2tCRA1oelpTII-dD5PeVPSWdXrqCWltaLU3zFT7PcBfcokmqzA25osghtz7EMAJlyckE_oSRLo1Lrh/s940/Audio%20Club%201%20to%206%20NEW.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFdj3ZHEGPAQxCc0-W2dTorLis2CmH0n1Ymn2GjMCurPJcTg96oEDKbyYhL2Sba5dqu3yiU9TCzfzsU5_AsjPkPMb99j57Uhhn3Rb4_4eQcvdd1N2tCRA1oelpTII-dD5PeVPSWdXrqCWltaLU3zFT7PcBfcokmqzA25osghtz7EMAJlyckE_oSRLo1Lrh/w400-h335/Audio%20Club%201%20to%206%20NEW.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
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<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-78942602093473617362024-02-21T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-21T00:30:00.130-05:00Currently Reading...<p>I'm currently reading <i>Sprites and Scuttlebutt </i>by Elizabeth Pantley. This book is the sixth in the Magical Mystery Book Club series and was released last week.</p><p>The Magical Mystery Book Club has started another book journey, this time going to the Kingdom of Everglow . This fairy tale land is a multi-hued place where everything in nature is enhanced, from the green sky and pink clouds to the houses that appear to grow out of trees. Everglow is inhabited by sprites, dazzling beings with vibrant hair and delicate wings. A concert is just beginning as the gang arrives, but the beautiful music is cut short when a hulking sprite falls to the ground, dead. Frank's surprising revelation gets the Book Club members invited to stay at the castle where they offer to help solve the murder. Things get complicated when they witness a break-in and one of the princesses falls under what appears to be a sleeping spell. The Magical Mystery Book Club team will have their work cut out for them as they interview sprites both inside and outside of the palace in order to unravel the mystery.<br /></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-64669417439584456932024-02-20T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-20T00:30:00.127-05:00Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid - A Review & Giveaway<div><div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6FlgeHvSPk8NfdCJpzr_2aIYjij5s7m0oUnSV0PID0MPs4cgWRoXrtjHGdQfIxA76iJ11zfKu5syGtvx-lyTMn8S1ZCk4LdvVt9ZpD_xYY95DkB4Un486yxnyCAiCveqQKp-NKqzcETO3V86LVpLZZ637kUVouPgD_Xb68vcq9TpaT9egMJVC80O59AX/s1500/MRS.%20MORRIS%20AND%20THE%20MERMAID.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="917" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6FlgeHvSPk8NfdCJpzr_2aIYjij5s7m0oUnSV0PID0MPs4cgWRoXrtjHGdQfIxA76iJ11zfKu5syGtvx-lyTMn8S1ZCk4LdvVt9ZpD_xYY95DkB4Un486yxnyCAiCveqQKp-NKqzcETO3V86LVpLZZ637kUVouPgD_Xb68vcq9TpaT9egMJVC80O59AX/s320/MRS.%20MORRIS%20AND%20THE%20MERMAID.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID by Traci Wilton<br />The Eighth Salem B&B Mystery </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Charlene Morris is thrilled to have a full house at her B&B. Her guests are in Salem for the city's first Mermaid parade. Brandy Flint, Charlene's friend and resident witch, managed to bring the recluse and star of the famed mermaid movie Sirena into town to celebrate the film's anniversary. The stars from the recent reboot of the film have also arrived and rabid fans are taking sides. When Charlene discovers a major player dead, the whole event could be washed away. With the help of her ghostly best friend Charlene will have to uncover the murderer and make sure this first Mermaid event is not the last.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Many people forget that the word fan comes from the word fanatic. Instead of merely liking and showing appreciation, fanatics take things to the next level and are excessive in their devotion. While MRS. MORRIS AND AND THE MERMAID has some fans, it also has a host of true fanatics whose beliefs and actions lead to murder. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I always enjoy visiting Charlene's B&B. She treats her guests like family. In fact her hospitality can be a bit over the top, being overprotective of her guests and wanting their every needs met. I certainly wouldn't pass up Millie's cooking, however, and wish I had her and Will taking care of my home! </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Several suspects and lots of bad behavior, along with stars who are too high and mighty populate the pages of MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID. Even our victim wasn't that nice. And I certainly wanted to smack the smirks off the young stars of the reboot. As for the fan club presidents...whoo boy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to the murder, there's a good deal of personal drama in the eighth Salem B&B Mystery. Charlene is starting to open her heart up to romance with Sam, but is sneaking around and not being completely honest a true relationship? And then there's Jack. No spoilers, but what an ending. <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Movie stars, mermaids, and murder combine in a unique mystery, decades in the making. MRS. MORRIS AND THE MERMAID is a delightful tale that questions your ability to truly know someone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">*********************************************************************<br /></div><p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #00c3d8;"><b>Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery)</b></span>
<span style="color: #00c3d8;"><b>by Traci Wilton</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00c3d8;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00c3d8;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRdeKLk349IpaAoEbTMuHZGDUsu2y-BLr1mGkTGA98yIE3vcqi6157BtJNI7uSAS8Ek5z4i_U5tUsa9O_8StD1m4MNwpK9qpHqwrRa9U1cm5rZ5IdiF-ekow_OTNno5GxrT6ovD_jRxbbDQV089HpNm25SXoCwdZf_jvYjBAxa68LRhLx48f6ftUk_oeX/s794/MRS%20MORRIS%20AND%20THE%20MERMAID%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="794" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRdeKLk349IpaAoEbTMuHZGDUsu2y-BLr1mGkTGA98yIE3vcqi6157BtJNI7uSAS8Ek5z4i_U5tUsa9O_8StD1m4MNwpK9qpHqwrRa9U1cm5rZ5IdiF-ekow_OTNno5GxrT6ovD_jRxbbDQV089HpNm25SXoCwdZf_jvYjBAxa68LRhLx48f6ftUk_oeX/w400-h303/MRS%20MORRIS%20AND%20THE%20MERMAID%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2></div><b></b> <div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3u3VkkX">Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid (A Salem B&B Mystery)</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 8th in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - Massachusetts </b><br /><b>Publisher: Kensington Cozies (February 20, 2024) </b><br /><b>Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages </b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Set in Salem, Massachusetts, this fun, cozy series sees a widowed B&B owner teaming up with a charming ghost to solve murders—an engaging read for fans who like a paranormal tinge to their mysteries.</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Charlene and her handsome spectral friend, Dr. Jack Strathmore, are thrilled that their Salem, Massachusetts, B&B is overflowing with mermaids in advance of the town’s newest attraction—a mermaid parade! Retired Hollywood actress Trinity Powers has even agreed to appear on the lead float to commemorate her breakout role as the eponymous mermaid in the blockbuster cult classic, Sirena. The parade also features Trinity’s rival, an up-and-coming ingénue, who stars in the film’s recent (and somewhat controversial) reboot. Though their rabid fan clubs seem ready to tear each other—and the festivities—apart, the vying actresses are keeping it cool, for now . . .</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">But when Charlene discovers a mermaid murdered, she realizes a killer is out to steal the show. With the help of Jack and Detective Sam Holden, Charlene plunges into the case, determined to stop a killer from striking again . . .</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00c3d8;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Traci Wilton</span></i></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-190305" height="269" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Traci-Hall-Author-Image-300x269.jpg" width="300" /> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author <b>Traci Hall</b> writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone. Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, as <b>Traci Wilton</b>. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.
<b> </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Author Links:</b></p><p>
<b>Website</b> <a href="https://www.tracihall.com/">https://www.tracihall.com/</a> </p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tracie.hall.35/">https://www.facebook.com/tracie.hall.35/</a> </p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traciella/">https://www.facebook.com/traciella/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Traciwiltonauthor/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Traciwiltonauthor/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Twitter</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor">https://twitter.com/tracihallauthor</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Amazon</b> <a href="https://amazon.com/author/tracihall">https://amazon.com/author/tracihall</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/tracihallauthor/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Kensington</b> <a href="https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author/traci-wilton/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author/traci-wilton/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links – <a href="https://amzn.to/3OiK0rZ" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon - Kindle </a> – <a href="https://amzn.to/48RheqF" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon - Paperback</a> - <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mrs-morris-and-the-mermaid-traci-wilton/1143523680?ean=9781496741394" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> – <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mrs-morris-and-the-mermaid" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a> - <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/91071/9781496741394" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a></b> </p><p> <a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921627" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921627/" id="rcwidget_s83iuu1t" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-34742353425424537412024-02-18T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-18T00:30:00.141-05:00Ill-Fated Fortune - An Interview, Review, and Giveaway<div><p>I'm pleased to welcome Jennifer Chow to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Jennifer writes the Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery series. ILL-FATED FORTUNE is the first book in the series and will be released this Tuesday.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYd6R4rn5ALAF61K-M1_bHFwhbLn66nR1cCOvDWqdDOa_NtfK_jjjCOKP-YR5bJHDrV2wfVPs7b8pqETkuiQihYMLwCxJ_IETONjQ0DFtEESa8vqyd9Eobu0snB2JJxWbUwG1_-xN4Y_YpxtZT5gVaSQ8rIFVBg9NSEuMoCA_d72uKKSACH_SCxrjRdkE/s800/chow_jennifer(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="800" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYd6R4rn5ALAF61K-M1_bHFwhbLn66nR1cCOvDWqdDOa_NtfK_jjjCOKP-YR5bJHDrV2wfVPs7b8pqETkuiQihYMLwCxJ_IETONjQ0DFtEESa8vqyd9Eobu0snB2JJxWbUwG1_-xN4Y_YpxtZT5gVaSQ8rIFVBg9NSEuMoCA_d72uKKSACH_SCxrjRdkE/s320/chow_jennifer(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br />Kathy: Felicity Jin had always been hesitant in the kitchen. What about you? Do you enjoy cooking?</p><p>JC: I enjoy cooking—but I started later in the kitchen. It wasn’t until college that I actually pulled together a complete meal. <br /></p><p><br />Kathy: Felicity's mom makes enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts. Just reading those words made me drool. What are some of your favorite baked treats?</p><p>JC: Of course, the two mentioned above! I also like chocolate chip walnut cookies, chiffon cake, coconut strudel—the list could go on forever… <br /></p><p><br />Kathy: Felicity makes her own fortune cookies and writes personalized fortunes. Have you ever gotten a fortune from a cookie that was right on point? </p><p>JC: I used to tape fortune cookie messages on my writing journals. One of them read: “You will be successful in your work.” I hope that’s true!</p><p> </p><p>Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? </p><p>JC: Agatha Christie. I would read cozy mysteries with my mom, and years later, it spurred me to write one.</p><p><br />Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?</p><p>JC: In my backlist, I have a supernatural YA and an intergenerational family drama. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything non-mystery, though. <br /> </p><p>Kathy: Tell us about your series. </p><p>JC: The Magical Fortune Cookie series features a family-owned bakery that serves charmed treats. Only it’s not so charming when an ill-fated fortune cookie prediction comes true—and a dead body is found behind the bakery. <br /><br />Other series:<br /> L.A. Night Market—Foodie cousins with opposite personalities get dished with murder cases.<br /> Sassy Cat—Pet groomer Mimi Lee teams up with her telepathic sassy cat to solve crimes.<br /> Winston Wong—An ex-video game tester bumbles his way into catching culprits in the Silicon Valley. </p><p><br /> Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?</p><p>JC: Hard to choose, but I really do like Whiskers in Ill-Fated Fortune. She adds an extra layer of enchantment and cuddles. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a magical bunny straight out of Chinese mythology? <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?</p><p>JC: A fortune cookie factory tour when I was a child, and also the general idea that I’m like a fortune cookie. I feel like my two sides of Chinese and American come together in a delicious way. <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?</p><p>JC: For the Magical Fortune Cookie books, my agent asked if I had any new ideas. I gave her a list of paragraph-long ideas, and then one sentence with the premise for Ill-Fated Fortune. Guess which concept she loved the most? <br /><br /> <br /> Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?</p><p>JC: My inspirations: Agatha Christie (as mentioned before), Amy Tan, Dale Furutani, and Joanne Fluke. <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: What are you currently reading?</p><p>JC: I recently read VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto and loved it! <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?</p><p>JC: Reading, clearly. Besides that, I like painting with watercolors, taking scenic hikes, and kayaking in calm waters. <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.</p><p>JC: 1. Tea 2. Bread 3. Peanut butter 4. Apples <br /><br /><br /> Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?</p><p>JC: Yes! There will be at least two more books in the Magical Fortune Cookie series. The next one involves murder at a wedding. Working title: Star-crossed Sweet Tarts<br /> <br /> <br />Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?</p><p>JC: The readers. I love it when people come up to me or email me about how my books help them find joy, speak to their identity, or resonate with their lives. </p><p>*********************************************************************</p><p style="text-align: center;">Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVOhHxXI7DfEVSYBFYFbdvADyZR9_BceSWyYH4D-dJLQ1ZpPwtjMXTrYHBFzLdbNYQregNIS-QJ5SFZSTPxzpFVtLrxdH-JwH2RYBkcU9si-2kFJf2LNIPA0uEiEk_pATDt2PF3SgfFO5LeGSK7xOjRrp-pqo43ma2DAKaPdDOZqX-g0x71L29L4c5pO1/s1500/ILL%20FATED%20FORTUNE%20COVER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVOhHxXI7DfEVSYBFYFbdvADyZR9_BceSWyYH4D-dJLQ1ZpPwtjMXTrYHBFzLdbNYQregNIS-QJ5SFZSTPxzpFVtLrxdH-JwH2RYBkcU9si-2kFJf2LNIPA0uEiEk_pATDt2PF3SgfFO5LeGSK7xOjRrp-pqo43ma2DAKaPdDOZqX-g0x71L29L4c5pO1/s320/ILL%20FATED%20FORTUNE%20COVER.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">ILL-FATED FORTUNE by Jennifer J. Chow<br />The First Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery</div><div style="text-align: left;"><p>At Gold Bakery Mrs. Jin bakes traditional Chinese baked goods and infuses them with joy...literally. Her daughter Felicity, try as she might, has never shown a glimpse of the Jin magick, until the day she made her own fortune cookies. Not only are her delicious treats are a hit with customers, she's finally come into her own power, writing eerily accurate fortunes. When a too accurate fortune is found on the dead body found in the Jin's dumpster Felicity comes under suspicion. Felicity will try to understand her power and promote the family business all while investigating the death of the Fortune Cookie King.</p><p>Fitting in is a major theme of the first Magical Fortune Cookie Mystery. As close as she is to her mom, Felicity felt she never fit in with her own family as she didn't appear to have the Jin gift. But she's not the only one facing this struggle. Employees at the Smiley Fortunes factory, her best friend, Kelvin, Detective Sun, and several other characters are all looking to fit in and be accepted.</p><p>The friendships, the family, sticking together, and staying true to yourself all give the book more heart. I loved the traditional Chinese aspects to the story, not only the
pineapple buns, but Whiskers the bunny bringing Chinese mythology to
life. The mystery is intriguing and I enjoyed the various paths Felicity explored, combining her business and her personal power as she searched for the truth.</p><p>With a great cast of diverse characters and a sprinkling of magick ILL-FATED FORTUNE is a great new twist on a culinary mystery.</p><p>***********************************************************************<br /></p></div>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel</b></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>by Jennifer J. Chow</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Ill-Fated Fortune</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZl07RDATonFg8atJjyKbrIj5b5XmBkw7PGS2DHm6FG_rajLbhfc6St3Xs3-D61AaDO7OEME_Waciek_XIH9L3uLfJQ-prPQMMQk4n4lQFr_V3nOfxGhYlyY3Jvt1MlVz43ft_42L7oU6qCwztxV31aLSg8chOV0hYI2s5327ro58UC6nQR8rArJHnURc/s792/ILL%20FATED%20FORTUNE%20COVER%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="792" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZl07RDATonFg8atJjyKbrIj5b5XmBkw7PGS2DHm6FG_rajLbhfc6St3Xs3-D61AaDO7OEME_Waciek_XIH9L3uLfJQ-prPQMMQk4n4lQFr_V3nOfxGhYlyY3Jvt1MlVz43ft_42L7oU6qCwztxV31aLSg8chOV0hYI2s5327ro58UC6nQR8rArJHnURc/w400-h303/ILL%20FATED%20FORTUNE%20COVER%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3HsLlst">Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie</a> </b><br /><b>Cozy Mystery 1st in Series </b><br /><b>Setting - California </b><br /><b>Minotaur Books (February 20, 2024) </b><br /><b>Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages </b></div><blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some handmade fortune cookies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Jennifer J. Chow</span></i></span></h2>
<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-159820" height="293" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/chow_jennifer-300x293.jpg" width="300" />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Jennifer J. Chow</b> writes cozies filled with hope and heritage. She is an Agatha, Anthony, and Lefty Award-nominated author. Her newest series is the Magical Fortune Cookie mysteries; the first book is <i>Ill-Fated Fortune</i>. Jennifer’s previous series is the L.A. Night Market Mysteries. <i>Death by Bubble Tea</i> was reviewed by the <i>New York Times</i>, featured in <i>Woman’s World</i>, and hit the SoCal Indie Bestseller List. Jennifer currently serves as Immediate Past President on the board of Sisters in Crime and blogs at <a href="chicksonthecase.com">chicksonthecase.com</a>. She is an active member of Crime Writers of Color and Mystery Writers of America. Connect with her online and sign up for her newsletter at <a href="http://www.jenniferjchow.com">JenniferJChow.com</a>.</p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b> <a href="http://www.jenniferjchow.com">www.jenniferjchow.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jenjchow/">https://www.instagram.com/jenjchow/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenJChow">https://www.facebook.com/JenJChow</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>BookBub</b> <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-j-chow">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-j-chow</a> </p><p> <b>Purchase Links - <a href="https://amzn.to/3Hu6F0y" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> - <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250323033/illfatedfortune" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Macmillian</a> - <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/ill-fated-fortune-jennifer-chow/19995703" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a> - <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ill-fated-fortune-jennifer-j-chow/1144070548?ean=9781250323033" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> - <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ill-fated-fortune" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kobo</a></b> </p><p><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="028877921622" data-template="56d5f80dbc544fb30fda66f0" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/028877921622/" id="rcwidget_yswtqp33" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></p>Katreaderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15819244112918562869noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1536614618061255212.post-15980444902743822792024-02-16T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-16T00:30:00.130-05:00Once Upon a Murder - A Review & Giveaway<div><div><p style="text-align: center;"> Review</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPq350u9Jb8vG1vI2vIWDs1KIYqGl0T52-ZVk6CigDVIKAzozKpPHliGb5MeGVaSoq0MIt8M05nDDa4DLXwOmActyTUpWgVMesyaBGaD0ipOP4jDq5Nad5VpVC2YEtWkyRd4TlJ0mgaabKSoIdrtWjvZM8RTVUKattvizl8ITo31KgRU2-gJNHjpk7efV/s1500/71eFrbh59GL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="991" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPq350u9Jb8vG1vI2vIWDs1KIYqGl0T52-ZVk6CigDVIKAzozKpPHliGb5MeGVaSoq0MIt8M05nDDa4DLXwOmActyTUpWgVMesyaBGaD0ipOP4jDq5Nad5VpVC2YEtWkyRd4TlJ0mgaabKSoIdrtWjvZM8RTVUKattvizl8ITo31KgRU2-gJNHjpk7efV/s320/71eFrbh59GL._SL1500_.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> ONCE UPON A MURDER by Samantha Larsen<br />The Second Lady Librarian Mystery</div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Tiffany Woodall is running late for her job as librarian at Astwell
Palace, which is nothing new. However, her tardiness on this day is due
to stumbling over the dead body of Bernard Coram, a nasty former
footman. The despicable Justice of the Peace, Sir Walter Abney,
immediately suspects Tiffany of murder, then arrests Constable Samir
Lathrop. Knowing he will not receive a fair trial, Tiffany is desperate
to discover the real killer herself. But there are lots of secrets in
this small village and villagers tend to stick together, especially
against a foreigner. In 1784 England there's not a lot a single woman is
allowed to do, but unexpected aid comes from the formidable <span>Duchess of Beaufort. Will they be able to get to the truth?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Abuse, discrimination, and greed
are the key elements of ONCE UPON A MURDER, but so are loyalty and
family. We are witness to base behavior, and also cunning, for good, and
not so good. Emotions run high and desperate measures are called for.</span><span> There's a complex mystery, but also drama, and romance at the book's heart.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>I enjoyed the first Lady Librarian Mystery and I loved this second installment even more. Tiffany is a wonderful protagonist, smart, determined, but not without insecurities. She also has to face discrimination, especially as a single mature women. While I don't understand the all consuming desire to have a family, I can appreciate Tiffany's feelings and appreciate how this portion of the storyline was handled. While I loved Samir in the previous book, I was appalled at his male idiocy in this one! And Mary's actions had me stunned and angry as well. Who I truly came to admire was the Duchess. I loved getting to know her better and witnessing her wily machinations. I'm so glad she's on Tiffany's side.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>ONCE UPON A MURDER is a gripping historical novel with an intriguing mystery.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>********************************************************************** </span> <br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00847d;"><b>Once Upon a Murder (A Lady Librarian Mystery)</b></span>
<span style="color: #00847d;"><b>by Samantha Larsen</b></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00847d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Once Upon A Murder</span></i></span></h2><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00847d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RzerdekesR3sFrZzq73gNuGj-AvHgdld91xW7aDpG781eKTwmrB5A_GcOx3fGoFNtT0gY2LtgbQrf0OvoTaQZ3JyUIycGBzMVeuGMHX8w3iwkmS7f4Upry-zFfeciVjOLY9K6fVf34sNnTyxAn-DUOvqIjeikpQZciwE8-wE1EiKtwpJMwkiEegEtJOW/s785/once%20upon%20a%20murder%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="785" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RzerdekesR3sFrZzq73gNuGj-AvHgdld91xW7aDpG781eKTwmrB5A_GcOx3fGoFNtT0gY2LtgbQrf0OvoTaQZ3JyUIycGBzMVeuGMHX8w3iwkmS7f4Upry-zFfeciVjOLY9K6fVf34sNnTyxAn-DUOvqIjeikpQZciwE8-wE1EiKtwpJMwkiEegEtJOW/w400-h306/once%20upon%20a%20murder%203.png" width="400" /></a></div></span></i></span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/41YiC8j">Once Upon a Murder (A Lady Librarian Mystery) by Samantha Larsen</a> </b><br /><b>Publication Date: February 20, 2024 </b><br /><b>Publisher: Crooked Lane Books </b><br /><b>Genre: Cozy Mystery </b><br /><b>Hardcover: 304 pages </b></div><blockquote><span style="color: black;"><b>Book Synopsis</b></span>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Miss Tiffany Woodall must sleuth the slaying of a footman to clear her beloved's name in the second Lady Librarian mystery, in the vein of Deanna Raybourn and perfect for fans of Bridgerton.</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">1784 England. Officially hired as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort, Miss Tiffany Woodall is through with masquerades and murders for good. That is, until she stumbles upon the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram. The speed with which her peaceful new life is upended is one for the record books: the justice of the peace immediately declares her the primary suspect in the murder.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As Tiffany hunts for the truth to clear her name, she learns that Bernard got into a fight over a woman at the local pub the night of his death–but he was also overheard blackmailing Samir. The justice of the peace arrests Samir, and Tiffany realizes that her life may have more in common with a tragic play than a light-hearted romance.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">With her love locked up in jail and her own reputation on the line, Tiffany must attempt to solve the murder before the book closes on her or Samir’s life.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #00847d;"><i><span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;">About Samantha Larsen</span></i></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><b><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-195662" height="300" src="https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/samantha-222x300.jpg" width="222" /></b></span><span style="color: black;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Samantha Larsen</b></span> met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, having tea parties, and chasing her four kids. She has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Reading (UK). She also writes historical romances under Samantha Hastings. Learn more at <a href="http://www.SamanthaHastings.com">www.SamanthaHastings.com</a></p><p>
<b>Author Links:</b> </p><p><b>Website</b> <a href="http://www.SamanthaHastings.com">www.SamanthaHastings.com</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Instagram</b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/samanthahastingsauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/samanthahastingsauthor/</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Facebook</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHastingsAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHastingsAuthor</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Twitter/X</b> <a href="https://twitter.com/HastingSamantha">https://twitter.com/HastingSamantha</a>
<b> </b></p><p><b>Purchase Links:</b> </p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3RmCiPz" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Amazon</a> – <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-a-murder-samantha-larsen/1143455934?ean=9781639106219" rel="noopener" target="_blank">B&N</a> – <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Once-Upon-Murder/Samantha-Larsen/9781639106219?id=9012047559266" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Books A Million</a> – <a href="https://www.powells.com/book/once-upon-a-murder-9781639106219" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Powells Books</a> – <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/91071/9781639106219" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a> - <a href="https://www.target.com/p/once-upon-a-murder-a-lady-librarian-mystery-by-samantha-larsen-hardcover/-/A-89186639" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Target</a> - <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/A-Lady-Librarian-Mystery-Once-Upon-a-Murder-Hardcover-9781639106219/3924586592" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Walmart</a> </b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b> </b></span>
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