Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Currently Reading...

I just finished reading Crime and Parchment by Daphne Silver. This book is the first in the Rare Books Cozy Mystery series.

The lure of an ancient artifact has rare books librarian Juniper Blume heading to her sister's inn in Rose Mallow, Maryland, a place she hasn't visited since their grandmother's death. A message from her soon to be ex brother in law saying that he found the covers of the Book of Kells, treasures that have been missing for centuries, was enough to get her to leave the Library of Congress with her dog Clover. But when Juniper arrives at the designated meeting place instead of Rory she finds the body of the young barista she just met. With Rory missing and a professor with a television crew saying he has the covers Juniper will have to dig up the truth all while mending fences with her sister.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Death in the Ozarks - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Erik S. Meyers to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Erik writes the Sally Witherspoon Mystery series. DEATH IN THE OZARKS is the first book in the series.

Kathy: In DEATH IN THE OZARKS we meet Sally Witherspoon, a 50-something accountant turned biker-bar owner who loves solving puzzles. Personally, in addition to reading mysteries I like logic puzzles, but I dislike jigsaw puzzles. Do you enjoy solving puzzles? If so, what sort?

ESM: I love jigsaw puzzles and word puzzles.

Kathy: Sally has helped neighbors and friends find lost jewelry, lost pets, and lost loves. Have you ever helped anybody find something?

ESM: I’m passionate about genealogy and searching for my family history. I’ve helped friends do research online on their own family background.

Kathy: Sally is described as a cross between Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and a Cheers bartender. If you were a cross between a character from a book and one from a TV series, who would those characters be?

ESM: I love this question! I would say a combination of Philip Carey in Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham and Toby Ziegler from The West Wing.

Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

ESM: Perhaps it does go back to solving puzzles. When you read a mystery, you are searching for clues to solve the mystery and that is always so much fun. I started early with Agatha Christie’s stories. My mother had most of the paperbacks and I loved them, particularly those with Miss Marple.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

ESM: I’ve self-published a business book and an historical fiction novel. In addition, I’ve written many short stories that cover various topics.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

ESM: Sally Witherspoon is a 50-something who left her life in Atlanta 15 years back to move to the Arkansas Ozarks and open up a biker bar. She loves her life there and never looks back. Somehow she stumbles into crime-solving, which fits perfectly with her love of solving puzzles.
 

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

ESM: It would have to be Sally Witherspoon herself. She decided to make a huge change in her life, she loves what she’s doing and I love writing about her life in the Ozarks and her excitement and success with solving crimes.


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

ESM: The story, the characters, and the location were inspired by a wide range of experiences. The fictitious town of Berry Springs was inspired by a wonderful trip I took to the Arkansas Ozarks in 2015.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

ESM: I started with self-publishing two books (business and historical fiction) because I wanted to offer my writing to a broader audience. For the Sally Witherspoon mystery series, I’m so grateful for my agent, Cindy Bullard at Birch Literary, and Shawn Reilly Simmons and all the wonderful people at Level Best Books for helping bring Sally Witherspoon into the world.
 

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

ESM: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, W. Somerset Maugham, Agatha Christie, and Ann Cleeves

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

ESM: I usually am in the middle of a non-fiction book and a fiction book at the same time. At the moment, these are Foreign Devils on the Silk Road by Peter Hopkirk and Big Familia by Tomas Moniz.


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

ESM: I love being outdoors and take advantage of the local hiking trails as much as possible. I also love to explore and travel. Finally, my biggest passions are learning and knowledge so I’m always looking for new information, new books and the like.

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

ESM: Yogurt, coffee, salmon, and potatoes

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

ESM: The second book in the series, MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI, is due out in December. I’m currently working on the third book which is scheduled to be published December 2025.

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

ESM: I love telling a good story.

************************************************************************

THE SALLY WITHERSPOON MYSTERY SERIES

by Erik S. Meyers

November 11 - December 20, 2024 Virtual Book Tour

 

DEATH IN THE OZARKS

 

A cross between Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and a Cheers bartender, Sally Witherspoon, a 50-something accountant turned biker-bar owner, loves solving puzzles. Up to now, she has focused on helping neighbors and friends find lost jewelry, lost pets, and lost loves.

But when she finds her best friend and business partner, Bill Arnold, dead in a dumpster behind her bar on a Saturday night, she needs all her wits and grit to find out who did it.

And she won't stop until she does.

 

Praise for Death in the Ozarks:

"Christie meets Cornwell in this vivid mystery, by Erik Meyers. I found myself investigating the story, lending a hand to Witherspoon but never quite unravelling the threads, and in the end experiencing a satisfying read that provoked everything from anxiety to relief."
~ Callan J. Mulligan, Bestselling Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author

"Move over, Jessica Fletcher and Agatha Christie. Here comes Sally Witherspoon, a small-town bartender with mad skills as an amateur sleuth. Determined to discover who murdered her best friend and co-owner of Sally's Smasher. Experienced in solving minor mysteries, the community isn't surprised when Sally launches herself into the murder investigation, frustrating the local authorities, but they aren't the only ones. Some secrets should stay secret or should they? Follow Sally and find out."
~ Wendy Bayne, 5-Star Goodreads Review

"I loved this mystery! Suspenseful and a real page turner. The main character Sally Witherspoon, the owner of a biker bar, is a gutsy, intelligent, likeable woman determined to find out who killed her business partner and this leads the reader on an exciting adventure. Thought I had it figured out but was surprised at the ending. Highly recommend!"
~ Lillian M. Finn, 5-Star Amazon Review

 

Murder on the Mississippi; The Sally Witherspoon Mystery Series by Erik S. Meyers

MURDER ON THE MISSISSIPPI

 

Six months after the events in Death in the Ozarks, Sally Witherspoon is trying to put that terrible time behind her. She books a river cruise down the Mississippi to get away and relax.

Unfortunately relaxation is not to be as as she's called on to get to the bottom of a mysterious death that occurs on board.

A combination of Cheers bartender and Miss Marple, Sally Witherspoon is as determined as ever to solve it.

Book Details:

Genre: Traditional Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Published by: Level Best Books
Series Links: Amazon | Level Best Books

Read an excerpt from Death in the Ozarks:

Chapter One

Sally Witherspoon dropped onto the sofa in her office with a sigh, the cracked brown leather groaning as she settled herself, and ran her hand through her graying chestnut ponytail. What a night. The fights in the bar on Saturday nights were getting worse. Sally loved her bar, Sally’s Smasher, and her adopted town of Berry Springs, but the violence was getting to her. She had come to live in the small town fifteen years ago.

An old college friend, Bill Arnold, was from there, and he had always urged her to come for a visit. With a population of two thousand, one hotel, two bars, two diners, and a few arts-and-crafts shops, it was very different from her high-powered life in finance in Atlanta, but now it was definitely home.

A home that didn’t include her husband, mind you. They had divorced soon after the trip to Berry Springs. Putting her life’s savings into buying an old run-down bakery—with a lot of financial help from Bill—and turning it into Sally’s Smasher had been quite a gamble, but life here was different.

The thought of living in the beautiful Ozark mountains in Arkansas and still sitting in an office like back in Georgia hadn’t been an option for her, and the bar seemed like the perfect alternative. Running it meant she had more time to explore and hike the local area. Yes, the nights were long, but the town had come to love Sally and her biker bar, and she’d made many friends.

With only two bartenders, Jay and Magda, to help, it took a lot to run the place. Most Saturday shifts were hard slogs, but that night had been an especially long evening, as she had to deal with three bar fights, each uglier than the last. First, her business partner, Bill Arnold, had gotten into a heated argument with his biker club, The Mountaineers, over who would get to ride Bill’s vintage Vincent Rapide next. As it was on display at the bar in a large metal cage, it was often a topic of contention. Bill was always worried it would be stolen, it was worth a lot, or worse, one of his buddies would ruin the perfectly restored and polished leather seat and shining metal.

Then Bethany Wells, the school assistant, had accidentally stumbled into Mayor Jennifer Milkowski on her way to the bathroom. Bethany did love her wine, and there had been a bit of a misunderstanding. Bethany got easily annoyed when she had had too much to drink. Jennifer was not the easiest to get along with, for sure, but she was always watching her image, and being involved in a bar fight would certainly not fit her mayoral brand, and she quickly defused the situation.

The third fight almost resulted in Sally calling the police. Her friend Jeff Bartholomew, a teacher at Clinton High School, was sitting with their local Catholic priest, Father O’Malley, and had become pissed off by the bikers yelling at each other next to their table. Jeff stood up, his fists at the ready. One of The Mountaineers lobbed him in the jaw, and Jeff swung in return. Jeff had had too many beers to be in top form, and his swing missed. As he swiveled around, he fell hard, knocking over a table full of glasses and falling on a metal chair in the process, which his broad six-foot-two frame bent out of shape. If it weren’t for Bill stepping in and throwing Jeff out of the bar at that moment, Sally’s Smasher would have been truly and royally, well, smashed up.

Unfortunately, this was not something completely unusual; the rough-and-ready people living in the remote town rising to conflict more than she’d seen in the city, but the fights that night had been more violent than normal. They’d completely torn up one corner of the place. Her insurance would pay for now, she hoped. She didn’t really have the funds to fix it up herself.

But reviewing the events of the evening wasn’t going to change matters, nor was it helping Sally relax. She pushed herself up from the couch to finish cleaning up and readying the place for the next night. She’d sent Jay and Magda home at half past twelve, not needing their help in finishing off the last of the jobs. Plus, she didn’t want to overwork them. If they quit, she would be up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

Sally went over to her desk to tally up the night’s receipts, making a note of the amount of cash in the drawer and putting all of it in the safe. While the overall accounting at the bar wasn’t as perfect as she wanted it to be—far too much red ink for her finance background’s liking—she always made sure the cash drawer was perfect.

She then headed back out into the bar to put the glasses away she had washed before closing for the night. Pushing all the tables and chairs back in their proper places, Sally made one final sweep of the bar before checking all the windows and doors. Casting her eyes over the decorations around the bar always made her smile. The deer antlers above the door came from one of her hunting trips. Bill’s vintage bike was a real pull. And the red wooden paneling had been specially made by the local lumberyard. She was so proud of what she had accomplished, though it wouldn’t have happened without Bill’s help, and his money.

As she did every night, she went to each window from left to right, making sure the catches were secure. Then she locked the front door. Back in her office, she grabbed her backpack and shut off the lights. Just before leaving through the back door, she set the alarm. The reassuring red light always calmed her nerves. After four break-ins in one month the previous year, she finally broke down and bought an alarm, a huge expense, but so far, worth it.

In the parking lot, she headed to her car, looking forward to falling into bed. She threw her red backpack in the back of her old blue Datsun and started the engine.

Damn, I forgot to put out the trash.

She turned off the car and reluctantly headed back across the parking lot. Looking up, she frowned. Bill’s fiery-red Harley-Davidson motorcycle was still parked in the back of the building near the trash bins. Bill didn’t have a car, so he couldn’t have taken that. And she had definitely checked everywhere inside to make sure no one was passed out in one of the bathroom stalls. Maybe someone had given him a lift home.

Bill was her business partner, but he acted like a very loyal customer most nights, drinking up the Murphy’s stout imported from Ireland for him. She walked over to the motorcycle and was surprised to find the engine warm to the touch. That’s strange, she thought. She glanced around the parking lot and the woods behind for Bill. Though, why would he be waiting outside?

At that point, she was too tired to think about the motorcycle any further. Bill was a big boy, and he’d make his own way home, and she went to get the trash bags. She stomped back inside. Annoyed with herself, she had to switch the alarm off. She’d left the damn things by the door but must have walked straight by them. There were three huge bags, so she would have to make two trips. To make it easier for herself, she moved the bags outside before locking up and turning on the alarm again.

She then grabbed two of the bags and lugged them across the lot. Why hadn’t she put the trash bins closer to the door? This was one of her many to-dos that never reached the top of the priority list. She should get Jay to do it for her next week.

At the dumpster, she opened the lid and threw the bags in without looking, brushing her jeans against some grease on the side. Jeans were pretty much her go-to outfits, or sweatpants at home. Everything else was a waste of money, as it got dirty so easily at the bar. And she didn’t do much beyond hiking, working, sleeping, and eating.

She went back and grabbed the third bag from the door, and returned to the dumpster. Her long night would finally be over. As she opened the lid again, she realized the bags she had just thrown in were too close to the top. The dumpster had been emptied the day before, so what was under the bags? If someone else was dumping their rubbish in her bin, she’d be having words.

Sally fumbled in her pocket for her cell, switched on the flashlight, and peered inside. Waving the flashlight, the light landed on something that was definitely not trash. She brought her hands to her mouth, dropping the trash bag, and screamed.

Staring back at her were the gray, unseeing eyes of Bill Arnold.

***

Excerpt from Death in the Ozarks by Erik S. Meyers. Copyright 2023 by Erik S. Meyers. Reproduced with permission from Erik S. Meyers. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Erik S. Meyers

Currently in Austria, Erik S. Meyers is an American abroad for years and years who has lived or worked in six countries on three continents, the longest in Germany. He is an award-winning author and communications professional with over twenty-five years of expertise in a variety of corporate roles. Reading and writing are his passions, when he is not hiking one of the amazing trails in Austria or elsewhere.

Catch Up With Erik S. Meyers:
www.ErikMey.com
Medium - @erikmey
Goodreads - @erikmey
Instagram - @erikmeyauthor
Facebook - @ErikSMeyersAuthor

 

 

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Sunday, November 17, 2024

When the Carnival Came - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Kathleen Bailey to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Kathleen writes the Olivia Penn Mystery series. When the Carnival Comes is the fourth book in the series and was released last week.


Kathy: The fourth Olivia Penn Mystery has a carnival come to town. When I think of traveling carnivals I immediately think of the seamy side, and the scary side as in Something Wicked this Way Comes. Does hearing that a carnival is coming to your town do you think, hooray or uh oh?

KB: A carnival coming to town is always a hooray for me. Many people have misconceptions about carnivals and the people who work for them, often shaped by movies and TV. But working on the carnival circuit is an extremely demanding job, and it’s certainly not for everyone. Like any business, the carnival world has its share of diverse personalities, but at its heart, many in the industry are driven by a shared goal: to provide affordable family fun and bring smiles to kids' faces.


Kathy: Do you like carnivals? What's your favorite aspect about them?

KB: I’ve always loved carnivals—it’s all about the atmosphere for me. The rides, the games, the food—there’s so much going on, and everyone seems to be having fun. My favorite time to visit is on a beautiful spring evening or in early fall. I love seeing the lights on the rides at night, hearing the cheerful organ music of the carousel, and smelling the mouth-watering aromas from the food trailers.


Kathy: In When the Carnival Comes a shocking connection forces Olivia to choose between a dear friend and a new love. Have you ever had to make such a decision?

KB: I haven’t faced that kind of choice myself, but for Olivia, it’s an essential part of her character arc throughout the series. It’s not about what happens to us—it’s about how we respond, and that response ultimately shapes who we become.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

KB: I’ve always loved mysteries—whether in books, movies, TV, or games. I’m drawn to the genre because I enjoy crafting clean, twisty mysteries set in small towns that readers want to return to again and again. The characters become like old friends, and the protagonist embodies the hero within each of us. Justice is always served, with side dishes of humor and charm.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

KB: I’m writing only cozies now.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

KB: The Olivia Penn Mystery Series follows advice columnist Olivia Penn as she goes through a transitional period in her life partially due to a series of murder mysteries that she becomes involved in. The series takes place in the small town of Apple Station, Virginia, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley. Each book can be read as a standalone, though there are character arcs that span the series.


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

KB: I like all my characters, but I have a special fondness for Olivia. She’s smart, strong, and independent. Though far from perfect, she rises to meet challenges and grows from them. Olivia has deep ties to her friends and community, and her close relationship with her father mirrors my own with my dad before he passed away. Many of their scenes and conversations are rooted in the ones I shared with him.


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

KB: Many readers and writers of mysteries cite Nancy Drew as an early influence. In developing Olivia’s character, I imagined who Nancy Drew might’ve become as an adult. She’d be competent in her work, strong, and independent. She’d face challenges head-on and grow from them, and that’s exactly the kind of character I wanted to create with Olivia.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

KB: I’ve wanted to be an author since I was very young, and for me, that has always meant writing books and sharing them with others. Writing is an act of creation—a way to bring a story to life on the page and send it out to connect with readers.


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

KB: I want this dinner party to be fun, lively, and inspirational, so I’m inviting great conversationalists who I think have a lot of life wisdom, humor, and personality. So the invites would go out to national treasures Dolly Parton, Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa), Betty White (RIP), and Bette Midler.
 

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

KB: I’m currently reading Annette Dashofy’s Zoe Chambers Mystery Series.


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

KB: I don’t have much free time outside of writing and running the publishing side of my business. I have an adorable feline fur baby who receives my attention whenever she wants it, and I enjoy spending time outdoors.


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

KB: Apples, blueberries, carrots, and walnuts.


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

KB: I’m currently working on the fifth book in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series.


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

KB: There are many things I could call my favorites, but connecting with readers and other authors is at the top of the list. The cozy mystery genre has some of the warmest, most avid, and smartest readers, and it’s incredibly rewarding to hear from those who enjoy my stories. Writing is such a solitary process. It usually takes me about a year to go from a blank page to a finished book. With so much time, effort, and money invested, I never know if my stories will resonate. So, when I hear from a reader or meet someone who’s read and enjoyed one of my books, it’s the best feeling!

*************************************************************************

 When the Carnival Came: An Olivia Penn Mystery by Kathleen Bailey

About When the Carnival Came

When the Carnival Came: An Olivia Penn Mystery
Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Setting - Apple Station, Virginia
Publisher: ‎ Rhino Publishing LLC (November 12, 2024)

Hardcover: ‎ 442 pages Paperback: ‎ 442 pages
Digital Print length: ‎ 351 pages

A mysterious murder at an abandoned military base. A carnival has rolled into town. The shocking connection forces her to choose between a dear friend and her new love.

Spring is blooming in Apple Station, Virginia, and Olivia Penn's new romance is heating up. With love in the air and the carnival in town, life seems picture-perfect—until a stranger arrives at her door with carnations and a cryptic message for her friend.

When Olivia follows the trail and finds her friend standing over a dead body, she discovers there’s more to the carnival than just fun and games. Compelled to keep an impossible secret from both her new love and the police, Olivia is recruited to go undercover and investigate who among the quirky carnival crew had a motive for murder.

In a race to protect her friend and solve the crime, she must trust a man she never expected to see again. Together, they execute a daring plan to bring a killer to justice and save the lives of thirty very precious, valuable feathered friends.

With the killer on the verge of vanishing without a trace, justice—and her life—hinge on quick thinking and a bold move. Will she and her new love survive to see another day?

When the Carnival Came is the fourth book in the award-winning The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. When the Carnival Came is a small-town, cozy mystery brimming with heart and humor, featuring a charming cast of characters and a fast-paced, twisty plot. Action-packed and full of suspense, this clean, cozy thrill ride will keep you on the edge of your seat.

About Kathleen Bailey

Kathleen Bailey is the award-winning author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days plotting and sleuthing in Virginia where she lives with her husband and adorable feline fur baby. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers. Visit online at www.kathleenbaileyauthor.com.

Author Links: 

Website: https://kathleenbaileyauthor.com/  

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

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kathleen-bailey  

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

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Bookshop.org - Alibris 

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Friday, November 15, 2024

The Alchemist of Brushstrokes & Brimstone - A Review

 Review

THE ALCHEMIST OF BRUSHSTROKES & BRIMSTONE by Gigi Pandian
The Eighth Accidental Alchemist Mystery
 
Zoe Faust’s most treasured possession is a portrait of her with her brother painted by Perenelle Flamel. Both Zoe and Perenelle are put on guard when inquiries about the painting begin. Why the interest after so many years? Zoe is devastated when her painting is stolen, but another theft and a subsequent murder make things even more concerning. Is someone targeting Zoe? Or Perenelle? Is it about alchemy or corporate espionage? Zoe and her friends will join forces to not only retrieve the painting, but allow a gifted artist from the past take her true place in history, while keeping their ultimate secret safe.
 
The melding of science and art is at the heart of the eighth Accidental Alchemist Mystery. I loved the kernels of art history dropped, especially the facts about the creation of paints, along with its dangers. The topic is as fascinating as alchemy, indeed it is a type of alchemy unto itself, whether or not you're using brimstone! 
 
Adding subtle humor Dorian remains my favorite character. I admire his creative process and love how his chapters begin with selections from his Culinary Alchemist's Toolbox, a book, if finished, I would absolutely buy! I also love how Dorian gets Nicholas Flamel involved in his escapades.
 
The mystery also deals with loss on several levels. Losing a loved one is never easy and to help with grief some cling to something tangible to remember them. Thus it is with Zoe and why the theft of her painting is so horrific for her. What lengths will you go to and how much will you risk to keep the memories of lost loved ones alive?
 
In addition to death, there's also loss of recognition. It's a sad truth that women have continually been erased from history, so I'm always pleased when I see this truth being acknowledged and attempts being made to share their stories. Phillipe Hayden may be fictional, but there are many female artists of that time who never received their fair do's, perhaps readers will be encouraged to learn more about these, and other women, who history tries to erase.  
 
The climactic scene had my jaw dropping to the floor with a horrific loss of another kind.

A compelling mystery THE ALCHEMIST OF BRUSHSTROKES & BRIMSTONE is a journey through grief, art, and lost women's history.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Death in the Ozarks by Erik S. Meyers. This book is the first in the Sally Witherspoon Mystery series. 

Having left the big city finance world in Atlanta, Sally Witherspoon is happy running her bar in Berry Springs, Arkansas. Even for a biker bar the fights at Sally's Smasher seem to be getting more violent. Not even the presence of the mayor and Father O'Malley could quell a fight that resulted in one of her regulars being thrown out! Once the last customer had left and she sent her bartenders home, Sally could finally take a breath and enjoy the quiet routine of closing for the night. But everything changed when she took out the trash and found the body of her best friend and business partner in the dumpster. Who would want to kill the jovial teddy bear of a biker? Always curious and with the belief she could solve any mystery Sally sets out to discover who killed Bill. But her search for a killer leads her to more questions. Will she find the answers she needs or is she simply making herself a target?

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

A Corpse Among the Carolers - An Interview

I'm pleased to welcome Debra Sennefelder back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Debra writes the Food Blogger Mystery series. A Corpse Among the Carolers is the seventh book in the series and is being released today!



Kathy: In A Corpse Among the Carolers murder disrupts the Jingle Bell Stroll, a community caroling event. Do you go Christmas caroling?

DS: No. I’ve never been. But I would love to even though I can’t sing. I think it would be so much fun!


Kathy: What's your favorite Christmas carol to sing? What about your favorite Christmas song to listen to?

DS: Great questions. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey and Hark the Herald Angels Sing.


Kathy: I love reading holiday themed mysteries. What makes ones set during Christmastime so special?

DS: Setting a cozy mystery during Christmastime adds an extra layer of warmth and magic that draws readers in. The holiday season creates a rich backdrop filled with traditions, community gatherings, and an overall sense of togetherness—ideal for a cozy mystery. It’s a time when people reconnect, share memories, and lean into nostalgia, making the stakes feel even higher when something goes awry. A Christmas cozy mystery feels like curling up with a warm blanket—there’s excitement and suspense, but it’s wrapped in the comforting glow of holiday lights and festive cheer.


Kathy: Your book includes tasty and toasty holiday recipes. Do you have favorite dishes you make every year? Do you roll out new recipes as well?

DS: Our Christmas dinner includes a roast beef with red cabbage that I absolutely love. And every year I bake cookies. I will try a new cookie recipe every couple years at Christmas but that’s about it. I usually stay with the tried and true and the recipes my family and friends love.


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

DS: I wanted to write a mystery set during Christmas and I have no idea where the idea for the caroling event came from. It just popped into my head one day and I loved it and fleshed out the story.


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Hope?

DS: Yes. I’m currently writing her next book. I’m in the beginning of the first draft of that manuscript. All I can say about that story is that I’m loving it and it’s set during a winter snowstorm.


Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?

DS: I’m a plotter. I love a detailed outline before I begin writing the story. But even though I have an outline, as I’m writing the story sometimes things change.


Kathy: Authors are required to do a lot of their own marketing, especially for a new release. What's your favorite part of marketing your work? What do you dislike about marketing?

DS: I enjoy connecting with readers whether it’s through a blog post, an interview or a live video. While there’s no part of the process I dislike, I do find that the added workload of marketing on top of writing a book is stressful.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

DS: Besides the next Food Blogger mystery that I’m writing now, I do have a couple of manuscripts lined up to write in 2025 but at this time I can’t share much more than that about them.

**********************************************************************

 A Corpse Among the Carolers (A Food Blogger Mystery) by Debra Sennefelder

About A Corpse Among the Carolers 

A Corpse Among the Carolers (A Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 7th in Series
Setting - Connecticut
Publisher: ‎ Beyond the Page Publishing (November 12, 2024)
Paperback: ‎ 226 pages

Hope Early is fully immersed in the spirit of the Christmas season, until the sounds of joyful carolers are silenced by the words “Ho-ho-homicide” . . .

Food blogger Hope Early always gets a hearty holiday laugh from knowing that the weeks leading up to Christmas are as frantic as they are festive. But in spite of everything she has to do, the one thing she always has time for is the annual Jingle Bell Stroll, a night when the community gathers to sing their hearts out and enjoy each other’s company. This year’s caroling feels especially heartwarming, until the final note lands with a thud when Hope finds the body of the man who’d volunteered to play Santa, a knife plunged into his back.

With virtually the whole town present at the caroling, the list of suspects seems endless. It doesn’t take long, though, for both Hope and the police to turn a sharp eye on the victim’s bitter and vindictive ex-wife, along with his new wife, who may have been after his money. Then Hope unearths a clue that suggests the dead man may have been hiding a sordid past and connections to unseemly characters. But as she closes in on the killer, they’re determined to wring her neck before she can ring in the new year . . .

Includes tasty and toasty holiday recipes!

About Debra Sennefelder

Debra Sennefelder is the acclaimed author of charming and suspenseful cozy mysteries set in small towns filled with intriguing characters and delightful pets. Based in Connecticut, Debra shares her home with her family and a lovable, slightly spoiled Shih Tzu. Her passion for mystery fiction, particularly cozy mysteries, inspires her to create engaging stories that blend crime-solving with delicious recipes and stylish fashion. She is the author of the Food Blogger Mystery series, the Resale Boutique Mystery series, and the Cookie Shop Mystery series. When she’s not plotting her next whodunit, you’ll find her baking sweet treats or indulging in a good book.

When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.

Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her writing companion, Connie.

She can be reached at Debra@DebraSennefelder.com

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Sunday, November 10, 2024

Guilt and Ginataan - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on an upcoming release. Guilt and Ginataan by Mia P. Manansala is the fifth book in the Tia Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series and will be released November 12, 2024.


 Blurb:

The annual Shady Palms Corn Festival is one of the town’s biggest moneymakers, drawing crowds from all over the Midwest looking to partake in delicious treats, local crafts, and of course, the second largest corn maze in Illinois. Lila Macapagal and her Brew-ha Cafe crew, Adeena Awan and Elena Torres, are all too happy to participate in the event and even make a little wager on who can make it through the corn maze the fastest—but their fun is suddenly cut short when a dead body is found in the middle of the maze…and an unconscious Adeena lies next to it, clutching a bloody knife.

The body is discovered to be a local politician’s wife, and all signs—murder weapon included—point to Adeena as the culprit. But Lila knows her best friend couldn’t have done this, so she and her crew put on their sleuthing caps yet again to find the killer who framed Adeena and show them what happens when they mess with a Brew-ha…