Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Writing a Pie Shop Mystery - Guest Post & Contest

Today I hand the blog over to Ellie Grant, author of Plum Deadly, the first in the new Pie in the Sky Mystery series. Leave a comment on this post and you are entered in a random giveaway of a print copy of this book!


Writing a pie shop mystery

By Ellie Grant

I never thought that someday I’d be writing a mystery series set in a pie shop!

I enjoy making and eating pie. My mother and grandmother were both great cooks. I learned from the best. But writing a mystery series set in a pie shop sounds a little strange.

Or at least it DID at one time. Now there are mysteries set in beauty salons, retirement homes, zoos and cemeteries. Basically, you could have a cozy mystery set anywhere!

That’s one thing that I love about writing cozy mysteries—not much blood or sex—is that you can do anything with them. Under one name or another, I have written Renaissance Faire Mysteries, mysteries set in Duck, North Carolina with a woman who finds lost things, a garden mystery series, and a mystery series about a lawyer who became a sheriff. Oh, and a mystery series about a fire fighter who finds herself living with a ghost in a small town in Tennessee.

There is truly no end to the possibilities!

One thing I really enjoy about writing these mysteries is the people. I love the main characters and the quirky side characters that inhabit these worlds. Because that’s what they are to me: worlds of my making with people I love. I get to visit with them each day when I sit down to write.

That’s where Pie in the Sky, the little pie shop in Durham, North Carolina, comes in. Maggie, Aunt Clara, and Ryan are almost as real as my kids, grandkids, and friends sometimes. When they’re making Dangerously Damson plum pie and Pumpkin Pizzazz, it’s like they’re baking right here in my kitchen.

I can smell the aromas coming from the oven right now! Yum! And no calories!

Bio:

Ellie Grant writes award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Joyce and Jim Lavene. They have written and published more than 60 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family. Visit them at www.elliegrant.net
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46 comments:

  1. UnknownSeptember 3, 2013 at 1:35 AM

    I love the Pie Shop Mystery theme. Book sounds fabulous. Please enter my name in the giveaway. Thank you!!
    Barbara Thompson
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  2. SandyG265September 3, 2013 at 6:25 AM

    I like Joyce and Jim's books so I've been waiting for this to come out.

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  3. SueSeptember 3, 2013 at 10:27 AM

    I love the quirky characters in a good cozy mystery---now I want to "meet" them in this book.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  4. Rita WraySeptember 3, 2013 at 10:30 AM

    Sounds like a good book, I can't wait to read it.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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  5. dollycas aka LoriSeptember 3, 2013 at 10:46 AM

    Thank you for kicking off this tour!!!

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  6. travelerSeptember 3, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    This theme is unique and appealing. Wonderful post and book. Many thanks for this giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  7. Libby DoddSeptember 3, 2013 at 12:08 PM

    There is something so inviting about a pie--the look of it, the smell of it, and then the wonderful (at least we hope so!) taste of it.

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  8. My Recent Favorite BooksSeptember 3, 2013 at 12:25 PM

    I love Pies! ( especially Pecan! )
    this is a wonderful book, and I enjoyed reading your Guest Post. =)

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  9. Wendy NewcombSeptember 3, 2013 at 12:50 PM

    I've never had plum pie but it sure looks good on this cover, lol. Thank you for the chance to win this cozy mystery!

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

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  10. Angela - BookauntSeptember 3, 2013 at 12:55 PM

    What a fun series -mysteries and pies. Thank you for the chance to won

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  11. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    You write several enjoyable series and I do love pie (and that cover!). Sounds like fun dialogue--can't wait to read it. Thanks.

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  12. Christy MaurerSeptember 3, 2013 at 1:58 PM

    I so wish I could make a good pie! It takes real talent! I love to eat it though :) This series sounds very cute. I love cozy mysteries and love that they are clean! christy41970 at gmail dot com

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  13. A Cozy Girl Reads And WritesSeptember 3, 2013 at 2:16 PM

    I'm a big fan of culinary mysteries, Please enter me in the contest. Thank you so much, can't wait to read Plum Deadly.

    sweething99@Hotmail.com

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  14. ChristinaBlevinsSeptember 3, 2013 at 2:17 PM

    This book sounds awesome I can't wait to read it.

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  15. Carol N WongSeptember 3, 2013 at 3:04 PM

    I love the theme of this series of cozy. I have never had a plum pie. Think I will add it to my bucket list. Would love to read this cozy.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  16. Darkand StormynightSeptember 3, 2013 at 3:31 PM

    Sounds like a delicious cozy! Can't wait to sink my teeth into it! *groan* (I know, I went there - LOL.)

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  17. Kelly Blackwell @ Heres My Take On ItSeptember 3, 2013 at 3:54 PM

    I love cozy mysteries because of yes...the lack of massive blood and sex. Not that I have a problem with sex, but the fact is, in books it is almost always an eye roller. :) My favorite thing about cozy mysteries are the characters. They are always so unique and fun. I look forward to checking out this series, but I must admit, I'm a bit intrigued by the Ren Faire one too. :)

    KellysShining(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 4, 2013 at 4:41 PM

      Thanks, Kelly! We love writing cozies because they are so much fun! Look how many flavors they come in! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  18. Donna ESeptember 3, 2013 at 4:48 PM

    Hubby and I were just talking about Damson Plums last night. Mystery Lovers' Kitchen posted a recipe for Damson Plumb Cake. He loves fruit of all kind, but especially plums.

    I am beginning to think I could read a different cozy mystery each day and would never come to the end. But I do think I like the idea of a pie shop. My mother-in-law taught me to make wonderful crusts; but one must keep in practice and I haven't made a pie crust in years and years. But I sure can read about them!

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    Replies
    1. UnknownSeptember 4, 2013 at 4:43 PM

      There are a remarkable number of interesting cozies, Donna! Working on a food truck and retired witches cozies right now for next year! Thanks for commenting!

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  19. Elizabeth MacGregor-KirkcaldySeptember 3, 2013 at 5:16 PM

    I've been waiting on this book! Love, love, love pie and mysteries and this one sounds "dangerously delectable" :) ~ And I love that it's set in the South in NC. Love reading all your mysteries and looking forward to this new series. Thank you for the chance to win and Happy Reading and Writing~ Cheers~ Elizabeth MacGregor

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  20. Barbara T.September 3, 2013 at 5:59 PM

    Pie may not be my favorite dessert, but this series could become a favorite.

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  21. Dotty KelleySeptember 4, 2013 at 1:27 AM

    Love their other series. Looking forward to this one.

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  22. annSeptember 4, 2013 at 9:47 PM

    I so love reading cozy mysteries. They have such great themes written in them. And usually the book cover is so nice looking with a funky sounding title. THanks for the chance to win this one.

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  23. cyn209September 5, 2013 at 9:46 PM

    i'm drooling & smacking my lips for this book!!!!
    thank you for the giveaway!!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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  24. MelodySeptember 8, 2013 at 2:58 AM

    Sounds good.

    melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. bn100September 12, 2013 at 2:13 PM

    Sounds interesting

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  26. KatreaderSeptember 16, 2013 at 7:39 PM

    Congratulations Barbara Thompson! Random.org has chosen you as the winner of this giveaway. I'll e-mail you will details. Thanks everyone else for visiting the blog, I hope you come again!

    ReplyDelete

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