I'm currently reading Get Me to the Grave on Time by D.E. Ireland. This book is the third in the Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mystery series and was released November 1st.
'Tis the season for weddings and Henry Higgins is fit to be tied! Considering matrimony a most unwelcome state, Higgins is forced to attend four weddings, starting with that of an old family friend. The wedding is not the dull affair he expected when the groom, instead of saying "I do" says he can't marry Minerva...who proceeds to pummel him with her bouquet. Sequestering him for his own safety didn't save the beleaguered groom, however. Instead he's found dead, poisoned by the bridal cog-a special drink meant for the bride and her groom. The groom's mistress is the obvious suspect and Eliza's cousin Jack, an inspector with Scotland Yard, is brought in on the case, even though his own wedding is about to occur. Jack's wedding is brought to a shocking conclusion as he is shot, along with Colonel Pickering, immediately following the nuptials. As they recover from their wounds, Eliza and Henry once again take up pursuit of a murderer. Will they solve the crime before the killer strikes again?
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Spotlight - Basket Case
Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book on my TBR pile. Basket Case by Nancy Haddock is the first book in the Silver Six Crafting Mystery series.
From the back cover:
There isn't much crime in Lilyvale, Arkansas, but local authorities have their hands full with Ms. Sherry Mae Stanton Cutler and her housemates-a crafty group of retirees who've dubbed themselves the Silver Six. But when Sherry Mae's niece, Nixy, arrives to keep them in line, Lilyvale also holds host to a killer.
When Leslee Stanton "Nixy" Nix gets the latest call from Lilyvale detective Eric Shoar, she knows it means trouble. There's been another kitchen explosion at her aunt Sherry's farmhouse, and the dreamy voiced detective has had enough. If Nixy doesn't check on her aunt in person, the Silver Six could become wards of the court.But the trouble Nixy finds in Lilyvale is not at all what she expects.
The seniors are hosting a folk art festival at the farmhouse, featuring Sherry's handwoven baskets, when land developer Jill Elsman arrives to bully Nixy's aunt into selling the property. When Jill is later found dead in the cemetery, Sherry is suspected of weaving a murder plot, and it's up to Nixy and the Silver Six to untangle the truth.
Recipes and Crafting Tips included.
From the back cover:
There isn't much crime in Lilyvale, Arkansas, but local authorities have their hands full with Ms. Sherry Mae Stanton Cutler and her housemates-a crafty group of retirees who've dubbed themselves the Silver Six. But when Sherry Mae's niece, Nixy, arrives to keep them in line, Lilyvale also holds host to a killer.
When Leslee Stanton "Nixy" Nix gets the latest call from Lilyvale detective Eric Shoar, she knows it means trouble. There's been another kitchen explosion at her aunt Sherry's farmhouse, and the dreamy voiced detective has had enough. If Nixy doesn't check on her aunt in person, the Silver Six could become wards of the court.But the trouble Nixy finds in Lilyvale is not at all what she expects.
The seniors are hosting a folk art festival at the farmhouse, featuring Sherry's handwoven baskets, when land developer Jill Elsman arrives to bully Nixy's aunt into selling the property. When Jill is later found dead in the cemetery, Sherry is suspected of weaving a murder plot, and it's up to Nixy and the Silver Six to untangle the truth.
Recipes and Crafting Tips included.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
A Composition in Murder Interview & Giveaway
I'm so happy to welcome Larissa Reinhart back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Larissa writes the Cherry Tucker Mystery series. A COMPOSITION IN MURDER, the sixth book in the series, was released November 15th.
Kathy: In A COMPOSITION IN MURDER Cherry meets the CEO and founder of Meemaw’s Tea. Are you a tea drinker?
LR: Hey Kathy! Thanks so much for
having me on! I am a tea drinker, although I guzzle 2 cups of coffee first
thing before I switch to tea. I love a cup of hot tea in the winter, but I
drink cold tea year round.
Kathy: Personally I love tea, though I can't stand sweet tea. Where do you stand when it comes to sweet tea?
LR: You don’t live in Georgia for twenty some years and not drink sweet tea. It’s just ingrained. But I don’t add sugar or sweeter to my unsweet tea. I either drink real sweet tea or not at all.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite type of tea?
LR: For cold tea, Oolong is my favorite. I became addicted to drinking it the first time we lived in Japan twenty years ago. You can buy the big tea bags of Oolong for brewing cold tea just like you can get Tetley’s in the US. I do like green tea, too. For hot tea, I like the fruity ones. Right now my favorite is Lupicia’s Paradise. It’s a black tea with a combo of tropical fruits.
Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?
LR: Because I grew up in a small town,
I’ve always spent time with senior citizens. My neighbors and most of the
parishioners at our church were elderly. It was very normal for me to “have
coffee” each week with our next-door neighbor (who also was my childhood
babysitter) and I loved listening to her stories. It seemed quite natural for
Cherry Tucker to do the same. Halo’s a small, country town, too (even though
it’s much bigger than my hometown). And I really wanted to do a mystery
involving a will, so that paired well with Cherry’s involvement with senior
citizens. I created Halo House, the ritzy senior residence, as a setting where
she could have friendships with seniors and get involved in a murder mystery.
Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Cherry Tucker?
LR: Cherry’s in a Halloween novella,
“The Vigilante Vignette,” which just came out this fall in the cozy anthology
MIDNIGHT MYSTERIES. I had a lot of fun with Cherry chasing a Catwoman between
Halloween parties because she could use her art background to design fun
costumes while trailing a thief.
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?
LR: I suppose I fall in between, but
I’m definitely more pantser than plotter. I like the term organic writer
actually. I have my main characters, get to know them first, and then start
with the incident that triggers the plot. Things to come to me as I’m writing
whereas if I just sit down to plot, not much happens. I try to understand the
motivations of all the major players including the villain and then base each
scene on how I think they’d react.
Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?
LR: The first mystery in my new Maizie
Albright Star Detective, 15 MINUTES, releases
January 24th. It’s another humorous mystery set in Georgia, except
Maizie is an ex-teen and reality star who’s left Hollywood to return to her
hometown to become a detective. In 15 MINUTES, Maizie’s involved in a missing
person’s case while trying to get the local private detective to mentor her.
She’s a lot of fun to write, too, although different in personality than Cherry
Tucker, obviously. I’d call Maizie earnestly optimistic despite all the
problems that seems to befall her. She finds the local private detective, Wyatt
Nash, very hunky, but he’s not interested in hiring someone who’s been a
tabloid front page story, so Maizie has her work cut out for her. She has ten
days to secure her job for the terms of her probation set by a California judge
who sent her back to Georgia in the first place. Doesn’t help she loses his
client’s wife during the second day nor that her stage-monster mother wants her
back on the reality show and will stop at nothing to ruin Maizie’s chance for a
new career.
Right now I’m writing Maizie
Albright’s second book, 16 MILLIMETERS. After that, I’m going back to work on
my first romantic comedy, BISCUIT GIRL IN NOODLE LAND. Another Georgia heroine
but is set in Japan. She’s bringing her love of Southern food with her although
falling in love is not on the menu. I started Biscuit Girl last year but
stopped to finish edits on A COMPOSITION IN MURDER and 15 MINUTES.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Cat Got Your Interview + Review & Giveaway
I'm pleased to welcome Julie Chase to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Julie
writes the Kitty Couture Mystery series. Cat Got Your Diamonds, the
first book in the series, was released November 15, 2016.
Kathy: Lacy Marie Crocker opens Furry Godmother, an upscale pet boutique and organic treat bakery. Is this store based on a real shop, or is it purely a creation of your imagination?
JC: The shop is purely from my imagination, but it's been fun running into readers who know someone with a relatable shop in their town. I think I should go on a tour, visiting as many of these places as possibly and taking selfies with the awesome owners.
Kathy: I have a large furry family including cats, rats, and a horse. Do you have furkids of your own? Have they inspired any of the offerings at Furry Godmother?
JC: Many of my animal scenes in this series were inspired by the pets I grew up with. My parents are huge animal lovers, and there was always at least one pet in the house. As an only child, the pets were my friends, my confidants and my companions. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of me and a furry sibling.
Kathy: You include recipes for pets. How do you develop these recipes? Do you have an eager testing panel/ Do you enjoy cooking for humans too?
JC: I stopped loving to cook after my kids were old enough to snub my meals. With three of children between the ages of 8 and 13, I only make two dishes that no one complains about and one of those is cereal. Cooking for pets is so much more fun. Pets love anything you offer them. They accept the food with enthusiasm and gratitude. I would cheerfully cook for a pet over a child any day. Though, I will say that my kids have loved baking and testing the pet recipes on pets. We're planning pet treats for the neighbors' pets now and will deliver them with the humans' cookies at Christmas.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JC: I fell in love with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books and wanted to recreate the fun and frolic I found there. She was my gateway to the cozy world. Cozy heroines feel like old friends that I can't wait to sit down and catch up with. I wanted to write those.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JC: I've published some YA and sweet romance in the past, but the last seven manuscripts I've written have been cozy mysteries. Also, I've just signed a contract to write romantic suspense for Harlequin's Intrigue line, so I'll be switching gears for a few months, but I'll always come back to cozy.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JC: Lacy's from a wealthy New Orleans family, but she's trying to carve her own path in life. That path took her away from home for nearly a decade, but now she's back, licking her wounds and making lemonade...or in her case making pet costumes and organic treats for furbabies. When a man is killed outside her pet boutique, Lacy is the main suspect. She must fight to clear her name and save her new business.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JC: I love Lacy because she's so determined. About everything. She's fiercely loyal. Dedicated to the success of her business, to finding a place in her mother's world, to healing their sometimes difficult relationship. Lacy does everything with heart, and I admire that.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JC: No. I just love pets in costumes and the New Orleans Garden District. I wanted to share both with readers.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JC: I want to reach people, the way my favorite authors reach me. I want to make a stranger smile, and hopefully give them an escape from their busy lives, even if it's just a few hours.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JC: Janet Evanovich, Stephen King, Stephenie Meyer and Emily Bronte.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JC: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JC: I'm a bit of a snore. Mostly, I read and write, or I hang out with my husband and kids. We like television and movies. We endure karate classes, swim meets, gymnastics events and everything from chess competitions to girl scout ceremonies together. If one of us is involved, then we're all involved. We call ourselves Team Lindsey.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JC: Bottled water, peanut butter & jelly, string cheese and coffee.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JC: I've written three books in the Kitty Couture series so far and have a proposal out there for books 4-6. So, fingers crossed, the publisher accepts the proposal, and I'll be taking Lacy and her crew on adventures for years to come.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JC: I love the idea of making someone else's day brighter. It's the reason I started writing, and it's my goal every time I sit down at my computer.
***************************************************************************
Review
CAT GOT YOUR DIAMONDS by Julie Chase
The First Kitty Couture Mystery
After a nasty breakup with her louse of a fiance Lacy Crocker returns
home to the Garden District of New Orleans. Lacy's followed her dreams
and opened Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and organic treat bakery. She
not only bakes all of the delicious treats, but designs the pet
clothing as well. Several burglaries have been occurring in the
neighborhood, but Lacy feels relatively safe-the thieves are after high
end jewelry, not glittery tutus or liver treats, no matter how well
made. When a disreputable man scopes out her shop, Lacy is a bit
unnerved and downright terrified when she finds him inside after hours!
When the police arrive they find the man dead and consider Lacy Suspect
#1! Now her investor has pulled his backing and Lacy is desperate to
clear her name and keep her business going. Despite the continued
growling of a good looking detective to let the police handle matters,
Lacy doggedly investigates all while trying to keep her business afloat,
dealing with her high society mama, trying to get her cat back from her
ex, and not getting killed!
Julie Chase has brought the Garden District of New Orleans alive. Bringing together the wealth and society demands of this exclusive district to a hardworking woman determined to make her own way without the help of her family's money or name Chase has created a likeable new protagonist and a world of well developed, interesting characters. I am thrilled to discover Furry Godmother! While Lacy's custom designed clothing may not be on my shopping list, I certainly would love to visit her store to buy some Tiny Tuna Tarts. Since that trip to a fictional store is not possible, Chase graciously shares the recipe so that my furkids, and yours, need not be deprived!
Filled with humor and fun CAT GOT YOUR DIAMONDS provides an intriguing mystery and great start to a new series. Chase ingeniously ends the book with a perfect segue to her next Kitty Couture Mystery, and now I'm dying to see what happens next!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Julie Chase has brought the Garden District of New Orleans alive. Bringing together the wealth and society demands of this exclusive district to a hardworking woman determined to make her own way without the help of her family's money or name Chase has created a likeable new protagonist and a world of well developed, interesting characters. I am thrilled to discover Furry Godmother! While Lacy's custom designed clothing may not be on my shopping list, I certainly would love to visit her store to buy some Tiny Tuna Tarts. Since that trip to a fictional store is not possible, Chase graciously shares the recipe so that my furkids, and yours, need not be deprived!
Filled with humor and fun CAT GOT YOUR DIAMONDS provides an intriguing mystery and great start to a new series. Chase ingeniously ends the book with a perfect segue to her next Kitty Couture Mystery, and now I'm dying to see what happens next!
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Currently Reading...
I'm currently reading Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase. This book is the first in the Kitty Couture Mystery series and was released earlier this month.
After a nasty breakup with her louse of a fiance Lacy Crocker returns home to the Garden District of New Orleans. Lacy's followed her dreams and opened Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and organic treat bakery. She not only bakes all of the delicious treats, but designs the pet clothing as well. Several burglaries have been occurring in the neighborhood, but Lacy feels relatively safe-the thieves are after high end jewelry, not glittery tutus or liver treats, no matter how well made. When a disreputable man scopes out her shop, Lacy is a bit unnerved and downright terrified when she finds him inside after hours! When the police arrive they find the man dead and consider Lacy Suspect #1! Now her investor has pulled his backing and Lacy is desperate to clear her name and keep her business going. Despite the continued growling of a good looking detective to let the police handle matters, Lacy doggedly investigates all while trying to keep her business afloat, dealing with her high society mama, trying to get her cat back from her ex, and not getting killed!
After a nasty breakup with her louse of a fiance Lacy Crocker returns home to the Garden District of New Orleans. Lacy's followed her dreams and opened Furry Godmother, a pet boutique and organic treat bakery. She not only bakes all of the delicious treats, but designs the pet clothing as well. Several burglaries have been occurring in the neighborhood, but Lacy feels relatively safe-the thieves are after high end jewelry, not glittery tutus or liver treats, no matter how well made. When a disreputable man scopes out her shop, Lacy is a bit unnerved and downright terrified when she finds him inside after hours! When the police arrive they find the man dead and consider Lacy Suspect #1! Now her investor has pulled his backing and Lacy is desperate to clear her name and keep her business going. Despite the continued growling of a good looking detective to let the police handle matters, Lacy doggedly investigates all while trying to keep her business afloat, dealing with her high society mama, trying to get her cat back from her ex, and not getting killed!
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets: An Interview & Giveaway
I'm pleased to welcome Sophie Hannah to Cozy Up With Kathy today. The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets is a collection of short stories of suspense.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
SH: In The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets? The narrator of the title story. She’s so screwed up and eccentric, and I totally identify wit her! My favourite character from fiction in general is the narrator of Herman Melville’s short story Bartleby the Scrivener. He has to work with someone who makes no sense — I’ve been there! — and deal with other people’s insoluble mysteries. I identify with the narrator’s bafflement.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SH: For me, writing is about communication. So I don’t see the point in writing and not publishing!
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SH: Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell, Daphne du Maurier and Enid Blyton. They’d make a fascinating combination. It would be the best dinner party ever...as long as they're all okay with Chinese takeaway. I'm usually too busy/exhausted to contemplate actual cooking!
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
SH: The Essence of Enlightenment by James Swartz. It’s a book about Vendanta philosophy. It's fascinating and very calming and comforting when life is difficult. I'd strongly recommend it to anyone.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SH: I love swimming, and walking my dog - a gorgeous Welsh Terrier called Brewster. I'm also addicted to political gossip!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SH: Prawn dim sum, taramasalata, Tobasco sauce and pink (rosé) wine or champagne.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SH: Being able to choose what I wish to communicate. It’s the opposite to talking, when any old nonsense might come out!
A collection of ingenious suspense stories from one of today's most acclaimed novelists in the genre. Everybody has their secrets, and in Sophie Hannah's fantastic stories the curtains positively twitch with them. Who, for instance, is the hooded figure hiding in the bushes outside a young man's house? Why does the same stranger keep appearing in the background of a family's holiday photographs? What makes a woman stand mesmerised by two children in a school playground, children she's never met but whose names she knows well? And which secret results in a former literary festival director sorting soiled laundry in a shabby hotel? All will be revealed…but at a cost. As Sophie Hannah uncovers the dark obsessions and strange longings behind the most ordinary relationships, life will never seem quite the same again.
SH: In The Fantastic Book of Everybody’s Secrets? The narrator of the title story. She’s so screwed up and eccentric, and I totally identify wit her! My favourite character from fiction in general is the narrator of Herman Melville’s short story Bartleby the Scrivener. He has to work with someone who makes no sense — I’ve been there! — and deal with other people’s insoluble mysteries. I identify with the narrator’s bafflement.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SH: For me, writing is about communication. So I don’t see the point in writing and not publishing!
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SH: Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell, Daphne du Maurier and Enid Blyton. They’d make a fascinating combination. It would be the best dinner party ever...as long as they're all okay with Chinese takeaway. I'm usually too busy/exhausted to contemplate actual cooking!
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
SH: The Essence of Enlightenment by James Swartz. It’s a book about Vendanta philosophy. It's fascinating and very calming and comforting when life is difficult. I'd strongly recommend it to anyone.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SH: I love swimming, and walking my dog - a gorgeous Welsh Terrier called Brewster. I'm also addicted to political gossip!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SH: Prawn dim sum, taramasalata, Tobasco sauce and pink (rosé) wine or champagne.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SH: Being able to choose what I wish to communicate. It’s the opposite to talking, when any old nonsense might come out!
The Fantastic Book of Everybody's Secrets
by Sophie Hannah
on Tour November 1 - December 17, 2016
A collection of ingenious suspense stories from one of today's most acclaimed novelists in the genre. Everybody has their secrets, and in Sophie Hannah's fantastic stories the curtains positively twitch with them. Who, for instance, is the hooded figure hiding in the bushes outside a young man's house? Why does the same stranger keep appearing in the background of a family's holiday photographs? What makes a woman stand mesmerised by two children in a school playground, children she's never met but whose names she knows well? And which secret results in a former literary festival director sorting soiled laundry in a shabby hotel? All will be revealed…but at a cost. As Sophie Hannah uncovers the dark obsessions and strange longings behind the most ordinary relationships, life will never seem quite the same again.
Book Details:
Genre: Short Stories, Thriller
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: October 11th 2016
Number of Pages: 120
ISBN: 0062562096 (ISBN13: 9780062562098)
Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Goodreads
Learn More:
Sophie Hannah is the New York Times-bestselling author of numerous psychological thrillers, which have been published in 27 countries and adapted for television, as well as The Monogram Murders, the first Hercule Poirot novel authorized by the estate of Agatha Christie.Catch Up with Sophie Hannah on her Website , Twitter , or Facebook
Tour Participants:
Giveaway:
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Sophie Hannah and Witness Impulse. There will be 5 US winners of one (1) eBook copy of The Fantastic Book of Everybody's Secrets by Sophie Hannah. The giveaway begins on November 1st and runs through January 2nd, 2017.
a Rafflecopter giveawayGet More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
Sunday, November 20, 2016
A Deadly Dog Day Interview & Giveaway
I'm happy to welcome Jamie M. Blair to the blog today. Jamie writes the Dog Days Mystery series. Deadly Dog Days, the first book is the series, was released November 8, 2016.
Kathy: Cameron Cripps-Hayman adopts the five dogs of her deceased neighbor in Deadly Dog Days. Are you a dog person? Have you adopted dogs of your own?
JMB: I am a dog person. I have a 3 and a half year old Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie), named Eddie, who’s my baby. Before Eddie, we had Sparky, a Toy Fox Terrier. While I’ve never adopted a dog, I do have two adopted cats.
Kathy: Setting plays such an important part in a mystery, especially a cozy mystery. What makes Metamora, Indiana the perfect setting for your series?
JMB: When I visited Metamora in the summer of 2014 with my mom, grandma, and great-aunt, I knew there was something special about it. My mom was the first to say, “You have to write a book about this place—your cozy mystery!” I’d been planning to write a cozy and immediately, I knew she was right. It was the perfect place to set my series. It’s a small historical canal town that has so much character, you can’t help but fall in love with it. The people are friendly and it’s a place you can’t help but want to return to.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JMB: Well, I thought I was plotting a romantic suspense series, and it turned out to be more of a cozy series, so I ran with it! I love quirky characters and you find so many memorable fictional people in cozies. The town and characters are welcoming and it’s great to come back to them in the next installment in a favorite series.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JMB: I used to. I don’t anymore.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JMB: The Dog Days Mysteries start with Deadly Dog Days, where Cameron Cripps-Hayman finds herself taking on the five unruly dogs of the woman she finds dead in the canal. Along with her group of eclectic town volunteers, she sets out to solve the murder after she becomes a suspect.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JMB: Actually, I like writing the dogs and their different personalities the best.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JMB: I guess you could say I’m inspired by the old TV series, Northern Exposure. I’m drawn to the quirky characters and small town, so it’s what I strive for when writing my novels.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JMB: I publish all my work, either through a publisher or on my own.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JMB: Wow, this is a hard one. I guess I’d invite JK Rowling, Diana Gabaldon, Maria Semple, and Allison Pataki since they write my favorites.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JMB: I just started reading Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple, who is the author of my favorite book, Where’d You Go Bernadette?
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JMB: Chocolate chip cookies, coffee, granola bars, frozen pizza
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JMB: So far, 3 books are planned for the Dog Days Mystery series.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JMB: Getting the cover art!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kathy: Cameron Cripps-Hayman adopts the five dogs of her deceased neighbor in Deadly Dog Days. Are you a dog person? Have you adopted dogs of your own?
JMB: I am a dog person. I have a 3 and a half year old Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie), named Eddie, who’s my baby. Before Eddie, we had Sparky, a Toy Fox Terrier. While I’ve never adopted a dog, I do have two adopted cats.
Kathy: Setting plays such an important part in a mystery, especially a cozy mystery. What makes Metamora, Indiana the perfect setting for your series?
JMB: When I visited Metamora in the summer of 2014 with my mom, grandma, and great-aunt, I knew there was something special about it. My mom was the first to say, “You have to write a book about this place—your cozy mystery!” I’d been planning to write a cozy and immediately, I knew she was right. It was the perfect place to set my series. It’s a small historical canal town that has so much character, you can’t help but fall in love with it. The people are friendly and it’s a place you can’t help but want to return to.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JMB: Well, I thought I was plotting a romantic suspense series, and it turned out to be more of a cozy series, so I ran with it! I love quirky characters and you find so many memorable fictional people in cozies. The town and characters are welcoming and it’s great to come back to them in the next installment in a favorite series.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JMB: I used to. I don’t anymore.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JMB: The Dog Days Mysteries start with Deadly Dog Days, where Cameron Cripps-Hayman finds herself taking on the five unruly dogs of the woman she finds dead in the canal. Along with her group of eclectic town volunteers, she sets out to solve the murder after she becomes a suspect.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JMB: Actually, I like writing the dogs and their different personalities the best.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JMB: I guess you could say I’m inspired by the old TV series, Northern Exposure. I’m drawn to the quirky characters and small town, so it’s what I strive for when writing my novels.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JMB: I publish all my work, either through a publisher or on my own.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JMB: Wow, this is a hard one. I guess I’d invite JK Rowling, Diana Gabaldon, Maria Semple, and Allison Pataki since they write my favorites.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JMB: I just started reading Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple, who is the author of my favorite book, Where’d You Go Bernadette?
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JMB: Chocolate chip cookies, coffee, granola bars, frozen pizza
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JMB: So far, 3 books are planned for the Dog Days Mystery series.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JMB: Getting the cover art!
Friday, November 18, 2016
Let's Visit Callie's Kitchen
I'm happy to welcome Jenny Kales to the blog today. Jenny pens the Callie's Kitchen Mystery series. SPICED AND ICED, the second book in the series, will be released December 5 but you can pre-order it now. ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK is the first book if you are new to the series and want to catch up!
Kathy: Callie Costas is the Greek-American proprietor of Callie's Kitchen. I love Greek food! What's your favorite Greek dish?
JK: Great question. I love so many of them, but spanakopita, the spinach feta cheese pie is my favorite. It's so delicious.
Kathy: Callie Costas is the Greek-American proprietor of Callie's Kitchen. I love Greek food! What's your favorite Greek dish?
JK: Great question. I love so many of them, but spanakopita, the spinach feta cheese pie is my favorite. It's so delicious.
Kathy: Do you enjoy cooking yourself or do you prefer eating someone else's efforts?
JK: I love to cook. I probably prefer it because I am one of those "food is love" people. I truly enjoy cooking and baking good food for my friends and family. Now, my husband is a great cook so when he cooks, that's very welcome.
Kathy: Callie sees a cooking contest as a possible answer to financial woes. Do you watch cooking contests either on TV or in person?
JK: I love Chopped, The Great British Bake-Off, and Cupcake Wars. I used to watch Top Chef religiously.
Kathy: Setting plays such an important part of books, especially cozy mysteries. What makes Crystal Bay, Wisconsin the perfect setting for your series?
JK: My fictional waterfront town is perfect for a cozy mystery because it is a naturally beautiful setting that readers will hopefully enjoy visiting-- but it also can have a dark side and that creates a lot of opportunity for mystery. A large body of water, small shops, tourists, competitive business owners, city types and more rural folks converging in one place -- for me the opportunities are endless for mysteries.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JK: I love to figure out the mysteries themselves and I thoroughly enjoy getting to know the colorful characters that populate cozy mysteries. My first cozy was probably Dianne Mott Davidson's DYING FOR CHOCOLATE. I picked that one up in the 90s and was thrilled with the combination of mysteries and recipes. And here I am today...:)
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JK: I've written non-fiction (essays, a non-fiction book, articles) extensively as a freelancer.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JK: My Callie's Kitchen Mystery series follows the adventures of Greek-American food business owner Calliope "Callie" Costas -- entrepreneur, single mom and now, amateur sleuth. She's juggling family demands, work complications and personal relationships -- all while trying to keep her business afloat -- and solve murders. She's got a lot on her plate -- literally.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JK: I obviously love Callie, my main character because she is loving, feisty and smart. But I have a real soft spot for her father. George. I think he's a complicated and heart-warming figure that many people may be able to identify with.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JK: The setting is inspired by Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a beautiful waterfront town that hosts many tourists. The Greek-American inspiration and food come from the Midwestern Greek-American family that I married into.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JK: I considered the traditional publishing route but kept being told by agents that the cozy market was in bad shape. However, those that I shared my book with really liked it. I decided to self-publish, a decision that I never thought I would make, but I'm very glad that I did.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JK: I would invite: Dianne Mott Davidson, Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell, (my favorite suspense author) and cozy mystery writer Linda Reilly because we've only met online and she's been a huge supporter of mine.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JK: I'm always reading a bunch of stuff at once. I'm currently reading Ann Purser's TERROR ON TUESDAY, a cozy mystery set in a small English village along with ALL THE GOOD PARTS, a women's fiction book by my friend and neighbor Loretta Nyhan. And, I'm starting VOYAGER, the third book in the Outlander series.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JK: I love to read, cook & bake. I also love vintage shopping, hearing retro bands and hanging out my husband and daughters.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JK: Butter, eggs, sugar, flour! Can you tell that I love to bake?
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JK: I'm getting ready to release book 2 in my Callie's Kitchen Mysteries. It's called SPICED AND ICED and it's set at Christmastime. SPICED AND ICED will be up for pre-order at the beginning of November. Book 3 is in the planning stages. I also have a new book -- more of a traditional mystery with cozy elements -- that I'm working on.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JK: When you get lost in the world of your setting and characters, it's just magical. But now that I've published, the second thing is interacting with readers and bloggers. It's wonderful to know that you have been able to entertain discerning cozy mystery readers!
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SPICED AND ICED is the latest addition to Callie's Kitchen. Here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/
For more information about Jennifer Kales check out the following links:
For more information about Jennifer Kales check out the following links:
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Review - Death on Windmill Way
Review
DEATH ON WINDMILL WAY by Carrie Doyle
The First Hamptons Murder Mystery
Antonia Bingham has finally escaped from an abusive husband in
California and is starting over across the country. With a love of
cooking and not much experience, Antonia bought the dilapidated old
Windmill Inn in the Hamptons and poured all of her money, sparing no
expense, into refurbishing it into a high end inn and restaurant. She soon discovered, however, that not only was her money running
out, but the previous owners of the inn had died under suspicious
circumstances. Was there some inn owner killing lunatic on the prowl?
Not trusting the police, her abusive ex-husband was a cop, Antonia
starts looking into the previous owner's death. Will her questions cause
a killer to act once more or will Antonia be able to save her own skin
and bring a murderer to justice?
Carrie Doyle gathers an interesting group of characters in her first Hamptons Murder Mystery. Antonia is a strong woman with a certain naivete who is determined to discover the truth behind the deaths of the previous innkeepers while trying to make certain she's not next to die! There's the vintage clothe wearing manager with an attitude, a flakey best friend, a volatile cooking crew, and a debonnaire father figure. There's also a lot of suspicious behavior as the number of possible suspects increases. Not only do they have motives, their actions belie their innocence.
The mystery took a while to draw me in, but soon I was eagerly involved in the story. There were moments that made me laugh, picturing the scene in my head, and moments that were touching. A most satisfying conclusion rounded out DEATH ON WINDMILL WAY and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Currently Reading...
I'm currently reading Death on Windmill Way by Carrie Doyle. This book is the first in the Hampton's Murder Mystery series.
Antonia Bingham has finally escaped from an abusive husband in California and is starting over across the country. With a love of cooking and not much experience, Antonia bought the dilapidated old Windmill Inn in the Hamptons and poured all of her money, sparing no expense, into refurbishing it into a high end inn and restaurant. What she soon discovered, however, was not only that her money was running out, but all previous owners of the inn had died under suspicious circumstances. Was there some inn owner killing lunatic on the prowl? Not trusting the police, her abusive ex-husband was a cop, Antonia starts looking into the previous owner's death. Will her questions cause a killer to act once more or will Antonia be able to save her own skin and bring a murderer to justice?
Antonia Bingham has finally escaped from an abusive husband in California and is starting over across the country. With a love of cooking and not much experience, Antonia bought the dilapidated old Windmill Inn in the Hamptons and poured all of her money, sparing no expense, into refurbishing it into a high end inn and restaurant. What she soon discovered, however, was not only that her money was running out, but all previous owners of the inn had died under suspicious circumstances. Was there some inn owner killing lunatic on the prowl? Not trusting the police, her abusive ex-husband was a cop, Antonia starts looking into the previous owner's death. Will her questions cause a killer to act once more or will Antonia be able to save her own skin and bring a murderer to justice?
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Offed Stage Left: An Interview & Giveaway
I'm pleased to welcome Joanne Sydney Lessner to the blog today. Joanne writes the Isobel Spice Mystery series. OFFED STAGE LEFT, the fourth book in the series, was released at the end of last month.
JSL: I knew the biggies: “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” “The Washington Post,” and of course, every Monty Python fan is intimately familiar with “The Liberty Bell.” That was my phone ringtone for ages. But I discovered there were subtler, more serious marches when my husband was leading a band called “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine,” after the Sousa march of that name. Sousa is not quite like anyone else. And he’s just so very American. Patriotic without being sentimental. He also wrote a number of operettas and songs. That said, the idea of singing his marches is inherently hilarious, since they were never intended to be vehicles for words. I’m actually quite proud of the lyrics I wrote for Sousacal; they rhyme and scan properly, but they’re ridiculous. I hope readers will sing along. The marches are easy to find on YouTube.
Kathy: I graduated with a theatre degree and worked in regional theatre at the Cleveland Playhouse many moons ago. Do you have any theatrical experience?
JSL: A kindred spirit! Yes, I’ve been a professional singer/actor since I graduated college. I made my Broadway debut in 1994 and I’ve done a lot of regional theater and opera over the years. I just played Rosie in Mamma Mia! at the wonderful Weston Playhouse in Vermont. I actually set an Isobel short story at a fictionalized Weston (free on my website!), and the theater in OFFED STAGE LEFT is a composite of several I’ve worked at. I doubt anyone would be surprised to learn that Isobel is, essentially, me at twenty-three. Minus the dead bodies.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
JSL: Nancy Drew was my gateway drug. One of my favorite reviews on Amazon described my books as “Nancy Drew for grown-ups.” From there it was a short leap to Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L. Sayers. I’m also a big fan of British police procedurals.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JSL: My debut novel, PANDORA'S BOTTLE, is literary fiction. It’s about a man who spends half a million dollars to buy a single bottle of wine once owned by Thomas Jefferson, and the waiter serving him drops it. So it’s about what happens to the man, the waiter, the girl he’s trying to impress, and the woman who owns the restaurant. It was inspired by a true story. I’ve also written extensively for the theater and have had both plays and musicals produced.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JSL: OFFED STAGE LEFT is the fourth in the series, which follows aspiring actress Isobel Spice from temp job to temp job, solving murders at every turn. At the same time, it charts her career as she attempts to break into show business.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JSL: This is terrible, but my two favorite characters don’t appear in this book! Percival, Isobel’s boy genius younger brother, and James, her temp agent. Percival is based on my son Julian, who was a computer science TA at Columbia when he was still in high school. James is a recovering alcoholic who finds Isobel equally irresistible and infuriating. He’s complex and flawed, and their relationship provides the romantic tension in the series. For various reasons, neither one follows Isobel to her first regional theater job in OFFED STAGE LEFT, but they’ll both be back in the next book.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JSL: Most people have no idea what the day-to-day experience of breaking into show business is like. It can be dehumanizing—you wait for your chance to sing sixteen, sometimes eight bars of music, only to be dismissed with “Thanks for coming in,” which is code for “Thanks for blowing the subway fare.” The flip side is that you make lifelong friends. I’ve always loved mysteries, so it seemed like a great way to illuminate the real story I wanted to tell, which is what it’s like to be a young actor in New York. Plus I get to share all the humiliating audition stories I’ve collected over the years. Some of them are pretty side-splitting—in retrospect, of course. My all-time favorite is in AND JUSTICE FOR SOME, which is book three.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JSL: That was always the goal. I guess it’s the performer in me. I need an audience!
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JSL: J.K. Rowling, Agatha Christie, W.S. Gilbert and George R.R. Martin. Then I’d just sit on the side and listen.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JSL: When we were in London last winter, I dipped into Foyle’s Bookstore while my husband and daughter went on the London Eye. When they came back, I asked, “Guess what I bought?” My husband replied, “Probably some English country house mystery.” With which I produced my purchase: an anthology actually entitled English Country House Mysteries. I’ve been hoarding it ever since, so I’m reading it now as my reward for getting OFFED STAGE LEFT out the door.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JSL: Singing, reading, writing, travel, going to live musical and theatrical performances, and hanging out with my husband and kids, who are my favorite people on the planet.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JSL: Kind bars, eggs, paper towels and grated Parmesan. I have an irrational fear of running out of paper towels, and there’s nothing that can’t be made better with grated Parmesan. Except maybe paper towels.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JSL: I have solid ideas for two more and a title idea for a third, but I doubt I’ll go beyond that. I have ideas for other standalone books, but not another mystery series. I think Isobel is it.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JSL: There’s something really satisfying about pointing to a paperback and saying, “I made that.” But mostly what I love is storytelling. I do it as an actor and as a writer. The rewards aren’t as immediate for a novelist, since you’re not sitting there watching someone read your book (thank God!) but I love knowing that people want to spend time with these characters I invented.
Synopsis:
There’s one role you don’t want a callback for: Prime Suspect.
Aspiring actress Isobel Spice lands her first regional theater job, playing a supporting role and understudying the lead in "Sousacal: The Life and Times of John Philip Sousa." A series of minor backstage accidents culminates in the suspicious death of the leading lady on opening night. When Isobel takes over the role, her mastery of the material makes her more suspect than savior, and she realizes the only way to clear her name is to discover the identity of the murderer—before he or she strikes again.Don't Miss Your Chance to Read Offed Stage Left! You can grab it at Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Kobo , Smashwords , & Add it to your Goodreads List !Book Details:
Genre: Mystery, Amateur Sleuth
Published by: Dulcet Press
Publication Date: Late October 2016
Number of Pages:260
ISBN: 978-0-9981332-0-1
Series: Isobel Spice, 4 | Each is a Stand Alone Mystery
Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
“Be kind to your web-footed friends, for a duck could be somebody’s mooo-ther,” Sunil Kapany sang under his breath to the tune of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”“Shhh!” Isobel Spice elbowed him. “There’s a rehearsal going on, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“You have to admit, it’s better than the lame words we’re being forced to sing,” Sunil grumbled. He sank further into his cushioned seat in Livingston Stage Company’s darkened theater, drawing up his knees against the scratched donor nameplate on the seatback in front of him. “Seriously, who thought it was a good idea to write lyrics to Sousa marches?”
“I don’t see how you can have a musical about the March King without using his music,” Isobel said. She shifted the bustle of her pale-blue and white muslin gown, her act one costume for Sousacal: The Life and Times of John Philip Sousa.
“Easy,” Sunil replied. “You hire a composer with a sense of the period to write the book songs, and use Sousa’s marches for the gazintas and gazoutas.”
Isobel frowned. “The what?”
“The underscoring that goes into one scene and goes out of another. Gazintas and gazoutas.” He looked askance at her. “Have you never done a musical before?”
“Plenty.” She bristled. “And I’ve never heard anyone use those words. You are totally making that up.”
“I am not,” Sunil said, affronted. “Hey, Kelly!”
Several rows in front of them, Kelly Jonas, the stage manager, held court behind a large wooden plank balanced across the seats, which served as a makeshift control center for tech rehearsals. She looked up from her prompt book, a three-inch binder stuffed with script pages and scenic renderings, fastidiously divided by brightly colored tabs. Pushing aside a long strand of graying hair, Kelly squinted at Sunil through her wire-rimmed glasses.
“Yeah?”
“What are gazintas and gazoutas?” Sunil asked.
“The playons and playoffs before or after a scene,” she answered distractedly. A movement onstage caught her attention. “Are we ready to move on?”
Sunil turned triumphantly to Isobel. “See?”
Isobel sighed. “This is going to be a long day.”
“They don’t call it a ten-out-of-twelve for nothing.”
“Is there anything more tedious than spending ten hours waiting around while they set lighting and sound cues?” Isobel whined.
“Um, yes. Doing the actual show.”
As much as Isobel hated to admit it, Sunil was right. From day one, it had been clear that Sousacal was a dog. There had been a buzz of anticipatory excitement in the air when the company assembled for the first read-through in the third-floor rehearsal studio of the sleek, state-of-the-art performing arts complex in downtown Albany. In addition to hosting the century-old Livingston Stage Company, relocated from its charmingly dilapidated (some said haunted) prior home in an old vaudeville house, the building had a black box theater and a café that served light meals before and after performances. Everything about her surroundings made Isobel feel like a working theater professional.
Everything, that is, except the material. Sunil had politely informed her after the read-through that his shin was black and blue from her kicking it under the table. But having taken out her frustration on his tibia, she resolved to relish her first regional theater job rather than let the disappointing quality of the show get her down. Since moving to New York a year and a half ago, when she’d met Sunil at her very first audition, Isobel had learned that most acting work was to be found in summer stock or regional theaters. Isobel had resigned herself to the conundrum of living in New York in order to get work out of town, which was the best way for a young performer who was not yet a member of Actors’ Equity Association to build her resume. Despite Sunil’s increasingly steady stream of snarky comments, she had thrown herself enthusiastically into her small role as John Philip Sousa’s first love, Emma Swallow, while assiduously preparing the larger role she was understudying: Jennie Sousa, the composer’s wife.
Isobel sighed again and flipped open her script to a scene between Jennie and Sousa, running her finger down the neon pink highlights. “I may as well use my downtime to memorize lines.”
Sunil jerked a thumb at the stage. “You really think Arden is going to miss a performance?” Isobel followed his gaze. Arden Claire was stalking the proscenium like a tiger that hadn’t had its morning coffee. A statuesque, auburn-haired beauty, Arden had once represented New York in the Miss America pageant and was hailed as a minor celebrity, even though she hadn’t made it past the swimsuit competition. So far, her portrayal of Jennie Sousa was not living up to expectations. Throughout the three-week rehearsal period, Ezra Bernard, the director, had pushed Arden to suppress her natural hauteur and find Jennie’s quiet strength and self-deprecating humor. Their struggles swallowed up rehearsal hours, and the more Ezra tried to mold Arden’s characterization, the more fiercely she clung to the glamour that had guaranteed her past successes, which didn’t exactly endear her to the rest of the company.
Chris Marshall, the charismatic, square-jawed actor playing Sousa, found her completely intolerable. All Arden’s scenes were with him, which meant her epic ego flashes impacted him more than anyone else. Initially, Chris had struck Isobel as the sort of galvanizing personality who stepped up to lead the company, but after three weeks of Arden, he had withdrawn into sullen, stormy silence. Lately he had stopped addressing his leading lady directly and had taken to routing all his communication through Ezra, a gently bearish man who was growing increasingly frazzled as opening night approached. Isobel was surprised now to see Chris saunter onstage and whisper something in Arden’s ear, prompting her to glower at him and retreat to the wings.
“Even divas get sick,” Isobel remarked. “Better safe than sorry.”
Sunil gave Isobel an appraising look. “If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d warn that girl to watch her back.”
Isobel flicked her eyes toward him. “Are you being purposely obnoxious today?”
“I assure you, it’s completely accidental.”
“Ha ha.”
“Trust me, you’re better off playing Emma.”
“Jennie is the lead. She’s Sousa’s wife. Emma is a passing fancy. I’m only in act one,” Isobel griped.
Sunil raised an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight: you think the show is a piece of crap, but you’re complaining your part isn’t big enough?”
Isobel crossed her arms defiantly. “What if I am?”
He laughed. “You are so predictable! Look, Jennie is your typical ingénue. Emma has, if you’ll pardon the expression, spice.” Isobel glared at him, but he went on. “Plus, you get to come back at the end as the hotel maid who finds him dead.”
“I have two lines and a scream,” she said. “About what you have in act two as the Indian chief who makes Sousa an honorary chieftain.”
“I don’t scream—I chant.” Sunil twirled the walking stick that rested horizontally across his knee. “Isn’t it time someone told Felicity she hired the wrong kind of Indian? I’m pretty sure the Pawnee Nation doesn’t have a Delhi tribe.”
Isobel resisted the urge to look several rows behind her, where Felicity Hamilton, artistic director of Livingston Stage, was sitting. Felicity was in her late fifties, short and stocky with impeccably coiffed black hair, a deceptively warm smile, and a calculating gaze. She had never married, but despite an apparent absence of maternal warmth, she treated her nephew and godchild Jethro like a son. It was Jethro Hamilton, a self-described Sousa fanatic, who had written the book and lyrics to Sousacal. The musical was Jethro’s baby, and, in his way, Jethro was Felicity’s.
“She thinks she’s getting points for non-traditional casting,” Isobel said. “Don’t kill the dream.”
“Where she’s really getting them is casting a brown person to play Philadelphia gentleman and man of the church Benjamin Swallow, your…gulp…stepfather.”
Isobel knew that Sunil, an Indian Jew, was perennially frustrated at the inability of directors to see past his ethnicity and hire him for the glorious tenor voice he had inherited from his cantor father.
She patted his hand. “It’s utility casting. They had to give us small parts because we’re covering the leads.” She eyed him curiously. “You are looking over Sousa’s stuff, right?”
Sunil pulled his hand away. “I’ve glanced at it.”
“Glanced…?” Isobel’s jaw fell open. “It’s huge! Sousa carries the show.”
“Eh, it’s pretty much sunk in by osmosis. Besides, you know actors. They’ll drag themselves onstage coughing and hacking rather than turn their creation over to a scheming understudy. You know, I’m not even the—”
“What if something serious happened to Chris? And what if there was a Broadway producer in the audience and you had to go on?”
Sunil snorted. “As if Broadway cares a hoot about what happens in the boonies.”
“Last I checked, Albany was the state capital.”
“Like I said, the boonies. Theatrically and politically,” Sunil cracked.
“Plenty of Tony winners are launched in regional theaters like Livingston,” she reminded him. Sunil unbent his long legs and stretched them out under the seat in front of him. “Let’s review all the reasons that’s never going to happen with Sousacal. Number one: the show sucks. Number two: the show sucks. And number three: it’s not very good.”
Isobel turned a page with a dainty finger. “Then you won’t be interested in what I heard from Thomas in the costume shop.”
“Probably not.” Sunil yawned ostentatiously and tipped his straw boater over his face.
“Arden, back onstage, please.” Kelly’s voice echoed over the God mic. “We’ll finish the duet and move on to the wedding without stopping. Ensemble, please be ready for your entrance.”
Isobel set her script on the seat next to her and nudged Sunil. “Come on. Time to make the donuts.”
He righted his hat with a groan and led her down the aisle. They skirted the orchestra pit via a set of narrow utility stairs and took their places offstage left.
“So, what did you hear in the costume shop?” Sunil asked casually.
“I thought you weren’t interested,” Isobel teased.
“I’m not. I’m bored.”
Isobel’s eyes darted around the wings. Three chorus women, locals whom Isobel didn’t know well, were fussing with their costumes, which everyone was wearing for the first time. One of the ensemble men was trying to draw out the shy little boy who played young Sousa, while two others were engaged in a quiet but intense conversation. Satisfied that nobody was listening, she returned her attention to Sunil.
“Someone from the Donnelly Group is coming opening night.”
“The Broadway producers?” Sunil waved her off. “I don’t believe it.”
“Thomas says all they have in the pipeline is revivals, and they’re scouting for something new,” Isobel insisted. “And you know as well as I do, if you want to know what’s going on, ask the costume shop.”
“Still don’t believe it.”
“And…continue,” Kelly called.
Chris and Arden picked up, rather mechanically, in the middle of act one, scene seven. Isobel watched them intently, mouthing Jennie’s lines while Sunil eyed her in amusement.
“You’re really taking this seriously,” he whispered.
She ignored him and continued, but stopped abruptly when Arden veered from the script.
“I can’t sit on the gazebo bench if that spotlight is right in my eyes,” Arden announced.
“We’ll adjust it on the break,” Kelly said. “If you stand on six, you should be in the clear.”
Arden shuffled over a few inches. “Now I’m in the dark.”
“Those are your choices right now. We’ll fix the cue later,” Kelly said.
Chris reached for Arden. “Oh, Jennie, you’ve made me the happiest man on earth. Please? Not just a tiny kiss?”
Arden stepped forward and shaded her eyes from the bright stage lights. “Ezra, I need a fan for this scene. It’s summer and she would have one.”
“Jesus Christ,” Chris muttered.
“We’ll get you a fan,” Ezra boomed from the back of the house. “Go on.”
Chris repeated his line. “Not just a tiny kiss?”
“Not until I have a fan,” Arden said.
“Something I’ll never be,” quipped Chris.
“Ooh, snap,” breathed Sunil.
Arden shot Chris a murderous look.
“I will get you one for tomorrow’s dress,” Ezra shouted. “Finish the goddamn scene!”
Arden turned to Chris and batted her eyelashes unconvincingly. “Not until we’re married,” she said with a tight-lipped smile.
From the orchestra pit, the piano launched into the intro to Sousa’s famous march, “The Washington Post.” Chris dropped to one knee, flung his arms wide, and sang in a lusty bari-tenor:
I’ll probably die if you don’t kiss me,
Yes, that’s what I most want you to do,
You simply have got to see it through!
As Chris pulled Arden onto his knee, Sunil continued the verse, singing his own lyrics into Isobel’s ear:
I’ll die if I ever have to sing that!
I’ll fall off the stage and land on my head,
And then I’ll be just as good as dead!
Isobel let out a squawk of laughter, which was topped by an even louder shriek from the stage, where Arden was jumping up and down, clutching the back of her thigh.
“Stop!” Kelly called out over the mic. “Are you okay?”
“There’s a wire sticking out on this stupid bustle!”
“Thomas? Are you in the house?” Kelly asked.
“Coming!” The lean, blond costume designer loped down the aisle and took the utility stairs by twos. “Okay, princess, let’s see what the problem is.”
He led Arden into the wings next to Isobel and Sunil. Arden spun around, allowing Thomas to hike up her skirts and examine the bustle, which was knotted around her waist under a candy-cane-striped dress.
“Yeah, I see it. Heather, do you have pliers or something?”
The mousy, wide-eyed assistant stage manager hopped down from her stool, rummaged in a box on the floor, and retrieved a slightly rusted pair of pliers. Arden turned around, hands on hips, facing Isobel, while Thomas adjusted the padded wire contraption.
“Those things are a pain in the ass,” Isobel said sympathetically. “Literally.”
Arden’s lip curled. “Oh, look, it’s my stalker. Probably wishing the wire had hit an artery.”
“I’m just doing my job,” Isobel said defensively.
Thomas released Arden’s skirts and let them fall to the floor. “You’re fixed.”
“We’re good,” Heather reported into her headset.
“Back onstage, please,” Kelly called over the mic.
With exaggerated courtesy, Isobel pulled aside the black masking curtain. But as Arden flounced toward the stage, the entire length of material came down from the ceiling, burying Sousacal’s leading lady under its heavy folds.
Author Bio:
Catch Up With Joanne on her Website, Twitter, & Facebook.
Tour Participants:
Giveaway
This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Sydney Lessner. There will be 1 winner of one (1) $15 Amazon.com Gift card & 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Offed Stage Left by Joanne Sydney Lessner. The giveaway begins on October 31st and runs through November 17th, 2016. a Rafflecopter giveawayGet More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours
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