Beware the Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Cynthia Hickey to the blog today. Cynthia writes the Shady Acres Mystery series. Beware the Orchids is the first book in the series.

Kathy: After being ditched at the altar Shelby Hart quits her job and becomes gardener and event coordinator. Do you enjoy gardening?

CH: No, I don't garden. Everything I try to grow ends up dying.


Kathy: Do you like orchids? 

CH: I think orchids are gorgeous!


Kathy: Are you a party planner? Do you enjoy arranging events or do you prefer to let Shelby do the only organizing?

CH: I am definitely a planner, but a professional would do a much better job. I tend to overstress the situation.


Kathy: What makes an upscale retirement community the perfect setting for your mystery series? 

CH: There are plenty of fun characters to get involved.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries? 

CH: A dare actually. A friend of mine dared me to write one. I had no idea what a cozy was so I looked up the definition, wrote the book, won a contest, and acquired an agent. I haven't stopped since.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

CH: I write Romantic Suspense and Historical Romance


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

CH: Shady Acres Mysteries: Jilted by love, Shelby is hired as a gardener at an upscale retirement community. The perfect job...except dead bodies show up whereever she goes.

The Nosy Neighbor series: An author is told to get out more to prevent her characters from becoming cardboard. She forms a neighborhood watch and ends up hiding in a doghouse her first night on patrol.

The River Valley series: Marsha, a widowed mother, returns to her home town to work in her mother's craft store and must find a killer to clear her daughter's name.

The Summer Meadows series: Summer wants only to grow a prize winning rose bush. She didn't intend to stumble across theft and murder.


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

CH: I love Shelby's grandmother, Ida. Who wouldn't want an over the top, loving, adventurous grandma?


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

CH: Not really. Ideas are sparked from everywhere.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work? 

CH: The traditional line I wrote for closed down. My agent handed me a new line he had started and I took off from there and formed my own publishing company, Winged Publications


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

CH: Margaret Mitchell, Diana Gabaldon, Robert Patterson, and J.K. Rowling


Kathy: What are you currently reading? 

CH: a romantic suspense by Mary Alford


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

CH: I have discovered I love oil painting and I'm not too bad at it.


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

CH: Almond milk, diet coke, eggs, and a vodka drink. Weird combination, right?


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

CH: I'm working on a new series where the main character is a paparazzi in Hollywood.


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

CH: Creating characters that make me laugh and cry.


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Asking for Truffle - Review

Review

ASKING FOR TRUFFLE by Dorothy St. James

The First Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery

Charity Penn, who eschews the name Charity, is far too familiar with charlatans and con artists to be taken in by the scam offering her free chocolate making classes in South Carolina. Especially since Penn never enters contests. Curious, however, she asks her childhood friend to do some Internet checking for her, but he decides to visit the town in person. Shortly after calling Penn to tell her to come down in person, Skinny winds up dead-in a vat of chocolate. Feeling responsible for his death Penn descends on the town only to discover a run down struggling beach community inhabited by strange residents. Now Penn will try to discern the truth as she tries to sort out the motives of the townsfolk while dealing with her horribly behaved dog and learning to make sublime chocolates. 

There's an interesting vibe to ASKING FOR TRUFFLE. Penn is a very jaded, suspicious person with a fairly dim outlook on life. While it's understanding given her past, it doesn't make her very likable. The residents of Camilla Beach also have a dark cloud around them. We see unpleasant sides to nearly all of the characters and so nearly all become suspects and none are trustworthy. Yet in this derelict world, there's something more, something good. Penn's viewpoint starts to change and ours with her. 

Unlike most cozies, ASKING FOR TROUBLE is more negative. Not dark, but drab, yet somehow compelling. Penn's attitude toward her dog as well as her relationships with her surrogate granny and her half sister show that there is a light inside of her. There is some humor to be found here along with some wonderful descriptions of chocolate to lighten the outlook. I'm curious how Penn will continue to grow and how the community of Camilla Beach will change with her as the series progresses.

Recipes included.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Asking for Truffle by Dorothy St. James. This book is the first in the Southern Chocolate Shop Mystery series and was released September 12th.

Charity Penn, who eschews the name Charity, is far too familiar with charlatans and con artists to be taken in by the scam offering her free chocolate making classes in South Carolina. Especially since Penn never enters contests. Curious, however, she asks her childhood friend to do some Internet checking for her, but he decides to visit the town in person. Shortly after calling Penn to tell her to come down in person, Skinny winds up dead-in a vat of chocolate. Feeling responsible for his death Penn descends on the town only to discover a run down struggling beach community inhabited by strange residents. Now Penn will try to discern the truth as she tries to sort out the motives of the townsfolk while dealing with her horribly behaved dog and learning to make sublime chocolates.

Passport to Murder - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Mary Angela to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Mary writes the Professor Prather Mystery series. PASSPORT TO MURDER, the second book in the series, was released September 15th.

Kathy: In PASSPORT TO MURDER Professor Prather's dream of going to France almost comes true. Was traveling to France a dream for you?

MA: I’d always wanted to go to France ever since taking French in college. My teacher was a native of France and made Paris sound terribly romantic. So it was a dream come true when I was able to see many of the places I’d learned about. My favorite tourist destination was the Louvre museum. I could have spent days looking at all the works of art. But what I really loved about Paris was the lifestyle. Sipping coffees in outdoor cafés, Parisians seemed to take time to enjoy the moment.


Kathy: In order to solve the murder, Emmeline must put her research skills to use. Do you enjoy doing research? What's your favorite aspect to it? What do you like least?

MA: I enjoy doing research, especially about other writers. I read lots of biographies and have visited many writers’ houses or hometowns. But research for my novels usually comes from firsthand experience. For instance, when conducting research for PASSPORT TO MURDER, I toured the airport police in Minneapolis and also interviewed a lieutenant. I love talking to people about what they do. That’s my favorite part of research. My least favorite part is Internet research. It might be convenient, but a quick fact might take hours to confirm online, which can be frustrating.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

MA: My favorite cozies have a strong sense of place and plot. So I thought the cozy mystery would be the perfect genre for a mystery series set in South Dakota. It allows me to show readers my beautiful home state while adhering to the rules of a traditional mystery.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

MA: I also write short stories. In the future, I would like to pursue children’s books as well as historical romance.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

MA: The Professor Prather Mystery series is an academic series that takes place on a small college campus in the fictional town of Copper Bluff, South Dakota. The amateur sleuth, Emmeline Prather, is an English professor and a major Francophile. Her sidekick, Lenny Jenkins, is also an English professor. But that’s where their similarity ends. Their differences are advantageous, though, when it comes to solving crimes.


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

MA: No, I don’t. Mrs. Gunderson, Emmeline’s nosy neighbor, is starting to grow on me, however. Many readers comment on her in their reviews, so I think she’s growing on them, too! She can be downright brutal, but she’s a lot of fun to write and read.


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

MA: Yes, I was inspired to write the series by my own time at college, a university located in a lovely little town in South Dakota. After working at a call center right out of high school, I knew college was a privilege I couldn’t waste. While obtaining my English degrees, I read everything assigned and not assigned. Later, when I became a teacher, I realized my love for education started in those early formative years.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

MA: I thought others would enjoy reading about this world within a world, but not from an academic point of view. It had to be fictional and fun. A college campus turned out to be a wonderful place to set a mystery series!


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

MA: I would invite Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Virginia Woolf, and Agatha Christie.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

MA: I’m reading CALAMITY AT THE CONTINENTAL CLUB. It’s a fantastic mystery set in Washington, DC. I’m also reading a nonfiction book, THE HARVEY GIRLS: THE WOMEN WHO OPENED THE WEST. I never knew about the Harvey Girls until my family and I took a vacation to the Grand Canyon this summer, so the book has been very educational.


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

MA: I love to bake, and because I love to bake, I also do Zumba. I also enjoy teaching and spending time with my family.


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

MA: I’m a coffee fiend. I always have it in the house, and if I don’t, I will get it—before I go to bed. Waking up without coffee is not an option. I’m also a big fan of Hot Tamales, M&Ms, and popcorn; those are my go-to movie snacks when I’m watching the Hallmark channel.


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

MA: I’m working on my third book in the series, A VERY MERRY MURDER. I love Copper Bluff at Christmas time, and I think readers will, too.


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

MA: I love the act of creation, the writing itself. I like having another world to go to all day where people are generally happy (well, except for the murder victim!). Also, writing challenges me in a way that other work doesn’t. I find it so engrossing that some days I have to remind myself to pick up the kids from school!

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Author links:

www.MaryAngelaBooks.com

www.facebook.com/maryangelabooks

www.twitter.com/maryangelabooks

https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Angela/e/B01GPB96CK/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/passport-to-murder-mary-angela/1126605280


Bio:

Mary Angela is the author of the Professor Prather academic mystery series, which has been called “enjoyable” and “clever” by Publishers Weekly. She is also an educator and has taught English and humanities at South Dakota’s public and private universities for over ten years. When Mary isn’t writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. For more information about Mary or the series, go to MaryAngelaBooks.com.

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Merry Christmas, Y'All - Guest Post & Giveaway

Today I'm turning over the blog to Ellen Byron. Ellen writes the Cajun Country Mystery series. A Cajun Christmas Killing, the third book in the series,  will be released October 10th.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y’ALL

by Ellen Byron

  

I picked that post title for a reason. When I was celebrating Christmas in Louisiana a couple of years ago, I saw lights that spelled out “Merry Christmas, Y’all” strung from a French Quarter balcony. It became my favorite decoration - next to the giant, brightly lit purple and green fleur de lis that adorned another iconic wrought iron balcony. (I’m sure the owners of that ornament get double use out of it on both Christmas and Mardi Gras!) When I was trying to capture the Crescent City Christmas spirit, I incorporated both of those images into a chapter of A Cajun Christmas Killing, my third Cajun Country Mystery.

New Orleans, a city whose motto is laissez les bon temps rouler – “let the good times roll” – never misses a chance to celebrate, so of course they embrace the holiday season with gusto. Canal Street lampposts are festooned with white lights. Streetcars sport pine tree garlands and wreaths. Hotels like the Roosevelt and Monteleone boast elaborately decorated lobbies and Christmas trees. The entire city sparkles literally and figuratively.

One famous, age-old New Orleans holiday tradition is the Réveillon dinner. In French, the word “reveillon” means “awakening.” The dinners began in the early 1800s when NOLA Creoles celebrated the start of Christmas with a big family meal after returning home from midnight mass. Today you’ll find Réveillon dinners offered by many of the city’s restaurants throughout the month of December, at a much more reasonable dining hour. The meals offer a wide range of Creole dishes, from turtle soup to chocolate absinthe trifle.

Another wonderful New Orleans tradition is caroling in the French Quarter’s Jackson Square, which usually takes place the Sunday evening before Christmas. Hundreds of people congregate in the Square, where they’re provided with free candles and sheet music. Singing begins at 7 p.m. My family and I arrived at a restaurant that bordered the Square around the time caroling began. We watched and listened as we ate and when we finished our meal, we joined the carolers.

By the end of the last song, as the sea of voices harmonized, emotion welled up inside me and I shed a few tears. The Crescent City may endure tragedies like Hurricane Katrina, but its people and spirit are indomitable. And nowhere did I feel that energy more than Christmas week in my beloved Big Easy.

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A Book Signing! Character Guest Post, Giveaway, and Review of Body on Baker Street

I'm pleased to welcome Jane Wilson to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Jane comes from the pages of the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series courtesy of Vicki Delany. Body on Baker Street, the second book in the series, was released September 12th.

Jayne Wilson

From Body on Baker Street, a Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery by Vicki Delany

I am so excited! I can’t believe it but my very favourite author is coming to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop on Saturday. Renalta Van Markoff (don’t you just love that name) writes the Hudson and Holmes series about Sherlock Holmes and his smarter partner and lover, Desdemona Hudson. In these books Mrs. Hudson, you see, only pretends to be the housekeeper.

Isn’t that clever?

I’m Jayne Wilson and I am half-owner, head baker, and manager of Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room at 220 Baker Street, West London, Massachusetts. My business partner (and best friend) Gemma Doyle owns and runs the business next door at number 222, The Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium.

And on Saturday Renalta Van Markoff is giving a talk and doing a singing.

Squee!

We’ll be closing the tea room for the talk, simply because of the expected crowds, but I’m hoping for a big rush after Miss Van Markoff has finished. After all, what goes better with a talk about Sherlock Holmes than a full traditional afternoon tea?

Although Gemma might scoff:

“I try to have at least one scene involving afternoon tea in each of my books. It gives Desdemona and Sherlock a chance to get together and talk over what they’ve learned.”

I refrained from mentioning that I couldn’t imagine Sherlock Holmes, man of action, pipe tobacco, and lover of a seven percent solution, enjoying a cream tea.

I love the books, and I love Desdemona Hudson and the portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, but Gemma has pointed out to me – more than once- that critics and die-hard Sherlockians hate them. They think Van Markoff has taken excessive liberties with the Great Detective.

Pooh! I know a good story when I read one. I’m not looking for a great work of literature here.

Gemma is worried that Donald Morris, our town’s staunchest Sherlockian, and some of his fellows might cause a disruption at the signing on Saturday.

I’m sure she has nothing to worry about. It will all go fine.

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Review

BODY ON BAKER STREET by Vicki Delany

The Second Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery

Gemma Doyle is about to tell a hapless personal assistant that the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium couldn't possible host a book signing on such short notice, until she discovers the author is none other than Renalta Van Markoff. This bestselling author has been taking the world by storm with her controversial version of Sherlock Holmes stories and Gemma agrees to host the signing. Upon meeting her, however, Gemma glimpses a nasty side to the woman, although fans are oblivious. After her brief talk, Renalta starts to sign books, but after a gulp of water she collapses-and Gemma smells murder, literally. Who could have done the deed? The mousy and put upon PA, the smarmy publicist, the stalker fan? Surely it couldn't be Donald, the local Holmes scholar, even if he did threaten the author...could it?

Vicki Delany gives us a glimpse of the publishing world in BODY ON BAKER STREET. We see the lives of an author, publicist, and publisher and how they intersect, intertwine, work together, and be at odds. Expectations of a bookseller are also shown as Gemma deals with a famous author and her fans...and detractors.

The characters here are unique and well developed, with motivation beyond the page. A smart, perhaps too smart, protagonist lacking in most of the social graces still manages to get readers to not only appreciate her, but like her as well. We even see some vulnerability in her.

I really enjoy this series, a cozy version of Sherlock Holmes that provides interesting characters and a deftly written mystery. 
 

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