Cozy Up With Kathy: Death by Proxy - A Spotlight & Giveaway

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Death by Proxy - A Spotlight & Giveaway

I'm happy to shine a spotlight on Death by Proxy by Paula Darnell today. This book is the third in the DIY Diva Cozy Mystery series and was released last month.

Here's an excerpt:

“Duane Harris Wesson! Is that your idea of a proposal?”

If I'd been standing, I'd have put my hands on my hips, but I was sitting beside Wes on the sofa in my den. He'd just suggested that a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi would make a great honeymoon, but he hadn't asked me to marry him!

“Uh, definitely not.” My boyfriend grabbed a pillow, placed it on the tile floor in front of me, and knelt on the plush cushion. He took my hand. “Laurel, sweetheart, I love you, and I'd love for us to spend the rest of our lives together.”

He fumbled in his jacket pocket for a moment before pulling out a small velvet-covered box. He opened it and took out a spectacular diamond ring. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I said breathlessly, and Wes slipped the stunning ring onto my finger.

Bear, my chocolate Labrador retriever, had been snoozing on his bed in front of the fireplace, but sensing that something was up and not wanting to be left out, he came over and sat in front of me, next to Wes, and put his head on my lap.

Wes put one arm around me and the other around Bear, as I leaned forward to kiss him.

“Think I can get up now?” Wes asked.

“Yes.”

“Good,” He rose and sat beside me. “That's a relief. When you called me by all three of my names, I knew I had to up my game. When I was a kid, my mom used to say that to me when I was in trouble.”

“Well, you're redeemed. Not many men would tolerate a dog nudging his way into a proposal. You're a very special man, and I love you madly.”

Wes took me in his arms, and we managed a proper kiss before Bear began gently prodding us with his nose.

“Don't worry, Bear,” Wes reassured him, as he scratched behind the inquisitive dog's ears. “You'll always be part of our family.”

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Death by Proxy: A DIY Diva Mystery by Paula Darnell

About Death by Proxy

Death by Proxy: A DIY Diva Mystery Cozy Mystery

3rd in Series Cozy Cat Press (November 2019)

Print Length ~220 Pages

With preparations for her upcoming wedding to handsome Wes Wesson, a Center City police lieutenant, on track and her DIY Bridal Crafts class at Hawkeye Haven's community center wrapped up, DIY Diva Laurel McMillan looks forward to a calm pre-nuptial week to finalize her wedding plans. There's only one problem: the week turns out to be anything but calm. Laurel and Wes narrowly escape being run down in the parking lot of their favorite restaurant. Laurel's bridal shower is interrupted by a mysterious stranger who sends Laurel's lovable chocolate Labrador retriever Bear into a frenzy, and when Laurel and Wes go to meet Lisa, their real estate agent, at a house she promised to show them, they discover Lisa's sister's body floating in the pool. Strangely, Lisa seems more concerned with selling houses than she does with her sister's death. After Lisa's mother inadvertently reveals family secrets, Laurel wonders whether Lisa could have killed her own sister. Will the mayhem and murder stop before Laurel discovers the key to the killer's game plan?

About Paula Darnell

An instructor at five colleges over the years, Paula Darnell most often taught the dreaded first-year English composition classes, but she’s also been happy to teach some fun classes, such as fashion design, sewing, and jewelry making. Paula has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Like Laurel, the main character in Death by Association, Paula enjoys all kinds of arts and crafts. Some of her memorable projects include making a hat and a cape to wear to Royal Ascot, sewing wedding gowns for both her daughters, exhibiting her textile and mixed-media artwork in juried art shows, and having one of her jewelry projects accepted for inclusion in Leather Jewelry, published by Lark Books. She sells some of her jewelry and hair accessories in her Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/PaulaDJewelry.

Paula’s interest in DIY craft projects and fashion led to her writing hundreds of articles for print and online national publications.

Living in a guard-gated community governed by a homeowners’ association gave Paula the idea for the setting of Death by Association. She finds that residing in an HOA community can be both a blessing and a curse. A Happy-New-Year greeting from her community association called on residents to “start the new year by reviewing your Rules and Regulations booklet,” something unlikely to top anyone’s list of New Year’s resolutions.

Paula lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband Gary and their 110-pound dog Rocky, whose favorite pastime is lurking in the kitchen, hoping for a handout.