I'm pleased to welcome Holly Danvers to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Holly writes the Lakeside Library Mystery series. IN MURDER AT THE LAKESIDE LIBRARY is the first book in the series and was released earlier this month.
Kathy: IN MURDER AT THE LAKESIDE LIBRARY we meet recent widow Rain Wilmot who has returned to her family home in Wisconsin. Have you ever returned home after a loss of some kind?
HD: No, not specifically, but I always felt like going home would be comforting after any kind of life stress or loss. I do remember visiting my aunt’s house on the coast of Maine when life felt overwhelming. And it brought me much comfort, as I spent many days on the cliff walk leading to the beach there as a child.
Kathy: Instead of her corporate job, Rain will be helping her mother run the library. Have you ever worked in a library, or wanted to?
HD: No, not specifically, but I always felt like going home would be comforting after any kind of life I haven’t worked at a library, but as a child, it was a coming-of-age day when I signed up for my first library card. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, so it was exciting because I vividly remember the ability to choose any book I wanted, including Nancy Drew mysteries, which were my favorites. The ability to take the books home with me was quite a treat!
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
HD: I’m very curious by nature and asked a lot of “why” questions, even from a young age. I’m also fascinated by the human condition and why we do the things we do. To be honest, I love any kind of mystery, not just the cozy ones!
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
HD: I published two Christian fiction books with a publisher who went out of business. Sadly, both books are now out of print.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
HD: This Lakeside Library series pairs two of my favorite things: libraries and lakes set in northern WI. The series follows Rain, who is recently widowed, and returns to her family’s generational log cabin in Lofty Pines on Pine Lake. Instead of having time to work through the grieving process, she finds a body on the property which leads her to discover a lot more than she bargained for regarding her family. I also write the Handcrafted Mystery series under the pseudoname Holly Quinn.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
HD: Oh, no! That’s like choosing one of your children over the other, haha! I’m not sure I can make that choice. 😊
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
HD: Nothing specific really, just time spent at my husband’s generational cottage on a lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin made me want to choose a waterfront for the setting. However, Lofty Pines and Pine Lake don’t really exist. Only in my mind…The library part stems from my love of books. Our previous home was a log cabin in the woods, so I’ve had that rare experience that I can share on the page too.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
HD: After working on the Handcrafted Mystery series, my agent and I discussed future series ideas.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
HD: The creator of the bible because that is the most interesting, intricate, specific, written work! No human could possibly author that masterpiece. Even if you don’t believe, it’s hard to disregard the writing.
Henry David Thoreau because as you’ll see from my own writing, nature is a huge part of setting for me in my work. I want readers to taste, smell, hear, and experience, the settings of my books.
Agatha Christie because she paved the way for all women mystery writers, including me.
Stephen King, not for his books, (I’ve actually never read them) but for his book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” so I could pick his brain.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
HD: Currently, I’m reading my own work as I have a new project in the works that I can’t yet discuss. Unfortunately, that’s keeping me from reading for pleasure at the moment.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
HD: So, last Christmas I received a Bob Ross painting kit. I’ve now painted over 20 oil paintings. It’s what I do to relax between book work, and I absolutely love it. I also love to play in my flower and vegetable gardens when time permits, and spending time with my husband out on the lake!
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
HD: Coffee pods, green tea, mason jar salads made ahead of time, eggs. (I’m attempting a healthy diet, but it’s not really taken hold yet.) 😊
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
HD: LONG OVERDUE AT THE LAKESIDE LIBRARY will release Feb 8, 2022, and is already up for pre-order! I also have another project I can’t yet discuss…shhh! Haha!
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
HD: The ability to use the creative side of my curious brain. And the early morning sunrises, as I do my best work early in the morning when most are still sleeping. It’s the quiet I seek, just like I did as a child when opening the library doors.
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About Murder at the Lakeside Library
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (July 13, 2021)
Hardcover: 336 pages
In this series debut perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Miranda James, Rain Wilmot must discover the killer, before the book closes on her life.
Rain Wilmot has just returned to her family's waterfront log cabin in Lofty Pines, Wisconsin after the untimely death of her husband. The cabin is peaceful compared to Rain's corporate job and comes with an informal library that Rain's mother, Willow, used to run. But as Rain prepares for the re-opening of the library, all hopes for a peaceful life are shattered when she discovers the body of Thornton Hughes, a real estate buyer, on the premises.
The community of Lofty Pines starts pointing fingers at Willow, since she has been unusually absent from the library this summer. A fishy rumor surfaces when Rain learns that Willow had been spending a lot of time with Thornton. The town even thought they were having an affair.
While theories swirl about Thornton's death, Rain takes it upon herself to solve the case to exonerate her mother. As more clues surface, Rain will have to piece together the mystery. But if she isn't careful, she may be the next to end up dead in the water in Murder at the Lakeside Library, the first in Holly Danvers' new Lakeside Library mysteries.
About Holly Danvers
Holly Danvers grew up devouring every mystery novel on the shelf of her local library. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and 3 chickens, where she's already plotting her next novel.
Author Links:
Website - www.authorhollydanvers.com
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20823355.Holly_Danvers
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HollyDanversBooks/
Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound
This sounds so good. I didn't know Holly Danvers is also Holly Quinn. Now both series are on my list to read.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteMarilynDKC[at]aol[dot]com
Sounds like a good read. I like the cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview and hosting me today! :)
ReplyDeleteHolly it was great to meet a new author also I would love to read and review on a few sites a cozy mystery especially one that sounds like this! Love the cover... peggy clayton ptclayton2@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI really like the cover and the back story sounds great.
ReplyDeleteclarksrfun at gmail dot com