Cozy Up With Kathy: Tea & Talismans - An Interview & Giveaway

Friday, February 11, 2022

Tea & Talismans - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Elle Wren Burke to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elle writes the Prickly Pear Psychic Mystery series. Tea &Talismans is the second book in the series.

Kathy: Alara Beatty is a psychic. Do you believe that some people have psychic abilities? Have you ever been to a psychic?

EWB: I do! While some of the psychic actions in my books are made up, I do believe in psychics. I’ve been to various types of psychics in my life and found them to be helpful in understanding what was going on in my life at the time.

Kathy: Setting plays a major part in mysteries. Your Prickly Pear Psychic Mystery series is set in Arizona. Why chose Arizona as your location?

EWB: I chose Arizona for a couple of reasons. For one, I don’t see many cozy mysteries set in the US Southwest, so I thought it would be fun to do something a bit different. Most importantly, I live in Arizona and I love it here. The desert setting is very unique and beautiful. I wanted to give people from other areas of the world the chance to see its beauty!

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

EWB: I’ve always loved mysteries, but I have a hard time with certain kinds of violence, gore, etc. I was thrilled when I discovered a whole genre of mysteries with a cozier, cleaner feel. I fell in love and knew that I wanted to keep living in small, cozy towns with ridiculously high murder rates, so I decided to write my own.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

EWB: I don’t at this time, but I hope to in the future. I’m a big fan of romance and fantasy as well and I’ve got long-term plans to try my hand at both.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

EWB: The Prickly Pear Psychic Mystery series is about Alara, an account with psychic abilities who is too afraid to use her gifts. Adopted as a baby, she reconnects with her biological family of psychics just in time to help her start solving the mysteries popping up around her.

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

EWB: I think my favorite characters are the dogs! I’m a huge animal lover, especially dogs, so I had to give Alara some canine companions. Blueberry is a pitbull and Pretzel is a rottweiler. They are both absolute sweethearts with their own unique personalities and they might just get to play a part in Alara’s investigations too.

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

EWB: I don’t! The series just kind of popped into my head one day. I’ve had a lot of fun creating it from scratch!

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

EWB: It has always been a dream of mine to publish, and I got really good feedback from those I shared my work with, so I decided to move forward with publication. I’m so glad I did, as it has been a ton of fun.

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

EWB: Agatha Christie, Jesse Q. Sutanto, Cassandra Clare, and Stephanie Garber

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

EWB: Right now, I’m reading a cozy mystery and a romance—A Hex for Danger by Esme Addison and A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair.

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

EWB: Of course! I’m a huge reader, of course, but I also love puzzles, baking, board games, and hanging out with my dogs.

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

EWB: Kind Chocolate Granola, Jif Chunky Peanut Butter, Bananas, and Soy Milk.

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

EWB: Yes! The third book in the series, Canines & Cacti, is in process with a target release of this spring. I’ve planned for several more books in the series as well. I also have a fun new series in development, but it’s currently a secret!

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

EWB: Developing the characters! I have so much fun thinking of who my characters are, how they would react in certain situations, and what kind of crazy shenanigans they might get into! It is an absolute blast.

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Tea & Talismans: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Prickly Pear Psychic Mysteries) by Elle Wren Burke

About Tea & Talismans

Tea & Talismans: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Prickly Pear Psychic Mysteries)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Arizona
Independently published (November 29, 2021)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 262 pages

Alara Beatty never thought her life would change so fast.
She’s only just begun to use her psychic abilities, and she’s already being met with a slew of truths and challenges. In a short span of time, she’s met her biological aunt, solved a murder, and discovered that she was given up for adoption due to a mysterious prophecy.
But that’s certainly not all that’s in store for Alara. Suddenly, her biological family members are flocking to her small town of Prickly Pear, Arizona to meet her…and evaluate her psychic strength.
As Alara begins to get used to her new situation, her cousin Todd receives a mysterious death threat…one that she knows to take seriously. Together, she and Todd must investigate the threats and try to determine who they’re coming from—before it’s far too late.
Not only must Alara learn to use her psychic abilities, she also needs to determine who she can trust. Her newfound family? And what about Rudi Rivera, her charming, handsome police officer friend who has no idea that Alara is psychic?