Cozy Up With Kathy: Charleston Conundrum

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Charleston Conundrum - An Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Stacy Wilder to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Stacy Writes the Liz Adams Mystery series. Charleston Conundrum is the first book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Kathy: Charleston Conundrum takes the reader from Charleston, South Carolina, to Paris and back. If you had your druthers would you prefer to live in Charleston or Paris?

SW: Although one of my majors in college was French, and I’ve been to Paris twice, Charleston wins. The food, the ambience, the culture…something about the Atlantic Ocean has always tugged at my soul.

Kathy: Liz Adams has a truth sniffing Labrador Retriever named Duke. Do you have any pets?

SW: Our family has a passion for Labrador retrievers.

Our very first Labrador, Bear, was a surprise gift from my sisters. Bear had the special talent of being able to open the refrigerator. We had to keep a child lock on it.

Our second Labrador, Buddy, had a sense of humor, my sister-in-law and niece were watching him while we were out of town. Buddy stole her car keys and made her chase him around the house to retrieve them.

Our third Labrador, Rudy, was the athlete. He could scale a six-foot fence. Rudy was Buddy’s guilty conscience. Whenever Buddy did something wrong. Rudy would hang his head. One Christmas, I was to host the family Christmas Day dinner. While we were out on Christmas Eve, Buddy and Rudy helped themselves to the beef tenderloin that was defrosting in the sink. How they managed to get to it is still a mystery. Luckily, I was able to get to the store and purchase another tenderloin.

Our current Lab, Eve, who Duke was modeled after, is a communicator. Although she can’t detect when people are lying, she does howl the words, “I love you,” for her breakfast.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SW: I grew up on Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy. Mysteries are my go to books. I love Sue Grafton’s books.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SW: I write children’s stories and poetry. Samples can be found on my website www.storystacy.com.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SW: The Conundrum series travels to tourist destinations. Carmel Conundrum, set in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California is the next book in the series and is scheduled to release in early 2023.

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

SW: Of course, the Labrador, Duke. He plays an even bigger part in the next book in the series, Carmel Conundrum.

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

SW: Charleston is one of my favorite places in the world. The opening lines in Chapter One came to me while we were on vacation along the Atlantic coast. After crafting the characters for the first book, I wanted the characters to continue, and the ideas kept coming. Carmel Conundrum is currently in the editing phase, and I have rough outlines for books three and four in the series.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SW: As a big birthday loomed, I decided to get serious about publishing Charleston Conundrum. Nearly fifteen years in the making, it was time to either do something with it or throw it in the trash. Taking classes, joining a writer’s group, and entering a contest helped motivate me to bring the story to fruition. The author community is very encouraging.

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

SW: Beatrix Potter would be my very first choice. I’ve been obsessed with her life story since childhood, and I’ve been to Hill Top farm. Sue Grafton would definitely be my second choice. After that there are so many, can I have a party? If not, then, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and Alexander Smith McCall are next.

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SW: The Tremble of Love: A Novel of the Baal Shem Tov written by Ani Tuzman. I love how she world builds in the story.

I competed with Ani and three other authors in a national contest. We all became fast friends and have regular Zoom calls. Although we’re scattered across the country, we’re hoping to have an in person reunion soon.

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

SW: I’m an avid reader, gardening, traveling. Water aerobics is my favorite exercise class. I have a day job, so between writing and working I don’t have time for much else.

As an author, my mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. I donate a portion of the proceeds from Charleston Conundrum to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

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

SW: English Breakfast tea, treats for Eve, bottles of water and milk.

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

SW: The other books in the Conundrum series. I have some children’s stories that I would love to publish. The Urban Wildlife series is designed to educate children about coexisting with wildlife in urban areas. Set in the Texas Hill Country, the books are written for ages six to eight. Urban Coyote is the first book in the series. The Adventures of Bear series is based on the true stories of our various Labrador retrievers. The moral of the story is about making someone’s day. Aimed toward kids of all ages, the series is intended for picture books. Bear’s Hospital Adventure is the first in the series. Free downloadable pdf copies are available on my website, www.storystacy.com.

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

SW: I love connecting with readers and other authors.

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Charleston Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery by Stacy Wilder

About Charleston Conundrum

Charleston Conundrum: A Liz Adams Mystery
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - South Carolina
Wild Hawk Press (January 15, 2022)
Paperback: ‎ 235 pages

A Cozy Mystery With a Twist...
Liz Adams never imagined when she moved to Charleston with her truth sniffing Labrador retriever, Duke, that she would use her skills as a private investigator to avoid winding up on Death Row.
Liz’s life is upended when her best friend, Peg, is murdered and she becomes a suspect.Liz’s gun was the murder weapon. Tensions flare between Liz and the cops as she rises to the top of their suspect list.
At the request of Peg’s father, Liz agrees to take on the investigation. Riding a roller coaster of emotions, Liz uncovers many secrets Peg kept from her despite their being best friends. The suspects include a cast of characters: the ex-husband, the boyfriend, a coworker, several neighbors, and family members.
Charleston Conundrum takes the reader from Charleston, South Carolina, to Paris and back in the emotional unraveling of Peg’s life and death to a killer ending.

About Stacy Wilder

Stacy writes mysteries, children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. Her debut novel, Charleston Conundrum, is the first in the Conundrum mystery series.

Stacy’s mission is to deliver a delightful story to readers of all ages while benefiting a larger community. She donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of her books to causes that support wildlife conservation, and the homeless, both people and pets. A portion of the proceeds from Charleston Conundrum are donated to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

As well as writing, Stacy is passionate about her faith, family, Labradors, the causes that she supports, the beach, art, and reading books.

She and her husband live in Houston, Texas with a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve.

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