I'm pleased to welcome Rita Webb to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Rita writes the Julia Novo Mystery series. AN OFFER TO DIE FOR is the first book in the series.
Kathy: In AN OFFER TO DIE FOR we meet snowbirds Louise Lemay and her husband, Roger. Staying in their friend’s condo while trying to find a home of their own, the couple are invited to a very unusual open house. Is this idea of potential buyers spending the night in the home something that really happens?
RW: As far as I know overnight open houses aren't a thing, though I've been to some open houses where I would have liked to stay over for a night or two!
Kathy: Have you ever attended an unusual open house? Or one where something unexpected happened?
RW: In Rhode Island my husband and I went to an open house for a home built in the 1800s. The realtor let us wander around through addition after addition. It was like walking through a creepy, creaky museum. I asked the realtor if it was haunted and she didn't say no!
Kathy: After seeing an announcement posted in the condo where they’re staying Louise decides to attend a meeting of Ghost Stories. Would this be a group you’d be interested in attending?
RW: I have been fascinated by the supernatural since I was a kid. Though I've only had one or two personal experiences, I love to hear others' stories, so yes, I'd sit in on this group.
Kathy: Julia Novo has distinct abilities. Do you believe in psychics and/or mediums? Have you ever had a reading done?
RW: I believe that all of us have certain abilities at different levels. I've been to several psychics but only one medium, along with thirty other people one night. What the medium said to me was so very specific to my deceased loved one that it blew my mind. He even handed me a drawing that he had done before we got there that was completely relevant, things he couldn't have just guessed.
Kathy: Although your series is called the Julia Novo Mystery series, AN OFFER TO DIE FOR is told from Louise Lemay’s perspective. Why did you choose to do this?
RW: When I started writing, I wanted to find my voice, if you will. Having read most of the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie, I kept thinking about how many of those stories were narrated by Poirot's friend Hastings. That's when I decided that Louise would be Julia's sidekick and tell the stories from the perspective of someone looking on in appreciation and recognition of what she was seeing and learning.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
RW: I have always been a mystery fan. I started with Nancy Drew as a kid and never really grew into books that had a lot of blood and gore. There's too much of that on the nightly news. Cozy focuses on the mystery, the whodunit.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
RW: I once tried to write a sci-fi book but I discovered that my imagination isn't as vivid as I thought it was.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
RW: In the Julia Novo Mysteries, we follow a couple of not so typical Florida snowbirds who solve unusual murders by finding themselves in the right place at the right time, or maybe it's the wrong place at the wrong time. Either way, as the ever-ethereal Julia says, everything is connected.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
RW: I think my favorite character is Pili Alvarez. She is kind of an amalgam of several of my cousins from Cuba. She can be demanding, going after what she wants, but also fun-loving with a dry humor. She is serious and funny at the same time.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
RW: When writing the character Julia Novo, I thought of several people including my mother who always had a sunshiny outlook even through a very difficult life. I've also had a couple of spiritual teachers who have been very helpful to me in the past, and sometimes I still hear their voices giving advice from afar. I strive to write books that are both helpful and entertaining.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
RW: The late Wayne Dyer, a very popular self-help author, once said "Don't die with your words in you." Though I have difficulty opening myself up to public scrutiny, praise, or anything at all, his words helped me decide to see what I had in me and see if my stories might help others get their minds off of the trials of everyday life just as reading helps me.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
RW: Wayne Dyer, Tony Hillerman, Lao Tzu, Tom Straw who wrote the Richard Castle books.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
RW: THE MYSTERY OF THE BLUE TRAIN by Agatha Christie, and Reiki History by Shoshana Shay.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
RW: I don't do it much anymore, but I love to paint using acrylics, anything from seascapes on clamshells, to large wall murals. I also love to work out a great deal, either at the gym or at home. I need to balance my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical bodies.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
RW: Rice, black beans, eggs, chocolate.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
RW: I have started my second book in the Julia Novo Mystery series, and will keep writing them until I'm drawn to a different series or genre.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
RW: I have always had social anxiety. Speaking in public or even just around a few friends, I tend to forget what I'm saying, trip over words, focus on people watching me, and turn bright red. When I write, words flow so easily. I can say whatever I want no matter how long it takes me and get my message or story across. The best part about being an author is that my writing provides a way for me to, hopefully, help others find a little bit of enjoyment during their day.
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Review
AN OFFER TO DIE FOR by Rita Webb
The First Julia Novo Mystery
Louise Lemay and her husband, Roger, have decided to give up snowy winters and become snowbirds as they slowly begin the retirement process. Staying in a friend's condo while they house hunt, the couple are invited to a unique open house. They, along with other interested buyers, will meet, have dinner, and spend the night in the house. This unusual concept becomes less of an adventure and more of a nightmare when a storm hits and the owner dies. Louise's only consolation is that Julia Novo is also a guest. Having met Julia at a meeting of paranormal enthusiasts, she's sure Julia will have some insight and is in awe of the woman's gifts. Was the untimely death of the owner murder? Will Louise be able to assist Julia and the police? Or will a murderer get away?
I loved the whole idea of the book, snowbirds house hunting, a unusual open house, and a woman with unique abilities, but admit to being concerned as I first started reading. The writing seemed somewhat stilted and unnatural. However, partway through that changed, the writing no longer appeared forced and I became immersed in the story.Although it is the Julia Novo Mystery series, the mystery is told through the eyes of Louise Lemay. Louise is a likeable, relatable protagonist. She’s open to new ways of thinking as well as an alcoholic beverage or two. Her relationship with her husband, Roger, is real and I appreciate their relaxed entry into retirement. Julia Novo is an intriguing character with special abilities. She’s highly observant, intuitive, and receives messages from angels. As otherworldly as she is, Julia is also grounded and real…and fun too. I love her way of looking at the world.
While not a locked room mystery, AN OFFER TO DIE FOR can be considered a closed circle mystery, but, despite the limited number of suspects. the mystery was complicated, and even the reveal was complex! I liked how Julia and Louise ferreted out clues, talking to people and getting to the heart of the matter.
An OFFER TO DIE FOR is a unique and enjoyable start to a new mystery series.
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Author Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/
Thank you sounds interesting
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