I'm pleased to welcome C. A. Phipps to Cozy Up With Kathy today. C. A. writes the Midlife Potions Mystery series. Witchy Bad Blood is the fourth book in the series and was released last week.
Kathy: Jess would rather be waving a spatula than a wand. What about you? Which would you rather wield?
CAP: I love baking too! It comes a close second to writing.
Kathy: Jess has a snarky cat familiar. Do you have a cat, snarky or otherwise?
CAP: Not right now, but I have had one. Instead I have a prima donna dog. She has us wrapped around her tiny paw and knows it!
Kathy: Jess wants to open a bakery. Do you like to bake? What's your favorite thing to bake? Do you have a favorite bakery item to eat?
CAP: As I said I do love to bake and will give most things a try although nothing too fancy. I bake scones most weeks which are very English and easy. Savory scones are amazing and perfect for winter with soup. My favorite bakery item is carrot cake.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about writing paranormal cozies?
CAP: Anything goes! Not only to I get to make my fictitious world I can let my imagination run free.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
CAP: Having read Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton growing up it felt like a natural fit.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
CAP: I’ve written contemporary romance for years.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
CAP: Right now I have 4 series. Midlife Potions is my only paranormal series but the first book in a new one will be coming out for Christmas. It centers around Jessica Lavender who becomes a witch at 45. Her cat explains the situation which as you can imagine is a shock. Now she must go home and run her mom’s potions store and since she is a baker Jess is not happy about it.
Maple Lane Mysteries features Madeline Flynn who comes home to care for her Gran and gets to have her dream of opening her own bakery. When a friend is found murdered she must solve the crime before her ex-boyfriend, now the sheriff, puts her in jail!
The Cozy Café Mysteries has three sisters who are fighting to keep their mom’s café going, but the Mayor and his cronies have other ideas. They are suckers for rescue pets.
The Beagle Diner Mysteries is about a celebrity chef hounded by the paparazzi. Along with her corgi, Cinnamon, Lyra St Claire is embroiled in a murder that changes their lives.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
CAP: My favorite character is always the one I am currently writing about. Right now it is Jessica Lavender in Midlife potions. The fact that she is older means I can relate to how she feels in certain circumstances.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
CAP: In another life I would have been so happy to have a bakery. Sharing recipes with readers and imagining them trying them out makes me happy.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
CAP: I had so many stories languishing when I met my small posse of like-minded authors at a conference. We pushed each other forward and 45 books later….
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
CAP: Agatha Christie, Jane Austen, Marian Keyes, Diana Gabaldon.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
CAP: The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
CAP: After baking, I sew and make miniature settings from packs – coffee shop, flower shop etc. I also love watching Football and Rugby.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
CAP: Cheese, milk, chocolate and flour.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
Yes already have the next book in the series up for preorders as well as 2 for books in other series and a preorder for a cookbook! My next series will begin in December but has no title yet.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
CAP: Being my own boss is right up there with doing something I love.
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Book Excerpt:
Maestro must trust her enough to agree to finally let her have the one thing she’d dreamed of since she was a child. Not a bakery to work in—her bakery. "You won’t be sorry, Maestro. I’ll work as hard as you need me to." "I’m counting on it," the cat said dryly. "Now, perhaps you should test our theory and go bake something that you might encourage someone to eat." While Jess pondered how his mind had changed so fast, even though he hated the idea, she was ridiculously happy and couldn’t help showing it. "Actually, that could be an issue." His eyes narrowed. "In what way?" "People want to eat my food," she teased. "I certainly don’t need to push them to do it with a spell.” He snorted and the crabby cat disappeared for a brief moment so that he looked adorably cute, making her want to hug him. She refrained. Ever since he revealed he was a talking cat and she discovered she was a witch, displays of affection became off-limits. She’d owned him for five years before that incredible day changed her life and her mom had had him before that. Five years of snuggles, kisses, and pats. Then, nothing. Maestro eyed her for a moment, his expression uncharacteristically confused. Then he coughed and continued along the path. "We should get back. Your sister still needs supervision most of the time." Secret sister, she corrected in her head, as a wave of coldness ran over her body. "Maestro…" Turning quickly at her tone, he raced back to her side. "What is it?" "Something smells wrong. There’s something in the woods that doesn’t feel right.” His ears flick left and right. "Something—or someone?" They peered through the trees, her nose searching for the source of the smell, trying to discern its meaning. It couldn’t be deemed as friendly. Was it a warning? Danger or perhaps death? She shivered. To know what death smelled like was all kinds of wrong.
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Witchy Bad Blood: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Midlife Potions) by C. A. Phipps
About Witchy Bad Blood
Witchy Bad Blood: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Midlife Potions)
Paranormal Cozy Mystery 4th in Series
Setting - Good Fortune - Oregon
Independently Published (June 1, 2024)
Print length: 169 pages
Family can be deadly!
No one, including Jess, had any idea she was anything exceptional. Until she began solving crimes.
The trouble is, she'd rather be waving a spatula than a wand and her snarky cat familiar isn't happy about it.
She's listed her priorities: 1 Bring her mom back from the ghostly realm. 2 Open a bakery. 3 Try to keep her mouth shut about her secret sister—who she has to work with. 4 Don't ask questions about her father.
Having a plan will make life bearable-as long as there isn't another murder and she doesn't mess anything up!
This paranormal cozy mystery will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about magic and murder.
Midlife Potions Witchy Awakening Witchy Hot Spells Witchy Flash Back Witchy Bad Blood
About C. A. Phipps
C. A. Phipps is a USA Today best-selling author from beautiful New Zealand. Cheryl is an empty nester living in a quiet suburb alongside her wonderful husband, 'himself'. With an extended family to keep her busy when she's not writing, there is just enough space for a crazy mixed breed dog who stole her heart! She enjoys family times, baking, and her quest for the perfect latte.
Author Links:
You can find me via my website and pick up the book at the same time: http://caphipps.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/cozymysteryreaderhangout
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/c-a-phipps
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/caphipps
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/CherylAPhipps
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/caphippsauthor/
Purchase Links - Amazon B&N Kobo
You can find me via my website and pick up the book at the same time: http://caphipps.com Or get your copy via any other platform: https://books2read.com/witchy-bad-blood
Thanks so much or hosting me on the blog tour, Kathy. Your support is so appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by!
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