I'm pleased to welcome Sharon Michaels to Cozy Up With Kathy Today. Sharon writes the Canine Cozy Mystery series. BARKS AND CLUES is the first book in the series.
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Kathy: BARKS AND CLUES introduces three clever and adventurous dogs, Digger, Dash, and Daisy. Are these dogs based on any real dogs, or are they completely fictional?
SM: Digger is a mini-dachshund and, yes, his traits and habits are based on the dachshunds that have been part of my life in the past. I have another series, Oscar the Doxie Detective, that is based solely on our beloved Oscar. Digger has his own distinct personally. Dash and Daisy are completely fictional.
Kathy: The dogs along with retired police detective Maya Thompson and her family get involved in solving a series of break-ins in their quiet town. Would you get involved if something was disrupting your quiet life?
SM: No, that’s why I write about it. I’m living the adventure in my imagination. My real life is much quieter.
Kathy: BARKS AND CLUES is described as a "short read" book. Was there a reason for writing a short read rather than a full length novel?
SM: I like to sit down and finish a book within a couple of hours. I do read novels and even plan on writing a novel or two next year, but it seems like I’ve found my niche writing short reads.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
SM: Ellery Adams. My husband and I were on vacation in Portland, Maine, and went into a bookstore to find some fun vacation reading. I’d never really heard of a cozy mystery before, and it sounded interesting. I ended up reading five or six of her books on that trip and have been hooked on the cozy mystery genre ever since.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
SM: No, just cozies.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
SM: The Canine Cozy Mystery series is a fun, clean whodunit series with twists and turns. It’s about three generations of one family sleuthing together. With the help of their smart canine detectives sniffing out clues, the Thompson family is able to bring the bad guys to justice.
I have six other short read cozy mystery series available. All are a little different and all have smart dogs helping to solve crime.
The first series I wrote was the Oscar the Doxie Detective series back in 2017. I wrote that series to honor our mini dachshund, Oscar. The canine characters in that four-book series are based on actual dogs in our neighborhood. With the Oscar series, my goal was to honor his memory and showcase his feisty doxie personality.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
SM: In the Canine Cozy Mystery, series my favorite is Digger the mini dachshund. I’m partial to mini dachshunds.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
SM: I’d say the inspiration was to showcase the intelligence of our animal friends and the connection between our pets and our lives. I also wanted to highlight three generations of a family working together in a kind, loving, and compatible way.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SM: That’s a good question. There were stories rolling around in my head I wanted to share. My goal is to give the reader a relaxing escape into a fun book.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SM: Mildred Wirt Benson (Carolyn Keene), Nora Roberts (JD Robb), Carolyn Brown, and Ellery Adams.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
SM: Tess Thompson – WHEN STARS FALL AT MIDNIGHT.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SM: Reading a couple of hours before bed. Watching Tom Selleck in Blue Bloods – okay, watching anything starring Tom Selleck.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SM: Pepsi Real Sugar. Pasta. Eggs. Cans of tuna.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
SM: Yes. My Facebook group, Chatting with Sharon, nominated their cats, dogs and pets to be guest characters in the Canine Cozy Mystery series. To include all of them, there will be many more cozy mystery stories released in the future.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SM: Interacting with my readers in my Facebook group and being able to share the stories living in my imagination.
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Review
The First Canine Cozy Mystery
Barks and Clues: A Canine Cozy Mystery by Sharon Michaels
About Barks and Clues
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - Small Town USA
Publisher: Independently published (May 22, 2024)
Paperback: 105 pages
If you like a cozy mystery that has… A fun, clean whodunit with twists and turns. Three generations of one family sleuthing together. Dog detectives sniffing out clues and bad guys. A small town with hidden secrets. A close-knit community coming together to solve crime. … then this is the short read book for you.
Retired police detective Maya Thompson is living a quiet life in the small town of Sunridge Junction with her son, Ethan, and her granddaughter, Lily. When their peaceful neighborhood is hit by a string of break-ins, Maya suspects there might be more to these crimes than meets the eye. Together, Maya, Ethan, Lily and their three clever and adventurous dogs, Digger, Dash, and Daisy, begin investigating the burglaries.
The dogs follow their noses, and the humans follow the dogs to an old fishing shack and a mysterious inventor. The man claims his innocence and insists he is being framed for the break-ins. The reclusive inventor explains that someone is trying to sabotage him and steal his inventions. He pleads with the crime-solvers to help prove his innocence and bring the true culprits to justice. Maya reluctantly agrees, finding it difficult to let go of her desire for justice.
With its quirky characters, fun plot twists, and a sprinkling of canine charm, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone who believes that heroism has no age limit.
About Sharon Michaels
Bestselling author Sharon Michaels writes sweet, clean, and fun cozy mystery short reads about mature, smart women and men who know how to enjoy life. Small towns, close friends, a hint of romance, and a fur-baby or two makes solving mysteries fun and exciting.
Today I happily write in the cactus filled desert of the southwest United States. My extremely supportive husband and I love exploring the beauty of our country. As I travel, I write fun and interesting things in my notebook so I can share these memories with you in stories and books.
* Short, Sweet Cozy Mysteries * Keeps You Guessing Stories * Smart, Mature, Believable Characters
Author Links:
Website: https://SharonMichaelsAuthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSharonMichaels/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharon-michaels
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2691207.Sharon_Michaels
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sharon_michaels_author/
Links to Purchase:
A Canine Cozy Mystery Series Series Links Amazon U.S. Link Amazon Universal Link
Barks and Clues Amazon U.S. Link Amazon Universal Link
Our interview was fun - thank you, Kathy! I love writing about the three smart canine detectives and their crime solving humans. Looking into my crystal ball, I see more sleuthing adventures coming soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by.
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