Therapy with Tabitha - A Monkey Bread Business Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Tabitha to Cozy Up With Kathy. You can find Tabitha on the pages of The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery series by Jodi Rath. Monkey Bread Business is the sixth book in the series and was released last week.

Therapy with Tabitha

I’ve always been active, even as a child. My dad was in law enforcement, so my passion for joining the FBI came naturally. My younger cousin wanted to follow in my footsteps and recently completed her training to get her official shield. I couldn’t be prouder! On my mom’s side, she was a counselor, and I’ve always been interested in how the mind works with criminals. So, I combined the two to become a forensic psychologist, which has opened up more opportunities for me in the field.

The last year, I’ve been placed in an undercover op in Leavensport, Ohio, based on some chatter about multiple mafia groups using this unseeingly quiet, pleasant village for racketeering. The group I’m working with seems to think this dates back several decades to the twenties with prohibition.

While I genuinely came into Leavensport to be undercover, part of that was to help some of the town residents with actual therapy. While some may think this is a conflict of interest, I understand the necessity of the ethics therapist has toward their patients. The therapy was a part-time gig to help the residents of Leavensport, while on the side, I was digging into the mafia scandal.

It just so happened that I got a patient who ended up helping with the case in an odd turn of the hand. To find out just how, you’ll have to read The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series to see how it all unfolds.

Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

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 Monkey Bread Business (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series) by Jodi Rath

About Monkey Bread Business

Monkey Bread Business (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)
Cozy Mystery 6th in Series
Publisher: MYS ED LLC; 1st edition (April 16, 2021)
Digital 222 Pages

Nature breeds new life with the sign of Spring in the air in Leavensport, Ohio, and Jolie and Ava find their new families’ lives turned upside down! With properties in Leavensport beginning to sell, Nina Sanchez opened a bakery after purchasing the lot next to M&M’s Italian restaurant. She is new to town and swears to Ava and Jolie she has no connection to the Dominican Republic Sanchez mafia family. Yet, Ava is skeptical, and this sends Jolie and Ava off on yet another investigation looking at how organized crime connects to their little village and the politics that surround it.

Meanwhile, Nina Sanchez is not thrilled to feel obliged to cross-sell and become a full-fledged member of Leavensport, especially not with Jolie and Ava investigating her history. She has no choice when her son discovers a murdered homeless woman on the street on his way to deliver bread to the local shelter—it looks a lot like a mob hit and the reveal of who the homeless woman is will send all of Leavensport on alert making Jolie question the future of her town.

Welcome to Leavensport, Ohio, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

About Jodi Rath

 

Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her nine cats.  

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://www.jodirath.com/  

FB: https://www.facebook.com/jodirath 

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorjodirath 

Twitter @jodirath  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18363719.Jodi_Rath  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath  

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jodirath/

• Monthly Newsletter Link: http://eepurl.com/dIfXdb Get Short Story “Sweet Retreat” for free by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive free flash fiction, A Mystery a Month, serial scenes from series, and deleted scenes).

Purchase Link - Amazon All other e-platforms: https://books2read.com/u/mglk2R  

 

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Reflections on a Small-Town Life - A Turkey Basted to Death Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Jolie Tucker to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Jolie on the pages of the Cast Iron Skillet Mystery series by Jodie Rath. Turkey Basted to Death is a novella, making it the second and a half book in the series. It was released on November 15, 2019.

Reflections on s Small-Town Life

Hi all, I’m Jolie Tucker, and I live in Leavensport, Ohio—born and raised here. I’ve grown up with a crew of interesting friends that still live here too. My best friend, Ava Martinez, and I co-own a restaurant called Cast Iron Creations. She runs the front of the house, and I stay in the kitchen and cook and test out new recipes. Most of the recipes come from my Grandma Opal, and they were passed down from generations in our family.

I’m finding the longer I live, the more things from my past I need to deal with. A few years back, I would not have felt this way. Last year, a new detective came to work in the village—he’s ten years older than me—and, well, yeah, a lot of things have changed in my life since then. I’ve always struggled to trust people in general, but especially men. When Mick Meiser showed up, that all changed . . . until he lied about a huge situation in his life.

Recently, I started some therapy sessions to get to the core of my trust issues. These sessions have helped me remember some things from my past while helping me understand who I am and why I’m the way I am. I’m finding that I’m more involved in the politics of our village life lately, too. Urban sprawl has been an issue that popped up recently—and I will soon learn more about gentrification as well.

I’ve always felt that even though I come from a small town, the villagers and myself are all open-minded and tolerant people. With time, I’m learning that I need to broaden my horizons in understanding how society works and find better ways to communicate effectively when issues arise.

This Thanksgiving is going to be a wild ride! Ava’s family is back from Santo Domingo, and the entire village is gathering at the community center to celebrate the holiday together. Ava and I are in charge of most of the catering for a holiday. I’ve been warned that things will not go as planned, and I have a horrible feeling in my stomach. The last year has brought more crime to our little village, and I’m hoping I don’t find myself smack in the middle of another murder investigation!

Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

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Turkey Basted to Death (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series) by Jodi Rath

About Turkey Basted to Death

 

Turkey Basted to Death (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)  

Cozy Mystery 2.5 in the Series - A Holiday Book 

MYS ED LLC (November 15, 2019) Number of Pages 133 pages

Thanksgiving is here, and Jolie Tucker has had quite the year! She is ready to sit back and relax with family and friends. But this is Leavensport, OH—so get ready for intense therapy sessions, dysfunctional family holiday gatherings, uninvited guests, and an inner-city teen advocate found DEAD—stabbed in the ear with the turkey baster!

Welcome to Leavensport, OH, where DEATH takes a DELICIOUS turn!

About the Author

Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven cats.

Author Links: 
Webpage: https://www.jodirath.com/  
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jodirath  
FB Author Page: Author Jodi Rath  
Twitter @jodirath  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath  
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jodirath/

• Monthly Newsletter Link: http://eepurl.com/dIfXdb Get Short Story “Sweet Retreat” for free by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive free flash fiction, A Mystery a Month, serial scenes from series, and deleted scenes).

Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Murder - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm happy top welcome Ava Martinez to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Ava on the pages of the Cast Iron Skillet Mystery series by Jodi Rath. Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Murder is the second book in the series and was released last week.

Character Guest Post

Ava Martinez 

My best bud, Jolie Tucker, often says she walks in my shadow. I’m loud, boisterous, bold–a feisty chick. I can’t imagine two more opposite people than the two of us. She is quiet, methodical, and contemplative. She actually thinks before she speaks, for some reason. Well, sometimes. But truth be told, I’ve often felt I’m the one in her shadow. She’s one of the most creative, funniest, snarkiest, and intelligent people I’ve ever met. I’ve tried to explain to her that someone as amazing as me wouldn’t be besties with someone who isn’t incredible! LOL

What she doesn’t seem to get is her quietude comes off as mysterious. Men like to try and figure her out. Now, that doesn’t bother me at all—men aren’t my cup of tea, if you know what I mean. She can’t seem to understand how much she has to offer.

She comes by her weirdness honestly: Jolie’s family is a hoot and a half. My family is a bit nutty, too. They came from Santo Domingo. I’ve visited there, but I was born in Leavensport and it’s all I really know. Recently, my papi was offered a job and relocated. I’m finding I miss them a lot. They are due for a visit coming up this holiday season.

My family wasn’t thrilled with me for deciding to stay here in Leavensport instead of going with them to ???. It was a tough decision, but Jolie and I had been planning to co-own Cast Iron Creations since we were little kids. We’ve only owned the restaurant going on two years. Not to mention, I could never leave my gorgeous girlfriend, Delilah, who is an important local artist. I have too much history here and I’ve worked hard to get where I am. In some ways, Jolie, her family, and Delilah are just as much family as my own family.

Jolie’s cats are whole other story. She grew up in a dog family. How she got hooked on cats is beyond me. One turned into four in no time. She even has her hottie detective boyfriend adopting cats. See what I mean? She gets men to do things, but she can’t even see it. Don’t ever tell her, but I adore those cats and would do anything for them. We have a love/hate relationship—where they mostly hate me—I think.

There’s some real trouble brewing in Leavensport this summer. Jolie and I may have sprinkled in more spice than we can handle in Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder—coming to heat you up this June 21, 2019!

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Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series) by Jodi Rath

About the Book

 

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series)  

Cozy Mystery 2nd in the Series  

MYS ED LLC (June 21, 2019) 

Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder? Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village's own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!

About the Author

Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven cats.

Author Links: 
Webpage: https://www.jodirath.com/  
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jodirath  
FB Author Page: Author Jodi Rath
Twitter @jodirath  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath  
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jodirath/

• Monthly Newsletter Link: http://eepurl.com/dIfXdb Get Short Story “Sweet Retreat” for free by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive free flash fiction, A Mystery a Month, serial scenes from series, and deleted scenes).

Purchase Links - Amazon - All other e-platforms: https://books2read.com/u/bOAYyK

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pineapple Upside Down Murder - An Interview

I'm happy to welcome Jodi Rath to the blog today. Jodi writes the Cast Iron Skillet Mystery series. PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN MURDER is the first book in the series and was released last month.

Kathy: In PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN MURDER we meet Jolie Tucker, co-owner of the restaurant Cast Iron Creations. Have you ever wanted to work in the food industry?

JR: I worked in fast food during my college years. I love to cook, and my husband and I watch the Food Network all the time. We have entertained the idea of opening a restaurant or pizzeria someday, but we’ll see.


Kathy: Do you enjoy cooking? What style is your favorite?

JR: I love to experiment with recipes and try new things. Cooking with cast iron skillets is my favorite thing to do. I feel like the food always comes out so much better. I’ve never had any meat come out better than when I cook it in the cast iron skillet.


Kathy: Do you have a favorite recipe or thing you like to cook or bake?

JR: I love baking my Grandma Evelyn’s pineapple upside down cake in the 70-year-old cast iron skillet she gave me (she has only ever made that cake in that skillet).


Kathy: Jolie Tucker's family has secret recipes. Does your family, or anyone in it, have a secret recipe.

JR: The pineapple upside down cake is a secret recipe. I gave the basic recipe in the back of the book, but there is a note there that I embedded the secret in book one if anyone can find it.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

JR: I’ve loved reading since I was a kid. I used to love the choose your own adventure books. I’m not sure you could call them cozy mysteries, but I remember I used to read one ending then I’d take guesses at what the other endings were…that was kind of like a mystery to me. I loved them because they were like puzzles to solve. As I got older, I found mystery to be my favorite genre. I’d have to say that Madelyn Alt, Heather Blake, Amanda Flower, etc. drew me into cozies because I wanted to live in those places and know everyone.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

JR: I do nonfiction educational writing too. I have an idea for a children’s book series based off my cats. I have an outline for a young adult book called THE CULTURAL MISHAPS OF SAVANNAH LIGHTHEAD. Lastly, I have sketched out an idea for a psychological thriller as well. I tend to slowly plug away at these other projects, but I find myself spending the majority of my time working on the cozy series.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

JR: The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series will have fourteen books in the series. Two themes will continue to develop throughout the series: one is how family and close friends spark both love and hate relationship, and the other will deal with urban sprawl. There will be a stand-off at some point between the people in the village and the people in the city, and the characters will need to find ways to work through their problems/issues with each other and find a compromise. I think this is a big issue in our society today. There needs to be more tolerance and more stepping back to find solutions to problems instead of causing more problems. So, I am enjoying researching these topics to add to the series.


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

JR: I would have to say Villanelle from the book CODENAME VILLANELLE by Luke Jennings. The book is amazing; the character is beyond words! The TV series is a must watch as well.


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

JR: My family was the inspiration for my series. Also, I was a high school teacher for close to 20 years. My students are inspirations as well.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

JR: I’ve wanted to write since I was a little kid. Having the time to do so finally was a no-brainer for me.


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

JR: Hunter S. Thompson, Plato, Emily Dickinson, and Flannery O’ Connor.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

JR: Jane Cleland’s MASTERING SUSPENSE, STRUCTURE, AND PLOT and Janet Evanovich’s LOOK ALIVE TWENTY-FIVE.


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

JR: I do kickboxing, pilates, yoga, and free weights to help release stress and to get up from sitting so much to write. I love to research, read, write, and I sketch with charcoal and paint with acrylics. My husband and I have eight cats all that live inside with us, so I would call that a hobby too!


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

JR: Kalamata Olives, Feta Cheese, Chocolate icing, and tortillas.


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

JR: I have 13 other books in The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. I have two other cozy series planned out that will have five books each in them. One is Gemma’s Bohemian Jewelry Series, and the other is Peggy’s Purse Boutique Series.


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

JR: I love stories. Stories are my life. I love to listen to songs, watch well-written TV programs, watch well-written movies, read books, create art, play video games—all of these things create a story. Every story has a theme, and many themes are universal. Stories are entertainment, but stories are life. Being able to publish a book and create a story world that others can connect and relate to is a wonderful experience that I am proud to do. I have spent my life watching, reading, listening to other peoples’ stories and connecting with them. Now, I get to give back.

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Pineapple Upside Down Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series) by Jodi Rath

About the Book

Pineapple Upside Down Murder (The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series) 

Cozy Mystery 1st in Series 

MYS ED llc (November 23, 2018)  

Print Length: 130 pages 

Introducing Jolie Tucker, an introverted yet passionate restaurant co-owner of Cast Iron Creations, who, at her best friend Ava’s request, steps out of her comfort zone which leads her into the shade of a killer in the small, cozy village of Leavensport, Ohio. The victim is the villages beloved Ellie Siler who runs the village sweet spot, Chocolate Capers. Jolie finds her grandma Opal is a prime suspect and goes on a search for answers only to find out that her families secret recipes may not belong to the Tucker family at all. Jolie’s job, family, and livelihood are all on the line. The answers are assuredly lethal.

About the Author

Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her seven cats.  

Author Links: 

Webpage: https://www.jodirath.com/  
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jodirath  
FB Author Page: Author Jodi Rath  
Twitter @jodirath  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath  
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jodirath/  

Purchase Links: 

Amazon: http://authl.it/B07GXDPPSP  
All other e-platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/md0XMl