A Highland Peril Interview and Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Amy M. Reade to the blog today. Amy writes the Malice Mystery series. HIGHLAND PERIL, the second book in the series was released last week.

Kathy: Sylvie and Seamus trade the urban pace of Edinburgh for the county life in a small village. Would you prefer to live in the hustle and bustle of the city or a slower paced more rural setting?

AMR: That’s an easy one. A more rural setting, preferably with a mild/cool climate and mountains everywhere I look. I’ve lived in both New York City and Washington, DC, and though I liked them both when I lived there, I much prefer a calmer way of life.


Kathy: Sylvie is a photographer and her husband is an artist. Are you artistic yourself? Do you have a favorite artist or style?

AMR: I wish I were artistic. Does that count? I do counted cross-stitch and I’ve dabbled in stamping, but other than that I leave artistry to the professionals. My favorite artistic style is probably impressionism, though my favorite artists are not impressionists. They’re ones who paint places I love. One is Michael Ringer, who paints scenes from the Thousand Islands in upstate New York and Canada, and another is Rosalie Prussing, who paints whimsical pictures of Hawaiian scenes.


Kathy: In HIGHLAND PERIL a long-lost Scottish masterpiece leads to looking into an unsolved mystery from the past. Do you enjoy looking into historic unsolved cases? Do you have a favorite?

AMR: I am fascinated by unsolved mysteries of any kind, whether they are historical or contemporary. And art mysteries can be among the most interesting. For some reason most of my favorite unsolved cases are from England and have little or nothing to do with art, though: for example, the identity of Jack the Ripper or where Agatha Christie was during the time she went missing.


Kathy:What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

AMR: Cozy mysteries are among my favorite mysteries to read.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AMR: HIGHLAND PERIL and the other books in the Malice series are written more like gothics, with a strong sense of setting and atmosphere, but they contain many of the hallmarks of cozies, including no explicit sex, almost no swearing, and an absence of gratuitous gore. My books tend to be a bit darker than cozies, but I find that many of my readers are cozy-lovers, too.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AMR: The Malice series is comprised of stories that follow members of the same family/small group of friends around the United Kingdom as they stumble across violence and misfortune. They’re always drawn into the drama and play a major role in figuring out whodunit.


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

AMR: I would have to say my favorite character in the series is Sylvie. She doesn’t take nonsense from anyone, she’s got just the right amount of snark, and she’s soft-hearted.


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

AMR: I would say the inspiration for my series came from visiting Scotland and falling in love with it. I wanted to set stories there; the history, the landscape, and the heritage all combine to make the perfect setting for a mystery.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AMR: After I wrote my first book, SECRETS OF HALLSTEAD HOUSE, I just figured I had put too much work into it to let it sit in a drawer somewhere. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.


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

AMR: M.C. Beaton, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, and Phyllis Whitney.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

AMR: I am currently reading three books: MURDER AT THE BOOK GROUP by Maggie King, BRAIN MAKER by David Perlmutter, MD, and WALKING THE BIBLE by Bruce Feiler.


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

AMR: My favorite hobby is cooking. It’s my favorite way to unwind, whether I’m baking or making soup or chopping vegetables.


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

AMR: Milk, maple syrup, pickled jalapenos, and cheese.


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

AMR: The third book in the Malice series is called MURDER IN THISTLECROSS and will be released in February, 2018. Beyond that, I don’t know yet. I am currently working on a Christmas cozy, due out in December, that I’m hoping will be the first in a series. I am also working on a contemporary mystery series.


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

AMR: I love my job and can’t imagine doing anything else. I am eager to work every day of the week and on vacations, and I can’t say that about practicing law, which I did before beginning to write.


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Interview of Hanging Jade and Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome Amy M. Reade to the blog today. Amy's most recent book is House of the Hanging Jade which was just released April 26.

Kathy: Setting is so important, especially in mysteries and suspense. Why choose Hawaii as the location for House of the Hanging Jade?

AMR: I chose Hawaii because it’s a unique spot for a mystery, especially one with a gothic feel to it. And since my main character is a chef, I knew I wanted the book to take place somewhere with a fascinating culinary history. And because I love Hawaii!


Kathy: Have you spent time in Hawaii?

AMR: I have been very lucky to spend time in Hawaii. My favorite island is the Big Island, followed closely by Kauai, then Maui, Lanai, and Oahu. I haven’t been to Niihau or Molokai.


Kathy: Kailani Kanaka is a personal chef. Do you like to cook yourself? Have you ever thought about being a chef?

AMR: I love to cook. It’s relaxing, creative, and a great way to show someone how much you love them. I come from a family of cooks- my mother, my father, my sister, my aunts, my grandmother. We are constantly sharing and comparing recipes and menu ideas. It’s fun!

I did once consider the idea of becoming a chef, but decided against it because of the long and irregular hours. But then I became a mother and found that motherhood has those same hours.


Kathy: What first drew you to novels of suspense?

AMR: Those are the books I love to read. Given a choice, I will almost always go with a novel of suspense over another genre.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AMR: I have begun a novel of historical fiction, but I’ve put it on the back burner for the moment while I work on a new series.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AMR: The three books I’ve written so far (Secrets of Hallstead House, The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, and House of the Hanging Jade) are all standalone books. There’s no crossover with characters, setting, or plot. They’re all marketed as women’s fiction with strong elements of suspense and setting. I tend to call them women’s fiction that read like gothics.


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

AMR: I don’t think I can choose a favorite. I like almost all of my characters for different reasons, and they all have their own personal flaws and demons.


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

AMR: The inspiration for this book came from a home I toured about three years ago while visiting the Big Island. I’ve never seen anything like it, before or since. That home had living quarters for a family chef and it got me wondering what it would be like to live under the same roof with one’s employer.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AMR: I decided that as long as I was putting so much time and effort into something meaningful to me, I might as well take it to the next level and try to get it published. It’s a decision I haven’t regretted for a single second.


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

AMR: I would invite Phyllis Whitney, James Herriot, M.C. Beaton, and Zelda Fitzgerald. I’m not sure they’d all get along, but I’d choose seating arrangements carefully and by the end of the evening we’d all be friends.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

AMR: I’m currently reading Trials Elsewhere by Robin Isard and The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.


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

AMR: I’ve already mentioned that I love to cook. I also love to read. Beyond that, I like to hike and I do counted cross-stitch. I’m also working on a genealogy of my father’s family, which I plan to give him for Christmas. I won’t tell him about this interview so the gift will stay a surprise!


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

AMR: Olive oil, butter, cheese, and fruit. Makes me sound like a glutton, I know.


Kathy: Do you have plans for future books or a new series?

AMR: I’m currently working on books One and Two of a new series set in the United Kingdom. Book One is in the revision stage and I’ll soon be sending it to my beta readers. Book Two is in the planning stage. I’m really excited about the series!


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

AMR: I don’t know that I could name just one thing. I guess I can sum it up by saying that I love every single thing about being an author, from researching to writing to revising to editing to promoting. I love that I have a job where I never feel like I want to take a vacation.

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For a chance to win an e-copy of House of the Hanging Jade simply leave a comment on this blog telling us what you think of Gothics or Hawaii (or both). Be sure to comment no later than 11:59 pm EDT Monday, May2, 2016 and leave your e-mail address so that I may contact you should you win.