A Crushed Velvet Interview & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Diane Vallere to the blog today. Diane writes the Material Witness Mystery series and Crushed Velvet, the second book in the series, was just released this month!

Kathy: Polyester Monroe is about to open her fabric and notions shop, Material Girl. Do you sew?

DV: I do sew, more so now that I'm writing Poly's story than I did before that. Even when I go through dry spells, I sew in October when it's time to make costumes.

Kathy: Although I don't really sew I do enjoy looking through notions and using them in craft projects. Do you have a favorite notion?

DV: I can't explain why, but I love the notions aisle in the fabric store. I especially love all of the colorful zippers and seam binding. And racks of colorful thread. And buttons! Really, anything small and colorful.

Kathy: Fabric is fun. Do you have a favorite fabric?

DV: Lately I've been enjoying 100% cotton. Once it goes through the washer and dryer and is shrunk, I know it's always going to be the same size. Plus, it's easy to work with because it doesn't have a lot of stretch. Lastly, because of quilting, there's a huge assortment of whimsical patterns available.

Kathy: Poly's friend, Genevieve, owns a local tea shop. Are you a fan of tea? Do you have a favorite tea?

DV: I enjoy tea now and then. I generally drink Darjeeling, but mostly because I like saying the word.

Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

DV: Long before I knew there was an actual term for them, I enjoyed mysteries that had characters who I'd like to spend time with, ones who felt like regular everyday people. I liked falling into their worlds, experiencing their worlds, and reading about their pets. I've also always loved mysteries, having been a big fan of Trixie Belden, Connie Blair, Nancy Drew, and The Three Investigators, and cozies felt like grown up versions of these books.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

DV: I've written women's fiction, middle grade, and a more traditional mystery, but all are unpublished. When I have the time, I'd like to do the work on them and expand into other genres, but for now, I'm enjoying the cozy world.

Kathy: Tell us about your series.

DV: The Material Witness series features Polyester Monroe, who inherits the fabric store where she was born. When she decides to reopen the long-closed store, it gives her life new purpose and opens the rest of her world up to possibilities.

The Madison Night series features an interior decorator who specializes in mid-century modern and watches Doris Day movies to teach herself the design styles of the fifties and sixties. Madison is in her late forties, has shut out the world after being hurt too many times, but is learning that it's never too late to take chances.

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

DV: This is a very tough question to answer, and I’m not sure that I can! I will say that I really like writing Vaughn McMichael and how he and Poly interact.

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

DV: I used to pass an old fabric store on my drive home from work. It was called House of a Thousand Fabrics. It looked like it had been around since the fifties. I couldn’t tell if it was open or not (apparently it was but has since closed), but I used to wonder what kind of treasures were inside, and then I thought, what if it had been closed but nobody ever emptied it out? That became Land of a Thousand Fabrics, the store that Poly inherited.

Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

DV: Probably a bit of vanity. I had so much fun writing books and creating characters that I wanted them to find an audience.

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

DV: Meg Cabot, Mildred Wirt Benson, Sue Grafton, and Judy Blume. And I’d ask Kendel Lynn, who is also an author, to co-host. Is that cheating?

Kathy: What are you currently reading?

DV: Really exciting stuff: Public Relations for Dummies and Web Design Demystified. I need a cozy—stat!

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

DV: I love watching old movies, especially when I get to see them in theaters. And reading, of course! I go through phases of sewing, decorating, sketching. I love wandering through antique malls and flea markets, looking for midcentury treasures. And for quiet time, I like to go to the beach early in the morning when nobody else is there.

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

DV: Oregano, popcorn, Japanese gyoza, and peanut butter.

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

DV: There will be at least one more Material Witness book, Silk Stalkings, which comes out in August 2016. In February, I have a new series called the Costume Shop Cozy Series. The first book is A Disguise to Die For.

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

DV: I love the days when I get completely lost in the story and forget about everything else. That’s when I know something is working!

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Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Spellcasting in Silk by Juliet Blackwell. This book is the 7th in her Witchcraft Mystery series, one of my all time favorite series! All is going well for Lily Ivory. She has a thriving business, her new romance is blossoming, and she's more accepting of herself and the friendships offered her. However, her quiet happiness is dimmed with the arrival of her friend, San Francisco Homicide detective Carlos Romero who requests her help with a botanica gone wild. Add to the problem, the curandera owner is jailed for her "part" in the suicide of a customer and her granddaughter has disappeared. But was it suicide, or was it murder? And what does the death of one of Maya's elders for her oral history project have to do with it? When it comes to the "special" missing girl I find I agree with Oscar, "She's trouble, is what she is." Yet Lily sees herself in young Selena and will do everything she can to help. Trouble is brewing, not only with the curandera, but a certain green eyed monster is trying to emerge as Sailor gets special training from his Rom "cousin" and Lily tries to get information from one time boyfriend, reporter Max Carmichael.  Will Lily be able to get her normal happiness back?

Rosie Genova - Guest Post - Review - Giveaway

A Guest Post  by Rosie Genova

So often when friends and family read an author’s books—particularly one written in the first person—they make the assumption that the author and the narrator/main character are one and the same. When my mom read my first book, an unpublished romantic comedy, she learned that the main character’s dad had died, and that the young woman’s mother was dating a man who owned several car dealerships. As she was reading, she turned to my father with a satisfied air and said: “Hah! She’s killed you and given me a rich boyfriend.”

Um, no, Mom. That’s not how it works.

In interviews though, I am often asked how much of my own experience informs that of my main character, Victoria Rienzi. Like Victoria, I worked in Italian restaurants. I appreciate good food. I love the Jersey shore, listen to Bruce Springsteen and Frank Sinatra, and share her terror of boardwalk rides. But that’s about it. Here’s where my amateur sleuth and I part ways:

· I do not, under any circumstances, chase down murderers. That’s why God gave us 911.

· I am a bit—okay, quite a bit—older than Victoria.

· My father does not have a gambling problem and my mother does not have big hair. At least not now.

· I do not, alas, have two hunky guys vying for my attention. Those days are long gone, gentle readers.

· Her jokes, her real estate (a seaside cottage) and her legs are all much better than my own.

When I’m in the process of writing, however, in some ways, I become my narrator. I live inside her head, think her thoughts and feel her feelings. I get afraid when a suspect is on to her. I’m triumphant when she works out a piece of the mystery. And yes, I get a little vicarious thrill when those cute guys are fighting over me…I mean her.

But after I hit “save” and shut down that computer, the spell is broken. It’s something of a relief to go back to being Rosie, whose only puzzle to solve is the crossword and whose biggest mystery is that ever burning question: What am I going to make for dinner?

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Review

A Dish Best Served Cold by Rosie Genova
The Third Italian Kitchen Mystery

A storm is brewing on the Jersey Shore and soon Vic Rienzi finds herself in its midst. An old family friend, who also happens to be a dissolute, unwanted semi-nuisance, tells Vic he has stories to tell for her mysteries, but before he is able to tell anything he is found dead. Is he simply a victim of the hurricane, or a victim of someone who needed his silence? While most people believe his death was merely an accident, Vic and her sister in law start following a lead Stinky Pete gave; the name of Vic's great uncle. Vic and SIL soon uncover a family history with mob connections...connections that might still be alive with a desire to remain undetected.


Everyone has secrets. What lengths would you go to to protect yours? Secrets, and the protection thereof, are at the heart of A Dish Best Served Cold. Secrets come in all types, from family secrets to secrets kept from a prospective romantic partner, and more. In this book we are also are witness to the very protective nature of family; keeping secrets to save face and the family's good name and/or attacking those who threaten to expose the secrets of those you love. And secrets can also be a motive for murder, but which ones?

Rosie Genova has delivered another delicious addition to her Italian Kitchen mystery series. I'm once again transported to the Jersey Shore where I can feel the salt breeze on my skin and smell the oregano and simmering sauces emanating from Casa Lido. Genova captures the essence of family, the good and the bad, and combines it with a complex mystery. Genova deftly melds a great ensemble cast of fully developed characters with humor in a fully realized locale and creates a fun, cozy read. Despite a hurricane and murder, I want to spend time with Vic and enjoy Nonna's Bolognese!


Italian Recipes Included



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An Interview and Giveaway In the Drink

I'm please to welcome Allyson K. Abbott to the blog today. Allyson pens the Mack's Bar Mystery series. In the Drink is the third book in the series and was just released July 28th!

Kathy: Setting plays such an important role, especially in cozy mysteries. Why choose a bar in Milwaukee for your Mack's Bar Mystery series?

AKA: The setting was partly my editor’s idea. He wanted a bar setting. I like the quirkiness of Wisconsin, and Milwaukee is well known for both that and it’s beer history. Plus I like the neighborhood feel that comes along with local bars that see frequent repeat customers, the neighborhood watering hole, so to speak. It’s a great way to mix characters from many different walks of life.


Kathy: I do enjoy a good cocktail, but, to be honest, I rarely make them for myself. I just drink most of my hard liquor straight up, and neat at that. What about you? Do you make cocktails at home?

AKA: I’m definitely a mixologist. I like trying new things but I also love some old tried and true drinks. I have a well-stocked bar in my basement and whenever I entertain I invite people to experiment with recipes.


Kathy: Back in the day my drink of choice was a bourbon manhattan. Now I'm more apt to order a cosmopolitan. What's your favorite cocktail?

AKA: My standby favorite has always been a white Russian. I tend to lean more towards sweeter drinks.


Kathy: When it comes to martinis-shaken or stirred? Vodka or gin?

AKA: Shaken. And vodka, hands down. With all the new flavor-infused vodkas out there, it’s even better.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

AKA: I like puzzles of all kinds and mysteries are a great way to indulge in that, both through reading them and creating them. And I’ve loved reading since I was old enough to know how. I don’t mind blood, gore, and violence in my reading but I find that both my job as a nurse and the vivid boundaries that have been crossed by TV shows and movies have left me less inclined to want to see that kind of stuff on the page, or imagine it in my head. The first novels I had published back in the nineties were suspense thrillers with a bit of a paranormal flavor to them, not cozies. They’re much grittier than the stuff I write now.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

AKA: Not at the moment, but I do have a YA project sitting on a back burner, and as mentioned above I have written some grittier fiction in the past.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

AKA: The Mack’s Bar series features a heroine with a neurological disorder called synesthesia that involves a cross-wiring of the senses. It’s something that set her apart in an odd, bad way most of her life because it made her weird. But when she realizes it can help her with solving crimes and bringing a little more justice into the world, it proves redeeming for her and an entertaining hobby for some of her customers.

I also write the Mattie Winston Mystery series under the pseudonym Annelise Ryan featuring a wry and cynical nurse turned deputy coroner. This series is a bit more quirky and funny, and it’s also a tad bit bloodier since it does describe some autopsies. Both series are set in Wisconsin.


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

AKA: While the main character, Mackenzie “Mack” Dalton is someone I like and admire, one of her sidekicks, a woman named Cora, is quickly evolving as a favorite of mine. I like Cora because she’s a smart, self-made woman who isn’t afraid to be what she is and say what she thinks. Nor does she give much thought to what others think of her.


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

AKA: Aside from the setting suggestion, I think the primary inspiration arose from my fascination with the disorder synesthesia, which I stumbled across while researching something for an earlier novel. I saw its potential right away and it stuck with me for years until I found the right vehicle for it.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

AKA: Writers want people to read their works. At least I do, and I think it’s true of most writers. Publication is a natural progression from that desire. I love getting lost in my made-up worlds and the idea that others can get lost in those worlds for a while is fun, fulfilling, and fascinating.


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

AKA: That’s a tough one. For now I’d go with Stephen Hawking, Stephen King, Agatha Christie, and Erma Bombeck.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

AKA: I’m currently reading (listening) to the novel The Last Child by John Hart.


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

AKA: Sure! I love animals and at the moment I’m being kept very busy with my 4-month-old puppy, Winston, who is adorable, smart, and VERY energetic. I also like doing stained glass work, and of course, reading. My reading tastes are pretty eclectic, anything from horror and romance to National Geographic and the backs of cereal boxes. I’m also a huge word nerd and a fan of word games of all types, especially Scrabble. I’ve competed in Scrabble tournaments and I’ve even won money at it a time or two.


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

AKA: Butter, coffee, heavy cream (for the coffee), and popcorn.


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

AKA: I’m putting the finishing touches on the fourth book in the Mack’s Bar series now, (tentatively titled Shots in the Dark) and there will be at least two more books in this series. And I’ll be starting work soon on the eighth book in the Mattie Winston series. The seventh, Stiff Competition, comes out in January 2016 and there will be at least three more books in this series.


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

AKA: There are so many things … the creative process, the fun things I get to research, the readers I get to entertain, the imaginary characters I get to create and whose lives I get to share, and all the observations I make, store, and use about life, people, and the world around us. It enriches my life as a whole.


Kathy: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

AKA: Thank you so much for having me. Happy reading! a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Good Kind of Interview & Giveaway

I'd like to welcome Ellie Ashe to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Ellie writes the Trouble in Twin Rivers Mystery series. A Good Kind of Trouble, the first book in the series, was released in May.

Kathy: A Good Kind of Trouble is described as a romantic mystery. How does romance enhance mysteries? Are there drawbacks?

EA: Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog! Romance enhances everything! But in a mystery, I think it adds both tension and conflict. Navigating emotions, unraveling what makes a person attracted to someone else, and what makes that other person tick—those are just other mysteries to solve. And it can raise the stakes, too, if the person you care about is in peril.


Kathy: Lindsey Fox and Ben Gillespie once had a bad date of "epic proportions". Have you ever had a horrendously bad date?

EA: I have had dates that were bad, but none were horrendously bad. Or at least I’ve blocked those from my memory. I get all my bad-date inspiration for my books from my best friend who has some of the best (or maybe the worst) stories about bad dates. If you ever read about a bad date in one of my books, just know that it was inspired by a woman in California, who is both eternally optimistic and incredibly unlucky.


Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?

EA: Like many mystery writers, I’ve been drawn to this genre since my first Nancy Drew book. I read all of those books that I could get my hands on, plus the Trixie Belden mysteries and even the Hardy Boys, if I was out of girl detectives. I eventually graduated to Agatha Christie and have never looked back.

Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

I write cozy mysteries, the Miranda Vaughn Mysteries, for Gemma Halliday Publishing. I think anything I write will probably have an element of mystery to it. It’s my first love.


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

EA: The Trouble in Twin Rivers series revolves around the Fields Law Group, where Ben Gillespie goes to work in A Good Kind of Trouble. Each of the books can be read as a standalone novel and I have five planned for the series. The second book in the series involves his coworker, Fiona Larkin, a busy single mother and criminal defense attorney, and federal agent Matt Pritchard, and a murder at an exclusive resort.

The Miranda Vaughn Mysteries, published by Gemma Halliday Publishing, is about a financial analyst who was falsely accused of fraud. She was found not guilty, but that doesn’t erase the scandal. In the first book, Chasing the Dollar, Miranda sets out to find who set her up—an adventure that takes her to Macau and Belize, and into the arms of a FBI agent who has his own agenda. The second book, Dropping the Dime, was released in April, and a third book is planned for release before the end of this year.


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

EA: I could never choose between Ben and Lindsey! I love them both! Ben is cynical and bitter about his job as a lawyer, because it’s not the right fit for him. He keeps getting praised for doing a good job, which makes him feel even worse. And Lindsey loves her job as a reporter, and is desperate to hang on to it because she identifies so closely with her profession. I am a big believer in, as Lindsey says, finding a job that you love because you spend so much of your day at your job, and so many years of your life working.


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

EA: A funny title popped into my head while I was trying to fall asleep. Immediately, I could imagine the first scene, then the second scene—and then I had to get up to write the first couple chapters. Then I didn't even keep the title, which was Trust Me, I’m a Lawyer.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

EA: A Good Kind of Trouble was the first book that I wrote that I felt was finally ready to be shown to other people. But I have been writing for many years, through a couple different careers, and always planned to submit a book for publication. I can’t imagine not telling stories, in one form or another.


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

EA: This is a tough question because there are so many writers I could choose. Since I only have service for four guests, I would invite: 1) Megan Abbott, because I love how she twists the expected tropes in crime and noir into new shapes; 2) Laura Lippman, because she inspires me every time I pick up one of her books; 3) Carl Hiaasen, because he would keep us laughing; and, 4) Agatha Christie, because she’s Agatha Christie.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

EA: I usually switch between fiction and nonfiction and just finished the latest Danger Cove mystery—Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai, by Traci Andrighetti. Now I’m starting a nonfiction book called The Setup: A True Story of Dirty Cops, Soccer Moms, and Reality TV, by Pete Crooks. You may remember the story from an episode of This American Life called “The Incredible Case of the P.I. Moms.” (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/447/the-incredible-case-of-the-pi-moms)


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

EA: I am an indoorsy kind of girl—reading, writing, knitting, watching movies, baking. This is why winter is my favorite season. When forced outdoors, I do like hiking and I always have my camera with me because I love photography.


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

EA: Since I just had to clean out my pantry, I can tell you that I hoard enchilada sauce, canned Marzano tomatoes, and black beans. I guess I like being able to make enchiladas on short notice. And I always have some experimental flavor of cheese in my fridge. Right now, that’s a horseradish cheddar.


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

EA: Yes, a second book in the Trouble in Twin Rivers series will be out in 2016, probably in the summer. I have a couple other books under contract that have to be finished first, but then I can’t wait to find out what trouble Matt and Fiona get into.


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

EA: Storytelling is such a part of human nature. It’s how we communicate with each other, even when we don’t think that’s what we’re doing. But there are little stories everywhere—in songs, commercials, conversations. I find it so interesting how we’re wired to tell and listen to stories, and I am always honored to be able to carry on that tradition, in my own little way.


Kathy: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

EA: Thank you for having me! This was a lot of fun!



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One lucky commenter will receive an e-book of A Good Kind of Trouble. Simply leave a comment no later than 11:59 pm EDT Wednesday, August 12, 2015 telling us about a horrendously bad date you've had..or the best one! Be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I may contact you should you win!

IF WE DIDN’T LAUGH.... -- Guest Post & Giveaway

If We Didn’t Laugh....
By Steve Hockensmith

Mysteries aren’t just about murder, of course. They also frequently mix in greed, betrayal, hatred, arrogance, ignorance, selfishness and all the other sins and evils of this sad, sad world of ours.

And they can be so much fun!

Go figure.

Of course, not all mysteries are fun. But my favorites are. And so are the ones I write. My newest -- Fool Me Once: A Tarot Mystery, written with my tarot-expert buddy Lisa Falco -- is full of laughs (I hope). Yet it's about murder, domestic abuse, con artists and the lingering psychological cost of being brought up by a sociopath.

Sounds like a real knee slapper, eh? What can I say? If we didn’t laugh....

When I was a kid, it was TV and movies rather than books that drew me to the mystery genre, perhaps because the crime fiction that was pushed on young people back then seemed so deadly dull. (Sorry, Hardy Boys. The Tower Treasure sat on our family bookshelf unread throughout my childhood because my literary Spidey-Sense started tingling -- “I’m sensing tedium!” -- every time I went to pick it up.) And it was a certain kind of mystery that I especially liked to see on the screen.

The arch, witty Christie adaptations Death on the Nile and Evil Under the Sun made a big impression on me, as did the sometimes surreal adventures of the original Avengers. I loved both snappy ’40s detective flicks like The Big Sleep and Murder, My Sweet as well as the far goofier, more (then) modern Pink Panther series. And when I discovered the Thin Man movies, it felt like I’d finally returned to home I didn’t know I’d left after a long quest I didn’t know I’d been on.

I had arrived. The destination: funny. With murder.

Even the stuff that I found I liked that wasn’t overtly comedic -- anything about Sherlock Holmes, say, or Columbo -- had a dry, droll air about it that was never dampened by a little detail like violent death. And when I finally got hooked on mystery novels, it was Raymond Chandler’s way with a one-liner and Irwin Fletcher’s laconic nonconformity and Archie Goodwin’s genially sardonic patter that did the hooking.

None of which really answers the question I was asking myself when I started writing this: Why? Why do I like this kind of thing? Why do you? (Hey -- you’ve read this far. I think I can assume you enjoy some of this stuff, too.)

I guess that’s a mystery that even Nick and Nora Charles, John Steed and Mrs. Peel, Inspector Clouseau, Fletch, Columbo and Archie Goodwin couldn’t solve. But they could help us laugh about it....
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Steve is offering a giveaway! One person can choose a copy of Fool Me Once. To be eligible simply leave a comment on this post about humorous mysteries. Leave your comment, along with your e-mail address, no later than 11:59pm EDT Tuesday, August 11, 2015.

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Steve Hockensmith is the author of 14 novels and dozens of short stories in a variety of genres. His novel Dawn of the Dreadfuls, the official prequel to the smash "mashup" Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, was a New York Times bestseller. His other books include the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies sequel Dreadfully Ever After, the Edgar Award-nominated mystery/Western Holmes on the Range and the science-adventure for kids Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab (written with frequent Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest "Science Bob" Pflugfelder). He writes the Tarot Mystery series with the help of tarot expert Lisa Falco.


Steve's website: http://www.stevehockensmith.com
Fool Me Once, the second book in the Tarot Mystery series: http://www.amazon.com/Fool-Me-Once-Tarot-Mystery/dp/0738742236/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438886967&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+hockensmith
Be Steve's Facebook friend: https://www.facebook.com/steve.hockensmith.7
Follow Steve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrhockensmith

A Gilded Interview, Review, and Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Shelley Freydont to the blog today. Shelley has a new series, the Newport Gilded Age Mystery series which debuted this month with A Gilded Grave.

Kathy: A Gilded Grave is set in 1895 in Newport, Rhode Island. Why this time and place for your new series?

SF: I’ve always loved Newport and the Gilded Age, an era so outrageously excessive in all aspects of its culture: the wealth, the opulent houses and life styles, the ruthless business practices, the equally ruthless maneuvers in ballrooms and parlors. The scandals and secrets and skeletons in the closets. It’s a perfect period for murder.


Kathy: Historical mysteries require an extra special brand of research. What's your favorite method to research this time period?

SF: If at all possible I visit the physical location where my story unfolds. I’ve been to Newport numerous times, and writing gives me a good excuse for continuing my love affair with the town. I also love scouring primary sources. And there are plenty of these for the Gilded Age. Essays, novels, diaries, letters. Plus newspapers and magazines where gossip columns were particularly popular at the time.


Kathy: Spiritualism as a religion began in the mid 1800's in Western New York and was flourishing by the end of the century. It was not uncommon for fashionable members of society to host séances and seek guidance from the spirit world, as we see in A Gilded Grave. How do you see Spiritualism effecting high society during the Gilded Age?

SF: As with any new “fad,” spiritualism swept through all sections of society, considered a parlor game by many, but there were true believers. And like any period where there is upheaval, people were looking for some kind of consolation, understanding, hope, even the non-believers. It was a society ripe to be hoodwinked. Strange but there are so many similarities and parallels between the Gilded Age and the present day that it’s kind of shocking.


Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?

SF: I was a dancer before I became a writer. One day I was in the museum with a friend and we were talking about what we wanted to do next. And she said you should write a mystery. (I was always reading them.) So I decided to write a mystery about a dance company. It was a perfect situation for a cozy. A dance company is like a family, or a small town, with quirky characters. They fight and love, laugh and cry, and in the theater or on tour you sometimes meet people who are ripe for murder, though to my knowledge no one ever has acted on the impulse except on the pages of a novel.


Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?

SF: I write women’s fiction as Shelley Noble (Beach Colors, Whisper Beach) and a contemporary cozy series under my Shelley Freydont name. (The Celebration Bay mysteries)


Kathy: Tell us about your series.

SF: In the Celebration Bay Mysteries Liv Montgomery is a New York City event planner who moves to the upstate NY destination town of Celebration Bay to become their events coordinator. Once there, she and her intrepid Westie, Whiskey, encounter more murders than they dreamed of in the big city. But since Liv is so adept at coordinating their festivals and holidays, the locals naturally expect her to be a pro at solving a few murders.


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

SF: I love my characters. That’s one of the many great things about writing cozies, you have so much fun with the people. I love Edna and Ida Zimmerman, two retired school teachers who are also Liv’s landladies, who adore Whiskey, the Westie, and encourage Liv to make a “lesson plan” for investigation. And there’s Chaz , the lazy, good-looking, good-for-nothing newspaper editor, that expends the most energy when he’s giving Liv a hard time. Besides he’s not all bad as we learn as the series continues. And of course I can’t leave out Dolly and Fred, or BeBe Ford, Liv’s best friend, or Whiskey, or Bill, and especially not Ted, Liv’s assistant, a man of a certain age and a mysterious past. See what I mean. I love them all.


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

SF: Not really. My last series the Fish out of water stories are my favorites, so I noodled around and came up with the idea of a chic, high-powered Manhattanite embracing county life.


Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?

SF: I’ve been published for over fifteen years now. That was the point of writing a mystery, to get it published. I’m still traditionally published for both series and my women’s fiction. I love being part of the professional team.


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

SF: Well, the authors I would invite might end up killing each other or laughing themselves to pieces, so I’ll stick to mystery-ish writers. Elizabeth Peters. I was lucky enough to be present several times when she was holding forth in the way that only she could. Great storyteller. Mary Stewart. The mistress of romantic suspense, who could create that suspense just by the rhythm of her words. Georgette Heyer. What a sense of humor. And I would have to leave the fourth out, it would be too hard to choose. And if I named my other favorites we’d have to hire a banquet hall.


Kathy: What are you currently reading?

SF: Lots of history. I just finished rereading Witch by Elizabeth Peters as Barbara Michaels. Just started A Desperate Fortune by Susannah Kearsley


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

SF: Theater history, jigsaw puzzles, antique carousels, old lighthouses. And I love to travel and go out to dinner with good friends.


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

SF: Ginger and Horseradish, because they can make just about any meal better. Olive oil and garlic. Can’t make a dinner in this house without those two.


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

SF: Yes, Yes, and Yes. For both my series and my women’s fiction.


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

SF: The short commute; bedroom to office: 44 steps if I stop at the kitchen for a cup of coffee. BTW I always dress for work. What a wonderful way to spend your days, living in your imagination. And getting paid for it. I love working with imaginary people. The only downside is that it’s not the kind of job you can leave at the office. Characters are really tenacious. They have a way of following you around and demanding your attention when you least expect it.

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Review

A Gilded Grave by Shelley Freydont
The First Newport Gilded Age Mystery

Deanna Randolph is trying to enjoy her first Newport season. It's somewhat of a challenge due to her domineering and exacting mother, plus the ramifications of a rebuffed engagement with a childhood friend who is now working amid the working class! A sugar plantation owner from Barbados has come to help her father's business, but he seems more interested in socializing that working. When a maid winds up dead Deanna decides to look in to the matter with the help of her own maid, hoping to gain information that she knows the police will never receive from the entitled crowd.

In A Gilded Grave Shelley Freydont brings us back to a time of opulence; where millions are made and frittered away. A world where the majority struggle to earn a living while a select few live in a self indulgent microcosm of excess. She also shows the other side of society, living side by side, dependent on each other, yet worlds apart. When a maid from the serving class is found murdered there are certain societal facts that can't be breached. The rich will protect their own, the maid's death will make little difference to the majority, and no one, rich, working class, or poor, will talk to the police!

Shelley Freydont has captured the essence of the era and brought it to life in A Gilded Grave. From the detailed descriptions of the clothing and social rituals to the realistic details of the murder and its investigation I felt immersed in the Gilded Age. The book is also a finely crafted mystery with subtle clues, interesting suspects, and a delightful way of capturing the villain. It also takes a look at society and its values and gives readers the opportunity to see what's changed and what hasn't. While a life of luxury and excess sounds lovely, I wouldn't wish to trade my independent life for Deanna's for all the sugar in Barbados!



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