I'm currently reading The Cursed Canoe by Frankie Bow. This book is the second in the Molly Barda Mystery series and was released earlier this year.
Molly is back and suffering some unusual physical ailments. Is it stress? The result of dealing with the Student Retention Office? While watching her friend Emma put the paddling crew through their paces she complains about Kathy Banks, her liaison to said Retention Office. Before Molly finishes wishing Kathy ill, shouts come out to call 911. Kathy has fallen overboard. And doesn't recover. Is there really such a thing as psychogenic death? Could Molly have somehow caused Kathy's death? And how is it that recent graduates are reportedly earning high incomes? Is Donnie thinking of making Molly's relationship with his son more than that of a former college professor? There's a lot going on at Mahina State, but is is murder?
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
The High Tea Interview and Giveaway
I'm so pleased to welcome Krista Davis back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Today is actually release day for her 10th Domestic Diva mystery, The Diva Serves High Tea!
Kathy: Is The Parlour based on a real tearoom or is it purely fictional?
KD: It is entirely fictional. Many years ago on a trip to Hong Kong, I indulged in a very elegant tea. The tables and chairs were set up as small living room groupings with a love seat, chairs, and a coffee table. The furnishings were extremely elegant, but the comfortable seating around a low table imparted a feeling of closeness with the other people at the table. It was a more personal feel than formal dining. So naturally, I drew on memories of that tea for the concept of The Parlour.
Kathy: Are you a tea fan?
KD: Shhh. True confession—I am a tea addict. I’m very crabby if I don’t have my morning tea! I can skip breakfast if I need to, but I must have at least one cup of tea in the morning. It’s my beverage of choice, and I drink it all day long.
Kathy: Have you ever been to a high tea?
KD: I have! When I was in college and studying in London, my roommate’s mother treated us to a true English tea, which did not disappoint!
I grew up with afternoon tea. My mother didn’t offer a big assortment of goodies like tearooms do, but it was the norm for us to have tea with cake on Sunday afternoons. Everyone thinks of a tea as being very British, but the French and Germans, and most of Europe, I think, have a tradition of afternoon tea or coffee.
Kathy: If you were attending a tea, what would be your favorite food choices?
KD: Lemon curd! I love that sweet yet tart flavor. And anything that looks like a little cake or a petit fours.
Kathy: I love all sorts of teas, but am partial to lapsong souchong. Do you have a favorite tea?
KD: Absolutely. I love Newman’s Own Black Organic Tea. It hits all the right notes for me. I take it with sugar and milk.
Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Sophie?
KD: There’s a major upheaval in Sophie’s gang in THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA. No spoilers here, but some things are changing. I’m just starting to work on the next diva book, and I think Nina Reid Norwood’s husband may finally make an appearance.
Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?
KD: MISSION IMPAWSIBLE, set on Wagtail Mountain, will be out in February. It centers around a matchmaking festival, which was a lot of fun to write about.
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BIO:
New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries. Her 10th Domestic Diva Mystery is THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA, which releases on June 7th. Christ also writes the Paws & Claws Mysteries for animal lovers that debuted with MURDER, SHE BARKED. Like her characters, Krista has a soft spot for cats, dogs, and sweets. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with three dogs and two cats.
New York Times Bestselling author Krista Davis writes the Domestic Diva Mysteries. Her 10th Domestic Diva Mystery is THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA, which releases on June 7th. Christ also writes the Paws & Claws Mysteries for animal lovers that debuted with MURDER, SHE BARKED. Like her characters, Krista has a soft spot for cats, dogs, and sweets. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with three dogs and two cats.
www.facebook.com/KristaDavisAuthor
pinterest.com/kristadavisbook
mysteryloverskitchen.com
twitter.com/kristadavis
killercharacters.com
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You are cordially invited to a tea party!
When: Tonight! June 7, 2016
Time: 4-6:30 pm EDT
Where: Online
https://www.facebook.com/events/1800068960212872/1802506153302486/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity¬if_id=1464384446031878#
Isn't that picture gorgeous?! It's the grand prize at the party! There will be other prizes as well, so do try to attend.
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Would you like your own copy of The Diva Serves High Tea? Simply enter the rafflecoptor below. If the winner has a US mailing address, the prize will be an autographed paperback. A non-US winner will receive a paperback copy.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, June 6, 2016
Spotlight - Girl on the Run & Giveaway
Today I wanted to shine a spotlight on a non cozy written by a favorite cozy author. Daryl Wood Gerber leaves coziness behind in Girl on the Run, a stand alone thriller.
UPDATE: Check out the giveaway!
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free?
Chessa Paxton, an event planner in Lake Tahoe, celebrates a successful night at the Happily Ever After Ball, but her dream quickly becomes a nightmare when she wakes up beside the body of her dead husband. Nauseous and confused, feeling as if she's been drugged, she can't explain to the sheriff why her princess costume is bloodied. With her father already a convicted murderer, she feels invisible shackles ratcheting onto her wrists and ankles. She runs! But she can't escape vivid flashes of memory: a massacre in a meadow; men and women in fairytale costumes; Snow White's dead body shielding her from bullets.
Though Chessa is a former costumer and adept at disguise, she quickly learns that hiding while trying to prove herself innocent is the most difficult task imaginable. Especially when the sheriff wants to throw her in jail and the real killer wants to silence her forever.
****************************************************************************
Prior to her career as a novelist, Daryl wrote screenplays and created the format for the popular TV sitcom Out of this World. A fun tidbit for mystery buffs, Daryl was also an actress and co-starred on Murder, She Wrote, as well as other TV shows. Daryl is originally from the Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University. She loves to cook, read, golf, swim, and garden. She also likes adventure and has been known to jump out of perfectly good airplanes.
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Do you enjoy thrillers? Do you appreciate authors who write in multiple genres?
****************************************************************************
I posted too soon. Answer one or both of my questions on this blog post for a chance to win a paperback copy of Girl on the Run. Sorry US mailing addresses only. Leave your comment as well as an e-mail address on this blog post no later than 11:59 pm EDT Wednesday, June 8, 2016.
UPDATE: Check out the giveaway!
Girl on the Run
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free?
Chessa Paxton, an event planner in Lake Tahoe, celebrates a successful night at the Happily Ever After Ball, but her dream quickly becomes a nightmare when she wakes up beside the body of her dead husband. Nauseous and confused, feeling as if she's been drugged, she can't explain to the sheriff why her princess costume is bloodied. With her father already a convicted murderer, she feels invisible shackles ratcheting onto her wrists and ankles. She runs! But she can't escape vivid flashes of memory: a massacre in a meadow; men and women in fairytale costumes; Snow White's dead body shielding her from bullets.
Though Chessa is a former costumer and adept at disguise, she quickly learns that hiding while trying to prove herself innocent is the most difficult task imaginable. Especially when the sheriff wants to throw her in jail and the real killer wants to silence her forever.
****************************************************************************
Biography
Daryl Wood Gerber is the author of The Cookbook Nook Mysteries, featuring an avid reader, admitted foodie, and owner of a cookbook store in picturesque coastal California. The series debuted in 2013. In addition, under the pen name Avery Aames, Daryl writes the Agatha Award winning, nationally bestselling The Cheese Shop Mysteries set in fictional Providence, Ohio.Prior to her career as a novelist, Daryl wrote screenplays and created the format for the popular TV sitcom Out of this World. A fun tidbit for mystery buffs, Daryl was also an actress and co-starred on Murder, She Wrote, as well as other TV shows. Daryl is originally from the Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University. She loves to cook, read, golf, swim, and garden. She also likes adventure and has been known to jump out of perfectly good airplanes.
*****************************************************************************
Do you enjoy thrillers? Do you appreciate authors who write in multiple genres?
****************************************************************************
I posted too soon. Answer one or both of my questions on this blog post for a chance to win a paperback copy of Girl on the Run. Sorry US mailing addresses only. Leave your comment as well as an e-mail address on this blog post no later than 11:59 pm EDT Wednesday, June 8, 2016.
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Murder by Interview, Review, and Giveaway
I'm happy to welcome Jeanne Quigley back to Cozy Up With Kathy. Jeanne writes the Victoria Walsh Mystery series. Murder, By George, the second book in the series, was released last month.
Kathy: Veronica and Mark start Murder, By George by attending the town's annual fall flea market. Do enjoy flea markets?
JQ: I confess I am not a flea market person. I’m always ready to hit a book sale, though, with a canvas bag in hand for all those hardcovers and paperbacks I just have to read.
Kathy: Architect Scott Culverson finds a valuable surprise hidden in his inexpensive purchase at the sale. Have you ever made a lucky discovery such as his?
JQ: I’ve never had that luck, but at book sales I’ve discovered authors and characters I’ve come to cherish. I fell in love with Father Tim and the town of Mitford after I bought the first of Jan Karon’s series at a library sale. Karon’s writing strongly influenced my desire to write a series. I also discovered cozy authors MC Beaton, Mary Daheim, and Karen MacInerney at book sales. The used books I’ve purchased may not have high monetary value, but the inspiration and comfort the stories have given me is priceless.
Kathy: Murder, By George deals with an important painting from the 1920s. Do you have a favorite painting style or period?
JQ: My knowledge of art history is limited and my artistic ability hasn’t progressed much beyond stick figure drawings, so I appreciate the talent famous and non-famous artists possess, whatever their style. I marvel at the artistic skill of my sister-in-law Marilyn and niece Shannon and I always enjoy the exhibits my library has of work by local students and residents. I tend to prefer nature scenes to portraits, I suppose because I can imagine I’m there, walking through the woods or plucking the flowers in the fields. I do like van Gogh’s work and the dreamy nature of Chagall’s paintings. Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but I also love the Dogs Playing Poker series by C.M. Coolidge.
Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?
JQ: There’s not one specific inspiration, but stories about people discovering Jackson Pollack paintings, original copies of the Declaration of Independence, and centuries’ old Chinese bowls at garage sales gave me the idea for Murder, by George.
Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Veronica?
JQ: I’m working on the third book now. My publisher, Five Star, is ending its mystery line, so when I am finished writing, I will have to find a new home for Veronica and friends. Wish me luck!
Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?
JQ: I fall in between, but I’m working at being a stronger plotter. I don’t start writing until I know the beginning, ending, and have a thread of scenes connecting the two. Once I’m into the story, unplanned scenes and characters introduce themselves and others are eliminated when I realize they don’t work as well on paper as they did in my head. I’d like to get a whole book down in an outline and then (I hope) write like the wind.
Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?
JQ: I have a character in mind for a second series. Her name is Robin and she lives in a small town in the Catskills. When I finish the third Veronica Walsh mystery, I plan to spend time developing the idea into a story.
*****************************************************************************
Review
Murder, by George by Jeanne Quigley
The Second Veronica Walsh Mystery
Veronica is settling in to her home town of Barton, NY, managing her store and enjoying family and friends. An unexpected art discovery at the local flea market leads to some vicious debates about who the actual owner is, or should be. On the night the painting is to have its own gallery show, the painting and its new owner are late. A search finds the owner dead and the painting gone! Could one of the town's residents vying for ownership have actually killed him? Veronica promises she won't get involved, but when pressed, that promise may not be kept!
I am happy to be walking the streets of Barton once more! Once again Quigley brings us a charming yet intricate mystery. The town of Barton is picture perfect, and the creation of an artist who captured a scene from it is a smart move. I think most people have the dream of finding treasure at a flea market or garage sale. In this case it wasn't a painting unrecognized for its worth, but rather a box with a hidden compartment hiding a recognizable treasure...along with a letter adding even more significance. But, in case anyone gets too envious of Scott and his find-remember it brings him nothing but trouble, arguments from people who say the painting should be theirs and ultimately his murder.
Quigley also deftly handles the issue almost all cozy series face. Our protagonist got into terrible danger by trying to solve the crime in the previous book, yet here she is again, about to do the same thing. In Murder, by George everyone reminds Victoria about what happened the last time and warn her not to get involved. The intelligent move made is that Victoria agrees wholeheartedly, says it's a matter for the police, and she has no intention of investigating. Of course, with more and more pressure from other friends she eventually does become involved, which, of course, she has to do so or we wouldn't have much of a book! But the original realization and admitting that she has no business getting involved is a pleasant slice of reality.
Murder, by George is an enjoyable trip to the Adirondacks. The mystery itself is great fun with lots of suspects and possible motives. Veronica Walsh proves once again that she's an intelligent woman; a realistic character who's a pleasure to read.
****************************************************************************
Jeanne is graciously offering an advanced readers copy to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment on this blog post giving us your thoughts on flea markets and/or lucky finds no later than 11:59 pm EDT Monday, June 6, 2016. Be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I may contact you should you win. Sorry, US addresses only.
Kathy: Veronica and Mark start Murder, By George by attending the town's annual fall flea market. Do enjoy flea markets?
JQ: I confess I am not a flea market person. I’m always ready to hit a book sale, though, with a canvas bag in hand for all those hardcovers and paperbacks I just have to read.
Kathy: Architect Scott Culverson finds a valuable surprise hidden in his inexpensive purchase at the sale. Have you ever made a lucky discovery such as his?
JQ: I’ve never had that luck, but at book sales I’ve discovered authors and characters I’ve come to cherish. I fell in love with Father Tim and the town of Mitford after I bought the first of Jan Karon’s series at a library sale. Karon’s writing strongly influenced my desire to write a series. I also discovered cozy authors MC Beaton, Mary Daheim, and Karen MacInerney at book sales. The used books I’ve purchased may not have high monetary value, but the inspiration and comfort the stories have given me is priceless.
Kathy: Murder, By George deals with an important painting from the 1920s. Do you have a favorite painting style or period?
JQ: My knowledge of art history is limited and my artistic ability hasn’t progressed much beyond stick figure drawings, so I appreciate the talent famous and non-famous artists possess, whatever their style. I marvel at the artistic skill of my sister-in-law Marilyn and niece Shannon and I always enjoy the exhibits my library has of work by local students and residents. I tend to prefer nature scenes to portraits, I suppose because I can imagine I’m there, walking through the woods or plucking the flowers in the fields. I do like van Gogh’s work and the dreamy nature of Chagall’s paintings. Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but I also love the Dogs Playing Poker series by C.M. Coolidge.
Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?
JQ: There’s not one specific inspiration, but stories about people discovering Jackson Pollack paintings, original copies of the Declaration of Independence, and centuries’ old Chinese bowls at garage sales gave me the idea for Murder, by George.
Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Veronica?
JQ: I’m working on the third book now. My publisher, Five Star, is ending its mystery line, so when I am finished writing, I will have to find a new home for Veronica and friends. Wish me luck!
Kathy: When it comes to writing I understand there are 2 general camps-plotters, who diligently plot their stories, and pansters, who fly by the seat of their pants. Are you a plotter, a panster, or do you fall somewhere in between?
JQ: I fall in between, but I’m working at being a stronger plotter. I don’t start writing until I know the beginning, ending, and have a thread of scenes connecting the two. Once I’m into the story, unplanned scenes and characters introduce themselves and others are eliminated when I realize they don’t work as well on paper as they did in my head. I’d like to get a whole book down in an outline and then (I hope) write like the wind.
Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?
JQ: I have a character in mind for a second series. Her name is Robin and she lives in a small town in the Catskills. When I finish the third Veronica Walsh mystery, I plan to spend time developing the idea into a story.
*****************************************************************************
Review
Murder, by George by Jeanne Quigley
The Second Veronica Walsh Mystery
Veronica is settling in to her home town of Barton, NY, managing her store and enjoying family and friends. An unexpected art discovery at the local flea market leads to some vicious debates about who the actual owner is, or should be. On the night the painting is to have its own gallery show, the painting and its new owner are late. A search finds the owner dead and the painting gone! Could one of the town's residents vying for ownership have actually killed him? Veronica promises she won't get involved, but when pressed, that promise may not be kept!
I am happy to be walking the streets of Barton once more! Once again Quigley brings us a charming yet intricate mystery. The town of Barton is picture perfect, and the creation of an artist who captured a scene from it is a smart move. I think most people have the dream of finding treasure at a flea market or garage sale. In this case it wasn't a painting unrecognized for its worth, but rather a box with a hidden compartment hiding a recognizable treasure...along with a letter adding even more significance. But, in case anyone gets too envious of Scott and his find-remember it brings him nothing but trouble, arguments from people who say the painting should be theirs and ultimately his murder.
Quigley also deftly handles the issue almost all cozy series face. Our protagonist got into terrible danger by trying to solve the crime in the previous book, yet here she is again, about to do the same thing. In Murder, by George everyone reminds Victoria about what happened the last time and warn her not to get involved. The intelligent move made is that Victoria agrees wholeheartedly, says it's a matter for the police, and she has no intention of investigating. Of course, with more and more pressure from other friends she eventually does become involved, which, of course, she has to do so or we wouldn't have much of a book! But the original realization and admitting that she has no business getting involved is a pleasant slice of reality.
Murder, by George is an enjoyable trip to the Adirondacks. The mystery itself is great fun with lots of suspects and possible motives. Veronica Walsh proves once again that she's an intelligent woman; a realistic character who's a pleasure to read.
****************************************************************************
Jeanne is graciously offering an advanced readers copy to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment on this blog post giving us your thoughts on flea markets and/or lucky finds no later than 11:59 pm EDT Monday, June 6, 2016. Be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I may contact you should you win. Sorry, US addresses only.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Éclair and Present Interview, Review, & Giveaway
I'm thrilled to welcome Laura Bradford to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Laura has started a new series which will be released June 7th. Éclair and Present Danger is the first in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series.
Kathy: You start a new series with Éclair and Present Danger. Why choose desserts as a theme?
LB: I think the concept of an emergency dessert squad sounds like fun. I know there are lots of times in life when a little goodie-boost has turned a few of my bad days around.
Kathy: You certainly came up with a unique delivery system! How did you come up with that idea?
LB: I was brainstorming creative bakery ideas with a former Girl Scout of mine and she mentioned a pull towards food trucks. The next thing I knew, I was picturing an ambulance and emergency desserts in my head. Once I did, I just knew it would make a perfect cozy mystery.
Kathy: Lovey is not such a loving cat, at least to Winnie. Is Lovey based on a real feline?
LB: No, not really. I just loved the idea of Winnie taking on this cat because of her love for her now deceased friend. And how she sticks with it even though the cat isn’t thrilled. We’ll see signs of the ice thawing though in future books.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
LB: I love the small town feel, the characters you come to know and love, and I love that justice always prevails in the end.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
LB: I have written a handful of romance novels, one of which won me my first writing award. And I’m working on a women’s fiction when time allows. I have lots of stories in me.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
LB: I’d be happy to!
Éclair and Present Danger kicks off my new Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries. The series’ name pretty much sums them up. There’s a great cast of characters I think my readers will fall in love with (I know I have). Silence of the Flans (Book # 2) will follow in March.
A Churn for the Worse, the 5th book in my Amish Mysteries, released in March. This series follows English gift shop owner, Claire Weatherly, and former Amish-turned-Police Detective, Jakob Fisher. Again, a series with characters readers can identify with on so many levels.
Needle and Dread, the 11th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is a series rooted in friendships. The women, who range in age from early twenties to eighty-something, have their squabbles but they always come together in the end.
Truth Death in Advertising, the 1st book in my Tobi Tobias Mysteries, will debut in February 2017 with Kensington’s Lyrical E-line. These books are first person humorous mysteries and are a wee bit more sassy that I usually write, but equally fun.
And, last but not least, I can’t forget my Jenkins & Burns Mysteries. Available in E-format only now, this is the series that saw me published for the first time and earned me an Agatha nomination for Best First Novel (Jury of One, 2005—now titled, Deadly Readings in its E-form)
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
LB: I tend to have a favorite character (s) in each series. In the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, however, I have several. I love Winnie, my protagonist, because I like her spunk, her loyalty, and her creativeness. I love Renee (Winnie’s best friend) because she keeps Winnie on her toes. And I love Mr. Nelson (Winnie’s elderly downstairs neighbor) because he makes me laugh.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
LB: In terms of the Emergency Dessert Squad? My agent loved it. And we had offers from two publishing houses. So that made the decision easy.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
LB: Mary Higgins Clark
Lynn Cahoon
Linda Castillo
Harlan Coben
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
LB: Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series. I read these when I’m on the elliptical machine at the gym. Helps make the time go by.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
LB: Sure. I love to bake, play games, and travel.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
LB: Pretzels
Chocolate of some sort (bonus points if it includes caramel)
Candy corn
Water
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
LB: Here’s what’s coming up in 2017:
**Silence of the Flans (Book # 2 in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries) will release in March 2017. Book # 3 will follow in January 2018.
**Three titles in my upcoming Tobi Tobias Mysteries will debut in 2017—February, July, and December.
**I will be releasing a 6th book in my Amish Mysteries in 2017.
**The 12th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will be out in June 2017.
Kathy: What is your favorite thing about being an author?
LB: When I started on this journey, my favorite part was the writing. Now, I have to say it’s the amazing people I’ve met because of my writing.
***
Now available!!!
Éclair and Present Danger
The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.
With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim...
***
Bio:
As a child, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else. Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, and the upcoming Tobi Tobias Mystery Series. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.
For more information, visit: www.laurabradford.com or, for day to day stuff, you can find Laura on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor/ and occasionally on Twitter @bradfordauthor
***
Review
ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER By Laura Bradford
The First Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery
Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?
ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER is a fun start to a new series. The characters are down to earth with real appeal. I'd be pleased to be Winnie's friend, even though she pulled a totally stupid move when she realized who the killer really was! My favorite character, however, has to be Lovey. Her life has drastically changed as well and I can't help but smile at how she deals with it! I appreciate Bradford illustrating the importance of the elderly in this world, and the joy our elders can bring as well as the humor! There's a never let life get you down attitude, even when life does get you down. However bad it gets, you never know what lies around the corner-it could be better than you ever imagined.
While I did truly enjoy this book, one thing really nagged at me. When Winnie lost the bakery she continued to bake and sell her items via her new business. But she baked in her home. Something tells me the health department would take issue with that-unless the home was already certified, but that fact was never mentioned. Still in all, ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER was a delightful read which brought many a smile to my face.
Recipes Included.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kathy: You start a new series with Éclair and Present Danger. Why choose desserts as a theme?
LB: I think the concept of an emergency dessert squad sounds like fun. I know there are lots of times in life when a little goodie-boost has turned a few of my bad days around.
Kathy: You certainly came up with a unique delivery system! How did you come up with that idea?
LB: I was brainstorming creative bakery ideas with a former Girl Scout of mine and she mentioned a pull towards food trucks. The next thing I knew, I was picturing an ambulance and emergency desserts in my head. Once I did, I just knew it would make a perfect cozy mystery.
Kathy: Lovey is not such a loving cat, at least to Winnie. Is Lovey based on a real feline?
LB: No, not really. I just loved the idea of Winnie taking on this cat because of her love for her now deceased friend. And how she sticks with it even though the cat isn’t thrilled. We’ll see signs of the ice thawing though in future books.
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
LB: I love the small town feel, the characters you come to know and love, and I love that justice always prevails in the end.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
LB: I have written a handful of romance novels, one of which won me my first writing award. And I’m working on a women’s fiction when time allows. I have lots of stories in me.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
LB: I’d be happy to!
Éclair and Present Danger kicks off my new Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries. The series’ name pretty much sums them up. There’s a great cast of characters I think my readers will fall in love with (I know I have). Silence of the Flans (Book # 2) will follow in March.
A Churn for the Worse, the 5th book in my Amish Mysteries, released in March. This series follows English gift shop owner, Claire Weatherly, and former Amish-turned-Police Detective, Jakob Fisher. Again, a series with characters readers can identify with on so many levels.
Needle and Dread, the 11th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is a series rooted in friendships. The women, who range in age from early twenties to eighty-something, have their squabbles but they always come together in the end.
Truth Death in Advertising, the 1st book in my Tobi Tobias Mysteries, will debut in February 2017 with Kensington’s Lyrical E-line. These books are first person humorous mysteries and are a wee bit more sassy that I usually write, but equally fun.
And, last but not least, I can’t forget my Jenkins & Burns Mysteries. Available in E-format only now, this is the series that saw me published for the first time and earned me an Agatha nomination for Best First Novel (Jury of One, 2005—now titled, Deadly Readings in its E-form)
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
LB: I tend to have a favorite character (s) in each series. In the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, however, I have several. I love Winnie, my protagonist, because I like her spunk, her loyalty, and her creativeness. I love Renee (Winnie’s best friend) because she keeps Winnie on her toes. And I love Mr. Nelson (Winnie’s elderly downstairs neighbor) because he makes me laugh.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
LB: In terms of the Emergency Dessert Squad? My agent loved it. And we had offers from two publishing houses. So that made the decision easy.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
LB: Mary Higgins Clark
Lynn Cahoon
Linda Castillo
Harlan Coben
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
LB: Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series. I read these when I’m on the elliptical machine at the gym. Helps make the time go by.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
LB: Sure. I love to bake, play games, and travel.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
LB: Pretzels
Chocolate of some sort (bonus points if it includes caramel)
Candy corn
Water
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
LB: Here’s what’s coming up in 2017:
**Silence of the Flans (Book # 2 in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries) will release in March 2017. Book # 3 will follow in January 2018.
**Three titles in my upcoming Tobi Tobias Mysteries will debut in 2017—February, July, and December.
**I will be releasing a 6th book in my Amish Mysteries in 2017.
**The 12th book in my Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will be out in June 2017.
Kathy: What is your favorite thing about being an author?
LB: When I started on this journey, my favorite part was the writing. Now, I have to say it’s the amazing people I’ve met because of my writing.
***
Now available!!!
Éclair and Present Danger
The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.
With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim...
***
Bio:
As a child, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else. Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey, and the upcoming Tobi Tobias Mystery Series. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.
For more information, visit: www.laurabradford.com or, for day to day stuff, you can find Laura on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor/ and occasionally on Twitter @bradfordauthor
***
Review
ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER By Laura Bradford
The First Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery
Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?
ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER is a fun start to a new series. The characters are down to earth with real appeal. I'd be pleased to be Winnie's friend, even though she pulled a totally stupid move when she realized who the killer really was! My favorite character, however, has to be Lovey. Her life has drastically changed as well and I can't help but smile at how she deals with it! I appreciate Bradford illustrating the importance of the elderly in this world, and the joy our elders can bring as well as the humor! There's a never let life get you down attitude, even when life does get you down. However bad it gets, you never know what lies around the corner-it could be better than you ever imagined.
While I did truly enjoy this book, one thing really nagged at me. When Winnie lost the bakery she continued to bake and sell her items via her new business. But she baked in her home. Something tells me the health department would take issue with that-unless the home was already certified, but that fact was never mentioned. Still in all, ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER was a delightful read which brought many a smile to my face.
Recipes Included.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, June 2, 2016
An Interview with Jeff Schober
I'm pleased to welcome Jeff Schober to the blog today. Jeff writes a crime fiction series. Faces and Fingertips, the third book in the series was released earlier this year.
Kathy: You write nonfiction, including true crime, and fictional mysteries. What do you see as the main differences between writing fiction and non-fiction?
JS: The same concept of good storytelling applies to each. But with fiction, I think the writer has more creativity and control of direction. With non-fiction, the path to tell the story may be chronological or thematic. Either way, facts dictate the structure. I have a journalism degree and worked in that profession early in my career, so for me, non-fiction is easier to write because I have more experience.
Kathy: Your crime fiction series is set in the 1980s. Why did you choose this time frame?
JS: My first crime novel, Broken and Profane, was inspired by the .22-Caliber Killer who terrorized Western New York in the fall of 1980. So although my story is a fictionalized version of a serial killer, I decided to maintain the actual year. But I also wanted the challenge of writing a period piece. I lived through the 1980s, so it made sense on several levels.
Kathy: Like me, you also have a background in theatre. You have also taught Shakespeare. What makes the Bard so special and how is his work still impacting writers today?
JS: I’ve heard it said that 90% of our cultural references come from Shakespeare and the Bible. What’s not to like about Shakespeare? You name a conflict, and he explored it, better than most other writers. That’s not to say all his plays are gems. I think he mixed a few dogs in there. But when he was on, he was really on.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite Shakespearian play? What about a favorite adaptation?
JS: I’ve always loved the dark undertones of Othello. Iago is such a wonderful villain, and we never truly learn what motivates his evil. At the end of the play, Othello says “Demand that demi-devil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body.” And Iago replies: “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.” Then Iago closes his mouth and doesn’t talk again.
As far as an adaptation, years ago I saw a stage version of Othello with two live actors and the remaining cast as puppets. It was an interesting concept meant to explore the falsehood of external appearances. But at the same time, it felt like a gimmick, and Shakespeare’s script is strong enough that a gimmick isn’t needed. The movie version I love is from 1995 with Laurence Fishburne as Othello and Kenneth Branagh as Iago. Branagh has acted and directed several Shakespeare movies, and he’s done great work.
Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?
JS: Probably reading the Hardy Boys series as a kid. There was a short-lived TV show in the 1970s about the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, starring teen heartthrobs Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson. I began watching the show, then made it a point to read all the books. I believe there were 57 of them back when I was a kid. An internet search revealed there are even more now.
It was my dad who helped nurture my love of reading. When I was 8, I was saving allowance money to buy Hardy Boys mysteries (each hardcover was $2.50 at the plaza near my house), and dad made me a standing offer: he would buy any book I wanted, provided that I promised to read it. It was an incredible offer, and I’m still amazed and humbled by it 40 years later.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JS: I like to think my strength as a writer lies in versatility. I’ve written a sports biography (Growing Up Gronk), a sports history (Sabres — 26 Seasons in Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium), true crime (Bike Path Rapist), a literary novel (Undercurrent), and several lighthearted plays. I also write features semi-regularly for The Buffalo News. I always say that I’m interested in good stories, regardless of genre. I’m considering tackling an American history project in the future.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JS: It’s gritty crime fiction, set in and around Buffalo in the early 1980s. The first book, Broken and Profane, is aptly titled. The characters are all troubled. The plot is driven by a white serial killer who is targeting black people for no other reason besides their race. Two detectives, Mark Bennett and Ken Connell, are chasing leads to stop the bloodshed, and Bennett is sleeping with Connell’s soon-to-be ex-wife. There is a clear triangle of tension among the two cops and the killer.
The second novel, Boneshaker, picks up nearly two years later, in the summer of 1982, and follows Mark Bennett and a new partner as they try to solve the case of a missing nurse who was last seen leaving work at Sisters‘ Hospital in Buffalo. This book is more straight ahead action. Readers have told me it’s accessible and a page turner.
Faces and Fingertips is the newest book, set in 1983, and the focus returns to Ken Connell, who is approached to investigate the death of an anonymous baby.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JS: Characters are like kids. You love them all in different ways. Ken Connell is on my mind because Faces and Fingertips features him. He’s interesting because he once had it all: good looks, respect as a great detective, and a beautiful wife. This novel explores what happens to a man when everything he values is taken away.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JS: Not really. I just want to tell a compelling story. I didn’t set out to write a series. Broken and Profane was to be a stand alone novel. But near the end, I wrote a raw, crude scene featuring Ken Connell that didn’t fit that story but was too good to just toss away. That got me thinking that maybe there was more to explore. I tried to squeeze that chapter into Boneshaker, but it didn’t fit there either, because Connell doesn’t appear in that novel. So this scene hung out there in limbo for six years. It is now chapter one of Faces and Fingertips.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JS: Simply, I believed it was good enough to share. When I first started writing fiction, in my early 20s, I knew I didn’t have the skills to be taken seriously. I had to write poorly before I learned to write well. I wrote three novels that were labored and clunky. Thank God they never saw daylight. When I began Undercurrent, in 2004, it felt different. It felt like I had grown and that my narrative voice had control. I believed the material would stand up to scrutiny.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JS: This is a great question. I’ve had dinner with Dennis Lehane, and he’s the coolest guy in any room he occupies. My main focus was to chew my food well and not mutter something stupid in his presence.
I’m going to limit my choices to deceased writers; I may have a chance to dine with contemporary authors and I don’t want this answer to haunt me!
I truly wish I could invite more than four, but this is your question, Kathy. Shakespeare, of course. Besides the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote Notes on the State of Virginia, so I’m choosing him as well. I would also invite J.D. Salinger, because what an exclusive that would be! And for the fourth I’m leaning toward a hard-boiled detective writer... probably Dashiell Hammett. He helped establish the genre. But he might clean me out of booze...
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JS: I read plenty of American history, and last winter I read The Brothers Karamazov. It took a while, but I’d never experienced Tolstoy. Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Henning Mankell are favorites. I’ve also recently rediscovered a pair of authors I read back in high school and I’m enjoying them through the eyes of an adult. Gregory Mcdonald wrote the Fletch series. Everyone of an age knows the movie version with Chevy Chase (who can forget him singing “Moon River”?) but the books are well-plotted, move quickly, and have an irreverence that I find charming. The other is John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee series. It’s well-written, thoughtful, and introspective, although his treatment of women feels outdated and paternal. I can understand females being offended, and I share those concerns.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JS: I enjoy spending time with my wife and her boys. She’s the finest person I know, so I’m lucky she loves me. I love to read and play hockey. Once a month I play poker (poorly). I love the progressive rock band Yes, so I listen to their epic songs often and plan to catch some of their concerts this summer, even if I have to drive a few hours to do it. I also hope to do some home repairs and build bookshelves for our living room. I’m rarely bored.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JS: My wife does the shopping, and she’s adamant that we have clean and healthy foods. So there are protein shakes, vegetables, fruit, and seeds. I’ve become much healthier since we married!
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JS: I’m planning one more book to wrap the series. It’s more than half written. I’ll finish a draft this summer and hopefully publish in fall 2017. The tentative title is Chased by Thunder, set in 1984, and it finds Mark Bennett investigating a cold case from the 1950s. Ken Connell returns, and the scenes with Bennett and Connell together again just crackle.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JS: Writing is such a solitary endeavor. Mostly it’s me at a desk, trying to craft a scene or shape a story. I’m a control freak, so writing allows me to indulge that . But I also enjoy interacting with readers as a speaker. I’ve spoken at book clubs and libraries and senior centers. I’d encourage your readers to check out my website at www.jeffschober.com. My contact info is there. With so many reading choices available, it’s humbling when someone chooses a book I wrote. I feel honored.
JS: The same concept of good storytelling applies to each. But with fiction, I think the writer has more creativity and control of direction. With non-fiction, the path to tell the story may be chronological or thematic. Either way, facts dictate the structure. I have a journalism degree and worked in that profession early in my career, so for me, non-fiction is easier to write because I have more experience.
Kathy: Your crime fiction series is set in the 1980s. Why did you choose this time frame?
JS: My first crime novel, Broken and Profane, was inspired by the .22-Caliber Killer who terrorized Western New York in the fall of 1980. So although my story is a fictionalized version of a serial killer, I decided to maintain the actual year. But I also wanted the challenge of writing a period piece. I lived through the 1980s, so it made sense on several levels.
Kathy: Like me, you also have a background in theatre. You have also taught Shakespeare. What makes the Bard so special and how is his work still impacting writers today?
JS: I’ve heard it said that 90% of our cultural references come from Shakespeare and the Bible. What’s not to like about Shakespeare? You name a conflict, and he explored it, better than most other writers. That’s not to say all his plays are gems. I think he mixed a few dogs in there. But when he was on, he was really on.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite Shakespearian play? What about a favorite adaptation?
JS: I’ve always loved the dark undertones of Othello. Iago is such a wonderful villain, and we never truly learn what motivates his evil. At the end of the play, Othello says “Demand that demi-devil why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body.” And Iago replies: “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.” Then Iago closes his mouth and doesn’t talk again.
As far as an adaptation, years ago I saw a stage version of Othello with two live actors and the remaining cast as puppets. It was an interesting concept meant to explore the falsehood of external appearances. But at the same time, it felt like a gimmick, and Shakespeare’s script is strong enough that a gimmick isn’t needed. The movie version I love is from 1995 with Laurence Fishburne as Othello and Kenneth Branagh as Iago. Branagh has acted and directed several Shakespeare movies, and he’s done great work.
Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?
JS: Probably reading the Hardy Boys series as a kid. There was a short-lived TV show in the 1970s about the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, starring teen heartthrobs Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson. I began watching the show, then made it a point to read all the books. I believe there were 57 of them back when I was a kid. An internet search revealed there are even more now.
It was my dad who helped nurture my love of reading. When I was 8, I was saving allowance money to buy Hardy Boys mysteries (each hardcover was $2.50 at the plaza near my house), and dad made me a standing offer: he would buy any book I wanted, provided that I promised to read it. It was an incredible offer, and I’m still amazed and humbled by it 40 years later.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
JS: I like to think my strength as a writer lies in versatility. I’ve written a sports biography (Growing Up Gronk), a sports history (Sabres — 26 Seasons in Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium), true crime (Bike Path Rapist), a literary novel (Undercurrent), and several lighthearted plays. I also write features semi-regularly for The Buffalo News. I always say that I’m interested in good stories, regardless of genre. I’m considering tackling an American history project in the future.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
JS: It’s gritty crime fiction, set in and around Buffalo in the early 1980s. The first book, Broken and Profane, is aptly titled. The characters are all troubled. The plot is driven by a white serial killer who is targeting black people for no other reason besides their race. Two detectives, Mark Bennett and Ken Connell, are chasing leads to stop the bloodshed, and Bennett is sleeping with Connell’s soon-to-be ex-wife. There is a clear triangle of tension among the two cops and the killer.
The second novel, Boneshaker, picks up nearly two years later, in the summer of 1982, and follows Mark Bennett and a new partner as they try to solve the case of a missing nurse who was last seen leaving work at Sisters‘ Hospital in Buffalo. This book is more straight ahead action. Readers have told me it’s accessible and a page turner.
Faces and Fingertips is the newest book, set in 1983, and the focus returns to Ken Connell, who is approached to investigate the death of an anonymous baby.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
JS: Characters are like kids. You love them all in different ways. Ken Connell is on my mind because Faces and Fingertips features him. He’s interesting because he once had it all: good looks, respect as a great detective, and a beautiful wife. This novel explores what happens to a man when everything he values is taken away.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
JS: Not really. I just want to tell a compelling story. I didn’t set out to write a series. Broken and Profane was to be a stand alone novel. But near the end, I wrote a raw, crude scene featuring Ken Connell that didn’t fit that story but was too good to just toss away. That got me thinking that maybe there was more to explore. I tried to squeeze that chapter into Boneshaker, but it didn’t fit there either, because Connell doesn’t appear in that novel. So this scene hung out there in limbo for six years. It is now chapter one of Faces and Fingertips.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
JS: Simply, I believed it was good enough to share. When I first started writing fiction, in my early 20s, I knew I didn’t have the skills to be taken seriously. I had to write poorly before I learned to write well. I wrote three novels that were labored and clunky. Thank God they never saw daylight. When I began Undercurrent, in 2004, it felt different. It felt like I had grown and that my narrative voice had control. I believed the material would stand up to scrutiny.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
JS: This is a great question. I’ve had dinner with Dennis Lehane, and he’s the coolest guy in any room he occupies. My main focus was to chew my food well and not mutter something stupid in his presence.
I’m going to limit my choices to deceased writers; I may have a chance to dine with contemporary authors and I don’t want this answer to haunt me!
I truly wish I could invite more than four, but this is your question, Kathy. Shakespeare, of course. Besides the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote Notes on the State of Virginia, so I’m choosing him as well. I would also invite J.D. Salinger, because what an exclusive that would be! And for the fourth I’m leaning toward a hard-boiled detective writer... probably Dashiell Hammett. He helped establish the genre. But he might clean me out of booze...
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
JS: I read plenty of American history, and last winter I read The Brothers Karamazov. It took a while, but I’d never experienced Tolstoy. Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Henning Mankell are favorites. I’ve also recently rediscovered a pair of authors I read back in high school and I’m enjoying them through the eyes of an adult. Gregory Mcdonald wrote the Fletch series. Everyone of an age knows the movie version with Chevy Chase (who can forget him singing “Moon River”?) but the books are well-plotted, move quickly, and have an irreverence that I find charming. The other is John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee series. It’s well-written, thoughtful, and introspective, although his treatment of women feels outdated and paternal. I can understand females being offended, and I share those concerns.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
JS: I enjoy spending time with my wife and her boys. She’s the finest person I know, so I’m lucky she loves me. I love to read and play hockey. Once a month I play poker (poorly). I love the progressive rock band Yes, so I listen to their epic songs often and plan to catch some of their concerts this summer, even if I have to drive a few hours to do it. I also hope to do some home repairs and build bookshelves for our living room. I’m rarely bored.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
JS: My wife does the shopping, and she’s adamant that we have clean and healthy foods. So there are protein shakes, vegetables, fruit, and seeds. I’ve become much healthier since we married!
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
JS: I’m planning one more book to wrap the series. It’s more than half written. I’ll finish a draft this summer and hopefully publish in fall 2017. The tentative title is Chased by Thunder, set in 1984, and it finds Mark Bennett investigating a cold case from the 1950s. Ken Connell returns, and the scenes with Bennett and Connell together again just crackle.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
JS: Writing is such a solitary endeavor. Mostly it’s me at a desk, trying to craft a scene or shape a story. I’m a control freak, so writing allows me to indulge that . But I also enjoy interacting with readers as a speaker. I’ve spoken at book clubs and libraries and senior centers. I’d encourage your readers to check out my website at www.jeffschober.com. My contact info is there. With so many reading choices available, it’s humbling when someone chooses a book I wrote. I feel honored.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Currently Reading...
I'm currently reading Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford. This book is the first in the Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series and will be released June 7th.
Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?
Recipes Included.
Winnie Johnson's life has taken an unimaginable turn. She has one last shot to save her bakery from closing due to the imposed rent hike, an inheritance from her elderly friend Gertrude. Cash is not on the agenda however, and instead Winnie leaves with a vintage ambulance and an ornery cat named Lovey. Ornery to Winnie, that is, and friendly to everyone else! Winnie's day gets even worse when she delivers a pie to a widower neighbor only to find him dead. Someone smothered the elderly man! Could it be the mother of the bratty girl who destroyed his flowerbed? Or a son too eager for his own inheritance? While Winnie ponders these questions and tries to reassure her neighbors she has an epiphany. Her building may be lost, but her business isn't! Taking advantage of the ambulance, she decides to create a mobile dessert service. After all, when things are bad baked goods always make you feel better. Winnie and her friends embrace their new theme coming up with pithy dessert names such as Dump (him) Cake, Hot Flash Fudge Sundae, and Don't-Be-Blue Berry Pie and the business starts to take off. But can her emergency dessert service make it? Will she be able to reassure her neighbors that they're safe? Will she discover who the murderer is? And, most importantly, will she get Lovey to like her?
Recipes Included.
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