I’m currently reading Silent Meridian by Elizabeth Crowens. Silent Meridian is the first Time Traveler Professor Book and was re-released this past June.
John Patrick Scott is studying to be a musician in Victorian Scotland, but music is just one part of his life. John has invented a time machine in which he travels back to an unremembered childhood and into the future where he sees himself as a young woman enrolled in a mystical school. In addition to his time travel experiments he has developed a friendship with noted Spiritualist and Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The two devotees of psychic phenomena practice telepathy and perform other psychic experiments, but does Doyle have a less friendly agenda? With an impish spirit guide and some ne’er do well friends John meets noted luminaries of the time including J. M. Barrie, H. G. Wells, and George Bernard Shaw. He even runs into a young Houdini in his travels. Will his experiments lead him to find the connection between his past, present, future and a mysterious red book?
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Silent Meridian - An Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway
I'm pleased to welcome Elizabeth Crowens to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Elizabeth pens the Time Traveler Professor Mystery series. Book One, Silent Meridian is the first book in the series and was released in June.
Kathy: Silent Meridian brings together Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and John Patrick Scott, a concert pianist who also happens to be a paranormal investigator and time travel professor. Have you ever gone on any paranormal investigations?
EC: Not like the ones you see on television. In fact, I can’t stand watching those shows. They’re so staged. Probably got popular after the film, The Blair Witch Project. However, I’ve experienced paranormal incidents by accident. Years ago when I was in college some friends played around with a Ouija board in the basement below my apartment. Whatever they summoned decided to visit my place afterward. It was a horrible, oppressive feeling. My friends rushed over with sage and a bunch of other stuff and were ready to perform an exorcism!
However, the most important incident was when I purchased an antique that embodied some kind of spirit of its former owner which inspired me to write this book.
Kathy: In the first Time Traveler Professor Mystery we discover an alternate history for several famous people including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Harry Houdini, and Carl Jung. How did you decide these powerhouse men would be perfect for your story?
EC: My protagonist was actually based on a real, but largely unknown person who was indirectly tied into this “antique” I discovered that I mentioned in the previous question. When I was bitten by that bug of inspiration that spurred me on to write the Time Traveler Professor series, I wanted to pick famous Victorian contemporaries that John Patrick Scott could’ve known and associated with. Jung was a no-brainer. At one point, I wanted to study to be a Jungian psychotherapist, but it wasn’t in the cards. Jung always appealed to me over Freud, because of his focus on dreams and archetypes which tie into mythology. It’s well documented that Houdini and Doyle had a fascinating relationship regarding the supernatural, and since my protagonist kept having bizarre dreams and strange things happening to him, plus the fact that he also attended the University of Edinburgh, it only made sense to have him befriend Doyle.
Kathy: Were you already quite knowledgeable about these men before you began writing?
EC: Jung more than the others. Obviously, I picked up a lot more as I went along. Bottom line: I had to do an enormous amount of reading and research.
Kathy: Have you a particular favorite of the aforementioned characters as they existed in the real world?
EC: Each one is fascinating in their own different ways. With Sherlock Holmes, Doyle was a pioneer in forensics before it was considered a science. Houdini and Jung were groundbreakers in their own respective fields.
Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?
EC: I always loved a good Victorian ghost story, and who doesn’t love Scooby Doo, which is technically a YA paranormal mystery with a sense of humor? Comparatively, I’m a latecomer when it comes to mysteries. I belong to Mystery Writers of America, Sherlockian groups, and Sisters in Crime and attend a lot of crime conferences. Most people I know have read far more in this genre than I have. Many of my Sherlockian friends read the canon (original Sherlock Holmes stories written by Doyle) when they were eight-years-old! All I remember is watching a handful of Basil Rathbone movies. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t watch the Granada series with Jeremy Brett, who did the best portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, until seven years ago or so.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
EC: Yes. For years I’ve written non-fiction articles in magazines and many of these specialized in martial arts. Right now, I do a lot of author interviews for Blackgate.com, a SF/F online magazine and am currently seeking paying clients in the mystery/suspense genre. For fiction, the Time Traveler Professor series is a cross-genre epic series—alternate history/mystery—fantasy noir—fictional memoir that finds its own cult audience—some who like Sherlock Holmes—some who like steampunk or time travel—some who have a yen toward paranormal/metaphysical historical fiction.
Conversely, I have two and a half novels completed in a Hollywood suspense series that takes place in the 1990s with a female protagonist who is an entertainment journalist. It is far less esoteric than the Time Traveler Professor series. However, it’s unpublished, and I’m looking for a new literary agent. My background is in the entertainment industry. I can definitely picture these novels as a series on Netflix or Amazon Prime, but for that I need an agent.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
EC: The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: Silent Meridian is a 19th century X Files meets H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine featuring Arthur Conan Doyle and his paranormal enthusiast partner, John Patrick Scott.
The Time Traveler Professor, Book Two, A Pocketful of Lodestones: Imagine Slaughterhouse Five meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell on the Western Front.
Currently, I’m working on the third book, A War in Too Many Worlds, but I don’t have a catchy tag line locked down yet. It picks up in 1918 until the end of the war and its aftermath.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
EC: John Patrick Scott, my protagonist, of course. Poor guy is a flawed, unwilling explorer in the game of life with a pesky sidekick, Finn, who drives him bonkers but prods him along to the next adventure.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
EC: I mentioned it above when I spoke about finding a psychic influence in an antique.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
EC: Originally, the first book was published by a small press in London that buried it into obscurity by refusing to market, promote or distribute it or any of the books in their catalogue. Unfortunately, it was impossible to find a larger publishing company to pick up a series where someone else had already published the first book. Kicking and screaming, I took the bull by the horns and started my own publishing company to revive the series, because I refused to give my original publisher any more of my novels. You have to realize that each book in that series has required several trips overseas for research. I had way too much invested in time, money and effort to drop the ball. My traditional publisher didn’t even provide editorial services. I had to hire my own freelance editors out of pocket.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
EC: Arthur Conan Doyle, for sure. H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Edgar Alan Poe. So far, all of them show up in my novel except Poe.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
EC: (Blush) I’m reading a romance novel called Storm Damage about a mermaid falling in love with a human she saved. I almost never read romance novels (true confession), but an author friend of mine wrote it, and she’s a very successful and popular romance writer. Also, I’m attending the RWA (Romance Writers of America) annual convention to learn a bit more about writing romance and steamy scenes. Not so much for the Time Traveler Professor series, but more for my Hollywood suspense series, although there is an interesting love triangle in Book One. No spoilers for Books Two and Three.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
EC: Reading, of course. Attending live author readings, traveling, going to conventions. It’s hard to separate business from pleasure.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
EC: That’s a funny question—whole milk for coffee, Haagen Daz, bread, peanut butter.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
EC: Current series, The Time Traveler Professor, Book Three: A War in Too Many Worlds wrapping up WWI. Hopefully, I can wrap up the series with Book 4. For alternate history: a series based on Aliskiya Lleullne, the girl from the future (read Silent Meridian!) The Hollywood suspense series (different genre) and a stand-alone chick-lit/mystery project about three women who skip the country to avoid their problems and encounter more than they bargained for.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
EC: Getting positive feedback from fans and readers.
**************************************************************************
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is obsessed with a legendary red book. Its peculiar stories have come to life, and rumors claim that it has rewritten its own endings. Convinced that possessing this book will help him write his ever-popular Sherlock Holmes stories, he takes on an unlikely partner, John Patrick Scott, known to most as a concert pianist, but a paranormal investigator and a time traveler professor to a select few.
Like Holmes and Watson trying to solve a mystery, together they explore lost worlds and their friendship is tested to the limits when they go back in time to find it. Both discover that karmic ties and unconscionable crimes have followed them like ghosts from the past, wreaking havoc on the present and possibly the future.
The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: SILENT MERIDIAN reveals the alternate histories of Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Houdini, Jung and other luminaries in the secret diaries of John Patrick Scott, in an X Files for the 19th century. First Prize winner of Chanticleer Review's Goethe Award for Turn-of-the-Century Historical Fiction and First Prize for Steampunk in the Independent Press Awards. Stay tuned for A POCKETFUL OF LODESTONES; Book Two in the Time Traveler Professor series by Elizabeth Crowens.
“John Patrick Scott, sir,” I said and approached Mr. Doyle, who was already seated at a back corner table of the Deacon Brodie, the pub that inspired the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
I extended my hand to greet him and removed my rain-soaked hat, while my overcoat slipped out of my hands and fell on the floor by accident. It was still hard to believe that good fortune finally brought us together, but we were both nervous. “Mr. Conan Doyle, or should I call you Doctor Doyle?” I was unsure how to address him.
Doyle scrutinized me from top to bottom as he signaled the waiter. “John, call me Arthur.”
“Sir, I’m so honored that you agreed to discuss this matter. Perhaps you can enlighten me in a way that I’ve failed to comprehend.”
I wanted to ask him about my unusual turn of events straight away but he caught me off guard and was dead set on pulling me into the swift current of an unexpected conversation.
“Can I assume you believe in the transmigration of souls?” he asked.
“Until now, I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” I said, unsure as to which direction he was leading.
“Did you ever read those books about that Swiss doctor who felt his body and soul had been taken over by a Benedictine monk? That presented a curious case. He claims that he was approached by the spirit of an elderly monk before he died, and that the monk needed to rent his body to continue his spiritual mission.”
“Rent?” I choked in disbelief.
“We truly don’t take anything with us when we pass on, do we? This monk knew he was dying and therefore needed to replace his physical body with something more youthful and vital.”
“That’s incredible. It debunks the theory that you need to die and be reborn as an infant to carry on your spirit.”
Mr. Doyle had the tinge of excitement in his voice.
“John, here’s another instance. I’ve had my suspicions about a famous musician who had an obsession about a notorious and controversial mystic. You’d surmise by his overwhelming attraction to that person he might’ve been him in a previous lifetime, but facts were clear he was born three years before the mystic died. My understanding is the mystic was aware he didn’t have long in his present incarnation. Therefore he made plans for some sort of partial soul transference while he was still alive to imprint his essence upon the child. That would’ve allowed him to carry on and accomplish unfinished business, which couldn’t have been executed otherwise. Essentially he had the ability of being two places at once.”
“Sounds more like Spiritualism,” I replied.
“Honestly, John, I don’t think there are any steadfast rules when it comes to this matter. That’s what makes it so intriguing.”
I sensed he had a secret agenda.
Doyle reloaded his churchwarden pipe with fresh tobacco and continued, “This is not at all like anything you’ve ever read from H.G. Wells or Jules Verne. We’re poking holes in every treatise written on the subject — the idea of being able to reincarnate a part of yourself while you are still alive into another soul.”
Our conversation was quickly becoming like a speeding train ready to jump the tracks. Realizing this, Doyle slowed down the pace and took a deep breath. He carefully composed his next statement.
“Fiction it may seem to be but it’s not hocus pocus. Don’t you also find it strange that you somehow found yourself initiated into a mystical order on a commuter train bound from London to Edinburgh when the instigators kept on mistaking you for me? There are no accidents.”
I became silent for a moment, stalling for time as I slowly raised my glass of ale to my lips. As soon as I fished a small red book out of my coat pocket and placed it on the table in front of us Arthur eyed it intently. It had been the source of intrigue, which led me to Doyle in the first place and piqued his curiosity as much as it did mine.
“Could I have done something terrible in my youth that caused this to happen?”
“You have no recollections, John?”
“I remember so little of my childhood. I wish I could.”
“You’re a smart young man. I’m sure you’ll come up with a clever deduction.”
Mr. Doyle paused to relight his pipe. He had an unnerving look in his eye, which I vainly tried to read into, but he took me for a spin when he brought up the next topic.
“On another note, John, have you ever considered that people are capable of communicating without speech, and I’m not talking about writing letters?”
“Pardon me?”
“Imagine communicating by mere thoughts. I’ve always wanted to experiment with someone open to these concepts. God knows — my brothers at the Society for Psychical Research certainly talk enough about it. My wife, Touie, has been an unwilling subject and is not the most objective choice.”
I looked at him, somewhat perplexed. “Are you asking me to accurately guess what you’re thinking?”
“Come now. We’ll play a game. I’ll form an image in my mind, and for the next minute I will try to project it into yours. Clear your thoughts of any distractions and be as receptive as possible,” he explained.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t have been more preoccupied. Images of that fateful event flashed through my brain. My recollections revealed my rain-soaked train ticket. I kept arguing with the steward about putting me in the wrong cabin. An erroneous judgment had been made when three strangers insisted I was Arthur. We were so different in physical appearance. He was a large, athletic man with a distinguished moustache. On the other hand, I had baby smooth skin and couldn’t grow facial hair to save my life. I was nearly twenty years younger and much shorter with wild auburn hair that resembled Maestro Beethoven’s with the exception of premature strands of gray.
So why was I singled out? Was there laudanum in my brandy? Details spun like a whirlwind. I must’ve been in a drug-induced stupor but I was initiated into some secret Masonic-like society, and when it was all over those mysterious men were gone. What remained were an engraved silver ring on my finger and an ominous red book on the seat beside me.
“Looks like you’ve seen a ghost.” Arthur broke my trance and realized my thoughts had been elsewhere.
“I felt like I had.” Barely able to articulate, I tried to tame my wild mane in place. Visions faded in and out. Timelines jumped. So I gulped down another swig of ale to focus on the present.
Arthur leaned in closer. “I can see you’re still worried about that event on the train. Those men have been after me for some time. Why? It’s hard to fathom. I’ll dilly dally with notions here and there about Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson, who fancy themselves as detectives. Me? I’m just a simple doctor and writer with interests in Spiritualism trying to find scientific explanations for the unknown.”
“Arthur, what would anyone want with an unassuming music student like me?”
“Personally, I don’t think this was A Case of Identity,” Arthur replied with a smile.
Obviously he meant to say my dilemma was not a case of mistaken identity, not the name of one of his famous Sherlock stories. He was pleased I caught the humor of his play on words.
“Perhaps it has something to do with that book,” he said pointing to the one I brought.
“I’m concerned it’s dangerous, that it’s a curse. I wish I had never found it.” I shoved it back into my pocket and drained my glass.
* * *
One week later as I was returning home from school, my landlady, Lydia Campbell, yelled from the kitchen as I trudged my muddied shoes through the front door of her boarding house. “John, a letter from Undershaw arrived for you today! I wonder whom it could be from? You don’t know anyone from Undershaw, do you?”
Oh, yes I did. I grabbed the letter and ran upstairs so fast I nearly tripped on my muffler and fell on my face. I poured myself a glass of port to calm my nerves, doffed my wet garments and sank into my most comfortable brass-studded leather chair I affectionately named my thinking chair, where I created many a melody in my head, could think deep thoughts, and drift off to dreamland.
* * *
Dear John,
I wholeheartedly enjoyed our conversation at the Deacon Brodie and kept my promise of a prompt reply. By now, you are well aware of my passion to explore the realms of Spiritualism and related paranormal phenomena far surpasses any personal interests involved with Sherlock Holmes. Public demand for my writing, however, exerts a strain on how much I can overtly reveal to even my most trusted colleagues. Whenever I indulge in any activity, be it a simple séance, investigating a revered medium or attending a meeting of the British Society for Psychical Research, it never fails to raise the eyebrows of my wary publishers and critics. It’s God’s honest truth that I believe in many of these inexplicable accounts. Even my father painted beautiful renditions of fairies, which I trust he witnessed with his own eyes. The betterment of mankind rests on embracing such theories once they are proven to exist by the scientific community. Thus, I’ll have to continue more controversial and debatable endeavors in utmost secrecy, or at least for the time being until more evidence can be brought to light.
Since you seem to be an open-minded young man who has already experienced some effects of the preternatural, this is my proposal: At midnight every night, we should conduct a variety of remote operations with the primary purpose of communicating through means of telepathy. Since I have a tendency to travel, we’ll have to make some sort of adjustment to take into account the different time zones. Of course, you must share this secret with nobody. Besides us, only my wife will know, although she will not participate.
When you shared the account of the strange commuter train incident that was enough to convince me that you would be the perfect partner for this private undertaking. Most assuredly, there was something you did in the past in the realm of the arcane to warrant such a chain of events. That was not mere happenstance, and now since you possess that enigmatic red book, I’m sure it will affect your life in ways you’ve never imagined.
My intentions have been to perform similar trial and error enterprises with Harry Houdini, a rising star whose stage performances have been astounding audiences, but his busy schedule has made it nearly impossible to coordinate such engagements with any sort of regularity. One of these days we’ll catch up. Meanwhile, I collect whatever news comes from across the herring-pond. At one point, he and I will develop a special relationship based on mutual interests.
Regarding the two of us, however, we’ll back up our observations with letters or telegrams as often as possible as proof of results, but those must be destroyed as soon as they are read. Once again, I cannot over emphasize the importance of confidentiality. Regardless, we must keep a faithful agreement, as skill will come with practice.
If you are willing to put aside any apprehensions regarding trains, I’ll pay for you to travel down to Undershaw and visit me on weekends whenever possible. My driver can meet you in London at a pre-arranged time. You’ll stay in one of our guest bedrooms, and as long as you don’t mind the children and can tolerate what our kitchen staff provides, you’ll be well taken care of. That’ll give us the opportunity to expand our repertoire and commence further psychical experimentation with ectoplasm, spirit photography and astral projection. And bring the red book. I’d like a chance to look at it.
I’ve also desired a partner to accompany me for ghost sightings and occult investigations. For all we know with the knowledge gained, we might even break through the barriers of time. That would certainly give Bertie (H.G. Wells) a shock to the senses, proving his imagination does not merely dwell in the realm of fiction. We’ve been at odds on this topic for years.
Regarding telepathic technique, I can only suggest you conduct yourself in a way as you see fit. Personally, I don’t give credence to things like magical amulets, but if it helps to have an etheric link, use this letter you hold in your hand, as it contains my heart, soul and signature with a drop of blood, which I added to the ink. You might wish to reciprocate.
Let’s raise our glasses to honor the quest of conquering the unknown.
Arthur Conan Doyle
* * *
So, Arthur was serious when he first brought up the subject. When he and I left the pub, I really didn’t know what to think. After all, he was a famous author, and I was merely a student. What possessed him to choose me for such an engagement?
I shuffled through my schoolwork to find my pen and ink and a fresh sheet of paper. Blood, I needed blood. Ah, my razor! That would work. I fetched my shaving kit and winced as I drew a few drops. I scribbled a swift, affirmative reply with the blood-tainted ink, mailed the letter the following day and looked forward to our first otherworldly encounter.
***
Excerpt from The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: Silent Meridian by Elizabeth Crowens. Copyright © 2019 by Elizabeth Crowens. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Crowens. All rights reserved.
Crowens has worked in the film and television for over twenty years and as a journalist and a photographer. She’s a regular contributor of author interviews to an award-winning online speculative fiction magazine, Black Gate. Short stories of hers have been published in the Bram Stoker Awards nominated anthology, A New York State of Fright and Hell’s Heart. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Horror Writers Association, the Authors Guild, Broad Universe, Sisters in Crime and a member of several Sherlockian societies. She is also writing a Hollywood suspense series.
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Kathy: Silent Meridian brings together Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and John Patrick Scott, a concert pianist who also happens to be a paranormal investigator and time travel professor. Have you ever gone on any paranormal investigations?
EC: Not like the ones you see on television. In fact, I can’t stand watching those shows. They’re so staged. Probably got popular after the film, The Blair Witch Project. However, I’ve experienced paranormal incidents by accident. Years ago when I was in college some friends played around with a Ouija board in the basement below my apartment. Whatever they summoned decided to visit my place afterward. It was a horrible, oppressive feeling. My friends rushed over with sage and a bunch of other stuff and were ready to perform an exorcism!
However, the most important incident was when I purchased an antique that embodied some kind of spirit of its former owner which inspired me to write this book.
Kathy: In the first Time Traveler Professor Mystery we discover an alternate history for several famous people including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Harry Houdini, and Carl Jung. How did you decide these powerhouse men would be perfect for your story?
EC: My protagonist was actually based on a real, but largely unknown person who was indirectly tied into this “antique” I discovered that I mentioned in the previous question. When I was bitten by that bug of inspiration that spurred me on to write the Time Traveler Professor series, I wanted to pick famous Victorian contemporaries that John Patrick Scott could’ve known and associated with. Jung was a no-brainer. At one point, I wanted to study to be a Jungian psychotherapist, but it wasn’t in the cards. Jung always appealed to me over Freud, because of his focus on dreams and archetypes which tie into mythology. It’s well documented that Houdini and Doyle had a fascinating relationship regarding the supernatural, and since my protagonist kept having bizarre dreams and strange things happening to him, plus the fact that he also attended the University of Edinburgh, it only made sense to have him befriend Doyle.
Kathy: Were you already quite knowledgeable about these men before you began writing?
EC: Jung more than the others. Obviously, I picked up a lot more as I went along. Bottom line: I had to do an enormous amount of reading and research.
Kathy: Have you a particular favorite of the aforementioned characters as they existed in the real world?
EC: Each one is fascinating in their own different ways. With Sherlock Holmes, Doyle was a pioneer in forensics before it was considered a science. Houdini and Jung were groundbreakers in their own respective fields.
Kathy: What first drew you to mysteries?
EC: I always loved a good Victorian ghost story, and who doesn’t love Scooby Doo, which is technically a YA paranormal mystery with a sense of humor? Comparatively, I’m a latecomer when it comes to mysteries. I belong to Mystery Writers of America, Sherlockian groups, and Sisters in Crime and attend a lot of crime conferences. Most people I know have read far more in this genre than I have. Many of my Sherlockian friends read the canon (original Sherlock Holmes stories written by Doyle) when they were eight-years-old! All I remember is watching a handful of Basil Rathbone movies. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t watch the Granada series with Jeremy Brett, who did the best portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, until seven years ago or so.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
EC: Yes. For years I’ve written non-fiction articles in magazines and many of these specialized in martial arts. Right now, I do a lot of author interviews for Blackgate.com, a SF/F online magazine and am currently seeking paying clients in the mystery/suspense genre. For fiction, the Time Traveler Professor series is a cross-genre epic series—alternate history/mystery—fantasy noir—fictional memoir that finds its own cult audience—some who like Sherlock Holmes—some who like steampunk or time travel—some who have a yen toward paranormal/metaphysical historical fiction.
Conversely, I have two and a half novels completed in a Hollywood suspense series that takes place in the 1990s with a female protagonist who is an entertainment journalist. It is far less esoteric than the Time Traveler Professor series. However, it’s unpublished, and I’m looking for a new literary agent. My background is in the entertainment industry. I can definitely picture these novels as a series on Netflix or Amazon Prime, but for that I need an agent.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
EC: The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: Silent Meridian is a 19th century X Files meets H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine featuring Arthur Conan Doyle and his paranormal enthusiast partner, John Patrick Scott.
The Time Traveler Professor, Book Two, A Pocketful of Lodestones: Imagine Slaughterhouse Five meets Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell on the Western Front.
Currently, I’m working on the third book, A War in Too Many Worlds, but I don’t have a catchy tag line locked down yet. It picks up in 1918 until the end of the war and its aftermath.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
EC: John Patrick Scott, my protagonist, of course. Poor guy is a flawed, unwilling explorer in the game of life with a pesky sidekick, Finn, who drives him bonkers but prods him along to the next adventure.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
EC: I mentioned it above when I spoke about finding a psychic influence in an antique.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
EC: Originally, the first book was published by a small press in London that buried it into obscurity by refusing to market, promote or distribute it or any of the books in their catalogue. Unfortunately, it was impossible to find a larger publishing company to pick up a series where someone else had already published the first book. Kicking and screaming, I took the bull by the horns and started my own publishing company to revive the series, because I refused to give my original publisher any more of my novels. You have to realize that each book in that series has required several trips overseas for research. I had way too much invested in time, money and effort to drop the ball. My traditional publisher didn’t even provide editorial services. I had to hire my own freelance editors out of pocket.
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
EC: Arthur Conan Doyle, for sure. H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and Edgar Alan Poe. So far, all of them show up in my novel except Poe.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
EC: (Blush) I’m reading a romance novel called Storm Damage about a mermaid falling in love with a human she saved. I almost never read romance novels (true confession), but an author friend of mine wrote it, and she’s a very successful and popular romance writer. Also, I’m attending the RWA (Romance Writers of America) annual convention to learn a bit more about writing romance and steamy scenes. Not so much for the Time Traveler Professor series, but more for my Hollywood suspense series, although there is an interesting love triangle in Book One. No spoilers for Books Two and Three.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
EC: Reading, of course. Attending live author readings, traveling, going to conventions. It’s hard to separate business from pleasure.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
EC: That’s a funny question—whole milk for coffee, Haagen Daz, bread, peanut butter.
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
EC: Current series, The Time Traveler Professor, Book Three: A War in Too Many Worlds wrapping up WWI. Hopefully, I can wrap up the series with Book 4. For alternate history: a series based on Aliskiya Lleullne, the girl from the future (read Silent Meridian!) The Hollywood suspense series (different genre) and a stand-alone chick-lit/mystery project about three women who skip the country to avoid their problems and encounter more than they bargained for.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
EC: Getting positive feedback from fans and readers.
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The Time Traveler Professor, Book One:
Silent Meridian
by Elizabeth Crowens
on Tour August 18 - September 21, 2019
Synopsis:
Like Holmes and Watson trying to solve a mystery, together they explore lost worlds and their friendship is tested to the limits when they go back in time to find it. Both discover that karmic ties and unconscionable crimes have followed them like ghosts from the past, wreaking havoc on the present and possibly the future.
The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: SILENT MERIDIAN reveals the alternate histories of Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Houdini, Jung and other luminaries in the secret diaries of John Patrick Scott, in an X Files for the 19th century. First Prize winner of Chanticleer Review's Goethe Award for Turn-of-the-Century Historical Fiction and First Prize for Steampunk in the Independent Press Awards. Stay tuned for A POCKETFUL OF LODESTONES; Book Two in the Time Traveler Professor series by Elizabeth Crowens.
Book Details:
Genre: Alternate History, Mystery, Fantasy Noir
Published by: Atomic Alchemist Productions LLC
Publication Date: June 12th 2019
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 9781950384 (ISBN13: 9781950384044)
Series: The Time Traveler Professor #1
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Read an excerpt:
Edinburgh, 1898
Scotland was just barely crawling its way out of the nineteenth century. I was a naïve, but ambitious student studying music at the University of Edinburgh hurrying over to meet Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who would change my life forever.“John Patrick Scott, sir,” I said and approached Mr. Doyle, who was already seated at a back corner table of the Deacon Brodie, the pub that inspired the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
I extended my hand to greet him and removed my rain-soaked hat, while my overcoat slipped out of my hands and fell on the floor by accident. It was still hard to believe that good fortune finally brought us together, but we were both nervous. “Mr. Conan Doyle, or should I call you Doctor Doyle?” I was unsure how to address him.
Doyle scrutinized me from top to bottom as he signaled the waiter. “John, call me Arthur.”
“Sir, I’m so honored that you agreed to discuss this matter. Perhaps you can enlighten me in a way that I’ve failed to comprehend.”
I wanted to ask him about my unusual turn of events straight away but he caught me off guard and was dead set on pulling me into the swift current of an unexpected conversation.
“Can I assume you believe in the transmigration of souls?” he asked.
“Until now, I haven’t given it a lot of thought,” I said, unsure as to which direction he was leading.
“Did you ever read those books about that Swiss doctor who felt his body and soul had been taken over by a Benedictine monk? That presented a curious case. He claims that he was approached by the spirit of an elderly monk before he died, and that the monk needed to rent his body to continue his spiritual mission.”
“Rent?” I choked in disbelief.
“We truly don’t take anything with us when we pass on, do we? This monk knew he was dying and therefore needed to replace his physical body with something more youthful and vital.”
“That’s incredible. It debunks the theory that you need to die and be reborn as an infant to carry on your spirit.”
Mr. Doyle had the tinge of excitement in his voice.
“John, here’s another instance. I’ve had my suspicions about a famous musician who had an obsession about a notorious and controversial mystic. You’d surmise by his overwhelming attraction to that person he might’ve been him in a previous lifetime, but facts were clear he was born three years before the mystic died. My understanding is the mystic was aware he didn’t have long in his present incarnation. Therefore he made plans for some sort of partial soul transference while he was still alive to imprint his essence upon the child. That would’ve allowed him to carry on and accomplish unfinished business, which couldn’t have been executed otherwise. Essentially he had the ability of being two places at once.”
“Sounds more like Spiritualism,” I replied.
“Honestly, John, I don’t think there are any steadfast rules when it comes to this matter. That’s what makes it so intriguing.”
I sensed he had a secret agenda.
Doyle reloaded his churchwarden pipe with fresh tobacco and continued, “This is not at all like anything you’ve ever read from H.G. Wells or Jules Verne. We’re poking holes in every treatise written on the subject — the idea of being able to reincarnate a part of yourself while you are still alive into another soul.”
Our conversation was quickly becoming like a speeding train ready to jump the tracks. Realizing this, Doyle slowed down the pace and took a deep breath. He carefully composed his next statement.
“Fiction it may seem to be but it’s not hocus pocus. Don’t you also find it strange that you somehow found yourself initiated into a mystical order on a commuter train bound from London to Edinburgh when the instigators kept on mistaking you for me? There are no accidents.”
I became silent for a moment, stalling for time as I slowly raised my glass of ale to my lips. As soon as I fished a small red book out of my coat pocket and placed it on the table in front of us Arthur eyed it intently. It had been the source of intrigue, which led me to Doyle in the first place and piqued his curiosity as much as it did mine.
“Could I have done something terrible in my youth that caused this to happen?”
“You have no recollections, John?”
“I remember so little of my childhood. I wish I could.”
“You’re a smart young man. I’m sure you’ll come up with a clever deduction.”
Mr. Doyle paused to relight his pipe. He had an unnerving look in his eye, which I vainly tried to read into, but he took me for a spin when he brought up the next topic.
“On another note, John, have you ever considered that people are capable of communicating without speech, and I’m not talking about writing letters?”
“Pardon me?”
“Imagine communicating by mere thoughts. I’ve always wanted to experiment with someone open to these concepts. God knows — my brothers at the Society for Psychical Research certainly talk enough about it. My wife, Touie, has been an unwilling subject and is not the most objective choice.”
I looked at him, somewhat perplexed. “Are you asking me to accurately guess what you’re thinking?”
“Come now. We’ll play a game. I’ll form an image in my mind, and for the next minute I will try to project it into yours. Clear your thoughts of any distractions and be as receptive as possible,” he explained.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t have been more preoccupied. Images of that fateful event flashed through my brain. My recollections revealed my rain-soaked train ticket. I kept arguing with the steward about putting me in the wrong cabin. An erroneous judgment had been made when three strangers insisted I was Arthur. We were so different in physical appearance. He was a large, athletic man with a distinguished moustache. On the other hand, I had baby smooth skin and couldn’t grow facial hair to save my life. I was nearly twenty years younger and much shorter with wild auburn hair that resembled Maestro Beethoven’s with the exception of premature strands of gray.
So why was I singled out? Was there laudanum in my brandy? Details spun like a whirlwind. I must’ve been in a drug-induced stupor but I was initiated into some secret Masonic-like society, and when it was all over those mysterious men were gone. What remained were an engraved silver ring on my finger and an ominous red book on the seat beside me.
“Looks like you’ve seen a ghost.” Arthur broke my trance and realized my thoughts had been elsewhere.
“I felt like I had.” Barely able to articulate, I tried to tame my wild mane in place. Visions faded in and out. Timelines jumped. So I gulped down another swig of ale to focus on the present.
Arthur leaned in closer. “I can see you’re still worried about that event on the train. Those men have been after me for some time. Why? It’s hard to fathom. I’ll dilly dally with notions here and there about Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson, who fancy themselves as detectives. Me? I’m just a simple doctor and writer with interests in Spiritualism trying to find scientific explanations for the unknown.”
“Arthur, what would anyone want with an unassuming music student like me?”
“Personally, I don’t think this was A Case of Identity,” Arthur replied with a smile.
Obviously he meant to say my dilemma was not a case of mistaken identity, not the name of one of his famous Sherlock stories. He was pleased I caught the humor of his play on words.
“Perhaps it has something to do with that book,” he said pointing to the one I brought.
“I’m concerned it’s dangerous, that it’s a curse. I wish I had never found it.” I shoved it back into my pocket and drained my glass.
* * *
One week later as I was returning home from school, my landlady, Lydia Campbell, yelled from the kitchen as I trudged my muddied shoes through the front door of her boarding house. “John, a letter from Undershaw arrived for you today! I wonder whom it could be from? You don’t know anyone from Undershaw, do you?”
Oh, yes I did. I grabbed the letter and ran upstairs so fast I nearly tripped on my muffler and fell on my face. I poured myself a glass of port to calm my nerves, doffed my wet garments and sank into my most comfortable brass-studded leather chair I affectionately named my thinking chair, where I created many a melody in my head, could think deep thoughts, and drift off to dreamland.
* * *
Dear John,
I wholeheartedly enjoyed our conversation at the Deacon Brodie and kept my promise of a prompt reply. By now, you are well aware of my passion to explore the realms of Spiritualism and related paranormal phenomena far surpasses any personal interests involved with Sherlock Holmes. Public demand for my writing, however, exerts a strain on how much I can overtly reveal to even my most trusted colleagues. Whenever I indulge in any activity, be it a simple séance, investigating a revered medium or attending a meeting of the British Society for Psychical Research, it never fails to raise the eyebrows of my wary publishers and critics. It’s God’s honest truth that I believe in many of these inexplicable accounts. Even my father painted beautiful renditions of fairies, which I trust he witnessed with his own eyes. The betterment of mankind rests on embracing such theories once they are proven to exist by the scientific community. Thus, I’ll have to continue more controversial and debatable endeavors in utmost secrecy, or at least for the time being until more evidence can be brought to light.
Since you seem to be an open-minded young man who has already experienced some effects of the preternatural, this is my proposal: At midnight every night, we should conduct a variety of remote operations with the primary purpose of communicating through means of telepathy. Since I have a tendency to travel, we’ll have to make some sort of adjustment to take into account the different time zones. Of course, you must share this secret with nobody. Besides us, only my wife will know, although she will not participate.
When you shared the account of the strange commuter train incident that was enough to convince me that you would be the perfect partner for this private undertaking. Most assuredly, there was something you did in the past in the realm of the arcane to warrant such a chain of events. That was not mere happenstance, and now since you possess that enigmatic red book, I’m sure it will affect your life in ways you’ve never imagined.
My intentions have been to perform similar trial and error enterprises with Harry Houdini, a rising star whose stage performances have been astounding audiences, but his busy schedule has made it nearly impossible to coordinate such engagements with any sort of regularity. One of these days we’ll catch up. Meanwhile, I collect whatever news comes from across the herring-pond. At one point, he and I will develop a special relationship based on mutual interests.
Regarding the two of us, however, we’ll back up our observations with letters or telegrams as often as possible as proof of results, but those must be destroyed as soon as they are read. Once again, I cannot over emphasize the importance of confidentiality. Regardless, we must keep a faithful agreement, as skill will come with practice.
If you are willing to put aside any apprehensions regarding trains, I’ll pay for you to travel down to Undershaw and visit me on weekends whenever possible. My driver can meet you in London at a pre-arranged time. You’ll stay in one of our guest bedrooms, and as long as you don’t mind the children and can tolerate what our kitchen staff provides, you’ll be well taken care of. That’ll give us the opportunity to expand our repertoire and commence further psychical experimentation with ectoplasm, spirit photography and astral projection. And bring the red book. I’d like a chance to look at it.
I’ve also desired a partner to accompany me for ghost sightings and occult investigations. For all we know with the knowledge gained, we might even break through the barriers of time. That would certainly give Bertie (H.G. Wells) a shock to the senses, proving his imagination does not merely dwell in the realm of fiction. We’ve been at odds on this topic for years.
Regarding telepathic technique, I can only suggest you conduct yourself in a way as you see fit. Personally, I don’t give credence to things like magical amulets, but if it helps to have an etheric link, use this letter you hold in your hand, as it contains my heart, soul and signature with a drop of blood, which I added to the ink. You might wish to reciprocate.
Let’s raise our glasses to honor the quest of conquering the unknown.
Arthur Conan Doyle
* * *
So, Arthur was serious when he first brought up the subject. When he and I left the pub, I really didn’t know what to think. After all, he was a famous author, and I was merely a student. What possessed him to choose me for such an engagement?
I shuffled through my schoolwork to find my pen and ink and a fresh sheet of paper. Blood, I needed blood. Ah, my razor! That would work. I fetched my shaving kit and winced as I drew a few drops. I scribbled a swift, affirmative reply with the blood-tainted ink, mailed the letter the following day and looked forward to our first otherworldly encounter.
***
Excerpt from The Time Traveler Professor, Book One: Silent Meridian by Elizabeth Crowens. Copyright © 2019 by Elizabeth Crowens. Reproduced with permission from Elizabeth Crowens. All rights reserved.
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Be sure to come back Friday for my review of Silent Meridian!
Monday, September 16, 2019
A Night's Tail - An Interview & Giveaway
I'm so happy to welcome Sofie Kelly to Cozy Up With Kathy today. Sofie writes the Magical Cats Mystery series. A Night's Tail is the eleventh book in the series and was released earlier this month.
Kathy: Hercules and Owen are very special cats. How did you decide to grant them their powers?
SK: Among other things, I’ve always wanted to be able to walk through walls or become invisible. With Owen and Hercules I get to do that—at least fictionally!
Kathy: I currently have 6 cats, having just adopted a rescue from Syria. Do you have cats of your own?
SK: First, I have to say thank you for adopting a rescue cat. That’s wonderful!
As for me, my husband is very allergic to cats so I don’t have any of my own, but I do have “cat friends.” Mac is a tuxedo cat who lives three houses away. He comes for a visit at least once a day, usually twice. He likes to have a nap in the sunshine on my deck. Little Sister is a gray tabby who also comes to see me every day. She’s very talkative and will nudge me to sit on the steps so she can lay her head on my lap and I can scratch the side of her face. I tease my husband that if he dies first, I’m getting a cat!
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
SK: I like the fact that the good guys win in the end and the bad guys lose—something that doesn’t always happen in real life. I like the relationships between the characters that develop over the course of a cozy series. Many cozy mysteries are set in a small town and that’s a setting I love because I grew up in a small town.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
SK: At the moment I don’t write in other genres, but in the past I’ve written young adult novels and a picture book. And I do write bad poetry but I don’t show that to many people.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
SK: The Magical Cats mysteries are set in the small town of Mayville Heights, Minnesota and feature librarian Kathleen Paulson and her two cats, Owen and Hercules. The cats are not typical house cats and they use their special abilities to help Kathleen solve crimes.
I also write the Second Chance Cat series as Sofie Ryan. It features re-purpose store owner Sarah Grayson; Charlotte’s Angels, a group of senior sleuths; the world’s oldest computer hacker; and Elvis, a black cat with an uncanny ability to sniff out a lie.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
SK: I think Owen and Hercules have to be my favourite characters. They have qualities and personality traits from several cats I’ve known.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
SK: I knew the series would have to have at least one cat because I am very much a cat person. The town of Mayville Heights was inspired by a video about the town of Red Wing, Minnesota, that I accidentally discovered on-line. I was captivated by the town.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SK: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I discovered that books were written by actual people. I also wanted to be a TV director, move to Hollywood and marry actor Michael Cole—which will give you an idea of how old I am!
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SK: Shakespeare. I’d love to learn about his writing process. Was he an plotter or a pantser? Lawrence Block, because When the Sacred Ginmill Closes is one of my favourite books. Kurt Vonnegut. He’s one of my favourite authors. And sci-fi writer, Becky Chambers, who is the author of the Wayfarer series. I wouldn’t have to do anything other than sit and listen while they all talked.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
SK: I’m reading Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Trust Me. It’s very good and no, we’re not related. I’m also reading The Weekend Baker by Paul Hollywood because I am a bit obsessed with The Great British Baking Show.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SK: In the spring and fall we do a lot of hiking. I’m also a mixed media collage artist and I love to prowl around yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores for things to use in my art.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SK: Spinach, carrots, coconut milk ice cream and insulin. (I’m diabetic.)
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
SK: Yes. I’m just wrapping up the next book in the Magical Cats series and the next Second Chance book will be out at the end of January.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SK: One of the best things about being an author is meeting so many people who love books and love to read as much as I do! I never have to wonder what to read next.
**************************************************************************
Sofie Kelly writes the New York Times bestselling Magical Cats mysteries that feature librarian Kathleen Paulson and her two very special cats, Owen and Hercules, who have a magical knack for solving crime. As Sofie Ryan she is the author of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat mystery series. She lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter.
Website: www.sofiekelly.com
Purchase Links - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Indiebound
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Kathy: Hercules and Owen are very special cats. How did you decide to grant them their powers?
SK: Among other things, I’ve always wanted to be able to walk through walls or become invisible. With Owen and Hercules I get to do that—at least fictionally!
Kathy: I currently have 6 cats, having just adopted a rescue from Syria. Do you have cats of your own?
SK: First, I have to say thank you for adopting a rescue cat. That’s wonderful!
As for me, my husband is very allergic to cats so I don’t have any of my own, but I do have “cat friends.” Mac is a tuxedo cat who lives three houses away. He comes for a visit at least once a day, usually twice. He likes to have a nap in the sunshine on my deck. Little Sister is a gray tabby who also comes to see me every day. She’s very talkative and will nudge me to sit on the steps so she can lay her head on my lap and I can scratch the side of her face. I tease my husband that if he dies first, I’m getting a cat!
Kathy: What first drew you to cozy mysteries?
SK: I like the fact that the good guys win in the end and the bad guys lose—something that doesn’t always happen in real life. I like the relationships between the characters that develop over the course of a cozy series. Many cozy mysteries are set in a small town and that’s a setting I love because I grew up in a small town.
Kathy: Do you write in any other genres?
SK: At the moment I don’t write in other genres, but in the past I’ve written young adult novels and a picture book. And I do write bad poetry but I don’t show that to many people.
Kathy: Tell us about your series.
SK: The Magical Cats mysteries are set in the small town of Mayville Heights, Minnesota and feature librarian Kathleen Paulson and her two cats, Owen and Hercules. The cats are not typical house cats and they use their special abilities to help Kathleen solve crimes.
I also write the Second Chance Cat series as Sofie Ryan. It features re-purpose store owner Sarah Grayson; Charlotte’s Angels, a group of senior sleuths; the world’s oldest computer hacker; and Elvis, a black cat with an uncanny ability to sniff out a lie.
Kathy: Do you have a favorite character? If so, who and why?
SK: I think Owen and Hercules have to be my favourite characters. They have qualities and personality traits from several cats I’ve known.
Kathy: Did you have a specific inspiration for your series?
SK: I knew the series would have to have at least one cat because I am very much a cat person. The town of Mayville Heights was inspired by a video about the town of Red Wing, Minnesota, that I accidentally discovered on-line. I was captivated by the town.
Kathy: What made you decide to publish your work?
SK: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I discovered that books were written by actual people. I also wanted to be a TV director, move to Hollywood and marry actor Michael Cole—which will give you an idea of how old I am!
Kathy: If you could have a dinner party and invite 4 authors, living or dead, in any genre, who would you invite?
SK: Shakespeare. I’d love to learn about his writing process. Was he an plotter or a pantser? Lawrence Block, because When the Sacred Ginmill Closes is one of my favourite books. Kurt Vonnegut. He’s one of my favourite authors. And sci-fi writer, Becky Chambers, who is the author of the Wayfarer series. I wouldn’t have to do anything other than sit and listen while they all talked.
Kathy: What are you currently reading?
SK: I’m reading Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Trust Me. It’s very good and no, we’re not related. I’m also reading The Weekend Baker by Paul Hollywood because I am a bit obsessed with The Great British Baking Show.
Kathy: Will you share any of your hobbies or interests with us?
SK: In the spring and fall we do a lot of hiking. I’m also a mixed media collage artist and I love to prowl around yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores for things to use in my art.
Kathy: Name 4 items you always have in your fridge or pantry.
SK: Spinach, carrots, coconut milk ice cream and insulin. (I’m diabetic.)
Kathy: Do you have plans for future books either in your current series or a new series?
SK: Yes. I’m just wrapping up the next book in the Magical Cats series and the next Second Chance book will be out at the end of January.
Kathy: What's your favorite thing about being an author?
SK: One of the best things about being an author is meeting so many people who love books and love to read as much as I do! I never have to wonder what to read next.
**************************************************************************
A Night's Tail (Magical Cats) by Sofie Kelly
About A Night's Tail
Cozy Mystery
11th in Series
Berkley (September 3, 2019)
Hardcover: 288 pages
Librarian Kathleen Paulson's brother, Ethan, and his band, The Flaming Gerbils, are spending some time in Mayville Heights. Ethan and his band-mate Derek, are giving a song-writing workshop at the St. James Hotel when they stumble upon the body of Lewis Wallace. The former football player was considering the town for the site of his newest business venture. However, not everyone was a fan of the brash ex-athlete, who had a failed business, some disgruntled customers, and several lawsuits in his past. Did he make a new enemy, or did Lewis Wallace's past finally catch up with him? It's up to Kathleen—with some furry assistance from her talented cats, Owen and Hercules—to figure out who was trying to settle the score.
About Sofie Kelly
Sofie Kelly writes the New York Times bestselling Magical Cats mysteries that feature librarian Kathleen Paulson and her two very special cats, Owen and Hercules, who have a magical knack for solving crime. As Sofie Ryan she is the author of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat mystery series. She lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter.
Website: www.sofiekelly.com
Purchase Links - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Indiebound
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sunday, September 15, 2019
A Curio Killing - A Review & Giveaway
Review
A CURIO KILLING by Mary Ellen Hughes
The Third Keepsake Cove Mystery
Spring is blossoming and Keepsake Cove is celebrating with its Spring Festival. After inheriting her aunt's music box shop, Callie Reed is looking forward to her first festival and while she won't have a booth at the event is anticipating big crowds checking out House of Melody. She's thrown for a loop when she hears a too familiar baritone voice in her shop. It turns out her ex-boyfriend Hank's new band is headlining the festival. The festival however, ends abruptly after the first night when the band's manager is found murdered and Hank is arrested. Hank may be many things, but Callie is certain he's no killer. With the police certain they have their man, Callie is determined to find the real murderer. It turns out that several people in town knew the manager, and none of them had good memories. Could the murderer be Lyssa's new landscaper, Delia's house guest with the hot temper, or Krystal the current small business association's president? Or could Hank be the killer after all?
How far would you go to help an ex? Callie has to walk a thin line as she doesn't want to encourage Hank to think there's a possibility of renewing their relationship and she doesn't want to upset Brian and ruin their burgeoning romance, yet, believing he couldn't be culpable and knowing he has no one else, Callie feels duty bound to help. And help she does, keeping Brian appraised of her actions as well as her reasoning and having Lyssa in the loop helping out.
The third Keepsake Cove Mystery had my brain engaged and kept me engrossed in the mystery. There are lots of interesting threads promoting several possible motives introduced to muddy up the investigation. The final confrontation had my heart pounding as I fought along with Callie.
A CURIO KILLING is a well plotted mystery filled with interesting characters. I enjoyed my time in Keepsake Cove and look forward to returning.
***********************************************************************
How far would you go to help an ex? Callie has to walk a thin line as she doesn't want to encourage Hank to think there's a possibility of renewing their relationship and she doesn't want to upset Brian and ruin their burgeoning romance, yet, believing he couldn't be culpable and knowing he has no one else, Callie feels duty bound to help. And help she does, keeping Brian appraised of her actions as well as her reasoning and having Lyssa in the loop helping out.
The third Keepsake Cove Mystery had my brain engaged and kept me engrossed in the mystery. There are lots of interesting threads promoting several possible motives introduced to muddy up the investigation. The final confrontation had my heart pounding as I fought along with Callie.
A CURIO KILLING is a well plotted mystery filled with interesting characters. I enjoyed my time in Keepsake Cove and look forward to returning.
***********************************************************************
A Curio Killing (A Keepsake Cove Mystery) by Mary Ellen Hughes
About A Curio Killing
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting - Maryland
Midnight Ink (September 8, 2019)
Paperback: 264 pages
Callie finds treble in Keepsake Cove when her ex-boyfriend is framed for murder . . .
Callie Reed is looking forward to her first Keepsake Cove spring festival. But her excitement dims considerably when she learns that her ex-boyfriend, Hank, will be performing with one of the hired country-western bands. Callie vows to keep her distance, but that changes when the band's manager, Bobby Linville, is found dead, killed with the music box Hank bought at Callie's shop.
Hank is soon singing a sad tune in a detention center with Callie his only lifeline. Though thoroughly aware of his many faults, she knows violence and murder aren't in his blood. But that means one of her fellow Keepsake Cove residents must be hiding a dark secret—something Callie desperately needs to uncover.
About Mary Ellen Hughes
Mary Ellen Hughes is the bestselling author of the Pickled and Preserved Mysteries, the Craft Corner Mysteries, and the Maggie Olenski Mysteries, along with several short stories. The Keepsake Cove series begins with A Fatal Collection and continues with A VINTAGE DEATH and A CURIO KILLING.
Author Links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MaryEllenHughesauthor
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/mehughes13/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/mehughesauthor
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/402922.Mary_Ellen_Hughes
Purchase Links:
Amazon
B&N
Midnight Ink
Mystery Love Company Booksellers
BAM
IndieBound
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Saturday, September 14, 2019
Death by Jack-O'-Lantern - A Review
Review
DEATH BY JACK-O'-LANTERN by Alexis Morgan
The Second Abby McCree Mystery
As Halloween looms ever closer Abby McCree once again finds herself working on a slew of committees and her tenant, Tripp, has just volunteered her for another one! But committee work is halted when instead of a bunch of pumpkins she finds the body of the town curmudgeon. When a homeless veteran who Tripp is mentoring is wanted for questioning, Tripp refuses to help law enforcement find him, and instead finds himself in trouble with the law. As Abby once again finds herself embroiled in another murder she'll have to help Tripp and Kevin all while preparing the town for its trick or treat event!
I absolutely love this smart sassy series. Endearing characters with strength of character, determination, and unwavering loyalty inhabit its pages. I admire Abby and her attitude. She's smart and able to give as good as she gets. I love how she denies people her baked goods when they make her mad. Her interactions with Detective Earle had my jaw dropping, then had me laughing out loud. Her relationship with Tripp is heartwarming and I look forward to them realizing they're more than just good friends, although their friendship is undeniable. I also like Abby's relationship with Gage, indeed with the whole police department. Of course, Zeke adds another layer of adorableness, as well as loyalty.
The second Abby McCree Mystery is a story about loyalty and facades. For better or worse, people aren't always what they seem. And sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
DEATH BY JACK-O'-LANTERN is a smart mystery with heart. The loyalty and good-natured bantering make me want to spend time with the people of Snowberry Creek...that and the baked goods. This book is an especially appealing autumnal read and I urge you to curl up with a copy.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Buried in the Stacks - A Review & Giveaway
Review
BURIED IN THE STACKS by Allison Brook
The Third Haunted Library Mystery
Things are going well for Carrie Singleton. She's happily dating Dylan,
who will soon be living and working in Clover Ridge, she's supporting
her best friend who's planning her nuptials, and she's satisfied with
her job as the Program and Events Manager at the library. Carrie's even
come to a truce with the despicable research librarian, Dorothy. But
things aren't quiet at the library for long. With the cold weather and
no place else to go several homeless people are hanging out at the
library. As problems and complaints start pouring in, Carrie is
intrigued by the idea of a day center and looks to support its creation,
while all the librarians cover for Dorothy, who had fallen of the ice.
But even on crutches Dorothy seems to be up to her old tricks, and when
her car is rammed no one is too surprised. But would somebody actually
murder Dorothy? And could a day center for the homeless really be a
solution or just a front for illegal activity? Despite warnings to leave
things to the police, Carrie is determined to ask questions, but in
doing so will she provoke a murderer?
There are a lot of annoying characters in Clover Ridge. Women desperate to be part of a couple, nasty troublemakers, greedy relatives, self absorbed snobs, and even Carrie, who goes all out to appease an ungrateful ghost. Evelyn continues to be more of a
hindrance than a help despite her otherworldly status. No wonder murders occur in this small Connecticut town!
Belief in family, worthy or not, loyalty to friends and corresponding pride and shame
cause rifts and further the plot in the third Haunted Library Mystery. An important social issue is raised, specifically that of homelessness and particularly how libraries deal with the issue. While good points were brought out, the naiveté of the townsfolk was a bit pronounced with their "solution" to the problem.
BURIED IN THE STACKS is a diverting read combining social issues with murder.
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Buried in the Stacks: A Haunted Library Mystery by Allison Brook
About the Buried in the Stacks
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Crooked Lane Books (September 10, 2019)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Librarian Carrie Singleton is building a haven, but one of her neighbors is misbehavin'. Can resident spirit Evelyn help Carrie catch the culprit who made her a ghost?
In winter, the Haunted Library is a refuge for homeless townspeople. When a group purchases a vacant house to establish a daytime haven for the homeless, Carrie offers the library as a meeting place for the Haven House committee, but quickly learns that it may be used for illegal activities.
As the new Sunshine Delegate, Carrie heads to the hospital to visit her cantankerous colleague, Dorothy, who had fallen outside the local supermarket. She tells Carrie that her husband tried to kill her--and that he murdered her Aunt Evelyn, the library's resident ghost, six years earlier.
And then Dorothy is murdered--run off the road as soon as she returns to work. Evelyn implores Carrie to find her niece's killer, but that's no easy task: Dorothy had made a hobby of blackmailing her neighbors and colleagues. Carrie, Evelyn, and Smoky Joe the cat are on the case, but are the library cards stacked against them?
Allison Brook is the pseudonym for Marilyn Levinson, who writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for kids. She lives on Long Island and enjoys traveling, reading, watching foreign films, doing Sudoku and dining out. She especially loves to visit with her grandchildren on FaceTime.About Allison Brook
Author Links:
Website: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
My Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/
Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound
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Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Currently Reading...
I just finished reading Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook. This book is the third in the Haunted Library series and was released yesterday.
Things are going well for Carrie Singleton. She's happily dating Dylan, who will soon be living and working in Clover Ridge, she's supporting her best friend who's planning her nuptials, and she's satisfied with her job as the Program and Events Manager at the library. Carrie's even come to a truce with the despicable research librarian, Dorothy. But things aren't quiet at the library for long. With the cold weather and no place else to go several homeless people are hanging out at the library. As problems and complaints start pouring in, Carrie is intrigued by the idea of a day center and looks to support its creation, while all the librarians cover for Dorothy, who had fallen of the ice. But even on crutches Dorothy seems to be up to her old tricks, and when her car is rammed no one is too surprised. But would somebody actually murder Dorothy? And could a day center for the homeless really be a solution or just a front for illegal activity? Despite warnings to leave things to the police, Carrie is determined to ask questions, but in doing so will she provoke a murderer?
Things are going well for Carrie Singleton. She's happily dating Dylan, who will soon be living and working in Clover Ridge, she's supporting her best friend who's planning her nuptials, and she's satisfied with her job as the Program and Events Manager at the library. Carrie's even come to a truce with the despicable research librarian, Dorothy. But things aren't quiet at the library for long. With the cold weather and no place else to go several homeless people are hanging out at the library. As problems and complaints start pouring in, Carrie is intrigued by the idea of a day center and looks to support its creation, while all the librarians cover for Dorothy, who had fallen of the ice. But even on crutches Dorothy seems to be up to her old tricks, and when her car is rammed no one is too surprised. But would somebody actually murder Dorothy? And could a day center for the homeless really be a solution or just a front for illegal activity? Despite warnings to leave things to the police, Carrie is determined to ask questions, but in doing so will she provoke a murderer?
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