Paula is a teacher at heart, having taught at five colleges in a range of subjects including English composition, fashion design, sewing and jewelry making. With a talent for sewing and crafts, she is busy creating not only with words but with textiles, wedding gowns for her daughters and leather jewelry. Paula writes Cosy Mysteries that reflect her interest; A Fine Art Mystery series and A DIY Diva Mystery series. You can follow her on Amazon, Facebook and be sure to check out her Website.

Paula’s book in the Mysteries, Midsummer Sun and Murders anthology is Killer Art in the Park.
A sunny day in the park. What could be more delightful? Or more deadly?

Now let’s ask Paula a few questions…

Everyone takes a tote back with them when they head out for a day at the beach, what is in yours?

The tote itself is probably more interesting than what’s in it! I’ve had several canvas totes printed with images of my textile artworks. It’s great fun to have a unique bag, and these are just the right size to take to the beach with enough room for towels, sunscreen, a cozy mystery to read, and sundry other items.

Can you give us some insight into what makes your main character tick?

My main character in “Killer Art in the Park” and all the books in my Fine Art Mystery series is Amanda Trent, an artist specializing in expressionistic abstract landscapes painted in oil. Her desire to make a living as a professional artist is sparked when her husband unexpectedly announces that he is divorcing her to marry a younger woman. As Amanda starts life anew in Lonesome Valley, Arizona, far from her former home in Kansas City, she struggles to kick her new career into high gear so that she can support herself.   Of course, along the way, she solves some mysteries, too!

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences or purely all imagination?

Although the plots and characters are completely imaginary, some of the details of the setting are based on real-life experiences; for example, exhibiting at an art show, which I’ve done. Also, the way the cooperative art gallery works in “Killer Art in the Park” is based on my own experience of membership in art co-ops. Most readers have attended an arts-and-crafts show or browsed in an art gallery, so this world will seem familiar to them.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

The characters come before the plot, but what came first in both my cozy mystery series—DIY Diva Mysteries and Fine Art Mysteries—is the setting, which really sets the stage for the characters, and then the plot follows. The DIY Diva Mystery series is set in a guard-gated community governed by an aggressive homeowners’ association. With all the picky rules and regulations the HOA decrees, there’s bound to be some controversy. The Fine Art Mystery series is set in an art town in Arizona and centers around a cooperative art gallery. Since I’ve been a member of a couple of cooperative art galleries, it was easy to imagine how the gallery worked and how the member artists interacted with each other.

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_{Before the release, you are going to want to pre order your copy! Not only will you get it at the lowest price of 99 cents, but you will also get a fun addition that the authors put together for our readers; a recipe book of great summer salads.}

_{We are also doing something extra special for our potential readers; we’ve put together an exciting package with over 30 prizes to win. Ereaders, gift cards, signed copies of books, ebooks, audio books, the list goes on. And you can check out the list AND sign up to win the Mysteries, Midsummer Sun & Murder anthology prize pack by clicking on the box below.}