Johnny Ly, Dianne Cortez, and JD Thompson quit high-powered jobs and moved to an old mansion in a small Central Texas town. They thought their chief problem would be earning livings as a veterinarian, accountant, lawyer, and ABBA tribute band, but they keep stumbling over mysteries and finding cats.
Who are you?(What type of books do you write, how long have you been writing, your favorite place to write) I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. It’s taken me many years to make writing the key part of my day, instead of something squished in life’s daily activities. In my first career, I was a professional orchestra cellist, but for some reason I decided never to tell people I was a musician until I was making a full-time living at it. No one told me that artists can hardly ever do that. I’ve dragged my experience in professional orchestras, law firms, cat rescue, floral design, gardening, bookkeeping, teaching, training, and technical communication into my writing career. I’ve come around to defining that career as “Are you writing? You’re a writer!” I have four books, various stories, and a word count that grows every day to prove it.
Who is your protagonist? JD Thompson is an attorney who’d rather be writing poetry, singing in his ABBA tribute band, or hanging with his friends than working in judge’s chambers or corporate law firm. If he’s going to do lawyering, he wants it to make a difference in someone’s life. He’d rather mediate disputes than do courtroom combat, but he’s always ready to defend the defenseless.
How is your book related to fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving? “Rained Out” takes place during Thanksgiving week during a flood that leaves Central Texas stranded—and my protagonists trying to run a shelter in their Victorian mansion home. Stores and restaurants close after the first day, and our heroes have to provide for fifty-something sudden house guests for a week that includes Thanksgiving. Then JD finds a child in the house who has no parents with him.
Several other later holiday stories are included as well.
Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series. Book 1 starts with young millennials JD Thompson, Dianne Cortez, and Johnny Ly moving to small town Beauchamp, Texas, to set up their offices and home in Johnny’s grandmother’s historic mansion. They intended to keep to their legal, accountant, and veterinary careers (while performing in their ABBA tribute band on the side), but murders keep derailing them into investigations.
Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books. Murder crops up in and around Gregg House. So do relatives with their endless requests. In the next book, Hallow, JD explores his grandfather’s past to right an old wrong. It’s never too late, right?
When Lynn Franklin was a child, she often accompanied her jeweler grandfather on his local buying trips. As they traipsed the grungy streets of Pittsburgh, Grandpa carried a battered briefcase filled with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. These trips provided fertile ground for Lynn’s imagination, allowing her to search the shadows for thugs, thieves and spies. So it came as no surprise when, at the age of eight, she demanded a deerstalker hat and wrote her first mystery novel. To hone her sleuthing skills, she studied the case files of Nancy Drew, Frank and Joe Hardy and Trixie Belden. In time, Lynn became a professional writer and an Accredited Jewelry Professional. But she never lost her fascination with gemstone history and lore. And so theKimberley West Gemstone Mystery Series was born. She also writes the Top Dog Detective Series and the Grandpa Max Tall Tales series. Lynn and her Pulitzer Prize winning husband Jon Franklin live in the Chesapeake Bay area with their standard poodle Dash. Dash works just as hard as his humans, creating comic relief for Lynn to include in her books.
The Kimberley West Gemstone Mysteries pulls readers into the captivating world of gemstones and jewelry. A pair of precocious dogs provide comic relief.
My newest book, The Poodle Who Sang Undercover, blends Nancy Drew with a pair of wisecracking dogs. This is a total departure from my normal style. I wrote this book to make people laugh.
Who is your protagonist’s sidekick? In the gemstone series, Kim’s sidekick is a black Standard Poodle named Rorschach, Rory for short. The Poodle Who Sang Undercover features Sam, a black Standard Poodle and Tucker, a Longhaired Dachshund. The two dogs imagine themselves as the Nero Wolfe (the dachshund) and Archie Goodwin (the poodle) of the dog world.
What role does the animal play in the story? In the gemstone stories, Rory accompanies Kim most everywhere. In addition to providing comic relief, he sometimes literally digs up clues, protects Kim and tries to warn her when someone seems suspicious.In The Poodle Who Sang Undercover, Sam and Tucker work with their human partner to solve the mysteries. Along the way, they make some very pointed comments about the way humans behave.
Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth? Rory mostly helps Kim. But sometimes his antics lead her astray. Sam and Tucker are pretty good at keeping their focus on the mystery – unless there’s food available (Tucker) or an audience (Sam).
Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Furry Sidekick. This scene is from The Poodle Who Sang Undercover. To track a dog kidnapper, Kim, Sam and Tucker go undercover at a dog show. This requires Kim and Sam to run an agility course – something neither of them had ever done.
“At this point, the cheering was so loud that Sam couldn’t hear Kim’s next cue. But she was pointing at a flat, low jump. Oh, wow, a broad jump! He cleared the jump and grinned back at Kim. “That’s not a jump!” Kim shouted. She pointed at the object he’d just cleared. “Box!” The strain in her voice broke Sam’s heart. She clearly needed cheering. And that meant: Zoomies! Sam pushed off from his back legs, leaped into the air and zoomed around the box. He ran so fast he created his own wind tunnel. His ears flapped, his tail wagged, his paws barely touched the ground. Once, twice, three times, he circled the box. As he came around for a fourth try, he spotted Kim standing nearby, her finger pointing straight down. “Hey, Kim,” he shouted. “Watch this!” He adjusted his angle and charged toward what he now realized must be the silly the pause box. “Slow down!” Kim said. But Sam had other ideas. He leaped onto the box, planted his front feet and dropped to his butt. The brake specialists at Chevrolet and Ford could learn much about “stopping on a dime” by talking with a poodle.
Give readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books. Sam, Tucker and their teenage sidekick will continue their quest to save The Top Dog Detective Agency from bankruptcy by accepting cases the police won’t touch. In the next gemstone mystery, Kim and her standard poodle sidekick search for a priceless pendant with a cursed history.
Bonnie’s books are sure to include a good mystery, element of the paranormal and many even have cats. She also writes fantasy, urban fantasy and some science fiction. Her series include The Familiar Cafe, The Haunted Hotel series, Holiday Hijinks, Frost Witch Saga, Whisper series and many short stories.
“Unfamiliar Magic” follows Jade and Mason as they use their magical skills to solve a murder mystery and save her best friend from being falsely accused. With a cozy café filled with adorable feline familiars and a thrilling plot filled with twists and turns, this is a must-read for fans of the genre.
Who is your protagonist’s sidekick? Mason is my protagonist’s “sidekick” though Mason wouldn’t agree that he’s only a side kick. He’d say he is the brains behind the team. He’s a large ginger bi-color neutered male feline and he’s all attitude.
What role does the animal play in the story? My main character, Jade, is a witch who runs a café for feline familiars looking for new homes. Mason keeps the cats in line and lives upstairs with Jade. He has his own magic and has even saved Jade’s life at least once.
Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth? Even Jade has to admit Mason helps, although she wouldn’t say he’s as helpful as he thinks he is.
Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Fury Sidekick. “I turned back to Mason to make sure he was comfortable. He was already getting out of the box. I put my hand on his back, intending to tell him to settle down.
Get me out of this stupid cast. My leg is fine. Dr. Gray knows it.
“What do you mean?” I demanded.
You’ve been moping around about Tyson for weeks, ever since you didn’t have a clue how to talk to him at dinner. I wanted to give you another chance. Clear the air. Mason flipped his tail at me so hard I heard the thump when it hit the floor.
“You jumped in front of a car on purpose?” I practically screamed. I hoped I didn’t scare the familiars downstairs. “You could have been killed.”
If you hadn’t been so upset and so preoccupied with trying to talk to Tyson, you’d have felt the spell I did to be sure I was fine.
I remembered the slight tingle on my arms just before I’d heard the squeal of brakes. I glared.
Mason gave me a long hard stare. Thankfully, it appears my plan worked and you two are back to acting normally with each other again.
“I don’t care how much I mope,” I said. “Don’t you ever do that to me again!” Suddenly, I was angry with him, thinking about how terrified I’d been of losing him. “
Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series. Jade lives in South Central Kentucky in a small town that is home to many witches and is considered the place to go if one has questions about a familiar. They have a university there with information. Jade runs a café for humans but she also has feline familiars who are looking for homes, all adults. She runs into mysteries and has to solve them. She’s getting quite a reputation in her town for knowing how to solve mysteries.
Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books. I expect that Mason will have to use more of his magic and teach Jade more about what he can do. Jade’s relationship with her love interest will grow into something more. I have a feeling there are other mysteries that will crop up requiring Jade’s unique ability to sleuth out answers with Mason’s help.
First off, I need to explain…Summer doesn’t end down here in the south just because it’s Labor Day Weekend. How can it, when the temperatures are still in the upper 80’s, the heat index is in the 90’s and the humidty is so thick you can’t breath? So we weill continue our summer beach reads through the month of September.
Maggie Toussaint
I am thrilled to have Maggie participate with my interviews, and enjoyed reading her responses. Maggie is an Award Winning Author and writes Culinary Cozies, Cozy Mystery and Paranormal Cozies. Her books are distributed widely and in KU (see the links by each book). You can find all of her books in the below links and while you’re there, don’t forget to follow Maggie so you can easily be updated when she releases her next book.
Where is your favorite vacation spot? Beach, Resort or Poolside? I am head over heels in love with the beach. As a teen, I would sun for hours at the beach, and of course, be reading a book. Nowadays, I have to limit my high intensity sun experience to early mornings and late afternoons, but that only makes it all the more personal for me. I love the sight, the sound, the smell, the feel of sand crunching under my toes and water foaming over the tops. I would say it engages all of my senses but I try not to taste it! Another reason I love the beach is beachcombing. I love to hunt for treasures in the receding tide or up above the high water mark. You just never know what you will find!
Everyone takes a tote back with them when they head out for a day at the beach, what is in yours? My bag has cellphone in a plastic bag, towels, wipes, and sunscreen. I often include a small, perforated cloth bag for seashells, and of course, there’s a book! I carry drinks and snacks in a cooler with ice packs. And these days, I also take some kind of shade with me too.
What makes your books perfect for a beach read? The setting, the story or the characters? All three books in my Seafood Caper Mysteries released during the pandemic, so I believe readers are finding them to be a delightful way to travel to the beach without ever leaving home. The island setting makes it a great beach read, and the plot and characters aren’t too shabby either.
How many books have you written?Which is your favorite? I’ve written 27 books, 2 of which are nonfiction. My works of fiction include a puzzle to solve, no matter the genre, and there is often a relationship subplot. I’ve been writing for publication since 1995, and my first novel released in 2006, as I had a lot of technical writing skills to unlearn. My favorite book is the one I’m working on, no matter which book that is. One reason is it is brain overload for me to keep 25 entire story worlds fresh in my head. The other is that I care so much about each story and want it to be the best I can make it, that all my attention and passion goes into that effort. Right now my fav is Shrimply Dead, book 3 in my culinary cozy series!
Where do you get your inspiration? I am a walking sponge for ideas and inspiration. I’ve been inspired by golf clubhouse stories, overheard conversations, newspaper headlines, obituaries, and generally everything I see, do, touch, taste, or hear. I’m fairly certain I’m not alone in this creative absorption, but getting the idea is the easy part. It is much harder to sit down and link all of the ideas together into something compelling that readers will enjoy.
What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting? Despite the months and sometimes years that go into a story, don’t market your work until it is ready. Often I hear this as “write the best book you can, every time.” This is because you aren’t competing with the bottom of the market, you’re competing with the cream of the crop. In other words, you’ve got one chance to wow agents, editors, and readers. Get it right before subbing.
Doyou have a library membership? Yes! I’ve had one every place we’ve lived. The library was a home away from home for me growing up. It truly held all the treasures of the universe within the covers of books. Then, when my kids were small, we went to the library each week and checked out a tote bag of books. I support libraries with talks and encourage everyone to visit their library. I even served on our local library board for three years. We need libraries, and libraries need users. Don’t let libraries go the way of Dodo birds.
Tea or coffee? I’m a tea drinker. My fav is iced tea, but I drink hot tea at breakfast and peppermint tea before bedtime. The rest of the day is the iced tea zone. Tea works for me on several levels. The caffeine helps headaches, and it gets me going as well. My go-to tea brand is Luzianne for black tea and Celestial Seasons for peppermint. I had brief love affairs with Constant Comment, Chai, and Earl Grey tea, but my favorite “named” tea is English Breakfast. Oh, and have you tried Ginger Tea? It’s really great for settling your tummy. I make sure to have that in pantry, just in case, you know?
And here is a tease about something I’m participating in! This is a Christmas Cozy Anthology with 20 writers. I’ve had a sneak peak, and the stories look great. Keep watching for the full cover reveal!
This is the perfect weekend to catch up with your reading, and Amy Vansant will fit the bill nicely. Amy writes Urban Fantasy and Romatic Comedy and of course, Mysteries. I’ve read her Pineapple Port Mysteries and thought they were wonderful and comic. You can find all of her books onAmazon Kindle.
Where is your favorite vacation spot? Beach, Resort or Poolside? My house since I moved to Florida! I’m a walk to the beach and have a pool so I have all the bases covered now. 😊
Everyone takes a tote back with them when they head out for a day at the beach, what is in yours? I walk on the beach but I don’t sit for long. I like to people and dog watch… but I guess a water and something to read in case I get bored.
What makes your books perfect for a beach read? The setting, the story or the characters? Both my Pineapple Port Mysteries and Shee McQueen Mystery-Thrillers take place in Florida near the beach!
What inspired you to start writing? I just always did, even when I was very little.
What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting? Keep writing! The only way you’ll ever make money is to keep writing more books… I got distracted making a living for a decade and stopped during that time. I could kick myself for it.
What time of the day do you usually write? I get up early, so usually 4am to 6am unless I get distracted by work… which happens a lot…
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? I’ve written a little over twenty… Generally the latest is my favorite because you get a little better at what you do every time you do it!
Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers? I cleverly hid where I live, Jupiter, FL, as “Jupiter Beach FL” in the Shee McQueen novels. The location of the Loggerhead Inn, where my characters live, is my house (except it is on the Intracoastal Waterway and I’m not – need to sell a lot more books for that house!)
What did you want to be when you grew up? A writer!
Would you rather have an endless summer or an endless winter? Is that even a question? SUMMER!!
Tea or coffee Both, but if I had to choose one forever, coffee.
Morning person or Night owl MORNING. I don’t function at night at all. When the sun goes down, I start to fall asleep… and I love how quiet mornings are.
Do you base your characters real people? Often. If you’re a neighbor, be careful…
What’s the most challenging thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? Probably things I don’t even realize I’m getting wrong. LOL
How do you select the names of your characters? I go to baby name websites or I run a contest to have my readers pick a name. For some reason if left to my own choices I fall back to the same six names or so. I have no imagination for names apparently.
Amy is also a fellow Sister in Crime, and we belong to the same chapter. I can assure you she is just as funny in person!
Jane Elzey writes modern day cozy mysteries about four best friends and amateur sleuths who love to play games… while the husbands die trying. (A husband always dies.) A Cardboard Cottage Mystery series centers around board games, friendship, and fast-paced misadventure!
The books are available in ebook on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited, as well as Paperback and Hardcover at all your favorite book shops. Autographed copies with swag and brag are available on the author’s website
Where is my favorite vacation spot? Born and raised a wild-child on Florida’s sandy beaches (including Vero Beach!) my favorite vacation spot always includes a big body of water, preferably when the moon is full. I’m an avid traveler, so I like to hit the beach anywhere around the world. My favorite place to bodysurf is the National Seashore in Titusville, Florida. My favorite beach to go shelling is Sanibel Island. Did you know there is only there is only one global ocean? We are all one!
What’s in my tote bag? My favorite Turkish towel, Blue Lizard sunscreen, a good read, a thermos of something delicious — probably with rum and mint, and a big bag of seaside nibbles. I like to stop at the specialty markets along the way to pick up local favorites. Poke and papaya on Oahu, ceviche and chips in Mazatlán, olives and crusty bread in Spain.
What makes your books perfect for a beach read? Because that’s what my readers tell me! The characters in the Cardboard Cottage Mystery series are four friends you’d love to hang out with – especially when they get into good trouble. They are the perfect friends to take with you to the beach – they will serve up a good picnic, lots of laughs, and some fast-paced, page-turning adventure, too.
What inspired me to start writing? I am career journalist, but along the way I discovered my true calling. I am a mischief-maker, story-teller, and bender of the facts. I would rather write a story without much regard for the truth. I’ve wanted to write mysteries my entire life and now I’m finally following that dream come true.
What’s my most interesting writing quirk? I am fan of out-of-the-box thinking and thrill in leading the reader on an adventure with lots twists, turns, and surprises. I love it when a reader says, “I didn’t see that coming!” Even though I write under the cozy genre and its rules, my characters are not-so-cozy, not cookie-cutter sweet, and always up for an adventure. Because I like to travel, I set my stories in destinations that I love, and share those bucket list travels with readers.
When writing a series, how do I keep things fresh for both my readers and myself? My VIP Club members are keeping me on my toes! Members of the Killer Club are given the honor of naming a husband for me to off in an upcoming series. I currently have more husbands to kill than plots! I am only in two deep – book one and book two – now working on book three. I bore easily, so keeping myself entertained is sure to keep the reader happy. And that’s my goal. Imagination is a wonderful thing, and as long I continue to live an adventurous life surrounded by interesting people (including my VIP Killers) I can’t imagine that this well of creativity will run dry. My characters are willing to evolve, too, and with their help I have plotted out where they go for the next several books. And of course, their friendship deepens along the way!
How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Killer Croquet, Passing on Poker, Murder by Mahjong, and Ouija with Haints, are all in the plotting stages. I’m currently writing on Poison Parcheesi and Wine, book 3 in the Cardboard Cottage Mystery series. This story takes place in Arkansas’ wine country, along with Gennas’ big “European Tour” of Arkansas. And, well, another husband dies trying and Amy almost takes the rap for murder!
If I could invite three people to mydinner party they would be… Fanny Flag, Lee Smith, and Carl Hiaasen, my favorite Southern writers. We would be telling stories and laughing so hard we would never be able to eat our dinner!
I was so thrilled to find Jane is not only a fellow floridian, but that she actually lived at one time in Vero Beach. Oh the stories we could compare! I love board games, and found this such a unique premise for a cozy mystery series. I can’t wait to grab one of Jane’s books and head to the beach.
Can you believe how fast the last quarter of 2020 is passing by? Halloween is over, and plans are being made for that big turkey dinner. And then, with a blink of an eye, we are decorating and planning for the Christmas holiday. Our next award winning author writes in a range of holiday mysteries.
Why do did you write a holiday theme mystery? Living in Australia, Halloween is not as celebrated here as much as it is in the US so I love to immerse myself in creating what could be if I lived there. I love all the mystery and intrigue that surrounds the holiday and the chance to dress up. The holiday gives me so much inspiration to create and imagine what could be.
new release!
In my mind, there is always a little bit of magic that surrounds Christmas. You can’t beat a great Christmas story that takes you on a journey into the world of the North Pole and Santa’s workshop. A story filled with fun, love, excitement and a little bit of mischief. I love writing about Christmas in winter, the snow, a warm fire and hot chocolate. Living in Australia our Christmases are always hot and humid so to create a winter world I can dive into, complete with Santa and the Elves is such as joy.
Is writing your full-time career? Or would you like it to be? Writing is my night-time and weekend passion. I am a full-time Drama teacher, but not your normal 9-5 teacher. I am run the Dance and Drama Department at my school, so not only do I have to teach the students, I have loads of admin to do and productions including after school rehearsals. My average day in 7.30am to 6.30pm. As you can imagine, fitting in writing in and around that is pretty hard. Because I self-publish, I also have to try and get promotional time in there which I guess is why I don’t get a lot of sleep.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it? If Pumpkin Pies & Potions were made into a movie, apart from probably fainting at the opportunity of having one of my books on the big screen, Emma Stone would play the main character of Evelyn Grayson. At 11, Evelyn’s parents were tragically killed, and she moved in with her Aunt Edie in Saltwater Cove. This is where she finds out she’s a witch and her life is set on a new path of mystery, magic and mayhem. Her world goes haywire and she finds out life as a witch is not as easy as she first thought. Emma Stone is the perfect fit, beautiful, smart and a little on the tough side. Jason Lewis would play the main character of Tyler Broderick, Evelyn’s best friend. They have been best friends since she moved in with her aunt and while he isn’t a witch, he has mad computer skills which prove useful in solving key clues in various murders. Emily Blunt would play Aunt Edie. Her vast acting knowledge would bring a maturity to the role without making her too old. She is a hip, young aunt that isn’t afraid to take a risk where needed.
Where do you draw inspiration from? A lot of my inspiration comes from my covers. Whether it be romance or a cozy, I have great cover designers and they provide me with the fuel to create my stories. At the start, I had no real idea what a cozy mystery was until I stumbled across Mariah Sinclair’s covers and brought 13 in one sale and then a writer friend said they were cozies and I had to learn what they were and how to write them. Having been an obsessed addict of Murder, She Wrote and Nancy Drew it wasn’t hard to put pen to paper. I can see a cover and then a story begins festering in my mind and I have to just go with it. I had the cover of Pumpkin Pies & Potions designed by Victoria Cooper and she took the exact idea out of my head and created it brilliantly. I often run ideas by my sister and niece, they are great to brainstorm ideas with and they can send me on a whole new storyline with just one discussion. Problem is, once we start talking over the one idea, it soon becomes three or four books. As a writer, a great problem to have.
pre-order!
What is your favorite childhood book? It’s not so much a book as a series. I LOVE (and till do) the Sweet Valle High Series. I still have the majority of them, albeit some warn and tattered. I wasn’t a fast reader, but if I had one of Francine Pascal’s SVH books in my hand you couldn’t get me to do anything until I finished it. I received a number of groundings from my mum because I wouldn’t put my book down. I must have read the series over twenty times. They were my first introduction to teenage romance, and I was hooked. I also loved Nancy Drew, I suppose that’s why I love writing mystery novels. Also, Enid Blyton’s the Wishing Chair. While I write cozies, I also write romantic suspense and contemporary romance under P.L. Harris. I think the love of reading romance has stayed with me since I picked up my first SVH book.
Polly is also part of a great group of writers that have written the Christmas Anthology, Christmas Crackers.
now available!
Polly also writes romantic suspense as P.L. Harris!
So, there it is; we’ve officially started the holiday book season! Grab you comfy slippers, a cup of hot chocolate, a warm blanket and a spot in front of the fire place-there are plenty of holiday cozies coming your way!
Every once in a while you are lucky to meet someone who gladly gives all she can to her fellow writers. Pam is one of those authors. (To be fair, the writing community as a whole is very giving and more than willing to help you when they can!) I’m honored to call this fun, talented writer a friend.
Pam has over 60 published books, mystery/suspense and young adult. The easiest way to find her books is to go to her website. There you will find her books, blog, upcoming events and releases and now she’s even doing a wonderful podcast. And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter while you are there.
How long have you been writing? I have little stapled construction paper books that I scribbled stories in before I could read or write. I wrote a short book about an anthropomorphic rabbit when I was ten, and took several runs at writing a novel over the next few years, completing my first novel when I was twelve. I have been writing ever since, but did not start publishing until 2013. I have over 60 titles out now.
Where do you draw inspiration from? My stories are frequently inspired by news stories or people’s personal stories, as well as music, dreams, and random imaginings. My brain is always going. Before George Floyd’s death, I was concerned with deaths in police custody and what I was reading in articles such as this. Throughout the Auntie Clem’s Bakery series, the main character Erin Price was frequently a suspect in murders around Bald Eagle Falls. In other cases, her family or friends were suspected (think Jessica Fletcher’s nephews…) It was time to turn the tables and throw suspicion on the police themselves (and Erin’s sweetheart, Officer Handsome in particular.)
What book is currently on your bedside table? Skeletons in my Closet by Calgary Homicide Detective Dave Sweet.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? Hard to tell without spoilers. There are some high-tension scenes near the end of the book, culminating in the discovery of two injured victims. I think that discovery scene was probably the most interesting to write. There is always some comic relief as well, which sometimes comes as a complete surprise to me.
Is writing your full-time career? Or would you like it to be? I am getting closer. It is my last year as a salaried employee. I expect to continue next year with fewer hours and an hourly wage rather than monthly salary. I am working hard at boosting my writing revenue so that I can live off of my books. It has taken me a number of years to get here, working a lot of hours at my writing business on top of working a full-time office job.
one of several Christmas books!
What is the significance of the title? In this paranormal cozy mystery series, Reg Rawlins has recently gone through a short jaunt through the past, and yes, you guessed it, she made a few changes while she was back there. In the new present, her mother did not die when she was a child, and in Delusions of the Past, her long-estranged mother comes back into her life. Reg and her mother each remember the past very differently.
What do you like to do when you are not writing? Running and walking, reading, playing with the cat, designing covers… there should probably be some stuff in there about people, too. Despite being a hermit, I do enjoy spending time with my family too.
Why did you write a holiday theme mystery? I wanted something to promote during the holidays. I wanted books that could distract people from seasonal stresses and help people to relax and enjoy the holidays.
A big thank you to Pam for taking time from her busy schedule to visit with us and answer our questions. Be sure to stop by her website and explore!
Don’t forget, many authors, including myself, publish “wide”. This means our books might be available in the library. Ask your local librarian for information on how to request a book from my list or any of the other authors I have introduced you to.
Are you getting ready for Halloween? Candy bought (and round one eaten!), decorations up, costumes selected? Yep, it’s getting closer. And to keep in the “spirit”, here is another author with a Halloween treat for us.
You might know Regina from her Ria Quinn Mystery series. Her books can be found all all the major book outlets; Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble , Apple or through Books2Read. And don’t forget, you can connect with her on her Facebook page, too.
Why do did you write a holiday theme mystery? Halloween has always been a most favorite holiday—wonderful memories from childhood and with my own son growing up, moonlight, scary things, the candy corn, the haunted houses—it’s just always made me feel delight. And I thought Ria, my MC, would enjoy a plot that had a haunted, abandoned hospital and an ancient peat bog to explore on Halloween.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it? That’s a great question. I can see I’d have Emily Blunt as Ria, Cary Elwes as Gareth, David Leon as Kyle, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Deidre… in my dreams, anyway…
Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you. I actually reveal it in the first Ria Quinn mystery, Hidden In Stone—her passion for Old English. It is my own…
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
The Wolf
What is your favorite childhood book? Two, really—a beautiful book of fairy tales and Nancy Drew’s The Clue of the Broken Locket that I first read when I was 9.
Well, that’s it for this post. I hear the candy wrapper rustling, so I’d better go run interference, or I’ll be buying more before the trick or treaters arrive! Victoria LK Williams
In my last post, I presented a number of books with a Halloween Theme and next month I will do the same for books with a Christmas Theme. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to down load a couple and start reading. But now I want you to get the know the authors behind the stories. A few of these wonderfully talented wordsmiths have written books for both holidays! Are you ready to meet our first author?
Kathy Manos Penn with Banjo
Kathy is a long-time columnist and award-winning author. Her books are in the KU (kindle unlimited) program. You can find all her books on her Amazon Author Page, connect with her on her Facebook Author Page and find out even more from her Website!
I asked each of our authors to select questions from a list to answer (you’ll find out more below) and ask all to answer this…
Why did you write a holiday theme mystery? The Halloween book simply grew out of the fact that book one was set in September and had ended with a costume party at my main character’s cottage. That was so much fun, I wanted to continue the costume theme with the characters dressing in costume for a Fall Fete in their Cotswolds village. I LOVE Christmas, and like my main character, I decorate our home to the hilt! Given that Leta has been a widow for 18 mos, her emotional growth and how she deals with the holidays seemed a natural next step.
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How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing cozies only since late 2019 and released Book One in my series in February 2020. For almost my entire corporate career, I was called upon to write. Funny that my fellow bankers, whom I thought brilliant at analysis and numbers, seemed to think the same about my ability to craft a complete sentence, a speech, a how-to guide, or a training course. Long before my official job was communications, I was the go-to person for writing. As a side job, while still a banker, I began writing weekly columns for a local paper and enjoyed it so much, I also started writing a blog. When I retired, I published a book of my columns, and then my dog Banjo got in on the act. He got all fired up when I had his DNA done and we discovered he’s part Great Pyrenees. Did you know that Louis XIV declared those majestic animals the Royal Dogs of France? Once Banjo heard that news, he demanded I take dictation and produce a small book in his voice about a year in his life. He says Lord Banjo the Royal Pooch is NOT fiction, but we have a difficult time convincing readers of that. It was only after I’d appeased the boy that I could think about what I might want to write.
What is the significance of the title? Since Dickens & Christie, the dog and cat in my books, are important characters, I find myself wanting to include a pet-oriented word in each title. Hence, the first book was Bells, Tails & Murder and this Halloween themed book is Pumpkins, Paws & Murder with a fall fête central to the plot.
What book is currently on your bedside table? Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper. A friend recommended I read it because a cat tells the story. She wasn’t quite sure she was going to enjoy reading my books where Dickens & Christie converse with their pet parent, but after one book, she was hooked. She went in search of other books where the animals talk or at least write and found Love Saves the Day! And on my Kindle, next up is The Silent Woman by Terry Lynn Thomas. I’m an Anglophile through and through, so you can almost always find me reading a book set in England. This one is set just before WWII.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? As an avid reader, I love writing the book club scenes included in each of my books. The chosen book is always in some way connected to the plot and is always a book I’ve read. I enjoy mentioning books throughout my stories, though I must admit I haven’t read every single book I mention—most of them, but not all. Leta, my main character, was an English major and briefly an English teacher before moving on to corporate America, and her best friend Wendy taught high school English for thirty years. It’s only natural that they talk books. And guess what, I too briefly taught English, and I’m forever talking books with my friends.
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Is writing your full-time career? Or would you like it to be? My friends would tell you it is, that writing has become my full-time second career and that I never really retired. I call it my passion. I find myself going into withdrawal when I don’t write every day. Fortunately, I continue to write weekly newspaper columns, so when I’m not deep into writing the next book, I can get my fix with a column.
What do you like to do when you are not writing? Read! I must read every night and now that I’m retired I stay up way too late doing that. When I worked, I made myself turn out the bedside light by ten. Much as I say about Leta in my books, I turn into a pumpkin by that time. And so you know I’m not a complete couch potato, I work out several times a week and walk with my sister too. Times were I rode bicycles with my husband, but his health has taken that activity off the table, and I don’t much enjoy cycling by myself. You’ll notice in my books that Leta rides a bicycle.
Where do you draw inspiration from? I followed the adage to write what you know, so my pets are the inspiration for the personalities of Dickens & Christie. Banjo and Puddin’ hang out with me in my office—Banjo snoozes at my feet and Puddin’ is either demanding treats by leaping on the desk or she’s snoozing in my desk drawer. As does Dickens, Banjo loves belly rubs and is always scarfing his feline sister’s wet food. Puddin’? She’s a demanding little thing who rules the roost and thinks she “owns” both me and my husband. Leta, my main character, is a transplanted Atlantan and is Greek. I only wish I were a transplanted Atlantan! I doubt I’d ever have the gumption to leave friends and family behind and move to England, but I AM Greek. Leta is known among her new British friends for her Greek salad, as I am here among my Atlanta friends. You can find her salad recipe in Book One and two additional Greek recipes in Books Two and Three. Beyond that, my bucket list trip to England in 2018 inspired the Cotswolds village setting and much of the literary plot for the first book in the series. In book two, the ladies take a trip to Dartmouth and Agatha Christie’s summer home because I’d visited both. One thing leads to another as I research ideas on the internet, and things move along from there. Because I took yoga for years, there’s a yoga studio in Astonbury and Leta takes a class several times a week. I’ve long had it in the back of my mind to include a yoga retreat in one of my books. I only need to figure out who gets murdered and why! This idea could show up in book five. You never know.
Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed our first “Holiday Author”! I know I have. And I’m now in the mood to start reading holiday books.
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Don’t forget, you can get my books at a discount when you buy direct from my website. And to help you start start preparing for the holidays, check out the cute designs below!
Pen In Hand, Words on Page 