Ellen Jacobson is a writer, cat lover & obsessed with chocolate. She writes cozy mysteries and romantic comedies, including the Mollie McGhie Mysteries and the Smitten with Travel Rom-Coms.
Murder at the Marina Blurb: When Mollie’s husband gets her a boat for their anniversary, she discovers it comes with an extra surprise: a dead body. Docked at a close-knit marina community, can Mollie find the killer before she winds up dead in the water?
Who is your protagonist’s sidekick Mrs. Moto is an adorable Japanese bobtail cat.
What role does the animal play in the story? Besides looking adorable, Mrs. Moto helps Mollie McGhie find clues and solve the mysteries. Let’s face it, Mollie (like most humans) would be lost if she didn’t have a cat telling her what to do.
Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth? Mrs. Moto always helps Mollie McGhie. Well, except for the fact that she regularly hacks up hairballs on the pillows. That’s perhaps not so helpful.
Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Fury Sidekick. This is an excerpt from Murder Aboard the Mistletoe. Mollie’s husband, Scooter, has been making outfits for Mrs. Moto to wear on her popular YouTube channel. When I walked up onto the deck of our boat, Scooter turned to me. “Doesn’t Mrs. Moto look adorable in her elf outfit?” I have to admit, she did look pretty cute. That’s how cats get away with things. They can spit up a hairball on your pillow, then give you an adoring look and, like magic, all is forgiven. Scooter and I watched our cat strutting back and forth like a runway model. When she reached the bow of the boat, she paused to scratch behind one of her ears, almost knocking her red and green felt hat off. “You’re getting very proficient with the sewing machine,” I said to Scooter as we watched our calico pad back toward us. “I know we bought it to repair our sails, but it’s turning out to be pretty handy for making cat costumes,” he said. “You should see how many new followers Mrs. Moto has on YouTube. People love seeing videos of her wearing her latest outfits.” As I scooped Mrs. Moto up, Scooter added, “One of her fans suggested I make a mermaid costume next.” “That’d be cute,” I said. Mrs. Moto meowed in agreement, then squirmed out of my arms.
Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series. After Mollie’s husband, Scooter, presents her with a dilapidated sailboat for their wedding anniversary, she quickly learns more about boats, sailing, and murder than she would like. The Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mysteries are set at a marina in a small town on the Florida coast, where a surprising amount of people end up dead.
Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books. This series is now complete, but who knows Mollie, Scooter, and Mrs. Moto may turn up in a spin-off series in the future.
Dianne writes the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. There are currently two novels and three novellas (including the prequel novella, Out of Options) published in the series. A Timeless Celebration is the first novel, followed by The Heritage Heist. This autumn she’ll release The Snow Job, the third novel in the series and Mistletoe and Murder, a Christmas novella. Dianne is a Canadian writing who lives in Britain and also writes a historical Series The Yankee Years. Her Historical series is set in Ireland and her Cozy Mystery series is set in rural Canada.
The Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries feature heartwarming mysteries set in a fictional Canadian town. The main character, widow Lois Stone and her two calico cats have moved from the big city, and Lois is trying to adjust to her new life in an historic stone ‘century cottage’. As she settles in, her tranquility is often rocked by adventures and mysteries, and her best friend Marge makes sure they are always in the thick of whatever is happening.
Who are your protagonist’s sidekicks?
Lois Stone’s two calico cats, Ribbons and Raggs, are her cherished companions. The cats are based on my own tortoiseshell cats, Snooks and Rocky. The ‘real’ cats live with us on our farm and keep a close eye on me, especially at meal times. Take a look at the cats on the book covers – they are images of my own cats. The one that has more white in her coat is Rocky and the fictional Ribbons.
What role do the animals play in the story?
Lois Stone adores Ribbons and Raggs but she doesn’t realize how clever they are. They are loyal companions and, although they can’t talk or communicate directly with Lois or the reader, the reader can see that they are more perceptive than the average cat. Raggs is a good judge of character and is aware of what’s going on around her but she likes her comforts, and prefers sleeping and eating to most other activities. Ribbons is the one who takes her responsibility to Lois seriously. She is especially protective towards her human companion and this often leads her to help solve the mysteries Lois becomes entangled in.
Does your animal help or hinder your sleuth?
Lois thinks she is doing the investigating but she would miss half the clues without the help of her cats– especially Ribbons. Raggs can be rather lazy at times and prefers napping to sleuthing. But when Ribbons meows there’s always a good reason. She makes her wants known as well as helping Lois when she misses an important bit of information. She is also a very good judge of character and tries to warn Lois when her human hangs out with the wrong people. It’s a shame that Lois doesn’t always pay attention to her warnings.
Give us 1 example of the interaction between your main character and the Fury Sidekick.
A Timeless Celebration: Excerpt from Chapter 18 –
“As far as she could see, the room was empty except for Ribbons standing on the kitchen table, her tail straight up in the air and twitching furiously, as the cat stared past her owner. Lois was starting to turn her head in the direction in which the cat was looking when she felt her shoulder shoved roughly. Knocked off balance, she toppled onto the floor in the middle of the room, twisting onto her back and bumping her head against one of the legs of a chair as she fell. She heard loud bangs near her but was too dazed to focus on what was happening. The noise quickly stopped, and she lay dazed and winded for a few moments until she remembered the intruder. Where is he? Is he still here? She pushed herself onto her elbow, halfway to a sitting position on the floor, her eyes trained on the back door. There was no one there and the phantom was hovering beside the screen door, not attempting to block the exit any longer. Lois glanced around the room. No sign of the intruder. He must have rushed out of the back door right after he shoved her. But not before the phantom confronted him; she just knew that was the noise she had heard. She hoped it had done some damage to him. Lois let out a loud sigh. After all this, she didn’t have any description of the intruder except that it was a man and he was dressed in black. That wasn’t very much. It probably described most burglars. She looked at the grey shape that seemed to be watching over her. “Thanks, Beldie. You are Beldie, aren’t you?” Lois watched the phantom. Its wide-set eyes had a knowing look and it seemed to glow brighter for a moment. Maybe that was a response to her question. “Too bad you or Ribbons couldn’t talk and tell me what he looked like or who he was.” Lois rubbed the back of her head as she pulled her legs to one side and rolled onto her knees in preparation for standing up. She shuffled across the floor on her knees and placed her hands on the seat of the chair to push herself to her feet. Ribbons appeared from under the table and wove around her legs. Lois gingerly bent to pat the cat, rubbing the back of her own head with her other hand. “I’m glad you’re okay. I guess you had the sense to stay away from whoever that was. Not like me storming in here. You probably got a better look at him too. If only you could tell me what you saw.” Ribbons meowed and flicked her tail back and forth across Lois’s leg, then marched toward the back door. Lois’s gaze followed the cat as the animal moved. At the screen door the cat stopped. Lois noticed a rectangular white object was lying on the floor next to the spot where the cat was standing. She peered at the object and one of her eyebrows quirked upward as she recognised it. Why was the packet of photographs lying on the floor? Had Ribbons batted it off the table earlier? Lois drew her eyebrows into a frown as she thought. No, she couldn’t have. Lois was certain that she had put the photographs into her purse when she got home from town this afternoon. She wanted to be sure that she took them with her in the morning so she could give Marge the set and drop the negatives into the drugstore on her way to the Highland Games to get the copies made for Ken. Had the intruder deliberately taken the photographs from her purse and left her purse on the dining room table? That didn’t make sense. Why would he take them? He must have taken her wallet and grabbed the photographs with it by mistake. Maybe he noticed that they were just photographs and threw them away as he made his retreat. But how had he gained entry to the house this time? Lois looked at the kitchen window. It was closed and the window locks were on. She knew the front door was locked and so were all the windows in the house. Maybe he had broken in through the back door. She never locked the screen door, just the inside door when she went to bed. Lois sat down on the nearest kitchen chair as she tried to think. Her head ached, which made it difficult. Something was bothering her about the back door. In her mind, she ran through her preparations before she went to bed. Standing in the middle of the kitchen, she had looked at the window to be sure the window lock was secure, then she went to close and lock the back door and turned off the kitchen light before she left the room just like she had always done in her old home. She shook her head. No, that wasn’t right. She hadn’t closed the inside back door tonight. Raggs had been fussing around her as she checked the kitchen. The cat had always seemed to be able to tell time and got very agitated if she stayed up past her normal bedtime but she had been even more fussy about her routine since they moved to Fenwater. Maybe after moving to a new home, keeping to her daily routine reassured the animal. Lois had told the cat she wouldn’t be long. After she looked at the window, she had patted the cat to silence her huffing noises and followed her out of the room, flipping the light switch off as she left. She hadn’t gone near the back door. She had completely forgotten it. The outer screen door was closed, but she hadn’t even locked it and the inside door was lying wide open. She raised her hand to her forehead and massaged it. Her stomach churned. How could she have been so careless? She might as well have invited the intruder in. Well, she more or less had, hadn’t she? She shook her head. She would have to report the break-in to the police. But was it a break-in when she had left the door open? And she would phone Marge. She didn’t want to be alone to face the lecture she was sure the police officer would give her about carelessness.”
Is your book part of a series, if so, tell us about the series. After writing historical fiction for several years, I decided to have a change of pace and write something that didn’t require in-depth historical research. And so, the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series was born. Cozy mysteries appeal to me because they allow me to explore the place as well as the mystery at the heart of the story. I had an idea for my mystery series and I knew a small town in Canada that would be the perfect setting for Fenwater, my fictional town. The Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series features main character, middle-aged widow Lois Stone, who has moved from the big city and is trying to adjust to life on her own in an historical “century cottage”. As she and her two calico cats settle into their new life, her tranquility is often rocked by adventures and mysteries that she can’t ignore. There are currently two novels and three novellas (including the prequel novella to the series, Out of Options) published. This year I will release The Snow Job, the third novel in the series and Mistletoe and Murder, a Christmas novella. A couple of the novellas are set in Lois’s home city, Toronto. The rest of the books are set in Fenwater, my fictional Canadian town. The seeds that sow the ideas for my cozy mysteries come from many different places: incidents that happen to me, random thoughts that cross my mind and bits of trivia that catch my attention So far in this series, each story has been linked to a beautiful, cherished historic object: a watch that survived the sinking of the Titanic, a rare Haida Indian carving, a cameo brooch, and an antique quilt.
Give the readers a hint of what’s to come for your character in future books. I’m currently revising The Snow Job, the third novel in the series. The tale revolves around the Burns Night Supper, a very Scottish celebration held each January in the town where Lois lives, and what happens when one of the organizers of the event is killed a few days before it. Lois has no intention of taking any risks this time. She definitely won’t get involved in hunting for the murderer. But her best friend Marge has other ideas. The victim was a colleague of hers and she convinces Lois to help her ask a few questions around the town. How dangerous could that be? What could possibly go wrong?
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Harry raced upstairs ahead of Lizzie and Trisha, eager to chase whatever dust bunnies he could find swirling around in the morning sunlight that came through over-sized windows on either side of the enormous fireplace. “What’s he in such a hurry for? Does he have a date with the family ghost?” Trisha let Harry pass her, not wanting to be tripped, laughing as she spoke, her short dark hair bobbing with her head’s movement. “Harry has his own agenda. And our resident ghost she has hers as well. In fact, I haven’t seen her since we started living all these boxes in.” Lizzie joined her laughter and hurried up the last few steps to catch up with Harry. Who knew what kind of trouble he could get into it with all the boxes that were stacked on the mezzanine floor? When they reached the top stop, Tricia put her hands on her hips and looked around in astonishment. “Geez Lizzie, what did you do? Bring the entire college library here? Is there even going to be room for the furniture we picked out with all these books?” “Oh, stop the complaining. It’s not as bad as it looks. Once we put these books on the shelves, there will be plenty of room. Just be thankful we didn’t have to carry all these boxes up the stairs.” “No, we can thank Mrs. Meadows for that. I think she was eager to get rid of all the books you had all over the place at the main house, plus the boxes you’d brought back from your office at the college. What do you need all these for, anyway? You’re retired now.” There was a moment of silence, a guilty silence that Trisha recognized immediately. They had known each other since they were children. She knew her best friend as well as she knew herself. Trisha turned her stare from the boxes to the woman standing beside her and didn’t blink, waiting for an explanation. “About that retirement… It might have to be semi-retired for a while.” “Oh Lizzie, you promised you were done.” “And technically I am.” She sighed deeply and quickly explained, hoping to wipe away her’s friend’s disapproval, “The Chancellor asked me to come back just as a consultant until they could find a replacement to take over the horticulture program at the college. Things kind of fell through when my replacement was murdered. Especially when it was the next person in line after her who did the murder. I couldn’t leave Russel Mallery hanging. Not after I’d poured my heart and soul into that program for so long.” Tricia didn’t answer immediately, thinking back to the murder the two of them had been involved in solving. Then she thought of something else, “And what does Kevin have to say about this?” “Well, I haven’t come right out and told him. I mean, he knows that I’ve been taking phone calls from the Chancellor and going over to the college periodically, but I don’t think he—” “Oh, don’t worry about that; Kevin’s probably got this figured out even before you did. But it is temporary, right?” “Absolutely. I’ve got more than enough things to keep me busy here at Azalea Plantation. And you’ve got quite the list going for me on this renovation filming.” As she spoke, Lizzie waved her hands around her to emphasize the work ahead of her, and Tricia grinned back at her. “It’s fun-admit it. And your loving’s every minute of this renovation, aren’t you?” Lizzie shared Trisha’s grin, and gave a nod, but Harry quickly diverted their attention by clawing at one box, eager to get inside. “Come on, let’s get to work. The sooner we’re done, the sooner we can go out and decide exactly where we’re filming’s this afternoon segment.” Lizzie step forward and shooed Harry off the box so she could begin emptying it. Tricia followed suit and after a moment they were busy breaking the seals on the boxes so they could begin placing the books on the shelves. Tricia knew better than to pick up a book herself. Lizzie would have a specific area for each box and made no sense to do double work. She motioned Lizzie towards the shelves and passed the books to her friend for Lizzie to put them on the shelf. They worked steadily for half an hour, chitchatting about nothing in particular. Then they heard the sounds of the kitchen door opening and heard a woman’s voice yelling a morning greeting. Before Lizzie could return the greeting, there was a sound of a crash, and Trisha and Lizzie turned to head down the stairs to make sure everything was okay. But the woman’s voice stopped in their tracks. “Be more careful with those boxes. She hasn’t even moved in yet and you’re already breaking things.” “Oops, somebody’s getting Nora’s wrath,” Trisha looked over at Lizzie and grinned, “glad it wasn’t me.” The two women burst into laughter and a few moments later, they could hear someone walking up the stairs. When the messy brown hair scattered with gray appeared, followed by a sturdy build of a woman, they called out a morning greeting to Nora Meadows, housekeeper, manager and drill sergeant for Azalea Plantation. “My, aren’t you two are up and at them early? I don’t know what your rush is, Lizzie. There is no reason for you to move over here yet. You don’t even have furniture. Things were fine the way they were at the bed-and-breakfast.” Grumbled Nora Meadows in the way of greeting. Lizzie walked over and gave the woman a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “We’ve been over this so many times, Nora. I’m underfoot over there. Besides, we’re coming into the peak of tourist season and you can use room to rent out to guests. There is no need for a lot of furniture right this instant. I want to make sure when I get my pieces that they are perfect for the look of the house. They need to be as close to authentic as possible. For right now, a blowup bed and a nightstand are all I need in the bedroom, and that way I’m over here while they’re doing work.” Nora stared at her and slowly smiled, knowing she would not win the argument they had been having for this last several weeks. Right from the time Lizzie made the decision to renovate the old family home and make it her own, Nora understood she would move there eventually. The older woman had been stalling, hoping that it wouldn’t happen so soon. Harry walked over and rubbed against her legs as she bent down and scooped the cat up, giving him a treat from the pocket of her apron. “Well, you may not have furniture, but you are going to have a well-equipped kitchen. I’m not have you moving in here without being able to fend for yourself.” Scratching Harry’s head, Nora attempted to have the last say. “A coffee pot and a microwave are all I needed, Nora. You know I don’t cook. I’m taking my meals over the main house with everybody else.” “Nonsense. You may as will do it right and since the kitchen is ready, let’s make it complete. Now, I came over to let you know Kevin called to say he’d be over in a couple of hours after the film crew has arrived.” “The film crew! Holy crap, I forgot about them.” Trisha glanced at her watch and shoved the book she had in her hands at Lizzie. “Thanks Nora. I need to get downstairs and direct them where to go. Unfortunately, it’s a substitute crew today, so I’m going to have to be on top of them every step of the way.” “You said nothing about a substitute crew. What happened?” “Our usual crew had to go film a commercial on the other side of the state. It was a bit of an emergency, but they assured me the crew they have lined up to help them out will be just as good and it’s only for a week. Just this one episode.” Trish didn’t stick around to explain any further. Giving Mrs. Meadows a kiss on her cheek as she rushed by, Trisha headed downstairs, her feet clumping on the old wooden floors. “Was it my imagination, or did Tricia sound less confident that her words said?” Mrs. Meadow watched Tricia disappear from view and turned back to Lizzie. “I caught her tone as well. Today could be an interesting day.” Harry seemed to agree with her assessment and he squirmed to get out of Mrs. Meadows’ arms. Jumping to the floor, he raced after Tricia, intent on being in on any action that might happen. “I hope he stays out from underfoot when the crew gets here.” Lizzie frowned as she watched him scurry down the stairs. “Fat chance. If there’s trouble to be found, Harry will be in the middle of it. Now leave those boxes and come down to the kitchen with me; there are a few things I want to show you.” Mrs. Meadows’ voice didn’t allow for any arguments, and Lizzie set the books in her hands down and took one last glance around the mezzanine, which was soon to be her private library. Her eyes lingered on the stem of blooming azaleas that on the mantle. They were there when she arrived in the morning, and she knew they were a sign of welcome. It seemed the family ghost was happy she was moving in.
You have just read the first draft of chapter one; before my beta readers, friends, family or trusted editor! This is what being a supporter is all about. And with the Ream program, you can write notes about what you think, make suggestions or ask questions. Who knows, your input might be just what I need.
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!
Today we get to meet another writer from our north. I still have a hard time considering Canada as part of my international series. I was raised right along the US/Canada Border in Niagara Falls, and I sure spent a lot of time on the Canadian side. I even have family in Canada. And they are fascinating folks as you are about to find out…
Bohemian Lake is made up of five series including my best-selling books, the Haunted House Flippers. It features Juniper Palmer and Jack Young. As Bohemian Lake’s newest contractors, they’re expecting renovations most daunting, but what they get are murders most haunting. If you want to join them as they buy a haunted old mansion in Jack’s hometown and settle in to fix & flip it, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08886DD91
The other four series set in the Bohemian Lake are:
Haunted House Flippers Inc.
Penning Trouble: This adventurous cozy mystery series revolves around a traveling investigator from Bohemian Lake who’s always up for an avalanche of trouble. Penny’s first two books have a more of a traditional feel. A treasure hunt brings her home to Bohemian Lake for the summer and an ex-boyfriend has her treading slippery slopes in the Laurentian Mountains by Christmas. The following books in the series take on a more paranormal feel (that is more in line with the overall world) as Penny interacts with Bohemian Lake’s witches, ghost hunters, and takes on esoteric assignments around the world. You can check out Penny here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087T5MVCY
A Penning Troubles Mystery
Bohemian Murder Manor: This series revolves around a family of paranormally gifted Roma women who run a themed resort called Caravan Manor. The Vianu ladies can always spot trouble in the cards. Unfortunately for the manor’s guests, it isn’t just trouble they see. It’s ghosts. This series starts out with a good old fashioned locked room mystery but delves deeper into the world of ghosts as we explore Mallory’s psychic abilities. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079V62NWS
A Bohemian Lake Cozy Mystery
Bookish Adventures in Witch-Lit is a haunting paranormal cozy mystery series about an adventurous book club run by witches. We first meet Sera Popescu in Bohemian Murder Manor when she comes to town for the Vianu’s Hexfest event. After that we follow Sera’s life at the bookstore. Sera is a witch hired to help Nelle Storey run the literary tours. Each book takes Sera and her black cat, Medieval to a new country revolving around a book they’ve just read, namely, Germany, Scotland and Romania. Of course, in every story they seem to find themselves wrapped up in a murder mystery. Sera’s boyfriend who is a ghost-hunter is also prominently featured. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086X7C5J5
Bohemian Festival Fiasco: This series is about Eve Banter. You will find her to be the comic relief in every single Bohemian Lake book. She’s an outspoken sixty-year-old with her own private spy network and an appetite for destruction. Let me just say that Eve is everyone’s favorite character, which is why she got her own series. She works for the Trubble family at Bohemian Lake’s Private Ink & Eye as she’s as able to chase down a lead as to outrun a culprit, no matter how ridiculous her boots. Eve’s antics, especially her penchant for breaking and entering, drives her friends nuts. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087TMCLDJ
Have you ever been to the United State and if so where? I’ve been everywhere, man. “I’ve been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert’s bare, man.” Oh, and now I have Johnny Cash in my head. Lol. No, but seriously, I have been to Tennessee, Florida, Nevada, California, Texas and a ton of other places in between. I LOVE to travel which is probably why two of my series revolve around characters who travel. 😛 My favorite trips were to Las Vegas and Nashville. Las Vegas was for a writers conference and Nashville/Memphis was for my husband’s work and funny enough was where I wrote Murder, She Floats. I had a ton of fun in both places.
What is one expression that is common to your part of the world that might be unusual to us in the US and what does it mean? Oh, I can’t think of any right now. Although I know they come up because my beta readers question them. :p Of course, everyone knows we say EH! A lot. It’s like HUH for us. “It’s cold out there, eh?”
Where would you take a US visitor to your country to first and why? Hmm. If I were recommending travel, I’d say go skiing in British Columbia or spend the day hiking nature in Banff National Park. If you want lobster and lighthouses then head to the East Coast. Or Cobblestone streets and kitschy ski villages then check out old Quebec and Tremblant. But if I were personally guiding visitors, I’d take them to the beach that’s about twenty minutes from my house. I live in the Kawartha lakes area of Ontario. Or I’d take them for a walk through the many nature trails of Ontario. Wilderness is everywhere. There’s also cross country trails and a ski hill about 40 minutes away. In the summers when we’re not in lockdown I love to roller-skate at the local arena.
Describe your writing space. Aged dormers and exterior brick! I live in a Second Empire Victorian home just like the one in Haunted House Flippers. So, my house is very atmospheric to write in especially when it comes to ghosts. My personal favorite place is the attic but I mostly write in my study. My husband who is very handy just like Jack in the HHF series, actually renovated much of our house including my study so it’s lined with bookshelves and has a secret passage that leads into my gym.
What is your work schedule like when you are writing? My typical work schedule is 8-5 everyday (including weekends) because I love to get lost in Bohemian Lake. However, things have been a little different with Covid. My 8 yo daughter is enrolled in online learning while my teenage son attends the local high school when we’re not locked down. We’ve been in lock down since December. Anyway, during my work day I take plenty of breaks to cook and chat with the kids. I also take breaks to stretch meditate, and workout to improve my overall health. I’m having back surgery this month. And while I exercise, I listen to spiritual growth podcasts. I love learning and growing my muscles, my brain and my higher consciousness.
How do you research for your books? How do you stop is more like it? Bahaha. It’s an addiction. Everything is a source of research for me. I read every night before bed, I google constantly, and I love to watch tv shows that inspire me. For example, I watched a lot of Sabrina when I was writing Sera Popescu’s stories. I watched a lot of Ancient Aliens when writing Penny’s esoteric adventures in Paris. I wrote Sera’s Scotland adventure while in Scotland, and I wrote Haunted House Flippers while renovating my own house and living on HGTV.
What do you hope your readers take away from your books? Belly laughs, a sense of adventure and a feeling of coming home. Everything I look for in my fave books.
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work? I worked in advertising for twenty years specifically online marketing and social media. So, that would be an easy leap back for me, but outside of writing, I do coach people on fitness, mindset and publishing. The fitness aspect is probably my fave because it makes such huge difference in people’s daily lives. We all want to make a difference, am I right?
Which of your books were the most enjoyable to write? It’s hard to choose just one because they all take me to a different place and time in my life. But I would say Haunted House Flippers: Black Cats, Corpses and the Pumpkin Pantry was fun because it’s set in Tarrytown and is a bit of a spoof on the Headless Horseman.
Thanks to Rachael for a great interview. I can’t wait to start reading her books, now to decide which series to start with!
And speaking of series, I’m so excited to announce the rough draft of book 6, the series completions, in the Beach House Mysteries is done! Now it’s on to the editing. I’m planning on books 5 and 6 to be released this spring. Who do you think will win the battle over Pearl Island? Morgan or the sea-witch Cora?
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.
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.
Click to go to book
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.
Click picture to go to book
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.
click to go to site
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!
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning and I’m watching the birds and squirrels from my window trying to outsmart each other in their attempts to get to the peanuts I put out on the table for them. So far, the Blue Jays are winning. I’m excited for you to meet our next author, so let’s get right to it!
Meet Rachel Rivers…
Rachel writes light-hearted cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist. Her books are on Kindle and in Kindle Unlimited. You can find out all about her series, Hex Falls Paranormal Cozy Mysteries on her Amazon Author Page.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Life, friends, family, my father.
Plotter or Pantser?
Plotter for sure.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Write what you love… but make sure it has an audience if you expect to make any money. If you don’t care about money…write what you love and be happy.
How long have you been writing?
Seriously, for about 12 years. But I’ve actually been writing since I was eight, hoping to get serious.
How do you handle writer’s block?
People are going to hate this, but I don’t get writer’s block. I always have ideas. I’m always able to write. Living long enough to write all of my ideas is my biggest concern.
How do you come up with the titles to your books?
A lot of brainstorming! LOL And help from my nineteen-year-old.
Describe a typical writing day.
I’m up at 6:15, let the dogs out, shower, typically make tea, and sit down at my desk by no later than 6:45. I then write non-stop until about 11:30, when I usually break to eat, talk to a writing friend, then head back into my second session of writing from around 1:00 to 3:30ish pm. Then it’s dinner and marketing, marketing, marketing from 7:00 to 9:30 pm as I watch TV, and that’s it! Writing-wise. Phew! Enough, right?
Is writing your full-time career? Or would you like it to be?
Full-time. As you can tell by my schedule above.
What was your favorite part, and your least favorite part of the writing journey?
My favorite part is hearing from fans. People who have enjoyed or being moved, in some positive way, by my stories. That’s what makes me happiest. My least favorite part is composing Chapter Ones. Chapter One is always the hardest for me to get right. It always feels like it’s being dragged out of me.
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