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Book Spotlight: TEN STORIES THAT WORRIED MY MOTHER by Winona Kent

9/27/2023

Good Morning, Booklovers!

This week's book spotlight is an anthology by author Winona Kent. She has written the stories in several genres, so I hope everyone will find something to enjoy.
Welcome to the blog, Winona. What can I get you to drink?

WK: I drink Kona Coffee brewed in a French Press. I have three or four cups a day—I really should cut down because I end up feeling too anxious if I have deadlines looming. I have two squirts of Liquid Stevia to sweeten it, and I add either unsweetened almond milk or (for a treat) coffee creamer to lighten it up.

Ally: My magic pot can brew anything, so enjoy your coffee while we take a look at your anthology.

TEN STORIES THAT WORRIED MY MOTHER
Genre: Short Story Anthology
Subgenres: Mysteries, Time Travel, Mainstream Fiction, Espionage

A collection of ten short stories featuring four prize-winners, three mysteries, two previously unpublished works and one where the hero manages to spare-change John Lennon at the premiere of A Hard Day's Night in 1964.

And yes…they really did worry Winona’s mother.

"At times Winona almost flies under the radar as an unsung hero on the Canadian fiction scene… I’ll simply suggest this – find a comfy chair, sit back, relax, and take some time to go on a fast-paced and fun jaunt into Winona Kent’s imagination."
- A.J. Devlin, author of the “Hammerhead” Jed crime fiction series

Universal Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/Ten-Stories

Synopsis of Stories:

1. Tower of Power. One night in the life of a rock and roll radio newsman. Winona’s first published story, winner of the Flare Fiction Competition, originally published in Flare magazine in September 1982.

2. Dietrich's Ash. Inspired by an unfortunate situation that arose from a disputed property line between Winona’s house and her neighbour’s house when she was growing up in Saskatchewan. Okanagan Short Fiction Award winner. Originally published in Canadian Author & Bookman. Winter 1985 and anthologized in Pure Fiction: The Okanagan Short Story Award Winners. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) 1986. Also broadcast on CBC Radio, Ambience. 1982

3. True Confessions. A Temp with nothing much to do, a tea lady named Mrs. Thatcher, and a rooftop garden overlooking a builder's yard. Originally published in Green's Magazine, a small Canadian literary journal, Volume XII, Number 4, Summer 1984.

4. Creatures from Greek Mythology. A student with a crush on his Social Studies teacher. A high school dance. A fine arts student who paints rainbows around her eyes. (Second Prize Winner, WQ Editors Prize). Originally published in Cross-Canada Writers Quarterly. Vol 6, No. 1, 1984.

5. The Man in the Grey Eldorado. The first draft of this was written roundabout 1977 or 1978, after Winona had spent a glorious few weeks at the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts at Fort San (a former TB sanitorium). Inspired by The Man from UNCLE, this is one of only two previously unpublished stories in the collection.

6. Herd Maintenance. Winona wrote this in 1981 while she was working as a Temp at a federal government office on the Canadian prairies. This is the second unpublished story in the collection, although it did enjoy a brief life as a short, unproduced film script while she was at Vancouver Film School in 2003-4. The typewritten letters in the story are real. The names have been removed to protect the innocent.

7. Perhaps an Angel. An adventure involving the two main characters from Winona’s time travel romances, Charlie Duran and Shaun Deeley. Originally published in Carnival, a collection of short stories by Fable Press authors, in 2013.

8. Easy When You Know How. Another Charlie Duran/Shaun Deeley short story, in which Mr. Deeley manages to spare change John Lennon at the premiere of A Hard Day’s Night, and snag one of his plectrums (ie guitar picks). The story is also included at the end of Winona’s time travel romance novel, In Loving Memory.

9. Salty Dog Blues. Jason Davey, Winona’s professional musician / amateur sleuth, was originally featured in a standalone novel, Cold Play (2012), working as an entertainer on board an Alaska-bound cruise ship. In Salty Dog Blues, Winona took Jason back to that nautical setting, and gave him a very tongue-in-cheek mystery to solve. Salty Dog Blues was specifically written for and originally appeared in the short story anthology Crime Wave, published by Sisters in Crime-Canada West in November 2020. The story was a finalist in the Crime Writers of Canada's 2021 Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella.

10. Blue Devil Blues. This is a short story that was originally written for the anthology Last Shot: Four Tales of Murder, Mystery and Suspense, published in June 2021 with stories by Alice Bienia, Dwayne Clayden, Peter Kingsmill and Winona. It tells the tale of how Jason got his permanent gig at the Blue Devil jazz club in London's Soho, and also manages to include Winona’s obsession with the London Underground.

About the Author:

Winona Kent is an award-winning author who was born in London, England and grew up in Saskatchewan, where she completed her BA in English at the University of Regina. After moving to Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing and received her diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School. Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent, a screenwriter, the Managing Editor of a literary magazine and a Program Assistant at the University of British Columbia. She's currently the BC/Yukon Representative and Vice Chair of the Crime Writers of Canada and is an active member of Sisters in Crime - Canada West. She lives in New Westminster, where she is happily embracing life as a full-time author.

Twitter (X): @winonakent
Instagram:  @winonakent
Facebook:  @Winonakentauthor
Threads:  @winonakent
Website:  http://www.winonakent.com

Don't miss Winona's interview on my mystery blog here:
janetlbuck.com/blog/a-blog-interview-with-canadian-author-winona-kent

PUPS, PUMPKINS AND MURDER, Cozy Mystery by S.A. Kazlo

9/20/2023

Good Morning, Booklovers!

This week’s author featuring her new cozy mystery release, Pups, Pumpkins and Murder, is Syrl Kazlo writing as S.A. Kazlo. While we take a look at your book, let’s get comfortable with a mug of coffee. How do you prefer yours?

SK: Strong and dark. No cream or sugar. Unlike my husband who sweetens his up with 3 heaping teaspoons of sugar. Unfortunately, due to high blood pressure I have to drink decaf. Certainly not the same as regular, but I guess it's better than nothing.

Ally: Now we're settled, please show us your latest book in the Samantha Davies mystery series.

Pups, Pumpkins and Murder
Genre: cozy mystery.

Autumn has arrived in the small town of Wings Falls in upstate New York, and children's book author Samantha Davies couldn't be happier. She's excited to attend the town's annual Taste of Wings Falls craft and food festival with her boyfriend Detective Hank Johnson. The fair features several booths, like the one Sam's rug hooking group, the Loopy Ladies, have set up as a fundraiser to send underprivileged children to summer camps, as well as home-grown vegetables, like the 2,000-pound pumpkin grown by Farmer Scooter that he's proudly displayed on the back of his truck.

But maybe the biggest draws for the fair is the barbeque cook-off. Samantha is friends with the owners of the three restaurants participating, but she is betting on Franny Goodway, the owner of Sweetie Pie's Café, taking home this year's coveted first place prize. But things take a stomach-churning turn when several fair goers become ill after chowing down on Franny's pulled pork delight. Franny insists it's not her fault... but when Sam sees Franny vehemently arguing with the new loan officer at the town's bank, she knows something is wrong.

Little did Sam know how wrong. That evening as Sam takes her dachshund, Porkchop, for a stroll, she finds the body of the loan officer...crushed under a 2,000 pound pumpkin and deader than the fall leaves covering the ground! Franny instantly becomes the number one suspect, and it's up to Sam to prove her friend innocent of the man's murder. Can she find a killer, and navigate her relationship with her detective boyfriend, and save Sweetie Pie's Café?

Buy links-
https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkins-Murder-Samantha-Davies-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0C6Z9SXJN

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1402419

Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Who knew a pumpkin could kill a person? I'm sure Scooter Dickenson never thought his prize winning 2,000-pound gourd would be the means of a person's death when his flatbed truck rumbled into the Wings Falls Park yesterday morning. The victim—Edgar Jensen—the new loan officer at the Wings Falls National Bank. I had never met Edgar before yesterday when I had the misfortune of making his acquaintance at the annual Taste of Wings Falls Fair. I say misfortune because from what I observed at the fair he wasn't the nicest person, arguing with a number of fair goers. But was someone mad enough at Edgar to want him dead? These questions ran through my mind as I sat with my cousin, Candie, in our regular booth in Sweetie Pie's Café after Sunday Mass at Saint Anthony's.

The weekend had started off wonderfully. On Friday night, my boyfriend Hank Johnson, Candie, and her new hubby, Mark Hogan, sat in Adirondack chairs around the metal fire pit in my backyard enjoying s'mores and mugs of hot chocolate. I was mesmerized by the flames licking the oak logs in the circle of fire as they reached for the sky. The sparks reminded me of the lightning bugs that flitted around on a summer night I would try to capture when I was a child.

Earlier in the afternoon I had walked my reddish-brown dachshund, Porkchop, through the maze of tents set up for the Wings Falls annual fall event—A Taste of Wings Falls. Vendors were busy preparing to sell everything from wool scarves to maple syrup. The rug hooking group I belong to, the Loopy Ladies, was prepared to sell hand-hooked items.

A big draw every year for the Taste was Scooter Dickenson's award-winning pumpkin. As I walked close to the flatbed holding this year's beauty, a growl rumbled from deep within Porkchop. I looked down, and the short hairs on his back stood on end. He started to bark and pull on his leash. His behavior surprised me. If a squirrel had run across our path, I could understand his agitation, but a pumpkin? Go figure.

About the Author:

Syrl, a retired teacher, lives in upstate New York with her husband and two very lively dachshunds. Under the pen name, S.A. Kazlo, she writes the Samantha Davies Mystery series, featuring Samantha Davies and her loveable dachshund, Porkchop. When not writing she is busy hooking, rug hooking that is, reading and enjoying her family.

Something unique about me: “I lead a pretty ordinary life. Well, back in the day when no self-respecting person was getting tattoos, I got 2. Boy, did my high school students love that.
Also, I published by first book at the tender age of 74.”

Contact the author:

http://www.sakazlo.com
twitter- @sakazlo
instagram- sakazlo
linkedin- sakazlo

Follow this link to Syri's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-author-syri-kazlo-visits-the-blog

BLOOD RELATIONS, a DS Ryan McBride Mystery by Joyce Woollcott

9/13/2023

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I have another terrific book spotlight for you this week: Blood Relations, the second DS Ryan McBride mystery novel by Joyce Woollcott. (See the link to her interview at the end of this post.)
Nice to have you on the blog, Joyce. What may I get you to drink?

JW: I wouldn’t say no to a glass of white wine.

Ally: While I grab my coffee mug and your glass of wine, tell us about your featured mystery novel.

BLOOD RELATIONS
Genre: Mystery

Belfast, Northern Ireland: early spring 2017. Retired Chief Inspector Patrick Mullan is found brutally murdered in his bed. Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride and his partner Detective Sergeant Billy Lamont are called to his desolate country home to investigate. In their inquiry, they discover a man whose career with the Police Service of Northern Ireland was overshadowed by violence and corruption.

Is the killer someone from Mullan’s past, or his present? And who hated the man enough to kill him twice? Is it one of Patrick Mullan’s own family, all of them hiding a history of abuse and lies? Or a vengeful crime boss and his psychopathic new employee? Or could it be a recently released prisoner desperate to protect his family and flee the country?

Ryan and Billy once again face a complex investigation with wit and intelligence, all set in Belfast and the richly atmospheric countryside around it.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Relations-Ryan-McBride-Novel-ebook/dp/B0CFJWF69D

EXCERPT:

MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2017
RYAN

Detective Sergeant Ryan McBride stared into Mullan’s bedroom, the metallic smell of old blood stronger here. Prisha Hill, the supervising crime scene investigator, laid her hand on his arm.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Prisha said. “Have you?”

“No,” Ryan said. “No, I haven’t.”

Fifteen minutes earlier, arriving at the scene, Ryan roared past several patrol cars cluttering up the grass verge in front of Hungry Hall, a decaying country house outside Antrim. A few constables stood talking by their vehicles. He jammed on the breaks, pulled into the driveway then backed up. Saw them glance over, a bit edgy now. A stocky woman officer with short dark hair curling under her cap leaned against a car beside two male constables, both tall and pale. Ryan lowered his window, getting a whiff of country air, manure, cut grass, and peat.

“Word to the wise.” He flashed his warrant card. “I’m Detective Sergeant McBride, Senior Investigating Officer.” He nodded towards the house. “That’s a crime scene. You’re supposed to be protecting it, not standing around chatting like a bunch of schoolgirls. Next time anyone tries to enter this driveway, ask for ID, unless you fully know who it is.”

Their faces closed up with anger and embarrassment.

Ryan held up his hand. “That’s one of ours lying dead up there, a retired senior officer. If you let Chief Inspector Girvan drive past you like I did, it won’t just be a bollocking you get; it’ll be school-safety visits. Understand me?”

The woman broke from the group and walked over.

“Sorry, we just assumed, you know, by the way, you hammered in. But you’re right; we should have stopped you.” She nodded over to one of the constables, shuffling his feet by the car door. “Frank there knows the son, Andrew Mullan. Went to primary school with him. He’s right and upset. We didn’t see the victim, but one of the other fellas up there did and was sick.”

At the house, Ryan’s partner, DS Billy Lamont, was talking to a crime-scene tech while struggling into a white Tyvek suit and trying to tuck his messy brown curls under a hood. Billy stood a little shorter than Ryan at just under six feet. He had light grey eyes in a pale, freckled face. He lifted his hand in greeting.

One of the crime-scene guys threw Ryan a suit and booties. He had his own gloves, and he hopped along, trying to tug on the booties as they headed for the front of the house.

“Grim sort of a place, eh?” Billy said as they approached the door.

Hungry Hall stood four square and solid enough on an acre of land; Ryan noticed the stonework, originally painted white, now had a grey, mossy tinge. A feeling of disuse, almost abandonment, lingered. The day didn’t help, either; overcast and sullen with low clouds.

“Who found him?”

“The cleaning lady. She’s waiting in the kitchen.”

They stopped at the door and looked in. The main hall was large, gloomy, and cold. Crime-scene officers bustled about. Even so, the place felt desolate. Ryan couldn’t put his finger on it. He shivered.

“Jesus, it’s freezing in here.”

“That’s a desperate smell.” Billy unzipped his suit a bit and pulled his hanky out, holding it to his nose.

Ryan picked up the scent of blood, along with rubbish, rotting food, and dust in the air.

“How often did this cleaning lady come?” he asked Billy. Billy, his partner of over three years, was quick to pick up all kinds of information at scenes.

“Not blooming often enough, you ask me.”

“Hello.” A slim woman in her fifties approached them. A CSI in a blue suit, she carried a metal case and had shoved a pair of plastic glasses on top of her hood. She had dark, almost black eyes and sallow skin. In need of a bit of sun, Ryan thought. Like me
.
“I’m Prisha Hill,” she said, nodding behind her as she spoke. “I oversee this bunch. I was just on the phone to my boss, and he said you two were a couple of comedians. Well, I’ll tell you this for nothing. You won’t be laughing when you get upstairs.” She hesitated. “DS Calvert, the local detective sergeant here, has been called away, but he got things started before he left.”

Author Bio:

J. Woollcott is a Canadian author, born in Belfast, N. Ireland. She is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers and BCAD, University of Ulster. Her first book, A Nice Place to Die won the RWA Daphne du Maurier Award, was short-listed in the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in 2021 and a Silver Falchion Award finalist at Killer Nashville 2023.

Website: https://www.jwoollcott.com
Twitter: @JoyceWoollcott

Don't miss Joyce's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/meet-mystery-writer-joyce-woollcott-in-this-blog-interview

Book Spotlight on DEATH 101: EXTRA CREDIT by Kelly Brakenhoff

9/6/2023

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Please join me in welcoming Kelly Brakenhoff to a Coffee Chat Book Spotlight featuring her cozy mystery, Death 101: Extra Credit. (Check out Kelly's interview on my mystery blog at the bottom of this post.)

What may I get you to drink, Kelly?

KB: I drink Yorkshire tea instead of coffee. My morning writing group includes a couple of British friends who recommended their local tea. I like the Yorkshire blend because it’s more mild than Irish Breakfast tea, my previous favorite.

Ally: While we're waiting for the magic pot to do its thing, let’s go ahead and take a look at your book.

Death 101: Extra Credit (A Cassandra Sato Mystery Book4)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Failure is not an option.

At Morton College, learning comes with a hefty price. The search committee tasked with hiring a new president is on the brink of chaos. A student production of The Three Musketeers devolves into a bloody sword fight. Join Cassandra Sato and the students in a Death 101 course as they put their detective skills to the test. Unraveling the tangled web of secrets and lies, they must act quickly as the college's very future hangs in the balance.

Buy links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194943755-death-101
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/death-101-extra-credit-a-cassandra-sato-mystery-book-4-by-kelly-brakenhoff
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBNDYGVH

EXCERPT OF Death 101: Extra Credit

Cassandra Sato took a deep breath and surveyed the scene in front of her. Her parents were outside her house chatting away with the neighbor man across the street. The way they gestured to a large magnolia tree full of pink blooms, she guessed they were comparing gardening patterns in Nebraska to theirs at home in Hawaii.

Her bungalow style home looked similar to the others on her quiet street. Two stories, detached one-car garage, small backyard, landscaped front yard with well-tended flower beds. The small town of Carson fit the Midwestern stereotype in almost every way.

Cassandra’s dad wasn’t a big talker, but her mother could strike up a conversation with anyone, willing or not, and Cassandra lost count during her childhood at how many times she’d been embarrassed by her mother's outgoing personality.

Meanwhile, her West Highland Terrier dog, Murphy, was wagging his tail excitedly at the sight of her next door neighbor’s poop scooping service truck. Murphy begged to go outside, so Cassandra took him to the backyard where he ran straight to the college-aged worker who methodically walked the yard carrying a hoe-like device and a customized scoop.

The young man crouched down next to the fence where Murphy was bouncing and barking excitedly and pulled a treat from his pocket, which Murphy eagerly gobbled up.

As the man went about his job, Cassandra said, “My dog seems to recognize your truck.”

“Yeah, he’s run outside the past few times after I pulled up. What’s his name?” He came back to the fence and held his palm low while the dog sniffed his hand.

“Murphy,” said Cassandra. “Usually he comes to the office with me at Morton College, but I’ve been off work recently.”

“I’m Nate Parker, a sophomore at the college.” He poked a finger through the chain links and scratched behind Murphy’s ear.

His kindness and thoughtfulness impressed her, despite not being his customer. “Let me know if you ever need a reference for your next job. You seem to take customer service seriously.”

Medium height and average build, Nate’s hoodie was pulled up over his hair, so she could only see his friendly face. He shrugged. “I’m good with dogs. My boss lets me fit my hours in around my other commitments, and the money helps me with rent and stuff.”

“Well, thank you for being so nice to Murphy. He can be fickle about who he likes.” Mostly, Murphy was touchy around her. She’d adopted him only a few months earlier, but they were still adjusting to each other.

Cassandra watched as Nate finished his job and drove away, a pang of guilt washing over her. She hadn’t taken the time to get to know all her neighbors, much less the friendly young man who had been feeding her dog treats. At the same time, she felt impatient to get back to work, obsessed with climbing the academic ladder at Morton College and using her current position as Vice President of Student Affairs as a stepping stone to something bigger.

Her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Hey honey girl, you been staring into da sky for five minutes already. What happen?” To local Carson residents, her parents had an accent from being born and raised on Oahu, the descendants of Japanese immigrants. People called it Pidgin English or Creole, but to Cassandra it just sounded like home.

She could switch comfortably between island style casual language and formal academic discourse with ease, depending on the situation. Cassandra shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “Eh, sorry, Mom. I was just thinking about work.”

“Again?” her mother sighed. “You always thinkin’ about work. You need relax more.”

“I have been enjoying myself,” Cassandra protested. “I took time off to spend with you and Dad.”

About the Author:

Kelly Brakenhoff is an author of ten books and an ASL interpreter. She divides her writing energy between two series: cozy mysteries set on a college campus and picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog.
Parents, kids, and teachers love the children's books and activity books because they teach American Sign Language using fun stories. And if you like a smart female sleuth, want to learn more about Deaf culture, or have ever lived in a place where livestock outnumber people, you'll enjoy the Cassandra Sato Mystery series.
The mother of four young adults and a hunting dog, and grandma to a growing brood of perfectly behaved grandkids, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio. “I just started learning how to play pickleball. I’m not good at tennis or ping pong, so we’ll see how this goes.”

Author Contacts:
Email: kelly@kellybrakenhoff.com
Website: https://kellybrakenhoff.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kellybrakenhoffauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inBrakenVille
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_inbrakenville/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kellybrakenhoff
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kellybrakauthor

Book Spotlight: TEN STORIES THAT WORRIED MY MOTHER by Winona Kent

Don't miss Winona's interview on my mystery blog here:
janetlbuck.com/blog/a-blog-interview-with-canadian-author-winona-kent

PUPS, PUMPKINS AND MURDER, Cozy Mystery by S.A. Kazlo

Follow this link to Syri's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-author-syri-kazlo-visits-the-blog

BLOOD RELATIONS, a DS Ryan McBride Mystery by Joyce Woollcott

Don't miss Joyce's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/meet-mystery-writer-joyce-woollcott-in-this-blog-interview

Book Spotlight on DEATH 101: EXTRA CREDIT by Kelly Brakenhoff

Don't miss Kelly's interview on my mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-writer-kelly-brakenhoff-visits-the-blog-this-week

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Book Spotlight: TEN STORIES THAT WORRIED MY MOTHER by Winona Kent

Don't miss Winona's interview on my mystery blog here:janetlbuck.com/blog/a-blog-interview-with-canadian-author-winona-kent​

PUPS, PUMPKINS AND MURDER, Cozy Mystery by S.A. Kazlo

Follow this link to Syri's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:​janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-author-syri-kazlo-visits-the-blog

BLOOD RELATIONS, a DS Ryan McBride Mystery by Joyce Woollcott

Don't miss Joyce's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:janetlbuck.com/blog/meet-mystery-writer-joyce-woollcott-in-this-blog-interview​

Book Spotlight on DEATH 101: EXTRA CREDIT by Kelly Brakenhoff

Don't miss Kelly's interview on my mystery blog:​janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-writer-kelly-brakenhoff-visits-the-blog-this-week

Archives

Categories

Don't miss Winona's interview on my mystery blog here:
janetlbuck.com/blog/a-blog-interview-with-canadian-author-winona-kent

Follow this link to Syri's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-author-syri-kazlo-visits-the-blog

Don't miss Joyce's interview on my JL Buck mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/meet-mystery-writer-joyce-woollcott-in-this-blog-interview

Don't miss Kelly's interview on my mystery blog:
janetlbuck.com/blog/cozy-mystery-writer-kelly-brakenhoff-visits-the-blog-this-week