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Coffee Chat with Romance Author Amber Daulton

9/22/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s book and coffee time! Grab your sweater. It’s cool on the deck this monring, but I’d like you to help me welcome guest author, Amber Daulton with her featured Regency Romance, Forever Winter.

I’m pleased you could join us, Amber. What may I get you to drink?

AD: I love the smell of coffee, but I don’t like the taste. I do like cappuccinos, though. Mostly, I drink water and sometimes orange juice or sweet tea. My hubby and I have sworn off soda.

Ally: Since a hot drink would be good this morning, how about a cappuccino? While I see to that, please introduce yourself to readers.

About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.

Something unique not included in your regular bio: “I’m from North Carolina, USA and have lived there all my life, but most people think I’m from England or even France when they first meet me (and yes, I’ve been asked to speak French, which I don’t know). I have an accent, which sounds proper and smooth; a far contrast to how most people sound in my area. I’ve been getting the “Where are you from?” question since I was in elementary school, and kids can be quite cruel. Luckily, the questions and funny looks have never bothered me. I take sounding different as a matter of pride.”

Social Media Links:

Universal link – https://linktr.ee/AmberDaulton
Website – https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/
Newsletter (free ebook to new subs) – https://bit.ly/amberdaultonauthornewsletter
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/amber.daulton.author
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1

INTERVIEW:

Aly: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?

AD: I’m a hybrid author, meaning I have some books with a publisher and others I’ve self-published. There are pros and cons to both. As of now, I’m leaning more toward self-pubbing because I have the freedom to do what I need to do for my books without having to ask a publisher, editor, or marketer liaison for help or permission. On the flip side, going with a publisher is easier and less stressful because you have people helping to get your book ready and you have their name in your corner when it’s finally time to reach readers and hopefully sell books.

Ally: Do you write from an outline?

AD: I’m a plotter, and I like to outline chapter by chapter. I use pen, paper, and colored pencils, but sometimes I plot in a Word doc. I try to follow my notes exactly, but more often than not, the characters take control and steer my story in another direction. Then I have to get into arguments with my H/h, or even the secondary characters, and force them back into the outline. More often than not, they refuse to get back in line, and I have to write what they want.
Heh, it’s a give and a take relationship.

Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?

AD: I read in all sub-genres of romance, except for poetry and inspirational. I prefer romantic suspense and paranormal romance, though.

Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?

AD: I always read the reviews to my books and leave a comment thanking the reviewer when I find it on a blog. If I find the review on Goodreads, BookBub, Amazon, or at another retailer, I may “like” it if the review is positive, but I usually don’t respond. I try to steer clear of the trolls and maintain author etiquette when it comes to reviews.
I’ve developed a hard shell over the years. While no one likes bad reviews, I try to take constructive criticism to heart. Writing is all about learning and honing the craft. My earlier books don’t compare to my newer ones, and I’m hopeful my later books will only get better.

Ally What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

AD: I have three books releasing this year. Forever Winter (re-release) will be live on October 5th, A Hero’s Heart (re-release) on November 2nd, and the brand new Into The Fire box set on December 14th. As you can tell, I have a couple busy months ahead of me.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you select to answer?

AD:

most watched tv show: I’m a huge fan of Supernatural. I’ve seen several of the seasons more than once, and I have all 15 seasons on DVD. I started watching the show when it was in season 3, and I became hooked on the Snow White episode. Ever since then, I’ve been a big Sam and Dean fan.
favorite quote: A woman’s guess is much more accurate than a man’s certainty. Rudyard Kipling.
last time you rode a train (not subway): In college, over ten years ago. My boyfriend (now my husband) and I took the Amtrak alongside a group of teachers and other students to go to Washington DC for the week.
pie or cake? What kind? Oh, that’s tough! I love chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and blackberry pie is amazing. Can’t I have both?
Your pets: I have two cats: Darby (boy) and Pepper (girl). They’re both nine years old, born about six months apart to different kitty parents, and are absolutely adorable.

Ally: Thank you for visiting the blog, Amber. Before you go, please show us your featured novella, Forever Winter.

Forever Winter
Genre: Regency Romance novella
Heating rating: sweet

A perfect Christmas wedding, a snowstorm, and a shocking secret. What could go wrong?

Susanna Lorican must marry the man she loves before the truth is discovered, or face the gossip of the ton. With an unexpected snowstorm injuring the minister, her future hangs in the balance.
Viscount Camden Beckinworth vows to keep his bride safe, even if he must betray her confidence. When their love is put to the test, how will he uphold her honor without jeopardizing his own?

– Warning: this sweet, complete Regency romance novella features a brief scene where the heroine is assaulted.
– Second edition. Newly revised and edited.

Add to Goodreads – https://bit.ly/foreverwintergoodreads
Check it out on BookBub – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterbookbub

Purchase Links:

Amazon – https://bit.ly/foreverwinteramazon
Barnes and Noble – https://bit.ly/foreverwinternook
Kobo – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterkobo
Apple/iBooks – https://bit.ly/foreverwinterapple
Google Play – https://bit.ly/foreverwintergoogleplay
Universal link – https://books2read.com/u/38dkDB

Nichelle Seely: Reader, Collector, Traveler, and Mystery Author

9/15/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

We're having that topsy-turvy weather that is fall in the Midwest. Cool one day, hot and steamy the next. This morning is quite pleasant on the deck, but I expect this is one of the last. Let's enjoy it while we can as we welcome guest mystery author Nichelle Seely.
Nice to have you join us, Nichelle. How do you take your coffee?

NS: I drink it with about a tablespoon of non-dairy creamer, usually Ripple. My protagonist, private investigator Audrey Lake, takes hers black with a pinch of salt. I personally only use salt if it’s really bitter.

Ally: I've never heard of putting salt in coffee! Live and learn, I guess. Maybe I'll try it sometime. For now, while I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

Nichelle Seely is a writer and architect living on the Oregon coast with her husband. Born and raised in Oregon, she has also lived and worked in Alaska and Colorado. She has been writing since she was a child. An eclectic reader, she dips into almost all the fiction genres and also a fair amount of non-fiction. She loves the outdoors, walking in the woods or on the beach, and bicycling. An avid traveler, she has visited 26 countries and once spent a year traveling alone with a backpack. In the rainy winter she enjoys playing games, including a mean hand of cribbage. She has a B.A. in English, a Master’s degree in architecture, and half of an MFA in creative writing.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “I have thousands of comic books.”

Author Contacts:

www.nichelleseely.com
Follow me! Facebook | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon | Library Thing | Twitter | Instagram

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

NS: When the pandemic hit, we had just moved to a new town and I didn’t have a job yet, so I decided to write (and actually finish!) a novel. That’s not as impulsive as it sounds, since I’ve been writing for years, although I had never published anything but magazine articles. I imagined my main character first, gave her a back story and mental health issues, and thought about what kind of case an ex-detective with issues might be called on to solve (in this book, a missing person). For the other characters, the victim and the suspects, I asked my sister for help. She is an astrologer and Tarot card reader, so we did an exercise where I drew a card for each of the various characters and she filled me in on the archetypes that those cards represented. Coincidentally, the suspects were all drawn from the suit of Swords, which often embodies internal conflict. The victim was the Queen of Cups, which inspired me to make her a spiritual leader. The plot flowed from that.

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?

NS: I am an architect, and have worked in that field for twenty years. I am currently taking a break from that and writing full-time. Creating stories is immensely satisfying for me. I get so much pleasure from reading, and it brings me joy to think I’m providing that pleasure to someone else.

Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?

NS: I read everything: mysteries, fantasy, science fiction, horror, literary fiction, Westerns, historical fiction, YA, classics, and nonfiction. My favorite mystery author is Tana French. I also like Deborah Crombie, Ian Rankin, Ngaio Marsh…the list is long!

Ally: Do you have a newsletter? Tell us about it. Do you think it is an effective marketing tool?

NS: Yes, I do. It’s brand new, so I’ve only had a single issue. My plan is to send one out once a month. I use MailerLite as my service, and I’ve found the platform to be intuitive and user friendly. For content, because my series is set in an actual town, I have included pictures of the places Audrey visits during the novel. I’ll also include book reviews, updates on my writing progress, and interesting things I discover in my research. I don’t know yet how effective it will be as a marketing tool, but I think the content will be a higher quality than what I can do on social media, although I’m active on that as well.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

NS: I’m working on the sequel to A Memory of Murder, which I hope to be ready by the beginning of next year. I’m also working on a fantasy novel, and I’ve got some shorter works on the back burner.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?

NS:
book you're currently reading: I can never read just one at a time. Here’s what I’ve got going at the moment: Crush by Alan Jacobsen (mystery); Mountain of Black Glass by Tad Williams (science fiction); A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan (fantasy); His Majesty’s Hope by Susan Elia Macneal (historical mystery); Save the Cat Writes a Novel (writing craft book); My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (literary fiction); The Ghost Pirates and other Revenants of the Sea by William Hope Hodgeson (horror) and finally King Henry VI, part one by William Shakespeare. Oh, and I’m also rereading a comic book series: Arion, Lord of Atlantis by DC Comics.
most beloved comic book character: Eek, this is hard. Storm, from the X-Men (Marvel). Harley Quinn (DC). Batman. But actually, I really love Uncle Scrooge from the forties. He was always traveling around the world with his nephews and having cool adventures, like searching for lost cities. My mother had all these comics from her own childhood, and I loved reading them. Maybe that’s where I discovered I wanted to travel.
last time you rode a train (not subway): In 2013 in Morocco.
a supernatural ability you’d love to have: Flying, or telekinesis.
Do you re-read books? Any book in particular? Yes, all the time. A good book always has something new to discover, and characters become like friends.
Ally: It has been a pleasure meeting you, Nichelle. Do come back with your next book. But before you go, please show us your featured novel.

A Memory of Murder (Audrey Lake Investigations Book 1)
Genre: Traditional Mystery

A disturbing vision. A drowned woman. Tragic accident, or vicious crime?

Former homicide detective Audrey Lake is determined to start a new life as she recovers from an emotional breakdown and a nearly-fatal stab wound. She settles in the old and mossy town of Astoria on the Columbia River, a thousand miles and a world away from the crime-ridden streets of Denver and her career an undercover cop. In the midst of small-town peace and quiet, she hopes to sort out the trauma and harrowing memories from her last undercover assignment.

But Audrey begins to have recurring visions of a woman being attacked and forcibly drowned. The hallucinations bear all the familiar, terrifying earmarks of psychosis. And when the river yields up the body of the same woman who appeared in her vision, Audrey is forced to ask: is she finally losing her mind, or is there another explanation?

Driven to investigate, she digs into the victim’s life and secrets. But doing so compels Audrey to examine the unresolved pieces of her own past. Can she discover the truth behind the killing, or will the investigation push her beyond the breaking point?

You can purchase A Memory of Murder at:
https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Murder-Audrey-Lake-Investigations-ebook/dp/B095JCP2X8/

September 11, 2001

9/11/2021

"I'm Curious" or Edith/Maddie's FAQs

9/8/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I'm extending my Labor Day vacation and turning today's blog over to mystery author Edith Maxwell, who will be talking with you about...well, it's kind of like a selfie Q & A. Enjoy the blog!
Take it away, Edith!

“I’m Curious” or “Edith/Maddie’s FAQs”

Thanks so much for inviting me over, Ally, to talk about my new book and the writing life! Fans, at in-person (sniff, remember those?) and virtual events, are often curious about the same things over and over. I thought I’d address the top ten here. (Note: Some of these questions were inspired by my interview with Lynn Slaughter for her blog a couple of weeks ago.)

1.Tell me about the Country Store Mystery series and its inspiration.
I love writing this series, which was inspired by the five years I lived in lovely, hilly southern Indiana. I made up the town of South Lick as well as Pans ’N Pancakes, protagonist Robbie Jordan’s country store breakfast and lunch restaurant, which becomes the hub of the community.
Robbie is a transplanted Californian – like I also am – and a puzzle master. She discovers she has a facility for solving murders, especially when her dear ones or her livelihood are threatened. No Grater Crime ends with a special treat – Robbie’s marriage to her long-time boyfriend Abe!

2. What books/authors inspired you as a child? As an adult?
I loved reading series, digging my teeth into the Borrowers, the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, and of course, Nancy Drew. I also read biographies of strong women like Jane Addams and Clara Barton, so it’s no surprise I write strong female main characters in my own stories.
As an adult, I still love reading that kind of book. I read Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Sheila Connolly, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Hallie Ephron, Lucy Burdette, any of my Wicked Authors blogmates. I want a book about a heroine who is smart, strong, and brave.

3. Have you always written fiction? How did you get to where you are now?
I wrote lots of stories as a child, and at the age of nine, I won a short story contest and was paid two dollars by the Pasadena Star News. Then I spent decades as a technical writer and free-lance journalist and also did academic writing. But I’ve always read mysteries, and when my younger son went off to kindergarten, I tried my hand at writing a cozy set on a small organic farm like the one I had for a few years. It turned out to be A Tine to Live, a Tine to Die, my second mystery which was published almost twenty years later and the first Local Foods mystery. I just kept going, writing short stories and studying the craft until I got an agent and the first of many contracts.

4. In addition to the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, also written as Maddie Day, you’re the author of three other series and award-winning short crime fiction. How do you do it?
I treat my writing as my day job. I am working by seven every morning except Sunday, and sometimes on Sundays, too. I write or revise for four or five hours, go for my walk, eat lunch, and do other authorly things in the afternoons. The mornings are my sacred writing time. When I find myself dithering, I ask myself in a stern voice, “Are you a professional writer or not?”

5. Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in-between?
I’m pretty much in between. By nature I write organically – by the seat of my pants, as they say - but I usually plot out three or four scenes ahead of myself. My editor wants a prose synopsis for a book before I start writing it, which just about kills me. Still, he’s the guy who offers me contracts, so I do it. And then, as I’m writing, if I get a bit lost, I check the synopsis, which usually offers me a brilliant idea of which way to head.

6. How do you approach research for your novels?
My historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries need research about buildings, transportation, clothes, how people talked, how they cooked their food, attitudes, what was in the news, health care methods, police procedure, news events. I love it, but it’s extensive.
For contemporary books, I still need to research particular topics. In this book I needed to know about poison mushrooms, and I went on a medicinal mushroom walk with an expert in the woods north of me. Google can help, but I like to have actual people to ask questions of, plus reference books.

7. Most of your books are part of a series. Is that by design?
I love writing series, because I get to hang out in a setting I invented and with a core group of characters I – and my fans – have grown to love. I have a standalone I’ve written half of, but I have no idea if it will sell.

8. When you’re not writing, what do you like doing?
I grow organic vegetables during the warm half of the year here in New England, and I love cooking with local produce in the summer and with anything in the winter, including baking bread and sweets. For my books with recipes, I need to test all of them, which greatly pleases my tall, skinny beau. I read a lot, of course, and occasionally sew a baby quilt. My beau and I do crossword puzzles constantly and enjoy watching art films. I rarely watch television except for the occasional PBS series or Netflix crime drama.

9. Chocolate or pizza? Mountains or beach? Wine, whiskey, or hot cocoa?
Chocolate, the darker the better! I love both mountains and beach, but if I have to choose, beach it is – as long as I have an umbrella. Wine, and whiskey in my hot chocolate.

10. What’s next?
I’m working on a new historical project I don’t have a contract for. It’s set in 1926 Boston and features a youngish lady PI (based on my grandmother Dorothy) solving crimes with Amelia Earhart. Fingers crossed! I also have a Country Store Christmas novella to polish and the eleventh in the series to write.
After No Grater Crime, Murder at the Lobstah Shack will be out at the end of November. It’s my third Cozy Capers Book Group mystery, and the fourth, Murder in a Cape Cottage, releases a year later. If you’d like an autographed copy of any of my books, please order it from Jabberwocky Books and I’ll run over and sign a copy for you. The new book is also available wherever else books are sold, including here.

About the Author:

Maddie Day pens the bestselling Country Store Mysteries and Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Agatha Award-winning Quaker Midwife Mysteries and short crime fiction. She’s a lifetime member of Sisters in Crime and a member of Mystery Writers of America, and lives north of Boston with her beau and crazy teenage cat, Ganesh. Find her (and Maddie) at her web site, at Wicked Authors, at Mystery Lovers Kitchen on the second and fourth Fridays, and on social media under both names.

Facebook:
Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day Author
Instagram:
Edith Maxwell and Maddie Day Author
Twitter:
Edith Maxwell and Maddie Day Author

Mystery Writer Elia Seely Talks About Her Love of the Genre

9/1/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

We’ve had topsy turvy weather of late. Drought, then rain. Tropical heat, then cool. It’s been a bit cooler since the big storms Monday night - nothing compared to what New Orleans suffered - but thunder and lightning, rain, hail, and little sleep. We[re still under the umbrellas this morning...just in case. And joining us on the deck is mystery writer Elia Seely, bringing us her featured book, A Fractured Peace.

Welcome, Elia! How do you take your coffee?

ES: I love coffee and have a French press, aero press, moka pot, and pour-over all in my arsenal. I prefer French press at the moment—but mostly because my ancient coffee grinder can’t produce a truly fine grind for the other methods. Cream, no sugar, or cappuccino style (yes, I confess I have a fancy milk frother).

Ally chuckles: Never fear, my magic pot can meet any request. While I get our coffee mugs filled, please tell readers a little about you.

BIO:

I live and write from Colorado and Florida. Against all best practices, I’m at work on three series at once. I love the mystery genre and also appreciate the great characters found in literary fiction and the classics. I’m also a textile artist, gardener, sailor, and cook.

Tell me something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “I am a professional astrologer and intuitive; find me at the Grounded Mystic.”

Author Contacts:

BookBub | Amazon | eliaseely.com | thegroundedmystic.com | Facebook

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?

ES: I’m self-published because I like the freedom of being able to make all my own decisions and work on my own timeline. There’s a steep learning curve that I’m still navigating, but I feel that much of the ‘publishing’ activity we indie authors have to engage in is also increasingly required of traditionally published authors as well—so why not be one’s own boss? I feel grateful that as authors we have a choice of how to publish, and that we may also decide to try both. I haven’t yet been drawn to traditional publishing—the astrologer in me would say that is the North Node in Aries in my 9th house :)—but I like that I can pivot if that’s what feels right for a particular book or series.

Ally: If you switched careers with the main character of the last book you read, what would it be?

ES: I just finished re-reading Hilary Mantel’s ‘Wolf Hall.’ I love this book, and I have to say I really admire her portrayal of Thomas Cromwell. He’s so capable, knowledgeable, and ingenious. My new career, circa the 1530s, would be Master Secretary, Master of Rolls, and I believe, Chancellor of Cambridge University! I have a feeling that in his role of mystery writer he’d add a dollop of international intrigue and a soupçon of stake-burning and beheading to my plots.

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?

ES: I’ve always been a storyteller and writer … from the time I was making up dramas for my Barbies and Hot Wheels cars to pecking out stories about animals that could talk on my mom’s old green and gray Smith Corona. I have always—and still do—tell stories as part of my day jobs too. My current work-for-hire includes copywriting and marketing, as well as astrological and Akashic Record readings. I write because I love stories, and I love to make things. The actual writing is incredibly fun.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

ES: I’m in the final polishing stages of a mystery set in Florida. This is yet another new series, set in present time, with a female police detective.

Blurb:
Detective Libby Jamison isn’t sure she’s ready to handle a homicide. Her most recent case, a horrible string of serial murders, and her subsequent breakdown, has left her professional and personal life in a shambles. But this new victim, a young woman found in an abandoned boat, is not much older than Libby’s own daughter, and Libby feels she must show her boss that she’s fit to work the case.

Libby has been living with her sister, Etta, after her breakdown blew her marriage apart, and Etta is the first to identify the dead girl as a member of the local metaphysical community. Etta convinces her sister to let her cast a ‘murder chart’—an astrological snapshot of the crime—to help her solve the the murder. Although skeptical of the paranormal, the victim’s life was steeped in esoteric occult study, and so Libby must learn to suspend her disbelief and navigate the archetypes of the Tarot and Astrology in order to bring the killer to justice.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions caught you eye?

ES:

book you're currently reading: The Mirror and the Light, by Hilary Mantel
an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Hilary Mantel. In my opinion, she is one of the best historical fiction writers out there. I just want to know all her secrets!
favorite comfort food: coffee and chocolate chip cookies (gluten -free)
the best thing a book fan has ever said to you: “I couldn’t wait to get home from work so I could keep reading, and find out what would happen next.”
Do you re-read books? Any book in particular? Often! Any beloved author from Virginia Woolf to Shirley Jackson to Agatha Christie. And the aforementioned trilogy of Hilary Mantel’s … also just re-reding The Sisters Brothers too—fantastic characterization!

Ally: Thanks for joining us this morning, Elia. Before we wind down, please show us your featured book.

A Fractured Peace (Gold Creek Series Book 1)
Genre: traditional mystery with a touch of the supernatural

A dismembered body, a Buddhist monastery, a young girl’s second sight.

A relaxing trail run turns into a gruesome nightmare when deputy Shannon O’Connor finds a dismembered body in the forest outside her rural community of Gold Creek, CO. The small town sheriff’s department has never seen such a bizarre crime, and Shannon is placed in the role of lead investigator on her first murder case.

When she discovers the victim had been studying at the secluded Buddhist monastery nearby, she is catapulted into a world of mysticism that is foreign to her and fraught with secrets. The threads of the case unspool, revealing a chilling race for supernatural power and control that, terrifyingly, involves the emerging abilities of her young daughter’s second sight.

Will Shannon find the killer before he strikes again, or worse, permanently damages her daughter’s fragile spirit?

A Fractured Peace will appeal to readers who enjoy a multi-dimensional protagonist working in rural, Western settings, such as found in the novels of Tony/Anne Hillerman, C.J. Box, or Craig Johnson. It will also appeal to readers who enjoy a touch of the supernatural, handled in a believable way, with elements of Eastern spirituality and metaphysics.

"A Fractured Peace is well-structured, good pacing, cliffhanger questions at each chapter, and layered but not so dense that I felt bogged down - the book is a fast read with a satisfying ending. I can't wait to see what happens for Shannon (and her kids!) next."

"Beautifully written, with suspense, longing, and surprise expertly woven throughout."

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Elia-Seely/e/B00J36KOTO/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Mystery Author Liz Boeger Talks About Her "Fallback" Career

8/25/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

We had a taste of autumn this week, then right back to sweltering August! We’re gathering a little early today before the heat turns unbearable. Please join me in thanking this week’s guest Liz Boeger for braving the rather tropical Iowa weather.
Welcome, Liz. How do you take your coffee?

LB: Even in the heat, hot, half & half, no sugar. Life’s too short for cold coffee and skim milk.

Ally: My sentiments exactly, except I drink it black. Cold coffee just doesn’t seem right. Anyway, while I fill our mugs, please tell readers about yourself.

BIO:

Liz Boeger’s stint as a swimsuit model peaked in kindergarten. Her fallback career as a mystery author didn’t surface until she hit the mid-century mark. In between, she wrangled children, adults, and the occasional Florida panther as a teacher and school administrator. And that encounter with the U.S. Secret Service may show up in a plot someday.

Her multi-award nominated mystery series is inspired by her childhood nearby Rattlesnake, Florida. If you love your mysteries with a cozy edge, some Southern snark, and quirky characters you’d love to hang out with, this series is for you. Member of Sisters in Crime, SinC Guppies, and Florida Writers Association.

She’s a graduate of Tampa’s Robinson High School, The University of Tampa, and Saint Leo University. Her hobbies, other than plotting murder, include gardening, quilting, and cheering all things great about her hometown, Tampa!

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Well, my bio covers most of the unusual stuff, but I’ll add that I have bilateral hearing loss. This means both ears don’t do their job very well, and I rely on hearing aids for daily living.”

Author Contact links:

Moccasin Cove Mysteries blog
Twitter
Facebook

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

LB: My work in education has always been about the students. But in the three decades of my career as a teacher and administrator, I’ve been touched by families, peers, and oftentimes heartbreaking moments that make it all too real. Plus, there are the friendships and lots of laughter! Gotta laugh. I’ve added the themes, emotions, and education elements from these experiences into my series, but with a spot of humor, a load of hope, and a whole new storyline.

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?

LB: I had tried the traditional route for nine years before deciding to self-publish. I’d earned some award nominations along the way and met great folks in the writing community, both of which helped me stay encouraged. But I wasn’t getting any younger and I loved my characters too much to give up. Everything changed this past May. I am now a member of an Author Cooperative. Essentially, it is a group of established and prolific authors of mysteries and thrillers who invited me, a new and unproven writer, to join their ranks. Their guidance and motivation helped me get off the fence and put this book out into the world. You can find their great books at misterio press.

Ally: What book/author had the biggest influence on your writing?

LB: Earlene Fowler and the late Sue Grafton earn equal credit for my love of mystery series. Fowler for her cozy world-building and strong character relationships, plus the quilts. Grafton because she taught me how to write a story with a little more grit to it than the typical cozy mystery. Oh, and I love Kinsey’s little loft/studio apartment.

Ally: You’re thrown into a different time period—either past or future—what book hero would you want with you? Why?

LB: Send me to the future with Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series. She’s smart, resourceful, knows magic, and is much bossier than I am. And I’m pretty bossy, so it’ll be a little break for me. As to the future, I am a big Star Trek fan, so any of those time periods work well. Heck, let’s just make Hermione a Vulcan and I’ll be a Ferengi of DS9 fame. I’m packed, beam me up.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

LB: AppleJacked-BOOK 2 in the Moccasin Cove Mystery series will be released in early 2022, if all goes well! Ana and the folks of Moccasin Cove face difficult choices when the evil corporation that crippled the town financially is back to offer economic salvation. But are they willing to overlook a murder to help the school and regain their financial security?

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you selecct?

LB:

A movie you’ll always remember: CONRACK—it influenced my decision to become a teacher.
Your pets: Two kitties. Samantha (Sammy) and GRBRTY (Bert). Both are rescues. GRBRTY typed his own name when he walked across my keyboard when he was a kitten.
Your hobbies? I love to do logic grid puzzles, pull the weeds in my garden, and I make mostly freestyle quilts.
A supernatural ability you’d love to have: Flying of course. No, wait, that’s a superpower. Is that the same?
If you had to evacuate your house (your family, pets, and laptop are already out safe), what one thing would you try to take with you? My family heirloom quilts and the scrapbooks of my son’s childhood.

Ally: I’m afraid time is about to run out for today. Thank you for spending time with us, Liz. Before you go, please show us your featured book.

ChainLinked (A Moccasin Cove Mystery, book 1)
Genre: Cozy/Traditional mystery

Principal Ana Callahan is renowned for turning around troubled schools, but she can’t fix the grief constricting her own heart. Now she must do both…while solving a murder.

Ana Callahan’s life fell apart, so she went out to save the world, one failing school at a time. Fifteen years later she’s back home in Florida, working her magic on the floundering elementary school of her childhood. But Moccasin Cove is not the sunny, middle-class beach town she left behind. With one eye on her school rescue plan and the other on her exit plan, Ana gets to work and chalks up a few small victories.

Her confidence falters when a school contractor is killed, and a friend is implicated in the murder. An ambitious journalist tries to link Ana’s tragic past to the crime, and a powerful charter school corporation seizes on the political chaos by threatening a takeover of Ana’s school.

Adding “investigate murder” to her lengthy to-do list, Ana finds herself paired with the school district’s handsome new security chief. The disturbing secrets they uncover about her friend and the killer’s twisted motives, force Ana to admit she has a lot to learn about murder.

Buy Links:

Amazon Buy Link
Universal Buy Link to other Retailers

Author Interview with PI/Mystery Writer Tracy Clark

8/18/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Can you believe it is August already! The Iowa State Fair will soon be over, and kids will be going back to school. We’ll be putting away the beach reads and getting out something to cozy up to before a warm fire. But I’m getting waay ahead of myself. It’s 88 degrees today, and we’re on the deck ready to meet mystery/PI author Tracy Clark.

Welcome, Tracy! What may I get you to drink?

TC: I drink tea. Earl Grey, specifically, or any other strong black tea. I never acquired the taste for coffee.

Ally: No problem. Earl Grey coming right up. While I prepare our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:

Tracy Clark, a native Chicagoan, is the author of the award-winning Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series, featuring ex-cop turned PI Cassandra Raines. A multi-nominated Anthony, Lefty and Shamus Award finalist, she is also the 2020 winner of the G.P. Putnam’s Sons Sue Grafton Memorial Award. Tracy is a member of Crime Writers of Color, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime and currently serves on the boards of her local MWA and SinC chapters, as well as the Bouchercon national board. Her fourth Cass Raines novel, RUNNER, released in June 2021.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I’m an avid Broadway musical fan. I love everything from Rodgers & Hammerstein to Lin-Manuel Miranda, with a few exceptions. My favorite shower tune? “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from Oklahoma.”

Author Contacts:

Twitter: @Tracypc6161
Instagram: Tpclark2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tclarkbooks
Website: www.tracyclarkbooks.com

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?

TC: I am traditionally published. I have great respect for those authors who self-publish and are successful at it. Self-published writers really have to cover a lot of bases and wear several hats at once. They’re writing, promoting their work, marketing it, designing book covers, reaching out to media, etc. I knew early on I didn’t have the know-how or the energy to get all of that done on my own.

Ally: If you switched careers with the main character of the last book you read, what would it be?

TC: I would be a PI. I love PI fiction. I write PI fiction. The last PI novel I read was Cheryl Head’s Warn Me When It’s Time, the latest installment in her Charlie Mack series. It’s so good.

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?

TC: I think writing chose me. I actually can’t remember a time when I didn’t write anything. As a kid, I read all the time and wrote little stories in my head and on paper. I think I was born to write, though it took me many, many years before I learned how to do it well … and I’m still learning how to tell a successful story. Writing is not my only career. I’m an editor by day. I tackle words all day long. LOL.

Ally: Do you write from an outline?

TC: I am required to submit to my publisher a short outline for my books. This gives all the promo and marketing people an idea what the story is about so they can work up promo copy, come up with a book cover, etc. I, however, am a pantser by nature, so once that outline’s handed in, I’m done with it. I write by the seat of my pants, slowly, with just the vaguest idea about what comes next. You’d think I’d follow that outline I handed in, but I never look at it again. It’s just the spine of the story for me. The good stuff, the flesh of the novel, I always build day by day, writing session by writing session, in the moment.

Ally: If you could rewrite the ending of any book ever written, what would it be and why?
TC: I’d change the ending to “The Wizard of Oz.” If I were Frank L. Baum, I would have made Oz real, and not just a dream, and I’d have had Dorothy choose to stay there. She would be Oz Queen. Kansas wasn’t so great, really. It was all gray and she had to feed those mean, ugly pigs all the time, and Elvira Gulch was still there on that rickety old bike. Oz was nice and both evil sister witches were dead, right? One got beaned by the house falling on her, the other got melted by a bucket of water. Dorothy could have hung out with her new pals—the Tin Man, the Lion, the Scarecrow. Life could have been sweet, especially with that horse of a different color trotting her all around town. There’s no place like home? Hmmm. I beg to differ.

Ally: What three books in your genre would you recommend to readers?

TC: Indemnity Only, Sara Paretsky
A is for Alibi, Sue Grafton
Any Spenser novel by Robert B. Parker

Ally: What book character would you like to be? Why?

TC: Hercule Poirot. He’s brilliant, but also deliciously persnickety. I’d like to be Poirot just to go through his meticulous moustache routine just once. It might be fun.

Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?

TC: I was told early on by veteran writers who knew the ropes that it was the kiss of death to read your reviews. If they’re good, you’re lulled into a false sense of security; if they’re bad, it’s almost impossible not to internalize some of that negativity. Writing’s difficult, and your books are personal to you. Do your best, write the book you want to write, and leave the criticism to those who feel the need to give it.

Ally: How many drafts (revision passes) do you do on a typical book before submission to your editor/publisher?

TC: Impossible to say. I revise until the book moves the way I need it to move and sounds the way I need it to sound. If I can get all the gears moving in the right direction after three drafts, great. If it takes six, then it takes six.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

TC: My first standalone novel entitled Hide releases in December of 2022. I have high hopes for it.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you select to answer?

TC:

memorable book you’ve read: Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel
book you're currently reading: Blind Vigil, Matt Coyle
an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: P.D. James
an item on your bucket list: Visit Machu Picchu
a movie you’ll always remember: Casablanca
favorite book character: Jean Louise Finch (aka Scout)
favorite quote: “Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we were put in this world to rise above.” – The African Queen
pie or cake? Cake. Pound. My Mom’s.
best place you’ve ever visited: Colonial Williamsburg. I could so live there.
a supernatural ability you’d love to have: I’d like to fly like Superman. No TSA pat-down required.
How long does it take you to write a book? Comfortable, one year. In a pinch, nine months. It’s like having a baby, only without the need for an epidural.

Ally: It was a pleasure to meet you, Tracy. Before we wind up today’s chat, please show us your featured book.

Runner (A Chicago Mystery)
Genre: PI/mystery

Chicago in the dead of winter can be brutal, especially when you’re scouring the frigid streets for a missing girl. Fifteen-year-old Ramona Titus has run away from her foster home. Her biological mother, Leesa Evans, is a recovering addict who admits she failed Ramona often in the past. But now she’s clean. And she’s determined to make up for her mistakes—if Cass can only help her find her daughter.

Cass visits Ramona’s foster mother, Deloris Poole, who is also desperate to bring the girl home. Ramona came to Deloris six months ago, angry and distrustful, but was slowly opening up. The police are on the search, but Cass has sources closer to the streets, and a network of savvy allies. Yet it seems Ramona doesn’t want to be found. And Cass soon begins to understand why.

Ramona is holding secrets dark enough to kill for, and anyone who helps her may be fair game. And if Ramona can’t run fast enough and hide well enough to keep the truth safe, she and Cass may both be out of time.

Tracy Clark’s “lapel-grabbing and provocative new novel.” — The New York Times

“Clark has a unique voice in the P.I. genre, one that is articulate, daring and ultimately hopeful.” — S.A. Cosby, Anthony-awarding winning writer, for The Washington Post

Buy links:

https://www.bookcellarinc.com/book/9781496732019

Runner (A Chicago Mystery #4) (Hardcover) | Centuries & Sleuths Bookstore (centuriesandsleuths.com)

https://www.amazon.com/Runner-Chicago-Mystery-Book-4-ebook/dp/B08KKLXRL7/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=RUNNER+TRACY+CLARK&qid=1627424049&sr=8-1

Author Interview with Cozy Mystery Writer Penny P. Smith

8/11/2021

GOOD MORNING, BOOKLOVERS!

It’s hot, hot, hot in the Midwest! So we need to catch those early morning breezes before it gets too warm to enjoy the deck. Joining us today is mystery author Penny Pence Smith and her featured mystery book, Sunset West—Guns, Grit and Gossip!

Welcome, Penny! What may I get you to drink?

PPS: My morning beverage is Bengal Spice herbal tea (makes great iced tea, too) because I learned, as a very young woman, morning caffeine energized me TOO much, and burned me out early in the day. A frosty iced decaf Americano hits the spot mid-day on any afternoon.

Ally: Since we’re meeting early to beat the heat, Bengal Spice herbal tea it is. While I pour our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself.

Bio:

Penny Pence Smith began writing professionally during high school for the Indio Daily News, in Southern California. She went on to receive a Communication and journalism B.A. at the University of Washington, an MA from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California, and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

From the beginning, she was engaged in the entertainment industry: Warner Communication movie magazine editor, “legwoman” to an internationally known Hollywood columnist, correspondent/LA Bureau Manager for New York Times Special Features Syndicate covering entertainment, Hawaii Correspondent for The Hollywood Reporter, and later, author of best-selling tourism books, Under a Maui Sun and Reflections of Kauai (Island Heritage). Along the way, she managed advertising, public relations agencies and marketing consulting firms then became a professor at UNC Chapel Hill and Hawaii Pacific University before retirement. Her current work appears in various regional magazines.

Penny lives near Honolulu, Hawaii with her husband, Dixon, and cat, Bob.

Something personal/unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “I’m a life-long dancer, from age 3, never missing a year in motion. At some point I taught everything from tap to ballet to jazz to hip hop (my favorite). Today, at 78, I have taught and still dance Zumba, but my heart and feet move to the rhythms of hula.”

Contact me:

Website: https://pennystories.wixsite.com/penny-smith-books
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Pence-Smith/e/B085FQLB2F
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/penny-pence-smith

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

PPS: As a very young woman I was fortunate to become the “legwoman” or assistant to the most widely distributed Hollywood columnist of the time. For a dozen years I interviewed celebrities and movie, TV and music moguls, had my own bylined features, traveled the world covering glamorous stories. My writing “boss”/associate commanded a huge presence in the entertainment industry and we all shone and thrived in her wake. I often wondered what would happen to a dedicated legwoman if the columnist died or somehow disappeared.

Many years later, the question resurfaced and I decided to project that story, inspired by so many of my own amazing experiences, in The Last Legwoman—A Novel of Hollywood, Murder…and Gossip! My protagonist, the Gossip Columnist’s successor, former legwoman Meredith Ogden’s character was born, then took on a life of her own. The sequel, Sunset West—Guns, Grit and Gossip, continues the saga of the enduring “legwoman” now columnist as she grows up in the dynamic waters of show business.

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?

PPS: I am self-published as a matter of expedience. While I’ve been a “writer” in many different aspects of a communication career, journalism and creative writing are my passion. Retiring in my 70’s, I felt it too late to knock on doors and wait for responses. Simply writing, telling stories and having readers enjoy them was the only objective.

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career?

PPS: I think writing chose me. I’m told I wrote tiny booklets about friends when I was barely old enough to scrawl sentences. My first professional writing job was at 14 and although I’ve meandered through various avenues of the communications discipline (journalism, PR, advertising, marketing, teaching), every job had a writing component. Upon retirement I returned to article writing for regional magazines, and then embarked upon my first dedicated fiction/mystery novel. I now think of it as my day job.

Ally. What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?

PPS: “You’d better write. It’s in your blood”— managing editor of my local newspaper when I was 14.

“A well written ‘done’ paper is preferable to a possibly ‘better’ paper still sitting on the hard drive – my doctoral dissertation committee chair.

“Write about what you love”—my father.

Ally: What’s the best thing a reader has said about your book?

PPS: “…really good story…writing was beautiful….”
“The most striking feature of this book is the beauty of the language… a joy to read…”

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

PPS: As soon as the launch and follow-on marketing of Sunset West—Guns, Grit and Gossip is complete, the next Meredith Ogden adventure in Hollywood journalism will take shape, possibly for release about May of 2022.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?

PPS:

a memorable book you’ve read: Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: The late Margaret Maron, one of the most gently grounded but unique mystery authors I’ve read. (Ally note: and a wonderful person)
a movie you’ll always remember: Two stand out: Moonstruck (with Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis) and The Accountant (a many faceted crime/mystery with Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons)
Your pets: Bob is our cat – so named because as a rescue, the temporary name he came with didn’t fit him and we couldn’t remember it, so we simply started calling out, “Here, Bob!” He responded – mostly to tuna, but before long he WAS Bob.He came to us via a cat whisperer, part of a cat rescue group who had saved him from a group of mean kids who were beating on him with sticks. He was so needy he’d go back for more. With a broken jaw, a BB in his side and lots of paranoia issues, he came to us. Once healthy, we quickly became his humans, but he still runs and hides from all other two-legged visitors.
Do you re-read books? Any book in particular? Yes, often. Top of the Hill by Irwin Shaw (1979), The Painted House by John Grisham (2000), and Long Upon the Land (2015), Margaret Maron.

Ally: Thank you for sharing your morning with us, Penny. Before we finish for today, please show us your featured mystery book.

Sunset West—Guns, Grit and Gossip!
(Book 2 of the Legwoman mysteries)
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: PG-13

Hollywood columnist Meredith Ogden finds herself reluctantly aboard a private plane en route to a New Mexico movie location where the son of the film’s star has died of an overdose. The film’s director, Meredith’s old friend and former lover, has convinced her to travel to the location, write a “fair and truthful” story ahead of rumor and innuendo.

Her unfolding journey of drugs, danger and drama makes for juicy news stories but threatens day-to-day life of everyone around her including “high profile” detective T.K. Raymond with whom she lives. Pulled into the gossip columnist’s web of international drugs and deceit, he deals with his own shadowed journey in the world of crime. Meanwhile, traditional Hollywood gossip sparkles along—and evolves as Meredith and her colleagues strive to stay alive and find their role in a “new” Hollywood.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Penny+Pence+Smith&ref=nb_sb_noss_2)
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Pence-Smith/e/B085FQLB2F

Meet Romantic Suspense Author Addison Brae

8/4/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Beautiful day in the Midwest! Blues skies, temperature in the upper 70s! Perfect weather for meeting on the deck for book talk with Addison Brae, this week’s guest author, who brought along her featured romantic suspense novel, Dark Energy.

Welcome, Addison! How do you take your coffee?

AB: Thanks for letting me join you for the Coffee Chat today, Ally. I start most days with a rich flavored coffee topped off with half & half.

Ally: We’re glad to have you. While I get our coffees, please tell readers something about yourself.

BIIO:

Addison Brae lives in Dallas, Texas on the edge of downtown. She has been writing since childhood and continues today with articles, video scripts, and other content as an independent marketing consultant. Addison enjoys traveling, collecting interesting cocktail recipes, reading, jogging in her neighborhood park, sipping red wine, binge-watching TV series, vintage clothing, and hanging out with her artistic other half and their neurotic cat Lucy.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “Dark Energy and Becker Circle take place in the bar scene. When I was writing these books, I had no idea restaurant and bar employees and owners – and musicians too – would struggle so much (during the pandemic). If you’re missing your favorite restaurant or bar hangout, these books pay tribute to both and are a nice virtual outing for readers. And please support your local restaurants and bars as much as you can. They need you!’

Connect with Addison:

Connect with Addison on her website, Tirgearr Publishing, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Text “AddisonBrae” to 888.431.1137 or visit addisonbrae.com/contact and be the first to receive a text message (no more than 1 per month) on book launches, appearances, and book sales.

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

AB: After getting out of a really bad marriage, I moved into an apartment community where lots of us were in various stages of fresh starts for many different reasons. Meeting so many smart, successful, flawed people made me realize that no matter the situation, fresh starts are all very similar. We experiment. Screw up. Each mistake takes us to where we’re supposed to be. This is exactly what happens with Gillian when she moves to Becker Circle. Readers convinced me to create more adventures for Gillian in the sequel called Dark Energy, Return to Becker Circle. Gillian and her friends get sucked into even more romance, bar antics, and dangerous cybercrime. While the heroine is fresh out of college, both novels are very much about starting over on your own terms and at any age.

Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?

AB: My natural instinct is to write in first person, present tense because I very much like to live in the moment. That means the page only shows what the main character knows. In a thriller, mystery or suspense, keeping track of who knows what is constant. I challenge myself to write this way because many readers like to see, hear, smell with the main character and experience the suspense right along with her. They feel the joy, pleasure, fear, and pain at the same time, which can make it even more rewarding to escape into a fictional world.

Ally: Are people you know models for your book characters? In what way?

AB: Everyone in the book is purely fiction. Characters are mashups of people I know. Some are based on stories I’ve heard. Some, like Whistle Bitch, are inspired by real people She was a real bartender we met at an all-night bar/diner in Seattle near the Space Needle. She whistled while she worked and earned the nickname from her coworkers. Gillian, the heroine, has a mix of traits I admire in women I know, a little of me, and lots of imagination. She’s a badass that many readers find inspiring and her flaws make her real. Gillian’s best quality—if she makes a promise, she’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.

Ally: Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Are you affected by them?

AB: Yes, I read and appreciate each and every review. I take them as guidance and learn from them without being overly sensitive. It’s empowering to get your first not-so-great review out of the way so you can move on. When you are moved by a book, please take a moment and write a review on the site where you purchased the book or on Goodreads.

Ally: What is your most frequently used source of information? Why? What are its benefits?

AB: I dive into the story’s setting. I wrote a good bit of Dark Energy and Becker Circle sitting at bars around the United States. Talking to bartenders and patrons was truly inspiring since much of the story takes place around the bar scene. For both books, I did deep research on the web and talking with experts about the drug Molly/MDMA, cybercrime, cryptocurrency and cryptojacking, and the FBI cyber unit. On a lighter note, while creating Gillian’s character, I researched middle-America towns near metropolitan areas that fit Gillian’s roots and found Sugar Creek, Missouri and also visited it.

Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

AB: There are many projects in progress. The next one will be a young adult contemporary fiction that I hope my publisher will release in late 2021 or early 2022. Stripped of her Olympic gold, figure skating career, and even her identity, Docia must disprove the vicious adoption scandal threatening to end far more than her dreams. The speculative romantic thriller I’m writing now explores how mainstream use of artificial intelligence will affect relationships. It’s terrifying to write. You’ll never look at your Alexa or Siri the same again.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?

AB:

most watched tv show: Sex and the City
color of nail polish you have on: Dark Matter by Live Love Polish
last time you rode a train (not subway): Picturesque Amtrak oceanfront ride from Seattle to Vancouver
Your pets: She’s a neurotic cat with a huge vocabulary named Lucy that’s 11 going on 6 months.
best place you’ve ever visited: The Greek island Santorini is simply the most beautiful place on the planet.

Ally: Thanks for visiting with us, Addison. Stay cool and have a great end of summer coming up all too soon. Before we finish today, please show us your featured book.

Dark Energy
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: R

Cybercrime doesn’t talk. It creeps in and destroys lives right under Gillian’s nose when a cryptojacking scheme lands her boss, Pinkie, in jail. Gillian had just started over with a new career, boyfriend, and confidence after escaping a vicious murder investigation that shattered her ability to trust. Then Pinkie’s arrest leaves her struggling to run his two bars while also unraveling the conspiracy.

Gillian will not let her mentor and friend go down for something he didn’t do. Neither will Jon, the most talented musician on the bar’s stage and the perfect boyfriend...until his good fortune sends her reeling. Gillian forces herself to trust the cops, people who hurt her, and known criminals. Will it be enough to free Pinkie and save her life?

Watch the book trailer https://youtu.be/tK0s7Y6FP2Y.

Where to buy Dark Energy:

Publisher: https://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Brae_Addison/dark-energy.htm?fbclid=IwAR3JxFrd2hK60VSCx47QlVSh3hy-jNzQCWgxQIfeF9hPjs5zXxHSBaXppEs
Amazon https://amzn.to/2YSkP6H
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-energy-addison-brae/1137002173
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9780463686379
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=9780463686379
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1021319
Author proceeds go to Hope’s Door New Beginning Center to help fight domestic abuse.

Coffee Chat Author Interview with Mystery Writer William Ade

7/27/2021

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It is scorching hot in the Midwest, so I’ve retreated to the shade on the deck. Won’t you join me in welcoming guest mystery author William Ade with his featured book, Do It For Daisy.

Nice to meet you, William. How do you take your coffee?

WA: An iced latte with one pump of vanilla would be nice.

Ally: Coming right up! Meanwhile, please tell readers something about your background.

Bio;

William Ade was born and raised in a small town in Indiana during the fifties and sixties. He earned college degrees in early childhood education and special education, working in both fields until 1980. That August, he and his wife of one year moved to the Washington DC area. They had freshly minted graduate degrees, a VW Super Beetle, and no jobs.

Ade's career shifted from education to telecommunications, and he was eventually employed by MCI and then Verizon until his retirement in 2014. During that same time, he and his wife, Cynthia, raised two beautiful children into adulthood.

At his retirement, Ade announced to his wife that he wanted to try his hand at writing. She said that if he was going to do that, he had to pursue it vigorously.

Ade's work has appeared in the Mysteries Unimagined, the Rind Literary Magazine, The Broken Plate, Black Fox Literary, Mindscapes Unimagined, and 2018 and 2019 Best New England Crime Stories. He writes both literary, humor, and crime stories.
His collection of short stories, No Time for His Nonsense, was released in early 2020. His first novel, Art of Absolution, came out in July 2020. Level Best Book released Do It for Daisy in February 2021.

Something Most People Don't Know About Me: “Back in the '80s, I tried and failed to syndicate a comic strip about the dead.”

Visit his website at billade.com
Send him at message at WmAdeAuthor@billade.com

INTERVIEW:

Ally: What is the hardest part of writing?

WA: I love writing and revising. Finding that perfect phrasing delights me, and I've never suffered from writer's block. I have more story ideas than time. So what's the most challenging part of the process for me? I find it a challenge dealing with the sense my writing isn't eloquent or stylishly elevated.

Ally: Do you write from an outline?

WA: I start feverishly writing dialog and characters’ features and clips of interactions as they form in my mind. I might generate several thousand words of bits and pieces of scenes. Some will be detailed, others only crucial points. After I’ve exhausted this flood of unrestricted creativity, I’ll create an outline.

Ally: What’s the best thing a reader has said about your book?

WA: I love this question because it made me think. I had one reader tell me how impressed he was with my dialog, which felt great because writing good dialogue is an art, and I've worked hard at it for years. Another reader, a highly educated and accomplished woman, gushed about my plot and how I weaved a compelling story.

Ally: Have you co-authored a story or novel?

wa: No, I haven't. I don't know how I'd approach such a project. Maybe we'd agree on the outline, and I'd take certain characters and co-author the others. I’d think my collaborator and I would have to be highly compatible in temperament and in complete agreement on what we expected from each other. Yikes, I don’t know if I’d be up for it. Great question.

Ally: What is your next writing project?

WA: My current Work in Progress (WIP) is a novel about a man who believes he can fix anything and anyone. It's far different from my current book, Do It for Daisy, a crime/suspense story. I wouldn’t say my WIP is autobiographical fiction, but the characters and locations, and emotions are drawn from my life.
I've also worked on a true-crime parody, incorporating a private eye named Nic Knuckles.

Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you choose?

WA:

Book I’m currently reading: How the Penguins Saved Veronica (Prior) and Winter Witness (deBellgarde)
Most watched TV show: Last Tango in Halifax.
Pie or cake: Pie... pumpkin pie...pumpkin pie smothered in real whipped cream
Favorite book character: Jean Valjean
Most memorable movie: Network (1976) – I love so much about that film, but the writing of Paddy Chayefsky is at the top of my list. The first, and maybe the last, time I heard the word adamantine used in a sentence.

Ally: Thanks for spending time with us, William. I hope you’ll come back again. Before we finish today, please show us your featured book.

Do It For Daisy
Genre: traditional mystery

Tommy Lyle was desperate for love. Orphaned when police killed his criminal parents during a shoot-out, and twice divorced before he was forty, the only person left in his life who cared about him was his big sister, Daisy. And Daisy just pushed her wealthy husband to his death in the middle of Tommy's dinner party.

Tommy's desperate effort to keep his sister's affection tests his already slippery hold on morality. She demands his help covering up her crime and navigating a revengeful mother-in-law, a crooked medical examiner, a cheating undertaker, and a steely-eyed trustee.

If that wasn't enough trouble, Tommy has to keep Detective Nick Bongiovanni from turning a simple follow-up visit to the husband's apparent accidental fall into the crime of the century.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Do-Daisy-William-Ade/dp/1953789560

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