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Mystery Author Lynn Slaughter Stops by the Blog!

7/20/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s time for our weekly chat with a guest author regarding all things writing and reading. Today’s guest is mystery writer Lynn Slaughter with her featured YA romantic mystery, DEADLY SETUP.

Welcome, Lynn. How do you take your coffee?

LS: Black, dark roast.

Ally: You’re certainly making it easy on me. While I pour, please tell readers something about your background.

Bio:

After a long career as a professional dancer and dance educator, Lynn Slaughter earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She writes coming- of- age romantic mysteries and is the author of the newly released Deadly Setup. She is also the author of: Leisha’s Song, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards bronze medalist, Agatha nominee, Silver Falchion finalist, and Imadjinn Award recipient; While I Danced, an EPIC finalist; and It Should Have Been You, a Silver Falchion finalist. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she’s at work on her next novel and serves as the President of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, the Ohio River Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Something unusual not in my regular bio: I used to sing vocals for a rock band. (Ally note: Sounds interesting. I’d like to hear more sometimes!)

Author contact links:

https://lynnslaughter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lynnslaughterWriter/
https://twitter.com/lslaughter2

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
LS: I’ve been a member of several critique groups over the years, and I also have enlisted the services of beta readers. I think it’s helpful to have outside eyes look at our work. If more than one person points to a problem area, I definitely pay attention!

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
LS: I consider myself an “accidental” writer. When age and injury led to my retirement from dance, I grieved the loss of dance in my life. As a therapy project, I began writing a story about an aspiring ballet dancer. That became my first novel, While I Danced. Then I fell in love with writing fiction and ended up going back to school to earn my MFA from Seton Hill.
I currently write fulltime.

Ally: What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given?
LS: Don’t wait for inspiration. Place your “butt-in-chair” and write!

Ally: What three books in contemporary realistic YA would you recommend to readers:
LS: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Ally: What is your next writing project?
LS: I’m currently working on two projects. One is an adult mystery, Missed Cue, in which a homicide detective investigates the suspicious onstage death of a ballerina while dealing with her messy personal life. The other is a middle grade fantasy about a kid vampire who hates the taste of blood and is convinced he landed in the wrong body.

Ally: Which five trivia questions did you choose to answer?
LS:

Book I’m currently reading: Five People Die by Trace Conger
Ebook or print? Print
Favorite comfort food: Anything pasta!
Pie or cake? My husband’s chocolate peanut butter pie
Beach lover or snow skier? Huge beach lover

Ally: It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, Lynn. Before we finish, please show us your featured book, DEADLY SETUP.

Deadly Setup:
Genre: YA romantic mystery (contemporary realistic)

When her New England heiress mom announces she’s marrying Adam Holloway, Samantha (Sam) is horrified. She’s almost sure he’s after her mother’s money, but her mom is convinced she’s finally found her “happily ever after.”

And then Sam’s life implodes. Holloway has been shot to death, and Sam gets arrested for his murder. She fights to prove her innocence with the help of her boyfriend’s dad, an ex-homicide cop.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Smashwords

Release Day for The Dead Betray None (a Regency mystery)!

7/12/2022

The Dead Betray None (A Viscount Ware Mystery #1)
Genre: historical (Regency) mystery

An aristocratic spy and a highborn lady cross paths over a dead body..

1811 England seethes with discontent. A self-indulgent prince regent sits on the throne of a country at war with France, on the brink of war with America, and facing growing rebellion at home.

Lucien, Viscount Ware, recently home after four years on the Continent as a spy for England, finds life in the haute ton tedious. He secretly agrees to handle a few delicate matters for the Crown's private spy unit at Whitehall. A housebreaking at a country houseparty seems a strange assignment until he discovers that a French cipher, the key to Napoleon's war codes, was among the stolen items. As he follows its trail to London's notorious rookeries and into its glittering ballrooms, he faces a growing threat of treachery from more than one direction.
Lady Anne Ashburn missed her London season while caring for her invalid mother in the north country. A new nurse allows her to visit relatives, where she becomes embroiled in a blackmail plot. To avoid a terrible scandal, she goes to London to face down the scoundrel threatening her family.

The night of the elegant Christmastide Ball, Lucien finds Lady Anne standing over a corpse. What happens after that—the risks they take, the intrusion of a notorious crime lord, society gossip, and good intentions gone awry—sends them spiraling into danger and potential disaster for England’s war effort.

An ever twisting plot sure to keep you turning the pages.

Available from multiple booksellers including:

Amazon:  www.amazon.com/Dead-Betray-None-J-Buck-ebook/dp/B09VM9RSS9
B&N:  www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-betray-none-j-l-buck/1141104585?ean=9781942078906
Kobo:  www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-dead-betray-none

Excerpt: Opening lines, Chapter One

The thundering hooves of swiftly moving horses echoed through the dense fog. Lucien Grey, Viscount Ware, feathered his pair of blood bays around the sharp curve, the curricle’s wheels slipping a brief moment on the wet road. The encroaching trees opened onto a broad misty park, revealing the familiar Doric columns of Baron Sherbourne’s yellow-and-gray sandstone manor. Despite the dismal morning, the estate held good memories for Lucien, and a fleeting smile crossed his lips.

Easing the bays to the left toward the stable yard, he brought the light carriage to a halt, and his groom, Finn, slipped off the back to run to the horses’ heads. The high bred team danced in place, snorting at the abrupt end to the journey, their hot breath forming tiny clouds in the icy air.

Lucien leapt to the ground, his top boots squishing the sodden maple leaves blown over the cobblestones. He tossed the reins to Finn. “Be good to them. They earned it.”

“Aye, m’lord.” The small man, somewhere in his thirties, but not much over five feet tall nor eight stone, gave his master a toothy grin and flipped a shock of reddish-brown hair out of his eyes. “Sev’teen mile in a’ hour an’ a bit more. They be getting oats an’ barley for sure.”

Lucien nodded casual approval and yanked off his leather driving gloves, using them to brush at the dried road dirt on his multi-caped greatcoat. A burst of rain and sleet from the same storm that must have blown through the baron’s estate had caught him on the Great North Road from London.

With a final slap of the gloves, he abandoned the futile effort to make himself presentable and strode toward the country house, his lean, muscled frame moving with the ease of a man used to action. A twinge of disquiet returned a frown to his face, and his eyes narrowed. Four years of clandestine missions in the glittering courts and ballrooms of the Continent—their elegant setting no less deadly than the wretched battlefields—had taught him to trust his instincts, and something was off the mark about this assignment. A part of him had known it since Lord Rothe’s man came pounding on his door before dawn.

Lucien’s nostrils flared in the cool breeze. Why was he sent to investigate a country housebreaking? Rothe had failed to tell him something about the theft, something vital that had captured Whitehall’s rapt attention. Lucien had sensed an undertone of anxiety in the habitually composed Marquess of Rothe, the man in charge of the Crown’s secret spies.

What the devil had Prinny’s War Office gotten him into this time?

Join the release blog tour!

Giveaway
$10 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/the-dead-betray-none-book-tour-and-giveaway

Talking with DonnaRae Menard about Her Latest Cozy Mystery

7/12/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I’m still excited about the release of my first Regency mystery yesterday! But I’ll try to settled down and focus on this week’s guest author, DonnaRae Menard, featuring her cozy mystery, Murder on Eagle Drop Ridge, scheduled for release on July 19.

Congrats on your upcoming release, DonnaRae! What can I get you to drink?

DRM: I like my coffee and tea black. But I recently passed out from dehydration, so currently I'm big on water with a slice of lemon.

Ally: We certainly don’t want you to pass out, so we pour you a big glass of water with lemon. And maybe add a side chaser of a half cup of black coffee. 😊

Bio:

DonnaRae Menard began the journey to a writing career in the seventh grade with notes containing disparaging descriptions of other students. Being forced to stand and read those notes aloud, began her the training for the one hundred yard dash in track and field.

Time went on. There were diaries, journals, two tiny columns in small-town newspapers, and competition pieces for Toastmaster's International, not to mention the banana boxes under the bed filled with novels finished and not.

In 2010, after a serious health scare, DonnaRae took on the biggest wish in her bucket list, to write and be published. A chance meeting with a small publisher at the Crimebake Writers Conference in 2019 was her spring board.

DonnaRae lives just outside of town in the type of place where people feel free to drop off cats, kittens, cages of gerbils or white rats, and even the occasional farm animal.

Something unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “In the seventies I drove Powderpuff @ Catamount Stadium. '48, '49 Fords. I used to be really good at rebuilding clutches.”

Contact the Author:

Website is donnaraemenardbooks.com, but I can better be reached via email at menarddonnarae@gmail.com. Find me on face book DonnaRae Menard Author. And I'm just learning to twit ala Twitter.

INTERVIEW:

Ally: What inspired you to write this series?

DRM: This series came from the days of my youth, the family farm, which was a stage coach house back in the day. A small town in Vermont that gave me the best memories a person could ever have, and a big family with big hearts, and lots of stories to tell. There is a reference in this book about Jack. It's basically a true recounting. Be ready!

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you choose?

DRM: I’ve done both self-published and traditionally published novels (Level Best Books). I rate both the same as far as ease and stress. Working with Level Best Books, however, opened me up to knowledge I never would have gotten on my own, and new author friends who have just been over the moon wonderful.

Ally: Do people you know ever sneak into your novels?

DRM: My family and friends are always looking for people they recognize in stories I tell. Check out IT TAKES GUTS!! I have one reader who refers to Donnaraeisms, as a writing style. I think it's really funny, because I believe I talk and write like everyone else, except maybe people from California.

Ally: Are you a reader? What do you read?

DRM: I read everything. When I was young, the librarian allowed us Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldin. I would hide in the stacks and read Victoria Hart, Agatha Christie, and the grade B novels hidden behind the desk. There was this six-foot, white-haired guy... Currently I am reading Julia Spencer-Fleming who I had the luck to share a two-hour taxi ride on the way to Malice Domestic. I missed a few volumes. I'm working on it. I want to read everything my new friends put out, it's tough. I get through 2 or 3 books a week.

Ally: Do people ever suggest plots for your books?

DRM: I was challenged at Malice to write the pig book. You may have heard about my 450 pound lap pig. It took five weeks for me to write SNUFFLING OUT BONES. The book almost wrote itself, I just threw in a body. I'm still waiting to hear if the publisher that asked for it, likes it. Cross your fingers. Whoops, maybe I should have kept that cat in the bag!

Ally: Do you read reviews? Why or why not?

DRM: I want people to read what I write, to remember their good times, and to laugh, even as they get a little chill. If I misspelled a word, tell me. If you didn't like the book, tell me why. If you're happy with what's between the covers, feel free to share with the world.

Ally: Thanks for visiting with us today, DonnaRae. Before you go, please show us your featured book.

MURDER ON EAGLE DROP RIDGE (Book 2 Katelyn Took, It's Never Too Late series)
Genre: cozy mystery
Release Date: July 19,2022

Things are looking up for Katelyn Took, she has a job, a roof over her head, a new love, and she's down to fourteen cats. If it weren't for the human remains she fell into on Eagle Drop Ridge, she'd be over the moon. Then things start to slide.

Before she recovers from falling into the first set of bones, a second set of remains are discovered fifty feet down at the bottom of the ledge. She knows there has to be a connection, even though the father of the male victim, says no. His tunnel vision is mirrored by the sheriff, who's main focus is the woman.

Katelyn just wants it all cleared up before the climbing company that's considering renting the ledges drops out. It's a balancing act with the media thrown in for added confusion, and somehow the fate of her new love is jeopardized. Then Katelyn finds a small, shiny clue. What is she going to give up for peace of mind, or rather, what is going to be taken from her?

Where to Purchase:

Available on July 19th at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon, The Eloquent Page bookstore, Rail City Market, and Studio 22.

Coffee Chat with Mystery Writer Mary Stojak

7/6/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

I hope all my fellow countrymen and women have recovered from the 4th of July celebrations! We had a fantastic day. But on to this week’s Coffee Chat, and a big welcome to our guest author, Mary Stojak, and her new release, Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist.

How do you take your coffee, Mary?

MS: I drink my coffee black! Thought I would never stray but a couple of trips to Ireland made me reconsider black and white. These days I sometimes have a latte in the evening.

Ally: I too have been to Ireland. Would that be a latte with Baileys? 😊 Never mind, it’s only morning, so black it is. While I pour, please tell readers something about yourself.

Bio:

I’ve had short stories published for quite a while and published a middle grade mystery called The Clan of the Crescent Moon. On June 22nd this year, my first adult mystery, Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist was published. Publishing short stories is lots of fun, but publishing a book is too! Every so often I run into one of my classmates from the Masters Fiction program at Johns Hopkins University and it energizes me knowing what I’ve done since I graduated. The workshops I attend do that too, as well as the conferences where I see my mystery writing buddies!

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Usually, I remind people that I am a lifetime musician who is still playing! Flute and piccolo are where I started. For quite some time I’ve also been playing the bass flute although I had to switch to a vertical bass from the horizontal one on account of a bum shoulder. I’m playing in a bunch of concerts this summer. It’s great to be able to do that after the pandemic.”

Author Contacts:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Writingsurvivor
Twitter: @Survivingwriter

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Let’s start by talking about what inspired you to write your featured book?

MS: I was just telling some of my writing friends at Hollins University last week about the inspiration for my Sissy Holmes book. All sorts of things kind of clump together for me. I’m a long-time Sherlockian and always wanted to write something inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But I wanted to write my own take like we’ve seen in recent years. I can’t remember why I thought of reincarnation, I think it just popped into my mind when I was researching how different authors had expressed their takes. No one, to my knowledge, had used it before. The government connection is me. I worked in the Federal government for many years, but not at the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health that are mentioned in the book. Last but not least, my son quit smoking which gave me the idea of Sissy wanting to quit smoking and of course, how would she do that? That’s where we get the hypnotist!

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

MS: I’m both. There are books that are stuck in your head (at least for me) and don’t want to go away. Then maybe the market isn’t looking for books like the one you want to publish. I chose to publish my first complete book myself. My bucket list included having a book traditionally published so I ventured forth again with Sissy Holmes. I was happy that MX publishing had created a new imprint Orange Pip Books that was looking for books like mine! That doesn’t mean I won’t self-publish more books. I’ll probably make the decision on a book-by-book basis. I know many people who want their books published for all sorts of reasons and don’t want the hassle of getting an agent and all the hoopla. Even with MX who was great during the process, the latter part of getting the book out was challenging.

Ally: What is the easiest—or the hardest—part of writing for you? Explain.

MS: I think that drafting is sometimes more difficult. I used to think revision was the hardest but I love revision now. I’m always discovering more detail for my stories. Nanowrimo (where you try to write 50,000 during the month of November) can be lots of fun if you don’t have too many other demands on your time. I’ve drafted a half dozen books during Nano but didn’t participate last year because I wanted to concentrate on other projects.

Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?

MS: I am a member of two critique groups. I’ve also used beta readers. But taking too much advice from critique groups can be a mistake. Beta readers work well if they are available.

Ally: Do people you know sneak into your books as characters?

MS: Nope. That’s a no-no for me.

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

MS: One page at a time.

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

MS: Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Egyptians will most likely be out in about a year.

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

MS:

An item on your bucket list: Going to Yellowstone
If you were a color, what would it be and why? Green. I always want to grow.
Your pets: cats, Callie and Bela
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? flute
Do you re-read books? Any book in particular? Great Expectations

Ally: It has been a pleasure to meet you, Mary. Good luck with your books. Before we finish, please show us your featured book.

Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist
Genre: mystery
Rating: PG

What is reincarnation? Sissy Holmes doesn’t have a clue until a hypnotist (soon to be dead) delves too deeply into her psyche. The voice inside her head says he’s Sherlock Holmes and wants to investigate the murder. Sissy thinks she must be crazy.

As events unfold, she’s convinced she has no choice but to investigate with the help of Sherlock Holmes and her best friend El.

Buy Links:
MX Publishing: https://mxpublishing.com/products/sissy-holmes-and-the-case-of-the-dead-hypnotist
Also available from: Amazon USA Barnes and Noble Amazon UK

Goldstein's #5 is in the Bookstores! Chat with the Author...

6/29/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Now that it’s officially summer, we’ll be holding the chat on the deck depending, of course, on storms choosing other paths or other times. So, pull up your deck chairs, grab your favorite beverage, and help me welcome author Debra Goldstein with her latest cozy, Five Belles Too Many.

Nice to see you, Debra. How would you like your coffee?

DG: If I’m making it, I drink it black, but I tend to buy flavored coffees like Kahlua. If I’m purchasing it from Starbucks, it will be something iced, preferably with whipped cream. If I want a hot drink, my go to is a skinny white chocolate mocha, but don’t hold the whipped cream.

Ally: Since it’s a hot morning, how about something iced with whipped cream? While I’m fixing our drinks, please tell readers about yourself.

Bio:

Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Five Belles Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). Her short stories, which have been named Agatha, Anthony, and Derringer finalists, have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly, Malice Domestic Murder Most Edible, Masthead, Murder by the Glass, and Jukes & Tonks. Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com .

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I took eleven years of piano lessons and occasionally relax by playing the piano that my parents bought for me when I was six years old.”

Contacts:
Website – www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/
Twitter - @DebraHGoldstein
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/debrahgoldstein/
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein

INTERVIEW:

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

DG: I am a hybrid writer, but that isn’t by choice. My first publisher went out of business and returned my files to me so that I could put the book, which was still in demand, back up on Amazon through what was then Createspace. In that instance, I had the files and cover art, so I didn’t have to go through the various steps of self-publishing. My choice, and what I have done in all other instances, is to seek traditional publishing house contracts. Although self-publishing would give me more control of all aspects of a work, I don’t want nor do I have time to write, promote, volunteer, and juggle my everyday activities with handling formatting, cover art, and all the other logistics necessary to be a successfully self-published author. Early on, I realized my limitations and immediately sought a traditional publisher.

Ally: What do you consider to be the hardest part of writing?

DG: To be disciplined enough to do it. When an idea or phrase is triggered, I write with a total abandonment of time. My focus is directed, and I am in the zone. Sadly, which has been more noticeable this past year, is that when I’m not motivated, anything can be a distraction. Ironically, I thought when I walked away from my day job, I’d treat writing like I had my job instead of as that thing I did between two and four a.m. It didn’t happen. Instead, I am a sprint writer, who does best when faced with a deadline.

Ally: Why did you choose writing as a career?

DG: I walked away from my day job as a judge a few years ago to follow my passion to write. At the time, I had had one book published and had just sold a second book. Although I had no idea if my writing career would take off, I knew it was something I wanted to give my full attention to no matter what happened. I haven’t looked back since.

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

DG: Yes and no. For me to copy a friend or someone I know isn’t possible because I could never capture them in their entirety. Instead, I steal bits and pieces of people I know to create complex new characters.

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

DG: The best writing/marketing advice I was given was to “invest in yourself.” As the person explained, sometimes you have to put out money and effort to succeed. This may mean underwriting something, giving out free or discounted books, or being willing to have something function as a loss leader for others to be introduced to your work. Investing in myself also meant taking classes, reading books, and putting in the time to improve my writing and skills. Finally, it meant taking what I’ve learned or succeeded with and paying it forward because the return is an investment in “yourself” that can’t be measured.

Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?

DG:

an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Leonard Elmore, Jr.
most watched tv show: Perry Mason
f you were a color, what would it be? Blue
What type of music do you prefer? Show Music
favorite quote: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try. and try again.”

Ally: A pleasure to chat with you, Debra. Before we finish up for today, please show us your featured book.

Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Whoever thought a sixty plus year old bride-to-be competing for the perfect Southern wedding would need a chaperone? But no, the television show’s rules require all five of the Southern Belle finalists to be chaperoned at night. Because Sarah Blair’s twin works nights at her restaurant and Mother Maybelle doesn’t want to inconvenience any of her friends, Sarah is “stuck” with the task.

It's bad enough juggling her day job and taking care of her own furry pets, RahRah and Fluffy, while on chaperone duty, but the show contracted for rooms for the Belles and their chaperones at her all-time nemesis, Jane Clark’s, bed and breakfast. Mother Maybelle assured Sarah that she could survive the few hours a night she’d have to be at Jane’s Place, especially since she’d be sleeping, but Maybelle didn’t take into account she and Sarah finding the show’s producer lying dead in the front hall with Jane, blood on her hands, bending over his body on the first night of their stay.

In the last year, Sarah unraveled several murders in Wheaton, Alabama, but she has a dilemma. Sarah hates Jane. Jane is the bimbo who broke up Sarah’s marriage, forced her to go from a life of luxury to an efficiency apartment, tried to steal RahRah, the Siamese cat that was the only thing she got out of her marriage, and has been a consistent thorn in her side, but Sarah doesn’t think Jane is a murderer. One part of Sarah wants to ignore Jane’s plea for help, but her loyalty and fears for her mother’s well-being prompt her to get involved before Mother Maybelle or any of the other contestants are permanently eliminated from the competition.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Five-Belles-Sarah-Blair-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09HRCV4TN
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Belles-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496732235
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-belles-too-many-debra-h-goldstein/1140225124

Want to Host the Release Blog Tour of The Dead Betray None?

6/24/2022

If you'd like to host my Regency mystery book release on your blog, here is the signup sheet at Silver Dagger Tours: www.silverdaggertours.com/tour-sign-ups/the-dead-betray-none-tour-sign-ups

Thanks!!

Guest Article: A Trip to Vietnam by Mystery Writer Nancy Nau Sullivan

6/22/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Please welcome author Nancy Nau Sullivan to the blog today with a background article and recipe for her Blanche Murninghan mystery series.

The blog is yours, Nancy!

A Trip to Vietnam
by
Nancy Nau Sullivan

I write about mystery in different countries, and my character, Blanche Murninghan, leads the way. Part-time journalist, part-time beach bum—and part-time amateur sleuth—she doesn't stay at home on Santa Maria Island. She travels, sometimes on assignment, but more often than not, she's caught up in some adventure that makes her wonder why she ever ended up there.
            The latest installment finds Blanche in Vietnam where she is searching for Jean McMahon's mother, a Vietnamese beauty who married an American soldier. Blanche is also looking for the truth: What happened to her father, an Army scout killed in an ambush in Vietnam in 1970? He is still MIA...
            Read all about it in the new Blanche Murninghan mystery, Mission Improbable: Vietnam, due June 29 from Torchflame/Light Messages Publishing.
            Like Blanche, I went to Vietnam. (Unlike Blanche, I didn't have to fend off thugs who were thwarting my mission.) At first, I wasn't excited about making the trip. I had memories of the sixties—plus it's a long haul with at least sixteen hours in the air. Cousin Chuck talked me into it. Well, thank you, Cousin Chuck.
            It was the most fabulous trip I've ever taken, not only for the sights (mountains, the sea, the colorful cities and rivers and jungles) but also for the FOOD and the PEOPLE.
            A good number of Vietnamese study English and tourism on the university level, and they are eager to show off their beautiful country. I visited in late February, a less rainy, steamy time in the south, and it was delightful—except for the motorbikes. (There were some fifty million for nearly a hundred million people in 2019.) My guide, Thuy, told me, “Pretend you are in the stream and let the fish (that would be the motorbikes) swim around you.” She was intrepid and saved me, or I'd still be standing there, terrified. One evening I ventured from my hotel onto the sidewalk and looked up just in time to see three motorbikes (on the sidewalk) bearing down on me. I got out of that stream, fast.
            Yes, the surprise of a lifetime was meeting the people, and especially the people who cook the food. Did I say FOOD? Vietnam has been occupied by the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Americans, at least, and each country has had major influence in the kitchen. The French baguette is a street food; cheeses, honey, jams, spring rolls, vegetable dishes, noodles abound. The “egg coffee” is sort of a caffeine pudding in a cup. The breaded, fried, whole delicious fish arrives standing on its side in a metal rack. There are so many fruits in this tropical country—sopsour, gac, dragonfruit—fruit I'd never heard of much less tasted. It's a feast for the eye and the stomach.
            I loved it all, but the treat, for me, was the serving of rice: all shades and preparation of yellow (earth), green (plant), red (fire), white (metal), and black (water), each color representing an element. At Propaganda bistro in Saigon, a busy bright restaurant buzzing during one lunch hour, I ate crunchy red rice with slivers of vegetables and shrimp. It was divine. The Vietnamese add fish sauce to nearly everything, it seems. It is an acquired, pungent taste—and aroma—of fermented fish or anchovy, and among the chili, garlic, ginger, and other saucey sauces of Vietnam, it's the one.
            I leave you with my version of Com Do. But I'm afraid the only time I'll taste that kind of heaven again is to get in the plane, and go!

Vietnamese Red Rice (Com Do)

4 1/2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons butter
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 to 2 shallots, chopped (about ½ cup)
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup of dry white wine or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional)
1 cup chopped shrimp, pork, chicken, or beef (optional)
½ parsley or mint, finely chopped for garnish (optional)

Put the cooked rice in a bowl and leave in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least a day to dry out. The rice must be dry or it may stick together and get mushy. Separate the grains mid-way through the day to dry evenly.
Let rice come to room temperature before frying. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet at medium-high heat until foamy and add garlic, shallots, tomato paste, wine, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for two minutes.
Add rice to the mixture and toss with two forks lightly to coat. Continue frying over medium-high heat for two to three minutes—or longer, cook and toss until rice is dry and crunchy. Turn off and let rice set. Add more salt and butter, to taste.
Serves four, in bowls. Sprinkle a bit of chopped parsley or mint on top. And pass the fish sauce—a little goes a long way!

MISSION IMPROBABLE: VIETNAM
Genre: mystery
Release Date: June 29

It’s 2003, 30 years after the Vietnam War…

Blanche “Bang” Murninghan is sitting on the dock of the Peel ‘n Eat Pier on Santa Maria Island, sipping an excellent draft. She doesn’t see the woman eyeing her—not until she appears at Blanche’s side and forever disrupts a peaceful idyll in this quiet Gulf coast town. Blanche's reputation as an amateur sleuth has gotten around...

The woman is Jean McMahon, the daughter of an American soldier and a Vietnamese beauty. Jean needs Blanche's “determination.” Will Blanche go to Vietnam and help Jean look for her mother? The request hits Blanche hard. Her father was killed in Vietnam, and she’s never gotten over it.

When Blanche and Jean meet ex-pat “Stick” Dahlkamp in Ho Chi Minh City, the adventure ramps up—fast. They board Stick's motorcycle and cross rice paddies, his old stomping grounds as a former Ninth Infantry Division Riverine. But Stick is now owner of The Follies, a popular bar in Saigon, and he'd got friends everywhere who might help, and indeed they do. And don’t.

Shady characters keep hampering the search, but Blanche and company race on—to all the places Jean's mother met Hank McMahon, a former infantryman. Blanche's stubbornness beats down every door. She is helping Jean, and she's following her father’s trail. He left without a trace. Or did he?

Pre-Order/Buy Link:

Amazon: www.amazon.com/Mission-Improbable-Vietnam-Blanche-Murninghan-ebook/dp/B09TWP8VXX
B&N: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mission-improbable-nancy-nau-sullivan-ms/1139300995
BooksAMillion: www.booksamillion.com/p/Mission-Improbable/Nancy-Nau-Sullivan/9781611534283

Nancy Nau Sullivan's Mission Improbable: Vietnam is the third installment in the Blanche Murninghan mystery series—the first, Saving Tuna Street was nominated for best mystery, 2020, at Foreword Reviews. Nancy, a former newspaper journalist, taught English in Mexico, Argentina, and at a boys' prison. She lives in Northwest Indiana and Anna Maria Island, Florida.

Her website: www.nancynausullivan.com.

Join the Coffee Chat with Cozy Mystery Writer Kassandra Lamb

6/15/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It is a hot and humid day in the Midwest! As soon as our chat is over, I'll be retreating into the AC. Before it gets to hot on the deck, please join me in welcoming guest author Kassandra Lamb and her featured cozy mystery, TO BARK OR NOT TO BARK.

So glad you could be with us, Kassandra. What may I get you to drink?

KL: Sadly, I can’t drink coffee. It doesn’t agree with my stomach. I drink tea instead, no milk, half teaspoon of sugar.

Ally: I'll have that tea ready in a jiffy. Meanwhile, please tell readers something about yourself.

BIO:

In her youth, Kassandra Lamb had two great passions—psychology and writing. Advised that writers need day jobs—and being partial to eating—she studied psychology. Her career as a psychotherapist and college professor taught her much about the dark side of human nature, but also much about resilience, perseverance, and the healing power of laughter.

Now retired, she spends most of her time in an alternate universe populated by her fictional characters. The portal to this universe (aka her computer) is located in North Central Florida where her husband and dog catch occasional glimpses of her.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I owned a small horse farm in Maryland, before we retired to Florida. I loved that place—but the promise of palm trees and mild winters lured me away."

Author Links:

WEBSITE: https://kassandralamb.com
FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/kassandralambauthor
PINTEREST:  https://www.pinterest.com/kassandralamb/
INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/kasslamb/
TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/KassandraLamb
BOOKBUB PROFILE:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kassandra-lamb
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Kassandra-Lamb/e/B006NB5WAI/

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

KL: To Bark or Not to Bark is the last full-length novel (Book 12) in my Marcia Banks and Buddy cozy mysteries. Marcia trains service dogs for military veterans with psychological issues, and sometimes the veterans get into some kind of trouble and she gets sucked into trying to help them.
I try to highlight different dog breeds with each story. I’ve always been fond of Border Collies, so I figured it was now or never to feature one in the series.
I also like to show different tasks that these service dogs do for their veteran owners. Just before I started this current book, I was reading an article about dogs that “cleared rooms” for veterans who were phobic about being ambushed (after having been ambushed in combat). The dog would go into a room first and signal if there was anyone in the space. Since dogs have a great sense of smell, even if someone is hiding, they will locate them. This allowed these vets to slowly overcome their phobia.
I decided that task would be the focal point of this story. And just to make my fictional veteran’s life more complicated, I threw in a locked-room mystery and made his house haunted.
Border Collies are considered the smartest dog breed, which was a good thing, because clearing rooms is a hard task for these dogs to learn. I show how the task is broken down into smaller tasks for training purposes in the previous book in the series, One Flew Over the Chow-Chow’s Nest.

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

KL: I am indie published. I co-own a small indie press, misterio press, that operates as an author cooperative. The authors share their talents—editing, proofreading, etc.—and help each other polish their stories to make them the best they can be.
When I was considering which route to take to publication, my age was the biggest factor. I was 59 when I finally finished editing my first book (it took me 15 years to complete the first draft), and I felt it was ready for the world to see. It takes several years to get published if you follow the traditional route: time to find an agent, for them to sell it to a publisher, for the publisher’s editors to look it over, etc. I didn’t want to wait that long. Now I’m 69 and I have 33 stories published.

Ally: Do you write from an outline?

KL: Not exactly. Mostly I write “by the seat of my pants.” I have a story idea, I mull it over for a while, and then I sit down and start writing.
But recently I’ve been brainstorming a list of plot points before I start writing. I try to come up with at least 20 events that will happen in the story. Then as I write, I can refer back to that list if I get stuck.

Ally: Are you a speed reader or do you settle in and savor a book?

KL: I’ve always been a slow reader. In grade school, it confused my teachers because it took me twice as long to finish reading a story, but I have a very high retention rate. They could ask me any question about what happened, and I’d know the answer. I am still very much a savor-the-story person.

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

KL: The story I’m currently drafting is the 2nd book in a new series about a female chief of police in a small city who likes to be hands-on with the bigger cases that come up. It’s called the C.o.P. on the Scene Mysteries. I’m really enjoying the new challenge of writing police procedurals. I hope to have that book, Fatal Escape, out by early fall.
Then I’ll be focusing on the very last book in the Marcia Banks and Buddy series, a novella called Auld Lang Mayfair, which will be a what-are-they-up-to now kind of story (with a mystery in there as well, of course). I hope to have that out by December, but no later than January 1st, since it is set during the week leading up to New Year’s Eve.

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

KL:

memorable book you’ve read: Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell
an item on your bucket list: Visit Australia and New Zealand
If you were a color, what would it be and why? Peach; vibrant, yet soft.
If you couldn't write anymore, what would you do? Travel more.
How long does it take you to write a book? First book, 15 years. Fifth book, 1 week (on a writers’ retreat). All the rest, 2-4 months. ;-)

Ally: It has been a pleasure, Kassandra. As we wind up the interview, please show us your featured book.

To Bark or Not to Bark (A Marcia Banks and Buddy Mystery #12)
Genre: cozy mystery

Just because you’re paranoid...

Service dog trainer Marcia Banks-Haines tackles a locked room mystery in a haunted house, while training the recipient of her latest dog.

The border collie, Dolly has been trained to clear rooms for an agoraphobic Marine who was ambushed in a bombed-out building in Syria. But the phantom attackers in his psyche turn out to be the least of his troubles when Marcia finds his ex-wife’s corpse in his master bedroom, with the door bolted from the inside.

Was it suicide or murder? Marcia can’t see her client as a killer, but the local sheriff can.

Then the Marine reports hearing his ex calling for him to join her on the other side of the grave. Is his house really haunted, or is he hallucinating?

Marcia has lost a client to suicide before. She’s not going to lose another!

Buy Links:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3WNQY1Z
NOOK: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-bark-or-not-to-bark-a-marcia-banks-and-buddy-mystery-kassandra-lamb/1141653124
APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6442979080
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-bark-or-not-to-bark-a-marcia-banks-and-buddy-mystery
Landing page link on misterio press website: https://misteriopress.com/bookstore/to-bark-or-not-to-bark-a-marcia-banks-and-buddy-mystery/

Author Interview & Debut Book Release by Elizabeth A Gould

6/8/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

Sorry for the late start this morning. We had to wait for the rain to pass, but I've wiped off the deck chairs now, and we're ready to greet this week's guest, Elizabeth A. Gould, with her featured women's fiction novel, The Well of Truth.

Welcome, Elizabeth. How do you take your coffee?

EG: I love a good cafe latte- 2 shots of espresso with steamed whole milk. No sugar.

Ally: An easy order for my magic pot. While I pour our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself.

About the Author:

ELIZABETH GOULD has long been fascinated with feminine archetypes, mythology, and rites of passage. She has taught and mentored girls at puberty and is the former director of a nonproﬁt dedicated to positive menstrual/menopausal education. She holds a BA in Art History from Stanford University and an MS in Education from State University of New York.

Something unusual/unique not included in your regular bio: "I am an avid moon worshipper."

Author Contacts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewelloftruthstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewelloftruthstories/?hl=en
My website: https://www.elizabethagouldstories.com/

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Are you self-published or traditionally published?

EG: My publisher is Spark Press, which is an independent, hybrid, curated publisher. They are a mission-driven, community-oriented and female run company. How cool is that?! I’ve loved working with them.

Ally: Do people you know sneak into your books as characters?

EG: I cannot tell a lie. I have based certain characters on people that I have known in real life. Of course, I change the names and the setting so that no one knows but me!

Ally: Do you write from an outline?

EG: “The Well of Truth” is a magical realist tale. Because I wanted the stories to have a fantastical quality to them, I sketched out the basic storyline and then sat back and let my imagination go! It was such a fun way to write this book - I never knew what would happen next!

Ally: What is your favorite marketing tool? Why?

EG: The very best marketing tool. I have are my friends, and I’m a big believer in the power of the word-of-mouth approach. I am not a huge social media person, but I love talking with my girlfriends, who are all so creative, generous and supportive of me - I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Ally: Have you co-authored a story or novel? How did it work? Would you do it again?

EG: I’ve never co-authored a story before but I am just about to embark on a book writing project with my 12-year-old niece. We are going to write a YA novel together while she’s on summer vacation.

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

EG:

book you're currently reading: Antigone Rising by Helen Morales
a movie you’ll always remember: “The Piano” directed by Jane Campion
type of music you prefer: There’s something about Celtic music that gets right into my bones. I love traditional Irish music and also Celtic rock/fusion.
your pets: My furbaby Fluﬀy sat on my lap for most of the writing and editing of the book. She is a Maltese mix and such a sweetheart.
beach lover or snow skier? Born and raised in coastal California, I am a beach lover all the way! My astrology chart is full of water signs, so I come by it honestly!

Ally: It has been a pleasure meeting you, Elizabeth. Before we end this session of the Coffee Chat, please show us your featured book.

The Well of Truth: Stories of Spirit by Elizabeth A Gould
Genre: women’s fiction/debut novel
Release date: June 14, 2022, SparkPress

Incorporating elements of fantasy, mysticism, and lore, The Well of Truth follows Grace through poignant moments of her adult life as she embarks on her journey of self-discovery. Through the initiations of marriage, raising children, getting divorced, going through menopause, losing loved ones, and ultimately making an independent life for herself, she gains insight and spiritual wisdom from unexpected places.

A novel of the feminine experience, The Well of Truth is filled with reflections on feminine resilience, power, and agency.

“Entertaining and psychologically perceptive, this collection produces magic, while bringing us a larger vision of daily life.” Susan Griffin, author of Woman and Nature

Pre-order/Buy Links:

www.amazon.com/Well-Truth-Stories-Spirit-ebook/dp/B09CCSFGQW

https://bookshop.org/books/the-well-of-truth-stories-of-spirit/9781684631391

Harini Nagendra's New Historical Mystery is Set in 1920s India

6/1/2022

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s finally June, and the perfect time to move back to the deck for our weekly chats. While we enjoy a nice morning breeze, join me in welcoming author Harini Nagendra with her historical mystery set in 1920s India.

I’m so pleased to meet you, Harini. What can I get you to drink?

HN: My favourite cup of choice is tea made Indian style, with milk and sugar, and often ginger as well. My husband makes it for me every morning - he makes the best tea! I’m usually grumpy in the mornings, but I cheer up once I drink my first cuppa.

Ally: We’ll see if my magic pot can compete with that husband of yours! 😊 In the meantime, please tell readers something about yourself.

Bio:

Harini Nagendra is a professor of ecology at Azim Premji University, and is internationally recognized for her scholarship and speaking on issues of nature and sustainability. The Bangalore Detectives Club is her first crime fiction novel.
Her nonfiction books include Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future, and two books coauthored with Seema Mundoli: So Many Leaves, and Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities, which received the 2020 Publishing Next Awards for best English nonfiction book in India and was featured on the 2021 Green Literature Festival’s honor list.
Harini lives in Bangalore with her family, in a home filled with maps. She loves trees, mysteries, and traditional recipes.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I wanted to be an archeologist when I was younger! I guess I’ve now found a different way to indulge my fascination with the past, through fiction.”

Author Contacts:

Personal website: www.harininagendra.com
University website: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/people/harini-nagendra
Twitter: @HariniNagendra
Instagram: @harini.nagendra
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008345929330
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harini-nagendra-22a95686/

INTERVIEW:

Ally: Who or what inspired your featured book?

HN: My main protagonist, Kaveri – a young bride in 1920s colonial Bangalore, navigating the societal strictures imposed on women of those times while striving to pursue her interests in mathematics, swimming and detection – quite literally parachuted into my head one day in 2007 and demanded I write a book about her. Kaveri’s quiet but assured feminist voice is uniquely hers and formed the core voice around which my book was architected.

Ally: What is the easiest—or the hardest—part of writing for you? Explain.

HN: The hardest part is the beginning. I get nervous when I think of how improbable a thing it is that I am attempting – to create an entire narrative out of thin air, so to speak. I’m very comfortable with non-fiction writing, especially since so much of it is based on my own research and covers ground that I know well. But once I hush my inner voice of doubt and start to write, and imagination takes over, when my fingers start to type almost as if of their own volition, and a story begins to emerge - that’s the part I love the best.

Ally: Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?

HN: My husband and daughter are my best beta readers. I rely a lot on their feedback – they know my characters and their personalities like no one else does. I also depend on my fabulous agent who is also a close friend from school days – Priya Doraswamy of Lotus Lane Literary. Between inputs from her and my family, I’m well set! I don’t think I could handle reading chapters to a critique group as many writers do – my first writing is very raw and rough. I need to get the whole book done and a few rounds of edits complete before I’m comfortable showing it to anyone else.

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

HN: I have a very full “day” job as a university professor, research administrator, teacher and academic. My day job also involves a great deal of writing, but on ecology and climate change, which are my core areas of research. I wouldn’t say I chose writing as a career – writing chose me, and I’m very grateful that I can spend time doing something I love so much.

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

HN: Feedback from readers is invaluable! I do read reviews, but I never respond to them. As a career academic, and someone who writes regularly for newspapers and other public outlets, I’m very used to review feedback from peers and readers. While I love positive feedback (who doesn’t!) the tone of negative feedback doesn’t really bother me too much. I do pay close attention to plot points or characters that especially resonated with readers – and I make note of what I could improve on for next time.

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

HN: My next book is the second in the Kaveri and Ramu series: Murder Under the Red Moon, forthcoming in March 2023. Will Kaveri be able to repair her fractured relationship with her opinionated mother-in-law, or will it get worse as she dives deeper into crime detection? Read and find out J

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

HN:

an author (living or dead) you'd love to chat with: Robin Hobb, my all-time favourite author
favorite accessory (jewelry, scarves, shoes, etc.): large sparkly earrings
favorite comfort food: my husband’s egg biriyani
If you were a color, what would it be and why? Sunset orange – it’s such a happy colour!
have you written a book during NaNo? I wrote a draft of a cosy mystery set in contemporary Bangalore in 2020 during NaNo. I hope to edit and publish that – some day!

Ally: Thanks for being on the blog, Harini. Before we finish the interview, please show us your featured book.

The Bangalore Detectives Club
Genre: historical mystery
PG-13

The first in a charming, joyful crime series set in 1920s Bangalore, featuring sari-wearing detective Kaveri and her husband Ramu. Perfect for fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

When clever, headstrong Kaveri moves to Bangalore to marry handsome young doctor Ramu, she’s resigned herself to a quiet life.

But that all changes the night of the party at the Century Club, where she escapes to the garden for some peace and quiet—and instead spots an uninvited guest in the shadows. Half an hour later, the party turns into a murder scene.

When a vulnerable woman is connected to the crime, Kaveri becomes determined to save her and launches a private investigation to find the killer, tracing his steps from an illustrious brothel to an Englishman’s mansion. She soon finds that sleuthing in a sari isn’t as hard as it seems when you have a talent for mathematics, a head for logic, and a doctor for a husband . . .

And she’s going to need them all as the case leads her deeper into a hotbed of danger, sedition, and intrigue in Bangalore’s darkest alleyways.

Buy links:
https://bookshop.org/books/the-bangalore-detectives-club/9781639361595
https://www.amazon.com/Bangalore-Detectives-Club-Novel/dp/1639361596/

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