Happy Spring, Booklovers!
Spring has sprung in the Midwest (although we’ve had snow before into April, so anything could still happen). While the weather is putting smiles on our faces, let’s welcome this week’s guest author, Dianne Ascroft.
It’s great to meet you, Dianne! What may I get you to drink?
DA: I’m very fond of caramel lattes but they’re a treat – I couldn’t drink them several times a day. My usual beverage is tea with just enough milk to turn it to the colour of a fawn’s coat.
Ally: Since this is a special occasion, I’ll fix that caramel latte while you introduce yourself to readers. :)
Spring has sprung in the Midwest (although we’ve had snow before into April, so anything could still happen). While the weather is putting smiles on our faces, let’s welcome this week’s guest author, Dianne Ascroft.
It’s great to meet you, Dianne! What may I get you to drink?
DA: I’m very fond of caramel lattes but they’re a treat – I couldn’t drink them several times a day. My usual beverage is tea with just enough milk to turn it to the colour of a fawn’s coat.
Ally: Since this is a special occasion, I’ll fix that caramel latte while you introduce yourself to readers. :)
Bio:
Hello everyone. I’m Dianne Ascroft. I grew up in Toronto, Canada and moved to Britain almost three decades ago. I’ve been gradually downsizing from city to town to countryside until I’m now settled on a farm in rural Northern Ireland with my husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. I enjoy the outdoors so when the household chores are completed (my least favourite part of life) and I’m not writing, I go for long walks and also spend time with our pets.
I wrote historical fiction, often with an Irish connection, for several years before veering off into cozy mysteries. A Timeless Celebration is the first book in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and my first book set in my homeland. Writing stories set in Canada has been a nostalgic journey for me and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
My previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Since I was a child I’ve loved Irish and Scottish traditional music, and for more than two decades, I played the Scottish bagpipes. I loved playing and competing with a pipe band in parades and piping contests in Canada, Northern Ireland and Scotland.”
Author contact links:
Website and blog: www.dianneascroft.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianneAscroft
Mailerlite Newsletter signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1357575.Dianne_Ascroft
Hello everyone. I’m Dianne Ascroft. I grew up in Toronto, Canada and moved to Britain almost three decades ago. I’ve been gradually downsizing from city to town to countryside until I’m now settled on a farm in rural Northern Ireland with my husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. I enjoy the outdoors so when the household chores are completed (my least favourite part of life) and I’m not writing, I go for long walks and also spend time with our pets.
I wrote historical fiction, often with an Irish connection, for several years before veering off into cozy mysteries. A Timeless Celebration is the first book in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series, and my first book set in my homeland. Writing stories set in Canada has been a nostalgic journey for me and I’m enjoying every minute of it.
My previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Since I was a child I’ve loved Irish and Scottish traditional music, and for more than two decades, I played the Scottish bagpipes. I loved playing and competing with a pipe band in parades and piping contests in Canada, Northern Ireland and Scotland.”
Author contact links:
Website and blog: www.dianneascroft.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DianneAscroft
Mailerlite Newsletter signup: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1357575.Dianne_Ascroft
INTERVIEW:
Ally: Why did you decide to write this week’s featured book?
DA: One of the things that draws readers to a cozy mystery is a place that appeals to them. It’s important that the place where the story is set beckons to readers to step in and stay a while. When I found a real place to inspire my fictional town the Century Cottage Cozy Mystery series was born.
The specific seed that sowed A Timeless Celebration, my first cozy mystery in the series, was a random thought that popped into my head. I don’t know where the idea came from, but one day I suddenly had a quirky idea for where a stolen watch could be hidden. Then I worked back from that idea to decide why the watch was important, where it was stolen from, and how and why my main character, Lois Stone, would search for it and get it back. That one random thought about where it might be possible to hide a stolen item got my imagination working and A Timeless Celebration was the result.
Ally: Let’s talk about your main characters. Are they “good” and likable? Do they have off-putting flaws or beliefs? Is it important for them to be real or relatable?
DA: Lois Stone, the main character in A Timeless Celebration, is definitely one of my favourite characters in this book. Though I have to admit that I may have a bit of a crush on her quiet friend, Bruce, because I can just imagine his soulful eyes. But back to Lois. In many ways, though not entirely, she is very like me so I feel an affinity with her. After years of doing detailed historical research for my previous books, I decided that my first cozy mystery wouldn’t involve a huge amount of research. So as I created Lois, I deliberately used some of my own likes and dislikes to make her real. That made it very easy for me to bring her to life, and since she has so much in common with me, we ‘hit it off’ and are great friends.
She is someone who is dependable and trustworthy with firm standards. I wanted her to be believable rather than larger than life, and her struggle with grief after the death of her husband and her determination to get involved in her new community, despite her shyness, are challenges that I think will resonate with many readers.
Ally: Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays? Why or why not. Would they be easier, harder, or just different?
DA: Yes, I wrote Second World War fiction, set in Northern Ireland, for several years before I ventured into cozy mysteries. My World War II series The Yankee Years has seven novellas in it to date. I’ve also released a contemporary short story collection as well as a couple other historical novellas and novels.
I love setting stories in the past but it requires much more detailed research than setting stories in the present does. This adds to the time and work involved in writing the book. Since historical accuracy isn’t a consideration, I feel like I can be more spontaneous when writing contemporary mysteries and that is a nice change. I don’t think I’ll ever abandon historical fiction but it’s good for my creativity to switch back and forth between historical and contemporary stories as each utilises my creative process in a different way.
Ally: What three books in your genre would you recommend to fans (after they’ve read your books, of course!).
DA: I’m a great fan of Leighann Dobbs’ writing. Her Mystic Notch series that features a bookshop owner and Pandora, her cat that has paranormal abilities, completely drew me into it. They have captivating characters and interesting plots, and I’m always on the lookout for the next in the series.
Astoria Wright’s Faerie Apothecary Cozy Mysteries also intrigued me as the stories intertwined the lives of human and mythical beings on an imaginary island. I loved the nods to Irish myth that are found throughout the books.
Kassandra Lamb’s Kate on Vacation collection also sticks in my mind. The mysteries are compelling reading and I like the husband and wife duo working together to solve mysteries in exotic locations. The books are good, solid mysteries without too much gore.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
DA: I’m continuing the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. Since I’m convinced that the real town Fenwater is based on is the perfect place to set a cozy mystery, I want to write more stories set in my fictional version of it. So that’s my plan for the immediate future: to write the second book in the Century Cottage Mysteries series and the next one and the next one…Book 2 should be ready to release in early autumn.
I’m also working on a prequel novella to the series, Out of Options, set in 1983 in the last area of Toronto to still prohibit the sale of alcohol (continuing without a break from before even the days of Prohibition in the 1930s), to give readers a glimpse into Lois Stone’s life before she moved to Fenwater, and reveal what prompted her move to the small town. It will be available in April.
Ally: Please give me your quick answers to the following:
Ally: Why did you decide to write this week’s featured book?
DA: One of the things that draws readers to a cozy mystery is a place that appeals to them. It’s important that the place where the story is set beckons to readers to step in and stay a while. When I found a real place to inspire my fictional town the Century Cottage Cozy Mystery series was born.
The specific seed that sowed A Timeless Celebration, my first cozy mystery in the series, was a random thought that popped into my head. I don’t know where the idea came from, but one day I suddenly had a quirky idea for where a stolen watch could be hidden. Then I worked back from that idea to decide why the watch was important, where it was stolen from, and how and why my main character, Lois Stone, would search for it and get it back. That one random thought about where it might be possible to hide a stolen item got my imagination working and A Timeless Celebration was the result.
Ally: Let’s talk about your main characters. Are they “good” and likable? Do they have off-putting flaws or beliefs? Is it important for them to be real or relatable?
DA: Lois Stone, the main character in A Timeless Celebration, is definitely one of my favourite characters in this book. Though I have to admit that I may have a bit of a crush on her quiet friend, Bruce, because I can just imagine his soulful eyes. But back to Lois. In many ways, though not entirely, she is very like me so I feel an affinity with her. After years of doing detailed historical research for my previous books, I decided that my first cozy mystery wouldn’t involve a huge amount of research. So as I created Lois, I deliberately used some of my own likes and dislikes to make her real. That made it very easy for me to bring her to life, and since she has so much in common with me, we ‘hit it off’ and are great friends.
She is someone who is dependable and trustworthy with firm standards. I wanted her to be believable rather than larger than life, and her struggle with grief after the death of her husband and her determination to get involved in her new community, despite her shyness, are challenges that I think will resonate with many readers.
Ally: Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays? Why or why not. Would they be easier, harder, or just different?
DA: Yes, I wrote Second World War fiction, set in Northern Ireland, for several years before I ventured into cozy mysteries. My World War II series The Yankee Years has seven novellas in it to date. I’ve also released a contemporary short story collection as well as a couple other historical novellas and novels.
I love setting stories in the past but it requires much more detailed research than setting stories in the present does. This adds to the time and work involved in writing the book. Since historical accuracy isn’t a consideration, I feel like I can be more spontaneous when writing contemporary mysteries and that is a nice change. I don’t think I’ll ever abandon historical fiction but it’s good for my creativity to switch back and forth between historical and contemporary stories as each utilises my creative process in a different way.
Ally: What three books in your genre would you recommend to fans (after they’ve read your books, of course!).
DA: I’m a great fan of Leighann Dobbs’ writing. Her Mystic Notch series that features a bookshop owner and Pandora, her cat that has paranormal abilities, completely drew me into it. They have captivating characters and interesting plots, and I’m always on the lookout for the next in the series.
Astoria Wright’s Faerie Apothecary Cozy Mysteries also intrigued me as the stories intertwined the lives of human and mythical beings on an imaginary island. I loved the nods to Irish myth that are found throughout the books.
Kassandra Lamb’s Kate on Vacation collection also sticks in my mind. The mysteries are compelling reading and I like the husband and wife duo working together to solve mysteries in exotic locations. The books are good, solid mysteries without too much gore.
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
DA: I’m continuing the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. Since I’m convinced that the real town Fenwater is based on is the perfect place to set a cozy mystery, I want to write more stories set in my fictional version of it. So that’s my plan for the immediate future: to write the second book in the Century Cottage Mysteries series and the next one and the next one…Book 2 should be ready to release in early autumn.
I’m also working on a prequel novella to the series, Out of Options, set in 1983 in the last area of Toronto to still prohibit the sale of alcohol (continuing without a break from before even the days of Prohibition in the 1930s), to give readers a glimpse into Lois Stone’s life before she moved to Fenwater, and reveal what prompted her move to the small town. It will be available in April.
Ally: Please give me your quick answers to the following:
- a. book you're currently reading: "I always have a ‘stack’ of books waiting on my Kindle but the one I’m currently reading is Her Hidden Life by V.S. Alexander, a gripping story about a young woman who becomes an unwilling ‘taster’ for Hitler to ensure he does not eat poisoned food. I’m also reading The Agora Letters Volume 2 by Clay Boutwell. It’s a great, old fashioned mystery collection in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes."
- b. favorite tv show: "Grantchester and Cold Feet. They are set in different eras but both are very much about the characters and that always appeals to me."
- c. high heels or sneakers: "Definitely sneakers. I’m not a particularly girly woman and I couldn’t enjoy a long walk along a country lane in high heels."
- d. Do you believe in love at first sight? "No, attraction yes, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You have to start somewhere. But love grows as you get to know someone and share good and bad times with them."
- e. What comes to your first - character or plot? "The plot. Quirky ideas occur to me and then I start to ponder them and put the pieces together until I’ve built them into a story. Once I have an idea where a story is going, I figure out who needs to be part of it."
A Timeless Celebration (A Century Cottage Cozy Mystery)
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating: PG (budding romance/no romantic or sexual scenes)
A small town, a big party, a stolen gift. When an artefact from the Titanic is stolen before her town’s 150th anniversary celebration, it’s up to Lois Stone to catch the thief.
Middle-aged widow Lois has moved from bustling Toronto to tranquil Fenwater and is settling into her new life away from the dangers of the city. Then two events happen that shatter her serenity: her house is burgled and an antique watch belonging to a Titanic survivor is stolen from the local museum. Her best friend, Marge, was responsible for the watch’s safekeeping until its official presentation to the museum at the town’s 150th anniversary party, and its disappearance will jeopardise her job and the museum’s future. Lois won’t let her friend take the blame and the consequences for the theft. She’s determined to find the watch in time to save her best friend’s job, the museum’s future and the town’s 150th anniversary celebration.
Buy links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Celebration-Century-Cottage-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07HF847NN
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Timeless-Celebration-Century-Cottage-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07HF847NN
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