Book Tour- Fatal Brushstroke by Sybil Johnson

I am so thrilled to be part of this book tour. It is a pleasure to have joining us today the lovely Sybil Johnson! Check out her book Fatal Brushstroke. It is a great read.

Fatal Brushstroke
by Sybil Johnson

I enjoyed this story and the characters and can’t wait to see what Ms. Johnson comes up with next for Rory and Liz.
~Community Bookstop

Fatal Brushstroke (An Aurora Anderson Mystery Book 1)
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Henery Press (November 18, 2014)
Paperback: 276 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1940976495
E-Book File Size: 485 KB
ASIN: B00N265TVY

Synopsis:

A dead body in her garden and a homicide detective on her doorstep…

Computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory) Anderson doesn’t envision finding either when she steps outside to investigate the frenzied yipping coming from her own backyard. After all, she lives in Vista Beach, a quiet California beach community where violent crime is rare and murder even rarer.

Suspicion falls on Rory when the body buried in her flowerbed turns out to be someone she knows—her tole painting teacher, Hester Bouquet. Just two weekends before, Rory attended one of Hester’s weekend painting seminars, an unpleasant experience she vowed never to repeat. As evidence piles up against Rory, she embarks on a quest to identify the killer and clear her name. Can Rory unearth the truth before she encounters her own brush with death?

My review:
This First in a New series was enjoyable, fun and entertaining. Aurora is a strong character you immediately  feel like you have known her a lifetime.  You will get to know the wonderful characters  and Vista California .The story line is great and you will want to keep reading to solve the murder before they strike again. I love books that keep you reading late into the night and for me this is one of them great books.

My interview with Sybil:

S.G. Tell us about yourself?

S.J. I grew up in Kent, Washington, a town about 20 miles south of Seattle, moved to southern California to attend college and ended up staying. I spent 20 years in the computer industry as a programmer and software development manager, then turned to writing mysteries. I love reading in general and mysteries in particular.

S.G. Who or what inspired you to write Fatal Brushstroke?

S.J. I woke up one morning with an idea that wouldn’t go away—a young woman finds the body of her painting teacher in her garden. From that germ of an idea came FATAL BRUSHSTROKE. Up to that point, I’d never written any fiction other than a couple stories in grade school and junior high, but I thought I’d give it a try. Many, many, many years and lots of drafts later, the book is now being published.

S.G. Can you give us a sneak peek on what you are working on now?

S.J. In PAINT THE TOWN DEAD, Rory attends a painting convention and is devastated when a friend unexpectedly dies. She feels compelled to investigate when the police consider the death accidentl. She’s convinced there’s more to it.

S.G. Will we be seeing more of Aurora Anderson? And how did you come up with her name?

S.J. Yes! Two more Aurora Anderson mysteries are in the works.I named her after the princess in Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.” I’ve always loved that name and “Sleeping Beauty” is my favorite animated film. I noticed a lot of protagonists in mystery series have last and first names that begin with the same letter so I looked for a last name that started with A. I thought Aurora Anderson had a nice ring to it.

S.G. In writing Fatal Brushstroke, what was the easiest and hardest part of doing it?

S.J. The parts I most enjoy are coming up with characters and their backstories, figuring out everyone’s secrets. When writing, dialog is easier for me than description. And endings are always difficult.

S.G. What two things do you want your readers to know?

S.J. With a lot of persistence and elbow grease, you can make your dreams come true. I knew nothing about writing fiction when I started though I’d been an avid mystery reader since grade school. I spent a lot of time studying writing, analyzing novels and short stories to see what made them tick, and writing, writing, writing. I believe anyone who’s willing to take the time and put in the effort can do the same and eventually be published.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Eleanor Roosevelt: ““Do one thing every day that scares you.” I try to remember that.

S.G. Do you have a favorite Author?

S.J. It’s a toss-up between Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters.

S.G. First five books in your TBR pile?

S.J.  SECONDHAND STIFF by Sue Ann Jaffarian

THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson

MURDER AT HONEYCHURCH HALL by Hannah Dennison

IN THE LAND OF INVENTED LANGUAGES by Arika Okrent

AUNT DIMITY’S CHRISTMAS by Nancy Atherton

S.G. I always like to ask a fun question, with the holidays coming up What five authors, living or dead would you invite to a dinner party and what would be the theme and menu?

S.J. Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Peters, Jane Austen, Patricia Wentworth, Mark Twain

Theme: It would be a tea party rather than a dinner party.

Menu: Earl Grey tea, cucumber sandwiches, scones, assorted sweets. I think all the female authors in this group would be very comfortable at a tea. Not sure about Mark Twain, but something tells me he’d hold his own. I’m sure everyone would enjoy his stories.

About This Author

Sybil Johnson’s love affair with reading began in kindergarten with “The Three Little Pigs.” Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in Mysterical-E and Spinetingler Magazine, among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family.

Author Links

Website: www.authorsybiljohnson.com
Facebook Author page: www.facebook.com/sybiljohnsonauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sybiljohnson19
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/SybilJohnson

Purchase Links
Amazon