Saturday, January 31, 2015

Book Trivia hosted by Jenn Mckinlay

Happy Saturday! It's time for trivia and our delightful Jenn McKinlay! The Prize is a tote bag and three random copies of her books! Leave the answers here and email. Winner will be chosen on Sunday afternoon.


Here we go. Good Luck!!


1.  What sort of specialty bakery is the Fairy Tale bakery in the bakery mysteries?

2. What famous street is the hat shop located on in the hat shop mysteries?

3. What town is the library located in the library lover's mysteries?

4. What is the name of the group that meets every week at the library to discuss books, eat, and do a craft?

5. Who is Mel's baking rival in the bakery mysteries?

6. Why did Scarlett leave the U.S. to move to England in the hat shop mysteries?

7. Which is your favorite of the three series? (No wrong answer here)!




Prize Pic!


Friday, January 30, 2015

Book Tour and Giveaway- Murder, Mayhem and Bliss by Loulou Harrington

I am so delighted to have the Charming Loulou Harrington here with us today. She has a great new book out Murder, Mayhem and Bliss. It was a really great read. Leave a comment and email for a chance to win a copy.
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Murder, Mayhem & Bliss
by Loulou Harrington

The ‘reveal’ scene of this whodunit is very slick, and it was enjoyable to see the people who thought they would get away with greed and murder brought to justice.
~Back Porchervations
The mystery is well written and takes plenty of twists and turns.
~Queen of All She Reads
Murder,Mayhem and Bliss- Amz - ebookMurder, Mayhem and Bliss (Myrtle Grove Garden Club Mystery Book 1)
Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: Deadly Niche Press (November 26, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1620161418
E-Book File Size: 461 KB
ASIN: B00PFAP65E
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Synopsis:
Nothing much happens in Myrtle Grove, Oklahoma. So when prominent businessman Harry Kerr is discovered face down in his pool shortly after dawn, the breakfast crowd in Jesse Camden’s tea room is buzzing. Recognizing the name, Jesse hurries to her friend Vivian Windsor, Myrtle Grove’s resident oil heiress and great-aunt to Bliss Kerr, widow of the deceased and soon-to-be prime suspect in his suspicious death.
Clearing Bliss and finding the real murderer isn’t what Jesse meant when she offered her assistance. And wrangling an eager band of helpers while chasing a tangle of leads across the countryside, tripping over deputies and evidence along the way, isn’t her first choice for her weekend. But here she is, and here she will be, hearing secrets no one should know, and discovering betrayals no one could live with, until Jesse finds her way through the maze of deceit to uncover the real killer.
My Review:
I love books that make you laugh out loud and this humorous whodunit does just that. The characters are so well developed and the story line will have you reading late into the night.  Jessie and her friends are on the mission to find out who killed Harry and clear their names before the killer strikes again.  You will be hooked from the very start. 
Guest Post:
I’m so happy to be here at Shelley’s Book Case today. Thank you, Shelley for having me and thanks to all the readers who’re sharing part of your day with me. Don’t forget to sign up for the weeklong Gift Box Giveaway featuring a delish chocolate-cherry cake recipe, accompanying chocolates, an autographed copy of my book MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS, stemmed crystal wineglasses and a vintage Fostoria Baroque Meadow Rose cake plate.

Since Jesse Camden, the main character in my Myrtle Grove Garden Club mystery series, is co-owner of an antique shop and a tea room featuring lots of baked goods from old family recipes, I thought the gift items above were especially appropriate. And since Jesse makes a living doing the things I do for pleasure, I really enjoyed shopping for just the right things to go into the gift box. In fact, I’m pretty sure there will be more gift bag giveaways in my future.

And speaking of the convenience of incorporating personal passions into what you’re writing about, I think that’s an especially good idea when you are writing a series that hopefully will continue for a long time. I also think that’s a good idea when you’re writing a cozy mystery, where the aim is to balance the “feel good” part of the book with the “murder solving” part of the book.

Sort of like, “Yes, there is a dead body over there, but—look—have you ever seen so many roses on one bush?” Or, maybe, “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to keep you out of jail and, here, have a pineapple-upside-down muffin.” And, I must confess, that I have found myself craving a piece of tea bread or a cup of hot spiced tea after reading certain sections in my books. Luckily, I usually have these things around.

When I was still in high school and just learning what writing is all about, I read a quote from Hemingway where he said that a writer needed to write what he knew. That quote terrified me just before it reduced me to despair. It was easy for him to say. He started his career as a journalist, writing for a major newspaper, where he learned the sparse, clean style that I so admired. He lived the life of an adventurer, so when he wrote what he knew, he had bullfights, African safaris, war stories, and old Cuban fishermen in his books.

I was still in high school, and while I wanted to someday win the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes for literature, which Hemingway had, I didn’t really want to go to war or run with the bulls, and Cuban was completely out of the question. I spent several years seriously wondering if I could ever be a writer, because I had no life. If I was going to write anything, it had to be from my imagination, and apparently that wasn’t acceptable.

Eventually, I got a little older, stopped taking it all so seriously, got involved with some writing groups and some fantastic critique groups, spent a few years writing romances (which I enjoyed immensely), and I lived. Life, hobbies, interests, experience, succeeding, failing, accepting and then one day, I found myself writing what I knew. Not the murder part—that’s why writers have to have imaginations—but the rest of it is what I know and love and really enjoy making a part of my cozy series.

So, thank you, Mr. Hemingway. I get it now. Write what you know, even if it’s how to get a good crop of lettuce in the spring. Write what you enjoy and hope somebody else enjoys it, too. Do research on the things you don’t know, like exactly how DNA actually works. Use your imagination to pull it all together, then put the seat of your pants in a chair, grab a keyboard, and go to work.

Next thing you know, you’re on a blog tour saying, “Hi, there, I wrote a book, and I’d like you to read it.” So, Hi, there!

Bio Photo

About This Author:
A lifelong fan of mysteries and the cozy genre, in particular, Loulou Harrington began her published career in romances and is now happy to be writing what she has always loved to read—a good, old-fashioned mystery. Even better, she has the chance to incorporate her personal love of gardening, cooking, exploring quaint villages and wandering through the great outdoors in her new Myrtle Grove Garden Club mystery series. She sincerely hopes you will enjoy sharing this special world with her.
Loulou Harrington, Author
Myrtle Grove Garden Club mysteries
MURDER, MAYHEM AND BLISS, Book 1
http://www.loulouharrington.com/
Author Links
Purchase Links:
Amazon B&N Book Depository

Thursday, January 29, 2015

First in a Cozy Series- Murder She Barked

It's time for another great First in a Cozy Series and this week is Murder She Barked by Krista Davis ! Murder She Barked with have you barking for more..


Murder, She Barked (Paws and Claws Mystery Series #1)

Book Description

 December 3, 2013
FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

The Sugar Maple Inn in Wagtail, Virginia, is the country's premiere vacation hot spot for pet owners who can’t bear to leave their furry friends behind. But this tourist town smells trouble when a killer goes on the prowl....

Holly Miller's life has gone to the dogs. She has no job, her boyfriend's former flame is sniffing around, and a scruffy but loveable Jack Russell Terrier is scattering crumbs all over her borrowed car. Just when she thought things couldn't get worse, a troubling phone call about her grandmother sends her rushing home to the family inn on Wagtail Mountain.

The staff—and a frisky Calico kitten named Twinkletoes—adopts Holly and her new dog on arrival. But someone in this friendly town is bad to the bone. One of the employees at the inn has been killed in a hit-and-run accident—which is looking anything but accidental. Now Holly and her furry companions will have to nose out the murderer before someone else gets muzzled.

Delicious recipes for owners and pets included! 


You can get this first one here:




Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Author Spotlight-Elizabeth Lee

Happy Wednesday to you! Today's Spotlight is Elizabeth Lee. Elizabeth is the Author of A Tough Nut to Kill and Snoop to Nuts.



Book Description

 February 4, 2014
Lindy Blanchard has devoted five years of her life to saving the pecan trees on her family’s farm—but someone is going to deadly lengths to see that she fails… 

Riverville, Texas, is pecan country, and the Blanchard family farm is famous for its acres of tall pecan trees and the delicious pies and cookies sold at the Nut House, the aptly named family store. Miss Amelia, Lindy’s feisty grandmother, makes the best pecan pies for several counties and the farm is attracting visitors from far and wide to sample the wares.

Until the day Lindy walks into the greenhouse to find her uncle Amos murdered and her new stock of trees destroyed, with the best of the bunch stolen. Who is out to ruin the Blanchard family? And who wanted Uncle Amos dead? With the sheriff stumped, it’s up to Lindy and Miss Amelia to save the ranch and tree a killer.

INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES 



Book Description

 January 6, 2015
Murder gets nutty in the latest in Elizabeth Lee's delectable Nut House series

Lindy Blanchard’s family pecan farm is known county-wide, but it’s the goodies her grandmother sells at their store, the Nut House, that really bring in the crowds—until someone turns one of her tasty treats deadly…

The “Most Original Pecan Treat” contest at the Ag Fair is the talk of Riverville, Texas, especially when it’s clear that Miss Amelia Blanchard’s Heavenly Texas Pecan Caviar will take home a blue ribbon. Which is why everyone is amazed when her dish doesn’t even place—and even more shocked when one of the judges, Pastor Jenkins, keels over dead, right after taking a second taste of Miss Amelia’s food.

No one in town truly believes that Amelia would even hurt a fly, but all the evidence points to poor Pastor Jenkins’ death being caused by poison in the caviar. Now, unless Lindy figures out who wanted to frame Amelia for murder, her meemaw may have baked her last famous pecan pie…




Pick them up to day for some great reading.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Interview and Giveaway with Maggie King

I am delighted to have Maggie King with us today. She is the author of Murder at the Book Group. I was able to interview Maggie and here is how it went. Maggie is giving a copy of her book away to one lucky reader. Leave a comment for a chance to win.




S.G. Tell us about Murder at the Book Group? How it came about?
M.K. I started with an idea for writing a mystery about a book group. I love book groups and have been in many—they have a special dynamic and the members can be fascinating to observe. I’ve known people outside of a book group who have shown very different aspects of themselves when talking about books—sometimes the aspects are good and sometimes they’re a bit, well … unsettling. These qualities of such groups provide the makings of a good mystery.

The Murder on Tour group in Murder at the Book Group is modeled after one I attended in Santa Clarita, California. This group picked books based on theme rather than specific titles; when we met each member discussed her selection—no spoilers allowed! The first year we read by setting location, the second year by the sleuth’s profession; one year we even read according to the first letter of the author’s last name.

In addition, I’m intrigued by choices and consequences and how so many of us don’t consider the full range of consequences of our decisions and actions. Sometimes the consequences create havoc in our lives and impact the lives of others as well.

Murder at the Book Group has an interesting history. It started out as Death in River City (River City is a moniker for Richmond, Virginia, referring to the James River). The original site of the murder was a book festival held at a hotel in downtown Richmond. Carlene (then named Deanna) was to be strangled in her hotel room.  But an interview with a hotel manager convinced me that the hotel setting would be too complicated and this was, after all, my first mystery. So I simplified and changed the setting to Carlene’s home and renamed her Sharon. In the second version the murder takes place the morning after the book group meets. Hazel goes to Carlene’s home and finds her dead in her bathroom from cyanide-laced contact lens solution. The final version is the one you can read today. My agent picked the name Murder at the Book Group.
S.G. Hazel Rose is such a great character. How did she come to life?
M.K. I like to write and read about people who stand at a crossroads in their lives and must pick a path.  In Murder at the Book Group Hazel is at loose ends, stuck in a rut.  She isn’t unhappy but she isn’t fulfilled either. After four failed marriages, she’s reluctant to commit to her on-again, off-again lover. She’s making half-hearted attempts to write a romance, which is ridiculous because she has no romance in her life to draw on. She volunteers for non-profits but that’s ho-hum as well.
Hazel’s safe but unsatisfactory world is shaken when Carlene Arness dies after sipping poisoned tea at a meeting of the book group that she and Hazel founded. That galvanizes Hazel to investigate. She isn’t convinced that Carlene committed suicide despite the note found near her body. Hazel’s strong sense of justice won’t let her leave the matter alone until she runs Carlene’s killer to earth.
This is how Hazel gets out of her rut and moves forward with her life.

I love Hazel because she is caring and loves to help people, even if she doesn’t show her feelings in an effusive way. Her low key, non-threatening approach works to her advantage when she starts questioning the other members of the book group.
S.G. Can you give us a sneak peek into what is next for this series?
M.K. Hazel is asked to find out who killed a middle-aged drunken woman in the parking lot of a redneck bar.
S.G. Do you have plans for any other books besides this one? (other series)
M.K. If I write another series it will be a darker and edgier one, perhaps a hard-boiled detective series. I’m fond of that sub-genre as well.
I have a short story, “A Not So Genteel Murder,” published in the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology (Koehler Books, 2014). I just submitted a story to Virginia is for Mysteries II.

S.G. What book are you reading now?
M.K. The Blond Leading the Blond by Jayne Ormerod. Jayne is one of the authors featured in the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology.

S.G. What is your favorite thing about being an author?
M.K. Talking about books and writing with other authors and readers; learning how to grow as a writer.
S.G. What three things do you want your readers to know?
M.K. I wrote very bad poetry in high school as an outlet for my considerable adolescent angst;
My husband and I love to travel, especially by ship. Hazel Rose and the book group will take a cruise and, naturally, they will solve an onboard murder;
I collect Roseville pottery and Fostoria glassware
S.G. Do you have any hobbies when you are not writing?
M.K. Not hobbies per se, but lots of interests: walking, movies, cats, traveling, theatre, museums.
S.G. Who is your favorite author and why?
M.K. It’s tough to pick just one—but, if I must, I’d say John Steinbeck. His works are timeless and compelling, the original page turners. Read East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath and you’ll see why I selected this author who every writer should study.
S.G. If you could throw a dinner party and invite five authors, living or dead, who would you invite and what would be on the menu?
M.K. Fascinating question. The aforementioned John Steinbeck, of course; Joan Smith; Willa Cather; Robert Crais; Gillian Roberts.  I could go on. And on.
I’d go all out with an authentic Cajun buffet: crawfish, fried catfish, jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, potatoes, and corn. For drinks, I’d offer southern favorites like hurricanes, bloody marys, and mint juleps, along with plenty of cold beer, sweet tea and lemonade. Bananas Foster and a decadent chocolate cake would add a great finish to the feast.  
Thank you for coming to visit my blog and answering these questions.
Shelley, it’s been a pleasure.





Maggie King is the author of Murder at the Book Group, published in 2014 by Simon and Schuster. She contributed the short story, “A Not So Genteel Murder,” to the Virginia is for Mysteries anthology. Maggie is a member of Sisters in Crime and the American Association of University Women. She has worked as a software developer, retail sales manager, and customer service supervisor.
Maggie graduated from Elizabeth Seton College and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology. She has called New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California home. These days she lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Glen, and cats, Morris and Olive.

You can also get her book here on Amazon




Monday, January 26, 2015

Blog Tour- The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper by Sally Carpenter

It's a great day when book tours are here and today we have Sally Carpenters and her new book The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper. I'm delighted to be part of this.
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The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper
by Sally Carpenter

Fun cozy murder mystery set on the high seas! What else can you ask for!
~MysteriesEtc.
I really liked the Sandy Fairfax/Ernest Farmington character. He was very flawed, sometimes obnoxious but also genuinely nice.
~I Wish I Lived In A Library
Cunning_Cruise_ebookThe Cunning Cruise Ship Caper
(Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol mysteries Book 3)

Cozy Mystery
Paperback: 226 pages
Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (September 28, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1939816528
E- book File Size: 890 KB
ASIN: B00PCPAQ5C
SYNOPSIS:
It’s been years since Sandy Fairfax was a teen idol and starred in his hit ‘70s television series Buddy Brave, Boy Sleuth, but he still has his fans. Now it’s 1993 and many of his grown-up fans see a leisurely cruise as the ideal vacation. So, when Sandy’s agent finds him a pleasant gig aboard the SS Zodiac, he jumps at the chance. And, when the offer includes a spot for his musician sister, Celeste, who is blind, Sandy sees an opportunity to re-engage with his estranged sibling. However, the brother-sister duo are barely aboard the ship, when Sandy finds a singer from another shipboard show murdered in his dressing room. When the ship’s security officer does little to investigate, Sandy feels obligated to jump in, even though he isn’t a detective––he just used to play one on TV. Soon he’s grilling potential suspects, including a burnt-out piano bar player, a Southern-fried magician, a blackmail victim, a ventriloquist with a sassy dummy and even a former flame. Will Sandy unmask the killer before the cruise ends? Will he connect with the girl of his dreams? Will he have time to enjoy the sights of Nassau? Or will he end up sleeping with the fishes in the Atlantic Ocean, another victim in this killer’s CUNNING CRUISE SHIP CAPER?
My review:
Sally Carpenter's newest installment in this series is a sure hit. This fun whodunit will win you over from the start. Sandy and his sister Celeste are going on a cruise to perform. What they didn't sign up for was a murder and when that takes place Sandy gets on the case to try and find out who would kill a singer that was on board.  You will be on the edge of your seat eagerly waiting to find out what will happen. Don't miss a minute of this great book.
Carpenter photo_WEB gif
About This Author
Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier now living in Moorpark, California.
She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award and “Star Collector” was produced in New York City.
Carpenter also has a master’s degree in theology and a black belt in tae kwon do.
She’s worked as an actress, freelance writer, college writing instructor, theater critic, jail chaplain, and tour guide/page for a major movie studio. She’s now employed at a community newspaper.
Her initial book in the Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series, “The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper,” was a 2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel.
Her short story, “Dark Nights at the Deluxe Drive-in,” appears in the anthology “Last Exit to Murder.”
“Faster Than a Speeding Bullet” was published in the “Plan B: Vol. 2” e-book anthology.
Her short story “The Pie-eyed Spy” appeared in the Nov. 23, 2013, issue of Kings River Life ezine.
Author Links
She’s a member of Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles chapter. Contact her at Facebook orscwriter@earthlink.net.
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N


Book Tour - Devil in the Deadline by Lyndee Walker

I am so thrilled to be part of this book tour. Lyndee Walker is a wonderful author and her book are incredible. Once you start reading you won't want to stop. Welcome Lyndee!
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Devil in the Deadline
by LynDee Walker


The Nichelle Clark books just keep getting better and better….
~Musings and Ramblings
Lots of twists and turns in Devil in the Deadline. A good cozy mystery! Author Walker has a good writing style so the book flows.
~Mysteries Etc.
There is a lot of ground to cover in Devil in the Deadline, and Ms. Walker does a wonderful job of pacing the action, and I think our emotional reactions to characters and situations is just what she imagined it would be during the writing of this book.
~Back Porchervations
This entire series is absolutely awesome. Each story is just full of action, thrills, romance and humor too! LynDee Walker just keeps topping herself!
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
The mystery is well developed and takes several interesting twists and turns…
~Queen of All She Reads
Author LynDee Walker has outdone herself with this fourth entry in her Headlines in High Heels Mystery series. I highly recommend the fantastic Devil in the Deadline…
~Jane Reads
23269349Devil in the Deadline
(A Nichelle Clarke Headlines in Heels Mystery #4)
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Henery Press (January 6, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1940976617
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Synopsis
When the Richmond police offer an exclusive in exchange for help with a case, nothing—not even a costume party—stops crime reporter Nichelle Clarke from making Manolo tracks to the crime scene. The hunt leads her to a televangelist’s compound in the Virginia countryside where the Reverend may be more interested in fat stacks of cash than he is saving wayward souls.
With two sexy guys tangled up in Nichelle’s story—and in her heart—work and love are on a crash course for disaster. Pressure pours in from every corner, including a faceless new competitor that means the deadline is always five minutes ago. As secrets threaten and the truth becomes her lifeline, Nichelle must unmask the killer and nail down the story before she’s snared in the carefully-constructed web.
My review:
Crime reporter Nichelle Clark is back in the next High Heels mystery series. Eager and determined to solve the murder she is ready to go high heels and all. This fun-filled fast -paced whodunit will have you on the run trying to solve the case with Nichelle.  I loved this book and think it is one of the best ever. Looking forward to what will be next for Nichelle and the gang. 
LynDee headshot
About This Author
LynDee Walker’s award-winning journalistic work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the nation.
Her debut novel, FRONT PAGE FATALITY, is an amazon and Barnes & Noble #1 bestseller, and was nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. DEVIL IN THE DEADLINE is the fourth in LynDee’s Headlines in High Heels mystery series. The fifth arrives October 2015.
LynDee adores her family, her readers, and enchiladas. She often works out tricky plot points while walking off the enchiladas. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is either playing with her children, working on her next novel, or admiring beautiful shoes she can’t wear.

Author Links
@LynDeeWalker
Purchase Links
Amazon

First in Series- Miss Julia Speaks her Mind by Ann B. Ross

Happy Monday! This week's First in Series is Miss Julia Speaks her Mind by Ann B. Ross Released on August 22, 2000. Seri...