Friday, August 26, 2016
What's New? Cancelled by Murder by Jean Flowers
Series: A Postmistress Mystery (Book 2)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (September 6, 2016)
Language: English
Second in the Postmistress Mystery series by Jean Flowers, following Death Takes Priority...
“MAKE THIS MYSTERY SERIES YOUR PRIORITY.”—Janet Cantrell, national bestselling author of the Fat Cat mysteries
Cassie Miller returned to her sleepy hometown in the Berkshires to start over as the new postmistress. But she soon finds that dead letters are nothing compared to murder victims...
With a massive storm about to hit North Ashcot, Massachusetts, threatening floods and widespread wind damage, Cassie is forced to close up the post office along with the rest of the local business owners and residents, who are battening down the hatches and bracing themselves for the worst.
Although the storm proves not to be as bad as predicted, fabric shop owner Daisy Harmon is found dead, seemingly killed by a fallen branch. But the police quickly determine that her death had nothing to do with foul weather and everything to do with foul play. After Daisy’s widowed husband approaches her to help solve his wife’s murder, Cassie vows to find the killer before another innocent victim is taken by storm.
About the Author
Jean Flowers is the pseudonym for a long time mystery writer who has published series with Berkley and Minotaur. Her first book in the Postmistress Mystery series is Death Takes Priority.
Find out more about Jean Flowers at her website:
http://www.minichino.com/index.html
Friday, July 29, 2016
What's New? Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris
What's new? Happy Friday! Here is what is new and coming to a book store near you on August 2nd. Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris.
Series: A Needlecraft Mystery (Book 19)
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (August 2, 2016)
Language: English
In the USA Today bestselling Needlecraft Mysteries, Betsy Devonshire has her hands tied between running her needlework shop and turning her sharp eye for deduction to solving crimes…
The Monday Bunch and other local knitters are participating in a fund-raising auction to save a community center, creating a growing pile of stuffed animals and toys right in front of the auctioneers as the audience bids. Among those contributing the most knitted goods is temperamental businesswoman Maddy Hanover—who keels over halfway through the event After she is pronounced DOA, an autopsy reveals that Maddy had been poisoned. But how? And by whom? One of the prime suspects is her ruthless business rival Joe Mickels, who lost a bitterly contested property bid to Maddy.
When Mickels pleads his innocence to Betsy, she reluctantly believes him. But if Betsy is going to uncover the real murderer’s identity, she must first untangle the knots Maddy made in her relationships throughout her life…
About the Author
Monica Ferris is the USA Today bestselling author of the Needlecraft Mysteries (Darned If You Do, The Drowning Spool) as well as several mystery series under various pseudonyms. She lives in Minnesota.
Friday, July 8, 2016
What's New? Much Ado about Muffin by Victoria Hamilton
Happy Friday! What's New? Coming August 2nd to a bookstore near you. Much Ado About Muffin (A Merry Muffin Mystery series) by Victoria Hamilton.
Series: A Merry Muffin Mystery (Book 4)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (August 2, 2016)
Language: English
In this fresh mystery from the national bestselling author of Death of an English Muffin, baker Merry Wynter comes to the aid of an innocent woman accused of murder.
When muffin baker Merry Wynter sees an innocent woman accused of murder, it’s dough or die...
Opera singer Roma Toscano may have a crippling case of stage fright, but she certainly is stirring up drama in Autumn Vale, New York, as she prepares for an upcoming performance at Merry’s Wynter Castle. With her flamboyant style and flirtatious personality, Roma attracts fans as well as critics, including the town’s postmistress—and Merry’s bitter foe—Minnie Urqhart.
But Roma and Minnie’s heated rivalry goes cold after Merry discovers Minnie dead at the post office. While every clue seems to be another ingredient in the investigation of Roma, Merry thinks the case is half-baked, and she’s eager to get her mitts on the real killer...
Victoria Hamilton is the pseudonym of nationally bestselling romance author Donna Lea Simpson.
She now happily writes about vintage kitchen collecting, muffin baking and dead bodies for Berkley Prime Crime in the Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mystery series. Besides writing about murder and mayhem, and blogging at Killer Characters, Victoria collects vintage kitchen wares and old cookbooks, as well as teapots and teacups.
Visit Victoria at: http://www.victoriahamiltonmysteries.com for availability of her books, some of which have also been published in Large Print and Audio formats!
Victoria also writes the Teapot Collector Mysteries as Amanda Cooper! You can find out more about her and all of her series at her website, as well as on Facebook and Pinterest.
Friday, June 10, 2016
What's New? Toasting up Trouble by Linda Wiken
Series: A Dinner Club Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (July 5, 2016)
Language: English
A delicious new cozy mystery series featuring the Culinary Capers Dinner Club—who are fearless when it comes to cooking up new dishes and putting the lid on crime...
Event planner Jennifer “J.J.” Tanner has a full plate, but that’s the way she likes it. First, it’s her turn to choose the recipe for the next meeting of the Culinary Capers Dinner Club, a gathering of foodie friends who experiment with entrĂ©es for their creative and gastronomical pleasure. Second, she’s organizing an Italian princess party for the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a high-tech millionaire.
But one thing J.J. didn’t plan on is that the caterer for the event—hotshot chef Antonio Marcotti—would end up murdered the night of the party. Or that she’d end up being a prime suspect after having had a heated argument with the unscrupulous chef. Now it’s up to J.J.—with help from her fellow Club members and a handsome if mysterious private eye—to turn the tables on the real killer...
About the Author:
Linda Wiken is a former mystery bookstore owner and a short story writer. The first in her new Dinner Club Mystery series, TOASTING UP TROUBLE, debuts in July, 2016. In a parallel life writes the Ashton Corners Book Club Mysteries, as Erika Chase. She is a member of those dangerous dames, The Ladies' Killing Circle. She has been short-listed for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and an Arthur Ellis Award, Best Short Story, from Crime Writers of Canada. She admits to a passion for choral singing, chocolate and Siamese cats!
Friday, June 3, 2016
Blog tour and giveaway-Eclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford
Series: An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (June 7, 2016)
Language: English
Synopsis
The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.
With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim…
My review:
In Eclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford, she dishes up a fun new mystery with a feisty cast of characters. Filled with humor and charm. You will want this to be on your reading list. It is a fun read that will keep you captivated and reading until the very end.
Keep Your Hands Inside The Car At All Times
By Winnie Johnson
(of the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries by Laura Bradford)
I used to love roller coasters—I loved the hills, the dips, the sharp turns…all of it. But now that my life has become one, I’m no longer such a fan.
Take for instance, my last twenty four hours or so…
One minute, I’m sitting across from my late neighbor’s attorney, waiting to see if the bequest Gertie left me will be enough to keep my lifelong dream (aka my bakery, Delectable Delights) open despite my landlord’s sudden need to raise my rent to an amount I can’t possibly pay. And the next I’m being handed a cat named Lovey (who hisses every time she looks at me) and keys to the vintage ambulance Gertie’s late husband was restoring prior to his own death.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m touched that Gertie thought so highly of me to leave me her two favorite possessions, but neither of them are capable of keeping Delectable Delights’ open.
Poof! My lifelong dream is gone…done…o-v-e-r. And there’s absolutely nothing I can do except cry.
But before I can do that, I have to make good on a promise I made to another friend, the late Ethel Wagner. You see, I promised Ethel that I would make a peach pie for her husband each week. It was her way of letting Bart know that she loved him even if she was no longer here to tell him that with words.
So I put a temporary hold on my tears and threw myself into the one thing that makes me feel whole—baking. I scooped, I measured, I stirred, I patted, I pinched, I cut, and I watched the numbers on my oven timer tick down until Bart’s peach pie was exactly the way he liked. When it was done, I carried it across the street and up to Bart’s door just as I have every week since Ethel’s passing. Only this time, despite his car being in the driveway, he didn’t come to the door when I knocked. He didn’t answer when I poked my head inside and called his name, either.
That’s when I went inside and found him—dead. Or, in the interest of full disclosure, murdered. Awful, I know.
Yet somehow, amid the tears (and therapeutic baking session) that followed, I came up with a way I might be able to…um…stay in business. And it’s pretty darn creative if I must say so my—
Whoa. Where do you think you’re going?
This ride isn’t over. Not even close. I still have a business to launch and a killer to catch.
Coming, June 7th!!!
The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.
With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim...
About The Author –
Laura Bradford (aka Elizabeth Lynn Casey) is the author of several mystery series and a handful of romance novels. She is a former Agatha Award nominee and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. In her free time, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, playing games, and catching up with friends. In addition to the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, Laura writes The Amish Mysteries and The Jenkins & Burns mysteries, as well as The Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (as Elizabeth Lynn Casey).
For more information, visit Laura’s website: www.laurabradford.com or get to know her even better on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor, and on Twitter: @bradfordauthor
Website: www.laurabradford.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor
Twitter: @bradfordauthor
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Saturday, May 28, 2016
Blog Tour and Giveaway- The Madness of Mercury by Connie di Marco
Series: A Zodiac Mystery (Book 1)
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink (June 8, 2016)
Language: English
Synopsis
San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti’s life is turned upside down when she becomes the target of the city’s newest cult leader, Reverend Roy of the Prophet’s Tabernacle. Driven out of her apartment in the midst of a disastrous Mercury retrograde period, she takes shelter with a client who’s caring for two elderly aunts. One aunt appears stricken with dementia and the other has fallen under the spell of the Reverend Roy. To add to the confusion, a young man claiming to be a long lost nephew arrives. The longer he stays, the more dangerous things become. Is the young man truly a member of the family? Can astrology confirm that? Julia’s not sure, but one thing she does know is that Mercury wasn’t merely the messenger of the gods—he was a trickster and a liar as well.
In Connie Di Marco's brand new book The Madness of Mercury, the signs are all there that this will be a great new hit. A Fresh new cast of characters and a strong story line keep your interest peaked and keep you so involved in the story you won't want to stop reading. It keeps you guessing until the end with twist and turns. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to what will happen next.
It’s in the Stars
You might think that an astrologer as a protagonist is an odd choice, but I liked it. That’s why I invented Julia Bonatti, a crime-solving astrologer. I’ve always loved mysteries and once I was introduced to the subject of astrology, I was fascinated. Astrology is a mystery all by itself. So I thought, why not put the two together?
Now, you may not believe in the subject. That’s okay. You certainly don’t have to, but it is amazing to look at a natal chart and make a quick observation about the character of a person. How that individual approaches life, how they appear to others, what sort of opinions and attitudes they might hold.
The natal chart is a map of your intentions at birth. It will describe the things that come easily to you, as well as those traits and skills that will or must be developed in this lifetime. The birth chart will show where you are headed on your life path. Character really is destiny, and your astrological chart is both the map and the timing of that journey.
Here’s just one example -- Saturn by transit makes a complete cycle of the natal chart every twenty-eight or so years. It’s called the Saturn return and when that planet returns to its natal position at approximately age 28 (or a little more), it’s always a significant time, a “coming of age” cycle, a time we are most free to make our own choices in life, apart from parental or societal influences. Think back on your own experiences. What happened around that time? Did you marry? Have a child? Change occupations? Get a divorce? There is both a completion of the old and a beginning of the new at the time of the Saturn return.
And astrological studies of famous people are just as interesting. Here’s one I’ve read about that has always intrigued me. Both Mahatma Ghandi and Charles Manson have similar patterns between Mars, Venus and Saturn in their charts. Could you imagine two such different people having anything in common? They each made different choices in life. Manson chose a life of evil, Ghandi chose an ascetic life devoted to freeing his country.
Does Julia use astrology in solving crimes? Yes, she does. She can tell if there’s a relationship between two individuals. She can tell when someone is wearing a mask. She knows when a client might be in danger because of a transit or an eclipse to a sensitive point in their natal chart.
Astrology is an endlessly fascinating subject and if you follow the Zodiac Mysteries, you’ll see that I try to tailor the characters to their natal horoscopes or vice versa. I may add a disclaimer that anyone born on a certain date isn’t necessarily a murderer, I don’t want to frighten anyone, and I do take liberties, but not too much. Just enough to tell a story and solve a mystery.
About The Author –
Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink. She was fascinated by astrology at an early age and this was the inspiration that gave birth to Julia Bonatti, San Francisco astrologer and her newspaper column Ask Zodia. Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. Connie lives in Los Angeles with her family and a constantly talking cat.
Website: www.conniedimarco.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ConniediMarco
Twitter: @askzodia
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Connie_di_Marco/the-zodiac-mysteries/
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Friday, May 27, 2016
What's New? Dead End Street by Sheila Connolly
Series: A Museum Mystery
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley; Reissue edition (June 7, 2016)
Language: English
The New York Times bestselling author of Privy to the Dead returns to Philadelphia for more history—and a chilling mystery . . .
When the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society discovers it owns some unique real estate, a deadly plot unfolds . . .
Society president Nell Pratt believes life is finally going her way. Everything’s running smoothly at work, and her love life is thriving. Then some unexpected news rocks her foundation. Two members of a local neighborhood rescue program, Tyrone Blakeney and Cherisse Chapman, inform Nell that her society owns an abandoned row house in a rundown area of Philadelphia and they insist on taking her to see the property before its date with the wrecking ball.
But soon after they arrive at the house, Cherisse is fatally shot and Tyrone is badly injured. The police believe it’s just random violence in a bad neighborhood, but Nell thinks there’s more to it and is determined to find answers before someone else becomes history . . .
About the Author
Sheila Connolly is the New York Times bestselling, Anthony and Agatha award–nominated author of the Museum Mysteries, the Orchard Mysteries, and the County Cork Mysteries. She has taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several nonprofit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company, providing genealogical research services. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loves restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling. Now a full-time writer, she thinks writing mysteries is a lot more fun than any of her previous occupations.
http://www.sheilaconnolly.com/
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Weekly Wrap Up # 21
May 16th- First in Series- Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer
May 17th- Author Spotlight- Gretchen Archer
May 18th- Guess The Mystery hosted by Vicki Delany
May 19th - Murder, by George by Jeanne Quigley
May 20th- What's New? The Diva Serves High Tea by Krista Davis
May 21st- Leading Ladies of Mystery with Julie Seedorf
Winner's this week are:
Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer - Deb Forbes
Guess the Mystery by Vicki Delany- Jen Scott
Murder by George by Jeanne Quigley- Doward Wilson
What's New? The Diva Serves High Tea by Krista Davis- Sherry Smith
Coming week of May 23rd:
May 23rd- First in a Series- Front Page Fatality by LynDee Walker
May 24th- Author Spotlight- LynDee Walker
May 25th- Shelley's Review- The Thing is by Kathleen Gerard
May 26th- Shelley's Review's
May 27th- What's New? Dead End Street by Sheila Connelly
May 28th- Blog Tour- The Madness of Mercury by Connie Archer
May 29th- Blog Tour- The Penderghast Puzzle Protectors by Julie Seedorf
Have a great week!
Friday, April 29, 2016
What's New? Newlywed Dead by Nancy J. Parra
Series: Perfect Proposals Mystery (Book 3)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Berkley (May 3, 2016)
Language: English
In the new Perfect Proposals mystery from the author of Bodice of Evidence and Engaged in Murder, a country club wedding reception becomes the scene of a baffling crime.
The wedding for Pepper Pomeroy’s sister Felicity starts with dearly beloved but it ends with dearly departed when Ashley, the bartender Pepper befriended earlier in the evening, drops dead from a lethal nightcap. Authorities think it’s just a tragic accident. After all, who’d want to kill a virtual stranger at a country club wedding reception? That’s what Pepper wants to know.
A search into Ashley’s past reveals a twisty path of secret sororities, well-connected enemies, and an unsolved slaying still shadowing members of high society—including a filthy-rich battle-ax whose demands for the services of Pepper’s Perfect Proposals are starting to sound more like veiled threats. Pepper’s business may be booming but continued success means outsmarting a mysterious culprit who’s still wedded to the idea of murder.
About the Author
Nancy J. Parra is the author of Bodice of Evidence and Engaged in Murder in the Perfect Proposals Mystery series and Flourless to Stop Him, Murder Gone A-Rye, and Gluten for Punishment in the Baker’s Treat Mystery series. She lives in California with her trusty Bichon-Poo, whom she refers to warmly as “Little Dog.” Parra also authors the national bestselling Candy-Coated Mystery series as Nancy Coco.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Blog Tour- Without a Doubt by Nancy Cole Silverman
Without a Doubt (A Carol Childs Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Henery Press (May 24, 2016)
Paperback: 258 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635110258
E-Book ASIN: B01C4LEFTE
Synopsis
As radio reporter Carol Childs investigates a series of Beverly Hills jewelry heists, she realizes her FBI boyfriend, Eric, is working the same case. Even worse, she may have inadvertently helped the suspect escape. The situation intensifies when the suspect calls the radio station during a live broadcast, baiting Carol deeper into the investigation.
In order for her to uncover the truth, Carol must choose between her job and her personal relationships. What started out as coincidence between Carol and Eric becomes a race for the facts—pitting them against one another—before the thieves can pull off a daring escape, leaving a trail of dead bodies behind, and taking the jewels with them.
Related subjects include: women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), book club recommendations, suspense, noir.
Books in the Carol Childs Mystery Series:
• SHADOW OF DOUBT (#1)
• BEYOND A DOUBT (#2)
• WITHOUT A DOUBT (#3)
Praise for this series:
“Carol is a smart, savvy heroine that will appeal to readers. This is a cozy with a bite.” – Rosemary Smith, Books for Avid Readers (on Shadow of Doubt)
“Fast paced and cleverly plotted, an edgy cozy with undertones of noir.” – Sue McGinty, Author of the Bella Kowalski Central Coast Mysteries (on Beyond a Doubt)
I really enjoyed this book. Cozy mystery with humor and attitude, that draws you in from the first page. You won't want to stop reading this one. This is by far my favorite in the series and am looking forward to what will happen next.
About The Author –
Nancy Cole Silverman credits her twenty-five years in radio for helping her to develop an ear for storytelling. In 2001, Silverman retired from news and copywriting to write fiction full time. In 2014, Silverman signed with Henery Press for her new mystery series, The Carol Childs’ Mysteries. The first of the series, Shadow of Doubt, debuted in December 2014 and the second, Beyond a Doubt, debuted July 2015. The third, Without A Doubt, is available in May 2016. For more information visit www.nancycolesilverman.com
Author Links –
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Cole-Silverman/314202208737024?ref=h
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4027978.Nancy_Cole_Silverman
Twitter: @NancyColeSilve1
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Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Last Light by Cj Lyons
In a world of constantly changing markets, readership and trends, we’d like to talk to you a bit more today on how you cope with constant change as an author. Social media can be hard to manage for some people, do you have any useful tips for how to use social media as an author?
CJ: If it energizes you and makes you more creative, helps you get more words on the page, then have a blast! If you see it as a burden that sucks the creativity from your day (that’s me, lol!) then don’t worry about it. It’s just one more tool and there are many ways to reach readers.
How much time to you devote to social media for your books each day (or week)?
CJ: I’m lucky if I remember to post something during any given week, so almost nothing. If I am there spending time on social media it’s not because it’s scheduled but rather because my readers are engaging me. Conversations are much easier for me than remembering to come up with a clever meme and posting it.
Many authors use platforms such as Facebook to escape when they suffer writer's’ block. Do you ever do this, and have you found any creative ways to use social media to inspire your writing?
CJ: Nope…I never go to FB except to post or answer reader’s comments/messages. I’m a hermit by nature and I’ve learned to embrace the fact that I’m simply not “social” in the social media sense. Plus, any time/words spent on social media are less times/words spent on getting the story told—which is what my readers keep telling me is what they want, more books.
Your www.cjlyons.net offers lots of extras including your books, research links and tips for writers. Can you tell us a bit about building your site? Who helped you, and how much work is it to keep up to date?
CJ: I built it myself—after several disastrous encounters with web designers who’d flake out on me right when I needed them most. But remember, former ER doc here, so I’m a total control freak. I’ve had the site since 2004 so it’s grown over time. Now it’s so large that my biggest challenge is pruning the clutter, something I’m slowly tackling. I don’t blog, so it really doesn’t take a lot of time to keep up other than listing new titles.
Now that we’ve talked about your website, we’d like to know if you read blogs, or have other favorite websites, and if you do, what’s your favorite right now?
CJ: I run my life from my email inbox so I only follow blogs/newsfeeds that have an email subscription option (you wouldn’t believe how many don’t!) I follow my friend, Joanna Penn’s writing blog, TheCreativePenn.com because she’s brilliant and so energetic—I recommend her site to any aspiring author. Other than that the main blogs I follow are sites like the FBI, Officer.com, The Browser, the New York Times and Washington Post, Big Think, the Crime Report, and LifeHacker—places where quirky stories come my way and inspire my writing.
You have links to facebook and twitter social media links on your website. Is there a specific channel you’re more likely to be active on, and if so why?
CJ: My twitter followers are mainly fellow writers and I’ve pretty much given up on it—it’s overwhelming for someone who doesn’t go online very much. I have a FB page (https://www.facebook.com/cj.lyons) and enjoy interacting with readers there, but I don’t post much except fun quotes I stumble across (I collect quotes), the occasional news on my books, and deals on good books that come across my inbox. Sometimes I’ll do events there with fellow thriller authors like Toni McGee Causey or Debra Webb—authors I know my readers will enjoy hearing from. But it’s all very low key.
Newsletters are one of many ways authors like to keep in touch with their readership. Can you tell us what subscribers can expect when they sign up for your newsletter, and how often they might hear from you?
CJ: I try to do at least one Thrillers with Heart newsletter a month (it always amazes me when readers write and ask for more!) and I keep it short and sweet—usually a featured deal on a book, or an exclusive read for my fans, occasionally a special guest feature with a fellow thriller author my fans know and love. When you sign up for my Thrillers with Heart mailing list, you’ll receive a free copy of Snake Skin, the first Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller with your welcome email. I also send other free reads when inspiration hits me and I can get organized enough to upload the files.
Where do you go for social media and marketing advice? Know any great books or tips other authors might find useful?
CJ: As I mentioned above, Joanna Penn is the shining star here. Also the guys at the Self Publishing Podcast are awesome. There’s so much advice out there, it’s really hard not to find the answer to any questions you have. Years ago that wasn’t the case, so I began my own writing blog, NoRulesJustWrite.com in order to give something back. It’s still there with all the resources available but I’ve stopped adding new material as my mission of showing people their publishing options was accomplished.
One last chance...If you were doing it all over again, would you change anything about how you published, got cover art made, or got the word out about your books?
CJ: When I first self-published back in 2009 no one really knew what it was all about. I started because my NYC publisher insisted on releasing only one book a year and my readers were deluging me with emails asking for more. I even offered to give my publisher free short stories to release between books to keep the readers happy but they refused. So when I heard about Kindle and self-publishing I realized I had the answer—I could publish manuscripts that for a variety of reasons had been accepted by NYC publishers, professionally copyedited, etc, but never made it to actual publication. That way my readers would be happy and remember my name in between my print books. There were few freelance graphic designers doing cover art in those days and that’s my one regret. I found one within six months of publishing once I realized that my e-books were really taking off, but I wish I’d had one from the beginning. Also, even though my earlier books had been through NYC publisher’s copy-editors, I realized early on that copy-editing wasn’t the same as proofreading and I quickly hired freelance proofreaders and revised those manuscripts. Now, I often have the cover art before I even start a book (my designer does them in batches to keep the series branded) and I hire the same developmental editors, copyeditors, and proofreaders that my NYC publishers use! I love it when readers can’t tell the difference between my self-published titles and my NYC published ones.
Thanks for joining us today Cj!
About the Books
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CJ Lyons. For fans of Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, and Jeffery Deaver:
"Everything a great thriller should be--action packed, authentic, and intense." ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child
After leaving the FBI, life should be easy, right? Wrong--not if you're Lucy Guardino.
Lucy has always seen herself as a normal Pittsburgh soccer mom who happened to have a job chasing the worst of the worst. But after a violent predator targets her family and she's injured, Lucy sacrifices her career with the FBI in order to keep her family safe.
What is she now that she's no longer a FBI Special Agent? she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she's traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs.
What is she now that she's no longer a FBI Special Agent?she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she's traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs. Her fears appear justified when she's partnered with TK O'Connor, a former Marine MP struggling with her transition to life back home, and sent to rural Texas to investigate a case that's more than cold, it's already been closed with the killers behind bars for the past twenty-nine years. But...who really killed Lily Martin, her infant daughter, and husband?
Why was an entire family targeted for anihilation? What price will Lucy pay when she fights to expose a truth people will kill to keep buried? LAST LIGHT is the seventh Lucy Guardino novel, but they can be read out of order. If you enjoy captivating suspense, intelligent storytelling,strong and vulnerable characters, and a freight-train pace, then you'll love this adrenaline rush of a heart-pounding thriller. Join the millions of readers who've fallen for CJ's Thrillers with Heart and grab your copy of LAST LIGHT today!
My Review;
This fast-paced action filled drama will keep you mesmerized by the story. The cast of Characters are strong and intense. A gripping non- stop read you won't want to put down. Cj Lyons is a Brilliant story teller and this book shows that. I loved the ride with each page and look forward to reading the next one.


Pediatric ER doctor turned New York Times bestselling thriller writer CJ Lyons has been a storyteller all her life—something that landed her in many time-outs as a kid. She writes her Thrillers with Heart for the same reason that she became a doctor: because she believes we all have the power to change our world.
In the ER she witnessed many acts of courage by her patients and their families, learning that heroes truly are born every day. When not writing, she can be found walking the beaches near her Lowcountry home, listening to the voices in her head and plotting new and devious ways to create mayhem for her characters.
To learn more about her Thrillers with Heart go to www.CJLyons.net
Connect with CJ on her website, Facebook, or Twitter.
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Friday, April 15, 2016
What's New? Irish Stewed by Kylie Logan
Series: An Ethnic Eats Mystery (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (May 3, 2016)
Language: English
The national bestselling author of the League of Literary Ladies Mysteries introduces an all-new cozy culinary mystery series featuring ethnic eats.
After flopping as a personal chef to a Hollywood movie star, jobless Laurel Inwood finds herself humbled in Hubbard, Ohio, helping her aunt Sophie run her restaurant. Much to Laurel’s dismay, Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks is not the cozy bistro her aunt would have had her believe—it’s a run-down greasy spoon in an old railroad station. To save the dingy diner, Laurel cooks up a plan to feature alternating ethnic cuisine as specials.
But first there’s the problem of the body in the booth. Slumped over a table with a receipt spike in his back is Jack Lancer—”the Lance of Justice”—an investigative reporter for local TV news. Assisted by the drop-dead gorgeous owner of the neighboring Irish store—who may or may not be a suspect—Laurel sets out to track down a killer who had no reservations about impaling a newshound. But as she turns up the heat, will she end up in the soup herself?
INCLUDES RECIPES
Find all of Kylie Logans books at:
http://www.kylielogan.com/
Friday, April 1, 2016
What's New? Murder at Lambswool Farm by Sally Goldenbaum
Series: Seaside Knitters Mystery (Book 11)
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: NAL (May 3, 2016)
Language: English
Late summer blooms in beautiful Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, and while a harvest thrives, Izzy Chambers Perry and the other Seaside Knitters will need to cast on their sleuthing skills to save a local farm. Unfortunately, finding a killer can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. . . .
Seaside Knitter Birdie Favazza has long loved knitting, but lately she’s taken on a new challenge—making a family farm operational again. With help from friends, Lambswool Farm is now up and running, with thriving crops and grazing sheep. In addition, the farm will host rustic, six-course prix fixe dinners plated by local chefs and served on a gorgeous restored harvest table, decorated to perfection with colorful knitted vegetables crafted by Izzy Chambers Perry, her aunt Nell, and the other Seaside Knitters.
But on the night of the first meal, everything spins out of control when one of the guests, Seaside Harbor’s family physician, becomes fatally ill. It seems that behind Dr. Alan Hamilton’s friendly bedside manner was a man with enemies and secrets.
Soon the town is gossiping and pointing fingers at all possible suspects—including the women at Lambswool Farm. Now the Seaside Knitters must join together to uncover the truth in Dr. Hamilton’s complicated past—and restore peace to town and country alike.
About the Author
Sally Goldenbaum is a sometime philosophy teacher, a knitter, an editor, and the USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels. Sally became more serious about knitting with the birth of her first grandchild and the creation of the Seaside Knitters Mysteries, which include Trimmed with Murder, A Finely Knit Murder, and Murder in Merino. Her fictional knitting friends are teaching her the intricacies of women’s friendship, the mysteries of small-town living, and the very best way to pick up dropped stitches on a lacy knit shawl.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Blog Tour- A Clue in the Stew by Connie Archer
Series: A Soup Lover's Mystery (Book 5)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 5, 2016)
Language: English
Synopsis
Soup shop owner Lucky Jamieson stirs up more trouble in the latest mystery from the national bestselling author of Ladle to the Grave…
When Lucky Jamieson opens up By the Spoonful to host an event with a famous author, she’s not expecting a bunch of nuts to descend on her small-town soup shop. But the author’s exasperating entourage—from a prickly publicist to a snippy son and his tipsy wife—give fresh meaning to the phrase, too many cooks spoil the broth.
The evening is more than spoiled, however, when it ends with a homicide. When the manner of the murder—as well as another recent unsolved crime—echoes the author’s fiction, Police Chief Nate Edgerton realizes he has a copycat killer on his hands. And Lucky hopes that one of her regular customers who has mysteriously gone missing isn’t involved. Once again, the soup shop owner will need to stir up some clues to find her friend and catch a cunning killer—before things really take a tureen for the worse…
Review: From the minute I opened this book I was drawn in to an action packed story in Snowflake, Vermont. With famous author Hillary Stone coming in town for a book signing and dealing with a new waitress that has other motives Lucky Jamison sure has her hands full. Getting the Soup Shop ready for the crowds that will come to the book event and keeping her grandfather Jack from making a mistake with the new waitress she doesn't need anything else to take up her time. So when a murder takes place that disrupts everything Lucky knows she has to find out who the killer is and why they are attacking her friends. This is a charming and delicious murder mystery that will keep you wanting more.The cast of characters take this story to epic proportions with a twist that will leave you stunned at the end.
About the Author
Connie Archer is the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Penguin Random House (Berkley Prime Crime). A Spoonful of Murder, A Broth of Betrayal, A Roux of Revenge, Ladle to the Grave and A Clue in the Stew are all set in the imaginary village of Snowflake, Vermont. Connie was born and raised in New England and now lives on the other coast.
You can visit her at www.ConnieArcherMysteries.com
Author Links
Website: www.conniearchermysteries.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ConnieArcherMysteries
Twitter: @SnowflakeVT
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1MMQllp
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Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Guest Post - Amanda Flower
Introverts and Extroverts in Protagonists
By Amanda Flower
I love to take personality quizzes online. I find their declarations about my psych fascinating, whether or not I agree with the results. I’ve taken a number of quizzes lately. The number tends to increase with the approach of my book deadline as my ability to procrastinate as the deadline approaches hits expert level. The closer the deadline, the worse the procrastination becomes, and there is no better way to procrastinate than to take a quiz that will tell you what Disney princess would be your best friend, right?
Recently, these quizzes have been telling me I’m an extrovert, which I find especially interesting since I was just about the shyest child in the world growing up. I think the great contributing factor to this personality shift, assuming it’s true, is my becoming an author. Nothing has forced me to come out of my shell more than writing, which seems odd since it is at its core such a solitary profession. However, I find the more readers read my work, interact with me on social media, and come to my books signings, the more comfortable I become with my extrovertness, if you can even call it that.
Thinking about my own personality, makes me think of the varied personalities of my protagonists. It’s hard to believe that there are six now with more on the way. With so many main characters populating my mind, it’s a wonder I can keep them all straight. When creating new protagonists, I am very careful to make them different from each other, not just physically but mentally and psychologically. Here’s a little peek at what makes them unique.
India Hayes from the India Hayes Mystery Series
India is an introvert with an edge. India is fiercely loyal and intelligent, but she’s not afraid to take someone to task if she thinks they are doing something she finds wrong or idiotic.
Chloe Humphrey from the Appleseed Creek Mysteries
Chloe is an introvert too but in a much different way than India is. She’s the sweet girl next door who just wants to do the right thing. She’s pure of heart really.
Angie Braddock from the Amish Quilt Shop Mysteries
Angie is definitely an extrovert. She means well, but she is too curious for her own good and wants to fix everything and everyone. She sometimes has poor judgement on how to make things better, but she means well and the fallouts of her mistakes are hilarious.
Andi Boggs from the Andi Boggs Mysteries (for kids)
Andi is an extrovert. Because of the independence her parents allowed her, she is capable to do much on her own even at the young age of twelve. She wants to find adventure and new friends wherever she goes. She not afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right even if that requires to standing up to an adult.
Kelsey Cambridge from the Living History Museum Mysteries
Kelsey is a goal-driven introvert. She has a plan, and she wants to execute that plan as quickly and efficiently as possible so she can move onto the next task. She has a clipboard and knows how to use it. The only person who gives true pause in her mission to save Barton Farm from financial ruin is her young son, Hayden.
Violet Waverly from the Magical Bookshop Mysteries
Violet is an introvert. She’s even wounded to some extent from events in her past. What happened to her as a teenager makes her cautious. It’s hard for her to trust others and herself, but she wants to trust and she learns she can change.
So which of these protagonists am I most like? There is a piece of me each of them, some more than others. Which one am I most like? Well, that just depends on who you ask…
Happy Reading!!
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GIVEAWAY
Visit Amanda’s website for a chance to win one of four $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift cards. Winner’s Choice!
Enter at
http://www.amandaflower.com/Giveaways.html
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Amanda Flower, a three time Agatha-nominated mystery author, started her writing career in elementary school when she read a story she wrote to her sixth grade class and had the class in stitches with her description of being stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. She knew at that moment she’d found her calling of making people laugh with her words. Amanda is a librarian in Northeast Ohio. She also writes as USA Today Bestselling Author Isabella Alan. Her next release it CRIME AND POETRY coming April 5, 2016.
www.amandaflower.com
Amanda Flower
@aflowerwriter
ANDI UNSTOPPABLE, Now Available!- 2015 Agatha Award Nominee
CRIME AND POETRY, April 2016
THE FINAL TAP, May 2016
Writing as USA Today Bestselling Author Isabella Alan
MURDER, HANDCRAFTED, June 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
Cover Reveal- Fixin' to Die by Tonya Kappes
About the book:
Kenni Lowry likes to think the zero crime rate in Cottonwood, Kentucky is due to her being sheriff, but she quickly discovers the ghost of her grandfather, the town’s previous sheriff, has been scaring off any would-be criminals since she was elected. When the town’s most beloved doctor is found murdered on the very same day as a jewelry store robbery, and a mysterious symbol ties the crime scenes together, Kenni must satisfy her hankerin’ for justice by nabbing the culprits.
With the help of her Poppa, a lone deputy, and an annoyingly cute, too-big-for-his-britches State Reserve officer, Kenni must solve both cases and prove to the whole town, and herself, that she’s worth her salt before time runs out.
Excerpt:
“Calling all units. Calling all units.” Betty Murphy’s voice felt like a stiletto in my ear as it came over the police walkie-talkie.
The clock read seven in the morning. Betty couldn’t have been at the sheriff’s office long enough to already be calling all units. Not a good sign for a Monday morning. I had yet to enjoy my cup of coffee.
“Damn,” I groaned, putting the coffee cup in the beanbag coffee holder that lay over the hump on the floorboard. It was too early for anyone in Cottonwood, Kentucky to be out and about, much less needing assistance from the sheriff’s department. Well, unless it was about the multiple coyote sightings that had been reported throughout the county, which weren’t unusual for this time of the year. In that case, I had my twelve gauge nestled on the backseat, ready to scare them away.
Duke lunged his front paws from the passenger side to the floorboard, licking up what little coffee had spilled. There was no way he was getting all of his ninety-pound body squeezed down on the floorboard.
“Kenni, you there?” Betty asked again before I could un-velcro the walkie-talkie from my shoulder. “Calling all units.” I wasn’t sure why she’d be calling for all units when the only unit was me, and Betty was well aware of that fact. Holding the steering wheel steady with one hand, I reached up and grabbed the police radio.
“Betty, I’m here.” I twisted the windshield wipers on to get what was hopefully the last of the lingering rain we’d had over the past few days. “What do you have for me?”
“Oh God, Kenni.” She sounded out of breath, rushing over my nickname, short for Kendrick. “I mean, Sheriff Lowry. I barely got in the door and put my pocketbook down before the phone started ringing.” She didn’t skip a beat. “Ronald Walton is dead and you better get over there before the rest of the town hears about it and beats you there.”
I jerked forward when I brought the old Wagoneer to an abrupt stop. I scooted up on the edge of my seat and looked out the windshield and over the hood to make sure the engine wasn’t lying on the pavement.
“What?” Shock came over me. I stared out the window. Betty had to be mistaken.
Doctor Walton had birthed over ninety-five percent of the population in Cottonwood, including me. He was old, but not casket-shopping old. And his death would be a blow to the community.
“D-E-A-D!” She spit out each letter for me as if I didn’t know how to spell.
Author Bio:
Tonya has written over 20 novels and 4 novellas, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists including USA Today. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor, and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband, three teenage boys, two very spoiled schnauzers, and one ex-stray cat in Kentucky.
Find out more about Tonya and her books www.tonyakappes.com.
Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card and Kappes Krew mystery box! Winner will be notified by email.
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Friday, March 18, 2016
What's New? Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay
I am excited for this week's What's New? Vanilla Beaned(A Cupcake Bakery Myster) by Jenn McKinlayThis is book Eight in a delicious series.
Series: Cupcake Bakery Mystery (Book 8)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 5, 2016)
Language: English
In the eighth in the New York Times bestselling series by the author of Dark Chocolate Demise, the Fairy Tale Cupcake crew goes double or nothing in Vegas...
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are taking a gamble by opening their first franchise of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes Bakery, so where better to hit the jackpot than in Vegas? Business manager Tate Harper has lined up a meeting with Holly Hartzmark, a former showgirl who’s looking to bring Mel and Angie’s sweet treats to Sin City, but Mel isn’t so sure she’s ready to hand her recipes over to a complete stranger—especially one as brash as Holly.
But after the potential bakery location gets blown up, Mel begins seeing another side to Holly—one that reminds her very much of herself. Determined to help a kindred spirit, Mel sets out to discover who is trying to keep the bakery from cashing in. But with a murderous mischief maker on the loose, the odds are stacking up against a happy ending for Mel and her friends...
About the Author:
Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Cupcake Bakery mysteries, including Dark Chocolate Demise, Sugar and Iced, and Going, Going, Ganache, has baked and frosted cupcakes into the shapes of cats, mice, and outer space aliens, to name just a few. Writing a mystery series based on one of her favorite food groups (dessert) is as enjoyable as licking the beaters, and she can’t wait to whip up the next one. She is also the author of the Hat Shop Mysteries (Copy Cap Murder, At the Drop of a Hat) and the Library Lover’s Mysteries (A Likely Story, On Borrowed Time). She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her family.
Friday, March 4, 2016
What's New? Braking for Bodies by Duffy Brown
Series: A Cycle Path Mystery (Book 2)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 5, 2016)
Language: English
Evie Bloomfield puts the pedal to the metal—in the latest Cycle Path mystery from the national bestselling author of Geared for the Grave.
Moving from Los Angeles to small, picturesque Mackinac Island to work in a bike shop might seem crazy, but Evie knows it’s the best decision she’s ever made. That’s not to say she’s gotten rid of all her stress; after all, the upcoming Lilac Festival has everyone in town riding in circles.
But things really go downhill when a ferry full of tourists—including Evie’s friend Fiona’s former boss, the editor of a sleazy rag in LA—arrives on the island. No one knows why Peephole Perry came all the way to Mackinac, but things aren’t looking good for Fiona when Peep is found dead. Now Evie has to gear up and get a grip on the truth if she wants to clear her friend’s name...
You can find all of Duffy Brown's great books on her website
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Coming Soon- Karma's A Killer by Tracy Weber
It's almost time for the release of Karma's A Killer (A Downward Dog Mystery) by Tracy Weber.Releasing on January 8th. If you don't have this series on your list to read, you should.
Series: A Downward Dog Mystery
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Midnight Ink (January 8, 2016)
Language: English
When Seattle yoga teacher Kate Davidson agrees to teach doga (yoga for dogs) at a fundraiser for a local animal shelter, she believes the only damage will be to her reputation. But a few downward-facing dogs are the least of Kate’s problems when an animal rights protest at the event leads to a suspicious fire and a drowning.
The police arrest Dharma, a woman claiming to be Kate’s estranged mother, and charge her with murder. To prove Dharma’s innocence, Kate, her boyfriend Michael, and her German shepherd sidekick Bella dive deeply into the worlds of animal activism and organizational politics. As they investigate the dangerous obsessions that drive these groups, Kate and her sleuthing team discover that when it comes to murder, there’s no place like hOMe.
About the Author
Tracy Weber (Seattle, WA) is a certified yoga therapist and the founder of Whole Life Yoga. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime, The Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and the Dog Writers Association of America. Murder Strikes a Pose is her debut novel.
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...
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Have you ever had questions that you would love to ask authors? Well today I am thrilled to have three lovely authors joining us and they ha...





























