Have you ever wondered what your favorite authors are doing when they aren't writing those wonderful cozy mysteries that we love so much?

Do they have other jobs, hobbies, hidden talents?

Now you can find out!

Stop by the blog on Thursdays for delightful guest posts from our amazing authors! 

They're going to be sharing all sorts of things that they do when they're not writing.

Today's special guest author is 

Janice Peacock!

Janice is the author of the wonderful 

Glass Bead Mystery Series.

So, what does Janice do when she's not writing? 

When I’m Not Writing, I’m Knitting (Badly)

When I’m not writing, I love to make things.  In fact, I’ve only been writing cozy mysteries for a few years, so I’ve had plenty of time to develop all sorts of crafty interests. Other than being a writer, I am an artist.  I work with molten glass for a living, sometimes just small amount of glass—when I am making beads—and sometimes huge amounts of glass when I am making large sculptures by ladling molten glass into a sand mold.  It’s a pretty exciting process. You can see a video of me working with hot glass here>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lPlEYEdcWc

But other than glass and writing, I love to knit—though I am terrible at it.  In fact, every sweater I’ve ever made has been completely unwearable.  Does that stop me from making them?  Not so far. 

For the first sweater I made, I used boucle yarn that is fluffy and curly.  I figured it would hide any errors I made if I slipped or dropped a stitch. When I finished, which took months with

my slow knitting and purling, I put the sweater on and discovered that I looked like an enormous pink poodle. I couldn’t keep this sweater on for more than a few minutes. Each time I looked in the mirror I burst out laughing. I just looked too ridiculous—so puffy that I could barely keep my arms flat against my sides.

My second knitted sweater made me look like the Michelin Man.  Not a good look, I assure you! The alternating sections of knits and purls created a hideous garment with horizontal ribs that gave me roll after roll down my arms and over my (not too svelte to begin with) torso. But did this stop me? It should have, but no, I carried on.

The next cardigan I finished looked like something that Yoda would have worn. It was enormous and a vile green color, and every time I put it on I felt like I was wearing someone else’s old bathrobe. Not a good look. I never once wore it in public and sent it off to Goodwill, hoping that someone would buy it and give it a good home.

I swore I’d never make another sweater after that, but while I was in the knit shop I saw an adorable pattern and a friend convinced me I should try one more time.  

She also convinced me that my past problems had been caused by making the sweaters too big. I didn’t think size was the problem, I had just made bad choices—over and over again. But I relented and tried making a smaller sweater. The completed garment was so tiny I could barely squeeze into it.  It fit my teddy bear pretty well, though.

So that you don’t think I’m completely pathetic, I have had some successes—I’ve made cute felted handbags and several silly scarves. I even made a pair of slippers for my husband, who has dutifully worn them for the last few years—a sure sign of love and perhaps a testament to my improved knitting skills.

I’ve got a couple of unfinished sweaters in a basket in my closet.  I’d really like to finish them, but they’ve got me worried. How will they go wrong?  Will I hate them, or will I, after all these years and miles of yarn finally, finally make something I will want to wear?  

Those questions will have to wait, though, because summer is just around the corner here in sunny California. I’m not going to need a new sweater any time soon.  Of course, I could just buy one and be assured that it would fit and not make me look like Godzilla’s older sister.  But what would be the fun in that? 

I don't know about all of you, but Janice's misses sound better than my hits! Put yarn in my hands and I tend to make only knots. 

I want to thank Janice for letting us take a peek into what she does when she's not writing. 

You can thank Janice too by reading and reviewing her books. You'll love the Glass Bead Mysteries!

After inheriting a house in Seattle, Jax O'Connell is living the life of her dreams as a glass beadmaker and jewelry designer. When she gets an offer to display her work during a bead shop’s opening festivities, it's an opportunity Jax can't resist—even though Rosie Perez, the store's owner, is the surliest person Jax has ever met. 

The weekend’s events become a tangled mess when a young beadmaker is found dead nearby and several oddball bead enthusiasts are suspects. Jax must string together the clues to clear her friend Tessa's name—and do it before the killer strikes again.

A bead bazaar turns bizarre when jewelry designer and glass beadmaker Jax O'Connell discovers a dead body beneath her sales table. Suspected of murder, Jax and her friend Tessa scramble to find the killer among the fanatic shoppers and eccentric vendors. They have their hands full dealing with a scumbag show promoter, hipsters in love, and a security guard who wants to do more than protect Jax from harm. Adding to the chaos, Jax's quirky neighbor Val arrives unexpectedly with trouble in tow. Can Jax untangle the clues before she's arrested for murder?

A Bead in the Hand is the second book in the Glass Bead Mystery series.

This stand-alone short story features the fun and quirky characters of the Glass Bead Mystery Series.

It's Valentine's Day and Jax O'Connell's red VW bug is missing. Did she forget where she parked The Ladybug as she rushed to deliver her handmade glass beads, or has the beloved car been stolen? Searching the streets of Seattle, Jax and her best friend, Tessa, face some unsavory characters. Jax regrets not having a date on the most romantic day of the year after spotting Ryan, Seattle's newest--and hottest--cop and running into Zachary, the stern yet sexy detective. She must take matters into her own hands to find The Ladybug and salvage her love life, and do it before the day is over.

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