Perilous Pranks reivew

 

 

Perilous Pranks a Novella of 22,000 words in the Renaissance Faire Mystery series PLUS the first chapter of Murderous Matrimony, Book Six coming in November 2013.

Wanda Le Fey is dead, and Renaissance Faire lover, Jessie Morton, looks suspiciously like the person who killed her. Jessie was simply returning the prank Wanda played on her by dyeing the other woman blue. It wasn’t her fault that Wanda was also stabbed in the chest by a sword as she tried to get out of her shower. Now Wanda’s blue ghost is prodding Jessie to find her killer. And a dead Wanda is far worse than a live Wanda.

 

Jessie Morton had pulled the perfect revenge prank on Wanda LeFey. A blue dye pack in Wanda's shower head! That would teach her to glue Jessie's dress to a chair while Jessie was still in it. And finding Wanda blue in her cottage should have been a thrill and it would have been if Wanda hadn't been dead! As the prime suspect, Jessie set outs to find Wanda's killer. Little did she know she would be aided but Wanda's blue ghost!

This novella in the Renaissance Faire Mysteries is a wonderful addition to a great series. The unlikely team of Jessie and Wanda is hysterical. As with the other books in this series there are lots of insights into the workings and fun of a Ren Faire.

 

I really enjoyed this story. It had a great flow. I never guessed the killer so the reveal was a nice surprise!

 

Makes me want to go visit my local Ren Faire again this year.

PERLIOUS PRANKS is a great way to keep readers happy until the release of the next full length novel in the  Renaissance Faire Mysteries---MURDEROUS MATRIMONY in November 2013.  

 

 

PERILOUS PRANKS is the first novella in the Renaissance Faire mystery series by Joyce and Jim Lavene. This follows the first five bestsellers in the series: Wicked Weaves, Ghastly Glass, Deadly Daggers, Harrowing Hats, and Treacherous Toys. Each book also includes a craft from the Renaissance. The next book is Murderous Matrimony, which will showcase the wedding of Ren Faire enthusiast, Jessie Morton, to hunky bailiff, Chase Manhattan. That book will be out in November 2013. For more information on the series: www.renaissancefairemysteries.com.



Winner: A Skeleton In The Family

I am happy to announce the winner of a signed copy of Leigh Perry's new book A SKELETON IN THE FAMILY.

Congratulations go out to April! An email has be sent to you.

Thank you to everyone who read the interview and left such kind comments.

And a big thank you to author Leigh Perry. I can't wait to hear more from you and your awesome writing!

Leigh Perry Review, Interview and Giveaway!

I read such a fun new book that I just had to share it with you! And how better to share it then with not only a review, but an interview with the author and a Giveaway?

Author Leigh Perry (know to many as Toni L P Kelner) has written a new book called A Skeleton In The Family, #1 in A Family Skeleton Mystery series, due to be released September 3rd!

To celebrate, Leigh is giving away a signed copy of A Skeleton In The Family! Leave a comment and your email contact for a chance to win! The winner will be drawn on Sunday, August 25th.

On to the fun!


REVIEW: 

Available September 3rd!

 

Most families have skeletons in their closets…

Moving back into her parents’ house with her teenage daughter had not been Georgia Thackery’s “Plan A.” But when she got a job at the local college, it seemed the sensible thing to do. So she settled in and began reconnecting with old friends.

Including Sid. Sid is the Thackery family’s skeleton. He’s lived in the house as long as Georgia can remember, although no one, including Sid, knows exactly where he came from and how he came to be a skeleton.

Sid walks, he talks, he makes bad jokes, he tries to keep Georgia’s dog from considering him a snack.  And he manages to persuade Georgia to let him leave the house. But when she takes him to an anime convention—disguised as a skeleton, of course—he sees a woman who triggers memories of his past.

Now he is determined to find out how he died—with Georgia’s help.  But their investigation may uncover a killer who’s still alive and well and bad to the bone…

 

 

 

It was very easy to get lost in this entertaining, wonderful story.

When I first heard of this book, I was like..."What?" It sounded so unlike any other cozy mystery (or other book) I had ever read. I was right. It was like nothing else I had ever read and I LOVED every minute of it!  From the moment I met Sid the skeleton I was hooked! Indeed, I myself wish I had a Sid.

The friendship of Sid with lead character Georgia is absolutely enchanting and fun! I was wrapped up in every bit of their dialog. Best friends since she was just a little girl, you can tell there is nothing they wouldn't do for each other. And as the story progresses that becomes all too true. I also enjoyed Georgia's relationship with her daughter Madison and Sid's relationship with Georgia's sister Deborah. I looked forward to turning each page to see what would happen next.

Make sure to add this book to your To Be Read stack!



INTERVIEW:

 

LKBR: How did you come up with the idea of Sid the skeleton?

LP: I really don't know. I can find some early notes and emails when I first mentioned the idea to my husband, and then when I ran a few pages past my beta readers, but where the original spark came from is a mystery. The best I can guess is that I was thinking about paranormal mysteries, and how there were great vampire mysteries, fairy mysteries, angel mysteries, ghost mysteries, and so on... What was left? Skeletons! And the field was wide open!

Illustration by Laura's daughter Maggie

 

LKBR: Have you started the second in the A Family Skeleton series? If so, can you give us a hint as to what Sid and Georgia are up to?

 

LP: I have, though I'm not as far along as I would like to be. (Or as far along as my ever-patient editor would like me to be.) Sid's days of hiding in the attic are over! He's starring in a major production of Hamlet. Well, maybe not that major. In fact, it's at Pennycross High, the school Georgia's daughter Madison attends. And Sid isn't exactly the star. He's more along the lines of a featured player. Sort of. Okay, he's a prop, the skull of Yorick during the "Alas poor Yorick" scene. Still, he's out of the house and having a great time watching Madison's drama buddies all day. Then one day Madison forgets to take him home, and while he's stuck backstage overnight, he overhears a murder. When the body is found elsewhere, that means only Sid and Georgia know where the crime really took place, and they're the only ones who can find the killer.

 

With daughters Valerie & Maggie



 

LKBR: Do you write at a certain time of day or whenever the muse speaks?

LP: Here's a picture of my muse. 

His name is Poindexter. Poindexter is on duty 24/7, so I never have to wait for him. Seriously, I don't believe in a muse. You just find the time that works best for you, and go at it. If you wait for a muse, you'll be waiting a whole lot more than you're writing. As for me, I'm most productive in the wee hours of the morning, after the rest of the family has gone to bed. I can edit any time, but for writing, I do best overnight. It's really inconvenient, but that's the schedule that seems to work.

 

With fellow authors Dana Cameron & Charlaine Harris

 



LKBR: Is there anything special you do when starting a new book? Some sort of ritual?

 

LP: I try to spend a week or three just writing notes and ideas about the project before diving into actual manuscript. My daily ritual is to play online games before getting started--the games I play tend to rotate.

 

 

LKBR: Who are some of your favorite authors?

 

LP: My gosh, I could fill a blog with them! Robert Heinlein, Julian May, Andre Norton, Dorothy L. Sayers, Arthur Conan Doyle, Nero Wolfe, Seanan McGuire, Ilona Andrews, L. Frank Baum, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Elizabeth Peters, my buddies Charlaine Harris and Dana Cameron. Seriously, I could go on for hours.

 

Writting as Toni L P Kelner - Laura Fleming series

 

LKBR: What advice do you have for beginning writers?

 

LP:  1) Read. Read a lot. And don't limit yourself to your favored genre. Or just fiction. The more stuff that goes into your brain--good or bad--the more good stuff that will come out.

2) Use goal-setting techniques. This is another topic that could be a whole blog post, but in brief, give yourself goals that are reachable but not too easy, time-based, and meaningful. And leave yourself some fudge factor--life happens. For my first book, I set a goal of 600 words a day, 4 days a week. As I got faster, I went for 800 words a day, then 1000. (Anything more than 1000 makes me anxious, even though I do often exceed that.) I also write more days a week since I went full-time. But only you can set the right goals for your life.

3) Enjoy writing. If you're not enjoying it, find something else to do.

4) Read the fabulous writing book Motivate Your Writing! by Stephen Kelner, Jr, Ph.D. Okay, I'm biased because he's my husband, but it really is a terrific book.

 

 

LKBR: Is there anything else you would like to mention?  Some information on your other series, signings something you would like readers to know about you?

 

LP: Before I was Leigh Perry, I was Toni L.P. Kelner. (Before that I was Toni Leigh Perry, so now you can see where the names came from.) As Toni, I've written eleven novels -- eight in the Laura Fleming series and three in the "Where are they now?" series -- and a bunch of short stories. I also co-edit urban fantasy anthologies with Charlaine Harris. Games Creatures Play, our sixth, will be out in April 2014.

I'm enjoying being Leigh. It's like starting all over, except I know what I'm doing this time. Sorta kinda.

 

 

To learn more about Leigh Perry  you can find her at...

 

https://www.facebook.com/LeighPerryAuthor?ref=br_tf

 

 www.leighperryauthor.com

 

And check out Sid the Skeleton at...

 

http://www.tumblr.com/blog/sid-the-family-skeleton

 

You can pre-order your copy of A Skeleton In The Family now!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Skeleton-Family-Mystery/dp/0425255840/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377194154&sr=8-1&keywords=a+skeleton+on+the+family

 

 

 

 





 

 

 

3 in 1 Review of the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries

Another 3 in 1 review. Written by Lee Hollis AKA brother and sister writing team Rick Copp & Holly Simason, I really enjoyed the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries. The three titles are as follows.

 

Single mom Hayley Powell is barely keeping her leaking roof over her head when her boss at the "Island Times" gives her a new assignment---taking over the paper's food column. Hayley's not sure she has the chops---she's an office manager, not a writer, even if her friends clamor for her mouth-watering potluck dishes. But the extra income is tempting, and Hayley's chatty first column is suddenly on everyone's menu---with one exception.

When rival food writer Karen Appelbaum is found face-down dead in a bowl of Hayley's creamy clam chowder, all signs point to Hayley. To clear her name, she'll have to enlist some help, including her BFFs, a perpetually pregnant lobster woman, and a glamorous real estate agent. As she whips up a list of suspects, Hayley discovers a juicy secret about the victim---and finds herself in a dangerous mix with a cold-blooded killer.

 

 

 

Local food and drink writer Haley Powell thinks she's done solving murders in scenic Bar Harbor, Maine. But when a taste of the South comes to New England, Haley's following another recipe for disaster...

As a single mom, Hayley Powell already has a full plate--she's got deadlines to make and a teenage daughter with eyes for an aspiring singer-songwriter. But when country music superstar Wade Springer rolls into town, Hayley spies an irresistible side gig: personal chef to her all-American idol. After he tries her home cooking, Wade's so impressed that he hires her on the spot--and invites her to dine with him alone.

Hayley and Wade are hitting all the right notes. . .until a body turns up. Wade's tour bus was torched overnight and a roadie named Mickey Pritchett came out well-done. But the real cause of death isn't barbecue: Mickey was shot, his mouth stuffed with one of Hayley's trademark chicken legs. An ornery drunk, Mickey had already made plenty of enemies in town, but Wade's reputation is on the rocks. Hayley reckons it's up to her to settle this mess--a charbroiled mystery with all the fixin's.

 

 

 

Hayley Powell, food and cocktails columnist for Bar Harbor's Island Times, is. . .well, kind of broke. So when she's selected for that extreme coupon-clipping reality game show coming to town...

...she's thrilled, especially when her competition is nasty nurse Candace Culpepper. But when Haley stumbles across a face-down-in-the-snow Candace—scissors gleaming between her shoulders—she knows the next thing she'll be selected for will probably be a police line-up.

Meanwhile, though Hayley's BFF Mona was only joking about "taking Candace out," Bruce Linney, the Island Times crime reporter, definitely isn't laughing. And what about the smarmy, cold-hearted host of the show, Drew Nickerson, who may have been having a steamy affair with the intentionally-iced nurse? Hayley needs to cut to the chase and find the killer. Everything may hinge on a stray coupon, but Hayley better keep her eyes on the real grand prize: staying out of permanent cold storage!

 

 

 

While the first in this series was my favorite, I enjoyed all three of these books and look forward to the fourth in the series, Death of a Chocoholic, due to be released January of 2014.
 

Author Lee Hollis (Mr. Copp & Ms. Simason), has created a delightful protagonist in Hayley Powell. Her exploits in these three tales had me laughing out loud more times then I can count. Hayley is a very real, less than perfect woman, making her way in life raising her two children and working her job at the newspaper. I liked the situations she finds herself in. Hayley is helped through her adventures by her best friends Mona, an always pregnat lobster boat captain and Liddy, a high class real estate agent. Throw into the mix her brother Brain owner of the local bar, his partner Sergio the chief of police, Hayley's children, her dog Leroy (named for her NCIS TV crush Mark Harmon) Sal the editor of The Island Times and Bruce the smarmy crime reporter at the paper---you have a very well rounded cast of characters. Add to that, Bar Harbor, Maine as the beautiful setting and you have winning combinations.
 

With fast paced plots, interesting twists and solid story lines, this series is destined to be a favorite among readers.
 

Recipes lovers, you won't be disappointed. Every book features Hayley's column Island Food & Spirits, which includes seven recipes from Hayley's kitchen along with cocktails to enjoy while preparing your meal! 

 

 

3 in 1 Review of Sew Deadly, Death Threads and Pinned For Murder by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

I've been reading the the Southern Sewing Circle nysteries by Elizabeth Lynn Casey. I've read the first three and would like to share them with you.

 

Ever since she moved to Sweet Briar, South Carolina, Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair has been the talk of the tiny town. But she's been so busy at work, winning over the sewing circle, and trying to forget her cheating ex that she hasn't even had time to baste together a pillow, let alone mind local gossip. Then she finds the hometown sweetheart dead at her back door...

Everyone believes the police investigator, who's just fixin' to link Tori to the murder in a love triangle gone bad. To clear her name, Tori will have to rely on her new sewing sisters and stitch together the truth- or be darned.

 

 

Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair is basking in the warmth of her new circle of friends from South Carolina's Sweet Briar Ladies Society sewing circle. That is until local author Colby Calhoun reveals an unflattering secret about the town's historic past-and then disappears, leaving a bloody trail behind him. And when Tori begins to see a pattern of the townsfolk's age-old Southern pride standing in the way of justice, she knows it's time to unravel the mystery.

 

 

The members of South Carolina's Sweet Briar Ladies Society sewing circle are as loyal and close-knit as the day is long. But when the richest and meanest woman in town turns up murdered, the new Yankee librarian Tori Sinclair finds that some threads can bind dangerously tight.

 

 

 

SEW DEADLY, DEATH THREADS and PINNED FOR MURDER by Elizabeth Lynn Casey.

I'm new to the party on this series. But the good news for me---I still have 5 more of the series in my TBR stack to enjoy! The newest being REMNANTS OF MURDER, released earlier this month.

I fell in love with Tori/Victoria and the people of Sweet Briar from page one of Sew Deadly. Ms. Casey kept me guessing through all 3 stories. Not only that, she kept me laughing! Out loud at times!

The members of the Sweet Briars Ladies Society Sewing Circle are different as night and day. The things they do have in common are, sewing, gossip and their strong belief in each other. Well, some stronger than others. But they always come around in the end.

Tori, the town librarian, along with her fellow sewing circle members, finds herself wrapped up in one mystery after the other in these three titles. But working together there is nothing they can't do, be it a group sewing project or solving a crime. I just wish I had this group of women around in my life. Luckily, I can spend time with them on the pages!

Each book includes sewing tips (Ms Casey gets some from her readers!) and a sewing pattern of the book's project. NOTE: You do not have to know sewing to enjoy these stories. And fans with book themes won't be disappointed. Plenty of time is spent in the Sweet Briar Library!

I can't wait to get into the fourth in the series to see what the ladies are up to!

 

Do yourself a favor...read this series!



 

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Karen!
She has won her choice of a signed copy of 1 of Denise Swanson's titles!

Thank you to everyone for entering and for your great comments!
Please check back for more great interviews and giveaways!

Denise Swanson Interview and Giveaway

I'm thrilled to have had a chance to interview Denise Swanson, author of the Scumble River Mysteries series and the Devereaux's Dime Store Mysteries series. And we have a Giveaway! Denise is kindly offering 1 signed copy of the winner's choice of one of her great titles! All you have to do is leave a comment (and email contact info please)! The drawing will be held Thursday, Aug 15.Enjoy the interview and good luck!


Denise Swanson Interview

 

 

 

LKBR:    Who or what inspired you to be a writer?

 

DS:  I actually can't remember a time when I didn't want to write. I was an only child growing up in the country, so I spent almost all my time reading and living in my imagination, which then became stories that I shared with my cousins. It was sort of a natural progression to writing those stories down.

 

 

 

 

LKBR:  How do you come up with your witty titles?

 

DS:  My editor came up with the very first title, Murder of a Small-Town Honey. I was calling the book the Catfish Days Murder, which was definitely not as catchy. After I realized what she was looking for, the titles came fairly naturally. There were a few books I had a hard time coming up with titles and a few books that the titles came to me before the plots. My new book, Murder of a Stacked Librarian was one of those.

 

 

 

 

LKBR:  Why did you decide to give each chapter a name? (cool idea by the way)

 

DS:  I'm not sure why I decided to use chapter titles. I think for the first book (Death Of A Small-Town Honey) , the songs I used just popped into my head as I was writing the chapters.

 

 

Denise with husband David

 

LKBR:  Where do you get the ideas for your characters? Are any of them based on people you know?

 

DS:  Most of my characters are inspired by real life people, but generally there is more than one person that inspires each character.

 

 

 

LKBR:  Of all the books you've written, which is your favorite?

 

DS:  My favorite is always the one that I'm currently writing.

 

 

 

 



LKBR:  Do you ever experience writers block? If so, how do you work through it?

 

DS:  Not exactly writers block, but more like a stumbling block. I'll get to a part in the book that stops me cold, and until I figure out where I took a wrong turn, it's very hard to move ahead in the story. Most often, I'll brainstorm with either my husband or BFF until something clicks. Sometimes, I think about the problem just before I go to sleep and dream the answer.





Devereaux's Dime Store

 

 

LKBR:  What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you as an author?

 

DS:  It's hard to pick just one as I seem to be a weird magnet, but I guess it was a signing at a Borders Express in a mall fairly early in my career. I was sitting near the front door behind a table stacked with my books and a middle aged guy kept walking round and round me. Finally, I asked him if he enjoyed mysteries. He said, "Oh. No. I don't read." Before I could stop myself, I said, "Then what are you doing in a book store?" He shrugged and said, "My wife told me to meet her here. She says it's the only place I don't get into trouble."

 



 

LKBR:  Please tell us about any upcoming projects.

 

DS:  I just finished writing the seventeenth Scumble River book, and I'm taking a couple of months to work on a romance called Can't Buy Me Love.

 

Scumble River

 

LKBR:  Is there anything else you would like to add?

 

DS:  Murder of a Stacked Librarian comes out Sept. 3

 

 



What to know more about Denise and her great books? Check out these links!

www.DeniseSwanson.com

www.facebook.com/#!/DeniseSwansonAuthor

 

 

A big thank you to Denise for a wonderful interview! And don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win your choice of one of Denise's titles! 



 



LACED WITH POISON Review

LACED WITH POISON by Meg London #2 in A Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mystery series.

 

Cover blurb: You’re invited to the Sweet Nothings trunk show. See what the shop has to offer, taste some wonderful food, catch up with friends, and solve a murder…

Emma Taylor is happy to be drawing in customers at her aunt Arabella’s lingerie shop, Sweet Nothings, but replacing the store’s broken window is going to cost a small fortune. Hoping to hoist up their sagging profits, Arabella arranges to have a trunk show at the home of a local socialite who will invite all of her friends and take care of the catering. All Emma and Arabella have to do is show up and show off their wares. Seems simple enough…

A gorgeous spread is prepared for the event, including delicious cupcakes topped with edible flowers. But after one of the partygoers takes a bite and winds up dead, the guest list becomes a suspect list. Now Emma must separate facts from idle gossip before the killer gives the cops the slip…

 

I fell in love with Meg London's A Sweet Nothings Lingerie Mystery series when I read MURDER UNMENTIONABLE, the first book in the series. LACED WITH POISON does not disappoint!

My time spent at Sweet Nothings was time well spent. Between the beautiful pieces of vintage lingerie and the delicious, always at the ready sweet iced tea, I found myself wanting to be there everyday. And the company is as welcoming as the surroundings!

Ms. London has created a great cast of characters. Emma Taylor is a very likeable lead. When investigating the story's murder, she is intelligent and sharp, but still believable as the amateur sleuth. Her Aunt Arabella is a true delight! I for one would love to have an aunt just like her. Arabella's crusty ex-New Yorker friend, Sylvia, is a riot! You never know what she'll say. And Emma's 'maybe' boyfriend Brain is a perfect match for her.

 

With a host of other entertaining characters and a solid who-done-it mystery, Meg London has proven yet again that Paris, Tennessee is the place to be.

I look forward to a return visit in the next installment of this wonderful series!

Deathbed & Breakfast review and interview with author Bart J. Gilbertson

Deathbed & Breakfast Review

 

Cover blurb: Richard Forester, a retired CEO for a major software company, and his granddaughter Penny show up at the Pookotz Bed & Breakfast one evening and find themselves in some rather unpleasant company. All the guests somehow seem to be connected to Richard’s past and when he is found dead the next morning, everyone is suspect. However, there are a few wrinkles that the inn’s owners Edna and Mildred Pookotz need to iron out as the murder investigation unfolds. Not only was Richard deathly ill, but he was also accused of embezzling $750,000 which is still unaccounted for. The local Sheriff suspects that this victim’s death is not a natural one, so he--and the sisters--set forth to discover who the murderer is.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this first 'whodunit' of the Pookotz Sisters Bed & Breakfast Mystery series which introduces you to the quaint mountain Oregon town of Pleasant Lake and its inhabitants.

​Readers of the cozy mystery genre will fall in love with Edna and Mildred Pookotz, sisters and amateur senior sleuths, as they juggle the responsibilities of running a Bed & Breakfast and solving most bizarre mysteries!

 

 

Mr. Gilbertson has some story here. While reading it, the movie "Clue" kept coming to mind, because everytime I thought I had it figured out, a new twist would come along. Such an amazing aray of characters. In meeting each one, I thought that person could be the killer. I can honestly say I didn't see the end coming.

I'm left wondering what the Pookotz sisters will have waiting for them in Mr. Gilbetson's next installment!

Readers of a good old fashioned mystery should really love this book.

 

 

 

 

Interview with author Bart J. Gilbertson

 

 

LKBR:  When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

BJG:  I've been writing stories for as long as I can remember.  I got my first taste for books when I was in 5th Grade when I was 10 years old.  My teacher, Mrs. Moser, introduced me to the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, a 5 book young reader fantasy series.  Never before had I been so enamored with books as I was when I read those.  I still read those books every once in a while to this day!  Then a year later, I began to read the Hardy Boys mysteries and that just further fueled my fire. I would have to say that was about the time I decided that someday, I was going to become a novelist too.  So I began to write all sorts of stories.

Author Bart J. Gilbertson

 

LKBR:  Where did you get the idea for the Pookotz Sisters Mysteries?

BJG:  About 3 years ago, I was visiting my sister and her family and we were up late one night just talking, catching up on things.  She is an avid cozy mystery reader and she was telling me about a book she was reading at the time by Joanne Fluke.  After a while, we just started coming up with ideas for our own setting and characters for a cozy mystery series.  Joking around, making up humorous situations and having a good time.  And the Pookotz Sisters were born!  Within 2 or 3 days, I began to lay down the groundwork for what would become the first book in the series, Deathbed & Breakfast.  About 18 months later, I had the novel completed and the first edit done. Then after sending out numerous queries, Cozy Cat Press loved the manuscript and signed me to a contract about 1 month ago.

 

 

 

LKBR:  Are any of the characters in your story based, evenly loosely on someone you know?

BJG:  Yes!  Both real and fictional.  There are a lot of references in Deathbed & Breakfast, both obvious and hidden.  The two sisters are not based on actual people, but I always envisioned (if adapted for the screen)  Maggie Smith playing the part of Edna and Betty White the part of Mildred. There is a character mentioned in the book whose name is Rusty Barton and he is roughly based on my best friend, Dustin Barton. Sam was a character in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" and influenced Sam in my book. Also when Edna asks if Jim's wife Regina's maiden name was Saunders and he says 'No' that it was Sullivan...that was taken from the Goldie Hawn movie "Deceived". In that movie, she finds out that her husband's real name isn't really Saunders, but that it is Sullivan. Also, in the TV show "Charlie's Angels", Kate Jackson played the part of Sabrina. I took Kate's last name and put it with Sabrina as her real last name of Sabrina Jackson. When Gwen and Sam make fun of putting Richard with Richards for the name Richard Richards, that was based on the fact that I actually knew someone named Thomas Thomas. He played football for the Idaho State Bengals as an offensive lineman back in about 1986.  The other players used to call him T2 or 'T-Squared'. And finally, the obvious reference was Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

 

Bart with fellow author Terry Brooks

LKBR:  Have you started working on a second book in the series?

BJG:  Yes I have.  It is being outlined even as we speak.  The preliminary stages.  I have it plotted out, I know "who did it" and "why".  Now, I just need to get it all down on paper (or in Word)  Haha!

 

LKBR:  Any ideas for a new series or stand alone book?

BJG:  I have SO many ideas.  I do have an idea for a new series called The Ghost Mirror Mysteries. This particular series would touch more on the paranormal side.  Kind of "paranormal meets cozy" mystery.  A woman purchases an older victorian home located somewhere in the New England area, and while renovating it, she finds a body length, stand-up mirror in the basement.  A ghost appears to her in the mirror and leads her to solving that ghost's murder (as it went unsolved previously).  The idea of the series, is that a different ghost appears to her in the mirror to solve different mysteries in each book.  I have several ideas for stand alone novels as well as short stories.  I will have a book compiling 4 short stories coming out soon for kindle only.  It will be titled "Wax Hypnotic ...and other tales from beyond".  One idea I have for a stand alone novel involves time travel!  That one will be fun. 

Bart (far right) with sister Billie and her family

 

LKBR:  Is there anything else you would like our readers here to know?

BJG:  I am finding that being a published author has included me in a great new family where everyone has been SO kind and helpful to me.  Authors are truly a rare breed, and I am proud to call myself one.  I want to especially thank my sister, Billie for all of her support and help through the past few years.  I can honestly say that Deathbed & Breakfast would have never happened if it weren't for her to help motivate me.  Please stop by my (work in progress) website at http://bjgilbertson2.wix.com/bartjgilbertson  You can also find Deathbed & Breakfast on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback, and in electronic format for your kindles here http://www.amazon.com/Deathbed-Breakfast-Pookotz-Sisters-ebook/dp/B00DUGZHYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373409813&sr=1-1

The response to the book has been wonderful with all favorable reviews.  I hope you enjoy your time with the Pookotz Sisters in Deathbed & Breakfast!

 

 

Thank you so much Bart! Here's wishing you a long and happy writing career.