BOOK TOUR

I'm thrilled to be a stop on the blog tour for author

Linda O. Johnston

and

Book 4 in the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries

PICK AND CHEWS

Carrie Kennersly tries to help her veterinarian boyfriend when he’s under suspicion of murder...Is he a keeper, or should she let him go off-leash for good?

As a technician for a local vet and the owner of the Barkery & Biscuits dog bakery, Carrie Kennersly is excited to host a rescue animal adoption event. She’s also excited to be in a relationship with veterinarian Dr. Reed Storme, despite his pleas for her to butt out of the murder cases she keeps finding herself involved with. Yet when Reed is accused of killing his former veterinary colleague, he seems a lot more agreeable to having amateur detective Carrie butt back in. Can Carrie clear Reed, or does she care too much for a killer?

Includes recipes for dog treats and people treats!

📚📖📚📖📚

!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

Winner will be chosen after June 11

at the end of the tour

2 lucky readers will each win 1 print copy of
PICK AND CHEWS

USA only

Enter using the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.

This giveaway is through Great Escape Book Tours, not Lisa Ks Book Reviews.

LKBR:  Thank you for being here today, Linda!

LOJ: Thank you for inviting me!

LKBR: Please tell us a bit about your book/series.

LOJ: My current series is the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries. It's about Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician who bought a bakery and turned half into a barkery where she sells some of the healthy dog treats she's developed.  But strangely (Hah!  It's a cozy mystery series) murders keep happening in the town of Knobcone Heights, and since Carrie was a major suspect in the first one and had to save herself, she's become an amateur sleuth

Carrie has developed a romantic relationship with a veterinarian at the clinic where she still works part time, Dr. Reed Storme.  Reed has started telling Carrie to back off from her investigations, for her own safety.  But in the new book, PICK AND CHEWS, Reed is the major suspect in a murder... and he requests Carrie's involvement to figure it out, as long as she's careful.

LKBR: How did you come up with the concept?

LOJ: I love dogs!  Everything I write these days includes dogs.  And since I'm always feeding my dogs treats -- not necessarily as healthy as Carrie's-- this series was a logical idea for me to follow.

LKBR: What are your future plans for this series? Any hints or spoilers you can give us about the next book?

LOJ: There will be at least one more book in the series, but I'm keeping that secret for now.

LKBR: Is writing an energizing experience, or does it take a lot out of you?

LOJ: Writing is what I do.  It takes time and energy, sure, but it's fun.

LKBR: Once you knew you wanted to be a published writer, who was the first person you reached out to for help? (Such as a publisher, or author)

LOJ:  What I've learned over time is that it's best to join organizations that support the genre you want to write in.  Since I'm into mysteries and romance, I'm a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America, as well as local chapters, among other organizations.  The members are all very helpful!

LKBR: What sort of research do you do for your books? Is it more computer based or hands on?

LOJ: That depends on the story I'm writing.  Most of my research for my current series can be done online, but for other things I've written I go out and get involved with things from dog training sessions, including K-9 training, to observing the amazing training sessions of the Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team which is part of Los Angeles Animal Services.

LKBR: What is your writing process? Place, time of day, by the hour or word count?

LOJ: I try to get things that will niggle at me as I write out of the way first, such as email and social media connections, first thing, then I settle down to my writing.

LKBR: How do you come up with character names?

LOJ: I have a book of baby names beside me at my desk and start there, although I also Google the names I come up with to try to make sure I won't be stepping on toes by using them.  Or I just dream them up!

LKBR: Is it difficult to write characters of the opposite sex? Do you have someone you use for advice?

LOJ: I've never had a problem with that, even in my romances.  I can always ask my husband if I have a question.

LKBR: Do you read reviews of your books? If you do, and a review is bad, what effect does it have on you? (I know some reviews are mean as opposed to constructive.)

LOJ: I do read reviews and am mostly delighted about the nice things people say about my work.  But, yes, I cringe at the bad ones, but I realize it's part of the publishing process--and try to just shrug off the ones that could hurt.

LKBR: Where can readers go to learn more about you and your books?

www.LindaOJohnston.com

www.facebook.com/LindaOJohnston

Writerspace, chats, blogs and more

Blogs:

KillerHobbies.blogspot.com on Wednesdays

A Slice of Orange on the 6th of each month

Killer Characters on the 18^th of each month

Under Cover of Midnight on the first Monday of each month

Writers in Residence blog every 7 weeks or so

LKBR: Linda, thank you so much for letting us get to know you better!

LOJ: Thank you for getting to know me better!  This has been fun.

I’ve read two other books in the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries, and I really enjoyed them. Great characters, fun locations, and pets. A perfect trio for me in cozy mysteries.

PICK AND CHEWS has a well thought out plot. The murder comes later in the book which gives readers a chance to learn more about their surroundings and characters instead of jumping right into the murder.

Author Linda O. Johnston puts her all into each and every book she writes. PICK AND CHEWS, like her stories before, leads readers on a whodunit that in the end, I didn’t guess.

The is one negative about the book that stands out. . .  Ms.. Johnston’s writing style does not shine through in this tale. It feels a bit subdued, and it reads as though written for much younger readers. At times reminiscent my childhood Nancy Drew books. I hope the author gets back up to her full writing strength for the next book in the series.

If you enjoyed the first three books in this series, please do give PICK AND CHEWS a read. There really are nice elements to the story that you shouldn’t miss. 

Having enjoyed two books in this series, I gladly accepted an advanced readers copy (ARC) from the publisher for PICK AND CHEWS.

About the Author

 

Linda O. Johnston, a former lawyer who is now a full-time writer, currently writes the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery Series for Midnight Ink. She has also written the Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink, and the Pet Rescue Mystery Series and Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. Linda also writes the K-9 Ranch Rescue miniseries for Harlequin Romantic Suspense as well as a paranormal romance miniseries for Harlequin Nocturne. And all her current stories involve dogs.

Author Links:

Website: www.LindaOJohnston.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaOJohnston 

Purchase Links: 

Amazon    B&N    BookBub    Kobo

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
May 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
May 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
May 31 – T's Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 1 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
June 1 – Mallory Heart's Cozies – REVIEW
June 2 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 2 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
June 3 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST
June 4 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
June 4 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 5 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
June 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 6 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
June 6 – Sneaky the Library Cat's Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 7 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
June 8 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 9 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
June 11 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 11 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

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