June 29

Saw the release day of 

TO BEAD OR NOT TO BEAD

Book 4 in the Glass Bead Mysteries

by Janice Peacock

When a wealthy theater owner is killed by a falling art glass chandelier, glass beadmaker Jax O’Connell’s boyfriend, Detective Zachary Grant, quickly determines it was no accident. Jax and her friend Tessa try to carry on with a charity fashion gala at the theater, but with only a few days before the big event, they have to scramble to keep things from falling apart. The emcee quits, and to make matters worse, Tessa’s daughters are suspects in the murder. As the chaos unfolds, Jax discovers new suspects at every turn, including an edgy glass blower, an agoraphobic socialite, and a hunky former-cop-turned-actor. Can Jax piece together the clues to find the killer and uncover the dark secrets behind the victim’s family or will it be curtains for her?

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!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

One lucky reader will win a

A Glass Bead & Pewter Bookmark!

Handmade by author Janice Peacock!

She even handmade the bead!

Bookmark will be different from the one in photo.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter

USA - Only

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LKBR: Hi, Janice. It’s great to have you back on the blog!

JP: Hi, Lisa! I’m so glad to be here.

LKBR: Please tell us a bit about your new book, and about your series.

JP: The newest book is called To Bead or Not to Bead. It was just released last Friday, and so far the response from readers has been fantastic. It's the fourth book in the Glass Bead Mystery Series. In this book, the main character, Jax O’Connell, and her friend Tessa are volunteering at a community theater when a terrible accident occurs—a beautiful art glass chandelier falls on the stage, killing the theater’s owner. It’s not long before the police determine that it wasn’t an accident and Tessa’s daughters are suspects in the murder. The charity auction that Jax and Tessa are working on falls into disarray, and they try their best to carry on without the theater owner or the emcee who unexpectedly quits.

The main character in my series, Jax O’Connell, is glass bead maker, which is an unusual vocation. Basically, she melts glass in a high-powered torch and then sculpts it into shapes to make gorgeous handmade glass beads. She has gotten mixed up in a few murder investigations, and has recently started to date a Seattle homicide detective who has been less than supportive about Jax’s sleuthing efforts. While Jax drives the plot, her kooky neighbor Val keeps things spicy—literally and figuratively—with her over-the-top recipes and love of science fiction movies. Add to the mix Jax’s cat, the catnip addicted Gumdrop, and a cast of quirky characters and you’ve got a fun fast-paced humorous mystery.

For readers who’ve yet to discover the Glass Bead Mystery Series, High Strung, Book One in the series, is free through July 15. Here’s the Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2lMW33b

LKBR: How did you come up with the concept?

JP: I initially came up with the concept while I was working in the studio at Corning Glass museum in upstate New York. During a workshop I noticed that there were many eccentric artists and interesting dynamics between the students, instructors, and others working in the facility. There were not-very-secret romances, self-serving agendas, ego-motivated maneuvers, and subtle manipulations. All of these actions reminded me of the plots I’d read in cozy mysteries. I’ve always loved cozy mysteries, but there have been very few bead-related mysteries, so I decided I was the right person to write one!

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

JP: Actually, I’m gearing up to start writing a new cozy series. I’ve got several ideas vying for my attention, so I’m not sure which project I’ll start next. But, don’t worry, Jax will be back in the future—I could never let her go.

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

JP: I’ll be honest. It takes a lot out of me. The first draft is fun, even the second draft. But after all edits, new drafts, feedback from beta readers, editor’s corrections and questions, it really does wear me out. But, you know what energizes me? When the first reviews come in and they’re positive, or when I get an email from someone who has just finished reading one of my books and loved it. That means so much to me and definitely keeps me going when I’m tired. Positive feedback helps motivate me to start writing the next novel.

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)

JP: The first thing I did was find a group of authors who could be my on-line review team. I joined a group called Book Country, which sadly is now defunct. The good news is that I did connect with a few authors who I am still in touch with several years later.

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

JP: I do a little of both. For the computer-based research, there’s a lot of Googling. My internet searches could really get me in trouble. For instance, I’ve recently searched for: What drug do you take to stop an opioid overdose? What does a dead body look like that has been in the water for 24 hours? How can you electrocute someone? Of course, it’s all in the name of research.

As for the hands-on aspect, in my newest book To Bead or Not to Bead, I worked in a community theater several years back, and also did theater when I was in high school. I pulled from those experiences in order to get the location and backstage details right.

My theater experience, along with my glass art work helped me get a lot of the setting and characters right. As for setting, I’ve spent a lot of time in Seattle and have visited the Seattle Underground which features prominently in To Bead or Not to Bead.

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

JP: It varies. I typically spend a month blasting through a rough draft and then several months working part-time to revise and edit. Since I am also a studio artist and instructor in glass bead making, I teach all over the country, and often travel to attend conferences, as well. I always have good intentions to write while I’m traveling, but it often doesn’t happen due to busy schedules and the exhausting nature of travel. So, I don’t really have any strict protocols for how I get a book done. I do best when I work toward a deadline, so I find that once I pick a release date, I’m working every day, nearly full time, to complete the manuscript.

LKBR: How do you come up with character names?

 JP: The character names come from a variety of sources, and sometimes the names change while I’m developing the manuscript. I try and pick something that sounds like the type of person in the story. For instance, Austin Greer is the name of the wealthy man who gets squashed by a chandelier. That just sounds like the name of a rich guy. Jax—which is short for Jacqueline—I named her after the street I lived on when I first moved to Northern California, which was Jacqueline Way. Gumdrop, which is the name of Jax’s cat, was one of my daughter’s nicknames when she was little.

LKBR: Is it difficult to write characters of the opposite sex?

 JP: I don’t find it that challenging. When I write, I’m sort of running a movie in my head of what is happening, and when it’s a man’s turn to talk, I listen to what he sounds like. Granted, I write in first person and my main character is a woman, so writing men’s roles is pretty minimal. I know I’d find it difficult to write completely from a man’s perspective. All the stories floating around in my head right now all feature women as the main characters, so that’s definitely my comfort zone.

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 opposed to constructive.)

JP: I try really hard to not read reviews. When I do look, it’s like I’m peeking through my fingers, not wanting to see them, but unable to look away—something I’ve heard called the road kill phenomenon. The first horrible review I received, which really was quite vicious, upset me, but there was nothing I could do. I had to remind myself that this person was a troll, and that we never, ever feed the trolls by responding to them. I had to chalk it up to my book not being his or her cup of tea, and carry on. Ultimately, I have to do the best that I can do and hope that my readers will enjoy it—not all readers, just the readers that like the kind of book I write. I suppose I’ll always read some of my reviews, because the good ones really do make all the hard work worthwhile.

LKBR: What are 3 things readers may not know about you?

JP: I’ve had a lot of unusual jobs in my life. Here are three of them.

In the 1980s I was a rock n roll DJ and worked at a radio station in Santa Barbara, California. I got to see a lot of concerts and interview rock stars. What a wild and fun time that was! I often thought that a radio station cozy mystery would be fun to write—like the old show “WKRP in Cincinnati.”

I used to work at Disneyland. That was a great way to make money while I went to college in Southern California. I worked in men’s costuming, which meant it was also a great way to meet potential boyfriends. It was fun to help the guys choose their costumes each day, often something different than the day before. One day they’d be pirates working on the Pirates of the Caribbean, and the next they’d don their silver suits for a stint on Space Mountain.

I ran a theater program for children for several years. Kids from the community would take after-school classes to learn about theater, rehearse, and perform musicals. It was a magical time for me and my daughter, who participated in the program. My newest book, To Bead or Not to Bead draws from my experiences working in community theater.

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

JP: www.janicepeacock.com is the best place to learn about my books.

My Amazon page is amazon.com/author/janicepeacock

My Goodreads page is www.goodreads.com/JanicePeacock

www.janicepeacockglass.com is where you can see my glass beads and art.

I’m active on social media. Please like my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JanPeac.

I love Instagram and Twitter! If you do too, follow me at @JanPeac

My Pinterest page is full of fun stuff, including lots of pictures of handmade glass beads, and many of my other passions. is available at all major on-line retailers. Here’s the Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2lO2HWU

LKBR: Thank you so much for being here, Janice. I look forward to your next visit!

 JP: It’s been my pleasure, Lisa. It’s always a great spending time chatting with you. Thanks very much!

Janice Peacock decided to write her first mystery novel after working in a glass studio full of colorful artists who didn't always get along. They reminded her of the odd, and often humorous, characters in the murder mystery books she loved to read. Inspired by that experience, she combined her two passions and wrote High Strung: A Glass Bead Mystery, launching a new cozy mystery series featuring glass beadmaker Jax O'Connell.

When Janice isn't writing about glass artists-turned-amateur-detectives, she makes glass beads using a torch, designs one-of-a-kind jewelry, and makes sculptures using hot glass. An award-winning artist, her work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of the Corning Museum of Glass, the Glass Museum of Tacoma, WA, and in private collections worldwide.

Janice lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two cats, and twelve chickens. She has a studio full of beads...lots and lots of beads.

www.JanicePeacock.com

Twitter, Instagram: @JanPeac

www.pinterest.com/janpeac

www.facebook.com/JanPeac

www.goodreads.com/JanicePeacock

 GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK ONE

(FREE at the time of this posting

for Kindle, Nook, & Kobo)

A Humorous Cozy Mystery for Readers 

Who Love Beads,and Even Those Who Don't

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 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.

 BOOK TWO

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?

BOOK THREE

Glass beadmaker Jax O’Connell and her friend Tessa have no idea what challenges await them when they take a glassblowing class with Marco De Luca, a famous Italian glass artist—and infamous lothario.

After the first night of class, Tessa sees a body through the rain-streaked window of the studio. The next morning there’s no sign of Marco, and one of the studio owners is also missing. The local sheriff isn't taking the disappearances seriously, but Tessa knows what she saw. To complicate matters, Officer Shaw and Detective Grant are both vying for Jax’s attention as she tracks down clues in a small town that's been keeping more than one secret.Jax and Tessa must face their fears to find the body and uncover the killer before another life is shattered. 

BOOK FOUR

Glass beadmaker Jax O’Connell and her friend Tessa have no idea what challenges await them when they take a glassblowing class with Marco De Luca, a famous Italian glass artist—and infamous lothario.

After the first night of class, Tessa sees a body through the rain-streaked window of the studio. The next morning there’s no sign of Marco, and one of the studio owners is also missing. The local sheriff isn't taking the disappearances seriously, but Tessa knows what she saw. To complicate matters, Officer Shaw and Detective Grant are both vying for Jax’s attention as she tracks down clues in a small town that's been keeping more than one secret.

Jax and Tessa must face their fears to find the body and uncover the killer before another life is shattered. 

MINI-MYSTERY

(FREE at the time of this posting

for Kindle, Nook, & Kobo)

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. SPECIAL BONUS MATERIAL: Included with this short story are sample chapters from High Strung, Book 1 in the Glass Bead Mystery Series.

 Remember both of these great titles are FREE at the time of this posting, for Kindle, Nook, & Kobo!

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TOO BEAD OR NOT TO BEAD

Available Now!

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