BOOK TOUR

It's so fun to get to be a stop on the book tour for

HIPPIE HAVEN HOMICIDE

Book 2 in the Psychedelic Spy Mysteries

by Sally Carpenter

Get ready to flip your wig over another groovy 1967 retro-cozy with actress and amateur spy Noelle McNabb. Spy agency SIAMESE (Special Intelligence Apparatus for Midwest Enemy Espionage and Surveillance) turns Noelle’s pet, Ceebee, into an “acoustic kitty” to listen in on an agent known only as Old Scratch. Meanwhile, a counterculture religious sect led by the Wise One infiltrates the staid town of Yuletide, Indiana. When one of the sect members makes a premature departure to the Spirit in the Sky, Noelle investigates, but finds herself in deep water—literally. With her undercover disguiser, Noelle really knows how to sock it to ‘em. However, she still can’t solve the secrets of a certain family member. Don’t miss this fab story of saints, sinners and spies!

LKBR: Thank you for joining us today, Sally Carpenter.

SC: Hello, Lisa, happy to be here.

LKBR: Please tell us a bit about Hippie Haven Homicide.

SC: It’s the second book in the Psychedelic Spy retro-cozy series set in 1967 rural Southern Indiana. Noelle McNabb is an actress at the local Christmas-theme park. A super secret spy agency called SIAMSE recruits Noelle—and her cat—to help find an enemy agent know as Old Scratch (a euphemism for the Devil). Meanwhile, a group of counterculture hippies move into town and cause havoc among the residents. One of the sect members dies from a drug overdose—or did she? Noelle doesn’t think so, and she investigates. Meanwhile, she’s uncovering secrets about her family tree.

LKBR: What are you plans for this series?

SC: I have at least one more book in mind—taking place at an outdoor rock festival (Woodstock, anyone?)—and hopefully more if readers support the series. There’s an ongoing arc about Noelle’s family, but when I resolve it depends on how many books I write.

LKBR: Are you working on any new projects?

SC: I’m revising my four Sandy Fairfax retro-cozies. I’m correcting the errors and cleaning up the cuss words. The first two books are finished (The Baffled Beatlemanic Caper, rev. 2nd ed., and The Sinister Sitcom Caper). Any new print or ebooks bought at this point will have the changes. The other two books should be ready in a few weeks.

I’m in the early stages of the next Sandy Fairfax mystery, which will hopefully be finished in 2021. Then I’ll write another Psychedelic Spy book.

Other writing projects may come up in the meantime. I’ll just wait and see.

LKBR: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

SC: Always. I grew up watching TV and reading books. I loved the interesting characters and stories. As a kid, I would make up stories during playtime. As an adult, I dabbled in writing and sold a few pieces. I did a little playwriting, but nine years ago I started writing mysteries and stayed with that genre.

LKBR: Was getting your first book published everything you thought it would be? The feelings? The process?

SC: My first book was published nine years ago. At the time I was so busy with marketing, my day job, pets and life in general that I didn’t have much time to reflect. I was proud as punch though. The process was nerve-wracking. Took two years to write the book and two more years to find a publisher. 

LKBR: How did you handle it when changes were made to your first manuscript? I don’t have a thick skin, so I know how I would have felt.

EC: Unfortunately, what annoyed me were the changes that did not get made. After I submitted the mss. to my previous publisher, I sent a list of changes that were ignored. In 2018, my current publisher and I made the needed fixes and put out the “revised second edition.” Same story, just told better.

LKBR: What is your favorite part of being a writer?

SC:  “aha” moments when the missing pieces of the story appear. I “see” the scene run through my head like a movie and then I just write it down.

I also like getting reader feedback. It’s tough to throw a book into cyberspace and hope somebody notices it.

LKBR: Have you ever read a book that has stayed with you long after reading it?

SC: “The Spy and the Traitor” is the real-life story of Oleg Gordievksy, a high-ranking Soviet spy who turned double agent and was smuggled out of Russia to save his life. It’s a tense, taut story. I was feeling the stress and nervousness along with Gordievsky. I had to decompress after reading it.

LKBR: Why are reviews, good or bad, so important to authors?

SC: It’s nice to know that people are actually reading your books and your writing time has not been in vain. Reviews also give feedback on what’s working and what isn’t in the story. I’ve been fortunate in that most of my reviews have been positive, so apparently my work is striking a chord with readers.

LKBR: On what sites do you recommend readers leave their reviews?

SC: Amazon and Goodreads are must-haves. My Psychedelic Spy series is also on the website spyguysandgals.com, a comprehensive list of spy novels and movies. Look under the character tab “Noelle McNabb.” Reviews placed there would be appreciated.

LKBR: If you could spend one hour with a reader, what would you want to talk about?

SC: I know all about me, so I’d be interested in learning about my reader and hearing what excites them about reading.

LKBR: Thank you so much, Sally, for letting us get to know you better!

SC: Thank you for hosting me. It’s been fab gear!

About Sally Carpenter

Sally Carpenter is native Hoosier living in Moorpark, Calif.

She has a master’s degree in theater from Indiana State University. While in school, her plays “Star Collector” and “Common Ground” were finalists in the American College Theater Festival One-Act Playwrighting Competition. “Common Ground” also earned a college creative writing award. “Star Collector” was produced in New York City and served as the inspiration for her first mystery series.

Sally also has a Master of Divinity and a black belt in tae kwon do.

She’s worked as an actress, college writing instructor, jail chaplain and tour guide/page for Paramount Pictures.

The books in her Sandy Fairfax Teen Idol series are: The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper (2012 Eureka! Award finalist for best first mystery novel), The Sinister Sitcom Caper, The Cunning Cruise Ship Caper and The Quirky Quiz Show Caper, all with Cozy Cat Press.

Flower Power Fatality is the first book in the Psychedelic Spy series.

She has short stories in three anthologies: Last Exit to Murder, Plan B: Omnibus and Cozy Cat Shorts. She penned chapter three of the CCP group mystery Chasing the Codex.

Author Links 

  Webpage: sandyfairfaxauthor.com 

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sally.carpenter.54 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54118019-hippie-haven-homicide?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=tN4w7Vg3qi&rank=1 

Purchase Links 

Digital    -    Paperback 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

September 1 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 1 – T's Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
September 2 – Christy's Cozy Corners – GUEST POST
September 3 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 5 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – Literary Gold – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 7 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
September 8 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
September 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 9 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 10 – Sneaky the Library Cat's Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
September 11 – Here's How It Happened – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 12 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
September 12 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 13 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
September 14 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – SPOTLIGHT
September 14 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

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