Hello everyone! Thanks to Lisa Kelley for letting me take over her blog today!
My name is Janice Peacock, and I’m the author of Aloe and Goodbye, a new cozy mystery released a few days ago in Kindle and Paperback editions. It’s the first book in the new Ruby Shaw Mysteries. I’ve been working on this novel for over a year because I wanted to get it just right, and I’ve got to say, I’m proud of it.
After
being placed in witness protection, Ruby Shaw and her daughter move to the
former ghost town of Paradise, Arizona, which is nothing like its name implies.
The US marshal handling their case has this advice: Fly under the radar—but
that’s difficult to do after their neighbor is murdered. You can read the full
description here (and purchase the book if you are so inclined):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MTP6WYY
But, there’s a
lot more to a story than its book description, right? So, let me tell you my
thoughts about this story and why I wanted to write it.
First, a little
background about me: In addition to being an author, I’m an artist—I work with
a torch melting glass to make beads and jewelry. I like to go to a glass
blowing studio and create large sculptures in solid glass when I can. Want to
see me in action? Check out my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/JanPeac There
are also images of my work at www.janicepeacock.com
The seed of an
idea that set me on the path to writing this book was this: What if you could
no longer do what you love to do? For me: What if I could no longer create art?
The main character in Aloe and Goodbye is Ruby Shaw, a successful
painter, who is told she can’t make art any longer because she is in witness
protection. The marshals are concerned that her unique painting style could
allow people to recognize her and put her life and that of her daughter in
danger. Art defined Ruby’s life, and it is heartbreaking for her that she can’t
do it anymore.
Ruby and her
daughter Allie are thrust into a small community that’s a former ghost town,
and it’s a shock for them. This is a significant change from their life in New
York City. (What? No cappuccinos at the local café?) Ruby has a lot to learn
about life in this postage-stamp-sized town. But Ruby and Allie are survivors
and must find a way to fit in. Ruby surprises herself by becoming interested in
gardening—which harkens back to her childhood when she lived on a farm in
Central California.
Now, this may all
sound deep, but I assure you that it is a fun cozy mystery with a cute dog
named Boomer and a little bit of romance (ohhh, sexy cook in the café? Yes,
please!) And, of course, there’s a murder. The victim is a real estate maven
who had a lot to do with Paradise returning from the brink of desolation. But
her dealings have left more than one person in town—including Ruby—on the list
of potential killers.
So, there you
have it—a little insight into Aloe and Goodbye. By the way, I
think the title fits in nicely with the themes in this book. As Ruby and Allie
leave their old lives behind, there are many goodbyes, and many hellos too—as
they meet new people and learn to live in the unusual hillside town of Paradise,
Arizona.
PS: If I’m a
new author for you, you might want to check out my humorous Glass Bead Mystery
Series. Here’s the link to that series page on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0841YS4RX
Bio
Janice Peacock is a cozy
mystery author who specializes in craft and hobby mysteries. She loves to write
about artists who find new ways to live their lives and perhaps catch a
criminal or two in the process. While working in a glass studio with several
colorful and quirky artists, she was inspired to write the Glass Bead Mystery
Series. The Ruby Shaw Mysteries, set in a small hillside mining town, were
inspired by her trips to Jerome, Arizona, and Jacksonville, Oregon.
When Janice isn’t writing about amateur detectives, she wields a 2,500-degree
torch to melt glass and create one-of-kind beads and jewelry. She lives in the
San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and an undisclosed number of cats.
Visit Janice online at www.janicepeacock.com.
December Cozy Book Giveaway
Win Ten Cozy Mysteries from Ten
Great Authors
To celebrate the release of Janice Peacock’s
new cozy mystery, Aloe and Goodbye, we are having a HUGE
book giveaway. Janice has gathered ten of her favorite authors together, and
each has generously offered a free book to the winner of our giveaway!
Book Giveaway — Now through
December 20, 2020
What a great combination of books
we have for our giveaway—from a cozy cat mystery with Jennifer Chow’s Mimi
Lee Gets a Clue, to a paranormal mystery with Angela Sanders’ Bait
and Witch (also with a cat!) and everything in
between. There’s a romantic suspense novel with Heather Haven’s Christmas
Trifle, plus a couple of culinary mysteries with D.J. Lutz’s Apple
Pie Alibi and Tara Lush’s Grounds for Murder.
Add to that a 1930s Hollywood historical cozy from Deb McCaskey called Stardusted, and
Annabelle Hunter’s Cinch Up—both of those novels have
protagonists who are horseback riders. We’ve got a Christmas-themed cozy from
Cindy Sample with Dying for a Dance. And last but not least,
we have some crime-solving moms: Eileen Rendahl’s Women of a Certain
Rage and my newest novel, Aloe and Goodbye, featuring
a mother and her daughter in witness protection living in a former ghost town
in Arizona.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
(((Rafflecopter giveaway link:)))
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9a56462c3/?
Enter by signing up for the authors’ newsletters for a total of 10 entries. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. No purchase necessary to enter.
Thank you, Janice!
You're welcome to commandeer
my blog anytime you'd like!
Everyone, please leave Janice
a big thank you in the comments section!
~~~~~
Absolutely love the cover on " Aloe and Goodbye"! This book is on my TBR list and I can't wait for the opportunity to read it. I can't imagine having to give up all you love to do in life as well as the place you love. However, I know it is human nature to adapt and as long as we have our loved ones anything is possible.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
Both mystery series sound very interesting to me. Thanks for introducing me to yet another new author Lisa. And thank you for taking time to share about your writing and glass making Janice Peacock.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the book so far.
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