Wednesday, March 31, 2021



In today's author spotlight, 
I shine my light on author
Jennifer Oakley Denslow
and her newest book
RAPIER WIT


When an extra body turns up backstage, Quanah High School’s production of Romeo and Juliet is in trouble. Small-town high school teacher Regina Murphy has to stop directing and muster up her amateur sleuthing skills to find out who killed stern math teacher Robert Slayton, an ex-military man whose classroom demeanor has made him the center of conflicts with students, parents, and other faculty. Against the advice of Sheriff Mac Snyder, Reggie balances her day job initiating students into the mysteries of the dangling participle, explaining why stage right is the audience’s left, and confronting plagiarists to protect her students and make sure the curtain goes up on time.

Check my chat with Jennifer!

LKBR:  Thank you for joining us today, Jennifer.

JOD: Thanks for having me! I’m always happy to talk with others who love cozy mysteries as much as I do.

 

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

JOD: When Regina Murphy, a small town theater teacher, finds a dead body backstage during rehearsal and her lead actor is the prime suspect, she has to put down her director’s notebook and polish here sleuthing skills to find the real culprit so the curtain can go up on the show.

I’ve been reading cozy mysteries for decades, and it’s kind of surprised me how many people don’t really know the cozy  genre. When I share with them what a cozy is, how they are usually set in a small town, the crime is committed offstage, the detective is an amateur in it to find the perpetrator for personal reasons, and the cast of characters is usually full of quirky personalities, they get excited to read one. Rapier Wit has all of those qualities, plus, it made my sister laugh out loud, so there’s definitely some humor!

 

LKBR: Are you working on any new projects?

JOD: Rapier Wit is the first book in a series, so now that it’s out, I’m working on the sequel, Slings and Arrows.

 

LKBR: How many books do put out annually (if more than one)?

JOD: Right now, I plan to put out one a year. I have a lot of ideas in the pipeline, so if I can fit in the writing around my day job teaching, I may be able to adjust the schedule and do two a year!

 

LKBR: What is your brainstorming process like? Do you have a certain order you use when starting a new story? Such as, main character development, do you already have a murder in mind, the location it takes place?

JOD: I’m always open to stories that strike a chord with me as a writer, a reader, and a lifelong Okie!  I think that sometimes people think nothing ever happens in a small town, but in Quanah, Oklahoma, the setting of all the Regina Murphy mysteries, the issues that are important to people everywhere are important to the people there, too.  In Rapier Wit, some of the story draws on the problems teachers deal with every day, like high-spirited students and plagiarism.

As for the crime, I start with thinking, why would someone be a target in this little microcosm, and take it from there. The victim in Rapier Wit is a math teacher who’s had conflicts with students, parents, and other faculty members. Slings and Arrows is going to be about how close to home the opioid crisis is to small towns in Oklahoma.

 

LKBR: Where’s the strangest place inspiration has hit?

JOD: Even when I’m not at the keyboard, the story I’m working on is always simmering.  During NaNoWriMo one year, I had an epiphany about a plot twist during a debate tournament and had to find a place to hide out for a bit so I could type up the idea on my phone before I lost it!

The bathroom. I hid in the bathroom so I could make sure I didn’t lose the idea.

 

LKBR: What publishing decisions are made by you, and what are made by the publisher? Such as, cover design, paperback/hardcover, publishing date, pricing, and so on.

JOD: Since I’m an independent author, it’s all on me to find the people to help me deliver the best book I can! I’ve learned so much since I began publishing my books and I keep learning every day. I work with very talented people who edit my books and do the work I can’t do, like design awesome covers.

 

LKBR: Multiple questions here. Have you ever thought about giving up on writing? If yes, why? What kept you going? What would you see yourself doing instead? If no, YAY!

JOD: I have never given up on writing. Writing has been a part of who I am from a very early age. It’s just taken different forms through the years. I’ve written poetry, academic papers throughout college, memoir, blogs, you name it. For a very long time, I had a daily writing practice inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s book, Writing Down the Bones.

What is very new is publishing.  I read Catherine Ryan Howard’s book, Self-Printed a few years ago and it inspired me to publish my own books. The self-publishing industry was just getting started, and I knew I could do it, so I did.

Writing can be a very isolated and isolating pastime. Knowing that people are reading my books is a way of making a connection that I value very much. There’s that saying that “books are a uniquely portable magic.” Part of that magic is in the connection between the writer and the reader who picks up the book.

 

LKBR: If you could make one request of a reader, what would that be?

JOD: I wish I could hear from every reader when they finish one of my books. I know that’s not possible, but if I had a map and could stick a pin in every location where someone has read one of my books, I think it would be incredible!

In reality, I would ask each reader to let themselves get lost in the books they read so they can truly enjoy the world the author, any author, not just me, has built for them.  I want my readers to know what it’s like to be in the darkened theater with Reggie, to feel the empathy she has for her students, and to experience what Quanah, Oklahoma is like.

 

LKBR: Thank you for joining us here today, Jennifer!

JOD: It’s been a pleasure!


Like so many writers, Jennifer Oakley Denslow began her journey as a passionate reader. Compelled to tell the stories she wanted to read, as a pre-teen she penned a series of tales for her middle school creative writing class. In high school, she went to school an hour early every day to work with other young writers to create an anthology showcasing their work.

And that was just the start.

Florid poems in the local paper, impassioned letters to the editor, and later a BA in English followed by a Master's degree in Composition and Rhetoric, firmly sealed her fate as a writer. Her love of complex characters led to a twenty-six-year career as a theater educator and a series of award-winning essays. But it wasn't until Denslow learned about the fille de cassette, or 'casket girls' sent to wed men in French colonies, that she was compelled to write a novel about the plight of women in historical times, and An Ignorance of Means was born.

Denslow is drawn to strong female protagonists with sharp intellects, and stories that delve into experiences far beyond the scope of our daily lives. When she isn't using every spare second to pen her latest novel, she can be found coaching her debate team and working with young actors to create the emotional experiences for which theater was created.

You can learn more about Jennifer's work at 
www.jenniferoakleydenslow.com



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Tuesday, March 30, 2021



There are some great titles out today!


Bodies & Bows is the third in the charming cozy Iris Buckley mystery series set in an apron shop in Maine—Elizabeth Penney will have you on pins and needles

Iris Buckley is hoping for a bit of rest and relaxation now that the summertime rush is winding down in Blueberry Cove, Maine. Her apron shop Ruffles & Bows has been a huge success, her friendships are stronger than ever, and now she’s ready for all of the end of summer cookouts on the beach that she can handle.

But before Iris can even turn on the grill, Bella’s latest fling, former Olympian sailor and gorgeous bad boy Lance Pederson is killed in a hit and run while jogging at dawn—and all the evidence points to Bella herself.

Suddenly the month of August isn’t looking so restful, since now Iris has been roped into the Lighthouse Rehabilitation Committee, helping her friend Sophie plan a wedding, and—most importantly of all—tracking down a killer and clearing Bella’s good name before everything unravels.



After hairdresser Daisy Thorne finds her missing scissors in a customer’s back, she becomes the prime suspect in a murder . . .
 
When Ooh La La regular Mel Haverstock left the hair salon that morning, no one expected it would be her final parting. But when Daisy closes shop Saturday night, she finds her client dead as the mullet cut. Homicide is back in style in the quiet village of Edgemead in Surrey, England. But who would want to harm a hair on poor Mel’s head?
 
Suspicions higher than a beehive pile on Daisy when it’s revealed that she and Mel had tangled back in high school, and DNA evidence seems to color her guilty. Handsome DCI Paul McGuinness gives the hairstylist new accessories—a lovely pair of silver handcuffs. To clear her name, Daisy must highlight the real backstabber, or she’ll end up shaving heads in the prison barbershop.



 The end of summer in the Hamptons means crisp autumn air, cozy knit sweaters—and an unsolvable mystery?

Antonia Bingham, chef and proprietor of the Windmill Inn, is looking forward to baking goodies for her customers and relaxing after a busy summer. But when a Labor Day visit by two slick Wall Streeters ends with their gruesome deaths in a summer rental house, Antonia gets pulled into the murder investigation!

Soon she's wading through social media, the local nightclub scene, and other unfamiliar haunts of the young and glamorous, all while managing her inn and restaurant. And the timing couldn't be worse: Nick Darrow, Antonia's movie star crush, is back in town and ready for a commitment... while the arrival of Antonia's sinister ex-husband threatens to bring everything crashing down.

In this installment of Carrie Doyle's cozy and delicious Hamptons Murder Mystery series, the high season may be over, but Antonia has never been busier: juggling work, recipes, love, and crime—and fighting for her own life!




Master barista Sage Caplin is opening a new coffee cart in Portland, Oregon, but a killer is brewing up a world of trouble...

Portland is famous for its rain, hipsters, craft beers...and coffee. Sage Caplin has high hopes for her coffee truck, Ground Rules, which she runs with her business partner, Harley--a genius at roasting beans and devising new blends. That's essential in a city where locals have intensely strong opinions about cappuccino versus macchiato--especially in the case of one of Sage's very first customers...

Sage finds the man's body in front of her truck, a fatal slash across his neck. There's been plenty of anger in the air, from long-time vendors annoyed at Ground Rules taking a coveted spot in the food truck lot, to protestors demonstrating against a new high-rise. But who was mad enough to commit murder? Sage is already fending off trouble in the form of her estranged, con-artist mother, who's trying to trickle back into her life. But when Sage's very own box cutter is discovered to be the murder weapon, she needs to focus on finding the killer fast--before her business, and her life, come to a bitter end...



Pamela Paterson and the Knit and Nibble ladies have plenty of talents that don't revolve around yarn. But their penchant for patterns has led to a dangerous hobby they just can't quit--unraveling murders.

Most times of the year, the tight-knit community gardens in quaint Arborville, New Jersey, overflow with seasonal vegetables and herbs. But who planted the dead body? Farm-to-table enthusiast Jenny Miller had a cookbook in the works when she was suddenly found strangled by a circular knitting needle in her own plot. Now, the pressure is on Pamela and her neighbor Bettina as they weave together clues in search of the person who kept Jenny's renowned heirloom plants--and budding career--from growing. With suspects and victims cropping up like weeds, it'll take a whole lot more than green thumbs and creative minds this spring to entangle the crafty culprit...



It’s Fourth of July in Salem, Massachusetts—and B&B owner Charlene Morris is about to witness the shot heard ’round the town . . .
 
Madison Boswell, a beauty recently transplanted from Boston, is starring in the Independence Day play in this New England town full of colonial history—and, of course, witchcraft. Madison may not be a Wiccan, but she does seem to have certain hypnotic powers. And she’s left some angry people in her wake, from a fellow actress beaten out for a role to a jealous betrayed wife. Now, as Charlene films the performance for her housemate, Jack—a handsome ghost who shares the Victorian bed-and-breakfast with her and her Persian cat—the drama queen takes a deadly bullet from what was supposed to be a prop gun.
 
With a long list of suspects and lots of backstage whispers, it looks like the investigation by Charlene and Detective Sam Holden could set off some fireworks . . .



Cape Cod bicycle shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida and her mystery book club find a certain accusation of murder quite the stretch . . .
 
When your mother is an astrologist and your dad is a minister, you learn to keep an open mind. Which is just what Mac loves to do—exercise her mind by puzzling out fictional clues in the mystery novels she reads and discusses with her Cozy Capers Book Group.
 
But now Mac’s friend Gin has found herself in a sticky situation. After wealthy genealogist Beverly Ruchart is found dead outside Gin’s taffy shop, the candy maker becomes a person of interest. When it’s revealed that Beverly was poisoned the night Gin brought a box of taffy to a dinner party at Beverly’s house, she’s bumped to the top of the suspects list. It’s up to Mac and her Cozy Capers crime solvers to unwrap this real-life mystery. But this time they might have bitten off more than they can chew . . .



Private investigator Poppy Harmon likes the anonymity of working behind the scenes for the hottest names in Palm Springs. But when solving a case demands dragging her old acting career out of retirement, it’s lights . . . camera . . . murder!
 
Cast in her first role since the 1980s, Poppy has never been more rattled or unprepared on a film set. It’s an embarrassing but necessary cover to keep an eye on client Danika Delgado, a rising starlet and social media influencer with a large following—including a dangerous stalker who won’t disappear. The leading lady’s fame is growing, and so are the threats against her life . . .
 
Unfortunately for Poppy, there’s more to fear than flubbed lines. When she finds Danika smothered to death in her trailer at Joshua Tree National Park, the horrifying crime stirs up memories of a man known as the Pillow Talk Killer during her time as a young actress, bringing unsolved murders from the past back into focus . . .
 
A trail of clues urges Poppy, hunky sidekick Matt Flowers, and the rest of the Desert Flowers Detective Agency gang on a frantic chase after Danika’s crazed #1 fan. But as co-stars and production crew members start looking equally suspicious, Poppy must expose a slew of insidious industry secrets before a murderer rolls out the red carpet for someone else . . .




Do good fences make good neighbors?

Miss Sissy is a talented member of the Village Quilters guild in tiny Dappled Hills, North Carolina. She’s also somewhat difficult to deal with as her new neighbor, Linton, discovered. Linton doesn’t understand why Miss Sissy’s house is almost entirely covered by thorny weeds like something out of Sleeping Beauty. Miss Sissy, on the other hand, doesn’t understand why that’s any of Linton’s business.

When Linton ends up very dead, Miss Sissy seems to be the obvious suspect. But Beatrice and the other Village Quilters are determined to discover the real murderer and clear Miss Sissy’s name—before the killer strikes again.



Telling someone that the antique they paid a lot of money for is a fake
isn’t always welcome news to the owner, or for that matter,
the dealer who sold it to them. Is that why Carl, the owner of the Palm Springs Antique Shop, had his life threatened?
Or maybe someone thought dressing his dog in silks and jewels
Was ridiculous? Or maybe it was telling his adult daughter,
A daughter he didn’t know he had, and who wanted to have a relationship with him, that he wasn’t interested.
Our pasts have a way of catching up with us. Maybe it was just Carl’s time.

Fortunately, his friend Marty has solved a lot of mysteries, and being married to a Palm Springs Police Detective, she hopes she can help him before it’s too late. And it sure is nice to have a guard dog who seems to have psychic powers help out!



Bookshop owner and maid of honor Addie Greyborne vows to catch the killer who crashed her best friend’s wedding . . .
 
It promises to be Greyborne Harbor’s wedding of the year. The impending nuptials of Serena Chandler and Zach Ludlow will take place aboard his family’s luxurious super-yacht, currently moored in the harbor and the talk of the town. But on the day of the wedding, a man’s body washes up on the beach with no ID, only a torn page from a book in his pocket. As owner of Beyond the Page Books and Curios, bibliophile Addie is called in to identify the book, but she cannot.
 
The morning following the extravagant ceremony, a second body washes ashore and Addie has a sinking feeling that the two deaths are connected. While the guests are held on the yacht as the police investigate, at least Addie can peruse Zach’s father’s rare books library on board. A copy of Agatha Christie’s first Hercule Poirot novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, provides a clue that the killer may still be on the ship—but narrowing down the suspects without becoming the next victim may prove a truly Herculean task . . .


Which of these titles do you 
want to get your hands on?

As always, please leave a comment and
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in
upper right hand corner of this page (on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click "View web version". Then follow the above directions.

Monday, March 29, 2021


Check out these giveaways at GoodReads!

There could be a mix of print and eBooks, so make sure to check before you enter.

Use the link below each book for a chance to enter.











📚🕮📚🕮📚


GOOD LUCK!

PS . . . While you're there, I'd love for you to friend me and check out my reviews! If you enjoy them, please make sure to Like them. Thanks!



As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 
upper right hand corner of this page (on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click "View web version". Then follow the above directions.

Sunday, March 28, 2021

 

Today I'm joining Berkley Mystery
in celebrating the release of  
HAUNTED HIBISCUS
Book 22 in the Teashop Mysteries
by Laura Childs


Tea maven Theodosia Browning brews up trouble in the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.

It is the week before Halloween and Theodosia Browning, proprietor of the Indigo Tea Shop, and her tea sommelier, Drayton, are ghosting through the dusk of a cool Charleston evening on their way to the old Bouchard Mansion. Known as the Gray Ghost, this dilapidated place was recently bequeathed to the Heritage Society, and tonight heralds the grand opening of their literary and historical themed haunted house.

Though Timothy Neville, the patriarch of the Heritage Society, is not thrilled with the fund-raising idea, it is the perfect venue for his grandniece, Willow French, to sign copies of her new book, Carolina Crimes & Creepers.

But amid a parade of characters dressed as Edgar Allan Poe, Lady Macbeth, and the Headless Horseman, Willow's body is suddenly tossed from the third-floor tower room and left to dangle at the end of a rope. Police come screaming in and Theodosia's boyfriend, Detective Pete Riley, is sent to Willow's apartment to investigate. But minutes later, he is shot and wounded by a shadowy intruder.

Timothy begs Theodosia to investigate, and shaken by Riley's assault, she readily agrees. Now, she questions members of the Heritage Society and a man who claims the mansion is rightfully his, as well as Willow's book publisher and her fiancé, all while hosting a Sherlock Holmes tea and catering several others.

But the Gray Ghost holds many secrets, as do several other key suspects, while this murder mystery plays out on the eve of Halloween.


INCLUDES DELICIOUS RECIPES AND TEA TIME TIPS!


HAUNTED HIBSCUS was the book I needed to read, just at the right time. With summer looming (Yes, looming. I don’t like summer), getting to read a cozy set during Halloween returned me to cool autumn days, and the promise of frost. But, onto the review.

Author Laura Childs is cozy mystery royalty. All of her series are followed by adoring readers who just can’t get enough of her remarkable prose. HAUNTED HIBCUS is the perfect example of why.

This 22nd installment to Laura Childs’ Teashop Mysteries held me enthralled. From the excitement of a Halloween party, the heartbreakingly tragic death of a young women filled with promise of a wonderful life to come, and a killer who just plain torked me off until the satisfying reveal, HAUNTED HIBSCUS was a one sitting read for me. I simply couldn’t put it down.

With the exception of poor, shot Riley, our favorite Teashop Mystery characters are stronger than ever as the investigations heats up in the death of Willow French, the unfortunate author who will never know just have many copies her book would sell, and the afore mentioned poor, shot Riley. Who is the killer and what is he/she hiding that it’s worth killing for? The author doesn’t make it easy for us to guess. 

I suggest that you keep yourselves seatbelted in until the twists and turns of HAUNTED HISICUS come to an end. It’s totally worth the roiling ride! 


Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.


As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by submitting your email in 
upper right hand corner of this page (on the side bar).

Reading from your phone? Scroll to the bottom of your page and click "View web version". Then follow the above directions.

Saturday, March 27, 2021

BOOK TOUR


I'm so happy to be a stop on the blog tour for
BOARDING WITH MURDER
Book 1 in the Sierra Pines B&B Mysteries
by Kathryn Long


Take one quaint B&B, two kind but quirky caretakers, a dead aunt, a murdered friend, and you have mystery. Ali Winston finds she's inherited trouble along with her aunt's B&B, but can she reveal the killer before the curtain closes?

📚📖📚📖📚

!!!GIVEAWAY!!!

1 lucky reader will win 1
$10.00 Amazon Gift Card & Swag

USA only

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

Winner will be chosen after April 4 at the end of the tour


LKBR:  Thank you, Kathryn, for joining us today.

KL: Thank you! I’m so excited to be here. It’s fun connecting with readers.

 

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

KL: Boarding with Murder is a cozy mystery taking place in Sierra Pines, located in the foothills and pine forest near Lake Tahoe. The Victorian house turned B&B has been passed down to Alexis Winston, and the kind but quirky Bellwether siblings help her run the place. When a murder happens right under their roof, the siblings are primary suspects, so Ali is determined to discover who the real killer is before her dear friends are permanently placed behind bars.    

 

LKBR: How many hours a week do you work in order to meet your deadline(s)?

KL: Unfortunately, I am totally undisciplined in that my writing schedule is nonexistent most days, but deadlines are definitely a motivator. Right now, I have the third book in the B&B series due to the publisher by July 15th. So, I’ll map out how many words a week I need to write to have it finished by, let’s say June, thus giving me time to read over, maybe reach out to beta readers to also run through it, and then polish the work before turning it in. Hours spent will be sporadic because, as always, personal stuff will get in the way. I can say I usually write 1,000 to 3,000 words a day, once I get focused on that deadline. And I typically write only during the week, saving the weekends for personal fun time with the family. Oh, and promoting my work by posting on social media, etc. take up a ton of time!

 

LKBR: Are you working on any new projects?

KL: I don’t know if you’d count this as new, but I do have another cozy mystery series written under my pen name, Bailee Abbott. The first one, A BRUSH WITH MURDER, is up for preorder. I have to write the second by November 15th. As you can see, I have my plate full this year with two to write. It amazes me how some authors can write as many as a half dozen or more books a year. I’m exhausted just thinking about it!

 

LKBR: How many books do put out annually (if more than one)?

KL: No more than two. I couldn’t handle more than that.

 

LKBR: What is your brainstorming process like? Do you have a certain order you use when starting a new story? Such as, main character development, do you already have a murder in mind, the location it takes place?

KL: It differs from series to series. Usually, I start with a setting, a place I’ve been to or am greatly interested in. I do have a murder in mind, but then my creative brain goes all over the place. Characters pop up in my head, what they do, how they fit, and I quickly start outlining to see how it works. The plot is reworked several times before I can sit down to write the story. For BOARDING WITH MURDER, it started with watching ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. I thought about the eccentric Brewster sisters and how poor nephew Mortimer stumbles on their alarming activity. I love movie classics, and the idea of making the cast of book characters part of show business developed.

 

LKBR: What publishing decisions are made by you, and what are made by the publisher? Such as, cover design, paperback/hardcover, publishing date, pricing, and so on.

KL: It varies with publishers. Small ones tend to give the author more input and decision making. Bigger ones, not so much. At least that’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t been published by one of the big four! I had a lot of input on the cover design for BOARDING WITH MURDER. In the case of A BRUSH WITH MURDER, the cover artist first made a sketch and it was sent to me for approval. Then, they sent the finished product for approval. (Not sure what would’ve happened if I didn’t like it. I think they get final approval, no matter what.) They asked for title suggestions, but in the end, came up with their own. The rest—PB vs HB, release date, pricing, etc.—is decided by them only.

 

LKBR: Have you done both self-publishing and traditional publishing? If yes, how do they differ? And do you as the author have to promote them equally, or does a publisher handle a lot of the promoting?

KL: I’ve done both. In the early years of my writing, I used Amazon and Smashwords self-publishing to release my work. Back then, it was frowned upon by traditional publishers, and that made it harder for self-pubbed authors to break into the traditional market. All that’s changed, thank goodness. My experience was underwhelming. It’s hard when you don’t have a budget for things like hiring an editor or having dollars for marketing. It was fun to explore the various aspects of the publishing process, but I wouldn’t delve into it again. Promoting, however, is another matter. With smaller publishers, a lot of it falls on the author’s shoulders. Even with the midlist and bigger publishers, unless you are a big name in the industry, you’ll do a lot on your own.

 

LKBR: Multiple questions here. Have you ever thought about giving up on writing? If yes, why? What kept you going? What would you see yourself doing instead? If no, YAY! J

KL: I will probably keep writing until my brain gives out or I stop enjoying it. My motivation comes from finishing a story and thinking how awesome and blessed I am for being able to create such work. And feedback from readers always validate my efforts. I love that part especially. What would I do instead of writing? Well, I’ve had many jobs—I taught special needs kids for several years. Prior to that, I was a manager of a bookstore. But hey, if my fantasy could’ve come true, I’d have been rocking it out on stage as a singer! LOL…as if.


LKBR: If you could make one request of a reader, what would that be?

KL: Tell me what you thought about my work and hopefully write a review. Reviews are a great way to let authors know you appreciate what they do, and they do help others in deciding whether they want to read the book.

 

LKBR: Thank you for joining us here today, Kathryn!

KL: Thank YOU! I really enjoy talking about writing and sharing with readers what makes it happen!


About Kathryn Long


Retired teacher, Kathryn Long now spends her days plotting and writing mysteries. Her most recent credits are romantic suspense novel, A DEADLY DEED GROWS and mystery, BURIED IN SIN. She’s a member of Sisters in Crime as well as of International Thriller Writers. Under the pen name, Bailee Abbott this author writes the Paint by Murder cozy series, starting with A BRUSH WITH MURDER soon to be released. Kathryn lives with her husband and furry friend Max in the quiet suburbs of Green, Ohio.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 22 – Diane Reviews Books – GUEST POST
March 22 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Christy's Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT WITH RECIPE
March 25 – Here's How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
March 26 – Tea Book Blanket – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 27 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 28 – The Book's the Thing – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
March 29 – Novels Alive – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – A Wytch's Book Review Blog – REVIEW
March 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 30 – Literary Gold – REVIEW
March 31 - My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
March 31 - FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 1 –The Avid Reader – REVIEW
April 1 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
April 1 – Brianne's Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 2 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
April 2 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 2 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
April 4 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT
April 4 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT


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In other news . . .
 
Have you ever wanted to chat Live with an author?
Here's your chance!

Head over to the beachbumbookworm's channel on YouTube, Sunday March 28, at 2:00 pm est, where 
YouTuber and cozy mystery fan, Tiffany, will be hosting author 
Leslie Budewitz!
 

 

I'll be there for the fun, and I hope you will too!
While you're there, subscribe to beachbumbookworm and click notifications so won't miss one of Tiffany's videos.


As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

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