Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Monday, August 30, 2021
Have you ever wondered what your favorite author would be doing if they hadn't chosen to be a writer?
Shudder the thought!
I asked some of my favorites the same question.
Here's what author
Edith Maxwell / Maddie Day
has to say.
Thanks, Lisa, for asking me over today! I am beyond
thrilled that No
Grater Crime, my twenty-fifth novel, released last week. It’s
also the ninth Country Store Mystery. For regular readers, rest assured the
series continues after this book.
But the topic of this blog isn’t writing. It’s what I
would do if I didn’t write murder mysteries for a living.
Um, wow. It’s hard to wrap my head around that. Since
I began writing what ended up as A
Tine to Live, a Tine to Die back in 1994 when my younger son
went off to kindergarten, there is nothing I’ve wanted more than to be a
full-time fiction author.
If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have written three series as
Edith Maxwell (tentatively beginning a new one now, in fact): the two-book
Lauren Rousseau Mysteries, the five-book Local Foods Mysteries, and the seven-book
historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries. Five of the books featuring midwife Rose
in a late-nineteenth-century mill town have been nominated for an Agatha Award
for Best Historical Novel, and Charity’s Burden won the coveted prize
last year.
I also wouldn’t have discovered my Maddie Day Author
persona, who apparently has an in with readers. The Country Store Mysteries,
featuring Robbie Jordan, chef, carpenter, and bicyclist, and her southern
Indiana restaurant Pans ’N Pancakes, are wildly popular. I am under contract
through book eleven, plus another Christmas novella, and my editor hinted the
series can go on well beyond that. The Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries also
sell super well, with Cape Cod bike shop owner Mac Almeida, her goofy parrot
Belle, and her book group who only reads cozy mysteries – and helps her solve
crimes.
I wouldn’t have gotten letters from readers telling me
my book got them through their mother’s day-long surgery or their own hospital
stay. And I wouldn’t have stretched my creative muscles, over and over,
reaching to use the most eloquent language I can in the service of the story,
striving to craft a suspenseful, entertaining, puzzling mystery for readers,
delving into my imagination for new character traits and intriguing plots.
All of that means so much to me. This is the best job
I’ve ever had, next to being a mother, and I hope it’s my last.
But say, just say, I hadn’t discovered my love
of writing fiction. I might be a retired tech writer by now. I might have clean
closets and have dealt with the boxes of unsorted photographs in the basement.
Maybe I would have taken up the cello again after fifty years or joined a
community theater group.
I easily could be volunteering in my town more than I
do now, teaching conversational English to immigrants or serving on more
committees at my church, Amesbury Friends Meeting (although I have been active
with my faith community all along), which is also where midwife Rose worshiped.
If I had grandchildren, I would be spending a lot of
time with them, and still hope to after they come along. But for now? I am so
happy doing what I’m doing, I’ll put off retirement for a long, long time.
Readers: Are you living
your dream? If not, what do you dream to do? I’d love to give away a signed
copy of the new book to one of you.
Robbie Jordan’s Pans ’N Pancakes boasts delicious
eats and the best vintage cookware finds in South Lick, Indiana. And now, for a
limited time, there’s a new special featured on the menu—murder!
Ever since meeting the wary owners of an antique shop opening
across the street, Robbie has been scrambling to manage weird incidences
plaguing her café and country store. Pricey items vanish from shelves without
explanation, a fully equipped breakfast food truck starts lingering around the
area each morning, and loyal diners mysteriously fall ill. When an elderly man
dies after devouring an omelet packed with poisonous mushrooms, Robbie must
temporarily close down Pans ’N Pancakes and search for the killer with a real
zest for running her out of business—or else.
!!!GIVEAWAY!!!
GIVEAWAY IS OVER
Winner to be announced soon
Congratulations Sandy T!
Be on the lookout for an email for Eidth/Maddy about your prize.
For a chance to win a copy of
NO GRATER CRIME
answer Edith's question of
Are you living your dream?
If not, what do you dream to do?
Leave your answer and your email address in the comments, and Edith will pick a winner.
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, August 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.
Saturday, August 28, 2021
BOOK TOUR
I'm so happy to be a stop on the blog tour for
KNOT READY FOR MURDER
Book 9 in the Quilting Mysteries
by Mary Marks
The ninth installment in the hit Quilting Mystery series by Mary Marks finds sleuth Martha searching for her fiancé’s ex-wife.
One loose thread threatens to unravel Martha’s wedding plans: the groom-to-be married a pregnant teen to save her from scandal thirty years ago—and the marriage was never annulled. Now Crusher’s wife Hadas is coming to LA, along with his sister Fanya. But soon after she arrives, their houseguest goes missing, with her room ransacked and a chloroform-soaked cloth left behind. Could her apparent abduction be connected to her brother’s unsolved death from a hit-and-run six months ago? Martha and her quilting cohorts must find the pattern to solve the twin mysteries and determine if Crusher is still married—or now a widower . . .
One loose thread threatens to unravel Martha’s wedding plans: the groom-to-be married a pregnant teen to save her from scandal thirty years ago—and the marriage was never annulled. Now Crusher’s wife Hadas is coming to LA, along with his sister Fanya. But soon after she arrives, their houseguest goes missing, with her room ransacked and a chloroform-soaked cloth left behind. Could her apparent abduction be connected to her brother’s unsolved death from a hit-and-run six months ago? Martha and her quilting cohorts must find the pattern to solve the twin mysteries and determine if Crusher is still married—or now a widower . . .
📚📖📚📖📚
!!!GIVEAWAY!!!
3 lucky readers will each win a print copy of
KNOT READY FOR MURDER
USA only
Enter using the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.
Winner will be chosen after August 30 at the end of the tour.
This giveaway is through Great Escape Book Tours
Nine
books in and author Mary Marks is still going strong!
I’ve
truly enjoyed this series so much. It has a great set of characters, a lovely
location, and always a first class mystery. KNOT READY FOR MURDER is no
different, other than having an even more in-depth storyline. One that drew me
in from the beginning.
KNOT
READY FOR MURDER was perfectly sewed, with no loose stitches. The patchwork of
clues and false leads in this quilt of a mystery, had me zigzagging this way and
that, with no hope of finding the pattern. (Sorry. I could resist the puns)
In
all seriousness, there was so much going on is this story. It had so many
layers to it, and I loved pulling away at them. However, I have never once
guessed a whodunit, whatdunit, or whydunit in any of this author’s books, so I
wasn’t surprised when she stumped me again. Brava, Ms. Marks!
KNOT READY FOR MURDER is perhaps the best yet in the Quilters Mysteries. It has something for everyone, so don’t miss out on reading it for yourself!
About Mary Marks
Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011. She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com.
Author Links
Website: https://marymarksmysteries.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmarks2013
Purchase Links
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
August 24 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
August 24 – I Read What You Write - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 24 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
August 25 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT
August 25 – StoreyBook Reviews - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 25 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 26 – Hearts & Scribbles - SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – The Avid Reader - REVIEW, EXCERPT
August 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 28 – Carla Loves To Read - REVIEW
August 29 – Author Elena Taylor's Blog - SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 30 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 30 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
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.
Friday, August 27, 2021
It's
Cozy Food Friday!
That means it's time to share a recipe from
another great cozy mystery!
This week's recipe is . . .
A blast from the past!
What special yum was
cooking this time 5 years ago? From
DEATH OF A PUMPKIN CARVER
Book 8 in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktail Mysteries, author
Lee Hollis
shared this dish with us.
EASY PUMPKIN CHILI in the CROCK-POT
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
2 cups fresh pumpkin
1 15-ounce can chili beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
1 tablespoon chili powder
Feel free to spice this up to your taste.
Directions
Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on the stove on medium heat; add your ground beef chopping it up with a spoon and cook until brown.
Add the ground beef and all the ingredients to the Crock-Pot , stirring to combine all the ingredients.
Set on low heat and cook for 6 hours.
I like to eat my bowl of chili with a big slice of buttered cornbread. It's so darn good on a chilly evening. ~ Hayley
With cold weather coming (very soon I hope), and pumpkins a plenty, this is the perfect recipe for a hearty dinner!
🍽🍽🍽🍽🍽
Are you a fan of pumpkin?
Are you a fan of chili?
What's your thought on them together?
I hope you enjoyed this Cozy Food Flashback!
Don't forget to check out all the great series from author Lee Hollis!
About Lee Hollis
Holly Simason
Holly Simason is an award winning food and cocktails columnist who worked for the Mount Desert Islander newspaper in Bar Harbor, Maine for ten years.
While working at the paper, she won her first award for her column in 2010. It was at that point her brother Rick Copp saw an opportunity. He writes mysteries and she writes recipes. Combine the two for a new book series. They would write under a pen name comprised of their middle names “Lee” and “Hollis”. And the successful Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery series was born.
Holly now resides on the Crystal Coast in North Carolina where she continues to write the popular series with her brother. She is also busy creating and testing new recipes for a future Hayley Powell cookbook.
Holly continues to visit her home town of Bar Harbor every summer where the series is set to reconnect with friends and keep her Maine roots intact.
Any similarities between her and Hayley Powell are strictly coincidental.
Rick Copp
Rick Copp is a veteran TV and Film scriptwriter whose many credits include The Golden Girls, Wings, Teen Titans, The Brady Bunch Movie, Scooby Doo, Barbershop among many others. Currently he writes, produces and stars in the hit web series Where the Bears Are.
In 2003, he wrote his first comedic murder mystery The Actor’s Guide to Murder, which was followed by two sequels. He also penned a 2007 stand alone novel Fingerprints & Facelifts and a 2010 graphic novel Celebrity Zombie Killers. Once he read his sister’s food and cocktails column, he became an instant fan of her recipes and it was his editor at Kensington Publishing who first suggested a cozy mystery series with recipes featuring an intrepid food columnist with a nose for crime solving.
Rick bounces back and forth between LA where he continues to work on TV and film projects and Palm Springs, California where he writes the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series.
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.
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