Today Hazel Wickbury is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about You Can’t Candle the Truth, the first novel in the Glenmyre Whim mystery series.

Welcome, Hazel. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tell us about the novel that you live inside. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too. You Can’t Candle the Truth is my first outing as an amateur sleuth, albeit a somewhat reluctant one. I live in Crucible, New York in a beautiful cozy cottage next to a lake. I run a candle shop where I sell my homemade candles. Life is pretty good…until our town experiences a grave tragedy. When one of my friends dies and his kindhearted fiancée is accused, I feel totally responsible. You see…I have a special ability, what my family the Glenmyres call a ‘whim.’ My whim allows me to see when someone is going to die. Heavy stuff, I know. I actually wear special glasses that obscure the lifeclocks hovering above everyone’s heads, revealing a countdown to their passing. But I accidently saw Kevin Finchmore’s lifeclock the day before he was found dead, and he had nearly fifty years ahead of him. My whim is only ever wrong when murder is involved. And now, because I called an anonymous tip into the state police that Kevin didn’t die from natural causes—as everyone is town believes—my friend Cora is suspect number one on their list. Determined to prove her innocent, I team up with my aunt, Poppy Glenmyre, to try and clear Cora’s name.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? I’m a pretty easy-going person, so my author Sarah usually takes the reins when it comes to how I go about my life. But my aunt Poppy is a bit more vocal than I am, so sometimes she takes us off on wild detours that result in fun adventures. As much as I know my author loves it when things go according to her plan or outline, some of our best scenes are spur of the moment inspirations.

How did you evolve as the main character? I was very reluctant to take center stage in You Can’t Candle the Truth, that’s for sure. I’m very content with my life as a candlemaker, and I don’t like to ruffle feathers. I leave that to Poppy. A lot of my hesitancy to get too involved in people’s lives stems from my whim, my ability to see when someone is going to die. Even though I wear special glasses to block the lifeclocks, I’m always worried my glasses will slip and the truth will be revealed. It’s a heavy burden to live with. But when a friend’s freedom was jeopardized, something stirred within me, and I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidelines any longer. I just had to get involved and right this wrong.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? I’ve mentioned my aunt Poppy. She’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember. She’s only two years older than me and was raised by my mom and my Great-Aunt Ruthie after my grandparents passed away. Poppy’s vibrant, extroverted personally helps me get outside my comfort zone, and she brings such light and laughter to my quiet life. Although, she has her moments where she can be more like an annoying sibling than a best friend. She’s constantly goading me into asking Crucible’s adorable, intelligent bookseller, Ezra Walters, on a date. While I’ll love to get to know Ezra more, I’m worried that my whim will get in the way of our relationship.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? I love my hometown of Crucible, New York. I’ve lived here my whole life, enjoying all it has to offer. The downtown area is particularly fun, with places like Cold Cauldron Brewery, The Poignant Page, Herb Garden (the local market), and the stately Elderberry Inn. Crucible sits on a glorious lake named after my ancestor Jedidiah Glenmyre. Back when Crucible was first founded, Jedidiah cast an enchantment over the town, so that nothing bad would ever happen here. No crime, no natural disasters, nothing. Over the centuries, this protection shield has pretty much sapped the true power from the Glenmyre clan, leaving us with only our whims. And with the recent murder in Crucible, Poppy and I are beginning to wonder if the protection spell cast by our ancestor is failing. As the last of the Glenmyres, it’ll be up to us to set things right.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? Thank you so much for having me here today. It’s been so fun sharing my story with you. Things in Crucible are just heating up! You Can’t Candle the Truth is my first outing as an amateur sleuth, and I’m already back to work on a new case with Poppy. Book 2 in the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries will be out in late 2022.

Thank you for answering my questions, Hazel, and good luck to you and your author, Sarah E. Burr, with You Can’t Candle the Truth, the first book in the Glenmyre Whim mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Hazel and her author, Sarah E. Burr by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon  – GoodReads Link

About Sarah E. Burr: Sarah lives near New York City. Hailing from the small town of Appleton, Maine, she has been dreaming of being Nancy Drew since she was a little girl. Since she wasn’t stumbling across any crime scenes in corporate America, Sarah left her career in healthcare technology to write mysteries of her own.

You Can’t Candle the Truth is Sarah’s first foray into the paranormal cozy genre, and there’s even more murder and mystery in the works for Sarah. #FOLLOWME FOR MURDER, first in the TRENDING TOPIC MYSTERIES, shines the spotlight on a social media PR expert after she discovers a dead body in her clients’ store, forcing her to untangle a web of secrets in her small, beachside town. This title is expected in February 2022 by Level Best Books. Sarah is also the author of the Court of Mystery series, where murder is always a royal affair for her heroine, Duchess Jacqueline.

Sarah attended Elmira College and graduated with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy & Religious Studies. She loves to weave these themes into her writing. When she’s not spinning up new stories, Sarah is off seeing Broadway musicals, reading up a storm, video gaming, and enjoying walks with her dog, Eevee. She is represented by Blue Ridge Literary Agency.