When the Carnival Came

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Kathleen Bailey, author of When the Carnival Came, the latest novel in the Olivia Penn mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Kathleen.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

When the Carnival Came is book four in The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. The series follows advice columnist Olivia Penn as she goes through a transitional period in her life partially due to a series of murder mysteries that she becomes involved in. In When the Carnival Came, spring is in bloom in Olivia’s hometown of Apple Station, Virginia, and her new romance is heating up. With the carnival in town, good times seem to be in the air—until a stranger shows up at her house with carnations and a cryptic message for her friend. When she follows the trail and finds her friend standing over a dead body, she learns there’s more to the carnival than just fun and games.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I’ve always loved carnivals since I was a kid. Where I live, we often get carnivals traveling through the area, and I became interested in researching the carnival culture and lifestyle. Also, somewhat close to me, there is a decommissioned military base that remained unoccupied for many years before the land was sold and redeveloped. I always thought it would make a great setting for a mystery. The story developed from the combination of the two.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

The theme of the story is trust. Throughout, Olivia must trust her instincts and her heart to make the decisions that will help her solve the mystery and believe in herself. The theme is part of the overall arc of the series and the development of Olivia Penn as a character.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Characters are developed over time. They all have their unique backstories and personalities that influence their actions, reactions, goals, and motivations. As I write, I can see the characters in my head as if they are actors in a movie. I know what they look like and sound like, so in that way, they become fleshed out and three-dimensional. I like all my characters, and I don’t have favorites—other than the series protagonist Olivia Penn.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

Bringing the sense of place into the story involves incorporating all we take in through the senses to paint a vivid picture. I want to ground readers in place and time so that they feel a part of the scene right along with the characters. That involves detailing the sights, sounds, and smells of the season as well as describing who lives in the community and what their daily lives look like.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

There is always a lot of research that goes into developing the story, though much of it doesn’t find its way into the book. Understanding the background of what I’m writing about, though, is important to ground the story. Much of the plot-related research is done before I draft. While writing, I’m always looking up things to ensure accuracy or plausibility.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

When the Carnival Came is for fans of Clue and Nancy Drew who like action-packed cozy mysteries. When the Carnival Came can be read as a standalone. Though there are character arcs over the course of the series, each mystery is self-contained, and there’s plenty of background information for readers to understand the relationships between the characters.

Thank you for answering my questions, Kathleen, and good luck with When the Carnival Came, the latest book in the Olivia Penn mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kathleen Bailey by visiting the author’s website and her Amazon page as well as her Bookbub, and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org – Alibris 

About Kathleen Bailey: Kathleen is the award-winning author of The Olivia Penn Mystery Series. She writes mysteries with heart and humor that keep to the traditional and cozy sides of crime. Kathleen has degrees in English, psychology, and physical therapy. She previously worked as a pediatric physical therapist for over twenty years with children who have special needs. She now spends her days plotting and sleuthing in Virginia where she lives with her husband and adorable feline fur baby. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and the James River Writers. 

Posted in Archives, November 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s Time for A Right Cozy Christmas Crime

Posted on November 1, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Halloween is past. I hope you had fun with your costumes, candy and creepy antics. Now it’s November. Are you ready to think about Christmas? Some people say Christmas preparations start too early but I’m raring to go this year.

Why? Because A Right Cozy Christmas Crime is available from today.

Step into a world where twinkling lights and holiday cheer are accompanied by servings of mystery and a dash of intrigue. A Right Cozy Christmas Crime brings together thirteen festive mysteries where annual traditions are intertwined with shadowy secrets. From a historic Scottish Castle hiding a chilling truth, to a holiday heist in a Canadian market, to the bustling streets of Lagos filled with more than just Christmas shoppers, each tale sparkles with holiday warmth while unravelling a deliciously puzzling mystery. It’s time to put your feet up, sip hot cocoa and join our detectives as they ensure justice is served. This collection of stories is perfect for lovers of cozy mysteries with a holiday twist.

And this collection is the only place that you will find my story, The Gifts Grab. In the story, the annual Community Christmas Charity Evening at the local market is in full swing. It’s going great until Lois hears her best friend Marge’s wail of panic. A couple of valuable heirlooms have gone missing from the museum’s table where Marge was working. Silver lanes, candy canes and holly on the door will have to wait as it won’t look much like Christmas until Lois helps her friend Marge find the thief and rescue the museum’s treasures.

The collection includes authors Linda Mather, Melicity Pope (Melissa Williams-Pope), Sue Cook, Martin M. McNair (Susan McVey), Sheena Macleod, Pauline Tait, Giulia Fancelli Clifford, Gillian Duff, Stella Oni, Jayne Garner and Sophie Smythe.

Are you ready for A Right Cozy Christmas Crime? Step into the sights, sounds and scents of a cozy Christmas here:

https://books2read.com/arightcozychristmascrime

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Hunted for the Holidays

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Shae Evans is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Hunted for the Holidays, the first novel in the Jameson Investigations series.

Welcome, Shae. 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.

When Hunted for the Holidays, the first book in Deena Alexander’s Jameson Investigations series, begins, I have already been in witness protection for six years after my testimony was the key to putting a vengeful crime boss away for life. I spend my days keeping a low profile while caring for my five-year-old daughter, Gracie. Unfortunately, my past catches up to me when I spot two gunmen at Gracie’s Christmas pageant and know I’ve been found. When I call the emergency number I was given, which should be manned twenty-four hours a day, no one answers, and I know I’ll have to flee and keep my daughter safe on my own. Then, as we’re about to go on the run, Mason Payne—the love of my life and Gracie’s father—shows up. Which makes for a few awkward moments considering he didn’t know about his daughter since he disappeared before I even knew I was pregnant. Now, I have no choice but to trust the man who abandoned me if I’m going to save my child’s life. Thankfully, his team at Jameson Investigations, the private security firm he now works for, pitches in to help. Now, if we can just keep one step ahead of a killer who’s trying to silence me forever, we may come out of this alive.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

Deena gets some control, especially with Mason’s scenes, but I mostly guide my portion of the story. And I often nudge Deena awake in the middle of the night to share my ideas, since it’s the only time her mind is even halfway quiet.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I started out as nothing more than a vague idea of a mother trying to protect her child, then I evolved from there. I became more and more real as the chapters unfolded. I like to think I’m a strong character who would do anything to protect the people I love. And I do love fiercely. I feel like that and my strong sense of faith are two of my most important qualities, which only continue to grow as the story progresses.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

I absolutely love sharing this story with Gracie. She is truly my world. She’s smart, strong, and loving, and she holds onto those qualities no matter what happens. Even getting hunted through a swamp in the middle of the night doesn’t dim her inner spark.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

Unfortunately, I find myself in a dark and scary place through this story. I am being hunted by a vengeful crime boss who will stop at nothing to end my life, no matter the collateral damage. And I have only a group of strangers and the man who broke my heart to depend on. Though my faith remains strong, I do find myself doubting whether or not we’re going to make it through this.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

I would just like to say, if you decide to give Hunted for the Holidays and the rest of the Jameson Investigations series a chance, I hope you enjoy them!

Thank you so much for having me!

You’re welcome, Shae, and good luck to you and your author, Deena Alexander, with Hunted for the Holidays, the first book in the Jameson Investigations series.

Readers can learn more about Shae and her author, Deena Alexander by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub and Amazon Author pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon   B&N    Kobo    Harlequin   Google Play 

About Deena Alexander: Deena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she met and married her high school sweetheart. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, a son-in-law, and four dogs. Now she enjoys long walks in nature all year long, despite the occasional alligator or snake she sometimes encounters. Deena’s love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night, and she now works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor.

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Caught on Camera

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Kara Lacey, author of Caught on Camera, the first novel in the Camera Club mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Kara.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

Caught on Camera is the first book in the Camera Club Mystery Series. My protagonist, Bobbie Brooks, is a middle-aged widow and photographer who has recently moved to Vermont. When the story opens, she is preparing for her new camera club’s first photo shoot, which is scheduled to take place at the village’s idyllic covered bridge. What she didn’t expect was to find one of her club members dead beneath the covered bridge.

The Camera Club Mysteries revolves around a group of amateur photographers who joined the club to learn more about photography. At times, though, they’re more like an amateur detective club. Each book in the series is a complete mystery where the reader will try to solve whodunnit. The books can be read as standalones, but there is a progression in the characters’ lives should they be read in order.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I am a photography enthusiast who lives in Vermont. These together were the inspiration for my series. The idea for the mystery central to the story was purely a figment of my imagination. When I imagined my characters and decided upon who the victim would be, I thought of all the reasons someone might want to harm them. From there, I decided which reason I thought made for the best story and which ones might be good red herrings.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

There are a couple of themes running in the background of my story. One is more of a theme for my main character’s growth. This theme has to do with Bobbie learning that “belonging” in her new community is something that needs to come from within herself and not from the villagers. As the story progresses, Bobbie gains strength and a sense of independence.

The other theme in Caught on Camera is for the murder mystery. I have a name for it, but the name contains spoilers. I can say that this theme was both something that I relate to and thought about at the beginning, as well as something that developed more fully as I wrote.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

Creating characters is a lot of fun. In the beginning, I’ll think about which characters I’ll need for the story. With Caught on Camera, I started with Bobbie and her family—which I later whittled back (way too many characters). Then I needed her camera club sidekicks, a police detective, suspects, and a few villagers.

Although I enjoy creating and developing characters, it’s also (for me) one of the most challenging parts of writing a story. Each character needs to have their own backstory, they serve at least one purpose as well as move the story forward, and they need to have their own unique voice and quirks. Some characters support the protagonist, while others provide obstacles (and some do both).

I favor some characters over others, and it doesn’t always happen the way I expect it to. By design, I’ll have certain characters who are meant to be likeable or unlikeable. But—have you ever heard a writer say that while writing, their characters will say or do something that was never intended? When this happened to me, I was more than a little surprised. One of my characters, who was meant to be nothing more than a bit actor, wasn’t having it. By the time I finished writing Caught on Camera, I knew I’d be writing a much larger role for her in the second book. I have another character who I created to be annoying, but somehow, he turned that around on me. Now, I find him adorably annoying. One of my readers said to me, “I have a feeling I’m not supposed to, but I really like X.” I admitted that I really liked him too.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

My setting is the largest source of inspiration for my stories. I’m fortunate to live in the area where my story is set. Vermont is unique in so many ways. Although I fictionalized my village, living here enables me to throw in many real-life idiosyncrasies that people who live outside the area might know about. For my readers who live in the area, I also like to add in real places or landmarks that they might recognize.

Weather and our many seasons (we have six) also play a role in my stories. Whether it’s the sun setting in the forest, a misty mountain sunrise, or a blizzard, I want the reader to feel as though they’re experiencing it along with my characters.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

Since my stories are set in the current time, and I live where my stories take place, I didn’t need to do a great deal of extensive research. One thing I needed to research had to do with the structure, hierarchy, and roles of the various law enforcement agencies in our state. The village where I live (as well as the fictional village where Caught on Camera is set) does not have a local police department. In order to be as accurate as possible, I needed to learn the roles of both the state police and the sheriff’s department.

In the second book, which will publish in the fall of 2025, my victim was an herbalist. I researched various herbs and their potential side effects in order to make this story work.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

I had a lot of fun writing Caught on Camera. First and foremost, it’s a whodunnit mystery with lots of twists and turns that I hope will keep you guessing to the end. But, I also think of my story as having a lot of heart. It’s the story of a middle-aged woman who is doing her best to find her place in the world after losing her husband. She stumbles and makes mistakes, but she’s someone you’ll want to root for.

Thank you for answering my questions, Kara, and good luck with Caught on Camera, the first book in the Camera Club mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kara Lacey by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Instagram pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Kara Lacey: Kara is the author of the Camera Club Mysteries. Along with her husband, she lives in a tiny village nestled in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont—the inspiration for her novels. Kara is a photography enthusiast who also enjoys hiking, skiing, and getting cozy with a good book. When she’s not at her laptop creating havoc for her characters, you can find her rambling through the forest with her husband and spirited Labrador retriever, camera in hand.

Kara is a member of Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime-New England, and Mystery Writers of America. She is also a co-Member at Large for Vermont SinC NE writers.

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Ariadne Winter is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn, the latest novel in the Ariadne Winter mystery series.

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

Tell us about yourself.

Hello, my name is Ariadne Winter. I know what you’re thinking. My mother was on a Greek Mythology kick when she was pregnant with me. My aunt once told me, I was lucky she didn’t saddle me with Persephone or Harmonia, two names in the running. Ariadne was a Cretan Princess who helped Theseus escape from the Minotaur and his Labyrinth. I suppose, I am similar to my namesake, because I want to become an investigative reporter and solve crimes and corruption, which can be like solving a maze. Unfortunately, as a woman in1958, obtaining an investigative reporting job has been an uphill battle, because that’s “a man’s job.”

Tell us about the novel that you live inside.

Ink and Intrigue was supposed to be my first feature story for the fashion magazine where I work—Ladies’ Lifestyle Magazine. Of course, when I stumbled across a dead body at Ivy Tree Inn, it turned into an opportunity for me to get that investigative journalism job. There were plenty of suspects, and I was on a deadline for the magazine, so my time was limited. Little did I know the danger I put myself in, when I began investigating. However, with some help from friends, I survived.

Is it part of a series?

Well, I didn’t expect it to be. However, now my author is sending me to a castle in Ireland for a house party. Who knows what will happen at Ballyford Castle, near the Cliffs of Moher.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

Control? Ha! We just go about our business, and she writes up the incident report. Really, I don’t know what she has to complain about. After all, I’m the one listening at keyholes and gathering clues. 

How do you grow and develop through the story?

Grow and develop, eh? I suppose it did come as a reality check for me to understand—when you stick your nose into other people’s business, and parade that business in front of the police, they will become angry with you. Let’s just say, becoming persona non grata at a small in like Ivy Tree became rather uncomfortable for me.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

Well, the photographer the magazine sent, Gavin Turnbull, gave me butterflies in my stomach. I think for the first time in my life, I’m falling in love. It’s a concept I’m still coming to terms with.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

The story takes place at Ivy Tree Inn, in Newport, Rhode Island. For those who have never visited Newport, it’s a lovely, seaside, New England town—replete with boutiques, restaurants, and gorgeous ocean vistas. The inn where I’m staying is a recently renovated 19th century house. The owner kept much of the house’s character, while installing updated plumbing and bathrooms. Except for the dead body, it’s really a charming place to stay.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

My writer did do something quirky, not only does the reader get to see the story unfold through my eyes, but she also provides one chapter from each of the suspect’s perspective.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping on many of the suspects’ private conversations; I just happened to be nearby.

Thank you for answering my questions, Ariadne, and good luck to you and your author, Ellen Butler, with Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn, the latest book in the Ariadne Winter mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Ariadne and her author, Ellen Butler by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Instagram pages.

The novel is available online at Amazon

About Ellen Butler: Ellen is the international bestselling author of the Karina Cardinal mystery series. Her experiences working on Capitol Hill and at a medical association in Washington, D.C. inspired the mystery-action series. Multiple books in the series have hit #1 on Amazon bestseller lists in the US and abroad. Book critics call the Karina Cardinal mysteries, “intelligent escapism.” Butler is also the author of the award-winning historical suspense novel, The Brass Compass. The Brass Compass has won multiple awards for historical fiction including: 2022 Speak Up Talk Radio Firebird Book Award, 2018 Indie Reader Discovery Award, 2019 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner. Butler started  writing in the romance genre and won the The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Award 2015 with her novel Planning for Love. Her 12th book Operation Blackbird, a Cold War Spy novel, was published in October 2022 and won a Next Generation Indie Book Award gold medal for historical fiction.

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Murder on the Page

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Today I’m featuring Daryl Wood Gerber’s Murder on the Page, the first novel in the Literary Dining mysteries series.

The author says –

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues.

With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder . . .

Here’s a short excerpt from the book:

“By the way,” Lillian said around a mouthful of scone, “one of my regular customers came in late yesterday for a fitting. Celia Harrigan. Do you know her? I don’t think she’s much of a reader. She lives on Marigold’s street in a yellow Craftsman with white trim. Anyway, Celia saw someone in a hoodie sneaking around Graham Wynn’s house a week ago Saturday, during the day. She wasn’t sure if it was a man or a woman. The reason I mention it is because she said the person was acting sketchy, and she wondered if, in view of what happened to Marigold, the person might have been staking out Marigold’s house, since, you know, she lived across the street from Graham.”

“That’s a leap,” I said.

“Perhaps.” She polished off her scone. “You know about Marigold’s jewelry collection, don’t you?”

Marigold was wealthy, but she’d never lavished herself with gifts or spent her wealth on cruises. However, she’d loved antique jewelry. Invariably, she would wear her prized diamond necklace, but over the years she’d invested in rings and bracelets and brooches. At dinner parties, she would show off her jewelry, like the Bulgari serpent bracelet she’d found at an estate sale or a Georgian-style trembling floral brooch—the one Chloe had referred to earlier—which featured over a hundred hand-cut diamonds. As far as I knew, Marigold stored all of her jewelry in a safety-deposit box at the bank, not at home. I thought of what Celia Harrigan told Lillian. What if the lurker had actually been Graham in disguise, and he was spying on Marigold? What if he had been keeping watch, waiting for a time when she might go to the bank to retrieve her jewelry? And what if he saw her slip a valuable piece into the envelope marked Private and Confidential? 

Readers can learn more about Daryl Wood Gerber by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok pages.

The novel is available online at the following retailers:

AMAZON    BARNES AND NOBLE     BOOKSHOP.ORG    KOBO      MYSTERIOUS GALAXY

Daryl Wood Gerber: Daryl is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well-received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays.  Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Michele Pariza Wacek, author of The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive, the latest novel in the Redemption Detective Agency mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Michele.

Tell us about your novel. Is it part of a series? If so, please tell us about the series too.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive is Book 1 of a brand new cozy mystery series called The Redemption Detective Agency. It’s a spin-off from my first cozy mystery series, the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries, and it’s full of humour and fun, with dogs, cats, romance and a twisty mystery.

Both series take place in the 1990s in Redemption, Wisconsin, which is a fictional town with a haunted past. In The Redemption Detective Agency, two characters we meet in the Charlie Kingsley Mysteries decide to start a detective agency and focus on cold cases. (As there are a lot of them—did I mention Redemption has a haunted, troubling past?) Mildred Schmidt is a retired teacher, who we meet in Murder Next Door and Three French Hens and a Murder, and Tilde Tillerson is a retired nurse, who we meet in Red Hot Murder and A Cornucopia of Murder.

We also meet Emily Hildebrandt, Tilde’s niece, who ends up in Redemption because her life imploded and she has nowhere else to go. She helps Tilde, Mildred and a few other quirky characters get the Redemption Detective Agency up and running.

Where did the idea for the mystery that is central to the story come from?

I’ve always enjoyed the mystery trope of helping someone convicted of a crime by finding the “true” perpetrator.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story? If so, what prompted you to write about it?

I would say the central theme of not just this book, but the series, has to do with righting wrongs. Some of the wrongs are older than others, but regardless wrongs need to be righted, and it’s very satisfying when we get to witness it. So often in our lives we see people get away with things and it all feels very unfair, and while we know logically that karma generally catches up to everyone, we rarely see it happen, so being able to see it gives us a sense of closure.

How do you create your characters? Do you have favourite ones? If so, why are you partial to them?

My characters seem to create themselves. I’m not really sure how it works. They’ll just start talking to me, and if I mess something up about them, then they REALLY let me have it.

How do you bring to life the place you are writing about?

I grew up in Wisconsin, so I’m very familiar with the location. Also, I’m old, so I remember the 1990s pretty well (some days I wish I still lived in the 1990s). Basically, I just take a moment to think back to that time and remember how life was back then, and then start writing.

What research do you do to provide background information to help you write the novel?

Usually the research I do is around police procedure, even though I write cozies and not police procedurals, I want the details to at least be realistic. My brother-in-law is a cop in a small town in Wisconsin, so that helps a lot. So does the Internet. (Although I want to make it clear, if anyone finds any mistakes in my books, those are mine and mine alone.)

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about the book?

All my books and series are connected, so if you like this book, you may find yourself wanting to dig a little deeper into Redemption.

Thank you for answering my questions, Michele, and good luck with The Mysterious Case of the Missing Motive, the latest book in the Redemption Detective Agency mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Michele Pariza Wacek by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N 

About Michele Pariza Wacek: A USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author, Michele taught herself to read at 3 years old because she wanted to write stories so badly. It took some time (and some detours) but now she does spend much of her time writing stories. Mystery stories, to be exact. They’re clean and twisty, and range from psychological thrillers to cozies, with a dash of romance and supernatural thrown into the mix. If that wasn’t enough, she posts lots of fun things on her blog, including short stories, puzzles, recipes, and more, at MPWNovels.com.

Michele grew up in Wisconsin, (hence why all her books take place there), and still visits regularly, but she herself escaped the cold and now lives in the mountains of Prescott, Arizona with her husband and southern squirrel hunter Cassie.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading, hanging out with her dog, or watching the Food Network and imagining she’s an awesome cook. (Spoiler alert, she’s not. Luckily for the whole family, Mr. PW is in charge of the cooking.)

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Donor 73101

Posted on October 15, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Sheriff Sergeant Tim Lindsay is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Donor 73101, the latest novel in the PIP INC. mystery series.

Welcome, Sheriff Lindsay. 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.

I’m Sheriff Sergeant Tim Lindsay—hopefully Lieutenant Lindsey by the time you read this—newly married in the fourth book, “Dearly Beloved Departed,” in the PIP Inc. Mysteries series which stars…is that the right word…my wife, Private Investigator Pat. I met her in the first book, “The Glass House,” of this five-part series when she had been downsized from her job as Santa Cruz County Law Librarian and her best friend, Syda Gonzales, gave her a glass-making class as a birthday present/distraction from her situation.

A murder happened at the class and I was part of the team assigned to debrief witnesses. Pat was an excellent witness; I think because her law librarian background has trained her to be detail oriented and notice things others might miss. She’s also a lovely strawberry blonde haired woman with green eyes who is intelligent, caring, funny, daring…okay stop me because I’m as in love with her as Travis Kelce is with Taylor Swift and I could go on and on with superlatives.

After being blindsided and losing her job after she spent all her money on a car as a thirty-fifth birthday present to herself, she had to come up with a means of support. She’s clever and not a conformist so she printed business cards declaring herself Private Investigator Pat and started working for attorneys and government entities. I’m not thrilled that she sometimes takes risks, but she’s independent and I’m smart enough to know that, if I’m going to be in her life, I can’t tell her what to do or what not to do. I admit it helps that I know she’s a markswoman who always has a Magnum 357 in her briefcase.

But about the current book, “Donor 73101.” It all started when we had barely put down our suitcases after getting back from our honeymoon. Our next-door neighbors Robin and Tina asked Pat if she would find Tina’s birth father because they wanted to start a family and wanted to be certain they didn’t accidently use the same man’s sperm Tina’s parents used to have her. I thought this time it was going to be a computer job for Pat—I always hope that’s all her job will be—but I’m batting 0 for 5 so far. Oh, she did find Tina’s sperm donor in “Donor 73101” but then things got messy.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too?

I get to play a big role in what happens. Like I said, I met my new wife in the first book, but at the time, she had a huge crush on a slick attorney. I knew the minute I met her that she was the one for me, but convincing her I was the one for her took some effort. The writer originally intended for there to be a love triangle for a couple of books, but I’m a determined man who had a plan so I overruled the writer and got rid of the competition much sooner than she planned. Even so, I think the writer intended Pat’s and my engagement to be a long one, but I said, “No way,” and Pat and I got married after only seven months of knowing one another.

How did you evolve as the main character?

To be clear, I’m not the main character, Pat is, and I don’t know how much evolving I’ve done. I’ve always known who I am and am comfortable in my skin. I was in the military briefly and saw combat and am quickly moving up the ladder in the sheriff’s department so I have a lot of confidence in myself to handle crisis situations. The only thing that has thrown me so far is killing a man during a shootout. I needed some counseling after that. Another of the many reasons I love Pat is that she’s as good in a crisis s I am, which is a good thing because she often has to handle danger herself.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

I mentioned Syda Gonzales, Pat’s best friend. She’s a strong personality in her own right and often is a cohort with Pat in getting info on suspects. She’s married to Greg Gonzales, a fellow deputy sheriff I met at work. We’ve become close. I like it when he’s in the books because we work well together, although I haven’t quite forgiven him—although I understand why his top priority was his wife—for throwing himself on Syda instead of Pat when the shooting stated at our wedding.

Then there are the critters. When I met her, Pat had a Dalmatian named Dot and a cat, Whimsey, Lord Peter Wimsey actually, after the Dorthy Sayers detective. Dot and I hit it off immediately. Wimsey and I are getting there, but he’s still not sure about me because I accidentally stepped on his tail early on in one of the books.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

I’m a happy man. I know the woman I love feels the same way about me as I do about her—you know, she proposed to me in “The Corpse’s Secret Life.” I bought a fixer house, all I could afford in pricey coastal California, but I learned how to build helping my dad as a kid so it’s in good shape now, and I’m wearing a wedding ring which I thought might feel weird because, unlike my wife who loves bling, I don’t wear jewelry. But it doesn’t. It feels perfect.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

 I admit I kind of liked it when Pat was jealous of an old girlfriend of mine. It made me realize she was beginning to fall for me. (We don’t need to discuss that I was uncomfortable about her having dinner with that attorney she liked even though I knew it was just business.)

We’re breaking new ground in “Donor 73101” and learning how to work together and separately as our duties and opportunities to solve mysteries merge and diverge. We discovered it’s a good thing Pat remained Pat Pirard rather than adding Lindsey to her name because we can use that disconnect to get information we would never discover if we went after it as an official team. This case was a hard solve because there were so many potential suspects and because it wasn’t clear to anyone except Pat that murders scattered all over the country were connected.

Thank you for answering my questions, Sheriff Lindsay, and good luck to you and your author, Nancy Lynn Jarvis, with Donor 73101, the latest book in the PIP INC. mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Sheriff Lindsay and his author, Nancy Lynn Jarvis by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Goodreads pages.

The novel is available at  Amazon

About Nancy Lynn Jarvis: Nancy wore many hats before she started  writing cozy mysteries. After earning a BA in behavioral science from San Jose State University, she worked in the advertising department of the San Jose Mercury News, as a librarian, as the business manager for Shakespeare/Santa Cruz, and as a realtor.

Nancy’s work history reflects her philosophy: people should try something radically different every few years, a philosophy she applies to her writing, as well. She has written seven Regan McHenry Real Estate Mysteries; five PIP Inc. Mysteries; a stand-alone novel “Mags and the AARP Gang” about a group of octogenarian bank robbers; edited “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes,” and short story anthologies, “Santa Cruz Weird,” and “Santa Cruz Ghost Stories.”

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Con

Posted on October 10, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Kate Sloan is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about The Con, the latest novel in the Organized Crime Cozy Mystery series.

Welcome, Kate. 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.

The Con is the second book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery Series. Clutter Free was the first book. The series features me, Kate Sloan. I’m a fifty-three-year-old professional organizer, and I’ve returned to my hometown of Fox Island, Georgia. I’m a widow, and my only son moved to Texas for a job. It seemed like the perfect time to move back home.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? She thinks she’s in control, but I’m an independent woman. She may throw dead bodies in my path, but I decide how to solve the mystery.

How did you evolve as the main character? Before moving to Fox Island, I did what was expected of me as a wife, a mother, and the only paycheck after my husband died. I feel myself becoming the me I used to be. I feel like myself, and I’m happy. My brothers live on the island, and so does my best friend. In fact, we’re business partners. I’m even reconnecting with the love of my life. I guess the biggest part of my evolution is the freedom I feel.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? Bess Walker has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We can be honest with each other, and we trust each other. While it’s not good to have favorites, I’m closer to one of my brothers than the other. We have each other’s backs. Then there’s Reid Barrett. Honestly, I’m happy to share anything with him.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? Fox Island is off the coast of Savannah. It’s a summer vacation spot, but the community sponsors festivals to bring people to town all year. We have the beach, a river, a marsh, a creek, and a lighthouse. You can smell low tide, and the briny ocean breeze. The locals watch out for each other, and it’s a great place to live.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? I’m a professional organizer, and I use my skills to solve mysteries. I pay attention to big and small details, and so far this has helped me solve crimes.

Thanks for having me today. I’ve enjoyed our conversation!

You’re welcome. It was a pleasure, Kate. Good luck to you and your author, Jackie Layton, with The Con, the latest book in the Organized Crime Cozy Mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kate and her author, Jackie Layton by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram, Threads and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter/X.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon ebook – Amazon Paperback – Kobo – Kobo Canada – B&N ebook –  B&N Paperback

About Jackie Layton: Jackie is the author of cozy mysteries with Spunky Southern Sleuths. Her stories are set in Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. She lives on the coast of South Carolina, where she enjoys walks on the beach and golf cart rides around the marsh. Reading, gardening, and traveling are some of her favorite hobbies.

Jackie always keeps a notebook handy to write down ideas for future stories. Dateline and American Greed are two ways she gets ideas. She’s also a people watcher, and that can giver her ideas for stories or even a thread in a book.

Posted in Archives, October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Meditation and Mischief

Posted on October 4, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Dr. Atticus Papadopoulos is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Meditation and Mischief, the latest novel in the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Welcome, Dr. Papadopoulos. 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.

Pleasure to be here today. I’m Dr. Atticus Papadopoulos, doctor of astrobiology; the academic field that studies the origins of life on our Earth and the existence of life elsewhere in our universe. My current adventures align well with my work, you could say. I’m a part of the Magical Mystery Book Club series. These are stories about book club members who are absorbed into the books they choose from their enchanted library.

I’m a member of the club, and so I get to experience this phenomenon firsthand. We become the main sleuths, with the purpose of solving the mysteries within the pages. The adventures are exhilarating, but the challenge is that we must reach The End to release ourselves from each book.

Does the writer control what happens in the story, or do you get a say too?

It appears that neither the author nor our characters write the script. This is done by an unseen entity that created the magical library eons ago. We do have a certain amount of free will, and with our motley group, that often leads us into mischief or downright trouble.

How did you evolve as a character?

When we first met up, we were all new to the game and unfamiliar with each other. Over time we’ve learned how to function well as a team. When solving mysteries that often involve murder, it’s important that we unite in our goals.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them?

I’ve become quite partial to our book club members and think of them more as family now. With all we’ve gone through together we’ve grown as a group. With some members that’s been a process, such as our spunky octogenarian and our clever but snarky library cat. Did I mention that the cat talks?

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story?

That’s one of the most fascinating aspects of this series. We travel into paranormal worlds of all types and meet many kinds of beings. We’ve met ghosts, fairies and shifters, to name a few. The worlds we visit have been as different as a palace in a sprite kingdom to a cabin the old Wild West of Arizona.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book?

You never know where you’ll land in these books, but no matter where we are, you can be certain we will solve the mystery, improve the conditions for the book’s inhabitants, and arrive safely back home with nothing but fond memories of our adventures.

Thank you for answering my questions, Dr. Papadopoulos, and good luck to you and your author, Elizabeth Pantley, with Meditation and Mischief, the latest book in the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Readers can learn more about Dr. Papadopoulos and his author, Elizabeth Pantley by visiting the author’s Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Instagram pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Elizabeth Pantley: Elizabeth writes well-loved cozy mysteries in two series: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, two very different places. Both are rich, gorgeous, natural places, and inspire the settings in many of her books.

Posted in October 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments