Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Sergeant Keya Varma is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim, the latest novel in the Waterwheel Cafe mystery series.

Welcome, Keya. 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.

Hiya, I’m Keya, or Sergeant Varma, which is my official title.  I’m the Cotswold’s Rural Engagement Officer which means I oversee over 1,000 square kilometres of villages and countryside.

There’s a lot to do, and the role is only a part-time, but that allows me to run my Waterwheel Café at Akemans, a local antiques centre. And I’m lucky to have help from my sister, Zivah, our mum, and my friends.

But sometimes it is hard, such as when my team at Cirencester Police Station is involved with an important case.

Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim is the third book in my Waterwheel Café Mystery series. It’s a sad story of the kidnapping of a child but don’t worry, the boy isn’t harmed and he is returned to his parents.

The series covers the planning and opening of my café, and two of the major cases I’ve been involved with during that time. Please feel free to read book one, Earl Grey and Shallow Graves, and book two, Darjeeling and A Deadly Disappearance.

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

The premise for this book begins with the disappearance of a young boy.  After that, my writer and I ask questions and follow the clues, with the help of my police colleagues, until we find the boy and the reason why he was taken.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I joined Dotty in her series, the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries. As Dotty is away, I’ve taken over telling readers about events as they happen in the Cotswolds.

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

I’m grateful for being given the leading role, but I’m also happy to share the story with my friends and colleagues. 

My team at Cirencester Station is run by the often grumpy Inspector Evans, and his boss, Chief Inspector Greg. Family Liaison Officer, Inspector Sue Honeywell, recently joined our team. I work mostly with Constable Ryan Jenkins, who is a tech genius, and I mustn’t forget retired officer, Stan Rowbottom, who helps out with research and has an extensive knowledge of old cases.

Outside the station, there is Aunt Beanie, an eccentric but huge-hearted older lady, her niece Gilly Wimsey, who runs the antiques centre, and plenty of other characters.  We are a team and I appreciate all their help.

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

I love the Cotswolds, in the southwest central part of England. They’re beautiful, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the people who call them home are quirky and interesting.

I work out of the market town of Cirencester, whose history goes back beyond the Romans, when it was the second most important city in the whole country.  It was also very important, and prosperous, in the Middle Ages when it traded wool and was governed by the Abbot from its own monastery.

My cafe is in a converted mill building beside the River Coln.  The mill is built of honey-coloured stone and has its own rich history.

Altogether, the Cotswolds are a wonderful place to live and work.

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

If you’ve not read any of Victoria’s book before, you can download her free prequel to both mine and Dotty’s stories at her website, VictoriaTait.com, or Click Here.

And I hope you enjoy reading Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim.

Thank you for answering my questions, Keya, and good luck to you and your author, Victoria Tait, with Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim, the latest book in the Waterwheel Cafe mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Keya and her author, Victoria Tait by visiting the author’s website and her Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram and Pinterest pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Books2Read   Amazon 

About Victoria Tait: Victoria was born and raised in Yorkshire, England.  After following her military husband around the world, she drew on her life’s experiences, and a love of Agatha Christie, Father Brown, and Murder She Wrote, to write British based cozy mysteries.

Her determined female sleuths are joined by colourful and quirky teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and realistic.  As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world where you’ll experience surprises, humour and sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings.

Do you like tea, mysteries, and books? Then why not join Victoria’s TeaCozy Club for regular news and updates, and download the free prequel to the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries series as a gift by visiting VictoriaTait.com

Posted in Archives, January 2024 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Rivers and Creaks

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Andy Shirley is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Rivers and Creaks, the latest novel in the Redwoods Country mystery series.

Welcome, Andy. 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.

No. I didn’t sign up to do this interview. That author, Marc Jedel, tricked me into doing this. People are a nuisance and I’d rather not talk to them. I certainly don’t need their noses in my business. I’m working towards becoming a hermit. Strike that. As a word, recluse suits me better. I expect you to make that edit before the final edition is printed.

I overheard Marc Jedel tell someone that his novel, Rivers and Creaks, is a bit like Grumpy Old Men meets Schitt’s Creek. As the so-called grumpy old man in that description, I’m not sure I like his glib characterization. In fact, Marc hadn’t disclosed he’d written this novel about my move to the Redwoods Country north of San Francisco until just recently. I moved up here by myself after losing my wife a year ago. It was our shared dream to relocate here to run a bed and breakfast after my retirement. Actually it was more Catherine’s dream than mine. My plan had been to go fishing and fix things around the place. Now, I’m stuck up here by myself in a place needing far more work than I anticipated. To top it off, someone was killed on my first day. In addition to dealing with faulty plumbing and annoying guests, I had to solve the murder or I’d have lost my entire investment. Again, not what I signed up for.

Apparently Marc plans to write more novels in this humorous murder mystery series. He better think again if he plans to have me solve all of his mysteries for him. I’ve got better things to do.

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

It’s a little philosophical to ask someone whether they control their own destiny, isn’t it? All I know is when something bad happened around me or I was struggling to find the killer, I noticed the author didn’t bother helping me out. Basically he got in touch with me after the fact, asked me a bunch of questions about what happened and then wrote it all down. In fact, his copy editor did all the important polishing. As a former copy editor myself, I understand the incredible value these professionals add. Without them, novels would be mere collections of random author drivel. Marc managed to convey a reasonable facsimile of the truth despite his butchering of my character.

How did you evolve as the main character?

That’s an imprecise use of the word evolve. Credible copy editors would share this opinion. In modern times, “evolve” is generally used in reference to Darwin’s conclusions on how species change over eons. If that was your intention, I take objection to the insinuation that I’m old enough to have undergone a biological evolution. In relation to the concept of character development, I resent the implication that I’m not a real person. “I think, therefore I am,” as Descartes famously said.

Give me a moment to take a deep breath. If my wife Catherine were still alive, she’d have told me to stop being such a grouch well before I finished writing that previous paragraph. She had great insight and she was able to convince me to use this new mindfulness hokey-pokey.

Assuming you meant to ask how Marc wrote my character arc, I’ll tell you this. There was no so-called evolution. Neither character, nor biological, changes can occur over the course of four days. Perhaps I did feel a bit more settled in this new town and a little more connected to other humans than I’d been in almost a year. Becoming a recluse is still my goal, but maybe I would stop by that hardware store on occasion to shoot the breeze with the old fellas who sit on the porch outside. And perhaps go to the local pub on their trivia nights. Only occasionally though.

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

Oh, there are some real characters in this story all right. Not to say I enjoyed spending time with them of course. If I am ever to achieve my life goal of becoming a recluse, I need to learn to live by myself. Although it would be okay to run into Charlie from time to time. She’s got a sharp wit and is occasionally funny. Plus, she is a capable plumber and electrician who does good work at a low price. These are all qualities I can appreciate in a handyman. Strike that last word, Charlie doesn’t like that job title and prefers I refer to her as my fixer.

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

Some would describe Monte Rio as an idyllic small town located about ninety minutes north of San Francisco. There are about a thousand people living here, some less annoying than others.  Located near a redwood forest, with the Russian River running through town, there are having rolling hills and wineries all around us. Catherine fell in love with the place during an impulsive trip up there and convinced me to purchase the Quilt House Inn as our retirement project. After she died, I lost all interest in running a bed and breakfast. Frankly I didn’t want to do anything but escape from people. But all my money was sunk into the place so I sucked it up and moved in.

It’s not as terrible a place as I expected. Beyond that, I’m taking it one day at a time. About the only firm decision I’ve set into concrete is never to accept a wedding party as guests again.

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

Marc’s novel, Rivers and Creaks, is on sale for only $0.99 during this tour. It’s available at: https://mybook.to/RiversandCreaks. You can find all his cozy mysteries at: https://www.amazon.com/Marc-Jedel/e/B07H7MVKJL. All of his books are free for Kindle Unlimited members. The first three books in the Silicon Valley Mystery series are out on audiobook from Tantor Audio, available everywhere audiobooks are sold.

Marc loves hearing from readers as that motivates him to keep going on the next blank page.

Thanks for answering my questions, Andy, and good luck to you and your author, Marc Jedel, with Rivers and Creaks, the latest book in the Redwoods Country mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Andy and his author, Marc Jedel by visiting the author’s website and his Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub and LinkedIn pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – https://mybook.to/RiversandCreaks

About Marc Jedel: Marc writes humorous murder mysteries. He credits his years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley for honing his writing skills and sense of humor. While his high-tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, these were just called emails, ads, and marketing collateral.

For most of Marc’s life, he’s been inventing stories. It’s a skill that’s served him well as both an author and marketer. The publication of Marc’s first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave him permission to claim “author” as his job. This leads to much more interesting conversations with people than answering, “marketing.”

Like his character, Andy, from the Redwoods Country Mystery series, Marc continues to grow older and would prefer not to run a bed-and-breakfast inn when he retires. Like his character, Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, Marc now lives in Silicon Valley, works in high-tech, and enjoys bad puns. Like his characters Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, he grew up in the South and spent plenty of time in and around Arkansas. Like all his protagonists, Marc too has a dog, although his is neurotic, sweet, and small, with little appreciation for Marc’s humor.

Posted in January 2024 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Savour those special parts of the season

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

When I was growing up in Toronto, I always loved to see houses lit up for the holiday season. Nearly every house on our street was ablaze with Christmas lights and decorations. Some had multi-coloured flashing extravaganzas, others glittering white lights like brilliant snowflakes, and still others, my favourites, tranquil blue ones that had the power to mesmerize me. I loved the sense of peace the blue ones radiated. When I gazed at them, I would forget that I was in a bustling city. Especially after a fresh fall of snow, when they made me feel as if I was alone in a silent, untouched landscape.

At our house, the lights were a bit more modest. My grandfather was a frugal man and wouldn’t spend money on costly window adornments. We had two thin artificial wreaths, with electric candles set in them, hanging in our two front windows. The bulbs were only small but their artificial flames glowed red and welcoming as I returned home each evening. As I walked up the path to the house and saw them, I knew I was home and it was Christmas. (I shared this Christmas memory on Victoria K. William’s blog earlier this month. If you would like to read the full interview, you can find it here.)

I’m amazed that we had those wreaths in our windows at all as my family hated the idea of wreaths as Christmas decorations. When I asked why they shied away from them, they said that wreaths reminded them of funerals and death, and it made them sad.

I can understand why wreaths had such negative connotations for them. As adults they had experienced loss more often than I had as a teenager. But, since my experience was different to theirs, I didn’t have the same response at all. I found wreaths festive and cheery, and I would have loved to have them hanging in our house.

Wreaths have long been part of the traditions of many cultures. In ancient Greece and Rome, they were a symbol of victory, and laurel wreaths were used to crown the victors in war and athletic competitions.

In medieval Europe, ivy and holly were symbols of protection. Wreaths made from these plants were hung on the doors of family homes to ward off evil spirits during the harsh winter months.

Protection for crops has been a universal concern throughout the centuries. In diverse cultures, from ancient Greece to many parts of Europe, and in particular Scandinavia, wreaths were used for this purpose. Wreaths, made from the previous year’s crops, were hung to ensure the coming harvest was protected from harm.

Wreaths were also part of winter solstice celebrations and were believed to bring good luck and prosperity to households.

And, of course, wreaths are part of the rituals of mourning and funerals, and remembering and honouring the dead. While the sight of them makes us think of sad occasions and loss, their symbolism is meant to comfort mourners. The circular shape, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes eternal life. This meaning has been celebrated from ancient civilizations to modern Christian ones.

Weaving evergreen branches together to form wreaths, the early Christians incorporated pagan beliefs about evergreens into their practices to celebrate the triumph of the soul over death. Evergreen plants survive and thrive in the harsh winter months so they have been claimed as a symbol of resilience and hope.

And it’s their association with resilience and hope that I see in Christmas wreaths. Unlike my family who found them depressing, I find them heartening. I guess you can see the glass as half empty or half full. I’m generally a positive person so I embrace their encouraging symbolism. Evergreens are bright spots in the dark winter and provide hope of renewal and good fortune to come.  

I have a large wreath in the hallway, decked out with red apples, white flowers and pine cones, to welcome visitors. And there are several smaller wreaths hung in the windows in the living room and dining room. These ones are plainer, made with green reflective material and single red bows. But when the light hits them, they glitter and sparkle. They are simple and beautiful.

Anyone who knows me, knows that my decorations don’t stop there. I love the soft glitter of Christmas, and our mantlepiece and living room windowsill are dotted with Christmas figurines. Holly and blue Christmas lights thread through them. And the tree stands on a table in the corner of the living room, decked with a plethora of ornaments I’ve collected since I was a child. The multi-coloured lights on it wink slowly in ever-changing colours, from red to green to blue.

So, there’s lots of holiday sparkle and cheer surrounding us and adding to our festive season. But I always take some quiet time each year to notice the wreaths too and remember their evergreen promise for that moment in time and the future.

I hope you enjoy the holiday season and take time to savour the parts of it that warm and encourage you.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the coming year. 

Posted in Archives, December 2023 | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Snow Job is out now

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

It’s taken a while to get here but this week I released The Snow Job, Book 3 in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. I was always excited about this story but never seemed to find enough time to work on it. So, I wrote this book in bits and pieces, in between other projects (including two illustrated novels), over two years. Last Christmas I celebrated finishing the first draft of the story. And this year, I’ve finally finished editing the book and have published it.

The Snow Job is set in January 1984, and follows Thanksgiving and Theft (a novella) and The Heritage Heist (Book 2), both of which were set in the previous October, in the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series.

So, what’s the story?

Middle-aged widow Lois is beginning to feel part of the Fenwater community, and as winter sets in, she is getting ready for the town’s biggest Scottish event, the annual Burns Night supper. But when one of the committee members dies in suspicious circumstances, Lois has more to worry about than the fate of this year’s celebration. She tried unsuccessfully to revive the man and her friend Marge worked with him. So, they want to find his killer even though Lois promised her partner Bruce that she would stay out of police matters.

But, what’s the harm in asking a few questions? Such as does someone want to safeguard their inheritance or give their business a boost? Will finding the motive for the murder lead them to the killer or maybe more?

And so begins a fortnight of slippery sidewalks, angst about ancestors, capable firemen and cunning firebugs, unreliable records, swirling Scottish music and swinging tartan kilts, calico cats and smouldering spooks set against the backdrop of snow glistening under streetlamps on serene streets, the comfort of ritual in a cold churchyard, the swish of skate blades in crisp night air and the tang of mouthwatering meatloaf in rural Canada in 1984.

The Snow Job is a heartwarming and puzzling winter tale set in a small town where you’ll quickly feel at home. I hope you’ll pull up a chair and join Lois and her friends as they try to figure out this latest mystery and find the killer – before it’s too late.

The Snow Job is available online at Amazon.

Posted in Archives, December 2023, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Christmas Conundrum

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Barb (Babs) Butler, from A Christmas Conundrum, a Liz Adams mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to invite us to join her in Charlestown for the holidays.

Welcome, Babs. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

Hello. My name is Barb (Babs) Butler, very pleased to meet you. I’m Liz Adams’ mom. She’s a private investigator, and I’m so proud of her. You’ll love meeting her.

Since you’re reading this, you are officially invited to become a member of the Babs Club. By the way, not many people are allowed to call me by my nickname.

Can you believe that someone is stealing Christmas decorations from my dear friend Lou? Who can be such a Grinch! Lou and I became close when we collaborated on Liz’s wedding. Although we initially had our differences, he and I designed a marvelous reception. Even my husband, Liz’s dad, agreed.

Originally Brad, Liz, and their dog, Duke, planned to visit us in Florida for the holidays. When I found out that Lou’s business was in trouble, I had to help. We decided to travel to Charleston instead. Our son-in-law sent his private plane to pick us up. What a treat. That earned Brad an official invitation into the Babs Club.

When I arrived, I discovered that Lou’s wonderful plans for the mayor’s Christmas celebration were in jeopardy. Lou asked me to work with the mayor’s wife on the event. As I got to know her, I became immersed in her vision for the party. The story progresses, and I become involved in the investigation.

Have you ever been to Charleston during the holidays? Please join me in the story and experience the charm. The decorations, the food, and the ambience are divine. My daughter and son-in-law took us on a delightful horse and carriage ride followed by hot drinks at the Charleston Place Hotel. Here’s an excerpt from Liz’s point of view:

“As we pulled the provided blankets around our legs to ward off the chill in the air, the horse began to clip-clop down the street. An instrumental version of “Jingle Bells” played softly from the carriage speakers.

Snippets of my dad and Brad discussing the upcoming college football bowl games carried in the breeze. I loved that the two of them were getting along.

. . . Once the carriage rounded the corner to the Battery, we all grew quiet as we took in the magical sights. Palm trees and palmettos were covered in white lights. Enormous wreaths made of magnolia leaves hung on wrought-iron fences. Gigantic red bows and massive garlands adorned white columns. Fairy lights and mistletoe decorated arches and gates.”

We also toured the Festival of Lights where a bit of trouble happened. After that incident, my husband wanted me to quit the case. I had to remind him of our family motto, “Butlers don’t back out.” Afterall, Lou’s business and the mayor’s Christmas party were at stake.

Things get heated toward the end. There’s a big showdown that you won’t want to miss.

You’ll find the recipe for my famous coffee cake at the end of the story. There’s also a play list of Christmas songs included.

Honestly, my friend, if this story doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit, I might have to pay you a visit and sort you out.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you for your invitation, Babs, and good luck to you and your author Stacy Wilder with A Christmas Conundrum, the latest book in the Liz Adams mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Babs and her author Stacy Wilder by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub and YouTube pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

 Amazon E-book –  Amazon Paperback – Amazon Hardback – Barnes and Noble – Bookshop.org

About Stacy Wilder: Stacy has traveled to six out of seven continents Books have shaped her life and her travels. Her love of mysteries began with Nancy Drew.

A Christmas Conundrum is the third book in the riveting Liz Adams Mystery series. In addition to mysteries, Stacy writes children’s stories, short stories, and poetry. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas, with a totally spoiled Labrador retriever, Eve.

Posted in Archives, December 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Malice, Matrimony & Murder

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Laci Duvall from the Malice, Matrimony, & Murder story “Charm City Wedding” is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about her story and the collection of 25 wedding cozy mystery and crime fiction stories in Malice, Matrimony, & Murder.

Welcome, Laci. 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.

Hi! I’m Laci Duvall, or more specifically, I’m Special Agent, Major Laci Duvall of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. I’m excited to be here today and chat with you. My world is in Charm City or Baltimore, MD. The novel I live inside is Charm City Crab Puff—and yes, it’s a series.

Air Force OSI, like I told my roomie Cassy, is kind of like the FBI but with random bits of terror thrown in. It’s a good thing I keep a fresh supply of sweet tea in my fridge at all times. It helps ratchet down the terror level. OSI does everything from criminal to cyber investigations. There are also times we work with local police to help them with one of their investigations.

Charm City Crab Puff is an instance where we work with the local police to discover who killed a fellow OSI agent and my ex-husband. Baltimore City Police Detective Antonio Desio heads the local investigation, and I work closely with him. Detective Desio also happens to be the man I was going to marry before I married my ex—the one who’s dead.

We’re just getting started with the series, and from what I’ve heard, the second one is going to be just as great and funny as the first. The short story in this anthology actually takes place after the second book. My writer got ahead of herself with introducing us, and we’re a little out of order, but that just means you have to jump up and buy the book when it releases on April 1, 2024.

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

My writer is pretty good at balancing what I say or want with what she has planned. Sometimes, she has it all plotted out, and I throw a kink in the works. I like to keep her on her toes that way.

How did you evolve as the main character?

In the beginning, I was all set to be by myself. Just me, Boo—my cat, and my beagle Needles and all the sweet tea I can handle. Then my tea with lemon dead ex-husband sent his wife, Sammie, and their twins to live with me, and my house was no longer my castle. There was whining and crying, and that was just me—I’m kidding. It was the twins, but they grew on me. Soon after, Baltimore City Policewoman Cassy Davis joined our household because of chicken pox, if you can believe that.

I didn’t have the silence I thought I wanted anymore. Instead, I had more. I just didn’t know that all along that’s what was missing.

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

I share my space with Sammie and the twins, Cassy and Antonio. Surprisingly enough, Cassy, Sammie, and I just gelled. We clicked right away and got along like we’ve known each other for years. We’re honest with each to a fault and won’t take crap from each other. It’s refreshing and surprising at the same time. Desio—yeah. Antonio is the fine wine to my sweet tea in a red cup. He and I go way back. We’ve known each other since we were teenagers, and back then, we planned on being together forever. Then life happened. So, here we are twenty-plus years later, bumbling around like teenagers on a first date. All the butterflies are there, which is surprising since I’m in my early forties. I thought those days were over, but it just goes to show that love can be found at any age.

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

I was asked as a favor to Antonio to sub as a bridesmaid in his brother Giancarlo’s wedding. What they didn’t tell me was that it wasn’t the bridesmaid. It was the maid of honor. For someone I’ve never met. Now, my stomach is a mess—I’m in the church I grew up in, and memories are swirling everywhere. Then bang, not only is there an unconscious wedding planner, but there’s a hysterical bride-to-be and her soon-to-be husband trying not to take it as a bad omen when he sees her at the rehearsal. It’s me and Antonio again tracking down the person who wanted to take out the planner.

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

It’s wedding-themed! I mean, how great is that? It’s a fun idea, and there are some fantastic stories in this anthology.

Thank you for answering my questions, Laci, and good luck to you and your author, Pamela Kyel, with “Charm City Wedding” in the Malice, Matrimony & Murder collection.

Readers can learn more about Laci and her author, Pamela Kyel by visiting the author’s website.

The cozy mystery and crime fiction collection Malice, Matrimony & Murder is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Apple Books     Kobo    Smashwords    Books2Read Universal Link   GoodReads Link 

Malice, Matrimony, and Murder is a Limited-Edition Collection of 25 Wedding Cozy Mystery and Crime Fiction Stories by Joslyn Chase, Charlotte Morganti, P.M. Raymond, Paige Sleuth, Teresa Inge, Sally Milliken, Rebecca Olmstead, Nikki Knight, Shari Held, Barbara Howard, Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier, KD Sherrinford, Stephen D. Rogers, Elaine Togneri, Lynn Hesse, Margaret S. Hamilton, Stella Oni, Robert Petyo, Pamela Kyel, Karen McCullough, Wil A. Emerson, Jack Bates, J. Aquino, Sharyn Kolberg, and Becky Clark.

Posted in Archives, December 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Countdown to Christmas

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Grace is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Countdown to Christmas, the first novel in the Holiday Countdown series.

Welcome, Grace. 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.

My name is Grace, and I am the main character in a series of six books, all of which revolve around a holiday. The first book is a Christmas story. To make my last Christmas with my Granny special, I opened our home as a temporary bed and breakfast and set about re-creating all of Granny’s special childhood Christmas memories. The entire town comes together to help me, and we create a magical Christmas wonderland! The rest of the series follows me as I try to keep the bed and breakfast going with new guests, new obstacles, and new friends!

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

She wishes she was in control! I’ve been making my own decisions since the beginning, as have the rest of my friends and relatives!

How did you evolve as the main character?

I start off as a lonely woman with low self-esteem, who is desperate to make my last Christmas with my Granny as special as possible. As the story progresses, I slowly begin to come out of my shell. I make a lot of new friends, help some lovely people make new Christmas memories with their loved ones, and I even get to experience my first taste of love!

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

I am particularly fond of my granny! But other than her, I love Carl, Molly, and Hunter. Molly quickly becomes the sister I never had, Carl is the kind and loving father/grandfather, I also never had, and Hunter is my friend/love interest.

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

I live in a very small, rural mid-western town of around two thousand people. Everyone here knows everyone, gossips often, and is quick to lend a hand when needed. I personally, live in a large, two-story home built in the late eighteen hundreds, which is the setting for most of the scenes.

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

The book is cute and fun to read, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a heartwarming tale of love and forgiveness. Of the importance of friendship, community, and communication. As well as the joy of making memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you for answering my questions, Grace, and good luck to you and your author, Dianna Houx, with Countdown to Christmas, the first book in the Holiday Countdown series.

Readers can learn more about Grace and her author, Dianna Houx by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Goodreads pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon 

About Dianna Houx: Dianna Houx is a wife, mother, reader, writer, and small-town girl at heart. She resides in a rural Missouri town of less than twenty-five hundred people with her husband and three boys in a late 1800s home they’ve been lovingly restoring when she isn’t busy working on her next book.

A romantic at heart, she believes in happily-ever-afters rooted in realism and, most importantly, humor! She is the author of Forsaking the Dark, a paranormal romance, The Queen’s Revenge, a historical romance, and the Holiday Countdown Series, a sweet, small-town romance series.

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Sniffing Out Murder

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Kallie E Benjamin, author of Sniffing Out Murder, a Bailey the Bloodhound mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit about bloodhounds and Bailey, the dog in her mystery series.

Welcome, Kallie. I’ll turn the floor over to you –

Okay, so the title, The Trouble with Bloodhounds, is meant to be an attention grabber by playing on an Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Trouble with Harry. What was wrong with Harry? The main problem was that he was dead, and his body kept popping up in different places (You probably need to see the movie to understand the humor). So, what’s the trouble with bloodhounds? Nothing. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with bloodhounds unless you have a bloodhound with a remarkable nose for scents, an instinct for tracking, a stubborn streak, and a penchant for getting their owners in trouble. To understand how a bloodhound can cause trouble, you need to know a bit more about the breed.

Bloodhounds are one of the oldest hound breeds. Legend has it that they were first bred by monks at Saint-Hubert Monastery in Belgium around 1,000 AD for hunting deer, wild boar, and rabbits. It’s believed that the breed’s purity was so valued that only the clergy were allowed to own them, in an effort to ensure their pure bloodline. This led to the name, the blooded hounds, or “hounds of noble ancestry.” There’s no way to confirm if the bloodhounds we recognize today are actual descendants of those pure and noble canines, however what is known for sure is that since the Middle Ages, their keen sense of smell has been used to track and locate missing people, escaped prisoners, and lost pets. They’re able to discern human scent over great distances days after the scent was first made. Combine an extraordinary nose with a tenacious (some might call stubborn) tracking instinct, and you have the modern bloodhound.

Bloodhounds feature prominently in my newest cozy mystery, Sniffing Out Murder. Actually, just one bloodhound, a three-year-old canine named Bailey. Like all bloodhounds, Bailey has an excellent nose and once he’s on a scent trail, he’s stubborn and reluctant to let go. Priscilla Cummings is Bailey’s human. A former schoolteacher, Pris has written a children’s book featuring her canine companion. The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound, Pet Detective is a hit, but not even a bestselling book can keep this team out of the doghouse when Pris gets into an argument with Whitney Kelley, a member of the local school board and former high school mean girl and Bailey digs up her body under the begonias in the local park. Some locals are barking up the wrong tree by accusing Pris of the murder. Ultimately, it’s up to Pris and Bailey to catch the killer and figure out Whodunit.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Kallie, and good luck with Sniffing Out Murder, the first book in the Bailey the Bloodhound mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kallie E Benjamin by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub and Goodreads pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

Amazon   Apple   Books-A-Million  Barnes and Noble   Bookshop.org   Google Play   Hudson Booksellers    Powells   Target   KOBO   Walmart

About Kallie E Benjamin: Kallie E. Benjamin (Valerie Burns) is the author of the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. The first book, Sniffing Out Murder releases on December 5, 2023. Valerie is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Indie Book Award finalist. Writing as V. M. Burns she is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery, Dog Club Mystery, and RJ Franklin Mystery series. Writing as Valerie Burns, she is the author of the Baker Street Mystery series. Valerie is also an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles.

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Grounds for Murder

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Lena Gregory is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Grounds for Murder, her latest novel in the Coffee & Cream Mystery series.

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

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

Grounds for Murder is the second book in the Coffee & Cream Café Mystery series, which take place in the small town of Watchogue on Eastern Long Island’s south shore. In this story, Danika is ready to reopen Jimmie’s Ice Cream Parlor as the new Coffee & Cream Café, and she decides to do so with a mystery author signing. Unfortunately, the night doesn’t go well. And the next morning goes even more wrong when she finds the author has been killed.

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

I wanted a special event for Dani’s grand reopening, and a book signing seemed like a fun idea, especially when you add in deception, plagiarism, and of course, murder.

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

The biggest underlying theme in my stories has to do with friendship. I think close friends, the kind who would do anything for you, the kind you can share your deepest, darkest secrets with, are so important. And if those friends are a ton of fun and also willing to join right in to help you solve a murder or two, even better.

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

When I’m starting to create a new main character, I ask myself what would make this character fun and interesting? Then I create secondary characters to support them. In this book, I added a new character, Eli. He is definitely one of my favourites. He’s full of energy, kind of clumsy, and completely adorable. I also have a real soft spot for Uncle Jimmie.

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

First, I try to write about places I know. Then, I try to bring all the little quirks visitors might not know about into the stories. In my All-Day Breakfast Café books, one of the biggest things is the abundance of critters. When I moved to Florida, that was one of the things that took the most getting used to. In my books that take place on Long Island, I try to convey what it’s like to walk along the beaches, not only what you’d see, but how the sand feels, the scent of salt from the bay, the sound of seagulls.

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

I research everything. I like to make sure my books would feel authentic, even to someone familiar with the subject. My most recent searches today included how to make explosives with C4, the structure of a mob family, and how many FBI offices are in Central Florida. Hopefully, no one will ever check my browsing history. 😊

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

I hope they enjoy it! Thank you so much for having me.

You’re welcome, Lena, and good luck with Grounds for Murder, the latest book in the Coffee & Cream Mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Lena and her writing by visiting her website and her Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon –   B&N  –  Kobo

About Lena Gregory: Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

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Butterfly Betrayal

Posted on November 29, 2023 by Dianne Ascroft

Seneca James is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Butterfly Betrayal, the first novel in the Seneca James mystery series.

Welcome, Seneca. 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 novel I live in, Butterfly Betrayal, is amazing! I run a butterfly farm, and also own the Painted Wings Café, where the people of Maple Junction, Indiana, can hang out and catch up on the latest happenings.

Does the writer control what happens in the story or do you get a say too? I definitely get a say! When Ruth, the author, has trouble coming up with the next line in the story, I give her a friendly nudge, telling her what I would like to happen.

How did you evolve as the main character? Since I’ve always wanted to own a butterfly farm, I was fortunate enough to inherit the one my grandmother had run. So many people come through my businesses, and I get to be involved in their lives and troubles, the same way they are in mine. When someone close to me turned into a person I didn’t recognize anymore, the trouble started for me.

Do you have any other characters you like sharing the story with? If so, why are you partial to them? First of all, my cat, Winifred, is a crucial part of the story. She’s my little furry sidekick, although she can be moody and persnickety. But then, so are lots of cats. Just one more reason we love them! And my best friend, Cody. He’s also our town sheriff. I couldn’t do life without him.

What’s the place like where you find yourself in this story? Maple Junction is a small, friendly town. Everyone knows everyone else’s business, and gossip spreads fast! You can always count on your friends and neighbors for support if anything goes wrong. At least, I used to be able to, until my next-door neighbor threw me for a loop…

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about you and the book? The other characters and I can’t wait to meet you! And we’re looking forward to bringing you book two in the series, soon!

Thank you for answering my questions, Seneca, and good luck to you and your author, Ruth J Hartman, with Butterfly Betrayal, the first book in the Seneca James mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Seneca and her author, Ruth J Hartman by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Facebook Author and Bookbub pages.

The novel is available online at Amazon

About Ruth J Hartman: Ruth spends her days herding cats and her nights spinning mysterious tales. She, her husband, and their cats love to spend time curled up in their recliners watching old Cary Grant movies. Well, the cats sit in the people’s recliners. Not that the cats couldn’t get their own furniture. They just choose to shed on someone else’s.

Ruth, a left-handed, cat-herding, farmhouse-dwelling writer uses her sense of humor as she writes tales of lovable, klutzy women who seem to find trouble without even trying. Ruth’s husband and best friend, Garry, reads her manuscripts, rolls his eyes at her weird story ideas, and loves her despite her insistence all of her books have at least one cat in them.

Posted in Archives, November 2023 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments