Murder in the Tea Leaves

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Laura Childs, author of Murder in the Tea Leaves, a Tea Shop mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to give us some inside secrets for how to attract a publisher.

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

If you’ve written a few chapters, created an outline, or finished your first book, heartfelt congratulations are in order! Because writing is hard work. You’re constantly stretching your imagination to spark ideas and put words on the page. The whole process is stressful, tiring, and makes you feel as if you’re burning the candle at both ends. Because you are.

But now comes the tricky part – you have to grab the attention of that all-important acquisition editor. Okay, a few words about this: Editors who once bought books based on a few snappy chapters no longer do that. They’ve been burned by would-be authors who grabbed the advance but couldn’t finish their book. So now you need to have the whole shebang written, proofed, and perfectly formatted. On top of all this, you have to have a first chapter with a jackrabbit-start. Editors don’t want pages of build-up, they want you to fling your readers right into the action. As my agent once said to me, “You’re writing murder mysteries, so you’d better drop a dead body right there in chapter one!”

Let’s also talk about what goes into a successful novel. Clearly, the internal architecture of your novel needs to be flawless. I’m talking plot, pacing, turning points, character development, dialogue, and a steady build-up of suspense. If you’re a little shaky on any of these points, read a book or two about novel writing (I highly recommend Stephen King’s Stephen King on Writing and Donald Mass’s Writing the Breakout Novel). You could even take a writing class or ask a friendly local author. Any extra information you can soak up is going to pay off in the long run.

Once you have your manuscript fully in order, have a few friends (or bookshop owners or authors) read it. If they all point out one part that isn’t working for them, change it. If they all criticize different parts, let it go. You’re fine.

Now you’re going to need a literary agent. If you don’t actually know an agent, there are lists and websites for this online. See which ones accept unsolicited manuscripts and what their specific requirements are. Once you’ve picked out two or three agents to query, you have to write a whiz-bang query letter telling that agent exactly why he or she should represent you. In other words, you’ve got to compose a short, intriguing synopsis of your book and then enthusiastically explain why it’s the hot new thing. Believe me, agents and editors are always on the look-out for the hot new thing.

Another option is to attend one of the annual mystery conventions like Bouchercon, ThrillerFest, or Left Coast Crime where you can sign up for a pitch fest. This would be you singing and dancing your novel directly in front of a real live editor!

Be sure to keep in mind that editors are always on the hunt for breakout books – books that are unique, don’t tell the same old story, and stand out in their categories. Think about books like The Wife Before, Mad Honey, and Killers of the Flower Moon that are slightly quirky but have rocketed onto the New York Times bestseller list.

If you’re writing genre fiction (cozy, thriller, police procedural, suspense) you need to know what those current trends are and what sorts of books are actually selling. You can read Publisher’s Weekly or subscribe to a free webzine like Shelfawareness.com. And if you happen to have lucked out and been invited to submit your manuscript to an agent, never mistake slow response time for interest. Don’t be afraid to keep the pressure on! And believe me, once you score that all-important literary agent, you want to make them your new best friend. Quiz them on what today’s acquisition editors are looking for, ask them what parts of your novel need propping up, and, above all, listen to and heed all their comments and critiques. After all, you want to make their job (of selling your work!) as easy as possible.

So best of luck with your writing and please, no matter what, continue to believe in your skills and talent. Don’t ever let naysayers tell you that you’re too young, too old, not good enough, not smart enough, or don’t have enough writing experience. Banish those turkeys from your writing life, because if you work hard enough and keep believing in yourself, your novel will get published!

Thank you for sharing this with us, Laura, and good luck with Murder in the Tea Leaves, the latest book in the Tea Shop mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Laura Childs by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook page.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org – PenguinRandomHouse

Gerry Schmitt, who writes under the pen name Laura Childs is now adding two more series that are harder-edged Wednesday February 26, 2014 in Plymouth. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)

About Laura Childs: Laura is the author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. All have been on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. Recently, Book Riot named her mysteries to their list of “25 of the All Time Best Cozy Mystery Series” and her Tea Shop Mysteries were a question on Jeopardy. In herprevious life Laura was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, and has a Chinese Shar-Pei named Lotus.

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

Double Scoop of Murder

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Eli Sinclair from Double Scoop of Murder, A Coffee & Cream mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit about a day in his life.

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

Until recently, my days were spent mostly alone working from home as a cyber security expert. My parents passed away when I was young, and my grandmother took care of me. She made sure I had all the love and support I needed growing up, and now I still live with her and stick close so I can be there for her instead of working at some office in New York City two hours away. But I do have to admit, with most of my friends having gone away to college or moved out of town, it can get a little lonely, especially when Gram is so busy with things like poker night and paddle board yoga. But now, all that has changed.

I met Gwen Rothberg when we both attended a goat yoga class. Neither of us ever went back, and we almost got tossed out of the class for laughing so hard, but we went on to become the best of friends. Then, when Gwen’s best friend from childhood returned to town, Gwen suggested I apply for a job as a barista at her new café. I loved the idea. It allowed me time to hang out and socialize with people and still stick close for Gram. Plus, it didn’t interfere with my career.

In addition to all of that, as if that weren’t enough, Danika Delaney became one of my closest friends. I love working at the café, and just between us, I have the biggest crush on her sister, Meghan. But that’s a story for another time, since I haven’t yet worked up the nerve to ask her out, and I get all tongue tied the instant she walks into a room.

An additional perk of working at the café and hanging out with Dani is the murders. No. Wait. Yikes. That didn’t come out right. What I meant to say is, I get to investigate murders, not that I enjoy them. But getting to put my skills to use helping bring killers to justice has been amazing. And now, we’re participating in a treasure hunt. I love following the clues and trying to decipher the riddles to search for the treasure. Unfortunately, one of the contestants was just murdered, which kind of put a damper on things, but at least I’ll get to investigate again. If, that is, Dani doesn’t decide to mind her own business like the detective in charge suggests.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Eli, and good luck to you and your author, Lena Gregory, with Double Scoop of Murder, the latest book in the Coffee & Cream mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Eli and his author, Lena Gregory by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Pinterest and Goodreads pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The book is available online at the following retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo

About Lena Gregory: Lena is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

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.

Posted in March 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Murder in Masquerade

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Mary Winters, author of Murder in Masquerade, the latest novel in the Lady of Letters mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Mary.

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

MURDER IN MASQUERADE is the second book in the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. The series is set in Victorian London in the year 1860. Amelia Amesbury is a widowed countess, secret agony aunt, and amateur sleuth. In this book, she must help the handsome marquis Simon Bainbridge untangle his sister from an unsuitable suitor. When the suitor ends up dead, they investigate.

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

It came from my time in London and also research related to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I read about a ghost at the theatre, and it prompted the idea for a murder to take place there.

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

I’m fascinated by theatres and disguises and deception. I think the theatre is the perfect place for a murder.

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

I create my characters gradually, building upon them with every rewrite. By the time I submit my book to my editor, I know them and their motivations very well. I am closer to some characters than others because I spend more time writing them. For instance, Simon and Amelia have a romantic relationship, so I spend a good deal of time considering their conversations and reactions outside the plot of the mystery.

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

Mostly my imagination and research. I have books on fashion, jewelry, houses, and carriages as well as maps of the time period. I’ve also been to England and London and recall my time there when I write.

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

I read lots of agony columns and etiquette books about the time period. I have a subscription to British newspapers that is indispensable to my research.

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

I really enjoyed writing some of the scenes in Murder in Masquerade, especially the game of croquet. I hope they enjoy them, too!

Thank you for answering my questions, Mary, and good luck with Murder in Masquerade, the latest book in the Lady of Letters mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Mary Winters by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – BAM – Bookshop.org – Powell’s Books – Hudson Booksellers

© Julie Prairie Photography 2016

About Mary Winters: Mary is the author of the Lady of Letters historical mystery series. She also writes cozy mysteries under the name Mary Angela. A longtime reader and fan of historical fiction, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip! 

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

Once Upon a Murder

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Samantha Larsen, author of Once Upon a Murder, the latest novel in the Lady Librarian mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Samantha.

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

Once Upon a Murder is the second book in the Lady Librarian mysteries. The first book is A Novel Disguise. Miss Tiffany Woodall is a lady librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort and head over heels in love with the local bookseller. Her new fairy tale life comes to a halt, when she discovers a dead body in front of her cottage in the woods.

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

As you can probably tell from the title, fairy tales play an important role in this murder mystery. Tiffany purchases children’s books for the young Duke of Beaufort, including the original Mother Goose Tales which include Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Fairy tale easter eggs can be found throughout the book, but when the justice of the peace believes that Tiffany is the prime suspect, she has to find the true villain. 

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

Once Upon a Murder has the universal fairy tale theme: Good vs. Evil; with Good triumphing. I hope my readers will find the end satisfying and unexpected.

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

Samir has been my favourite character since he tried to rescue Tiffany in book one (she didn’t need to be saved). If you are a romance fan like myself, you’ll be happy to see more of their courtship. And the bossy Duke of Beaufort, who is only a child, delights me on every page.

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

I love layering a scene. First, you have the setting; a room, a path, a castle, a library. Second, you have the objects that the characters interact with. Third, you dress the people in period specific clothes; raiment can tell the reader a lot about a character. Each piece helps the writer tell the story.

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

I lived in England and attending the University of Reading. I travelled extensively, but the village in my story is entirely fictional. As a former librarian, I get several books from the library to research every story.

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

Besides fairy tales, other children’s books in the eighteenth century were written to teach morals. Including the famous, The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765). Shoes comes into play in Once Upon a Murder.

Thank you for answering my questions, Samantha, and good luck with Once Upon a Murder, the latest book in the Lady Librarian mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Samantha Larsen by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook and Instagram pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – Books A Million – Powells Books – Bookshop.org – Target – Walmart 

About Samantha Larsen: Samantha met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, having tea parties, and chasing her four kids. She has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Reading (UK). She also writes historical romances under Samantha Hastings. 

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

Murder Under a Honey Moon

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Madeline Mona Moon from Murder Under A Honey Moon, A Mona Moon mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us how she ended up at Mooncrest Farm.

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

My name is Madeline Mona Moon. I am a cartographer by trade. I had just gotten back to New York from an archaeological dig in Mesopotamia and was in dire need of another paying gig when I discovered my application to an expedition in the Amazon had been denied. Why? Simply because I am a woman. I was counting on the job as I had only three hundred dollars to my name. That money would have to stretch until I could find other employment, which wouldn’t be easy during the Great Depression. Twenty-five percent of the country is out of work, and now I counted myself among that army of jobless as well. I dreaded to think I’d be reduced to selling apples on the street corner.

I was in my one-room flat on the lower east side when a knock sounded at my door after midnight. Gathering a pistol from my purse, I opened the door. There stood a middle-aged man in wire-rimmed spectacles holding a leather briefcase. “I bring glad tidings,” he said. “Your uncle, Manfred Michael Moon, has passed and bequeathed to you the Moon fortune, including Mooncrest Farm. You are one now of the richest women in the country.”

At first I thought it was a prank as my Uncle Manfred and I had been estranged.  Why would he name me as his heir when he had a sister, my Aunt Melanie, living with him? Didn’t make sense. Nevertheless, who was I to punch Lady Luck in the face? After all, it was 1933 and people were starving. I didn’t intend to be one of them. “Where do I sign?” I asked.

Within a week, I found myself in God’s country—the Kentucky Bluegrass with its famous horse farms boasting white fences bordering emerald pastures and elegant columned Southern mansions where the swells sipped oak-cured bourbon. Dexter Deatherage, my uncle’s lawyer and now mine, personally escorted me to Mooncrest Farm, my new home. I kept reminding myself that I was now mistress of Moon Manor, a palatial mansion. I met the household staff who were less than enthusiastic. After all, I was an interloper and worse—a Yankee in their eyes—but I was determined to make a go of it.

I couldn’t escape the feeling there was something off about Moon Manor. My uncle’s death didn’t feel right, and my suspicions were confirmed after I read Uncle Manfred’s death certificate. It seemed odd to me that a sick man with heart disease in the care of  a full time nurse would tumble to his death down the grand staircase. Why was Uncle Manfred out of bed in the middle of the night? Where was his caretaker?

Things became more complicated when I discovered the nurse claimed she had been drugged that fateful night. My imagination ran wild. I felt as though people were conspiring against me and that I was being watched every second. If I died, my aunt would be next in line to inherit the Moon wealth. Would I be next to meet an untimely death?

I couldn’t let my guard down even when my charming next-door neighbor, Lord Farley, the son of a British duke, began pursuing me. If only Robert Farley hadn’t been so handsome.  He was hard to resist, but I didn’t have time for romance.  At least, that’s what I thought.

I’ve told you the story of my beginnings. Now, let me tell you of my latest adventure.  I married Lord Farley. Yes, I did. I was so in love with Robert Farley, I couldn’t  see straight—or even think straight.  We married at my home, Moon Manor, in Kentucky. It was a glorious affair.

For our honeymoon, we boarded the RMS Majesty heading to Great Britain.  From there we would visit Robert’s ancestral home and finish with a Mediterranean cruise, ending on the Italian Rivera. 

After many adventures and hardships, this is what we needed—time alone with complete privacy, no work, no Pinkerton bodyguards, no committments, and especially no murders, which seem to follow me around.  It’s not what we got.

We returned to our cabin after an evening of dancing on to find it ransacked. All my jewels were stolen, even those which belonged to Robert’s mother and the Brynelleth estate. I was devastated. To make matters worse, a bartender was found dead with one of my brooches clutched in his hand.

All I can say is, “Here I go again!”

Thank you for sharing this with us, Mona, and good luck to you and your author, Abigail Keam, with Murder Under A Honey Moon, the latest book in the Mona Moon mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Mona and her author, Abigail Keam by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers:

 Amazon –   Barnes and Noble –  Apple – Kobo

About Abigail Keam: Award-winning author Abigail Keam writes the Mona Moon Mystery Series—a rags-to-riches 1930s mystery series, which includes real people and events into the story line. “I am a student of history and love to insert historical information into my mysteries. There is an addendum at the end of the mystery to give more information. My goal is to entertain my readers, but if they learn a little something along the way—well, then we are both happy.”

Miss Abigail currently lives on the Palisades bordering the Kentucky River in a metal house with her husband and various critters.

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

Sprites and Scuttlebutt

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Elizabeth Pantley, author of Sprites and Scuttlebutt, a novel in the Magical Mystery Book Club series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us why it’s fun to try reading new genres.

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

We all have our favorite kinds of books to read. Our favorite places to read, and our favorite times to read. Those things make us happy. They feel comfortable. They don’t require any real effort on our part. But sometimes, it’s fun, exciting, and even exhilarating to step out of your box and try something new, especially if you’re in a reading slump and nothing sounds good. That’s the perfect time to step out of your comfort zone.

A New Genre

It’s easy to get into a pattern of picking books that fit your favorite themes and styles. Often, we just automatically go to the themes we enjoy most. I like magical cozy mysteries, and there are so many of them to choose from. I could read one a day and never run out of books!

One day, I got an offer from a friend to read her new cozy mystery – no magic involved. The story featured …. a baking competition, no paranormals included!  The characters were funny and fresh. The story took me in a different direction than my usual reads. And I had a really great time! Now I’ve learned that I can have more than one favorite kind of story as a go-to when choosing my next read.

A New Reading Place

I read while curled up on my sofa with a cup of tea, and then every night when I get into bed propped up on pillows. Of course, I’ll always read in those two places, because I love them! Ever since I downloaded books onto my phone, I’ve found a million new places to read! Okay, not a million, but plenty! If I’m in a long line at the grocery store, I open my book and sneak in a chapter. Waiting room at the doctor’s office? Read! At a football game? Hah. Yeah. Read! Bored with dinner conversation – Read! (Okay, don’t tell anybody that one, since the book is hiding on my lap…)

I’ve also learned that listening to audiobooks opens a whole new world of loving books. Now, when I’m cooking, I can listen to a story. When I’m taking a long drive, I can be entertained instead of annoyed. I even listened to an audiobook during minor foot surgery! It took my attention away from the doctor and into a fantasy world of fun.

Opening your mind to new kinds of books and new places and ways to read can revitalize your reading life in a very pleasant way.

Thank you for sharing this with us, Elizabeth, and good luck with Sprites and Scuttlebutt, the latest book in the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Readers can learn more about Elizabeth Pantley by visiting the author’s website and. her Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads pages.

The book is available online at the following retailers: 

Amazon Purchase Links: US  CA  UK   AU

About Elizabeth Pantley is the author of fourteen fun, magical cozy mystery books, as well as the international bestselling No-Cry Solution parenting series. She simultaneously writes well-loved cozy mysteries: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series. Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest, the gorgeous inspiration for the setting in many of her books.

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

19 Criminals

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Maizie Albright is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about 19 Criminals, the latest novel in the Maizie Albright Star Detective mystery series.

Welcome, Maizie. 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.

Thanks so much for having me on Ascroft, Eh! (Was my inflection okay on the “eh?” We can do a retake, if you want one.)

I live inside a novel? Wait. I get it. This is like a James Lipton, Actors Studio question, right? Maybe you hadn’t heard, but I’m not acting anymore. Most people know me from the starring role in Julia Pinkerton, Teen Detective. And before that, Kung-Fu Kate. Or unfortunately, from the reality show, All Is Albright. I didn’t want to do it, but Vicki Albright, my ex-manager (still-mother) created AIA, so I didn’t have much choice.

Although I do pull from my acting experiences, now I’m an apprentice private investigator. Hust like in Julia Pinkerton, except I’ve grown out of my cheer skirt. I guess by “series,” you mean cases. Since moving home to Black Pine, Georgia, from Hollywood, I’ve had seven big cases and two shorter cases.

The first case began when I lost Wyatt Nash’s—of Nash’s Security Solutions—client’s wife and had to suffer the humiliation of not only telling him, but asking him to help me solve her missing persons case. My latest case had me juggling two cases on my own—one private and one for our new company, Albright Security Solutions. I think I’ve come a long way, baby! (Not to mention my relationship with Nash has gone from reluctant mentor to his leading lady.)

However, my most recent case—dubbed “19 CRIMINALS”—doesn’t have me paired with Nash, but with an 150-pound ferocious bullmastiff named Cuddles. Unfortunately, Cuddles is as suspicious of Nash as I am, but for very different reasons. I think Nash is secretly investigating my father’s company. Cuddles thinks Nash is like his former owner, Brian, who shouldn’t be allowed around people, let alone dogs.

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

More of the Actors Studio-style questions. Okay, I’m always game for some improv!

I believe the “writer” understands my side of the “story” when the case begins. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to have any control over my supporting cast. That seems to happen in the first chapter of many of my cases, including 19 CRIMINALS. Nobody—not me or the “writer”—knew Cuddles would team up with me on a case. She thought we were working on a Mr. & Mrs. Smith case, and it became more of a Turner & Hooch!

How did you evolve as the main character?

Throughout my cases, I’d say I’ve grown and matured, although I’m not where I want to be and still anxious to get there! My ex-therapist, Renata, would have a lot to say about that, but she never liked me to quote her to the press.

When I first arrived in Black Pine, my Hollywood star had tarnished. I was on probation due to my ex-fiance’s criminal activities. I’d been in and out of rehab since Julia Pinkerton, Teen Detective was canceled. A judge saw me teetering at the edge of the grown child-actor black hole and created unique probationary requirements: move home to live with my father in Georgia and get a job that had nothing to do with show business. When I did just that by getting a job at Nash Security Solutions, my mother cut up my Black Card and had my Jag repoed (Vicki wasn’t thrilled, to say the least, that I was determined to make it on my own).

To say I knew little about how the “real world” worked is not an understatement. At the same time as I’m learning how to life a non-celebrity lifestyle, I’m learning the investigator ropes.

I’d say I’m a real fish out of water story!

Oh, wait … did you mean “my writer’s” idea for my cases? I think she liked the idea of a fish out of water story paired with a private investigator. *shrugs*

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

I’d say I’m really partial to Wyatt Nash, my PI mentor and now boyfriend. He looks like Dwayne Johnson, except for the little scar near his chin and the tattoo of Jessica Rabbit on his back. The fact that I’m built like Jessica Rabbit and also a ginger probably helped him get over the annoyance of having a celebrity for an apprentice. I fell head over heels for him immediately. But I always get a crush on my costar.

I’m also partial to my new Black Pine BFFs, Rhonda and Tiffany. I met them at LA HAIR when, unfortunately, Nash had me serve a summons to Tiffany while they were working. They love to “keep things real” for me, which can be a somewhat painful form of self-examination. But when my Hollywood star crashed and fell and my old friends abandoned me, Tiffany and Rhonda’s loyalty never wavered.

I’m also glad to live with my dad, Boomer Spayberry, his wife, Carol Lynn (IMHO, the best cook in the whole world), and my six-year-old half-sister Remi. Some might call her precocious. We call her dangerous. I’m not always glad to share the spotlight with my mother, Vicki Albright, mainly because she’d rather I have a real spotlight still on me, but we’re working our new mother-daughter (instead of manager-actor) relationship. I believe in love, laughter, and forgiveness. She still believes in the bottom line, but we’re getting there!

And I definitely don’t like sharing the spotlight with Nash’s ex-wife Jolene. Enough said, there.

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

Black Pine is a beautiful mountain and lake resort town in Georgia. If you’ve ever been to Hiawassee in the North Georgia Mountains, you’ll get the idea. Southern small town charm with mountain-folk grit! Black Pine has grown in the last few years, mainly due to DeerNose, my father’s outdoor recreation apparel company (gets its name from the scent embedded in the fabric). I’d hate to think that something fishy is going on at DeerNose. My father’s little empire has given so many Black Piners jobs and a better standard of living.

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

Readers have called my other cases “a mixture of adventure, mystery, and rom-com.” I think my latest case, 19 CRIMINALS, will appeal to not only fans of murder mysteries and chick lit-styled romantic comedies, but to dog lovers, too. Especially lovers of gigantic, slobbery dogs who prefer fast food and naps.

Thank you for answering my questions, Maizie, and good luck to you and your author, Larissa Reinhart, with 19 Criminals, the latest book in the Maizie Albright Star Detective mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Maizie and her author, Larissa Reinhart by visiting the author’s website and newsletter, as well as her Facebook and Bookbub pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    Universal Book Link    Apple   Kobo   Nook

About Larissa Reinhart: A Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Larissa loves to tell funny stories about sassy Southern women looking for love (and sometimes dead bodies) in all the wrong places, like in her international award-winning Cherry Tucker Mystery, Maizie Albright Star Detective, and Finley Goodhart Crime Caper series. You might have seen Larissa and her family with their little dog, Biscuit, on HGTV’s House Hunters International “Living for the Weekend in Nagoya” episode. They’re back in Georgia where Biscuit has a bigger yard and now barks at deer instead of crows.

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

A Killer Romance

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Maggie Blackburn, author of A Killer Romance, the latest novel in the Beach Reads mysteries series, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today.

Welcome, Maggie.

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

The Beach Read series takes place in a bookstore called Beach Reads. My main character is a Shakespeare scholar who returns home when her mother dies and leave the bookstore to her. In this book, she’s been back awhile and is in charge of the store.

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

I really have no idea. It just came to me.

Is there a theme or subject that underlies the story?

The whole series follows summer in her grief journey. And as with all my books as Mollie Cox Bryan, a community of women is central to healing, for support, and to get things done.

If so, what prompted you to write about it?

I think the setting prompted me. A bookstore at the beach…

How do you create your characters? I think my characters are bits and pieces of all the people I’ve met and characters I’ve read. Do you have favorite ones? I think Beatrice Matthews in my first series (Cumberland Creek) is my favorite. She was in her 80s and healthy and strong. She had a boisterous personality, too! Says her mind!

If so, why are you partial to them? I think I aspire to be Beatrice in my old age.

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

I have a very, very, vivid imagination. If I get stuck, I lookout YouTube videos and the like.

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

I try to get the legal aspects correct, so I’m constantly researching that aspect. And, of course, the murder weapon has to be plausible.

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

This book has a Valentine’s Day theme.

Thank you for answering my questions, Maggie, and good luck with A Killer Romance, the latest book in the Beach Reads mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Maggie Blackburn by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N – Bookshop.org

About Maggie Blackburn: Maggie Blackburn is the pen name for bestselling mystery author Mollie Cox Bryan, who writes cozy mysteries with edge. She’s the author of several bestselling mystery series Her books have been selected as finalists for an Agatha Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award and as a Top 10 Beach Reads by Woman’s World. She has also been short-listed for the Virginia Library People’s Choice Award.  She’s also penned a historical mystery under the name of Mollie Ann Cox. She lives in Crozet, Va. and is the mother of two grown, nearly perfect daughters.

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Clocked Out

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Josie Posey from Clocked Out, a Josie Posey mystery, is visiting Ascroft, eh? today to tell us a bit about her life in English Village.

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

Well look at you, arriving right on time for our interview. I’m Josie Posey and I’m happy you were able to meet me here, at The Cozy Cups Café. It is one of my favorite spots in English Village.

Did you know my friend Lorene runs the place? Help yourself to one of the mugs at the coffee station and feel free to add your own cream or a few squirts of flavoring. Don’t you love the mismatched cups? There’s a story behind that, but I’ll save it for another time.

I have to admit, when you asked to interview me I was surprised and flattered. As you know, I’m a freelance reporter for The Village Gazette, our local newspaper. It feels odd to be the subject of a story, you see?

Of course you do. Yes. Well. Shall we begin with some basic information? I retired from a career as a crime reporter in the city and moved into the sweet cottage my grandmother lived in for many years. I lost my husband about the same time, so it’s just me now. And Moe, of course. He’s my Old English sheepdog. The perfect pup to live in English Village, don’t you agree? He is the best companion ever. That sweet, funny, fluffy dog keeps me laughing. Sometimes I wonder who’s in charge at the cottage: Moe or me.

Yes. Yes. We enjoy a quiet life in a small town. Though I do try to keep busy.

I became friends with some ladies through a bit of volunteer work in the village. Now we play a weekly game of mahjong. We call ourselves the Mahjong Mavens. Me, Kate, Sharon and Nellie. They outrank me by their longevity in the village and their age (don’t say I told you, but, at I’m a decade younger than those women – a couple of them are pushing 70). And that’s everything about me. Not much to tell.

Except…we did have a little excitement around the murder investigation last summer when the local ballerina’s husband was found face down in a field of flowers. I was one of the last people to see the man alive, for goodness’ sake. At first, some thought I might be a suspect. Me! Josie Posey. Can you imagine? Anyway, I figured, what could it hurt to have another set of eyes on the evidence? It only made sense to dig into the case myself.

Then, because of my background in crime – I mean, crime reporting – the local police chief asked for my help. Naturally, I got the mavens involved.  Then he changed his mind and told me to keep my “biddies” out of the way. As you might imagine, that didn’t go over well. In the end, the chief admitted he couldn’t have caught the murderers without us.

Confidentially – and don’t breathe a word of this – I’m working with Chief Marshall on another case right now and it’s a doozy. No worries. We’ll figure it out. But the clock is ticking on this one and the chief is waiting.  

I’m afraid we’ll have to continue our interview another time. Enjoy your visit here in English Village. There’s a big art show in town this week. You can’t miss it. Do call again soon, won’t you?

Yes, I will. Thank you for sharing this with us, Josie, and good luck to you and your author, Anna St. John, with Clocked Out, the latest book in the Josie Posey mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Josie and her author, Anna St. John by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page.

The book is available online at Amazon

About Anna St John: Anna St. John writes cozy mysteries featuring a mature, yet feisty, former crime reporter, Josie Posey, as the amateur sleuth. Her debut novel, DOOMED BY BLOOMS, was released by Level Best Books in February 2023. CLOCKED OUT is the second book in her Josie Posey Mystery Series. It is scheduled to release Feb. 6, 2024.

A former journalist, award-winning advertising copywriter, and ad agency owner, Anna is married to her high school sweetheart. She writes from her home office in Kansas, with her Old English Sheepdog by her side.

Anna is represented by Cindy Bullard, of Birch Literary Agency. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Kansas Authors Club.

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Hammers and Homicide

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Dianne Ascroft

Dawna Carpenter is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Hammers and Homicide, the first novel in the Hometown Hardware mystery series.

Welcome, Dawna. 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.

Hello there! I’m Dawna Carpenter, the owner and operator of Carpenter’s Corner Hardware and Building Supply in Pine Bluff, Oregon. My late husband was a building contractor and helped me out in the store when he could. Now that he’s gone, I’m on my own here, although I’ve hired a man with a carpentry background to help me out.

My daughter, April, has recently moved back to town and taken over the design side of my business. I love having her here, even though it means I have to hide my crazy from her. Okay, maybe not so much crazy, just the little fact that I sense my late husband is still hanging around the family home. So what if I have long, drawn out conversations with him? I can’t be the first person to talk to their deceased loved ones.

Anyway, enough of that nonsense. You asked about the novel I live inside, and, like usual, I got off track a little bit. Hammers and Homicide starts off innocently enough with a bigwig land developer in town to buy up our local landmark, the Emery Theater, and turn it into some kind of swanky hotel. He’s already found his way to the bad side of several locals, and to top it off, he winds up dead in the bathroom of my hardware store. To make matters worse, one of my good friends is arrested for the crime. I don’t believe for a minute that Bill did it, so what could I do? I jumped in feet first to find the real killer, and dragged April along to help me snoop…I mean, investigate.

This is the first book in the series, but I think I have more murders to solve, don’t you?

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

She thinks she does, but I’m a pretty strong-willed woman. Nobody pulls my strings. Hahaha. Just kidding. My writer and I get along great, for the most part. Every once in a while, we’ll butt heads, but we talk it out and usually come up with a solution both of us can live with.

How did you evolve as the main character?

My writer tells me that her grandmother was the inspiration for my character, but I quickly emerged as my own person. Her grandmother owned a hardware store in a small town very much like Pine Bluff, and even her house and mine are weirdly alike. We’re both not great cooks but apparently that’s mostly what we have in common. I wish we could’ve met. I think I would’ve liked her.

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

Oh, yeah. Scads of them. I love Pine Bluff and a big part of that is because of the kind people who live here.

Like I mentioned, my daughter April lives here and helps me solve the mystery. She’s a spitfire, if I do say so myself. We tease each other mercilessly and have a fun relationship. Then there’s my best friend Evonne. We’ve known each other since second grade. She’s my ride-or-die friend. Everyone needs one. Our town police chief is J.T. Dallas. He’s a couple of years older than April and I think sparks are finally flying between the two of them. J.T.’s not a bumbling country cop. He’s smart as a whip and highly capable. There are bunches more people I could rattle on about, but I don’t want to bore you to death on our first chat.

Hey, I’ll tell you what. Pick up the book and you can meet them all for yourself!

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

Pine Bluff? It’s a small town sitting in a picturesque valley in the Blue Mountains of Northeastern Oregon. I love it here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. The mountains are craggy, beautiful, and remote. We’re kind of tucked up in this corner of the world all by ourselves, and we like it that way.

My hardware store sits on the last block of Main Street with an upscale western clothing and makeup store, Lipstick and Lace, in the same grey stone building. Even though the town is small, we boast some great shops and eating establishments. The Stage Stop Café makes the most delicious homemade pies, Literally carries the latest books, Rocking M Coffee Company can’t be beat, and we have a fantastic grocery store, just to name a few.

The Elk River runs along the edge of town, providing nice fishing holes and places to swim in the summer. Our mountains are amazing for hiking and spotting wildlife. The outdoor recreation around here is second to none.  

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

It’s set in the warmth of summer, so now seems like the perfect time to curl up on the couch and pretend you’re in a warmer season than the one dumping that snow in your yard. The other characters and I will be here, waiting to meet you!

Thank you for answering my questions, Dawna, and good luck to you and your author, Paula Charles, with Hammers and Homicide, the first book in the Hometown Hardware mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Dawna and her author, Paula Charles by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads and Instagram pages.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Bookshop.org

About Paula Charles: When Paula Charles isn’t writing under the towering trees of the Pacific Northwest, she can be found in the garden with her hands in the dirt or sitting on her front porch with a good book and a glass of iced tea. She has a love for small towns, ghost stories, and pie. Paula lives on a small farm in Southwestern Washington with her patient husband and a handful of furry and feathered critters. Paula also writes cozy mysteries under the pen name of Janna Rollins.

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