Peppermint Cream Die – blending Christmas and Crime

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Kayla Jeffries is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Peppermint Cream Die, the first novel in the HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) mystery series.

Welcome, Kayla. 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 Kayla Jeffries, the protagonist of Peppermint Cream Die. The book tells the story of how I helped solve the murder of my very good friend, Trudy Dillingham. Although I am an introverted HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and get overstimulated easily, I had to do something to help bring her killer to justice! It was stressful but worth it. Along the way, I met a really good guy, Jason, who is now my boyfriend (!), and I ended up with the sweetest all-white American shorthair cats, Sugar and Flour. I did a lot of baking, too. It was Christmastime, so I had tons of orders to fulfill for my home bakery business.

Peppermint Cream Die is the first installment of The HSP Mysteries. My author is waiting for copy-edits on the second book (Stabbed in the Tart, about the murder of a fellow chef) and is writing the third one now (Sourdough Dead, in which my boyfriend is accused of murder). She better get to it; I have a lot to say! Ha, ha.

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

I definitely get a say! Fortunately, Carol is also an HSP, so she understands what it’s like for me. We don’t argue too much. <grin>

How did you evolve as the main character?

At the beginning of Peppermint Cream Die, I was still getting over a bad break-up that had affected me a great deal (HSPs have a hard time getting over negative experiences). I was reluctant to date Jason, and not even 100 percent sure about adopting Sugar! (Flour came a little later). By the end of the book, I had completely changed. Sugar and Flour are now my adorable, trusted companions, and I can’t imagine life without them. As for Jason—well, you’ll just have to see.

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

My best friend, Isabella Valera, is a waitress at our community’s restaurant, and is my perfect counterpoint. She is extroverted, flirty, up for anything, and an all-around great person. She is studying for the law school admission test, and I know she’s going to do great!

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

I live in Seaside Shores, which is a non-gated planned community in Oceanville, California. Oh, my gosh, it is so beautiful here. I absolutely adore living so close to the Pacific Ocean. The sounds, the smells, the feeling of sand between my toes…it’s the perfect place for an HSP who processes sensory experiences at a deep level.

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

I really hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for answering my questions, Kayla, and good luck to you and your author, Carol E. Ayer, with Peppermint Cream Die, the first book in the HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Kayla and her author, Carol E. Ayer by visiting the author’s website and blog, and her Facebook page. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N – Kobo

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About Carol Ayer: Carol is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and lives halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento with her cat, Rainn.  When she’s not writing, she’s reading mysteries and thrillers or watching movies and cooking shows. As a native Californian, she visits the ocean as often as possible.

Posted in Archives, December 2020 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Erin’s Children, the sequel to Kelegeen

Posted on December 8, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Meg O’Connor Quinn is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Erin’s Children, the sequel to Kelegeen.

Welcome, Meg. 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 am Meg O’Connor Quinn, a main character in the novel, Erin’s Children, the sequel to Eileen O’Finlan’s debut novel Kelegeen. Besides being the name of the book, Kelegeen was also the name of the village in Ireland where I lived. I left Ireland and came to America to escape the Great Hunger, or as most non-Irish folks call it, the Potato Famine. I didn’t want to leave my home and family, but we were all dying of disease and starvation. I did it so that I could find work and send back money to save what was left of my family.

Erin’s Children tells of my life in America where I found work as a domestic servant with a family in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is hard work – all that cooking and cleaning – but it pays well enough for me to help my family, buy a passage ticket to bring over my sister, Kathleen, and save some for myself.

The biggest problem for me is that I got married immediately before leaving Ireland only to find out that I have to keep my marriage a secret in America.  Even though I work hard, my life here is far better than my life in Ireland even before the starving, except that I miss my family something awful, of course. I’m conflicted because I know that when my husband, Rory, is finally able to join me, it will bring my new life of relative ease to an end and plunge me back into poverty. You see, the employment opportunities are good for single Irish women with so many middle class Yankees wanting a servant, but too many places won’t hire Irish men. They even put up signs that say, ‘No Irish Need Apply.’ The few places that will hire Irish men pay poorly. I can’t keep a live-in job if I’m married, but it’s the only job that will pay enough to keep me out of poverty. Besides, once an Irish woman marries, she’s expected not to work outside the home anymore. After all, the wee ones will be coming and a woman can’t very well take them to work with her. So, I’m in a terrible conundrum. If Rory joins me here I’ll be with the man I love, but I’ll go back to being poor, living in a slum. If he doesn’t come, I can go on with my life of free room and board and a decent salary, but without the man I love and miss with all my heart.

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

I suppose Eileen O’Finlan thinks she’s in control. We’re in her head, after all. She thinks she’s making up the story, but to tell the truth, it’s us who decide what will happen. I can’t tell you how many times she’s had something in mind, but we changed it. We just blocked the path she thought to take the story and moved it in a totally different direction. She’s a good sport about it, though. She even seems to like it when we take control.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I was one of the main characters in Kelegeen and since I’m the one who came to America first, it’s only natural that I should continue on as one of the main characters in Erin’s Children. However, like in Kelegeen, where I shared main character status with Father Brian O’Malley, in Erin’s Children I share it with my sister, Kathleen O’Connor.

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

My sister, Kathleen, was an important, though not main, character in Kelegeen. In Erin’s Children she about steals the show. Truly, I don’t mind. I had my turn, now it’s hers. Kathleen’s the one with the wildest adventures. She, too, is a domestic servant, but the family she works for are awful. They’re bigoted, arrogant, and in the case of the eldest son, predatory. The young daughter, Clara, is the one bright spot in the family and it’s mainly for her that Kathleen stays with them as long as she does. Eventually, she’s forced to leave, though,and where she goes from there – well I’ll not give it away, but I’ll just say it involves some ladies of questionable reputations, a maze of secret underground tunnels, some nuns, and, eventually the opportunity of a lifetime.

Another of my favorite characters is a young woman named Nuala O’Flaherty. I met her when I first came to America. She’s also a domestic servant. She helped me become accustomed to Yankee ways. She’s even the one who told me to keep my marriage a secret. Nuala and I are alike is some ways. We’re both stubborn, determined, and quick-tempered. Whereas I’m tall, she’s a tiny thing, though you’d not want to cross her. She’s a real spitfire. Nuala is my best friend in America. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

My employer, Emily Claprood, is also a favorite. She’s a kind, fair-minded woman. Over the years of working for the Claproods, I come to be accepted as almost one of the family. That’s mainly due to Mrs. Claprood who sets the tone for the Claprood family. They’re good people, the Claproods. I’m fortunate to have them as my employers.

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

In Erin’s Children I live in the ever-growing city of Worcester in Massachusetts. My story takes the reader through the decade of the 1850s.  It’s nothing like life in my little village of Kelegeen back in Ireland. Sometimes, I think I’m dreaming and I’ll wake up back in the one-room, thatched roof cottage, on a dirt floor, sick from hunger. But no, ’tis real! I live with and work for the Claprood family. They’ve got a lovely home with rooms – aye rooms – more than one. Lots more. And I clean them all! But I get to eat three times a day. I have a little room of my own in the attic. It’s cramped and stuffy, but it’s all mine.

I work from before the sun rises until after the family has gone to bed for the night. I do the cooking (which I hate – I call the stove ‘The Beast’), the cleaning, and the laundry. The best days are Thursday afternoons. Almost all domestic servants have Thursday afternoons off. That’s when I get together with Kathleen and Nuala and we find all sorts of merry things to do. We also have Sunday morning off so we can attend Mass at Saint John’s Church. Other than that, we work.

My employer, Mrs. Claprood is an ardent abolitionist, her husband, Chester is the co-owner of the Claprood – Pratt Iron Foundry. (Arthur Pratt is the other co-owner. It is his family for whom Kathleen works.) The Claproods have three nearly grown children, Oliver who is preparing to go into business with his father, and Pamela and Deborah, both of whom are devoted to botany to the point that they’ve turned one of the house’s parlors into a conservatory. They are very taken with the language of flowers. Apparently, it’s all the rage, though I think it’s silly. If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Why waste time with hidden messages. Who ever heard of letting flowers do your talking for you?

This city, in fact this whole country, is alien to me and to Kathleen. One of the hardest things for us is the realization that we are unwanted. There is a terrible political party called the Know Nothings that have gained power and they are determined to send all Irish Catholic immigrants back to Ireland. They’re convinced that we’re all part of a plot for the pope to take over America, though I don’t know where they got such a foolish idea. In any case, they hate us and want us out of their country. So along with working our fingers to the bone and learning the ways of a new and very different culture, we must deal with the constant threat of being shipped back to the deadly starvation and disease that assails Ireland.

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

One thing of which you can be sure, we Irish are a resilient people. We’ll fight like banshees to make our way in this country. And we’ll do it on our terms by keeping our faith and our culture. At the same time, we’ll forge strong bonds with Yankees who are kind people of real integrity, like Mrs. Claprood, Clara Pratt, and a darlin’ of a gentleman named Hiram Archer.

In Erin’s Children you’ll see what life was like for us Irish immigrants who came to escape the Great Hunger. You’ll experience our joys, sorrows, fears, and accomplishments. You’ll find out what was happening in America politically what with the Know Nothings and their nativist shenanigans and the bitter fight over slavery that many fear is going to lead to war.

Let the characters of Erin’s Children draw you into our world, our thoughts, our dilemmas, our triumphs. It will be an experience to remember!

Thank you for answering my questions, Meg, and good luck to you and your author, Eileen O’Finlan, with Erin’s Children, the sequel to Kelegeen.

Readers can learn more about Meg and her author, Eileen O’Finlan by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads and BWL Publishing Inc. Author pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

 Amazon – B&N

About Eileen O’Finlan: Eileen writes historical fiction, telling the stories on history’s margins, the things rarely taught in the classroom. For her, that’s where history really gets fun. Her promise to her readers is to craft stories that will thoroughly immerse them in another time and place.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, her family moved to Worcester when she was two.  Four years later they moved to Holden where Eileen grew up and where she now resides.

Eileen holds a Bachelor’s degree in history and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry.  She works full time for the Diocese of Worcester and teaches online courses in Catholic studies for the University of Dayton, Ohio.  Erin’s Children is her second novel and the sequel to her debut novel, Kelegeen.

Posted in Archives, December 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On Deadly Tides

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Penny Brannigan is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about On Deadly Tides, the latest novel in the Penny Brannigan mystery series.

Welcome, Penny. 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! My name is Penny Brannigan and I’m the protagonist in On Deadly Tides. This is my eleventh outing as an amateur sleuth in my own mystery series. I’m a Canadian who has lived in beautiful North Wales for about thirty years, where the series is set.

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

I’d say we follow the 80-20 rule. Eighty per cent of the time I take the lead. My author is smart enough to recognize that this is my story, not hers. She lets the story unfold the way I want to tell it, because after all, everything happens to me, not her. I’m glad she listens to me. A few books back she thought it would be a good idea if I got involved with a police detective inspector, but I wasn’t having it, and the romance fizzled out.

How did you evolve as the main character?

When the series opened, I was running a little nail bar in the town of Llanelen. Now, with my partner, Victoria Hopkirk, I’m the co-owner of a successful spa. I’ve definitely become more business savvy, and I’ve also gained confidence as an amateur sleuth because I’ve learned to trust my instincts. I’ve also grown as an artist, and in On Deadly Tides the owner of a local gallery invites me to participate in a Christmas exhibit. This invitation leads to some pretty interesting developments, I must say.

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

I love sharing the story with Mrs. Lloyd, the town’s former post mistress. She’s always good for a laugh, through her unintentional humour, even if she does sometimes drive us crazy. In fact, there have been times when it occurred to me that Mrs. Lloyd might be my author’s favourite character.

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

The story opens on the picturesque island of Anglesey, set in the Irish Sea off the coast of North Wales, where I was enjoying a painting holiday. And there’s lots of scenic subjects for a painter to choose from – a lighthouse, a ruined castle, stunning views across the Menai Strait to the mountains of Snowdonia, quaint little fishing villages – it’s all here. I live in the beautiful market town of Llanelen, as my author calls it, but the real name of the town is Llanrwst. I love it here. We’ve got a beautiful seventeenth century bridge, lovely stone houses, spectacular views, countryside walks … everything you could possibly want. I never imagined I would leave Llanelen, but then something happened in On Deadly Tides to change my mind. Or maybe I should say, someone happened …

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

There are some big changes for me in On Deadly Tides, and if you’ve been following my story, I think you’ll be happy for me. If you haven’t been following my story, you can read the book as a stand alone. And if you’d like to get caught up on my series, the ebook version of Remembering the Dead, the previous title in my series, is on special offer until the end of November for $1.99. You can order it here.

It only remains for me to thank Dianne Ascroft for giving me this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself and my new book, and to thank my readers for all their support. Hope to see you soon in North Wales!

Thank you for dropping by, Penny, and good luck to you and your author, Elizabeth J. Duncan, with On Deadly Tides, the latest book in the Penny Brannigan mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Penny and her author, Elizabeth J. Duncan by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook page. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon    B&N    Kobo

About Elizabeth J. Duncan: A two-time winner of the Bloody Words (Bony Blithe) Award for Canada’s best light mystery, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two series: the Penny Brannigan mysteries set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax. A former journalist, public relations practitioner, and college professor, Elizabeth is a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers. She divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.

Posted in Archives, December 2020 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

You know the old saying – “Where There’s A Will…”

Posted on December 2, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Arabella Carpenter is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Where There’s A Will, the latest novel in the Glass Dolphin mystery series.

Welcome, Arabella. 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.

Thank you for asking me. I am one of the main characters in Judy Penz Sheluk’s Glass Dolphin cozy mystery series. The Glass Dolphin is the name of my antiques shop, which is located on historic Main Street in the small town of Lount’s Landing. The town is named after Samuel Lount, a real-life politician who was hanged for treason in the nineteenth century. The first book in the series is The Hanged Man’s Noose (that’s the name of a local pub), followed by A Hole in One (dead body found during a charity golf tournament), and the most recent, which released on Nov. 10, 2020, is Where There’s A Will.

Something that is fun is that Judy Penz Sheluk also writes another series, the Marketville Mysteries. These involve cold cases, though still with a cozy vibe, and the books in the series are Skeletons in the Attic, Past & Present, and A Fool’s Journey. Anyway, I have a minor role in all three books, which is pretty cool, don’t you think?

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

Judy calls herself a pantser, which means she lets the story take her where it takes her. Because of that, I sometimes steer her in a direction she hadn’t been expecting.

How did you evolve as the main character?

I was actually the sidekick in book 1 (Noose), sharing the stage with Emily Garland, a journalist who is now my business partner. In book 2 (A Hole in One), we switched roles. In Where There’s A Will, we share the role of protagonist equally, alternating our points of view. It was great fun doing it that way, because we weren’t always aware of what the other was doing, and that created some problems. What’s a mystery without some problems?

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

Besides Emily, there is my ex-husband, Levon Larroquette, an antiques picker by trade. Everyone seems to think we are perfect for each other, but we’re both too stubborn to admit it. Levon is a major character in all three Glass Dolphin books, and he adds a hint of romance. He’s also drop dead gorgeous. Judy really enjoys writing about Levon, but honestly, some of the situations she puts us in…it’s just not fair!

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

Lount’s Landing is a small town about 90 minutes north of Toronto, Canada. But like most small towns within a commutable distance to a major city, there are signs of development. In fact, in the first book, The Hanged Man’s Noose, a greedy developer came there to build a mega-box store on our historic Main Street. As if we’d let him get away with that.

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

I thought you’d never ask! Here’s the official blurb:

Emily Garland is getting married and looking for the perfect forever home. When the old, and some say haunted, Hadley house comes up for sale, she’s convinced it’s “the one.” The house is also perfect for reality TV star Miles Pemberton and his new series, House Haunters. Emily will fight for her dream home, but Pemberton’s pockets are deeper than Emily’s, and he’ll stretch the rules to get what he wants.

While Pemberton racks up enemies all around Lount’s Landing, Arabella Carpenter, Emily’s partner at the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, has been hired to appraise the contents of the estate, along with her ex-husband, Levon. Could the feuding beneficiaries decide there’s a conflict of interest? Could Pemberton?

Things get even more complicated when Arabella and Levon discover another will hidden inside the house, and with it, a decades-old secret. Can the property stay on the market? And if so, who will make the winning offer: Emily or Miles Pemberton?

Thank you for answering my questions, Arabella, and good luck to you and your author, Judy Penz Sheluk, with Where There’s A Will, the latest book in the Glass Dolphin mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Arabella and her author, Judy Penz Sheluk by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, Instagram and Pinterest pages. You can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon  –   B&N –   Kobo –  Apple

About Judy Penz Sheluk: A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: the Glass Dolphin Mysteries and the Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including The Best Laid Plans and Heartbreaks & Half-truths, which she also edited. Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she serves as Chair on the Board of Directors.

Posted in Archives, December 2020 | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Abide with Me

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Sister Agatha is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Abide with Me, the latest novel in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mystery series.

Welcome, Sister Agatha. 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 live inside a terrific story—where I am both main character and heroine.  I am modest also which anyone who knows me will tell you.

The story is set in North Wales—the most beautiful spot on earth and filled with the best people. Lots of the action takes place either at the Abbey where I live with my Anglican sisters or in the village of Pryderi.

The series so far is three books long and the most recent book, Abide with Me, is my favorite, I have to say.

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

The writer starts off with great intentions, but I usually pull ahead of her. The best writing that she does is when she lets me run with it. I have noticed that sometimes she can hardly keep up!

How did you evolve as the main character?

I was always the main character, but I have grown more complicated with time. For example, I began as a rather dull person but soon the writer discovered my many talents including that I am a crackerjack novelist—as yet unpublished. She also found out that I am a librarian and up to speed with all the latest in library technology.

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

My best friend in the world is Sister Callwen. She is smart, organized and very close to God. She is my better half. I like to think that she sees me as her better half, but I doubt she does.  I am also close to the Reverend Mother. She is a fabulous leader and excellent basketball player. I depend on her to keep me steady.

But my best friend outside of the Abbey is Father Selwyn. He is funny, reverent, kind, and enjoys tea and cakes as much as I do. We’ve been friends since the fourth form.

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

Mostly I am at the Abbey. The Abbey is hundreds of years old and built of stone and old wood and crawling with ivy. It has lovely walkways and gardens and all sorts of nooks and crannies. My favorite spot, my holy of holies, is the attic library.

The abbey is at the top of Church Lane with the village just below. The village is also a favorite place especially The Buttered Crust Tea Shop.

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

I may be a nun and a writer and a novelist, but what I really am is a detective. And if you want a story of detection complete with action and suspense, then you must enter into my world through the pages of this series. You’ll love it!

Thank you for answering my questions, Sister Agatha, and good luck to you and your author, Jane Willan, with Abide with Me, the latest book in the Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Sister Agatha and her author, Jane Willan by visiting the author’s website and her Facebook, Goodreads, and Instagram pages. Readers can also follow her on Twitter.

The novel is available online at AMAZON 

About Jane Willan: Jane wants to live in a world where everyone has time to read their favorite books, drink good coffee, and walk their dog on the beach, but until that can happen she enjoys life as a pastor and writer. When she’s not working on a sermon, or hiking with her husband, Don, you can find her rereading Jane Eyre, binge-watching Downton Abbey, and trying out new ways to avoid exercise.

Posted in December 2020 | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Falling into Magic

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Elizabeth Pantley is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Falling into Magic, her first novel in the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.

Welcome, Elizabeth. 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.

Falling into Magic is the first book of the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. (Book two will follow in about four months.) The first book tells of our protagonist’s arrival in this very special place. How did she get there? Why was she brought there? And why is someone dangerous targeting her, and are they trying to force her to leave?

Destiny Falls is an enchanted place that you won’t find on any map. It’s a place filled with surprises and mysteries that are uncovered just a bit at a time. It’s a small town, but it’s not, depending on what the citizens need. There’s a magical ferry boat, but I can’t really tell you where it goes – because the destinations change, depending on the journey.

The people of Destiny Falls are much like you and I, but with interesting and occasional aspects that we’d never see in our own world. This makes the community rich with characters and stories that will take many years to tell. 

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

This story idea rolled around in my head for a long time before it made it to paper. It began with just a kernel: What if there was a secret world hiding on the other side of the mirror? What if what we’re seeing isn’t always a reflection of our own place, or our own truth? What if we suddenly found ourselves there? How would we act? What would we do? If it was truly wonderful, would we stay?

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

The general theme is about home and family. What makes a family? How do we know if the place we reside is the home where we are meant to be? In Falling into Magic, our protagonist, Hayden, finds herself thrust into a magical place far removed from her world and everything she has accepted as normal. She learns she has a family that has been hidden from her all her life.

The theme of the story examines how we as human beings can shift and adjust, depending on where we find ourselves. It shows that we can build a place for ourselves wherever we may land.

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

I think that characters have their beginnings in real people we’ve known or met along the way in our lives. And once created, they change and modify into their own self. Eventually, they become very real, and their personalities develop and solidify. Oftentimes, my characters did something, or said something that made me laugh out loud, and I wondered, now, where did that come from?

One of my favourite characters doesn’t even have a name! She is known by her description alone, and she is in some ways exactly what you’d expect her to be, and in others, so far removed from her stereotype it’s hysterical!

The beauty of writing a story like this, is that the characters almost create themselves. Their personalities begin to shine and bring a depth and realism to the book.

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

Destiny Falls is a harbour town located near a mountain and forest. The location was created based on places I know well in the Pacific Northwest. We have a wonderful group of 172 islands called the San Juan Islands that are located between Washington State and Canada. They are known for their amazing natural beauty and variety of small, charming towns. Our family has had many vacations exploring these islands. It was easy to create a magical place based on the charm of these towns and the stunning wilderness of the islands.

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

I often reach out to someone who’s an expert in their field. I have found that people in general are gracious and excited to provide information on their specialty to an author!

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

Once you meet all the characters in this book, and the story takes shape, you’ll find a roller coaster ride of events. Every time you think you’ve figured out the mystery another aspect is uncovered to make you second-guess your hypothesis. It’s fun to wander through the story until the truth is revealed to you.

Thanks for answering my questions, Elizabeth, and good luck with Falling into Magic, the first book in theDestiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.

Readers can learn more about Elizabeth and her writing by visiting her website and her blog, as well as her Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Elizabeth Pantley: Elizabeth is the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives near Seattle and is the mother of four and nana to one. This is her first work of fiction.

Posted in Archives, November 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fishing for Trouble

Posted on November 26, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Charlie Cooke is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Fishing For Trouble, the latest novel in the Alaskan Diner mystery series.

Welcome, Charlie. 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.

FISHING FOR TROUBLE is the second adventure in The Alaska Diner Mysteries. I’m Charlie Cooke, owner and manager of The Bear Claw Diner, and I can’t seem to avoid getting involved in more hazardous activities than dropping a skillet on my foot OR forgetting to buy new kitchen cloths. Early on, family friend and Alaska State Trooper Cody Graham informally deputized me a couple of friends, one my BFF and inn owner, the other a local journalist. You can see how short-handed he must be! In this second novel in the series, college students who flock to Alaska’s fishing industry for the summer get into more trouble than dorm parties, and one of them loses his life to murder.

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

I’m kind of afraid to go against my writer, since this is her 4th pen name, leading me to believe she’s hiding from the law. Suspicious, don’t you think? So, I don’t argue when she puts me in risky situations, though I might add that it is my life that’s on the line, not hers. She’s really Camille Minichino, sitting in a cozy office in California, not buffeted by snowstorms, never being called on to follow a clue to a murderer. Plus she almost never cooks! Is this at all fair?

How did you evolve as the main character?

I’m lucky enough to be an heiress! Not to a great fortune, or to a royal title, but to a thriving business—a diner that my mom had worked hard to make a success. Elkview, Alaska is on the main drag, you might say, on one of very few roads in the state. We are between the two major cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks, and close to Talkeetna, a jumping off point to Denali National Park. We get tours going in both directions, to or from the Aurora Borealis, and we’re one of the staging areas for rock and ice climbers. When Mom was ready to retire, and hand off both the Bear Claw diner and her orange tabby, Benny (short for Eggs Benedict, the world’s best cat), I gladly stepped in.

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

I’m also lucky enough to be sharing my days with my childhood BFF, Annie Jensen, who, coincidentally, inherited her family inn, just down the road from my diner. My staff is great, also, never minding when I leave them to manage the diner while I traipse off with Annie and Chris, the local reporter, to work on a case for Trooper Graham. I’m still trying to figure out where Chris and I are going, if anywhere, but recently we took it up a notch and had a real date where he took me up in a small plane (he’s a pilot, too) for a scenic tour of our neighborhood.

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

A very small town, so you have to behave, more or less. Tourism is a major industry, keeping both me and Annie busy year round. As I’ve said, the scenery in every direction is breathtaking—mountains, fjords, lakes, glaciers, parks, and wildlife. And it’s a great morning when I wake up to find a herd of elk in my back yard.

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

I’ve enjoyed being featured in “Fishing for Trouble” and in the whole series. So far, my friends and I have been successful in helping our friend Trooper Graham, who has a heavy workload. Once in a while, he worries that we’re putting ourselves in danger, but we have each other and a perfect record of solving our cases! Also, I love seeing my name—that’s CHARLIE (short for Charlotte) COOKE—in print, so if you could post a review, I’d appreciate it!

Thank you for answering my questions, Charlie, and good luck to you and your author, Elizabeth Logan, with Fishing For Trouble, the latest book in the Alaskan Diner mystery series.

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

The novel is available at the following online retailers:

Amazon – B&N  – Kobo – IndieBound 

About Elizabeth Logan: Camille Minichino, who writes as Elizabeth Logan, is turning every aspect of her life into a mystery series. A retired physicist, she’s the author of 28 mystery novels in 5 series, with different pen names. Her next book is “Mousse and Murder,” May 2020, by Elizabeth Logan. She’s also written many short stories and articles. She teaches science at Golden Gate U. in San Francisco and writing workshops around the SF Bay Area.  

Posted in Archives, November 2020 | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Dead of Winter Break

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Kelly Brakenhoff is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Dead of Winter Break, her latest novel in the Cassandra Sato mystery series.

Welcome, Kelly. 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.

Dead of Winter Break is the third in the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series and takes place between the fall and spring semesters when most of the campus is closed for the holidays.

Cassandra Sato, the smart, witty Morton College administrator, has traded in her designer heels for furry boots and she’s buried under her first Nebraska blizzard. Housebreaking her new dog isn’t going according to plan; neither is pinch hitting as dorm supervisor over the holidays while everyone else enjoys family time or vacation.

Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it a burglary gone wrong. When the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than Andy Summers, the campus security director with a not-so-secret crush on her, to keep her out of deep trouble.

Once again, the entire college squad is in action, including Meg, Cinda, and Professor Bryant, shoveling through knee-deep suspects, wisecracking their way through this fast-paced, holiday themed whodunit.

Cassandra’s first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.

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

There’s a kernel of Nebraska uniqueness in each of my stories. My brother-in-law sells seed corn to local farmers and kindly explained the importance of soybean seeds to this city girl. Huge lawsuits in recent years impacted large seed corporations and the trade agreements or tariffs related to international trade of farm goods. If you live in the Midwest for twenty-five years, you pick up some of this stuff by osmosis. Once I did a deep research dive, I realized how important proprietary seeds are to the bottom lines of local farmers and international corporations. Like most people, I was pretty oblivious to how all of that boils down to what’s available on my grocery store shelves and the price of consumer goods. Foreign countries actually send spies to farms to steal the drought and disease resistant seeds and use them in their own countries. It seemed like the perfect motive for murder!

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

In the first two books of the series, Cassandra’s predicament as a fish out of water helped readers relate to her difficulties getting used to her new home in Nebraska. Now that she’s settled in a bit, I threw a few obstacles to disrupt her plan for a quiet, restful winter break between semesters.

Winter in the Midwest isn’t for wimps and Cassandra quickly learns what it feels like to shovel snow off her driveway. She has a new dog, Murphy—her first pet ever—and she’s learning some ASL so she can chat with her Deaf students and colleague, Dr. Bryant. All of these changes push Cassandra to her limits.

By the end of the holidays, Cassandra has to decide the depths of her commitment to her long-term career goals and balancing those with a healthier home life. Can an orphaned dog worm his way into her heart?

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

I’m a pretty concrete thinker. Usually I start with a first name of someone I know, then I add a last name of another person. Then I choose the way someone I’ve seen looks, the way another person talks or walks, and a funny phrase someone else says. I mash all those people together to come up with my characters. Then when I’m writing dialogue, I imagine, “How would so-an-so say that?” Or “How would that person walk into a room?” It helps me visualize the scene and the conversation.

The more books I write in this series, the more I get to know about the background of all the characters. I already was attached to Cassandra and her bestie Meg. In Dead of Winter Break, she spends more time with her quirky friend Cinda and Dr. Bryant.

Dr. Bryant started off as a small character in a few scenes, like an extra on a movie set. Quickly I realized his life experiences are so different than Cassandra’s that she finds him fascinating and wants to know him more.

Bryant has become such an important part of Morton College; I could see him getting his own short story or novel in the future.

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

It helps that I’ve lived in Nebraska for twenty-five years. Real towns and college buildings flash in my head as I write the scenes. I think those details come through in the books. Many readers have told me that they enjoy visiting fictional Morton campus again with each new book and seeing what the characters are up to now.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but for this book I actually took a road trip to a nearby town that figured in the ending scenes. It was a wonderful excuse to drive in the country on a warm summer day, the top down on my Mini Cooper convertible, after being cooped up for months at home because of the pandemic. I took photos of the places I wanted to include in the story so I could envision the scenes better while I wrote them.

It was so much fun, I think I’ll do that again with my next book. When I reach a point where I’m struggling to imagine what comes next, I’ll take a drive to spot locations and see what happens next.

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

Since I’m an extrovert, I like to interview local experts about background information I might need. For Dead of Winter Break, I talked to my brother-in-law who works for a farmers’ cooperative, a global studies college professor who knows about food shortages around the world, and another friend who is Deaf and a pilot because I had some questions about aviation practices in small airports. Talking to someone face to face (or on zoom) is better than simple internet searches because those people give me real stories or a flavor for how it feels to do their job. I think those authentic experiences make their way into the book and make the overall story better.

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

2020 has been quite a year of ups and downs. If you’re looking for a fun, quick escape during the holidays, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of Dead of Winter Break. If you haven’t read the previous books, you’ll still be able to follow along with this story.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season, good health, and a better 2021. As Cassandra would say, “Mele Kalikimaka and Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!”

Thanks for answering my questions, Kelly, and good luck with Dead of Winter Break, the latest book in the Cassandra Sato Mystery series.

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

The novel is available online at Amazon 

About Kelly Brackenhoff: Kelly writes the Cassandra Sato Mystery series including DEATH BY DISSERTATION, a 2020 RONE Award Mystery Finalist, DEAD WEEK, “a diverting whodunit,” (Publishers Weekly), and DEAD OF WINTER BREAK available in November 2020.

Kelly is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends.  NEVER MIND and FARTS MAKE NOISE, her children’s picture books featuring Duke the Deaf Dog and illustrated by her sister, Theresa Murray, have quickly become popular with children, parents, and educators for promoting inclusive conversations about children with differences. The mother of four young adults and a German Wirehair Pointer, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.

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Cat Conundrum

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today Mollie Hunt is visiting Ascroft, eh? to tell us about Cat Conundrum, her latest novel in the Crazy Cat Lady mystery series.

Welcome, Mollie. 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.

Hello, Dianne. Thanks for having me on today. Cat Conundrum is the latest addition to my Crazy Cat Lady Cozy Mystery Series, featuring Lynley Cannon, a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip. This seventh in the series finds Lynley on the wild Washington coast with her friend, Special Agent Denny Paris. The pair are all set to give a presentation on shelter cats at a prestigious cat summit. Little do they know they will be confronted with not one, not two, not three, but four bizarre murders!

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

Here is the blurb for Cat Conundrum:

A locked room. A dead man. The cat is the only witness, and he isn’t talking.

Doesn’t every author want to pen a locked-room mystery? I sure did. I also wanted to take Lynley to Long Beach, where I personally spend a lot of time writing. I wanted to give her a chance to explore her relationship with Denny, the young humane investigator who saved her life. I wanted to incorporate a gigantic Maine Coon cat. Knowing those details, I sat down and let the story write itself.

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

The fundamental theme to all my Crazy Cat Lady stories is one of kindness and animal advocacy. That may seem odd since the books involve murder, but there is always a happy ending. Like my hero, Lynley Cannon, I am a cat shelter volunteer, and it comes from that place of helping the vulnerable, those who cannot speak for themselves, that motivates everything Lynley does. Whether it’s fostering a lost cat or helping a bullied woman find her voice, Lynley is ready to sacrifice her comfort, and sometimes her safety, for others.

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

For the most part, my characters create themselves. I usually begin with someone I know or have known, but by the time the character starts walking and talking on the page, they have taken on a life of their own. Lynley is my favourite character because she started out as an offshoot of myself. She has since grown her own way, blossoming into the person I would like to be rather than the person I am. I also enjoy Denny Paris, the animal cop, because he brings a police presence into the mix. Frannie Desoto, Lynley’s inimitable best friend is fun to work with, as is Lynley’s teenage granddaughter, Seleia, who is growing up in the series. The most astonishing character has been Carol Mackey, Lynley’s eighty-four-year-old mother. Boy was I surprised when she pulled a gun out of her purse and began shooting at the bad guy! 

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

I follow the advice of another mystery writer, Cara Black. She recommends putting senses, colours, dialog, and action on every page. Red is always a good bet for energizing a scene.

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

Research is the key to a convincing story, even with fiction. If something isn’t believable, it can knock the reader right out of the tale, and they may never come back again. For the most part, I write what I know. Whether on the set of a TV show (Cat Call), at a comic-con (Cosmic Cat), or hanging out at the beach (Cat Conundrum), I have done it myself.

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

Cat Conundrum is for cat-lovers who like clean mysteries with a little bite to them. I include cat tips, tricks, and facts at the beginning of each chapter.

Thanks for answering my questions, Mollie, and good luck with Cat Conundrum, the latest book in theCrazy Cat Lady Mystery series.

Readers can learn more about Mollie and her writing by visiting her blogsite and her Facebook, Goodreads, and Fire Star Author pages.

The novel is available online at  Amazon

About Mollie Hunt: Native Oregonian Mollie Hunt has always had an affinity for cats, so it was a short step for her to become a cat writer. Mollie Hunt writes the award-winning Crazy Cat Lady cozy mystery series featuring Lynley Cannon, a sixty-something cat shelter volunteer who finds more trouble than a cat in catnip, and the Cat Seasons sci-fantasy tetralogy where cats save the world. She also pens a bit of cat poetry.

Mollie is a member of the Oregon Writers’ Colony, Sisters in Crime, the Cat Writers’ Association, and NIWA. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and a varying number of cats. Like Lynley, she is a grateful shelter volunteer.

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As Good As Can Be

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Dianne Ascroft

Today William A Glass, author of the coming of age novel, As Good As Can Be, is visiting Ascroft, eh? to introduce himself and his writing.

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

What prompted you to write about this historical event?

As Good As Can Be is about Dave Knight, a wayward boy who grows up during the 1950s and ‘60s.  He’s an army brat and his father is an alcoholic.  I was prompted to write this story because Dave and I have much in common. 

How closely did you stick to the historical facts? If you used them loosely, how did you decide whether to deviate from them?

My novel is heavily autobiographical.  The names of characters have been changed, time frames have been compressed in some cases, and tedious repetitive scenes were cut.  Some events take place out of order.  Other than that, the only significant deviation from historical facts is that one of the characters dies from her first suicide attempt rather than her last.  This was done to spare the reader from this character’s lengthy decline.

What research did you do for this book?

I used Google to fact-check myself.  For example, to make sure that a song I remembered playing on the radio during an episode was popular at that time.  Other than verifying my memory, little research was necessary as Dave’s life closely parallels mine.

Do you use a mixture of historic figures and invented characters in the novel? Which is more difficult to write? Which do you prefer to write and why?

All the characters in As Good As Can Be are based on real people.  I probably shouldn’t admit that for legal reasons, but I’m not too worried about getting sued.  Regarding invented characters, I truly admire authors who write about imaginary figures in entirely fictional stories.  My next project is going to be along those lines.

In an historical novel you must vividly re-create a place and people in a bygone era. How did you bring the place and people you are writing about to life?

That’s a great question!  My answer is that my life proved to be great fodder for a novel.  I grew up in an out-of-control military family (five wild children, invalid Mom, crazy drunken Dad) and we frequently moved.  My earliest memory is attending kindergarten in the basement of the US embassy in Tehran around 1950.  This story begged to be told and there’s no way I could have failed to bring it to life.  Especially since I was willing to spend ten years and 27 complete rewrites to do it!!

There often seems to be more scope in historical novels for male characters rather than female characters. Do you prefer to write one sex or the other? And, if so, why?

I have no preference for writing female or male characters.  I grew up with three sisters, and while we fought non-stop, the experience was invaluable.  I learned that generalizing about people based on their sex will cost you an appreciation for their complexity and uniqueness as individuals.  That said, As Good As Can Be centers around a boy and his Dad.  While there are many interesting female characters, father and son get the most lines!

Thanks for having me as a guest on Ascroft, eh?  I enjoyed the interview!

You’re welcome, Bill, and good luck with As Good As Can Be.

Readers can learn more about William A Glass and his writing by visiting his website, and his Goodreads page.

William A. Glass will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click here to enter the contest.

For more chances to win, visit the rest of the stops on Charlotte’s tour. Click here.

The novel is available online at Amazon.

About William A Glass: Bill is a retired business executive now living in South Carolina with his wife, Bettina.  She teaches high school German while Bill coaches soccer at a small college.  Their three sons, Alex, Robert, and Gordon, have all graduated from college and moved away to pursue careers. For recreation, Bettina and Bill enjoy hiking and camping out.  Usually, they take their dog, Scout, along.  When the weather permits, Bill commutes to work on his motorcycle. 

Posted in Archives, November 2020 | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments