Interview with Linda Lovely

What is the title of your newest book? 
Bone to Pick

How many books have you published?
Six books. The seventh, Picked Off is scheduled for release June 5.

How did you become interested in writing?
I was a journalism major, so I’ve always written for a living, primarily magazine feature articles, newsletters, and PR/advertising copy. I started writing fiction about 10 years ago.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening, etc?
I have no set schedule. But I’m used to deadlines and work hard to meet them. I have no problem butting my bottom in a chair and getting to work. I’m usually most productive in the morning.

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go?
I’m a panster. I have a central theme and major crime but characters and the plot develop (and often change) as I begin to write.

Do you use real people and places as models for your books?
Real places definitely. Since there are always murders and villains in the books, I usually create a fictional county but nestle it next to real locations so the atmosphere and the geography are familiar to the reader. For example, Bones to Pick, is set in fictional Ardon County, which is located near Greenville and Clemson, South Carolina. Real people? Only in the sense that I will use personality traits I’ve observed in others to give my characters depth. But the characters are all fictional melds.

Who is your favorite author?
I have many but Susan Isaacs is probably number one. Love her humor. Michael Connelly is a close second.

How do you promote your books?
Blogs, a newsletter, book signings, book club visits, Facebook, Twitter.

A Whisper of Bones

Restaurateur and part-time private investigator Jane Lawless is asked by a visiting professor, Britt Ickles, to find her missing cousin. While in town Britt visits her mother's two sisters who she hadn't seen for 40 years. In A Whisper of Bones by Ellen Hart, Jane is drawn into the investigation.

Britt explains she recalls a cousin the same age as herself, but when she asks her aunts about Timmy, they said they don't know what she is talking about.  When she goes back to visit them, she finds a drawing Timmy had made and hidden in a crack in the wall and baseboard. What has become of him and why do the aunts deny his existence?

As Jane investigates she decides to rent a room in the aunts' house to get closer to them. When a fire breaks out in the family's garage and bones are discovered in the ashes. Britt is convinced her cousin is dead.

But it turns out not to be her cousin and that stumps Jane
and Britt. It's becoming obvious that the sisters are hiding something, but what is it? When another

person dies, Jane begins to wonder about the young next door neighbor who has been very friendly to the wheelchair-bound aunt.

Complicating Jane's life is the reappearance of her former lover Julia, now terminally ill and wanting to return for whatever time she has left with Jane. Despite her friend Cordelia's advice not to let her stay, Jane does.

A Whisper of Bones is an excellent book with a fascinating plot and subplot. I very much enjoyed it.

Murder at the Castle

With a lovely dress selected, Libby Forest has finally set a wedding date with Max Ramshore. But a murder at the castle knocks the wedding off target. In Murder at the Castle by Frances Evesham  Libby is thrust into another investigation.

A group of students is on a tour of Dunster Castle and they are trying out the speaking tube. The tube enabled the butler to speak with the downstairs kitchen staff.  One of the students is reading the part of the butler and volunteer Beryl Nightingale is reading the part of one of the servants. Abruptly Beryl's voice ends.

As the other volunteers rush downstairs, they hear another cry. Volunteer William Halfstead is leaning over the body of Beryl. The timely arrival of Libby to the castle with a cake for the students puts her in the middle of the investigation.

Who would want to kill the timid, quiet  Beryl. She has been a

fixture in the village for decades without raising too much notice. But secrets don't always stay hidden in a small town.

On another front, Max and Libby's Carpathian sheep dog, Bear has gone missing. At first they think the dog has just wandered away and will return at his own leisure, but soon they are worried he has been dognapped. Several dogs in the surrounding area have gone missing and there appears to be a dognapping ring in business.

Max heads off to find Bear and Libby investigates Beryl's death along with the local police. Murder at the Castle is the sixth in the Exham by the Sea series and another clever mystery. I'm happy to see Angela, Libby's friend with an expanded role. She is an excellent character.

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time

If your taste buds are tingling at this time of the year, it's because the Girl Scouts are selling cookies. Just eating them straight out of the box is enough for me, but the Girl Scouts have published recipes for some delicious looking desserts with cookies as an ingredient.

Here's my favorite for Thin Mints

Thin Mints® White Chocolate Biscotti

Created by: Karrie Holland
Prep: 40 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

• 1 package (9 ounces) Girl Scout Thin Mints® cookies, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2-3/4 cups white baking chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350°. Coarsely chop 16 Thin Mints®; finely crush remaining Thin Mints® cookies, reserving for dipping. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chopped Thin Mints® cookies and 3/4 cup baking chips.
Divide dough in half. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, shape each portion into a 12x2-in. rectangle. Bake 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on pan on a wire rack 15 minutes or until firm.
Reduce oven setting to 300°. Transfer baked rectangles to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 3/4-in. slices. Place on baking sheets, bottom side down.
Bake 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
In a microwave, melt remaining baking chips; stir until smooth. Place reserved crushed Thin Mints® cookies in a shallow bowl. Dip each cookie bottom into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Dip in crushed Thin Mints® cookies. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers. Yield: 2 dozen.

For more recipes click here. 

Death of an Unsung Hero

During World War I Lady Montfort has turned the Dower House in England into a hospital for officers sufferingfrom what is  commonly called shell shock, but medically called neurathenia. In Death of an Unsung Hero by Tessa Arlen Lady Montfort and her formidable housekeeper Mrs. Jackson throw themselves into the management of the hospital.

Using innovative new treatments at the hospital, officers are treated quietly with a wide range of therapies including art, working on the land and just talking. Some of the officers arrive at the hospital with a different symptoms, so the therapies are more tailored to their needs. Locally, some people think these officers are malingerers, but Lady Montfort believes in the treatments.

Captain Bray, a decorated officer, arrives at the hospital with amnesia and the inability to interact with others. Although he is making progress, he has a long way to go before he is cured. On the day that his brother is scheduled for a visit, Captain Bray is found dead in the kitchen garden.

Horrified by his death, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson cannot imagine that any of their other officer

patients could have committed the crime. Adding to their stress, the Medical Board is planning to review the hospital's procedures in the next week, and Lady Montfort is concerned about how they will feel about murder, especially as a second officer patient is murdered.

When a clue presents itself in the artwork created by Captain Bray, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson follow the clue to the murderer. The war serves as a backdrop to this mystery, and it was enlightening to learn how so many women pitched in on the local farms while the men were away fighting the war.

As this is the fourth in the series, I hope to go back and read some of the others.I enjoyed this one very much.

Interview with Bethany Blake

What is the title of your newest book?

Pawprints & Predicaments

How many books have you published?
So far, I've written four out of the planned six novels in the Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery series, including Death by Chocolate Lab, Dial Meow for Murder, Pawprints & Predicaments, and the upcoming Midwinter's Tail (12/2018). I've also written five novels for young adults and middle-grade readers under the name Beth Fantaskey. Those books are Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Jessica Rules the Dark Side, Jekel Loves Hyde, Buzz Kill and Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter. You can probably tell which book is for younger readers by the title!

How did you become interested in writing?
I always loved to read, but I didn't know I was a writer until I graduated from college. I had changed majors at the last minute and had no job prospects, so I followed a lead on a position as a writer with a public relations office. I had to take an on-the-spot test, and my future boss said, "Didn't anybody ever tell you that you were born to write?" That's all I've done ever since, as a p.r. writer, a journalist and novelist.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening, etc? 
I currently have a full-time writing job with Bucknell University, so it's very challenging to find time to write fiction. I used to treat writing novels as my full-time job, getting up in the morning and sitting down at my desk for the entire day. Now I squeeze in personal writing time whenever I can, over lunch, in the evenings and on weekends. Luckily, I love going into my fictional worlds, so I enjoy my extra writing time. It's challenging to find time, though! I will admit that our house is a little bit messy!

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go? 
I plot as I go along. I would never be able to stick to an outline. Sometimes my plot twists come to me as I'm writing. The magic is kind of in the narrative as it comes out. I think it would be much more reassuring to have an outline, but it just doesn't work for me.

Do you use real people and places as models for your books? 
The cute, pet-friendly town of Sylvan Creek is based upon my hometown of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. In fact, the character Moxie Bloom "lives" in my former apartment, above a storefront in a yellow Victorian house. There are lots of other similarities, too. We even love our pets in Lewisburg. For example, I will be attending an event called "Spiritual Readings with Cats" at The Scratching Post Cat Cafe this spring. My characters are a different story. They aren't really based upon people I know--with the exception of sensible veterinarian Piper Templeton, who was inspired by my rational, physician sister. They both always keep a level head--and always win at board games!

Who is your favorite author? 
Charles Dickens is my favorite classic author, and Martha Grimes is my cozy mystery muse. I love everything about her books.

How do you promote your books?
I do lots of giveaways, occasionally make public appearances and use social media extensively. My links are:
https://www.facebook.com/bethanyblakewriter https://twitter.com/bethanyblakeau1
http://www.bethanyblakeauthor.com/

I will also be holding a Facebook party on Feb. 27 to celebrate the release of Pawprints & Predicaments. Everyone's invited for fun discussions and giveaways!

Southern Discontent

Running a B&B in Savannah has its benefits and aggravation all at the same time as Quinn and Delilah Bellandini find out. In Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig, old lies, annoying guests and much more can make your day unpleasant.

Nothing is more unpleasant than discovering a dead body. That's exactly what Quinn finds when she stops in at her friend Drew's restaurant Green. Dead, with a knife in his back, is Jason, Drew's angry, rude and overbearing brother. As she stumbles to get away from the body, she slips in the mix of debris and blood and lands with a splat. When the detectives arrive at the scene, she is questioned harshly because of the blood on her, but released with a warning that she is a person of interest. 

When Drew is arrested, Quinn goes into overdrive to find out who the real killer is. No matter what she presents to the detectives, they are convinced they have the real killer, even threatening her with being an accessory.

While still trying to operate her B&B, she coerces her sister into helping her try to clear Drew. There

are plenty of suspects even someone from her high school past. When Tucker Heyward moves next door, he brings old memories from a high school drama that included Delilah. Quinn can't forgive Tucker, but he keeps trying to change her mind.

When signs begin to point to Jason's wife Valerie, Quinn discovers she was having and affair and was trying to sell the unprofitable restaurant. Quinn thinks she has found the perfect motive. Butting heads with the detectives throughout her investigation, Quinn soon discovers the killer and finds herself in jeopardy.

Looking forward to more of the Bellandini sisters and their adventures.

Bones to Pick

Brie Hooker, vegan chef, puts her career on hold and moves to Ardon County, South Carolina, to attend her aunt Lilly's wake and help her other aunt Eva on the farm. In Bones to Pick by Linda Lovely a goat farm seems an unlikely setting for a vegan chef. Things get even more complicated when Tammy the Pig unearths a skull and some bones on the farm.

When the skull turns out to belong to Brie's aunt Eva's long missing and abusive husband, Brie is sure there will be more trouble. Nepotism being what it is, the sheriff is related to Jed Watson and it doesn't appear he wants to be impartial in his investigation. Sheriff Jones and Deputy Lawson are no friends of Eva's and would gladly lock her up for murder.

Fortunately Brie's mother is the City of Clemson's attorney and she is able to maintain some order while the investigation progresses. Complicating Brie's life is the appearance of two very attractive men - Andy, the local veterinarian, and Paint, the local moonshiner.

It's not ironic enough that someone named Brie is a vegan, but now she is asked to work on the goat

farm with her aunt. Trying to convert everyone around her to become a vegan is the most irritating trait of Brie. I always find it ironic that vegans are almost evangelical in their commitment to converting people. I don't think people who eat meat try that hard to convert people, or maybe they do.

Anyway back to the mystery. Brie's decision to investigates gets her in hot water when the owner of the nail salon, who happens to be Jed's ex-girlfriend, winds up poisoned after Brie's visit. This doesn't deter her and she coerces Paint to take her to Hog Heaven, a bar where drug deals go down and where Nancy's husband Eli hangs out. He is there even though his wife died the day before.

Brie unravels old land deals, dubious partnerships and a murderer. An enjoyable mystery with some potential for interesting future books in the series.

Keeper of Lost Things

Everyone loses things, but no one collects things like Andrew Peardew. In  A Keepers of Lost Thing by Ruth Hogan, Andrew has found comfort after his fiancee's death decades ago by lovingly rescuing lost objects and cataloging them in his home. As he nears the end of his life, he wants someone to "find" the owners of these various treasures.

Forty years ago Andrew carelessly lost an object given to him by his fiancee Therese. She was killed in an accident on that same day. That event lead him to collect his "treasures."

He hires Laura, a young woman recovering from a nasty divorce, to act as his secretary. She works daily at his lovely old Victorian mansion, but is never allowed into his locked study.

When Andrew dies suddenly, Laura discovers she has inherited the house and all the furnishing. When she finally enters Andrew's study, she is stunned to find hundreds of lost items, carefully labeled with where they were found. 

In his will Andrew stipulates that Laura can live in the house as long as she makes an attempt to return the items. Puzzled as to how she would do this, she enlists the aid of her teenage neighbor Sunshine who has special powers and the handsome gardener Freddy. The unlikely trio set about developing an internet page to promote some of the lost items, asking the owners to contact them.

Among the "treasures" is a jigsaw puzzle piece, a children's white umbrella with read hearts on it, a

fine china tea cup, and most distressingly, the ashes of a dead person. And unbelievably people begin to respond to the posts.

This charming, sweet story of undying love, painful loss and joyous reuniting will bring sunshine and love to combat the bleak and dreary state of the world.

Enjoy a few peaceful hours and see how creatively Laura, Sunshine and Freddy reunite the Lost Things with their owners.

Glass Houses

Louise Penny has been a favorite of mine for many years, and Glass Houses continues her excellent storytelling. Even if you have not read any other of her books, you can jump right into this one and not feel as if you have missed anything.

The lovely peaceful village of Three Pines is a refuge for Chief Superintendent of the Surete du Quebec Armand Gamache and his wife Reine-Marie. His work is stressful and tension filled and Three Pines is an oasis of tranquility far from the madness of police work. Until it is not.

One evening a strange darkly-clad figure appears on the village green and stands for hours. Neighbors encourage Gamache to go and talk to the figure and find out what it wants. He approaches the figure and asks several questions, none of which are answered. Because the figure is not breaking any laws, there is nothing he can do to make the figure move.

After some research, Gamache discovers the dark figure represents a medieval cobrador del frac - a

debt collector. Historically in Spain the cobrador would follow his "victim" from place to place, shaming him into paying his debt. Gamache believes this cobrador is not here to collect a debt, but to frighten someone. Four friend, visiting Three Pines away from their usual time to be there, suddenly seem very worried about the cobrador. In fact everyone in town is becoming paranoid and Three Pines is not the tranquil place if usually is.

Once the cobrador is found dead and its identity revealed, Gamache begins to dig deeper. But there is more going on in the Surete and with Gamache.

Because this is such an intricate plot, revealing too much will give away the true mission. All I have to say is Cortes' quote "Burn Our Ships" factors heavily into the storyline.

If you have not read Louise Penny before, be prepared for a thrilling, tense plot with clever twists and turns. You will not be disappointed in this or any of her books.

Interview with Donna Huston Murray

What is the title of your newest book? How many books have you published? 

My new release is For Better or Worse, “a cozy mystery with a difference.” It’s the 8th Ginger Barnes Main Line Mystery, and men have suddenly become an issue for Gin—men who mistreat their wives, men suspected of murder, and men who ask her out. The “difference” is some potentially helpful information for women with bad-tempered, controlling partners.

I also have two books featuring young, ex-cop and cancer survivor Lauren Beck, and I’m happy to report that her debut, What Doesn't Kill You, received an Honorable Mention from Writer’s Digest. There is also an earlier traditional mystery called Dying for a Vacation.

How did you become interested in writing? 
I started reading Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series when I was ten and decided writing mysteries must be fun. Turns out it actually is.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening, etc?
I write throughout the day, interrupted by everyday things like laundry and walking the dog. When I get back to the computer, whatever is on the screen looks fresh, so I’m able to tune it up a little more easily. Recently I’ve taken the advice of independent publishing experts and concentrated on giving my new release good exposure, largely because I feel very strongly about one of the topics the plot allowed me to explore. What I learned about spousal abuse and was able to slip into For Better or Worse may actually help someone.

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go? 
When I attempted my first novel, I got to page 50 and couldn’t remember what I’d done with the gun. That told me I should probably plot in advance. Also, mysteries have to be absolutely logical, so planning ahead helps with that. My method, not necessarily unique, is to put whatever I know has to happen on 3 x 5 cards. When there are enough of those, I arrange—and rearrange—them on the living room floor, fill in where necessary, and make sure the tension goes up and down in a wave. Too much tension without a break makes a reader shut the book and not come back—even thrillers give you a breather now and then. Next comes paragraphs on the computer, which I divide into chapters. I don’t have to worry about facing a blank page, because I already know where the story is going. Of course, “pantsers” who don’t plot in advance like to surprise themselves and their readers. It’s whatever works for each author.

Do you use real people and places as models for your books? 
Whenever I meet somebody new, I love to ask what his or her interests are. Learning what a person is  passionate about is my shortcut to discovering their individuality. It’s also my way of collecting characters. That said, I never describe anybody I know in my books. Except for Ginger Barnes, who is very much like me, my characters are inventions of my imagination who just happen to have characteristics that serve the plot.

Who is your favorite author? 
Rex Stout and Gregory McDonald were early influencers. In other words, I aspired to combine my own humor with a solid mystery the way I saw them do it. For pleasure, I read Lee Child and Harlan Coben because I don’t write anything like them and I’m not tempted to edit them in my head.

How do you promote your books?
Online almost entirely. I’ve run promotions to build my email list, and I also offer a free book to new subscribers. I have a website, an author’s page on Facebook and Goodreads, a twitter following that I supplement with askDavid tweets, a LinkedIn profile, and because I love taking pictures, Instagram. I’m working on getting BookBub and Amazon followers. I’ve also entered contests and feel that receiving an Honorable Mention from Writer’s Digest helped get my work noticed. Good reviews help with that, too. I put For Better or Worse on NetGalley and LibraryThing, and did a professional press release that I’ement. You try everything because you don’t know what will work from book to book. It’s the m told was quite widely viewed because it related to the current women’s movnature of the business these days, I’m afraid. Luckily, business is also an interest of mine, a distant second to writing, but it’s essential in today’s publishing climate.

For a review of For Better or Worse, click here. 

In for a Penny

Golf is usually a relaxing way to spend the day, but when Cleopatra Jones skulls her golf ball across the green, it lands in the inseam of a dead banker she knows. In In for a Penny by Maggie Toussaint, Donny Davis was a not-well liked loan officer for the town's bank although he was a close friend of Cleo's ex-husband and deadly enemy of her best friend Jonette. It was definitely murder as he was shot between the eyes.

When the police decide Jonette is suspect number one, Cleo wants to protect her friend and discover who killed Donny. As she starts to investigate, her ex-husband begins to enter the frame as someone who might have a reason to kill Donny.

Cleo doubles her effort to find the killer because as much as she would like to see  Charlie punished for his cheating ways, she doesn't want her daughters to have a convict for a father.

As she digs deeper she discovers some irregularities at the bank where Donny, Charlie and Charlie's

new wife Denise work. Hoping against hope that Charlie isn't stupid enough to go along with one of Donny's schemes, she keeps digging. To distract her for her investigation, it seems the handsome, well known Romeo head pro at the golf course is sending signals that he is interested in Cleo.

As she has sworn off men since her divorce, Rafe becomes a distraction Cleo cannot handle. There was a little too much time spent on this angle of the book and Rafe doesn't seem like to kind of person who would be interested in Cleo. Just saying, and why would she want a well-known womanizer after her cheating ex-husband.

Death al Fresco

Running her own restaurant is an enormous task but Sally Solari keeps getting dragged into the operations of her father's restaurant Solari's. In Death al Fresco by Leslie Karst, Sally is guilted into lending a hand with the sister city dinner her father is planning.

Before the work begins, Sally tries to relax and paint with her friend Eric, overlooking the beach. She notices her dog and another dog pawing at a pile of kelp. As she clambers down to the beach, she discovers a body . . . one she recognizes. It is Gino, an old Italian fisherman and a regular at Solari's.

Sally soon discovers Gino dined with an mysterious, attractive younger woman at Solari's and appeared to stumble out of the restaurant. She knows the staff at Solari's would never overserve someone, some witnesses say Gino appeared drunk.

As public opinion begins to turn against her father, Sally decides

to investigate the mysterious woman, Gino's bocce pals and his boat friends. As if this isn't enough to keep her busy, she discovers her chef Javier is in love and wants to start his own restaurant with his new love. Hoping to avert a desertion, she encourages him to hire his girlfriend and work with her at Gauguin. She also offers Javier a partnership in Gauguin, hoping this will appeal to him.

There's still the sister city dinner to deal with as well as Gino's death, and Sally tackles both until she finds a solution.

I would love to eat in both of these restaurants. They are described so beautifully and the food "smells" wonderful.

Laissez les bon temps rouler

Laissez les bon temps rouler - Let the good times roll, that's the motto of New Orleanians and visitors during Mardi Gras. This is our second trip to Mardi Gras and this time we are riding on the Morpheus float tonight. Can hardly wait!

These are pictures from the Krewe of Muses parade, the Krewe of Chaos and the marching bands. Wednesday night we stood out in the pouring rain to catch a purse from the Krewe of Nyx - caught four! Muses threw shoes, but two guys right next to me caught the shoes - boo.

While you're at it, please follow MapYourMystery.com on the blog. Just click in the column at the right. Thanks

Deadly Relations

Hong Shu-chang has spent his life studying and memorizing the Confucian canons in order to pass the third level examination to become a magistrate in China.  In Deadly Relations by P.A. De Voe, the reader takes a look back at the Ming Dynasty era in China.

Farms are inherited by families and the successive generations work the land and continue the traditions of their grandparents. In his case, Shu-chang's father toiled the fields and his son studied and studied. While waiting for the results of the second examination, Shu-chang is notified that his father and uncle have been murdered by bandits and he must return home to mourn and discover the killers.

When he arrives home, he realizes his father had turned the title of his land to Master Gao in order to have him shelter the land against taxes, but the arrangement was between his father, not him, and Master Gao wants the land.

Forlorn and wondering where he would go and what he would do, his mother's brother Uncle Xin

offers him a position as a teacher in his clan's school away from his hometown. When he arrives there he finds himself and his family embroiled in another situation.

The Emperor's warehouse has been burned down. Is it arson or something more? When Shu-chang's young cousin is accused of the crime, he knows this will be dangerous for his entire clan, so he sets out to discover who is responsible. In the meantime, he learns he passed the second exam with the highest grade and he is just a step away from his dream.

Unfortunately Chinese law is harsh when someone in the family is found guilty and Shu-chang needs to work extra hard to discover who has caused the fire. With his cousin Xiang-hua, a young woman training as a doctor, he discovers who is to blame.

An interesting study in a civilization few people know about. Excellent book.

Interview with Shawn Reilly Simmons

How many books have you published?

Murder on the Rocks is the fifth book in the Red Carpet Catering series published by Henery Press.
I've also had eight short stories published in various anthologies in the past two years.

How did you become interested in writing?
I've wanted to be a writer since I was very young, around the age of seven or eight. When I graduated high school, I won best creative writer in my class, and when I was in college, a couple of my creative writing professors encouraged me to pursue writing as a career. One told me at the age of 19 I was ready to write a novel, which I was very encouraged by. It took a few jobs and several years for me to get started, but I'm glad I ultimately took that advice and got writing.

What is a day in the life of an author like? Do you write a certain number of words, do you write in the morning or evening?
My days begin pretty early, generally around 5 A.M. where I get most of my 2K daily word count accomplished before my son wakes up (my husband is up and out the door for work by 5 too). After I make breakfast and get my son off to school, I either go for a run or head to the gym for some yoga or weight training. Then I'm back home at my desk, where depending on the day, I'll work on edits or a short story, or maybe even add to my morning word count. Before I know it everyone is home and I'm calling it a day, making dinner and settling down for the evening.

Do you plot the entire book first, then write or plot as you go?
I do not plot before I write. I have what I think of as general "sign posts" that I'm heading towards when I'm writing, and I have a vague notion of how the book will end (subject to change!). I wrote my first book after my son was born, when he was still an infant. He wasn't a great sleeper that first year and I spent many late night hours in the rocking chair with him. I would think about the next scene in my book as I soothed him back to sleep, and then when I sat down the next day, the ideas I had gone over in my mind were there waiting for me.

When I began my second book, I thought I'd try the outline method, and I spent a couple of weeks plotting out my book. On the first day of writing, I immediately deviated from the outline, following the story where it led me organically. From that point on, I reverted back to my original method: going over the story in my mind as I drift off to sleep and seeing what happens the next early morning, allowing the characters to take the story where they will.

Do you use real people and places as models for your books?
In a way, but all of my characters have now become so real in my mind, they only remind me of themselves. Penelope, my protagonist, is a lot like me, but very different in a lot of ways, too. I did work on movie sets, and I've been in the kitchens of some very wealthy and famous people, so those experiences have influenced my writing, naturally. But I've never written anything that happened in real life to me in the books. It's all created situations and people, with a germ of truth at the root.

Who is your favorite author?
I have loved Stephen King ever since a girl sitting next to me in sixth grade Spanish class at St. Anthony's in Ft. Lauderdale slipped me a dog-eared paperback copy of Christine under the desk. I was hooked immediately and went directly to the library after finishing it, and worked my way through all of his books. I remember my mother's worried glances from time to time at my reading choice, but books were a way of life in our house, and I was allowed to scare myself silly if I wanted to.

How do you promote your books?
I've met so many people through my work with Malice Domestic that when my first book came out there was such enthusiasm about it, I was completely overwhelmed. In addition to Malice, I usually attend Bouchercon, as well as the New England Crime Bake every year. I'm on the roster of Noir at the Bar in Richmond, Virginia, which usually has one or two gatherings a year, and I've been invited back to the Suffolk Mystery Author Festival, and a few other Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America panels and events. For me, getting out and meeting readers is what I enjoy the most, as well as participating with interviews and blogs, such as yours.

Social:
Twitter: @ShawnRSimmons
Facebook: @RedCarpetCateringMysteries
www.shawnreillysimmons.com

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

 Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan is by no means a cozy mystery, but it is a thrilling, exciting puzzle. Throughout her adult life, Lydia Smith has been hiding in plain sight from a frightening childhood experience.  

Working at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, Lydia immerses herself in the books and the quirky customers in the store, especially the BookFrogs, the lost and lonely who spend every day in the bookstore wandering the three floors. One of the BookFrogs, Joey Molina has taken a shine to Lydia. He keeps to himself most times, but always seeks out Lydia to pay for his books.

One night Joey hangs himself on the third floor of the bookstore and Lydia discovers him to her shock and horror. Stunned by the event, Lydia is even more puzzled when she discovers a photo of herself and two friends when she was 10 years old in his pocket.

To add to her confusion about their relationship, Joey left his meager possessions to her. They consist of books defaced in strange ways with little windows cut out in a random fashion. Some of the messages point to Lydia's past. What could Joey know about the bloody night when she was ten years old?

Slowly she unravels his message from the books and it leads her back to that horrifying night when her friend Carol and her parents were brutally murdered and Lydia, hidden under the kitchen sink, survived.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a chilling, intricate puzzle that will surprise the reader until the very last page. I highly recommend it.

Murder on the Rocks

Penelope Sutherland and her actress friend Arlena Madison are thrilled to heading to Vermont to film a movie about tennis great Helen Wills. Before they begin filming, Penelope, Arlena and current tennis player and consultant to the movie Nadia Westin meet at a local cafe. In Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons,  the peaceful breakfast turns out to be anything but peaceful.

Two young men carrying hockey sticks burst into the cafe demanding money and proceed to threaten and injure several people, including Nadia. Penny worries Nadia's injury might impact the movie they are working on. She seems fine and they prepare to head to Vermont.

When they arrive at the house, they discover the two brother who are directing the movie. They are Thomas and Jeremiah Truegood and when Penny hears how they expect her to cater the movie, she realizes she is going to need some extra creativity. Jeremiah wants her to only use locally grown food, reusable plates and cutlery and no plastic water bottles. More difficult is the two different locations. Once the food has been eaten, Penny and her crew need to trundle the dirty dishes back to the house to wash. He'd like them to wash by hand, but Penny objects and uses the dishwasher.


Ever the optimist Penny finds a way to handle these unexpected complications, but Penny also seems to be struggling with the incident at the
cafe. She thinks she sees one of the men near the set, then she nearly faints when she notices someone else from the scene. Is it post traumatic stress syndrome or is Penny actually seeing the perpetrators?

When Nadia is injured in an car accident, Penny thinks there is more to these sightings and digs into Nadia's background. Unfortunately she finds some things that don't add up.

As in the other books in this series Penny's catering business moves from place to place and situation by situation, She handles all of it with grace and charm.  A fun series.

New Pet Obsession and Woffles

For years I have been an aloof person when it comes to dogs and cats. They love me, though, but I

just couldn't warm up to them. That all changed when Beau came into my life through my daughter and son-in-law.

I never though I would be the type to walk a dog and pick up poop, but those chocolate brown eyes have won me over. Now I'm not sure I am ready to bake dog treats, but if you are, here is a recipe from Bethany Blake's book Pawprints and Predicaments.

If you want to know more about Beau, he has his own Instagram account. It is called Adventures of Beau_.

From Pawprints and Predicaments

Woofles

Nothing is cuter than the sight of Artie eating a Woofle while wearing one of his adorable sweaters. He always gets the yogurt “whipped cream” on his nose. Jonathan and Socrates would disagree about the sweater being cute.*

2 cups whole wheat flour
¼ cup brewer’s yeast
½ tsp. baking powder
1 large egg
2/3 cup beef broth
½ cup peanut butter
1 (6 oz) container of plain yogurt
1 tsp. honey

Get your waffle iron ready, if you have one. If not, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brewer’s yeast and baking powder. Add the egg and beef broth, and stir in combine thoroughly, making a batter.

Scoop out about 1 tablespoon’s worth of batter per waffle and cook for about 12 minutes in either your waffle iron or the oven. (The oven won’t leave cute marks, but they will taste good.) The Woofles should be dense and fairly dry when they’re done.

While still warm, spread a small amounts of peanut butter on each Woofle. Allow treats to cool.

Mix together yogurt and honey and place a dollop of “whipped cream” on the Woofles. Too.

Hint: You can find brewer’s yeast wherever protein powders are sold.



*From Pawprints and Predicaments by Bethany Blake with permission

PS I don't think Daphne Templeton has any competition for me for baking these treats.

Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun

Newly widowed Anastasia Pollack discovers she was newly swindled . . . by her own husband - Karl Mark Pollack, and she's at her wits end. In Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston, Anastasia's life is going to become more complicated.

First she has her Communist mother-in-law and her unfriendly dog living with her, then her own mother returns home unexpectedly from Ireland without her current husband, then at work Anastasia finds the body of the hated fashion editor Marlys Vandernburg in her office.

Woooo would it be safe to say what else could go wrong? Not hardly.

Anastasia receives a threatening phone call from a loan shark demanding $50,000 owed by her husband and the police think she has something to do with Marlys' murder.

Mix in the handsome photojournalist, now renting the garage apartment and Anastasia's life gets crazier and crazier. Pandemonium reigns as Anastasia and
her co-workers try to eliminate suspects after suspect leading to a startling conclusion.

I'm curious to see how Anastasia's life in New Jersey turns out in the next few books, because this first one was packed with mishaps and misadventure.