Bloom and Doom--Beverly Allen

  Pictures, Synopsis, and author info from Goodreads.com

As the co-owner of The Rose in Bloom, Audrey Bloom creates magnificent flower arrangements for brides to be. Though helping to plan a wedding can be stressful, it’s nothing compared to the groom turning up dead.

A designer of eye-catching bridal bouquets—many of them based on the Victorian meanings behind each flower—Audrey Bloom is used to celebrations that end with happily ever after. In fact, every couple she’s worked with is still together, living in wedded bliss. But her perfect record is about to be broken.

Her childhood friend Jenny Whitney has reeled in the most eligible bachelor in Ramble, Virginia, and she’s hired Audrey to design the bouquet. But before Jenny can walk down the aisle clutching her blend of anemone, scabious, and pussy willow (a floral disaster in Audrey’s mind), the groom is found dead—sprinkled with bits of a bouquet. This is bad for business—not to mention for Jenny, who has become the prime suspect. So Audrey decides to do a little digging herself, hoping she won’t be the next Ramble resident pushing up daisies…

My Review:

This was a very enjoyable read.  I really liked learning about flowers and their meanings, I never knew that flowers had meanings.  This was also a great mystery that kept me guessing till the very end.  The writing was superb and the story flowed really well. All the characters were likable and I look forward to reading more about these likable characters and this charming small town.  This story also had some laugh-out-loud moments also, Audrey got herself into some silly situations.  If you are looking for a great cozy that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat, then this is the story for you.

This book goes on sale April 1, so grab your copy!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.



Beverly Allen is the author of Bloom and Doom, the first entry of the Bridal Bouquet Shop Mystery series—and her first novel-length fiction–debuting this year from Berkley Prime Crime. Beverly is the pseudonym of Barbara Early, chosen because when she says “Barb Early” too quickly or in a noisy room, people hear “Beverly” anyway. She resides in Western New York state with her ever-patient husband and three naughty but adorable cats.

Tea and Primroses--Tess Thompson--Review and Interview

Nothing is as it seemed in calm, quaint Legley Bay.

Famous novelist, Constance (last name) lived a seemingly straightforward – if private – and somewhat predictable life. Friends, beloved daughter Sutton, a beautiful home, and all the success an author could wish for. A perfect life….but was it?

When a hit and run accident suddenly takes her mother’s life, Sutton finds hidden secrets with her heartbreak. Emotional walls she assumed Constance had built to protect her privacy may have been to protect something – or someone – else entirely. Family and friends return home for support, including her own lost-love, Declan. He’s the first thing she craves to help her cope with her loss and the questions she’s left with, but he’s also the last person she wants to see. Will he be able to put down roots at last?

Can the loss of true love be the making of a life or is it destined to be the undoing of everything? When money, power and love combine across time, anything is possible.

****

Review:

Tess is such a great writer.  She brings the characters to life for readers.  I always enjoy reading a great book by Tess Thompson, because I know I won't be disappointed and I wasn't.  This story had a little bit of everything in it; a little romance, mystery, and a great story. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

 

About Tess Thompson

Tess Thompson is a novelist and playwright with a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California. In 2011 she released her first novel, Riversong, which subsequently became a best seller.

Like her main character in the River Valley collection, Tess is from a small town in Oregon. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her two young daughters, Emerson and Ella, and their puppy Patches. She is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window.

Tess is working on her next novel and regularly blogs about her journey as a mother, author and friend at www.tesswrites.com.

 

Interview:

 

1. How long have you been writing? 

 

I've been writing since I was a child. First, in a daily diary and then essays and short stories when I was in high school. I didn't start writing seriously until I was out of college (I was a theatre student as USC) and wrote my first play. But it wasn't until 2000 that I started to make it a daily habit.

 

2. What is your favorite thing to write about?

 

I'm interested in family dynamics, romantic relationships and friendships, therefore this is what I write about most. I'm fascinated by why and how people love one another in all the different types of love.

 

3. What has been your biggest inspiration when it comes to your writing?

 

Strong women in my life: my grandmothers, my mother, my daughters, my best girlfriends. Their strength, intelligence and resilience never ceases to amaze me. I try and honor them in my work by writing characters like them. 

4. Who has been your biggest influence?

 

My mother, without question. She's been in a wheelchair since a spinal cord injury twenty years ago. She is tough and never gives up, under much worse circumstances than most of us endure. I admire her in every way. 

5. Where did they idea for your River Valley series?

 

The River Valley series is based (loosely) on the southern Oregon town I grew up in. It was such a wonderful place to grow up and seemed perfect for a small town setting. 

 

6. Besides writing, what are your other interests?

 

I love to cook, read, watch movies and listen to music. I find music to be one of the sources of great joy in my life. I love hanging out with my daughters and my friends. I love watching football!

 

7. Who are your favorite authors?

 

Wally Lamb and Anne Lamont are a few of my favorites but I have so many it's hard to choose.

 

8. Where is your favorite place to vacation and where would you love to go that you have never been?

 

I love Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast and Hawaii. I would love to travel through Europe for three months. 

never been?

 

Ture Love by Jude Deveraux-Review and Giveaway

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERJude Deveraux, the bestselling author of unforgettable romance, returns with a breathtaking first book in a fantastic new series—the Nantucket Brides trilogy. Set on the magical Massachusetts island, True Love introduces characters from a new generation of Montgomery-Taggerts, the beloved family from Deveraux’s classic novels.

Just as Alix Madsen is finishing up architectural school, Adelaide Kingsley dies and wills her, for one year, the use of a charming nineteenth-century Nantucket house. The elderly woman’s relationship to the Madsen family is a mystery to the spirited Alix—fresh from a romantic breakup—but for reasons of her own Alix accepts the quirky bequest, in part because it gives her time to plan her best friend’s storybook wedding.

But unseen forces move behind the scenes, creaking Kingsley House’s ancient floorboards. It seems that Adelaide Kingsley had a rather specific task for Alix: to solve the strange disappearance of one of the Kingsley women, Valentina, more than two hundred years ago. If that wasn’t troubling enough, Alix must deal with the arrogant (and extremely good-looking) architect Jared Montgomery, who is living in the property’s guesthouse.

Unbeknown to Alix, Jared has been charged with looking after her while she lives on the island—an easy task for him, considering the undeniable chemistry between the two. But Jared harbors secrets of his own, which, if revealed, may drive a wedge between the pair.

With a glorious Nantucket wedding on the horizon, sparks fly, and the ghosts of the past begin to reveal themselves—some of them literally. Finding their lives inextricably entwined with the turbulent fortunes of their ancestors, Alix and Jared discover that only by righting the wrongs of the past can they hope to be together.
From: Amazon.com

My Review:

This was Jude Deveraux at her best.  She has a way with words that is totally amazing, her books flow so well.  She also has a way of making you feel that you really know the characters, and therefore, you come to care about them.  This book did not disappoint.  It had romance, a little mystery, and a paranormal element to it.  I really enjoyed getting to know the Kingsley family of Nantucket. 
After reading this book, I would really like to visit Nantucket.  I highly recommend this book.  I so look forward to the next in the Nantucket Brides series, there is a teaser to it in this book. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

GIVEAWAY:

The author has graciously agreed to giveaway three paperback copies of this book per blog.  To be entered in the contest, leave a comment below with your email address (no email, no entry) so you can be contacted.  After you are contacted, you will have 48 hours to respond with your mailing address.  Good Luck!!

For more information on Jude Deveraux's books, and to sign up for her email updates,

 visit her website

http://jude-deveraux.com

Twelve to Murder-Lauren Carr

About the Book:

 

Two people are brutally murdered in their summer place on Deep Creek Lake. Suspected of the murders, former child star and one-time teenybopper idol Lenny Frost takes innocent bystanders hostage in a local pub and demands that Mac Faraday find the killer. Can Mac save the hostages and himself from the wrath of the enraged has-been by piecing together the clues in less than twelve hours, or will it be a fatal last call at the stroke of midnight?

Purchase your copy at AMAZON

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE

 

 

 

My Review:

As always, Lauren Carr brings an action packed story that is almost impossible to put down.  Her mystery plots have so many twists and turns, I didn't know if I was coming or going.  And the action just didn't stop, from the very beginning, till the very end.  If you haven't read any of Lauren's work, I suggest you do she is a great writer and this one didn't disappoint at all.  I look forward to reading more Mac Faraday novels in the future as they always keep me entertained. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

About the Author:

 

Lauren Carr is the best-selling author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Twelve to Murder is the seventh installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series.

 

In addition to her series set on Deep Creek Lake, Lauren Carr has also written the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, which features prosecutor Joshua Thornton with homicide detective Cameron Gates, who were introduced in Shades of Murder, the third book in the Mac Faraday Mysteries. They also make an appearance in The Lady Who Cried Murder. Dead on Ice (A Lovers in Crime Mystery) was released September 2012. The second installment, Real Murder will be out in 2014.

 

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This year, several books, over a variety of genre, written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services, which is currently accepting submissions. Visit Acorn Book Services website for more information.

 

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.

 

She lives with her husband, son, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

 

Visit her author website at www.mysterylady.net.

 

Connect & Socialize!

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

 

Murder A La Christie by Marilyn Levinson--Review and Guest Post

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

Murder a la Christie

Professor Lexie Driscoll is leading a discussion of Agatha Christie’s novels at the first meeting of the Golden Age of Mystery book club, when an old friend is murdered. A free spirit, Lexie finds herself outside her element housesitting in the upscale village of Old Cadfield. As she unravels secret after secret, more members are murdered. Lexie employs Miss Marple’s knowledge of human nature and Hercule Poirot’s cunning to find the killer.

My Review:

This book kept my attention from the time I started it till I finished it.  I really haven't read very much by Agatha Christie, so I am not familiar with the stories that the Golden Age of Mystery book club read.  I do like how Lexie used the premise of some of Ms. Christie's work to find out who the killer was in this book.  This story is filled with many characters, and Ms. Levinson did really well making me wonder who could have committed the crimes.  I like when a mystery leaves me guessing till the very end, and this one really did.  There were so many possible suspects.  It was really well written also, which made it flow really well and made it a fast read.  There is also a little romance, as Lexie has two very different men vying for her affections.  So if you are looking for an intriguing who-dunnit that you can read really quickly, this is the book for you.  Great job Marilyn.  I am looking forward to more about Lexie Driscoll. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About The Author
Marilyn Levinson, a former Spanish teacher, writes mysteries, romance, and books for children and young adults.
Her romantic suspense, DANGEROUS RELATIONS, is a love story entwined with an intriguing mystery. GIVING UP THE GHOST is an entertaining ghost mystery. A new edition of A MURDERER AMONG US, which won a Best Indie award from Suspense Magazine in 2011, and its sequel, MURDER IN THE AIR, are out with Untreed Reads this winter. A ghost, a mansion, and a feral Maine Coon cat feature in Marilyn’s most recent YA, GETTING BACK TO NORMAL. Three of her popular out-of-print children’s books, AND DON’T BRING JEREMY, NO BOYS ALLOWED, and RUFUS AND MAGIC RUN AMOK are now available as ebooks.
Marilyn is co-founder and past-president of the Long Island chapter of Sisters in Crime. She lives on Long Island.

Author Links:
web page: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
Untreed Reads books: http://goo.gl/ktYzs
Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson
Purchase Links
AMAZON


Guest Post:

Talking About Books in My Books

 

My latest mystery, Murder a la Christie, is a tribute to Agatha Christie. I’ve read all of Dame Agatha’s novels, and suspect she’s partly responsible for my becoming a mystery writer. My sleuth, Professor Lexie Driscoll, is leading the first meeting of the Golden Age of Mystery book club in upscale Old Cadfield when her old friend suddenly takes ill and dies. Lexie is certain that Sylvia’s been poisoned and starts investigating.  More members are murdered, making Lexie feel she’s living in Dame Agatha’s novel, And Then There Were None. At meetings, the book club members discuss several Christie novels, drawing parallels between what they’ve read and the murders taking place in their own community and affecting their own lives.

 

Gabbie Meyerson, the sleuth in my ghost mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, takes a high school teaching position in a Long Island village. She rents a cottage with a ghost in it, high above the Long Island Sound. Gabbie’s classes are reading The Great Gatsby, and my book includes some of the students’ discussions of this famous novel.

 

Why do I do this? It must the old teacher in me rearing its head. I was a high school Spanish teacher in another life, and what I loved most was conducting literary discussions in Spanish with my more advanced students about whatever novel or stories they were reading. I’ve also been a mystery book club leader, and love raising provocative questions regarding the book at hand to see how the members respond.

 

I also include book discussions for the pure fun of it. From the number of book clubs flourishing in our country, it’s say to say that most of us love discussing  the books we’ve read.  So why not put it in a novel? My next mystery in the Golden Age of Mystery series is entitled Murder the Tey Way. Lexie will be leading discussions about some of Josephine Tey’s mysteries as murders occur in her own backyard.

The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie Review and Giveaway

The Sound of Broken Glass

by Deborah Crombie

on Tour Feb 24th - March 31st, 2014

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery

Published by: William Morrow

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Number of Pages: 384

ISBN: 9780061990649

Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

In the past. . .home to the tragically destroyed Great Exhibition, a solitary thirteen-year-old boy meets his next-door neighbor, a recently widowed young teacher hoping to make a new start in the tight-knit South London community. Drawn together by loneliness, the unlikely pair forms a deep connection that ends in a shattering act of betrayal.



In the present. . .On a cold January morning in London, Detective Inspector Gemma James is back on the job while her husband, Detective Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, is at home caring for their three-year-old foster daughter. Assigned to lead a Murder Investigation Team in South London, she's assisted by her trusted colleague, newly promoted Detective Sergeant Melody Talbot. Their first case: a crime scene at a seedy hotel in Crystal Palace. The victim: a well-respected barrister, found naked, trussed, and apparently strangled. Is it an unsavory accident or murder? In either case, he was not alone, and Gemma's team must find his companion—a search that takes them into unexpected corners and forces them to contemplate unsettling truths about the weaknesses and passions that lead to murder. Ultimately, they will question everything they think they know about their world and those they trust most.

Read an excerpt:

Browse Inside The Sound of Broken Glass: A Novel by Deborah Crombie

Author Bio:

Deborah Crombie is a native Texan who has lived in both England and Scotland. She lives in McKinney, Texas, sharing a house that is more than one hundred years old with her husband, three cats, and two German shepherds. Visit Deborah at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Catch Up With the Author:

My Review:

This book started kind of slow for me, but picked up in the middle and really caught my attention.  Ms. Crombie has a very good writing style that flows really well and that made the book very easy to read.  I also liked the information at the beginning of each chapter that told about the Crystal Palace that used to be in London.  I would really like to visit London, and Ms. Crombie gave me a very good glimpse of London.  This is my first Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery, but it won't be my last.  This book was filled with other characters that hopefully will be revisited again.  This was a great mystery, because it kept me guessing till the end.  I really want to visit these characters again and be a spectator as they solve crimes.  This book left off with a cliffhanger and I can't wait to find out what happens.  Great job.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

Giveaway:

The author has agreed to give away one copy of The Sound of Broken Glass per blog.  Just leave your name and email address so you can be contacted if you are randomly chosen as the winner.  I will pick a winner on April first.  Good luck.

The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo

 

Picture and other information from Goodreads.com

A moving testimony to the power of literature to bring people together in even the most difficult of circumstances.

In the spring of 1999, the world watched as more than 800,000 Kosovo Albanians poured over Kosovo's borders, bringing with them stories of torture, rape, and massacre. One year later, Paula Huntley's husband signed on with the American Bar Association to help build a modern legal system in this broken country, and she reluctantly agreed to accompany him. Deeply uncertain as to how she might be of any service in a country that had seen such violence and hatred, Huntley found a position teaching English as a Second Language to a group of Kosovo Albanians in Prishtina.

A war story, a teacher's story, but most of all a story of hope, The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo is the journal Hunt-ley kept in scattered notebooks or on her laptop over the eight months that she lived and worked in Kosovo. When Huntley asked her students if they would like to form an American-style "book club," they jumped at the idea. After stumbling upon a stray English-language copy of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Huntley proposed it as the club's first selection. The simple fable touched all the students deeply, and the club rapidly became a forum in which they could discuss both the terrors of their past and their dreams for the future.

The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo is a compelling tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.

My Review:

I probably would have never read this book if it wouldn't have been chosen by the book club that I recently joined, but I am really glad I read this.  As Paula mentions several times in the book, Kosovars don't know a lot about the world outside of Kosovo, but Americans should know. Unfortunately, a lot of Americans don't know, and I am one of them.  This book was very eye opening to the struggles that people face.  It also shows that ethnic problems exist just about everywhere.  It is amazing that things that happened in the Balkan region in the late 90's and early 00's could happen in today's times.  I highly recommend this book, it will change your thinking about a lot of things.  Great job Mrs. Huntley, and thank you for writing about your time in Kosovo.

I obtained my copy of this book from my Public Library and was not asked to do a review of it.

Princess Ever After--Rachel Hauck

About the book: A Royal Wedding Book

Regina Beswick was born to be a princess.

But she's content to be a small-town girl, running a classic auto restoration shop, unaware a secret destiny awaits her. One that will leap from the pages of her grandmother's hand-painted book of fairytales.

Tanner Burkhardt is the stoic Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg. When he is tasked to retrieve the long-lost princess, he must overcome his fear of failure in order to secure his nation's future---and his own.

Yet lurking in the political shadows is a fierce opponent with sinister plans to abolish the throne forever. Overwhelmed with opposition, Regina must decide if she's destined to restore old cars or an ancient nation. Together---with a little divine intervention---Regina and Tanner discover the truth of her heritage and the healing power of true love.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/tk6Wt 

 

My Review:

 

This was a fast paced story that kept my attention.  It gave me hope that fairy tales can really happen.  I really liked Regina she was really down to earth and I thought she handled it really well when she was given the news she was a princess.  This story flowed really well and was a fast read.  Rachel Hauck has a way with words, I felt I personally knew the characters.  Great job Rachel, I hope there are more in the Royal Wedding Series.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

Meet the author: Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as RITA nominated The Wedding Dress and RITA nominated Love Starts with Elle, part of the Lowcountry series, the Nashvegas series and the Songbird Novels penned with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Their novel Softly and Tenderly, was one of Booklists 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in an uncomfortable chair to write full time in 2004. Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and leads worship at their annual conference. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Learn more about Rachel at: http://rachelhauck.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duffy Brown-Pearls and Poison-Review, Interview and Giveaway

 

 

 

 

Pearls and Poison
(A Consignment Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Publisher: Berkley (March 4, 2014)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425252482
E-Book: ASIN: B00EOARZMS

Synopsis
It’s election time in Savannah, Georgia, and Judge Guillotine Gloria—aka Reagan Summerside’s mom—is neck and neck in the polls with Kip “Scummy” Seymour. But the already dirty campaign is about to get downright filthy—with one candidate getting buried six feet under….

With her strong opinions and knack for getting into trouble, Reagan is not an ideal volunteer for her mother’s alderman campaign. Plus, she’d rather be running her consignment shop, the Prissy Fox, and eating doughnuts with her dog, Bruce Willis. But when her mother’s opponent, Kip, is found poisoned and her mother is pegged as a suspect, Reagan nominates herself as lead murder investigator.

Reagan is intent on finding Kip’s killer and clearing her mother’s good name, but she soon finds herself on the bad side of Kip’s enemies-turned-suspects. This time, no amount of costumes and makeup can keep her inconspicuous and out of danger. Because the closer Reagan gets to the truth, the hotter things get….

 

My Review:

 

This was Duffy Brown at her best.  This is probably my favorite cozy series. Reagan and her antics really keep a person entertained.  Pearls and Poison is probably the best in the series yet.  When Reagan's mamma is accused of murdering her opponent in the race for Savannah city Alderman, Reagan has to find the real killer.   How one person can have as much trouble as Reagan, I'll never know, but it is hilarious and very entertaining.  This series if filled with eccentric characters that embody the essence of the south.  Throw in the chemistry between Reagan and Boone Walker and this is one great read.  I cannot wait for the next book in the Consignment Shop Mystery Series.  Please, Duffy, keep the laughs coming!

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

About This Author

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While others girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, her license plate is Sherlock and she conjures up who-done-it stories of her very own for Berkley Prime Crime. Duffy’s national bestselling Consignment Shop Mystery series is set in Savannah and the Cyclepath Mysteries are set on Mackinac Island. Duffy writes romance as Dianne Castell and is a USA Today bestselling author.

www.DuffyBrown.com
DuffyBrown@DuffyBrown.com
Facebook.com/authorduffybrown
Purchase Links
AMAZON    Book World     B&N

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

 

Duffy has graciously agreed to give two Pearls and Poison Tote Bags per Blog Tour stop.  To enter, leave a comment with your name and email address, so you can be contacted if you win.  I will randomly pick a winner by next Monday, March 10. Good luck!

 

Interview

 

 

 

 

1.      Where did you get the idea for this series?

 

I work in a consignment shop…the Snooty Fox. They say write what you know so I did. Savannah is one of the loveliest cities in the US and since I’m a closet belle…even have the pearls to prove it and, yes, I can twirl a baton…decided Savannah was a terrific setting. Also, Southern food is a book in itself and in Iced Chiffon we eat our way across Savannah. Can’t swing a dead cat without hitting someone eating fried chicken, pecan pie or drinking a martini. Not sure how the martinis got in there but they did! LOL

 

 

 

 

2.      Who is the character Reagan based on, if anybody?

 

The Consignment Shop series is a first person book so we see what Reagan Summerside sees, feels, eats etc. She’s recently divorced by a scum-bucket who kicked her to the curb for the young Cupcake. I think Reagan is so many people today.

 

I wanted a heroine who was struggling to reinvent herself but someone smart and hard-working. Reagan is rehabbing an old Victorian herself and opening up a consignment shop to make ends meet. She gets sucked into solving murders to save her house or help a friend or her mom.

 

I love Reagan because she never gives up. Things don’t always go her way…heck they rarely go her way…but she keeps at it and best of all…she has a great sense of humor through it all.

 

 

 

 

3.      Since this series is about consignment shops, do you like to shop in consignment shops?

 

I’ve worked in one for 17 years part-time. Write what you know so I did. Such great buys! I cannot see spending fifty bucks for a blouse when I can get it for five.

 

 

 

4.      How many books do you have planned for this series?

The first was Iced Chiffon, then Killer in Crinolines and now Pearls and Poison. I’m doing a novella

 

 

 

5.      What is your favorite time of year?

 

It’s all lovely. I love the change of seasons. Right now snow is everywhere but the sky is blue and the sun’s out. Love it all. Any day I’m sucking air is a good day. J

 

 

 

6.      Besides writing, how do you like to spend your spare time?

 

Hiking. Getting ready for a trip to Arches with my kids in April then off you Yosemite in September. Did Glacier and Zion and whitewater on the Grand Canyone. Wow!!

 

 

 

7.      What is your favorite genre of books, besides cozy mysteries and who are your favorite authors?

 

I’m a mystery girl. That’s it. If there’s no mystery I don’t read it or watch it. I love new Sherlock Homes on the BBC. Totally addicted. It’s smart and cleaver and ruins you for other shows. I’m also addicted to House of Cards. Wow! It’s TV crack.

 

 

 

8.      Where is your favorite place to take a vacation?

 

Anywhere I don’t have to cook. J But I do love the west. Utah is the nation’s best kept secret. The whole place is one big national park. Totally amazing. I’m blessed to have visited it.

 

 

 

 

9.      If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you chose to go?

 

I’d like to do the whitewater rafting though the Grand Canyon again and go back to Glacier National Park. As close to heaven as you get on this plant.