Kris Bock's Blog, page 9

How to Write a Mystery Series By Lois Winston #amwriting #mystery #BookTwitter

Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of Death by Killer Mop Doll, Book 3 in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

How to Write a Mystery Series by Lois Winston
I began my career writing romance. I wrote my first mystery as a result of a conversation my agent had with an editor who was looking for a crafting mystery series. Since my day job consisted of designing craft projects for kit manufacturers, craft book publishers, and both craft and women’s magazines, my agent thought I’d be the perfect person to write such a series. Thus was born my critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series.

 

Crafts and murder don’t normally go hand-in-hand, but normal deserted magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack’s world the day her husband permanently cashed in his chips in Las Vegas and her comfortable middle-class life crapped out. Now she’s got her husband’s loan shark demanding payment—or else. And along with debt greater than the GNP of Uzbekistan, she’s permanently stuck with her Communist mother-in-law who is often forced to share a bedroom with Anastasia’s mother, a self-proclaimed descendant of Russian nobility.

 

Anastasia’s two teenage sons Alex and Nick (not named after Russian czars); her mother’s cat Catherine the Great; her mother-in-law’s dog Manifesto; and Ralph, the Shakespeare-quoting parrot, all vie for space and attention in Anastasia’s cramped suburban New Jersey home.

 

Did I mention this was a humorous amateur sleuth mystery series?

 

Throughout the series, Anastasia takes on various moonlighting jobs to pay down her debt, only to find herself constantly tripping over dead bodies, forcing her to continue sleuthing.

 

The advice I’m offering is based on my experience. There is no elusive Golden Ticket to Success, but there are pitfalls you can avoid if you know what they are.

 

1. Decide on the type of mystery you want to write.
Do you know the difference between cozy mysteries, amateur sleuth mysteries, traditional mysteries, romantic suspense, romantic mysteries, police procedurals, detective stories, and noir mysteries? If not, educate yourself. Different sub-genres have different conventions and different reader expectations.

 

2. Decide whether you want to write a limited series or an ongoing series.
In a limited series the story arc and characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts develop over a set number of books and are resolved at the end of the last book in the series.

 

An ongoing series features episodic stories that resolve at the end of each book but include the same main characters throughout the series. Plots are independent of each other but can be tied to previous books. Characters introduced in one book may return several books later. In most cases, the main characters continue to grow throughout the series, sometimes experiencing life-altering changes such as marriage, career change, or death of a family member.

 

3. Develop a character who can carry a series over multiple books.
Set long-term goals for your protagonist and place her in different settings to keep your series fresh. Anastasia’s moonlighting enables me to place her in different locations where she stumbles upon other murder victims. It also gives me the chance to introduce different antagonists, murder victims, weapons, and ways in which Anastasia solves the murders, keeping the stories different enough that readers don’t feel as though I’m recycling plots.

 

Even though you end each book with the reader learning whodunit, you want to leave your reader wondering what happens next in the character’s life. One way I’ve done this is by introducing new characters. For example, in Revenge of the Crafty Corpse , the third book in the series, I introduced Anastasia’s deceased husband’s previously unknown half-brother.

 

In , the seventh book in the series, I give Anastasia’s older son Alex a girlfriend and create a murder plot that involves her and her father. And of course, there’s the mysterious Zack Barnes, a photojournalist who rented the apartment over Anastasia’s garage in Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun . Even though Anastasia suspects he’s really a government operative, a relationship begins to develop between them as the series progresses.

 

4. Give your protagonist a job conducive to discovering and solving murders.
If you’re writing about a professional investigator, this is a given, but the amateur sleuth needs a career where she isn’t chained to her desk in a cubicle forty hours a week, then goes home to spend her evenings watching TV with only her cat for company. She has to be able to get around to investigate the murders and interact with witnesses and suspects. Having family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers for her to interact with will give you more opportunities for additional plots in future books.

 

If your sleuth travels for her job, you can locate your plots in different locations, keeping the settings fresh and interesting from book to book. Anastasia has solved murders at the magazine where she’s the crafts editor, at the set of a morning TV show where she was a guest, at a convention center where her company was an exhibitor, and in the town where she lives, and on a cruise ship.

 

5. Create your sleuth’s world.
Decide whether your books will take place in a real town or city, a fictional town or city, or a fictionalized version of a real town or city. I’ve set my books in and around New York City and its New Jersey suburbs. I find it easier to keep track of locations when I’m familiar with them. It’s also fairly simple for me to go to the locations to check them out (or it was before I moved to Tennessee!) Some authors will take a real town or city but change the names. Others will create completely fictional locations.

 

If you decide on a fictional location, make it a place your readers will want to continue reading about from book to book. Give the place some unique characteristics. Is it a tourist destination? A commuter town near a big city? A college town? A town with only one industry? A shore town or one nestled in the mountains? Your setting should become an integral part of your series.
 
For fictitious locations create a map to use as a reference while writing your books. You don’t want to make a street one way in one direction in one book and have it going in the other direction two books later. Savvy readers often catch such errors and let you know about them.

 

If you want to set a story in a real town or city you don’t know or don’t know well, do extensive research regarding the location. Don’t just rely on Google Maps. You don’t want to make the mistake of writing about a massive accident involving half a dozen eighteen-wheelers on a roadway where trucks are forbidden.

 

6. Cupcakes, crafts and cats.
Three of the most popular sub-genres of cozy mysteries are culinary cozies, crafting cozies, and pet cozies. Culinary and crafting cozies generally include a recipe or craft project. In pet cozies, the pet becomes a secondary character in the series, one the sleuth will often view as almost human. Sometimes the pet will even play a role in solving the mystery.

 

Even non-pet cozies often feature pets, especially cats and dogs. Editors often insist an author add a cat or dog to the series before offering a contract. In my Anastasia series, Anastasia’s mother owns a cat. Her mother-in-law owns a dog. Both animals mimic their owner’s personalities. Anastasia has inherited Ralph, a Shakespeare-quoting parrot who squawks situation-appropriate passages from The Bard.

 

When planning your series, you need to decide if you’ll follow a trend or buck trends, writing something outside the box. In a crowded market it’s often difficult to break in and find a fan base when you’re competing against well-established series. On the other hand, although publishers will always say they’re looking for something new and fresh, they’re often reticent to take a chance on something different from what they know sells. It’s a definite conundrum.

 

When I began writing the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, I did some research into crafting mysteries. All either featured a craft shop owner, a crafting club, or a crafter, and all concentrated on a single craft—knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, stained glass, etc. I decided to buck the single-craft trend by making Anastasia the crafts editor at a women’s magazine. That way I could feature a different craft in each book.

 

7. BFFs and sidekicks.
Most cozy and amateur sleuth series will have a sidekick that becomes Watson to your protagonist’s Sherlock. This can be a coworker, a relative, a best friend, or a love interest. The sidekick often provides certain character traits that complement your sleuth. In my Empty Nest Mystery Series, which is a modern-day twist on Nick and Nora Charles of the classic Thin Man movies, my sleuth’s college professor husband is forced to tag along to keep her out of trouble when she insists on sticking her nose into murder investigations. But in Anastasia’s world, depending on the book, her sidekicks alternate between several people in her life, including her best friend, magazine food editor Cloris McWerther, and her tenant-turned-love-interest, Zack Barnes.

 

8. Secondary and tertiary characters.
Juggling the number of characters in your sleuth’s world can be a delicate balancing act. Too few characters won’t give you enough possibilities for plots to keep your series going, but too many can become confusing to the reader.

 

Not every character you create needs to be in each book. Some characters may play a major role in only one book or pop up sporadically from time to time. Resist the urge to force a character into a story because you introduced him or her in a previous book. Only bring the character back when it makes sense to the story.

 

When I received a note from a reader wondering if I’d ever bring back Tino Martinelli from Decoupage Can Be Deadly , because she loved the character, I was in the middle of writing Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide . I realized Tino was exactly the character I needed to round out that book’s plot.

 

9. Create a series bible.
If you plan to write a series over many years, it’s essential that you keep accurate track of all series details—descriptions, ages, professions, back-story, relatives, hobbies, street layouts, shops, etc. Don’t rely on memory. Create a database. Each time you add a character, mention a characteristic, or describe a location, add it to the database. Routinely refer to the database to avoid errors.

 

10. Decide how quickly your characters will age.
Most authors write a book a year. Will your characters age a year between each book, or will each book take place days, weeks, or months after the preceding one? This is something you need to decide before you begin writing the second book in your series.

 

If you choose to have your characters age a year with each book, how will aging affect their world? If your sleuth has teenagers, will they go off to college in future books? Is she nearing retirement age? Will she have to deal with aging parents? What about technological advances and current events? Will you incorporate them into future stories?

 

11. Keep a timeline of events.
It’s far too easy to lose track of the time elapsing in your story as you work on it, especially if you’re a writer who often goes back and tweaks scenes. And you can’t always rely on editors catching every mistake you make. The easiest way to avoid such mistakes is to keep a scene calendar for each book in your series. Print out blank calendar pages. Decide on the month and day your story will start. Record the scenes that occur on each day to keep your timeline accurate.

 

12. Don’t leave readers scratching their heads.
It’s important that each book in your series can be read as a standalone. This is important because most bookstores will not carry many or all of your previous titles in a series unless you become a famous bestselling author. If a reader picks up a book from the middle of your series, you don’t want her to feel confused about the characters in your story. You want her to have an enjoyable reading experience, enough so that she’ll search out your prior titles and purchase future ones.

 

Avoid the urge to info-dump, though. It’s not necessary to provide each character’s complete biography and description the first time you introduce him or her in each book. A few carefully worded phrases at appropriate times is all you need to avoid reader confusion.

Guilty as Framed

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 11

 

When an elderly man shows up at the home of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack, she’s drawn into the unsolved mystery of the greatest art heist in history.

 

Boston mob boss Cormac Murphy has recently been released from prison. He doesn’t believe Anastasia’s assertion that the man he’s looking for doesn’t live at her address and attempts to muscle his way into her home. His efforts are thwarted by Anastasia’s fiancé Zack Barnes.

 

A week later, a stolen SUV containing a dead body appears in Anastasia’s driveway. Anastasia believes Murphy is sending her a message. It’s only the first in a series of alarming incidents, including a mugging, a break-in, another murder, and the discovery of a cache of jewelry and an etching from the largest museum burglary in history.

 

But will Anastasia solve the mystery behind these shocking events before she falls victim to a couple of desperate thugs who will stop at nothing to get what they want?
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Lois Winston: USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.

Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of Death by Killer Mop Doll, Book 3 in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries.

Brenda Whiteside on the setting for her #RomanticSuspense The MacKenzie Chronicles, inspired by a real-life #Arizona destination, Jerome. #BookTwitter #Romance

Welcome guest Brenda Whiteside!

I was born and raised in Arizona and have been in and out of the state all my life. My favorite area of the state is from central to north. We live in the high desert, and we’re only thirty minutes away from the pines of the Mogollon Rim, which means snow in the winter. I’m inspired by this part of Arizona.
 
The setting for The MacKenzie Chronicles is a fictional town, Joshua, Arizona, inspired by a real-life Arizona destination, Jerome. Once dubbed “The Wickedest Town in the West,” the history is rich with tales of mining, brothels, and ghosts from another century. Add to that history the hippie settlers of the 1960s and 1970s who revitalized the crumbling town into an art mecca. 
The streets are stacked on the side of the mountain. There’s a jail still intact that literally slid down the mountain decades ago. Wine, food, ruins, and adventure await the tourist. The town looks much the same as it did in the early part of the twentieth century. If you get to Arizona, you really must visit Jerome.
Secrets of The Ravine is the first book in The MacKenzie Chronicles. In this multi-layered romantic suspense story, Magpie is driven to learn the truth about a decades-old murder that could find her father the murderer and reconnect her with a dead love. The reader is immersed in Magpie’s present, as well as her father’s past, as she scours a twisty path that could end with her the next victim.
 
Magpie MacKenzie doesn’t believe in coincidence. But when a ringer for her long-dead love walks into her life the same day skeletal remains are unearthed, she’s convinced the universe is sending her a message. Fearing her father will be accused of the crime, Magpie will do whatever it takes to find the truth. Even risk her heart on this familiar stranger who may hold critical clues to the unsolved mystery.
 
While visiting purportedly haunted Joshua, Arizona, lawyer Zac Peartree is instantly drawn to the free-wheeling shopkeeper. His attraction propels him on a collision course between past and present, where digging up secrets could prove fatal.
 
Using decades-old clues and Zac’s déjà vu moments, the couple embark on a treacherous race to prove her father’s innocence before Magpie becomes the next victim. Can they save her from a murderous fate, or will love be the final casualty?
 
There is something for everyone in this slightly magical mystery romance. And yes, there is a logical explanation for the doppelganger. But you will have to read Secrets of the Ravine to find out.
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Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won't discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes. Visit Brenda at https://www.brendawhiteside.comor https://www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor.

Who wouldn't want to be a billionaire? One Texas ranching family learns the pitfalls in the Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series: #Cowboys #Romance #ContemporaryRomance #ReadzTule #BookTwitter #BookBuzz

Charming the Billionaire Cowboy : The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series

For the first time, his cowboy charm seems to backfire…

With his Texas ranching family’s lottery win, TC Tomlinson is finally able to build a ranch with alternative livestock. TC has a lot to prove, starting with his new ostrich herd, so when he catches a beauty scooping up an escaped baby bird, TC chases her down, assuming she wants to meet him for his money.

When Hallie Armstrong sees the injured baby ostrich, she jumps into professional mode. A former vet tech, she’s moved to Last Stand to work at her aunt's wildlife rescue and heal from an attack. She’s skittish of the handsome cowboy, but when he starts to flirt, she decides two can play at this game—the rescue needs fundraising, and TC is an eligible bachelor.

As they brainstorm ideas for a bachelor auction and work to solve the mystery of local sheep attacks, TC finds himself falling for the feisty cowgirl. But when he learns she’s still in danger, his protective instincts threaten to drive the independent Hallie away. Can TC convince Hallie she can have her independence and him too?

RELEASE DATE: Jan 23 (preorder now!)

BookBub reviews: 

“A charming story of a cute couple destined for love.” 

“[It] grabbed me right away” 

“It was such good writing to have me caring about Hallie so much.”  

Chapter 1

     Hallie drove down the country road between green fields. Nothing looked familiar. Was that because she was lost or because her memory was faulty? She pulled to the side of the road and stopped. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes. It was fine. She had GPS. She could call for help if necessary. No reason to blink away tears. No reason to get upset or frustrated.
     Her brain was healing. Each week, she got a little better. That didn’t mean she’d never have setbacks. Anyway, maybe she was simply lost. She’d only moved to Last Stand a week ago.
     Hallie got out of the car and looked around. A sudden rustling came from the ditch beside the road. Then an odd trilling noise filled the air. A bird or frog? But the rustling sounded like a large animal.
     Hallie headed for the ditch, prepared to race back and dive inside the car if she needed to escape danger.
     She stared down at a fluffy ball that rustled the grasses as it moved. It looked like a giant feather duster had come to life. A tiny head bobbed on a long neck. A beak opened and chirped. What was that thing? Some kind of bird, judging by the beak. A large bird, with a body the size of a basketball.
     She looked around. No one in sight. So this wasn’t a bizarre prank. She was pretty sure she wasn’t dreaming, since she had the presence of mind to wonder if she was dreaming. Her memory might be shaky, but it had yet to give her hallucinations.
     She crouched for a closer look. The animal chirped and tried to get up, but it quickly pitched forward, flapping short wings. It must be caught or injured somehow. She could do something about that. Many animals calmed down if you covered their eyes. That made it easier to handle them. She didn’t have a towel in the car, and on this warm spring day, she hadn’t brought a jacket. Oh well. Hallie peeled off her long-sleeved T-shirt, leaving her in a sturdy sports bra in cheerful purple and turquoise.
     Hallie duckwalked into the ditch and tossed her shirt over the creature. She knelt beside the bird and wrapped her shirt around its head, loosely tucking the long sleeves around the neck a few times to hold the shirt in place.
     The animal gave a few last pathetic peeps and settled down. She put her arm around its body. The gray-brown feathers were downy, silky against her bare skin, so it must be young. She gently straightened at the waist, still on her knees, revealing the bird’s long legs with knobby knees and two large toes on each foot. It might be young, but it would stand about three feet high. An ostrich? She’d never seen a young one, but she thought she recalled hearing about an ostrich farm around here.
     Well, they apparently weren’t very attentive ostrich farmers, because this little critter had escaped and was far from the herd or flock or whatever ostriches had. It also had a gash on its leg, shallow but long, still oozing blood. Hallie didn’t have first aid material with her, but her aunt had plenty.
     “Okay, let’s get you help.” She rose to her feet with a grunt. The bird must weigh fifty pounds.
     She got the squirming bird in the car, dodging its bobbing head. Its beak might be covered with cloth, but it would hurt if it hit her. At least the thrashing hadn’t opened its gash any further. She glanced down at her jeans, which were covered with baby ostrich poop. It figured.
     As she shifted toward the driver’s side door, she glanced down the road. An oversized red pickup truck was coming up fast. Hallie hadn’t noticed the truck approaching, and now it was within fifty feet. She slid into the car, yanked the door shut, and turned the ignition.
     That truck was almost on top of her. She’d wait for it to pass.
     She glared as the shiny red truck pulled past. It was enormous, so apparently somebody felt the need to compensate for something.
     The truck swung across the road and stopped in front of her. A door slammed. A tall, lanky cowboy strode around the front of the truck, scowling.
     Hallie gave a squeak worthy of the baby ostrich and hit the automatic door lock.
     The man stormed up to her door. He had to lean way over to peer in at her. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.
     Hallie gaped at him. How was she supposed to answer that? She thought she was minding her own business. Granted, she was lost, maybe, but she didn’t want to ask this angry man for directions. She was pretty sure she hadn’t passed any signs marking this as a private road.
     He rapped on the window. No way was she going to roll it down.
     Hallie put the car in reverse. He was blocking the road ahead, so she’d go back the way she came. But she’d have to back up far enough to get away from him and then try to turn around on the narrow dirt road. His truck was bigger, so he’d take longer to make a turn, unless he simply drove into the ditch and through the edge of the field, which he probably could do with those big tires.
     He tried her door handle. Thank goodness she’d locked it.
     He knocked on the window again, his fierce face a foot away. “Open up!”
     Hallie shook her head vigorously.
     She eased off the brakes so the car started rolling backward. It was tempting to go fast and hope she rolled over his foot. That would distract him for a minute or two! But she couldn’t bring herself to hurt a stranger who had so far only yelled and scowled.
     He skipped back from the car. Hallie let out a shaky breath and touched the gas. She couldn’t go too fast in reverse, though, or she might back into the ditch. Then she’d really be in trouble.
     The angry cowboy ran after her, shouting something.
     It took a moment for his words to penetrate.
     “Give me back my ostrich!”
     Whoops.

The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series : When the Tomlinsons win a fortune in the lottery, the formerly tight-knit Texas ranching family is suddenly on edge. Everything changes when you’re rich, and often not for the better. Can these cowboy brothers find love when everyone seems to want something else from them?
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Praise for book 1, The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas:

“I highly recommend this book. I look forward to the next book. Kris has a winning series here.” 

“What a wonderful book! I loved every word of this book and highly recommend it.”

“I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see where these characters go next.”

“I can hardly wait for the next in this series. I highly recommend this clean, romantic Christmas story.”

Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona. Get a free cat café novella, mystery stories, and more when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter.

 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

 

Find Kris:
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Amazon US pageor Amazon UK page

Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café: a Furrever Friends #SweetRomance book 1 is free until Jan 1! Readers love this cozy #romance rated 4.4 stars w/270+ reviews. #CleanRomance #BookTwitter

Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café: a Furrever Friends Sweet Romance #1 is now free until Jan 1! Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon USor Amazon UK.

“A sweet romance, with cats, kittens, yummy pastries (and recipes for some of them), and a hunky hero.”

What do you do when you meet the guy of your dreams? Set him up with your sister, of course.

Kari doesn’t have time for love when she’s opening her new cat café. She’s busy hiring employees, fighting with the health inspector – oh, and welcoming 16 shelter cats. She’s doing this for the cats, the community, and her family. The café will give her sister, Marley, a job worthy of her baking skills.

Then a tattooed military vet wanders in claiming he’s a master baker. Surely Marley will fall for a guy this sweet, this sexy, this tasty.

Colin has other ideas. It’s Kari who makes him want to turn up the heat. But he’s spent the last two years recovering from physical and psychological wounds. Is he really ready for a relationship? He’s not even sure he should commit to Samson, the sweet Siamese cat who steals his heart.

“Small town romance with cats ... what more could you want?”

Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon USor Amazon UK. The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. Each book is a complete story with a happy ending for one couple. These sweet romances will leave you with the warm, cozy feeling of cuddling a purring cat. Get Lions and Love at the Cat Café, a sweet romance novella, freewhen you sign up for the Kris Bock email newsletter.

“There are sisters looking out for sisters, instead of there being competition and cattiness (no pun intended), a deliciously sweet hero, and (of course!) all kinds of cats that fill the café and the characters’ hearts. What’s not to love? I definitely recommend this book for a pretty quick read that will leave you feeling all kinds of happy at the end.”

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 35-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels and a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material. 

Kris also writes mystery and romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Learn more at www.krisbock.comor visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)

Kris is writing a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. The series starts with Felony Melanie in Pageant Pandemonium. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletterand get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon USor All E-book retailers.

BOOKS and FOOD: HOLIDAY PAIRINGS - You like food? You like books? Pair tasty treats and delicious reads with these #recipes plus #romance #RomCom and #mystery novels #BookTwitter

Pair tasty treats and delicious reads for a happy holiday or any time!
For Armchair Detectives

 

Do you like to pit your wits against fictional detectives as they try to solve complicated cases? In The Accidental Detective series : A witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. Book 1, , made Barnes & Noble's list of Handpicked Favorites You'll Love! “This is a remarkably enjoyable start to a brand new cozy mystery series,” said Books a Plenty Book Reviews, while the ~Reading is my Superpower blog said, “A great start to a new series... Readers will enjoy this new cozy mystery and eagerly wait for more sleuthing with Kate and the Coffee Shop Irregulars!”

 

In the series, one of the senior men got into baking in retirement. He likes to show up with cookies, brownies, or cupcakes, such as these 

Salted Caramel Blondies 

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup  nuts or coconut, optional
¼ cup salted caramel sauce (make your own with this recipe)

 

Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cream together butter and  brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Blend in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt, and mix just until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and  nuts or coconut if using. Spread into baking pan.
Drop tablespoons of salted caramel sauce onto the blondie batter.
Use a butter knife to swirl the sauce into the  blondie batter.
Bake 20-25 minutes, until set in the middle and lightly golden brown.
Cool on a rack, cut into pieces, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
For Animal Lovers

Do you think the best way to spend winter is curled up with a good book, a hot drink, and a furry companion? Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon US or Amazon UK . Book 1, Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café, is only 99 cents or free in Kindle Unlimited!

 

The series is set at a cat café, so tea or coffee and cookies are practically required while you're reading. Join my newsletter and get a glimpse into the Furrever Friends Cat Café with a free sweet romance story complete at 35 pages. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels such as these very yummy Chai Tea Shortbread Cookies .

 

For Rom-Com Fans

 

Before Melanie Smooter became hot fashion designer Melanie Carmichael, she was known as Felony Melanie, the teenage troublemaker of Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Aching to escape the boredom of small-town life, she gets into many reckless adventures. Her boyfriend, Jake, is always by her side – and the local sheriff is usually close behind. Visit the Amazon US series page or the B&N page or find the books at other E-book retailers .

 

If you like your sweets Southern style, Black Bottom Pie is about as sweet as you can get: start with a crust made with crumbled cookies. Add a chocolate pastry cream flavored with rum and vanilla. Top it with stiff meringue peaks or whipped cream, and chocolate shavings for garnish. Here’s a recipe from Southern Kitchen .

For Adventurers

 

Do you crave adventure in a dramatic setting? Each of the Southwest Treasure Hunters books stands alone in a series mixing action and adventure with light romance. Desert Goldfollows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In Valley of Gems, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In Silver Canyon, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Learn more on my Amazon US page or Amazon UK page.

 

If you like spicy rather than sweet, try this New Mexico Green Chile Chicken Soup Recipe . You can also download a printable list of the clues for the riddles in Valley of Gems, plus Southwestern recipes from the book, from the Romantic Suspense page of my website!

 

For People Who’d Rather Be Riding the Range (or at least reading about it)

 

The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys series starts with The Billionaire Cowboy’s Christmas: When Josh Tomlinson’s mama wins a fortune in the lottery, the formerly tight-knit Texas ranching family is suddenly on edge. Josh contacts family friend and now attorney, Carly Garza for advice. Carly’s crushed on Josh for years, but now his client and billionaire statuses put him firmly out of reach. They’re already keeping the family’s lottery win a secret from the town. Can they also hide their budding romance during the most magical time of year?

 

Ranch families have to get up early and work hard taking care of all those animals, so they need a hearty breakfast. Perhaps this Breakfast Skillet or Cheesy Bacon and Egg Breakfast Enchiladas.

 

I hope you’ve found something tasty to inspire your eating or reading!

 

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)

Romance and Mystery for free! Meet new authors through free books. #ContemporaryRomance #SweetRomance #Mystery #CozyMystery #BookGiveaway #FreeBook

December Cozy Mystery Freebies: Check out some new authors with free stories or samples. Some require newsletter sign-up but you can unsubscribe any time. (Runs until Dec 23.)

Clean & Cozy December Free Books: Travel around the world, to Montana and Texas, Melbourne and the Ukraine, in cozy mysteries and sweet romance stories that are yours free with newsletter sign-ups (unsubscribe any time).

Sweet Romance Giveaway: Stock up on contemporary and historical romance e-books, and even a few paranormal and romantic suspense titles – all "sweet and clean" and all free when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time).

Bonus: Holiday Romance in Kindle Unlimited: ramp up the Christmas spirit with books set around the holidays! These contemporary and historical romance novels feature Christmas mishaps and miracles, or other winter holidays. They are all in KU and also for sale, many under $3.

Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Get a free 30-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. 

Kris writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for the romantic comedy newsletter to get a short story preview, or find the books at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

 

Kris also writes mystery and suspense novels. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven . If you love romantic suspense by Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)

Peanut Butter Fudge #Holiday #Recipe Plus the Easiest Fudge Ever, perfect for #Christmas2022 gifts. Then enjoy this #Romance series of #ContemporaryRomance #SweetRomance #CleanRomance

This peanut butter fudge is amazingly simple and always a hit. You can use water instead of milk to make it dairy-free. (Some marshmallows are vegan and others aren't – check the label.)
Peanut Butter Fudge
2 cups sugar1/4 cup butter or margarine1/2  cup milk10 large marshmallows1 cup peanut butter3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Mix sugar, butter/margarine and milk in pot. Bring to a boil. Cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. 
Stir in the marshmallows. Stir well until they combine. If necessary, turn the heat on low for a minute to help them dissolve.
Blend in the peanut butter and vanilla. Pour into a buttered eight by eight inch pan and cool.
While I'm at it, here is the easiest ever fudge recipe. To think I used to stand by the stove for an hour, with a candy thermometer.
Easy Fudge

1 bag chocolate chips (best quality)1 can sweetened condensed milk1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix chips and condensed milk in a 9 by 13 inch glass casserole dish. Microwave 2 minutes. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Let set several hours.

Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona. Get a free cat café novella, mystery stories, and more when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Find Kris:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Pinterest
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US pageor Amazon UK page

Romance and Mystery for free! Meet new authors through free books. Plus find some books in #KindleUnlimited. #ContemporaryRomance #SweetRomance #Mystery #CozyMystery #BookGiveaway #FreeBook

Sweet Romance Giveaway: Stock up on contemporary and historical romance e-books, and even a few paranormal and romantic suspense titles – all "sweet and clean" and all free when you sign up for the author's newsletter (unsubscribe any time).

Clean & Cozy December Free Books: Travel around the world, to Montana and Texas, Melbourne and the Ukraine, in cozy mysteries and sweet romance stories that are yours free with newsletter sign-ups (unsubscribe any time).

Curl Up With a Book Month Giveaway: ‘Tis the season to curl up with a good book! Book Heaven is teaming up with almost fifty authors to bring readers new releases and backlist plus gift cards in this giveaway that’s sure to please any booklover.  

Bonus: Holiday Romance in Kindle Unlimited: ramp up the Christmas spirit with books set around the holidays! These contemporary and historical romance novels feature Christmas mishaps and miracles, or other winter holidays. They are all in KU and also for sale, many under $3.

Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Get a free 30-page story set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. 

Kris writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for the romantic comedy newsletter to get a short story preview, or find the books at Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

 

Kris also writes mystery and suspense novels. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven . If you love romantic suspense by Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Learn more at www.krisbock.com or visit Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page. (For other countries click here.)

Chai Tea Shortbread #Cookie - a #Holiday #Recipe from the Cat Café sweet #romance #ContemporaryRomance #BookTwitter #BookBuzz

My Furrever Friends Cat Café sweet romance series is set around a cat café. (Cat cafés are crosses between coffee shops and pet adoption centers. Learn more about cat cafés here.)Since the series  involves a café, I mention delectable baked goods and include a recipe at the end of each book. Here's one from the free novella, Lions and Love at the Cat Café. This sweet romance story, complete at 35 pages, is freeas a PDF, MOBI (Kindle), or ePub when you sign up for the Kris Bock email newsletter.
If you prefer not to sign up for the newsletter, Lions and Love at the Cat Café is also on sale for 99 cents. Find it on Kris Bock’s Amazon US page or Amazon UK page - free in Kindle Unlimited! 
Chai Tea Shortbread Cookies

If using loose-leaf tea, grind the tea into a rough powder first. If using tea bags, cut open the tea bags (4-6) and measure. Tea bags usually have a more powdered mix, so you don't have to grind it. Mix the ingredients in a food processor for ease. You can also press the dough into a shortbread pan and bake for about 30 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons chai tea (ground fine)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Blend the flour, sugar, chai, and salt.

Mix in the butter and vanilla. Press the mixture into a ball of dough.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/3-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter and place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets. Bake until the edges are golden, 8-12 minutes depending on size. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool to room temperature.
You can also get 22 of the recipes mentioned in the novella and books 1, 2, and 3 with newsletter signup.
The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series by Kris Bock features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. Each book is a complete story with a happy ending for one couple (and maybe more than one rescued cat). These sweet romances will leave you with the warm, fuzzy feeling of cuddling a purring cat.

Christmas Cookies at the Cat Café: Christmas isn’t the same since Diane’s kids grew up and her husband died – so when her high school sweetheart comes back to town, maybe it’s time for some cozy new holiday traditions.

Kris Bockwrites novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. In the Accidental Detective series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona. Get a free cat café novella, mystery stories, and more when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. 

Kris also writes a series with her brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Felony Melanie series follows the crazy antics of Melanie, Jake, and their friends a decade before the events of the movie. Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Find Kris:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Pinterest
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US pageor Amazon UK page

Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café: a #SweetRomance at a #CatCafe is only 99 cents! “I love this series and think everyone should read it!” - #romance author Tracey Mayhew #BookTwitter

Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon USor Amazon UK.

“Small town romance with cats ... what more could you want?”

“Anyone who likes a sweet story about relatable, cat-loving characters will enjoy Coffee and Crushes.”

Kari doesn’t have time for love when she’s opening her new cat café. She’s busy hiring employees, fighting with the health inspector – oh, and welcoming 16 shelter cats. She’s doing this for the cats, the community, and her family. The café will give her sister, Marley, a job worthy of her baking skills.

Then a tattooed military vet wanders in claiming he’s a master baker. Surely Marley will fall for a guy this sweet, this sexy, this tasty.

Colin has other ideas. It’s Kari who makes him want to turn up the heat. But he’s spent the last two years recovering from physical and psychological wounds. Is he really ready for a relationship? He’s not even sure he should commit to Samson, the sweet Siamese cat who steals his heart.

“A heartwarming story of two cautious people learning to love each other.” The cats and cakes were an added bonus.”

“I loved this book so much and absolutely loved the concept of the café.”

The Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the workers and customers at a small-town cat café, and the adorable cats and kittens looking for their forever homes. Each book is a complete story with a happy ending for one couple. These sweet romances will leave you with the warm, cozy feeling of cuddling a purring cat. Get Lions and Love at the Cat Café, a sweet romance novella, freewhen you sign up for the Kris Bock email newsletter.

Peek: 

Kari smiled. “So now you think making coffee sounds good? Or is it the cats that appeal to you?”

 

He returned her smile, and her knees went weak. He was not her type. She liked intellectual, career-focused men. She had never understood women who raved over a man in uniform. Not that he was in uniform now. She glanced down at his faded jeans and tried not to let her gaze linger on the snug black T-shirt as she looked up again. Now he looked like he should be jumping on a motorcycle without a helmet, not looking for work in a café that featured adoptable cats. Soldier or biker, he wasn’t her type – but she could see the appeal.

 

A clatter came from the kitchen, where her sister was organizing the supplies. On the other hand, this man might be Marley’s type. But was he a nice guy or a jerk?

 

“Both, actually.”

 

It took Kari a moment to realize he was responding to her question about coffee or cats.

 

“I tried a lot of things to deal with the PTSD,” he said. “Meditation, yoga, even knitting.” His eyes narrowed again, as if daring her to laugh.

 

She glanced at his hands, with the thumbs tucked into his front jeans pockets, and tried to imagine those hands working knitting needles. They’d be strong and rough against the soft yarn. She cleared her throat. “Does anything help?”

 

“I haven’t gotten the hang of meditation yet. Mostly I feel bored. Yoga has been good for rebuilding my strength and balance. Knitting …” He shrugged. “At first it helped because it was so challenging that I couldn’t think of anything else. Now I’m losing interest.”

 

“I didn’t get your name yet,” she said. “I’m Kari.”

 

“Colin.”

 

A lovely name. One that would feel good to say, nice and round in the mouth. She needed to not think about mouths. “You were telling me about how you got interested in coffee and cats.”

 

He leaned back in his chair and studied the large, framed poster of kittens on the side wall. “Who wouldn’t like cats? As for coffee, I’m not a connoisseur, but I like a good cup, and I can learn all the fancy stuff.” His gaze returned to her. “I started cooking mainly to feed myself. I was getting flabby from too much fast food.”

 

He didn’t look flabby now.

 

A smile softened his mouth. “Turns out cooking is fun. Focusing on the colors, the smells, the tastes. That helps keep me in the moment better than meditation. So eventually I got into baking.”

 

Kari sat up a little straighter. “You bake?”
Colin leaned forward and said in a seductive voice, “You should try my salted caramel blondies.”

Visit the Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series page on Amazon USor Amazon UK. 

“I love this series and think everyone should read it!” - romance author Tracey Mayhew

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats. Get a free 35-page novella set in the world of the Furrever Friends cat café when you sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter. You’ll also get a printable copy of the recipes mentioned in the cat café novels and a free Accidental Detective short story and bonus material.

Sign up for our romantic comedy newsletter and get Felony Melanie Destroys the Moonshiner’s Cabin. Or find the books on Amazon US or All E-book retailers.

Find Kris:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
Pinterest
GoodReads Author Page
BookBub
Amazon US pageor Amazon UK page