Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 255

Writing the Wicked Job — Guest Lori Rader-Day

I am delighted that Lori Rader-Day was able to join us today to talk about jobs, writing, and her latest book Little Pretty Things. I met Lori on a panel at Left Coast Crime in March of 2014 a few months before her first book, The Black Hour, was published. Lori is smart, funny, and always interesting. Take it away, Lori.

Writing my second novel, Little Pretty Things, I had a lot of time to think about work. Not writing—work work.

In the book, Juliet Townsend works at a “roadside dive” of a motel, cleaning up after people who have no compunction about not keeping the rooms neat.

As Juliet puts it, “I’d encountered bloody towels left behind the door, sheets covered in terrible things. I’d had to clean up spilled beer, used condoms, dirty diapers, and more. People came to motels like the Mid-Night to be someone else for a night, and their new identities rarely wanted to pick up after themselves. Sometimes their new selves wanted to smear things on the walls.”

I’ve worked in nice, clean offices for twenty years, but the reason I started writing about Juliet was because I wanted to write about the kinds of jobs I might have had to live with, if I’d chosen a different path.

My first bad job was as a busboy in a family-owned restaurant in my hometown. I was too young to drive, so my patient parents dropped me off and then picked me up a few hours later. In the mean time I would have picked up a … scent. I was 14. I hardly made any money at all, but I managed to get a lot of baked potato under my fingernails.

Jobs were hard to get. My family lived far out in the country and until I could drive myself, I couldn’t get the kinds of jobs my friends in town did. The half-hour commute into town was a long commute for someone with a brand new license and three hours of homework every night. At the same time I was highly involved in school activities like the yearbook staff, which dragged into the summer and took crucial time away from work.

In the ensuing high school-to-college years, I worked a series of crappy jobs. At the family fun park where all my friends worked midway games or rollercoasters, I sat alone in a hot little camper shilling all things deep-fat fried. Because I learned to use a cash register there, I was saddled with cashier jobs for a while. At Wal-Mart the next summer, I stayed on into the fall before I realized I couldn’t seem to get my homework done anymore. I had to quit. I felt as though I’d worked a lifetime there. It was four months.

One summer I worked in a factory that made shiny tree garland. I ran a special machine that turned rolls of thin, glossy plastic into ropes of shiny, fluffy tree décor. In the history of garland-making, no one was ever worse at it. I worked at another factory later, where I was asked to break apart giant wooden wire spools with a sledgehammer. I started out tentative but by the end of the day picked up a real Paul Bunyan’s ax mentality.

The summer before I went to college, I wore a tight, brown polyester uniform dress, like a punishment, at the cash register of a Ponderosa franchise. Once in a while, I was asked to dump a bag of powder into the top of the ice cream machine. Voilà, ice cream. I couldn’t wait to go to college.

And then in college, I worked at a movie theatre, slinging popcorn. One time, a kid stumbled out of a theatre into the deserted lobby, made a beeline for my counter, and puked all over it.

 

So I’ve been in the trenches, is what I’m saying.

I’ve never worked in a motel—or la-di-da, a hotel—but I found that I could finally put some of this life experience to good use, giving Juliet the right mix of shame and pride in her work.

That’s the amazing thing about writing, isn’t it? You’re not writing about yourself exactly, but when you dig for the right detail or the right emotion, you find that you are inserting a little bit of the real you—the you who remembers and stores away information—into these fictional characters.

And readers who feel you’ve nailed something just right want to know: How? Unless you’re writing directly from experience, “getting it right” can seem like a little bit of magic. The conjuring of sense memory, of emotion, of anything transferable to the themes of your project, of feeling the words start to lift off the page and take flight beyond your own abilities, when the work work of writing fades away and the joy of creating takes over.

It’s not always like that, I think we can all agree. But having someone with chronic pain tell me the pain my protagonist describes is exactly right, or having a friend who’s a runner tell me I got Juliet’s former track team life right, that I “must have been a runner in a past life”—that’s the real payday for this job we love to do.

Readers: What was your worst job?

Lori Rader-Day’s debut mystery, The Black Hour (Seventh Street Books, 2014), received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal and was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. Her second mystery, Little Pretty Things, is out in July. Her short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Good Housekeeping, and others. She lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled dog and is active in the Mystery Writers of America Midwest Chapter and a member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers.

Filed under: Guest posts Tagged: jobs, Left Coast Crime, Little Pretty Things, Lori Rader-Day, The Black Hour, yearbook staff

A Writer’s Reference Books

Edith on retreat in Vermont, on a glorious summer morning.

Daddy, aka Allan Maxwell, JR, at the dinner table. 1923-1985. I still miss his gentle humor, keen sense of justice, and his devotion to finding the facts even during dinner.

We all know Mr. Google is our friend, much of the time. But for reference books, nothing beats sitting down and leafing through some real pages made out of paper. My dear departed father was famous for leaping up from the family dinner table when one of his four children asked a question. He’d let his food cool while he brought back the appropriate reference book from our extensive shelves laden with multiple encyclopedias and dictionaries. He’d find the answer and read it out loud.

I have a shelf full of writing reference volumes, not counting my American Heritage Dictionary. I need to get back to my WIP this morning, so I’m not going to list them all out, but I think you can see them pretty clearly. I have books on poison. On revision and manuscript submission. On what police officers know and do.

I have books on the craft of writing mysteries (including Hallie Ephron‘s Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel), general fiction, and memoir. Books on forensic linguistics. More about police procedure.

And I have the Emotion Thesaurus, the Dictionary of Idioms, and several valuable sources of historical information for the late 1800s.

That’s not all the reference books, of course, but it’s the core. I couldn’t write without them! If there are any you can read the title or author for, just ask.

Readers: Your favorite reference books for whatever you do?

Filed under: Craft, Edith's posts Tagged: Aine Greaney, anne lamott, d.p. lyle, Elizabeth George, elizabeth lyons, Hallie ephron, John Greenleaf Whittier, Lee Lofland, Leslie Budewitz, Miss Parloa, Paula Munier, ruth goodman, stephen king

Unsolicited Advice

Jessie: Delighted to be at the seaside in Maine.

This summer, I am finishing my fifth novel. Fifth. Five actual novels. Every now and again that thought moves to the front of my mind and I stop dead in my tracks. A wave of astonished disbelief washes over me which is quickly followed by a fit of joyful giddiness. It seems like the shine ought to rub off the apple at some point but so far, it hasn’t. If anything ,that gleam just gets brighter with every book.

I’ve been asking myself lately why that might be and it has occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, it’s because I learn something new during the creation of each and every one. It’s sort of like parenting in that respect. Just like each new child in the family brings quirks and strengths and desires, so does each story.

Writers, like parents, love to share advice and tips from the trenches. Even if the advice is unsolicited. Here, in no particular order, are a few of the things I’ve learned along the way:

-Start working even when you don’t feel like it.The words will rise up to meet you.

-All you have of unique value to bring to your writing is yourself. Try not to worry that you aren’t something or someone else.

-Your writing is not as bad as you fear. It will probably never be as good as you’d like.

-Treat yourself to pens and notebooks you feel are a joy to use.

-Deadlines are your friends. Without them you will sink into the dreaded swamp of someday.

-Writing is work. Schedule time for it like you would anything else that is important. Stick to it.

-Typing is not considered exercise. Get up and move sometimes. Trips to the fridge don’t count.

-Be grateful for all your experiences, even the ugly ones. They create your particular lens on the world.

-You will always feel better at the end of the day if some of it has been spent writing.

Readers, do you have any words of wisdom to share from your own walk of life. Other writers, any tips of your own to apply to the craft?

Filed under: Jessie's posts Tagged: deadlines, manuscripts, tips, writing, writing advice

Wicked Wednesday – Favorite Staycation

On Wicked Wednesdays, we all weigh in on a topic. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about our favorite dream vacation, which in most cases involved lots of travel and planning. This week, we’re keeping it more low key and sharing our favorite staycations–getaways close to home.

So, Wickeds, what’s your ideal staycation?

Liz: The beach is always my favorite, whether it’s near or far. I prefer Rhode Island beaches to the ones in Connecticut, so most summers when it’s a beach day that means driving an hour and a half or so to Second Beach in Middletown, RI. It’s close enough to Newport that you can also do dinner or some shopping, but also perfect to just drive in to the beach, hit the sand and head home. Heaven!

Jessie: Like Liz, I love the beach. We spend the summers in Old Orchard so the whole season is an ideal staycation for my family. Whether strolling the beach at the crack of dawn to sprawling on a patchwork blanket under the stars, the sea breeze and the lapping of the waves never gets old for me. As a matter of fact, I’m heading there now!

Barb: That’s one thing I love about New England. Oceans, lakes, mountains, historic cities and charming country towns are a day’s drive away. These days, staycations are spent on our front porch in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The whole family was here last weekend, and we had wonderful days at the Cabbage Island Clambake, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the Maine State Aquarium. Not to mention, wandering downtown for shopping and ice cream!

Sherry: When I lived in New England I loved to drive to Rockport, Massachusetts (pictured to the left) or York, Maine for a day to enjoy the coast and have a lobster roll. Now that I’m back in northern Virginia I love to go to the National Mall and while away the hours at the American History Museum, the Sculpture Gardens, or the National Gallery of Art. There is so much you can do here that is free it’s amazing.

Edith: I’m echoing the beach theme. At the end of this week I will have the first draft of Quaker Midwife Mystery #2 done, and before the end of July I will have finished revising and have sent in Country Store Mystery #2. I plan to take a week off, go to the beach for at least a couple of hours each day, eat BLTs and drink G&Ts, and … bring up all the boxes from the basement. I desperately need to sort, glean, donate, toss, and otherwise dispose of books, photos, and other possessions. Even though that sounds like work, it will be so satisfying and relaxing to have it done, I know it’ll feel like a vacation. Oh, and I’ll do some reading, too!

Julie: Add another beach staycation fan. My family has a house down the Cape, and I have spent staycations there many times. It is a combination of spending time with my folks, reading, lots of naps, and spending some time at the beach. I realize this is sort of cheating, since I’m not officially home.

Readers: What’s your favorite staycation?

Filed under: Wicked Wednesday Tagged: American History Museum, BLT, gin and tonic, lobster roll, National Gallery of Art, Newport, old orchard beach, Rockport MA, Sculpture Gardens, Second Beach, stars, Staycation, Walking, York Maine

No Reservations about Food and Mysteries

Posted by Barbara Ross, working on her big front porch overlooking the harbor in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, on about the most beautiful Monday ever

Hi All–The Wickeds’ friend and mentor Lucy Burdette has guested before. (You can read the prior interviews here and here.) Today, we’re honored to have her on the actual release day for her latest Key West Food Critic Mystery– Fatal Reservations. I love this series!

Take it away, Lucy.

LUCY BURDETTE: I was asked to participate on an alumni panel a few weeks ago that asked this question: Is America food-obsessed? Looking at the world of mystery readers and writers, I’d say a definite yes. When I first began writing the Key West mysteries, I knew that I was joining a long tradition of cozy foodie mysteries. I’d been a fan of Diane Mott Davidson’s popular series about an amateur sleuth/caterer in Boulder CO since her first book was published. And since then, the field has mushroomed with wonderful foodie novels, including of course, several Wicked Cozy writers.

But I was feeling my way with food in books. My first series character (Cassie in the golf lovers mysteries) was no foodie—her best and only recipe was hot dog casserole. Rebecca Butterman in the advice column series was an excellent cook, though far from a professional chef. But her home-cooked meals comforted friends in trouble, calmed her own nerves, and served to distract people while she grilled them (sorry!) for information. My third character, Hayley Snow, is a food critic as well as a good cook. In other words, food is a huge part of her life, as well as her livelihood.

Are readers buying these books for the recipes? I don’t think so. (Some of the fans I hear from don’t cook at all.) My theory? They are drawn to the community and the sense of connection that they find in foodie mysteries. As I did while reading about Diane Mott Davidson’s caterer, they like to imagine sitting in the characters’ kitchens and eating their food. And that’s the kind of character I’ve tried to write—a woman who loves food, but loves her family and friends even more. When someone’s in trouble, like her tarot-card-reading pal Lorenzo in FATAL RESERVATIONS, Hayley’s first instinct is to feed them. This doesn’t always solve the problem, but her friends always know she cares. Here’s an example of how she thinks, as she’s deciding to make nocciolato fudge for her beleaguered pal:

It was the kind of treat that read: “You deserve this lump of sweetness. We love you. We’re so, so, so sorry.” Half frozen oatmeal raisin cookies simply couldn’t do the same job. They couldn’t shoulder the same emotional load as organic hazelnut fudge sprinkled with pink sea salt.

Readers, are you a fan of foodie fiction? Whose kitchen table would you like a seat at?

About FATAL RESERVATIONS: In the sixth Key West Food Critic mystery, Hayley Snow’s beat is reviewing restaurants for Key Zest magazine. But she sets aside her knife and fork when a dear friend is accused of murder…

Hayley Snow looks forward to reviewing For Goodness’ Sake, a new floating restaurant that promises a fresh take on Japanese delicacies like flambeed grouper with locally sourced seaweed. But nearby land-based restaurateurs would rather see their buoyant competition sink. Sent to a City Commission meeting to cover the controversy, Hayley witnesses another uproar. The quirky performers of the daily Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square are struggling to hold onto their performance space. And this fight has renewed old rivalries between Hayley’s Tarot-card reading friend Lorenzo and a flaming-fork-juggling nemesis, Bart Frontgate. Then Frontgate is found murdered. If Lorenzo could read his own cards, he might draw The Hanged Man. He can only hope that Hayley draws Justice as she tries to clear him of murder.

Fatal Reservations is on sale today. You can buy it wherever books are sold. http://www.penguin.com/book/fatal-reservations-by-lucy-burdette/9780451474827

About the author: Lucy Burdette (aka Roberta Isleib) is the author of 14 mysteries, including FATAL RESERVATIONS, the latest in the Key West series featuring food critic Hayley Snow. Her books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She’s a past president of Sisters in Crime. Lucy blogs about food and mysteries at Mystery Lovers Kitchen (www.mysteryloverskitchen.com) and Jungle Red Writers (www.jungleredwriters.com). You can also find her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lucyburdette), Twitter (www.twitter.com/lucyburdette), Instagram (www.instagram.com/lucyburdette) and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/robertaisleib).

Recipe for Hayley’s fudge: http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/2014/09/murder-with-ganache-and-noccialato.html

Recipe for Cassie’s Hot Dog Casserole: http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/2012/09/lucy-burdettes-back-to-school-hot-dog.html

Filed under: Guest posts Tagged: Culinary Cozies, Diane Mott Davidson, Fatal Reservations, Foodie Mysteries, Key West Food Critic Mysteries, lucy burdette

Changes

by Sheila Connolly

Recently a major publisher (one which I share with a lot of my writer friends) announced a major restructuring of those imprints we hold dear—that is, the ones that publish mysteries. There was “ a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.”  (In case you don’t recognize the quote, Obi-Wan Kenobi says it in Star Wars—A New Hope in 1977.) Maybe a bit exaggerated for our purposes, but the fear was real among mid-list mystery writers. What will happen to us? And a number of our favorite editors are now twisting in the wind.

For those of you who don’t write, or who haven’t yet sold a book, let me tell you that working with an editor is something like a marriage. Don’t for a moment believe that all editors are alike, or that there is a standard manual for “Editing a Manuscript” that all editors must follow. Nope. Editors can range from a hands-off person who might insert a comment every ten or twenty pages (half of which are “cute!” or “huh?”) to someone who wields an electronic red pencil with a vengeance (and the cross-outs and insertions and balloons come in many colors and after a while you have no idea what the page says any more).

There is no one right way to edit. As in a marriage, there are two personalities involved, and they don’t always see eye to eye. This does not mean that either one is right, or not all the time. Sometimes it’s a question of a particular quirk, like a word that an editor hates for no obvious reason. Sometimes it means that the editor has six other manuscripts on his or her desk and they’re all due at the same time or the entire production schedule six months out will collapse in chaos and s/he’s distracted. Sometimes it means that you the writer nailed it on the first try and the book doesn’t need any fixing (rare, but it does happen!).

Some of my writer friends will be working with a new editor now. It’s not like dating, because it’s a business relationship. But it does involve a certain amount of getting to know each other. In the big picture, you the writer need to find out whether your editor “gets” what you’re trying to say. If his/her comments suggest not, then you’ve got to figure out if the problem lies with the editor (s/he’s an idiot) or whether you’re just not stating clearly enough the words you hear in your head (maybe they’re still in your head and not on the page).

With each new editorial comment, you the writer have to decide whether to accept or reject the proposed change. Can you live with it if you say yes, thereby compromising your artistic integrity? But what if the same issue comes up every few pages? Where do you take a stand? Yes, I like adverbs. I may use a few too many and I will cut some to make you happy, but I want to keep some of them. See? Just like a marriage. There must be compromises.

A run-of-the-mill editor can drive you crazy with niggling details, which sometime serve no purpose other than showing you that s/he has more power than you do. A good editor can make your book better—clearer plot, stronger characters, richer language. The thing is, you never know who you’re going to get, and most of the time you can’t pick your own.

Whoever said this business was logical? It is a business, intended to sell books and make money doing it (most often for the publisher!). For the writer, it’s building worlds and creating characters on the page, and hoping that readers will recognize them and feel the way you do about them. Those two goals don’t always mesh, but we keep trying.

Readers, don’t give up! We’re still writing, and our editors are trying to make our books better (we hope) and to get them on bookshelves (real or virtual) so you can enjoy them. The dust of the Purge will settle, and the publishing business will go on, on paper or in pixels—as long as there are readers.

Privy to the Dead, available in stores and online now!

By the way, this was the first book for which I collaborated with my new editor. We’re both happy.

 

Filed under: Sheila's Posts Tagged: Editors, Museum Mysteries, Privy to the Dead, publishers, sheila connolly

Opening Lines

We continue to celebrate The Longest Yard Sale today. Write an opening line for the photograph below:

Jessie: I’ve got a real good deal for the discriminating taxidermist.

Barb: I’ll be right with you as soon as I tidy up.

Julie: What part of “No Early Birds Allowed” was unclear?

Sherry: That guy didn’t know a bargain when it hit him in the face.

Liz: He shouldn’t have tried to walk off with Grandma’s quilt.

Edith: I told him the shovel wasn’t for sale.

Readers: Add your opening line!

Filed under: Book Release, Opening Lines Tagged: book release, garage sales, The Longest Yard Sale, yard sales

Second Time Around

My second book launch — I can’t believe it’s here! At our Wicked Cozy retreat the second week of June, Barbara Ross said something like “You do realize your second book is coming out soon. I think you’re in denial.”

Denial is a wonderful place to live in (I probably live there more than I should) and I went through a thousand excuses in my head. I was in the throes of writing and editing book three of the Sarah Winston Garage Sale series, I edited three other books (such fun and boy do you all have some good reads ahead of you), I was nominated for an Agatha Award (joyous news but very distracting — if any of you saw me wandering around with a glazed look you now know why), the actual launch party isn’t until July 18th (Barnes and Noble in Fairfax, Virginia from 1- 3 with Maya Corrigan — stop by if you can) and July 18th seemed like it was a long way away at the time. Okay, okay I’ll stop with the excuses and just admit Barbara was right.

As soon as I returned home from the retreat I made arrangements to meet with my publicist aka great friend Mary Titone. We agreed to meet the following morning for one of our high power sessions aka breakfast out somewhere. For our first meeting before the launch of Tagged for Death, Mary brought special pens, I brought new tablets. This time we just pulled out our phones. Mary plunged into planning mode, wrote and sent press releases, and contacted stores and organizations for appearances. Everyone should have a friend like Mary.

And here I am in the midst of launch week — denial or not the book is out but I’m a little more relaxed about the process. Last time I was terrified to get a bad review. Now I chant something my daughter paraphrased from someone: You can be the sweetest, juiciest peach in the whole world and there’s still going to be someone that hates peaches. (If you ever see me muttering “Not everyone likes peaches, not everyone likes peaches” you’ll know why!) I still don’t like to get bad reviews but if they are fair and accurate you have to live with them. This time I’m not obsessively checking my Goodreads reviews and Amazon ranking — yes I’m still checking them but not obsessively. (I swear it’s not obsessive — but I’ll be right back I need to go check…never mind.)

Before I wrap this up. There are a few people I need to thank. First my fabulous Wicked Cozy sisters and Wicked accomplices. Thank you for always, always being there for me! As I said the other day, without you I’d feel like a lone rower without oars on a stormy sea.

Thank you bloggers who invite me to do guest posts and reviewers who take the time to read our books and review them. I’d would list you all by name but I’m so afraid I’d leave someone out accidentally that I’ll leave it at this.

And then a big thanks to my girlfriends who range from sorority sisters, to local friends, to writing friends, and my far flung friends from our days in the military. I don’t know how I was blessed with so many wonderful women in my life. You all make my days better and make me a better person. I learn so much from each of you.

And last my family — without you this dream wouldn’t have come true.

Filed under: Book Release, Sherry's posts Tagged: book release, Denial, friends, Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, Tagged for Death, The Longest Yard Sale

Wicked Wednesday – Favorite Historical Places

On Wicked Wednesday, we all weigh in on a topic. This week, we’re continuing our celebration of the release of The Longest Yard Sale by Sherry Harris. Since Sherry’s books are set in historic Bedford, Massachusetts, we’ve been reflecting on our favorite pieces of history. So Wickeds, what’s your favorite historical place?

Liz: I have a particular fondness for Salem, Massachusetts. I went to college there and have always been fascinated with the town’s rich history and the way they turned the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials into a lifelong celebration of all things witchy. Plus the entire town just oozes history, from The House of Seven Gables to the Peabody Essex Museum. If you haven’t visited Salem, you should go!

Me in the hand-sewn 1718 outfit I made for Ipswich’s 375th celebration. On that day I went by Goody Pulcifer.

Edith: Since I write about a Quaker midwife in historical Amesbury, Massachusetts, I have to claim the Friends Meetinghouse as my favorite – but I’ve already written about that here. So I guess I’ll vote for Ipswich. The town has the highest number of First Period houses (built before 1720) in the country, and I lived in one of them. It’s fascinating to walk the streets of the town and see historic marker after marker with dates stretching back to 1625 and the name of the home’s original owner. Many have been carefully preserved, and I now know all about summer beams, chamfering, and gunstock posts!

Jessie: My favorite town with historical significance is Old Orchard Beach, Maine. From the Gilded Age to the Big Band Era there is so much rich history.  Because Old Orchard is such a popular vacation spot there are loads of early photographs of merrymakers. It is so easy to be inspired here. And the beach doesn’t hurt to get the creative juices flowing either.

Julie: Staying in New England? I have a great fondness for Concord. Tons of Revolutionary War history, and a huge layer of literary history. Plus it’s a great place to visit. Quaint town, great bookstore. I’ve been to many events at the Concord Inn, from wedding showers to post funeral receptions to Sisters in Crime meetings, and it has been perfect every time.

A replica of the original Old North Bridge

Sherry: Minute Man National Historical Park which runs through Lincoln and Concord, Massachusetts. Is one of my favorite places. Walking the Battle Trail Road takes you on the path of the first battle of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. You can stop at the Paul Revere capture site, the Hartwell Tavern, Bloody Angle and the Old North Bridge. So much history in just a few miles. Be sure and stop at the visitors center and watch the brief presentation of the first day to set the scene.

Barb: Since I’m in Maine now, I have to go with Pemaquid Lighthouse on the Bristol peninsula. It’s a place we always take visitors. Lighthouse and keepers cottage, waves crashing on the rocks. There’s a great little museum. If you’re ambitious, nearby there’s Fort William Henry and the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site and a terrific beach. What more could you ask for?

Readers: What’s your favorite historic place?

Filed under: Wicked Wednesday Tagged: Amesbury Friends Meetinghouse, Battle Trail Road, beach, Bedford, big band era, Bloody Angle, Concord Massachusetts, First Period Houses, gilded age, Hartwell Tavern, Historical places, House of Seven Gables, Ipswich, Minute Man National Historic Park, Old North Bridge, old orchard beach, Paul Revere Capture Site, Salem Massachusetts, The Longest Yard Sale

Happy Book Birthday to The Longest Yard Sale!

Sherry’s second Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery is out today!  Hurrah and huzzah for The Longest Yard Sale! May you have many sales and even more five star reviews.

When Sarah Winston turns Ellington, Massachusetts, into New England’s largest garage sale for a day, it’s the small town’s biggest event since the start of the Revolutionary War—but without the bloodshed. That is, until a valuable painting goes missing…and the lifeless body of an Air Force officer is found in Carol Carson’s painting studio, his face perfectly framed with the murder weapon—a metal picture frame.

Edith: I was lucky enough to read an early copy of the book and loved it. You do a fabulous job of showing us small-town life adjacent to a base, Sherry. And telling a suspenseful story that is funny at the same time. Home run!

Liz: I was lucky enough to read it early too! I love your style, Sherry, and your characters just jump off the page and make me want to hang out with them. And the mystery kept me turning the pages. Loved!!

Jessie: I love the way this series plays with the insider vs. outsider dynamic. It isn’t easy to craft that in a fresh and unique way and Sarah’s status as former military spouse does it beautifully!

Julie: What a terrific series this is! Great series, wonderful characters, insider knowledge, and Sherry’s great writing. SO looking forward to the LONGEST YARD SALE! Happy launch day my friend!!

Barb: I was lucky enough to get an Advance Reader Copy of the first book in the series, Tagged for Death. Therefore, it’s been a whole year since I’ve read about what’s going on in Sarah Winston’s life. Too long! My copy is on its way.

Filed under: Book Birthday Tagged: Kensington Publishing, military spouse, Sherry Harris, The Longest Yard Sale