Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 32

Take the Tour: Behind the Scenes of Writing Murder in Drury Lane with Vanessa Riley

Please welcome author Vanessa Riley to the blog. She’s coming to you all the way from Bulgaria, where she’s working on a Regency film project. Vanessa is here writing about her latest historical mystery, Murder in Drury Lane.

Take it away, Vanessa!

If you have ever read any of my historical fictions, romances, or mysteries, then you know how much I love history and sinking into every nook, cranny, or antique dustbin. You may not realize that my desire to get it right, to allow my readers to feel as if they’ve just stepped into the past, is the extent to which I will chase the story. I will collect antique books and maps. Upon occasion, I will visit the surviving historic relics or places. Murder in Drury Lane, the latest adventure in my Lady Worthing Series, is no exception. When offered the opportunity to take the private tour of the legendary theater and go behind the emblematic red velvet curtains, I had to seize it.

Like many tours, the host spins yarns about past great performances. Actors in current productions guide you through the halls and rooms of Drury Lane, one of the royal theaters of London, which dates back to 1663. In one form or another, this place has been in constant operation. Walking through the side entry doors that note King George III’s entrance and that of his son, the Prince of Wales, I felt grand. I could imagine the conversations and the players that have been performed here. I could also envision where crimes could occur—falling into a pit, smothered by falling canvases, or even being bludgeoned by a prop. 

Though the third iteration of Drury Lane that Lady Worthing loved, designed by famed architect Henry Holland burned down in 1809, this newly renovated 4th iteration by Sir Andrew Loyd Webber still has touches of the old. You feel the proud history in the gilded trim and moldings, the famous boxes stacked on the sides that await wealthy patrons, and the partially covered entrance to tunnels in the bowels of the theater. 

Yes, there are tunnels underneath Drury Lane. The secret passages once allowed kings to visit their mistresses without being seen by the public. Theater folk put them to use by recruiting sailors fresh from their ships along the Thames to come man the curtain ropes and hoists. 

For me, secret tunnels are catnip helping to feed the story genesis. What could be more fun than using hidden passageways for nefarious purposes. Make sure you check out Murder in Drury Lane, to see how Lady Worthing and her suspects put these tunnels to good use.

Readers: Do you like reading about real places you have visited or can visit? When you travel, do you pick your books to match destination?

About Vanessa Riley

Vanessa Riley is an award-winning author of Island Queen, A Good Morning America Buzz Pick and the forthcoming Queen of Exiles. Riley’s historical novels showcase the hidden histories of Black women and women of color, emphasizing strong sisterhoods and dazzling multicultural communities. Her works encompass historical fiction, historical romance, and historical mystery and have been reviewed by the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Times. Riley was named the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year Awards Literary Fiction Winner for Sister Mother Warrior.

This Southern, Irish, Trini girl holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering and an MS in industrial engineering and engineering management from Stanford University. Riley also earned a BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State University. Her research skills have helped NASA, GM, Hewlett Packard, and several startups. Yet, her love of history (Caribbean, Georgian, and Regency) and lattes overwhelmed her passion for math and has led to the publication of over twenty titles. 

About Murder in Drury Lane

Portraying the true diversity of the Regency-era and the hidden intrigue of England’s abolitionist movement, this vibrant, inclusive new historical mystery from acclaimed author Vanessa Riley features an engaging heroine with an independent streak, a notorious past, and a decided talent for sleuthing…

Pressed into a union of convenience, Lady Abigail Worthing knew better than to expect love. Her marriage to an absent lord does at least provide some comforts, including a box at the Drury Lane theater, owned by the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Abigail has always found respite at the theater, away from the ton’s judgmental stares and the risks of her own secret work to help the cause of abolition—and her fears that someone from her past wants her permanently silenced. But on one particular June evening everything collides, and the performance takes an unwelcome turn . . .

Onstage, a woman emits a scream of genuine terror. A man has been found dead in the prop room, stabbed through the heart. Abigail’s neighbor, Stapleton Henderson, is also in attendance, and the two rush backstage. The magistrate, keen to avoid bringing more attention to the case and making Lady Worthing more of a target, asks Abigail not to investigate. But she cannot resist, especially when the usually curmudgeonly Henderson offers his assistance.

Abigail soon discovers a tangled drama that rivals anything brought to the stage, involving gambling debts, a beautiful actress with a parade of suitors, and the very future of the Drury Lane theatre. For Abigail the case is complicated still further, for one suspect is a leading advocate for the cause dearest to her heart—the abolition of slavery within the British empire. Uncovering the truth always comes at a price. But this time, it may be far higher than she wishes to pay.

Welcome Wil A. Emerson and Marriage, Matrimony and Murder

The short story collection Malice, Matrimony and Murder: A Limited-Edition Collection of 25 Wedding Cozy Mystery and Crime Fiction Stories debuted last week. Here to tell us about her writing journey and contribution is author Wil A. Emerson.

Take it away, Wil!

Thanks for opening the door to write on this most awesome blog. I have a few other superlatives to throw in but will save them for other invitations. Needless to say, the best part of being involved is to talk about the adventure of writing. Boy, could I tell a long story about my ‘how I got here’ but short and sweet is the order of the day.

I remember the very first time it struck me to put a ‘story’ on paper. Fall foliage was in all its glory. Orange, yellow, red leaves covered the ground. My family didn’t have to go on a leaf-themed fall trip. We had maples and a big oak tree in our front yard. The oak was full of acorns and the crackle of them falling on the driveway, all over the yard, was a symphony of sorts. The nuts were a free-for-all foray for squirrels that year. Allen, bright, witty little brother, gazed at the oak tree in all its wonder. Try as he may, he couldn’t catch one of those falling acorns. Then, much to his surprise, as he stared in wonder, one dropped in his nose. Howls followed. Tears flowed.

Laughter came, too. I couldn’t help but find the humor in it all. What were the odds? The stage was set. Mystery, the unexpected, the emotional effects. A great story. Every time I repeated the ‘how I got started’ story, my brother’s eyes rolled with ‘why me’. Needless to say, he’s wasn’t supportive about my creative desires. A writer’s dilemma with family members?

However, I’ve come a long way since the case of the missing acorn. Mysteries a big part of my life. Short stories have become my forte. I can’t help but be intrigued by the unexpected, the after effects of an emotional experience, an unchecked crime. Yes, I aspire for the big breakthrough, too. And I still want brother Allen to smile, offer his congratulations, if and when he reads this year’s list of releases.

When I was invited to write a short story for Malice, Matrimony & Murder, I immediately went to my file and thumbed through an assortment of short stories I’d written about Wally and Ollie, two guys always in trouble, always under the wrong tree when it came to love and marriage. They fit in the collection like a cup and its saucer. Warm mint tea inside.  Over two dozen authors teamed for M, M & M, this wedding-themed collection of cozy mysteries and crime related stories. It debuts this November with a slew of bad bridesmaids, savvy sleuths and vengeful villains. I’m so happy to be included. When you find your niche, it seems only appropriate to boast about it. A writer’s privilege, don’t you agree?

Because the leaves are off the trees and there’s no danger of fallen acorns, I’ll venture to say things are looking up for this writer. With multiple releases of short stories this year, three this month, and a fantastic offer to have an art piece in a literary magazine, I’m feeling particularly lucky. Years of rejections, years of new angles, years for this writer to finally relax in the quiet winter to write and paint.

But I wonder, do others feel the loss of family support, on their lone, writing journey? Have others written about a loved one, with no intention of malice, and been ‘rejected’? Is it an intrusion of privacy to write these stories?

Cheers for the road ahead.   

Wil A. Emerson

Readers: Have you ever felt a lack of support from a family member for an endeavor you were undertaking? How did it effect you?

About Wil A. Emerson

Wil A. Emerson is a Registered Nurse turned full time author. After a living in Germany for three years, she turned to writing. She lives in Raleigh, enjoys the ocean and mountains. When her muse takes a rest, she paints landscapes or whimsical animals. See her art gallery at www.wilemerson.com.

“Marriage, Neighbors and Best Friends,” Malice, Matrimony and Murder, Publisher Marla Bradeen, Nov. 2023 

“Huey and Madelyn, Dead Heat,”Thrill Ride–Unlikely Partners Anthology, Matt Buchmann, editor

“Road to Reconciliation,” Crimeucopia: Crank it Up, Murderess Ink Press, Nov. 2023

About Malice, Matrimony, and Murder

The bride wore an orange jumpsuit…

Everyone loves a good wedding—and a good mystery. Combine the two and what do you get? Malice, Matrimony, and Murder!

Over two dozen authors have teamed up to offer you this wedding-themed collection of brand-new cozy mystery and cozy crime fiction stories that will keep you wondering whodunit and what’s next from the first page to the last. Between bad bridesmaids, conniving caterers, greedy guests, ill-mannered in-laws, savvy sleuths, and vengeful villains, this anthology has it all! All of the stories are clean and fun, with a general feel-good tone. If you read to be entertained, surprised, and uplifted, then this collection is for you!

Even better, YOU get to be an armchair sleuth! The anthology as a whole contains an overarching wedding whodunit woven throughout. As you’re reading, collect the clues, identify whodunit, and access a special ebook filled with bonuses and extras. Inside you’ll find recipes, character interviews, bonus stories, and more!

If you’re drawn to shorter mysteries that are light on gore and language, and high on humor, entertainment, and happy endings, then you don’t want to miss out on Malice, Matrimony, and Murder. But this collection is only available for a limited-time, so grab it now before it’s gone forever!

Our stories:
• “The Groom’s Club” by Joslyn Chase.
• “A Wedding Planner’s Nightmare: A Persimmon Worthing Mystery” by Charlotte Morganti.
• “Cinderella at Midnight” by P.M. Raymond.
• “Ring Robbery: A Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Short” by Paige Sleuth.
• “What’s a Little Murder Between Friends” by Teresa Inge.
• “Icing on the Cake” by Sally Milliken.
• “Love and Death in Madison, Georgia” by Rebecca Olmstead.
• “Second Chances Are…Murder: A Vermont Radio Mystery” by Nikki Knight.
• “Wedding Vows & Vipers” by Shari Held.
• “The Bride Wore Death” by Barbara Howard.
• “Chill: A Naomi Sinclair Short Story” by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier.
• “A Bit of a Do” by KD Sherrinford.
• “Goes Around” by Stephen D. Rogers.
• “Jilted” by Elaine Togneri.
• “Sabotage and a Murder Mystery” by Lynn Hesse.
• “Til Death Do Us Part” by Margaret S. Hamilton.
• “A Wedding Most Bitter: A Lara’s Detective Agency Series” by Stella Oni.
• “Better Late Than Murdered” by Robert Petyo.
• “Charm City Wedding” by Pamela Kyel.
• “The Other Wedding Crasher” by Karen McCullough.
• “Marriage, Neighbors and Best Friends: A Wally and Ollie Series” by Wil A. Emerson.
• “The Wedding Dress in the Middle of the Road” by Jack Bates.
• “Death, the Unwanted Wedding Guest” by J. Aquino.
• “We Haven’t Had Cake” by Sharyn Kolberg.
• “To Have and To Scold” by Becky Clark.

Joy in Food

Wickeds, in the run up to the most food-centered holiday we have, what is a meal or a treat that consistently brings you joy? Is it something from childhood that still holds that magic or something you’ve developed a taste for as an adult? Tell us about it using the most sensory adjectives you have. And then tell us about a food that sparks joy for one of your characters.

Sherry: You all know that I don’t like to cook, but for some reason seven years ago (or so) I decided I wanted to learn how to make chicken Marsala. I found a “light” recipe, made some changes (the first version didn’t have enough sauce), and it’s now a family favorite. So it’s no surprise that Sarah Winston (who also isn’t much of a cook and left to her own devices makes Fluffernutter sandwiches) also learns to make chicken Marsala in Sell Low, Sweet Harriet. And it’s good–eventually! Art often imitates life.

Julie: This holds true for me, and for all of my protagonists. Pie, specifically apple pie. My grandmother taught me how, and I’ve passed it on to my nieces. Apple pie is great for Thanksgiving dinner, but is also perfect for breakfast, for an afternoon pick-me-up and for a late night snack. It can be made a variety of ways depending on the food allergies for the family. Pie is the perfect food.

Edith/Maddie: Oh, Julie, I can’t agree more about apple pie. My sky-high version (crust made with butter, apples unpeeled) is rather famous among the people I know, and I always make at least one for Thanksgiving to serve next to the pumpkin and pecan pies. But for this post I have to say traditional Japanese sushi (no avocado, no mayo!). It’s a perfect food, clean, delicious, piquant. I sometimes make it at home and am never without nori and wasabi in the pantry plus candied ginger in the fridge. Note to self: put sushi rice on the shopping list for a Christmas feast. Cece Barton lived in Japan for a few years when her daughter was tiny, and Cece also happens to love sushi.

From Christmas a few years ago.

Liz: This probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone but as an Italian I grew up loving pasta and eating it at least twice a week. Even after many years of being meat, gluten and dairy free, I still go to pasta as my comfort food. I just got used to eating gluten-free pasta – and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not good!

Barb: So fun to have this question this week when I am digging out recipes in preparation for Thanksgiving. I have my mother’s recipe for dressing and also gravy, handwritten by me on stationery with the address where we lived in Brighton, MA from 1976-79. I have an email from 2001 with my mom’s directions for my grandmother Ross’s Depression era Corn and Turkey Chowder. And the recipe for my grandmother McKim’s yellow turnips. (Really rutabagas.) The recipe for my mother’s apple pie appears as Vee Snugg’s in Musseled Out. We’ll also be having my husband Bill’s Oyster stuffing which appears in Shucked Apart. (Yes, two kinds of stuffing for 9 people, 3 of whom are kids who I’m not even sure will eat stuffing.) Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, I’ll also be making 3 kinds of my grandmother McKim’s Christmas cookies because it’s the only time before the holiday I’ll have all three of my granddaughters together. Nostalgia, tradition, joy.

Jessie: Next time that we all get together maybe we should plan a meal around all of these recipes! Perhaps my favorite food in the world is a particular toasted cheese sandwich. Pumpernickel bread, a lushly ripe slice of tomato, pungent, grainy mustard, and the sharpest of cheddar cheese. Mayo on the outside of the bread to brown it to perfection. Patience beyond measure as the heat must be no higher than medium. A lid on for the first side, lid removed once it is flipped. Divine!

As for dessert, it is passion fruit mousse. I used to have it a Brazilian restaurant years ago. Ever since they closed my sister in law makes it and brings it to me as an occasional indulgence. With its puckery bright fruitiness playing off the rich, silkiness of the cream it is the perfect balance of flavors!

Readers: Tell us about a food where a taste or sniff brings you joy and why.

Welcome Back Maya Corrigan! #giveaway

Maya and I have been on our writing journey together since before our first books came out a month apart in the fall of 2014. We met through the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime and were in a critique group together before our books came out so I’m delighted to welcome her back to celebrate the release of Parfait Crime! Look for a giveaway at the end of her post!

Maya: Thank you, Sherry, for hosting my guest post today. I’m delighted to visit the Wicked Authors again.

Agatha Christie mysteries were my comfort reads during Covid, when I couldn’t bear reading a downer. Despite whatever bad things happen in Christie’s books, the outcome is satisfying and restores order. Though I’d read most of her mysteries decades ago, I approach them in a different way now—less for whodunit than for “how Christie dunit,” how she set up her characters, clues, and red herrings. I also pored over her autobiography and two biographies, Laura Thompson’s and Lucy Worsley’s, to understand how Christie’s life and her mysteries intertwined.

With that heavy dose of the Queen of Crime, I decided to make one of her blockbusters part of  my 9th Five-Ingredient Mystery, A Parfait Crime. Most mystery fans know that Christie is the bestselling novelist ever. She has also broken records as a playwright. The Mousetrap, which opened in 1952, still packs in audiences after 70 years in a London theater. It remains a popular show for community theater groups, like the one in A Parfait Crime.

My plot required a diverse group of people, who wouldn’t normally cross paths even in a small town. I brought them together in rehearsals for a Readers Theater production of Christie’s play. My murder victim and the suspects are in the cast, as are my sleuths—café manager Val and her energetic granddad.

I’ve seen The Mousetrap twice in London. I cringed in fear at key moments during the show and was thrilled by the surprise ending. To avoid spoiling the experience for anyone who hasn’t yet seen the play, I’ve revealed little about the plot and nothing about Christie’s culprit in my book. When my characters take a break from rehearsing, their conversations revolve around solving the murder of a beloved cast member.

Some suspects in A Parfait Crime, like those in Christie’s play, have buried their pasts and changed their names. And, like Christie’s characters, they all have secrets. One big difference: the deaths in The Mousetrap are clearly murders, but the killer in my book commits “perfect” crimes, leaving no trace behind. The police can’t find any compelling evidence of foul play. Enter the amateur sleuth to uncover the truth.

GIVEAWAY (U.S. only): To win a signed copy of A PARFAIT CRIME, leave a comment with the title of your favorite Agatha Christie mystery OR if you’re not a fan of hers, name a book by a writer you prefer.

About A Parfait Crime

Set in a quaint Chesapeake Bay town, the latest novel in Maya Corrigan’s Five-Ingredient Mysteries brings back café manager Val Deniston and her recipe columnist grandfather – a sleuthing duo that shares a Victorian house, a love of cooking and food, and a talent for catching killers.

At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?

After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at their house to get to work—and enjoy Granddad’s five-ingredient parfaits—but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it’s revealed that Jane’s death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Granddad retrace the victim’s final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town—where they discover that Jane wasn’t the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler.

About the Author

Maya (Mary Ann) Corrigan writes the Five-Ingredient Mysteries set in a historical Chesapeake Bay town. The books feature a café manager solving murders with her live-wire grandfather, the Codger Cook. Each book has five suspects, five clues, and Granddad’s five-ingredient recipes. A Virginia resident, Maya has taught college courses in writing, literature, and detective fiction. When not reading and writing, she enjoys theater, travel, trivia, cooking, and crosswords.

Links for Maya Corrigan

Website: https://mayacorrigan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayacorriganbooks

Group blog: https://mysteryloverskitchen.com

Excerpt and buy links for A Parfait Crime: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496734594/a-parfait-crime/

Cultivating Joy

Jessie: In New Hampshire where most of the trees are bare and the birds have started prowling about the feeders.

Most of the time I think of myself as a fairly positive person. I prefer to look for the bright side of most situations and to strategize how to get there. But, I have to confess, it has been feeling like more of an effort than usual lately.

I don’t think it is just me. In fact, I am fairly certain that a general feeling of low-level meh is visiting most people that I know. It has occurred to me recently that some of the sparkle has gone out of my cider. But, like all of my sleuths, I am a person biased towards action, and since I prefer to live with effervescence something just had to be done.

Last week during one of my morning thinking sessions I pulled out a notebook and started a list of things that are building blocks of joy for me. The list was as follows:

Sleeping 7.5 + hours each nightWalking outside dailyWorking up a sweatThrowing a partyEnjoying a meaningful conversationHelping someone else to solve a problemSinging to my dog Creating something, even if it is just at the rough draft stageReading something that is well writtenEating foods that truly nourish meMeditatingWriting a letter to a loved oneSpending time in a saunaBathing in the sea

The list is a good one, in my opinion. Any of the items do the trick. But that last one took on a whole new level of joy when one of my beloved sisters invited me to swim in Saco Bay, Maine, with her on Saturday. Yes, this past Saturday. As in the 11th of November.

I’m not going to lie; I was a bit worried. As much as I adore sea bathing I haven’t done so between October and May since I was a teenager. But, Larissa had been in several times over the last few weeks and assured me it would be a lovely experience. I agreed that it would at least be memorable. She provided scuba-type booties and mittens and I came prepared with my bathing suit, a towel, post-dip sweats, and a hat.

My sister recommended that we remain in the sea for at least 10 minutes. We managed 15. And we both submerged beneath the waves 3 times. I haven’t felt so alive in ages! All the way home I shivered and quaked and felt sparklingly invigorated. My car heaters were all cranked to maximum and it took the full hour drive back to get warmed through. But, it was worth it! In fact, I am looking forward to doing it again!

Readers, what is on your list of things that create joy? Have you ever gone swimming when the temperatures hover around 40? Do you like to swim in the sea under any conditions?

A Weekend of Mystery: The New England Crime Bake and Midwest Mystery

It’s a big weekend of mystery! Half of the Wickeds will be out in the world meeting with writers, readers, and friends.

The New England Crime Bake

Liz and Edith will be at the New England Crime Bake in Dedham, MA, November 10-12.

Liz/Cate will be will be on the panel, “A Proper English Breakfast: Food in Fiction,” at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 11.

Edith/Maddie will be wandering around with no obligations except to have fun.

Hint: You might look for either or both of them in the bar. They’d love to say hello, and Edith will be wearing her fascinator at the banquet.

Other exciting draws at the conference include Guest of Honor Deborah Crombie and 6 of the 7 Jungle Red Writers. There are master classes, an Agents & Editors track, and all kinds of cool stuff.

If you are registered for Crime Bake, you can also take Barbara Ross’s online class–BEST OF CRIME BAKE: Barb Ross – A Killer Story Structure.

Midwest Mystery Conference

Julie/Julia will be at the Midwest Mystery Conference in Chicago on Saturday, November 11!

She’ll be moderating the panel – Murder Among Friends; Cozies at 10:30.

Featuring

Julie Hennrikus, moderatorJuneau Black (Sharon Nagel and Jocelyn Cole)JC Kenney (Friend of the Wickeds!)Mia ManansalaMindy Quigley

Readers: What are your plans for the weekend? Out and about like Edith, Liz, and Julie, or staying in with a good book like Sherry, Jessie, and Barb? Wherever you are and whatever you’d doing, we hope you have a great time this Veteran’s Day weekend.

Easter Basket Murder ARCs are Here and Two #giveaways!

by Barb, in Maine where it’s cold and dark

Easter Basket Murder Advance Reader Copies are here and I’m celebrating with TWO giveaway opportunities.

Giveaway #1

Ten lucky winners will be selected to receive a ARC of Easter Basket Murder, the novella collection including stories by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and me. It will be released on January 23, 2024, so be the first on your block to read it. To enter, click here and fill out the form. US only, I’m afraid. Winners will be selected on November 16. If you entered through my newsletter this morning, there is no need to enter again.

Easter Basket Murder is also available on NetGalley for frequent reviewers who access ARCs in that way.

In addition to providing murder and mystery, my novella “Hopped Along,” moves Julia Snowden’s personal story along.

Giveaway #2

As an extra bonus, I’m participating in a group giveaway organized by the Book Talk authors (Paige Shelton, Hannah Dennison, Kate Carlisle, and Jenn McKinlay). Can you imagine how excited you’ll be if you win this BOOK HARVEST—sixteen wonderful mysteries from some of the most intriguing storytellers writing today.

Prize package includes:

Winter’s End by Paige SheltonThe Grim Reader by Kate CarlisleDeadly Desires at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah DennisonStrawberried Alive by Jenn McKinlayDead in Devon by Stephanie AustinHidden Beneath by Barbara RossRest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki DelanyHot Pot Murder by Jennifer ChowWhat They Don’t Know by Susan FurlongBayou Book Thief by Ellen ByronUnder Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi PandianMurder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins, aka Celeste ConnallyMurder from Scratch by Leslie KarstHere Comes the Body by Maria diRicoMurder at Archly Manor by Sara RosettThe Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks

To enter, click here. Winners will be drawn on November 14. This giveaway is open internationally, but a winner outside the US will receive a $100 gift card to the bookstore of choice.

Best of luck to everyone!

About ARCs

ARCs or Advance Reader Copies are what used to be called uncorrected galleys back before digital printing. There will be some typos. (I’ve already spotted one that thank goodness I caught when I reviewed the page proofs.) And for Easter Basket Murder, the ARC will be a paperback, not hardcover.

Readers: Can you put up with the imperfections of an ARC or do they bug you too much. Would you rather have the book early and a little rough, or wait for publication day?

About Easter Basket Murder

Put on your springtime best and grab a basket, because Easter egg hunting is to dye for in this delightful new collection of Easter-themed capers set in coastal Maine and featuring fan-favorite sleuths from the long-running, bestselling cozy mystery series by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross!

EASTER BASKET MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Tinker’s Cove businesses are clashing over a new Easter Basket–themed promotion to boost in-store sales, with tensions boiling over the grand prize—a mysterious golden egg crafted by a reclusive Maine artist. When the one-of-a-kind art piece is stolen, it’s up to part-time reporter Lucy Stone to investigate three struggling entrepreneurs who stick out in the local scene. But a huge town scandal comes into focus when a harmless shopping spree turns deadly, leaving Lucy to stop a murderer from springing back into action . . .

DEATH BY EASTER EGG by LEE HOLLIS
As Bar Harbor’s annual egg hunt approaches, Island Food & Spirits columnist and restauranteur Hayley Powell is thrilled to introduce her grandson, Eli, to local springtime traditions. Turns out, keeping up with a rambunctious toddler isn’t always sunshine and rainbows—especially when a decadent peanut butter treat kills the Easter bunny himself during the festivities! Now, with a clear-as-cellophane case of murder on her hands, it’s up to Hayley to crack the clues and scramble deadly plans before it’s too late . . .

HOPPED ALONG by BARBARA ROSS
Julia Snowden’s Easter Sunday at Windsholme, a sprawling mansion tucked away on a remote Maine island, looks like it’s been borrowed from the pages of a lifestyle magazine. But when a dead body is discovered in the garden—then vanishes soon after without any explanation—an innocent hunt for eggs becomes a dangerous hunt for answers. With no clues beyond a copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Julia must find out if April Fool’s Day came early or if she’s caught in a killer’s twisted game . . .

Joy in Places

Wickeds, continuing with our November theme of joy–

What place consistently brings you joy? It can be a small place like a reading nook or a favorite chair, or as big as a town or even a country. It may even exist today in your memory. But you know that whenever you go there, even if you are tired, or stressed, or down, it will bring you joy. And then tell me the same thing about one of your characters.

Sherry: Do I have to pick just one? Okay, okay. Boston. Every time I fly into Logan I think, “I’m home.” I love the history, the ocean, the accents, the food. I found out a few years ago that in the 1600s someone from my maternal grandmother’s side of the family landed in Hingham, Massachusetts. I think the love for that city is in my DNA. Sarah Winston ended up in Massachusetts because of her ex-husband’s military career. She fell in love for it too and didn’t leave after they divorced.

Edith/Maddie: I find great joy and peace in being at my uncle’s second home in the Alexander Valley north of San Francisco. It’s in the area where I set the Cece Barton Mysteries and where I was last week for in-person launch events for Murder Uncorked. plus some solo writing time. The air is dry and quiet and fragrant with western scents of herbs and live oaks. The view is stunning. Little California quail run along the top of the fence and call to each other. And when my cousins and their spouses are here, we talk and laugh and eat and drink. I’m so lucky to be connected to their family. Cece feels the same about Colinas, where she lives half a mile from her twin sister in one direction and a mile from her wine bar in the other. She also has quails on her fence!

Julie: Edith, what a lovely view! My place is a memory now–my grandparents had a cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee and I have nothing but joyful memories there. A beautiful place full of love. In my books, Lilly has her gardens. I think that Delia, Lilly’s roommate, is happiest in the town archives. Places have such emotional resonance, don’t they?

Barb: I get very attached to places and the memory of places. Right now, I would say the place that brings me joy is my fourth floor study in our townhouse-style condo in Portland, Maine. It had big windows and glass doors to large decks on two sides, and I can see the cruise ships at dock out the eastern windows and the oldest cemetery in Portland out the west. It’s my personal space and I have it set up just the way I want it. For Julia Snowden, the protagonist in the Maine Clambake Mysteries, joy is her new apartment in the renovated mansion, Windsholme, on Morrow Island, where her family runs their authentic Maine clambakes. Specifically, it’s the window seat in her living room, where she reads, relaxes and sometimes does a little sleuthing in her limited free time.

Jessie: we should check to see if our family trees are in the same grove, Sherry! My family was heading generally that way in the 1600s too! For a large scale place I would have to say the seaside, particularly the North Atlantic. My spirits lift every time I draw near to it. My heart pinches and sinks as I watch it fade in the rear view mirror as I drive away. As to personal space, I would have to mention my library, office, and screen house as places that bring me quiet joy. As Barb says, I have things just as I like them and it all pleases me immensely.
My sleuth, Edwina, feels much the same way about her home, the Beeches, as well as her surrounding gardens. She is always refreshed by returning home no matter how much fun she has out in the wider world.

Readers: Tell us about a place that brings you joy.

Welcome to the Blog Juneau Black!

by Julie, one of the few people grateful that we’re back to standard time

This weekend I am going to be moderating a panel “Murder Among Friends; Cozies” panel at the Midwest Mystery Conference. Juneau Black is on the panel, and I was delighted to be introduced to their work, and can’t wait to meet them in person. Writing duos fascinate me. Added to that, their books are a different take on a series, which I also enjoyed. They explain that below. I’m so glad they agreed to be on the blog to celebrate the release of Twilight Falls today.

Built for Comfort: Creating the World of Shady Hollow

By Juneau Black

We are so happy to be able to be here today, and share some of our inspiration for our cozy Shady Hollow Mysteries. The fourth book in the series is titled Twilight Falls, and it drops today! We’d call the books “traditional” mysteries, because they really are, with one exception: all the characters are animals.

Yup.

From our amateur detective heroine (foxy journalist Vera Vixen) to the law enforcement (brown bear Deputy Orville Braun) to the first victim (Otto Sumpf, toad), the small town of Shady Hollow is a world without humans. Why? Because we thought it would be fun!

Imagine Agatha Christie meets Animal Crossing, and you’ve got it.

Our characters wear clothes, hold down jobs, go to school, enjoy a good dinner, and all the rest. But even though the characters are all animals, Shady Hollow is a typical small town, with typical small town problems…including the occasional murder.

A shocking crime is always intriguing. But to truly make a world that readers want to visit again and again, we had to make it place we like to visit. That’s why there’s a coffeeshop run by a moose name Joe, who prides himself on offering the finest seasonal pies for his local customers. Vera Vixen herself stops by nearly every day to grab coffee and muffin on those chilly fall mornings, because that’s exactly what we want to do.

We’ve built Shady Hollow to include everything a town needs. There’s a bookshop called Nevermore Books, run by raven Lenore Lee. Trust us, you’d spend hours there if you could. We’ve got a grocery store, the town pub, a fantastic restaurant, a library, and lots of cute shops. There’s a lovely park and millpond, not to mention the beautiful northern woods and mountains surrounding the town (plenty of pretty places to stash a body)!

With every location and side character we make in each book, our goal is to deepen the world, and give our readers the sense that this is a genuine place. Even though our world is technically a fantasy (real world animals rarely drink so much coffee), we want the motivations of our characters to feel real. After all, as misery readers, we are drawn to the emotional complexity that murder or other crimes create. When somebody dies — even a fictional somebody — it stirs up strong feelings. We want to know everyone’s motives. We want to know why they’re keeping secrets. We want to believe that the detective is driven to solve the crime because of their passion for the truth. And a well-crafted, plausible world helps do all that. It doesn’t matter if the story is set in modern day New York City or the imaginary small town of Shady Hollow.

We hope that readers who visit Shady Hollow feel a sense of comfortable connection. You know: come for the murder, stay for the scones! In our new book, Twilight Falls, we do add new locations (such as the titular waterfall) and characters, but we work hard to maintain the core vibe of Shady Hollow. We want readers to be able to pick up any book in the series and know that they’ll encounter the same cozy, comfortable, coffee-filled world. Shady Hollow is a great place to visit. Just watch your back!

Readers: What’s something in a book that makes you feel like revisiting it when you can?

ABOUT JUNEAU BLACKPhoto by Kat Schleicher

Juneau Black is the pen name of authors Jocelyn Cole and Sharon Nagel. They share a love of excellent bookshops, fine cheeses, and a good murder (in fictional form only). Though they are two separate people, if you ask either of them a question about their childhood, you are likely to get the same answer. This is a little unnerving for any number of reasons.

ABOUT TWILIGHT FALLS

It’s spring in Shady Hollow, and romance is in the air. Even reporter Vera Vixen is caught up in the season as her relationship with new police chief Orville Braun blossoms. But true love is not always smooth sailing, as two of the hollow’s young residents come to find. Jonah Atwater and Stasia von Beaverpelt find themselves battling their families in order to be together. And when Jonah’s father, Shelby, goes over the top of Twilight Falls, all signs point to Stasia being the murderer.

The evidence against Stasia appears overwhelming, and Orville arrests her. It looks like the case is closed, but Vera isn’t so sure. There are almost too many clues indicating Stasia is the killer, leading her to suspect someone is setting Stasia up. Besides, what about the mysterious ghostly creature skulking around town at night? Maybe he or she was involved? As Vera investigates further, her sleuthing puts her in direct opposition to Orville, and soon she’s stirred up a hornet’s nest of trouble.

LINKS

Learn more about Twilight Falls: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/721728/twilight-falls-by-juneau-black/
Website: http://www.juneaublack.com/
IG: @juneau_black
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JuneauBlack/

The Same, But Different

by Julie, enjoying fall in Somerville

I have two sisters. One lives a couple of towns (actually small cities) over. The other lives in Maryland. My Maryland sister comes up to visit every two to three months to see our parents. The sisters always have at least one night of sister time, and this time we decided to do something different. We went to Muse Paintbar. There’s a bar, and food. And for two hours everyone there is coached to create a painting somewhat like the model painting the teacher is using. We mixed paints, listened to directions, got feedback, and painted. We all agreed not to look at each other’s paintings until the end.

The unveiling was eye opening. The paintings were all the same, but different.

Mine is the one on the left. Not a great painting, but I love it. I also love the work my sisters did.

As I was painting, I couldn’t help but think about the creative process of writing. First of all, even though we had the same model painting, and the same directions, the three of us went in different directions. The same can happen with writing. If the Wickeds all had the same writing prompt, you’d read six very different stories. That’s part of the creative process. Everyone’s work is unique. And that’s wonderful.

The other thing I thought about was how much perfectionism gets in the way of creativity. My youngest sister had trouble letting go of doing it “right” at the beginning of the night. I was dismayed by my stars and swirls. But when we both let go, and had fun, we found our way. The same happens when I write. The first draft is always dreck, but I know how to fix that. When the characters get in the way of doing what I had planned for them I keep going. Maybe they have a better idea. More likely, they want to add depth to the story by letting me in on some backstory.

If I let perfectionism get in the way, I’d never finish a book. If I let perfectionism get in the way, I wouldn’t have shown you a picture of my painting. Finding the joy in creativity means letting go of perfectionism.

Painting at Muse also reminded me of one more lesson from my writing life. Working in community is magical. For National Novel Writing Month, Sister in Crime has four write-ins a day, seven days a week. Anyone can join the write-ins this month. (Sign up here.) I know this sounds odd, but sitting at my computer knowing there are others doing the same thing is a powerful motivator to sit down and write. Being in a room full of people having fun painting is also powerful. Community really matters.

I may tweak my painting a bit before I hang it up, but I’m going to hang it up. It’s a memory of a wonderful night with my sisters. And a great reminder to let go of perfectionism and enjoy the creative process.

Readers, have you ever enjoyed something outside of your comfort zone?