Edith Maxwell's Blog, page 61

Cover, Title, and Release Date Reveal for Maine Clambake Mystery #11

by Barb, who is off to the Berkshires later this week for some foliage viewing and other cool stuff

The news is out! Maine Clambake #11, Hidden Beneath, is up on the various retail sites. It will be published June 27, 2023, almost exactly a year after Muddled Through.

Here’s the cover.

I love it and hope you do, too. The title doesn’t show up that well on the retail sites, but all the other elements are perfect. The house beyond the curve in the boardwalk is exactly how I envisioned it. And I love that the little red lobster boat is there. It lurks in the background on most of the Maine Clambake Mystery covers and I am always happy to see it.

About the book

Serving up mouthwatering shellfish, the Snowden Family Clambake has become a beloved institution in Busman’s Harbor, Maine. But when new clues rise to the surface five years after the disappearance of Julia Snowden’ s mother’s friend, the family business shifts to sleuthing . . .

Julia and her mother, Jacqueline, have come to the exclusive summer colony of Chipmunk Island to attend a memorial service for Jacqueline’s old friend Ginny, who’s been officially declared dead half a decade after she went out for her daily swim in the harbor and was never seen again. But something seems fishy at the service—especially with the women of the Wednesday Club. As Julia and Jacqueline begin looking into Ginny’s cold case, a present-day murder stirs the pot, and mother and daughter must dive into the deep end to get to the bottom of both mysteries . . .

I’m very excited about this entry in the Maine Clambake Mystery series and I hope you love it.

You can pre-order Hidden Beneath in the usual places…

Amazon–mass market paperbackAmazon–Kindle (pages haven’t been merged yet for some reason)Barnes & NobleKoboYour Local Independent Bookstore

Readers: How do you react to the title and cover? Don’t hold back!

A Chat with a Library Director

Jessie: In New Hampshire where the trees are putting on a heartbreakingly glorious show!

I cannot tell you how delighted I am to welcome Elizabeth Baker to the Wickeds today. She was my very first friend in the village I have made my home for the last 28 years and ever since then, she has been one of my very dearest. In those intervening years we have each pursued careers of a literary sort; I with my writing and Betsy as an absolute gem of a library director. And as well as I thought I knew her from years of play dates, dog walks, and chatty lunches I still learned some new things as a result of this interview. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I have!

Jessie: In the seventeen years that you have been a library director how has your role, and the role of libraries in communities changed?

Elizabeth: The Milton Free Public Library was my first job in libraries. I envisioned the library as a place to get books, magazines, and movies. Certainly, that is what we did! As my job progressed, Movies went from VHS to DVDs, to streaming. Some books became audiobooks on cassettes, to  CDs, to downloads. As the years progressed, we also started to offer more to all in our”library of things:” adventure bags for children, a telescope, a seed library, and more!

The building changed. In 2006, the upstairs space was an attic filled with discarded books. By 2016, the upstairs space was reimagined for children to explore  S.T.E.M ( (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)and S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts,  and Math) games and equipment for children.

We have offered more programming over the years: storytime, crafting groups, and children’s parties. 

COVID made me more intentional about how I write policies: How do we react to a worldwide shutdown? How do we react to the deepening social divide? How do we find accurate fact-based information?

J: Is there such a thing as a typical day in the life of a public library director?

E: I have an Excel spreadsheet that lists tasks and chores that I need to do on an annual, monthly, weekly, and daily basis. It is a pretty dry list, which you would think would lead to a dry job. It’s not. Even though I have a routine, I don’t feel stagnant, habituated, or dissatisfied as a result. I don’t think of my job that way. On a daily basis, I would evaluate past programs to enhance future ones, plan for programs months in advance, and deal with the fires that are right in front of me. None of these fires are large blazes, maybe because of the planning and evaluation. Certainly, the best part of any day is interacting with patrons, staff, and the public (and books!).

J: One of the things you have been known for during your tenure is how carefully and appealingly you have curated the library’s collection. How did you go about choosing which books to add?

E: I choose material based on what the patrons want, primarily. Many items were not under my radar until someone spoke up. Other items I might have thought about and discarded until someone else requests them.

Library Journal provides a great list of recently and future published items. 

Twice a year, New Hampshire Public Radio runs a program with local booksellers and librarians from larger libraries letting the listeners in on what is circulating or selling in their area. 

The New York Times provides a  list of best sellers. I often find other lists in whatever periodical I read. All of these periodicals help form my wish list too.

J: What would you say are one or two of the greatest challenges today’s public libraries face?

E: Budget and banning. Milton Free Public Library is located in a small village that is part of a (not much larger) town. Libraries in New Hampshire  are funded by the town, not a county  (as they are funded in other states.) Small New Hampshire towns are tasked with funding all of their municipal services based solely on property taxes. New Hampshire residents certainly, but nationally as well, engage in a hot debate about how to fund and what to fund regarding municipal services. When people feel the squeeze, many feel that libraries are expendable.

I find it very difficult to remain neutral when discussing book banning. There are those that want to choose what can and cannot circulate in a given library-especially material for children..I don’t think anyone should be told that patrons can’t read an item based on an adult’s personal/cultural/religious beliefs. I hope that any parent can have a discussion with their charges about what the home norms are, but it is not up to a librarian! That said, the surefire way to get a youth to read a book, is to tell them not to read it because it is too salacious!

J: What have been one or two of your fondest memories from your library career?

E: Any community gathering reminds me why I chose this village. Most are not strictly “library” gatherings, but the library grounds provide a ” jump off” point. Every year the  July 4th parade musters in the library parking lot. The library hosts the veterans every other Memorial Day observance. The library also participates in the Halloween “Trick or Treat” nights. The library also hosts children’s parties. Each event-every year- steeps me in nostalgia.

J: What have you read recently that you would recommend? What is in your to-be-read pile?

E: Well, naturally, I have recommended all of the Wickeds! The patrons love a good mystery! I am usually way behind on the bestseller list: I loved A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towle, Night Circus by Erin Morganstern, and anything by Andy Weir. 

I am a huge fan of non-fiction and will read a cookbook from cover to cover, I especially enjoy those from kitchens, unlike those I am most familiar with ! 

My “to read” list is long. As I said, I love non-fiction and like to peruse the non-fiction shelves for things I haven’t read yet, be it cookbooks, history, biographies, or a “how to!”

J: And finally, if you could tell the public just one thing you wish everyone knew about their local library, what would it be?

E: If you walk into a library expecting a “shush librarian” in a tight bun and echoing stacks, you will be surprised! Libraries are populated with energetic, thoughtful people (patrons, and staff:) using the public computers to study or work; crafters talking about their homes, gardens, and lives; children learning and sharing new ideas and engaging with people of different ages; adults also engaging in new ideas, discussing books, and greeting their neighbors. In Milton, the library thrums with all of this and more! …and the library director might have wild, loose, purple hair.

Readers, do you have a favorite library or librarian memory to share? Leave a comment to be entered in a giveaway for Jessica’s latest Beryl and Edwina mystery and an extra goodie or two besides!

 

Elizabeth, “Betsy” Baker is a granddaughter, daughter, and mother of librarians. She is also a lifelong lover of books, rescue dogs, and burnt popcorn. When not acting as the director of a small, but mighty library she reads, knits, and dotes on the world’s cutest grandchild.  

A Literary Traveler’s Guide to the Gulf South

I was so thrilled when author Diane Jones Skelton reached out to me earlier this year to tell me she was including my Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon mysteries in her book A Literary Traveler’s Guide to the Gulf South: Bay St. Louis to Apalachicola. It released on August 1st.

Here is more about Diane: DIANE SKELTON is an author and award-winning feature writer living in Gulf Breeze, Florida. She’s written three books and edited several others including Emerald Coast Review XXI, an anthology of regional writers. Her work has been published in The English Journal, national fraternal publications, and regional publications as Mississippi Magazine, Florida Hockey Life, and The Gulf Breeze News. Her newest book is A Literary Traveler’s Guide to the Gulf South (2022). Currently, she teaches memoir classes at the Gulf Breeze, Senior Center and facilitates an Emerald Coast Writers critique group. Before moving to Florida, she advised award-winning student publications in Louisiana, Texas, and Kansas. She taught high school journalism, photojournalism, and English, as well as Mass Communications at Tarrant County College (Texas) and advised student publications at Washburn University (Kansas). Her blog, The Gumbo Diaries, showcases articles on literary travel and writers. She has published two memoirs, The Gumbo Diaries: Mississippi and Beyond (2015) and Thanks for Asking (2020). She is a member of Florida Writers Association, a patron to National League of American Pen Women, Pensacola. She holds a B.S. in Journalism and English from University of Southern Mississippi and a Masters in Journalism from University of Kansas.

The book is packed full of information about the area and the authors who lived there or wrote about it. There are sections with quaint city walks, bird watching, and the Jimmy Buffet Trail. Diane breaks the book down into sections: the Mississippi Coast, Lower Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and one of my favorite sections Day Trips. Each day trip includes Read, Eat, See recommendations. For the Scenic 30A page she suggests reading the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Saloon books, Missing on 30A by Deborah Rine, and watching the movie The Truman Show. (I happened to be visiting the Panhandle when they were filming The Truman Show and have pictures of various sets.) It’s such a fun idea so if you ever visit the area be sure to pick up a copy of the book!

Diane also has a blog called The Gumbo Diaries. She writes on a variety of topics including this fun post Cooking on the Road, Eating Like the Locals with recipes about how locals eat in various parts of the Gulf South. Diane also writes about books she reads and I love this post about the book The Heart Mender. It’s set in 1942 about German U boats that were off the Gulf Coast and how author Andy Andrews found German artifacts on his property when he dug up an old tree. Diane wrote about my series along with another in this post about cozy mysteries.

Even if you don’t plan to visit the area this book will take you there!

Readers: Have you ever visited sites where books are set? One of my favorites was visiting Hannibal, Missouri and all the Mark Twain sites there.

Wicked Wednesday- Signs

Jessie: Enjoying the crisp autumn air!

This month we are discussing signs of all sorts. I must confess, I am always willing to contemplate that something could be considered a sign from something larger than myself. So, Wickeds, do you believe in signs?

Julie: Absolutely! Sometimes I’ll seek them out, and tell myself if I see a blue flower (for example) it’s a sign I should do xyz. I also get signs from the universe when I need them. I’ll be thinking about taking care of my mother, and my grandmother’s favorite song will come on and I know it’s her way of telling me to keep going. Things like that.

Edith/Maddie: Why not? There is much we don’t know. Ever since my beloved father died 37 years ago, I occasionally get a short period of ringing in my right ear. Like you, Julie, I always feel like that’s Daddy’s spirit touching base with me, and I take a minute to assess whether I’m living my best life. And when I am lucky enough to see a bald eagle, it always feels like a good omen.

Barb: I would swear up and down to you that I don’t believe in signs, but of course, it would be a lie. A parking space suddenly opens up right in front of the store or restaurant I was kind of, sort of thinking of going to? I’m as likely as anyone to laugh and call it a sign. I wouldn’t make any major life decisions based on it, but I’d be happy to eat a meal in a place I already wanted to go to.

Jessie: I love all of your signs! I am forever noting and noticing them in my life. I see dragonflies or ravens and am sure it is a wink from the Universe. I run across the same bit of information for a third time in a short amount of time and I think it is important. Feathers on the ground, rainbows in the sky, and favorite quotes that appear unexpectedly out of the mouth of a stranger all reinforce my belief that forces are conspiring on my behalf.

Readers, how about you? Do you notice signs? Do you take them to heart or dismiss them as fanciful notions?

Welcome Author Devon Delaney and a bonus recipe

A Wicked welcome to author Devon Delaney. She’s here with her book Murder for Good Measure, the seventh book in her Cook-Off Mystery series. The book was released in paperback and ebook formats on September 13.

Devon, who participates in cooking contests in real life, has included a bonus recipe for Bon Vivant Mushroom and Chicken Crepes with her post below.

Take it away, Devon!

A New Audience

(plus – bonus winning recipe!)

There are many tasks that go along with being the author of published books. Most are associated with promoting your book to the demographic most likely to read it. Recently my ability to stretch my audience reach was tested when I was invited to speak to seventh and eighth graders at the grade school I attended from kindergarten through ninth. Their book fair week hosted authors with school connections. The school librarian who arranged the talk was very interested in having me to share the role recipe contests played in inspiring my plots. I eagerly accepted the invitation.

As I prepared my talk, though, I realized these young adults may have no interest at all in the story of a woman, a bit younger than their own mothers, with a passion for cooking, who solves a murder. Pre-teens weren’t my books’ intended audience and I began to worry I had signed up for a talk doomed to failure. I had to find an angle that would capture my unlikely audience’s attention and hold it for forty-five minutes. I had to establish a connection.

This age group loves jolts of immediate gratification, so I focused on my cooking win highlights. I wanted to get my main point across how writing winning recipes, something I’d done successfully for years, is a lot like writing a book, while keeping the entertainment factor steady. I hit my young audience with points to ponder. A book with a catchy title is like a well-named recipe. A winning recipe that catches the judge’s eye must have a tasty title to peak initial interest. For example, I won $40,000 with a recipe titled Ranch Steak Bruschetta Salad. Four words that gave the judges a very good idea what my recipe was about, how it was going to taste and why it was different and more interesting than all the other recipes in the contest. Timing photos of the cookoff action, cover of my latest book, and winning cookoff recipe overhead on a huge seen punctuated my words.

Devon Delaney displays her winnings

The kids liked photos of me with various celebrities during cookoffs, such as Guy Fieri and Kelly Ripa, a lot. Maybe I was a little cool in their eyes. Relieved the faces in the audience were beaming with curiosity, I tiptoed into the teaching zone, as I was one by profession for many years. I shared insight into what it took to acquire an agent and a publishing contract which may have glazed over a few eyes. To draw the lost back in, I emphasized my love of writing picked up in first grade at the very same school they were attending, when each student was asked to put together a captioned picture book of our families. Many nodding heads let me know the same assignment was still a requirement. Connections made!

 I wrapped up my talk by sharing my cooking competition series hook which they thought was amusing. Cooking competitions can bring out the best and worst in their participants. If the components get too heated, too spicy or too overdone, bad behavior may be the only thing served up and that is never an easy thing to swallow.  

Success! I had more to share so I hope I’m invited back next year. Share your wisdom, authors. Turns out the nex-gen are an eager audience!

Readers: Have you ever been challenged with a task you were certain you’d fail at and, low and behold, you slayed it? If so, would you like to briefly share?

Bonus recipe:

I won the National Mushroom Cookoff with this recipe:

Bon Vivant Mushroom and Chicken Crepes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 2 tablespoons, divided use, more if needed for making crepes

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in thin strips

2 teaspoons sea salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided use

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon, divided use

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

16 oz. Crimini mushrooms, sliced thin

1 tablespoon apricot preserves

1 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped or 3/4 teaspoon, dried

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1 whole large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

5 ounce garlic and herb spreadable cheese, such as Boursin

Preparation:

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with 2 teaspoons sea salt. Add the chicken and 2-tablespoons lemon juice cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate. Maintaining heat add 2-tablespoons butter,  Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often. Reserve 1/2 cup of mushrooms in the skillet and combine remaining mushrooms with the chicken on the plate.

Maintaining skillet heat, add the apricot preserves to the skillet with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and tarragon. Stir until preserves are melted and coat the mushrooms. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk in milk, eggs and 1-tablespoon butter until well combined. Let batter rest for 5 -10 minutes.

Prepare crepes by melting 1/2-tablespoon butter in a 9-in. heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir crepe batter; pour 3 tablespoons into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry. Dot 2 tablespoons Boursin down one-third of crepe and top with a layer of chicken and mushroom blend and fold in each side to cover filling. Remove each crepe to a serving plate as its prepared.  Add butter to skillet for each crepe preparation, as needed.

Prepare 4-6 crepes and top each with apricot-tarragon glazed mushrooms.

Serve warm. Enjoy!

About the book

When successful cooking contester, Sherry Oliveri’s, neighbor’s Irish nanny is found dead and the last person to see her alive was Sherry’s brother’s food truck cook, what is a girl to do but solve the murder. With the help of an Irish myth and great cooking Sherry sorts out clues while navigating twists and turns to reveal not only the murderer but an incredible happenstance she never saw coming.

Books available at:

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.kobo.com

About DevonAuthor Devon Delaney

Devon Delaney has been handsomely rewarded for her recipe innovation over the last twenty-plus years at cookoffs and in recipe contests. Among the many prizes she has won are a full kitchen of major appliances, five-figure top cash prizes, and four trips to Disney World. She is a wife, mother of three, and grandmother of two. She’s a lifelong resident of the Northeast and currently resides in coastal Connecticut.

You can learn more about Devon at www.devonpdelaney.com.

Welcome Author Mia P. Manansala, a bonus recipe, and a #giveaway

Author Mia Manansala is here with us today to celebrate the release of Blackmail and Bibingka, the third book in her Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, which releases tomorrow in trade paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.. Mia’s also brought us a recipe from the book and will be giving away an autographed copy of the book to one lucky commenter (see below). In keeping with the theme of last week, Blackmail and Bibingka is a holiday story!

Take it away, Mia!

Feasting, Festivities, and Family Drama

What is it about Christmas that makes it such a perfect setting for books and movies of all genres? Is it the fact that this time period somehow simultaneously invokes the warm fuzzies and intense anxiety, a feeling of heartwarming connection as well as heartbreaking loneliness? Or is it because that, for those of us in snowy climes, the image of being snowed in is both romantic and also claustrophobic? Whatever the reason, the Christmas season is a popular setting in various forms of media and my latest book, Blackmail and Bibingka, is no exception.

When her long-lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, my protagonist, Lila Macapagal, knows that big trouble can’t be far behind. She’s right, because her cousin Ronnie is bringing with him old hurts, new scandals, and, of course, another murder for Lila to solve. As always, this book is full of family drama, a tiny bit of murder, and a whole lot of food!

Bibingka, the titular food, is a rice cake baked/roasted in banana leaves and covered with a multitude of toppings such as butter or margarine, sugar, grated coconut, grated cheese, salted duck eggs, etc. Though eaten year-round, bibingka is most commonly served around Christmas time. I’ve included a recipe for bibingka in the book, but today I wanted to share with you all the Filipino Christmas dessert I love even more than bibingka: Food for the Gods.

Food for the Gods is a sweet, buttery date and walnut bar that is dangerously easy to make (dangerous because they’re absolutely addictive). Hope you give my recipe a try (and pick up Blackmail and Bibingka as well!)

Food for the Gods Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ½  cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9X13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper (optional). Set aside.In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and both sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.Add the flour mixture and beat until well blended with no white streaks remaining. Mix in the chopped dates and nuts.Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely and then slice into bars.Enjoy!Giveaway

Mia is giving away a signed paperback copy of her latest book, Blackmail and Bibingka, to one lucky commenter below! (U.S. only.)

Readers: Tell us about your favorite holiday-themed mystery (bonus entry if it’s a non-Christian and/or non-American holiday!), or just say “hi” to be entered to win.

About the book

It’s Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, the Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she’s taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he’s back on his feet and ready to contribute to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She’s soon proven right when Ronnie is suspected of murder, and secrets surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin’s innocence. He may be a jerk, but he’s still family. And there’s no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer . . . right?

ORDER

Order from The Book Table or Centuries & Sleuths for signed, personalized copies!

About MiaAuthor Mia P. Manansala

Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer and certified book coach from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture, and is the author of the multi-award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @MPMtheWriter

Or check out her website: www.miapmanansala.com

Welcome Author Amanda Flower

Welcome to our guest Amanda Flower. Consistent with the trend for the month, this is also Amanda’s fourth visit with the Wickeds. We really need to get going on those five-timer’s jackets soon.

Amanda is here to celebrate Because I Could Not Stop for Death, the first book in her new Emily Dickinson Mystery series, which features the poet as the sleuth. The book was released in trade paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats on September 20. The buzz on this book has been terrific. The Wickeds are very excited.

Take it away, Amanda.

Hopping Subgenres

When I signed with my literary agent well over a decade ago, I said I will write just about anything if it’s mystery. The mystery genre has always been my first love. I love to read it, write it, and talk about it. Other than maybe cats (if you follow me on social you know I obsessed with cats) it’s my favorite subject. And honestly cats and mysteries go paw in hand as we all well know about the tropes of the genre.

My favorite subgenre in the mystery world is cozy, and I’m proud to say it. I adore them, and I have written and published over forty in my career. I hope to write them the rest of my life. My latest one is Peanut Butter Panic, book seven in my Amish Candy Shop Mysteries.

However a few years ago, I was ready for a new challenge. Many of my cozies have a historical element because I find history and its impact on the present day fascinating. I decided I would write a historical mystery. The only problem was I wanted the right hook. That’s not as easy. I know 19th century American History the best, but honestly with slavery and the American Civil War, that’s a pretty tricky time period. I was nervous! I wanted to write about this time, but I knew if I wrote about it I would have to include the turbulence of the country during this period. It would be irresponsible to ignore it.

I needed the right point of view, and a view I can understand is that of a writer. Immediately, Emily Dickinson came to mind, and I was shocked to discover that no one had written a mystery with her as sleuth. I checked and double checked, and it was true. I got that buzzy feeling that we writers have when we know we are onto a big idea. I immediately spoke to my agent and pitched the idea.

Now, the first book from the Emily Dickinson Mysteries, Because I Could Not Stop for Death, is out in the world. It’s set in 1855 Amherst, Massachusetts, and Dickinson is the sleuth. I also tackle those big issues of unrest that lead up to the American Civil War and included the Dickinson family perspective on slavery. As Whigs, they wanted compromise, which as we know is impossible with an immoral institution like slavery. At my request, two authenticity readers, one hired by my agency and one hired by my publisher, read and commented on the manuscript to ensure that I treated the issue accurately and with sensitivity. As you can imagine, the book is heavier than my typical cozies, but I believe the story is important. I’m excited it is out in the world.

After finishing the novel, I loved jumping back into writing cozies for a little emotional respite, and now, I think I have found a great balance of writing both subgenres and staying true to myself as a writer. Honestly beyond cozies and historicals, I don’t know what I will write next, but what I do know it will be a mystery!

Readers: Do you enjoy books that feature real historical figures as the sleuth? Why or why not?

About the book

Emily Dickinson and her housemaid, Willa Noble, realize there is nothing poetic about murder in this first book in an all-new series from USA Today best-selling and Agatha Award-winning author Amanda Flower.

January, 1855 Willa Noble knew it was bad luck when it was pouring rain on the day of her ever-important job interview at the Dickinson home in Amherst, Massachusetts. When she arrived late, disheveled with her skirts sodden and filthy, she’d lost all hope of being hired for the position. As the housekeeper politely told her they’d be in touch, Willa started toward the door of the stately home only to be called back by the soft but strong voice of Emily Dickinson. What begins as tenuous employment turns to friendship as the reclusive poet takes Willa under her wing.

Tragedy soon strikes and Willa’s beloved brother, Henry, is killed in a tragic accident at the town stables. With no other family and nowhere else to turn, Willa tells Emily about her brother’s death and why she believes it was no accident. Willa is convinced it was murder. Henry had been very secretive of late, only hinting to Willa that he’d found a way to earn money to take care of them both. Viewing it first as a puzzle to piece together, Emily offers to help, only to realize that she and Willa are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse that reveals corruption in Amherst that is generations deep. Some very high-powered people will stop at nothing to keep their profitable secrets even if that means forever silencing Willa and her new mistress….

About AmandaAuthor Amanda Flower

Amanda Flower is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author of over thirty-five mystery novels. Her novels have received starred reviews from Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Romantic Times, and she has been featured in USA Today, First for Women, and Woman’s World. She currently writes for Penguin-Random House (Berkley), Kensington, and Sourcebooks. In addition to being a writer, she was a librarian for fifteen years. Today, Flower and her husband own a farm and recording studio, and they live in Northeast Ohio with their five adorable cats. Because I Could Not Stop for Death is her 45th published book.

Welcome Author Dorothy Howell and a #giveaway

Hi all! Today the Wickeds host author Dorothy Howell, who is here to introduce Seams Like Murder, the first book in her new Sewing Studio Mystery series, which was released last Tuesday in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats. A large print edition is coming later. Dorothy is currently running a giving away. For instructions on how to enter, see below.

Take it away, Dorothy!

Construct a whole new town???

Here’s a shout out and a big thank-you to Barb, our host!

Lots of things must come together when launching a new series.  When I came up with my oh-so great idea of writing Seams Like Murder, the launch book of the Sewing Studio Mystery series, the pieces fell into place pretty easily.  Whew!

In the story, Abbey Chandler retreats to the small town where she spent idyllic childhood summers with her aunt.  To fill her time there—and after she’s a suspect in a murder and her car is towed to the crime lab—Abbey gets involved with a charity project making pillowcase dresses for girls in Africa.  Since I’ve been involved with that project myself for several years—I’ve made and donated over 1,000 dresses so far—it seemed like a natural fit for the story.

Pillowcase dresses

But what about the town itself?  It was integral to the plot—almost like a character in the story.  I thought of places I’d visited and looked online for something suitable, and finally decided I’d have to make one up myself.  Thus, the town of Hideaway Grove was born.

I had such fun constructing this imaginary town.   It’s small and quaint, a mecca for tourists with its antique stores, art galleries, and specialty shops.  All the houses are cute cottages surrounded by picket fences and lots of flowers.   I decided the town’s founder had been a birdwatcher so most everything has a bird theme.  The streets are Hummingbird Lane, Dove Drive, Hawk Avenue, and the businesses are Birdie’s Gifts and Gadgets, and Flight of Flowers florist.    

I spent my early years living near a small town in Virginia where you always ran into someone you knew, stopped and chatted, and waved to the merchants inside the stores.  Then I ended up living in Los Angeles where you don’t even make eye contact with people on the street. 

In Seams Like Murder, Abbie, too, lived in Los Angeles before retreating to Hideaway Grove.  She loved her childhood summers there with her aunt.  After her life falls apart in L.A. she’s desperate for the peace and quiet of a small town.  Even after she ends up involved in a murder, she tries her best to reconnect with the town.  But when the opportunity arises to return to the big city, will she stay, or go?

Readers: What do you think? Do you prefer living in a small town or a big city?

Giveaway

I have a giveaway for Seams in progress on my DorothyHowellNovels.com website.  Here’s the link: https://dorothyhowellnovels.com/contest.html

About the book

Abbey Chandler and her fellow sewing circle members live in the quaint, touristy town of Hideaway Cove. Abbey Chandler needs a new start and a place to escape, so Hideaway Grove, where she spent her childhood summers, seems like a perfect choice. Once there, she takes up a rewarding new hobby—but also gets tangled up in a hit-and-run homicide… 

Abbey has barely arrived in the quaint, quiet town of Hideaway Grove before things turn from blissful to bloody—as the new librarian is mowed down by a car. The only witness on the scene isn’t much help, aside from handing Abbey the bag of books dropped by the victim. Even worse, the sheriff’s office seizes Abbey’s car because of a suspicious dent in the right front fender. 

While she waits for the problem to be sorted out, Abbey is drawn into a charity sewing project—even though she can’t tell a bobbin from a seam ripper. Before she knows it, she’s graduating from pillowcase dresses to aprons, setting up a studio in a back room of her aunt’s bakery, and making plans to participate in the upcoming craft fair. 

But through it all, she keeps looking for patterns and possible conflicts in the late librarian’s personal, professional, and romantic life. Then a shocking discovery sends her in a new direction, and as the truth begins to unspool, she’s got a notion about who’s guilty…

About DorothyDorothy Howell

Dorothy Howell is the USA Today bestselling author of 48 novels in the mystery and romance genres. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages with millions sold worldwide. 

Dorothy writes the Sewing Studio mystery series, as well as the Hollis Brannigan personal shopper series, and the Haley Randolph and Dana Mackenzie series.  She writes historical romance novels under her pen name Judith Stacy. 

Dorothy lives with her family in Los Angeles. 

Visit Dorothy Howell Novels on Facebook.
Visit her web site www.DorothyHowellNovels.com 

Paradigm Shift: Christmas in September

Christmas is in December. And you may have heard of “Christmas in July.” But in the publishing industry, Christmas is (mostly) in September, which is why Maddie/Edith and I had four Christmas books come out yesterday between us.

Mass max paperback and ebook original. This rollicking story starts the day after Christmas Hardcover and ebook original, with stories about scarves and murder by Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day and Peggy Ehrhart Ebook, downloadable audio book and audiobook CD release of Maddie’s novella, which was originally published in the collection Christmas Cocoa Murder Ebook release of Barbara’s novella, which was originally published in Yule Log Murder

I assume this publication date is selected to give bookstores plenty of time to put the books out in holiday displays. (Though that doesn’t explain the date for the two digital-only offerings here.)

What do you think Wickeds? Christmas in September. Are you feeling it?

Sherry: Congratulations, on the new books! What a quadruple treat for all of your readers! I want to be ready for Christmas, but I’m just not yet! As much as I always want to get July over with, I love to linger in Fall for as long as possible. I want to scuff some leaves on walks before I leap into shopping and decorating.

Edith/Maddie: While I’m delighted to have new books out, I’m not even ready for Halloween! I’m still picking tomatoes and eggplant. I have gardens to put to bed and garlic to plant. Good heavens, Christmas can just wait – unless it’s in a good mystery.

Liz: Congrats on the books – how amazing! But I’m SO NOT READY for anything Christmas/winter related! I can barely accept that summer is over and we’re into fall, even though I love that season. I’m just not looking forward to being cold…

Julie: Congratulations to both of you! The Wicked book count keeps taking leaps, doesn’t it? I LOVE summer, and am living in denial about fall. So no, not thinking about Christmas yet. But I love that when I’m in the mood, I’ll have new books to read.

Barb: We have had some preliminary discussions about the holidays among the extended family, only because the pandemic disrupted all previous traditions and events and we need to figure how and if we’re going to get back to some kind of togetherness. That being said, I am in no way, shape, or form ready to skip fall and rush on toward the holidays. Much as I love them, I’m not a fan of the dark and the cold that comes with them.

Jessie: Super congratulations on your releases! One of the many things that I love about living in New England is the opportunity to experience all four seasons. So, for me, I delight in arriving at each season in its own time. I love winter when it arrives and all the holidays that accompany it, but I don’t feel any desire to rush ahead. I am still enjoying the flowers in the gardens and the evenings that are warm enough to use the grill!

Readers: What about you? Are you thinking/planning/talking about the winter holidays or are you not yet in a holiday mood?

Five Wicked Releases and Two Giveaways!

As the years have gone by, the Wickeds’ World of Books has expanded. We each started off with one published book, and now there are 96 covers on the slide show on this blog. (You can view it if you click on the three white dots in the top right corner of the blog, though I don’t know why you would. We really just keep it up for our own amusement at this point.)

Over the years, it’s become fairly common for us to have two book releases on the same day. But this is the first time, ever, that we’ve had FIVE. And in such an interesting mix of formats.

To celebrate, Edith/Maddie and I are offering one giveaway each, for a total of two possible prizes. Scroll down for the details.

Murder in a Cape Cottage

Author: Maddie Day

Series: Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries

Formats: Mass market paperback, ebook, audiobook

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder in Agatha-awarding winning author Maddie Day’s latest Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, as Cape Cod bike shop owner Mackenzie “Mac” Almeida and her book club sleuths must solve a murder before Mac and her fiancée’s New Years Eve wedding…

Christmas Scarf Murder

Authors: Carlene O’Connor, Maddie Day, Peggy Ehrhart

Series: Irish Village Mysteries, Country Store Mysteries, Knit and Nibble Mysteries

Formats: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook

Stocking stuffers like handknit scarves make the coziest of Christmas gifts—unless they’re used as accessories for murder!

Christmas Cocoa and a Corpse

Author: Maddie Day

Series: Country Store Mysteries

Formats: Ebook and audiobook. (Previously published in Christmas Cocoa Murder.)

Tis the season to indulge in hot chocolate and irresistible holiday treats—until too much of a good thing turns downright deadly.

Logged On

Author: Barbara Ross

Series: Maine Clambake Mysteries

Format: Ebook (Previously published in Yule Log Murder.)

Few things are as sweet as Christmas in coastal Maine. The only thing that can spoil the fun is murder . . .

Muddled Through Audiobook

Author: Barbara Ross

Series: Maine Clambake Mysteries

Format: Audiobook (Previously published in mass market paperback and ebook.)

Mud season takes on a whole new meaning in the coastal town of Busman’s Harbor, Maine, when local business owners sling dirt at one another in a heated feud over a proposed pedestrian mall. Vandalism is one thing, but murder means Julia Snowden of the Snowden Family Clambake steps in to clean up the case . . .

Barb’s Giveaway

Barb is giving ten lucky entrants a bundle of books that includes paperbacks of the four collections a Maine Clambake Mystery novella appears in, as well as an Advance Reader Copy of the next collection, Irish Coffee Murder, and a Snowden Family Clambake tote bag like the one Julia carries. To enter, click here and fill out the form.

Edith/Maddie’s Giveaway

Edith/Maddie is giving an Advance Reader Copy of Four Leaf Cleaver, the next Country Store Mystery releasing January 24, 2023 to one lucky commenter below. She’ll throw in bookmarks, recipe cards, and Wicked Authors book bag for the lucky winner.

Readers: What new book releases are you looking forward to this fall? Tell us below or just say “hi” to be entered to win the ARC of Four Leaf Cleaver.