Ally Shields's Blog, page 19

Mystery Author Kat Jorgensen Calls Words "Magic"

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Welcome to the Coffee Chat. This week’s guest author if Kat Jorgensen, with her cozy mystery.
Nice to have you visit the blog, Kat. What may I get you to drink?
 
KJ:  I had to give up both coffee and tea.  Boo.  Now my drink of choice is water.  Boring but true.
 
Ally: We always have bottled water. While I get our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.  Bio:
 
Kat Jorgensen is the mother of three adult children and three grandchildren.  She lives in Richmond, VA with her two handsome black cats, Sam and Milo.  When she’s not writing, she pursues her love of knitting.  Her book stash and her yarn stash compete for space in her home.
 
Something unique or unusual about you: “Not really unique, but I’m allergic to dairy. Not lactose intolerant, but a real allergy complete with wheezing and all of the other nasty side-effects. It makes life challenging.”
  
Author Contacts:

Website: www.katjorgensenauthor.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kat-Jorgensen/e/B0060ZHHI2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1592150269&sr=8-1
BookBub Author Page:   https://www.bookbub.com/search/authors?search=Kat%20Jorgensen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katjorgensenauthor/notifications/
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Kat-Jorgensen/e/B0060ZHHI2?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1592756980&sr=8-1
Newsletter sign up: https://katjorgensenauthor.com
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? What influenced that decision?
 
KJ:  I wanted to be a writer from the very first time someone read a story to me. Words were magic. They could make you laugh or cry. They could soothe you or cause you to feel a wide array of emotions. Books were like good friends. They never let you down.
 
As a child, I entertained my friends and family with my stories.  And I’m still doing it as an adult.  Best job ever! 
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
KJ:  People are so interesting.  The characters I write about are, of course, totally fictional.  I borrow from real people.  A trait from someone here.  A look there.  Mannerisms.  Things said.  Nothing, and no one, is safe.  Friends and family are given fair warning.
 
What I find really interesting is when someone who knows me picks out a character and swears they know who it is based on.  All of my children thought the Granddad character, with all of his lectures, was modeled after their dad.  But he wasn’t.  He’s actually very loosely based on my own father.  My sweet husband thought the sexy male leads were modeled after him.  Sorry.  That wasn’t true either.  Higgins, the cat in my series, is a composite of all of the cats I’ve ever had in my life.  And Becca is a lot like me.  I just exaggerate qualities for entertainment purposes.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you can pass on to other writers?
 
KJ:  Best writing advice is to find something that interests you and write about it.  And keep writing.  Write every day.  If you’re serious about your writing, treat it like a job and not a hobby.  Read a lot.  Across all genres.  Take writing classes.  Study your craft.  Always keep learning. No matter how much we think we know, we can always learn more.
 
I’m still learning about marketing.  But one great tip is to never spend more on advertising than you can afford to lose. That comes from Mark Dawson.  I think it’s great advice.  Ads might work.  And they might not.  So have a monthly advertising budget and keep to it until you know what’s working and what’s not before you adjust your budget to spend more. 
 
Ally: What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
KJ:  I have the best readers.  Many take the time to write to me. And that makes me feel great.  My first goal as a writer is to entertain the reader.  If I’ve done that, I feel like I’ve done my job.
 
Two memorable things stick out in my mind.  The first was when a reader told me my book, Your Eight O’clock is Dead, reminded her of Janet Evanovich’s writing. She found it laugh out loud funny. 
 
The second one was from a reader who wrote me after surviving a particularly bumpy plane trip.  The massive turbulence had frightened her, but she read my book during the flight, and it got her mind off of her fears.   
  
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
KJ:  My next writing project is Your Lights are Out, book #3 in the River City Mysteries.
 
Instead of presents under the office Christmas tree, amateur sleuth Becca Reynolds discovers the very dead body of one of the doctors she works for.  One end of a strand of holiday mini-lights is tightly encircling the psychiatrist’s neck and the other end is peacefully resting between her grandfather’s cranky cat’s paws. 
 
The book will be out this July.  I had a lot of fun writing this one.  

Ally: Which of the quick questions did you choose to answer?

KJ:memorable book you’ve read:  All the Light You Cannot See and The Book Thief.an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Janet Evanovich.  I’ve actually had the pleasure of sharing a meal with her and her editor.  It was so much fun, I’d love to do it again.an item on your bucket list:  Visit the UK, especially England, Ireland and Wales.Print book or ebook:  Ebook – ebooks have solved a lot of my physical book storage issues.  But I have plenty of print books too.If you were a color, what would it be?  Yellow.  Although blue is my favorite color.  I’m pretty much a sunny, positive person and I think yellow represents that well.favorite quote – “When people show you who they are, believe them – the first time.”  Maya Angelou. Ally: Thanks for joining us this morning, Kat. Please show us your featured book before you rush off to finish that next book.

Your Eight O’Clock Is Dead (River City Mystery #1)
Genre: Cozy mystery with romantic elements
 
Becca Reynolds is having a bad day. Her grandfather's lecture (#405: Eat a Healthy Diet or Die Not Trying) makes her late for her job at Daley & Palmer, the psychiatric group where she works as office manager – her title not theirs. But she knows her day has taken a really bad turn when she finds the firm's eight o'clock patient dead with Dr. Daley's letter opener opening the patient instead of the mail.
​
With the fledgling firm in danger of an early demise, Becca appoints herself the unofficial investigator since the police seem to be looking in all the wrong places.
The case takes Becca from the sordid depths of the Russian mafia to the upscale West End of Richmond, Virginia (known locally as River City) and even to her own back yard. In the course of the investigation, she finds herself in hot water, hot danger and with dreams of hot men.
 
Buy Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/eightoclock
(available at Amazon, BN, Apple, Kobo and more)

Author Nupur Tustin Blends Psychic Ability with Mystery

​Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Today’s guest author is Nupur Tustin with her featured psychic amateur sleuth Celine Skye book #1.
Good Morning, Nupur. How do you take your coffee?
 
NT:  Thanks for the offer. I’d love a cup with a dash of creamer.
 
Ally: That’s a simple request. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers.

Bio:
 
A former journalist, Nupur Tustin misuses a Ph.D. in Communication and an M.A. in English to paint intrigue. She also orchestrates mayhem in composer Joseph Haydn’s Europe. Along the way she trained as a journalist, worked for CNBC and Reuters, and did some freelance writing, selling travel articles and short stories as an English grad at UConn. 
 
Something unique/unusual about yourself:  “While researching the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries, I realized I might be a “bit psychic,” to quote Daphne Moon from Frasier, the comedy show. To be honest, we all are. I have something called claircognizance—meaning, I just know stuff. I knew both my kids’ kindergarten teachers were pregnant before they made the announcement. When a friend told us she was leaving her job, I knew—before she confided the reason to my husband—exactly what prompted that decision.
But with a little bit of practice I can do more. One time I texted my husband asking if a colleague of his had dropped by to see him.
“He hasn’t and I wasn’t expecting him to,” was my husband’s puzzled reply.
“Well, when he does,” I texted back, “could you let me know if he’s wearing blue?”
A few minutes later, my husband texted to confirm what I’d already seen in my mind’s eye.” 
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website: https://ntustin.com
Giveaway: https://ntustin.com/giveaway/ (Two Books for the Price of One)
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ntustinauthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nupur-tustin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/nupurtustin
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What inspired you to write your featured book?

NT:  Shortly after my parents died, I began meditating, and I recalled a book that my father had enjoyed very much. It was Jose Silva’s The Silva Mind Control Method. I ordered a copy and began re-reading it and noticed that the protagonist of the television series, Psych, uses many of the same methods Silva advocates. I also began to pay more attention to my intuition and to realize that we do best when we pay attention to that inner voice within us—even when it contradicts logic or what friends and family say.

So, I knew I wanted a psychic protagonist and I knew that she gets involved in solving crimes because her boss was murdered. But I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he’d been murdered. Something to do with his past, of course. But what exactly?
 
Then, as luck would have it, we visited the Getty and I fell in love with Canaletto, an Italian view painter. And I learned about the Gardner Museum heist.
 
Voila, I had my story! Why not have a psychic take on the Gardner Museum heist? The theft’s eluded experts for decades. Maybe a psychic could help understand what happened and recover the art.
  
Ally:  What do you find most rewarding about a writing career? Most negative or frustrating?

NT:  What’s lovely about this career is that reading mysteries and watching them on television can be construed as research. The actual writing and concocting a plot is always enjoyable. And it’s wonderful to be able to stay home with my three kids and to help them with their education. The kids and I write stories together, too!
 
Ally:  Do you write with a theme or message in mind?

NT:  No, but that’s not to say that a theme doesn’t emerge as I start writing. Often the theme will be voiced in my title. I can’t elaborate very much on the title, Master of Illusion, but when you read the book you’ll notice the title is very apt and it speaks to both a specific artistic issue as well as a broader theme.
 
Ally: What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?

NT:  Because of the pandemic and homeschooling, I wasn’t planning on having a new release this year. I figured with all the worry the pandemic has engendered, no one wanted to read. Meanwhile, I was reading: Iain Pears’ art history mystery books, Aaron Elkins’ art mystery series, Murder, She Wrote, and some romantic suspense authors, Jayne Anne Krentz and Heather Graham.
Then a fan wrote asking me when my next title would be released. He and his wife had devoured the first three books I’ve written. Would there be any more? And I realized that we writers help enormously by taking people’s minds off the stressful times that beset them. Now, during the pandemic, good books are more relevant than ever before.
So, I’m releasing not one, but two books in the Celine Skye series: the bestselling new release, Master of Illusion and the prequel, Visions of Murder.
     (Ally NOTE:  Readers can get both books for $2.99 until July 27, 2020. The details are here: https://ntustin.com/giveaway/)
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

NY:  I’m starting work on the next title in the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries. I haven’t thought of a title yet. It’ll come to me, though. And then it’s back to the Joseph Haydn Series for The Mozart Connection where Leopold Mozart is accused of murder and Haydn is roped in to find the truth.
 
Ally:  Which of the quick questions did you choose to answer?
 
NT: memorable book you’ve read: Iain Pear’s Raphael Affair is simply fantastic!ebook or print?  Definitely print! I love having my books on hand wherever I go, and staring at a screen for most of the day while I’m writing means I’m less likely to want to do it when I’m reading.most watched tv show:  We’ve binge-watched Bosch and we’ve just started on the Mentalist.a movie you’ll always remember:  The Man Who Invented Christmas—it’s about Dickens’ writing process. If you’re a writer, the movie will truly resonate with you. If you’re not, you’ll get a very accurate glimpse into the writing process.a supernatural ability you’d love to have:  Eyes in the back of my head so my children don’t get into mischief. The boys especially have a tendency to get into things they’re not supposed to—cupcakes, muffins, chocolate milk! Ally: It’s been a fun interview, Nupur. Let’s do it again. Before we close today, please show us your featured book,  ​

​Master of Illusion (Celine Skye series)
Genre: amateur sleuth psychic mystery     

When death arrives in Paso Robles, so do clues to an infamous art heist in Boston. . .
For seven years, psychic Celine Skye has led a life free of visions in quiet Paso Robles. But now the visions are back. Along with a dubious customer from Boston.

Celine has always been able to sense death. But not even she can foresee her employer Dirck’s murder. Finding his corpse in the wine bar he owns is bad enough.

Grappling with the suspicion that Dirck’s death could be connected with the Gardner Museum heist is even worse.
 
As Celine struggles to make sense of the psychic clues she receives, there’s just one question in her mind: What exactly did Dirck know about the Gardner Museum heist to get himself killed?

Buy Links:
Kindle: https://ntustin.com/Master-Kindle
Apple: https://ntustin.com/Master-Apple
Nook: https://ntustin.com/Master-Nook
Kobo https://ntustin.com/Master-Kobo





 Prequel to the Celine Skye series
​
​Get both books for $2.99 until July 27, 2020. Check here: https://ntustin.com/giveaway/)

Author Interview with Cozy Mystery Writer Jackie Layton

​Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
And welcome to this week’s guest author, Jackie Layton with her featured cozy mystery and new release, Dog-Gone Dead (A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery).
 
Good morning, Jackie! How do you take your coffee?
 
JL: I add flavored creamer to my coffee. My favorite is Snickers creamer and my next favorite is Natural Bliss Sweet Creamer.
 
Ally:  We’re all for favorites here, so one coffee with Snickers creamer coming right up. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
I’m married and have two grown sons who both married wonderful women. I have three grandkids and one is on the way. Most of my life I’ve been a full-time pharmacist. When we moved to South Carolina for my husband’s job, I dropped down to part-time. I’ve loved the opportunity to spend more time writing.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “As a child I read Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys mysteries, and Scooby Doo comic books. Three of my best friends and I also read The Three Investigators, which followed three boys in California as they solved mysteries. We decided to form The Four Investigators and even created business cards to advertise our detective business. In case you’re wondering how old we were, the answer is fourth grade.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/
http://jackiesbackporch.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Joyfuljel
https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel
https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=jackie+layton+author+page&ref=nb_sb_noss
https://www.pinterest.com/jackielaytonauthor/boards/
https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C&q=jackie+layton+&search_type=books&search%5Bfield%5D=author INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Do you know the book’s ending before you start writing? How specific is it? Does it ever change?
 
JL: This is a fun question. I usually think I know the ending when I start. As I write the story, my characters reveal themselves. More than once I discover it makes more sense for somebody else to have committed the murder.
 
Ally:  What is your favorite social media? Why?
 
JL:  I adore Pinterest. It’s so fun and inspires my creativity. I also have secret boards on Pinterest, and I use these boards to help me keep my facts straight. If I forget the color or make of a vehicle, I look it up on my secret board. It also helps me to remember longer after seeing it.
 
Ally:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?
 
JL:  I prefer to read and write series. It’s fun to watch the main character grow and to get to know secondary characters better.
 
Ally:  Do you write on a desktop, laptop or on paper? Why? Does it make a difference whether it’s a first or last draft?
 
JL:  I always write on my laptop. I draw sketches of the town and the sleuth’s home, and I make a diagram of the victim and suspects. Otherwise, everything else is done on my laptop.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
JL:  The third book in A Low Country Dog Walking mystery series is Bag of Bones and should come out this fall.
 
Ally: Which of the quick questions did you choose to answer?
 
JL:an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch—Hank Phillippi Ryan. She is so encouraging and writes great stories.a movie you’ll always remember—I can’t explain it, but While You Were Sleeping is one of my favorite movies.favorite accessory—Bracelets.pie or cake? What kind? Pie always and Derby Pie is my favorite. (I’m a Kentucky girl at heart.)best place you’ve ever visited—I dreamed of visiting France since fifth grade, and we went in 2019. It didn’t disappoint me one bit. Best trip ever. Ally: I put a link to explain Derby Pie because I wasn’t familiar with it. It sounds like something my son would love! Anyway, it’s been great having you, Jackie. Good luck with your books and come back again. Before you leave us today, please show us your featured book, Dog-Gone Dead.
​Dog-Gone Dead ( A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery #2)
Genre: cozy mystery
​Rating: PG
 
Who’d have thought mulch could cause such a stink?

Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott is happy to score some free mulch from one of her brother’s landscaping jobs—until she discovers the dead body buried beneath the bark.
​
Worse, her brother’s landscaping tools were used to commit the murder. Once the police arrest her brother and seem happy to have “caught their man,” Andi Grace has no choice but to track down the real killer. She’ll risk everything to prove her brother’s innocence. Even if it means turning over every rock in town.
If you love small-town coastal life, dogs, and strong heroines, you’ll love Dog-Gone Dead.
 
​​Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2AGWF4N 
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/ybo4pr8t 
Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/ycf7765c 
Google: https://tinyurl.com/y8u6sf45 
Apple: https://tinyurl.com/ycyjno6b  ​
Bite the Dust (Book #1 in the Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series)

Secrets can be deadly.
​
One steamy South Carolina morning, Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott discovers a client’s dead body. Police quickly decide she’s the prime suspect. Horrified, she knows she’ll have to turn detective if she’s going to convince them they’re barking up the wrong tree.
​
Proving her innocence could be a tall order. The local police never solved the hit-and-run that killed her parents; Andi Grace isn’t sure they’ll solve this crime either…not when they have a convenient suspect—one caught with the possible murder weapon in her hand. She’ll have to follow every clue and call in every favor, even if that puts her in danger.

Irish Fantasy Author Darren Shan Visits the Coffee Chat

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s hot in the US Midwest! It’s iced coffee for me today. Grab your favorite fortifier and join me in welcoming fantasy author Darren Shan with his featured Archibald Lox  YA series.
Thanks for chatting with us, Darren. What can I get you to drink?
 
DS:  Brace yourself – I can’t stand coffee! The smell alone nauseates me, never mind the taste. I love the idea of coffee, all the different types and choices, and am jealous of those who can indulge in the whole coffee culture, but my taste buds have drawn a line in the coffee bean sands, and alas it’s one I cannot bring myself to cross.
 
Almost uniquely for someone from Ireland, I don’t really drink tea either. I can stand the taste of tea, and have the very occasional cup, but it just doesn’t excite me. For me, the cacao bean is king. Hot chocolate is my luxurious beverage of choice. I have a cup most nights, and these days I make it using a “velvetiser” which was developed by Hotel Chocolat, a British chocolatier company, which basically does the same thing with hot chocolate that a Nespresso machine does with coffee. I pour in a very specific measurement of milk (ideally unpasteurized, as that’s so much richer), add a sachet of 70% dark chocolate, leave it for a couple of minutes or so of quiet, internalized whisking, and it’s hot chocolate heaven!
 
Ally: I’m really sorry you miss all the wonders of coffee, but my magic pot can prepare everything. Hot chocolate it is. Perhaps with a chaser of ice water this morning! :) While I fix our drinks, please tell readers more about yourself. Bio:
I was born in London but have spent most of his life in Ireland, where I live with my (coffee-loving) wife, (tea-loving) son, and (yet to be determined, as she’s only one year old) daughter. I have published more than 50 books for both children and adults, and have sold over 25 million books worldwide, making bestseller charts in the USA (New York Times Top 10 on numerous occasions - Times bestselling author of Cirque Du Freak and Lord Loss.), the UK, Ireland, Hungary, Dubai, Japan, Taiwan and elsewhere.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Despite the fact that I’ve lived in Ireland for more than forty years, I have a very strong Cockney accent, from my early years in London in the UK, where I lived until I was six years old.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
website: https://www.darrenshan.com/
twitter: https://twitter.com/darrenshan
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darrenshanverified/ INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What inspired you to write your featured series?
 
DS:  I was walking across a bridge in London when I saw a young woman walking towards me, and grimacing strangely. She piqued my interest and I started wondering why she was pulling those faces. I decided she was doing it to order a gateway to another dimension, and obviously, being a bit of a nosey parker, I decided to follow her through in my imagination to see what was on the other side…
 
Ally:   When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? What influenced that decision?
 
DS:  I wanted to be a writer since I was five or six years old. I’ve just always loved using my imagination and making up stories. It would get me into trouble in school sometimes (like the day I told everyone that I’d been to the dentist and had been told that all of my teeth needed to be extracted), but my friends thought it was cool, and I liked being able to make them laugh or cringe.
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
DS:  They do! I name lots of my characters after people that I know, but normally don’t base the characters on those people. I do however sometimes weave in character traits of friends and family members. For instance, I have a cousin who can stick his tongue up inside his nose, and I worked that into the character of the snake boy in my Cirque Du Freak books.
 
Ally:  If you met JK Rowling, what would you talk about?
 
DS:  I did meet JK Rowling. Surreally, we talked about my books — she read Cirque Du Freak years ago and is a fan! But on that same night (it was after an event in New York that she did with Stephen King and John Irving) I was in the same room as Stephen King, who’s been my favourite author for more than thirty years, but I couldn’t bring myself to go up and say hello to him — I was just too shy! (Ally note: Still...what a terrific evening!)
 
Ally:   Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Good reviews are wonderful, but are you affected by the bad ones?
 
DS:  I try to read every review of my books that I come across. The good ones make me smile, the bad ones make me scowl, but ultimately they never have too much of an impact on me. I read them out of curiosity, because I like to know how my stories have been received. I’ve published more than fifty books, and I’m often surprised by how they go down with readers — there are some, which wouldn’t make it onto my top 10 (or even 20) list of my work, which are firm fan favourites, and similarly there are some which I absolutely love which don’t make too many ripples. I never write with my audience in mind, but I do find it interesting to know the mind of my audience.
 
Ally:   Do you write on a desktop, laptop or on paper? Why? Does it make a difference whether it’s a first or last draft?
 
DS:  I write on a desktop. I bought a typewriter when I was fifteen years old and never went back to writing by hand — my handwriting is terrible, and I often struggled to read what I’ve written! I love the ease of editing on a computer. I’ll go through a book at least seven or eight times before I release it, and that’s so much easier on my PC.
 
Ally:   If your house was burning (your family and pets are already out safe), what one thing would you try to save? Why?
 
DS:  I have a bookmark – a small, rectangular piece of cardboard – which I’ve used in almost every physical book that I’ve read since the late 1980s. We’ve been through so many different worlds together over the decades, that I’d hate to leave it behind to burn up. So I’d go back for that.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
DS:  I’m currently editing Volume 2 of the Archibald Lox series, which I’m hoping to release in the first half of 2021.
  
Ally:  Which of the short answer questions did you choose?

​DS:a. book you're currently reading:  Martin Chuzzlewitt by Charles Dickens. I love Dickens, but this isn’t one of his most enjoyable in my opinion. It’s taking me aaaaaages to get through!!!b. most watched tv show:  Cheers.c. a movie you’ll always remember:  Salem’s Lot. I saw it when I was 9 or 10 years old and it scarred me for life – but in a good way!d. most beloved comic book character:  Judge Dredd.e. best place you’ve ever visited:  Petra, in Jordan.f.  favorite holiday song:  On holiday in Venice years ago, I kept making up songs to the tune of In The Ghetto, but changed the refrain to Vaparetto… (that’s their public water bus) Ally: It has been a real pleasure, Darren. I hope you'll  visit again. Before you go, please show us more of the Archibald Lox series.
Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds (Archibald Lox, Volume 1, Book 1)
Genre: YA fantasy
Rating: PG
​
There is a universe beyond our own, known as the Merge.

A young locksmith called Archibald Lox is about to cross worlds and explore it.

As he learns about these lands of wonders, he will have to face cold-blooded killers, rivers of blood, hell jackals and more...

Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086LKBHD6
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=oUjbDwAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ie/en/ebook/archibald-lox-and-the-bridge-between-worlds
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/archibald-lox-and-the-bridge-between-worlds-darren-shan/1136765169
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1505335470 Additional books in the series: ​Archibald Lox and the Empress of Suanpan (Book 2)

​Archie thought he was finished with the Merge, but he was wrong.

Teaming up again with Inez, they must pit their wits against the infamous Empress of Suanpan.

In a city of gamblers, Archie must stake everything he owns, even his freedom... Archibald Lox and the Vote of Alignment (Book 3)

The end of Inez's mission is in sight, but the most difficult part is still to come.

Archie is determined to help save an entire realm from falling under the rule of the vicious SubMerged.

But old foes stand in his way, and the greatest challenge of his life awaits...​
All Darren Shan books via Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Shan/e/B001IGODB2
​

Morning Coffee with Historical Mystery Author Laury Silvers

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!

Our guest today is historical mystery author Laury Silvers with her featured books, The Lover and The Jealous.
How do you take your coffee, Laury?

​LS:  I found these wonderful beans that I’m hooked on now. I never used to be a person who grinds beans. Then I tasted this coffee and that’s it. Now I’m grinding beans. But I’m no purist. I want to wake up to coffee made for me. So I grind them before I go to sleep, and set it to the timer in a regular drip machine. I have a favourite red mug that holds about two and a half cups of coffee. I drink it very milky, like a latte. So I warm up some milk and have two big red cups every morning. 

Ally:  Since my magic pot can meet any request, please tell readers something about yourself while I pour. Bio: Laury Silvers is a retired professor of Islamic Studies and gender-justice activist in her Muslim community. She is currently writing the third in The Sufi Mysteries series [https://www.llsilvers.com], historically accurate mysteries with “a small ‘m’” set in the time and place of her research and plotting a new Noir series set in an alternative medieval Muslim timeline. Her academic writing can be found on her website and her activist work on Feminism and Religion blog [https://feminismandreligion.com/author/laurysilvers/]. 
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio:  “I trained for independent professional wrestling when I was forty years old. I trained for one year and had one public show. That was it. The camaraderie of the wrestlers was something I had never experienced. They were kind, crazy, wise, strong, vulnerable, and loyal. Professional wrestling requires an environment of trust. I had that there. I still feel very tender about that time and the people I worked with then, especially my trainer, J.P. Black.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website:  https://www.llsilvers.com
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Laury-Silvers/e/B003ZFP3MW/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Twitter: @waraqamusa
Instagram: @laurylsilvers INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What inspired you to write your featured book?
 
LS:  There was so much left to say from my days as a professor of Islamic Studies and my gender-justice activism in the North American Muslim community. I was done doing academic writing. I was done writing blogs. I was done doing on the ground activism. I wanted to say, finally, what I really thought about mystics, women, sexism, love, anger, despair, joy, and the way human beings move through these realities in an imaginative way. I didn’t want to argue anymore. I wanted to create a world in which these realities were embodied in the lives of my characters.
So much can be done by inhabiting the imagination of readers. For instance, many early female saints were erased from later literature, their stories taken over by men. A woman quoted in an early text will be missing in a later text, her wisdom saying put into the mouth of a man. I wanted to recenter these women’s lives in readers’ imaginations. So all of the dialogue of my heroine’s mother is adapted from those early sayings. I wanted to explore what their lives were like. I wanted to think through what it would be like to be the child of a woman utterly consumed by God.
 
My dedication to The Lover sums it up: “In memory of the women, some named, but mostly unnamed, some remembered, but mostly forgotten, who lived their love of God, despite everything."
 
Ally:   How did you get your first book or story published?
 
LS:  I knew one publisher from my days as an academic. His imprint covers Islamic Studies, but also a fiction line that included historical mysteries. I emailed it to him, he sent it to a reader, the reader passed, and I thought....I’m getting old, I’m just going to stick this thing up on Amazon. I also knew a few people who were self-publishing who were having positive experiences. So I figured out the basics and threw it up there. It was a good decision. The more I hear about how minor authors are treated by publishers, the more I realize it is better to have done it myself.

Ally: What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
LS:  For me, it has to be how Muslim readers say they feel seen in the work and that I am writing in a voice they recognize. As a Muslim writing stories about Muslim lives in the past, I realized I had to write directly to my community and about our concerns.
 
I knew my voice would limit my readership. One group of mystery readers and writers, whom I visited to discuss how I might market my first book to a broader audience, told me in a number of different ways, “No one wants to read about Muslims.” Knowing what I would have to do to my story to make it palatable to those readers who have no interest in Muslims’ humanity, I became committed to not write for them.
 
Of course, there is a glossary of terms, and I explain historical events in the narrative. The Lover is being used as a textbook now in Islamic Studies courses because I explain these historical moments and illustrate the time and place so well. The book is perfectly accessible to a non-Muslim audience, but it remains unaccessible to those who prefer stories about us as terrorists on their FBI TV shows.

Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Current favorites?
 
LS:  In the mystery genre, I grew up reading police procedurals, especially forensic-based mysteries, horror, science-fiction, and my fair share of literary classics. Now, I mainly read historical mysteries or historical fiction, from literary works like Pamuk’s My Name is Red to compelling genre novels like Joyce Lionaron’s historically accurate Matthew Cordwainer series set in medieval York. Lately when I’ve gone to contemporary police procedurals, I’ve been relying on Ausma Zehanat Khan’s Getty-Khattak series, an author who has inherited the mantle of P.D. James.

Ally:   Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?
 
LS:  Series or standalone, I just want the world and the people to feel real. I love a good plot as much as the next person, but if the plot drives the people rather than the people driving the plot, I can’t do it. The treat with a series is that you can spend more time with well-developed characters to whom you have become attached. As an author writing a series, I feel that so much. I want to be with these people and watch them fight, love, grow, and discover themselves and each other.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

LS:  I am presently writing two books, the third in The Sufi Mystery series, The Unseen, and the first in the Derya Mack series, The Hissing of Rats, set in alternative medieval Muslim location and timeline. I hope to have both out by next Spring or early Summer. If all goes well--and that’s unlikely!--I’d like the first in the Derya Mack series to be out by Christmas.
 
Ally:  Which short-answer questions did you choose to answer? Book you're currently reading: Black Muslim Reads, a collection of poetry, short stories, and short memoirs by Black American Muslims edited by author Layla Abdullah-Poulos (aka Lyndell Williams). There is a delightful cozy mystery in it with an amateur sleuth that I know will be a fan favourite. I’m waiting for the author, Nakia Jackson, to publish the first in what will hopefully be an endless series starring the charmingly judgmental Halima solving mysteries in her small Philadelphia neighbourhood. A movie you’ll always remember: “The Secret of Roan Inish” by John Sayles, and not just because I’m part-Irish, but for the way folklore is told as perfectly real. I want to live in a world in which such things are felt that deeply.Favorite quote:   From the Qur’an: “Which of your Sustainer’s mercies would you deny?”Pie or cake?  I do not discriminate. I’ll eat anything labeled dessert.If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do?  Wow, that’s a good question. I’ve only ever wanted to write in some capacity. My father was a well-known comedian back in the day, Phil Silvers. I’ve got a real appreciation for comedy. I’d say be a happily-amateur stand-up comedian.   Ally: Thanks for spending the morning with us, Laury. Before you go, please show us your featured books.   ​The Lover (A Sufi Mystery 1)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery
Rating: PG

Baghdad, 295 Hijri (907 CE) Zaytuna just wants to be left alone to her ascetic practices and nurse her dark view of the world. But when an impoverished servant girl she barely knows comes and begs her to bring some justice to the death of a local boy, she is forced to face the suffering of the most vulnerable in Baghdad and the emotional and mystical legacy of her mother, a famed ecstatic whose love for God eclipsed everything. The Lover is a historically sensitive mystery that introduces us to the world of medieval Baghdad and the lives of the great Sufi mystics, washerwomen, Hadith scholars, tavern owners, slaves, corpsewashers, police, and children indentured to serve in the homes of the wealthy. It asks what it means to have family when you have nearly no one left, what it takes to love and be loved by those who have stuck by you, and how one can come to love God and everything He’s done to you. The Jealous (A Sufi Mystery 2)
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery
Rating: PG

Baghdad, 295 Hijri (907 CE) When a distinguished scholar dies at the Barmakid hospital in Baghdad, nearly everyone points the finger at his slave Mu’mina, as the one who called a demon to kill him. Tein, a former frontier fighter turned investigator with the Grave Crimes Section, has no time for religion, let alone jinn, and sets out to prove her innocent. But Ammar, Tein’s superior and old wartime friend, has already pushed her case before the Police Chief’s court where she’s sure to be executed or condemned to rot in the prisons built into the damp walls of Baghdad’s Round City.

With the help of his twin sister, Zaytuna, his childhood friend, Mustafa, and Zaytuna’s friend, the untamable Saliha, Tein plunges into a dangerous investigation that takes them into the world of talisman-makers and seers, houses of prostitution and gambling, and the fractious secular and religious court systems, all in an effort to turn back the tragic circumstances set in motion by Ammar’s destructive fear of a girl horribly wronged. Buy Links:  https://www.amazon.com/Laury-Silvers/e/B003ZFP3MW

Cozy Mystery Writer Lesley A. Diehl Values "A Good Chuckle"

​
Good Morning, Booklovers! Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
This week’s guest is Lesley A. Diehl, an author of cozy mysteries, the perfect genre to help us de-stressed in today's world environment.
Thanks for visiting on this hot summer day, Lesley. How do you take your coffee?
​ 
LD:  I drink only decaf and only two cups each day, one in the morning and one at night.
 
Ally:  In that case, maybe you’ll join me in a tall, cold glass of lemonade. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Cows, Lesley learned as a child growing up on a farm, have a twisted sense of humor. They chased her when she went to the field to herd them in for milking, and one ate the lovely red mitten her grandmother knitted for her. Determining that agriculture wasn’t her career path, she took a job as a stripper, book cover stripper for a publishing company, that is.
 
Now after many years as a college professor and university administrator, she has returned to the world of books and uses her country roots and her training to concoct stories designed to make people laugh in the face of murder. “A good chuckle,” says Lesley,” keeps us emotionally well-oiled long into our old age.” She is the author of several cozy mystery series and short stories.
 
Something unusual/unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “Years ago, my next-door neighbor taught me to crochet. I wasn’t very good at it, but I did well enough that I made my mother a shawl for Christmas. I worked on it in watching TV with my neighbor. After I finished it, she begged me to never again crochet anything because she said watching me was like watching someone in severe pain. I guess I contorted my face and mouth and groaned a lot.”
 
Author Contacts:
@lesleydiehl
www.lesleyadiehl.com
www.lesleyadiehl.com/blog
www.facebook.com/lesley.diehl.1
www.amazon.com/author/lesleydiehl
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/3414925.Lesley_A_Diehl
https://www.facebook.com/Lesley-A-Diehl-522270901254754

INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:   Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
LD:  I always write about family issues, particularly about keeping secrets and what that can do to relationships
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
LD:  People I know do not show up in my books per se except as characteristics or traits I lift from real people and impose on the characters I create. So, for example, if there is a person from my past that I do not like, I think about what trait is it I find offensive. I can incorporate that trait into the character of the villain or someone at odds with my protagonist. It’s my sneaky way of putting real people who have annoyed me into print without their knowing.
 
Ally:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?
 
LD:  I write both short stories and novels, so most of my short stories are standalones, but all my novels except for one are series works. Much as I enjoy writing short stories, I rarely read them, and I think that’s odd. I prefer reading series work, so if I find an author and a protagonist I like, I look forward to reading the series.
 
Ally:  Describe what you would consider the perfect get-away weekend.
 
LD:  In the past I’ve enjoyed spending the weekends hiking with my husband, but since I am not physically able to do that as much, I find weekends at the beach where I can read a good book and enjoy the sound of the water is restorative for me. My husband also enjoys the ocean. A perfect day for us is taking a picnic lunch to the shore, doing a little walking and reading for an afternoon.
 
Ally:  What is your current writing project?
 
LD:  I’ve been working on this WIP for some time. I have a set of characters I’ve used in several short stories and in one novella. These characters are loosely based upon family members. I have a quirky family, so it’s been fun to embellish the characters to create a novel length story filled with mayhem, murder and a lot of laughs. I think it should be ready for publication this early fall.
  
Ally: Which of the “shortie” questions did you answer?
 
LD:a.  Ebooks or print:  I read ebooks.b. Most watched tv show:  Most any British mystery on Acorn or Brit Box. (Ally note: I binge-watch them too!)c. Favorite comfort food:  mashed potatoesd. Your pets - type and names Domestic short hair, grey striped cat named Marley who after 14 years of being a pain has now turned into a truly lovable cat. Wonderful, but why did it take so long?e.  A supernatural ability you’d love to have:  Invisibility so I could easily eavesdrop on conversations Ally: Nice to chat with you, Lesley. Stay cool and healthy. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Nearly Departed. ​

​
Nearly Departed (An Eve Appel Mystery)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Tired of sitting surveillance on insurance fraud, apprentice PI Eve Apple Egret gets her first big case, one where the outcome is important and personal.

Eve’s best friend Madeleine has few relatives, so her Uncle Shamus is special, but someone is determined to kill him and has tried several times. Eve is certain she can identify who is after him, but this time she may have taken on more than even our self-confident Eve can handle.

Coping with a growing toddler and a teenager, devoting time to the consignment shop and finding someone who can go undercover in a sexual harassment case all vie for Eve’s attention. Eve knows she cannot fail Madeleine. This is more than her favorite uncle’s life. His death would mean devastating loss for Madeleine and call into question Eve’s commitment as a friend and her ability as a PI.




​

Buy links for Nearly Departed:
 
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Nearly-Departed-Appel-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B083G9GDJY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1591724760&sr=8-7
B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nearly-departed-lesley-diehl/1132249676?ean=9781603818230

Author Linda O'Connor: "Laugh Every Day, Love Every Minute"

Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s time for this week’s Coffee Chat! Please join me in welcoming guest author, Linda O’Connor, a writer of romantic comedies. Who can’t use a little light-hearted reading these days?
Nice to have  you on the blog, Linda. How do you take your coffee?

LO: It’s a steamy day here, so I’d love an iced cappuccino if it’s not too much trouble.

​Ally: No trouble at all. While I fix our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself. Bio:
 
Award-winning author Linda O’Connor started writing romantic comedies when she needed a creative outlet other than subtly rearranging the displays at a local home décor store. Her books have enjoyed bestseller status. When not writing, she’s a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic. She shares her medical knowledge in fast-paced, well-written, sexy romances – with an unexpected twist. Her favourite prescription to write? Laugh every day. Love every minute.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “In 2018, I bought a house, and it turns out it’s almost the exact same house as the one I created for Sam O’Brien, my hero from Perfectly Honest (Perfectly Series Book 1), which was published in 2015. Isn’t that crazy?”
 
Author contacts:
 
Website:  https://www.lindaoconnor.net
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LindaOConnorAuthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LindaOConnor98
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Linda-OConnor/e/B00S7CNLEA
Newsletter Sign up : https://www.lindaoconnor.net/contact/ INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?
 
LO: I read a lot. Right now, since I’m in the thick of writing a new romantic comedy, I tend to read cozy mysteries and murder mysteries. They’re relatively short, so I probably read close to five or six books a week. I love the humor in David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series. I enjoy the white collar crimes, exotic setting, and scrumptious food descriptions in Peter Mayle’s stories. Recently my mom passed away and going through her stuff I found a whole collection of Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout. Some of them were written in the early 1960s – so well done. How can you not love Archie Goodwin?
 
Ally: What blog would you recommend to other writers? And one you’d recommend to readers?
 
LO:  For writers, I would recommend Fiction University written by Janice Hardy (http://blog.janicehardy.com/).
She has practical, useful, and concise information for writers and invites a wide range of interesting authors to her blog.
 
My favourite two blogs for readers are this one (!) and Joanne Guidoccio’s blog.
I love Coffee Chat – especially when authors write about one thing that is not in their regular bio. (Ally note: Me too, Linda. Thanks for the plug!) The questions that authors choose to answer differ, so it makes for a fun read.
Joanne Guidoccio (https://joanneguidoccio.com/) has several different themes to her blog. My favourites are the Second Acts series when she invites authors to share their writing journey (which is usually circuitous) and the posts on Wednesdays when she shares inspirational or motivational posts. They’re short, often funny, and well…inspirational. haha
 
Ally:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?
 
LO:  I prefer series books – both as a reader and a writer (probably pretty evident since I’ve written 3 series :D). If I like an author’s writing style, I want to read more of their books, but I also want each book in the series to be a stand-alone story. Sometimes you can’t always read them in order or find every book. When I admire the characters I want to learn more about their life and follow them through the next story. I get attached to my characters, and if I write a series, I can have the characters pop in again – I don’t have to leave them behind completely.
 
Ally: Do you write on a desktop, laptop or on paper? Why? Does it make a difference whether it’s a first or last draft?
 
LO:  I always write on a laptop – first and edited drafts. I type quickly but not very accurately so my spelling autocorrect is very active. It’s fast and easy to save the document, too. If I decide to move things around, I can do so without a lot of fuss.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
LO:  Right now I’m writing the fourth book in the Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor series. Don’t Drop the Baby is book 1, Don’t Forget the Dog is book 2, Don’t Unravel the Past is book 3 and will be released on August 4, 2020. The book I’m writing is a Christmas story – I don’t have a title for it yet. Hopefully something catchy will come to me before I finish. :D
 
Ally: Which quick answer questions did you choose from the list?

LO:an item on your bucket list – I’d love to see the Aurora borealis.ebook or print? Print. Nothing beats the feel of a printed book.If you were a color, what would it be? Fuchsia – bright and happyfavorite holiday song - CeeLo Green’s What Christmas Means to Me or Taylor Swift’s Christmas Tree Farma supernatural ability you’d love to have: Teleportation – wouldn’t that be a cool way to travel? Ally: Thanks for visiting with us, Linda. Stay safe and healthy. Before you go, please show us your featured book... Don’t Forget the Dog (Dr. Brogan Corkie Matchmaking Doctor, Book 2)
Genre: Medical romantic comedy
Rating: PG-13 (sweet romance)
 
Dr. Brogan Corkie is happily semi-retired from medicine and now has time for other hobbies. Her passion for food is second only to her skill at matchmaking!
 
Blaine McKinnon, owner and executive chef of an upscale restaurant in Mapleton, has an adorable Old English sheepdog named Tacos. Brogan is roped into dog-sitting Tacos at Blaine’s house. The upside is the spectacular kitchen at her disposal.
 
Dr. Sabrina Langfield, a newly minted doctor, is in a bind when her mom, Rue, falls and fractures her wrist. Brogan offers to help and does double-duty looking after Tacos and Rue.
 
Blaine and Sabrina were high school sweethearts but parted ways when Blaine pushed Sabrina to pursue a career. Sabrina hasn’t seen him since, but Rue is a huge fan and frequents his restaurant. Rue’s biggest regret is her part in Sabrina and Blaine’s break-up, and with Brogan’s help, she’s determined to get them back together. It might not be that easy – Sabrina is wary of Tacos and, more pressing, she’s decided to move a four-hour flight away to do five more years of training in emergency medicine.
 
Will meddlesome matchmaking, Blaine’s persuasiveness, and – don’t forget the dog – Tacos’ sweet nature be enough to convince Sabrina to stay?
 
Trailer Link: https://youtu.be/SD3cHbTnFtc
 
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Brogan-Corkie-Matchmaking-Doctor-ebook/dp/B086RQHH9B/ Thanks for stopping. Hope to see you next week!

Romantic Mystery Author Emma Ames Writes "Sweet Thangs"

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Grab your favorite drink, pull up a chair, and join me in welcoming this week’s guest, mystery author Emma Ames.
Nice to meet you, Emma. Would you like coffee or something else?
 
Emma: I’m not a coffee drinker. With breakfast, I drink milk or water. I know, that’s boring, but I’ve never developed a taste for coffee. But come to think of it, that’s probably saved me a ton of money because I’d want to visit Starbucks too much!
 
Ally: I can’t imagine a day without coffee, but I always have bottled water. While I grab our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers. Emma’s bio:
 
Emma Ames is an alter-ego of Amazon Bestselling author, Ann Everett, who is an alter-ego of a real person. All three live in Texas. Find out more about Emma and her books at:  https://www.anneverett.com/emma-ames-books/
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “I don’t remember my first kiss.”
 
Other Author Contacts:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnnEverett/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/loacl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkintwang INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
Emma: Absolutely! In this series, my family members are portrayed as many of the characters. Sheriff Dan McAlister is based on my younger brother. Although, he’s never been sheriff, he’s been a cop, detective, private investigator, and tracked down dead-beat fathers for the Texas Attorney General. Tizzy’s dad, Saint, is based on my dad. Pattiecake and Sugarpie are based on me and my sister, but in the books, I made us younger with bigger boobs!
 
 Ally:  Do you know the book’s ending before you start writing? How specific is it? Does it ever change?
 
Emma: No. Sometimes, I don’t even know who the villain is until half-way through the book. And, many times, the first ending I write isn’t the one I use. Depending on the feedback I get from members on the writing website I belong to, I’ll make adjustments. They let me know quickly if something doesn’t work!
  
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Current favorites?
 
Emma: I read A LOT. On my Kindle when I’m traveling. A print book in the tub each night as I soak, and seven or eight unpublished books on https://www.thenextbigwriter.com. I prefer to read in my genre, which is romance, romantic mystery, or romantic comedy, but I read just about every genre. Currently, I’m reading Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen—in the tub. On my Kindle, I’m reading In Too Deep, by Tracey Alvarez. My favorite novels are anything written by Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Jennifer Crusie.
  
Ally:  If your house was burning (your family and pets are already out safe), what one thing would you try to save? Why?
 
Emma: My flash drives. They have just about everything I’ve ever written on them!
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
Emma: I’m currently in the last round of edit for the third book in the Sweet Thangs Mystery Series, Pretty Bows and Turned Up Toes. I’m hoping to have it released by early June.
 
Ally:  Which of the short answer question did you pick?
 
Emma:What type of music do you prefer?  All kinds. My playlist has everything from Waylon Jennings to Sara Bareilles to One Republic to Citizen Cope to Todd Snider.Favorite quote:  Gee, I have so many. One of my faves is: Men fall in love with what they see and women fall in love with what they hear. That’s why men lie and women wear makeup.Last time you rode a train (not subway): 1988. I took my daughter and two of her friends to San Antonio. We departed from Longview, Texas and the trip took 13 hours! We could have flown from Dallas and landed within forty-five minutes, but I thought the experience would be worth it. It was, but I never wanted to do it again.Pie or cake? What kind?  Pie! It would be Pecan…or as we say in Texas…Pa-con.Favorite holiday song: I’ll be Home for Christmas. It makes me cry. Every. Single. Time. Ally: Thanks for visiting with us, Emma. There is just one last thing to do…show us your featured book, Secrets, Lies, and Homemade Pies! Secrets, Lies, and Homemade Pies, A Sweet Thangs Mystery
Genre: Mystery, romance, humor and a bit of paranormal
Rating: Mature, not for young teems due to sexual innuendo (no steamy/graphic scenes)
 
Not only does Tizzy Donovan think her cup is always half-empty, she’s pretty sure someone has spit in it. When she discovers a murder victim in the cemetery and lead after lead points to her as the culprit, her looming damnation comes in the form of handsome Texas Ranger, Ridge Cooper.
 With pressure mounting, Tizzy uses her ability to communicate with the dead to help clear her name, but will their clues be enough to prove her innocence and solve the case?
 
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VZNH5GS
Audio Book:  https://adbl.co/2Pt6zMK
Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/NwL1SSFEMJY 

Author Cheryl St John Offers Second Chances and Redemption

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
I’m on my second cup of coffee and ready for book talk with today’s guest author. Please settle in and join me in welcoming Cheryl St. John with her featured romance, Dancing in the Dark.
So nice to meet you, Cheryl. How do you take your coffee?
 
CSJ: Hi, Ally. Thank you for having me. I gave up caffeine over twenty years ago, so I drink my coffee decaffeinated with a pinch of Truvia, never milk or cream. If I’m feeling needy, I add a spoonful of hot chocolate mix. I also love hot or cold tea.
 
Ally:  Since this is a special occasion, I’ll add that little bit of chocolate. While I prepare our drinks, please introduce yourself.

Bio:
 
Cheryl St. John is the author of more than fifty historical and contemporary romances. Her stories have earned numerous awards and are published in over a dozen languages. In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real-life situations.” Her bestselling non-fiction books, Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict and Write Smart, Write Happy by Writers Digest Books are available in print and digital.
 
Ally:  Something unique/personal that isn't in your regular bio: “I'm a bargain hunter with the heart of a hoarder trying to live as a minimalist. The struggle is real.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Email: SaintJohn@aol.com
Amazon author page:  https://tinyurl.com/y6js92y8
Website: http://www.cherylstjohn.net/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cheryl-st-john
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylStJ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_CherylStJohn_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherylstjohn/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24516.Cheryl_St_John
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: http://eepurl.com/bqCji9
Aspen Gold Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/n9n7p3 INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Why did you write today’s featured book?
 
CSJ:  I wrote western historicals under contact for Harlequin Historical and Love Inspired Historical (with a few contemporaries mingled in) for twenty-five years, and I was depleted. When my contracts were fulfilled, I took a year and a half away from writing to care for a newborn grandchild and fill the creative well. The break did wonders for me, and I promised myself that from then on out I would only write books I loved. Dancing in the Dark was the first book I had loved writing in a long time. I have four more brothers to write about. Of course, the Ed Sheeran song prompted the title. 
 
Ally:  When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? What influenced that decision?
 
CSJ:  As a child, I wrote stories and drew covers for little books I stapled together. Books were my companions, and I had a desire to make others feel the way I felt when I lost myself in a story.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
CSJ:  Nothing is as rewarding as when a reader tells me one of my stories got them through a difficult time in their life. I wrote a story, Saint or Sinner, about a girl who is coerced and abused by her father. In the days when mail came to the post office box, I drove over once a week. I’d be so excited to read my mail that I had a letter opener in the console. I vividly remember sitting in my car with tears running down my face. A reader told me her step-father had beaten her, and she had permanent nerve damage in her arm, as well as other physical and emotional injuries. She said my story gave her hope that someone would love her as much as Joshua loved Addie. Nothing has ever affected me as deeply as those words. If I give hope to one person, I am fulfilled as a writer.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?
 
CSJ:  I’m a die-hard Louis L’Amour fan, so I adore westerns and Americana. I tend to go through genres, however. Medieval one season, true crime the next, then biographies or a contemporary series. Marriage of convenience is my favorite trope, and I also like a character pretending to be someone they’re not.
 
Ally:  What is your favorite social media? Why?
 
CSJ:  I prefer Facebook because of the ability to select who and what shows up on my timeline. I love to interact with readers and friends, but I don’t tolerate rudeness, crudeness or people on their political soapboxes, so I unfollow or unfriend those posters in a heartbeat. I love the ability to get thirty opinions on a character name or a plot point within an hour or so. I am in too many groups, but I enjoy Instant Pot recipes, furniture painting projects, seeing farmhouse decorating and marveling over what people have recently crocheted.
 
Ally:  Do you write on a desktop, laptop or on paper? Why? Does it make a difference whether it’s a first or last draft?
 
CSJ:  Sitting at my desk is like flipping a switch that turns on the words. I have a huge backlit keyboard, and my last one actually lasted five years—that’s a record. I do my plotting and character creating on paper, keep all of my research, character grids, notes in a three-ring binder that lies open beside me throughout writing the book. I’m a chronological writer, and I’m also a self-editor, so my first draft is pretty much my last draft. When I sit down to write, I read back over what I wrote the day before and tweak it. About half way through the book, I finally divide it into chapters (I don’t know why I do it that way, but it works for me) and read through the book, editing, then move forward to the end. When I’m finished, I do a read-through and it’s final. My excellent proof-reader friend finds my errors, and I’m good to go.
​
​Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
CSJ:  Tanner, a sweet western, part of the Bachelors & Babies series, will be a July 1 release.
Whisper My Name, my next book in the Aspen Gold Series, will be a September release. The story features another of the Cavanaugh brothers introduced in Dancing in the Dark.
 
​
Ally:  Which of the short answer questions did you choose?
 
CSJ: Most watched tv show - Don’t throw rocks. The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead are my favorite television series. People tend to assume it’s a “zombie” show. Yes for sure, there are a lot of walking dead, but the series is not about them—they are external conflict. The entwined stories are about ordinary people surviving in the worst possible circumstances. It’s all about relationships, about life or death decisions, moral decisions—it’s about internal conflict and personal conflicts.Favorite accessory (jewelry, scarves, shoes, etc.) - I love vintage jewelry and own way too much. I never take off the ring my husband gave me when we were dating, my great-grandmother’s wedding ring or my dad’s wedding ring.Pie or cake? What kind? - I love cake. I love to bake cake. Chocolate cake is my favorite. I wrote and published All About the Bundt®, a collection of Bundt® cake recipes. I have a two-foot high stack of Nordicware Bundt® pans.If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do? - I would clean my house a lot more often. I’d actually crochet and complete all the unfinished or planned craft projects.Favorite holiday song - O Holy Night. My grandmother used to sing it as a solo in church.A little-known fact about you - I’m the worship leader at a non-denominational full-gospel church.  Ally: Thanks for visiting the blog, Cheryl! Before you return to your busy writing life, please show us your featured book.
Dancing in the Dark
Genre: sweet, contemporary romance
Rating:  PG
 
He’d had his own baby. Without her.

Dusty Cavanaugh has loved Kendra Price since she walked into the school cafeteria and captured a dozen boyish hearts with the sweep of her stormy gray-green gaze and the lift of her chin. College, marriage, and children had been the plan. But then Dusty made a mistake.

Kendra Price had never wanted to be rich, but she’d wanted to be comfortable, which she was. She’d never wanted to be famous, but to live her passion to the fullest and dance, which she did. She’d wanted to marry Dusty, have babies and live happily ever after. It would never happen.

She'd wanted to dance, get married and have babies...all she had left was dance.
He had everything a man could want--except her forgiveness...

There had been no road map for life apart. Will love be enough to guide them back?
 
Buy Links (and KU):
 
Dancing in the Dark: https://books2read.com/u/4XZxe9
Amazon: https://books2read.com/dancinginthedark-aspengold
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dancing-in-the-dark-cheryl-st-john/1133927035;jsessionid=17286EB2BD8E3E390E0966D2D2A470FB.prodny_store02-atgap01? Stay Safe and Healthy

Author Ruth A Casie Writes About Adventure and Romance

Happy Wednesday, Book Lovers!
 
It’s time for this week's Coffee Chat interview with another guest author. Join me in welcoming Ruth A. Casie, bringing us her featured romantic suspense novel, Heart of the Matter.
Good Morning, Ruth. How do you take your coffee?
 
RC:  I drink it light and almost sweet, sometimes with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
 
Ally: That sounds good! While I fix those drinks, tell readers something about yourself. Bio:
 
RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic historical swashbuckling action-adventures and contemporary romance with enough action to keep you turning pages. Her stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. She lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at an international bank where she was a product/ marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing romance. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures.
 
She has three series.  The Druid Knight stories are a historical time travel series. The Stelton Legacy is historical fantasy about the seven sons of a seventh son. Havenport Romances are stories set in a small coast Rhode Island town. She also write stories in the connected world the Pirates of Britannia.
 
Something unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “I did a rap to ‘How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow If a Tow Truck Could Tow Trucks.’”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website: https://ruthacasie.com/
Ruth’s Newsletter Signup:  http://ruthacasie.com/contact.html#newsletter
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/ruthacasie/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RuthACasie
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ruth-a-casie
Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/ruthacasie
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4792909.Ruth_A_Casie
Personal Blog:  http://www.ruthacasie.blogspot.com
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:   What led you to write your featured book?
 
RC:  Timeless Scribes is a group of five authors. We have created our own small town Havenport, Rhode Island that appears strikingly similar to Newport. Every year we each write a story that has a common theme that takes place in Havenport. This year the theme was lost love letters.
She had a small beautiful bible covered in mother-of-pearl inlayed with semi-precious stones. After she passed away I was surprised to find a love letter written to her in the bible that wasn’t my father’s handwriting. That was a romance story I couldn’t resist.
 
Ally:  Do you regularly write with a theme or message in mind?
 
RC:  I never thought I had a theme or message in mind. It wasn’t until my third book that I realized my theme was trust and equality. My heroes and heroines can only succeed if they work together.
 
Ally:   What is the most meaningful thing a fan has said about your book?
 
RC:  The second book in my historical fantasy, KNIGHT OF RAPTURE is a favorite story. I’ve learned not to read reviews. (Read the answer to the next question to find out why). When I noticed a top 50 Amazon reviewer, a man had written a 5 star review of the story I gave in and read it. “I stayed up late last night finishing this book (could not put it down).” Now THAT was a review!
 
Ally:  Do you read reviews of your books? Do you respond to them? Good reviews are wonderful, but are you affected by the bad ones?
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RC:  I was so excited when my first book was published by Carina Press and picked up by Harlequin for their Direct To Consumer (think book of the month club) service. It was a historical fantasy time travel story, KNIGHT OF RUNES. I saw a review on Amazon and dove right into it. I sat back horrified when I read it. It wasn’t an attack on the story line and actually that I would have understood. Not everyone likes every story. No. This was a personal attack. Who did I think I was writing such dribble? Ouch! Thank goodness for some dear friends who talked my off the edge. Ten years later I got my revenge. I wrote a Havenport Christmas story HAPPILY EVER AFTER about an author who falls off the USA Today and Times bestseller lists. I used much of that original review as the opening of the story. Take that you dastardly reviewer!!
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
RC:  I was invited to write historical pirate stories for Kathryn LeVeque and Eliza Knight’s Pirates of the Britannia Connected World series. I enjoyed writing two stories for the series and proposed three additional stories – The Sons of Sagamore. HUGH is currently on pre-order with release June 2.
 
Family secrets filled with intrigue, treachery, and a 30-year-old murder must be resolved or he'll lose her forever. With his world in shambles, Hugh’s loyalty to his family will be tested when he must decide if blood is thicker than water.
 
Ally: Show us which of the short answer questions you chose.
 
RC: memorable book you’ve read – Knight in Shining Armorebook or print? Print – I’m always afraid my Kindle will die at the wrong time!color of nail polish you have on – I wish I had nail polish on. When I do it’s blush pink glitter gel shellac.pie or cake? What kind? Apple pie, warm with vanilla ice cream. And I put a spot of ice creambest place you’ve ever visited. I traveled a lot when I worked for the bank and had the international market in the days before webinars and Zoom. But two years ago, my husband and I spent two weeks traveling in Scotland. I had researched a location for on of my books and finally got to see it. It was the best trip ever! Ally:  It’s been a pleasure to chat with you, Ruth. Before you get back to your  writing schedule, please show us your featured book.
Heart of the Matter (A Havenport Romance)
Genre: contemporary romantic suspense
Rating: 1.5
 
Digging into the past can be murder.
​
Addison Moore, a well-known psychiatrist is having difficulty coming to terms with the death of her grandmother Cookie. The woman was everything to her after her parents died in the plane crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. Little did Addy know that an old picture, tucked away in the family bible of Cookie with a handsome stranger would lead her to a discovery for which she is little prepared.

Ethan Taylor is an art historian. He’s lived with his Great Uncle Ben for a long time and would do anything for him. He never anticipated that Ben’s dying wish would introduce him to Ben’s biggest sacrifice.

Neither Addy nor Ethan are prepared for the lengths at which their families went through to keep Cookie and Ben apart. As they try to put the pieces together they uncover a decade’s old unsolved murder implicating Cookie and Ben. Will Addy and Ethan’s blossoming love be able to stand the strain of finding the truth? Will they be able to overcome their own matters of the heart?
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​Buy Link: Kindle Unlimited https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083VZCF8J