Ally Shields's Blog, page 21

Book Spotlight: Staging Wars (A Laura Bishop Mystery) by Grace Topping

STAGING WARS
Genre: Mystery
​Release date: April 28, 2020 
 
Laura Bishop’s new home staging business is growing in popularity, though not with her nemesis. Laura has long suspected established interior designer Monica Heller of sabotaging her fledgling company—and having an affair with her late husband.
 
When the ultra-chic Monica is caught at the scene of a murder, Laura is plenty happy to imagine her languishing in a prison cell with bedsheets far from her normal 600-thread Egyptian cotton. But her delight is short-lived.
 
When Laura’s friends land on the police radar, Laura must overcome her dislike of Monica to help solve the crime. Not an easy task since Laura and Monica have been at war since second grade.

​Purchase/Pre-order Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Staging-Wars-Laura-Bishop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B084BT29GG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=grace+Topping&qid=1581972229&sr=8-2
 
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staging-wars-grace-topping/1136278009?ean=9781635115918 Short Excerpt:
 
“There’s a body in Hendricks Funeral Home!”

I looked up to see my friend, Nita Martino, racing toward me. Her face was flushed and her voice raspy and breathless. Minutes before she had been handing out pamphlets about our business, Staging for You, and laughing as she talked to people gathering in the town square for the Louiston Small Business Fair. Now her smile was gone and her eyes looked wild and confused.
​
Grasping the table for support, she gulped for air and sputtered, “In the home—a body.”

“Well, it is a funeral home.” I tried not to laugh, knowing how Nita avoided them ever since two of her brothers had locked her in a viewing room during a family funeral.

Our position in front of the old Victorian building wouldn’t have been my first choice to place our table at the fair, but it had the advantage of shade from large trees fronting the funeral home and a restroom inside, where Nita had slipped away to visit.

“This one has a knife in it’s back.” About the Author:

Grace Topping is a recovering technical writer and IT project manager, accustomed to writing lean, boring documents. Let loose to write fiction, she is now creating murder mysteries and killing off characters who remind her of some of the people she dealt with during her career. Fictional revenge is sweet.
She’s using her experience helping friends stage their homes for sale as inspiration for her Laura Bishop mystery series. The series is about a woman starting a new career midlife as a home stager. The first book in the series, Staging is Murder, is a 2019 Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. Grace is the former vice president of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and a member of the SINC Guppies and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her husband in Northern Virginia.

Contact Links:

Webpage: www.gracetopping.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceToppingAuthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44098504-staging-is-murder?from_search=true&qid=XqTdmlj8JK&rank=1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gtoppingauthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/staging-wars-by-grace-topping Thanks for stopping by the blog.
​Take care of yourself and others...

Travel Vicariously with Mystery Author A.R. Kennedy

​Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Kick back, relax with your favorite beverage, and forget all the worries for a few minutes while we share book talk with guest author A.R. Kennedy and check out her cozy mystery, SLEUTH ON SAFARI.
 
Thanks for joining us today, Alicia. How do you take your coffee?
 
AR:  Coffee regular (milk and sugar)
 
Ally:  While I fill our coffee mugs, please tell readers a little bit about yourself. Bio:
​
A R Kennedy lives in Long Beach, New York, with her two pups. She works hard to put food on the floor for them. As her favorite T-shirt says, ‘I work so my dog can have a better life'. She’s an avid traveler. But don’t worry. While she’s away, her parents dote on their grand-puppies even more than she does. Her writing is a combination of her love of travel, animals, and the journey we all take to find ourselves.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I’m a huge baseball fan and have been to all 30 current MLB stadiums (plus 12 that are no longer around).”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website:  http://arkennedyauthor.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/A-R-Kennedy/e/B00GOKCWHE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARKennedyauthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ark_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7382548.A_R_Kennedy
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-r-kennedy INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Why did you decide to write your featured book, SLEUTH ON SAFARI?
 
AR:  I was inspired while vacationing in South Africa. An idea hit me and then Naomi and her fellow travelers were born. I realized I’m fortunate to travel internationally and some readers may enjoy the journey. I weave real life details (food, lodgings, transportation) into the fictional world of Naomi, her travel companions, and The Traveler Cozy Mystery series.
 
Ally: How did you choose the title?
 
AR:  I don’t remember! It just works--Sleuth on Safari. For future books, I plan for the title to include the place Naomi is traveling in. Book 2 is titled — R.I.P. in Reykjavik. Book 3 is yet to be titled. Contact me if you have any suggestions!
 
Ally:  I assume researching for your current books is pure pleasure.
 
AR:  Of course, I love the research for this series! It involves traveling internationally! Last year, I traveled to Rapa Nui (Google it for its more common name) where a future book will be set.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
           
AR:  “I couldn’t put it down!”  
That’s the best type of book—one that takes you away from everything else. It’s just you and the book.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project?
 
AR:  I’m working on book 3 of the Traveler Cozy Mystery series, anticipated release date end of 2020. It’s set in Australia and Naomi is traveling with another family member.
 
Ally: Which of the short answers questions did you select from my list?
 
AR:   I think a psychiatrist would have a field day on my choices…   a favorite book: The Gunslinger, Stephen King   an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Stephen King   an item on your bucket list:  Travel to Antartica   favorite tv show:  Doctor Who  high heels or sneakers:  Converse sneakers​f. favorite book boyfriend:  Roland Deschain (The Gunslinger) and Sirius Black (Harry Potter)                        
Ally: It was a pleasure to chat with you, Alicia. Stay safe, and good luck with this series. Please show us more about your pending release, SLEUTH ON SAFARI.



SLEUTH ON SAFARI
Genre: Cozy mystery
Release Date: March 24, 2020
 
Naomi and her estranged sister are off on a trip of a lifetime—an African safari, a bucket list trip for Naomi on which she got a last-minute deal. Naomi thinks traveling with her sister will be the worst part of her African safari until she finds one of their fellow travelers, the unlikable Dr. Higgins, dead. She gets more adventure than she bargained for when she starts investigating what she thinks is murder but the luxury lodge says was a tragic accident. She only has a few vacation days, and a few game drives, to find the killer. 
 
Buy (and pre-order) Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082XKK3TD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
All ebook stores: https://books2read.com/u/bPRZlr To all our readers: Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

Kelly Brakenhoff, a Cozy Mystery Writer with a Subtle Theme

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Reading is always a wonderful way to transport into another world or another reality. What better way to get out minds off the frequently alarming news feeds than to meet another fiction author? I’d like to introduce you to this week's guest, Kelly Brakenhoff, and her featured cozy mystery, DEAD WEEK.

Nice to have you here, Kelly. What may I get you to drink? ​KB:  I love the smell of coffee but cannot stand the taste of it no matter how much sugar and cream you add. My morning beverage of choice is Irish Breakfast Tea. Which actually does taste different than English Breakfast Tea. It’s kind of dark and bitter, so I add sweetener and a splash of cream. So good! https://amzn.to/2TrG4Jk
​
​Ally: Since my magic pot can brew anything, please introduce yourself to readers while I pour my coffee and your Irish tea. Bio:
 
Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Her first novel, DEATH BY DISSERTATION, kicked off the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series, followed by DEAD WEEK. She also wrote NEVER MIND, first in a children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. She serves on the Board of Editors for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf publication, VIEWs. The mother of four young adults and two dogs, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home.
Something that isn't in your regular bio: “I finished my first 5K run about 9 years ago. I got started because my 11-year-old son challenged me to race him around the city block where we live, and I couldn’t even jog halfway without stopping to walk. Since then, I’ve run in 8 half-marathons and countless 5K & 10K events. My personal best was finishing a half marathon in 2 hours, 1 second when I was 50 years old! That one second made me cry because I tried to make it under two hours.”
 
Author Contacts:
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kellybrakenhoffauthor
Goodreads:​ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49204376-dead-week
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/dead-week-a-cassandra-sato-mystery-book-2-by-kelly-brakenhoff​
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inBrakenVille
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Do you write your novels with a theme or message in mind?
 
KB:  The best part about reading is learning about history, new places, or other cultures. In my day job as an American Sign Language Interpreter, I often see the world through the lens of the deaf and hard of hearing people I’m with every day. Most people who can hear have rare contact with people who are deaf. All of my books include deaf or hard of hearing characters who do and say things that many deaf people would like the rest of us to know. So without being preachy, my books give readers some knowledge and experience of Deaf Culture and American Sign Language.
 
Ally:  If you met JK Rowling (or any favorite author), what would you talk about?
 
KB:  Two of my favorite authors are JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling. If I met either of them, I’d be most curious about how they kept everything straight within the fantasy worlds they created. I know both of them kept meticulous notes, but they must have struggled with continuity and details before they developed an organizational system. So far, I’m using a spreadsheet from my first two Cassandra Sato books to make sure I don’t give someone the wrong eye color in book three. Wouldn’t it be intimidating to talk to someone so famous and talented? If they could give me insights to making memorable characters that stand the test of time, I’d listen to them for hours.
 
Ally:  What is your favorite social media? Why?
 
KB:  For everyday social sharing, I love Instagram because I enjoy photography. There’s rarely politics or drama there, just baby updates, food photos, and cute pets. Also, I live vicariously through other people’s vacation photos. Follow me! https://www.instagram.com/kellybrak
 
Pinterest is my other favorite because that’s where I save recipes, inspirational quotes, clothes I like, or home improvements I’m dreaming about. It’s like an online filing cabinet of stuff I want to remember. Follow me! https://www.pinterest.com/kellybrak/boards/
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
KB:  I’m knee deep in drafting the next Cassandra Sato Mystery called DEAD OF WINTER BREAK which will be released in summer of 2020. I also write a children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. The first one was released in December 2020 and is called NEVER MIND. The next one, FARTS MAKE NOISE, is in the hands of the illustrator and will also be released this summer.
 
Ally:  Which of the short answer questions did you choose?
 
KB: 
a. an author you'd love to take to lunch - Hank Phillipi Ryan
b. a movie you’ll always remember - It’s a Wonderful Life
c. favorite quote - “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’” - Erma Bombeck 
d. the best thing a book fan has ever said to you - “I don’t usually read fiction, but I really liked your book.” 
e. Your pets - Two dogs, Duke is a German Wirehaired Pointer and Sadie is a 15 year old Cockapoo
 
Ally:  It was a delight to have you, Kelly. I admire your efforts to introduce readers to the deaf culture. Before you go, please  tell us about your featured book, DEAD WEEK.

DEAD WEEK
Genre: Cozy Mystery
 
Will Dead Week kill Cassandra's career?

VP of Student Affairs Cassandra Sato has a desk full of problems and it's not even Thanksgiving break.
Cassandra's new boss talks to her dead husband. Cassandra's mentor thinks he's a superhero in a senior citizen's body. And Cassandra, recently moved from Hawai'i, can't crack the code of what to wear during November in Nebraska. 
Cassandra faces end of semester pranks, stray dogs, winter storms, and viral news stories in her fight for justice for a group of student activists. But that's nothing compared to the wrath of a Helicopter Mom!
​
If you like academic cozy mysteries with funny BFFs, hilarious student shenanigans, and small-town drama, you'll like this series.
 
Buy Link: Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZHN2SMS

Curl Up With A Kaye George Cozy Mystery

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Can you believe it’s March already? 2020 is flying past! Despite the rush, mystery author Kaye George has stopped for a chat and to give us a preview of her next release, REVENGE IS SWEET (available March 10)!
Good morning, Kaye. What may I get you to drink?
 
KG:  Tea! I drink tons of tea. I don’t like sugar or lemon, but I like my green tea flavored with jasmine or Earl Grey or something. Hot, iced, all day long.
 
Ally: Well, you’re easy to please. While I pour our respective hot drinks, please tell readers something of your background. BIO:
Kaye George is a national-bestselling, multiple-award-winning author of pre-history, traditional, and cozy mysteries (latest is Revenge Is Sweet from Lyrical Press). Her short stories have appeared online, in anthologies, magazines, her own collection, her own anthology, DAY OF THE DARK. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Smoking Guns chapter (Knoxville), Guppies chapter, Authors Guild of TN, Knoxville Writers Group, and Austin Mystery Writers. She lives and works in Knoxville, TN.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I’ve been a violinist since I was 10 and love to play in quartets and with community orchestras. I’ve arranged a lot of music for quartet and have composed a tiny amount.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
My web page: http://kayegeorge.com/
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kaye.george
My Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaye-George/114058705318095
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kaye-george
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KGeorgeMystery/
My Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004CFRJ76
My blog: http://travelswithkaye.blogspot.com/
Group blog: http://www.killercharacters.com/
Group blog: https://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Let us start with what type of books your write.
 
KG:  My genres for novels are cozy and traditional. For short stories, mystery, horror, and just weird stuff sometimes. I’m currently working on a 3-book cozy series for Lyrical Press called Vintage Sweets. The first book will come out on March 10th, “Revenge Is Sweet.” It’s set in Fredericksburg TX and features a female candy-maker sleuth who acquires a Maine coon cat named Nigel in the first book. He sticks around, of course, for the next two adventures.
 
Ally:   Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
KG:  I’m not sure, but I think I do. Looking back over my published work (my 11th novel comes out this month), I can finally discern what I write about, beside murder and detection. I believe it’s families. Family, or sometimes lack of family, is important for all my main characters and drives their behavior and forms their value system and their beliefs. Family is very important to me, too, of course. I remember thinking, when I was in my early twenties, that I never wanted to get married. It would tie me down and it would be all dishes and laundry. I met a guy that I really enjoyed kissing and he talked me into a lot of stuff, including marriage and kids. Our three kids and seven grandkids are the crowning achievements of my life. No career could have given me anything close, even though I’ve loved nearly every field I’ve worked in. You know what? It WAS all dishes and laundry, but a few other things, too. I had 50 very good years with that guy and miss him every day since he passed away 2 years ago.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you can pass on to other writers?
 
KG:  Persist. As it was said to me, “Don’t give up five minutes before you succeed. I treat each rejection as a step closer toward an acceptance. The rejections hurt, of course, probably always will, but you have to deal with them. I allow myself a 24-hour pity party, then get back to work.
 
Ally: Describe what you would consider the perfect get-away weekend.
 
KG:  A cabin in the mountains near a stream or a small waterfall. Something to make watery sounds to put me to sleep. There should be hiking trails nearby, in the woods, but the hills should not be terrible steep.
 
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?
 
KG:  I start everything on the computer. I print out my stories and even my novels, at the end, to edit them on paper. I type fast, so I like to get my ideas down through a keyboard. But I think I can see the big picture better if I have pages spread out on the dining table.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
KG:  The next two in the Vintage Sweets series—thanks for asking! DEADLY SWEET TOOTH will come out in September 2020, and INTO THE SWEET HEREAFTER will be published next March (2021).
 
Ally:  Which of the short answer questions, did you choose?
 
KG: a. ebook or print? I wish I could adjust to ebook, but I prefer print so much better. I load my reader for trips so my suitcase won’t be so heavy, but that’s the only time I use it now.b. favorite comfort food:  Chocolate.c. What type of music do you prefer? Classical, 60s rock, bluegrass mostly.d. favorite quote:  “You can only do what you can do.” I have to remind myself of this a lot.e. pie or cake? Cake, all kinds, but I do make a mean apple pie.Ally:  It is always a pleasure to have you visit, Kaye. Before you rush away, please preview your upcoming release, REVENGE IS SWEET.
​REVENGE IS SWEET (Vintage Sweets Mysteries Book 1)
Genre: cozy mystery
Release date: March 10 (Pre-Order now)
Rating: PG
 
In the picturesque tourist town of Fredericksburg, Texas, Tally Holt has opened a new candy store with a vintage twist . . .but there’s no sugar-coating a nasty case of murder . . .
 
Tally Holt has poured her heart, soul, and bank account into Tally’s Olde Tyme Sweets, specializing in her grandmother’s delicious recipes. Tally’s homemade Mallomars, Twinkies, fudges, and taffy are a hit with visiting tourists—and with Yolanda Bella, the flamboyant owner of Bella’s Baskets next door. But both shops encounter a sour surprise when local handyman Gene Faust is found dead in Tally’s kitchen, stabbed with Yolanda’s scissors.
 
The mayor’s adopted son, Gene was a handsome Casanova with a bad habit of borrowing money from the women he wooed. It’s a sticky situation for Yolanda, who was one of his marks. There are plenty of other likely culprits among Fredericksburg’s female population, and even among Gene’s family. But unless Tally can figure out who finally had their fill of Gene’s sweet-talking ways, Yolanda—and both their fledgling businesses—may be destined for a bitter end . . .
 
 
 Buy Link (Pre-Order prior to March 10, 2020 release):
​
https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Sweet-Vintage-Sweets-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07TS1KJ4T

Take a Spin in the Time Travel Machine of Author Elizabeth Crowens

​Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
This week we’re sharing book talk with author Elizabeth Crowens and taking a look at her Scifi/Fantasy time-travel novel, A Pocketful of Lodestones.
Good morning, Elizabeth! How do you take your coffee?
 
EC:  Light with ¾ teaspoon of honey or one packet of raw sugar.
 
Ally: That's easy enough. While I get our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.
Bio:
 
Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in Hollywood for over 20 years, is a black belt in martial arts, a Sherlock Holmes fan and is a contributor to Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Black Belt Magazine and of author interviews for Black Gate, an award-winning speculative fiction online magazine. She also has short stories in the Hell’s Heart anthology and the Bram Stoker Award nominated anthology, A New York State of Fright.
 
She has two award-winning alternate history novels, Silent Meridian and A Pocketful of Lodestones from the Time Traveler Professor series and also writes in the Hollywood mystery genre and tends to inject her work with black humor. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the Horror Writers Association, the Authors Guild and is an invested member of the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes. www.elizabethcrowens.com
 
Something unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “I won a car in a raffle when I was thirteen years old, but my father refused to let me have it when I turned sixteen and old enough to drive. I wrote about the incident in the mystery novel I’m currently working on, but I let the situation happen to my protagonist, instead.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website:  https://www.elizabethcrowens.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ECrowens
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.crowens INTERVIEW :
 
Ally: Given your own interest in fantasy, if you met JK Rowling, what would you talk about?
 
EC:  We’d talk about Edinburgh where she’s lived for years and still lives now. Edinburgh is such a magical city. There’s little doubt how it could’ve been inspirational. We also have something in common in the fact that we were both single mom’s struggling to make a go at a writing career. Somehow, she managed to write and survive and I didn’t, which was most likely because I worked in the film industry with long, insane hours. This was also before the time where laptops were available to bring on set. I’d like to hear directly from her as to how she did it.
 
Ally: You’re thrown through a black hole into an unknown world, what book hero would you want with you? Why?
 
EC:  Sherlock Holmes. If you compared us to characters on Star Trek, I’d be more like Bones, smart but very emotional, and he’d be more like Spock. I’d need someone more logical, more analytical and with a good track record of keeping a cool head under stress. Spock would be a good second choice, but he’s a TV hero, not a book hero.
 
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?
 
EC:  I’ve tried, but I hate writing on my laptop. I still have an outdated 17” MacBook Pro with special software installed for specific professional reasons, but it was too heavy to travel with so I got a 12” MacAir. It’s great for research and notes at conferences when I travel, but I can’t see the document large enough for any kind of editing. In fact, I have a heck of a time simply editing an email on such a small screen. I’m hooked on my 27” desktop model where I can see two full-sized documents side by side. Unfortunately, I have carpal tunnel in my writing hand, so it’s difficult for me to write on paper. Even if I’m taking notes in a seminar, it’s much easier for me to do it on my laptop or record it, if allowable.
 
Ally: If your house was burning (your family and pets are already out safe), what one thing would you try to save? Why?
 
EC:  My time machine, and by that I mean the backup drive attached to my iMac 27” desktop computer. It’s ironic that I write about time travel, and I’d save my time machine. It’s 4TB and contains all of my writing files and graphics files worth saving.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
EC:  I write in two genres: alternate history and Hollywood mystery. Currently, I’m finishing up my third novel in the mystery series, and I’ve been querying to get a new agent, because I don’t want to settle for a small press with no presence or distribution. Also, I picture that series easily adapted for Netflix or Amazon, so unfortunately I don’t have a release date on that yet. Regarding the alternate history/Time Traveler Professor series, Book Three has been a work-in-progress with a lot already written, and historical fiction always takes a bit longer because of the massive, required research. Its title will be The Time Traveler Professor, Book Three: A War in Too Many Worlds, and the cover is already done. It would be optimistic to say it will be out by late fall 2020. More likely, it will be released in 2021. What I can reveal is it will start in 1917, (there’s a movie by that title up for Oscars right now) when our protagonist, John Patrick Scott working for British intelligence, is sent to work undercover as a spy in Berlin.
 
Ally: Which of the short answer questions did you pick?
 
EC:
a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Can I pick two? Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells who are both featured in my Time Traveler Professor series. I’d love to pick both their brains, either separately or together, and I’ve read a lot of their biographies as research for my novels.
b. ebook or print?  I collect antiquarian books for research. For those, I prefer them in print, and often they are only available in print. For new works, I prefer them on Kindle. I can adjust the type, slip a Kindle inside a small purse, and I read three times as fast on Kindle. Sometimes, I’ve had to purchase a print book and still buy the Kindle, because the type was too small to read. I hate when that happens. Also, I live in Manhattan and am running out of space to store physical books.
c. best place you’ve ever visited:  It has to be Scotland. If I had the money, I’d get a flat and live there a few months out of the year. It’s also one of the many reasons why I had my hero come from Scotland, although I have to admit I started writing the first book before I had ever traveled there. However, I couldn’t finish it until I did.
d. the supernatural character that got you hooked on the genre:  I guess you could consider a Jedi knight as having supernatural abilities. In that case it would be Obi-wan Kenobi. I consider Star Wars both science fiction and fantasy, because of The Force, which is actually based on chi or ki in martial arts. After the first Star Wars was released in 1977, that was the push I needed to start training in martial arts. Eventually, I got my black belt in Japan. If you asked me which movies were the most influential of steering me in the direction of Hollywood, it would be Star Wars and A Clockwork Orange, which also includes almost all of Stanley Kubrick’s other films, as well.
e.  a supernatural ability you’d love to have:  Being a shape-shifter. I just think it’s super cool and would be a much better choice than making oneself invisible.
 
Ally:  It’s been a pleasure talking with you, Elizabeth. Before you go, please tell us about A Pocketful of Lodestones.
​

A Pocketful of Lodestones (The Time Traveler Professor, Book Two)
Genre: SF/F: alternate history/fictional memoir/time travel
 
In 1914, the war to end all wars turns the worlds of John Patrick Scott, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Rebecca West and Harry Houdini upside down. Doyle goes back to ancient China in his hunt for that “red book” to help him write his Sherlock Holmes stories. Scott is hell-bent on finding out why his platoon sergeant has it out for him, and they both discover that during the time of Shakespeare every day is a witch-hunt in London. Is the ability to travel through time the ultimate escape from the horrific present, or do ghosts from the past come back to haunt those who dare to spin the Wheel of Karma?
The Time Traveler Professor, Book Two: A Pocketful of Lodestones, sequel to Silent Meridian, combines the surrealism of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five with the supernatural allure of Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell set during WWI on the Western Front. • First Prize winner of the Chanticleer Review’s Paranormal Fiction Awards.
 


Buy Links:
 
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RQ7DFL6
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1950384055
 
Signed paperbacks (same price):
USA:
https://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/products/elizabeth-crowens-the-time-traveller-professor-a-pocketful-of-lodestones-to-be-signed?_pos=1&_sid=b7eaacf5b&_ss=r
 
London: The Atlantis Bookshop http://theatlantisbookshop.com/ Thanks for Stopping!

Author Gayle Carline Talks About Writing And The End Of A Series

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
This week’s guest author is Gayle Carline, featuring her mystery book, MURDER BYTES.
 
I’m delighted to meet you, Gayle. How do you take your coffee?
 
GC:  I like it black, although sometimes I will splurge for a latte. Medium Roast. I’m partial to a whisper of vanilla or hazelnut.
 
Ally: Perfect. While I pour, please tell readers a little about yourself.
Bio:
 
GAYLE CARLINE is the award-winning author of the Peri Minneopa Mystery series, as well as a weekly columnist for the Placentia News-Times. When she’s not writing, she teaches workshops at conferences about writing and publishing. Gayle lives in southern California with her husband and four-legged menagerie.
 
Something not in your regular bio: “I own three horses, one of which I show competitively in AQHA events. The other two are at a horsey retirement home, being lawn ornaments.”
 
Author contact links:

http://gaylecarline.com
http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/AuthorGayleCarline
http://twitter.com/GayleCarline
INTERVIEW:

Ally:  Why did you write your featured book?
 
GC:  I wrote MURDER BYTES with a couple of goals in mind. One is that it’s the “next” installment in my Peri Minneopa Mystery series, and I had decided that the character’s arc was coming to a completion. So “next” became “last.” Also, a lovely woman had won a silent auction with my books and the promise to have her name in the next one. She wanted her husband’s name, instead (thank God his name is not John Smith). I HAD to write the book!
 
Ally:  Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
GC:  I’m always writing to theme. My books are very character-driven, and they are working on something personal while the bullets fly around them, so to speak. In my first mystery, FREEZER BURN, it was about the ambiguous feelings women might have about pregnancy. In my second, HIT OR MISSUS, Peri is 50 and doesn’t know where she fits in, in the fashion-and-body-consciousness world. Seems like a trite theme, and yet it can define a woman whether she likes it or not.
 
Ally:  Do you know the book’s ending before you start writing? How specific is it? Does it ever change?
 
GC:  True confession: I rarely know who the killer is until I get to the end of the book. After 5 mysteries and 1 romantic suspense, I’ve accepted the fact that I begin the book thinking the murderer is X, and know it will be someone else by the end. When I write, I usually have a general structure written down, but in between I’m a pantser.
 
Ally:  You’re thrown through a black hole into an unknown world, what book hero would you want with you? Why?
 
GC:  It would be someone smart enough to talk their way out of trouble, but strong enough to do battle if it came to that, probably Edmond Dantes (the Count of Monte Cristo), Jean Valjean, or John Carter (Edgar Rice Burroughs’ hero of Mars). Or Chyna Shepperd from Dean Koontz’s INTENSITY. She’s badass.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
GC:  I’m actually in process of editing a fantasy I wrote, called BLOOD DRAGON RISING. Girl pirates and dragons and all. It will be at least a two-parter, if not a trilogy. I’d like to have it out next year, but we shall see, won’t we?
 
Ally: Which of the short answer questions did you choose?
 
GC: 
a. memorable book you’ve read:  A Prayer for Owen Meany
g. a movie you’ll always remember:  The Big Sleep
m. If you were a color, what would it be?  Purple. Mostly I’m cool blue, but occasionally my red temper flares.
o. favorite quote:  “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the miles.”
t. Your pets:  Duffy is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Lady Spazzleton is a Golden Retriever, Dhani (All Hats Off) is a Quarter Horse, as are Frostie (One Zip in Time) and Snoopy (My Flashy Investment). Snoopy wrote his memoir, FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH. It’s pretty good.

Ally: It was a pleasure to have you, Gayle. I hope you'll come back and tell us about your fantasy when it's released. But today, I'd love to hear more about MURDER BYTES, the finale of your Peri  Minneopa series.
MURDER BYTES (Peri Minneopa Mystery #5)
Genre: Mystery
Rating: PG-13
 
“Peri has had enough. She’s closing her business, marrying her detective boyfriend, and settling down to a life of ease–until her brother shows up, accused of a murder he swears he didn’t commit.

​Now she’s back in the thick of things, investigating the death of an engineer who may have been stealing techno-secrets from other companies. Her relationship with her brother is an icy one, at best, and she struggles with her ambivalence, as well as her desire to leave investigative work behind. Digging around in people’s lives is reasonably easy, but when the bullets start flying, will Peri be able to keep her promise?”
 
Buy links:
​
Amazon:
eBook: ​​https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bytes-Peri-Minneopa-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B083S4G7VT
PB:  https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bytes-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery/dp/194365414X
HB:  https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Bytes-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery/dp/1943654158
​
Barnes & Noble: 
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-bytes-gayle-carline/1136159841?ean=9781943654147 See you all next week!

Meet Cozy Mystery Author Dianne Ascroft

Happy Valentine’s Week!
 
Are you ready for book talk and to meet another author? This week’s guest is Dianne Ascroft with her featured cozy mystery book, Out of Options.
Good morning, Dianne. What may I get you to drink?
 
DA: I’m a tea drinker (milk, no sugar) but when I drink coffee, it’s a caramel latte.
 
Ally: Let’s go with what you prefer. While I pour your tea and my coffee, please tell readers about yourself. Bio:
 
Dianne Ascroft is a Canadian who has settled in rural Northern Ireland. She and her husband live on a small farm with an assortment of strong-willed animals. She is currently writing the Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series. Out of Options is the prequel to the series. Her previous fiction works include The Yankee Years series of novels and short reads, set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War; An Unbidden Visitor (a tale inspired by Fermanagh’s famous Coonian ghost); Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves: A Collection of Short Stories (contemporary tales), and an historical novel, Hitler and Mars Bars, which explores Operation Shamrock, a little known Irish Red Cross humanitarian endeavour.
 
Something not in your regular bio: “For many years I played the Scottish bagpipes in pipe bands wherever I was living (Canada, Scotland and Northern Ireland), and I still love Scottish and Irish folk music.”
 
Author contact links:
 
Website: https://www.dianneascroft.com
​Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DianneAscroftwriter
Twitter: @DianneAscroft
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/y1k5c3 INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  When a reader opens a Dianne Ascroft book, what can they expect?
 
DA:  I write cozy mystery set in a small town in Canada, and historical fiction set in Northern Ireland during World War II. My books are all PG.
 
Ally:  Why did you write your featured book?
 
DA:  In A Timeless Celebration, the first novel in my series, Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries, I made references to the main character Lois Stone’s life in Toronto before she moved to Fenwater, and to the events that occurred which made her decide to move to a small town. I had this backstory very firmly in my mind when I wrote the first book in the series so I decided to write a prequel novella to let readers see Lois’s life in Toronto and what happened to upend it, causing her to move to the town where the rest of the series is set. This backstory became my prequel novella, Out of Options.
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing? In what way?
 
DA:  I don’t usually include people from my real life in my books but I do use some of the characteristics and quirks of people I know as facets of a character. But my characters don’t closely resemble anyone I know. They mostly just escape from my imagination and run free to do whatever they please.  
 
There is one exception to this. In many ways, though not entirely, Lois Stone, the main character in my cozy mystery series, is rather like me. After years of doing detailed historical research for my previous historical fiction series, I decided that my cozy mysteries wouldn’t involve a huge amount of research. So, as I created Lois, I deliberately used some of my own likes and dislikes to bring her to life. I also borrowed her name from the first and last names of two women whom I admire and are important to me (my mother and one of her best friends).
  
Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?
 
DA:  I read a wide variety of fiction, contemporary women’s fiction and historical fiction as well as mystery and romance. I look for stories that feature memorable characters, and settings that nearly jump off the page. And the plot has to grip me too, of course. Most of my reading is done on an ereader but I do still take paperback books with me on long bus and airplane journeys. I read several books per month but I don’t actually keep track of exactly how many.
 
Ally:   What three books in your genre would you recommend to fans (after they’ve read your books, of course!).
 
DA:  In the cozy mystery and traditional mystery genres Leighann Dobbs, Anne R. Tan and Deborah Garner are authors I really enjoy. In the historical fiction genre, I’m a fan of Diana Gabaldon and Manda (M.C.) Scott. When an author has the ability to breathe life into characters, unveil complex stories and create vivid settings, I’m hooked. I love stories that come alive in my mind. 
 
Ally:   What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
DA:  The Century Cottage Cozy Mysteries series is my focus for the foreseeable future. So I’m working on the second book in the series and then will write the next one and the next one…Book 2 should be ready to release early this summer. It’s a tale that revolves around the theft of a very important town heirloom from the fall fair just before the item is to be raffled for charity.
 
Ally: Which quick answer questions did you choose?
 
DA: a. memorable book you’ve read – The Nightingale by Kristin Hannahb. most beloved comic book character – Charlie Brown (though I remember him from comic strips in the newspaper rather than comic books).c. favorite comfort food – arrowroot biscuitsd. last time you rode a train (not subway) – last summer when I went to Dublin to have lunch with a group of writer friends.e. Your hobbies – walking in the countryside, taking photos of anything that catches my attention, playing ‘football/soccer’ with my cat (she has great control of the ball and never tires of passing it back and forth). Ally:  It was a pleasure to meet you, Dianne. Before you leave today, please show us your featured book, Out of Options . ​Out of Options (A Century Cottage Cozy Mystery)
Genre: cozy mystery
Rating: PG
 
A dry district, a shocking secret, a missing person. When Lois Stone’s friend, Beth Darrow, arranges to meet her to reveal an astonishing discovery, Lois’s curiosity is piqued. Then Beth doesn’t keep their lunch date and Lois becomes worried. What has happened to her friend?

Middle-aged widow Lois is settling into life on her own in her neighbourhood and in the library where she works, and she is just about coping with her fear of strangers after her husband was mugged and died in the park at the end of their street. But her quiet existence is rocked when her friend and fellow local historical society researcher, Beth, arranges to meet her to reveal an exciting and shocking discovery she has made about the history of prohibition in West Toronto Junction, the last dry area in Toronto, and then goes missing before she can share her secret with Lois. There isn’t any proof that Beth is missing so the police won’t actively search for her. Only Lois and Beth’s niece Amy are convinced that Beth’s disappearance is very out of character, and they are worried about her. Where has Beth gone? Is she in danger? And, if she is, who might want to harm her and why? Lois knows she must find the answers to these questions fast if she wants to help and protect her friend. 

And so begins a weekend of skulking in the park, apple and cinnamon pancakes, familiar faces staring out of old newspapers, calico cats, shadows on the windowpane, and more than one person who might want Beth to disappear from the quiet, leafy streets of the historic and staunchly dry West Toronto Junction neighbourhood. 
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Out-Options-Century-Cottage-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07R4GQWQN
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-options-dianne-ascroft/1131401945
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/out-of-options-5
 
Book trailer:
https://youtu.be/0iGhqPPYs1U 

Mystery Author Judy Alter Loves Writing Historical Fiction

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

Our guest today is Judy Alter, bringing us her featured book, The Second Battle of the Alamo, which she describes as faction, a blend of fiction and historical facts.
Good Morning, Judy! What may I get you to drink?

JA:  ​I  start every day with a cup of green tea with honey. I always drank black coffee, until one day a few years ago I had the flu and coffee tasted awful. I never went back to it.

Ally: No problem. I always keep tea handy too. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:

Some find it a surprise that I’m not a native Texan since my entire career has been writing about Texas, but the truth is I was born in Chicago more years ago than I care to disclose. After a brief college adventure in small-town Iowa and a longer period of graduate study in small-town Missouri, I decided I am a city girl and landed in Fort Worth, Texas, where I have lived for over fifty years.

In college I majored in English, because I liked to read, and some man was going to take care of me. That didn’t work out the way I planned, and I had a wonderful career as director of a small academic press. Today, retired, I am the proud single parent of four, the grandmother of seven, and the author of over a hundred books of various kinds and substance. I live in a 600-square-foot cottage with my dog, Sophie.

Something personal about Judy: "My bio rarely includes my cooking, but I am a pretty darn good cook, and I like to experiment, both in cooking and dining out. In my next life, I’d like to come back as a chef—with temperament, back, and feet young enough to stand that life."

Author links:
http://www.judys-stew.blogspot.com, http://www.gourmetonahotplate.blogspot.com 
Twitter: @judyalter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judy.alter and https://www.facebook.com/Judy-Alter-Author-366948676705857/   Amazon: www.amazon.com/Judy-Alter/e/B001H6KPU6 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard INTERVIEW :

Ally:  Why did you write your featured book, The Second Battle of the Alamo? 

JA:  I inherited this project from a friend with a terminal illness. I had known Debra Winegarten had a contract to write this book and had urged her to focus on it, among her several other projects. After she was diagnosed with overwhelming malignancies, she called me from her hospital bed and in her whispery voice said, “Will you write my book?” I immersed myself in Alamo history and loved it, and I like to think I helped Debra find peace about the career she was leaving behind.

Ally: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

JA:  I have written all my life and cannot imagine not writing. After being read to a lot as a child, I wrote my first short (really short!) stories at ten, submitted to Seventeen magazine in high school (it came right back), and had a long apprenticeship before I found my niche in writing about Texas, primarily the women of its history. With a detour (twelve books) into mystery, I am now back to Texas subjects with a new-to-me publisher.

Ally: Which of your books is your personal favorite?

JA:  Having said that Texas is mostly my subject, I must admit that the book I am most proud of is The Gilded Cage, set in Chicago in the late nineteenth century. A fictional biography of Cissy Honoré Palmer, it covers the Chicago Fire, the labor troubles including the Haymarket and Pullman strikes, and the Columbian Exposition. I am fascinated by Chicago history and will write another book set there if I land on the right topic.

Ally: Tell us about your reading habits. What genres and authors do you enjoy?

JA:  Although history is my field, I am a lifelong reader of mysteries, especially well-done cozy mysteries. Some of my favorite authors are Susan Wittig Albert, Cleo Coyle, Diane Mott Davidson, and Carolyn Hart—especially the Death on Demand series. I recently read a couple of Murder, She Wrote books and enjoyed them, after having unfairly judged them as lightweight spinoffs of the TV show. On the less cozy side I enjoy Deborah Crombie, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Dick Francis. I also enjoy food books and am a fan of Ruth Reichl.

Ally: Do you prefer to read series or stand-alones?

JA:  When I get lost in a good book, I hate for it to end; if it’s one of a series, I know it will continue, and I can return to that world. I  like the comfort of knowing the characters and feeling that I am part of the book.

Ally: Which short answer questions did you choose?
​JA:a. Most memorable book: Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Reposeb. Book you're currently reading: The Years and the Wind and the Rain, by Steve Smith, a biograph of western author Dorothy M. Johnsonc. An author you'd like to take to lunch: Deborah Crombied. Ebook or print?  Ebook—I mostly read on my computer, not a pad. I sort of live at my desk.c: Your pets: Sophie, an eight-year-old Bordoodle (deliberate cross of miniature poodle and border collie). She is whip smart, energetic, loving, and medium well trained. I adore her, and I think it’s mutual.Ally: It was a pleasure having you, Judy. Good luck with your historical/fiction books. Before you go, tell  us more about The Second Battle of the Alamo. The Second Battle of the Alamo
Genre: Faction, carefully researched history with some fictional scenes woven in.

“By 1900, the tale of the 300 Texians who died in the 1836 battle of the Alamo had already become legend. But to corporate interests in the growing city of San Antonio, the land where that blood was shed was merely a desirable plot of real estate across the street from new restaurants and hotels, with only a few remaining crumbling buildings to tell the tale.

When two women, Adina Emilia De Zavala, the granddaughter of the first vice-president of the Texas Republic, and Clara Driscoll, the daughter of one of Texas’s most prominent ranch families and first bankers, learned of the impending demolition, they hatched a plan to preserve the site—and in doing so, they reinvigorated both the legend and lore of the Alamo and cemented the site’s status as hallowed ground.

​These two strong-willed, pioneering women were very different, but the story of how they banded together and how the Alamo became what it is today, despite those differences, is compelling reading for those interested in Texas history and Texas’s larger-than-life personality.”

Book Buy Link (Amazon): www.amazon.com/Second-Battle-Alamo-Texass-Landmark-ebook/dp/B07Y1HB6V6

Will the Real Ally Shields Please Stand Up?

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s my birthday, and I thought this would be as good a time as any to do something a little different. A friend recently asked me why I don't talk about myself or my writing on the blog. And I guess she's right, except I promote each book when it's released, and there is a biography you can read. But I've never answered the kind of questions I ask guest authors.

I'm going to remedy that today. I’ve taken the list of questions I send to others, made my selections, and answered as honestly as I could. I hope you enjoy this brief interruption in normal programming. (Regular author interviews will be back next week.)
 
I have my mug of coffee - black, of course - so here goes...

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
 
Q:  What do you find most rewarding about a writing career? Most negative or frustrating?
 
Ally:  Writing itself is basically fun for me. Of course seeing the first book in online bookstores and holding the first print version were huge thrills. And even better was hearing someone say, “I really loved your book.” Let me tell you, folks, it never, ever gets old.
 
The most negative or frustrating? The marketing and the struggle to get reviews. Many authors - like me - have no head or taste for sales. I’d prefer just to write, but the crowded book field means a lot of marketing is necessary just to get your novels seen. (You can help your favorite authors to keep their books coming, faster and longer, by writing reviews online. Access to many marketing avenues depends on how many reviews each book has. And publishers love  books and series with lots of reviews!) (for another author's article on the importance of reviews, click here.)
 
Q:  What are your reading habits? Favorite genres. Books read per month, year? Print or ebooks? Current favorites?
 
Ally: I have been an avid reader all my life. I still average two to four books a week, depending on my current writing schedule, and too often I substitute reading for sleeping.
I read fantasy, of course - who can resist adventures like Tolkien? - urban fantasy, and several subgenres of mystery. I rarely read straight romance, but love when it's added to other genres, such as JD Robb’s In Death series. I own five Kindles and have quit adding to my print library (the shelves are already full). My current favorite series is C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, but I can’t wait for the next book of Anderle’s scifi/urbanfantasy Kurtherian Gambit/Endgame series.
 
Q:  Do you prefer to read standalones or series books? Is it the same for writing?
 
Ally:  Nine times out of ten I look for a series to read. Once I get invested in the characters, I want to  read everything I can about them. And yes, it is the same for writing. I fall in love with my characters, they become like old friends, and I'm interested in knowing what happens in their lives, including how they’ll react to any obstacles I put in their path. :)
 
Q:  If your house was burning (your family and pets are already out safe), what one thing would you try to save? Why?
 
Ally:  I bet you thought I’d say my kindles, right? But no, I could buy those again. I’d grab my two portable fire safes. One has my important legal documents (that’s the lawyer side of me), the other has precious old family photos and genealogy info that is irreplaceable. I want my kids and grandkids and their children to know their heritage.
 
Q:  You’re thrown through a black hole into an unknown world, what book hero would you want with you? Why?
 
Ally:  From my own books, it would be Andreas. I’m afraid I’m still smitten with the master vampire prince. He would be a clever, resourceful partner in handling any situations we faced in the new world.
From other books, I’d go all the way back to Aragorn from Tolkien’s Trilogy. He is such a strong, confident character, a reluctant hero who takes up the sword to save the world knowing the odds are against him. My kinda guy.
 
Q:  What is your favorite social media?
 
Ally:  Twitter by far. I love the immediacy and its worldwide reach. I promote the blog on Twitter every day, converse with friends, and make contact with readers. It’s my daily dose of feel good. And I keep it that way. All the garbage and nastiness that sometimes goes on gets blocked by me. :) You can find me here:  @ShieldsAlly.
 
Q:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
Ally:  Good question. Wish I had a good answer! Two things have happened: my publisher is concentrating on romance, and I’ve been writing in a new genre - historical Regency mystery. I have two books drafted but not finished in that genre. When the manuscripts are ready in a couple of months, I will look for an appropriate publisher or maybe consider self-publishing. Both routes have advantages.
But just when I thought I was taking a break from fantasy, I woke up with a new urban fantasy story in my head yesterday morning. Who knows where my muse may take me next?
 
Q: Which short answer questions did I chose to answer out of the 27 possibilities on the list?
 
Ally: It was hard to pick just five...so I fudged with six:a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Vince Flynn (taken too soon by cancer). I loved his Mitch Rapp thrillers.b. the supernatural character that got you hooked on the genre of urban fantasy: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and ironically, master vampire Jean-Claude from Laurell K Hamilton’s Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake series)c. a movie you’ll always remember: Dead Poets’ Society (1989)d. a little known fact about you: I have a concealed carry permit that I've never used.e. last time you rode a train (not subway): 15 years ago. A friend and I took the train from Washington, DC to NYC. (First time I rode a train I was only five. My father worked for the railroad.)f. color of nail polish you have on: Crystal Pink - on my toes! That’s it! Anything else you’d love to know? Ask me in the comments. I might even answer. :)
Hope to see you next week!
​Ally Available at most online bookstores, including
Amazon: http://amzn.to/13LH078
and
Kobo: http://bit.ly/18unCxl

How do I ‘Write What I Know’ if I’m Not a Dragon?

How do I ‘Write What I Know’ if I’m Not a Dragon?
by Kath Boyd Marsh

Bet you’ve hear the phrase ‘write what you know’.  So what does that mean? Really?

Let’s start with what it doesn’t mean. I doesn’t mean I have to be a dragon to write about them. I’m not a dragon. If I were, I’d never tell.

But it does mean the dragons in my books need feelings, experiences, opinions, and families just like anyone. And that’s where I start. With my own experiences, especially with my family.

Sure. Okay. What does that mean, ‘starting with my own experiences’? In my first book, I needed a very spooky mountain, so I went back to stories my grandfather Jesse told of camping in the Grand Canyon and seeing Ghost Rock. I remembered the chilling feeling of hearing about that rock glowing in the moonlight. I took that and decided on a Ghost Mountain that needed to be just as creepy as my grandfather’s stories.

Most dragon tales make the dragons the bad guys. But being contrary, my dragons are the good guys, most of them. What in my life made me think that way? I go back to a summer with my grandparents at their cabin at Mormon Lake, AZ. My grandparents’ cabin skittered with Daddy Long Legs spiders. They danced over my sister and I as we slept. No biting. Just a kind of curious stomping on the guests. Spiders are supposed to be scary? Not for us.

My dragons engage in quests, and they don’t give up. I remember that from that same summer vacation in the mountains north of the Grand Canyon. A favorite game was the ‘puzzle tree’ game. My sister and I would break off bumpy pieces from the bark of the huge pines. We’d close our eyes and run around the tree. When we opened our eyes we had to find the place the piece came from on the trunk. Not easy, and never quick. But we did it.

My dragons have to eat. I remember summer Sunday potluck dinners at the Grange. New dishes we’d never tasted, including tough as leather but tasty venison. Chewing was declared good for your teeth. What might my dragon have to eat that he’d never tried? What would he like to eat, and how would he do that with long fangs?

Before I was a grown up, I published my first book, a fantasy. It was that summer at the cabin. I employed many crayons on lined paper and all my graduate-of-the-first-grade skills to make up the story of the PB. Not a dragon, but a round bald character named for my beloved little sister. I promise my little sister is not an alien from outer-space, but I drew on her adventurous nature. And later I drew on the mystery of how different my sister and I are to give my dragons Cl’rnce and his sister Hazel their relationship.

You get the idea. Now go get some paper and a crayon or pencil, or just practice it in your head. But go back into your experiences. Use how you felt, what you noticed, how you dealt with those experiences, then use them for your characters and your story. Need fresh experiences? Observe your friends, neighbors, and strangers. Give one of your characters the walk of someone interesting you pass. Give another the warm, three-cornered smile of your best friend. Write what you know.

Kath

​About the Guest Author:

Before Kath Boyd Marsh moved to Pennsylvannia to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in eight states, Panama, and one very haunted house. The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard (CBAYBooks.blog) was her debut novel. Visit her and the dragons at KathBoydMarshauthor.com. 

The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard-http://amzn.to/2c6IOH4,
Dragon Bonded-  https://amzn.to/2MMNhhF
  The Pendragon Crystal from the Dragons and Witches  anthology- http://amzn.to/2nOX8tv)
Perilous Princesses-  https://amzn.to/2In05gn 
​ 
Bubbles and Smush: Closet Monsters -  https://amzn.to/2mW7OrJ
Bubbles and Smush: Trick or Treats-   https://amzn.to/2mWjf2C
Bubbles and Smush: Dragon Rescue: https://amzn.to/2lQSRas