Ally Shields's Blog, page 24

"Being Contrary" is Natural to Children's Author Kath Boyd Marsh

​Welcome to the Blog!

I'm sitting back with my feet up this week, while my critique partner, Kath Boyd Marsh, takes over the blog! Grab your favorite drink and join us! 

Hey, Kath. That's all the intro you're going to get! Being Contrary Hi, Ally and all the readers out there,

I bet you know what I’m doing today. Yep. I’m being contrary.
 
I was thinking about how often I get asked where my book ideas come from. They pop in most unexpectedly, but every idea has one thing about it that is the same. Each starts with being contrary, and if possible includes a dragon.
 
Maybe today’s dragon-fire lit sunrise has a good story in it. Definitely ripe for dragons. And being contrary my dragons will not be the bad guys. Dragons are supposed to be the bad guys, the killers, but not mine. That wouldn’t be contrary.
 
Loving dragons came out of loving animals most people have on their ‘yuk/ugly’ list. I realized I was this kind of contrary before I hit kindergarten. I watched my toddler sister sitting companionably next to a full grown sloth. The pair were gobbling up leaves and ground debris. Pat was a much faster eater, but the sloth took no offense. How could this gentle animal, the sloth, be ‘ugly’?
 
My contrariness about ‘uglies’ got stronger years later when my favorite animals at the wildlife rescue center became two black vultures. I was cleaning their outdoor cage when one of them snuck up from behind and untied my boot. When I went to retie it, the other grabbed the debris bag and dragged it off. Not that they were interested in keeping their debris, but this was their daily entertainment. How could I not fall in love with these natural comedians?
 
When my first middle grade fantasy popped into my head, it starred a dragon who was funny instead of a scary killer. And with him came Sir George as my bad guy (a comic rendering of the mythological dragon-slayer Saint George). With the bad knight and the good dragon came a bumbling girl wizard instead of an old powerful one. Contrary.
 
Being full-time contrary, all my writing projects start with an unexpected character. I need my protagonist and my plot to be… contrary to expectations. So there are plenty of dragons, unicorns, banshees, gargoyles, angels, and demons, faeries, and even a princess, who are … unexpected, not your average fairy tale character. My story starts with the unexpected hero and travels along the Contrary Trail to the end. Why not try your hand at being contrary?

Writing Prompt: I wonder if there will be a dragon-fire sunset tonight? If you told the tale of dragon-fire sunrises and sunsets, who would be the unexpected villain? What would the unexpected plot be?
​
Kath Boyd Marsh


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted house. The Lazy Dr'gon and the Bumblespells Wizard was her debut novel, following by a sequel and several short stories (with more in the works).

Author Links:

Website:  kathboydmarshauthor.com
Blog:  kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com
Twitter:  @kmarshfen
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kath-Boyd-Marsh/e/B01LVUP8KU
The Lazy Dragon and the Bumblespells Wizard:  http://amzn.to/2c6IOH4
Dragon Bonded:  https://amzn.to/2MMNhhF

Bubbles and Smush: Closet Monsters:  https://amzn.to/2mW7OrJ
Bubbles and Smush: Trick or Treats-:  https://amzn.to/2mWjf2C
Bubbles and Smush: Dragon Rescue: Amazon
 
"The Pendragon Crystal" from the Dragons and Witches anthology:  Amazon
"Becoming" from the Perilous Princesses Anthology:  https://amzn.to/2In05gn 
 
All Books: https://www.amazon.com/Kath-Boyd-Marsh/e/B01LVUP8KU

Edith Maxwell Brings Her Latest Novel to the Coffee Chat

​It’s Coffee Chat Wednesday!
 
Ready for your favorite drink and a little book talk? This week’s guest is historical and cozy mystery writer, Edith Maxwell.
Good morning, Edith! How do you like your coffee?
 
Edith: I drink two cups of a good dark roast with a bit of warm milk in it, and that’s it for the day.
 
Ally: Well, I hope you haven’t had your quota for today! I’ll fill our cups while you introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Edith Maxwell writes the Quaker Midwife Mysteries and award-winning short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. Maxwell, with nineteen novels in print and four more completed, has been nominated for an Agatha Award six times. She lives north of Boston with her beau and an elderly cat, and gardens and cooks when she isn’t killing people on the page or wasting time on Facebook. Please also find her at edithmaxwell.com, on Instagram, on Twitter, and at the Wicked Authors blog.
​
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I hold a long dusty black belt in karate, and an even dustier doctorate in linguistics.” INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  How did you choose the title of your featured book, Judge Thee Not?
 
Edith:  This book is about people being judged for things they have no control over, for who they are, whether it’s a physical disability, a sexual preference, or where they came from. It was an issue in the late 1800s and it’s unfortunately still an issue today.
  
Ally:  Do you enjoy research? Does your genre require it?
 
Edith:  I love research, and of course historical novels require a lot of it. I research language, how people traveled, police procedure, midwifery practices, daily life, and so much more. I’m lucky to live in the town I write about, so I can stroll among the same mill buildings my characters would have. I worship on Sundays in the same historical Friends Meetinghouse as Rose Carroll did. While I am pretty familiar with the era by now, every novel requires delving into a new area. For this book I researched lives of the blind and society’s attitudes toward them and people with other disabilities.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
Edith:  Readers have told me my book got them through a difficult time – sitting at their dying mother’s bedside, for example, or when they had to be in the hospital for a week. This means the world to me, that my story took them temporarily out of their life and into a world where justice is restored to the community in the end.
 
Ally:  What three books by other authors writing in your genre would you recommend to fans?
 
Edith:  Jessica Ellicott’s historical Beryl and Edwina mysteries, set in England just post World War I; Alyssa Maxwell’s (no relation) Gilded Age Mysteries, which take place in Newport, Rhode Island; and Victoria Thompson’s long-running Gaslight Mysteries, in which a midwife solves crimes in turn-of-the-century New York City.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project?
 
Edith:  I’m finishing up Quaker Midwife Mystery #6, which will be out in September of 2020. But I don’t have a title yet! 

Christabel ​Ally:  Which of the quick answer questions did you pick to answer?
 
Edith:favorite tv show: “Call the Midwife” – of course.favorite accessory: Anything turquoise – my glasses, rings, toenails, and scarvesYour pets : We are down to one senior cat, Christabel. She’s a yellow and white longhair who is the kitchen cat in the Quaker Midwife Mysteries.What are your hobbies? Gardening, cooking, doing crosswords, and occasionally quilting.If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do? Play the cello, which I gave up after eighth grade. Ally: Thanks for joining us today, Edith. Always a pleasure to have you. Before we say goodbye, please show us your featured book.


Judge Thee Not
Genre: historical/cozy mystery
PG-13

No stranger to judgmental attitudes in her small town, 1880s Quaker midwife Rose Carroll is nonetheless stunned when society matron Mayme Settle publicly snubs Rose’s good friend Bertie for her nontraditional ways.
When Mrs. Settle is later found murdered—and a supposed witness insists Bertie was spotted near the scene of the crime—the police blame her. Rose is certain her friend is innocent, and she enlists the help of a blind pregnant client—who’s endured her own share of prejudice—to help her sift through the clues.
As the two uncover a slew of suspects tied to financial intrigues, illicit love, and an age-old grudge over perceived wrongs, circumstantial evidence looms large in small minds, and Rose fears her friend will soon become the victim of a grave injustice—or worse. 
​
Amazon
B&N

Author Candace J. Carter "Saddles Up" into MUDDY WATERS

It’s Coffee Chat time!
 
Grab your drinks, pull up a chair, and meet this week’s guest author Candace Carter, bringing us her featured book, Muddy Waters.
 
Good morning, Candace! What may I get you to drink?
 
CC: I’m a tea drinker. In winter, I like it hot. Iced in summer. If I do drink anything coffee-ish, it has to be a caffe mocha or a latte with a little flavored syrup, and almond milk.
 
Ally: Then tea it is! While my magic pot is at work, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Author and retired biologist, writing mysteries and reconnecting with my inner cowboy.
 
Tell me something unique/unusual that isn't part of your regular bio:  “I have chronic Lyme Disease, the neurologic variety. It took a while (a couple of years) to get my creativity back following diagnosis/treatment. I love photography, so I used that to help nurture my creativity. I think that’s why I’m a Pinterest addict. So many cool pictures!”
 
Website: www.candacejcarter.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ccarterwrites/
Facebook (Aiken Writer’s Bloc): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1297973180351096/ INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Do you use a professional editor with your books? If not, what do you do to ensure quality ?
 
 CC:  I’m in an awesome critique group. It’s five authors are writing a mix of genres, which I enjoy because they bring different perspectives.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?
 
CC:  Join a writers group, whether it’s local or national. Go to a few conferences. Learn craft.
 
Ally:  Do you read your reviews?
 
CC:  I don’t have that many, so for now I do read them.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits.
 
CC:  I used to be an avid reader. I’ve cut way back because I need time to write. Mostly I read ebooks. Certain books, like reference books, or ones about writing, are better in hand. My favorite genre is mystery, especially British. I’ll occasionally read a light romance or western.
 
Ally: Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays?
 
CC:  I’ve written a few short stories. They’re more difficult for me to write because they’re so much shorter than a novel.
 
Ally:  What three books in your genre would you recommend to fans (after they’ve read your books, of course!).
 
CC:  C.J. Box, Open Season (Joe Pickett series), Tony Hillerman, A Thief of Time (Leaphorn and Chee series), Graham Thomas, Malice in the Highlands (Erskine Powell series), Caroline Graham, The Killings at Badger’s Drift (Inspector Barnaby series). Okay sorry that’s four. Two are set in the western U.S. and two are British mysteries.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
 CC:  I’m working on the second in the series, Where the Blacktop Ends, and expect it to be out in early 2020.
 
Ally: Let’s see how you responded to some of our quick answer questions.
 
CC:an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch - Louis L’Amour because he's been to all the secret canyons and valleys he writes about in his stories. That drive to explore fascinates me.favorite movie - Princess Bride or Paul (it’s a toss up)high heels or sneakers - Sneakershiking or sunbathing - HikingWhat comes to your first: character or plot? - Definitely plot Ally: It has been a pleasure meeting you, Candace. Before you leave, we’d love to hear more about your featured book, Muddy Waters.
Muddy Waters
Genre: traditional mystery with a modern western feel
Rating: PG-13
 
Publisher’s blurb:

Candace Carter, a former park ranger, gives us an exciting outdoor mystery featuring a new sleuth.

Handy with a six-shooter, Henry "Whispering" Smith is a range detective for the Colorado Plateau Cattlemen's Association. The action begins when he apprehends an old acquaintance moving cows that belong to someone else. Shots ring out from the bushes and bullets fly. In the aftermath Henry is faced with arresting an old friend who'd just saved his life. We travel with Whispering Smith from Colorado Plateau to the North Carolina mountains in this fresh, new mystery from an "author of great promise."
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Muddy-Waters-Candace-J-Carter-ebook/dp/B07J3Y728X
 
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/muddy-waters-candace-j-carter/1129690234;jsessionid=7D7860AAD4EEBC64EFCB66AF1496D951.prodny_store02-atgap09?ean=9781949504149


If you need further temptation to add this series to your TBR list, here is a preview of the cover for Book Two... Thanks for joining today's Coffee Chat.
​Hope to see you next week!

Debra H. Goldstein Writes Cozy Mystery with a Twist

​Welcome to another Coffee Chat!
 
This week’s guest is mystery author Debra H. Goldstein with her featured book (second in a series) Two Bites Too Many.
 
Good Morning, Debra. What may I get you to drink?
 
DG:  I’ve always been a Coca-Cola drinker, but recently I’ve discovered iced caramel macchiatos and nitro brew with sweet crème.
 
Ally:  While I put the magic pot to work, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (One Taste Too Many, Two Bites Too Many). She also wrote Should Have Played Poker and IPPY winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories, including Anthony and Agatha nominated The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place, have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies. An active civic volunteer in Birmingham, Alabama, Debra also serves on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and is president of SEMWA and past president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I was a Jeopardy contestant.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website – https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/
Twitter - @DebraHGoldstein
Instagram – debra.h.goldstein  
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Why did you write your featured book?
 
DG:  My first two books, Maze in Blue and Should Have Played Poker: a Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery, were each going to be a series, but when their respective publishers orphaned them, they became standalones. I decided I wanted to write a cozy mystery, but I ran into a problem. Most cozy mysteries either involve crafts or feature an excellent cook or baker - I don’t do crafts and being in the kitchen petrifies me. The more I thought about it, I realized there must be readers like me out there, so I created a protagonist for whom cooking from scratch is more frightening than murder.
 
When we pitched the concept to Kensington, they purchased three books. The first, One Taste Too Many, was published in January 2019, while the second, Two Bites Too Many, was released this week. Three Treats Too Many will be out in 2020, and two more books have now been purchased for 2021 and 2022.
 
Ally: Readers and friends often have plots they are eager for you to write. Have you ever used one?
 
DG: Never!  In fact, when someone tries to pitch me a plot, I either run away immediately or encourage them to write it themselves or hire a professional ghostwriter.  I make it clear that I don’t want to hear it for fear it might be so good that I subliminally adopt it – which I would never want to do.
 
Ally:  How did you get that first book or story published?
 
DG: My first novel, 2012 IPPY award winning Maze in Blue, an academic mystery set on the University of Michigan’s campus in the 1970’s, was published by accident.
 
In 2010, I moderated a panel of woman writers in front of one hundred and ten women at a meeting of The Women’s Network. Weeks before the panel, I won an Alabama Writers Conclave award for the essay, Maybe I Should Hug You. More Magazine published the essay online. The TWN panel went well until I opened the floor for questions.
 
The first question asked was to me instead of the panelists. “What are you writing?”
 
Imagining they were talking about the essay, I touched on it and tried to steer the questions back to the panel. The second question was no better. “Tell us what else you are writing.”
 
“Well,” I said, “I think I have a mystery ready to see daylight.”
 
With that, I managed to get the program back on track highlighting the real writers. A few hours later, I received an email from a publisher telling me her friend was in the audience and had contacted her to tell her there was a judge with a mystery and from other things she’d seen, she thought the publisher might be interested in it. Would I like to have her look at it?
 
I asked if she wanted it sent with a bow or what? She responded an e-mail would suffice. A week later, I received a reply e-mail: “My partner, Joy, and I have read Maze in Blue and would like to offer you a contract.”
 
Ally: Do you know the book’s ending before you start writing?
 
DG: Yes and no.  I usually begin a book or story based upon a phrase or image I see in my head.
Here are three of my beginnings:
 
Two Bites Too Many: “I don’t care if you own this house. You aren’t the one in charge!”
 
Should Have Played Poker: “The first time I thought of killing him, the two of us were having chicken sandwiches at that fast-food place with the oversized rubber bird anchored to its roof…It didn’t seem like the right place to kill him in a place they close on Sundays.”
 
The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place: “I remember the night they burned Ms. Dixie’s place. The newspapers reported it was an incendiary, but the only hot thing that night was Ms. Dixie.”
 
From each of these, I knew exactly who the character speaking was talking to and where the tale would end in terms of the character. The problem was I didn’t always know how I’d reach the ending in a way that satisfied both the reader and me. For example, I had no question about how One Taste Too Many needed to end for the protagonist, but after I finished the first draft, I realized the book from the middle to the end was flat. I agonized over what was wrong. Out of the blue, it hit me. I had the wrong murderer.  I threw out half the book and rewrote it. The result not only was a tighter story, but the ending I had envisioned for the protagonist was credibly reached.
 
Ally:  Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays?
 
DG:  Besides novels, I write short stories. I love the fact that I can take a finite tale and tell it in a few paragraphs or pages. Because every word must count, there are times I think the precise editing needed makes it more difficult than writing a novel.
 
Ally:  What three books in your genre would you recommend to fans (after they’ve read your books, of course!).
 
DG:  Any book by Diane Mott Davidson featuring Goldie Schultz; Iced Under by Barbara Ross, and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.
 
Ally:  I’m curious to see which quick answer questions you picked.
 
DG: 
favorite book – Damned If You Do, Damned if You Don’t by Marjorie K. Ostermanfavorite tv show – Perry Masonhigh heels or sneakers - sneakersWhat comes to your first - character or plot? - characterIf you couldn’t write anymore, what would you want to do? Go back on the bench.favorite place to write – a big easy chair my mother gave my father for their first anniversary. She had it designed for my father’s long legs (it is two inches deeper than most chairs)Ally: Thanks for spending part of your day with us, Debra. Before you go, please tell us more about your featured book, Two Bites Too Many. If the story is as cute as the cover, it’s sure to be a winner!
Two Bites Too Many
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: PG

Far from a domestic goddess, Sarah Blair would rather catch bad guys than slave over a hot stove. But when a dangerous murder boils over in Wheaton, Alabama, catching the killer means leaving her comfort zone . . .
 
Things are finally looking up for Sarah Blair following her unsavory divorce.  Settled into a cozy carriage house with her Siamese cat, RahRah, she has somehow managed to hang on to her law firm receptionist job and – if befriending flea-bitten strays at the local animal shelter counts – lead a thriving social life. For once, Sarah almost has it together more than her enterprising twin, Emily, a professional chef whose efforts to open a gourmet restaurant have hit a real dead end…
 
When the president of the town bank is murdered after icing Emily’s business plans, all eyes are on the one person who left the scene with blood on her hands – the twins’ sharp-tongued mother, Maybelle.  Determined to get her mom off the hook ASAP, Sarah must collect the ingredients of a deadly crime to bring the true culprit to justice. But as neighbors turn against her family, can she pare down the suspects before another victim lands on the chopping block?
​
 

Amazon:   https://www.amazon.com/Bites-Many-Sarah-Blair-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07MB4779P
Barnes & Noble:    https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-bites-too-many-debra-h-goldstein/1130055243

Joseph DeMarco: Mystery Author and a Real Fan of Vampires

Hello, Booklovers!
 
Grab your favorite drink, pull up a chair, and settle in for book talk with this week’s guest, Joseph DeMarco, mystery writer and author of the Vampire Inquisitor series.
 
Welcome, Joseph! What may I get you to drink?
 
JDM: Most of the time I drink tea (mostly though not exclusively green tea) but I do enjoy coffee and have a small espresso machine. I love an espresso shot or two at some point in the day. It not only gives me a boost, it also reminds me of my roots.
 
Ally: While I fix our drinks, including that shot of espresso for you, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
​
Joseph R.G. DeMarco lives in Philadelphia and is the author of the Marco Fontana mystery series: including Murder on Camac, A Body on Pine, Crimes on Latimer, Death on Delancey (Jade Mountain Books). He is also author of the Vampire Inquisitor series: A Warning in Blood, and A Battle in Blood (forthcoming this fall). His Doyle and Kord mystery series includes Family Bashings and Lethal Attachments (JMS Books).
A number of his short stories have been published in anthologies including Where Crime Never Sleeps, The Heat of the Moment, Charmed Lives, and others. His nonfiction work appears in Paws and Reflect, Hey Paisan!, The Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities, We Are Everywhere, Men’s Lives, The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family, and others. His journalistic work has appeared in The Advocate, PGN, NY Native, and others.
He was Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia’s Weekly Gayzette and NGL, contributing editor for Il Don Gennaro, and is now Editor/Publisher of Mysterical-E (www.mystericale.com) an online mystery magazine publishing since 1996.
 
Tell me something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “One of the more unusual things not on my bio would be my most recent and most alarming pets—a tribe of dwarf hamsters. Cute and cuddly-looking, these balls of fur can be hair-raising. I learned quite a bit about the habits, attitudes, and primitive nature of the sharp-toothed tribe that lived, bred, and multiplied under my roof. The years I had them were an adventure and then some. They are the most terrifying pets I’ve had so far.”
 
LINKS: website: www.josephdemarco.com
              Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrgdemarco
              Twitter: https://twitter.com/JosephRGDeMarco
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Why did you write your featured book?
 
JDM:  A Warning in Blood (Book One of The Vampire Inquisitor trilogy, with A Battle in Blood coming out this fall) was really an accident. My publisher at the time thought that I should add a vampire detective to my mystery novel list. I couldn’t help but agree since I’m a real fan of vampires. (When I worked as a librarian, I did a study of young adult vampire literature as it relates to adolescent development and got a number of articles and speaking engagements from that research. In doing this study I also got to read quite a few—more than a hundred—YA vampire novels which solidified my enjoyment of that genre.)

So, I felt that doing a vampire detective series would be fun and interesting. But, the bump in the road was that my idea for the first book had dimensions that were more sprawling than a single detective or mystery novel could handle. I thought about changing the premise but the idea wouldn’t go away. A Warning in Blood became the first in a trilogy for my vampire detective. Except that his detective days were some decades in the past and he was now The Prime Inquisitor in the mysterious vampire world coexisting with humans. In this role, he deals with the larger issues of vampire existence rather than individual cases. Once that novel was published I began working on part two when my former publisher and I had serious issues unrelated to the book. I decided to seek a different publisher. That took a while but after moving my work to the new publishing house, I began to rewrite and revise the trilogy. I’m happy to say that A Battle In Blood: Book Two of the Vampire Inquisitor Series is scheduled to be out this fall.
  
Ally: Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?
 
JDM:  I would have to say no. The characters in all my works are kind of embryonic at first. There’s usually something: a thought, an emotion, a feeling, an occupation, a setting—each representing an unformed character asking for a more complete identity and a backstory. The main story is what brings them to life. Each character gets fleshed out as the story develops. Each scene written for the story reveals even more about the characters.

Searching for character names also adds to the backstory. During this process, other details come rolling out—where were they born, what was their early life like, and more. Dru, the main character in A Warning in Blood (and in the subsequent books), underwent a number of changes as he developed. His age, his looks, his temperament. I knew where he came from and the age at which he’d been turned. But who turned him and how was he turned? When you start asking one question, more questions arise. Dru’s name and the details of his life (until he started working as a PI) were all amorphous. As I worked on the story, many of those details fell into place. Some of the details centered around how he met the various people on his “team” and why they are so fiercely loyal to him. And those other characters on the team that works with Dru needed names and backstories as well. Of all those details and background stories, the hardest part is finding a name. Some names just pop up and I know immediately the name is right. Most are not so easy. Finding the right name is important on many levels. Some of my characters must be driven crazy by my penchant for changing their names (as the story progresses) until the right one comes along. I think vampire names are a bit easier to conjure up but other types of characters are not so easy to name. My mystery characters have a lot of effort put into their names because, as much as any other detail, they must seem natural and plausible. And the name has got to “fit” – which is admittedly a subjective thing. As for backstory and other character details, they’re not so easy but sometimes it seems easier than coming up with just the right name.

Each character has so many elements: backstory, emotional outlines, what they want for themselves, and so much more. Backstory is one of the more fun exercises for me even though it can be complicated. Sometimes you discover backstory elements as you write the story. Your character will do something or say something and you’ll ask yourself why he did this or that. And the answer will often be in the backstory. This is the fun part of character creation. So for me, no character arrives fully formed – even series characters change from volume to volume. And that’s a good thing.
 
Ally:  Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
JDM:  I don’t mean to belittle the concept of themes, but for me, writing with a theme in mind reminds me of preaching. What I’ve learned is that there are themes inherent in us and by extension in our work, so in a sense, we all write with a message. But I don’t consciously set out to base a story around a particular theme. The story and the characters are what come first. When an idea presents itself, what I have in mind is the characters and the story I want to tell about those characters. I’m also hoping that readers will connect emotionally with the story/characters and will react accordingly. I used to write for the theater and had a number of plays up as well as staged readings open to the public. From that experience, I learned a lot of valuable ideas and lessons that you don’t often get when doing other kinds of writing. Why? Because theater is live and it’s collaborative. You can see and hear reactions in real time. An audience can be a great teacher, if you’re willing to put ego aside and listen. I often wandered around during breaks or after the show and listened to what people had to say (without them knowing I was listening or had written the play). When I did that I learned that whatever work I put up on stage was, for some people, vastly different from what I thought it was about. Of course, many people took the story and the characters just as I presented them. But there were those in the audience who saw LOTS more than I thought was there. They got things out of my characters, and the situations they were in, that I had no idea were there. And that was great to hear and to understand. It made me realize that if I’d been preaching a certain theme, the audience might not have gotten much else out of the play. As it was, they got a lot more. It taught me to keep my stories alive and filled with possibilities.
  
Ally:  Do you enjoy research? Does your genre require it?
 
JDM:  I enjoy research quite a lot which is one reason I became a librarian when I decided I wanted a career change after teaching for some years.
Research is fun and I feel like I’m on a hunt for exotic game because some information is just that elusive. I enjoy discovering new books and articles and websites on the topics I’m researching and am elated when I make a find. I usually discover far more than I need—books, unpublished dissertations, newspaper and magazine articles, online materials, and more—and I treasure it all with a librarian’s sense of creating collections.
Almost everything I produce—novels, short stories, plays—requires some research – from hairstyles, to historical events and persons, to types of clothing, to titles and ranks, to just about anything that will give a novel the air of authenticity.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
 JDM:  My next writing project is two writing projects: One is A Battle in Blood (Book 2 of the Vampire Inquisitor series) which is due out this fall. After the events of the first novel, Dru has his hands full as the Protectorate’s situation grows more chaotic. It will take all his energy and cunning to get through the twists and turns of the second book in this trilogy. My other project, the fifth book in the Marco Fontana mysteries (title is a secret right now), is also due out this fall.
 
Ally: Show us the quick answer questions you chose to answer.
 
JDM:a. a favorite tv show:  I love Science Fiction (as well as a good vampire series) so the Stargate franchise is one of my favorites, then there’s Babylon 5 and some of the Star Trek series. There hasn’t been a really good vampire series in a while. Of those, Buffy The Vampire Slayer was one of the very best. The Vampire Diaries and The Originals were also good. There are many more that should be made available on disk or streaming.b. a favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings movies are among my favorites but my list of movies is lots longer.c. What comes to you first - character or plot? It’s pretty much the plot that comes first.d. favorite after five drink: A toss-up between an Old Fashioned, or an old stand-by—sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist of lemon. I’m discovering that it isn’t easy to find a bar/bartender who can make a good Old Fashioned. It’s the ingredients, of course, but it also involves style and skill and really caring about making a good drink.e.  typical breakfast: My typical breakfast, which doesn’t qualify as my favorite, consists of oatmeal sometimes with extras. Followed by a cup of hot green tea. Ally: Thanks for spending time with us, Joseph. Keep us posted on new releases, and before you get away, let’s take a look at A Warning in Blood. A Warning in Blood
Genre: Paranormal: vampires
Rating: PG-13
  
Someone has shattered a cardinal rule of vampire society and the fate of the vampire world order hangs in the balance.

For centuries vampires have lived in relative anonymity, secretly side by side with humans. But if the shadowy anarchists have their way, chaos will reign. Humans will once again be nothing more than prey. Open warfare will ravage the face of the planet.

A reluctant Dru Nekkarn is the only vampire capable of fighting the dark forces who would plunge the world into madness. Dru, The Prime Inquisitor of the Protectorate, investigates sedition and punishes treason among the undead. He’s made enemies in this work and has dealt with many of them using the help of myriad assistants, including gargoyle spies. This new challenge, however, may undo him.

As he searches for answers, he learns that the threat had been building for a while. The first signs of trouble were small. They went unnoticed in the elegant clubs and refined circles inhabited by the vampire elite. But in the underbelly of the undead world, in locations where only vampires and certain humans can be found, there are those who noticed. And even they fear the forces behind the impending chaos. They know the danger is real and it is coming.

​When Dru is called upon to restore order, he embarks on an epic journey: From the posh vampire clubs of Philadelphia, to the worst blood-dens in the Protectorate, to hidden vampire monasteries in the mountains. Lines are being drawn and Dru’s fortitude will be tested as he discovers the meaning behind A Warning in Blood.
 
Buy Link: Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y2w4d8fr

60 Tips to Help Market Your Book by Author DiAnn Mills

​

​Welcome, Booklovers!

Instead of the usual Coffee Chat interview, this week's guest is sharing her list of marketing tips (and a peek at her latest book)!
​Thanks, DiAnn. A nice example of authors paying it forward...


60 Tips to Help Market Your Book by DiAnn ​Mills Understand marketing, promotion, and social media are about the reader.Develop a long bio.Develop a 100 word bio.Develop a 50 word bio.Invest in a professional websiteInvest in a professional headshot.Establish a Facebook pageEstablish a Twitter pageEstablish an author page on AmazonEstablish a BookBub account and use it.Establish a Goodreads accountEstablish a Pinterest accountEstablish an Instagram accountEstablish a Street TeamProvide each Street Team member with a copy of your book, either print or e-book.Take care of your Street Team by contacting them weekly.Develop a private contest or drawing for street team.Share pre-written social media posts and images with street team.Schedule guest blogs and offer book giveaways.Create and maintain a blog—or post regularly on a highly-respected blog.Create a brand that reflects your writing, genre, style, voice, and expertise.Create memes that raise curiosity about book content and themes.Create all social media posts and images before book release.Create a contest for the new book in which the prizes link to something in the book.Create book signing/speaking events in which you are offering something of value to potential readers.Create bookmarks and distribute them where you go.Create Pinterest boards that rise from your book. Keep “secret” until close to book release.Create evergreen Pinterest boards.Design postcards and invest in a library database.Link your blog to GoodreadsLink your blog to LinkedInLink your social media platforms.Add each book’s cover, blurb, links to purchase options, book trailer or author interview video, and first chapter to your website.Know your readersEngage your readers in open-ended conversations.Develop an online social media library.Enjoy what you do.Use the same headshot in all social media.Use hashtags.Write a press release and use it.Welcome new followers with a personal thank you, not a canned one.Launch a pre-order campaign with a cover and teaser first scene,Use a spreadsheet to begin marketing and promotion at the proposal stage and on to after release.Use Advance Reader Copies ARCs to encourage reviews.Partner with other writers to cross promote.Research targeted Facebook ads.Post story/book settings and research on Pinterest and/or Instagram.Use Facebook live.Print professional business cards.Provide bookmarks for your street team to deliver to their local bookstores.Use holidays to encourage book sales.Develop speaking topics from your book theme, setting, or research.Post a YouTube video with your book trailer or author interview video.Establish hashtags for social media posts.Consult with your publisher about ways to market and promote.Inform your publisher about all marketing and promotion efforts.Host a Facebook live party with prizes.Take pics that reflect your book research, author engagement, setting, and theme.Arrange blog tours.Combine an online event with a personal event to double your visibility. 
What are your favorite marketing tips? Let’s share! Meet the Author:

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.
 
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.
 
Connect with DiAnn here:
 
Website: www.diannmills.com
FB: facebook.com/diann.mills.5
Twitter:  twitter.com/diannmills
Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/diann-mills
Featured Book:

Fatal Strike
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Rating: PG-13
 
There’s a killer on the loose in Galveston, targeting law enforcement officials and using a fatal injection of snake venom to take them down. Authorities have reasons to believe the Veneno gang is behind the hits, and FBI Agents Leah Riesel and Jon Colbert team up to track down those responsible. Their best lead is an eyewitness who identifies a young man dumping the third body on a church doorstep. But their suspect has gone into hiding, and those closest to him are reluctant to reveal anything that might help investigators find him.
As Leah and Jon check connections among the victims and dig deeper into motives, they discover appearances may be deceiving. Someone is desperate to keep their secrets hidden, and Leah and Jon must face their greatest fears in order to stop the next fatal strike.
 
Trailer: https://youtu.be/gWIo-F-uYaA
 
Buy Links (multiple sellers): https://diannmills.com/books/fatal-strike/

We Shall Not Forget

Author Nancy A. Nation Wrote Her First Book in Eleven Days!

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It’s Coffee Chat time, and this week’s guest author is Nancy A. Nation with her featured urban fantasy novel, A Witch Comes A Haunting.
 
Welcome, Nancy. What may I get you to drink?
 
AN: I prefer tea or hot chocolate, dark.
 
Ally: I have both, but it’s a little chilly today. How about hot chocolate? While I fix our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.
Bio:
 
My name is Nancy A. Nation and I write under the pen name of A. Nation
I’m retired, so I have lots of time to write. I used to run a screen print and embroidery business. When I did my first nanowrimo book, Where Did They Go? I thought about the story throughout September and October. I had it written all in my head when I started writing it on the computer in November. As a result, I wrote it in 11 days. Of course, I had it edited and published in December of 2015. I didn’t realize I could do that since I just began writing a few years before.
 
I currently produce 2-3 books a year. I’m one of those writers who can visualize in my mind what the characters are doing placed in certain locations. To me it’s like watching a movie screen and the characters are playing out their respective roles. I just write down what they are doing.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I have been married for 50 years to the same man. If I need to get something done, I research it, and do it. I’m at the point in my life that I can relax, travel, and write.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Newsletter: https://bloggingwrites.weebly.com/signup.html
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AnationWriter/
Facebook2: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorANation/
Website, https://anationauthor.com
Blog, https://bloggingwrites.weebly.com
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: What type of books do you write?
 
AN:  My genres are science fiction, urban fantasy, and travel mysteries. Romance happens but isn’t the focus of my stories. It is implied.
 
Ally:  Why did you write your featured novel?
 
AN: It was time to explore my darker side with my character and her fantasy friends. Taking off from my second book, The Pottery Sale, this is the fourth novel in the Urban Fantasy Mysteries. Here I introduce a love angle to my main character developed from the third book, The Cruise.
 
Ally: Describe what makes a good villain. What characteristics will make us love to hate him/her?
 
AN:  Most of my villains are downright evil. They have insulted and hurt others. They are obsessive to the point of taking (or killing) what they think is theirs just for power. Since I said ‘most,’ I have a couple, due to circumstances they could’ve controlled, turned bad. Such as getting rid of witnesses, impulse actions, hit for hire, and covering up a lie. In my featured book, A Witch Comes a Haunting, she’s a magical witch who enjoys power over others and will destroy to get what she wants.
 
Ally: How did you get that first book or story published?
 
AN: I didn’t publish my first book for two years because I’m a snowbird and the writing class I attended is in Arizona. I learned everything I could until I was ready to end my story and the class showed me how to self-publish, get beta readers, an editor, and market on Facebook and Amazon. In other words, you need a group with a great tech that knows everything. Since then, I’ve published three books per year, started publishing on Barnes and Noble, Lulu, and updated my own webpage.
 
Ally: Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
 
AN:   First, I read my draft over and edit to the best of my ability. Then, I use Grammarly and Prowriting aid, and send it to three to four of my excellent beta readers who know grammar and tenses. Then, I send it to my editor. She should be considered a professional but she’s not. She attended college and received a degree in creative writing. She’s extremely thorough, examines every sentence, and points out areas I never considered. I do pay her a small amount, but that is all she wants. While my betas and editor are working on my book, I reread and reread again. Most of the time I catch what my betas have discovered. After all is edited, I give my printed copy to another beta reader who is good at finding plot holes.
 
Ally: Why did you start writing? Why fiction? What keeps you writing?
 
AN: I chose fiction to create an alternate world that reflects reality. I have always been accused of having a vivid imagination. This way, I can do as I please. When you are dealing with non-fiction, you have to make sure all of your facts, people, and places are correct. I can do that to a certain extent in fiction without someone coming after me. Like I said, I’m retired. I have a lot of time on my hands and enjoy writing. Even when I’m traveling, I keep a diary to use as a notebook for my next book. What keeps me writing? When I see readers buying my books, giving me a good review, and asking me when the next one will come out.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project?
 
AN: To finish my next travel mystery coming out in the Spring of 2020, and another sci-fi the end of the Summer in 2020. After reading a real life drama occurring in my hometown, I might write a novella about that. All the short stories I attached to my newsletter will be compiled into another book. Then there is the outtake story….I’ll let you think about those for now.
 
Ally: Which quick answer questions did you pick to answer?
 
AN: a.  favorite book:  all of the Agatha Christie booksb. favorite movie: Havenc. What comes to your first - character or plot?  Mostly characters, as they drive to the plot.d. A guilty pleasure: chocolatee. favorite after five drink: Moscatof.  If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do?  Hire a writer.g.  typical breakfast – boiled egg, fruit, and a slice of date nut breadh. favorite place to write – my office  Ally: I have enjoyed getting to know you, Nancy.  What a busy retiree you are! Before you rush off to something new, show us your featured book.

A Witch Comes a Haunting
Genre: urban fantasy
Release Date: Sep 30, 2019
Rating: PG
 
Springtime brings the usual rain, sun, snow and even hail to this small town in Idaho. The river is rising, spiders are hatching, and basements are flooding. But are they the result of normal Spring occurrences?
 
Strange deaths and a construction siege motivate Susan to hatch a plan to stop a witch from killing her friend and destroying her town.
 
Buy links (pre-order until Sep 30):
​
 Amazon:      https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TYJQBSR
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/947030
Books2Read:  https://books2read.com/u/bOGVeg
Webpage:  https://anationauthor.com
 




Author Pages where her other books listed:
 
Amazon:      http://www.amazon.com/A-Nation/e/B00SUHXM6E
Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ANation
Books2Read:  https://books2read.com/ap/nmX0ER/A-Nation
Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/anation
Linkedin:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-nation-6a8a05112/
Instagram:    https://www.instagram.com/anation347/
Pinterest:    https://www.pinterest.com/anation347/

Author Pamela Turner Wishes She Could Write Perfect First Drafts

​It's time for this week’s Coffee Chat!
 
Grab your favorite beverage and prepare for some book talk with guest author Pamela Turner, and check out her featured paranormal suspense novel, Watchers Chronicles Book 1: Rogue Angel.
 
Welcome to the blog, Pamela. How do you take your coffee?
 
PT:  Just cream and sugar.
 
Ally: Well, aren’t you easy to please? :) I’ll pour while you introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Pamela Turner drinks too much coffee and wishes she could write perfect first drafts. Publications include Death Sword (a Chanticleer Blue Ribbon Paranormal Awards 2013 Finalist), Exterminating Angel, and The Ripper’s Daughter. Her short dark suspense story “Family Tradition” was a finalist in the EPIC 2014 EBook Awards. She’s also an award-winning screenplay writer. A member of the national chapter of Sisters in Crime, she’s currently vice-president of the Louisville Chapter. Besides coffee, she likes cats, cemeteries, and old abandoned buildings.
 
Tell me something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Back in the late 90s, I took a few flying lessons in a Cessna 152. Executed several go-arounds, but never got to solo. My depth perception was too bad. But I still have my books on general aviation. One of these days, I’ll have to create a character who’s a pilot.”
 
Author Contact Links:
 
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Website INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Let’s start with your featured book. Why did you write it?
 
PT:  I wanted to tell a story that would update the Watcher Angels (Grigori) to modern times. For example, Azazel and Gadreel taught humans how to make weapons. In modern times, they would be using AK-47s, M16s, and other arms.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Any current favorites?
 
PT:  My favorite genres are thriller, mystery, and suspense. I don’t know how many books per month I read, but for the past few years I’ve done the Savvy Reader 50 Book Challenge, and have “won” it each time. I’m also doing it this year. As for print or eBook, I read both. A current favorite is the Remy Chandler series by Thomas E. Sniegoski.
 
Ally:  Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays? Would they be easier, harder, or just different?
 
PT:  I’ve written short stories and screenplays. Regarding writing screenplays vs. novels, for me screenplays are easier because the focus is on action, dialogue, and description. Also, full-length screenplays average about 90-120 pages, which is a lot easier than writing 300 pages.
 
Ally:  Do you enjoy research? Does your genre require it?
 
PT:  I do enjoy research. While my genre doesn’t necessarily require it, I think it makes for better reading if I’m able to show that I cared enough to get something right. For example, when writing Rogue Angel, I researched not only the angels, but also cyber security and cybercrime and weapons.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
PT:  I’m looking at releasing a stand-alone paranormal suspense novel in October 2019 featuring a young woman who is tricked into breaking the rose window of a mysterious cathedral and opening the gate between Hell and Earth. Tentative title is The Gate Between.
 
Ally: Which of the quick answer questions did you choose? a. book you're currently reading:  David Baldacci’s The Last Mileb. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Albert Camusc. favorite movie:  Ashes and Diamondsd. Your pets:  Three rescue cats: Arkady (named after Martin Cruz Smith’s Arkady Renko), Rosie, and Sasha. Arkady and Rosie are tabbies and Sasha is a black cate.  If you couldn't write anymore, what would you want to do?  Either something to do with aviation or cyber securityAlly: It's been a pleasure to meet you, Pamela. Good luck with your writing. Before you go, tell us about Watchers Chronicles Book 1: Rogue Angel.
Watchers Chronicles Book 1: Rogue Angel
​Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Rating: Adult/some violence/language
 
Archangel Raguel investigates crimes involving angels. When he inadvertently kills a young woman and her son while trying to apprehend a malevolent angel, he quits his job, unable to justify his actions. But his self-imposed retirement is interrupted when Semyaza, leader of the Watcher Angels, also known as the Grigori, asks him to find Penemuel, the Watcher who taught humans to write, and who has disappeared. Meanwhile, fellow Watchers Azazel and Gadreel, who taught mankind how to make weapons, learn someone is interfering with their gun-running operation on the Dark Net.

As Raguel investigates first Penemuel’s disappearance, then his murder, he finds himself drawn into the world of the Grigori. Semyaza seems to have an agenda, but is it related to Azazel’s and Gadreel’s operation? And what about the mysterious and reclusive Sariel who’s come out of exile for one reason: vengeance. But will his desire for revenge destroy humanity?
  
Buy Links:
 
Amazon Kindle
Kobo
Nook

Author Jodi Rath Decided to Begin a Life of Crime!

​Welcome, Booklovers! 

Are you ready for our weekly book talk? Our guest is cozy mystery author, Jodi Rath, featuring book two in her Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series.
​
Good morning, Jodi! What may I get you to drink?
 
JR:  I love hot tea with two sweet-n-lows and a few plunks of milk.
 
Ally: While I fill our mugs, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Moving into her second decade working in education, Jodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her eight cats.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio. “Let’s see, I’ve driven race cars on Laguna Seca’s course in CA. I have a brown belt (one step away from a black belt) in Kenpo.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Newsletter link to A Mystery A Month—sign up for my monthly newsletter to receive a free Mystery a Month and a chance to win prizes for those who guess the right answers! http://eepurl.com/dIfXdb
Website: www.jodirath.com 
FB Author page: @authorjodirath or https://www.facebook.com/authorjodirath/
Twitter: @jodirath
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodi-rath
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
JR:  I taught HS English for close to two decades, so yes, I had a theme in mind for the arc of the entire fourteen book series before I began writing book one. I know the direction the entire series will go and how it will end. The themes vary from book to book, but I connect with readers on all my social media outlets and create themes based on the most popular posts. I do a lot of research on the themes by emailing back and forth with many of my readers that are or have experienced what the theme of the book is.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you can give other writers?
 
JR:  I took some marketing courses in college and then worked in Advertising for several years—so marketing is not difficult for me like it can be for some writers. My best advice is to plan your marketing strategy for anything you want to sell (books or anything) at LEAST six months in advance. It’s really the only way to make a profit as an indie author unless you get lucky—and maybe about 2% maximum will get lucky. One of many parts of my business is that I am a marketing consultant on an hourly basis for indie authors and authors with small publishing companies. I help them build foundational marketing skills and plans.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
JR: I related to ______ fill-in-the-blank—a character, a theme, a plot issue, anything, and it helped me reflect on my own situation.
I’ve had that happen several times so far and it makes my entire year. I had an autistic man message me saying he really appreciated the diversity and that book two had a disabled character in it. My previous editor told me she loved that the series was headed in a direction to have so much different culture, different religions, races, and different types of people in it. I’m thrilled that only at book two many people are not only recognizing that but reaching out to tell me they appreciate it. Not to mention, many of them are helping me shape the characters by communicating with me during the research period.
 
Ally:  In keeping with the fantasy theme of this blog…if you could have a supernatural power or ability, what would it be?
 
JR:  I want to be invisible. As far back as I can remember, I’ve used reading, writing, research, and art as escapes—and I’m talking back to age four or five. I imagine if I was currently in therapy that would be considered unhealthy, but I don’t care. I have preferred fictional stories and characters to many people most of my life. So being invisible would be a great thing for me. Plus, I’d love to spy on people and then write about it! BWAAAHAHAHAAA!
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
JR:  A Thanksgiving holiday book called, Turkey Basted to Death, comes out November 15, 2019.
 
Ally: Which short answer questions did you choose to answer?
 
JR:favorite quote:  “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emersonan item on your bucket list:  See my favorite quote—that’s it and I feel I’m accomplishing that.Do you believe in love at first sight? Used to not, but then met my second husband, so yes!Your pets:  Cats: Lucky Lou Rath; Murray Kinz Rath; Stewart Michael Rath; Sam Jr. Rath; Slinky Marie Rath; Lily Rose Rath; Lulu Bean Rath; and Luna Belle Rath—they all have middle names—of course, they are our kids after all!Ally: Thanks for spending time on the Coffee Chat, Jodi. Before you go, please tell us about your latest release.

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Murder
(The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series Book #2)
Released: 6/21/2019
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rated by author: 15 +
 
Welcome to Leavensport, Ohio where DEATH takes a delicious turn!
 
Financial fraud of elderly villagers in Leavensport, an urban sprawl threat to the community, disastrous dates, cross-sell marketing gone wrong, and another murder?
 
Jolie Tucker is ready to try dating again. Well, she has no choice—since her family auctioned her off to the highest bidder. Her best friend, Ava, has agreed to a double date, but both friends find out hidden secrets about their partners as well as deception by one of the village’s own, who will soon be found dead. This plot is sure to be spicy!
 
Links to purchase book:
 
Amazon: http://authl.it/B07Q1K4DN3
All other e-platforms: https://books2read.com/u/bOAYyK