Ally Shields's Blog, page 28

Norma Huss: Grandma Moses of Mystery

Good morning, booklovers!
 
What a winter we’re having in the Midwest! It seems as if we’re in a never-ending snow pattern. So pull your chair closer to the fire and grab your favorite hot drink for a cozy chat with mystery author Norma Huss.
It’s so nice to see you, Norma. How do you take your coffee?
 
NH: Hazelnut cappuccino would be perfect.
 
Ally: I love the scent of hazelnut coffee! While I pour, please tell readers about your background. Bio:
 
I’m a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who writes. I grew up in Washington (state) and moved to Pennsylvania to marry my husband. We raised five children who all married, and all but one produced two grandchildren. I’ve worked as a secretary in the distant past. Although retired, I’m more active writing now than I’d ever been. Besides creating imaginative stories, my second love is creating meals for my husband, me, and occasionally, for visiting friends and relatives. (And yes, my two loves combined when I released a book of short stories, with recipes included.)

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I began writing my first story in fifth grade. Unfortunately, I never finished it. The only mystery about it was, how would it end? (Couldn’t figure that out, or, perhaps, I just found something else more entertaining to take up my time. I was big with paper dolls. I had a whole trunk full.)”

Author contacts:
 
Amazon author page: https://tinyurl.com/nuy7ugv
Facebook author page: fb.me/writerNormaHuss
Twitter: https://twitter.com/normahuss
Website: http://www.normahuss.com
Blog: http://blog.normahuss.com
Goodreadshttp:/www.goodreads.com/author/show/5087868.Norma_Huss INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: What can readers expect to find when they open a Norma Huss novel?
 
NH:  I write sort of cozy mysteries - more the Agatha Christie type: small Chesapeake Bay-side community rather than big city or international spies—although I do have a mobster returning home from prison in one book. There’s also a touch of the supernatural with ghosts in the two stand-alones and a mental sense of a talking cat in the series. (Romance is more in the future possibility stage.)
 
Ally: What makes a good mystery villain? Are there certain characteristics readers can look for while puzzling out "who dun it?” :)
 
NH:  I prefer seemingly normal villains - someone pushed to the limit or someone who feels him/herself to be better than, or more qualified/superior in some way to others. Oh, I do have one rather mentally deranged person who is a villain. (Those previous statements fly in the face of my core belief that anyone who kills is mentally deranged - which means, I’m writing fantasy, I guess) Of course, using such a person makes it more logical that the villain I choose isn’t obvious to the reader. (I like to confuse them since, as a mystery reader myself, I love to be confused.) I may give several people characteristics that are hateful to further confuse the reader. And, I’ll spread a few lovable traits around as well. Most people are a contradiction of traits, I think. Also, each of us may find different traits lovable or hateable, according to the interaction among individuals.
 
Ally:  Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
 
NH:  Yes, I have used a professional editor. I so appreciated the editor who edited my first book for the small press who originally published it that I hired her for all my mysteries. I edited A Knucklehead in 1920s Alaska myself since, basically, I worked with my father and his words in an “as told to” memoir with my byline. My book of short stories was edited by my daughter, who is not only a traditionally published author, but a former magazine editor. (That was an unpaid perk given as a Christmas present, which I gladly accepted.) Not a paid editor, but my young adult mystery was also vetted by another daughter with teen children for appropriate teen language. (Aren’t kids great?)
 
Ally:  What supernatural power or ability would you like to have?
 
NH: To live forever. And, at age 89, I’m really trying hard at that. After living from a pre-TV age, seeing the remarkable changes in so many things, reading historic books from centuries past with characters who believed everything had already been invented, I can hardly imagine what could happen next. Example, when we lived in an old house in the country when I was a child, we had a telephone that was a wooden box on the wall with a speaker to talk into, a receiver to hold to your ear, and a crank to ring central or one of the 15 neighbors on our party line. (Our ring was two shorts, a long, and a short.) And look at telephones now!
 
Ally:   Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays? Why or why not. Would they be easier, harder, or just different?
 
NH:  I’ve written and published short stories as well as books. Before writing for adults, I wrote and had published both fiction and articles in children’s magazines. I really enjoy writing for adults more than writing for children. I prefer the vocabulary - and I’m not talking adult content, but grade level. In fact, my books are perfectly fine for any age, content-wise. (I also must admit, I write letters to my local newspaper quite frequently.)
 
Ally: Give us the scoop on your next writing project!
 
NH:  I’m writing a sequel to my current stand-alone, Death of a Hot Chick, to be called, Death of a Money Man. I’m going to commit to publication in December 2019. Which means I’ll have to get moving.
 
Ally: It’s time for a few quick responses to some personal trivia: an item on your bucket list - A vacation on a paddle wheel trip on the Mississippi. (I’d love to set a mystery there)high heels or sneakers - Please, sneakers.favorite quote - “There was a moment when I changed from an amateur to a professional. I assumed the burden of a profession, which is to write even when you don't want to, don't much like what you're writing, and aren't writing particularly well.” Agatha Christiefavorite after five drink - Definitely the beer with an orange slice in it, but I keep forgetting the name.favorite place to write - My basement dungeon.  Ally:  Thanks so much for chatting this morning, Norma. Before you rush off to work on that sequel, please show us your featured novel.
A Jo Durbin Mystery Series (3-book volume)
Genre: cozy mystery
 
Jo Durbin, frustrated business writer, cat believer, and accidental amateur sleuth wants to up her game—parlaying temporary lifestyle into a bestseller. She tries real estate promotion, the baglady life, and reenacting an 1813 woman at war. But the byline she scores, instead of “a killer caught,” might be “DOA.”
 
This collection includes the complete series: Hidden Body, a prequel novelette, Yesterday’s Body, Book 1, and Forgotten Body, Book 2. Jo is helped, or hindered, by her sister Kaye, by Mel, the man who wants to be more than a friend, and other characters, not the least of which are the police who seem to always be on her case.
 
Links:

Amazon - www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPL5SRZ

Nook:  https://bit.ly/2BJtc8f

Apple:  https://apple.co/2No4BKN​
​
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-jo-durbin-mystery-series

D2D:  (Including Nook, Apple, Kobo, and 5 other links): books2read.com/u/3nYaxe Want to know more about Norma?
Check out her Coffee Chat interview of May 21, 2014.

Get Swept Up in an Interview with Kimberly Packard, Author of Vortex!

​Welcome to the latest Coffee Chat from the frozen Midwest!
 
This week’s guest author is Kimberly Packard, a writer of Women’s Fiction, featuring her exciting book Vortex.
Welcome, Kimberly. How do you drink your coffee?
 
KP: With a splash of Oat milk (Oatly is the best brand for coffee). Yes, it sounds weird, but it’s a really great flavor!
 
Ally: My magic pot can do anything, so while I collect our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers.
Bio:
 
Kimberly Packard is an award-winning author of edgy women’s fiction. She began visiting her spot on the shelves at libraries and bookstores at a young age, gazing between the Os and the Qs.
 
When she isn’t writing, she can be found running, doing a poor imitation of yoga or curled up with a book.  She resides in Texas with her husband Colby, a clever cat named Oliver and a yellow lab named Charlie.
 
Her debut novel, Phoenix, was awarded as Best General Fiction of 2013 by the Texas Association of Authors. She is also the author of a Christmas novella, The Crazy Yates, and the sequels to Phoenix, Pardon Falls and Prospera Pass. Her latest novel, Vortex, was released in early 2019.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “The very first time I shaved my legs was in front of my entire 6th grade class. My friends and I had rewritten the words to Debbie Gibson’s Shake Your Love to Shave Your Legs, and I performed it during the talent show on the last day of school (side note: Debbie Gibson is my doppleganger). I didn’t realize until I came home with 18 cuts that I could have left the cap over the blade.”
 
Author Links:
 
Website:  www.kimberlypackard.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kimberlypackardauthor/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimberlypackard/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KimberlyPackard INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Why did you write your featured book?
 
KP:  The story seed for Vortex came while we were watching tornado warning coverage (I live in Texas – that happens a lot around here). I had this flash of a little girl being found in the rubble, but she didn’t know where she came from. That flash made me wonder who she was, what happened to her, and who she grew up to become.
 
Ally:   What characteristics make a good villain? Why do we love to hate him or her?
 
KP:  I’m going to take a twist on this and talk about antagonists. They are kind of villain-light in some cases (less filling, tastes great!). I love a good antagonist, and I think, for me at least, is to find something that endears them to the reader. There’s nothing better than having a scene with your protagonist facing off against the antagonist and you aren’t sure who you’re cheering for.
 
For my antagonists, I like to show them honestly. If they are low, show why they are low. In my novel, Phoenix, the antagonist, Shiloh, is someone still hurting from the death of her best friend, and I showed that pain and how her bitchiness was a protective measure. I also like to use humor. The antagonist in Pardon Falls and Prospera Pass is the main character’s no good ex-boyfriend, but my goodness he’s hilarious. It’s hard to hate someone when they make you laugh.
 
Ally:  Talk about your main characters. Are they likable? Do they have off-putting flaws or beliefs? Are they “good” people? Is it important for them to be real or relatable?
 
KP:  I’d say my main characters are likable but relatable. They have behavior that can get annoying. Both Amanda, from my Phoenix trilogy, and Elaina from Vortex have the tendency to bulldoze in order to get their way. But, they are extremely driven women who only expect to succeed. When we get so focused on our goals, we might lose focus on what’s important. That’s a big part of their journey.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
KP:  That my characters stick with them long after they finished the book. I had one reader email me and tell me that she was still thinking about my characters weeks after she finished the books, wondering where they were, what they were up to.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
KP:  I’m working on a story that can be best described as a cross between The Breakfast Club and The Bucket List – and everyone is dying. I promise it’s not as morbid as it sounds. And, maybe we’ll see it by the end of 2019. :)
 
Ally: Give me your quick responses to these personal trivia questions:a. high heels or sneakers:  High Heels (and I’ve been known to run in them)b. hiking or sunbathing:   Hiking – with SPF 100c. Your pets: Charlie is a Golden Lab, and Oliver is a golden retriever trapped in a tuxedo cat's bodyd. favorite place to write:  I love writing from the far southwest Texas desert  Ally: Thanks for virtually braving the storms to visit us, Kimberly! Before you head south again, please show us your featured book.
​Vortex
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Rating: PG-13
 
Constant spinning, round and round and round, temperatures rise and fall from stifling heat to chilling cold, emotions run high in anticipation of what will happen next… there’s a fine line between surviving a tornado and falling in love.
 
A close encounter with a tornado, during the final months of her doctoral studies, jogs a lost memory to the surface. Desperate to relive the vision and find answers, storm chaser Elaina Adams continually puts her safety at risk by placing herself in the path of dangerous storms.
 
When betrayal strikes, Elaina is forced to pair up with Robert Tucker. “Tuck” owns a storm chasing tour group and only cares about two things: chasing tornadoes and making his next buck.
 
Seth Maddux was climbing his way to the top as the star meteorologist for the Forecast channel, but an embarrassing outburst on camera sent his career on a downward spiral. Hoping to reignite his career with a promising field assignment, he meets Elaina and a different kind of flame sparks.
 
Family secrets surface and passions explode in this twister of a tale.
 
Vortex is a story of family, love, identity and determination set against the thrilling backdrop of Tornado Alley.
 
Buy Link:
 
I’m doing KindleUnlimited for this one: https://www.amazon.com/Vortex-Kimberly-Packard-ebook/dp/B07MKLN9YY

Meet PA DeVoe, Author of the Ming Dynasty Mysteries

Welcome to the Coffee Chat, Booklovers!
 
This week’s guest is mystery author P.A. DeVoe, featuring her historical Ming Dynasty mystery, Deadly Relations.
 
A pleasure to meet you Pam. What may I get you to drink?
 
PA:  While I do drink coffee at breakfast, I drink tea during the rest of the day. Green tea or black tea, whichever you have will be great. No sugar or milk, just plain.
 
Ally: I’ll be right back with drinks in hand. Meanwhile, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
P.A. De Voe is an anthropologist with a PhD in Asian studies and a specialty in China. She has authored several stories featuring the Ming Dynasty: The Mei-hua Trilogy, Hidden, Warned, and Trapped; Deadly Relations, A Ming Dynasty Mystery; and a collection of short stories, including the Judge Lu case files.
 
Warned won a Silver Falchion Award for Best International Mystery in 2016; Trapped was nominated for an Agatha Award and was a finalist for a Silver Falchion in 2017. Her short story, The Immortality Mushroom, (a Judge Lu story) was in the Anthony Award winning anthology Murder Under the Oaks edited by Art Taylor.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I have two spinning wheels. Guests often think my first wheel is a piece of sculpture because it’s so modern looking! The second wheel I had made especially for me, and it looks like a classic spinning wheel. I most like spinning sheep and alpaca fleeces.” 
 
 
Author Links:
 
Website: padevoe.com
Twitter:  @PamelaADeVoe INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Where do you get your story ideas?
 
PA:  Being an anthropologist and a China specialist, I am most interested in culture and the interaction between a society’s cultural elements and individual’s behaviors. Culture includes such things as gender, law, medicine, economics, and religion—among many other things. And my stories are historical, set in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, so I want to reflect a time period.
 
To accomplish that, I do a lot of research: reading law cases, the Ming law code, personal communications, as well as reading about such things as foxes and beggars. When I find something that fascinates me, I put it into a story or even make it the main theme in a short story. I look for the common person in history and try to imagine what their life was like, what they would do in certain circumstances given their cultural environment. My female character in Deadly Relations and No Way to Die is based on a woman who actually lived in the Ming Dynasty. It’s not her, but she’s the model for my character, Xiang-hua, a young woman’s doctor.
 
My story ideas come from wanting to bring my readers into another place, culture, and time. That’s what I want to bring to my readers; a trip they can’t take any other way except through story telling.
 
Ally:  Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
 
PA:  Absolutely. There’s no way an author can adequately edit her own book. We’re too close. We know the story and the backstory. We can’t see the holes or the areas of confusion. And, by the time we’ve finished (or thought we’d finished LOL), we’ve read those words so many times, we are no longer even seeing them. If nothing else, we need fresh eyes. Someone who is an expert in the art of writing fiction and who will be productively honest with us about our work.
 
Ally:  Do you enjoy research? Does your genre require it?
 
PA:  I can bury myself in doing research. Probably every historical fiction writer will say this. For any of my Ming Dynasty stories, I have to do a lot of reading and exploring. I also call upon personal experiences I’ve had that connect in some way with what I’m writing about. I also enjoy doing research for my contemporary mysteries set in the US. I wrote a cozy mystery set in Maine, The Crate Beyond. While I’d been to Maine, I wasn’t thinking about writing and it’d been some years ago. To write that book I took a trip to the location and talked to as many true Mainers as I could. So, whether it’s reading books, traveling, or talking to locals, research is always number one on my list of pleasures.
 
Yes, international, historical fiction requires it—and so does contemporary fiction. Details are important. They may not always be right, but 100% is what we should strive for.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
PA:  I suppose we’d all say that they loved the book and that it helped them to …. (whatever that particular book was about). Two comments from young people who’d read my YA Mei-hua trilogy stand out to me, because I suppose I didn’t expect them. First, a young girl said that she cried when she’d read a scene in Hidden involving a girl named Ping-an. I was taken aback. It reminded me how my characters aren’t characters, they are real people to the reader. Hidden is the first Ming Dynasty novel I’d written and this was a lesson for me. The second comment was by a ten-year-old boy who’d read the trilogy. I asked him what he thought of the books. He told me he liked the research! I put a Notes section in the back of each book, and he’d read that, too. Quite frankly, I had never expected a ten-year-old to read the Notes section—and to value them, as well! Young people are amazing and should never be underestimated.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
PA:  This month, February 2019, No Way to Die, the second novel in my Ming Dynasty Mysteries series, will come out. I’m quite excited about it. It’s a mystery wrapped around gender issues. In a culture that centers on male dominance, how to women fit in?
 
The murder and partial mutilation of a stranger brings together Shu-chang, an itinerant scholar, and Xiang-hua, the local women’s doctor. They join forces once more in solving a crime neither could solve alone. The road to truth leads them through the seedier side of their town--involving, gambling, prostitution, and gangs.
 
Karma, secret deals, and jealousy confound Shu-chang and Xiang-hua’s efforts to find the murderer, who remains hidden behind a cloud of misdirection.
 
After this, I will be working on bringing together in one place, as a collection, of my Judge Lu Case Files short stories. (No title yet) Naturally, there will be a Notes section at the back of the book talking about some of the basic principles of Chinese law over a couple of thousand years.
 
Ally: Please give me your first response to the following questions: favorite accessory:  scarves, although I wear jewelry a lot, toohigh heels or sneakers:  Merrell ShoesWhat comes to you first – character or plot? Theme, then character, then plotWhat are your hobbies? Spinning yarn and making vintage fur bears (by hand, of course!)favorite place to write:  My cozy office with its overflowing book shelves and my large computer screen (for easier viewing)Ally:  I’ve enjoyed our chat, Pam. Before you go, please tell us more about Deadly Relations.
Deadly Relations (A Ming Dynasty Mystery)
Genre: historical/classic mystery
 
Book Blurb:
 
As Hong Shu-chang struggles to move out of poverty, his father and uncle are murdered. Facing destitution, yet determined to find their killers, he takes a position as teacher in a nearby town where he meets Xiang-hua, the enigmatic local women’s doctor. Soon, a burned-out warehouse and two more mysterious deaths lead to his teaming up with Xiang-hua, and together they delve into the dark side of the town and its families, endangering both their reputations and lives.
 
Buy Link:
​
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Relations-Ming-Dynasty-Mystery-ebook/dp/B079J9CPRW  (also available via kindleunlimited)
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/P.A.-De-Voe/e/B07D3BVGR8
  
Coming soon:
 
No Way to Die, A Ming Dynasty Mystery, the second book in this series, releases this month, February 2019. 

Interview with Suspense-Thriller Writer CJ Shane

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Join me in welcoming this week’s guest author, CJ Shane with her featured suspense thriller, Desert Jade.
It’s great to meet you, CJ! How do you take your coffee?
 
CJS: I love coffee! I start the day with a big cup enhanced with low-fat milk.
 
Ally:  While I pour, you’ll have time to show readers your bio.
Bio:
 
I’ve lived in Tucson, Arizona, for many years. My degrees are in journalism, history and library science. I have worked as a newspaper reporter, a college reference librarian, a freelance writer for magazines, and as a book author. I’m also a visual artist, primarily a painter. I’ve traveled a lot, I’m very interested in environmental issues, and I have a special place in my heart for rescue dogs and cats.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn’t in your regular bio:  “Over an eleven year period, I taught ESL in China in summers and autumns. I also took teams of American teachers with me to teach. My experiences teaching in China led to my nonfiction book Voices of New China. Chinese characters regularly appear in my southern Arizona Letty Valdez Mystery novels.”
 
Contact links:
​
Email:  shane@cjshane.com
Website: https://www.cjshane.com/desert-jade.html
Newsletter signup: https://madmimi.com/signups/120087/join
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/C.-J.-Shane/e/B00N6K9S6S/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/29448.C_J_Shane
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CJShaneArtBooks
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-shane INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What type of book are you featuring today?
 
CJS:  Desert Jade was named a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller book, 2018 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards.
Tucson Chicana/Native American private investigator and Iraq War veteran Letty Valdez joins forces with an unlikely ally, Chinese police Detective Inspector Zhou Liang Wei, in Desert Jade, a fast-paced mystery-suspense thriller with a touch of romance set in the Sonoran Desert.
 
Ally:  Why did you write Desert Jade?
 
CJS:  I realized that there were things I wanted to convey to readers that would best be told in a story, not as nonfiction. Author Richard Powers said, “The best arguments in the world won't change a person's mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.” I want to tell the story of the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands and the people who live here.
 
Ally:  Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?
 
CJS:  Author Alice Walker said she was a “medium” for her characters in The Color Purple. I didn’t understand this until I started writing about Letty, her family and friends. So yes, fully formed! For example in the second LV Mystery, Dragon’s Revenge, this fellow named Dan appears briefly. In the third LV Mystery (coming in a few months!), Dan will play a much bigger role. He insisted, because he really likes Letty a lot.
 
Ally:   Talk about your main characters. Do they have flaws?
 
CJS:  Tucson private detective Letty Valdez is smart, resourceful, and brave. She’s Chicana/Native American who grew up in poverty. She suffers from PTSD due to her service as a medic in Iraq. Despite challenges, Letty is a true hero, the one you can count on always. Readers have frequently said how much they like her.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Current favorites?
 
CJS:  I read a lot of nonfiction as well as mystery-suspense, romantic suspense and science fiction. I usually read one book every week, both paper and ebooks. The nonfiction book I recently read that really moved me was Francisco Cantú’s The Line Becomes a River. I just finished two terrific sci-fi books in Linked Worlds series, The Babylon Eye and The Real, by South African writer Masha du Toit. I can’t wait to the third in the series, The Strange. My favorite mystery writer is Laura Lippman and her Tess Monaghan series.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
CJS:  The third Letty Valdez Mystery, Daemon Waters, will come out in the summer of 2019.
 
Ally:  Please respond to these five short answer questions:1. favorite movie: Beasts of the Southern Wild2. favorite song: Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Aguas de Março” in English translation3. Your pets:  Sunday, the rescue pit-bull mix. Sunday is BFFs with fictional Millie, the Pit Bull who is rescued by Letty Valdez in Desert Jade.4. bucket list item: to visit New York City5.  If you couldn't write anymore, what would you do? paint and drawAlly:  Thanks so much for spending time with us, CJ. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Desert Jade.

Desert Jade (A Letty Valdez Mystery)
Genre: Suspense Thriller
 
Tucson Chicana/Native American private investigator and Iraq War veteran Letty Valdez joins forces with an unlikely ally, Chinese police Detective Inspector Zhou Liang Wei, in Desert Jade, a fast-paced mystery-suspense thriller set in the Sonoran Desert. 

We meet a migrant lost and out of water in the desert, Chinese triad gangsters engaged in criminal activities on the U.S.-Mexico border, a woman murdered in her backyard, a husband who vanished with a large sum of money, and three abducted young women threatened with sex trafficking. 

There's a touch of romance, too, when cop Zhou meets one of Letty's friends. Don't forget Milagro (aka Millie), the runt-sized female pit bull who performs a heroic act and saves a life.

Next after Desert Jade, look for Dragon's Revenge: A Letty Valdez Mystery
 

​

Buy Links:
 
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Jade-Letty-Valdez-Mystery-ebook/dp/B077H4ZBTY/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/756970
Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/desert-jade-cj-shane/1127372739?type=eBook
iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/desert-jade/id1306446129?mt=11
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/desert-jade

Interview with Mystery Author Sharon St. George

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

Today's guest is mystery author Sharon St. George, featuring her upcoming new release, Primary Source.
You're very brave to visit the frozen Midwest, even virtually, Sharon! Can I get you some hot coffee to drink?

SSG: Of course. At home I mix half regular and half decaf beans and grind them fresh for each pot. I prefer black, with no sugar. If I'm eating out in a nice restaurant, I sometimes treat myself by adding cream to my cup.

Ally:  Black coffee coming right up. While I'm doing that, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Author of the Aimee Machado Mystery series, Sharon St. George has been an avid reader since childhood, when the books in Walter Farley's Black Stallion series were her favorites. As an adult, she was captivated by the medical thrillers of Michael Crichton, Michael Palmer, Tess Gerritsen and others. After spending twenty years working in administrative positions in medical offices, hospitals and libraries, she turned to writing hospital-based mysteries full time. Sharon maintains the Sisters in Crime Guppy Small Publisher list, and is a regular proofreader of First Draft, the Guppy newsletter. She enjoys posting on her blog about facts she's learned by writing fiction. www.sharonstgeorge.com
 
Something unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “I have a degree in Theatre Arts and enjoy acting occasionally in one of our local theatre company's productions.”
 
Contact Links:
 
Website:  www.sharonstgeorge.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/SharonStGeorgeauthor
Twitter: @SharonStGeorge
Author page: amazon.com/author/sharonstgeorge INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Why did you write your featured book?
 
SSG:  I grew up in a family where grandparents on both sides spoke with accents. My father was a first-generation American. His parents immigrated from the Portuguese Azores Islands. On my mother's side, her step-father was an immigrant from Switzerland. As a small child, I assumed everyone's grandparents were immigrants who spoke with accents. As an adult living in New York City for a time, I made more than one trip to Ellis Island. It was quite exciting and awe-inspiring to realize the sacrifices and hardships involved in starting a life in a new country. In recent years, as our nation's emphasis on immigrants began to show up regularly in the news, I began to wonder how I might write a story about that polarizing topic. It would have to somehow fit with my protagonist's position as a hospital employee who is charged with managing the medical staff's Ethics Committee. My research led to three issues that came together in the story: immigration, organ donation and private prisons.
 
Ally: Do you write with a theme or message in mind?
 
SSG:  Only after writing at least three of the books in my series did I realize the theme, if there is one, might be the empowerment of women, and how much they can accomplish by standing together. (Sort of like Sisters in Crime.) I found myself writing about women in demanding careers. My female characters include a corporate pilot, a surgeon, and other women with careers in hospital administration. These are powerful women who must balance their professional and personal lives. Most of them have men in their lives, and in some cases, children. To be fair, I've also written women as villains in some of my stories. To avoid spoilers, I won't say more about that here. And I do give the male characters plenty of credit for their roles in helping Aimee solve each mystery.
   
Ally:  If you could travel through time and meet author Jane Austen,  what would you talk about?
 
SSG:  I would thank her for inspiring women to believe they have a place in the world of literature. I would tell her of my pilgrimage to Bath, England to visit the residences she inhabited while living there. I would acknowledge that she deserves most of the credit for the literary prize I won in college for my paper examining the theme of women's limitations in a patriarchal society in Sense and Sensibility. I would ask her to tell me all she could about her life and her writing, beyond what I was able to research for my paper. Finally I would tell her of how her legacy has endured through the ages and will most likely continue on after today's generation of women writers have joined her by taking their own places in literary history.
 
Ally:  Have you written or considered writing in other genres or other forms, such as short stories or screenplays? Why or why not. Would they be easier, harder, or just different?
 
SSG:  As a college student and beyond, with other courses and seminars, I've studied several genres. They include the short story, the essay, playwriting, the novel, and screenwriting. For a number of years, I worked as a college writing tutor, and even worked with faculty members who needed editorial help in preparing their doctoral theses. A number of years ago, I wrote a one-act play that was produced by the theatre department of the university where I studied. In my hometown, I was lead writer for a city centennial pageant commissioned by the mayor of the town. Several years later, I was commissioned to write a "Meet the Authors Mystery Night" production as a library fundraiser. In spite of my interest in playwriting and in the screenplay genre, I was more drawn to the mystery novel and ultimately decided to keep my focus there.
  
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
SSG:  I've just begun work on the sixth book in my Aimee Machado Mystery series. It is in early stages, and all I'm sure of right now is who the victim will be and that there will be enough potential villains to keep my readers guessing. I plan to weave the problem of drug addiction into book six more fully than I have in the first five. I recently heard a statistic on the news that surprised me. It seems that for the first time in our country's history, Americans are more likely to die of an opioid overdose than from a traffic accident. Since book five is being released in February 2019, I would estimate another year to eighteen months before book six comes out. Maybe in late 2020.
 
Ally: How would you answer the following quick response questions?a. an item on your bucket list: Another trip to Portugal and The Azores Islandsb. favorite movie: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouric. hiking or sunbathing: Hiking in the Northern California wilderness with llamas.d. Do you believe in love at first sight? No, love takes time, but I do believe in attraction at first sight.e. Your pets - type and names Two llamas: Smoke and Quartz. Two cats: Willow and Fluffy. Ally:  Thanks for visiting the blog today. Before I let you go, please show us your featured book, Primary Source.
Primary Source: (Aimee Machado Mystery #5)
Genre: Mystery/hospital based
Rating: romantic/PG
 
A young doctor, new to Timbergate Medical Center and eager to make a name for himself, is appointed chairman of the Ethics Committee. He requests that Aimee Machado, the committee's coordinator, arrange an emergency meeting to discuss organ donation. When pressed to elaborate, he refuses, claiming the details are highly sensitive and require the legal protection of a medical staff committee. Aimee agrees to arrange the meeting, but later that night, the doctor suffers a catastrophic fall down an unlit hospital stairwell, leaving him brain dead. 

The suspicious timing of the doctor's accident troubles Aimee and starts her down a treacherous path. When she discovers an outrageous black-market scheme that spans the U.S. and beyond, her quest to save innocent lives puts her in mortal danger.
 
Buy Links:
 
Pre-order buy link for Barnes & Noble:  https://tinyurl.com/y9ddtx5s
Pre-order button for Amazon not yet active. https://www.amazon.com/Primary-Source-Sharon-St-George/dp/160381583X/

Interview with Mystery Author Karen Neary Smithson

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Welcome to this week’s Coffee Chat. Our guest author is mystery writer Karen Neary Smithson.
Thanks for coming on a cold and snowy morning in the Midwest, Karen. What can I get you to drink?
 
KNS: I’m not a fan of hot drinks so I prefer water with a slice of lemon.
 
Ally: While I grab our drinks, please tell readers something about yourself. Author Bio:
 
Karen Neary Smithson has been a child advocate, human rights commissioner, and an art educator. As a member of various critique groups she has honed her craft and finds writing magical. In addition to writing fiction, she is a professional artist whose paintings have been displayed in local galleries and shows. Karen has been known to pop up as an extra in Baltimore based movies and television programs. She lives with her husband and three show cats in historic Ellicott City, Maryland.
 
Unusual fact: “I am a numismatic. My main area of interest is ancient coins of the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire.”
 
Author Contact Links:
 
Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/KarenNearySmithsonAuthor/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17739503.Karen_Neary_Smithson
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/keneary1
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Why did you decide to write a book? What keeps you writing?
 
KNS:  I first considered writing after recently graduating from college. I was working as a counselor at a spouse abuse shelter in Florida. The plight of the women residing in the shelter prompted  me to write a book. I wanted it to be entertaining, but also informative so that if a woman in an abusive situation found herself within the pages of the novel the character’s arc would provide not only a strategy, but also a measure of hope. I chose to write fiction because I figured it would be more engaging then an essay chocked full of facts and statistics regarding spousal abuse. As an avid reader, I’d spent many happy hours with my nose stuck deep within the pages of all types of books so, I figured it couldn’t be too difficult to write a novel.
      The process of creating a world full of imaginary characters fascinated me and I quickly found myself hooked. I continue to write because it’s a creative process that I find challenging, but also a lot of fun.
 
Ally:   Where did you get the story idea for your featured book?
 
KNS: I’d been writing historical fiction, but hadn’t had any success in getting published so I    decided to switch to a different genre. Since I enjoy reading mysteries, I decided to take a stab at writing one. But, I really didn’t have any plot ideas. One day I was reading a Writers’ Digest article regarding a memoire written by a woman who worked as a nanny for Hollywood celebrities. I shared the article with my husband and he said, “Why don’t you write Death of the Hollywood Nanny?” It sounded like a good idea. But, of course, there were roadblocks since I knew next to nothing about actors and the movie making industry (the little I knew was gleaned from being on a few TV/movie sets as an extra). After some initial research I began writing—and that’s when the fun part began. The novel did require a lot of ongoing research, but I didn’t mind. The result turned out to be Death in Disguise.
 
Ally:   How did you get the first book published?
 
KNS:  After sending Death in Disguise to independent editors and incorporating feedback from my critique groups, I decided to take the traditional route to publication. I sent out queries to agents that represented mystery writers. After receiving the expected rejections and those "good” rejections that offer some positive feedback, I found an agent who believed the book had merit. Within two months my agent had secured me a publishing contract.  
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
KNS:  There are several meaningful things a fan could say about my book. The most significant comments would include that the book is well-written, engaging, a page-turner, and couldn’t figure out who the killer was until the end of the book.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
KNS:  My current writing project is the sequel to this one, which is titled Death Unmasked. I plan to be finished writing it by the end of the winter. I hope that it will be released next fall but that decision will be made by the publisher. Another project that I’m working on is my first cozy mystery novel. It’s so much fun writing a cozy and it’s interesting since it has a totally different feel and flow than my current works.
 
Ally: Let’s see your answers to the five quick answer questions you selected.
DNS:a.  Favorite book—Les Misérablesb.  Nail polish you have on—My favorite, “I Red a Good Book”c.  Do you believe in love at first sight?  No, not a first sight, even so, two months after meeting my husband we became engaged. So, I believe if it’s true love it won’t take long to find out!d.  What comes to you first—character or plot?  Once I have a plot, no matter how sketchy, I’m ready to write.e.  Your pets—I have three cats, all recues, that became champion show cats. Because they weren’t pedigree cats they showed in the Household Pet category. Caspurr is a blue-eyed white domestic short hair. Coppurr is a red with white classic tabby, and his brother, Jaspurr, is a red with white, long haired mackerel who placed 13th in the nation.Ally:  It has been a pleasure meeting you, Karen. Before you get back to work on that sequel, please show us your featured book.

​​Death in Disguise (A Beth Getty Mystery)
Genre: mystery
Heat rating: mild
 
Teenaged girls are being murdered in Los Angeles. Four in one week.
 
The latest victim isn’t like the others—not a runaway or prostitute—but a nanny working for a celebrity couple. And this has Sibeal “Beth” Getty, perplexed. Beth, an Irish born fashion model gifted with an uncanny sixth sense, was acquainted with the nanny and knew of her aspirations to become an actress. The veiled motive for the deaths haunt Beth and after reading the nanny’s stolen diary, she is hell-bent on unraveling the mystery surrounding the slain teens.
 
But she doesn’t know the first thing about conducting a murder investigation, that’s her detective husband’s line. With a healthy dose of determination and her intuition in high gear, Beth forges onward. She begins to link unconnected details and stumbles into a tangled web of deception that makes clear, nothing is as it seems. Help comes from an unexpected source when Beth’s self-centered, actress friend offers a lead and a hand in solving the crime. As Beth inches closer to detecting the murderer’s true identity will she be the next victim on the killer’s list?
 
Buy Link:
 
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Death-Disguise-Beth-Getty-Mystery/dp/B079Z23NQQ

Talking High Fantasy with YA Author Tasarla Romaney

​Welcome to this week’s Coffee Chat!
 
Today's guest author is Tasarla Romaney, who writes YA high fantasy. (For anyone new to the genre, it's defined as fantasy set in an alternative, entirely fictional world.)
​
Nice to meet you, Tasarla. How do you take your coffee?
 
TR:  My hubby claims I don’t drink coffee, I drink liquid candy. :) My current favorite ‘coffee’ is Donut shop – coconut mocha mixed with 2 tablespoons Hills Brother Mocha Cappuccino with a really really hearty splash of Coffee Mate coconut cream creamer – yummmmmmmyyyy! (for a chance to win a coffee sampler from Amazon hop on over to my Facebook page and tell me what’s in my cup)
 
Ally: But don’t make that hop until after the interview! While I fix our drinks, please tell our readers about your background. Bio:
 
I live in cold gray Northern Michigan where we have summer for 2 hours – all of which I spend on the beach. I have two amazing adult kids who are on an incredible journey, and I’m raising a 7-year-old Dennis the Menace (he’s great!). I love doughnuts…and moose. Been married for almost 40 years.
I love to take pictures, read, and crochet.
And that’s me. :)
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “My Chinese sign is a rabbit – I’m NOTHING like they say. My horoscope sign is Capricorn – NOTHING is further from what I’m really like. So I think my mom lied about when I was born…or I’m an alien.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
Come and hang out with me, and we’ll discuss doughnuts and things of the make believe ;-)
Amazon Author Page: Tasarla Romaney
Goodreads: Tasarla Romaney
Facebook: Tasarla Romaney INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: What inspired you to begin a writing career? What keeps you writing?
 
TR:  It was a sort of therapy. I had a very, very stressful day job, and I needed a ‘release.’ While doughnuts were good… I couldn’t find calorie free ones. So what better way to escape than to come home and create wild creatures, worlds never before heard of, and a quest to save that world from evil? Besides the fact I love to write, I still haven’t found calorie free doughnuts.
 
Ally:  Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
 
TR:  I use two different services for my books. I have a content editor (she makes me eat a lot of doughnuts but my book shines when she’s done). And I have final editor who makes sure everything is prefect.
 
Ally:   Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?
 
TR:  No. I have a general plot idea but have no idea who will show up. Sometimes I let them into my story and other times I send them away.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Any current favorites?
 
TR:  I pick a reading theme every year. In 2018 it was series, this year I’m reading through the alphabet. I’m currently reading, The Bear and The Nightingale: A novel by Katherine Arden. I LOVE IT – a lot…
​Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

​TR:  The Dragon Witch is currently in content edits. It should be ready for release late August…this is the cover – isn’t it great???? ​Ally: It's time to tackle a few quick answer questions.a. favorite book – I really like Terry Brooks Elfstone series. That is my comfort book. When things are too much and I need a totally check out for an hour or so, he’s my go to guy.b. an item on your bucket list – to do a cooking contest. I’ve entered several on line cooking contests and have placed, but I want the real deal.c. manicure or pedicure – I love pedicures, but my feet are too ticklish. So manicure by default.d. favorite tv show – This changes with my mood, but I’m currently really into Castle Rocke. color of nail polish you have on – Rags to Riches (a dark brown).f. favorite accessory – boots!!!! I love boots!!! I wear them year around. They always fit me regardless of how many doughnuts I eat.Ally: It has been fun meeting you, Tasarla. Good luck with your trilogy. Before you go, please show us your featured book, The Warrior Queen.
​The Warrior Queen (Night of the Gryphon Trilogy #2)
Genre: YA, high fantasy
 
The balance between good and evil has been destroyed. The monsters from childhood nightmares roam freely. The very fabric holding the world together has begun to unravel. The Hollow King has been determined, now it's time for the Warrior Queen to be named on the quest for the Spector of Hope. 

Thought by most to be a simple child's chant, the prophecy guides them... A king of no kingdom who walks among the living yet is void of all but breath; He will be known as the Hollow King and will yield the Specter. The Warrior Queen with compassion will fuel the Hope. The one who walks on two legs but has the soul of an animal will guide the Specter's magic. Together they will use the Specter of Hope to rid the land of evil. 

Finally, the Warrior Queen yields the Specter of Hope. Will she blanket all of humankind in darkness destroying the world of magic? Or free the humans of creatures from nightmares and restore the world of magic to its splendor? She must see through trickery, trust in what she fears the most, and rely on those closest to her to succeed. Crenshaw, Taraly, Sancha, Jalie, and Taigo continue their quest through the land of the dead, the barren salt plains, fight endless battles for what they believe in. Only have they placed their belief in the correct Warrior Queen?
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CJ6GVWP
Apple, Nook, Kobo, Angus:  https://books2read.com/u/3yZB5J

Coffee Chat Interview with Suspense/Mystery Author NJ Litz

​
​Welcome to the Coffee Chat!
 
Are you ready to meet a favorite author, a new author, or one that’s just new to you? This week’s guest is N.J. Litz, a writer of suspense/mysteries with romantic elements.
Good morning, Nancy.  What would you like to drink?
 
NJ:  Right now, I’m being righteous and drinking water. I’m usually righteous every morning. Then around 10 a.m., I crave sugar and have a cola. Never been a fan of coffee.
 
Ally: While I get that bottled water, please tell readers something about yourself. Bio:
 
My undergrad degree is in journalism, and I started out as a newspaper reporter before I moved into communications for corporations and non-profits. I’m now connected with a non-profit so it’s very rewarding to go to work every day. I live in the St. Louis area with my family and numerous dogs and cats.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I’m a Christmas baby so we just wrapped up my time of year. A December 25 birthday has both its pluses and minuses. I have no idea what it’s like to have to go to work on my birthday. Then again, I only get to celebrate once a year while most of you celebrate your birthday and a major holiday.”
 
Contact info: njwrite@outlook.com
Website: https://www.njlitz.com/
Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/NJ-Litz/e/B07KDJL6JC ​ ​INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Why did you choose a career in writing?
 
NJ:  My family had a clue that I would use my imagination pretty early on. I had an imaginary friend when I was three-years old. My “friend,” Siddado, had his own little red chair, and my parents were so encouraging that they took the red chair to my grandparents and close family friends, when we would go to their homes. Around eight years old, I started writing stories after reading Nancy Drew books, Wrinkle in Time, etc. so it’s not surprising that I went to journalism school and have made my living mostly writing non-fiction for corporations or non-profits.
 
Ally:  What’s the most meaningful thing a fan could say about your book?
 
NJ:  That one of my stories allowed her to go to another place, another world, another life for several hours.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
NJ:  No Bed of Roses is a romantic mystery set in one of the most acclaimed botanical gardens in the world. It teams a feisty botanist with a down-on-his-luck but charming journalist. The botanical garden almost becomes a character. No Bed of Roses will be out in April, 2019.
 
Ally:  In keeping with the paranormal theme of this website, what supernatural power or ability would you like to have? Why?
 
NJ:  I’d like the power to heal. In my professional life, I support young children with special needs. I know the power of early intervention, and the difference it makes in their lives. Unfortunately, most people define these children by their special need rather than by the child’s personality or gifts. The children are so amazing!
 
Ally:  Let’s wind up the interview with five short answer question.a. hiking or sunbathing: I love to hike, and have gone on walking vacations in Europe and all over the U.S. so I’m definitely a sneakers girl.b. favorite book boyfriend:  Is there ever any serious consideration besides Darcy? (Either Jane Austen or Bridget Jones version is acceptable.)c. Do you believe in love at first sight?  Absolutely! I knew my husband was the one after the first date because I was so comfortable with him in a way that I’d never felt before.d. What comes to your first - character or plot? I’m very plot driven. I come from a long line of CPAs so my family plans—a lot!e. Your pets - type and names:  Right now, it’s just Oscar, a white cat, and Rascal, a black lab mix. (I don’t recommend naming a dog Rascal. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.) At one point, I had two dogs and three cats, and I live in suburbs. That was a bit much, but certainly I know how much pets contribute to the happiness of a family, and that’s part of what I try to convey in Scent of Fear.Ally: Thanks so much for chatting with us, Nancy! It’s time for one last thing...to show your featured book.
​Scent of Fear
Genre: suspense/mystery
Rating: Author advises of one scene rated 3
 
     For Haley Richardson, fear does have a smell. So do hate and happiness.
 
     A head injury as a child gave Haley an extraordinary sense of smell. Her gifts allow Haley and her German shepherd, Jax, to be one of the most successful search and rescue teams in the Midwest. Her gift is also a curse as she detects people’s feelings. For her sanity, she’s become a recluse until she’s called on to find the lost.
     When girls begin disappearing with tragic results in her hometown, Haley teams with the county’s new sheriff, Dane Campbell, to find the killer.
     Haley is drawn to the outgoing sheriff, whose own daughter is emotionally damaged. After a lifetime of feeling like an outsider, though, Haley is reluctant to get involved with the child, whose melancholy threatens to overwhelm Haley.
     As the murders test Haley’s gift and skills, she learns that sometimes a search and rescue can be about the heart, and the heart can led the way home.
 

Buy Links:
 
https://www.amazon.com/B07KB5MNV8
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18608494.NJ_Litz

Author Interview: Sally Handley (Holly and Ivy Cozy Mystery Series)

​Welcome, Booklovers, to the first Coffee Chat of 2019!
 
Happy New Year! May 2019 be the best ever. To start us off on the right foot, our first guest is mystery author Sally Handley, who writes the Holly and Ivy cozy series.
Good morning, Sally. How do you take your coffee?
           
Sally:  I love good ole Maxwell House Coffee with milk, no sugar.
 
Ally: Coming right up. While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Author of the Holly and Ivy Mystery Series, Sally Handley is an avid reader and has been a mystery lover since she read her first Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books as a young girl.  After a career in teaching and marketing, she now devotes her time to writing and gardening.  President of the Sisters in Crime Upstate SC Chapter, Sally also writes a blog entitled “On Writing, Reading and Retirement” at www.sallyhandley.com.
 
Something unique that isn’t in your regular bio: “Like my hero, Holly Donnelly, I bake Honey Oat Bread and haven’t bought a loaf of bread in the last 5 years.”
 
Contact Links:
 
E-mail:  mailto:sally@sallyhandley.com
Subscribe to my blog:  http://03ca48c.netsolhost.com/WordPress/blog/
Follow my author page on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Sally-Handley/e/B071F6ZRSG/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Follow me on Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter (@AuthorSHandley ) INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What made you choose a career of writing mystery fiction?

SH:  I wrote some stories and poems when I was in grade school, but I was always more of a reader than writer. As an English major I wrote academic papers and after teaching a few years, I got a job in marketing because of my writing skills, but business writing and fiction writing are totally different animals.
Fiction is what I read. Novels, not poetry, not essays, not even short stories. And mysteries have always been my go-to genre, not just for books, but for television programs and movies as well. I remember the exact moment I came up with the idea for writing the Holly and Ivy cozy mystery series. My sister and I were sitting in the garden at the Daniel Webster Inn on Cape Cod. We were admiring the flowers and I said something about Rosemary and Thyme, the PBS series that featured two women gardeners as amateur sleuths. Suddenly I got the spark of an idea. Wouldn’t an American version be great…a series about two sisters who garden and solve mysteries? And that’s where it all began, the summer of 2010. What keeps me at it is that I just enjoy these characters and the world I’ve imagined for them, and, of course, the fact that others have read the books and been kind enough to let me know they enjoy them as well.
 
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve learned?
 
SH:  I think what has helped me over all is learning that all authors, even the big name best sellers and literary giants have felt at one time or another that they are kidding themselves, that their writing isn’t any good, that they should just forget it. For heaven sakes, Stephen King threw Carrie in the wastebasket. His wife retrieved it and said she thought he had something worth finishing. So I’ve been encouraged to keep writing and finish my stories in spite of my doubts about their worth.  By the way, I highly recommend Stephen King’s On Writing to aspiring writers. He really makes you feel that you can do this if you really want to and just put in the work.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your reading habits. Favorite genres, current reads.
 
SH:  Well, as I’ve already mentioned, mysteries are my favorite. I’ve belonged to a book club for more than 25 years, and we read everything under the sun…mostly fiction, but occasional non-fiction. Next month we are discussing Anna Quindlen’s Every Last One  and  Warlight by Michael Ondaatje.  After that, we’ll be reading Michelle Obama’s Becoming.  Very excited about that one.  I also belong to a local Mystery Book Club and we are reading Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. What a masterpiece! I never read it before and never saw the movie, but now that I’ve finished it, I can’t wait for our next meeting to discuss it.. In between book club choices each month, I also read cozy mysteries.  Just finished Kathleen Delaney’s Dying for a Change, a classic cozy. I’m also moderating a mystery book panel at the Local Author Showcase at the Greenville Hughes Main Library at the end of January. The authors on the panel are Trudy Nan Boyce, David Burnsworth and Rose Senehi. Last week I finished Boyce’s Out of the Blues, a police procedural set in Atlanta. Loved it. Will be reading Burnsworth’s Southern Heat and Senehi’s In the Shadows of Chimney Rock next. Yeah, I read a lot.
 
Ally:  Do the people in your real life show up in your writing?
 
SH:  Totally!  Holly and Ivy are based on my sister, Mary Ellen and me. Kate Farmer, Holly’s friend, is also based on a friend of mine. While they are not exactly like us, they do have some of our basic traits. I won’t  be more specific about other characters because there are some not-so-nice ones who are also based on people I have known in my life. That’s the great part of writing…you get to exact a little revenge on the folks who have been mean to you in your life by making them villains in your books. And, Nick Manelli--well he’s my dream guy--haven’t met him yet, but I’m still looking for him.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
SH:  I’ve actually started writing something that is a bit of a departure from my cozy mysteries. I’m trying my hand at writing a suspenseful and topical story that involves guns in our schools. I got the idea for this novel after I attended my local Citizens Police Academy. The final presentation was made by our high school’s School Resource Officer and really got me thinking.  I hope to publish in November 2019. Wish me luck. After that, I have the basic plot idea for my next Holly and Ivy book, but that will probably have to wait until 2020.
 
Ally: Let’s finish the interview with a few quick answer questions.a. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  William Shakespeareb. an item on your bucket list:  Trip to the Grand Tetonsc. Do you believe in love at first sight?  Yes… unfortunately.d. favorite quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” -- MARIANNE WILLIAMSONe. Your pets:  Lucky is a part border collie, part chow and she features prominently in all three of my Holly and Ivy mysteries.Ally:  Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Sally. Before you go, please show us your featured book.

Full Bloom (Holly and Ivy Mystery #3)
Genre: cozy mystery, romantic suspense
Rating: warm and tingly
 
In Full Bloom, the third book in the Holly and Ivy Donnelly mystery series, the look-alike sister sleuths are looking forward to a relaxing stay in the Catskills after Holly’s break-up with Nick Manelli  Their plans are thwarted when, once again, they become involved in a murder investigation. The day they arrive at Kate Farmer’s house in rustic Reddington Manor, they discover the body of Kate’s next-door neighbor, Chuck Dwyer, in a pool of blood on his kitchen floor.  In a rush to judgement, the local sheriff sets his sights on 17-year old Tommy Cranston, but Kate insists Tommy is innocent.  Can the sister sleuths prove that a shifty neighbor, the victim’s widow and local drug dealers all have better motives for the murder? And can Ivy and Kate unravel another mystery -- the cause of Holly and Nick’s break-up and the chances of their getting back together?
 
Buy links: http://www.sallyhandley.com https://www.amazon.com/Sally-Handley/e/B071F6ZRSG

Hello there 2019!

Wishing you all the very best the new year can bring!