Ally Shields's Blog, page 34

Dee McKinney: Short Story Writer & More

Happy Wednesday, Booklovers!

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat. My guest is Dee McKinney, author of more than a dozen published short stories.
 
Nice to have you join us, Dee. What may I get you to drink?
 
DM:  I am a coffee freak. My favorite coffees are Kenya AA and Kona, and I drink them with Turbinado sugar and hazelnut-chocolate creamer. You can put three different types of coffee in front of me, and I have a pretty good chance of telling you what brews they are (i.e. South American vs. Ethiopian vs. that swill people call decaf).
 
Ally: My magic pot loves a challenge, so I'll be right back with a mug I guarantee you'll love. While I'm gone, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
I’m originally from Asheville in western North Carolina, but I’ve spent most of my adult life studying or working here in rural Georgia. I’m a professor of history at a small public college where I teach world civ and the history of science, so the skills of historical research for my writing are conveniently built in from my formal education.
 
From 1994 – 2004, I sold 15 pieces of short fiction (2000 words to 30K words) to the now-defunct White Wolf publishing company in Atlanta; those were all horror pieces, generally about werewolves and their non-shapeshifting family members, but I sometimes branched out to include magicians or faeries. Last year, one of my short stories appeared in Day of the Dark, an eclipse anthology edited by Kaye George, featuring characters from my second novel.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in my regular bio: "When dating my husband, a wildlife biologist, he invited me to a necropsy (yes, that’s like an autopsy, just on an animal). This was a large deer who’d died from a parasitic infection, though at the time, the suspected cause of death was hemorrhagic disease. I found it fascinating how the vet in charge treated it much like an ME would in the “human” world. I thought I’d be queasy, but you learn to breathe through it, and honestly, it wasn’t that bad. The veterinarian doing the work was amazing—she had the body sliced and diced in what seemed like five minutes, with precision. We attendees all looked at the evidence, and yep, parasites."
 
Author contacts:
 
On Twitter, I’m @atropos42. You can also reach me via my Goodreads blog page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/172149.Dee_McKinney/blog INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Tell us what type of stories you write.
 
DM:  I write in a cross-genre medium—of the two novels I’ve completed (and hope to add to my list of publications), one is historical mystery/horror (some might call it dreadpunk) set just before the outbreak of World War I, called The Death Apprentice of Meng-Po. The other is an urban paranormal/mystery, present day. It’s this second one, A Discord of Ghosts, I’ve queried most, and I’ve started two sequels to it that haven’t had much attention from me in a while. My third novel, which I’m writing currently, is a 1980s Appalachian paranormal/mystery with a whisper of romance.
I think my books and short stories would get a PG rating in the romance department—there’s some kissing; a few times, characters wake up in bed with someone else or feel sexual attraction. I don’t write out “the action.” I love reading romance for fun, and I respect authors who write it well. It’s just not my gift. 
 
Ally: What has been your publication journey, including bumps and missteps?
 
DM:  So, when I sold my first short story back in 1994, it was a fluke of a chance. A friend from a writing group knew someone who knew someone who passed on the initial draft I’d shared with my friend to an editor assembling a paranormal anthology. I had no idea she did this until the editor running the anthology called me up on the phone (email was just taking off then, and only rich people had cell phones) and talked to me about signing a contract for the story. I was floored. It was only about $60, but that meant a lot of groceries for a grad student in the early 1990s! He recommended me to a couple of other editors, and I wrote short stories of various lengths for White Wolf, one really a novella, and poof, I was published, making enough money to pay for much of grad school in the process, since my teaching assistantship barely covered living expenses. I also had a great experience working last year with Kaye George on Day of the Dark. I took a chance on sending her a piece using characters from the novel I was shopping around and was thrilled that Kaye included “An Eclipse of Hearts.”
 
I have to admit, though, that selling a novel has proved much harder than I’d anticipated. I’ve gotten a couple of “you were so close to making a deal!” experiences that have, to be frank, left me kind of weary. What I’ve learned is that you give yourself a mental break…and then you go back to the keyboard and keep writing. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that the revise and resubmit process (R&R) is where writers want to tread with caution. It’s a good chance to get professional advice, adding some extra polish to your writing. However, it can also be a let-down when things don’t work out. I think my advice to those who get an R&R is just keep communications as clear as possible during the process.
 
One reason I love short stories is you have finite time and space for everything—the action must start right away, you stuff in the character’s background as you weave the tale, and you can’t waste a single word. I think “An Eclipse of Hearts” was around 4000 words. So, you think a lot about what sort of “bang” starts the story. There, it was a birth. Other short stories I’ve sold began with a man reading his wife’s obituary after he’d ordered a hit on her and the human sister of a werewolf fretting over how her much-loved brother would survive the next full moon.
 
Ally:  Pick one of your main characters, and tell us about him or her.
 
DM:  Dr. Enid Seward is the main protagonist in A Discord of Ghosts and in the Day of the Dark short story, “An Eclipse of Hearts.” She’s the great-grand-daughter of Dr. John (Jack) Seward from Dracula. He’s sort of a minor character, compared to Van Helsing and Mina Harker, but Jack Seward and his addictions and theorizing about Lucy Westenra and what could be going on with her peculiar illness fascinated me. I also love Bram Stoker’s epistolary style and used elements of it, old writings from Jack that Enid reads, as a way of discovering hints about the antagonist in the present-day mystery. Caveat: Dracula will never make an appearance in the Enid Seward books.  I learned from the last pages of Dracula that Jack went on to marry and have a family. Well, what sort of family and life could this man have after all he’d seen? I figured he’d be a mental mess, and maybe that something having to do with the Dracula legends or the paranormal still haunted his family.
That’s what prompted me to create Enid (who is named after Enid Bagnold, author of National Velvet, by the way). Our workaholic heroine is 37 with dark brown curly hair and hazel-green eyes. The “surprise” baby of older parents, she attended the University of British Columbia, earning both a bachelor’s degree and an MD; she did her residency in pediatrics and has an enduring fondness for children, even though she currently works as an organ transport specialist. (Why? You’ll have to read the book).
Enid doesn’t think too much about clothes, much less what color they are, but one tool I use for my writing is creating Pinterest boards for my stories and characters. I’m a visual person, and Pinterest is something I work with every day. If you look at Enid’s board, you’ll see lots of jeans, sweaters, and walking boots. She likes greens and blues, if forced to choose, but the job is the thing. Enid certainly doesn’t win lots of money from donors for the hospital where she works in Burnaby BC, thanks to her lackluster appearance, but her colleagues are in awe of her single-mindedness and energy. Another protagonist often refers to her as a “terrier after a rat” when she’s on a case. Enid’s fine with that description. She likes animals but realizes she doesn’t have time in her life for a pet…or a boyfriend, at least not yet.
 
Ally:  Have you thought about one of your books or stories being made into a movie? Who would play the parts?
 
DM:  Oh, I do this all the time! My top three pics for Enid would be Rose Byrne, Katheryn Winnick (my current fave), or Eliza Dushku. For Enid’s mentor, Allie Davies, who is part First Nations, Carmen Moore would be amazing, though she’s about 15 years younger than Allie.  The naïve but clever RCMP constable Liam Edgefield is actually a harder pick, but Lucas Till has the right look. (I’m a huge X-Men fan, too, from back in the 1980s before they were well known).
 
Ally:  How much research do you do? How? Where?
 
DM:  Gobs. Maybe I go down the rabbit hole too much. I use the Internet, like most people, but I’m also into hands-on research. For example, I mixed up some red Jello and put it in Ziploc bags to experiment with blood spatter analysis from gunshot wounds. I wanted my descriptions to be accurate. In A Discord of Ghosts, one of the antagonists prepares a quick organ preservation solution from items found at a typical drug store; I did, too, just to see if it could be done. I’m also fond of hard-copy books for research, so my writing shelf is full of maps and science texts for reference. I’m likewise lucky enough to be able to consult with colleagues in science, math, and nursing if I need particular details. My son is a pre-med major, and I get a lot of eyerolls when asking questions about human anatomy, but he also enjoys reading my stories.
 
Ally:  What is your current career path?
 
DM:  So, I’ve not yet been successful with the publication of my novels—but I’ve had some serious bites, including a lengthy R&R. I want to write full time; that’s apparently not in the cards at the moment.
My current project is the aforementioned Appalachian paranormal mystery, The Tree with Two Sides. I started it in a Sisters in Crime writing class, and it’s going well. I think because it’s set in the 1980s, the exact time and place I grew up, I “feel” it deeply. I also like that this takes place before Silence of the Lambs, and I don’t have to worry quite as much about the CSI effect. The main character, Sheriff Jo Hughes, relies on good police work and common sense to figure out who killed her cousin and torched the family land, which is sort of refreshing.  
 
Ally: Let's try some quick answer questions to wind up the interview: a. a book you're currently reading: I just finished Scythe and Thunderhead, the first two books in a series by Neal Shusterman. I loved them and can’t wait for the next release, The Toll, next year. I’m also a fan of Samantha Shannon’s The Bone Season series.b. an item on your bucket list: Learning Russian. I’m quite impressed with the Ekaterina television series about Catherine the Great. I’d love to know what they’re saying without the subtitles.c. Do you believe in love at first sight?  No, not at all. I must be like the most unromantic person you’ve ever interviewed (laughter). I believe love starts slowly, and a tiny spark of interest grows into deep friendship before “love” even enters the picture. Once it’s rooted, it’s hard to stop. That’s the beauty of it.d. What comes to your first - character or plot? Character. I have a long daily commute, about 45 minutes each way, and I think about my writing during this time. Sometimes, a person I meet inspires me; other days, it’s a photo or an image, and stuff just starts piling up about who the character is or what he’s doing.e.  typical breakfast: We have a long-standing family tradition of big weekend breakfasts, with homemade scones, omelettes, bacon, sausages, fried toast (yes, in a cast-iron skillet, soaked in butter, yummo), pancakes, you name it. There is, of course, fresh-brewed coffee. Tons of it. Ally: Dee, it's been a pleasure to have you. Good luck with querying those novels. Perhaps you should consider your own anthology of short stories! In the meantime, let's take a look at Kaye George's anthology that includes your story about Dr. Enid Seward.
Day of the Dark: Stories of Eclipse
Edited by Kaye George

A recipe for disaster: take one total solar eclipse, add two dozen spine-chilling mysteries, and shake the reader until the world ends in Day of the Dark!

*AN ECLIPSE OF HEARTS, by Dee McKinney*
DARK SIDE OF THE LIGHT, by Carol L. Wright
CHASING THE MOON, by Leslie Wheeler
THE PATH OF TOTALITY, by Katherine Tomlinson
BLOOD MOON, by Paul D. Marks
TORGNYR THE BASTARD, by Suzanne Berube Rorhus
THE BAKER'S BOY, by Nupur Tustin
BLACK MONDAY, by Cheri Vause
I'LL BE A SUNBEAM, by M.K. Waller
OCEAN'S FIFTY, by Laura Oles
THE DEVIL'S STANDTABLE, by Melissa H. Blaine
DATE NIGHT, by Cari Dubiel
AWAITING THE HOUR, by Joseph S. Walker
A GOLDEN ECLIPSE, by Debra H. Goldstein
PICTURE PERFECT, by LD Masterson
THE DARKEST HOUR, by Kaye George
BABY KILLER, by Margaret S. Hamilton
FLYING GIRL, by Toni Goodyear
TO THE MOON AND BACK, by Kristin Kisska
RAYS OF HOPE, by Harriette Sackler
WOMEN'S WORK, by KB Inglee
OPEN HOUSE, by Bridges DelPonte
RELATIVELY ANNOYING, by John Clark
ASCENSION INTO DARKNESS, by Christine Hammar

Buy Links:

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Day-Dark-Stories-Harriette-Sackler-ebook/dp/B073YDGSL5
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/day-of-the-dark-harriette-sackler/1126811602?ean=9781479427871
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/day-of-the-dark-stories-of-eclipse
GooglePlay:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Harriette_Sackler_Day_of_the_Dark_Stories_of_Eclip?id=sdksDwAAQBAJ

Sacred Groves Are More Than Myth

Sacred Groves Are More Than Myth
by Ally Shields

     One of the delights of writing a book is the research. My current project, Search for Fire, the second book in the Guardian Witch Legacy trilogy, is no exception. Much of it takes place in Tuscany, Italy, and an important part centers around a sacred grove. Now I admit I didn't know much about sacred groves until I needed a special setting for my story. I thought they were myths or the creations of fantasy authors. Now, I'm intrigued by their very real history.

    To my amazement, I found that sacred groves are worshiped and protected all over the world.  Bulgaria                                                                   Italy                                                                   Vietnam
    They are spiritual tracts of land surrounding a single tree or several acres of forest, often the sites of ancient temples, early churches, or druid colleges. They have also been what we would call conservation preserves and sanctuaries for nature and all living things, including man.

    While the sacred groves originally sprang from tribal groups—such as pagans and Celtic druids and from obscure villages in far-flung places including India and Africa—the concept persisted and thrived, embraced by the later Greek and Roman civilizations.

   
    Over the centuries these sacred sites have passed through the hands of various spiritual groups and cults. One such site near Lake Nemi, Italy, is Diana's Sacred Grove, noted for its violent ritual of succession. The pretender to the priesthood would break a branch from the sacred oak tree and challenge the presiding priest to a fight to the death. (http://www.theglobaldispatches.com/articles/lake-nemi-the-sacred-grove-of-diana). The remains of Diana's temple have been excavated nearby.

    These spiritual groves exist on every continent, including North America, where they are protected as sacred sites by certain Native American tribes, and a sacred grove is preserved by the Mormon Church in upstate New York (http://www.hillcumorah.org/historic-sites/sacred-grove.php).

    Whether it's one tree or many, a simple forest clearing or ancient ruins, the sacred groves are a unique piece of human culture, tying us to our ancient roots and preserving the best of nature for the future.

    Have you visited one of these sacred sites? Tell us about it in the comments.
                                                                                                                                       Ally (copyright 2018)


NOTE:  To read more on this topic—or for additional photos—check out this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_grove. Or read this rather technical journal on how ancient customs are working for conservation in the Himalayas: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijecol/2017/3828609. And check out this listing of 644 sacred groves in the state of Kerala in southern India: http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/Database/Kerala_886.aspx. Or just Google it!

Free Scifi March 23-27: Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire

Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire by Kayelle Allen**FREE March 23, 2018  - March 27, 2018 ONLY **About the Book:  When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that's the problem. He's not.Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped inside their pods and it's up to Pietas to free them. He can't release one at a time. It's all or nothing. He's facing over five hundred thousand hungry, thirsty, homeless immortals who will call on him for rescue and he has no way to answer.It's not all bad. The beautiful telepathic warrior he's loved for lifetimes is at his side. He's bonded with a sentient panther. He hates humans but the one dumped on this planet with him has become a trusted friend.Before Pietas can build shelter, figure out how to grow food, or set up a government, he must take back command from a ruthless enemy he's fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever... "WARNING" Contains humor, sweet romance, betrayal, angst, vengeance... and a ginormous, sentient black panther who wants to be Pietas's "kitty." Genre: science fiction, sci fi, scifi romance, action adventure, space opera, military science fictionASIN B077BRSRP4ISBN 1981328327Released: Dec 27, 2017Publisher: Romance Lives Forever BooksPages: 236Print pages: 297Wordcount: 75,831Suggested keywords:Kayelle Allen, Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire, science fiction romance, immortals, Pietas, sci fi, space operaSuggested hashtags:#SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasBuy Links: Amazon https://amzn.to/2pzB0DvAmazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077BRSRP4Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B077BRSRP4Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B077BRSRP4 Check out a great Excerpt Here:  https://kayelleallen.com/media/boc2-chapter1-sample.pdfBook page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-origin

A Chat with Romantic Suspense Writer Laura Haley McNeil

It's March Madness...

whether you're talking about NCAA basketball or the weather! But it's also Wednesday, time for book talk on the Coffee Chat and to meet another author. Today's guest is Laura Haley-McNeil.
 
Ally:  Good morning, Laura. What may I get you to drink?
 
LHM:  I go in spurts. For years, I only drank white chocolate mocha, then I decided I liked caramel macchiato. Now, I own a Keurig and I’m drinking hot chocolate. I even had my office buy a Keurig. I’m hoping I get tired of hot chocolate soon. The scale hasn’t been kind lately.
 
Ally:  There are no scales around here! Hot chocolate it is. While I fix our drinks, please introduce yourself to readers. Bio:
 
Laura Haley-McNeil is an award-winning author of romantic suspense and women’s fiction in novel length and in short stories. Her work has been featured in several women’s magazines. She has studied piano and ballet and has been a board member for two community orchestras. She and her husband reside in Colorado. When she isn’t writing, she jogs, bicycles and crochets.
 
Something most people don't know about Laura: "At one time, I had planned to be an artist. I still hope to one day find time to draw and paint again."
 
Contact Links:
 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LauraHaleyMcNeil/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/laurarmcneil
Website:  http://laurahaleymcneil.com/
Email:  Laura@laurahaleymcneil.com
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lauramcneil/
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What book are you featuring today?
 
LHM:  Defending Her Heart, a romantic suspense novel that is G rated.
 
Ally: Tell us about the main character.
 
LHM:  JT Whitloch is the main character in Defending Her Heart. One night he made a decision that changed his life forever. He can never forget that night. He can never forgive himself for what happened. He can never love again. Defending Her Heart is about forgiveness and redemption.
 
Ally:  How did you choose the title?
 
LHM:   I wanted to brand the Crystal Creek Series and wanted the title of each book to have the words "her heart," then I had to think of another word to go with the branding words. Defending Her Heart is the title for this book.
 
Ally:  If you had a chance to meet JK Rowling, what would you talk about?
 
LHM:  I’d ask her a thousand questions about how she created Harry Potter’s world and the characters. She’s such an amazing writer. I’d have to record the discussion. I’m sure she would say so many wonderful things that I’d never remember everything.
 
Ally: Do you include animals in your stories? If so, what part do they play?
 
LHM:  Because my characters live on a ranch, there are lots of animals in my books. The Whitlochs, the main characters of the Crystal Creek Series, raise Arabian horses. Many years ago, I dated a man who owned an Arabian horse farm and traveled with his horses to various competitions. This is the basis for my fictional family.
 
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
LHM:  I always wanted to write a bride series and so started a new series that will be short contemporary romances about the Duvall family and the Lowe family. This series is called the Beaumont series. The first book in the series, Wherever Love Finds You will be released Summer 2018.
 
Ally:  Let's finish up with some quick answer questions that are all about you.book you're currently reading – Tender is the Night by Barbara Freethyan author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch-  Jane Austen, naturally. I’d take notes and ask her how she wrote such a perfect book (Pride and Prejudice).favorite movie – Gone with the Wind. I’ve watched it thousands of times.high heels or sneakers-  I wish I could wear sneakers all the time, but alas I have a day job.favorite quote – Never give up, by Winston Churchill. I must remind myself of that frequently.Ally: Thanks so much for chatting with us today, Laura. Only one last thing to do, please show us your featured book.

Defending Her Heart (Crystal Creek Series, #6)
by Laura Haley-McNeilGenre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: G
Official release: March 27, 2018

His head says no. His heart won’t let go.

JT Whitloch can’t close his eyes without seeing the body of the woman who drowned in his swimming pool two years ago. Though he doesn’t remember that night, he blames himself for her death and walks away from a life that gave him everything he ever wanted…almost everything. His move to Crystal Creek gives him the solitude he longs for, but still he can’t find peace.
Then Gretchen Moore moves to town, and she doesn’t just stir up his desire. She stirs up his past, a past with a secret so deadly it could destroy her.
Gretchen wants nothing to do with JT. Because of him, someone wants her dead. The terror from his past forces them into an alliance that soon ignites their passion. Fighting these feelings leads them to the secret of the woman floating in JT’s swimming pool, but the knowledge doesn’t ease JT’s inner turmoil. Instead, it reveals an answer that could destroy him and Gretchen. His own destruction he could accept, but he’ll defend Gretchen to his death.


Buy Links:

Amazon pre-order: https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Heart-Crystal-Creek-Book-ebook/dp/B079QVZDFH
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/defending-her-heart-laura-haley-mcneil/1127951550?ean=2940155417736

Crystal Creek Series in order:

Guarding Her Heart #1
Crystal Creek Christmas Book #2
A Ring Around Her Heart #3
Steeling Her Heart #4
Risking Her Heart #5
Defending Her Heart #6

Buy link for all her books:
 
Website: http://laurahaleymcneil.com/books/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Haley-McNeil/e/B008S3WD10/

Fran Thomas: Romance with a Side of Comedy

It's Wednesday!
And you know what that means…
 
It's time for booktalk and the opportunity to meet another author! This week's guest on the Coffee Chat is romance writer Fran Thomas.
Welcome, Fran. How do you take your coffee?
 
FT:  Thanks for inviting me for coffee, Ally. I’ll have mine black and strong please.
 
Ally:  Perfect. I'll pour while you introduce yourself to readers. BIO:

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, but I now live on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Southwest Florida. My island has no highrise condos or sandy beaches. It is a throwback to “olde” Florida and a magnet for retirees who like to fish. Fortunately for me, many artists and writers also live here.
What I don’t usually include in my bio is my experience in amateur theater. I once played Apassionata Von Climax in the musical L’il Abner. Was that a clue that I’d someday write romance novels? Contrary to that character’s racy name, what I write are strictly G-rated stories.

Author links:

Find out more about me on my Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Frances-O.-Thomas/e/B008MMPDDM
Website:  http://www.rusticatinginthetropics.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RusticatingInTheTropics
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RusticTropics
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Describe your main character and why the reader will care about him or her.
 
FT:  The main character in my latest book Island Dream, the third book in Calusa Town Tales, is Isabella Ramos. She and her brother came from Miami to Southwest Florida to find better opportunities. Her dream is to open her own restaurant. Of course, she has some obstacles to overcome along the way. I think everyone can relate to the need to find a career that truly makes them happy.
 
Ally:  Does your real life show up in your writing? In what ways?
 
FT:  The three books in my Calusa Town Tales series are set on an island that is remarkably similar to the island where I live. I once was the editor of the community newspaper, so some of the incidents in the books really did happen. I just embellish the truth a teeny, tiny bit.
 
Ally:  What do you enjoy when you're not writing?
 
FT:  I sing with the Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida. It is enormous fun but also quite demanding. We sometimes sing with the local symphony orchestra, often in foreign languages I don’t speak. I have found, however, that all that Latin I took in high school finally did come in handy.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
FT:  Drawing on my musical background, I have just begun a book with the working title of Backstage at the Opera. The hero, the maestro of the orchestra, has been wrongfully accused of sexual harassment. I’ve been advised this is too touchy of a subject right now. I’d love to hear readers’ thoughts on this. Feel free to email me at fran@rusticatinginthetropics.com. I’m hoping to finish the book by the end of the year.
 
Ally: Try these short answer questions that are all about you.
Color of nail polish you have on:  pink glitter, but on my toenails onlyFavorite accessory:  I love scarves but can only wear them part of the year here in Florida. What a bummer.Favorite after five drink:  I am a wino all the way.Favorite movie:  Bull Durham. I am a huge Kevin Costner fanFavorite television show:  Dancing With the Stars. How I wish I could dance like that. 
Ally: It's been a pleasure, Fran. I wish you good luck with your books, and I hope you'll come back and chat again. Now let's take a look at your featured book.




Island Dream
Calusa Town Tales #3
by Fran Thomas

Genre: romance, G-rated

Romance with a side of comedy

Zumba teacher Isabella Ramos moved from Miami to quirky, small town Calusa to open a restaurant. Luc Girard arrives on the Florida island to become a painter, or so he says. The attraction is instant. But the secret he’s keeping threatens to deflate their relationship like a fallen soufflé. It takes the right mixture of ingredients for dreams to come true.

Buy Link:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sNJZVC Thanks for stopping. We'd love to hear your comments below!
Come back soon!

A Cozy Chat with Mystery Author Sandra Carey Cody

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

My guest is cozy mystery author Sandra Carey Cody. So nice to have you visit us, Sandy. How do you take your coffee?

SCC:  I have a favorite hazelnut-blend, which I drink black, not too strong and with a spoonful of sugar. “Not-too-strong” probably alerts you I’m not a die-hard coffee drinker. About half the time, I opt for tea - also with a spoonful of sugar. Coffee is my wake-up-and-get going drink, tea my break-time choice.

Ally:  Just to make sure you're wide awake to talk with us, we'll get you that hazelnut-blend. Lol. While I fix it, please introduce yourself to readers.
Bio:
 
I spent the first years of my life within a stone’s throw of Old Man River, aka the Mississippi River. I was born in St. Louis, grew up in that city and the surrounding area. I attended Washington University, where I met the love of my life when I cut an algebra class to go ice skating (some things are just meant to be). Not too long after that, we were married (as I said, meant to be). A few years later, job transfers took us and our two sons further down the Mississippi, first to Memphis, then to Baton Rouge. Another transfer took us “up north” to a picture-perfect small town near Philadelphia, where we finally stayed put. After my sons started school full time, I worked as a legal secretary. So much for ancient history. Now I’m retired and concentrate on writing mysteries. (By the way, working in a law office is excellent training for plotting a murder.) I also spend a fair amount of time in volunteer activities, usually things that involve children or books, sometimes a happy combination of the two.
 
Author Links:
 
My website: http://www.sandracareycody.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/xfU969
Twitter: http://bit.ly/y08dKt INTERVIEW:

Ally: Let's start by talking about the genre of the books you write.
 
SCC:  I write cozies, very traditional, with a romantic heat rating of zero (maybe 1 or 2 if you have a vivid imagination). The Jennie Connors mysteries are set in a retirement community where the residents are mobile, alert, and not adverse to helping Jennie solve the occasional murder. Lately, I’ve branched out to a new protagonist and a new series. The Peace Morrow books are set in a small town in Pennsylvania. Yes, it’s the town where I now live. My friends and neighbors love seeing their favorite shop or restaurant in a book and forgive the small liberties I take to make the plot work.
 
Ally:  Who is your main character, and what makes her appealing?
 
SCC:  Peace Morrow was abandoned as an infant during Folk Festival weekend at a small-town museum. She was discovered and adopted by a Quaker woman who gave her a childhood as nearly perfect as is possible. Peace knows this and is grateful, but can’t help feeling that a piece of her is missing. This missing piece, plus her Quaker upbringing, gives her a natural sympathy with the underdog. She’s strong and confident, but wishes she knew why the woman who gave birth to her didn’t want her. When LOVE AND NOT DESTROY begins, Peace has recently graduated from Temple and is working in the museum where she was abandoned. In its sequel, AN UNCERTAIN PATH, she knows who her birth parents are and is about to meet them. She’s excited about this, but worries how the Virginia aristocrats and the Pennsylvania Quakers will get along. Add to this a mysterious death and you can see Peace has her hands full.
 
Ally:  How do you choose your characters and name them?
 
SCC:  It’s not always the same. Since we’ve been talking about Peace Morrow, I’ll tell you about her. Actually, I didn’t choose her. She chose me and she came pre-named. That small town and the museum where she was abandoned and eventually went to work are real and are the town where I’ve lived more than half my life. The Folk Fest is real, though the events in the books are not. Part of the museum is a lean-to shed filled with antique carriages. The main museum is a beautiful castle-like building, with nooks and crannies that send the imagination soaring. The shed is a dusty place with corners that are dark and forbidding. Not so nice, but, again, a place where imagination takes wing. That’s where I met Peace. I was strolling the grounds near the carriage shed. Its dark corners drew me in. How could a mystery writer resist? What might its shadows be hiding? I immediately thought of a baby in a basket. A picture of the infant took shape in my head. She was asleep. Her bed was a laundry basket; her clothing was as much a contrast to her humble surroundings as was the dirty shed to the gleaming castle. She was wearing a fine linen Christening gown and a delicate lace cap. There was a tiny pillow with the words “Peace Be With You” embroidered on it. A Quaker woman, responding to a dog barking nearby, found the child and fell in love with her. There was no doubt in her mind (or mine) that the baby was meant for her and that her name was Peace.
 
Not all characters and their names come to me this way, but the main characters in my books usually do. Others are created to interact with her/him and to help the plot unfold. Once I have a character, I try to find a name that fits, one that suits her/his age, personality and station in life. Sometimes I’ll stand in front of a bookcase, look at the titles and come up with a variation of a title and an author or someone in the book itself. One example: a favorite character of mine is Nathaniel Pynchon, named after the Pynchon family in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of the Seven Gables. I try to include ethnic variety and avoid stereotypes. A little quirk: my sons’ names are Peter and David, so I’ll never give a killer those names. Nor will I let anything bad happen to a Peter or a David.
Ally: What is your favorite non-writing activity?
 
SCC:  Easy - quilting. There’s more similarity between writing and quilting than you might think. Both involve a love of the components that go into the makeup of the finished product. A book begins as a tangle of ideas with only the glint of a story shining through. A quilt begins with a mishmash of fabrics with colors and patterns that clash. Both the writer and the quilter begin by examining their components, testing different ways of combining them, seeking an arrangement that will blend the conflicting parts into a harmonious whole. Both as a writer and a quilter, I find this part of the process pure pleasure. When I finish a project, either writing or quilting, I feel an enormous sense of pride, but following that initial high, there’s a letdown - a hole that needs to be filled. If I don’t know how to start with the next book, I work on a quilt - and vice versa. In short, my two obsessions feed each other.
 
Ally: Do you include animals into your plots?
 
SCC:  Oh, yes! Remember the tiny infant asleep in the laundry basket? A large, black dog discovered her and began to bark. A discouraged peace activist heard him and went to check. This story has been told and re-told to Peace Morrow all her life and, in honor of her rescuer, she’s always had a dog. A Black Lab named Henry is her current pet - her constant companion, trusted friend, and keeper of her deepest secrets.
 
Ally:  What is your current WIP?
 
SCC:  I’m working on another book in the Jennie Connors series. It’s fun to be back with Jennie and the residents of  the retirement community. These stories are set in a fictional county just north of Memphis. If you’re going to set a series in Memphis, eventually you have to write about Elvis Presley. LOVE ME DEADLY is my tribute. One of the retirement community residents is performing as an Elvis Impersonator (they prefer the term Elvis Tribute Artist) in a benefit to raise funds to send the clients of a sheltered workshop to Disney World. When Jennie and some of the other residents go to a dress rehearsal, they run head-on into trouble. The King is dead. Yes, believe it not, someone murdered Elvis - at least one of him. Maybe a rival Elvis? The police don’t think so. The evidence points to a mentally challenged young man. Jennie refuses to believe he’s guilty and, along with her feisty seniors, steps in to prove him innocent. I hope to have it finished, edited, and ready for release by the end of this year.
 
Ally: These short answers questions are about you.a. Book you're currently reading: IN THIS GRAVE HOUR by Jacqueline Winspearb. Favorite accessory:  Scarves - love the color and texture they add to an outfitc. Do you believe in love at first sight?  Absolutely! See Bio above.d. Last book that made you laugh: THE ALL-GIRL FILLING STATION’S LAST REUNION by Fannie Flagge. Your pets: Only one now - a gray tabby cat named Miss McGee (usually called Missy)  Ally: Thank you for chatting with me today. Before you go, let's take a look at the book you brought...

AN UNCERTAIN PATH
(A Peace Morrow Novel)
Genre: cozy mystery
 
 BLURB:
 
A tragic accident links the lives of two young women, unrelated, unknown to one another, causing each to question things she thought were certain. Peace Morrow, is about to meet the birth family she’s always longed to know. Raised as a Pennsylvania Quaker, she wonders what her Virginia aristocrat family will think of her. What happens when a careless action by one of them takes the family to the brink of disaster? Rachel Woodard, determined to break out of the safe world she’s always known, takes a drastic step that results in the death of a young man and sets off a chain of events that swirls outward like a pebble dropped in a pool.  Two uncertain paths destined to converge.
 
Buy link: amzn.to/2vhDkz4

New Mystery Release: A Hold in One

A Hole in One
A Glass Dolphin Mystery #2
 
Author: Judy Penz Sheluk
 Release date: March 6, 2018

Synopsis:

Hoping to promote the Glass Dolphin antiques shop, co-owners Arabella Carpenter and Emily Garland agree to sponsor a hole in one contest at a charity golf tournament. The publicity turns out to be anything but positive, however, when Arabella’s errant tee shot lands in the woods next to a corpse.

They soon learn that the victim is closely related to Arabella’s ex-husband, Levon Larroquette, who had been acting as the Course Marshal. With means, opportunity, and more than enough motive, he soon becomes the police department’s prime suspect, leaving Arabella and Emily determined to clear his name—even if they’re not entirely convinced of Levon’s innocence.

Dogged by incriminating online posts from an anonymous blogger, they track down leads from Emily’s ex-fiancé (and the woman he left Emily for), an Elvis impersonator, and a retired antiques mall vendor with a secret of her own.

All trails lead to a mysterious cult that may have something to do with the murder. Can Arabella and Emily identify the killer before the murderer comes after them?

Pre-order/Buy Links:

Barking Rain Press: https://barkingrainpress.org/a-hole-in-one/ - 1473022241950-de2dbbf6-9e98
AuthorL.it (Amazon-all regions): http://authl.it/9f0
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-hole-in-one-judy-penz-sheluk/1127967500?ean=2940158640827
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-hole-in-one-3 
Excerpt:

Arabella Carpenter let the others go first. All three managed to clear the pond with their tee shot and land on the green, but not one was anywhere close to getting a hole in one. Arabella breathed a sigh of relief—since they were sponsoring the contest, their foursome might not be eligible to win, but it still freaked her out to think someone else might. She went through her mental prep, took her swing, and watched as her ball went directly into the woods.
“Hey, you made it over the water,” Hudson said, hopping into his cart. “For someone just starting out, that’s not a bad shot.”
Arabella caught Emily’s look and smiled. He really was a nice guy. “Thanks, Hudson. Whether I can find my ball is an entirely different story. Why don’t I look for it while you guys putt in? I’m sure one of you will be able to make the shot.”
They crossed the pond on a wooden bridge just wide enough for their golf carts, parked on the path next to the hole, and grabbed their putters. Luke, Hudson, and Emily went to the green and began debating which ball to hit. Arabella trundled over to the woods, feeling stupid and hoping like hell it wasn’t infested with poison ivy. The woods were thicker than she’d expected. She walked in a couple of feet, using her putter to push the branches aside.
That’s when she started to scream.
About the Author:

Bio: An Amazon international bestselling author, Judy Penz Sheluk is the author of two mystery series: The Glass Dolphin Mysteries (THE HANGED MAN’S NOOSE and A HOLE IN ONE) and The Marketville Mysteries (SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC). Her short crime fiction appears is included in several collections, including LIVE FREE OR TRI.

Judy is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Regional Representative for Toronto/Southern Ontario.

Find Judy on her website/blog at http://www.judypenzsheluk.com, where she interviews and showcases the works of other authors and blogs about the writing life.

Author Links:

Facebook Author: https://business.facebook.com/JudyPenzSheluk/?business_id=736294013145101
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004284258678&ref=bookmarks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyPenzSheluk
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/judypenzsheluk/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Penz-Sheluk/e/B00O74NX04
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8602696.Judy_Penz_Sheluk

Maggie York Paranormal Mystery #3 is Finally Here!

New Release!

Ghost Haunting (Maggie York Paranormal Mystery 3)
Genre: Paranormal mystery/ghosts
Publisher: Etopia Press
Release date: March 2, 2018
PG-13

Her most dangerous suspect may not be flesh and blood...
Since recovering from a sniper's bullet, homicide detective Maggie Girard has been able to see ghosts. With her partner, Josh Brandt, away on an undercover assignment, Maggie begins looking into two apparent suicides with odd paranormal elements. Surely the reports of ghostly sounds at both scenes were imaginations running wild. But she quickly discovers things aren't as they seem. These were murders...and something otherworldly is involved, a malignant entity unlike any she's encountered before. Something far more dangerous than a mere ghost.
The investigation takes another wild turn when a powerful stranger with quicksilver eyes begins showing up at the murder scenes. She can't decide if he's an ally or an enemy...or whether he's even human. When the strange deaths continue and the mystery deepens with no end in sight, she knows something is very wrong in New Orleans...and she can't fix it alone. For the first time she's facing an enemy who could kill her with a single touch...


YouTube Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/RD2foDCyXKM
 
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B3V4WCN
Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghost-haunting
B & N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghost-haunting-ally-shields/1128068541?ean=2940159134004
ibookstore: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ghost-haunting/id1353284721?mt=11
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ally_Shields_Ghost_Haunting?id=SQJODwAAQBAJ
Etopia Press: http://www.etopiapress.com/brands/Ally-Shields.html
All Amazon: http://authl.it/B07B3V4WCN EXCERPT:

Chapter One

Detective Maggie York glanced at the first fingers of an April dawn and shortened her stride, the impact of her running shoes nearly silent on the paved path. Mist rose off the Mississippi River, curling across the New Orleans' riverwalk. Next to the outdoor canopy of Cafe du Monde, she slowed to a jog and took note of its only customers—an elderly couple with cameras and tour books, starting their sightseeing day with its famous coffee and beignets. Neither seemed awake enough to pay attention to Maggie. That was good. If she'd been followed or there was even a hint of surveillance, he wouldn't risk showing himself.

Her cop partner and steady boyfriend Josh Brandt had been undercover for the vice squad for a week now. An atypical assignment for a homicide cop, but the info that the gang was looking to recruit a dirty cop had come from his own informant. Since Josh and Maggie had just finished an assignment, he'd volunteered to follow up. Nobody thought he'd actually get inside the most entrenched drug gang in the city, but somehow he'd made it work. Relying on old drug charges (false but handy now) embellished by a much longer, imaginary rapsheet inserted into LE databases, he had played the role of a disgruntled cop and with the aid of his informant, he'd gained the attention of the gang leader.

The PD had known his activities, especially those outside the gang, would be under the intense scrutiny of drug lord Elias Moreno, but no one had anticipated Josh would call in to take emergency family leave instead of continuing to report to the station each morning. Something had changed his plans, making contact with Maggie or any of the PD tricky—and dangerous— since he was officially out of state.

But Maggie and Josh had planned ahead for the unexpected. Jackson Square overlook, 5:30 this morning. Although no one from the department had heard from him in four days, he'd be there…if he could.

She gave a final check for observers before climbing the stairs and stopping at the top to lean casually against the iron railing. The morning air carried the sweet scent of magnolias and an underlying hint of fish from the river, typical and reassuring. The historic French-style park of Jackson Square spread out before her, but she hardly noticed the statue or the sculptured grounds, her senses attuned to nearby sounds and movements. She tensed at a soft step on the stairs, but a familiar scent, an awareness unique to him, tugged a smile to her lips; a hand slipped around her waist.

Sighing in relief, Maggie turned into Josh's arms. "You're OK," she murmured leaning her forehead against his chest. It was the only sign of her fears that she would allow herself to show. He didn't need the extra burden.

Josh tightened his arms, and his lips brushed her temple. "I miss you, Red. That's the hardest part of this." They stood for several moments, absorbing the sensation of just being together, then he stepped back, cupping her face between his hands. His blue-gray eyes met her gaze. "I can't stay. We're off to South America in an hour. Some kind of trouble with the suppliers."

"Why are you going? Haven't you already done your part?"

"Yeah, I'm not exactly sure. I think Moreno is afraid I heard too much about the operation. Which I did." Uncertainty flashed across his face. "But I can't back out now. That would make him suspicious for sure and blow the entire op."

Maggie's heart skipped a beat. If everything had gone as planned, Moreno believed Josh had bought off the cops working afterhours as wharf security, and his drug shipments would be assured easy entrance. Josh should have returned to his normal detective work until the drug boss needed him again. The South American trip was an unexpected glitch.

"Does he suspect something?"

"I don't think so. At least nothing specific. Moreno is a cautious guy. I'm sure he's keeping me close until the deal is done to guarantee his trust wasn't misplaced."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I, but if he was seriously troubled, I wouldn't be standing here."

She drew in a quick breath, knowing what he meant. "Don't even say that."

"And don't you borrow trouble, Maggie. I'll be out of touch a week or two, but I'm going to be the model gang member. I promise. I'm coming back to you. Now, tell Captain Jensen we're bringing in a large shipment of cocaine, and I'll get word to my contacts regarding when and where to make the bust. If everything goes smoothly, that'll be it. We'll have the gang, and my job for Vice will be finished."

Maggie bit her lip, forcing down a protest. He made it sound so simple, but a million things could go wrong. She might never know…except he wouldn't come back.

Maybe they should have called in another agency, DEA or border patrol. Maybe it wasn't too late to change their minds. But NOPD, like other border departments, prided themselves on handling their own cases without getting entangled with the feds. And Josh had volunteered.

She studied the shadowed planes of his face, the two-day growth of beard, the dark hair curling across his forehead and around his ears. He looked a little scruffy and needed a haircut. But she'd never loved him more…or been more afraid for him. She couldn't imagine what life would be like if he didn't come back. But she didn't say that. "Don't stay away too long. Captain

Jenson has me on boring desk duty. And starting Monday, I'm babysitting a new transfer. That will get old fast. I want my partner back."

Josh gave a deep chuckle and tucked her copper hair behind her ears. "That's my girl. Stay safe, Red." He pulled her into a hard kiss, then turned and bounded down the steps.

"Love you," she murmured.
I hope you enjoy Maggie's latest adventure!
Please consider leaving a rating or review on your favorite purchase and/or book site.

Meet Cozy Mystery Author Rena Leith

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

It feels like early Spring in the Midwest, and I'm hoping it's here to stay. But my winter TBR pile is still large, and it looks like today's guest--mystery writer Rena Leith--will be adding to it.
Nice to meet you, Rena. How do you take your coffee?

RL:  Keurig brewed Panera Light with two teaspoons of sugar and French vanilla half and half in a mug ( or Harney’s Paris tea plain).

Ally:  One mug of coffee coming right up. Meantime, please introduce yourself.
jBio:
 
I currently live in Cape May County in New Jersey where I moved after spending years in the San Francisco Bay Area with my Maine Coon cats Sierra and Ginger. I attended Clarion Writers Workshop for Science Fiction and Fantasy at Michigan State University and sold a story I wrote there to Damon Knight for The Clarion Awards anthology. I wrote technical manuals in Silicon Valley and also published several poems and science articles as well as a couple of chapters in Research & Professional Resources in Children’s Literature: Piecing a Patchwork Quilt. I’ve also taught English in high school and community colleges.
 
Something unique/unusual that most readers don't know:  "I lived in the Philippines for two and a half years as a child. My father was a consultant for the Philippine government during the time when they were preparing for their independence. As a result, I traveled up to Baguio in the mountains before it was a well-developed city and down to Cebu in the Visayan Islands and Zamboanga on Mindanao. I spent time talking to a man polishing a tray full of moonstones as he squatted under a tree. I also watched a little Moro boy peeing through the slats of a wooden walkway among houses on stilts in a lake. For a ten-year-old American girl this was the height of adventure and really whetted my appetite for the strange and unusual."
 
Author Links:
 
Website:  http://www.renaleith.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorrenaleith/
Twitter (@RenaLeith):  http://twitter.com/RenaLeith
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Tell readers what kind of book you're featuring. Does it have scenes that might be too "warm" for younger readers?
 
RL:  LOL! No hot sex in my book. It’s a cozy mystery in which my heroine Cass discovers that she would like to reconnect with her old college sweetheart who is now a local police officer. It’s so low key in the romance department that my editor at The Wild Rose Press would like me to up it a peg or two in the next book!
 
Ally: How do you go about writing a new book?
 
RL:  I do a lot of wandering around the house thinking out loud and annoying my cats. You’ve heard of outliners and pantsers; well, I’m a fish boner. I get an idea, which is often seeing a scene, a character, or a sequence, and write the first three chapters. Then I walk around muttering to myself until I figure out an ending, which I write up. Next I write up the fish’s spine and start adding the ribs. Once outlined, I write for 15 minutes to 5 hours at a time. The next day I edit to get into the right mental space and then write new material. I take notes constantly on Notepad using the microphone or on paper. I’ve discovered that writing in the middle of the night is usually illegible the next morning, so I’ve cultivated the use of the microphone function on my iPhone in the middle of the night when inspiration strikes.
 
Ally: Who is your main character? Why will readers care about her?
 
RL:  Many writers will tell you that they are their main character. Mine is an idealized version of me. She’s a lot thinner for one thing! She has the house in the location I wanted. I think you should care about Cass because she’s the emerging woman. She’s emerging like a butterfly from a chrysalis. Her eyes are opening, and she’s moving away from conventions and expectations and into adventure. She’s the what-if in each of us. After the upheaval of her divorce, she follows the path less traveled. There’s room in her life now for mystery and magic.
 
Ally:  Was your journey to publication full of bumps or pretty smooth going?
 
RL:  I once thought about wallpapering my bedroom with my rejection slips. It’s been a long haul with a few little successes along the way. While books on writing can be foundational, the human interaction that writers helping writers provides has been essential for me. Writing groups have played a huge part in keeping me going. Some writers who’ve been part of groups I’ve belonged to and helped and encouraged me include Margaret Dumas, Claire Johnson, Mike Cooper, Gordon Yano, Janet Finsilver, Carole Price, Camille Minichino, and the list could go on. Margaret is the one who told me about The Wild Rose Press’ Call for Submissions for humorous ghost stories. And of course I live by that famous phrase from Galaxy Quest: Never give up, never surrender!
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired you to write fiction?
 
RL:  An imaginary dead body. I’ve always loved to tell stories, which often annoyed my mother and sisters. We lived in an old house, which to this day my sisters and I believe is haunted. It had a huge, dank basement with the proverbial naked bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows as it swung back and forth. The basement was unfinished, but that’s where the washing machine and dryer were. Mom would send us down to do the laundry. One day I climbed up on a chair and looked through a small, screened window into a crawl space. A large, oblong mound of dirt occupied the center, looking exactly like a burial mound. So being me, I immediately made up a story about a body being buried there. I was pretty convincing, and my sisters refused to go back down. Of course, I was such a good storyteller that I even scared myself out of doing the laundry down there where something might rise from its grave, snatch me, and drag me back down to its lair. My mother was furious! It seemed natural to write my stories after that.
 
Ally:   Have you thought about one of your books being made into a movie? Who would play the parts?
 
RL:  Oh, yeah. That would be fantastic although it’s likely to wind up a different artifact than my book! I think I’d like to see either Amy Adams or Olivia Wilde as Cass and Daniel Dae Kim as George. Maybe Aiden Turner from Poldark and The Hobbit movies as Jack and Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Gillian. I can see Dominic Sherwood from Shadowhunters as Dave. I think Emma Watson with platinum hair would be perfect as Mia. I think another actor from Shadowhunters Alberto Rosende would be a good pick for Ricardo. He’s also a musician, so perhaps he could do the theme song. Mina is a little harder to cast. I watched Sigourney Weaver in A Monster Calls, and she exhibited the fragility and underlying strength I see in Mina; however, I also think of Mina as more ethereal, more of a “grey lady,” someone in touch with the elementals. Michelle Pfeiffer or Cate Blanchett come to mind but not quite. But I think perhaps Tilda Swinton has the right quality.
 
Ally: What are you currently writing?
 
RL:  My next project is the second book in the Cass Peake series tentatively titled Hidden Gems. Because it’s set on the northern California coast at Halloween, I’m aiming for a fall release date. Cass, Doris the ghost, and Thor the cat return.
 
In Hidden Gems, Cass has settled into her little Arts and Crafts bungalow in Las Lunas and adjusted to losing a husband and gaining a ghost, but she still hasn’t told George Ho, her old college boyfriend, who’s a gorgeous Hawaiian and very superstitious about ghosts and leery about having one follow him home, about Doris. He always carries green onions in his pocket at funerals to avoid gaining an unwanted ghostly roommate. As Halloween nears, Cass’ brother Jack and his wife Gillian come over to the coast from Berkeley to spend the holiday with her and visit Thor, the obstreperous black cat they rehomed with Cass. George, now a police detective, wakes Cass one morning to make sure she’s not the dead body they’ve just discovered on the beach in front of her cottage. The locals call that stretch of sand Murder Beach…for good reason.
 
Ally: Let's talk about you with this short answer questions.a. favorite book:  Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier (Ally note: Mine too! I thought I was alone on this one!)b. book you're currently reading:  Murder at the Fortune Teller’s Table by Janet Finsilverc. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Daphne du Maurierd. favorite movie:  The Uninvited with Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey, Gail Russell, and Cornelia Otis Skinner.e.  a fantasy being/person you'd like to be:  An elf or a hulda  Ally:  It was a pleasure to talk with you, Rena. Before you go, please show us your featured book, Murder Beach.

Murder Beach
genre: cozy mystery

Blurb:
 
Her husband’s infidelity turns Cass Peake’s world upside down. Hoping to start fresh, she moves to a sleepy little town called Las Lunas on the northern California coast. The cute seaside bungalow is surprisingly affordable and Cass snaps it up. She soon discovers why the place was so cheap; it’s haunted! And the beach by her new home is called Murder Beach by locals. She can’t even get a pizza delivered.

Back in the Roaring Twenties, the bodies of Doris Pierpont, a notorious bootlegger’s daughter, and her lover were discovered on the beach. Summoned by a séance in the Swinging Sixties, Doris returned to the house. Now she wants to know who murdered her. 

As Cass tries to make a new life and solve Doris’s murder, the corpse of the local bookstore owner is found in the sand. Is Murder Beach living up to its name once again?
 
Buy Links:
 
Wild Rose Press:  https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4966-murder-beach.html?search_query=murder+beach&results=5
 
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Beach-Rena-Leith-ebook/dp/B06XBDLRC7
 
B & N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-beach-rena-leith/1125888164?ean=2940157271923 Thanks for stopping by! See you in March.

Leeann Betts Writes Mysteries...By the Numbers

Welcome to the Coffee Chat!

This week's guest author is cozy mystery writer, Leeann Betts, featuring her novel, Petty Cash (A By the Numbers cozy mystery).

Thank you for coming, Leeann. How do you take your coffee?

LB:  I like it with cream only – I used to drink it with French Vanilla, but in my new world, I limit sugar intake, so I learned to drink it with cream – not milk, not coffee creamer fake stuff – cream.

Ally: I can take care of that. While I get our drinks ready, please introduce yourself.
About Leeann:
 
Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released seven titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, and Petty Cash released in December. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published two books on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold and More Nuggets of Writing Gold, compilations of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com in digital format.
 
Something unique that isn't in your regular bio: "Although I am an alter-ego, I have my own wardrobe to enhance my 'cute and perky and everything I’m not,' as Donna would say."
 
Author Contacts:
 
Website: www.LeeannBetts.com Receive a free ebook just for signing up for our quarterly newsletter.
Blog: www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Books: Amazon http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE  and Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2z5ecP8

INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Authors love to talk about their characters, and we're eager to hear about yours. Who is your main character? Why are we going to like her?
 
LB:  Carly Turnquist, is a forensic accountant with a nose for mysteries. She’s been trained to ferret out hidden assets, and often works for divorce attorneys, estate liquidators, tax attorneys, and the like. She tends to let her heart rule her head, and so finds herself in lots of jams. She’s married to Mike, a computer programmer. She is fiercely loyal, and is justice-oriented as well as badge oriented, meaning she likes to win but plays by the rules—most of the time. I think readers will care about her because she has a little bit of all of us in her—and she doesn’t take herself too seriously—most of the time.
 
Ally:  Who or what inspired you to write fiction?
 
LB:  I love to read mysteries and suspense, and wondered if I had at least one book in me. I took the NaNoWriMo challenge in 2002, and have been seriously writing to keep up with that challenge ever since.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your favorite, non-writing hobby.
 
LB:  Hubby and I have just taken up Bob Ross painting—you remember him, big Afro, do a painting in 30 minutes. Well, it takes us longer than that, but after 2 classes, we have 4 completed paintings that look similar but aren’t. I’m enjoying seeing this non-linear creative side of both of us.
 
Ally:  If you could meet Agatha Christie, what would you talk about?
 
LB:  I’d ask her about her story ideas, where she got them, how much was autobiographical, and if there were more stories she wanted to tell.
 
Ally:  What is your present work in progress? Anticipated release date?
 
LB:  My next project will be book 8 in the By the Numbers series. I haven’t decided on the details, but the release date is by June 30th. No pressure J
 
Ally: These next short answer questions are all about you:book you're currently reading: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostovaan item on your bucket list: An Alaskan cruise – research for another installment in the Carly series.manicure or pedicure – both, although I only indulge in pedicures at the moment.favorite movie:  a tie between Witness for the Prosecution and Air Force Onefavorite quote: I can be as spontaneous as anybody if I’m given enough notice. 
Ally: Thanks for sharing your morning with us, Leann. Good luck on meeting that June deadline! Before you hurry off to get started, let's take a look at your featured book.


Petty Cash by Leeann Betts

Genre: Cozy Mystery 
Rating: G

Can Carly enjoy a peaceful vacation on Cape Cod, or will a local ghostly legend and a murder keep her too busy to notice what else is going on around her?
 
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, is headed off for another mystery. Or two. Or three.
 
She and hubby Mike head to Cape Cod as emotional support for their daughter Denise and her dentist husband Don who finds himself in the middle of a potential practice dissolution. But when their host fails to make an appearance, and a tropical storm blows through the area, things are topsy-turvy.
 
Then when their host's body washes ashore, Don is suspected. After all, they'd had several arguments witnessed by a number of people., not to mention a sizeable partnership life insurance policy--with Don as sole beneficiary in the event Mo pre-deceases him.
 
Add into the mix a local ghostly legend that keeps appearing in a haunted lighthouse, a local fisherman with a costly secret, and a blossoming friendship between her grandkids and a local named Sammy, and Carly has her hands full.
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Petty-Cash-Numbers-Book-7-ebook/dp/B078H33ZD6
Amazon PB: https://www.amazon.com/Petty-Cash-Numbers-Leeann-Betts/dp/1943688427
Smashwords: www.smashwords.com/books/view/788748