Ally Shields's Blog, page 37

Author Sheri Levy and her "kind of things"

                Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
It's time for another author Coffee Chat, and this week's guest is Sheri Levy, a writer of contemporary, coming-of-age, and young adult fiction.
Welcome, Sheri. How do you take your coffee?
 
SL: Black and strong in flavor.
 
Ally:  You're making this so easy for me! While I pour, please tell readers about your background.
 
BIO:
 
In 1979, Sheri Levy moved to South Carolina from Southern California with her husband and two young children. As her children entered school, Sheri used her three Special Ed teaching credentials and entered her own classroom. After sixteen years of teaching special needs children (K5-2nd grade) she became involved in a Family Learning Program, promoting reading, preparing young adults for their GED, and teaching parenting skills. 
 
Seeing her students’ eyes light up during writing workshops and author presentations, keeps her writing and focusing on the students. Sheri works an accredited, non-profit service dog training facility, PAALS, and donates her book proceeds, and in turn, PAALS helps promote Sheri’s work.
 
After loving five past dogs, Sheri now enjoys two Australian Shepherds. One dog, being a very troubled rescue, triggering Sheri to become involved in obedience and agility training. Sheri's Aussie Shepherds Through the years, the subject of dogs and special children captured her heart, and have added a very personal aspect to her stories. Her first novel, Seven Days to Goodbye, won the Special Interest category in the Dog Writers of America contest, 2015. In September, 2017, it won a gold medal with Readers Favorite. Her sequel, Starting Over, was launched August 1st, 2017. And Sheri is working on her third series book, For Keeps.
 
Something unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I twirled a baton, competed all over the U.S., and taught twirling in private lessons and Park & Recreation classes through college."
 
 
My author links:
 
Website:  www.sherislevy.com
Facebook: SheriSLevyauthor.com
Twitter: @SheriSLevy
LinkedIn: Sheri Shepherd Levy
Instagram: eightpawswriting
INTERVIEW:

Ally:  Let's begin by talking about the writing process. Describe your typical writing day.
 
SL:  Since I am retired, I have a flexible schedule. I enjoy waking early and reading what I wrote the day before, and then moving forward. My goals change depending on what is scheduled for that day. I usually turn off my computer by 5:00p.m. and enjoy my husband’s company.
 
Ally:  Talk about the main character of the YA/MG books you're featuring today.
 
SL:  My main character, Trina, begins the story at age thirteen and matures to the age of fourteen in the sequel. Trina has chosen to be a Puppy Raiser for Service Dogs. In each story, the reader will pull for her as she learns about responsibility and cares for the puppies and her friends.
 
Ally: Every writer finds his or her own unique path to publication. What was yours?
 
SL:  After seven years of learning how to put a novel together, I put my first manuscript into a dark drawer and started writing Seven Days to Goodbye. My full manuscript was being read by agents, but I was getting, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.”  No one wanted a story about service dogs.
One afternoon, I read a note on Facebook about Barking Rain Press was accepting manuscripts until midnight. I decided to fill out the lengthy application and submitted to my first publishing house, one minute before midnight.
One month later, I received a request for the full manuscript. I had done this a number of times, but I still became enthusiastic. Three months later, while watching the morning show, I scrolled through my phone, reading emails. I saw a note from BRP, and read they wanted to offer me a contract for Seven Days to Goodbye.
I lost my breath and handed the phone to my husband. He grinned and verified the email. “Yep. That’s what it says.”
Since I had writer friends who had signed with non-respectable publishing houses, I had a lawyer friend read the contract, and I researched the publishing house. They seemed to be legit, and I looked at their novels. They showed in every way to be a respected corporation. I have been more than pleased with my experience. I am thrilled to be a part of their organization, and I will complete my series with them.
 
Ally:  Not many writers I know truly enjoy the editing process, but it's a vital part of writing. How do you go about this task?
 
SL:  The first people to read my manuscript are my critique group. They see all of the changes and reread the drafts a thousand times. When I feel the story is ready, I send it to the publisher. She will read it, and ask for changes. Then I redo, and resend. Once I have the story to her liking, it goes to my editor. We go through the story three times, and when it has been polished, the publisher rereads and maybe the assistant publisher.
Once it has been approved, I get a date about its launch.
I was thrilled when my sequel, Starting Over went to print, my publisher announced she planned to print it in hardback. After it came out in three forms, EBook, paperback and hardback, the publisher decided to do a hardback for Seven Days to Goodbye.
 
Ally: How do you choose names for your characters?
 
SL:  I call my first novel, my heart book. I used special names that meant a lot to me, and only those people know who they are. This is my way of thanking special people for being in my life.
 
Ally: There are all kinds of avenues open to writers. What made you select fiction?
 
SL:  When I started writing, I knew I wanted to share my experiences and my dogs. As a fictional novel, I could add fun elements and create new conflicts without embarrassing anyone. I love telling my friends and acquaintances, “Be careful of what you say or do in front of an author. You may be put in the story.”
 
Ally: A writer is always writing. What's next on your agenda?
 
SL:  I am busy writing the third sequel to the Trina Ryan novel series, For Keeps.  I am working quickly on my first draft. When I feel it is ready, I’ll send the story to the publisher. Then we’ll start all over again with revisions.
 
Ally: Try a few of these short answers questions...a.) An author you’d love to take to lunch: I have read every novel Mary Alice Monroe has written. She writes about the beach, sea life, and friendships. My kind of things.
b.) manicure or pedicure: When I take time for pampering, it is for a pedicure. I love the leg massage, sitting in the vibrating chair, and unwinding.c.) Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. I met my husband when I was fifteen and he was eighteen. We dated for two years and broke up. Then three years later, we bumped into each other while walking down the street. And we were married six months later and have been together since.d.) The last book I read that made you laugh: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.e.) A favorite song: Adele – Make You Feel My Lovef.) A guilty pleasure: Dark chocolate 
Ally: You've been a terrific guest, Sheri. Good luck with your books. Before you go, tell us more about Trina's adventures.
SYNOPSIS of Book #1:
 
Seven Days to Goodbye is about loving a special service pup and knowing one day you must part.
 
After Trina’s beloved dog dies, she swears that she’ll never get another dog. Then she hears about service dogs, and learns that if she becomes a puppy raiser, she could train puppy after puppy and never worry about them dying.
 
But there is one catch: Eventually you do have to say goodbye. Her first service puppy, Sydney, must be returned to his kennel at the end of their week-long summer vacation. Saying goodbye to this special puppy is much tougher than she ever imagined.
 
Trina’s last week with Sydney is made even harder because of her newly strained relationship with her best friend, Sarah. Her friend has become so over-the-top boy crazy that she seems like a stranger. Sarah is determined that she and Trina must hang out with every boy at the beach. When a boy named Chase takes an interest in Trina and Sydney instead of Sarah, it puts an even bigger strain on their friendship.
It’s hard enough to deal with losing Sydney, but now Trina could also lose her best friend.

SYNOPSIS of Book #2:

Trina, a puppy raiser for service dogs, exchanges her first trained dog for an eight-week-old Labrador and learns the meaning of sacrifice.  She struggles to care for her puppy, perfect her riding skills, and work at the barn next door.
 
Adding to her weariness, a new troublesome girl, Morgan, boards her gorgeous thoroughbred, and expects everyone to cater to her needs, explodes into temper tantrums, and mistreats her willing horse. The barn’s cheerful environment slips away.
 
Tired of Morgan’s insults, Trina dares herself to uncover Morgan’s problem. What if she used her knowledge of changing a dog’s behavior on Morgan? Is she brave enough to try? Little by little, Trina gains Morgan’s trust. But will it last?
 
Trina, and her best friend, Sarah, wrestle on how to close the distance with their first-time boyfriends, Chase, and Peyton before the summer ends.  After their final reunion, the girls fear the inevitable. And as expected when school begins, phone calls diminish, jealousy erupts, and Trina attempts to ward off a new persistent admirer.
 
Guys!! How can they cause so much disruption in a girl’s life?
 
As Trina and Morgan’s explosive relationship shifts to friendship, the girls discover they are more alike than different. Trina gets pulled into Morgan’s family problems, and keeps secrets from her parents and Sarah. But her decisions cause Trina to suffer the consequences.
 
Morgan confronts her family problems and discovers her true desires. Morgan’s new goals influence Trina’s ambitions.  As painful as it is, Trina sets out to change her direction and tackle her own new dream.  
Book Trailers: https://www.sherislevy.com/bibliography

Buy Links:  BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD

Publisher
Barnes and Noble
Amazon

Meet Maine Mystery Author Lea Wait

Welcome to November's first Coffee Chat!

Are you ready for a cup of your favorite brew and a little book talk? This week's guest is mystery author Lea Wait.
Good morning, Lea. What may I get you to drink?
 
LW:  Thank you so much for inviting me, Ally! And I’ll have black tea, please, with a little milk and one sweetener … the way my grandmother, who was from Scotland, always made it.
 
Ally:  I'll fill our mugs while you introduce yourself to readers.

BIO:
Growing up I lived with both my parents and grandparents, in New Jersey and on the coast of Maine. I always wanted to be write fiction, but I supported myself for many years writing speeches, position papers, and internal communication, and then supervising, at AT&T.
 
When I was single I was an adoption advocate and adopted four daughters. Now I write mysteries and historical novels about people searching for love, acceptance, and a place to call home. I started writing fiction in my late 40s, and since so far have had 6 books for young people published, plus the 8-book Shadows Antique Print Mystery series and the 6-book Mainely Needlepoint series.

Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio:  Few people know that when I was in my mid-twenties and living in Greenwich Village, New York, I was married to a television comedy writer who worked for Johnny Carson and Rodney Dangerfield, among others.

Author Contacts:
For more information about me, check my website, http://www.leawait.com, friend me on Facebook and Goodreads, and read the blog (https://www.mainecrimewriters.com).
INTERVIEW:

Ally: What kind of book did you bring today?

LW:  I have two new books to celebrate! One my first husband would have appreciated: PIZZA TO DIE FOR. It’s a funny YA mystery set in the suburbs about Mikki Norden, a fourteen year old girl new to New Jersey. She wants to be a chef; her mother wants to write mysteries. When Mikki’s mentor, Mr. B., dies unexpectedly, and local police say he had a heart attack, Mikki is convinced he was murdered, and knows she’s the only one who can prove that. In the process, she not only meets some wacky characters, but she discovers secrets about Mr. B and his restaurant … and within her own family. Recipes included.

THREAD THE HALLS, the sixth in the Mainely Needlepoint series, is a traditional mystery set in the middle of a classic Maine Christmas. Protagonist Angie Curtis and her beau Patrick have only a few days to set the stage for his Hollywood actress mother to arrive for the holidays, bringing along her costar, director, and screenwriters for a perfect Maine Christmas. But when an unscripted death turns the holiday tragic, and secrets emerge, Angie has to bring peace back for the holidays.

Ally: Since this blog is big on the paranormal, I have to ask...if you could have a supernatural power, what would it be?

LW:  I would clone myself so that I could write more books! I have a stack of ideas and outlines, and never seem to get to all the books I want to write.

Ally: Talk about your editing process. Do you edit as you go or save it until the first draft is done?

LW:   Each day I edit what I wrote the day before, and then write at least one chapter a day. When I reach the end I read the whole manuscript on the screen and edit along the way. Third time through I print it out and edit the hard copy, then enter the edits. Fourth time? I search for (literally) dozens of word that weaken sentences – words like “I think” and “completely” and “clearly” and "nice” – and so many more …. and kill them, or at least minimize how many times they’re used. Fifth edit? Read the whole book out loud, editing as I go.

Ally:  What do you enjoy doing in your non-writing time? Do you have a favorite hobby?

LW:  Yes, learning about the stories that make up our history. I was an antique print dealer for over 30 years and still love antiques, auctions, flea markets and antique shows

Ally: Tell us about your home. What's the most interesting thing about it?

LW:  My colonial home, with a barn and an ell between the house and barn, was built in 1774 on a Maine island, and moved to the mainland in 1832. The old kitchen is still here, complete with a crane and authentic kitchen wares my family and I collected over the years. From the window of my study I can see a deep tidal river, which I love, summer and winter.  I take walks, but to “get anywhere,” I have to drive my old mini-van, which is often full of my husband’s paintings (he’s an artist,) my books – and perhaps recyclables for the dump or packages for the post office. (Ally comment: Sounds fantastic!)

Ally:  Do you include animals in your books?

LW:  My husband and are owned by a black cat, Shadow. Maggie, in the Shadows Antique Print mystery series also has a cat (Winslow Homer) and so does Angie, in the Mainely Needlepoint series (Trixi.)

Ally:  What is your next writing project?

LW:  I’m currently doing research for several books, and writing the 8th in the Mainely Needlepoint series. I’ll have at least two new mysteries published in 2018: in June, DEATH IN A POT OF CHOWDER: A Maine Murder Mystery by Cornelia Kidd, a pseudonym for a new series, and in October, THREAD HERRINGS, the 7th in the Mainely Needlepoint series.

Ally: Let's finish up with a few get-to-know-you short answer questions.a. An item on your bucket list: Visiting the countries where my children were born. I’ve been in India, but not in Korea, Thailand, or Hong Kong.b. Favorite Movie: 1776, hands down. Love this musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence that put our founding fathers’ words and actions into wonderful songs and dialogue.c. Hiking or sunbathing: I have pale skin, so sunbathing is out – I wear sunblock every day of the year. But I’m not quite up to strenuous hiking – I’ll take walking!d. Favorite Quote:  “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.” – William Jennings Bryane. Favorite after 5 drink: If I could choose anything, champagne! Or a sidecar cocktail. But usually I have a spritzer and get back to work after dinner!Ally: A pleasure having you, Lea. Before you go, please show us your new books.
Pizza to Die For
Genre: YA mystery, humorous
 
At fourteen, future chef Mikki Norden is ready for any kitchen emergency - except the unexpected death of her mentor, Mr. Baldacci. But Mikki's learned a lot about solving crimes from her mother, an almost-published mystery author, so when the local New Jersey police rule Mr. B's death a heart attack, she know she has to prove otherwise, even if she's a very amateur detective.

Mikki grows up fast as she discovers secrets surrounding Mr. B and his restaurant ... and within her own family.

Wacky characters and situations make this a memorable coming-of-age mystery for readers of all ages.
 
Buy Links:

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Pizza-Die-Lea-Wait-ebook/dp/B074MCPY54
Barnes and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pizza-to-die-for-lea-wait/1126941337


Thread the Halls
Genre: traditional mystery
 
Christmas in Haven Harbor, Maine, means family, trouble, and murder . . .
 
This Yuletide season, there's no time for Angie Curtis and Patrick West to linger under the mistletoe. Patrick's being needled by his mother—movie star Skye West—to set the stage for a perfect white Christmas as she brings her costar, screenwriters, and director home for the holidays. With his mother's long list of wishes, Patrick's becoming unraveled. To help, the Mainely Needlepointers offer to decorate Skye's Victorian mansion and create needlepoint pillows as gifts for the guests.
 
But not long after the celebrity celebrants invade Haven Harbor, an unscripted tragedy occurs. Then some questionable Christmas cookies make Patrick sick. Before Santa arrives at the town pier on a lobster boat, Angie and the Needlepointers need to trim down the naughty list, catch a cold-hearted killer, and wrap up the case . . .
 
Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ydAReJ
Barnes and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thread-the-halls-lea-wait/1125683938

Have an Awesome All Hallows' Eve!

New Humorous Mystery Release: 16 Millimeters

16 Millimeters
A Maizie Albright Star Detective Mystery #2
by Larissa Reinhart
 
Body doubles, dead bodies, and hot bodies abound…Wait, what?
 
“Fresh from Hollywood get ready to bubble along with Maizie Albright Star Detective. She’s #adorbs.” — Jena’s Books
 
“Another fun outing for Maizie Albright, former child star. Larissa Reinhart always brings humor and grit to her mysteries.” — Terri L. Austin, author of the Rose Strickland Mysteries and the Null for Hire series.
 
In continuing her career-makeover quest as a for-real detective, ex-teen and reality star Maizie Albright has a big learning curve to overcome. A sleuthing background starring in a TV show— Julia Pinkerton, Teen Detective--does not cut the real life mustard. It doesn’t even buy her lunch, let alone extra condiments. Her chosen mentor, Wyatt Nash of Nash Security Solutions, is not a willing teacher. He’d rather stick Maizie with a safe desk job and handle the security solution-ing himself. But Maizie’s got other plans to help Nash. First, win Nash’s trust. Second, his heart.
 
Wait, not his heart. His respect. His hearty respect.
 
So when a major movie producer needs a babysitter for his hot mess starlet, Maizie eagerly takes the job. But when her starlet appears dead, and then not dead, Maizie’s got more than an actress to watch and a missing corpse to find. Body doubles, dead bodies, and hot bodies abound when the big screen, small screen, and silent screams collide. Maizie’s on the job, on the skids, and on thin ice, hunting a killer who may be a celebrity stalker. And Maizie just might be the next celebrity who gets snuffed.
 
Links:
 
Amazon/Kindle: http://smarturl.it/16MMKindle1
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/16MMibooks
Barnes & Noble/Nook: http://smarturl.it/16MMNook1
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/16MMKobo
Excerpt:
 
Chapter Three
 
#BlackPineExclusive #Camtastrophy
 
Black Pine, the city, edged along Black Pine, the lake, which bordered Black Pine, the mountain. This lack of creativity in the name department occurred when rich carpetbagging Georgians of the Gilded Age decided to escape the summer heat in the North Georgia Mountains and parked a golf resort at the base of Black Pine Mountain. In the 1930s, their children persuaded the federal government to spend WPA money on Black Pine. They dammed off a river, creating Black Pine Lake, thereby expanding Black Pine Resort into a yacht club. Now along with wealthy Georgians, rich Californians resort at Black Pine, playing golf and tennis, yachting, and boozing at the Cove bar and restaurant.
 
I’m sure that’s exactly what Roosevelt had in mind for the New Deal.
 
Cambria and the other big stars, as well as Leonard Shackleton and the director Ed Farmer, stayed at the villas. The villas were part of the resort, built to resemble their ‘20s bungalow ancestors. The Craftsman-styled one and two bedroom cottages dotted the lake and one golf course. They were darling. Handcrafted wood and stone, with overhanging eaves, little porches, and hipped and gabled roofs. Besides the bedrooms, each cottage had a small living area with a kitchenette. Mucho dinero to stay in a villa. And there weren’t many. Twenty in all. Expensive and exclusive.
 
Hollywood’s favorite words.
 
Leonard had called Cambria and arranged for our dinner—“for old time’s sake,” which was weird because Leonard wasn’t part of our old time—and finagled me an earlier invitation to her villa to “catch up.” I showed early, hoping to find her before she began any evening imbibing. At the Cove, I parked my childhood dirt bike, Lucky.
 
Long story, but minimum wage and the cost of freedom meant I couldn’t afford a real vehicle. Yet. But—as I like to tell myself while I rub Sisley-Paris restorative cream onto my inner thighs at night to relieve them from dirt bike fabric burn—at least Lucky is motorized and not an actual bicycle because I’ve always detested spin.
 
Anyway, I planned to be on Cam-Cam like Donkey Kong. Referrals were everything. If we did a good job for Leonard Shackleton, it could lead to any number of jobs related to Black Pine’s film and television industry. And like Donkey Kong, I needed to lock Cambria in a tower and prevent the Marios of the world from carrying her off into a booze and drug-infested sunset.
 
Donkey Kong is so misunderstood.
 
Summer in Georgia promised the sun heating my bare shoulders at six o’clock. Yachts and speed boats bobbed next to the docks. A few sailboats drifted on the lake. With Black Pine Mountain in the backdrop, the tranquil lake and golf course made for a beautiful setting. The club’s paths were for electric, low-speed use only. No gas vehicles, not even dirt bikes allowed. All the villas guests were given golf carts. I wasn’t a member or guest. Unfortunately, my appearance would give me more street cred with Cambria, so I swapped my sensible Golden Goose sneakers for a pair of delicious Gianvito Rossi Marquis d’Orsay sandals.
 
After ten minutes of walking, the charm and placidity wore off. Screw appearances, I should have kept the tennies. Sweat pooled in my bra and darkened my Juan Carlos Obando blouse. My feet ached. After a half-mile hobble, I pulled off my Rossi’s and minced off the smoldering rubber path. Taking a deep breath, I wiggled my toes in the cool grass. A cart sped from the cottages toward the resort. I pulled out a packet of wet tissues from my carryall. Checking for stray golfers, I wiped my pits and folded the tissues in the armpits of my cutout sleeves.
 
Ruining a Juan Carols Obando with sweat stains was worse than getting caught with tissue hanging out of your armpits.
 
Continuing on my route, I enjoyed the non-pinched feeling of my bare feet and the scent of fresh cut grass breezing from the golf course. The lane moved away from the lake, leading into the woods. Another cart flew past me, the driver intent on gunning the whining engine to its max. Which was tots ridic. Like 20 miles an hour was going to get you to the bar that much faster? These industry peeps needed to take a note from the South and slow the hells down. Stop and smell the roses. Or the golf greens, as it were.
 
A sign pointed me toward “The Woodland Villas.” My feet and I gladdened and together we set off to find number six. Most of the villas’ tenants were out, golf carts gone. I could hear the drone of a lawn mower somewhere on the resort, but in this area, birds chirped, squirrels scampered, and the spindly Loblolly pines swayed in the breeze, making a rushing sound reminiscent of the California beaches I missed.
 
The peace broke at the approach of villa six. Music pumped inside. I didn’t hear it so much as felt the tremorous whomping bass. Despite the sunny day, lights glowed in the windows. Yet the golf cart was gone from its spot under the overhang. I slipped on my sandals, yanked the tissues out from under my arms, and did a quick clothing malfunction check (necessary when wearing a V-neck cami). My heels pattered on the slate stones leading to the villa’s porch. A big basket lay askew on the top step. I recognized the basket as the resort’s continental breakfast drop-off. Someone must have set it out recently because the resort wouldn’t have dallied in picking it up. I righted the basket, noting the pretty checked cloth tucked around the edges had kept the pastries from rolling down the steps.
 
Feeling like the big bad wolf, I peeked inside the Red Ridinghood basket. Cam-Cam hadn’t eaten her muffins. Of course. For a starring role in a big budget, carbs were more evil than controlled substances. And if Leonard Shackleton was producing, Cambria’s part would require a mega-intense fitness regime. Her trainer would be worse—in a better way—than my old trainer. Jerry wouldn’t even let me smell muffins, let alone eat them.
 
That thought had me reaching for a lemon poppyseed. Good old Jerry seemed long ago and far away. Plus, Cambria couldn’t eat lemon poppyseed for fear of mucking up her drug test. I crammed a chunk of muffin in my mouth, knocked on villa number six’s door, and fast-chewed. Pressed the bell twice, but still no answer. The wood-paneled door was framed by two picture windows. I shifted right. The drapes had been parted to display an empty living room. I angled for a glimpse inside, shading my eyes and squinting. Built-in bookshelves held matching bound books and a massive flat screen. Craftsman-styled furnishings and accessories completed the room, including the kitchen barely visible in the corner. Open bags and cases with camera equipment lay on the thick oriental rug covering the wooden floor.
 
Music continued to thump through the porch’s floorboards. I rang, then hammered on the door again, tried the knob, and wondered what Cambria was doing with videographer kits. Maybe they were doing pre-release documentary footage for marketing and the final DVD extras. Or she had another job before Leonard’s movie started. I tore off another lemon poppyseed hunk, popped it in my mouth, and thought about leaving. I glanced behind me to the long, long, long path back to the club. Wiggled my pained toes. Considered sitting on the porch to wait. With the basket of muffins. Noted the recent tightness of my jeans. Then traipsed to the right-side window to see what Cambria was doing.
 
Light gleamed between the curtains and shone on a California King with rumpled sheets and a spread that had half-slid off the bed. Satin-cased pillows had been piled in the middle. Other paraphernalia had been scattered across the sheets. My lemon poppyseed chewing slowed and I felt heat suffuse my cheeks.
 
I didn’t want to know what kind of filming Cambria had been doing. Or not doing. I backed away from the window, turned toward the stairs, and stopped.
 
The kind of filming Cam-Cam might have been doing was the exact kind of “shitting up his movie,” Leonard Shackleton had been talking about. Cambria could be blowing her chance for this epic part if she and her boyfriend were getting frisky in front of a camera. A professional camera, by the look of the kit.
 
Why in the hell would they make a “home movie” with what looked like the kind of camera a documentary director would carry? This wasn’t a GoPro box or a camcorder. My heart thudded and blood heated to shoot up the back of my neck.
 
Dammit, Cambria was going to blow her shot and my shot and Nash’s shot all in one idiotic, depraved video.
 
Unless I stopped her.
 
I spun around and pounded on the door. After waiting another beat, I tromped off the porch and circled the villa to the bedroom side window. A slope made the window too high for easy peeking, but the blinds were up and no curtains barred the view. I tiptoed around to the back of the villa. At the far end, a screen door swung out to reveal a locked, windowed door leading to the tiny kitchenette. The bathroom window revealed nothing except Cambria had a crap ton of makeup.
 
I stepped away, and spied a pile of logs. Found a sturdy looking piece cut evenly on both ends, hefted it against my satin blouse, and walked back to the bedroom window. Dropped the heavy log, missing my toes by an inch, positioned it below the window, and attempted to pull the splinters from my off-the-shoulder ruffles. Gave up on the splinters and cursed Cambria for her stupidity and for ruining my Juan Carlos Obando. Climbed on the log, rose to my toes, and peered in the window.
 
Saw the body on the floor.
 
And fell off the log.
About the Author:

Bio:
Larissa writes humorous mysteries and romantic comedies including the critically acclaimed Maizie Albright Star Detective and Cherry Tucker Mystery series. She was a contributor to the 2017 Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice winner, was the 2015 Georgia Author of the Year finalist, 2012 Daphne du Maurier finalist, 2012 The Emily finalist, and 2011 Dixie Kane Memorial winner. Larissa’s family and dog, Biscuit, had been living in Japan, but once again call Georgia home. See them on HGTV’s House Hunters International “Living for the Weekend in Nagoya” episode. Visit her website, LarissaReinhart.com, and join her newsletter for a free short story.

Social Links:
website: http://larissareinhart.com/
Twitter: @LarissaReinhart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/larissareinhartwriter
Instagram: http://instagram.com/larissareinhart
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/LarissaReinhart
Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/LarissaGoodreads
Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/larissanewsletter
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/larissa-reinhart
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/LarissaReinhart

Ramey Channell, a Southern Fiction Storyteller

Welcome to this week's Coffee Chat!

Our guest author is Southern Fiction writer, Ramey Channell, from the great state of Alabama. Nice to meet you, Ramey! How do you take your coffee?

RC:  I drink my coffee black. I brew a pot of coffee every morning, using only organic coffee, and mix it half regular and half decaffeinated. I love it! I have early coffee memories, sitting in my father’s lap at the kitchen table, drinking a warm cup of his special coffee concoction: mostly milk and lots of sugar, with just enough coffee to produce a rich caramel color. The light above the table reflected in the cup, forming two linked semi-circles. He told me that was the hoof print where the cow stepped in the milk.

Ally: A nice memory. While I pour our coffee, why don't you introduce yourself to readers?

Bio:
 
Ramey Channell’s inspiration springs from a world where forests are inhabited by wondrous magical beings, backyards are visited by numinous creatures, and gardens are filled with echoes of enchanted song and laughter. As a child growing up in rural Alabama, she was spellbound by family stories of extraordinary beings and peculiar visitors, told in a setting so close to nature that the stories seemed natural and believable. An award winning poet and author, her stories and poems have appeared in Aura Literary Arts Review, Alalitcom, Birmingham Arts Journal, Ordinary and Sacred as Blood: Alabama Women Speak (1999), Belles Letters 2: Contemporary Stories by Alabama Women (2017), and many other journals and collections. She was awarded the Barksdale-Maynard Award for her short story, Voltus Electricalus and Strata Illuminata. She has two published novels: Sweet Music on Moonlight Ridge (Chalet Publishers 2010) and The Witches of Moonlight Ridge (2016)
When she’s not busy writing, you can find her in her studio or at the kitchen table, painting and drawing, or somewhere out in the yard sword fighting and playing ambush with her eleven-year-old grandson.
 
 Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "Golly, something unusual about me … I collect rocks, they’re all over the house. I collect dead bugs; they’re on the china cabinet in my dining room and on the bookshelf in the den. I started writing before I could write! I remember, before I started to grammar school, being impatient to hurry up and get into the first grade and learn to write so I could write poems and short stories. I wrote a play in the 3rd grade, about a rabbit who was in love with a fairy. I’ve been writing ever since, and collecting rocks and bugs."
 
Author Contacts:
 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ramey.channell.9 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ramey2001 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4106665.Ramey_Channell
Blog: http://moonlightridgeseries.blogspot.com/
INTERVIEW:   
 
Ally: When readers open one of your books, what can they expect?
 
RC:  My two published novels are Southern Fiction, cross-genre adult/YA. My books were published as adult fiction, but are appropriate for all ages from Middle School up.
 
Ally:  Give us a peek at your writing day.
 
RC: I write where ever and whenever I get a chance. So often, I have a sudden flash of inspiration while driving! I write barely legible notes on scraps of paper, receipts, old envelopes. I often sit up in bed at night, writing page after page in spiral notebooks. Then I put it all together at the computer in my den, situated between a big white-curtained window and an open French door. I can look out and watch the trees moving in the wind, birds looking for bugs and birdseed, watch the crows and hawks fly over. Sometimes green trees and blue sky provide ideas and inspirations when the white page is not giving me what the story needs.
 
Ally:  I'd love to hear about your main character. What makes her worthy of a leading role?
 
RC:  The main character in my Moonlight Ridge books is the narrator of the stories, Lily Claire Nash. She has a unique voice and a talent for remembering and describing details of her life and the stories told by other members of her family. Lily Claire, 9 years old in The Witches of Moonlight Ridge, tells everything she knows about her ancestors, her family, and the world around her. The reader is given a fresh look at an environment that is familiar to some, but a totally new and challenging landscape to others. Her grasp of the realities in her 1950s hillbilly environment, what is truly important and what should be accepted with a laugh and a shrug, is both revelatory and charming. Lily Claire tells a story that is both heartwarming and surprising, and she doesn’t shy away from those subjects that leave more questions than answers as she reveals the twists and turns of everyday life as she knows it. Lily Claire is accompanied by her companion, best friend and “identical twin” cousin, Willie. T., as the mysteries and magic of mountain life lead the dauntless pair into strange and sometimes dangerous adventures.
 
Ally: Can you paint a word picture of Claire, her style, way of life, her pets, etc.?
 
RC:  Lily Claire Nash, is a precocious 9 year old in the backwoods of 1950s Alabama.  She has straight brown hair, bright brown eyes, and a glowing tan complexion, as a result of her mixed ethnic heritage and from spending most of her time outdoors, summer and winter, under the Alabama sun. Lily Claire’s favorite color is red, the color of the Drunkard’s Path patchwork quilt on her bed. She wears homemade sundresses with sandals in the summer, and typical 1950s school dresses in the fall. Lily Claire and her rambunctious cousin, Willie T., adopt a stray brown dog and name him Witch Boy, and they end up in dangerous territory when they go on a search for their grandmother’s lost cat, Lucinda. They are also pestered by a huge black crow named Midnight, who isn’t their pet but who plays a big part in their search for a loved one who is lost on the mountain.
 
Ally: Have you pictured your stories as movies? Who would play the parts?
 
RC:  I have thought about my books being made into movies! After seeing him in The Hatfields & McCoys mini-series, I would love to have Kevin Costner play the role of Great Granddaddy W.T. Greenberry, a naturalist who collects bugs and possums and who is described by Lily Claire as a crazy man! There would have to be a great talent search to find two talented and agile children of mixed ancestry, Native American and Caucasian, to play Lily Claire and her cousin/best friend, Willie T.  Yaya Alafia played Black Panther Carol Hammie in The Butler. She would be beautiful as Evergreen, aka Bessie Penny, in The Witches of Moonlight Ridge. And Erskine Batson, the school teacher who falls in love with a beautiful witch: would have to be some young unknown skinny musician.
 
Ally:   How did you choose the title of the book you're featuring?
 
RC:  The Witches of Moonlight Ridge is the second book of the Moonlight Ridge Series. I was about halfway through the writing process when the title became apparent. I resisted for a while, wondering if there could really be witches on the mountain, as I had been told as a child, and wondering if witches were involved in the old legend of the ill-fated highwayman and his beautiful sweetheart. But it turned out to be true!
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
RC:  I’m working on The Winter Book, number three of the Moonlight Ridge series. This episode is set in the frozen backwoods winter in the hill country of Alabama. There will be more ethereal visitors, humorous predicaments, and unsolved mysteries as icy winds and plunging temperatures make the mountain a hazardous place for all outdoor adventurers.  I predict that the eccentric young teacher, Erskine Batson, will once again find himself face-to-face with the beautiful and mysterious Evergreen, who may or may not truly be a witch. And the intrepid pair, Lily Claire and Willie T., will once again find themselves up to their ears in intrigue. Anticipated release date, spring or summer 2018.
 
Ally:  Try these short answer questions...                                                                                     a. Favorite Book:  No short answer for this. There are too many to name. I would say The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is at or near the top of the list. And The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, a story about a mysterious book found in the Cemetery of Lost Books in Barcelona.b. Book you're currently reading: The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan. I just finished reading News of the World by Paulette Jiles, one of the best novels I’ve ever read.c. An author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Truman Capote, of course!d. Favorite TV show: Downton Abbeye. Favorite movies:   Mr. Church, starring Eddie Murphy, based on a true story; The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington, a post-apocalyptic action film with an intense message; Dances with Wolves, an epic ground-breaking movief. Do you believe in love at first sight?   Yes.g. Favorite song:  Once again, more than just one. All the Way up to Heaven by Guster, Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer, and everything by Dan Fogelberg. 
Ally: It was great sharing book talk and coffee with you, Ramey. Before you tear off to work on that next book, show us a little of The Witches of Moonlight Ridge.
Blurb:
 
Second book in the Moonlight Ridge Series follows the adventures of Lily Claire Nash and her cousin, Willie T. Nock, two precocious children in the woods of 1950s Alabama. Ghosts, hauntings, scary tales told 'round the evening fire, witches, and famous legends weave a story of mystery, romance, and tragedy.
 
What people are saying:
 
 "The Witches of Moonlight Ridge is storytelling at its very best. Ramey Channell has a voice that rings true — lyrical, compelling, and southern." Vicki Marsh Covington, author, The Last Hotel for Women
 
"Ramey Channell is a Southern writer with the chops of Harper Lee and the sometimes bawdy humor of Mark Twain. In The Witches of Moonlight Ridge, Willie T. and Lily Claire are back, and as delightful as ever. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but most of all, you'll be completely charmed."  Smoky Zeidel, author, The Storyteller’s Bracelet, and The Cabin

Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Witches-Moonlight-Ridge-Novel/dp/0991187717/

Have a Cuppa Tea with Mystery Author Marni Graff

Happy Wednesday, booklovers!

It's time for our weekly book talk, and this week's guest is author Marni Graff. Welcome, Marni! How do you take your coffee?

MKG:  When I drink coffee, it’s either black if it’s good coffee, or with milk and sweetener. I usually drink tea, hot in the morning and iced during the day, and depending on the blend, it is with sweetner and either lemon or milk. Nothing like a wee cuppa to get me going!
 
Ally: Then a cuppa tea it will be! While I pour, please introduce yourself to readers.
About the Author:
 
Marni Graff writes The Nora Tierney English Mysteries, featuring an American writer living in England with a nose for murder, as well as The Trudy Genova Manhattan Mysteries, based on Graff’s real work as a medical consultant for a movie studio. She is Managing Editor of Bridle Path Press, a member of Sisters in Crime, and writes crime book reviews at www.auntiemwrites.com. 
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: "I adore jigsaw puzzles! In fall and winter I usually have one in progress. My husband made me different sized working frames with built up sides, so I can move one in-progress from the end of our large dining table to the coffee table until they’re done. Some of my favorite ones are glued and framed and brighten up the stairwell to our guest rooms upstairs. I find them incredibly useful for working out plot points. As I concentrate on finding just the right piece, I’m using the mental time to play the “What if?” games writers love."
 
Contact the Author:
 
She can be reached at: bluevirgin.graff@gmail.com; @GraffMarni on Twitter, or through www.bridlepathpress.com.
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  When readers open one of your books, what will they find?
 
MKG:  Mystery, a mix of amateur sleuth and police procedural, and while there is a hint of romance in a few, you are always left at the bedroom door!
 
Ally: I'm always interested in how other authors work. What is your writing schedule like?
 
MKG:  I live in a very rural area of North Carolina at a river that is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s lovely and secluded and filled with nature. It’s also an 18 mile round trip to the post office because they don’t deliver to our house at the end of a dirt road! But it’s a peaceful haven for any writer, and our family always has at least one dog to walk along the shore whilst thinking of storylines. I write in the afternoons once Seamus, our young Aussie Doodle, is exercised and the housework and errands are done, probably five days a week, but any consistent five days, just according to our schedules. I have at least two more Noras planned and three more Trudys as it stands now. One current goal for me is to return to England next summer. I’d like to attend St. Hilda’s Mystery and Crime Conference for the third time and then stay to do setting research for future Noras in Cambridge, Scotland and Cornwall. I’ve just submitted a NC Arts Council grant application for help with that, so fingers crossed!
 
Ally:  Tell us about your main character Nora and why readers should care about her.
 
MKG:  Nora Tierney is an American writer from Connecticut who moved to England when she was transferred by the magazine she worked for as an editor, “People and Places” but she’s quit that to focus on the children’s book series she writes. The second one has just been published in THE GOLDEN HOUR and she travels to Bath to do her first reading and signing in a real bookshop there, Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, whose owner, Nic Bottomley, appears in the book and who is so happy with the final novel that he’s selling it in his shop!
Nora has an insatiable appetite for information honed by her journalism skills that gives her a nose for investigating when crime is near her. She lost her father as a teen to a drowning accident and has carried guilt for years over not accepting his invitation to go sailing with him, feeling she might have been able to save him. It took her years to let her guard down and fall in love with a British biologist, but the relationship floundered and she was on the verge of breaking it off when he was killed in a plane accident—only to find out weeks later she was pregnant with his child. She decided to have the child and has been raising it alone until she met Oxford DI Declan Barnes.
In The Golden Hour the theme revolves around what is family and home, and she and Declan are each deciding how committed their relationship will be. That’s when Declan’s new case, the death of an art conservator, becomes mingled with a stalker harassing Nora, and brings unsuspected jeopardy into their lives.
I think readers will see Nora struggling to be the best Mum she can be to her young son while still trying to carve out a life for herself that includes his best interests, something many can relate to. The little things that real people have to deal with, like a teething baby, are all there. She’s not a superwoman, but a very real woman with a big heart who wants to  do the right thing.
 
Ally:  Are there animals in your books? What part do they play?
 
MKG:  I’m a dog lover, so the brother and sister Nora has been living with in Cumbria in the earlier books had a Lakeland terrier named Darby. In the new book, Nora comes across a little beagle when inspecting an Oxford house she’s touring with an eye to renting. The pup is up for adoption, and her young son names him Typo. He’s featured on the cover and will be part of her little family in subsequent books. Who knows how Typo may figure in the next Nora Tierney?
 
Ally:   How did you choose the title of the book you're featuring?
 
MKG:  THE GOLDEN HOUR fits my Nora Tierney English Mystery theme of each book having a color in the title and the cover having a color wash in that same tone. The term “Golden Hour” is probably best known to readers as a medical one, when the first hour after a heart attack or stroke is the best way to affect recovery. For artists, it’s that hour before sunset when the earth has a golden glow of twilight. But in a police investigation, it’s the first hour after a reported critical incident, when the best forensic evidence is available, and when any witnesses memories are the clearest and most accurate. At one point, a Bath detective actually describes that meaning to Nora.
 
Ally:   What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
MKG:  I’m working on the second Trudy Genova Manhattan Mystery, Death of an Heiress. This time Trudy is the medical consultant to a made-for-TV movie  when the lead actress disappears and murder follows. It’s being filmed in NYC’s famous Dakota, home at one time to John Lennon and still to Yoko Ono, and once host to other celebrities and wealthy residents that included Lauren Bacall, Rudolf Nureyev, Rosemary Clooney and Judy Garland. The filming takes places in what was once Leonard Bernstein’s flat. In reality, The Dakota is notoriously difficult to get into and does not allow filming of any kind, but in Trudy’s world they do! That one should take about 18 months to be in print.
 
Ally:  A love short answer questions to get to know people better. Are you ready?
 a. favorite book: Daphne Du Maurier’s REBECCA; plus most Golden Agers.b. book you're currently reading: Val McDermid’s INSIDIOUS INTENT, from her Carol Jordan/Tony Hill series. I adore McDermid’s work and read all of her series.c. manicure or pedicure: Pedicure! I type too much to keep polish on my fingers! But I do like color on my toenails and try to keep it there, although with three back surgeries in the past few years, I seldom do it myself, so a pedicure is a lovely treat.d. favorite tv show: All of Masterpiece Mystery, esp. Grantchester, Endeavour and Dr. Blake.e. favorite movie: The Philadelphia Story with Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and JimmyStewart. Love them together. Big fan of black/white movies from the 30s/40s.  
Ally: Lovely having a spot of tea with you, Marni! I hope you'll visit again. Before you take off to plan that England trip (I'm green with envy, BTW!), please show us The Golden Hour and where we can get it.

The Golden Hour
Genre: English mystery
 
Back Cover:
 
From the award-winning author of three previous Nora Tierney English Mysteries comes her most chilling novel to date.
 
Nora Tierney’s move from Cumbria back to Oxford means house-hunting with her partner, DI Declan Barnes, but she can’t shake the feeling she has a stalker. Declan’s case, the death of an art conservator, brings international concerns. How these overlap when Nora heads to Bath for her first bookstore event will find her fighting to save her child and the family she’s trying to create.
                                                            
What reviewers are saying:
 
"Nora Tierney tackles her most complex and captivating mystery yet." Elly Griffiths
 
"One of the best things about Marni Graff’s latest Nora Tierney mystery, The Golden Hour, is the down-to-earth depiction of family life coupled with the tightly paced build of a twisty, time-honored puzzle. A meditation on love, loss and motherhood, The Golden Hour blends touchingly real domesticity with tongue-in-cheek humor, as the backdrop to a tale of art theft, germ warfare, and international conspiracy. The reflections of a reprehensible villain on the shortcomings of the British add just the right note of comedy to these otherwise weighty concerns. Added to this is a wonderful sense of place—Bath, Brighton, and Oxford are vividly rendered and charmingly true to life. Come for the crackling mystery, stay for the steady companionship of debonair detective Declan Barnes and feisty heroine, Nora Tierney, who offers warmth and smarts in equal measure."  Ausma Zehanat Khan, Among the Ruins, The Unquiet Dead
 
 
"The Golden Hour is a compulsive read with a narrative that both charms and surprises. I love Nora Tierney and can't wait to see what happens next." Sarah Ward, The DC Childs Mysteries
 
Buy Links:
 
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vabUMJ  ( trade paperback, Kindle and Audible)
Bridle Path Press for autographed copies: http://bridlepathpress.com

Mystery Author Marilyn Meredith: Forty Books Later...

Happy Wednesday, Booklovers!

It's a little cool in the Midwest today, and hot coffee tastes especially good this morning. Draw up a chair and join me in chatting with mystery writer Marilyn Meredith.
A pleasure to see you, Marilyn. What may I get you to drink?

MM:  My morning drink is Chai latte that I make myself on my Keurig. When out and about, I might choose something else.

Ally: I'll fix that latte while you introduce yourself to readers. About the Author:

Marilyn Meredith’s published book count is nearing 40. She is one of the founding members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sister in Crime. She taught writing for Writers Digest Schools for 10 years, and was an instructor at the prestigious Maui Writers Retreat, and has taught at many writers’ conferences. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and serves on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the foothills of the Sierra, a place with many similarities to Tempe Crabtree’s patrol area.
 
Something unusual not included in your regular bio: "Besides being a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, I’m also a great-great grandmother! I’m truly blessed."
 
Author Contacts:
 
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com  
Blog: http://marilymeredith.blogspot.com/
And you can follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith or Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarilynMeredith
Interview:
Ally: Let's start by talking about your writing process. Do you set daily goals?
 
MM:  My usual plan is to write in the early morning hours, however if the writing is going really well, I’ll write whenever I have time. Though I don’t consider myself a plotter, I have a good idea where I’m headed before I begin and have decided who my victim will be, the suspects, and usually the manner of the murder as well as the setting or settings.
 
I keep handwritten notes that include character names, descriptions, and most importantly, a timeline.
 
I don’t set number of words goals like some authors do, I just write until I have to stop. However, because I write two books a year (two different series), I know I have to keep at it.
 
Ally:  What comes after your first draft? How much editing do you do?
 
MM:  I belong to a critique group, the same one I’ve belonged to for years. They hear every chapter of every book, and I consider them my first editor. Though I don’t always do exactly what they suggest, I take every suggestion to heart. I usually fix the chapter the next day. The editing is continuous.
 
Once the book is done and I’ve gone over it several times to make sure it’s the best I can make it, I send it off to the publisher who assigns the manuscript to an editor. The editor then will go over it and send it back with corrections and suggestions. Once I’ve fixed it again, it goes back to the publisher, the editor goes over it again. I’ll be sent the proof copy to check for typos and other errors. I always print out this copy to make sure I catch as much as I can. I send back a list of what I’ve found—then the book is off to publication.
 
Ally:  Since characters are the heart of any story, how do you choose and name them?
 
MM:  Because I’m writing a series, I have some ongoing characters who were named long ago. Tempe Crabtree was my great-grandmother’s name and I thought it fit the Indian woman I envisioned as my heroine. Frankly, I don’t remember what prompted her husband, Hutch’s name, except that it’s short for his last name, Hutchinson. Tempe’s good friend and mentor’s name, Nick Two John, just came to me. As for new characters’ names, over the years I’ve saved graduation programs giving me a great source for both first and last names.
 
Ally: What is your best marketing tip? What didn't work out for you?
 
MM:  Being friendly to everyone and never judging someone by how they look. I’ve sold books to the most unsavory looking folks because I smiled and chatted with them. I’ve been invited to give talks to various groups for the same reason. At big mystery cons I’ve sought out the readers to get acquainted with rather than the other writers and gained some fans that way. Of course I do all the usual, Facebook, Twitter, my blog and a blog tour for each new book, and a monthly newsletter.
 
Though I continue to do book store signings, they are not my first choice of promotion. I do like to find other venues for book signings, planning one for a chocolate store. How fun is that?
 
Ally:  Have you thought about one of your books being made into a movie? Who would play the parts?
 
MM:  I’ve had many readers tell me that my Deputy Tempe Crabtree series would make a great TV series. If that should ever happen, I would want all the Indian characters to actually be played by Native Americans.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
MM:  I’m working on my next Rocky Bluff P.D. police procedural right now. I suspect it’ll be out sometime after the first of the year. And I do have the idea for the next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery—the ideas for that are beginning to churn in my subconscious.
 
Ally: Let's talk about you in these short answer questions.
a. Favorite TV show:  Blue Bloods
b. Do you believe in love at first sight?  I believe in attraction and infatuation at first sight. I met my husband, a very cute sailor, on a blind date and married him a very short time later. I certainly thought I was in love, but true love didn’t come until later. And yes, I’m still married to him after 64 years.
c. Favorite quote:  “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” (It’s also my mantra)
d. Your pets:  We have lots, two inside cats, Butch and Sundance. Many feral outside cats that I have not named, my husband’s pets. One dog, Bo.  Because we live in the country and our granddaughter and her family live with us, there are many other animals here: a miniature horse named Sparky, the kids’ dog, Cowboy, chickens and a rooster, and some ducks.
e. A guilty pleasure:  Going out to eat. Because I am the chief cook around here (I like to cook and I only know how to cook for a crowd), it’s a real treat to go to a nice restaurant and eat something that I didn’t make.
 
Ally: Always a pleasure to have you, Marilyn, and to learn about the newest Deputy Tempe. Speaking of which...please tell us about A Cold Death.

A Cold Death:
Genre: Mystery, rated G
 
Deputy Tempe Crabtree and her husband answer the call for help with unruly guests visiting a closed summer camp during a huge snow storm and are trapped there along with the others. One is a murderer and another is a ghost.

BUY Links:
 
Publisher: Anyone who orders any of my books from the publisher‘s website: http://mundania.com
can get 10% off by entering MP20 coupon code in the shopping cart. This is good all the time for all my books, E-books and print books.
 
On Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XNP87Z/








P.S. You also might want to check out Marilyn's cookbook!
Find it Here!

Friendly Monsters Invade the Coffee Chat!

Welcome, Booklovers!

It's a sure sign that Halloween is coming soon when monsters are invited to the blog. At least these are friendly. Hmm. I think so. The barforami are characters created by Kath Boyd Marsh, an author of middle grade fantasy.
I wonder where they are? I guess I better look for them. (Exits)

                                                             * * * * *


“Hello! Is anyone here?” Bubbles looks over at his friend Smush when no one answers.
 
“I told you we were early.” Smush adjusts her hat and looks around the author’s office. “You know she writes paranormal mysteries. I’ve read all of them.”
 
“Why would anyone write not-normal mysteries?” Bubbles waddles over to a bookcase and pulls out a book about a witch who is a guardian. “I like the sound of this one. Moire Ain is a wizard, so a book about a witch—”
 
“Paranormal means ghosts and witches and elves.” Bubbles pulls out three books with handsome elves on them, and three more with the word Ghost in the titles.
 
“Ghosts! I don’t believe in them. Elves are cool.” Bubbles paces to the window and looks out. As he does a small black and tan dog enters the room. “Hi. Are you Ally Shields?”
 
The dog snorts, edges Bubbles away from the cushy footstool in front of the window, jumps up, and sits on it in the sun light. Smush laughs. “You are silly, Bubbles. Ally is a human.”
 
“I am indeed.” A woman much taller than the hippo-like Barforami enters the room and extends her hand. “I’m so glad you came. Hmm. I don't suppose you think coffee?”
 
Bubbles nods then shakes his large head. Silent for once in his life, Smush pushes him aside and speaks, “He’s in awe. He doesn’t know any real life authors. You’ve written a lot of books!”
 
“You’re very kind.  But he already knows an author--rather well in fact--and I think readers want to hear about the two books Kath has written about you.”
 
“Yes!” Smush follows Ally over to her desk, where Ally turns on her computer and opens an ebook program. Smush points. “That’s our first ebook, Closet Monsters!”
 
Ally grins at them. “It is. You guys are funny.”
 
Bubbles ambles over and peers over Smush’s shoulder. “That one’s about our first big visit to Dr’gon Wiz. The school.”
 
“Quite an adventure…” Ally begins.
 
“You have no idea!” Smush says. “Bubbles swore we’d never go back after that. Even if we did get invited to a party. I love parties. Do you know why?”
 
Ally smiles again. “Could it have something to do with wearing fancy hats?”
 
“Yep.”
 
“She made me go back so she could wear a hat to the Halloween party,” Bubbles says, shaking his head in disgust.
 
“That was in your second ebook, Trick or Treats.” Ally touches the computer screen and the orange book cover pops into view.
 
“He complains a lot, but if it weren’t for me he wouldn’t—” Smush begins, but Bubbles interrupts her.
 
“Don’t tell! Kath said we were not to tell the stories or no one would buy our books, and then how are you going to buy that roll of golden ribbon for your new hat?”
 
Smush sits back, passes a chubby paw over her mouth as if zippering it shut, and shakes her head. “OK. Not telling.”
 
Ally laughs. “I understand. But let me ask…are your books about real adventures or does Scribe Kath make them up?”
 
The pair of Barforami stare at her. “Make them up? Who makes up books?”
 
Smush cocks her head in surprise. “Your books? Made up or real?”
 
Before Ally can answer, Bubbles jumps up. “We have to go.”
 
Startled, Ally says, “I’m sorry if I offended you. I have more questions.”
 
Smush nods. “Kath said to be polite. Bubbles has to go, but I can stay.”
 
“He has to go?” Ally sounds disappointed.
 
“Yep. He ate too many water weeds. You don’t want him hanging around. I promise.”
 
Bubbles backs out quickly. “I’ll wait for you by the little pond out front.”
 
“No!” Smush yells. “You can’t use a real live author’s pond for …” She looks at Ally, her eyes wide. “I think it’s an emergency. Is it okay? Can he use your pond? He’ll only fart. I promise. But Bubbles, well his bubbles… Better if they’re under water. They’ll dissipate sooner or later.”
 
With one hand pressed to her mouth, Ally looks down at a piece of neatly numbered paper. “I had a list of questions.” She seems to be choking, but Smush looks closer and realizes Ally is trying not to laugh at Bubbles.
 
“He is pretty funny. It’s okay to laugh,” Smush says and giggles.
 
Ally shakes her head, with one hand still pressed to her mouth, her eyes twinkling. “Just one more question I have to ask. Do you have any new books coming up?”
 
“Well, Scribe Kath is working on a Yuletide adventure we had. And there’s a hat-tastrophe.  And something about Blue Mushrooms. I think she’s writing up a lot of our adventures. We’ll see. She’s also working on writing up what Cl’rnce’s sister and her wizard did. You won’t believe—“
 
The little dog Ranger, facing the front garden through the window starts barking. Ally looks up and Smush trots over to the window. Bubbles is in the pond, sitting with a grin on his face. But all around his head, flying in formation were more stink-wasps than Smush had ever seen.
 
“Uh oh. He’s going to swat one of those stinkers, and we’ll  have another adventure. Bye!”
 
The little Barforamous waddled quickly out of the house and to the pond. She grabbed one of Bubbles’ long ears and yanked. He jumped out, and as the two hurried away, Smush waved one last time to Ally and Ranger from their position at the office window.
Check out Bubbles and Smush's adventures...
Closet Monsters Blurb:

Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. When their favorite dr'gon goes missing, the two sneak into the school to find their lost friend, causing chaos every place they look. Will Bubbles and Smush find Cl'rnce, or is their friend gone for good?
 
Opening lines: Closet Monsters:
 
"Smush, get down! Drop the weeds. Get down!" Bubbles hissed at his cousin. "Dr'gons!"   Smush's head jerked up, and her newest river-reed woven hat flopped into the river alongside the river weeds that dropped out of her mouth. She slipped just under the surface of the water and swam toward a pool three yards up the river.

Trick or Treats Blurb:

Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. The two friends are thrilled when their dr'gon friend Cl'rnce invites them to the Halloween party at the school. However, they need costumes, and this makes Bubbles wonder: what would he like to be in the future?
 
Opening lines: Trick or Treats:
 
Without opening his eyes, Bubbles snapped at something, crunchy and smelling of slightly dried river weed that was bumping his nose. “Yum!” he said, not bothering to open his eyes. “Snacking while napping!” He choked it back up when Smush screeched, “Don’t you dare eat my new hat!”
Buy Links:

Amazon:        Closet Monsters:  http://amzn.to/2xIftwO      ~     Trick or Treats:  http://amzn.to/2hzVhaJ
 
Apple:             Closet Monsters:  http://apple.co/2fU8gQV  ~     Trick or Treats:  http://apple.co/2fUtMVP
 
B&N:                Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2wnlxYi           ~     Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2yxLwgB
 
Chapters/ Indigo:  Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2hyAlRz   ~    Trick or Treats:   http://bit.ly/2fuUxPL
 
Kobo:               Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2k5XGL9          ~    Trick or Treats:  http://bit.ly/2k5Xewy

Publisher CBAY:  https://www.cbaybooks.blog/www.cbaybooks.blog/
About the Author:

At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted Rhode Island house. The Lazy Dr’gon and the Bumblespells Wizard was her debut novel. She has one prior published short story in the Dragons and Witches anthology (http://amzn.to/2xSnwre).
 
Author Contacts:
 
Author Website: kathboydmarshauthor.com
Letters from the Earth blog:  https://kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/kathboydmarsh/
Twitter: @Kmarshfen  

Read more about Kath and her debut novel in an October 2016 blog interview HERE.
Thanks for visiting with us! Come back soon...

New MG Short Stories by Kath Boyd Marsh

New Releases! Just in time for the coming holidays!
Closet Monsters Blurb:

Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. When their favorite dr'gon goes missing, the two sneak into the school to find their lost friend, causing chaos every place they look. Will Bubbles and Smush find Cl'rnce, or is their friend gone for good?
 
Opening lines: Closet Monsters:
 
"Smush, get down! Drop the weeds. Get down!" Bubbles hissed at his cousin. "Dr'gons!"   Smush's head jerked up, and her newest river-reed woven hat flopped into the river alongside the river weeds that dropped out of her mouth. She slipped just under the surface of the water and swam toward a pool three yards up the river.

Trick or Treats Blurb:

Bubbles and Smush are two medium sized monsters living in the river near WizTech, a school for wizards, dr'gons, and knights. The two friends are thrilled when their dr'gon friend Cl'rnce invites them to the Halloween party at the school. However, they need costumes, and this makes Bubbles wonder: what would he like to be in the future?
 
Opening lines: Trick or Treats:
 
Without opening his eyes, Bubbles snapped at something, crunchy and smelling of slightly dried river weed that was bumping his nose. “Yum!” he said, not bothering to open his eyes. “Snacking while napping!” He choked it back up when Smush screeched, “Don’t you dare eat my new hat!”

Buy Links:

Amazon:          Closet Monsters:  http://amzn.to/2xIftwO   ~     Trick or Treats:  http://amzn.to/2hzVhaJ
 
Apple:             Closet Monsters:  http://apple.co/2fU8gQV  ~     Trick or Treats:  http://apple.co/2fUtMVP
 
B&N:              Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2wnlxYi             ~     Trick or Treats: http://bit.ly/2yxLwgB
 
Chapters/ Indigo:  Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2hyAlRz   ~    Trick or Treats:   http://bit.ly/2fuUxPL
 
Kobo:              Closet Monsters:  http://bit.ly/2k5XGL9          ~    Trick or Treats:  http://bit.ly/2k5Xewy

About the Author:

At seven years old Kath Boyd Marsh self-published her first fantasy on lined notebook paper, stapled together by her grandfather, and starring a creature based on her little sister- the ‘PB.’ Before Kath moved to Richmond, KY to write about dragons, wizards, and other fantastic creatures, she lived in seven states, Panama, and one very haunted Rhode Island house. The Lazy Dr’gon and the Bumblespells Wizard was her debut novel. She has one prior published short story in the Dragons and Witches anthology (http://amzn.to/2xSnwre).
 
Author Contacts:
 
Author Website: kathboydmarshauthor.com
Letters from the Earth blog:  https://kath-lettersfromearth.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/kathboydmarsh/
Twitter: @Kmarshfen

Cozy Mystery Southern Style: Author Interview with Loretta Wheeler

What a terrific fall Wednesday in the Midwest!
It's nice to see so many booklovers here today. This week's guest on the Coffee Chat is Southern writer Loretta Wheeler! And she has a giveaway of her featured book!
Good morning, Loretta! How do you take your coffee?

LW: Usually, I have coffee with hazelnut creamer and then dust it with cinnamon on top.

Ally: While I pour the coffee, please tell readers about yourself and your giveaway.

LW: I'll start with the giveaway.  If readers post comments to this chat, I'll select a random entry to receive a free Kindle copy of Southern Breezes: The Verandah. Easy, right?
As for me, keep reading...
Bio:
Loretta Wheeler lives in the south along with her Australian husband, their cat Lil’ Dickens, and their dogs, Jack and Charmin’. All their pets are rescued fur-persons who are very much loved.

Most of Loretta’s writing is set in southern locales, whether in the thriller or romance genre. She says she writes of southern things because most of her stories speak to her in a southern accent. Something she recognizes easily since her own is so strong.

Something unique/unusual not in your regular bio: " I had to sit and think about this. I mean, there’s only so much you want to disclose of your hidden self, right? Lol.
I’m not sure if I elaborate often on the fact that I do some voice-over work. I’ve had some training and I did a couple of commercials while I lived in Australia. I also have a trailer on which I do the narrative for The Verandah."

Author contacts:
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/WheelerLoretta/
FB Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/loretta.wheeler2
Twitter: @LorettaWheeler
Website: www.lorettawheeler.com
INTERVIEW:

Ally:  We know you write books with a Southern flavor, but what genre is Southern Breezes: The Verandah?

LW:  It is a cozy mystery with romantic and paranormal elements.  The heat rating for it is low. No elaborative sexual content.
 
Ally:  Tell us about your main character and why the reader should care about him or her.

LW:  The main characters in The Verandah are, Shelby Alexander, Boone Dawson and the dog, Charmin’. And just to keep it interesting, two other characters who all but steal the show are the ghosts who make themselves a part of Shelby’s life, whether she’s ready for it or not.
Even though Shelby’s highly successful at this point in her life and career, she’s had a rough time getting there. She was married to a high profile actor who cheated on her publicly and now she deals with paparazzi continuously. Especially since she’s hit the New York Times list and has a Hollywood producer interested in her books. She has a hard time trusting men, especially gorgeous types, but even more than that, she now doubts her own instincts.  So, when gorgeous-guy, Boone Dawson shows up on her doorstep, accompanied by a lop-eared dog, all her alarms go off. Boone has a hard time getting his foot in the door, literally and figuratively, but Charmin’, in his usual charming style, barges right in, stealing her heart. (Charmin’ makes his first appearance in the novella, Christmas on the Strand, which is the beginning of the Southern Breezes series.)

Ally:  What was your journey to publication, including bumps and missteps?

LW:  I had a strange journey to publication. When I moved to Australia, I had the opportunity to finish a book I’d been writing in the states. After completing it, I wrote a short story, literally in an afternoon, titled Dark Pleasures. When my husband and I unexpectedly moved back to the U.S., I searched for a writers group in the Houston area. I was quickly embraced by The Final Twist and had the thing happen that most writer’s dream of. I was asked if I had a short story that I would like to submit for consideration in their anthology. I submitted Dark Pleasures (amazingly it fit the word count along with the other criteria) and the editor took it immediately. It’s available now as a stand-alone short story on Amazon. I’ll reiterate, it is very short, per request for the anthology, and leaves you with an ambiguous ending.

Ally:  Readers are often interested in process. How do you choose and name your characters?

LW:  The locale of the story and the nature of the characters helps me select their names. I also run a search on names pertaining to the storyline, such as Louisiana, 1800s common names. Usually one or two will grab me. But once in awhile, I know my character’s names immediately.

Ally:  You mentioned Charmin'. Do you frequently have animals in your books? What part do they play?

LW:  Yes, I usually include animals, and they play a strong part in the storyline. In The Verandah there is a dog named Charmin’, it’s short for Prince Charming. He was nicknamed this by the hero, Boone Dawson. Charmin’ was the town dog, in Christmas on the Strand, loved by all, but in The Verandah, he picks his owner, finding Shelby Alexander to be just the right fit. Of course, he’d really love it if Shelby and Boone lived together, then he could have both of his favorite people under one roof.

Ally:  How did you choose the title of this book?

LW:  I chose the title, The Verandah, because verandahs play a big part in southern culture. We’re often found sitting on verandahs or patios. And since Shelby has moved into her new place, a lot of activity occurs on her verandah. Of course, this is the house she spent many summers in when she was a girl, so she knows something or someone has always had a presence on the verandah. In this story, she’s going to become quite involved with that presence, who feels very male to her.

Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?

LW:  Following The Verandah, The Siren’s Shop will be releasing in the spring of 2018. If the Southern Breezes Series keeps blowing in the right way, (slowing down from the fevered pitch of hurricanes), The Siren’s Shop may release in the winter of 2017) We’ve just finished going through Harvey here in Houston and it slowed me down a little with my writing agenda. Should you happen to read The Verandah and want a bit more of the town and its people, Christmas on the Strand is the first story in the Southern Breezes series, and sets the scene for the people in the town. There is also a short story following The Verandah, titled, Siren’s Call which gives you a closer glimpse of Michael, who is a secondary character in The Verandah. Siren’s Call is more sensuous, though, so a head’s up on that. The heat level climbs significantly in it.

Ally: I've chosen a few short answer questions so readers can get to know you.a. book you're currently reading: I’m currently reading an ARC of the book, The Mortician’s Daughter, by CC Hunter. I’m one of her reviewers who receive ARC’s (Advance Release Copies) for review.b. an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch:  Okay now, I’m giving you a few, because I’ve been reading them for years. Mark Twain is one, because he’s so much more than an author. He’s a philosopher, with a lot of wisdom packed on his pages and in his mind. Stephen King, because in my opinion, King is one of the best. Then, there’s Anne Rice, whom I’ve met, exchanged a few emails with and Dean Koontz. I love that Koontz incorporates animals in his stories.c. an item on your bucket list: You know, I’m not sure I have a bucket list. I’ve done a lot of things I wanted to do. I guess if there’s one place I’d like to go, it would be Venice. It attracts me. Then, France does also. I think I’d like to stand inside the Eiffel Tower.d. color of nail polish you're wearing: Pink. I think it’s one of those things I’m going to wear to the grave lol. I love pink. I do wear some nudes though. I’m blonde, so I tend to stay with pastels.e. Your pets: My cat, who I rescued, is named Lil’ Dickens. He’s a BIG fur baby, weighing in at 18 lbs. He’s sweet as sugar, fuzzy and has turquoise eyes that are highlighted by his mask.  And we have two other rescued babies. Jack, our large dog that John found when he was a pup, lying on an old shoe on the side of the road. He’s around 75 pounds now, and oddly enough, he’s a North Carolina Dingo. John’s an Aussie, so him finding a type of Dingo on the side of the road was a bit “meant.” Then we have a small dog that John found as a six week old pup. He was scruffy and has a lop-ear, and even though he’s much smaller than the dog Charmin’, in the Southern Breezes series, we named him Charmin’.f. What are your hobbies? Reading, I think most authors read like crazy, and decorating. Lord help me, I love frou-frou! I also like to attend the theater.Ally:  You'll have to have a dinner party for all those luncheon guests, and you should prepare for a lot of readers to join you! :) Thanks for visiting the blog today, Loretta. Good luck with all your books. Before you go, please tell us more about The Verandah. I love the cover!

Southern Breezes: THE VERANDAH

Genre: cozy mystery with romantic and paranormal elements

Blurb:

It’s spring on Galveston Island, and everything’s running full tilt. Spring breakers’ swim in high curling waves, turquoise umbrellas line the sand, and the Pleasure Pier is lit like a bejeweled princess, her lights flashing with temptation.

Shelby Alexander, a New York Times Bestselling author, has come back to the island to live. She and her friends came every summer when they were young and daydreamed often of living there when they were grown. Good to their word, all of them have now returned.

But Shelby is finding that even though she’s thrilled to own a part of her Aunt Sookie’s house, the excitement’s only just begun, because a gorgeous guy has also arrived along with a scruffy dog named Charmin’. And fast on their heels is a ghost—a ghost who seems quite comfortable lounging on her verandah, blowing smoke from its cigarette—and who is always, always surrounded by a deliciously, sensuous fragrance.

Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/e7F4W2U_NIs

Buy Link:  https://tinyurl.com/lg7946x


Don't forget: Any comment is an entry to receive this kindle book for FREE!