Ally Shields's Blog, page 7

Meet this Cozy Mystery Character Created by Debbie De Louise

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
I have a rare experience for you this morning. We will be chatting with Cathy Carter, a character created by author Debbie De Louise for her cozy mystery, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady: Buttercup Bend Mystery #1.
 
Welcome to the blog, Cathy. Thanks for being willing to answer questions regarding your role in this book. Shall we get started? CHARACTER INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  Your author suggested I begin with a question about your love interest. What can you tell us about him? Is he the way you pictured? Would you have changed anything in his appearance or personality?
 
Cathy:  My situation is a bit unique because I have three potential suitors, a gardener, a vet, and a deputy sheriff. In my first book, I’m leaning toward the gardener who tends my pet cemetery and grandmother’s yard where I live. In Book 2, I have chosen two out of the three, but I won’t give spoilers here.
 
Ally:  Is there enough romantic tension or sex in the book? Would you have liked more?
 
Cathy:  This is a cozy, so there’s no explicit sex, but there’s plenty of romantic tension and even more coming in Book 2.
 
Ally:  You do have a lively social life. Aside from the men, who was your favorite supporting character?
 
Cathy:  My friend, Nancy Meyers. She’s more aggressive than I am and motivated me to find my inner sleuth.
 
Ally:  Let’s talk about your family. Do you have siblings?
 
Cathy:  I have one brother, Doug. We’re very close since we lost our parents in a car accident in which I still have a scar on my cheek. Doug is twenty-eight, two years older than I am. He’s married to Becky and, in our first book, they’re expecting a baby.
 
Ally: With your busy social life, do you have time for pets or hobbies?
 
Cathy:  I run a pet rescue center. In my first story, I have a Siamese cat named Oliver. He was named after my author’s Siamese who passed away during the writing of the book.
 
Ally:  Do you like the profession your author chose? Is there a career that would have been better?
 
Cathy:  I’m actually still deciding on a career. I run the rescue center and pet cemetery with my brother and grandmother, and I also take photos for the town newspaper, the Buttercup Bugle. I quit college after my parents died, and Doug and I moved to Buttercup Bend. I’m thinking about going back to school, but I’m not sure what I would major in.
 
Ally:  Are you happy with the setting? Did you want a bigger house or a ranch in Wyoming?
 
Cathy:  I love Buttercup Bend. It’s a small town in the Catskills, and I enjoy strolling through it and taking photographs of the mountains and neighborhood. I live with my grandmother, and I’m quite comfortable there. My brother and his wife live right next door which makes it nice, and we also have our pet cemetery and rescue center nearby.
 
Ally:  How many re-writes did you have to live through?
 
Cathy:  I can’t really count them. My author sent this book to many beta readers and editors. She put it on hold while trying to find an agent and working on other books and her other series and then finally submitted it to one of her publishers after five years.
 
Ally:  Were you satisfied with the ending?
 
Cathy:  Oh, yes. There were two twists that surprised me.
 
Ally: You seem satisfied with how Ms. De Louise portrayed you, and you mentioned a book two, are you hoping the series will continue?
 
Cathy:  She has already written over 60K words in my second book, tentatively titled, The Case of the Parrot-Loving Professor. She hopes to finish it and submit it to her publisher in another month or so.
 
Ally: Then we can look forward to more mysteries, including you will win out as your love interest. Thank you for visiting the blog. Give our best to Ms De Louise. One last thing before we finish, please show us your first book.


The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady : Buttercup Bend Mystery #1.
Genre: cozy mystery
 
Cathy Carter and her brother Douglas own a pet cemetery and animal rescue center in the small, upstate New York town of Buttercup Bend.
 
After the local “Cat Crazy Lady,” Maggie Broom, is found dead in her home, Cathy is stunned to learn that Rainbow Gardens and Rainbow Rescues is the recipient of most of Maggie’s estate.
Maggie’s estranged brother and sister come to town and are upset with the terms of their sister's will. Sheriff Leroy Miller is convinced one of them killed Maggie.
 
When another person turns up dead, Cathy sets out to solve the murders with her reporter friend, Nancy Meyers. But who really wanted to kill the "Cat Crazy Lady," and why?
 
Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/bOzPdN
About the Author:
 
Debbie De Louise is a reference librarian at a public library. She’s the author of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the new Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center.

​Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes for Catster.com, is a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats. 
 
Website/blog/newsletter and Social Media Clickable Links:
 
Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie_writer/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise
Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/\

Meet JL Buck (the Real Me) Via Anatasia Pollack's Blog!

​Good Morning, Booklovers!

There isn't much you won't know about me if you visit my alter ego on the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog this week. It was an extensive interview. 😊 Won't you stop by and join the fun?

Here's the link: anastasiapollack.blogspot.com/2022/08/an-interview-with-historicalregency.html

Want to Learn More about The Regency Era?

​Good Morning, Booklovers!

I'm sad to report that this week's guest author was unable to make it, but I'm hoping you'll take the opportunity to stop by my J. L. Buck (historical mystery) blog where you'll find several websites I discovered for Regency fans who would like to take their interest in that era beyond books and films.

​Check out the list HERE. 

Behind the Scenes of THE DEAD BETRAY NONE

I loved doing the research for this historical novel! I started with the big political things going on - the Napoleonic wars, the tension with America, the lower classes resentment of the lavish spending of royalty. But it was the smaller events and details that I found intriguing, and I've woven many of those into my stories. These three incidents are only a sample of the real history I drew from.

The Ratcliff Killer -  On December 7, 1811, a linen draper, his wife, child and an apprentice were clubbed to death in their home. The savagery of the incident, and its proximity to the Radcliffe Highway, a major thoroughfare in London, spread panic across the city.
On December 19 in the same area of town, a naked man escaped out the window of a pub by tying two sheets together, yelling they are murdering people inside. The bodies of four people, including the pub owner, were found, once again clubbed to death. The Radcliffe Killer—or killers, for some speculated it was a gang—could not be found.
The murders gripped the imaginations of London citizens, changing where they went to how late they were out. Citizens went about armed, doors and windows were barred; a reward of 500 pounds was offered.
On December 24, John Williams, a former ship mate of the linen draper was arrested and charged with the murders. Evidence was weak, and his motive was said to be an old grudge from their sailing days, but what about the second family? Recent scholars believe another man was involved, but he was never arrested, and authorities were satisficed of John Williams’ guilt when he hanged himself with his scarf in Coldbath Fields Prison four days later. Public panic and the investigation came to an abrupt end.

Frost Fairs - Between 1608 and 1814, during the Little Ice Age, the Thames River froze over several times during the extra cold winters. The river was shallower then and the old London bridge was built in such a way that it created ice jams, allowing the river to freeze. At such times, the town set up commerce and entertainment on the ice with a party atmosphere. You can be sure Lucien and Lady Anne will notice the Frost Fair when their story reaches 1814, the year of the last fair. It was common for the aristocracy and the lower classes to mingle on the ice buying and selling goods, food, a place by a fire, or a sled ride on converted wagons.

The Great Beer Flood of 1814 - The Horseshoe Brewery stood at the corner of Tottencourt Rd and Great Russell St. In 1810 they built a huge cask, holding 320,000 gallons of beer. On Oct. 17, 1814, one of the bands around the wooden cask broke, sending 15 foot waves into the surrounding area, filling basements, knocking down walls, and drowning eight people. Those not adversely affected were scooping up the free beer with any handy container. The area smelled of beer many months later. [image error]
​Okay, I could go on and on, but I'm going to stop there. These three stories and many others will be part of the  Viscount Ware series. If you choose to read the books, look for the smaller slices of history that I've included.
​ And now--in hopes of enticing you to become a series follower--I offer an excerpt from The Dead Betray None. EXCERPT:  (Setting: Lucien has spent the day asking questions about a gang of thieves in a lawless part of London. He is on foot and starting home as dark has fallen.)
 
In the silence, he grew aware of footsteps behind him. The sound unmistakable and somehow furtive. He stole a glance over his shoulder. In the dim light of the solitary lantern at the last road crossing, he made out two figures ducking into a shadowed storefront. Lucien increased his pace. Perhaps they were on their own business that had nothing to do with him, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Many years had passed since he first learned the scent of peril.

Moments later, the rhythm changed, the footsteps drawing closer. Lucien wasn’t worried yet. He had an army knife in his right boot. What concerned him was the possibility more cutthroats had circled around to get ahead of him. He eyed the shadowed, foggy road crossing just ahead.

Changing direction without warning, Lucien cut across the street. As soon as he heard running steps behind him, he broke into a run. Rounding the first corner he came to, he slipped into a dark lane and yanked the knife from his boot. The putrid smell of rotten food, human refuse, and things he chose not to think about assailed his nostrils with rabid persistence. Rats rustled in the debris at his feet, but Lucien didn’t flinch. He had played this game before. He gripped the knife, waited…and listened.
Stealthy footsteps crept nearer. Two male voices, low and cautious, whispered in a language Lucien knew well. Frenchies.

“Where did he go?”

“In there. I am sure of it.”

 Lucien stepped into their path, flashing the knife in their faces so they couldn’t miss it, and spoke in their native tongue. “Looking for me?”

Reacting clumsily, one man swung a wooden club, missing him, while his companion scuttled backward, shouting for help. Three men sprang from the fog on the far side of the street.

Bloody hell. ​ Check out the book here:
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Betray-None-J-Buck-ebook/dp/B09VM9RSS9
B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-betray-none-j-l-buck/1141104585
Kobo:  www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-dead-betray-none
and at other booksellers

Mystery Author Lynn Slaughter Stops by the Blog!

​Good Morning, Booklovers!

It’s time for our weekly chat with a guest author regarding all things writing and reading. Today’s guest is mystery writer Lynn Slaughter with her featured YA romantic mystery, DEADLY SETUP.

Welcome, Lynn. How do you take your coffee?

LS:  Black, dark roast.

Ally: You’re certainly making it easy on me. While I pour, please tell readers something about your background. Bio:

After a long career as a professional dancer and dance educator, Lynn Slaughter earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She writes coming- of- age romantic mysteries and is the author of the newly released Deadly Setup. She is also the author of: Leisha’s Song, a Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards bronze medalist, Agatha nominee, Silver Falchion finalist, and Imadjinn Award recipient; While I Danced, an EPIC finalist; and It Should Have Been You, a Silver Falchion finalist. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she’s at work on her next novel and serves as the President of Derby Rotten Scoundrels, the Ohio River Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Something unusual not in my regular bio: I used to sing vocals for a rock band. (Ally note: Sounds interesting. I’d like to hear more sometimes!)

Author contact links:

https://lynnslaughter.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lynnslaughterWriter/
https://twitter.com/lslaughter2 INTERVIEW:

Ally:  Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
LS:  I’ve been a member of several critique groups over the years, and I also have enlisted the services of beta readers. I think it’s helpful to have outside eyes look at our work. If more than one person points to a problem area, I definitely pay attention!

Ally:  Why did you choose writing as a career? Is it your only career, or do you have a “day” job?
LS:  I consider myself an “accidental” writer. When age and injury led to my retirement from dance, I grieved the loss of dance in my life. As a therapy project, I began writing a story about an aspiring ballet dancer. That became my first novel, While I Danced. Then I fell in love with writing fiction and ended up going back to school to earn my MFA from Seton Hill.
I currently write fulltime.

Ally:  What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given?
LS:  Don’t wait for inspiration. Place your “butt-in-chair” and write!

Ally:  What three books in contemporary realistic YA would you recommend to readers:
LS:  Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher
       If I Stay by Gayle Forman
      The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Ally:  What is your next writing project?
LS:  I’m currently working on two projects. One is an adult mystery, Missed Cue, in which a homicide detective investigates the suspicious onstage death of a ballerina while dealing with her messy personal life. The other is a middle grade fantasy about a kid vampire who hates the taste of blood and is convinced he landed in the wrong body.
 
Ally:  Which five trivia questions did you choose to answer?
LS:Book I’m currently reading: Five People Die by Trace CongerEbook or print? PrintFavorite comfort food: Anything pasta!Pie or cake? My husband’s chocolate peanut butter pieBeach lover or snow skier? Huge beach loverAlly:  It’s been a pleasure chatting with you, Lynn. Before we finish, please show us your featured book, DEADLY SETUP.


Deadly Setup :
Genre: YA romantic mystery (contemporary realistic)
 
When her New England heiress mom announces she’s marrying Adam Holloway, Samantha (Sam) is horrified. She’s almost sure he’s after her mother’s money, but her mom is convinced she’s finally found her “happily ever after.”
 
And then Sam’s life implodes. Holloway has been shot to death, and Sam gets arrested for his murder. She fights to prove her innocence with the help of her boyfriend’s dad, an ex-homicide cop.





​Buy the Book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Smashwords

Release Day for The Dead Betray None (a Regency mystery)!

The Dead Betray None (A Viscount Ware Mystery #1)
Genre: historical (Regency) mystery

An aristocratic spy and a highborn lady cross paths over a dead body..

1811 England seethes with discontent. A self-indulgent prince regent sits on the throne of a country at war with France, on the brink of war with America, and facing growing rebellion at home.
 
Lucien, Viscount Ware, recently home after four years on the Continent as a spy for England, finds life in the haute ton tedious. He secretly agrees to handle a few delicate matters for the Crown's private spy unit at Whitehall. A housebreaking at a country houseparty seems a strange assignment until he discovers that a French cipher, the key to Napoleon's war codes, was among the stolen items. As he follows its trail to London's notorious rookeries and into its glittering ballrooms, he faces a growing threat of treachery from more than one direction.
Lady Anne Ashburn missed her London season while caring for her invalid mother in the north country. A new nurse allows her to visit relatives, where she becomes embroiled in a blackmail plot. To avoid a terrible scandal, she goes to London to face down the scoundrel threatening her family.
 
The night of the elegant Christmastide Ball, Lucien finds Lady Anne standing over a corpse. What happens after that—the risks they take, the intrusion of a notorious crime lord, society gossip, and good intentions gone awry—sends them spiraling into danger and potential disaster for England’s war effort.
 
An ever twisting plot sure to keep you turning the pages.

Available from multiple booksellers including:

Amazon:   www.amazon.com/Dead-Betray-None-J-Buck-ebook/dp/B09VM9RSS9
B&N:   www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dead-betray-none-j-l-buck/1141104585?ean=9781942078906
Kobo:   www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-dead-betray-none
​Excerpt: Opening lines, Chapter One
 
The thundering hooves of swiftly moving horses echoed through the dense fog. Lucien Grey, Viscount Ware, feathered his pair of blood bays around the sharp curve, the curricle’s wheels slipping a brief moment on the wet road. The encroaching trees opened onto a broad misty park, revealing the familiar Doric columns of Baron Sherbourne’s yellow-and-gray sandstone manor. Despite the dismal morning, the estate held good memories for Lucien, and a fleeting smile crossed his lips.

Easing the bays to the left toward the stable yard, he brought the light carriage to a halt, and his groom, Finn, slipped off the back to run to the horses’ heads. The high bred team danced in place, snorting at the abrupt end to the journey, their hot breath forming tiny clouds in the icy air.

Lucien leapt to the ground, his top boots squishing the sodden maple leaves blown over the cobblestones. He tossed the reins to Finn. “Be good to them. They earned it.”

“Aye, m’lord.” The small man, somewhere in his thirties, but not much over five feet tall nor eight stone, gave his master a toothy grin and flipped a shock of reddish-brown hair out of his eyes. “Sev’teen mile in a’ hour an’ a bit more. They be getting oats an’ barley for sure.”

Lucien nodded casual approval and yanked off his leather driving gloves, using them to brush at the dried road dirt on his multi-caped greatcoat. A burst of rain and sleet from the same storm that must have blown through the baron’s estate had caught him on the Great North Road from London.

With a final slap of the gloves, he abandoned the futile effort to make himself presentable and strode toward the country house, his lean, muscled frame moving with the ease of a man used to action. A twinge of disquiet returned a frown to his face, and his eyes narrowed. Four years of clandestine missions in the glittering courts and ballrooms of the Continent—their elegant setting no less deadly than the wretched battlefields—had taught him to trust his instincts, and something was off the mark about this assignment. A part of him had known it since Lord Rothe’s man came pounding on his door before dawn.

Lucien’s nostrils flared in the cool breeze. Why was he sent to investigate a country housebreaking? Rothe had failed to tell him something about the theft, something vital that had captured Whitehall’s rapt attention. Lucien had sensed an undertone of anxiety in the habitually composed Marquess of Rothe, the man in charge of the Crown’s secret spies.
​
What the devil had Prinny’s War Office gotten him into this time? Join the release blog tour! Giveaway
$10 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/the-dead-betray-none-book-tour-and-giveaway
​

Talking with DonnaRae Menard about Her Latest Cozy Mystery

​Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
I’m still excited about the release of my first Regency mystery yesterday! But I’ll try to settled down and focus on this week’s guest author, DonnaRae Menard, featuring her cozy mystery, Murder on Eagle Drop Ridge, scheduled for release on July 19.
 
Congrats on your upcoming release, DonnaRae! What can I get you to drink?
 
DRM:  I like my coffee and tea black. But I recently passed out from dehydration, so currently I'm big on water with a slice of lemon.
 
Ally:  We certainly don’t want you to pass out, so we pour you a big glass of water with lemon. And maybe add a side chaser of a half cup of black coffee. 😊 Bio:
 
DonnaRae Menard began the journey to a writing career in the seventh grade with notes containing disparaging descriptions of other students. Being forced to stand and read those notes aloud, began her the training for the one hundred yard dash in track and field.

Time went on. There were diaries, journals, two tiny columns in small-town newspapers, and competition pieces for Toastmaster's International, not to mention the banana boxes under the bed filled with novels finished and not.

In 2010, after a serious health scare, DonnaRae took on the biggest wish in her bucket list, to write and be published. A chance meeting with a small publisher at the Crimebake Writers Conference in 2019 was her spring board.

DonnaRae lives just outside of town in the type of place where people feel free to drop off cats, kittens, cages of gerbils or white rats, and even the occasional farm animal.
 
Something unusual that isn’t in your regular bio: “In the seventies I drove Powderpuff @ Catamount Stadium. '48, '49 Fords. I used to be really good at rebuilding clutches.”
 
Contact the Author:

Website is donnaraemenardbooks.com, but I can better be reached via email at menarddonnarae@gmail.com. Find me on face book DonnaRae Menard Author. And I'm just learning to twit ala Twitter. INTERVIEW:
 
Ally:  What inspired you to write this series?
 
DRM:  This series came from the days of my youth, the family farm, which was a stage coach house back in the day. A small town in Vermont that gave me the best memories a person could ever have, and a big family with big hearts, and lots of stories to tell. There is a reference in this book about Jack. It's basically a true recounting. Be ready!
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you choose?
 
DRM:  I’ve done both self-published and traditionally published novels (Level Best Books). I rate both the same as far as ease and stress. Working with Level Best Books, however, opened me up to knowledge I never would have gotten on my own, and new author friends who have just been over the moon wonderful.
 
Ally:  Do people you know ever sneak into your novels?
 
DRM:  My family and friends are always looking for people they recognize in stories I tell. Check out IT TAKES GUTS!! I have one reader who refers to Donnaraeisms, as a writing style. I think it's really funny, because I believe I talk and write like everyone else, except maybe people from California.
 
Ally:  Are you a reader? What do you read?
 
DRM:  I read everything. When I was young, the librarian allowed us Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldin. I would hide in the stacks and read Victoria Hart, Agatha Christie, and the grade B novels hidden behind the desk. There was this six-foot, white-haired guy...  Currently I am reading Julia Spencer-Fleming who I had the luck to share a two-hour taxi ride on the way to Malice Domestic. I missed a few volumes. I'm working on it. I want to read everything my new friends put out, it's tough. I get through 2 or 3 books a week.
 
Ally:  Do people ever suggest plots for your books?
 
DRM:  I was challenged at Malice to write the pig book. You may have heard about my 450 pound lap pig. It took five weeks for me to write SNUFFLING OUT BONES. The book almost wrote itself, I just threw in a body. I'm still waiting to hear if the publisher that asked for it, likes it. Cross your fingers. Whoops, maybe I should have kept that cat in the bag!
 
Ally: Do you read reviews? Why or why not?
 
DRM:  I want people to read what I write, to remember their good times, and to laugh, even as they get a little chill. If I misspelled a word, tell me. If you didn't like the book, tell me why. If you're happy with what's between the covers, feel free to share with the world.
 
Ally: Thanks for visiting with us today, DonnaRae. Before you go, please show us your featured book.
MURDER ON EAGLE DROP RIDGE (Book 2 Katelyn Took, It's Never Too Late series)
Genre: cozy mystery
Release Date:  July 19,2022
 
Things are looking up for Katelyn Took, she has a job, a roof over her head, a new love, and she's down to fourteen cats. If it weren't for the human remains she fell into on Eagle Drop Ridge, she'd be over the moon. Then things start to slide.

Before she recovers from falling into the first set of bones, a second set of remains are discovered fifty feet down at the bottom of the ledge. She knows there has to be a connection, even though the father of the male victim, says no. His tunnel vision is mirrored by the sheriff, who's main focus is the woman.

Katelyn just wants it all cleared up before the climbing company that's considering renting the ledges drops out. It's a balancing act with the media thrown in for added confusion, and somehow the fate of her new love is jeopardized. Then Katelyn finds a small, shiny clue. What is she going to give up for peace of mind, or rather, what is going to be taken from her?
​
 
Where to Purchase:
 
Available  on July 19th at Barnes and Nobles, Amazon, The Eloquent Page bookstore, Rail City Market, and Studio 22.

Coffee Chat with Mystery Writer Mary Stojak

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
I hope all my fellow countrymen and women have recovered from the 4th of July celebrations! We had a fantastic day. But on to this week’s Coffee Chat, and a big welcome to our guest author, Mary Stojak, and her new release, Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist.
 
How do you take your coffee, Mary?
 
MS:  I drink my coffee black! Thought I would never stray but a couple of trips to Ireland made me reconsider black and white. These days I sometimes have a latte in the evening.
 
Ally:  I too have been to Ireland. Would that be a latte with Baileys? 😊 Never mind, it’s only morning, so black it is. While I pour, please tell readers something about yourself. Bio:
 
I’ve had short stories published for quite a while and published a middle grade mystery called The Clan of the Crescent Moon. On June 22nd this year, my first adult mystery, Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist was published. Publishing short stories is lots of fun, but publishing a book is too! Every so often I run into one of my classmates from the Masters Fiction program at Johns Hopkins University and it energizes me knowing what I’ve done since I graduated. The workshops I attend do that too, as well as the conferences where I see my mystery writing buddies!
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “Usually, I remind people that I am a lifetime musician who is still playing! Flute and piccolo are where I started. For quite some time I’ve also been playing the bass flute although I had to switch to a vertical bass from the horizontal one on account of a bum shoulder. I’m playing in a bunch of concerts this summer. It’s great to be able to do that after the pandemic.”
 
Author Contacts:
 
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/Writingsurvivor
Twitter: @Survivingwriter
INTERVIEW:
 
Ally: Let’s start by talking about what inspired you to write your featured book?
 
MS:  I was just telling some of my writing friends at Hollins University last week about the inspiration for my Sissy Holmes book. All sorts of things kind of clump together for me. I’m a long-time Sherlockian and always wanted to write something inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But I wanted to write my own take like we’ve seen in recent years. I can’t remember why I thought of reincarnation, I think it just popped into my mind when I was researching how different authors had expressed their takes. No one, to my knowledge, had used it before. The government connection is me. I worked in the Federal government for many years, but not at the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health that are mentioned in the book. Last but not least, my son quit smoking which gave me the idea of Sissy wanting to quit smoking and of course, how would she do that? That’s where we get the hypnotist!
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
MS:  I’m both. There are books that are stuck in your head (at least for me) and don’t want to go away. Then maybe the market isn’t looking for books like the one you want to publish. I chose to publish my first complete book myself. My bucket list included having a book traditionally published so I ventured forth again with Sissy Holmes. I was happy that MX publishing had created a new imprint Orange Pip Books that was looking for books like mine! That doesn’t mean I won’t self-publish more books. I’ll probably make the decision on a book-by-book basis. I know many people who want their books published for all sorts of reasons and don’t want the hassle of getting an agent and all the hoopla. Even with MX who was great during the process, the latter part of getting the book out was challenging.
 
Ally:  What is the easiest—or the hardest—part of writing for you? Explain.
 
MS:  I think that drafting is sometimes more difficult. I used to think revision was the hardest but I love revision now. I’m always discovering more detail for my stories. Nanowrimo (where you try to write 50,000 during the month of November) can be lots of fun if you don’t have too many other demands on your time. I’ve drafted a half dozen books during Nano but didn’t participate last year because I wanted to concentrate on other projects.
 
Ally:  Do you use critique groups or beta readers? Do you find them valuable?
 
MS:  I am a member of two critique groups. I’ve also used beta readers. But taking too much advice from critique groups can be a mistake. Beta readers work well if they are available.
 
Ally:  Do people you know sneak into your books as characters?
 
MS:  Nope. That’s a no-no for me.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?
 
MS:  One page at a time.
 
Ally:  What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
 
MS:  Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Egyptians will most likely be out in about a year.
 
Ally: Which of the trivia questions did you pick to answer?
 
MS:
An item on your bucket list: Going to YellowstoneIf you were a color, what would it be and why? Green. I always want to grow.Your pets: cats, Callie and BelaIf you had to evacuate your house (your family, pets, and laptop are already out safe), what one thing would you try to take with you? fluteDo you re-read books? Any book in particular? Great ExpectationsAlly:  It has been a pleasure to meet you, Mary. Good luck with your books. Before we finish, please show us your featured book.



Sissy Holmes and the Case of the Dead Hypnotist
Genre: mystery
Rating: PG
 
What is reincarnation? Sissy Holmes doesn’t have a clue until a hypnotist (soon to be dead) delves too deeply into her psyche. The voice inside her head says he’s Sherlock Holmes and wants to investigate the murder. Sissy thinks she must be crazy.

​As events unfold, she’s convinced she has no choice but to investigate with the help of Sherlock Holmes and her best friend El.
 
Buy Links:
MX Publishing: https://mxpublishing.com/products/sissy-holmes-and-the-case-of-the-dead-hypnotist
Also available from:  Amazon USA    Barnes and Noble   Amazon UK

Goldstein's #5 is in the Bookstores! Chat with the Author...

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Now that it’s officially summer, we’ll be holding the chat on the deck depending, of course, on storms choosing other paths or other times. So, pull up your deck chairs, grab your favorite beverage, and help me welcome author Debra Goldstein with her latest cozy, Five Belles Too Many.
 
Nice to see you, Debra. How would you like your coffee?
 
DG:  If I’m making it, I drink it black, but I tend to buy flavored coffees like Kahlua. If I’m purchasing it from Starbucks, it will be something iced, preferably with whipped cream. If I want a hot drink, my go to is a skinny white chocolate mocha, but don’t hold the whipped cream.
 
Ally: Since it’s a hot morning, how about something iced with whipped cream? While I’m fixing our drinks, please tell readers about yourself. Bio:
 
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Five Belles Too Many, Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, and One Taste Too Many). Her short stories, which have been named Agatha, Anthony, and Derringer finalists, have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly, Malice Domestic Murder Most Edible, Masthead, Murder by the Glass, and Jukes & Tonks. Debra served on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and was president of the Guppy and SEMWA chapters. Find out more about Debra at https://www.DebraHGoldstein.com .
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I took eleven years of piano lessons and occasionally relax by playing the piano that my parents bought for me when I was six years old.”
 
Contacts:
Website – www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/  
Twitter - @DebraHGoldstein
Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/debrahgoldstein/
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
DG:  I am a hybrid writer, but that isn’t by choice. My first publisher went out of business and returned my files to me so that I could put the book, which was still in demand, back up on Amazon through what was then Createspace. In that instance, I had the files and cover art, so I didn’t have to go through the various steps of self-publishing. My choice, and what I have done in all other instances, is to seek traditional publishing house contracts. Although self-publishing would give me more control of all aspects of a work, I don’t want nor do I have time to write, promote, volunteer, and juggle my everyday activities with handling formatting, cover art, and all the other logistics necessary to be a successfully self-published author. Early on, I realized my limitations and immediately sought a traditional publisher.
 
Ally: What do you consider to be the hardest part of writing?
 
DG:  To be disciplined enough to do it. When an idea or phrase is triggered, I write with a total abandonment of time. My focus is directed, and I am in the zone. Sadly, which has been more noticeable this past year, is that when I’m not motivated, anything can be a distraction. Ironically, I thought when I walked away from my day job, I’d treat writing like I had my job instead of as that thing I did between two and four a.m. It didn’t happen. Instead, I am a sprint writer, who does best when faced with a deadline.
 
Ally:  Why did you choose writing as a career?
 
DG:  I walked away from my day job as a judge a few years ago to follow my passion to write. At the time, I had had one book published and had just sold a second book. Although I had no idea if my writing career would take off, I knew it was something I wanted to give my full attention to no matter what happened. I haven’t looked back since.
 
Ally: Are people you know models for your book characters?
 
DG:  Yes and no. For me to copy a friend or someone I know isn’t possible because I could never capture them in their entirety. Instead, I steal bits and pieces of people I know to create complex new characters.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?
 
DG:  The best writing/marketing advice I was given was to “invest in yourself.” As the person explained, sometimes you have to put out money and effort to succeed. This may mean underwriting something, giving out free or discounted books, or being willing to have something function as a loss leader for others to be introduced to your work. Investing in myself also meant taking classes, reading books, and putting in the time to improve my writing and skills. Finally, it meant taking what I’ve learned or succeeded with and paying it forward because the return is an investment in “yourself” that can’t be measured.
 
Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
 
DG:an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Leonard Elmore, Jr.most watched tv show: Perry Mason f you were a color, what would it be? Blue What type of music do you prefer? Show Music favorite quote: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try. and try again.”Ally:  A pleasure to chat with you, Debra. Before we finish up for today, please show us your featured book.
Five Belles Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Genre: Cozy Mystery

​Whoever thought a sixty plus year old bride-to-be competing for the perfect Southern wedding would need a chaperone? But no, the television show’s rules require all five of the Southern Belle finalists to be chaperoned at night. Because Sarah Blair’s twin works nights at her restaurant and Mother Maybelle doesn’t want to inconvenience any of her friends, Sarah is “stuck” with the task.
 
It's bad enough juggling her day job and taking care of her own furry pets, RahRah and Fluffy, while on chaperone duty, but the show contracted for rooms for the Belles and their chaperones at her all-time nemesis, Jane Clark’s, bed and breakfast. Mother Maybelle assured Sarah that she could survive the few hours a night she’d have to be at Jane’s Place, especially since she’d be sleeping, but Maybelle didn’t take into account she and Sarah finding the show’s producer lying dead in the front hall with Jane, blood on her hands, bending over his body on the first night of their stay.
 
In the last year, Sarah unraveled several murders in Wheaton, Alabama, but she has a dilemma. Sarah hates Jane. Jane is the bimbo who broke up Sarah’s marriage, forced her to go from a life of luxury to an efficiency apartment, tried to steal RahRah, the Siamese cat that was the only thing she got out of her marriage, and has been a consistent thorn in her side, but Sarah doesn’t think Jane is a murderer. One part of Sarah wants to ignore Jane’s plea for help, but her loyalty and fears for her mother’s well-being prompt her to get involved before Mother Maybelle or any of the other contestants are permanently eliminated from the competition. 
 
Buy Links:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Belles-Sarah-Blair-Mystery-ebook/dp/B09HRCV4TN
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Belles-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496732235
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-belles-too-many-debra-h-goldstein/1140225124

Goldstein's #4 is in the Bookstores! Chat with the Author...

Good Morning, Booklovers!
 
Now that it’s officially summer, we’ll be holding the chat on the deck depending, of course, on storms choosing other paths or other times. So, pull up your deck chairs, grab your favorite beverage, and help me welcome author Debra Goldstein with her latest cozy, Four Cuts Too Many.
 
Nice to see you, Debra. How would you like your coffee?
 
DG:  If I’m making it, I drink it black, but I tend to buy flavored coffees like Kahlua. If I’m purchasing it from Starbucks, it will be something iced, preferably with whipped cream. If I want a hot drink, my go to is a skinny white chocolate mocha, but don’t hold the whipped cream.
 
Ally: Since it’s a hot morning, how about something iced with whipped cream? While I’m fixing our drinks, please tell readers about yourself.
Bio:
 
Judge Debra H. Goldstein writes Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series (Four Cuts Too Many, Three Treats Too Many, Two Bites Too Many, One Taste Too Many). She also authored Should Have Played Poker and IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories and novels have been named as Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, and Silver Falchion finalists. Debra serves on the national board of Mystery Writers of America and is president of SEMWA. She previously was on Sisters in Crime’s national board and president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter.
 
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I took eleven years of piano lessons and occasionally relax by playing the piano that my parents bought for me when I was six years old.”
 
Contacts:
Website – www.DebraHGoldstein.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/DebraHGoldsteinAuthor/  
Twitter - @DebraHGoldstein
Instagram – debrahgoldstein  
Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debra-h-goldstein INTERVIEW :
 
Ally:  Are you self-published or traditionally published? How did you make the decision?
 
DG:  I am a hybrid writer, but that isn’t by choice. My first publisher went out of business and returned my files to me so that I could put the book, which was still in demand, back up on Amazon through what was then Createspace. In that instance, I had the files and cover art, so I didn’t have to go through the various steps of self-publishing. My choice, and what I have done in all other instances, is to seek traditional publishing house contracts. Although self-publishing would give me more control of all aspects of a work, I don’t want nor do I have time to write, promote, volunteer, and juggle my everyday activities with handling formatting, cover art, and all the other logistics necessary to be a successfully self-published author. Early on, I realized my limitations and immediately sought a traditional publisher.
 
Ally: What do you consider to be the hardest part of writing?
 
DG:  To be disciplined enough to do it. When an idea or phrase is triggered, I write with a total abandonment of time. My focus is directed, and I am in the zone. Sadly, which has been more noticeable this past year, is that when I’m not motivated, anything can be a distraction. Ironically, I thought when I walked away from my day job, I’d treat writing like I had my job instead of as that thing I did between two and four a.m. It didn’t happen. Instead, I am a sprint writer, who does best when faced with a deadline.
 
Ally:  Why did you choose writing as a career?
 
DG:  I walked away from my day job as a judge a few years ago to follow my passion to write. At the time, I had had one book published and had just sold a second book. Although I had no idea if my writing career would take off, I knew it was something I wanted to give my full attention to no matter what happened. I haven’t looked back since.
 
Ally: Are people you know models for your book characters?
 
DG:  Yes and no. For me to copy a friend or someone I know isn’t possible because I could never capture them in their entirety. Instead, I steal bits and pieces of people I know to create complex new characters.
 
Ally:  What's the best writing/marketing advice you’ve been given?
 
DG:  The best writing/marketing advice I was given was to “invest in yourself.” As the person explained, sometimes you have to put out money and effort to succeed. This may mean underwriting something, giving out free or discounted books, or being willing to have something function as a loss leader for others to be introduced to your work. Investing in myself also meant taking classes, reading books, and putting in the time to improve my writing and skills. Finally, it meant taking what I’ve learned or succeeded with and paying it forward because the return is an investment in “yourself” that can’t be measured.
 
Which of the trivia questions did you choose to answer?
 
DG:an author (living or dead) you'd love to take to lunch: Leonard Elmore, Jr.most watched tv show: Perry Mason f you were a color, what would it be? Blue What type of music do you prefer? Show Music favorite quote: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try. and try again.”Ally:  A pleasure to chat with you, Debra. Before we finish up for today, please show us your featured book.
Four Cuts Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery)
Genre: cozy mystery
 
Sarah Blair gets an education in slicing and dicing when someone in her friend’s culinary school serves up a main corpse in Wheaton, Alabama . . .
 
Between working as a law firm receptionist, reluctantly pitching in as co-owner of her twin sister’s restaurant, and caretaking for her regal Siamese RahRah and rescue dog Fluffy, Sarah has no time to enjoy life’s finer things. Divorced and sort-of dating, she’s considering going back to school. But as a somewhat competent sleuth, Sarah’s more suited for criminal justice than learning how many ways she can burn a meal.
 
Although she wouldn’t mind learning some knife skills from her sous chef, Grace Winston. An adjunct instructor who teaches cutlery expertise in cooking college, Grace is considering accepting an executive chef’s position offered by Jane Clark, Sarah’s business rival—and her late ex-husband’s lover. But Grace’s future lands in hot water when the school’s director is found dead with one of her knives in his back. To clear her friend’s name, there’s no time to mince words. Sarah must sharpen her own skills at uncovering an elusive killer . . .
 
Includes quick and easy recipes!
 
Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Cuts-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496732219
Barnes & Noble: Four Cuts Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)