Elisabeth Crabtree's Blog, page 3

Guest Author # 8 – Caroline Mickelson

In anticipation of our 25 Mysteries to Die For bundle release, today’s interview is with author Caroline Mickelson.

Hi Caroline, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m an avid reader, a mystery and romance author, and a mother / wrangler of four teenagers. I live in the American southwest, and after thirty years here, I’m still trying to appreciate the desert landscape and heat. I’m also a huge Agatha Christie fan, and Hercule Poirot is my literary hero.

Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?

There was never a time when I wanted to be anything else. According to my mother, I was dictating stories to her before I learned to write.

What are you currently working on?

I’m at work on the next in the Sophia Mancini ~ Little Italy series. The title of the next book is ‘Lights Out in Little Italy’.

Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?

My favorite is ‘From Mangia to Murder’ because I love the characters as well as the post-World War II period it’s set in. My grandfather was the first-born child of Italian immigrants and the story is a tribute to him.

What books have most influenced you as a writer?

Oh, so many! But if pressed to choose one author, it would have to be Agatha Christie. I’ve read and re-read all of her mysteries multiple times and I marvel at her story telling skill.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?

The most challenging part of writing is actually sitting down to write every day. Because I so badly want to do justice to my ideas and characters, I often have to work through some resistance / perfectionist issues before I start typing. The most rewarding part of being a writer is hearing from readers who want to know when the next book is coming out – best compliment ever!

What book is on your nightstand?

My Kindle is the only thing on my nightstand. It’s chock full of books waiting to be read – but isn’t that true for everyone’s e-reader? I love finding a new-to-me mystery series, it’s like striking gold.

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

More books in the Little Italy mystery series, and the start of a new series. I have ideas for three different series and I change my hourly about which path to take first. It’s a fun stage to be in.

Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?

I’d love to say thank you to any reader who spends time reading any of my books. Time is so precious for all of us, and I’m honored if readers choose to spend some time in my world. Thank you!

 

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://www.carolinemickelson.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012200737095

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/CarolineM67

 

AUTHOR BIO

Caroline Mickelson loves her family and loves to write. She also loves a good adventure, among her favorites thus far were attending graduate school in a Scottish castle, riding a camel around the Pyramids in Giza, and taking a best-in-a-lifetime road trip to Graceland. Caroline lives in the American southwest with her husband and their four children, affectionately known as The Miracles.

 

#25KillerCozies

New MYSTERY Collection – Guest Author 7

Another great author interview from Alannah Foley’s blog! This one is with Colleen Cross.

The Pyjama Writer Blog

I’m participating in a 25-novel cosy mystery collection coming out 27 December which is aiming to hit the USA Today Bestseller List. It’s called 25 Mysteries to Die For. So if you’d like to pick up some bargain reads and help us achieve our goal, you can get it NOW on preorder at only 99 cents.

Yup! That’s what I said – 99 cents.

If you love cosy mysteries, it’s a no-brainer!

Get to know another author featuring in the box set today…

 *  *  *  *  *

COLLEEN CROSS AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

First of all, thank you for having me…it’s very nice to be here.

I live in Vancouver, on Canada’s southwest coast.  I’m a writer and a runner, a cat and dog fanatic (though my dog likes cats a little too much, lol), a traveller turned homebody (my life revolves…

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Guest Author # 6 – Ava Mallory

I have another great author interview to share. This one is with Ava Mallory who will have three of her cozy mysteries in the upcoming mystery bundle ~ 25 Mysteries to Die For which is available for pre-order for only 99 cents!

 

Hi Ava, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Ava Mallory. I like to call myself a genre hoarder. Primarily, I write cozy mysteries, but because you can never have too many mysteries in life, I also write psychological thrillers and romantic thrillers.

Prior to writing full-time, I’ve worn many hats. I was a hospice nurse for twenty years while also raising children, chauffeuring children to activities, volunteering as a child advocate, and sub-contracting as a copywriter for a small publishing house.

Since I became a full-time writer, my life hasn’t changed much. I basically still do all of the above, but this go around, I do it in my pajamas. (Don’t tell my children that! J)

Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?

When I was 4 years old, my mother took my younger brother and I to a Storytime activity at our neighborhood library. I don’t know if that was the first time we’d gone or just the most memorable time. When the librarian walked in the room with a book in hand (a Dick and Jane book, if I recall correctly), I knew right then and there that I would grow up to be a writer.

As is often the case, life had other plans for me. I veered this way and that and found a long-time career as a hospice nurse, but I never once lost sight of my goal to become a full-time writer.

What are you currently working on?

I always have several projects going at once. I’m editing the next book in one of cozy mystery series now. I plan on publishing it in January. I’m also outlining a new novel for my thriller series and developing a new cozy mystery series to be released next fall.

Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?

I absolutely adore my Mercy & Mayhem novel. It’s the first in my A Mercy Mares cozy mystery series. It’s the most personal of my novels. Each character is loosely based on people I’ve met and/or worked with in my life.

What books have most influenced you as a writer?

I’m an eclectic reader. The books that have influenced me most are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, most of Agatha Christie’s works, and most recently, books by Emma Donoghue.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?

The most challenging part of writing for me is conquering my own fear. I think we all deal with fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being exposed. The most rewarding is finishing any project. Typing The End still makes me giddy every single time.

What book is on your nightstand?

(1.) The Silent Witness by Brittainy C. Cherry (2.) Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

I plan on releasing three new cozy novels in the coming year. One will be the second book in my paranormal cozy mystery series and the other two will be new novels in my A Mercy Mares series.

I also write psychological thrillers under a pseudonym. I’ll have three releases for that pen name next year as well.

Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?

I’m thankful for each and every reader. Knowing that someone has read my work means the world to me. I love interacting with them and receiving feedback from them. I cannot wait to share new works with them and some fun perks for newsletter subscribers.

 

AUTHOR LINKS

Website link writeravamallory.wix.com/avamallory

Facebook Link (author page) https://www.facebook.com/Ava-Mallory-1443761745884008/

Twitter Link https://twitter.com/avamallorypens

 

AUTHOR BIO

In Ava Mallory’s world, chocolate is a vegetable and life is a great, big adventure!

When not writing mysteries, Ava can be found surfing the internet, binge-watching her favorite shows and movies, or corralling her children.

 

#25KillerCozies

 

 

Guest Author # 4 – Alannah Rogers

In anticipation of the 25 Mysteries to Die For box set we’re releasing, here’s another author spotlight interview I thought you might enjoy! Welcome Alannah Rogers, author of the Beatrice Young Cozy Cat Mystery series!

Hi Alannah, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a full-time mystery writer living in Toronto, Canada. I was hired to ghostwrite cozy cat mysteries and about a year and a half ago I decided I wanted to try to write my own! I always had cats growing up. I even subscribed to Cat Fancy magazine when I was a kid, I was so obsessed. I don’t have pets now because I travel too much so I write cat mysteries instead.

Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I even worked in marketing at a major publisher for a while. But at the back of my mind, I always wanted to be the one writing the books. I moved to Mexico City four years ago, where I met my husband. It’s a far cheaper city to live in and I was able to start writing full-time while teaching English on the side.

What are you currently working on?

I just finished my ninth Beatrice Young cozy cat mystery called The Amaw-zing British Murder Mystery. Beatrice and her three crime-solving cats go to England on holiday and end up investigating the murder of a fellow guest at their B&B.

Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?

I love The Santa Claws Bandit. It is completely ridiculous. The cats participate in a theater version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and there’s a gun-toting thief dressed as Santa. It’s a lot of fun.

What books have most influenced you as a writer?

I’m actually not a huge mystery reader, though I hope to change that. I read a lot of classic children’s literature when I was a kid. Think Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, The Secret Garden, The Phantom Toolbooth, the Narnia books. Those simple books with loveable characters and can’t-put-’em-‘down plots have probably influenced my writing the most.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?

Sitting down and actually writing the thing. I do a lot of complaining and avoiding writing by going to the kitchen for coffee and snacks. I’ll go to a cafe if I’m really blocked. The background noise relaxes and focuses me, for some reason. The most rewarding part of writing is when you really get into the groove of the story and get excited about the story and characters. I love those moments when I’m writing and I make myself laugh. That’s when I know the book is actually going to be funny and not terrible.

What book is on your nightstand?

I just finished The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. I decided I need to write more complex mysteries, so I’d better study the master!

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

I’m preparing to write The Meowy Christmas Kitten, a new Christmas-themed Beatrice Young cozy cat mystery. It’ll release December 4, 2016. Christmas is my favorite holiday so I’m going to have a lot of fun with this book.

Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?

Even if you hate cats, you should still read my books because the cats in my novels are like normal cats but much, much better. They’re like funny little people who have amazing crime-solving skills. Also, you should sign up for my mailing list because I send out cool sales, contests, and special content.

 

AUTHOR LINKS

Amazon Author page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B016N5W120

Facebook Link (author page): https://www.facebook.com/alannahrogersmysteries/

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/arogersauthor

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Alannah Rogers is the pen name for a Canadian writer. She grew up in Nova Scotia and her trips to nearby Maine and New Hampshire helped inspire the Beatrice Young books. She is currently based in Toronto.

 

 

New MYSTERY Collection – Guest Author 3

Another great interview, this time with Anne R. Tan who writes the Raina Sun Mystery series!

The Pyjama Writer Blog

I’m participating in a 25-novel cosy mystery collection coming out 27 December which is aiming to hit the USA Today Bestseller List. It’s called 25 Mysteries to Die For. So if you’d like to pick up some bargain reads and help us achieve our goal, you can get it NOW on preorder at only 99 cents.

Yup! That’s what I said – 99 cents.

If you love cosy mysteries, it’s a no-brainer!

Get to know another author featuring in the box set today…

 *  *  *  *  *

ANNE R TAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I love to read more than write. I have to set up hard deadlines with preorders to motivate myself to write. If left on my own, I would rather spend my writing time on “research,” which basically is reading books in my favorite genres.

Was there a certain time…

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New MYSTERY Collection – Guest Author 2

In keeping with my author spotlight featuring each author in the upcoming bundle here’s an interview from Alannah Foley’s blog featuring Anna Celeste Burke who writes the Corsario Cove Cozy mystery series!

The Pyjama Writer Blog

I’m participating in a 25-novel cosy mystery collection coming out 27 December which is aiming to hit the USA Today Bestseller List. It’s called 25 Mysteries to Die For. So if you’d like to pick up some bargain reads and help us achieve our goal, you can get it NOW on preorder at only 99 cents.

Yup! That’s what I said – 99 cents.

If you love cosy mysteries, it’s a no-brainer!

Get to know another author featuring in the box set today…

 *  *  *  *  *

ANNA CELESTE BURKE AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a retired professor living out in the California desert not too far from Palm Springs. I took up writing fiction when I retired several years ago. Before that I had a lot of different life experiences—good and bad—that have influenced my writing. I was a University…

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Author Spotlight: Alannah Foley Author Interview #25KillerCozies

As many of you now know, I’ve placed one of my books in a cozy mystery bundle with 24 other books which will be released on December 27th. The bundle is called 25 Mysteries to Die For and is available for pre-order for 99 cents at Kobo and Barnes and Noble. As soon as it is available at ibooks and Amazon I will let everyone know.

To prepare for the bundle, I’m planning on releasing author spotlights focusing on each author in the bundle starting today.

So to begin, let’s get to know Alannah Foley.

 

Hi Alannah, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

AF: I was raised in the UK but in my twenties, I lived in my Australian birthplace for five years. I’m currently settled in Cornwall (south of England), where I’ve based some of my works of fiction.

I’m quite an eclectic writer with two fiction series so far – the Campervan Bushman Mysteries and the shorter Tales from Corny Cove.  Both are light-hearted, easy reads, with a feel-good ending.  My nonfiction books include Campervan Capers, Cycling Widows (satire about living with an obsessive cyclist) and The Jacaranda Trail (where I discovered long-long family, etc Down Under).

Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?

AF: My mum says I was always writing down something, although I’m not one of the many authors who ‘always knew’ they wanted to be a writer. Over the years, I’ve scribbled down all sorts of ideas, written songs, poetry and short stories, written and illustrated newsletters, etc.  A sort of diverse creator, I suppose.  But when I was younger, I actually wanted to be a French teacher and absolutely loved languages. Even made up a few!

What are you currently working on?

AF: I’ve not long released the 3rd book in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series and am working on a follow-up story which I plan to release exclusively to those in my Readers Group. After that, I plan to continue with book 4, although I have a few other projects I’m looking at working on which are ‘black ops’ right now.

Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?

AF: Although I love playing with the characters in my Campervan Bushman Mystery Series, I also enjoy writing short stories and other stuff which don’t require so much planning in terms of tying up clues & red herrings. I’ve actually had a good chuckle writing the books in my satirical Cycling Widows series – all that appeals to my impish (read: ‘childish’) sense of humour and it’s less structured. But, at the end of the day, it really is hard to choose which thing you love the best – each book projects gives you something new to explore!

What books have most influenced you as a writer?

AF: Now, that’s another hard one to answer.  As I see it, so many things in life are interwoven that you can’t always pinpoint what helps with what.  Books I read twenty or so years ago, such as Robert Fritz’s The Path of Least Resistance, for example, changed the way I thought about creating what I wanted in life.

When it comes to writing fiction, I think I’ve probably learnt as much from reading it as I have done from reading nonfiction books about writing it.  Reading Scott Mariani’s Ben Hope thrillers, for instance, helped me get clearer on transitioning from one chapter to the next with my action/adventure-style novel, Cyclopathic Tendencies.

In terms of my writing style, I don’t have any hankering to emulate any particular author.  I learn from others, but I think it’s important to find your own voice, because that’s what your readers connect with.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?

AF: I don’t consider myself to be a fast writer, so I find it challenging to have so many ideas but so little time. When I’ve written the cosy mysteries in the Campervan Bushman series, I’ve had a few challenges with tying up clues/evidence (I’m sure it comes with the territory!), but what’s kept me going is the fact that I get time to have fun with the characters and dream up unusual things for Scott to do – he’s my main character and is part campervan-surfer, part Crocodile Dundee, you might say. In each book, he and his crew are filming another episode of an outdoorsy TV show, so I get to explore and add stuff like bushcraft, food foraging, and so on into the mix.

What book is on your nightstand?

AF: I’m gradually working my way through Pipe Dreams by Kelly Slater (a champion surfer, like my main character, Scott). On my TBR pile are some nice big hardbacks about Aborigines and old adventurers in Australia, plus some Bill Bryson travel books and historical fiction paperbacks by EV Thompson.  On my Android, there’s a mishmash of fiction, books on writing and some other nonfiction.  I also like action/adventure/thriller novels by the likes of Scott Mariani, Mario Reading, Michael Cordy, and James Rollins. As you can see, my tastes are quite eclectic.

Will I ever get to read all those books?  Err…  We live in hope!

What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?

AF: Now that book 3 in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series is out, I’ll eventually look to publish a set of paperbacks.  I have outlines for future books in the series, plus ideas for free extras for my Readers Group, including a few more free short stories.

I also have a few other ideas in the pipe which I’m researching, so if they get off the ground, I’ll be announcing those at a later date.

Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?

AF: Basically, a big thank you to my readers who have taken the time to leave reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads.  If you’re a reader and think your reviews don’t matter – think again!  It really is appreciated by an author and helps readers to decide on their next book.

Killer Climate – book 1 in the Campervan Bushman Mystery Series – is currently available free at most outlets – find more info & pick up the links on my website.

AUTHOR LINKS

 Website (The Pyjama Writer) – www.thePyjamaWriter.com

Facebook Author Page – www.facebook.com/PyjamaWriter

Twitter – www.twitter.com/alannah_foley

 

AUTHOR BIO

Alannah Foley – aka ‘The Pyjama Writer’ – is the author of light cosy mysteries, short fiction, and bunch of other maverick titles that won’t fall in line.

She was raised in the UK and did a five-year stint in her Aussie birthplace in her twenties, where mozzies regularly used her for target practice. She managed to return to Old Blighty devoid of shark or snake bite, however, and currently lives in picturesque Cornwall with her cycling-obsessed partner.

To date, she has two fiction series – the Campervan Bushman Mysteries and Tales from Corny Cove – both of which are light, easy reads with a few twists, turns and tickles along the way. Her nonfiction titles span topics as diverse as capers in a campervan, the vagaries of living with an obsessive cyclist and her adventures Down Under.

To get sneak peeks at upcoming books, hear about early discounts on new releases, and any cool offers she might be running, why not join her Readers Group? You can currently get a free download when you sign up at http://bit.ly/PJW-NL-SC.

A Cozy Mystery Bundle Opportunity

I have exciting news to share with my readers! Two Dead Love Birds is available for 99 cents in a bundle with twenty-four other cozy mysteries. If you haven’t purchased Two Dead Love Birds yet you can get it and 24 other cozy mysteries for just 99 cents. If you have purchased it you still will have 24 other great cozy stories to read. Right now it is up for pre-order at Barnes and Noble, Kobo and iBooks.

If you’re curious about the other authors in the bundle I plan on posting author bios for them very soon.

New Release – September 17, 2016

I have a brand new release! It should be available either tonight or tomorrow. Two Dead Love Birds is the fourth book in the Hatter’s Cove Gazette Mystery series. The fifth book, Bad Kitty, will be released September 30, 2016.

A morning phone call confessing to the murder of Ashley Byrd – psychic matchmaker extraordinaire — sends Kat racing across town only to discover the supposed victim very much alive, her director of marketing very much dead, and Kat’s biggest fan waiting for her.

Determined to get to the bottom of the murder, Kat signs up to become one of Ashley Byrd’s Love Birds—clients for whom the psychic matchmaker helps set up with their soul mates.

Kat’s less than thrilled with Ashley’s matchmaking skills, and when she starts receiving bouquets of roses everywhere she goes, she becomes more than a little alarmed.

She just hopes that she can unmask the killer before her secret admirer gets a little too close for comfort.

A cozy mystery novella:  approx. 47,000 words and 170 pages

New Release – The Gift That Keeps on Killing

You are cordially invited to a wedding to die for.

Grace Holliday is getting married and she’s planned the perfect wedding. Everything, from the delicious four-tier wedding cake to the picturesque garden venue to the gorgeous wedding dress, has been chosen with the utmost care and attention to detail, to ensure that her wedding would be the talk of the town for years to come.

The only thing Grace hadn’t planned for is the dead body in Kyle’s bathroom nor her future father-in-law’s insistence on making the body disappear as quickly as possible.

Now, she’s in a race against time to discover who’s out to frame Kyle and why before her wedding becomes the talk of the town . . . for all the wrong reasons.

Now available at Amazon.com