Christa Nardi's Blog, page 74

Blog Tour: A BOOKMARKED DEATH : A Dehli Laine Mystery by Judi Culbertson

Synopsis:

For the first time in nearly twenty years, Delhi Laine’s family is whole. But that doesn’t mean everything is back to normal. With no proof to condemn her daughter’s kidnappers, Delhi’s family is forced to share Elisa with her “adopted” parents. But when they suddenly perish in a mysterious house fire, Elisa is heartbroken…and Delhi’s husband, Colin, is charged with their murder. Delhi knows it’s up to her to prove his innocence, but the deeper she digs, the more it becomes evident that nothing is as it seems. When Elisa goes missing, Delhi fears her nightmare may be repeating itself. If she can’t clear Colin’s name and find Elisa again, there may not be another chance. Twenty years ago she lost her daughter…if she fails now, she might lose everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

Review:
Delhi's passion is old books and she has a lot of work to do in her book barn, but it will have to wait.  Her husband Colin is charged with murder, and with them living apart, neither Delhi nor Colin has an alibi. Unfortunately, they both have a motive - Elisa, kidnapped as a toddler by the now deceased couple. Then Elisa goes missing and Hannah may be in danger. Delhi re-examines her life, her marriage, her many decisions as the story unfolds. 

The story has the obvious mystery, complicated by family dynamics that include ups and downs. Delhi's book business is a minor part, but Ruth Carew, the detective in charge who seems bound and determined to nail Colin or her based on some muddy boots and Frank Marsalli add to the conflicts and loyalties.

A BOOKMARKED DEATH is the latest in a series along with A NOVEL DEATH, A PHOTOGRAPHIC DEATH (which includes the story of Elisa) and AN ILLUSTRATED DEATH. Although it is the most recent, there is enough back story to read A BOOKMARKED DEATH as a stand-alone.

About This Author

Judi Culbertson draws on her experience as a used-and-rare book dealer, social worker, and world traveler to create her bibliophile mysteries. No stranger to cemeteries, she also co-authored five illustrated guides with her husband, Tom Randall, starting with Permanent Parisians. She lives in Port Jefferson, New York, with her family.

Author Links:

http://www.judiculbertson.net/Judi Culbertson on GOODREADS

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Guest Post : PATRICE LYLE, Author of KILLER KUNG PAO (Health Nut Mysteries Book 1)

Synopsis of KILLER KUNG PAO

Dr. Piper Meadows heads to the Body, Mind & Spirit Expo expecting to solve health problems, not murder. But her first day starts off wrong when famous psychic Mystic Ming compares her hair to a "dung beetle's nest" and tries to get her kicked out of the show. But Piper's bad-hair day gets worse when her Aunt Alfa gets in a public scuffle with Mystic Ming, where he accuses her of trying to poison him with her peanut oil-based essential oils. When Mystic Ming drops dead from his serving of killer kung pao laced with peanut oil, it's no surprise that Aunt Alfa is fingered as the prime suspect.

Unwilling to let her auntie squander her golden years in prison, Piper orders a set of How To Be a PI flashcards and sets out to find the real killer. Secrets and suspects sprout up faster than wheat grass, including a handsome tattoo artist, Tattoo Tex, who intrigues Piper more than she'd like to admit. But can she trust him? Piper had better solve the case of the killer kung pao before the murderer turns his sights on victim number two...one sleuthing doctor!

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What Comes Next After KILLER KUNG PAOBy Patrice Lyle
There will be two more books (and hopefully more!) in the Health Nut Mystery series from Gemma Halliday Publishing. Book 2 is KILLER KARAT CREAM and book 3 is KILLER KALE CHIPS. Here are blurbs for both books:

BOOK 2: KILLER KARAT CREAM        Diamonds are a girl’s best exfoliater.

       After Dr. Piper Meadows sends out invitations to an exclusive spa night for holistic professionals to debut Sparkle O’s new Karat Cream – a diamond dust exfoliating cream that experts swear blasts off more layers than dynamite – she’s excited to show off the new organic fountain of youth. But when celebrity dermatologist Dr. Jasmine croaks from a lethal dose of poisoned Karat Cream at Dr. Piper’s event, she must turn to her PI flashcards once more to catch a killer intent on ridding the world of more than just dead skin cells.

BOOK 3: KILLER KALE CHIPS       Who knew kale chips could be deadly?

      When famous author Veronica Forks drops dead from a bag of poisoned kale chips, suspicion falls on former-Mafioso-turned-surfer-dude Ken, creator of Ken’s Killer Kale Chips. According to Dr. Piper’s PI flashcards, he has the motive (she witnessed a tiff between him and Veronica), the means (the kale chips), and the opportunity. But he’s too cute to be a killer and, as any good PI knows, the flashcards aren’t always right. Plus Aunt Alfa and Brownie are addicted to Ken’s Killer Kale Chips and if Ken’s arrested, Aunt Alfa and Brownie will never snack again. So Dr. Piper takes it upon herself to root out a killer who loves to dabble in kale chips before he or she strikes again.

Author Bio: Patrice Lyle loves green smoothies, dark chocolate, mysteries, and humor. She wove these elements together when she created the Health Nut Mysteries, a cozy series about a naturopathic doctor who solves mysteries at health expos. Patrice also writes paranormal young adult and middle grade fiction, as well as holistic medical suspense. She has an MA in Writing Popular Fiction and a PhD in Holistic Nutrition. She's also a Certified Traditional Naturopath. She now lives in Florida with her husband and two kitties, and is a firm believer in the theory that laughter is the best medicine.WEBSITE
FACEBOOKTWITTERExcerpt: 
My aunt was the most adorable health nut ever. Clad in her size-two teal velour pantsuit, matching foam rollers, and red, patent-leather Mary Jane pumps, she strutted across the beige carpet pulling a neon green duffel roller bag and munching on a gluten-free Cosmic Cupcake (her favorite). She hadn't changed at all—including her hennaed hair—in the last three decades. And I hoped she never would.

"Hey, Pipe." She planted a kiss on my cheek. "You'll never guess what happened on our walk. It was the craziest thing."

Even though it had only been a couple hours since I'd last seen her, I gave her a quick hug. "I was wondering where you—"

And that was when I noticed the suspicious pink snout sticking out of the side zipper of Aunt Alfa's bag. Oh, holy chocolate babka to the nth degree.

"You heard that yoga girl at registration," I said quietly. "Animals aren't allowed in here, and we have to follow the rules."

She pursed her lips as if she were sucking a lemon, which she did every day because lemons are great for the liver, and pointed at a woman nearby who was accompanied by a guide dog. "Check out that dog. Studies have shown pigs are fourth on the intelligence roll, behind humans, primates, and dolphins."

I was familiar with the study because she talked about it all the time.

"It's rude to point." I gently lowered my auntie's arm before someone noticed her. "That woman is blind, Aunt Alfa. Guide dogs are always allowed."

"I know." Aunt Alfa crumpled up her Cosmic Cake wrapper and tossed it into a nearby trashcan, making the shot like a basketball star. "Our piglet should be allowed too because he's smart enough to be a guide pig. Besides, I'm ninety-one years old. I defy anyone to stop me."

A nonagenarian with a 'tude was what her dead ex-boyfriend had called Aunt Alfa during the nightmare séance. I feared he might have been on to something.

"I don't like it either, Aunt Alfa, but you have to take Brownie to our room."

"You know how depressed he gets alone. He'll pig out." She jutted out her crepe-paper jaw. "I can't believe I forgot Charlotte's Web. That's the only movie he likes."

Finally, progress. "Actually, he loves Babe, and I brought the DVD with me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We watched it last weekend, and he sniffled at all the sad parts." I'd been in major Floyd-avoid-mode so I'd spent my Friday night curled up with a movie, a bag of dark chocolate chip cookies, and a piglet.

Aunt Alfa shot me her pity grin. "He was just being polite, Pipe."

That figured. Guys were all the same. Even the potbelly breeds.

Aunt Alfa rose on her toes and glanced around the room. "I'm going to find the manager and force him to see things my way."

Oh, no. Had I made a mistake insisting she come? I'd worried about her starting a riot at my condo complex while I was gone, but I hadn't considered the consequences at the expo.

"You have to take Brownie to our hotel room," I said. "Seriously."

Brownie must have recognized his name because just then a high-pitched, someone's-murdering-me piglet squeal erupted from her bag.

Weee. Weee. Weeeeeeeeeeee.

Several people turned in response. One woman having a tarot card reading by the yellow-turbaned psychic looked perturbed and asked, "Was that… a pig?"

Then a sneeze louder than a New York City firework festival rang out. Followed by a coughing attack.

"Mystic Ming allergic to pig," a familiar voice choked out. "Ming berry berry allergic to many things."

I turned to see Mystic Ming wobbling in the aisle across from me. Then his skinny legs buckled, and his face lightened to the shade of a marshmallow. Right before he collapsed onto the expo floor.

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Interview with KATE DYER-SEELEY Author of SLAYED ON THE SLOPES

Welcome to my tour stop for Slayed on the Slopes by Kate Dyer-Seeley! This is the second book in the Pacific Northwest Mystery series. Slayed on the Slopes released March 31st by Kensington Publishing. The tour runs April 6- 17 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for more information. 
About the Book:
After talking her way into a job writing for Portland’s Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .

She’s at Mount Hood’s remote Silcox Hut, covering the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers—Oregon’s elite high-altitude rescue team–during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she’s still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg’s now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!

Praise For Scene Of The Climb

“A splendid overview of the greater Portland and Columbia River Gorge region, perfect for travel buffs. Her protagonist shows promise with her determined attitude and moxie.” –Library Journal

Includes Adventure Guides!
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Don't miss out on the first book, Scene of the Climb, available now! Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 


About the Author: 
Kate Dyer-Seeley writes the Pacific Northwest Mystery Series for Kensington Publishing. The first book in the series, Scene of the Climb, features the rugged landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge and a young journalist who bills herself as an intrepid adventurer in order to land a gig writing for Northwest Extreme.

Her work has appeared in a variety of regional and international publications including: The Columbian, The Vancouver Voice, Seattle Backpacker, Portland Family Magazine, and Climbing Magazine.

Kate lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and son, where you can find her hitting the trail, at an artisan coffee shop, or at her favorite pub. Better yet—at all three.
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Interview with Kate Dyer-Seeley:1. In Slayed on the Slopes Meg is covering the training of a rescue team. How did you decide on this context?

Mt. Hood is an adventure lover’s paradise all year round. Since it’s a short drive from Portland, Oregon, my family and I love trekking up to the slopes for a snow day in the winter or for an alpine hike in the summer. We spend the holidays at Timberline Lodge and in Government Camp. It’s like stepping back in time and onto the set of a Bing Crosby movie. After a long day out in the snow, we’ll cozy up in front of roaring fire with steaming mugs of hot chocolate or take a dip in the heated pool as fat snowflakes fall. But the mountain is also very dangerous. Hundreds of climbers attempt to summit Mt. Hood every year, and unfortunately many have died in the process. The weather can change in an instant, trapping climber on the mountain for days. When I was in middle school there was a group of students from a local school who became trapped on the mountain, and died. It was a terrible tragedy and left a lasting impression on me.

Meg is working on expanding her outdoor skill set, but I knew she wasn’t ready to summit a mountain yet. I decided the more realistic option for her was to have her cover a training weekend with a group of high altitude guides, the Ridge Rangers. There a number of mountaineering guides in the PNW who train novice climbers and help them summit. The Ridge Rangers are on the slopes to ski, snowboard, ice climb, and brush up on skills like building a snow cave. Not only does Meg have to keep up with them, but a blizzard hits and traps them high up at the remote Silcox Hut.

2. The books in this series include adventure guides. Have you experienced this adventures yourself?

It depends on the adventure! Unlike Meg, I love to hike and be in the outdoors, but I’m a bit of a klutz. I definitely tap into that side of me when I’m writing Meg. For example, when I was in college I went water-skiing for the weekend and skied just fine, but fell climbing off the boat and broke my foot. I have not attempted to summit the mountain. I like to hike, sled, snowshoe, and cross-country ski, but that’s the extent of my adventures on the mountain. I’ve always been fascinated by adrenaline junkies, and have a serious addiction to watching the Discovery Channel and any show about climbers who summit Everest, but I much prefer the comfort of my couch!

My goal with the series is to make the outdoors accessible to everyone. I’ve intentionally written Meg as young and not very experience in outdoor pursuits so that readers can learn along with her. I received a note from a reader who finished Scene of the Climb, the first book in the series, and said it inspired her to take a hike for the first time. That’s to date the best complement I’ve ever received.

The series is also a love letter to all the beautiful places here in the Pacific Northwest. The adventure guides and scenic tours are something that a reader could bring with them and follow Meg’s exact adventure. But if you come, you have to end any outdoor activity the way Meg does—with a pint of microbrew!

3. What is Meg's next assignment?

Next up, Meg’s heading to Hood River, Oregon. She’s going to be on assignment for Northwest Extreme to cover King of the Hook, the biggest windsurfing competition in the world. Fortunately Meg’s a water girl, so this might just finally be her sport. Of course she’s never been on a windsurfing board before, and she has no idea how big the wind can get when it funnels down the mighty Columbia River.

4. Do you have any rituals to writing - specific times, places, refreshment?

I write in the morning. I tend to do my best work in the early hour, and I like to get outside and walk in the afternoons. I find my best ideas and breakthroughs usually happen when I’m not sitting in front of my laptop.

I transform my office when I’m working on Meg. Right now there are tons of windsurfing and Hood River photos posted on the walls. When I was writing Slayed on the Slopes I had pictures of the mountain and lots of snow and winter scenes hanging from the walls. I also create playlists to help me get in Meg’s head. She’s in her early twenties so I listen to a lot of Taylor Swift, and then a bunch of alternative Portland bands. But she also loves all things vintage, so I also loop in big band music—Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

5. Which individuals in your life most motivated you to write?

My parents. My mom was a prolific reader. She read aloud to my brother, sister, and me before we could even walk. She would take us on weekly visits to our local library and I’d come home with a stack of books. She was a huge mystery fan and got me hooked on the genre with Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. I remember reading all of Agatha Christie’s books one summer. Once I started I couldn’t stop.

My dad taught honor’s English so he read all of my papers before I turned them in when I was growing up. I used to hate his red editing pen and the way he would mark my work up. Now I love it. He reads every draft before I send it to my editor.

6. Who are your favorite authors?

I’m an eclectic reader. I’ll read pretty much anything I can get my hands on. However, when I’m working on a new manuscript I don’t read any other mysteries. Lately I’ve been reading a lot of Billy Bryson—he has such a great voice and I’m always astounded at how he manages to make complicate or mundane facts so intriguing. My favorite early childhood authors are Maud Hart Lovelace, Madeline L’Engle and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I love Katherine Mansfield’s poetry and anything by Jane Austen.

7. Anything you would like to share with aspiring authors?

Write every single day. I have a daily word count, and I do NOT leave my office until I meet my word count for the day. I think so many aspiring authors (myself included) get caught up in the myth of waiting for the muse to show up. The muse only shows up if you’re actually writing. So plant yourself in a comfy chair and start typing!

8. Anything you would like to share with readers?

Thanks so much for taking time out of you day to read about Meg. Happy reading!

Giveaway:Winter warmer package- signed copy of Slayed on the Slopes, Signed copy of Scene of the Climb, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix, Oregon Chai Tea, 1 Pound of Coffee and Collectable Mt. Hood art coaster (US)
Ends April 27, 2015

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Blog Tour: BRIDGES BURNED (A Zoe Chambers Mystery #3) - Guest Post by Annette Dashofy

Today I'd like to welcome Annette Dashofy, author of BRIDGES BURNED, as my guest!  

Walking Those Fictional Country Roads
A friend and I were recently discussing our favorite authors and I fired off a list of mine, including Craig Johnson, who writes the Longmire series; Julia Spencer-Fleming, author of the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries; and Linda Castillo, who writes a series of Amish thrillers. My list goes on, but these three illustrate what seems to be a main draw for me.

Location, location, location.

Whether it’s Johnson’s Absaroka County, Wyoming, Spencer-Fleming’s Millers Kill, New York, or Castillo’s Ohio Amish Country, the settings of these series are so rich I feel like I’ve walked those country roads.

In the case of Linda Castillo’s Amish Thrillers, I have walked those roads—or at least driven them, since I live only a couple of hours away. And she nails that world.

After reading a number of Ella Clah Mysteries (by David and Aimee Thurlo), I took my first trip to northwestern New Mexico a couple of years ago, but felt as though I’d been there many times. I had. Through those novels, I’d experienced that landscape and that lifestyle.

I guess it’s no surprise then, that I love to offer my readers a taste of rural southwestern Pennsylvania in my Zoe Chambers mystery series. I’ve lived here all my life, but I’m not sure that’s an advantage. Locals tend to overlook the nuances that jump out at first-time visitors.

I’m teaching a workshop on the subject at next month’s Pennwriters Conference, and a large part of what I ask participants to do is to step into the world they’re writing about and observe. Not just the sights, but the sounds, the smells, the sensations. It’s a practice in mindfulness, which hopefully goes a long way to finding those details that will help the reader experience the setting and the story.

Of course, this isn’t always easy. Bridges Burned is set in July, but took almost a year to write. Hence, I was trying to find details to show a hot, humid, drought-stricken Pennsylvania summer, while outside my door, snow was piled high, ice clung to the trees, and the biting cold temperatures made my face hurt.

My first novel, Circle of Influence, was set in January, but I spent may sultry summer days working on it, conjuring up that intense chill.

Only my readers across the country can tell me if I got it right.

What about you? Do you enjoy visiting new places in the fiction you read? Or do they remind you of a place you know well? Or isn’t location something you necessarily look for in a book? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

Thank you again for joining us today Annette!  

About Annette Dashofy




Today best selling author Annette Dashofy is a Pennsylvania farm gal born and bred. After high school, she spent five years as an EMT for the local ambulance service. Since then, she’s worked a variety of jobs, giving her plenty of fodder for her lifelong passion for writing. She, her husband, and their two spoiled cats live on property that was once part of her grandfather’s dairy.

Links:

Website: www.annettedashofy.com,
Writing, etc. blog: annettedashofy.blogspot.com,
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/annette.dashofy,
Twitter: @Annette_Dashofy
Synopsis:

Paramedic Zoe Chambers is used to saving lives, but when she stops a man from running into a raging inferno in a futile attempt to rescue his wife, Zoe finds herself drawn to him, and even more so to his ten-year-old daughter. She invites them both to live at the farm while the grieving widower picks up the pieces of his life.

Vance Township Police Chief Pete Adams, of course, is not happy with this setup, especially when he finds evidence implicating Zoe's new houseguest in murder times two. When Zoe ignores Pete's dire warnings, she runs the very real chance of burning one too many bridges, losing everything—and everyone—she holds dear.

Related subjects include: cozy mysteries, women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), book club recommendations, audio books for download, private investigator mystery series, amateur sleuth books.

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Guest Post: MARILYN MEREDITH on VIOLENT DEPARTURES (Rocky Bluff PD)

I'm pleased to have as my guest today MARILYN MEREDITH, author of the Rocky Bluff PD Series and VIOLENT DEPARTURES... Introduction to the Rocky Bluff P.D. Mystery Series
Because this is my first time on this blog, some of the regular readers might not have heard about the RBPD series. Though I call it a police procedural, some have also termed it as a cozy though it doesn’t have the right attributes for one. I think that label has come from the fact that there is no bad language or on-the page sex.

However, there is at least one murder in every book.

When I wrote the first book, Final Respects, I had no idea that it would become a series. My intention was to show how what happens on the job affects the family, and things that happen with the family affect the job. This is a theme that continues throughout the series.

Once I’d finished, I knew I wanted to know more about the characters I’d created, and the only way to do that was to write another book—and another—and another.

People have died, romances and love affairs have happened, marriages began and ended, babies were born, crimes investigated and solved, and I’ve kept on writing about the men and women who serve on the Rocky Bluff Police Department and their families.

Though it’s a series, it doesn’t have to be read in order. Though things change for the characters from book-to-book, the mystery or mysteries in each book are solved.

For those who must read a series in order these are the titles from the beginning:

Final Respects, Bad Tidings, Fringe Benefits, Smell of Death, No Sanctuary, An Axe to Grind, Angel Lost, No Bells, Dangerous Impulses, Murder in the Worst Degree, and Violent Departures.

F. M. aka Marilyn Meredith

Blurb for Violent Departures:
College student, Veronica Randall, disappears from her car in her own driveway, everyone in the Rocky Bluff P.D. is looking for her. Detective Milligan and family move into a house that may be haunted. Officer Butler is assigned to train a new hire and faces several major challenges.

Bio:

F.M. Meredith, also known as Marilyn Meredith, is the author of over thirty published novels. Marilyn is a member of three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. Besides having family members in law enforcement, she lived in a town much like Rocky Bluff with many police families as neighbors.

Contest:

Because it has been popular on my other blog tours, once again I’m offering the chance for the person who comments on the most blog posts during this tour to have a character named for him or her in the next Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery.

Or if that doesn’t appeal, the person may choose one of the earlier books in the series—either a print book or Kindle copy.

Links:

Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/

Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/marilynmeredith

Tomorrow head on over to http://gumbojustice.blogspot.com/ and you can read about my writing process.
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Blog Tour: GRANNY SNOWS A SNEAK (Fuchsia, Minnesota Book 2) by Julie Seedorf

Synopsis

Granny may be retired as Fuchsia, Minnesota’s one-woman undercover sleuth for the Fuchsia Police Department, but that doesn’t mean she still doesn’t need a trusty weapon. Her weapon of choice? A pink snow shovel. When Granny runs over a dead body with her snowmobile, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that involves mislabeled corpses, empty graves, and stolen money––lots of it! Who’s at the bottom of this years old crime? Granny has an idea, but she has little time to investigate, when in just days she’s scheduled to marry the love of her life, Franklin Gatsby, in a post-Christmas ceremony. So, Granny decides to enlist the help of her friends and neighbors. Add in Christmas holiday excitement and the arrival of Granny’s family, who are all there for her wedding, and mayhem ensues. Of course, Granny can always count on her many furry friends to provide her with moral support, but it’s quite possible that Granny––that is, Hermiony Vidalia Criony Fiddlestadt––has a secret or two of her own, which may very well be revealed as GRANNY SNOWS A SNEAK.


Review
Hermiony (Granny) is supposed to be taking it easy and getting ready for her son's wedding and her wedding to Franklin, both scheduled to follow usual Christmas festivities. She's not supposed to get involved in solving crimes, even when she manages to run over her husband's dead body with her snowmobile. Then there's the obnoxious, and seemingly ever-present new neighbor, Silas who just makes her so mad. When the confusion continues to grow, with another body added to the mix and then stolen money, Hermiony's mind just isn't on her wedding, even with her furry friends as her wedding party, or Franklin's plan for their new home. 
This is the second in the Fuchsia Minnesota series with Granny (Hermiony) as the main character. I enjoyed the first, GRANNY HOOKS A CROOK, but you could read this one as stand alone. The story, and especially Hermiony, are definitely colorful and unique, bound to cause a smile or chuckle at times. While some aspects of the story are predictable and go along with Hermiony's personality, the solution to the mystery is not unfolded until the end.
About the Author
Author Julie Seedorf is a columnist, author and dreamer. She lived her live as a wife and mom, experiencing various careers including that of computer technician, retiring from her computer repair business in January of 2014 to follow her dream and transition to that of full-time writer.
Beside her Fuchsia, Minnesota Series, she is the author of the Granny’s In Trouble Series bringing mystery to the life of young readers along with sharing who Granny is under the wrinkles, so her grandchildren will always know that Granny can be forever young. Her column Something About Nothing, is written with the idea that under the nothings we all talk about there is a hidden something waiting to get out.

Julie is a longtime Minnesota resident who shares the tough Minnesota winters with her Granny character. Outside of writing she likes to read, try new hobbies and scurries to keep up with her social media. She lives with her husband and has two shysters of her own, Borris and Natasha. Her favorite moments are those she spends with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren.


Author Links

http://julieseedorf.com
http://sprinklednotes.com
http://www.facebook.com/julie.seedorf.author
http://www.facebook.com/grannyfromfuchsiaminnesota
@julieseedorf

Purchase Links
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GIVEAWAY!!!  One random person will be selected from those who post a comment to receive an e-copy of GRANNY SNOWS A SNEAK!

Review: THE MOONGLOW CAFE : A Paige MacKenzie Novel by Deborah Garner

Synopsis (from Amazon)

New York reporter Paige MacKenzie has a hidden motive when she heads to the small town of Timberton, Montana. Assigned to research the area's unique Yogo sapphires for the Manhattan Post, she hopes to reconnect romantically with handsome cowboy Jake Norris. The local gem gallery offers the material needed for the article, but the discovery of an old diary, hidden inside the wall of a historic hotel, soon sends her on a detour into the underworld of art and deception. 

Each of the town's residents holds a key to untangling more than one long-buried secret, from the hippie chick owner of a new age café to the mute homeless man in the town park. As the worlds of western art and sapphire mining collide, Paige finds herself juggling research, romance and danger. With stolen sapphires and shady characters thrown into the mix, will Paige escape the consequences of her own curiosity?

Review
A New York jewelry show is the impetus for Paige to travel back west to Montana to find out about Yogo sapphires. Timberton is a far cry from New York, local businesses barely making it since the close of the sapphire mines. Most of the community eats at the Moonglow Cafe, recently taken over by Mist, an artist. Paige finds a diary but a part is missing. The diary and her search for the missing part prove more challenging all around. And then there's the maybe relationship with Jake.
THE MOONGLOW CAFE has mystery, secrecy, and a touch of romance. It also has interesting characters not the list of which are Mist and the homeless man she's feeding, the gem dealer and the lonely woman trying to keep the hotel afloat. This is the second in the series, following ABOVE THE BRIDGE, but easily read as a stand-alone. Hopefully there is a third coming soon!
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Spotlight: SATURDAY IN SERENDIPITY by Margo Hoornstra

A twenty year high school reunion changes the lives of former classmates and leads to unexpected futures.

Three Strikes Thursday
Barry Carlson, a pro baseball success, could have any woman he wanted. Except one. Twenty years before, Barry won Amanda Marsh’s love, only to crush her heart. He’s returned to Serendipity, determined to win her back. Recently divorced, Amanda is happy—until Barry slides back into her life. Can they put aside old wounds and new misunderstandings to find a forever love?


Two On Tuesday
Blane Weston’s construction company needs the venture capital Matt Durand has. With his reputation for hostile takeovers, she wants no part of him. Mixing business with pleasure, she’s off to Serendipity to hook up with a former flame. Not used to being denied, Matt follows. How can Blane enjoy a journey to her past when Matt is determined to dictate her future?


One Fateful Friday
His high school reunion in Serendipity over, hospital CEO Jake Holbrook regrets his single state. When a special woman from his past tumbles back into his life—and his bed—he’s determined to keep her there. Family practitioner Bethany Thomas avoids an entanglement with her new boss, but unknowingly betrays him. As the holidays approach, can they overcome a lack of trust to find their Christmas miracle?

About Margo HoornstraLike many writers, it’s hard to determine exactly when my fiction writing career began. I remember composing a short story in grade school (I have no idea about what) which was chosen for publication in an all school anthology. A journalism class taken in junior high school led to a job on the school newspaper and a weekly column.

I always loved reading. I loved writing too. Someday, I thought, maybe when I grew up and received the right training, I could actually write a book. After all, I was often told, laughingly most times, I had an extremely vivid imagination.

Through the years, the desire to write was always there. I had so many ideas and characters roaming around in my head, so many stories. But the business of living—going to college, getting married then raising a family—took precedence over something as frivolous as writing a book.

Then one day out of the blue I was downsized—effective immediately—from a job I’d held for over thirty years. What seemed so unfair at the time, I now recognize the tremendous gift I was given that day. As I’m now able to spend more and more time doing what I love—writing romantic fiction—I find I really do have an abundance of stories to share.


Margo’s Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Goodreads | Amazon
Buy Link: Amazon
Genre: Contemporary Romance – Anthology
Release Date: August 11, 2014
Length: 427 Pages

Excerpt from Three Strikes ThursdayThe solution was simple. Get out of the car, walk up to the house and ring the bell. Apologize for the intrusion when her father came to the door, and ask to see Amanda.

Only for a couple of minutes. Please.

Then he could fall all over himself telling her how sorry he was.

“Yeah that’s gonna fly.” His whisper filled the emptiness around him, and he dropped his head. “Face it, asshole. You blew it.”

In an odd way, talking to himself, he didn’t feel quite so alone.

He turned his gaze back to stare at Amanda’s window. The shade was still down. Her light was out.

So that was it.

Moving like a rigid, soulless robot, Barry put the car in gear and drove slowly away. Picking up speed as he left Amanda’s subdivision, he floored it once he hit the highway. With the windows down, the warm night air cooled as it roared around him.

He flicked the headlights on high. Their beams lit up the trees, telephone poles and bushes as they whizzed by. Nothing could stop him as long as he kept his foot down hard on the gas pedal. Then something did.

Pulling to one side of the deserted road, he jammed the gear shift into park, jumped out, ran around to the back bumper, bent over.

And puked his guts out onto the warm asphalt.

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BOOK REVIEW: RED TAPE (Jersey Shores Mystery Series #1) by Michele Lynn Seigfried

On February 5th, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, the third in this series was reviewed on this blog. Today, here is where it all started... With RED TAPE!

Synopsis (from Amazon)
What do you get when you combine a mystery with a touch of comedy and a pinch of romance? Red Tape. A little something for everyone!

Municipal Clerk Chelsey Alton gets more than she bargained for when she encounters an irate resident and loose cannon, Robert Triggers. Triggers has been harassing the employees in the small, Jersey shore town where she works and he becomes the prime suspect when multiple attempts to sabotage the municipal building are made. Chelsey begins to piece it all together and finds herself framed for a crime she did not commit. She narrowly escapes several attempts at her demise, only to find herself in a much more precarious situation. Will she make it out alive or end up a tragic victim at the hands of a madman?

ReviewAs the Municipal Clerk, Chelsey has to deal with all the customers who come into the office and answer to the mayor and other town officials.  Robert Triggers is a major problem.  He wants dunes put in near his house so that if there is a storm, his house won't wash away.  He screams, yells, and causes all sorts of trouble. In the meantime, there are things going wrong, falling apart at the office, and Chelsey, along with her co-worker, are besides themselves trying to get the ballots all set for the election. Not that there was any doubt that Frita O'Donnell would be re-elected.  As Chelsey tries to keep things together at the office, she is arrested and charged with embezzlement.  Then Agent Sal Romero and Tex come into the story. Life as a municipal clerk is less than simple and at the same time friends and family are pressuring Chelsey to have more of a life. Along with all the problems, there are many humorous moments, mostly between Chelsey and Bonnie. Whether you've already read TAX CUTS (the second in the series) or COMMUNITY AFFAIRS or not, I'd recommend RED TAPE!
AMAZON

Review: BAYLIN HOUSE by LJ Parker

Synopsis (from Amazon)

It was supposed to be a quick-fix editing job to uncover an old secret from the past, but Cassie’s involvement has uncovered more, including a connection to her own family.

Native of Las Vegas, Cassandra Crowley has been hired to complete an autobiography for cancer stricken Rosalie Baylin on the south Texas Gulf Coast. But word of Rosalie’s illness has put her beloved Baylin House under attack, and Cassie must deal with disappearing funds, a witch hunt by the county Health Department, and now even the police who suspect one of Rosalie’s mentally challenged clients in a Homicide.

ReviewCassandra - Cassie - Crowley is broke, out of a job, and leaving her home in Vegas one way or the other. Headstrung, domineering Dorothy needs someone to edit a book - and find out a secret - and happens to know Cassie's grandmother. The money is good, the job is only for 3 weeks, and satchel and computer, Cassie arrives in Cordell Bay, Texas. 

The assignment is Rosalie's autobiography focusing on Baylin House.  Baylin House was a "home" for men who were challenged, but some were placed there because they were orphans and Rosalie worked with these men to give them skills to live independently. Some still live or work with her at Baylin House.
The "catch" (other than Dorothy) to the job is that Rosalie is dying and the book needs to be done before.  On top of that, Baylin House is having financial and licensing problems, and no one seems to know why all these problems are happening when there are large donations coming in. Cassie looks to find answers as forces are trying to close Baylin House even as Rosalie and some of her charges still live there. In the process, Cassie "kicks an anthill" or two. Even when hunky Detective "Cowboy Rob" Baxter tries to keep her safe, Cassie needs to keep asking questions and making connections. It's only a matter of time before the "villain" makes his final move.

Parker reels the reader in early, and then lets the story simmer.  Then Cassie goes in search of more information and pushes the wrong buttons reigniting the suspense. This creates a natural rhythm throughout the book. There are some predictable turns, but also surprises as the secrets are revealed. Scenes are described down to the scents, sounds, and emotions. A good read when you don't need to go anywhere for a bit!  You'll want to see how it all unravels. I'll be looking for more about Cordell Bay, Cassie, and Cowboy Rob for sure.
AMAZON