Raquel V. Reyes's Blog, page 7

To Live & Write in FLA- Carol J. Perry

I know it is April, but can we pretend it is October? In South Florida, October is about the time we all start leaving our air conditioned caves to venture outside. The weather becomes bearable and Halloween decor incites us. I think Carol J. Perry  lives in a stasis of October and I am jealous. She was born in Salem, Massachusetts. AND to make matters more magically ….. born on All Hallow’s Eve! I hope you enjoy her interview and if you are not already a fan of her Witch City Mysteries get t...

To Live & Write in FLA- Valerie Willis

I’m pleased to introduce you to a rarity— a REAL Floridian! Valerie Willis is a 6th generation Floridian. That is just unheard of in this state of tourist, retirees, and snow birds that averages 1,000 new residents per day.

Valerie writes a couple of different series. A Paranormal Fantasy Romance Series featuring an anti-hero called Cedric and the  Teen Urban Fantasy series Tattooed Angels. She mixes mythology, folklore and history into her storytelling.

 

How long have you lived in FLA?

Al...

To Live & Write in FLA- Alethea Kontis

Welcome back to all the Cozy in Miami readers. Maybe that should be an  ‘I’m back!’? I’ve recuperated from SleuthFest and have lined up some exciting authors for 2017’s edition of To Live & Write in FLA. Don’t forget to sign up (column to your left) to get new posts to this blog delivered directly to your inbox. 

I’d like to introduce you to Alethea Kontis. Although we have never met IRL, we know each other via an online Florida writers group. I think I will soon have to visit her as she’s pr...

7 days and counting

SLEUTHFEST is only 7 days away!

I am thankful to have something to focus on rather than the news. If you follow me on twitter then you’ve seen my obsession with it. It is our civic obligation to be watchful and knowledgeable about our government. But, these last 28 days have  me dizzy trying to keep up with being informed. I’ve recently found this site that bullet points the day’s happenings. It has helped me have time to read the longer think pieces and counterpoints which do help my blood...

Miami Interviews- Laurel Peterson

Feliz Año Nuevo

I’m welcoming Cozy in Miami’s 2017 in with a revival of my Miami Interview series. Laurel Peterson is a frequent visitor to the Magic City. Beyond her love of Miami and mysteries, Laurel & I share something else in common. We are both poets. (Laurel, I also have a poem or two published in The Distillery.)

This is what Laurel says about how she got into mystery writing. “One eighth grade afternoon, the bully on the bus was worse than usual. I came home and wrote a story of reve...

To Live & Write in FLA- Micki Browning

I love the cover art for Micki Browning‘s new book. She revealed it to a group of fellow mystery writers and I was there that day. That was well over a year ago! I’ve been waiting to read what’s behind that gorgeous cover. Luckily, I won’t have to wait too much long. Her mystery, Adrift, will be released in January 2017. It won the 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence and the Royal Palm Literary Award for best unpublished mystery and unpublished book of the year.

Before becoming a ful...

To Live & Write in FLA- Deborah Sharp

Deborah Sharp is one of the funniest writers I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. Her Mama series is rich with laugh-out-loud moments and insights into the other Florida. (Not glitzy Miami or mouse house Orlando) She is a former reporter for USA Today and she’s married to a reporter , NBC TV’s Kerry Sanders. They met covering a story ‘ in a frozen farm field in romantic Immokalee, Fla.’ For those non-Floridians, Immokalee is hardly romantic and Florida rarely freezes so no one has proper cold...

To Live & Write in FLA- Ali Brandon

I know Ali Brandon as Diane A.S. Stuckart. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. And yes, cats have a lot to do with how we met. See—- Diane was wearing a pair of cat ears. I was in line waiting for the doors to open at one of SleuthFest’s big events and I looked behind me to see a lady with cat ears. It was my delight to learn she was the author of the Black Cat Bookshop series.

I’d already read one of the books in t...

To Live & Write in FLA– Joanna Campbell Slan

I have known Joanna Campbell Slan for almost ten years. We met at SleuthFest in 2006. She was folding origami while we waited in the audience for the panel to begin. Whenever I think of her, the picture of a woman always making something pops into my mind. Creative is not a strong enough adjective to describe Joanna’s skills and talents. Not only is she a well-known scrapbook aficionado and miniaturist, but she weaves amazing plots. I love the Kiki Lowenstien series, now at book twelve. Kiki...

To Live & Write in FLA- Allison Horton

I’ve known Allison Horton for about two years. We run into each other at literary events like the Miami Book Fair and we’ve been meaning to have a non-work lunch. (Allison, I promise will go to a place with mojitos!) I am very interested in learning more about her and her life before South Florida. She is a journalist by training and contributes to area publications like the Miami Herald and Ft. Lauderdale magazine. She’s also created a bi-weekly newsletter to inform people of color about bus...