#NewRelease: Candy, Cigarettes and Murder by Brenda Whiteside & Joyce Proell

 Brenda Whiteside is back with another new release, this time a cozy mystery written with co-writer Joyce Proell. Welcome ladies! I wish you much success with your new series.

 

Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder

A Chocolate Martini Sisters Mystery Book 1

by Joyce Proell and Brenda Whiteside

Genre: Cozy Mystery 

It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of murder.

Recently widowed, Emma Banefield looks forward to a getaway birthday weekend with her free-wheeling sister, Nicole Earp, sipping chocolate martinis at the peaceful, historic Dulce Inn. When a rude stranger, a nasty food critic, and a madhouse of temperamental artists greet them, all hope for a tranquil weekend evaporates faster than dew on a hot desert morning.

Overlooking the riotous atmosphere is doubly hard after Em discovers the body of a hotel guest, and a second murder affects Nic personally. Now, entrenched in a caper that pits them against a surly detective, they cozy up to a hotel staff hiding dangerous secrets to uncover clues to the killer.

Using their smarts and love of all-things mystery, will the Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime ahead of the obstinate Chief Detective or find themselves trapped in the middle of a third murder?

**NEW RELEASE!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Coming Soon September 2023!!**

Joyce Proell is the award-winning author of Amaryllis, Eliza and the Cady Delafield mysteries: A Deadly Truth, A Burning Truth and A Wicked Truth. Along with her husband and little dog, Nellie, she lives in Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. She loves to hear from readers.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, romance, and cozy mystery. After living in six states and two countries—so far—she and her husband have settled in Central Arizona. They admit to being gypsies at heart and won't discount the possibility of another move. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Journey to a Cozy Mystery  

by Joyce Proell

My interest in mysteries took flight in third grade. At one of my favorite places, the children’s section of the public library, I spotted an eerie cover and was immediately intrigued. I couldn’t wait to get home and devour The Mystery of the Whispering Mummy. Suspenseful, I’ll admit, yet after many years, I can’t recall a thing about the raggedy mummy or the plucky kids who solved the crime. What the book did do is encourage me to read more books of a similar type. Thank goodness for the Trixie Beldon series. Her neighborhood crime solving escapades delightfully fed my curiosity.

As I got older, I drifted to Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers’ stories featuring the clever Lord Peter Wimsey. Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Tony Hillerman had my interest. For a time, I focused on British mystery authors like P.D. James, Anne Perry, Elly Griffiths, Anne Cleves and Martha Grimes, reading each book upon publication. I read American authors who set their series in England. Even Nordic Noir received its share of attention, as did historical mysteries and the lighter stories of M.C. Beaton and Elizabeth Peters. If you’ve not read her Amelia Peabody series, you’re missing out. Her stories, usually set at an archeological dig in Egypt are bright and funny. Deborah Crombie, Elizabeth George, Charles Todd, Jacqueline Winspear, C.S. Harris, Victoria Thompson, Kate Morton, Charlaine Harris, Rhys Bowen are just a few of my favorite mystery writers. A practical person might wonder where I found all the time to read.

I wonder, too. Maybe I’m a fast reader. In truth, I love mystery—dark or light, historical or contemporary, serious or funny. The sub-genre doesn’t really matter. Finding the killer does. Once the crime puzzle is set, I race to the end. And if by chance, I figure out who did it before the principal character does, I feel a great sense of satisfaction.  

So it wasn’t a big jump that after writing two romances, I glided into romantic suspense with my Cady Delafield series. When my dear friend and fellow writer, Brenda Whiteside approached me with a series proposal about two sister sleuths, I got excited. The premise is fashioned after Brenda and her sister’s respective birthday dinners and always includes a Chocolate Martini. Thus, it made sense to title the series The Chocolate Martini Sisters. In the stories, the bond between the sisters, Emma and Nic, is as important as the murder. They are as diverse as they are similar. Nic is creative, intuitive and impulsive. Emma is analytical, fact-driven and careful. They are each other’s best friend and equally enjoy solving a caper. They are all about solving a mystery.

Candy, Cigarettes and Murder is the first in this series. I hope you are intrigued and excited to read about the lively sisters and their perplexing capers. I certainly had a blast writing about them.    

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Julie Howard's New Release: SEA-SALT LAVENDER FOR APHRODITE

Julie Howard visits today with a look at her June 3, 2020 release, SEA-SALT LAVENDER FOR APHRODITE, part of the One Scoop or Two summer series from The Wild Rose Press. All the books in this series relate to ice cream in some way. In the case of this book, the heroine Rosella operates an ice cream food truck business in a beach side community. And since Aphrodite is Rosella's dog, it's fitting that Julie is talking about her all-time favorite books featuring animals. Welcome Julie!

My top 10 favorite books that feature animals and pets

What is it about furry creatures that captures our hearts? The first book that ever made me cry was Where the Red Fern Grows. I read it in the fourth grade at least five or six times and cried every time. It’s a beautiful coming-of-age story about a young boy and his two dogs. Black Beauty, the story about a horse, was another childhood favorite.

Aside from those, here are the rest of my top ten favorite books that feature animals, in no particular order:

No. three – Animal Farm. This is a classic story and allegory about how power corrupts.

No. four – Charlotte’s Web. I always wanted a pig for a pet after reading this story. Maybe someday…

No. five – Life of Pi – This one’s a bit grim. But I love this tale about a boy who travels across the ocean with a tiger aboard a small craft. Or was it a tiger?

No. six – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. This is more about the autistic boy who sets out to solve the murder of a dog. Beautifully written.

No. seven – Jonathan Livingston Seagull – I’ve reread this one more than a dozen times. An uplifting story of a seagull with dreams of a bigger life.

No. eight – Moby Dick. I hated this book the first time I read it in high school. I read it again a couple of decades later and now it makes my top ten list. Those classics have great meaning!

No. nine – Can I slip in Game of Thrones, based on the dragons? I devoured this series and would the author please finish it soon.

No. ten – The Black Stallion. Another childhood favorite and the movie based on this book is also one of my favorite movies. An enduring classic in my mind.

And here’s my own book that features a smart standard poodle named Aphrodite. Sea Salt Lavender for Aphrodite, a cozy mystery, released this week.


Sea-Salt Lavender for Aphrodite

A case of murder with sweet complications

Blurb:
Rosella Rivers enjoys the perfect life, loving her new ice cream food truck business featuring exotic flavors. But her beach view parking space is not so lovable when she finds an acquaintance stabbed to death in the boardwalk bathroom.

Detective Mark Pruitt knows murder is bad for small-town Olympus Bay. He must find the suspect before he strikes again. When he first sets eyes on Rosella, the only witness, he is smitten. However, there's no time for romance when danger lurks. 
Together he and the lovely ice cream maker must discover the killer before he turns his sight on Rosella.

Excerpt:

The echo of a drip-drip-drip resonated from within. Rosella glanced around, wishing a man would pass by, someone she could send inside on her behalf. On this side of the structure, though, the beachfront was hidden from view and the building backed by sand dunes. Unless someone needed to use the facilities, they wouldn’t approach. 

“Mick?” 

A distant chime from the town clock made her heart sink. Ten a.m. Opening time. She had to get back to her truck. A fresh round of anxious yips sounded. She scooted to the corner of the building and peeked toward her truck. Aphrodite stood at attention, straining at the leash. The dog barked twice at spotting her and renewed efforts to break free of the tether.

She returned to the doorway. “Mick, I’m just going to step inside since I’m a little bit worried, just to make sure you’re okay. Let me know if I shouldn’t come in.” No response sounded. “All right, coming in.”

The odor hit her first. Heavy, sweet, sickening. Then her eyes registered the scene. Mick lay face down in the middle of the tile floor, a steady stream of deep red blood winding its way toward a drain.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2xdqkl3

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sea-salt-lavender-for-aphrodite/id1508636065?ls=1 

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sea-salt-lavender-for-aphrodite-julie-howard/1136868422?ean=2940162717829

Author Bio: 

Julie Howard is the author of the best-selling Wild Crime and Spirited Quest series. She is a former journalist and editor who has covered topics ranging from crime to cowboy poetry. Now she edits an online anthology, Potato Soup Journal, and spends many delightful hours writing her books.

Author Links:

Website: http://juliemhoward.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/juliemhowardauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18116047.Julie_Howard 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07D6CS4NQ

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-howard?list=author_books

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_JulieMHoward

#mysterywriter Marilyn Levinson and DEATH OVERDUE

Mystery writer Marilyn Levinson launched a new series with the release of DEATH OVERDUE on October 10. Marilyn is writing her new Haunted Library series under the pen name Allison Brook. Look for the second book in the series READ AND DONE, in September 2018. Please welcome Marilyn Levinson!

Where did you get the idea for your new novel? 

The idea for DEATH OVERDUE, the first book in my Haunted Library mystery series, came to me when I was sitting outdoors in my library’s scenic park about to listen to a drumming presentation. As the librarian in charge of adult activities introduced the drummer I thought:  a person in that position would make a wonderful sleuth. As Head of Programs and Events in a small town library, my sleuth’s workplace would be a small village within a village, and she would also have the opportunity to bring in speakers and performers.

Why did you choose this genre?

I love mysteries, always have since I read the Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, and Trixie Belden series in elementary school. And the cozy aspect—a small-town setting where everyone knows everyone else—is fun to read and to write.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I find it difficult to settle down to write each day, and so my writing time first starts in the middle or late afternoon.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read DEATH OVERDUE?

I hope readers will read the last line of DEATH OVERDUE and smile, thinking: that was a fun read! I love the characters and enjoyed the mystery. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Did you always want to be a writer?

I did when I was in elementary school. I was discouraged by a high school English teacher, and so I majored in Spanish. I started writing again when my two sons were very small.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? 

For years I was a plotter, pretty much sticking to the outline I’d written, making necessary changes along the way. But writing the first two books in the Haunted Library mystery series I’ve become more of a pantser. I start out with a definite plan for the first few chapters, know what the basic mystery is, and let my characters take off from there. They do come up with the most interesting twists and turns.

Do you write in the same place every day or do you like to change it up?

Yes, I always write at my large-screen computer in my office.

Tell us a bit about you. Where do you live, and how long have you been writing? 

I’ve lived most of  my life on Long Island. I started out writing short stories and then went on to writing novels. My first published books were novels for young readers. The last few years I’ve mostly been writing mysteries, though I occasionally write a YA or romantic suspense.

If writing is your first passion, what is your second? 

I’ve a few: reading, traveling, watching foreign and indie movies, doing Sudoku, and spending time with my grandkids.

Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it? Does it help you with your writing? 

Many years ago I taught high school Spanish. I’m not sure how this helps with my writing but, as a writer, I draw on all my life experiences.

Do you have any pets? Are you cat person or a dog person? Or are you into totally different pets, like goldfish? What do you like best about your pet? 

I have a red tabby named Sammy. He’s very devoted to me and I to him. I love the fact that he’s a wonderful companion, and usually stays close to me when I’m home. I suppose I am a cat person, though I love dogs, too.

What did you want to be (occupation-wise) when you were a child?

I wanted to be a ballerina or a writer.

What do you like best about your heroine?

Carrie Singleton, my sleuth in DEATH OVERDUE, comes from a dysfunctional family. She never feels she belongs in any one place. In this book she takes on the position of Head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge Library and knows she must prove herself to the library director as well as to herself. Carrie discovers she’s good at her job. For the first time in years, she’s making friends and starting a romantic relationship as well as investigating two murders. I like Carrie’s spunk and drive.

How can readers reach you or find you online? 

My web site: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
My Amazon page:  https://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Levinson/e/B001KHVLUU            
Allison Brook’s Amazon page: http://tinyurl.com/ksydz3s   
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/

Tell us a little about your current work in progress.

I am working on the edits of READ AND DONE, the second book in the Haunted Library mystery series. In this book, Carrie’s father, who she hasn’t seen in years, shows up and tries to involve her in one of his illegal schemes.

What’s your tagline? Why did you choose it?

I’m not sure what you mean by a tagline. Writing this series, I use the pseudonym Allison Brook. Having a pseudonym was my publisher’s idea. I don’t mind having one since most readers know that Allison Brook is really Marilyn Levinson.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why? 

I think that might be GIVING UP THE GHOST.  Cameron Leeds, the ghost in this mystery, is somewhat of a scoundrel and one of my favorite characters.  He’s amusing and charming, if a tad amoral. The scene where he and the woman he loves say their final farewell is the most romantic scene I’ll probably ever write.

Tell us about your next (or current) release.

READ AND DONE is my next release. (see above) I believe it will be out in September, 2018.


Author Bio:

A former Spanish teacher, Marilyn Levinson is the author of mysteries, romantic suspense and novels for kids. She writes the Twin Lakes Mystery series and the Golden Age of Mystery Book Club Mystery series. Death Overdue, written as Allison Brook, is the first in her Haunted Library Mystery series. Library Journal has given the book a star review and named it a Pick of the Month. Blackstone has recorded an audiobook version of Death Overdue. Marilyn lives on Long Island, where many of her novels take place.

Karen C. Whalen's Embarrassing Moment

Karen C. Whalen shares an embarrassing moment today (I love embarrassing moments!) Fortunately, she was able to turn something embarrassing into a funny scene in her soon to be released cozy mystery, NO GRATER EVIL, Book 3 in her Dinner Club Murder Mystery series. Tell us your story Karen!

The most embarrassing moments make for the best scenes in books. Readers love the scene and can relate to it, and thus love the character.

Oh my God, you have to hear what happened to me! 

 Haven’t we all said that? Not once, but many times, as we feel the need to retell our embarrassing moments to our friends. Why does one feel the need to retell it? Because we have a chance to rewrite our story, tweak it, make it funnier and not so horribly uncomfortable, to gain empathy, and best of all, to get a laugh. Retelling the story as if it happened to someone else, a character in our books, is even better.

Deciding which is my most embarrassing moment is hard since I have many. I’m one of those folks who stumble through a series of socially awkward moments that make up the sum total of my life…probably why I’m a writer, an occupation for loners. But, okay, I can come up with one pretty good example that I wrote into the third book in my dinner club murder mystery series, No Grater Evil, to be released this fall.

This is my embarrassing moment: I was driving my friend Sunny through Breckenridge, Colorado looking for a place to park so we could go shopping while our husbands golfed. We both spotted a parking lot on the other side of a wooden bridge. I turned onto the bridge. To be fair, and pass the blame, Sunny said, sure, try that, as she clutched the dashboard with white knuckles. The narrow bridge did not feel very sturdy, and on the other side was a wide sidewalk rather than a road. So, I turned the car down the sidewalk and kept going. A man in a chef’s hat ran out from the back of a building on the other side of the walkway with his arms flailing, yelling “Stop!” He explained that we were on a pedestrian/bike path (duh, of course we were) about to drive into the wedding he was catering. Sunny and I both peered to the end of the walkway and saw chairs set up and lots of activity. I thought about driving around the chairs because it was impossible to turn around on the narrow bike path.

Why couldn’t there have been a sign, like this one?

But there was no such sign.

Near tears, I asked him what to do. Another man appeared and one stood in the front of my car and one at the back as they directed me through a 3-point turn around that ended up being about 20 points of reverse and forward. I should mention that the bridge went over the swift running Blue River and that my rear tires were dangerously close to the river bank. And that I was driving my husband’s car, a long, very long, looong vehicle, and that I’m used to my cute little, little as in short, Ford Fiesta. (In the lime squeeze color, that my husband calls lime slime, but it’s so cute! And short). Half way through the turnaround I asked the chef if he would take the driver’s seat and turn the car around for me, but he assured me I could do it. I did. But I did not want to drive back over that pedestrian bridge. So I drove with my friend Sunny (we’re still friends, by the way) in the other direction until we came to a heavy metal barricade. We both jumped out of the car, with superhuman strength moved the barricade out of the way, and drove into the parking lot. (This is reminiscent of the scene in the movie Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold drives out from under the semi-truck into the parking lot of the Christmas tree lot like it was all planned to happen that way.)

All-righty, then. Is that a great story, or what? I swear it really did happen exactly that way and it fit perfectly into the book, which even has a character that is a chef!

This is the scene in the book. I changed the location to Estes Park. Please note that Olivia has been arrested for murder and is out on bail while Jane tries to solve the crime.

***

“Turn here and go over that bridge.” Olivia waved her manicured hand out the window.

Jane braked the car. “The bridge looks too narrow.”

“There’s a parking lot over there on the other side of the trees. Go ahead.” Olivia clutched the dashboard, craning her neck to see past the end of the bridge. Jane turned the car onto the wooden structure, barely fitting between the railings. As the wheels passed over the wooden slats, they heard a clickety clackety, as if each board was popping up like piano keys during a glissando. Once across, they found themselves on narrow pavement.

“This must be a one-way road. There’s not enough room for two cars,” pointed out Olivia.

“But there’s no sign that says ‘one-way.’ I don’t have a good feeling about this.” Jane rested her hands on the steering wheel wondering where she could turn around.

“Keep going. We can park over there.” Olivia motioned to the left through the sparse woods. A parking lot abutted the back sides of several buildings. But how to get over there?

A man ran out of the trees, yelling and flapping his arms over his head. “Stop! Stop! You can’t go this way.” He was wearing a white, double breasted shirt and white toque. Jane stomped on the brakes and rolled down her window. “Everett.”

“Jane?” Her former boyfriend skidded up to her car, almost bouncing off the door. “What in the world are you doing here?” His mouth fell open as his question hung in the air.

“We’re in Estes for the weekend. What are you doing here?”

“I mean, what are you doing driving on this bike path?”

“We’re just heading to the parking lot over there.” Jane twitched her thumb in the direction of the trees. “What’re you doing? I thought you worked in Vail.”

“I’m catering the wedding you are about to drive into.”

“What did you say?” Jane widened her eyes. “What bike path?”

“This bike path you’re on.”

She peered down the paved path to where the cement curved and a woman wearing a long, white gown and veil stood with her groom in front of rows of ribbon-bedecked chairs. A photographer was capturing the happy couple on film. Jane’s eyes darted over to Olivia who shrugged her shoulders. Her voice came out shaky and halting. “What should I do? I can’t turn around here.”

“Return the way you came in.”

“I’m afraid to go back over the bridge.” Jane gripped the sides of her head and pinched her eyes shut.
 Olivia pointed through the windshield. “If you drive up to the curve in the path, there’s space to turn around.”

“You can’t do that. They’re taking the wedding pictures. You have to back up.” Everett’s small blue eyes flashed.

Jane jerked the car into gear, but only pressed her foot lightly on the gas pedal to move the car forward. Everett walked with big strides alongside the car, as Jane carefully maneuvered to the curve. He positioned himself at the tail end of the car as she attempted a three-point turn around. He held up his hands to give directions, and she inched the car first forward then backward, to swing in the other direction. As soon as she had the vehicle pointed the opposite way, she said, “It was nice seeing you again, Everett,” then screeched out of there.

Instead of returning over the bridge built to carry people only, she continued down the pedestrian path until they came to a metal chain barrier blocking the way. On the other side of the barrier was their destination, the store parking lot.

Olivia, who had been silent this whole time, asked, “What now?”

Jane risked a backward glance over her shoulder to see Everett and the bride watching them. The woman’s fist was raised in the air, and her mouth was formed into a snarl. “Come with me.” Jane leaped out, leaving the car door yawning open, and Olivia did the same. They sprinted over to the barrier. Jane, taking one end with Olivia at the other, dragged the heavy metal structure to the side of the path out of the way. They both hurtled to the car to speed over to the parking lot. Jane drove to a close spot right next to the store entrance, and they beat a quick path inside. She breathed a shaky sigh of relief. “I wonder if we’ll get in trouble for driving over the bridge.”

“What are they going to do, arrest me?” Olivia put her hand on Jane’s arm and sagged against her. Out of her mouth came, “Hee hee ha ha HA HA!”

***

You can see how the story wrote itself. Maybe that’s why authors include embarrassing moments in their books. They are easy to write. I’m not sure I’m completely recovered from that experience, but if I made a reader chuckle, and I made my word count for the day, than it was worth it.


BLURB for NOT ACCORDING TO FLAN:

Jane Marsh wants to shake off the empty nest syndrome, plus the notoriety of the death of her first and second husbands, by starting over in a new place. She sells her family home to move to a far northern suburb of Denver. At the same time, Jane's dinner club is undergoing a transformation, and a new man—a gourmet chef—enters her life. But, things turn sour when, on the day Jane moves into her new home, she discovers a dead body. She cannot feel at home in this town where she’s surrounded by cowboys, horse pastures, and suspects. Not to mention where a murder was committed practically on her doorstep. How can she focus on romance and dinner clubs when one of her new friends—or maybe even her old ones—might be a murderer?

AUTHOR BIO:

Karen C. Whalen is the author of the Dinner Club Murder Mystery series. She worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado. Karen has been a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and participates in a local writing group, the Louisville Writers Workshop.  In addition to hosting dinner club events (although, murder was not involved), Karen loves to hike and bike ride under the robin-egg blue skies of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.


AUTHOR LINKS:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/whalenkarenc
Twitter: @whalenkc
Website: http://www.karencwhalen.com/


BUY LINKS:

First book in the series, Everything Bundt the Truth

http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4653-everything-bundt-the-truth.html

https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Bundt-Dinner-Murder-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01M05NQTY/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everything-bundt-the-truth-karen-c-whalen/1124648727?ean=2940157128609

Second book in the series, Not According to Flan

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/paperback-books/5110-not-according-to-flan-paperback.html

https://www.amazon.com/According-Flan-Dinner-Murder-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B06ZZLBT2V/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-according-to-flan-karen-c-whalen/1126256725?ean=2940157538422

Interview with Mystery Writer Marilyn Levinson

My guest today is mystery and children's writer Marilyn Levinson. Marilyn and I are lucky enough to share a publisher, Uncial Press and I'm very happy to have the chance to interview her today. Here's Marilyn!

Where did you get the idea for your new novel, MURDER A LA CHRISTIE? 

I thought it would be fun to have my sleuth lead book club discussions about some of  Agatha Christie’s mysteries as she investigates the murders of various book club members.

Why did you choose this genre?

I love reading and writing mysteries. I adore secrets. They add intrigue and depth to a plot. All of my characters have secrets that rise to the surface as Lexie questions the members of the Golden Age of Mystery book club.

What was the most difficult thing about writing this book?

I had to spend time rereading many of Dame Agatha’s novels in order for me to create interesting discussions among the club members, discussions that often reveal aspects of their own lives, their values, and their reactions to the murders taking place in their wealthy community. Of course rereading the books wasn’t difficult, only time consuming.

I love Agatha Christie's mysteries and I've read a ton of them, but not for several years. I'd have to reread them too! Do you have any unusual writing habits?

I write in the late afternoon. It seems I have to go through my emails, take care of other writer-ly business before I’m able to settle down and write.

What do you want readers to come away with after they read MURDER A LA CHRISTIE?

I hope they’ve been entertained, as I think that is fiction’s primary purpose. I also hope my book will encourage readers to read a few Agatha Christie novels.

What genre have you never written that you’d like to write?

Though I’ve included ghosts and witches in some of my novels,  I think a full-blown fantasy would be fun.

When were you first published and how did that happen? Was it a long or short journey?

My book, And Don’t Bring Jeremy, a novel for kids that would now be considered YA, was published back in 1986. I was thrilled because it was reviewed in Publishers Weekly and was a nominee for six state awards. This was the third novel I’d ever written.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I plot out my novels, meaning I know the direction in which the book is going. That said, I create as I go along. My characters provide conflicts, actions and reactions, which help further the plot. Having everything planned out would be boring. I think we writers require elements of surprise.

Tell us a bit about you. Where do you live, and how long have you been writing?

I live on Long Island, New York, where I’ve lived most of my life. I started writing in early elementary school, then allowed myself to be discouraged by a high school English teacher. I started writing seriously when my sons were very small. They’re now in their mid forties.

I think many of us allow ourselves to be discouraged by others, so you're not alone in that. Do you have another occupation, other than writer? If so, what is it? Does it help you with your writing?

I was a Spanish teacher for several years. I can’t say that it helps with my writing.

How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for writing?

I think every fiction writer draws on his or her life experiences. Having been a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a friend; having traveled and lived in various countries provide me with many plot ideas and help me develop my characters and their relationships.

If you could get rid of something in your life that would give you more writing time, what would it be?

Email. So much of it now consists of messages from companies trying to get me to use them to help me sell more books, write faster, write better. I can’t resist checking them out until I come to their prices.

Do you have any pets? Are you cat person or a dog person? Or are you into totally different pets, like goldfish? What do you like best about your pet?

I love my red tabby Sammy, even though he had a tendency to bite at times. He’s a wonderful companion and is usually stretched out close by. I love dogs, but I LOVE cats. My Pinterest cat and kitten boards are filled with pictures of the furry felines.

What are your hobbies away from the computer?

I read novels, have recently started to knit again, watch foreign films, and dine out elegantly with my significant other, I also love to see my grandkids on FaceTime.

What did you want to be (occupation-wise) when you were a child?

I wanted to be a writer or a ballet dancer.

Name two authors we might find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.

A mystery by Ann Cleeves or by Charles Todd.

What are two (or more) of your all-time favorite books in any genre?

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth and Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth.

What do you like best about your heroine in MURDER A LA CHRISTIE?

I love Lexie Driscoll. She’s smart and funny, but she makes terrible decisions when it comes to men. Her first husband left her when she was pregnant with their son. It irks her that now father and son are great pals, living in California near one another. Both are musicians. Lexie’s second husband, a fellow professor, proved to be as mad as the proverbial hatter. He burned down her house with himself inside it. In Murder a la Christie,  Lexie meets two eligible, sexy men, both of whom find her attractive. Will she pick the right one this time?

How do you choose the names and physical characteristics of your characters? Do you base them on real people?

I choose names that I feel suit the character. Most of my characters have nicknames. Lexie’s real name in Alexis; Gabbie’s is Gabriela. My characters are not based on real people. I get to know their personalities, strengths and weaknesses as the book develops.

Tell us a little about your current work in progress.

Not everyone is pleased when Carrie Singleton is named director of programs and events in her hometown library. Carrie’s first guest is a retired detective who promises to expose Laura Foster’s murderer, the case he couldn’t solve fifteen years earlier. He’s poisoned before he can share information with the audience. With too few clues,  Carrie and Laura’s younger son, Jared, set out to solve both murders.

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

I’d start with Giving Up the Ghost because it’s a fun mystery. Cameron Leeds, my ghost, is one of my favorite characters. In life he was a sexy, good-looking romeo and a wheeler dealer. You can imagine how being a conniver and a ladies’ man has made him several enemies. When Gabbie Meyerson rents the Leeds’ cottage, Cam badgers her until she agrees to find out who murdered him. She unearths many secrets and indiscretions before coming face-to-face with Cam’s killer.

How can readers reach you or find you online?

My website is: www.marilynlevinson.com I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I’ve my own blog and I blog on Make Mine Mystery twice a month.

#NewRelease from M.S. Spencer!

My guest today is M.S. Spencer, whose romantic suspense, THE MASON'S MARK: LOVE AND DEATH IN THE TOWER, releases today. Here she is to tell us where the idea for her newest release came from.

The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower, arose in part out of a true story. Starting in the 1940s an Italian named Licio Gelli embarked on a lifetime of bizarre scams and crimes. Alternately linked to rightists and leftists, he bilked or used people from Italian politicians, to the Nazis, the Communists, the CIA, even to Juan Peron, dictator of Argentina. His exploits cross the globe and spanned four decades. At last check, he was still alive, in his nineties and writing poetry from prison. In 1996 he was even nominated for the Nobel prize in literature.

Gelli is most famous for founding a Masonic lodge called Propaganda Due, a renegade group that was first dissolved, then reinstated, then erased by the Grand Orient de Italia. He had ensnared many prominent Italians into P2, which ultimately led to several huge scandals.  He is the model for the shadowy puppetmaster in my new romantic suspense novel The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance). Here's a summary:

In both the best and worst first day at work ever, docent Claire Wilding meets the man of her dreams, but her carefully rehearsed guided tour of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial collapses when she discovers a body and is drawn into a dark world of black ops and Italian renegade masons, of secret cabals and hidden treasure. Also cloaked in mystery is handsome Gideon Bliss, a George Washington expert who haunts the Memorial, his manner evasive. What is his secret? Claire fears she'll fall in love with him only to learn he's a thief or even a murderer. Juggling two eccentric mothers, an inquisitive sister, and an increasingly smitten detective, Claire must find answers to a complex web of intrigue, including who to trust and who to love.

The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)
Wild Rose Press, May 6, 2016 (Crimson Rose imprint)
Mystery/Cozy Mystery, Romantic suspense
ebook 79,000 words; print 322 pp.
M/F;  3 flames

Buy Links:

TWRP ~ iBooks ~ Barnes and Noble ~ All Romance Ebooks ~ Amazon ~ Bookstrand ~ Kobo

Excerpt (PG):  First Meeting

“Next we’ll be visiting a museum devoted to George Washington. The Masonic Memorial houses an impressive collection of artifacts, some of which were donated by the Washington family and some rescued from the fire in 1871 that destroyed the first lodge. Please be sure to check out Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick’s pocket watch. He was George Washington’s close friend and presided over his death bed.”

As they filed out on the fourth floor and automatically turned right as all human flocks do, Claire surveyed the room. The black and white parquet floor sparkled. Around three sides ran a balcony, filled with small alcoves and paintings. The light from a porthole window flooded the room. As she headed toward a bust of George Washington, a shadow moved behind a column. She took a step toward it, but Mrs. Malloy’s voice stopped her. “Frank, Luther—you be good, hear? I’m gonna sit down for a bit.”

Claire watched, horror-struck, as the woman plunked down on the Chippendale chair Washington had used as Worshipful Master of the Lodge. The yellow tape meant to prevent access to it lay in tatters on the floor. She had lunged forward, one hand stretched out to grab the transgressor, when the shadow flitted across her vision again. Feeling like a spectator at a tennis match, she spun around. There. Shaking a finger at the woman and barking “No!” in her most imperious voice, she rounded a pillar. Sure enough, a man stood there by a small bookcase built into the wall.

During Claire’s training, Mr. Quinn had ground into her the absolute prohibition against unauthorized individuals wandering around in the Tower. Oh God, I hope I don’t have to call for backup. “Sir? Can I help you?”

The man jumped and turned to her, his eyes wide, giving Claire the opportunity to admire two very large orbs tinted a luminous tourmaline green. His mobile face sported a Roman nose of reasonable proportion, a strong chin only slightly marred by a salt-and-pepper stubble, and the high cheekbones of an Aztec chief. His tan was not so deep as to seem artificial. Claire had raised her eyes to behold a head of wavy, chocolate brown hair when he began to speak. His sonorous baritone—a cross between Dean Martin and Elvis Presley—captivated her and she found herself humming “That’s Amore” under her breath.

“No, thank you…er…” He peered at her chest. Her hand went protectively to the bosom that drew most eligible bachelors’ attention until she realized he was trying to read her name badge.

“Um…Claire. Claire Wilding. I’m the docent here.” She indicated her troops, at least two of whom were attempting to wreak irreparable damage on each other with a wooden staff carved in the likeness of John the Baptist. “Who are you?”

He smiled suddenly, revealing brilliant white teeth. His whole face lit up, and Claire swallowed hard.
“I’m Gideon Bliss. And in case you’re wondering whether I’m here lawfully, the answer is yes.” He stuck out a large hand, calluses prominent on his trigger finger. They reminded Claire of her father’s hands. “David—Mr. Comfrey—gave me permission to visit the museum.” His eyes glinted with little flecks of gold and humor.

Claire found herself at a loss for words and not just because he’d invoked the name of the Worshipful Master of the Alexandria-Washington Masonic Lodge. She sank into the depths of his verdant eyes, while the mellifluous voice rolled over her. Just before she nodded off, he stopped speaking. She shook herself. “Oh, I see. Well, I’ll leave you to it.” Sheesh, Claire, are you shooting for the most pitiful female in Washington award?

Bliss hadn’t moved. “You say you’re the docent here? Could you help me find something?”

Claire dropped her eyes and mumbled, “Uh…”

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Um…this is my first day. I…I doubt if I can help you.”

He chuckled. “So you didn’t actually mean anything by your first question.”

“My first…Oh, well, you know, that was sort of…rhetorical. I mean, no one is supposed to be here. Other than me. And of course them.” She waved at the group, who had now begun to congregate by the elevator doors. All except for the two boys, who were nowhere to be seen, and their mother, who continued to sprawl blithely on the President’s priceless antique chair.

Her abrupt answer seemed to annoy Bliss. “I see.” He turned back to the bookcase and pulled a large, dusty leather tome off the shelf. Claire spent a painful second staring at his rigid back and finally tore herself away, visions of emerald eyes filled with admiration at her beauty quickly evaporating.

****
If readers like the Mason's Mark, they might also want to check out The Penhallow Train Incident, also from the Wild Rose Press.

About the Author

Although she has lived or traveled in every continent except Antarctica and Australia (bucket list), M. S. Spencer has spent the last thirty years mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director and parent. Blessed with two fabulous grown children, she has published ten romantic suspense/mystery novels. She now divides her time between the Florida Gulf coast and a tiny hamlet in Maine.

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Author Pages:

Romance Books 4 Us ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Goodreads