Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Maple Mayhem (A Sugar Grove Mystery #2) by Jessie Crockett

In Sugar Grove, New Hampshire, people are serious about their maple syrup—especially Dani Greene, whose family owns the Greener Pastures sugarhouse.  But when murder disrupts the small-town sweetness, Dani pores over clues to draw out a killer...

Despite being a fourth-generation syrup maker, Dani isn’t stuck in the past. She’s starting a new agricultural cooperative that reduces costs for every syrup producer who joins. Everyone considers it a sweet deal except the die-hard curmudgeon Frank Lemieux—and when a saboteur starts targeting supporters, everyone suspects Frank.

But it turns out they’re barking up the wrong tree when Dani finds Frank murdered in his own sugarhouse. As the sabotage continues, she realizes that Frank was framed. With the help of her family, and a handsome official from the Fish and Game Department, Dani must catch the killer before another syrup maker kicks the bucket.

Recipes Included!

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When I go to author talks and book signings some of the questions I am often asked are why I write mysteries (because I love them) or where I get my ideas (the grocer).  People want to know about my work habits (erratic) or the process of getting published (grueling).  I've even been asked about the sorts of snacks I eat while working away on a tight deadline (baby carrots).  

Something I have never been asked is why I set my books in tiny towns in New Hampshire.  Granted, since most of my events are held in New England, the people attending the talk have no reason to ask such a question.  They know why New Hampshire is a great setting for a mystery series.  

People who live here know New Hampsire might be worth choosing just on account of the natural beauty of the mountains, lakes and coastline.   There are also the man-made features like charming villages filled with historic buildings, the stone walls zig-zagging through the woods and the delightful surprise of covered bridges.  

The weather in here also supports mysterious doings as anyone who has ever survived a winter in New England can tell you.  After months on end of being cooped up with the family it is easy to imagine old arguments becoming dangerous.  Treacherously icy roads provide ample opportunity to fake fatal accidents.  Even mud season and black flies can push upstanding citizens over the edge.  After al, with so many acres of underdeveloped land there are plenty of places to hide a body, at least once the ground thaws out.  

New Hampshire is full of people who inspire great characters too.  It's easy to imagine all that independent spirit and stoicism along with a heaping helping of forthrightness and cantankerousness giving rise to all sorts of criminal possibilities.  

There's also the fact that the past is always present in New Hampshire.  A walk in the woods is likely to reveal a tumbled down sugarhouse or cellar hole.  A leisurely drive on a sunny afternoon might easily take you past an overgrown cemetery hidden beneath a stand of maples.  But along with all the nostalgia and charm there is also the darker side of the past.  Behind the front door of any antique cape long memories, old grudges, family secrets and unforgiven debts might just be lurking.  The contrast between the white picket fences and skeletons in the closets make for fertile soil for mystery writers as well as readers.  

If you have the opportunity to visit New Hampshire in person or as an armchair traveler, I think you'll agree it is the perfect spot for sightseeing, antiquing and even the occasional mystery.  

A nearly life-long resident of the Granite State, Jessie naturally adores black flies, 98% humidity, killing frosts in August and snow banks taller than the average grandmother. When not working on her next murderous adventure she enthusiastically combs the beach, designs bento lunches and throws parties. She delights in mentoring young writers at local schools.

Her debut mystery, Live Free or Die, was the 2011 winner of the Daphne DuMaurier Award for Mainstream Mystery. Jessie lives with her dark and mysterious husband and exuberant children in a village so small most other New Hampshire residents have never heard of it. Hearing from readers makes the winter seem shorter so please drop her a line.

Author Website | Facebook | Twitter

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Maple Mayhem by Jessie Crockett to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways! 

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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Not the Killing Type (Booktown Mystery #7) by Lorna Barrett

It’s November in Stoneham, New Hampshire, and that means it’s time for the Chamber of Commerce elections. The race is already a bit heated, as the long-standing Chamber president is being challenged by a former lover—Tricia’s own sister, Angelica. Then local small business owner Stan Berry throws his hat in the ring.

Unfortunately, it’s not there for long when he’s found murdered in the Brookview Inn. The murder weapon is a brass letter opener belonging to the inn’s receptionist. Tricia knows there’s no way the receptionist is a killer. And when Angelica asks Tricia to help clear her name and win the election, she sees little choice except to start snooping.

She soon uncovers a ballot box full of lies and betrayals, and a chamber full of people who had grudges against the victim. But were they serious enough to lead to murder? And who truly had something to gain? Tricia will have to do some serious sleuthing before she pulls the lever on a killer.

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Mr. Everett Dishing Dirt? 

Those of you who've read the Booktown Mysteries know that Mr. Everett is the epitome of discretion.  Therefore, it was surprising that he consented to this interview.  

Mr. Everett, you're quite beloved by many in Stoneham, NH.  To what do you attribute your reputation for fairness and gentility?  

I have always strived to treat my fellow man (and woman) with respect.  It was something my parents instilled in me at a very young age.  

What was your career before you came to work for Tricia Miles at the Haven't Got a Clue mystery bookstore? 

I was a grocer.  I had my own store in Stoneham.  Sadly, I lost that business during  a recession.  It was one of the saddest periods of my life, as I lost my beloved wife soon after.  

How did you get into the grocery trade?  

I trained as a butcher and always worked at some aspect of the grocery business.  Despite that fact my background was in meat preparation, I was very fond of my produce department.  Even before it was fashionable, I made an effort to stock organic fruits and vegetables.  

Were you always a mystery fan?  

I've always loved to read.  When I was down on my luck, and very lonely, I would visit the library and the various bookstores that had come to Stoneham.  I'm afraid not all storekeepers were happy to see me in their stores.  Ms. Miles was not only kind enough to let me sit in her store for hours on end, but she also invited me to partake of her free coffee and cookies.  I've been working for her now for about five years, and have enjoyed it immensely.  She, her former assistant Ginny, and her current assistant Pixie - and of course Ms. Miles's cat, Miss Marple - are like family to me.  

Do you have a family?  

My wife and I were never blessed with children.  Some four years ago, I married again, and my dear wife Grace is the light of my life.  

It's said your boss Tricial is the village jinx because she's always stumbling over dead bodies.  Do you think that's a fair assessment?  

Ms. Miles is a person of excellent character, and she feels strongly that justice must be done.  She has assisted the Sheriff's Department and the local Police Department in solving serious crimes.  She is an asset to the community.  

Do you have a special part to play in Tricia's latest adventure?  

I don't know about playing a special part - she ad her sister, Ms. Angelica Miles, are the ones who risk their lives, but I was treated to an extra special event.  

Can you say more?  

Not without giving away the plot.  

The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorna Barrett's name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it's her talent - whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett - that keeps her there.  This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series and the Tales of Telenia saga, and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).  Check out the links to all her works here:  http://www.lorrainebartlett.com/index.html

Book Clubbed, Booktown Mystery #8, is now available in hardcover.  
Not the Killing Type, Booktown Mystery #7, is now available in paperback. 

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Not the Killing Type by Lorna Barrett to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Be Careful What You Witch For (Family Fortune Mystery #2) by Dawn Eastman

Leaving a traumatic police career behind, Clyde Fortune has returned to her seemingly quiet hometown of Crystal Haven, Michigan. In spite of the psychic powers of its residents, there’s no telling what trouble is brewing in this burg…

The highlight of this year's fall festival in Crystal Haven is a bonfire with a witch’s cauldron resting over it. Clyde’s best friend, Diana, leads a ritual to divine the future, but it seems no one foresees that one of their own will drop dead—or that Diana will be a prime suspect.

Clyde already has her hands full with her eccentric family, runaway nephew, and burgeoning secret romance with a hunky homicide detective. But after another coven member is attacked, Clyde suspects there’s a witch hunt afoot and focuses her psychic and sleuthing skills to clear her friend’s name and catch a killer.



Series: Family Fortune Mystery Series #2
Release Date: 07/01/2014

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Crystal Haven's Roots
by Dawn Eastman

Many, many years ago, I stayed with a relative in Lilydale, New York.  Located in Southwestern New York near Cassadaga Lake, Lilydale started as a spiritualist campground in the 1870's.  Since then, it has become both refuge and mecca for psychics, mediums, and those seeking to connect with loved ones who have passed on. 

My mother, my cocker spaniel puppy, and I piled into the car and drove from Michigan to check out the spiritualist community.  During that visit, we stayed in a reportedly haunted cottage.  While I didn't have an encounter with the ghosts, the puppy seemed decidedly spooked and refused to stay in the house alone.  

We attended healing sessions and ceremonies at inspiration stump where messages are relayed to members of the audience.  What was striking to me was not that most of the residents were mediums, or that people had conversations with loved ones who had died years before, but that it seemed like such a normal small town.  It is a beautiful little town with a turn-of-the-last-century feel.  There is a beach, picnic areas, a post office, a fire station, several restaurants, gift shops, and a library.  The streets are lined with adorable Victorian cottages, making it a great place to visit even without the psychic draw.  

When I started planning my cozy mystery series I decided it would be fun and would add a unique element to the stories if it were set in a town like Lilydale.  My favorite vacation spot is Western Michigan with its beaches, forests, and beautiful summer weather.  I combined the two and Crystal Haven was created.  My fictional town is not just dedicated to spiritualism.  Its residents branch out into herbalism, tarot cards, crystals, and palm reading.  I wanted to create a place that would be fun to visit over many stories and also to explore the types of people who would choose to live there.  

The result has been a lot of fun for me to write.  Crystal Haven has "regular" people, as well as psychics, but not many of its citizens question the validity of messages from other realms.  In fact, my protagonist - Clyde Fortune, a psychic herself - is one of the biggest skeptics.  The psychic element leads to lots of assistance in solving crimes.  Not all of it is helpful.  

The cocker spaniel puppy who joined us on that long-ago trip was one of many well loved pets.  So, it was a given that the series would include animals.  Violet Greer, Clyde's aunt, is a pet psychic with more cofidence than talent.  Pall in the Family, the first book in the Family Fortune Mystery series begins with a shih tzu who is witness to murder.  Violet's efforts to interrogate the dog are confusing at best.  

Be Careful What You Witch For is the second book in the Family Fortune series, and is set around Halloween.  A murder occurs at the annual Fall Festival and someone close to Clyde is a suspect.  She gathers her family and friends to help clear her friend, but as she gets close to the answer, she also puts everyone closer to danger.  

I invite you to come visit Crystal Haven.  Pets are welcome.  

Dawn lived in Michigan for many years, in a house full of animals, unusual people, and laughter. She now lives in Iowa with her husband, son, daughter, and one extremely bossy small dog.

Author Website:
http://www.DawnEastman.com
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/DawnEastmanAuthor
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/DawnAEastman

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Be Careful What You Witch For by Dawn Eastman to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!


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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: A Vision in Velvet (A Witchcraft Mystery #6) by Juliet Blackwell

Lily Ivory hopes to score some great vintage fashions when she buys an antique trunk full of old clothes. But she may have gotten more than she bargained for.…

As soon as Lily opens the trunk, she feels strange vibrations emanating from a mysterious velvet cloak. When she tries it on, Lily sees awful visions from the past. And when the antiques dealer who sold her the cape is killed, Lily suspects a supernatural force might be behind his death.

Then Lily’s familiar, Oscar the potbellied pig, disappears. Lily will do anything to get him back—including battling the spirit of a powerful witch reaching out from the past. But even with the aid of her grandmother, unmasking a killer and saving Oscar might be more than one well-intentioned sorceress can handle.



Series: A Witchcraft Mystery Series #6
Release Date: 07/01/2014

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Everyday Magic
by Juliet Blackwell

Since I write the Witchcraft Mystery Series, one of the questions I most often receive is: Do you believe in magic?  

That's a tough one.  I do believe that there are a lot of things in this world that aren't explainable by science and logic.  I have witnessed "miracles", and I have met people who seem to just know things.  And I believe that our minds are much stronger than we know, and that focused intention really can result in more than we'd ever imagine.  

I have been lucky enough to work in creative endeavors for many years, first as a painter and now as a writer.  There are times when something takes over, I go into the zone, and time passes without my knowing it.  Those are the moments when I am lifted out of myself and seem to connect with something deeper.  People who meditate, or run long-distance, or who lose themselves in making crafts or singing or other creative endeavors, have probably experienced this magical feeling.  

Traditionally, witchcraft - and other forms of 'folk healing' - relied on this sort of concentration and energy.  The skilled practitioner would make her clients believe they were healed, or the pain was lessened, or that they would find love.  And upon believing it, perhaps that person was opened up to the possibility.  Who knows?  

In A Vision in Velvet, my witchy protagonist, Lily Ivory, is having a tough time keeping the faith when her beloved witch's familiar, Oscar, a miniature Vietnamese potbellied pig goes missing.  The only way she can get him back is to rely on her skills, the strength of her ancestors... and her friends.  Happily, since landing in San Francisco, Lily has made strong friendships, and she knows she doesn't have to go it alone.  And maybe that's the real magic.  

How about you?  Do you believe in magic?  

Juliet Blackwell (aka Julie Goodson-Lawes, aka Hailey Lind) started out life in Palo Alto, California, born of a Texan mother and a Yankee father. The family soon moved to what were, at the time, the sticks of Cupertino, an hour south of San Francisco. Walking to and from kindergarten every day she would indulge in her earliest larcenous activity: stealing walnuts and apricots from surrounding orchards.

By the time she graduated middle school, the orchards were disappearing and the valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay had become the cradle of the silicon semi-conductor. A man named Steve Jobs was working in his garage in Cupertino, just down the street. Juliet's father advised his daughters to enter the lucrative and soon-to-flourish field of computers.

"Bah" said Juliet, as she went on to major in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz (they had, by far, the best parties of any department). Rather than making scads of money in computers, she read, painted, learned Spanish and a little French and Vietnamese, lived in Spain and traveled through Europe, Mexico, and Central America. She had a very good time.

Juliet pursued graduate degrees in Anthropology and Social Work at the State University of New York at Albany, where she published several non-fiction articles on immigration as well as one book-length translation. Fascinated with other cultural systems, she studied the religions, folklore and medical beliefs of peoples around the world, especially in Latin America. Juliet taught the anthropology of health and health care at SUNY-Albany, and worked as an elementary school social worker in upstate New York. She also did field projects in Mexico and Cuba, studied in Spain, Italy, and France, worked on a BBC production in the Philippines, taught English as a second language in San Jose, and learned how to faux finish walls in Princeton, New Jersey. After having a son, moving back to California, and abandoning her half-written dissertation in cultural anthropology, Juliet started painting murals and portraits for a living. She has run her own mural/faux finish design studio in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, for more than a decade. She specializes in the aesthetic renovation of historic homes.

Finally, to round out her tour of lucrative careers, Juliet turned to writing. Under the pseudonym of Hailey Lind, Juliet penned the Art Lover's Mystery Series with her sister Carolyn, about an ex-art forger trying to go straight by working as a muralist and faux finisher in San Francisco. The first of these, Feint of Art, was nominated for an Agatha Award; Shooting Gallery and Brush with Death were both IMBA bestsellers, and Arsenic and Old Paint is now available from Perseverance Press.

Juliet's Witchcraft Mystery series, about a witch who finally finds a place to fit in when she opens a vintage clothes shop on Haight Street in San Francisco, allows Juliet to indulge yet another interest—the world of witchcraft and the supernatural. Ever since her favorite aunt taught her about reading cards and tea leaves, Juliet has been fascinated with seers, conjurers, and covens from many different cultures and historic traditions. As an anthropologist, the author studied and taught about systems of spirituality, magic, and medicine throughout the world, especially in Latin America. Halloween is by far her favorite holiday.

When not writing, painting, or haranguing her funny but cynical teenaged son, Juliet spends a lot of time restoring her happily haunted house and gardening with Oscar the cat, who ostensibly belongs to the neighbors but won't leave her alone. He started hanging around when Juliet started writing about witches...funny coincidence. 

Author Website:

http://www.julietblackwell.net/

Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/JulietBlackwellAuthor
Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/JulietBlackwell

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of A Vision in Velvet by Juliet Blackwell to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Cover Reveal: The Shadows by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #13)

One of my absolute FAVORITE book series on the planet is the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward.  So imagine my surprise when she released the cover for the next book (coming in April 2015)!  So, for any other fan out there... here's the cover reveal for The Shadows :) 

THE SHADOWS by J.R. Ward
Black Dagger Brotherhood # 13

Coming April 7, 2015

Two brothers bound by more than blood fight to change a brutal destiny in the heart-wrenching new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward.

Trez “Latimer” doesn’t really exist. And not just because the identity was created so that a Shadow could function in the underbelly of the human world. Sold by his parents to the Queen of the S’Hsibe as a child, Trez escaped the Territory and has been a pimp and an enforcer in Caldwell, NY for years- all the while on the run from a destiny of sexual servitude. He’s never had anyone he could totally rely on... except for his brother, iAm.

iAm’s sole goal has always been to keep his brother from self-destructing- and he knows he’s failed. It’s not until the Chosen Serena enters Trez’s life that the male begins to turn things around... but by then it’s too late. The pledge to mate the Queen’s daughter comes due and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no negotiating.

Trapped between his heart and a fate he never volunteered for, Trez must decide whether to endanger himself and others- or forever leave behind the female he’s in love with. But then an unimaginable tragedy strikes and changes everything. Staring out over an emotional abyss, Trez must find a reason to go on or risk losing himself and his soul forever. And iAm, in the name of brotherly love, is faced with making the ultimate sacrifice...

Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Tailing a Tabby (A Bookmobile Cat Mystery #2) by Laurie Cass

In the bookmobile, librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, roll out great summer reads to folks all over the lake town of Chilson, Michigan. And when real-life drama turns deadly, Minnie makes sure justice is never overdue.

The bookmobile is making its usual rounds when Minnie and Eddie are flagged down by a woman in distress. The woman’s husband, a famous artist, needs emergency medical care. After getting him into the bookmobile, Minnie races the man to the hospital in time…but his bad luck has only just begun.

After disappearing from the hospital, the artist is discovered slumped over the body of a murdered woman. Minnie knows that her new friend didn’t commit the crime, but the evidence paints an unflattering picture. Now this librarian and her furry friend have to put the investigation in high gear and catch the real killer before someone else checks out.


Series: Bookmobile Cat Mystery #2
Release Date: 07/01/2014

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Things Writers Can't Do
by Laurie Cass

Spelling, for instance.  Being a writer does not automatically make you an expert speller.  Usually we're pretty good, but there are words that throw us every time.  Well, me.  I really shouldn't speak for any of my fellow writers, so please re-title this post in your head as "Things Laurie Can't Always Do Very Well."  More accurate, but not as catchy.  

Back to spelling.  In a general sort of way, I'm an excellent speller.  Lots of syllables?  No problem.  The goofy exceptions to the i and e rule?  They can't fool me.  But then there are my trouble words.  I am so horrible at spelling the word "fluorescent," as in the light fixture, that spell check doesn't know what to do with it.  (What the heck is that "u" doing so early in the word anyway?)  And as a beginning typist back in eighth grade, it took me a long time to figure out why I was getting marked down for typing "seperate."  

I have a hard time with "privilege," too, because I desperately want to put a "d" ahead of the letter "g."  And my typing fingers insist that judgment should have two of the letter "e."  You know where that second one wants to go, don't tell me you don't.  

And, sadly, it's not just spelling skills that I lack.  The decision of whether to use "affect" or "effect" in a sentence can throw me into a tizzy.  Yes, I know, there are all sorts of methods that can help with the decision, but either I don't remember the method or it doesn't apply or I get so irritated at the English language that I end up rewriting the sentence so I don't have to make that choice.  Cheating?  Probably.  Do I care?  Well... yeah.  But not enough to reread that chapter in my old grammar textbook.  

Then there's punctuation.  Back in my school days, lo these many years ago, I ended up with the idea that the rules for where to put a comma and when to use a semi-colon were written in stone.  There was a time and a place for inserting an ellipses and if you had to ask when and where that was, well, maybe you shouldn't be writing in the first place.  

Now I know better.  Now I know that certain types of punctuation go in and out of fashion.  I know that other countries use punctuation in different ways, and I know that different publishing houses have different policies for things from M dashes to hyphenations.  None of this stuff is set in stone.  

Which makes e breathe a small sigh of relief, because I have come to the conclusion that I'm never going to learn it all, no matter how hard I try.  Besides, I can always look up what I need to know.  Or change the sentence structure if I don't mind cheating a little.  

So I'm sorry if this post is destroying any illusions about the expertise you might have thought I had regarding the English language.  But what I can do, at least in a halfway decent fashion, is tell a story.  And that, I hope, is what writers are supposed to do.  

Laurie Cass grew up in Michigan and graduated from Eastern Michigan University in the 80s with a (mostly unused) Bachelor of Science degree in geology.  Currently, Laurie and her husband share their house with two cats, the inestimable Eddie, and the adorably cute Sinii.  When Laurie isn't writing, she's working her day job, reading, yanking weeds out of her garden, or doing some variety of skiing.  

Website: http://catmystery.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookmobilecat

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways! 

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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: From Fear to Eternity (Immortality Bites Mystery #3) by Michelle Rowen

Newlywed vampires Sarah and Thierry de Bennicoeur have their whole undead lives ahead of them. And with Thierry’s job as a consultant for the Ring sending them across the globe to solve one vampire crisis after another, eternity may never have a dull moment.

Sarah was hoping the honeymoon would literally last forever, but when Thierry receives a mysterious invitation to an auction held in an old Beverly Hills mansion, it’s clearly time to get back to work. Thierry hopes to win a powerful amulet containing a wish-granting djinn that has eluded him for centuries. Unfortunately, Atticus Kincade, head of the vampire council, also has his eye on the item.

When the auction’s host reveals his unpleasant history with Thierry, and Sarah discovers a talking head in the freezer, things get even weirder than usual. But when the amulet goes missing, and everyone is suddenly trapped inside the mansion, the undead guests find themselves in mortal danger—and Sarah had better be careful what she wishes for.

Series:  Immortality Bites Mystery #3
Release Date:   07/01/2014

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The ABCs of the Immortality Bites Mysteries
by Sarah Dearly, fledgling vampire and (award winning) amateur sleuth
as told to Michelle Rowen

For those who are not familiar with my recent travels with my husband, Thierry, an official investigator of vampire-related mysteries for the vampire council, here's a handy little A-Z guide to help get you started!  

A is for Atticus, Thierry's boss and the cause of much stress on our latest case in Beverly Hills. 

B is for Blood, because, well, I'm a vampire.  And some dietary myths are definitely true.   

C is for Corpse, which is the title of the Sue Grafton novel, but also something I tend to stumble across quite often these days.  

D is for Danger!  Which I tend to be a magnet for, along with: Trouble! 

E is for Ex-Wife, as in Thierry's ex-wife Veronique whose path crosses with ours at a magical auction (from hell).  

F is for Fanged.  And also for Fabulous. 

G is for Ghost.  I'm one of the rare vampires who can see and communicate with the dead.  Not always a good thing, believe me! 

H is for Hilarious, since I do tend to see the wackier side of life.  

I is for Icebox, which is where I find a severed head in From Fear to Eternity - one that claims - cue dramatic music - that he was murdered! 

J is for Justice, which I deal out one vampiric-related crime at a time! 

K is for Kiss, because what's a little mystery without a little romance? 

L is for Love, which I have in large amounts for my husband, even when he's being grumpy. 

M is for Magic, because hocus-pocus seems to be a big part of my life lately.  

N is for Necromancy, which is how zombies are raised from the dead.  I'm sure that explains the talking head in the icebox, right? 

O is for Oops, when I stick my nose too far into someone else's business. 

P is for Partners, which is what e and Thierry are.  Partners in fighting crime! 

Q is for Quinn, sort of an ex-boyfriend back in my paranormal romance novel days.  Don't tell Thierry I mentioned him.  

R is for the Ring, which is what the shady and mysterious Vampire Council is called.  

S is for Sarah.  Hi there!  Nice to meet you. 

T is for Thierry, my ancient and serious, yet gorgeous and wonderful brand new husband.  

U is for Undead, which I am not, but some people assume I am since I'm a vampire. That's okay.  I forgive you.  

V is for Vampire.  No sparkling allowed.  

W is for Witches, who are not my favorite people in the world, but sometimes they have their uses.  

X is for X-citement!  Okay, that's a stretch, but I couldn't think of an appropriate X word.  

Y is for You, who should totally read these books. 

Z rhymes with Dead and Bed and Said for me, since I'm originally from Canada.

Michelle Rowen is the national bestselling author of many paranormal novels for adults and young adults, including the Immortality Bites Mysteries.  Bled & Breakfast, the 2nd book in the series garnered not only a Top Pick from RT BookReviews magazine, but also their Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Amateur Sleuth.  The 3rd book, From Fear to Eternity, is now available for you to sink your fangs into!  For more info about Michelle and her books, follow her on Twitter @michellerowen and visit her website at www.michellerowen.com.  

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Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of From Fear to Eternity by Michelle Rowen to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!

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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Some Enchanted Eclair (A Magical Bakery Mystery #4) by Bailey Cates

When Hollywood invades Savannah’s historic district to film a Revolutionary War movie, magical baker Katie Lightfoot, and her witches’ coven, the Spellbook Club, take a break from casting spells for casting calls. One of the witches snags a part as an extra, while Katie’s firefighter boyfriend, Declan, acts as on-set security. Katie and her aunt Lucy decide to stay out of the action, but after the movie’s “fixer” fires the caterer, the Honeybee Bakery comes to the rescue, working their magic to keep the hungry crew happy.

But when someone fixes the fixer—permanently—and a spooky psychic predicts Katie will find the killer, the charming baker and her fellow conjurers step in to sift through the suspects…before someone else winds up on the cutting room floor.

Series: A Magical Bakery Mystery #4
Release Date: 07/01/2014

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Some Enchanted Eclair is the fourth Katie Lightfoot adventure in Savanna, Georgia.  She's still a relatively new witch, but in her first year since moving to the South from Akron, Ohio, she's learned a lot.  Like her aunt Lucy, Katie is a hedgewitch, sometimes called a natural or green witch, whose talents lie in kitchen and garden magic.  She and Lucy use their knowledge of herbs and spices to infuse the yummy pasteries at the Honeybee Bakery with good intentions for love, prosperity, health, peace and more.  

The other members of the spellbook club have been teaching Katie their own specialties, too: moon magic and tarot magic, flower and color magic, along with basic spell casting and divination.  Katie has also learned that she's a catalyst, which adds a little kick to the others' spells, and Detective Franklin Taite also revealed to her in Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti that she's something called a lightwitch.  However, Taite seems to have disappeared, so she's still trying to find out just what a lightwitch is.  In part it seems to mean that she finds more than her share of dead bodies -- specifically murder victims that have some kind of connection to the paranormal.  

In Some Enchanted Eclair, Katie and Lucy are staying clear of the historical movie being filmed on Reynolds Square -- at least until the production coordinator asks them to feed the cast and crew.  Sure enough, the first time Katie ventures onto the set there's a fatal stabbing.  The more she looks into the circumstances surrounding the victim, the more it becomes evident that some kind of dark magic is involved.  

At first she thinks the paranormal connection might involve the psychic who travels with the lead actress.  Ursula Banford can contact spirits who have passed to the other side, and in the course of Katie's investigation she passes on messages from some surprising sources.  But can they be trusted?  Since moving to Savanna, Katie has come to believe in things she never dreamed could be real, but she's not naive enough to simply take someone at their word when they say they can talk to dead people.  Whether or not Ursula is the genuine article, there are plenty of other suspects for Katie and the spellbook club to ferret out.  

Researching Some Enchanted Eclair was, quite frankly, a blast.  Along with the research I usually do for this series regarding Savannah, other settings, food, weather and gardening in the South, I took the chance to read up on the Revolutionary War and consulted with an independent filmmaker.  Plus, for the first time in my life, I went to not one, but two psychics. 

I love my job. 

Another aspect of writing the Magical Bakery Mysteries is... the baking, of course!  In other books I've researched some classic Southern recipes (like Coca Cola Cake) and come up with my own version to offer in the back of the books.  For Eclair, I learned how to make choux pastry, and boy am I glad I did because it's not only delicious but incredibly versatile.  Eclairs can be both savory and sweet, and the pastry can be used for cream puffs and even fried into something like a donut.  However, it can be a bit tricky (unlike Katie, I failed the first time I tried it), so rather than try to tell readers how to make choux, I fell back on some of my everyday favorites -- which just happen to be on the Honeybee menu.  One is a gluten-free peanut butter cookie recipe that I've made for years -- fast, easy, and great for sudden cravings.  The other is a carrot and apple cake recipe I've honed to my personal idea of perfection.  I do so hope others love it as much as I do.  

Next up is the fifth Magical Bakery Mystery.  It's currently untitled, but I can tell you it involves pie, voodoo... and a sprinkling of romance!

Get all of the latest book updates and news by visiting Bailey Cates' website: http://baileycates.com

Follow Bailey Cates:
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Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Some Enchanted Eclair by Bailey Cates to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways! 


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Cozy Mystery Blog Tour: Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Cookies and Scream (A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery #5) by Virginia Lowell

Olivia Greyson is the proud owner of The Gingerbread House—a quaint shop that specializes in all things cookie—and her best friend, Maddie, is her sidekick, baking up scrumptious treats for their cookie-themed parties. But when a stunning antique cookie cutter collection leads to murder, things get a bit too hot to handle.

Series:  A Cookie Cutter Shop Mystery #5
Release Date:  07/01/2014

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Creating Cozy Characters by Virginia Lowell

Olivia (Livie) Greyson and Maddie Briggs run The Gingerbread House, a store specializing in cookie cutters and all things cookie.  In addition to running a business, baking and decorating many dozens of cookies, and sneaking the occasional nap, Livie and Maddie find themselves embroiled in murder investigations.  (Cookie cutters do have sharp edges, you know...)  In Cookies and Scream, their fifth sleuthing adventure (released July 1, 2014), Livie and Maddie investigate a murder involving a stunning collection of antique cookie cutters. 

When I began writing the Cookie Cutter Shop mysteries, it struck me that I'd be hanging out  with my characters day after day.  I'd likely spend more time with Livie and Maddie than with my own family.  So I'd better like them!  At the very least, they shouldn't bore me.  In fact, all the characters had to intrigue me on some level, or they wouldn't feel real to me.  And if the characters didn't feel real to me, how could I expect the readers to be interested in them?  

I thought long and hard about Livie's and Maddie's personalities, remembering all those fictional sleuthing duos whose adventures had kept me turning the pages over the years.  Sherlock Holmes and Watson, Nick and Nora Charles, Tommy and Tuppence... They'd all come alive for me through their personalities, dialogue, and behavior.  I looked forward to each new adventure both for the mysteries, which were intriguing, and because I so enjoyed revisiting those unique relationships.  

Of my two sleuths, Livie, who has a business degree, is the more practical, analytical one.  She often finds herself intrigued by the people around her, especially when there has been a murder in her hometown.  Maddie, in contrast, would happily describe herself as "the fun one."  She bakes, cuts, and decorates the cookies that are a staple at The Gingerbread House.  Maddie has enormous energy, is up for any adventure, and doesn't seem to need much sleep.  Unlike Livie, Maddie throws herself into computer research and isn't above a bit of snooping... all in the interests of catching a killer, of course.  Livie and Maddie make a tenacious pair, which is why murder never goes unsolved in Chatterley Heights.  

As it happens - okay, I made it happen - the town sheriff, Del Jenkins, is Livie's main squeeze.  He is good at his job and protective of Livie, which causes some tension between them.  Del worries when Livie and Maddie put themselves in harm's way to investigate a murder.  To be fair, Livie worries when Del calls her from his cell phone while he's driving, so they're even.  In Cookies and Scream, Livie gets a chance to solve a murder while Del is handling a crisis out of town.  Between you and me, I think he is becoming more impressed with Livie's sleuthing skills.  Maybe he'll stop fussing so much when she and Maddie embroil themselves in yet another mystery.  

Olivia's little rescue Yorkshire terrier, Spunky, is one of my favorite characters.  He came to me one day when I looked out my window and saw a gigantic black Labrador wandering in my backyard.  He wasn't wearing a collar and didn't belong to any of my neighbors, so I went outside to have a little chat with him.  He was friendly, luckily, since I was fairly certain he could have knocked me over without difficulty.  He followed me to my neighbor's house.  Her little Yorkshire terrier sensed a threat to his territory and unleashed a volley of ferocious yaps.  I realized the little guy had no idea how tiny he was.  So I gave Olivia a Yorkie.  Spunky fearlessly defends his mistress without regard for his own safety.  Olivia isn't always comfortable with his protective tendencies, but she has learned that you can't argue with a Yorkie.  (You can, however, scoop him up in your arms.  Spunky weighs only about five pounds.) 

And don't forget those characters we all love to hate, like that nosy mail carrier.  (Folks in Chatterley Heights are fairly sure he steams open their mail, but no one has been able to prove it.)  Other characters are more tolerable, such as the town gossip, Polly, who keeps binoculars in her desk drawer so she can observe any shenanigans in the town square.  And don't forget Ida, the irascible waitress at Pete's Diner.  Ida picks up all sorts of juicy secrets while she's serving Pete's famous meatloaf.  Giver her an extra tip, and she'll fill you in on the latest. 

Each time I sit down to work on a new book, I begin by wondering what's been going on in the lives of my sleuths.  Since they thrive on adventure and puzzle solving, it seems natural that they should lead me into yet another mystery.  And while I'm well aware that I'm the one who is doing all the work, I don't feel alone.  I've got my characters to help with the heavy lifting and make the work fun for me.  

You can visit Virginia Lowell's webpage here:  http://www.virginialowell.com 

Thanks to the awesome ladies at Penguin, I have 1 paperback copy of Cookies and Scream by Virginia Lowell to give away to one of my lucky readers!  Just enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win, and be sure to keep checking back for more awesome giveaways!  

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