Interview with cozy mystery author Nancy Coco

Mystery author Nancy Coco joins me today to chat about her new cozy novel, Forever Fudge.

Bio:

Nancy J Parra AKA Nancy Coco AKA Nell Hampton is the author of over 25 published novels which include five mystery series: The Candy Coated Mysteries (Kensington), The Oregon Coast Mystery series, (Kensington), The Kensington Palace Mystery Series (Crooked Lane), The Wine Country Tours Mystery Series (Crooked Lane) The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime).

Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world. Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and writes for the Killer Character Blog on the 8th of every month. Nancy loves to hear from readers.

Please tell us about your current release.

Forever Fudge is the 6th book in the Candy-coated series.

When a film crew comes to Mackinac Island, the last thing fudge shop owner Allie McMurphy expects to find is a murder victim . . .

SHOT ON LOCATION

It's Labor Day weekend, the official end of tourist season, and the beginning of a whole batch of trouble. First, the island is invaded by a TV crew filming a murder mystery pilot, and handsome Hollywood heartthrob Dirk Benjamin needs Allie’s help to prep for his role as local cop Rex Manning. Then, Allie’s bichonpoo Mal sniffs out a real murder in the alley behind the Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop, a man shot in the head—with a note challenging amateur sleuth Allie to catch the culprit. Like it or not, the fudge maker has to square off against a crazy killer—but this time she may have bitten off more than she can chew . . .

What inspired you to write this book?

Mackinac Island is an island between the upper and lower peninsula of Michigan. They don’t allow cars or trucks. So it’s a step back in time with horse-drawn carriages, bicycles and lots of park trails. I thought what a great place for cozy mysteries. They have tourists coming and going most of the year, not to mention they are the fudge capital of the world.

I thought what a great place to set a cozy mystery series. I contacted the Island Bookstore and they asked their reader what the protagonist should do for a living and fudge shop owner was the winner. Then it was fun to create Allie and bring her in to be the next owner of the McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop. Something she’d been training her whole life for and it wasn’t’ going to be easy –walking in her grandfather’s shoes.

Then I watched as she gathered employees and friends and built a family on the island. For this particular book, I thought it would be fun to bring in a television pilot being shot on the island and it’s fun to watch Officer Rex Manning get trailed by a Hollywood hunk who wants to play him on television.

Unfortunately, someone has been paying attention to Allie and her sleuthing. Now a killer is reenacting the murders she’s solved and challenges Allie to catch him.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I’m currently working on a second Nancy Coco series. This one is set on the Oregon coast and the protagonist owns a Bee shop called “Let it Bee” and sells all things bee related. She has a gorgeous Havanna Brown cat named Everett who loves to go for walks on a leash along the beach.

Unfortunately for our protagonist, Wren Johnson, Everett finds a dead woman on the beach and Wren’s world is thrown upside down. When the police name Wren as a person of interest, she and her Aunt Eloise go to work to figure out who the real killer is and why they are framing her.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That is a great question. I first started writing stories in 5th grade. I started a pioneer novel. I’ve been writing ever since. I wrote 17 novels before I sold my first book in 2002. I’ve written 27 more since then. I love all of them.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I actually have a full time job as a marketing manager for a tech company. I write in the evening and the weekends and on lunch breaks. I work on plot twists while I ride the bus to work.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I never know who the murderer is until the last fifty pages. I go into a story thinking I know, but when the last pages arrive- it’s always someone else who is revealed. I’ve begun to look forward to figuring out who did along with my readers.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut or a forest ranger. I loved the idea of adventure.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Just want to say thanks for reading. The best thing about creating a book is that each reader changes the story based on who they are and what they think and that is a very cool thing. I tell you my story and you make it your own in your head.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook Author | Facebook Coco author

Thanks for stopping by today!

Interview with mystery author James M. Jackson

My special guest today is author James M. Jackson. He’s here to share a bit about his new suspense, Empty Promises.

During his virtual book tour, James will be awarding a chance to name a character who will appear in False Bottom (Seamus McCree #6) to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

James M. Jackson authors the Seamus McCree series consisting of five novels and one novella. Jim splits his time between the deep woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Georgia’s Lowcountry. He claims the moves between locations are weather-related, but others suggest they may have more to do with not overstaying his welcome. He is the past president of the 700+ member Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Welcome, James. Please share a little bit about your current release.
Empty Promises is the fifth Seamus McCree novel. Set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, his first solo bodyguard assignment goes from bad to worse. His client disappears. His granddog finds a buried human bone. Police find a fresh human body.

Seamus risks his own safety and freedom to turn amateur sleuth in hopes he can solve the crimes, fulfill his promise of protection, and win back the love of his life. Wit and grit are on his side, but the clock is ticking . . . and the hit man is on his way.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’m a pantser and with my novels, I usually find out what issue I’m writing about only after I complete the first draft. Seamus McCree has lived by the belief that his word is his bond. In Empty Promises I discovered I was exploring how he reacts after he takes a series of actions that increasingly conflict with his core values. Like most of us, he self-justifies his decisions, but as they accumulate, they begin to wear him down. His personal consequences are wrapped inside a page-turner of a story with all the twists and turns of a suspenseful thriller.

Excerpt from Empty Promises:

Had Owen returned my call? Had Abigail found anything? Any word from Bartelle after Owen ratted me out? My phone claimed it had no voice or text messages. Sometimes the signal is so weak the phone doesn’t receive messages, so I brought the remainder of my drink to the deck, where the signal was strongest, and dialed voicemail. The sun-heated decking was uncomfortable on my bare feet. I shifted weight from foot to foot to minimize the discomfort and keyed in my password.

You have no messages at this time.

Back inside, I booted up the computer and checked email. Nothing relevant and no help for my situation.

I had a long, positive history with Sheriff Lon Bartelle. Was it strong enough for him to cut me some slack over my initially lying to him? Surely, the best way to tell him of my malfeasance was face-to-face. Like a man mounting the scaffold for his hanging, I forced leaden legs to return me to the deck. My call to Bartelle brought the information that he was in the office but not available to come to the phone.

I put Atty on a lead to do her business and then shut her in the house. “Sorry girl, I need to leave you home for this one. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

She trotted to the living room and, without a glance back, crawled onto the couch, where she didn’t belong. She pawed the throw pillow resting against one arm, knocking it flat, and stretched out, snuggling into the back of the couch and resting her head on the flattened pillow. Her eyes met mine and she grinned, as if to say, “What? I’m just following orders.”

What exciting story are you working on next?

False Bottom, the sixth Seamus McCree novel takes place shortly after the completion of Empty Promises. Uncle Mike (O’Malley), Seamus’s surrogate father, is gunned down. Seamus returns to his Boston roots to handle the retired Boston police captain’s estate. He discovers Uncle Mike left him more than just stocks and bonds to worry about. The secrets and intrigue put the entire McCree clan at risk.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always written things, but I don’t think I considered myself a writer until I had the validation of a printed book in hand. It turned out that first book was nonfiction One Trick at a Time: How to start winning at bridge, which was published in 2012. My fiction success started the following year.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I spend about 1,000 hours a year in the writing business and consider myself a half-time author. I am a morning person and like to write when the house is quiet. I don’t write every day, giving myself permission to enjoy traveling and having family and company stay with us without trying to cram writing into those days. On days when I concentrate on writing, I’ll often work five or six hours before lunch and then another hour or two after dinner.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I prefer to write in silence. I marvel that Stephen King can blast rock while he writes, and that many authors prefer to write in noisy coffee shops and public venues. When I write a scene, I often close my eyes and watch the characters act it out. Then I transcribe their actions and their dialogue. I’m not sure if that’s a quirk or whether listening to characters I made up is evidence of mental instability.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I don’t recall having any particular passion as a kid. I have always enjoyed helping people learn. These days I find an outlet for that passion by teaching bridge at the local club.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
It’s always a risk picking up a book from a new-to-you author, isn’t it? Of course, I’d love you to buy Empty Promises, but for those not sure if it’s their cuppa, I have a free download of the first four chapters you can read. If your prefer to start a series with the first novel, here’s the link to Ant Farm’s first four chapters.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

And thank you very much for having me, Lisa.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with romantic suspense author Lisa Caviness

Welcome, Readers. I’m talking with author Lisa Caviness about her new romantic suspense novel, Order of Fear.

During her virtual book tour, Lisa will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too.

Bio:

As a lifelong reader of an eclectic pool of books from mystery/thrillers, science fiction, contemporary romance, and the classics, Lisa Caviness has never been without a book on the nightstand and a long to be read list. Like many writers, she started crafting stories as a child. However as an adult, creativity took a back seat to her career in pharmaceutical and medical device research. In 2013, Lisa decided to get serious about writing and joined Romance Writers of America (Crossroads Romance Writers, Indiana RWA, and Kiss of Death Chapters) and later Sisters in Crime (Speed City Chapter). The education she has received, proved invaluable but more importantly the support from fellow writers has enriched her in thrilling and unexpected ways. Lisa writes romantic suspense.

Welcome, Lisa. Please share a little bit about your current release.

Marissa Nash is a part time ballet dancer and accountant by day. After deciding to place her future happiness over the expectations of others, Marissa chooses to call off her wedding to her philandering fiancé, David, but instead she finds him dead. Dr. Justin Tanner is a trauma surgeon dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder after his medical unit came under attack. He’s also David’s best man and guarding long buried feelings for Marissa.

As Marissa and Justin peel away David’s secrets they are thrown into a deadly battle with, The Order, an evil organization hell-bent on destroying the lives of many. Facing a life and death struggle, Marissa and Justin must also come to grips with their growing feelings, neither is sure they’re ready to handle.

What inspired you to write this book?
The inspiration for my book, Order of Fear originated after watching a documentary on secret societies, such as the Illuminati, Free Masons, and The Knights of Templar. I made the decision to join National Novel Writing Month challenge (a yearly marathon to write 50,000 words during the month of November). Several months before the challenge started I was set to write another story, but this idea took hold and I knew I had to write a story placing the protagonists as targets of a covert organization.

Excerpt from Order of Fear:

The sticky sensation of his blood coated her hands. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She’d been ready to tell David she couldn’t marry him. Maybe they could have worked through their problems, or maybe they could have parted as friends, but now they’d never get a chance. Anger and preoccupation would no longer alienate them. The easy humor and quick laugh that had been absent in recent weeks would never return.

Halo stood next to her, his warm fur plastered against her damp arm.

Surrounded by blood, she glanced at one wall of the kitchen. Her stomach roiled as she studied the brain matter splattered on the wall like abstract art. She stared at the wall, once tan in color, but now stained a ghastly shade of red.

Marissa blinked several times, hoping to erase the sick scene, but the reality remained. David was dead.

The last few weeks she’d been embroiled in romantic, tranquil colors. Soft peach hued roses. Elegant gray candles. Delicate swirls of ruffled silver icing on a too-pretty-to-eat wedding cake. A snowy white wedding dress.

Now her world was blood red.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I am working on Book Two of The Order Series, entitled, Order of Malice.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Referring to myself as a writer is an odd concept for me. After I published my short story (Pivot in the Hope Chest Anthology) and my full-length novel, Order of Fear, and seeing my name listed next to the titles I began to see inklings of myself as a writer. Publishing a book has been a life-long dream and to finally see the results of my hard work is surreal. Now that I have published and have participated in book signings and other author related events (like this blog tour!), I feel like I can finally call myself a writer.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I try to write full-time but other areas often require my attention. My husband is an attorney in both private practice and with a law firm. We also have a couple of start up companies. I spend a portion of my time working with him on these businesses. We also have children, so in addition to being mom, I’m also the taxi driver, psychologist, homework helper, fashion consultant, and chef. Now that school is back in session, I usually get in a workout at the gym and then return to write until the kids get home. I will also try to get in another more abbreviated writing session in the evenings.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I write with a pad of paper next to me. I can’t seem to brainstorm using a computer so I write various scenarios and problems on paper to be able to work through an issue.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a child, I couldn’t quite pinpoint what I wanted to do. I went from archeologist (who wouldn’t want to be like Indiana Jones!) to astronomer to physician.


Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I appreciate your time and your reader’s attention. I’m working very hard to make my books the best they can be and I hope to connect with as many readers as I can. Thank you for hosting me on your blog!

Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon Author page | Goodreads

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | ARe | Smashwords

Thank you for being a guest today, Lisa!

a Rafflecopter giveaway