Please join me in welcoming authors Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell. Read on for the inspiration behind The Chocolate Martini Sisters cozy mystery series. You’ll enjoy learning how Brenda’s personal birthday tradition at a historic hotel frequented by the Earp brothers piqued her imagination.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Book 1)
Author: Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell
Genre: Cozy Mystery
BLURB:
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?
GUEST POST:
The Inspiration, by Brenda Whiteside
My birthday falls at the end of summer, and my sister’s birthday is in the spring. Twice a year, on our birthdays, we have a chocolate martini in the Peacock Room located in the historical hotel, the Hassayampa Inn. The inn is on a busy street in the heart of downtown Prescott, Arizona. If you’re at all familiar with Arizona, you’ll know Prescott is a western-flavored city where the Earp brothers as well as other colorful old west characters hung out. Sitting in the Peacock Room that boasts original everything, I can practically see Wyatt strolling in, plunking his boot on the rail, and asking for a whiskey.
After a few birthdays, my sister and I started calling ourselves, the Chocolate Martini Sisters. As soon as those words were uttered, my writer’s mind took off with an idea. Hadn’t we sat sipping our martinis while imaging all kinds of stories about the patrons and inn employees? The bartender hid his mysterious past behind crystal blue smiling eyes. The dark-skinned cowboy sitting at the end of the bar sipping his beer wasn’t a cowboy at all but a spy working for the owner of the inn. The surly food critic demanding attention might be attracting more than a waiter’s service. I saw mystery brewing on each of our birthday visits.
My ideas took form. I knew a cozy mystery series waited to be written, and I knew I needed the expertise of my friend Joyce Proell to help me weave the mysteries. The stories are written from two sisters’ points of view. I get to write Nic and Joyce creates Em. We’re having a lot of fun with the Chocolate Martini Sisters mysteries. I know our readers will be entertained.
AUTHOR BIO:
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.
Visit her website at www.joyceproell.com or
https://www.facebook.com/JoyceProellAuthor.
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.
Brenda Whiteside
Joyce Proell
BRENDA’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
She blogs and has guests at https://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/
PURCHASE LINKS:
Jill Piscitello 
Thank you so much for spotlighting our book. It’s been fun to write, and from our readers it’s fun to read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My pleasure! This looks like such a fun read.
LikeLiked by 1 person