Jill Piscitello

Guest Post with Brenda Whiteside, Author of Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Book 2)

Please join me in welcoming author Brenda Whiteside. Today, Brenda is sharing a guest post from the perspective of her amateur sleuth, Nicole Earp. Enjoy this up close and personal introduction to a delightful character and her story.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Reading, Writing, and Murder (Chocolate Martini Sisters Book 2)

Author: Brenda Whiteside and Joyce Proell

Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

At the writers’ conference, murder tops the program.

Aspiring mystery author Emma Banefield and travel writer Nicole Earp are excited to attend a writers’ conference during their latest sisters’ getaway. Nic’s birthday should be all about relaxation, writing, and a chocolate martini to toast another trip around the sun, but the climate at the gathering rumbles like a sudden desert thunderstorm.

When sparks fly between the keynote speaker and her timid assistant over a handsome mystery author, the subtitle on this anticipated tranquil weekend spells drama. If a heated love triangle, bruised egos, and betrayal aren’t enough to upset the atmosphere, the conference banquet erupts into a drunken brawl and sends the place spinning. After a body is discovered, Nic and Em do what they do best—snoop—and become embroiled in a mystery that jumps off the pages of a true-crime bestseller.

With more than enough suspects and little time, the amateur sleuths have their hands full finding the killer. But can the competitive Chocolate Martini Sisters solve the crime before the prickly chief detective does, or will a murderer outwit them all?

GUEST POST:

An Invitation from Nicole Earp as told to Brenda Whiteside

My name is Nicole Earp, but everyone calls me Nic. And everyone, on first meeting, asks if I’m related to the infamous brothers. Well, I’m not, but my second husband claimed he was a distant cousin of Wyatt Earp. I’ve kept the name and have fun with the connection, especially since I live in Wyatt, Arizona. I’m a freelance travel writer so my days can be different from month to month depending on the assignment I’ve picked up. When home, I dabble in candle making. But it’s the relaxing weekends I spend twice a year at the Dulce Inn in Wyatt that I’m sure you’ll find much more interesting.

My birthday is in the spring and my sister Em’s is six months later in the fall. What perfect timing for our twice-a-year getaways and at least one celebratory chocolate martini in the Azul Saloon inside the inn. Our tradition has earned us a nickname from the staff—The Chocolate Martini Sisters.

A typical day at the inn finds Em on an early morning run while I sleep in after having stayed up late reading a mystery. I rise, practice a short yoga session, and shower. On this visit, our schedule includes a writers’ conference. I’m hoping to perfect my craft while Em is excited to pitch her first mystery novel to an agent. Regardless of what we’re doing on our birthday weekends, we always have fun.

And then there’s the dead body we’re prone to discover.

Em and I do love sharing a good murder mystery. Solving the crime will put us in the faces of two detectives who might deserve some credit for helping us crack the caper. The Chief Homicide Detective Bennett Guthrie is particularly fun…for me anyway. He really gets under my sister’s skin. She’s analytical and compassionate which seems to rub him wrong. He’s tenacious, determined, and focused, but really hates admitting how much we help him. I operate on gut instincts, coming to conclusions a bit too fast at times. Gah! I have fun anyway. Guthrie takes himself far too seriously, so I enjoy a good jab at him now and then.

I hope you’ll join us on one of our weekends at the inn. You’ll love Wyatt, Arizona, located at the base of the Bradshaw Mountains, two hours north of Phoenix. Wyatt Earp frequented the historical Dulce Inn and the Azul Restaurant and Saloon located inside the hotel. The town has a slight old west feel with turn of the century buildings. See you there!

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 http://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.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS for BRENDA:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog (she blogs and has guests)

Amazon Author

Goodreads

BookBub

Instagram

Newsletter

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US Series

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon CA

Goodreads

BookBub

Book in the Spotlight: Dachshund to Death, by C.B. Wilson

Please join me in welcoming author C.B. Wilson. Cozy pet mystery fans are sure to enjoy Dachshund to Death, book 7 in the Barkview Mystery Series. C.B.’s author photo brightened my day. The inspiration behind this delightful series is clear.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Dachshund to Death

Author: C.B. Wilson

Genre: Cozy Pet Mystery

BLURB:

A murdered chef, a missing gingerbread recipe and a holiday secret to die for…

A murdered pastry chef and a stolen family recipe turn Barkview’s annual holiday gingerbread doghouse competition into a canine cat-astrophy.

Has this competition turned dog-eat-dog or is it something more sinister? A tent full of knife-proficient suspects complicates everything. When Sandy’s sister is accused of the crime, Cat Hawl is on the scent. The deeper she digs she realizes that the recipe itself leads to something far more valuable than the perfect holiday treat.

With the help of two devilish Dachshunds, Cat must run with the big dogs to find a 1930’s treasure before the prize is eaten by time.

AUTHOR BIO:

The award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Barkview Mysteries series, C.B. Wilson’s love of writing was spurred by an early childhood encounter with a Nancy Drew book where she precociously wrote what she felt was a better ending. After studying at the Gemology Institute of America, she developed a passion for researching lost, stolen and missing diamonds–the big kind. Her fascination with dogs and their passionate owners inspired Barkview, California, the dog friendliest city in America.

C.B. lives in Peoria, AZ with her husband. She is an avid pickleball player who enjoys traveling to play tournaments. She admits to chocoholic tendencies and laughing out loud at dog comics.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

PURCHASE LINKS:

An Interview With Karina Bartow, Author of Accidental Allies

Author Karina Bartow is joining us today for an interview. Accidental Allies, Book 3 in the Unde(a)feted Detective Series, is now available for pre-order.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Accidental Allies

Author: Karina Bartow

Genre: Mystery

BLURB:

Everybody’s experienced a rocky start to a new job, but few can top Minka Avery’s return to Orlando PD.

After six years as a stay-at-home mom, Minka’s nervous but excited to sit at a detective’s desk again. Before she has a chance to break in her badge, however, her career resumes with a bang when someone bombs the county courthouse.

With many disillusioned with the justice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and her new partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zero in on the courthouse’s former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend him send the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends with the lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplice be closer than she thinks?

INTERVIEW:

Welcome! What was the inspiration behind your latest release?

Accidental Allies is the third installment of the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, so I had to decide what turn I wanted the series to take. In its forerunner, Brother of Interest, Minka Avery, the protagonist, had taken a break from the police force, but she loves detective work so much that I knew she’d eventually return to the Orlando PD. Let’s just say I opted to bring her back with a bang!

Where do you get your ideas?

From all over, really. Minka is deaf, so I draw a lot of her experiences off of the hurdles I face from living with a disability—Cerebral Palsy, in my case—and yet wanting to pursue the goals you desire to.

Do ideas for plot or characters appear first?

Almost always the characters. Once I start developing them, they form the plot.

Have you ever traveled when researching information for a book?

Yes, I have. As a matter of fact, I went to see the courthouse where the bombing takes place in Accidental Allies and even had lunch at the diner across the street from it. I like to engage all of my senses when I’m setting scouting!

When did you begin writing?

I started writing little stories when I was nine years old, but I didn’t take it too seriously until I was eighteen.

How many hours do you dedicate each day towards writing?

Usually three to four.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I was born with Cerebral Palsy, so I only have limited use of one hand. Naturally, that affects my ability to type, but I’ve always been determined to do it all on my own, unless I’m on a deadline.

What does literary success mean to you?

Of course, it’d be thrilling to land the best-sellers list or a movie deal, but what matters most to me is having people enjoying my work. I really endeavour to make readers feel what the characters are going through and form a connection with them.

What writing tips or marketing advice would you like to share?

All aspects of it require commitment and perseverance, from writing a draft to seeking a publisher/agent to lining up promotional stuff. Because of that, I always say don’t give up!

Which authors inspire you?

I’ve enjoyed Nicolas Sparks’ style as well as Marie Benedict. They both can really throw you into the story and get lost in the characters.

What project are you currently working on?

Another novel in the Unde(a)feated Detective Series, as well as two mini-installments in the form of short stories that Author TG Wolff will feature on her Mysteries to Die For podcast.

AUTHOR BIO:

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want. Her works include Husband in Hiding, Brother of Interest, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Wrong Line, Right Connection. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

SOCIAL MEDIA:

PURCHASE LINKS:

Book in the Spotlight: Rag Lady, by Susie Black

Please join me in welcoming back author Susie Black. I thrilled to spotlight her latest novel, Rag Lady. This story features sleuth Holly Schlivnik, from the Holly Swimsuit mystery series, as a recent college graduate navigating the career world.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Rag Lady

Author: Susie Black

Genre: Women’s Fiction

BLURB:

Recent college graduate Holly Schlivnik dreams of being a writer, but fate has other plans. A family crisis throws her into an improbable situation and her life will never be the same. Determined to make her own luck when things don’t happen the way she plans, the irrepressible young woman takes a sledge hammer to the glass ceiling and shatters it to smithereens. The wise-cracking, irreverent transplanted Californian takes you on a raucous, rollicking rollercoaster ride of her hysterical adventures as a ladies apparel sales rep traveling in the deep South as she ends up finding herself along the way.

AUTHOR BIO:

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.