Jill Piscitello

Book in the Spotlight: The Farmer Takes a Wife, Autumn’s Story, The Brides of Harmon Junction, Bk. 1, by Nancy Pirri

It gives me great pleasure to feature author Nancy Pirri. Her new release, The Farmer Takes a Wife, Autumn’s Story, is Book 1 in the The Brides of Harmon Junction series. This story follows Autumn as she navigates ranch life and potential husbands. Fun fact: This book was based on real events. This is a romance novel to stack at the top of your beach read pile.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: The Farmer Takes a Wife, Autumn’s Story, The Brides of Harmon Junction, Bk. 1

Author: Nancy Pirri

Genre: Contemporary, sweet (clean) romance

BLURB:

(Note from the author: This story was based on true events that happened in the 1980’s in rural Minnesota)

Autumn Sanders is looking for a husband and answers an ad online for men living in a small farming town in Minnesota looking for wives. Upon entering Harmon Junction, she meets handsome farmer, Paul Michaels, and they immediately get off on the wrong foot. Besides, he’s not one of the three men she’s scheduled to meet.

When Autumn’s pay from her job doesn’t arrive in her bank account to pay the hotel bill, Paul steps in. He pays her hotel bill and takes her home to his farm where she cooks and does home and farm chores to pay him back. Autumn stumbles through learning how to do ranch chores, learning how to run the washing machine, cook for a crew of ranch hands but soon falls in love with farm living.

Autumn soon meets her potential would-be husbands and decides none of the three men are right for her. She finds herself drawn more and more to Paul. Paul wasn’t looking for a wife, but knows he’s found one in Autumn. There’s a definite sizzle between them.

Within just a few months’ time, Paul knows Autumn’s the woman for him and proposes marriage. Autumn doesn’t immediately accept his proposal because she insists she wants him to court her—they need to learn more about each other.

Then Paul receives a letter—one that will ultimately change his life forever—and affect Autumn’s life as well.

Will these obstacles deter them from each other, or will their growing love keep them together?

AUTHOR BIO:

Nancy Schumacher is the owner publisher of Melange Books, LLC, writing under the pseudonyms, Nancy Pirri and Natasha Perry. Being a publisher doesn’t allow much time for the creative process of writing and publishing her own works, but every once in a while it happens. She is an associate member of Romance Writers of America (RWA). She is also one of the founders of the RWA chapter, Northern Lights Writers (NLW), in Minnesota.

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Interview with Courtny Bradley, Author of Death on Deck

Author Courtny Bradley is joining me today for an interview. Her novel, Death on Deck, releases September 30th. Take a few minutes to get to know your next favorite author. Be sure to visit her website to check out a slew of cozy mystery fun.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Death on Deck

Author: Courtny Bradley

Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

Embark on a thrilling nautical adventure in “Death on Deck,” a captivating cozy mystery by Courtny Bradley. Meet Lisa-May Midé and her Cruising Crew—a spirited group of women in their 60s facing retirement head-on. When a lifeless body is discovered, their leisurely cruise takes a sinister turn. Lisa-May finds herself entangled in a web of mystery and murder. Battling ageist suspicions and navigating the waters of friendship, the group of women unravel the secrets hidden beneath the ship’s glimmering surface. With humor, resilience, and a bond forged through decades, the Cruising Crew proves that the journey to solving a mystery is just as exciting as the destination.

INTERVIEW:

Welcome! It is my pleasure to feature your novel.

What was the inspiration behind your latest release?

I have a slight obsession with wanting to become a grandmother. This has been my dream since I was a child. I want to be the fluffy, cuddly, silver-haired grandma who gives my grandbabies everything. My book Death on Deck is all about the feisty older ladies I have the pleasure of having in my life. My Nonnie, Nannie and they are the inspiration of The Cruising Crew ladies.

Have you ever traveled when researching information for a book?

Funnily enough, the idea for this book came about when I was on my honeymoon cruise. An amazing group of older ladies sat across from my husband and me, and they were a hoot-in-a-half. My husband and I started throwing out ideas for cozies because, of course, I had brought some on our trip, and he was teasing me about them. This book might not have happened had we not been traveling.

How many hours do you dedicate each day towards writing?

I work for my school district full-time during the school year, and I have two boys, ages 3 ½ and 1 ½-year-old. The prime time for writing is the summer. My boys are in school, and I can write all day. I take breaks throughout the day to walk outside and read, but this is the best time for me to write.

Which authors inspire you?

My biggest inspiration and cheerleader is Ellie Alexander. She is a fellow cozy mystery author who is the kindest person I’ve ever met. Without her encouragement and course on mystery writing, I don’t know if Death on Deck would have ever set sail.

What project are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on another cozy mystery series called Literary Stitches. In the charming town of Broken Arrow, former bestselling author Addie Doyle must solve the murder of her ex-best friend, all while managing her family’s quirky book and craft store, Literary Stitches—where every clue could be hidden between the pages.

Upcoming books, events, appearances, giveaways:

My book Death on Deck releases on September 30th! I’m going to the Ashland Mystery Festival in Ashland, Oregon in October.

AUTHOR BIO:

Meet Courtny Bradley, affectionately known as Courtagonist in the cozy mystery realm. An educator with over a decade of experience, Courtny has been unraveling cozy mysteries online since 2017. Married to her best friend, she juggles the delightful chaos of parenting two rambunctious toddlers in the heart of Oklahoma. Courtny’s cozy expertise shines as she guides fellow mystery enthusiasts through the charming world of whodunits, a journey seasoned with warmth, wit, and a touch of Oklahoma flair.

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Book in the Spotlight: In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key, by M. S. Spencer

Please join me in welcoming author M.S Spencer. ‘Tis the season for building one’s summer reading list. In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key offers romance and suspense wrapped in a cozy mystery. Check, check, and check. This new release makes for an entertaining beach read.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: In the Crosshairs: the Body on Leffis Key

Author: M. S. Spencer

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Romantic Suspense

BLURB:

Palmer Lind, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, embarks on a bird-watching trek to the Gulf Coast of Florida. One hot day on Leffis Key she comes upon—not the life bird she was hoping for—but a floating corpse. The handsome beach bum who appears on the scene at the same time seems to have even more secrets than the dead man.

His story begins to unravel as the pair search for answers to a growing pile of dead bodies. Spies, radical environmentalists, and wealthy businessmen circle around each other in a complex dance. Which one is lying? What do a seemingly random group of individuals have in common, other than being targeted by a crossbow?

AUTHOR BIO:

Librarian, anthropologist, research assistant, Congressional aide, speechwriter, nonprofit director—M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five of the seven continents and holds degrees in Anthropology, Middle East Studies, and Library Science. She has published seventeen mystery or romantic suspense novels. She has two children, an exuberant granddaughter, and currently divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.

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Guest Post with Lori Pollard-Johnson, Author of Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage

Please join me in welcoming author Lori Pollard-Johnson. Today, Lori is sharing a guest post about the popularity of endearing pets in cozy mysteries. Doting pet parents will relate to how these pets become such important characters. Fans of cozies will delight in this new release featuring a feisty sleuth.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage

Author: Lori Pollard-Johnson

Genre: Cozy Mystery

BLURB:

Thirty-four, newly divorced and parenting two little girls, Jan Weatherly is determined to make it on her own doing what she knows best: do-it-yourself home flipping. With her BFF Pam Bacchus by her side, she purchases their first fixer-upper—a cute Craftsman cottage with quick profit potential in rainy Rainier, Washington. With the first swing of her claw hammer, however, Jan pries back faux cedar paneling and reveals a nude, snow-haired corpse floating in a makeshift aquarium. If that didn’t fully sour their dreams in a plume of formaldehyde-tinged air, Sergeant Daniels arrives and bans the women from the crime scene. Will they continue sleuthing, despite Daniels’s warnings, or simply wait for their dreams of financial independence to fall apart?

GUEST POST:

Cozy mysteries are well-known for their amateur sleuths and their endearing furry companions. They become as much a part of the series as any recurring character—often, they’re the ones we are most eager to read about again.

Take Janet Evanovich. Her car-exploding heroine, Stephanie Plum, cares for a skittish little hamster named Rex. Cozy mystery writer V. M. Burns based her entire Dog Club Mysteries around a poodle named Aggie. And then there’s one of the grand dames of cozies: Lillian Jackson Brown. Her “The Cat Who…” series features thoughtful and flawed Qwilleran and his curious Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum.

This isn’t by chance. Cozy readers tend to be female, over forty years old, and looking for escape. Their “intelligent and intuitive” nature, as one agent describes them, makes them especially drawn to our lovable animal companions.

So as a cozy reader myself, it’s no wonder that my books often contain a loveable four-legged companion. My newest title, “Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage,” features Moxie, an elderly Chinese Crested, who serves as a mascot for my newly divorced BFFs new home-flipping business. She’s sweet and affectionate and reveals the true strengths of Jan and Pam as they navigate the ups and downs of divorce and single parenthood, potential financial ruin, and of course, discovering a dead body.

To see how Moxie changes everyone’s lives for the better, read “Corpse in the Craftsman Cottage,” available in eBook and Print.

AUTHOR BIO:

Lori Pollard-Johnson is a retired educator and current wife, mama and grandma. She writes from her homes in Washington and Arizona, and has been published in fiction, nonfiction and poetry, in publications as diverse as Vegetarian Journal, Seattle, Black Belt, Bridal Connections and The Binnacle, in addition to five novels. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her grandbabies, braiding rugs, perfecting her shavasana, swimming, hiking, practicing her releves, renovating fixer-uppers, reading, or watching javelinas dance through her backyard.

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The Wild Rose Press

Book in the Spotlight: The Duchess Egg Hunt, by Amy Hahn

Please join me in welcoming author Amy Hahn. Her new release, The Duchess Egg Hunt, is a perfect pick to add to your cozy mystery TBR pile. This is especially true if you are like me and enjoy a mystery set within the art world.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: The Duchess Egg Hunt

Author: Amy Hahn

Genre: Cozy mystery

BLURB:

Havilland Smythe doesn’t know what’s shocked her more: The instant attraction she feels for handsome Detective Roman Fairfax or his admission she’s the top suspect in the theft of a historic artifact. She’s immediately intrigued, possessing a legitimate interest in the stolen work of art. The Grand Duchess Anastasia Egg is part of a collection of four jewel-encrusted eggs gifted to the daughters of the last Tsar of Russia. Finding and reuniting them in an exhibit for public enjoyment and preserving them for future generations is a professional passion. Despite Roman’s ardent objections, she joins him in his search for the perpetrator and the missing egg. And in the process, she lands smackdab into an adventure of a lifetime, solving a mystery that’s baffled the art community for decades and falling hopelessly in love with Roman Fairfax.

AUTHOR BIO:

Amy Hahn has been a writer since childhood. Notebooks filled with her creative stories were a constant companion. She’s worked as an editor and writer for various magazines and online news web sites. She has also worked as a television news producer, college instructor, and managing editor for one of the world’s top medical organizations. She enjoys writing in a variety of genres, including romance and nonfiction historical.