A Crust to Die For (A Tiffany Austin Food Blogger Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Georgia
Severn House (January 2, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages

 

Synopsis

 

The Bon-Appetempting Pizza Bake-Off has the small town of Branson, Georgia buzzing. Not least its organizer, Southern Style’s food critic and blogger Tiffany Austin. But right before the finals one of the celebrity judges falls ill, and to Tiffany’s horror the magazine replaces him with none other than handsome TV star and restaurateur Bartholomew Driscoll.

Tiffany once gave his restaurant a poor review, and she’s convinced he’s only accepted the job to get revenge. She fully expects Driscoll will find a way to ruin the contest . . . but she definitely doesn’t expect to trip over his dead body backstage!

Soon, it’s clear Tiffany wasn’t the only person who had less than positive feelings towards the sharp-tongued Driscoll. She’s surrounded by suspects – but which of the motley crew of contestants, family members and scorned friends and colleagues had the guts to commit murder?

With the help of her BFF Hilary and annoyingly handsome detective Bartell, and with cat Lily and puppy Cooper as emotional support, Tiffany investigates, only to discover that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold . . .

 

 

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Guest Post & Recipe

 

Hello Folks!  I’m T.C.LoTempio, author of the Nick and Nora mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and most recently, the Tiffany Austin Food blogger mysteries!

In A CRUST TO DIE FOR, Tiffany’s latest adventure (out January 2!)  Tiffany emcees a pizza baking contest. And who doesn’t love pizza, right? Below are two of Tiffany’s favorite pizza recipes! We hope they will be yours too!

 

Cheesy Easy bake Pizza

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar (can substitute honey

½ cup warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup sliced onion

2 bell peppers, cut thin

16 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

2 cups tomato sauce

Toppings of your choice

 

Directions:

Prepare crust: In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar or honey in warm water, then add the olive oil and the salt.

In a separate bowl, mix flours together. Add them to liquid mixture, stirring first and then kneading to incorporate. Let dough rise 30-40 minutes. While dough is rising, saute sliced onions in a pan over medium heat with a little olive oil to caramelize their sugars. Cook until transparent but not browned. Reduce heat, add a little water to prevent browning, and let cook another 10 to 15 minutes until glossy and sweet. Add sliced peppers and cook 5-10 more minutes.

Once dough has risen, preheat oven to 425°. Divide dough in half. On clean, floured surface, roll out two round, 12 in. pizza crusts, using fingers to roll the perimeter into an outer crust edge as thick as you like. Using a spatula, slide crusts onto well-floured pans or baking stones. If using fresh tomatoes, layer cheese evenly over crust, then scatter your favorite toppings on top, finishing with the herbs. If using tomato sauce, spread over crust, top with cheese and then other toppings.

Bake pizzas in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the crust is brown and crisp.

Note:  You can substitute pre-made pizza dough if you prefer.

 

 

Ricotta Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (you can either make your own as per first recipe, or get the pre-made at your grocery store)

Ricotta cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

(Quantity depends on how cheesy you want pizza)

Fresh basil

Salt

Pepper

Minced garlic

 

Directions:

Layer the ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese on the pizza dough.  Sprinkle Parmesan over top.  Add salt, pepper, and minced garlic.  Bake in preheated oven until crust is brown and crisp.  Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

 

 

About the Author

 

T. C. LoTempio is the award-winning, national bestselling author of the Nick and Nora mystery series. Her cat, Rocco, provides the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat. She also writes the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery Series, as well as the Cat Rescue series. Her latest series is the Tiffany Austin Food Blogger series from Severn House.

 

ROCCO’s blog * Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Beneath the weight of four long years in confinement, a story of liberation unfolds, igniting a whirlwind of love, fear, and even hope.

When Ed and Stacey go to Las Vegas to visit their friend Pepper, they realize his dementia has gotten worse. They decide to take him with them on their road trip to see old friends near Mt Konocti in northern California. At the reunion, he meets Sandy Martin, and they begin a new love relationship. He calls in to a local radio talk show and the audience likes him so much that he becomes a regular part of the show. But when a local psychopath hears Pepper on the show and decides he wants Pepper to be his friend, things take a very dark turn…

 

 

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Praise

 

“This book was both suspenseful and beautiful at the same time. All in all, an excellent read.” – Book Addict Book Blog

“The author uses richly crafted characters to bring the story to life, weaving past memories into the present. Keeping Pepper highlights the importance of living each day to the fullest, even if it means taking risks.” – Novels Alive

“Thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns as the story evolved. Certainly didn’t see some of them coming. The poignancy of old friends, new paths and one more good time was woven into a very engaging story.” – Deb Zak (Amazon Reviewer)

“This was such a fresh and engaging story about the power of taking risks no matter your age or stage of life. It centers on a group of longtime friends of former ad executive Michael Pepper. Pepper’s story is romantic and, at times, quite suspenseful. I found his energy and spirit of adventure inspiring, and it made for a very enjoyable book.” – KKW (Amazon Reviewer)

 

 

Excerpt

 

Konocti

 

In the end, twelve of them decided to make the trip. Several others begged off, leery of the trails and opting to take the day at the farm. They took three vehicles. A car and two SUV’s, packed with lots of food, drinks and gear in addition to the people. It took them about twenty minutes to get to the bottom of the mountain. The road goes through the village of Kelseyville, down some residential blocks, then the road slopes up through a series of farm fields and orchards, followed by open rocky hillsides. As they rose up on the hill, the tableau took shape – Clear Lake at the foot of the mountain with towns and suburban blocks in the distance. Going higher, the view got bigger, and the lake got both deeper in color, and silvery where the sun reflected off it. They all stopped talking and watched the view changing and developing with some awe as they drove. As they got higher, they disappeared into a cloud bank, then the road popped out of the cloud, and they were in a thick stand of Maul Oaks in a notch between two peaks rising on either side of them. The oaks were tall, 40 to 60 feet, with big heavy curving branches that looked like trees out of an old Disney cartoon. They drove a bit further through the woods until they reached a clearing with parking spaces near a trailhead. They got out, still surrounded by trees.

“That didn’t take long,” Stacey said, stretching her legs.

Richie was organizing their stuff. He had divided them up into small packs so people could carry them easily on their backs. By giving them to a few people, he figured nobody would have too much weight to carry.

“They call it Mt. Konocti, but it’s really not much of a mountain,” he said. “Just about 2,200 feet above the lake.”

“Looked a lot higher coming up,” Hubert said. “Beautiful views on the way up. Can’t wait to see them from here.”

“Yeah, it gets better from here on.” Richie said. He turned to speak to the group. “Everybody ready? Everything good? Anyone need to pee or anything before we get started?” Nobody said anything. “Anybody wanting to take a nap yet?” He laughed, as did a few in the group.

“A nap?” Pepper asked Ed.

“It’s a joke, Pepper.”

“Ah.”

Pepper was standing with Ed, Stacey, Sandy, and Franny. They had decided to stay together as a group on the hike. They looked like an aging tribe in plaids and jeans, shaggy hair and caps in the cool morning. Bits of fog lingered and drifted through the trees around them, cooling the air and filtering the sun.

“OK, well then let’s get started,” Richie said to them all, turning to walk. “The trail-head is over here.” And they were off. They hit the trailhead and followed the path into the trees. After a few minutes, Richie started talking to them about where they were.

“This is what they call the Black Forest because it’s a very dense wood of Douglas Fir and Maul Oaks. It’s a bit of a mystery, since it’s located on the north face of the mountain where it never gets direct sunlight. Nobody really understands how it got started here or why it grows just here.”

“Kind of spooky in here actually,” Sandy said to Pepper, sliding her arm around his. Pepper thought that was nice, but he wondered if she was thinking he needed propping up. He decided not to worry about it.

“Yes,” he agreed with her. “Keep your eyes open for witches.”

Richie kept going. “Truth is Mount Kon is really pretty exceptional. It’s not so big, as I said before, but it is a special place – both the mountain and the lake. It’s an old volcano. Part of what they call the Clear Lake Volcanic Field. It has been quite active in its history. They say it last erupted around 10,000 years ago, which is pretty recently.”

He stopped to help Cyn and Hubert over some rocks.

“I guess it was a fairly active volcano over the millennia, and through that time it created lots of caves and natural tunnels – old volcanic vents – into the interior of the mountain. Indians used to live here – lots of them. This was a large settlement of native Americans all around the lake. Mostly the Pomo tribe. They say thousands lived in the area in the 1800’s before white men came and started killing them off.”

“God Bless America,” Eddie said.

“But the Pomo explored the area more than anyone since. Their stories about the mountain told about a huge open cavern in the center of the mountain. Probably this would have been the central magma chamber from when the mountain was an active volcano. They said their men used to crawl through the tunnels until they came to the edge of the openings, then they would drop things into the cavern to see how far they fell. Often, they never heard them land. Geologists mostly tend to believe these stories. They say this could be the tallest cavern in North America. But the soil is very unstable and many of the vent tunnels have collapsed. So, it is dangerous to explore – nobody has ever been able to find the central cavern, if it still exists. But one thing they do know about Konocti – the mountain breathes. All the vents around the sides, and the open cavern in the center creates wind drafts and thermal currents. The changing pressures and different temperatures create its own air system. They say when the weather is changing on the outside and it gets windy, that’s when you can hear it the most, kind of whistling or wheezing. Feel it too, since the air on the inside is a constant temperature it feels either warmer or cooler than the air outside. So you get little blasts of the mountain’s breath walking around.”

He stopped and walked with them for a bit. Walking and talking got him out of breath.

“Lots of people have reported strange breezes blowing right out of holes in the side of the mountain. Sometimes they smell like old decaying soil, sometimes people say they blow warm wet air. It breathes. In storms, especially. And lots of people report finding openings into the side. Sometimes big enough to call caves. Other times just holes. This mountain — it seems to have its own life, kind of. It’s unpredictable and kind of spiritual. One of the reasons I wanted to bring you all up here, just to see it and feel it. The Pomo felt it. This was a sacred place to them. They gave it the name Konocti which combined their two words for “mountain” and “woman.”

“Wow,” Sandy said. “You know, Richie – as long as I’ve lived in San Francisco, I never heard any of that before, and we’re so close. I’ve heard of Clear Lake, but never heard much about it. Never seemed to be anything that special.”

 

 

About the Author

 

Scott Brody works in broadcasting and ad sales in Southern California. He’s married with a daughter, two sons, and two grandchildren. He also wrote The Org, which is available on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Vanilla Chai and A Vanishing Victim: A British Cozy Murder Mystery with a Female Sleuth (A Waterwheel Cafe Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Cotswold, England
Kanga Press (January 5, 2024)

 

Synopsis

 

A missing child. A half-baked ransom demand. Can a community cop sift through clues and rescue the tot before teatime?

Sergeant Keya Varma’s culinary dreams come true as she joyfully opens her own café. And attending her sister’s wedding is the cherry on the cake. But her excitement sinks like a souffle when a customer’s little boy disappears.

Shaken as well as stirred into action, the part-time police officer joins the search, but she’s shattered when even a ransom payment doesn’t bring the rug rat back home.

For Keya, justice is served with a side of scones, but can she save the child before the clotted cream turns sour?

Indulge in the Waterwheel Café cozy mystery series, where Keya Varma mixes crime with coffee and crêpes. If you crave appetising characters, a dash of humour, and a dollop of English charm, you’ll devour Victoria Tait’s delicious tale.

Bake your way into intrigue with Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim today!

 

 

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Guest Post

 

What I’ve learned from working on the investigation in Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim

 

by Sergeant Keya Varma

 

Hiya, I’m Sergeant Keya Varma, part-time police officer and full-time café owner – although with major cases like the one in this book, I have to rely on my family and friends to run the café while I work the investigation with my colleagues from Cirencester Police Station.

This story involves the abduction of a young boy. Spoiler alert, he is returned safely and is not harmed. I’ve worked many murder cases, but I think this one, probably because it involved a child, was particularly distressing.

Child abduction is a difficult subject, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored.

Even before the case, I’d been considering the issue as my colleague, Inspector Sue Honeywell, and I had been instructed to convey the government’s new message “Clever Never Goes’ to primary school children in the Cotswolds.

This is a change in tactic from the old warning of ‘stranger danger’, and that children shouldn’t talk to, take things or go with anyone they didn’t know. But that cautionary advice it is still relevant. In the UK, there are over 200 attempts per year that we know of, where strangers attempt to abduct children, and worryingly around 50 of them are successful.

But this slogan is now considered outdated, as the majority of strangers do not want to harm children, whereas most abductions are undertaken by people the children know. We have been teaching children about situations they need to be aware of, and most of them are wary about accepting anything from strangers.

But many children, especially girls, love to pet people’s dogs or horses, and if an estranged parent turns up and offered to take them to McDonald’s, or for an ice cream, would they say no?

And considering parents, don’t they have the right to see and spend time with their children? During this case, Inspector Honeywell was also dealing with a difficult situation where a convicted murderer from a previous case wanted to see her children. But her former husband had moved back to his parent’s house in France with their daughters.

A mother, even one in prison, retains parental rights regarding her children unless they are legally adopted. And a parent who takes a child abroad without the other parent’s consent is breaking the law, as set out under the Child Abduction Act 1984.

Interestingly for me, when I look back on the case in Vanilla Chai and a Vanishing Victim, one parent leaving the other and taking a child elsewhere in the UK, even the northernmost point of Scotland, would not be breaking the law, even though it could make access to the child for the other parent extremely difficult.

However, while not illegal, the courts may require the child to stay with the parent who doesn’t move, especially if it is considered their education will suffer.

The conclusion I have is that once marriages or relationships tour sour, it is difficult for all involved, but that doesn’t mean the families should stay together. I do sometimes wish the adults would communicate better, but there are so many pressures in modern day life.

Perhaps if people stopped chasing the accumulation of more ‘stuff’ or comparing themselves with others, then they’d be more content in their lives and their relationships.

But in the end, what tears me apart is that it is always the children who suffer on some level. But sorting out this societal problem is above my pay grade. I’ll continue to perform my duties as best I can, protecting all people, as well as trying to bring some joy into their lives through my Waterwheel Café.

I hope you enjoy Vanilla Chai and A Vanishing Victim, while considering the messages conveyed in the story.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England.  After following her military husband around the world, she drew on her life’s experiences, and a love of Agatha Christie, Father Brown, and Murder She Wrote, to write British based cozy mysteries.

Her determined female sleuths are joined by colourful and quirky teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and realistic.  As you’re compelled to keep turning the pages, you’ll be irresistibly drawn into a world where you’ll experience surprises, humour, and, sometimes, a tug on your heartstrings.

Do you like tea, mysteries, and books? Then why not join Victoria’s TeaCozy Club for regular news and updates, and download the free prequel to the Dotty Sayers Antique Mysteries series as a gift by visiting her website

Who doesn’t like tea, cake, and a slice of murder?

 

 

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Rivers and Creaks: A Redwoods Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – California
BGM Press (November 30, 2023)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 227 pages

 

Synopsis

 

A grumpy innkeeper. A dead guest. Can he solve the locked-room mystery before his business crumbles into chaos?

In the heart of Redwoods Country, where even the towering trees whisper secrets, there’s an innkeeper who’s anything but welcoming. Meet Andy Shirley—a man who’s made grumpiness an art form, detesting both guests and life’s little inconveniences. Now a dead guest and a killer on the loose threaten not only Andy’s solitude but his livelihood.

His cherished wife’s memory keeps him tethered to the small-town bed and breakfast they dreamt of running together. When a guest is found dead in a locked room, can this retired copy editor use his meticulous attention to detail to uncover the truth and save his business?

Fearing this shocking event will deter future guests and buyers, Andy’s frustration intensifies as the sheriff shifts his focus to a higher profile case. Yet, amidst this turmoil, Andy’s even more shocked when the most unexpected event happens as he hunts for clues . . . he strikes up an unlikely friendship.

Rivers and Creaks launches the humorous Redwoods Country cozy mystery series. If you like cranky but lovable characters, classic closed-door conundrums, and light-hearted fun, then you’ll love Marc Jedel’s laugh-out-loud tale. Imagine “Grumpy Old Men” merged with “Schitt’s Creek.”

 

 

 

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Interview with Marc Jedal

 

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

 

Meeting new characters, even if only in my own head, is quite enjoyable. It’s fun to figure out their quirks and an interesting backstory that animates the character to the point where they feel like a real human. Another exciting part is that after publishing nine other novels, I finally came up with a good Hollywood synopsis to describe one of my books. Rivers and Creaks is like Grumpy Old Men meets Schitt’s Creek.

A less enjoyable situation that coincided with the writing of this novel was that I wrote much of it during my own house remodel. Perhaps it isn’t a coincidence that Rivers and Creaks finds the protagonist encountering plumbing and electrical issues with his bed and breakfast while trying to solve a murder.

You might ask me to explain the reasoning behind repainting the downstairs walls of my house. Of course, it’s because the shower handle in our upstairs bathroom needed to be replaced. And, no, we didn’t have any leaks. In high tech product development, there is a term for this situation: scope creep. At least both the remodel and the novel turned out well.

 

Did you learn anything surprising about yourself when you began writing novels?

 

It turns out I’m really bad at naming characters beyond the protagonists. It’s just one of those weird things. While I’m writing I use KILLER, DEAD GUY, SUSPECT 1. I’ve got a friend who I call my “name whisperer.” Scott is his real name, but “name whisperer” sounds cool. Once I send him some character descriptions, he magically comes up with really good name options. The last manuscript I finished didn’t have actual names in it until right before I sent it to the copy editor. The funny part of that is when I began proofing the final version, I had no idea who the people were so it was almost like I was reading someone else’s book.

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about?

 

I’ve begun writing book 6 in the Silicon Valley Mystery series. It will be called Pride and Principal. Marty Golden, the bumbling software engineer, and part-time amateur sleuth, is just too fun a character to write for me to leave him alone for long. It’s been quite gratifying to see how popular that series has become, with the first book, Uncle and Ants, garnering over 2,200 Amazon ratings to date.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future?

 

Beyond book 6 in the Silicon Valley series, there will definitely be more novels in the Redwoods Country Mystery series. I have an idea for book 2 and know how the body is discovered, but haven’t figured out whodunnit or why. I’m not sure yet if I’ll continue writing more novels in my Ozarks Lake Mystery series or the Silicon Valley Mystery series or start yet another series, so it will depend on both reader feedback (please send emails!) and what ideas come to mind. I have written a sci-fi/thriller under a different pen name and would like to write a heist sci-fi novel set in space, just because it sounds cool. Beyond those, I’m sure I’ll come up with some new and entertaining characters and plot ideas that spark my imagination.

How long have you been writing?

 

In one sense, my entire professional life in marketing has been devoted to honing my fiction writing skills. On the job, we just call it advertising and emails. After wanting to write a book for many years, I finally came up with a good idea for a plot, which my research had concluded was critical to a novel’s success. So I buckled down and actually started writing. Lots of work, walks with my wife and dog, and drafts led to my first novel, Uncle and Ants, getting published. Once that happened, I could start telling people I was an author, which leads to much more interesting conversations than answering “marketing.”

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans?

 

My novel, Rivers and Creaks, is on sale for only $0.99 during this tour. You can find all my cozy mysteries on Amazon.  All of my books are free for Kindle Unlimited members. The first three books in the Silicon Valley Mystery series are out on audiobook from Tantor Audio and are available everywhere audiobooks are sold.

 

I love hearing from readers, as that motivates me to keep going on the next blank page.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Marc Jedel writes humorous murder mysteries. He credits his years of marketing leadership positions in Silicon Valley for honing his writing skills and sense of humor. While his high-tech marketing roles involved crafting plenty of fiction, these were just called emails, ads, and marketing collateral.

For most of Marc’s life, he’s been inventing stories. It’s a skill that’s served him well as both an author and marketer. The publication of Marc’s first novel, Uncle and Ants, gave him permission to claim “author” as his job. This leads to much more interesting conversations with people than answering, “marketing.”

Like his character, Andy, from the Redwoods Country Mystery series, Marc continues to grow older and would prefer not to run a bed-and-breakfast inn when he retires. Like his character, Marty from the Silicon Valley Mystery series, Marc now lives in Silicon Valley, works in high-tech, and enjoys bad puns. Like his characters Jonas and Elizabeth from the Ozarks Lake Mystery series, he grew up in the South and spent plenty of time in and around Arkansas. Like all his protagonists, Marc too has a dog, although his is neurotic, sweet, and small, with little appreciation for Marc’s humor.

 

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Shade Grown (Barks & Beans Cafe Cozy Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
8th in Series
Setting – West Virginia
WoodHaven Press (December 11, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 190 pages

 

Synopsis

 

BOOK EIGHT in the Award-winning BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java…and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

During Lewisburg’s popular summer home and garden tour, Macy and her brother Bo discover new aspects of their hometown’s history. One of the last homes they visit features a lush commemorative shade garden marking where a Civil War soldier’s bones were buried. As Macy pauses to admire a bed of blue hostas, she glimpses a shadowy shape lying beneath the dinner-plate leaves. It turns out to be the body of famed movie star Cody Franklin, who’d purchased the garden house as a quiet country retreat.

Back at the cafe, Macy speaks with Cody’s distraught sister, who lets slip that she’s afraid her brother’s killer will target her next. Macy’s heart goes out to the bereaved sibling, and she agrees to speak with Cody’s local acquaintances in hopes she’ll uncover some helpful backstory.

But someone powerful is lurking behind the scenes, and Macy has to zoom in on the killer before everything fades to black.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown…with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

The Barks & Beans Cafe series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
Book 4: Spilled Milk
Book 5: Trouble Brewing
Book 6: Cold Drip
Book 7: Roast Date
Book 8: Shade Grown
Standalone Novella: House Blend

 

 

 

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About the Author

 

HEATHER DAY GILBERT, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with unpredictable twists, much like the Agatha Christie books she read growing up. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren’t afraid to protect those they love.

 

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Murder on the Geneva Express: A Mac and Millie Mystery
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Geneva Illinois
Independently Published (October 26, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 164 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Dead body found on Geneva Express!

In a perfect storm of misfortune, Mac O’Malley finds himself embroiled in a whodunnit that has everyone convinced HE has done it. Mac and Millie race against time, flee from authorities both municipal and magical, and attempt to clear Mac and his good reputation from absolute incarceration.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Motivation to Create!

 

What can I say? I am a child grasping with the throes of growing up, maturing, whatever you want to call it. My ideas come from my childhood zeal for all things adventurous and fantastic. I have come up with my book ideas at random times but all in the spirit of my fervor for movies, comics, and books. There really is no one place I draw inspiration from. No place I go to. No well of original ideas I can dip my bucket brain into. I have had to create the place really. Sure, there are places where the wheels start turning but the great ideas I formed in no particular place.

I do draw inspiration from the structures of stories that I love to watch or read. What kind of a story should I tell? There is only a certain number of stories all of which share similar plot elements. I learned that in high school.  Pick a kind of story and then make it your own. Create a world then tell a structured story. Is it an adventure story? Is it a suspense/thriller? Is it all the above? One thing I promise myself to do is try to make my story different enough to be considered original. Blazing my own trail is paramount for me to continue my writing endeavors.

With my “original” ideas, I write my stories. I suppose I write stories thanking those who have written or created an awesome world that I enjoyed in my man and childhood whether in film, book, or theme park form. Lastly, I get my ideas and motivation from a need to stop living in other people’s imaginations and creations. A great deal of my life is spent reading other people’s words, watching other people’s movies, and playing in other people’s worlds. One day, I decided I had had enough. I needed to create my own worlds people could live in and enjoy. So, I did, and I love it here. I just hope that someday, more people can enjoy the world I have created with me.

 

 

About the Author

 

I have spent my life in the study of story from riveting novels to the slam-bang action-packed world of comics to the examination of film history, I have spent a lifetime learning and examining the elements that make a story incredible. This steadfast dedication has led me to write stories of my own.

I am married and have a son, I have a great love of family. I hope that you enjoy my bestselling books that mash genres from thrillers to science fiction to fantasy!

 

 

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CONQUERGOOD & THE CENTER

 

OF THE INTELLIGIBLE MYSTERY

 

OF BEING

 

by

 

CG Fewston

 

Science Fiction / Dystopian / Steampunk

 Date of Publication: October 17, 2023

Number of Pages: 381 pages

 

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One of resilience and transformation, Conquergood’s life-changing discovery explores the depths of family, memory, love, and the mysteries that lie at the heart of the universe.

In 2183, Jerome Conquergood is an outcast roaming the abandoned and crumbling skyscrapers of Old York City outside the Korporation’s seductive and dizzying headquarters, a post-apocalyptic security-city for the mega-rich. Despite his hatred for the techno-optimism and the Korporation, Conquergood is compelled to save his mysterious twin brother Vincent by joining the Korporation, a mega-corporate and governmental entity in a world oppressed to peace.

 

 

 

 

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CG Fewston on the Writing Life, Part 2

 

 

How has being a Texan influenced your writing?

 

For better or worse, Texans have a direct way of telling it like it is. When I travel the world, strangers always ask, “Where are you from?” And my reply is always the same, “Texas.” And every single person, no matter what country they are from, knows Texas.

So being a Texan shaped how I grew up, and it shaped me in how I see and think and tell stories. As a Texan I aim to be direct, unflinching, and authoritative. As a Texan I also seek to be kind, patient, and considering. So, this is how I was raised to be a Texan, but it is also how I treat the stories and characters I am writing. As a writer, I am patient and kind with my characters, and with a fierce intensity I must also be direct and immediate in the act of storytelling.

 

Where did your love of books, reading, and storytelling come from?

 

As a young child growing up in Brownwood, Texas without the internet or most of the technological wonders that we are blessed with today, books and storytelling — believe it or not — was a popular form of entertainment in my household.

My Grandmommy — Goldie O. — would read to me before bedtime each night I stayed with her in my grandparents’ lake house in Breckenridge, Texas where the white crane called Big Bird would stand in the shallows waiting for sunrise, and when the sun hit the great white bird, it would fly across the lake in all its wonder and glory. My Grandmommy would tell me stories about this bird, where it came from, where it was headed, and at night she would read from books telling to me the lives of historical figures, such as Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, and Helen Keller.

 

Why did you choose to write in your particular genre?

 

As a writer (and avid reader), I’m not bound to one genre. As a serious novelist I enjoy and focus writing mostly historical fiction, because the research aspect of writing about history is fascinating and challenging to me.

Conquergood is a sci-fi novel because the story demanded it so. I did not choose to write a sci-fi story. The story is set in 2183, and I tried to write about this time by going even further into the future and writing this story as though it were already history. But the story takes place in the far future with more advanced technologies which reshape humanity and culture, so the label the story has chosen for itself is one of science fiction.

 

 

 

 

Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured in your book?

 

Yes, though it may be a strange one because it might not be currently accepted as an “under-represented group” — well, not for at least another fifty years or so.

The group I’m referring to is primarily A.I. related, and I imagine “Artificially Intelligent Related Entities” (i.e., A.I. Robots) might read my book one day and see themselves in the unique characters I’ve created.

There have been distinct times since 2007 while writing Conquergood where I felt that A.I. would one day read my words, read this novel, and learn something about themselves and about humanity. Now in 2023, that seems ever more likely than ever.

 

What do you like to read in your free time?

You can see my author website for everything I have recently read. The living writers who I frequently go back to are Paulo Coelho and Haruki Murakami. I did the same for Cormac McCarthy until his recent passing in the summer of 2023.

My “free time” (outside of my normal working-writing-reading hours) is spent with my family, and I read to my son Thor every night. Over the last few months, we worked our way through, and finished, The Notebook of Doom book series (2007) by Troy Cummings. We also read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) by Roald Dahl.

We’re currently reading and making our way through The Unofficial Minecrafters Mysteries series (2018) by Winter Morgan. We’ve already finished Stolen Treasure (Book 1) and Beneath the Blocks (Book 2), and we’ll soon be starting The Skeleton Secret (Book 3).

As anyone will quickly see, I love to read, but what’s more important is that I pass that passion on to my son so that he will have a strong desire to read, to learn, to think critically, and to explore new lands and new ideas when he’s older.

 

Do you have any writing pet peeves?

 

Yes. I like to be left alone to write. I must write in solitude — isolated from the world so my words can reach the world in their own time and place — and for me, this has a sense of delayed gratification — giving myself to something bigger than the moment or the current fad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The American novelist CG FEWSTON has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome (Italy), a Visiting Fellow at Hong Kong’s CityU, & he’s been a member of the Hemingway Society, Americans for the Arts, PEN America, Club Med, & the Royal Society of Literature. He’s also been a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) based in London. He has a B.A. in English, an M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership (honors), an M.A. in Literature (honors), and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing & Fiction. He was born in Texas in 1979.

Fewston is the author of several short stories and novels. His works include A Father’s Son, The New America: Collection, The Mystic’s Smile ~ A Play in 3 Acts, Vanity of Vanities, A Time to Love in Tehran, Little Hometown, America, A Time to Forget in East Berlin, and Conquergood & the Center of the Intelligible Mystery of Being.

 

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Whisky Hernandez
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Martinique
Independently Published (November 25, 2022)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 269 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Martinique. Memories. Murder.

A mystery is abound and the government has called in by special invitation the world’s greatest detective by study and trade, Whisky Hernandez, to help and assist the local police and solve the case fast, making use of her language proficiency in French and Creole. Full-time hygienist and part-time sleuth, this licensed private investigator, daughter of a talented New York and New Jersey former police detective, utilizes the help of her humorous photographer partner to get to the bottom of the mystery that is revealing itself on this island of flowers.

These honest and generous partners of crime-solving are experienced members in obtaining the proof they need to arrive at and protect the truth. Keeping her anxieties and panic attacks in check with the help of her service animal, Whisky is determined to dive into a variety of guilty-looking suspects, analyzing, scrutinizing, and, outsmarting all the ways the villain, the killer, is trying to get away with the clever crime.

Secret undercover work, hidden riddles, challenging puzzles, unique perilous and dangerous situations are all up against Whisky. But along with some banter and comic relief situations with her sidekick partner, our worthy and reliable hero will lead the way and do what it takes to get the job done. With twists, turns, swerves, and contorts, this resolute private investigator plunges into the depths of Martinique, coming up for air in an unforgettable ending.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Library sitting, don’t want to offend

 

 

When one does research at their local library there are certain expectations. Now while it’s true these expectations are dependent in large part on where the facility is located, how large it is, and whether or not it’s open, they are baseline expectations nonetheless and should be upheld to a standard that is good, no, great. And if the bookish landscape by which you have immersed yourself in, is Dickensian in every way, this should not impede on these aforementioned expectations.

For one thing, (and it should be noted that this is not a treatise or even a small dissertation on your local library accommodations), there needs to be pencils without erasers that need to be placed next to a small stack of small rectangular paper. And of course the pencils should be small. The reason for this is most likely that librarians command a level of resoluteness in their informativeness and there is no need to erase the catalog number they provide you with. As all people are equal, you as the patron of this fine, no, great, establishment need to play by their rules. The other reason for providing these pencils that have looked like they used a pencil sharpener incorrectly is that you must get used to gripping a writing utensil that may fall out of your hands at any moment. Because libraries serve as institutions for educating both the youth, the elderly, and the ever-disappearing middle-aged class (so sociologists have been reporting for years), what would happen if one’s writing utensil down the line slipped from their fingers and they signed their name John Hancock when their name very well was nothing of the kind. As seen, these two reasons for the first expectation tie into one another.

Now the second thing, the second great expectation, one which Pip would most assuredly expect if Miss Havisham managed a modern-day public library, would be that printers always have ink in them. This requirement even supersedes the prior one mentioned in the previous paragraph for to have no ink on a printed page defeats the purpose of using such a contraption in the first place. I say contraption as this might have been the language used by any Victorian Englander should they encounter a laser, inkjet, impact, LED, daisy wheel, or label printer. (If that is not the era-appropriate word, I will look it up at the library.) Many have the luxury of an at home-printer, but there are many, quality, no, great, citizens of the United States that have to scurry off to their library to print out an assortment of items, some of which might mean the difference even between marriage or no marriage. If it seems like that last little remark was personal, it was. Not to me, but to my fiancé who because there was no printer…Well, I’m not married, so you can piece that together. Nevertheless, these printers, equipped with ink that has not just chiefly been sourced from the melanin in squid ink, need to do what they say they’re going to.

Which brings me to my third, last, and final point of these library expectations. And that would be librarians liberally using the word “shhh”. I have been to a fair, no, great, amount of libraries around this country, territories included, and the knowledge that at a moment’s notice one dutiful librarian will utter that word that we have all come to know so well has brought order back to the potential chaotic sound nature. For if one person begins to talk and they are not stopped, someone else shall soon do the same. Like dominoes falling or a chain event rattling, the library could very well soon be a concert. But this would be nothing more than a concert of jibber-jabber, blather, and chatter. Perhaps it would inspire a poet’s stanza or two, but this would be all. So it should be quite apparent to all that set foot in a library that if they begin to raise the volume of their voice above the threshold that should not be crossed and they are not met by a “shhh”, the library has not done what it was supposed to and should be spoken about immediately. In a whisper of course.

So as has been said, there are three great expectations that a library needs to uphold in order to be a true establishment of book lending status. Let it be known throughout the entire plethora of daily, weekly, monthly, and statistically less than annually visitors of the educational building pillar of any community that if these three mandates are not met, their claim to libraryship must be challenged. Maybe someday in the future I’ll discuss the proper amount of time one needs to stay at a table when another person sits down, but etiquette is a whole other topic. Thank you and be a continuous, no, great, reader.

 

 

About the Author

 

J.S. Mason is an author of four short story collections and one cozy mystery and has the distinct honor of graduating pre-school, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and law school, receiving a diploma from each of the aforementioned education establishments.

Aside from their outstanding excellence within the field of academia, J.S. Mason has quite the records in the athletics department, hitting one triple, bowling one turkey, and scoring three hole-in-ones in a single miniature golf game.

Extending to the performing arts, J.S. Mason has played a sheriff with a past, a pushy prosecuting attorney, and literally a spear carrier, only to hang up their boots/tie/spear because there was too much drama.

Other noteworthy accomplishments of J.S. Mason are that they have a first, middle, and last name.

Impressively, with a background in law enforcement and trial litigation, J.S. Mason always manages to have their shoes tied when they aren’t wearing Velcro.

J.S. Mason is most proud that they are referred to in the third person on their bio, as this is always how they refer to themselves.

J.S. Mason is happy with this.

J.S. Mason is satisfied with this.

J.S. Mason is excited to provide more high quality books to their audience and hopes they consume them with the utmost pleasure.

For clarity, in response to what some of their reviewers have said, they are correct – J.S. Mason is in fact an honorary A.I. module from M.I.T.

J.S. Mason hopes for you to have a good day and get through it because it can be hard sometimes.

J.S. Mason looks forward to giving you the experience you deserve.

 

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PORTER & MIDGE:

 

PAWS AND PLAYTIME

 

by

 

Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada

 

 

 

Children’s Picture Book / Pet Care / Dog Training

Series: Porter and Midge series

Publisher: Raise the Woof Press LLC

Page Count: 32 pages

Publication date: December 12, 2023

 

 

 

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Discover the enchanting world of Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime – a rhyming children’s book that follows the heartwarming bond between two furry friends, Mastiff Porter and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Midge, and their devoted companions, CJ and Lora.

 

On a sunny day, CJ’s thoughtful idea sets the stage for a joyful exploration of new ways to make Porter and Midge’s days even brighter.

 

Through rhythmic verses, follow their journey as they uncover imaginative games, canine enrichment activities, and thrilling dog sports, all while strengthening their unbreakable connection.

 

 

 

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Giselle Nevada has owned several mastiffs, acquired both from reputable breeders and via rescue. Fostering rescued mastiffs and helping them work through their issues led to a keen interest in socialization as a means of preventing future issues. She loves working with her dogs and has dabbled in carting, conformation, agility, rally, trick dog, nose work, and many other canine sports. Her puppy Porter is a testament to early socialization – he has achieved many performance dog titles and has done commercial work. He also has a role in a movie called Match Me If You Can directed by Marian Yeager.

 

 

Jennie Chen is a homesick Austinite who founded Keep Austin Dog Friendly. Over the last 20 years, Jennie has owned Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and Lowchen. She has earned numerous titles in conformation, competitive obedience, rally, herding, animal assisted therapy, and more. She is passionate about the relationship people build with their beloved canines, and she has been an advocate for people living with disabilities who need a service dog to live independently. She is active in various dog clubs and can be seen on AKC.TV from time to time.

 

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Pawtographed hardcover copy of Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety

 

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The Pompadour Necklace: Sophie’s Adventures
Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – London, England
Foiled Plots Press (March 14, 2023)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 60 pages

Synopsis

 

The necklace had once belonged to Madame Pompadour—mistress of the French King Louis XV.

Now it’s gone. Stolen by a clever conman. And it will take every ounce of determination and ingenuity a young woman possesses to recover it.

But can a mere girl from Calais outwit a practiced fraudster?

 

 

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Theft in Sleepy Hollow (Sophie’s Adventures)
Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – New York
Foiled Plots Press (November 25, 2023)
Digital Print length ‏ : ‎ 101 pages

 

Synopsis

 

In Sleepy Hollow, a Monet is in danger of being spirited away. . .

But undercover art sleuth Sophie Fisher—also known as Jeanne Sophie Poisson—
is on the trail of the brazen art thief.

From a Hudson River Cruise to Cold Spring to a spooky lantern-light tour of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sophie will do what it takes to capture the thief . . .

And prevent him from spiriting away a valuable work of art.

 

 

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Guest Post

 

Undercover on the Hudson: Sophie’s Adventure

 

 

Lucky Sophie! She gets to take a river cruise every time she goes on an undercover mission. This time she’s on a Hudson River cruise to Cold Spring. The cruise takes you past the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse and Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s home. Enjoy a short excerpt from the story. Fans of the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries will recognize FBI agent Julia Hood:

***

“It’s a Monet that Fairchild’s set his sights on this time,” Uncle Arthur, a middle-aged bear of a man in a tweed waistcoat and gray wool trousers, said to Sophie in a low voice.

“There’s a Monet in Sleepy Hollow?” Sophie’s voice rang out louder than she’d intended.

“You’d be surprised,” Uncle Arthur replied dryly, his brown eyes stern as he gazed down at her. She shouldn’t have raised her voice, his gaze wordlessly admonished her.

Leaning against the railing of the Seastreak catamaran that was ferrying them to Cold Spring, Arthur swiveled his head around, taking in the passengers on the deck. Sophie scanned the crowd on the open-air deck as well. There was no sign of Fairchild.

Was he even on the cruise?

Or had Julia Hood, their FBI contact, been mistaken? She’d met them at the airport the day before, whisking them through Immigration and Customs, and then driving them to their hotel.

“There’s been a slight change of plan as far as your travel to Sleepy Hollow is concerned,” the short, sturdily built FBI agent had told them, as she navigated the busy streets of New York City.

“There has, has there?” Uncle Arthur—also known as Detective Superintendent Ben Norris—had raised one eyebrow quizzically.

“You’re taking the Seastreak Fall Cruise to Cold Spring tomorrow. It sets sail shortly after 9 a.m. Arrives two hours later in Cold Spring. We’ll have a car there to drive you down to Sleepy Hollow.”

“I’m sure Sophie and I will appreciate the sights, Julia, but—”

“You won’t be sightseeing Arthur,” Julia had brusquely interrupted him. “You’ll be keeping an eye on Fairchild. He’s slated to be on that cruise.”

“Any idea why?” Uncle Arthur had asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Nope. We’re hoping you two can find out.”

But they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Fairchild since they’d boarded the cruise.

Lips compressed, Uncle Arthur swiveled his head back around to gaze out at the Hudson River. It had been named after the English explorer, Henry Hudson, who’d sailed up the river for a considerable length, trying to find a way across the continent to the Pacific Ocean.

“He soon realized it was impossible,” their tour guide, Phyllis, had said with a bright smile. “The river grew narrower the farther up he sailed, the water becoming shallower as well.”

“I just hope we’re not wasting our time here,” Uncle Arthur muttered beside her. “If Julia’s wrong, Fairchild’s already in Sleepy Hollow, busy hatching his nefarious plans while we . . . .” He shook his head, more frustrated than Sophie had ever seen him.

“Tell me more about this Monet you think he’s planning to steal,” she said, hoping to divert his troubled mind.

“Nymphéas en fleur, Water Lilies in Bloom,” Uncle Arthur said. “It was part of the Rockefeller collection.”

“And it made its way to Sleepy Hollow?”

Who in the ghost-obsessed village would’ve wanted—much less appreciated—a French Impressionist painting? It sounded about as tall a tale as the legend of the headless horseman that Washington Irving had made famous. . .

The catamaran glided past a charming yellow mansion with an irregular red-shingled roofline and green shutters.

“Take a look at Sunnyside, folks. Notice the piazza facing the river. Can you imagine Washington Irving sitting there of an evening, drinking in the sights and concocting his stories?”

Uncle Arthur snorted. “Wish we could jump off here. That’s Tarrytown, you know, not far south of our destination.” He glanced at his watch. “We could’ve been there by now, taking care of business . . .”

Sophie was casting about in her mind for something reassuring to say when she noticed a burly coat-wrapped figure emerging onto the deck. Large shades shielded most of the man’s face and a few long blond curls poked out from the thick cap on his head. But there was something unmistakably familiar about the person, nevertheless.

“Arthur”—she nudged him hard in the ribs, ignoring his muffled howl of outraged pain—“is that him? Could it be—?” Round-eyed, she stared at her companion.

“Well, I’ll be!” Uncle Arthur’s mouth gaped. “I have to hand it to our FBI friends. Their information was spot on! That is Nigel Fairchild.”

 

 

About the Author

 

A former journalist, Nupur Tustin is the author of the Joseph Haydn Mysteries set in Austria, the Celine Skye Psychic Mysteries, based on the infamous Gardner Museum theft, and the author of Sophie’s Adventures, about a French James Bond who goes on undercover missions to recover stolen art and artifacts.

 

 

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