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Have Your Cake and Murder Too! New cozy mystery from Jodi Rath

11/23/2018 By Alexandra Amor 2 Comments

When there’s a new mystery being released, everyone wins!

Have Your Cake and Murder Too Jodi RathToday I have a guest post and book excerpt from new mystery author Jodi Rath. Below, Jodi gives us a peek behind the author curtain with an introduction to the genesis of her Cast Iron Skillet mystery series. She’s also included an excerpt from the book, which is being released today.

Take it away, Jodi!

I have had my sights on being a writer since I was five years old. I was an only child and used to lock myself in my room with my stuffed animals and dolls playing “magazine” as I so humbly called it.

I signed up to win a set of encyclopedias at a county fair at age seven (yes, I know that says a lot about me as a child) and I won! I made a game of closing my eyes and pointing to a book then opening, and whatever page I landed on, I’d read the entry and then write a summary pretending I was a journalist.

In college, I took a lot of creative writing courses, even though that was not my major. I’ve kept a journal as far back as I can remember. Writing has always been a huge part of my existence. It’s been a form of therapy for me as a child and an adult in many ways as well.

So, it was no wonder, when my 87-year-old grandma gave me her 70-year-old cast iron skillet for Christmas in 2017 and told me that she had never made anything but pineapple upside down cake in it that I would take that experience and write about it.

I’d been doing some educational writing since I was a high school English teacher for close to twenty years. My passion where reading was concerned has always been mysteries. As a kid, I absolutely loved those Choose Your Own Ending books. I modeled my adjunct professional development online courses for Ohio teachers on those books.

I’ve wanted to write a mystery for as long as I can remember. I posted about my grandma’s gift to me, oh yeah, I forgot to mention, and she also gave me the family’s secret recipe for the pineapple upside down cake too! I received more likes and comments on that post than any other.

Jodi Rath pouring batter
Jodi Rath pouring batter in her grandmother’s cast iron skillet
From there, I began using the new set of cast iron skillets she bought me (because Lord knows I was not allowed to make anything other than that pineapple upside down cake in the family skillet — she bought me a new set to ensure I didn’t mess up the family legacy) on a regular basis trying out many recipes.

From there, The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series was developed and book one Pineapple Upside Down Murder comes TODAY!!!!

Yes, that recipe is in the back of the book too! Some of you are probably giving me the stink eye about now thinking “how can you give out your family’s secret recipe you no good . . .” I’ll stop there. Let me finish! The majority of the recipe is at the end of the book.

Now that I’m a mystery writer though, I will tell you that I couldn’t help but add the “secret” part in the plot of book one. Whether anyone will ever find it though . . .

Excerpt from Pineapple Upside Down Murder

I’ve always found every part of my life to be both beautiful and ugly at the same time. The next few weeks would not prove to be any different.

I knew my grandma’s secret recipe for pineapple upside down cake by heart; it didn’t stop my need to have the family recipe next to me when I made it. Now, like the cake, my entire world has turned upside down.

As I sat, I bent over and put my hands on my ears and laid my head in my lap, rocking slightly.

“Hey, Jolie, breathe. Look at me, please,” Ava said with a concerned look on her face grabbing my hands and sitting me up. Ava had been my best friend since we were in diapers, and she knew how I was when I was overwhelmed. She grabbed my hands and pushed me upright.

Pineapple upside down murder book coverI was taking deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. “I . . . can’t . . .” I was trembling, and my deep breaths turned choppy.

“We will find them. I promise.” Ava gave me a big hug, thwarting my attempts to go internal. Ava always smelled of coconuts, and I caught a whiff as we embraced.

Ava and I started a business a year ago called Cast Iron Creations. The two of us decided to split the business fifty-fifty, with Ava running the front of the store and the finances, while I focused on the back of the shop, doing the cooking, baking, and shopping. Both of us pitched in with advertising, and I helped with the money occasionally. This was perfect because Ava was more of the social sort while I was more shy and comfortable working on my own.

The business was founded on my family’s secret cast iron skillet recipes, which have been passed down for ages. My great-grandfather had carved out a wooden recipe box for the treasured recipes. On the bottom of the box, my great-grandma, grandma, mom, and now I have carved our names out. I spent my childhood with close friends Ava, Betsy, and Lydia pretending to cook in my grandma’s kitchen in the cast iron skillets. Grandma’s best friend, Ellie Siler, was Betsy’s aunt and a big influence in my life.

I was hyperventilating because the Tucker family recipes had been stolen. Being a bit claustrophobic, especially in crisis mode, I slightly shoved Ava away from me as tears dropped off my cheeks.

“Hey, it will be okay. We need to pull ourselves together to figure out what happened,” Ava said with a confidence I was not feeling at the moment. She pushed a thick, black ringlet behind her ear as she straightened her stance.

“You’re right; I’m sorry,” I said, standing and rubbing my hands against my apron. I was just getting ready to make my Grandma Opal’s famous pineapple upside down cake. I always pulled the family recipes out when I baked; it was my routine. I kept the recipe box hidden in a false tile in our kitchen. When we bought the restaurant, I had wanted turquoise tile along the wall with the sink and oven; it reminded me of the ocean and helped make the kitchen a cheerful place to work. Ava’s girlfriend, Delilah, Leavensport’s resident artist, had made the false tile. But this morning, when I went to grab the box, it was gone.

Read another sample from Pineapple Upside Down Murder and purchase here.

Jodi RathJodi Rath has decided to begin a life of crime in her The Cast Iron Skillet Mystery Series. Her passion for both mysteries and education led her to combine the two to create her business MYS ED, where she splits her time between working as an adjunct for Ohio teachers and creating mischief in her fictional writing. She currently resides in a small, cozy village in Ohio with her husband and her eight cats

You can follow Jodi on Twitter @jodirath. Sign up at her website for her monthly newsletter where she offers free flash fiction that ties into the series.

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Filed Under: Mystery authors Tagged With: book excerpt, cozy mystery, new mystery

George Bernard Shaw, Teddy Bears, and Historical Mysteries with Meg Macy

02/12/2018 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

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Meg Macy writes all the way across the mystery spectrum.

67 Meg MacyWhat a treat to chat to Meg Macy, who writes historical mysteries, cozy teddy bear mysteries, as well as co-writing an Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins mystery series with her friend Sharon.

This idea of Eliza and Henry solving crime thrills me. What a great premise for a mystery series!

Listen in and hear how Meg came up with the idea and how she got her fellow author and friend on board to write the series, which was accepted by an agent just hours after they pitched it.

You can find out more about today’s guest, Meg Macy, and all her books on her website MegMacy.com. You can also find her on Twitter @MegMimms.

Click on any of the book covers to go to Meg’s books on Amazon

Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher.

You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube.
[Read more…] about George Bernard Shaw, Teddy Bears, and Historical Mysteries with Meg Macy

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Filed Under: Author interviews, Podcast Tagged With: cozy mystery, Historical mystery, mystery

Quilting, Corgis, Barbeque and Murder with Elizabeth Craig

01/08/2018 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

http://media.blubrry.com/its_a_mystery/p/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mysterypodcast/ElizabethCraig.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Elizabeth Craig has the cozy mystery market almost cornered, with three different series and more books to come.

62 Elizabeth CraigOn this podcast episode we talk about her Myrtle Clover cozy mysteries, her Southern Quilting cozy mysteries, and her Memphis Barbeque cozy mysteries. We even touch briefly on her post-apocolyptic zombie novel. 😉

Elizabeth is a prolific writer who has produced over 20 books in the last 7 years or so. I’m sure you’ll find several great new books to read after you hear her talk about her writing inspiration and research, which included a trip to Memphis. Lucky her!

In the introduction I mention that previous It’s a Mystery Podcast guest, Matty Dalrymple, is celebrating the release of the audiobook for her mystery/suspense novel Rock Paper Scissors. (If you haven’t already done so, you can hear Matty and I talk about this book on Episode 36.) Matty is sponsoring a giveaway for promo codes for the new audiobook.

If you’d like an opportunity to win a promo code for a copy of the audiobook, send an email to info (at) alexandraamor (dot) com with the word ‘Audiobook’ in the subject line. I’ll be making the draw on Thursday, January 11, 2018. Send your email in by midnight, January 10, Pacific time, and you’ll be in the draw. I’ll make an announcement on the show on Monday, January 15 about the winners.

One Horse Open SleighThis episode of It’s a Mystery Podcast is brought to you by the brand new Town Called Horse short mystery, A One Horse Open Sleigh.

“With winter darkness and cold setting in, will schoolteacher Julia Thom, and her good friends, Constable Merrick and Walt Sheehan, be able to find a missing toddler before it’s too late?”

Readers who subscribe to my newsletter received this brand new mystery for free on Christmas Eve, and they’ll receive a new Town Called Horse short mystery each month in 2018. If you’re not on the newsletter list, what are you waiting for? Sign up here.

You can find out more about today’s guest, Elizabeth Craig, and all her books on her website ElizabethSpannCraig.com. You can also find her on Twitter @elizabethscraig.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode

  • Click on any of the book covers to go to Elizabeth’s books on Amazon
  • Interview with Elizabeth from 2011 on The Creative Penn podcast
  • Elizabeth’s article on Outlining a Cozy Mystery

Press play (above) to listen to the show, or read the transcript below. Remember you can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts. And listen on Stitcher.

You can also click here to watch the interview on YouTube.
[Read more…] about Quilting, Corgis, Barbeque and Murder with Elizabeth Craig

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Filed Under: Author interviews, Podcast Tagged With: author interview, cozy mystery, mystery author

Murder at the Holiday Bazaar – part of the 12 Slays of Christmas cozy box set

12/07/2017 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

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Everyone loves a Christmas murder, right?

12 slays of christmasOkay, maybe not everyone. But cozy mystery readers do for sure. 😉

Today, we’re featuring Kathryn Dionne’s entry into the 12 Slays of Christmas box set collection.

Have you picked up your copy of this amazing deal yet? If not, purchase links are listed below. The collection is an amazing deal, and the proceeds are going to an animal rescue shelter. You can’t get more warm and fuzzy than that!

Let’s hear from Kathryn.

Author Bio

Kathryn DionneFrom an early age, Kathryn’s love of treasure hunting sparked an interest in archaeology. As an amateur archaeologist, she’s been fortunate enough to uncover some very unique artifacts in different parts of the globe. However, she’s still searching for that very special scroll.

In addition to writing, she manages their five-acre property and their grove of Italian olive trees. Her husband has lovingly named their business; Saint Kathryn’s Olive Oil.

In her spare time, she makes cookie jars and throws pottery in her studio. She also creates mosaics from discarded objects and sells them under the category of Found Art.

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

My favorite character in Murder at the Holiday Bazaar would have to be my main character, Stevie Elliott. She’s been able to make a successful career out of traveling and eating, two of my favorite things. But even as a busy traveling chef, she still finds time to help those in need. In this case, it’s the two residents living in the alley next to the Quapaw Liquor Store – a homeless man and an abandoned young dog. Both are in need of a helping hand. And Stevie’s the one to offer it.

What is something unexpected that occurred while you were writing this book?

While writing Murder at the Holiday Bazaar, I got an unexpected addition to our family. His name is Mojo, and he’s an eight-week old shar pei puppy. I had been looking on and off for a playmate for my other dog, a rescue shar pei named Bodie. After several unsuccessful attempts, Mojo magically appeared. And I am happy to report that Bodie and Mojo (aka “Bojo”) instantly bonded and are doing marvelous!

What is your sleuth’s favorite holiday?

It depends on what country she’s traveling to. I would have to say that Stevie’s favorite holiday was Christmastime in Budapest, Hungary, when she got to cook for the American Embassy. Or it could have been New Year’s Day in New Delhi cooking for the president of India.

If you wrote about any holiday other than Christmas, what would it be and why?

I think I would like to write about Halloween because I love watching horror movies. I think it takes quite a talent to write a scary book, one that pulls you in and makes you feel the anxiety and tension the author is trying to convey.

KHH Christmas Box SetThe 12 Slays of Christmas is available now at all online retailers. The set includes twelve new, never-before published, Christmas-themed cozy mysteries in a boxed set from twelve cozy authors! Holiday murder and mischief abound, but not to worry we’ve got our share of amateur sleuths!

Buy now at Amazon
Buy now at Kobo
Buy now at iTunes

And to make everyone’s holidays bright and merry, the authors of The 12 Slays of Christmas, in addition to sharing our Christmas whodunit stories with our readers, are donating the proceeds from our boxed set to an animal rescue shelter. C’mon! Buy a book, rescue a dog! (or cat!)

Can’t you just feel Christmas in the air? So, put on your winter mittens, dust off your holiday recipes, start humming those carols, and have yourself a Merry Christmas with a little murder, a whole lot of fun, and a gift of love to our cozy pet partners in crime solving!

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Filed Under: Author interviews, New Releases Tagged With: box set, cozy mystery

Devil In A Black Suit – part of The 12 Slays of Christmas Cozy Mystery Box Set

12/06/2017 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

Ready for more cozy mystery goodness for the holiday season?

12 slays of christmasWe’re back with more yummy cozy mystery goodness from the brand new 12 Slays of Christmas box set. For the next few days I’ll be featuring one of the authors from the set. Today we get to hear from best-selling author Colleen Helme.

Take it away, Colleen!

Author Bio:

Colleen HelmeColleen Helme is the author of the best-selling Shelby Nichols Adventure Series, a wildly entertaining and highly humorous series about Shelby Nichols, a woman with the ability to read minds. When asked if reading minds is something Colleen wishes she could do she says, “No way! It gets Shelby into so much trouble that I would never want that ability.”

Known for her laugh since she was a kid, Colleen has always tried to find the humor in every situation and continues to enjoy writing about Shelby’s adventures. Besides writing, she loves reading, biking, hiking, and playing board and card games with family and friends. She loves to connect with readers and admits that fans of the series keep her writing.

Story Title

Devil In a Black Suit

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

My favorite character in this book is Ramos because he is such a complicated character and even though he’s a hitman for the mob, he’s figuring out what he wants in his life, and how this will change things.

What is something unexpected that occurred while you were writing this book?

This book was so exciting for me to write because this is a spin-off from my other books, The Shelby Nichols Adventures. They are written from Shelby Nichols’s point of view, which made this book from Ramos’s point of view a different experience. I enjoyed getting to know Ramos even better than I already did as a secondary character!

What is your favorite Christmas story and why?

My favorite Christmas story is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We have read this book every Christmas Eve with our children for years and continue to enjoy it each year. It’s become a Christmas tradition!

In a Christmas mystery are the clues more festive or just stickier?

It’s hard to balance the happiness of Christmas with murder, so I think it’s important to have plenty of humor involved so it doesn’t get too serious!

What is your sleuth’s favorite holiday?

Shelby loves Christmas, but lately it’s been hard for her to be surprised because now that she has the ability to read minds, she usually knows what she’s getting before she ever opens up the presents!

If you wrote about any holiday other than Christmas, what would it be and why?

It would definitely be Halloween because for a sleuth like Shelby who can read minds, it can get pretty scary – and now she’s beginning to hear thoughts from the departed. She may not be able to see them, but hearing them and sensing them can be just as frightening!

KHH Christmas Box SetThe 12 Slays of Christmas is available now at all online retailers. The set includes twelve new, never-before published, Christmas-themed cozy mysteries in a boxed set from twelve cozy authors! Holiday murder and mischief abound, but not to worry we’ve got our share of amateur sleuths!

Buy now at Amazon
Buy now at Kobo
Buy now at iTunes

And to make everyone’s holidays bright and merry, the authors of The 12 Slays of Christmas, in addition to sharing our Christmas whodunit stories with our readers, are donating the proceeds from our boxed set to an animal rescue shelter. C’mon! Buy a book, rescue a dog! (or cat!)

Can’t you just feel Christmas in the air? So, put on your winter mittens, dust off your holiday recipes, start humming those carols, and have yourself a Merry Christmas with a little murder, a whole lot of fun, and a gift of love to our cozy pet partners in crime solving!

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Filed Under: Author interviews, New Releases Tagged With: box set, cozy mystery

Frankincense, Gold, and Murder – part of the 12 Slays of Christmas Box Set

12/05/2017 By Alexandra Amor Leave a Comment

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Got cozy mystery reading for the holidays?

12 slays of christmasFor several days in Decemeber, I’ll be featuring posts from some of the authors of the brand new mystery box set, The 12 Slays of Christmas. Several authors from the set are going to share with us a bit about their book and their character(s).

Today I’m thrilled to welcome It’s a Mystery podcast guest, from episode 32, Kim Hunt Harris. I am a huge fan of Kim’s delightfully flawed, kind-hearted and well-meaning amateur sleuth, Salem Grimes.

Take it away Kim!

Author Bio:

Kim Hunt HarrisKim Hunt Harris is the award-winning author of the Trailer Park Princess cozy mystery comedy series.

Kim knew she wanted to be a writer before she even knew how to write. When her parents read bedtime stories to her, she knew she wanted to be a part of the story world. She started out writing children’s stories, and her stories grew as she did. She discovered a gift for humor and a love for making people laugh with her tales, and the Trailer Park Princess series was born.

Kim loves to not only make her readers laugh and entertain them with a good mystery, but also to examine the issues the everyday people face…well, every day. Issues like faith and forgiveness, perseverance and tolerance. Set in Lubbock, Texas, the fun books feature a cast of quirky characters, outrageous situations, a drama queen of a dog, and from time to time, a tear or two.

Kim lives with her husband of more than thirty years and two teenage kids in Texas.

Story Title:

Frankincense, Gold, and Murder

Synopsis:

Salem Grimes is celebrating Christmas in true Trailertopian style, complete with caroling, Pancho Clos, and tamales, but her festivities take a downturn when she finds a murdered neighbor. It won’t be a jolly Christmas if her hunt for the killer leads to her becoming the next victim.

My favorite character and why?

This is such a difficult question because of course I love all my characters, but for different reasons. Salem is my protagonist and in so many ways she is me (in some ways she’s not at all like me, of course—I’ll leave it to the readers to figure out which parts are which) and at this point (after 4.5 completed novels and numerous short stories) we’ve spent a lot of time together. I love her for her earnest heart and her honesty. I love Viv because that woman has no filter and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. She says whatever she thinks, and she gets away with it because she has no malice in any of it. But I think if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Tony. Tony is the Christian I aim to be. Plus, he’s pretty dreamy. And he’s nice to Salem’s dog, so there are all kinds of points with that.

What is something unexpected that occurred while you were writing this book?

I don’t know why, in 2017, this would be a surprise to me, but it was. YOU CAN FIND ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET. I decided to include an a capella choir in my story, and needed a catchy name for it. I decided to Google that and, lo and behold, there is a choir name generator website, and Out On A Hymn was born. I know there are pitfalls with this new technological world we’re living in, but I kind of love how the average Joe’s quirky talents now can be accessed by anyone at any time.

If you wrote about another holiday other than Christmas, what would it be and why?

I’m actually putting together a box set of different holiday-themed stories, because I have this one and I have an Easter one already written. Halloween should definitely be in the works, I think, because that’s the perfect setting for a mystery, right? I also have an idea for a Valentine’s Day story that I plan to work on next. It involves a jewelry store robbery where the bad guy escapes on a bicycle.

KHH Christmas Box SetThe 12 Slays of Christmas is available now at all online retailers. The set includes twelve new, never-before published, Christmas-themed cozy mysteries in a boxed set from twelve cozy authors! Holiday murder and mischief abound, but not to worry we’ve got our share of amateur sleuths!

Buy now at Amazon
Buy now at Kobo
Buy now at iTunes

And to make everyone’s holidays bright and merry, the authors of The 12 Slays of Christmas, in addition to sharing our Christmas whodunit stories with our readers, are donating the proceeds from our boxed set to an animal rescue shelter. C’mon! Buy a book, rescue a dog! (or cat!)

Can’t you just feel Christmas in the air? So, put on your winter mittens, dust off your holiday recipes, start humming those carols, and have yourself a Merry Christmas with a little murder, a whole lot of fun, and a gift of love to our cozy pet partners in crime solving!

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