#Giveaway and interview: Rogues and Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction

>>Win one of three e-copies of Rogues and Rascals in Goose Pimple Junction <<<

Like any good Southern belle, Caledonia Culpepper was raised by her mama to be gracious, charming, witty, and above all, a devoted mother and loving wife, so she’s baffled when her marriage falls apart.

Book Cover
Wynona Baxter is a master of disguise but is often a ditzy airhead. A hit woman wannabe, when she’s hired for her first job in Goose Pimple Junction and things don’t go as planned, she’s forced to resort to Plan B. She’ll also need Plan C and D.
Crooked lawyers, restless husbands, a teenaged hoodlum – it seems there are rogues and rascals everywhere you look in Goose Pimple Junction.
When Caledonia and Wynona’s paths cross, they prove there isn’t a rogue or a rascal who can keep a good woman down. Mama always said there would be days like this . . .


Q: Amy, thanks for stopping by! Tell us a little about your main characters, if you would.
A: There are two protagonists in Rogues & Rascals. Caledonia is a lifelong resident of GPJ, a mom, and a southern belle through and through. Wynona has been thrust into the profession of assassin. The problem is, she’s not very bright and she doesn’t want to be a hit woman. Her first assignment is in GPJ, where she’s in for a little culture shock.
Q: How much of you is in either or both of your protagonists? How would you feel about them if you met them in real life?
A: There’s probably a little bit of me in Caledonia. Wynona and I don’t have much in common except in the brains department—neither of us has any. I would love to hang out with both ladies. They’d be a lot of fun.
Q: Do your characters change and evolve throughout consecutive books in the series?
A: Yes they do. You can read any of the books as a standalone, but you will know the characters better if you start with the first book.
Q: Have you ever thought of killing someone that you know in real life–on the pages of a murder mystery, I mean?
A: Um . . . possibly. I might have done that in Rogues & Rascals—several times. Maybe.
Q: How realistic is your setting? Do you take liberties, or are you true to life?
A: I definitely take liberties. A lot of times, reviewers say, “That wouldn’t happen in real life. No Southern town is like that.” No, it wouldn’t, and no there isn’t. My books are fiction. I wanted the town and its people to be crazier than the average crazy. Some readers have said the town is a character itself in the book. That made me happy!
Q: When the movie or TV series is made, who plays the major parts?
A: Reese Witherspoon would be a great Caledonia. In a few years, Jennifer Lawrence would be a great Wynona. She’s a little too young right now. I can see Kathy Bates as Louetta. The rest are up for grabs!
Kathy_Bates_by_Gage_Skidmore
Q: What’s the worst and best advice you’ve heard or received as an author?
A: The best advice I’ve heard is to read the book out loud as you write and as you edit. Probably the worst advice was to write dialogue phonetically. I think a book reads better if you let the reader decide the voice of the character. In my opinion, spelling dialogue phonetically is okay occasionally, but it slows down the reader if you do it all the time.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Metz
Amy Metz is the author of the Goose Pimple Junction mystery series. She is a former first-grade teacher and the mother of two sons. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Facebook or Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
Author Links
Website: http://authoramymetz.com
Blog: http://abluemillionbooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmyMetz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoramymetz
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AmyMetz
Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Metz/e/B008NA07X4/
Amazon


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Kindle Press picks up the latest Professor Molly mystery, The Blessed Event

Exciting news: The Blessed Event has been selected via Kindle Scout to be published by Kindle Press.
“You might wonder what my least-favorite student was doing in my living room. In a twist of fate that might seem hilarious if it happened to someone else, Davison was now my stepson.”
Thumbnail flying stork
 

 
 
Professor Molly Barda is looking forward to a quiet summer in Mahina, Hawai`i working on her research and adjusting to married life. But when a visit from her new husband’s relatives coincides with a murder, Molly wonders what she’s married into–and realizes she might have a killer under her roof.


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#Giveaway and Character Interview: Kathi Corbin of Tea Cups and Carnage (A Tourist Trap Mystery)

>>>Enter to win one of two e-copies of Tea Cups and Carnage by Lynn Cahoon<<<

The kettle’s about to boil over . . .
The quaint coastal town of South Cove, California, is all abuzz about the opening of a new specialty shop, Tea Hee. But as Coffee, Books, and More owner Jill Gardner is about to find out, there’s nothing cozy about murder . .

Shop owner Kathi Corbin says she came to South Cove to get away from her estranged family. But is she telling the truth? And did a sinister someone from her past follow her to South Cove? When a woman claiming to be Kathi’s sister starts making waves and a dead body is found in a local motel, Jill must step in to clear Kathi’s name–without getting herself in hot water.


Q: Kathi, thanks for stopping by. Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself–maybe something they might not guess?
A: Hi, I’m Kathi Corbin, newcomer to South Cove, but truly a lady of the south. I’m from Texas and although I’m missing home and sweet tea, everyone here in South Cove has been so lovely, I’m definitely feeling welcome.
Something you may not know about me? I’m pretty much an open book. You all know about my years performing in pageants. I do love the evening gown competitions. Who wouldn’t love getting dressed up like a movie star on a red carpet for opening night. Of course, I’m a knockout in the bathing suit section as well.
But I guess what would surprise most of you was I was a complete and hopeless tomboy as a young girl. I swear, I could ride, rope, and castrate a calf faster than most of the hired hands my daddy brought on the ranch.
I also make a mean batch of Rocky Mountain Oysters.
Q: Who’s the character you get along with the best? Why?
A: The men of South Cove love me. And why wouldn’t they? (giggle) I mean, I’m probably the closest thing to a real Miss America that they’ve ever met. Of course, I was robbed of the crown due to that unfortunate incident, but if I’d been allowed to compete, I would have wiped the floor with those other girls. It’s just too bad that lovely Greg King is so attached to that bookstore owner, Jill’s her name. I’d like him to slap those cuffs on me some day. Yes, I can be a bad girl…
Q: Which other character do you have a conflict with? Why?
A: That Darla woman from the winery. I swear, she’s about as friendly as a pit bull. I think she’d walk on someone’s grave to get the story for that little rag she calls a newspaper. I mean, really, what is there to report on in little, bitty South Cove. The place is heaven on the California coast.
And that older woman at the coffee shop. I think her name is Jackie. For some reason, she thinks we’re best friends. She’s always talking to me like she understands how hard it is to be a woman in today’s world. I don’t think she has a clue. I mean, not to be rude, but she’s old and I’m gorgeous. I don’t see how she can relate.
Q: Just between you and me: What do you really think of your author?
A: Oh, Lynn. I really want to lock her in a room and do a complete makeover. She’s got the most amazing eyes, but most days, she forgets to even put on mascara. I do enjoy working with her to report the happenings of South Cove. You can tell her anything. And unfortunately, sometimes while we were writing my story, I did.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: Now that the shop is open, Tea Hee is my main priority. I want the business to grow and thrive. Maybe I’ll even set up a website where we can do on line orders. Every woman needs a little tea party in her life, don’t you agree?


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today bestselling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. Guidebook to Murder, book 1 of the series won the Reader’s Crown for Mystery Fiction in 2015. She’s also the author of the soon to be released, Cat Latimer series, with the first book, A STORY TO KILL, releasing in mass market paperback September 2016.She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies. Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com

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You’ve seen the meme. Here are some actual college administrator titles



By now you’ve likely seen the viral “University Title Generator” meme that parodies the culture of academic bureaucracy by listing made-up administrative titles such as “deputy vice president of the committee on community climate,” “principal deputy dean of the committee on learning affairs,” and “temporary lead deputy chancellor of facilities compliance of the task force on alumni service.”
At least, we’re pretty sure they’re made up.
But these aren’t. These actual administrative job titles have appeared over the last few months in academic help-wanted listings.
The number of administrators at American universities and colleges has more than doubled in the last 25 years, vastly outpacing the increase in enrollment. Read here about the perks that go to university administrators nationwide, and here about a backlash against administrator benefits at Massachusetts public colleges and universities, and the legislative investigation that has resulted.
University officials say their administrative payrolls have grown in response to parent expectations and government regulations, among other reasons.
Here are some examples of the jobs they’re filling.
Assistant director of affinity group leadership (University of Denver)
Constituent relationship management program manager (University of Massachusetts, Boston)
Educational talent search academic advisor (Harris Stowe State University)
Early career readiness and student employment program coordinator (University of Arizona)
Coordinator of community standards (Governors State University)
Academic success consultant (Creighton Medical School)
Academic success coordinator for peer-led instruction (Framingham State University)
Senior associate director for student engagement (Eastern Kentucky University)
Student involvement coordinator (North Carolina State University)
Senior associate director of student engagement (Columbia University)
Manager of employee communication and engagement (Seminole State College)
Assistant director of admission student volunteers (University of Pennsylvania)
Associate director of student conduct and community standards (University of Tennessee at Knoxville)
Director of institutional effectiveness (Wabash College)
Customer relationship management coordinator (University of Cincinnati)

Student journals and competitions coordinator (University of Colorado)
Student philanthropy manager (University of California, Berkeley)
Associate director of young alumni engagement (Kenyon College)
Assistant director for athletic event and guest services (Miami University)
Senior user experience analyst (University of Maryland University College)
Vice president for planning, analytics, and decision support (New York Institute of Technology)
Director of campus relations (University of Maryland)
Office concierge (University of Maryland University College)
 
from The Hechinger Report http://bit.ly/1TTjwqC


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Hawai‘i Summer 2016 Bon Dance Schedule

It’s time to celebrate obon season in Hawai‘i! (If you only learn one dance, it should be this one.)

O‘ahu

JUNE

  • Saturday, June 4: Hawai‘i’s Plantation Village, 5:45–10 p.m., 677-0110
  • Friday, June 10: Pan Pacific Festival bon dance, 7–9 p.m. (tentative)
  • Saturday, June 18: ‘Ewa Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 681-5222
  • Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25: Honpa Hongwanji Hawai‘i Betsuin, 6–10:30 p.m., 536-7044
  • Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25: Wahiawā Hongwanji, 6:30–10 p.m., 622-4320

 

JULY

  • Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2: Mānoa Koganji, 5–10 p.m., 988-4905
  • Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2: Mō‘ili‘ili Hongwanji, 6–10:30 p.m., 949-1659
  • Friday, July 2: Kāne‘ohe Higashi Hongwanji, 6:30–10 p.m., 247-2661
  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Hale‘iwa Jodo Mission, 8–10:30 p.m., 637-4382
  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Koboji Shingon Mission, 7–10:30 p.m., 841-7033
  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Rissho Kosei-kai Hawai‘i Kyokai, 6:30–9:30 p.m., 455-3212
  • Saturday, July 9: Waipahu Hongwanji, 7 p.m., 677-4221
  • Sunday, July 10: Seicho-No-Ie Hawai‘i Jisso Center, 12:30–2:30 p.m., 677-4221
  • Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16: Jikoen Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, 6 p.m., 845-3422
  • Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16: Shinshu Kyokai Mission, 7–10:30 p.m., 973-0150
  • Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16: Wahiawā Ryusenji Soto Mission, 7:30–10:30 p.m., 622-1429
  • Saturday, July 16: Kailua Hongwanji, 7 p.m., 262-4560
  • Saturday, July 16: Wai‘anae Hongwanji, 6:30 p.m., 677-4221
  • Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23: Hale‘iwa Shingon Mission, 7:30–10:30 p.m., 637-4423
  • Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23: Higashi Hongwanji Hawai‘i Betsuin, 7 p.m., 531-9088
  • Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30: Pālolo Higashi Hongwanji, 6:30–9:30 p.m., 732-1491

 

AUGUST 

  • Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6: Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji, 7–10 p.m., 671-3103
  • Saturday, Aug. 6: Wailaua Hongwaji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 637-4395
  • Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13: Pearl City Hongwanji, 7–10 p.m., 455-1680
  • Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13: Shingon Shu Hawai‘i, 5–10 p.m., 941-5663
  • Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13: Soto Mission of ‘Aiea Taiheiji, 7–10:30 p.m., 488-6794
  • Friday, Aug. 19: O‘ahu Care Facility, TBA, 973-1900
  • Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20: Jodo Mission of Hawai‘i, 6–9:30 p.m., 949-3995
  • Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20: Mililani Hongwanji, 7–10:30 p.m. (625-0925)
  • Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20: Soto Mission of Hawai‘i Betsuin Shoboji, 7–10:30 p.m., 537-9409
  • Saturday, Aug. 20: Valley of the Temple Memorial Park, TBA
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: ‘Aiea Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 487-2626
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: Kapahulu Senior Center, 6–10 p.m., 737-1748
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: Nichiren Mission of Hawai‘i, 6–9 p.m., 595-3517

 

SEPTEMBER 

  • Saturday, Sept. 3: Okinawan Festival, 5:30–9 p.m., 676-5400
  • Saturday, Sept. 10: Honbushin International Center, 6–9:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 17: Autumn Okinawa Dance Festival at Hawai‘i Okinawa Center, 5:30–10:30 p.m., 676-5400

 

Big Island

JUNE

  • Saturday, June 4: Hawai‘i Japanese Center, 12 p.m., 934-9611
  • Saturday, June 11: Honomu Henjoji Mission, 7 p.m., 963-6308
  • Saturday, June 18: Keauhou Shopping Center (Kona Hongwanji), 6–10 p.m., 323-2993
  • Saturday, June 18: Pāpa‘ikou Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 964-1640
  • Saturday, June 25: Honomu Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 963-6302

 

JULY

  • Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2: Puna Hongwanji, 8 p.m. following 7 p.m. service, 966-9981
  • Saturday, July 2: Kohala Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 775-7532
  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin, 7–10:30 p.m., 961-6677
  • Saturday, July 9: Kohala Jodo Mission, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 889-5456
  • Saturday, July 9: Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission, 7–10 p.m., 322-3524
  • Saturday, July 9: Paauilo Hongwanji, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 775-7232
  • Saturday, July 16: Hilo Meisho-in, 8 p.m. following 7 p.m. service, 935-6996
  • Saturday, July 16: Honokaa Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 5:30 p.m. service, 775-7232
  • Saturday, July 16: Keei Hongwanji (Kona Hongwanji), 7 p.m., 323-2993
  • Saturday, July 23: Hilo Hooganji Mission, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 935-8331
  • Saturday, July 23: Kona Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6:30 p.m. lantern parade, 323-2993
  • Saturday, July 23: Papaaloa Hongwanji, 6 p.m. following 5 p.m. service, 962-6340
  • Saturday, July 30: Hilo Taishoji Soto Mission, 7 p.m., 935-8407

 

AUGUST 

  • Saturday, Aug. 6: Kurtistown Jodo Mission, 8 p.m. following 7 p.m. service, 966-9777
  • Saturday, Aug. 6: Hāwī Jodo Mission, 6 p.m. following 5:30 p.m., 775-0965
  • Saturday, Aug. 13: Hāmākua Jodo Mission, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 889-5456
  • Saturday, Aug. 13: Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Mission, 7 p.m., 935-8968
  • Saturday, Aug. 13: Kona Koyasan Daishiji Mission, 7 p.m., 324-1741
  • Friday, Aug. 19: Life Care Center of Hilo, 6 p.m., 959-9151
  • Saturday, Aug. 20: Hakalau Jodo Mission, 7 p.m., 966-9777
  • Saturday, Aug. 20: Kamuela Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 775-7232
  • Sunday, Aug. 21: Pahala Hongwanji Mission, 5–9 p.m., 928-8254
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: Honohina Hongwanji, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 963-6032
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: Puna Hongwanji Pahoa Shibu, 7:30 p.m., 966-9981

 

Kaua‘i

JUNE

  • Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4: Līhu‘e Hongwanji, 7:30 p.m., 245-6262
  • Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11: Waimea Shingon Mission, 7:30 p.m., 388-1854
  • Friday, June 17 and Saturday, June 18: Kapa‘a Jodo Mission, 7:30 p.m., 822-4319
  • Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25: West Kaua‘i Hongwanji Waimea Temple, 7:30 p.m., 338-1537

 

JULY 

  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Kapa‘a Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, 7:30 p.m., 822-4667
  • Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16: Waimea Higashi Hongwanji, 7:30–10:30 p.m., 338-1847
  • Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23: Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji, 7:30–10:30 p.m., 335-3521
  • Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30: Koloa Jodo Mission, 7:30 p.m., 742-6735

 

AUGUST

  • Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6, West Kaua‘i Hongwanji Hanapepe Temple, 7:30 p.m., 338-1537

 

Maui/Lāna‘i/Moloka‘i

JUNE

  • Saturday, June 4: Lahaina Shingon Mission, 7:30 p.m. following 6:30 p.m. service, 661-0466
  • Saturday, June 11: Pu‘nnēnē Nichiren Mission, 8 p.m. following 7 p.m. service, 871-4831
  • Friday, June 17: Wailuku Jodo Mission, 8 p.m. following 7 p.m. service, 244-0066
  • Saturday, June 18: Wailuku Shingon Mission, 7:30 p.m. following 6:30 p.m. service, 242-5618

 

JULY 

  • Saturday, July 2: Lahaina Jodo Mission, 6:30 p.m. following service, 661-4304
  • Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9: Pā‘ia Mantokuji Soto Mission, 7:30–10:30 p.m., 579- 8051
  • Saturday, July 9: Lāna‘i Hongwanji, 6 p.m., 565-6151
  • Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16: Kahului Hongwanji, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 871-4732
  • Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23: Makawao Hongwanji, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 572-7229
  • Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30: Wailuku Hongwanji, 8 p.m. following 6:45 p.m. service, 244-0406
  • Saturday, July 30 : Guzeiji Soto Mission of Moloka‘i, 6–9 p.m., 537-9409

 

AUGUST

  • Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6: Lahaina Hongwanji, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 661-0640
  • Friday, Aug. 19 and Saturday, Aug. 20: Kahului Jodo Mission, 7:30 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 244-0066
  • Saturday, Aug. 20: Paia Rinzai Zen Mission, 7 p.m. following 6 p.m. service, 579-9921
  • Saturday, Aug. 27: Kula Shofukuji Shingon Mission, 7:30 p.m. following 6:30 p.m. service, 661-0466

 

SEPTEMBER

  • Saturday, Sept. 10, Hāna Obon Festival, 5:00 p.m.

 
*Times and dates are subject to change
Source: Hawai‘i Summer 2016 Bon Dance Schedule – Honolulu Magazine – June 2016 – Hawaii


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Character Interview: Éclair and Present Danger: An Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery

The first book in the delicious new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series from national bestselling author Laura Bradford.

Book Cover Eclair

With her rent rising faster than her pie crust, bakery owner Winnie Johnson had hoped to be rescued by an inheritance from her wealthy friend and neighbor Gertrude Redenbacher. Instead all she inherits is the widow’s hostile hissing tabby, Lovey, and a vintage ambulance, restored by Gertrude’s late husband. As her dream crumbles, Winnie makes her final delivery—a peach pie to an elderly widower. But she finds Bart Wagner lying on his kitchen floor, smothered by a pillow.
To comfort her frightened and grieving neighbors, Winnie comes to the rescue with her baked goods—and an idea is born: dessert delivery via her ambulance and a new business called the Emergency Dessert Squad. When she’s not speeding to the scenes of dessert emergencies, Winnie is also racing to track down Bart’s killer—before she needs to call a real ambulance for the next victim…


Winnie Johnson herself stopped by Island Confidential to talk about her life and adventures, and to dish (ahem) on some of the other characters.
Q: Tell our readers a little bit about yourself–maybe something readers might not guess?
My name is Winnie Johnson. When you hear that name, you probably think I’m an elderly person, but I’m not. I’m actually 34. What’s interesting is that most of my friends—my true friends—are elderly. I enjoy their wisdom and their candor, though, between you and me, I wish they’d show a little less candor about my love life (or lack, thereof).
My biggest passion in life is baking. It’s all I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. I get a kick out of turning a person’s day around with something I’ve baked.
I’ll never forget the day I opened my bakery, Delectable Delights. It was a dream come true. People hired me to bake their children’s birthday cakes, their book club’s pastries, their office party’s treats, you name it.
But now, just a few years later, that dream has turned into a nightmare. Don’t get me wrong, I still love to bake. And I still love my bakery. But the landlord has raised my rent so high, I can’t stay open any longer.
I thought I had a shot when I got word I was named in Gertrude Redenbacher’s will, but, sadly, a vintage ambulance and a cat that hisses non-stop (at me) wasn’t exactly the bequest I needed.
But hey…I’ll figure it out. One way or the other.
 Q: Who’s the character you get along with the best? Why?
Don’t tell Renee, my best friend and employee (or, rather, my soon to be let go employee), but I think I’m going to have to say Mr. Nelson for this one. Mr. Nelson is the elderly man who lives downstairs. He’s virtually deaf (though somehow he can always hear the sound of Renee’s stilettos on the front porch) and has a penchant for playing tricks on people (I can’t tell you how many times he’s gotten me with the old whoopee cushion gag), but he’s also the best listener I’ve ever known.
Q:  Which other character do you have a conflict with? Why?
Right now, I’d have to say my biggest issue is with Nick Batkas, the man who is so hell bent on turning downtown Silver Lake into some sort of happening area, he’s pulled the proverbial rug right out from under my bakery.
Q:  Just between you and me: What do you really think of your author?
Laura Bradford? She’s okay, actually. She lets me do my thing without getting in the way and she’s not amused by Renee’s repeated innuendos regarding my checkered pet-owning past.
It helps, of course, that she’s responsible for the demise of a few goldfish in her past, as well…
Q: What’s next for you?
I’m hoping to make my Emergency Dessert Squad the talk of not only Silver Lake, but the surrounding towns, as well. And I’m hoping this thing with Jay Morgan (the oh so cute business professor at Silver Lake College) is real.  Mr. Nelson and Renee are sure it is. But Jay’s teenage daughter, Caroline, is determined it’s not…
 
 
 


Laura Bradford

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a child, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else. Today, Laura is the national bestselling author of several mystery series, including the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Amish Mysteries, the Jenkins & Burns Mysteries, and the upcoming Tobi Tobias Mystery Series. She is a former Agatha Award nominee, and the recipient of an RT Reviewer’s Choice Award in romance. A graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Laura enjoys making memories with her family, baking, and being an advocate for those living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Author Links
Website: www.laurabradford.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/laurabradfordauthor
Twitter:  @bradfordauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laurabrad4d/
Purchase Links:
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Amazon  
 


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Back Porchervations: The Cursed Canoe by Frankie Bow – #review #giveaway

The Cursed Canoe has a little something for everyone:  a slick mystery, and intrepid heroine, some comic relief.  At this time of year, people start making noise about good ‘beach reads’.  Here ya go.  Catch a few rays for me!

 

Guest post on Brooke Blogs: The real-life "Labor Day Canoe Race"


Professor Molly Barda investigates a mysterious paddling accident, and realizes it isn’t just business majors who cheat to get what they want. Whether it’s moving up in the college rankings, getting a seat in the big canoe race, or just looking out for themselves, some people will do whatever it takes-including murder.

The women’s crews would leave the bay, paddle the tough eighteen miles down the coast, and disembark. The women would get out and the men’s teams would climb into the same canoes and paddle back up the coast, where they would arrive at the starting point many grueling hours later. A spectator on the beach wouldn’t see anything after the canoes sped off. I’d be staring out at the empty blue water.

The Labor Day Race is a big deal—so much so, that all seven women on Emma’s crew want to participate. (Unfortunately, the canoe has only six seats…)
Read more: The Cursed Canoe by Frankie Bow – Guest Post + Giveaway » Brooke Blogs


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#Giveaway: Win a book and an actual buttermilk pie

>>> One winner will receive an e-copy of the book AND a buttermilk pie shipped from Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Franklin, Tennessee<<<

Mandy Hemphill is living her dream, running the successful Rose Cottage Cafe in Orchardville, Texas, from the ground floor of a converted, old—and possibly haunted—downtown home. She even had plans to grow her business with a new outdoor patio…if only the mayor wouldn’t have turned her down.
So when the beloved mayor is found murdered, Mandy finds herself among the suspects. And now business at the cafe is dropping faster than a fallen soufflé. How can she prove her innocence and save the Rose Cottage Cafe?
Thankfully Ben, the new owner of The Orchardville Gazette, doesn’t believe she’s guilty. As the two of them set out to find the real killer, they uncover one small-town lie after the next. But the closer they get to learning the truth about who killed the mayor, the more in danger they find themselves.



 


About The Author
After her twenty-year career in magazine publishing came to a screeching halt faster than you can say “print is dead,” Lori Stacy decided it was time to finally turn the many stories she had been crafting in her head over the years into books.
Lori has authored a number of fiction and nonfiction books for young adults, has written articles for both print and online publications, and has written about hotels for one of the world’s leading search engines.
She lives in Texas with her husband and three children. When she is not writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen baking treats (which she says are for her children) or trying to train their hundred-pound golden retriever, an obedience school dropout.
 

You can find out more about Lori and her latest books at www.loristacy.com, provided she didn’t forget to pay her web hosting bill.


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Author Interview – Julie Seedorf, author of The Penderghast Puzzle Protectors

>>>Enter to win a signed print copy of The Penderghast Puzzle Protectorscopy (U.S. addresses only)<< 
Jezabelle Jingle and her neighbors in the Penderghast section of Brilliant, Minnesota, have a mystery on their hands. Someone is stealing sections of hardwood floors in their homes and the thefts may be connected to a long-hidden treasure left by the founders of Brilliant. Not only that, there’s a dead body in a basement to add to the mix. Can Jezzie and her quirky friends figure out the puzzle and find the treasure before some other, unknown person–maybe the murderer–beats them to the punch? Or will the town’s Chief of Police, Hank Hardy, prevent the group from their sleuthing? Anything can happen in the strange little town of Brilliant, Minnesota. After all, brilliant minds create brilliant finds!
Cover

Q: Julie, thanks for stopping by Island Confidential! Can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist Jezabelle Jingle? 
A: Jezabelle Jingle is a 60-something woman. She has a little snark to her personality but is like most of us, having good days and bad days. Jezzy likes to bake, has a secret late night visitor, cares about her neighbors and is inquisitive but not intrusive. She develops lifelong friendships and those friends are with her through thick and thin. She doesn’t suffer fools lightly but likes the quirkiness of her neighbors and is not afraid to delve into the mystery when a burglar and murderer threaten her neighborhood, the Penderghast neighborhood. More of her character will be revealed in the coming books.
Q: How much is Jezabelle like you? How would you feel about her if you met her in real life?
I would like to think that I have a little of the quirkiness and fun that Jezabelle does. I would love to have her quirky friends. Otherwise I have a feeling I write characters that I would like to eventually become in real life. If I met my characters in real life I would want to hang out with them because they would make my life interesting. And I’d probably get in a lot of trouble.
Q: Do your characters change and evolve throughout consecutive books in the series?
A: Yes, in my Fuchsia Minnesota Series you get to know the background and what makes the characters who they are now. The same thing will happen in the Brilliant Minnesota Series.
Q: Have you ever thought of killing someone that you know in real life–on the pages of a murder mystery, I mean?
A: No, I guess I haven’t. I have those people, like all of us that I don’t like but I would think you would almost have to hate someone to kill them. I don’t know. There is no one I hate and I may threaten to put someone in my book and kill them, but no, I never would. Maybe next year. Ask me again. I have been known to change my mind.
Q: How realistic is your setting? Do you take liberties, or are you true to life?
A: Very unrealistic. Brilliant is fictional and very different then Fuchsia in my other series. None are like the real world with the rules we live with today. They are more relaxed settings and quirky. My goal is to take people away from the real world for a short time and give them something to laugh about. And I never mention where in Minnesota they are located except close to each other. I leave that to my readers’ imaginations.
Q: When the movie or TV series is made, who plays the major parts?
A: In the Brilliant Series I can see Dolly Parton or Diane Keaton for Jezabelle Jingle and Mark Harmon for Police Chief Hank Hardy.
Q: What’s the worst and best advice you’ve heard or received as an author?
A: The best advice would be to have faith in my writing and write from my heart. And don’t dwell on bad reviews if they aren’t constructive criticism. I can’t think of any worst advice. I have had some very good mentors.


About The Author
Author
Julie Seedorf is a Minnesotan. She calls dinner, supper, and lunch, dinner. She has had many careers over her lifetime but her favorite career was that as mother to her children. In later life she became a computer technician, opening her own business. In 2012 Julie signed a contract with Cozy Cat Press for her Fuchsia, Minnesota Series. Books included in that series are Granny Hooks a Crook, Granny Skewers A Scoundrel, Granny Snows A Sneak and Granny Forks A Fugitive.
Closing her computer business in January 2014 Julie has transitioned to becoming a full time writer adding free-lance work for various newspapers, along with continuing her column Something About Nothing, which is now in book form in a book of the same name released in early 2015. Her children’s series, Granny’s In Trouble gives her grandkids a hint of the young Grandma underneath the wrinkles.
Her books are light and fluffy and highlight the fact that in the midst of life we have to find the humor in bad situations to keep us going. “We all take ourselves too seriously and we need to have a little fun.” Julie secretly yearns to be like the Granny characters in her books.
In February 2016 the first book in the Brilliant Minnesota Series was released titled the Penderghast Puzzle Protectors. She also is part of a group mystery by Cozy Cat Press Authors titled “Chasing the Codex.” Julie’s serious side is revealed in a story included in the Anthology, We Go On – Anthology for Veterans where the proceeds will go to Veteran’s Charities.
Visit her website at http://www.julieseedorf.com. Her blog http://sprinklednotes is a little scattered like Granny but lends itself to wisdom and occasional flip flops about life. You will also find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julie.seedorf.author and on Twitter at julieseedorf@julieseedorf and her character Granny has her own Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/GrannyFromFuchsiaMinnesota. Enjoy the moments; they may carry you through a lifetime.
Author Links
http://julieseedorf.com
http://sprinklednotes.com
http://www.facebook.com/julie.seedorf.author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6556799.Julie_Seedorf
Purchase Links

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-penderghast-puzzle-protectors-julie-seedorf/1123331597?ean=9781939816801


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