#MidweekMystery Dead of Winter Break by Kelly Brakenhoff

It’s beginning to look a lot like murder . . .

And Cassandra Sato is knee deep in . . .
Suspects.
Her boss is dead, and the police are calling it burglary gone wrong. But when the killer comes after her, it’s going to take more than a pair of furry boots to keep the smart, witty Morton College administrator, Cassandra Sato, out of the deep. . .
Snow. Her first Christmas in Nebraska could be her last unless her friends help unravel the mystery and housebreak her dog.

 

About the Author


Kelly Brakenhoff is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. As an American Sign Language Interpreter with more than twenty years of experience, Kelly’s worked in college classrooms for fifteen different majors. From traipsing across muddy farm fields to stomach-churning medical procedures, and stage interpreting for famous figures, Kelly’s community interpreting interactions number in the thousands.

Unfortunately, once she’s stepped away from the job, she usually forgets 90% of what happened. Which helps her keep confidential information safe, but also makes it really hard to grocery shop for more than 5 items without a written list.

Kelly wants to live in a world filled with peace, love, and joy, where people who can hear learn enough sign language to include deaf people in everyday conversations and work. Where every deaf child has early access to language and books with characters like them, and dark chocolate is cheap and plentiful.

When she’s not interpreting or writing, you can find Kelly cheering for her favorite Husker teams or training for half-marathons because she really likes dessert.

Website – Amazon – TwitterInstagram

 

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Interview and Giveaway: N.J. Thames, Happy Homicides, Thirteen Cozy Mysteries

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Cara Mia Delgatto and the Stupid Cupid– (Joanna Campbell Slan) Cara hopes to find the man of her dreams. Instead she gets caught up in a lover’s nightmare.
Bones and Arrows by Carolyn Haines—Sarah Delaney Booth and her partner Tinkie Armstrong tackle a thieving Cupid.
Missing Jacket by Randy Rawls—A two-timing husband hires a retired cop to retrieve a stolen gift. But nothing is as it seems!
Murder at Catmmando Mountain by Anna Celeste Burke—A murder at a theme park puts Georgina “Georgie” Shaw at risk, when the killer sets Georgie up to take the fall. Will the hunky detective assigned to the case believe her plea of innocence?
And today’s interview guest, Nancy Jill Thames, author of Teddy Saves Christmas.  When Jillian Bradley finds herself alone for the holidays, her dog Teddy latches onto a homeless woman with a dangerous secret. Jillian is forced to get involved. Can she find a way to save her new friend in time for a Merry Christmas?


 

 
 


 
Q: Nancy, thanks for stopping by.  Can you tell us something about Jillian Bradley, the heroine of Teddy Saves Christmas?
A: Jillian Bradley is a feisty garden columnist for the San Francisco Enterprise living in Clover Hills, a small Bay Area bedroom community. Since she’s widowed and childless she takes her Yorkie, Teddy, with her wherever she goes which makes some consider her eccentric. Jillian does not mind at all. She knows who she is and what she stands for. Truth, justice, and the American way fits her to a T. Jillian has a great tendency to root for the underdog, particularly when she believes the wrong person has been accused of murder. Serving afternoon tea to her garden club friends is her all-time favorite thing to do besides gardening and collecting fine art. Although she’s considered well-to-do, it does not prevent her from being generous when the need arises.
Q: How much of you is in Jillian? How would you feel about her if you met her in real life?
A: : I once left a stroller with three children at the mall and chased down a young man who had violated me. Some would call that not being afraid of anything which is exactly the way Jillian Bradley is. I created a protagonist that would live my dream life, which is pretty close at the moment except I am married with four grown children and seven grandchildren, so far.
I do serve afternoon tea, but instead of collecting fine art I do my own paintings or have works my mother painted. Unlike me, Jillian does not play the piano. I think if I were to meet Jillian Bradley in real life I would find her gracious, but strong-willed, which some personalities find difficult to be around for a long period of time.
Q: That stroller episode sounds like it could be a story in itself! I see that you’ve just released Book Ten of the Jillian Bradley Series, Murder at the Empress Hotel. Have your characters changed throughout consecutive books ?
A: My characters do change and evolve throughout the series. Jillian only grows more like herself while her closest companions, Walter and Cecilia Montoya have gone from him being a hotel valet and she a housekeeper at the same hotel to him being a homicide detective and she working as a journalist for the Half Moon Bay Review.
Q: Have you ever thought of killing someone that you know in real life–on the pages of a murder mystery, I mean?
A: Others have suggested possible victims but I only create victims from my imagination, they are never based on anyone I know.
Q: How realistic are your settings? Do you take liberties, or are you true to life?
A: : The settings are hallmarks of my books since many of them take place in actual resorts and hotels where I have been privileged to stay. Perhaps one day I can take liberties if my imagination allows. For now I write true to life, with the exception of changing the names of the actual place where Jillian lives and some nearby communities.
Q: When the movie or TV series is made, who plays the major parts?
A: Kim Cattrall for Jillian, Christian Bale for Walter, and Emily Blunt for Cecilia.
Q: What’s the worst and best advice you’ve heard or received as an author?
A: The worst advice I’ve heard is from the first book I read on how to write a mystery. It said if one desires to be an author they should immediately turn and run the other way.
On the other hand, the best advice I’ve read is to never give up – just keep going, and growing, and getting better at being a writer/author/publisher/marketer.


About The Author  

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood storyteller to the Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she’s always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunits. In 2010, she published her first mystery “Murder in Half Moon Bay,” introducing the well-loved protagonist Jillian Bradley and clue-sniffing Yorkie “Teddy.” When not plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, Nancy Jill travels between Texas, California, and Georgia finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand, or having afternoon tea with friends. She lives with her husband in Texas and is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) CenTex Chapter.
Visit: nancyjillthames.com
Or contact: [email protected]
Find out about all of the Happy Homicides 2 authors
Joanna Campbell Slan | Teresa Trent | Neil Plakcy | Elaine Viets | Annie Adams | Camille Minichino | Kathi Daley  | Nancy Jill Thames | Linda Gordon Hengerer | Carolyn Haines | Randy Rawls | Anna Celeste Burke | Maggie Toussaint


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Amazon coupon is back: Take 25% at Amazon today with code BOOKDEAL25. Through December 14.

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