Nancy J. Parra and the Dog Days of Summer
with Sparkle Abbey
Today we’re thrilled to welcome longtime friend and fellow author Nancy J. Parra aka Nancy Coco aka Nell Hampton to the blog. She’s a USA Today Bestselling Author and has over thrity-five published novels including five mystery series. And she’s also party to many of our conference adventures. Nancy take it away…
Hi, ya’ll, thank you for letting me visit. I can’t believe how quickly summer has flown by this year. We’re in the dog days of summer now, which are technically July 3rd until August 11th, although that date has changed with the changing of the calendars. It’s still the hottest time of the year for the northern hemisphere. Are you feeling it? It’s hot and muggy here and it’s so easy to get heat stroke if you’re not careful.
I’ve been wondering for a long time why we call the hottest days the dog days. I mean, doggies are cute and sweet and silly. Then why name the hottest days after them? So, I looked it up.
It’s a very old idea whose history tells the tale of cultural minds. The whole thing began when we looked up in the sky and observed the dog star rising. People associated it with drought, storms, heat, human ailments, and mood changes. One culture said the dog days “made women wanton and the men feeble.”
But for us, it’s simply the hottest time of our year.
Still, it would make for an interesting twist in a mystery, wouldn’t it? 
Allie McMurphy from Three Fudges and a Baby doesn’t think so. She has enough twists on her hands. Especially with handling her best friend, Jenn Christensen’s erratic moods. In her last few weeks of pregnancy where all she wants to do is get the baby out, Jenn’s doula is arrested for the murder of her fiancé. Jenn has a meltdown. She’s tired of waddling, being unable to see her own feet and struggling to get up out of chairs. But she won’t have the baby without her doula and demands Allie as her best friend and the baby’s godmother to find the real killer. Perhaps the “dog days” could explain Jenn’s moods but nobody would dare tell her that. Besides it’s early May.
It’s a good thing Allie has her own cute pup who helps sniff out a killer before they all end up in the doghouse.
Tell me, how do you feel about the hottest days of the year? Are you someone who lives for them? Or are you ready to collect Halloween décor or start Christmas shopping?
Let me know your thoughts below and one lucky commenter will win a signed copy of Three Fudges and a Baby!
USA Today Bestselling Author, Nancy Coco AKA Nell Hampton AKA Nancy Parra is the author of over 35 published novels which include five mystery series: The Oregon Honey-comb Mystery Series (Kensington), The Candy-Coated Mysteries (Kensington), The Kensington Palace Mystery Series (Crooked Lane), The Wine Country Tours Mystery Series (Crooked Lane) The Gluten-free Baker’s Treat Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime), and The Perfect Proposal Mysteries (Berkley Prime Crime). Her writing has been called witty and her protagonists plucky by reviewers around the world. Nancy is a member of Sisters in Crime and loves to hear from readers.
You can find her at:
Thanks for hanging out with The Stiletto Gang today, Nancy! We’ll be interested in everyone’s thoughts on the hottest days of the year. We’d have to say that we’ve had some challenging weather here lately and we’re definitely ready for some cooler days.
Wishing you and the rest of the gang a great rest of the summer!
Sparkle Abbey
Nice seeing you hear Nancy!
Hi Dru Ann, Thanks! Hope you’re staying cool and having a great day!
Considering how hot it has been down South (Alabama), I’m ready to see them go. Speaking for the sluggish, grumpy person I turn into when I take a step outside (not to mention the reactions other people have to the present heat wave), I’d be thrilled to return to about 15-20 degrees cooler outside. Not ready for Christmas or even Halloween – just sunny summer mellow days.
I agree with mellow. My favorite is about 78.
I’m not quite ready for Halloween although we did see the Halloween candy out already at the grocery store this morning. But I do not like weather above 90 degrees. Every day I thank whoever invented air conditioning because the older I get the more I can’t take the heat. Thanks for the chance to win this book. I love this series and need to catch up.
I’ve seen Christmas trees out already
I agree on the AC. it can gets so hot you can’t even breath in it with out feeling like you lungs are on fire.
Happy August and dog days of summer! I live on the western slope of Colorado and don’t have the humidity like other places so I don’t mind it being hot way too much. In fact, yesterday it was 1%. The book sounds really great and I feel for Jenn going through her last couple of months of pregnancy in that heat. I’m definitely not ready for Any holidays yet. It comes way too quickly as it is. for sharing today.
My daughter has Halloween up year round. LOL She tells me that she likes it so why take it down? I have a neighbor who leaves her Christmas tree up just outside her door and a heart for her door decoration all year round. I’m not that into holidays. LOL
Welcome, Nancy. As for me, please, no holidays yet, though I’m sure that in the next week or two, Costco will be selling their “evergreen” Xmas trees. They passed through Halloween last month.
It’s crazy how the stores put out holiday stuff so early. Valentine’s stuff goes out the day after Christmas, Easter comes out the day after Valentines, etc.
I have never been a Summer person. I do not like the heat. Fall is my favorite season. Thank you for this chance.
I share your pain for the work you’ve completed. The sketch is refined, and the authored material is wonderfully written. However, you appear to be concerned about the possibility of embarking on a path that could be considered questionable. I believe you will be able to solve this matter in a timely manner.