Slash & Burn: Or Just Rearrange a Few Words?

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I stared at it, bracing myself.

It was a headline. It was subtle and chilling, and I couldn’t help wondering if I was complicit.

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How Sewing a Patchwork Quilt is Like Writing a Mystery Novel

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I’m not a quilter, but I’ve always appreciated the beauty and workmanship of handmade quilts. In many ways, creating a quilt is much like writing a mystery novel. When starting a quilt, the quilter must first decide on a design. As an author, I start by deciding on the book’s story.

The quilter then chooses fabrics to complement her design. I choose the setting for my story and the characters who will populate the story.

Most quilts are comprised of individual squares or blocks. Books are comprised of chapters. The quilter stitches together the individual squares into a quilt top, then adds interest and depth to the design by hand-stitching (quilting) the quilt top, batting, and bottom layer of fabric together.

I not only need to make sure my chapters are seamlessly “stitched” together to tell my story, but as a mystery author, I also need my sleuth to “stitch” together the clues to solve the mystery.

Since Anastasia Pollack, my reluctant amateur sleuth, is the crafts editor at a woman’s magazine, I feature a different craft in each book of the series. In Seams Like the Perfect Crime, the fourteenth and latest book, I chose to feature quilting.

As it turns out, today is the start of Quilt Week, a four-day event sponsored by the American Quilter’s Society. Quilt Week takes place in Paducah, KY, a Unesco Creative City, known as Quilt City USA®. Paducah is also home to the National Quilt Museum.

The American Quilt Society is the world’s largest quilting organization. According to its website, it’s “dedicated to TODAY’s quilter. Inspired by the enduring creativity and importance of quilts and quiltmaking, our objective is to provide a forum for quilters of all skill levels to expand their horizons in quilt making, design, self-expression, and quilt collecting. Through our magazines, quilt shows and contests, workshops, and other activities in the world of quilting, we strive to inspire, instruct, and nurture the art and skill of quiltmaking.”

Quilt Week offers workshops, lectures, special events, quilt exhibits, vendors, and appraisals. Since I’m not a quilter, I doubt I’ll ever attend Quilt Week. However, now that I’m living in Tennessee, I think a day trip to Paducah to visit the National Quilt Museum is definitely in my future.

In the meantime, I’ve begun work on the next Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery.

Seams Like the Perfect Crime

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 14

When staffing shortages continue to hamper the Union County homicide squad, Detective Sam Spader once again turns to his secret weapon, reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack. How can she and husband Zack Barnes refuse when the victim is their new neighbor?

Revolutionary War reenactor Barry Sumner had the odd habit of spending hours mowing a small patch of packed dirt and weeds until his mower ran out of gas. He’d then guzzle beer on his front porch until he passed out. That’s where Anastasia’s son Nick discovers his body three days after the victim and his family moved into the newly built mini-McMansion across the street.

After a melee breaks out at the viewing, Spader zeroes in on the widow as his prime suspect. However, Anastasia has her doubts. There are other possible suspects, including a woman who’d had an affair with the victim, his ex-wife, the man overseeing the widow’s trust fund, a drug dealer, and the reenactors who were blackmailing the widow and victim.

When another reenactor is murdered, Spader suspects they’re dealing with a serial killer, but Anastasia wonders if the killer is attempting to misdirect the investigation. As she narrows down the suspects, will she jeopardize her own life to learn the truth?

Craft projects included.

Buy Links

~*~

USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website www.loiswinston.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter and follow her on various social media sites.

Characters and Shoes for the AGATHAS!

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by Paula Gail Benson

It’s that time of year! Next weekend, the Agatha awards will be presented at Malice Domestic in Bethesda, Maryland. To celebrate, we asked the Agatha-nominated authors in the categories of Best Contemporary Novel, Best Debut Novel, and Best Short Story to tell us:

IF YOUR PROTAGONIST(S) COULD ATTEND THE AGATHA BANQUET, WHAT SHOES WOULD SHE/HE WEAR AND WHY?

Here are their answers:

BEST CONTEMPORARY NOVEL NOMINEES

Connie Berry

CONNIE BERRY: Kate rarely dresses up. She prefers jeans and boots—a wise move in the wet English weather.  But when she does dress up, she always wears her 3” black sling-back heels. I haven’t checked her closet, but I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they are the only high heels she owns. She’s never mentioned any others. Besides, they’re perfect for her coloring. As a “winter,” Kate tends to wear jewel colors, especially red (it’s her husband, Tom’s, favorite color on her) along with black and white. To a recent dinner party at Finchley Hall, Kate wore a pearl-white satin skirt with a fitted black jacket—and her black sling-backs. Oddly enough, it’s just what I might wear myself. ‘ )

ELLEN BYRON: LOL! I love this question! Dee Stern would wear a really interesting pair of shoes or ankle booties that she either bought at a huge discount. She would have ignored the fact they were slightly tight when she bought them, figuring it wouldn’t be problem because she wouldn’t be on her feet that long. She would learn at the banquet cocktail hour that she was wrong. Limping by the time she reached her table for dinner, she’d kick off the shoes – and discover at the end of the evening she can barely squeeze her feet back into them. She eventually doesand staggers off to the bar in extreme discomfort. Or… what happened to me at a banquet happens to her. I bought this gorgeous gold sandals at a thrift store. They began to fall apart as the banquet went on, and by the end of it, they were in pieces. I wound up scurrying up to my room barefoot to retrieve my only other shoes, a pair of sneakers that did NOT go with my elegant dress at all!

Ann Cleves

ANN CLEEVES: Vera is very much more about comfort than style, but she would appreciate the honor of being invited to a prestigious banquet, so would make a bit of effort about her dress.  I think she’d definitely be in flats, but they might be shiny patent leather.  Or she would go for sandals of some description.

KORINA MOSS: Funny you should ask this question, because at last year’s Agatha’s when I was nominated for Case of the Bleus, I wore the shoes my cheesemonger protagonist Willa would wear—Keds. They are her shoes of choice, even when she wears a dress. In honor of her, I wore a long, flowy blue and white dress with light blue Keds. I felt I could get away with it because it’s what my protagonist would wear. I was so comfortable that I’ll be continuing the tradition at this year’s Agatha Awards banquet.

GIGI PANDIAN: Tempest Raj used to perform on stage as an illusionist known as The Tempest, so she’s used to dressing up in elaborate costumes. But now that she works for the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, where she gets to create architectural illusions like sliding bookcases and hidden libraries, she’s most at home in a T-shirt, jeans, and her ruby red sneakers. The new outfit is so much more comfortable! So for the Agatha Awards, I expect that Tempest would wear a long and elegant little black dress—but if she lifted the hem you’d catch a glimpse of her bright red sneakers.

Ellen Byron

BIOS:

CONNIE BERRY, self-confessed history nerd and unashamed Anglophile, is the author of the USA Today best-selling Kate Hamilton Mysteries, set in the UK and featuring an American antiques dealer with a gift for solving crimes. Like her protagonist, Connie was raised by antiques dealers who instilled in her a passion for history, fine art, and travel. Currently president of the Guppies, Connie lives in Ohio and northern Wisconsin with her husband and adorable Shih Tzu, Emmie. Her latest novel, A Grave Deception, is coming in Fall 2025. You can sign up for her very entertaining monthly newsletter at www.connieberry.com.

ELLEN BYRON is a USA Today bestselling author. Her Cajun Country Mysteries have won multiple Agatha and Lefty awards. The first book in her new Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, was nominated for Agatha and Anthony awards, and won the Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery. She writes the Catering Hall Mystery series (under the name Maria DiRico) and the Golden Motel Mysteries. She is an award-winning playwright and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. Her website is Cozy Mysteries | Ellen Byron | Author.

ANN CLEEVES is an award-winning author, best known for Vera, Shetland, and Matthew Venn. All three have been turned into successful television series. Her nominated novel, The Dark Wives, was adapted as the very last Vera drama. The Killing Stones, which takes her character Jimmy Perez from Shetland to Orkney, will be published at the end of September by Minotaur. Her website is Ann Cleeves.

Korina Moss

KORINA MOSS is the author of the Cheese Shop Mystery series set in the Sonoma Valley, which includes multiple Agatha Award nominated books for Best Contemporary Novel and the winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, Cheddar Off Dead. Listed as one of USA Today’s “Best Cozy Mystery Series,” her books have also been featured in PARADE Magazine, Woman’s World, and Writer’s Digest. Korina is also a freelance developmental editor specializing in cozy and traditional mysteries. To learn more or subscribe to her free monthly #teamcheese newsletter, visit her website korinamossauthor.com.

GIGI PANDIAN is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and locked-room mystery enthusiast. She writes the Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times), the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous mysteries with a touch of magic), and the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history). She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard garden. For bookish fun, along with a free mini cookbook and free story, sign up for her email newsletter at gigipandian.com.

Gigi Pandian

BEST DEBUT NOVEL NOMINEES

Jenny Adams

JENNY ADAMS: Edie, one of the protagonists from A Deadly Endeavor, is a 22-year-old socialite in 1921. She’s a big fan of fashion (particularly of hats!) and she’d be thrilled to attend the Agathas! She’d wear something sparkly, beaded, and a little daring. As befitting the year, her dress would have sheer straps with a loose bodice, a swagged skirt, and a waist belted in a big bow at the back. Edie tends towards the dramatic–she’d probably choose a bright red, or a brilliant orange, with pumps to match. And since it’s an evening event, she’d choose a coordinating turban, secured over her wavy bob with a jeweled pin. She’d wear jewelry, too, of course; perhaps a diamond necklace and earrings.

Gilbert’s outfit is simpler: just like their speakeasy date in the book, he’d insisted on wearing his suit. Edie would try to cajole him into buying a tuxedo, but he’d refuse (they’re too expensive, and he’d have no other reason to wear it).

ELIZABETH CROWENS: Babs Norman, the protagonist of Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, would wear a similar pair of shoes to what I’m going to wear at the Agatha Banquet, except that hers would’ve been actual vintage, and mine are vintage repro. Babs was a sensible gal and didn’t walk too well in high heels. Besides, how is a lady private eye going to run after or run away from a bad guy in heels? That only happens in the movies. Instead, she would’ve worn a black patent leather casual-to-dressy shoe with a two-inch wedge heel, circa 1940, of course, with a sling back closure and a slight peekaboo open toe. Fine for most of the year except during winter, and it would be something comfortable where she could be on her feet all day. Pssst, I bought these at Re-Mix on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood, and they are fantastic.

Elizabeth Crowens

Last year, I was on a panel at Malice Domestic called Clothes Make the Murder. We all dressed in vintage, and I helped provide hats for some of the other panelists. This year, for the Agatha Banquet, I also plan on dressing in vintage, similar to what my protagonist would’ve worn.

ELLE JAUFFRET: She would wear black Christian Louboutin stilettos because they are the most lethal-looking shoes she owns: elegant, sharp (the heel could be used as a knife—a reference to murder weapons in mystery novels), and the shiny red sole is reminiscent of blood. Plus, the brand is French, which matches her foreign accent syndrome.

JENNIFER K. MORITA: Maya’s best friend, Lani, would make her wear a pair of ridiculously expensive, impossibly high, “statement” stilettos, like Stuart Weitzman’s pearl-encrusted Bliss pointed toe pump, or the Moda slingback in champagne satin by Bruno Magli — borrowed of course because what writer can afford $800 shoes. But Maya would sneak a pair of “slippahs” in her purse for comfort.

K.T. NGUYEN: The protagonist of You Know What You Did, first-generation Vietnamese American artist Anh Le “Annie” Shaw would wear paint splattered designer combat boots paired with a fancy dress to the Agatha banquet. Eclectic and stylish!

K.T. Nguyen

K.T. Nguyen

BIOS:

JENNY ADAMS has always had an overactive imagination. She turned her love of books and stories into a career as a librarian and Agatha Award-nominated novelist. She holds degrees in Medieval Studies and Library Science from The Ohio State University and Drexel University. She has studied fiction at Johns Hopkins University and is an alumna of Blue Stoop’s 2019 YA Novel Intensive and the 2021 Tin House YA Workshop, and was a 2021 PitchWars Mentor. Jenny currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with family, though her heart is always in the City of Brotherly Love. Her website is Jenny Adams – historical mystery author.

ELIZABETH CROWENS has worn many hats in the entertainment industry, contributed stories to Black Belt, Black Gate, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazines, Hell’s Heart, and the Bram Stoker-nominated A New York State of Fright, and has a popular Caption Contest on Facebook. Awards include: MWA-NY Chapter Leo B. Burstein Scholarship, NYFA grant, Eric Hoffer Award, Glimmer Train Honorable Mention, a Killer Nashville Claymore finalist, two Grand prize, and six First prize Chanticleer Awards. Crowens writes multi-genre alternate history/time travel and historical Hollywood mystery in Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel (mystery), and Bye Bye Blackbird, its sequel. Her website is www.elizabethcrowens.com

Elle Jauffret

ELLE JAUFFRET is a French-born American writer, former criminal attorney with the California Attorney General’s Office, US military spouse, Claymore Award finalist, and Agatha Award nominee. New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry described her debut novel, Threads of Deception, as “a powerful, complex, and compelling mystery,” and USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan called it “a smart and fresh new voice.” Elle is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Southern California with her family, along the coast of San Diego County, which serves as the backdrop for her Suddenly French Mystery series. You can find her at https://ellejauffret.com or on social media @ellejauffret.

Former newspaper reporter JENNIFER K. MORITA believes a good story is like good mochi – slightly sweet with a nice chew. Her debut mystery, Ghosts of Waikīkī, won the 2025 Left Coast Crime Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery and has been nominated for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. It’s about an out-of-work journalist who reluctantly becomes the ghost writer for a controversial developer. When she stumbles into murder – and her ex – she discovers coming home to paradise can be murder. Jennifer is a writer for University Communications at Sacramento State. She lives in Sacramento with her husband and two teenage daughters. When she isn’t plotting murder mysteries or pushing Girl Scout cookies, she enjoys reading, experimenting with recipes, Zumba, and Hot Hula. You can reach Jennifer at www.jenniferkmorita.com

Jennifer K. Morita

 

K.T. NGUYEN is a former Glamour magazine editor. Her debut psychological thriller YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID has been nominated for Lefty and Agatha Awards. The Seattle Times called the novel “a swirly, tangled hair-raiser…as sinister as it is emotional.” It was selected as a People Magazine Best Book of April 2024 and named a Best Mystery and Thriller Book of 2024 by Elle, Parade, and Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine. K.T. enjoys practicing Krav Maga, rooting for the Mets, and playing with her rescue terrier Alice. A graduate of Brown University, she lives just outside Washington, D.C. with her family. Her website is K.T. Nguyen Suspense Thriller Books.

BEST SHORT STORY NOMINEES

BARB GOFFMAN: Ethan, the jelly-obsessed main character of “A Matter of Trust,” would wear the most comfortable shoes he has that go with the suit he would pull out of his closet, all the while wishing he could wear jeans and sneakers.

Hazel, the amateur sleuth from “The Postman Always Flirts Twice,” would wear a strappy open-toed shoe with a modest heel—the strappy shoe because that was in fashion in the spring of 1995, and the modest heel because she wants to enjoy the evening (being able to easily walk around listening to others’ conversations—should the need arise), and not deal with aching feet.

Barb Goffman

KERRY HAMMOND: Unassuming black leather shoes, she would want to blend in and not attract attention.

GABRIEL VALJAN: My protagonist is a member of law enforcement in rural Depression-era Tennessee. If he attended the Agatha banquet off-duty, he’d wear polished, well-maintained black leather oxfords or derbies to match his three-piece suit or dinner jacket. His shoes would be well-worn but cared for—remember, during the Depression, most folks didn’t have closets full of options.

If he were on-duty, the answer is a little trickier because uniforms for law enforcement were not standardized. Many sheriffs wore suits or slacks with a badge and carried their gun on a belt. As for shoes, I’m thinking something sturdy and durable for dusty roads, walking patrols, so sturdy black or brown leather boots with hobnail soles or leather soles with rubber heels.

KRISTOPHER ZGORSKI: The May/December relationship at the core of “Reynisfjara” means we would need two tickets to the Agatha Award banquet.

Bertram Bannister may or may not show up in a tuxedo, always one to prioritize appearance and perception. But he may not want to call too much attention to his attendance, so perhaps just a nice suit and tie to blend in. Either way, he’s likely to be sporting Brando Semi-Brogue Oxfords by Paul Evans. Luxury Italian footwear he picked up during his many travel escapades. Dress to impress is a motto this college professor takes to heart.

Kristopher Zgorski

Meanwhile, his new boyfriend—Ernst Ziegler (no relation to the famous actor)—will most likely wear the same black & white checkerboard Vans he pulls out of his messy closet every morning. Working on a student budget, new footwear was hardly a priority, but maybe that will change soon. Stranger things have happened. Whoever it was who said opposites attract might have been on to something, judging by these two.

BIOS:

BARB GOFFMAN is the 2024 recipient of the Golden Derringer Award for lifetime achievement, given by the Short Mystery Fiction Society. She has won the Agatha Award three times, the Macavity twice, and the Anthony and the EQMM Readers Award once each. She’s been a finalist for major crime-writing honors forty-six times, including twenty Agatha nominations (a Malice Domestic record). Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and many anthologies. She works as a freelance editor, often focusing on cozy and traditional mysteries. www.barbgoffman.com

Kerry Hammond

KERRY HAMMOND is a fully recovered attorney living in Denver, Colorado. Several of her short stories have been published in mystery anthologies and her latest, “Sins of the Father,” was nominated for an Agatha Award. One of her stories was featured in The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of 2023. She also enjoys creating downloadable Murder Mystery party games for BlameTheButler.com. Home | Kerry Hammond

GABRIEL VALJAN is the author of The Company Files, and the Shane Cleary Mysteries with Level Best Books. Gabriel has been listed for the Fish Prize, shortlisted for the Bridport Prize, and received an Honorable Mention for the Nero Wolfe Black Orchid Novella Contest. He has been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Derringer, Shamus, and Silver Falchion Awards. He received the 2021 Macavity Award for Best Short Story and the 2024 Shamus Award for Best Paperback PI Novel. Gabriel is a member of the Historical Novel Society, ITW, MWA, and Sisters in Crime. He lives in Boston and answers to tuxedo cat named Munchkin. Home – Gabriel Valjan

Gabriel Valjan

KRISTOPHER ZGORSKI is the founder and sole reviewer at the crime fiction book blog, BOLO Books. In 2018, he was awarded the MWA Raven Award for his work on the blog. Appearing in 2023, Kristopher’s first published short story—“Ticket to Ride”—(a collaborative work with follow blogger Dru Ann Love) won the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. His second short story—“Reynisfjara”—is currently nominated in the Agatha Award Best Short Story category and his latest story—“Losing My Mind”—appears in Every Day a Little Death: Crime Fiction Inspired by the songs of Stephen Sondheim. BOLO BOOKS | Be On the Look Out for These Books

donalee Moulton

Polishing prose so it sparkles

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We’ve been talking about the editing process. We started at 30,000 feet looking at the big picture. Now we’re on terra firma.

In my book The Thong Principle: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say, I discuss the various types of editing – and why they are all essential. For many of us, editing is synonymous with copyediting.

Copyediting is like minor surgery. The impact can be significant, but structural changes and in-depth revisions are not necessary (or have already been done).  This type of editing, the most common for most of what we write, involves editing a document for style, flow, and clarity. It also requires ensuring a consistent tone and pacing. Publishers often call it line editing.

Editors Canada offers the following overview for stylistic editing, or line editing. For many writers, this is what they’re doing when they are copyediting. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what we call it as long as we do it.

Stylistic Editing

Editing to clarify meaning, ensure coherence and flow, and refine the language.

It includes:

– eliminating jargon, clichés, and euphemisms
– establishing or maintaining the language level appropriate for the intended audience, medium, and purpose
– adjusting the length and structure of sentences and paragraphs
– establishing or maintaining tone, mood, style, and authorial voice or level of formality

What’s A Copyeditor To Do

Here are six areas of focus to help ensure your writing resonates with your audience and achieves your purpose.  When you look closely at these elements, you sharpen the writing and the plot. Readers are more likely to be carried along by your words. There will be no head scratching and no rereading to make the meaning is clear.

Check for:

1. CLARITY
Look to see if you are using:
– Long sentences that could confuse readers
– Big words readers could stumble over
– Uncommon words that will furrow their brows
– A tone that distracts or conflicts with the content

Bottom line: Make sure the meaning of what you write can’t be misinterpreted.

2. TRANSITIONS
– Between sentences
– Between paragraphs
– Movement in time, place, subject

Transitions aren’t usually complex. They flow naturally moving readers through prose with short, everyday words like “however,” “so,” and “then.”

3. CONCRETENESS
– Facts and figures
– Specific language
– Action verbs
– Active voice

Readers want us to paint a picture for them – one they can see and one they can believe in.

4. REPETITIVENESS
– Are specific ideas repeated unnecessarily?
– Are words used more than once in sentences? In paragraphs?

Tip: Avoid summarizing. Readers don’t require it, and it slows them down.

5. COMPLETENESS
– Are the 5Ws and how answered?
– Are there any unanswered questions when there shouldn’t be?

Have you emphasized the most important question: Why?

6. FLOW
– Does the content make sense
– Do the words move smoothly

Find out for yourself.  Read your writing out loud.

Would love to hear about your editing challenges — and successes.

Book Launch Celebrities by Saralyn Richard

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When a new book is released, celebration ensues. Not just for the author, whose joy in sharing the new product with the world is undoubtedly immense. Other stakeholders can participate in the launch activities and have fun in the process.

Who are the other stakeholders? The obvious ones are the editors, cover artists, formatters, publishers, publicists, bloggers, journalists, booksellers, and promoters. Each of these people and entities has had a hand in the book’s quality and its entrance into the world. If the book does well, they can pat themselves on the back and feel great about having supported the success.

Equally important, if not more so, are the author’s readers, followers, subscribers, critiquers, and reviewers. A book is the product of the communication cycle. Feedback from this group drives the choices the author makes, both creatively and commercially, so these stakeholders can take ownership of the new release.

People or businesses mentioned in the dedication, story, or acknowledgements are also significant celebrities in the book’s milieu. And the list goes on.

These people are on my mind and in my heart right now, as Mrs. Oliver’s Twist: A Quinn McFarland Mystery hits the bookshelves. While I am the author, I don’t consider the book to be mine alone. Anyone who falls into the categories of stakeholders mentioned above is invited to the parties, both literal and figurative.

There will be four big launch events for Mrs. Oliver’s Twist—and we’ll be celebrating every person who attends. If you’re in the area, please come! If not, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter, so we can celebrate you remotely. Subscribe at https://saralynrichard.com and if you’d like an autographed book, check out the bookstore page there.

Here are the launch events:

 

If you come to the launch events, you’ll be a guest of honor. You can expect photographs, autographs, door prizes, favors, and fun. If you subscribe to the newsletter, you’ll be in line for news, special offers, surveys, and other opportunities to participate in the future. Either way, welcome to the party. I’m so glad you’re here!

Nixing Crime Scene Cleanup as a Career

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Donnell Ann BellBy Donnell Ann Bell

My day started out well. My alarm went off; I rose without hitting the snooze button and had an hour to get to my destination. I was organized and ahead of schedule, I even had time for a cup of coffee!

Coffee brewed; I poured it into my favorite mug (a cup given to me by my daughter years ago). In fact, the cup was so ancient, my husband had glued the handle once, and except for a tiny fissure in the porcelain, you barely noticed the flaw.

By now if you’re following this woeful tale, you can guess what happened. I hadn’t even taken a sip when I entered my bedroom and the body of the cup fell away, leaving me with nothing but the handle. There was no crack, no warning. I was surrounded by silence, a twelve-inch puddle at my feet, and coffee soaking my carpet.

Great. The clock was ticking. I had some place to be, but my carpet! I wet a towel, squeezed Dawn onto the fabric, dropped to my hands and knees and commenced scrubbing. This was going to stain. Still, it could’ve been worse. The stain, though large, was limited. I’d clean up the rest when I got home.

Can you spot the coffee cups in the picture? That’s where the cookie crumbled…I mean the coffee spattered!

A limited stain? What was I thinking? Oh, I’d done an adequate job of cleaning the mess I made on my carpet. What I hadn’t noticed was that in my rush to get out the door, the coffee wasn’t restricted to a circular spot on the floor. Suddenly, I felt like a detective entering a crime scene who discovers blood spatter. All right, the evidence caking my walls wasn’t red; it was  Seattle’s Best with a dash of creamer. But it had spattered! Everywhere I looked I saw coffee! An additional stain on the carpet, streaks on the wall and the baseboards. Droplets hurled from the cup had even made it onto the fireplace wall and the ceiling.

When my coffee cup fell from my hand, the distance to the floor was maybe three feet. There was no significant energy involved–no projectile(s), no brute force. Yet, look how far that liquid spread.

In Citizens Academies, I’ve studied pictures of blood spatter and the grotesque coverage of mattresses, headboards, additional furniture, floors and walls. So much goes into an investigation and the crime scene is just the beginning. Detectives and crime scene analysts must decipher and analyze these scenes to determine the timeline, how the suspect entered, where they stood in the attack, what type of weapon was used, e.g.(baseball bat, knife, gun, etc.) and so much more. Particularly when families demand justice, and the victim(s) aren’t alive to share.  Here’s a website I found that provides a good explanation. https://www.forensicsciencesimplified.org/blood/how.html

It’s no secret that many of the things I experience in life, I write about. I found the physics behind the dropped cup so interesting. Especially since it’s applicable to my genre of crime fiction. I know one thing is for certain after cleaning up my mess. I prefer writing about crime scenes as opposed to working them. And after the coffee incident, I’m also nixing crime scene cleanup as a career.

 

 

Does it need a trailer hitch?

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Quote from Bookshelf.com about Elevator Ride featured in the book trailer of this post.A Trailer & More

Recently, I’ve been working on some marketing items including a book trailer for Elevator Ride from my Valkyrie Brothers series. Creating a book trailer is a challenge! It’s like condensing the soul of an entire book into just a minute or less of video magic. The first hurdle? Finding the perfect way to visually represent the story, oh, and also do it in a way that I can either afford or can do myself.

We Have the Technology

Then there’s the creative juggling act. Music, voiceovers, text, and pacing all need to work together harmoniously. Too dramatic? It feels cheesy. Too subtle? It risks being forgettable. Finding that balance is like trying to walk a tightrope in gale-force winds. And don’t forget the tech side! Editing software, sourcing content, and tweaking everything to perfection can be daunting. And while I have picked up some skills editing videos, they aren’t necessarily skills I wanted to have! But I do like having the ability to put some basic things together.

What’s New

This time I worked with a new voice over talent who was looking to see if voice over was really something she could or wanted to do.  It was fun to work with someone new and help them explore their talents.  I liked what we accomplished and I hope she ends up pursuing vocal work.  Here is the result of our collaboration.

Are Trailers Worth It?

In our social media driven world, having video as part of the marketing package is increasingly important.  People and search engines react positively to video.  It can’t be the only thing in the marketing arsenal but it does mean that more marketing avenues are open to me. So while it might be hard work, it does have a positive impact.

And here’s the silver lining: when it all comes together, there’s a magical sense of accomplishment. A great book trailer isn’t just an advertisement; it’s an invitation to readers to dive into a world they didn’t know they needed.

Want to see some of my other book trailers?  Check out my book trailer page: bethanymaines.com/book-trailers/

About the Valkyrie Brothers Series

The Valkyrie Brothers trilogy is a laugh-packed series of connected romantic mysteries starring the Valkyrie Brothers–Rowan, Forest, and Ash–as they struggle to find love AND stay alive in Seattle.  LEARN MORE: https://amzn.to/3XEL9id

Learn more about other books from the Stiletto Gang: www.thestilettogang.com/books/

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Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of action-adventure and fantasy tales that focus on women who know when to apply lipstick and when to apply a foot to someone’s hind end. She participates in many activities including swearing, karate, art, and yelling at the news. She can usually be found chasing after her daughter, or glued to the computer working on her next novel (or screenplay). You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

 

Got Your Card?

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My husband is a fan of television games. His favorite? Jeopardy! He likes to record new episodes for us to watch together whenever there’s a half-hour break in our day.

Lately, I’ve noticed that librarians are among the more successful contestants. It makes sense, I suppose, because a primary requirement for both jobs is to love the knowledge that books impart to us.

This is National Library Week in the U.S., and today is National Library Workers Day. Librarians have recently been on the defense, having to fend off a posse of self-appointed book-ban vigilantes. So, let’s all sound the clarions for librarians, those dutiful guardians of our collective cultures.

Librarians these days perform a variety of useful services that go way beyond sorting and cataloguing books. Chances are that your local library offers internet access, dvds, video games, board games, city passes, discounts to other venues, community meeting rooms, research assistance, lectures, craft lessons, Bookmobiles, and more.

And it’s all free and available to everyone.

My brother and his wife take their grandkids to the library every week for story hour and games. It’s a great way to introduce the young ones to books and the comforts a library can provide.

In our neighborhood, there’s a branch  that specializes in family history research. They’ll even help with access to certain genealogical sites and publications that may hold the key to your Great Grandpa Jedediah’s war record or criminal record, as the case may be. I’ve donated a few items to them, and there are plenty more to give, including high school and college yearbooks from the last century. I also have boxes of fiction and non-fiction books ready to drop off at our central library donation center. Even if they already have enough copies of a book, they can add them to the inventory for the next fundraising sale.

My guess is that if you’re still reading this post, you may have a few tomes crowding your shelves that you could donate, too. At any rate, in an increasingly cluttered world, getting rid of excess stuff feels like a much needed catharsis to me.

You’ve got questions? Librarians have answers. So let’s give a shout-out to libraries and their caretakers this week. And if you don’t have a library card already, why not get one?

Do you have memories of going to the library as a child?

Gay Yellen is the author of the award-winning Samantha Newman Mystery Series including:

The Body Business, The Body Next Door, and The Body in the News!

 

Puzzle Me This, Cover Reveal, and a Promo Deal

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Cover Reveal

I absolutely love jigsaw puzzles, though 1,000 pieces is my limit. My favorite puzzles are made by Cobble Hill, which is a Canadian-based puzzle maker (they also sell to U.S. and internationally). Great quality and the one time I was missing a piece (that happens on occasion), I filled out an online form and they sent me a new puzzle. What’s not to love?

Anyway, because I love jigsaw puzzles, I always enjoy creating an online version for my latest books, in this case, the fifth Superior Shores Press Anthology: Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers: 22 Stories of Mystery & Suspense. I always make them easy-ish (this one is 45 pieces).

Ready? Click on the photo to get started:


About the book:

Desire or desperation, revenge or retribution—how far would you go to realize a dream? The twenty-two authors in this collection explore the possibilities, with predictably unpredictable results. Featuring stories by Pam Barnsley, Linda Bennett, Clark Boyd, C.W. Blackwell, Amanda Capper, Susan Daly, James Patrick Focarile, Rand Gaynor, Gina X. Grant, Julie Hastrup, Beth Irish, Charlie Kondek, Edward Lodi, Bethany Maines, Jim McDonald, donalee Moulton, Michael Penncavage, Judy Penz Sheluk, KM Rockwood, Peggy Rothschild, Debra Bliss Saenger, and Joseph S. Walker.

Promo Deal:

Release date: June 18, 2025

Price: $5.99 USD/$6.99 CAD

Pre-order to guarantee promo pricing of $2.99 USD/CAD

Find it at your favorite e-tailer: www.books2read.com/midnight-schemers 

Online Puzzle Enthusiasts: How long did it take you to complete the puzzle?

Game of Scones book cover

The Secret Ingredient to Great Storytelling & a Free Book

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from Mary Lee Ashford *

It’s been a busy month or so here with a new book coming out in May (Night of the Living Bread), a book festival, preparing for Malice Domestic and beginning work on the next book in the Sugar & Spice mystery series.  Maybe because I’m at the very beginning of that fun process of starting a new book and thiOpen signs series is a culinary cozy mystery series, I got to thinking about food in fiction. And the role it plays in storytelling. Whether it’s the tantalizing descriptions of a cozy café (like the Red Hen Diner) in a small-town mystery, a feast fit for a king in a grand historical, or the comforting home-cooked meals shared between characters, food plays a vital role in storytelling.

Here are a few of the reasons I came up with as to why that is:

1. Food Adds Atmosphere and Setting

Food has an incredible ability to evoke a sense of place and time, immersing us in the world of the story. It adds layers of sensory detail that bring the book’s setting to life without a lot of descriptive narrative. Kind of a shorthand that give us clues to both place and vibe.

3. Food Appeals to the Senses

Reading about food is a feast for the imagination. When a novel describes the crunch of a flaky pie crust, the tang of freshly squeezed lemonade, or the aroma of slow-cooked stew, it engages our senses in a visceral way. These vivid descriptions make stories feel richer and more immersive.

3. Food Builds Character Depth

What a character eats (or refuses to eat) can tell us so much about them. Is the detective addicted to strong black coffee and greasy diner food? Does the heroine bake elaborate cakes as a way to process her emotions? The way characters interact with food—whether they savor it, scorn it, or use it as a coping mechanism—reveals their personality, background, and even emotional state. Additionally, who they share it with and how gives us insight into relationships in the story.

4. Food Can Add Comfort or Danger

In cozy mysteries, food often serves as a comforting, warm element—think charming bakeries and steaming cups of tea. But in darker genres, food can be used to heighten tension. A glass of wine could be poisoned. A fancy banquet might hint at secrets hidden beneath a veneer of civility. Whether it’s a source of comfort or conflict, food is never just about sustenance—it’s about what’s going on in people’s lives.

5. Food Evokes Emotions

Certain tastes have the power to transport us back in time. The scent of fresh-baked cookies might remind us of childhood memories or memories of when our children were young. A family recipe can stir up old memories and emotions. Food is tied to our personal histories. In fact, a recent Harvard study found that food is “an effective trigger of deeper memories of feelings and emotions.” There was a lot more about the hippocampus, neurotransmitters, and declarative memories but the bottom line is food is a strong connector to emotion.

What are your thoughts? Do certain foods bring back memories for you? Do you have a particular sub-genre of culinary mysteries that you enjoy? 

The Sugar & Spice Mysteries feature former magazine editor, Sugar Calloway and blue-ribbon baker, Dixie Spicer, who have launched a community cookbook business. One reviewer says, “When you add to the likeable characters, a fine small town setting, an interesting cozy mystery plot, and loads of yummy food, you have a recipe for success!”

Game of Scones book cover

Currently my publisher is offering a Kindle Deal on GAME OF SCONES, so if you don’t already have a copy here’s your chance to grab the first book in the series for free! GAME OF SCONES OFFER

 

*Mary Lee Ashford is the author of the Sugar & Spice mystery series from Oliver Heber Books and also half of the Sparkle Abbey writing team who pen the national best-selling Pampered Pets series. She is a lifelong bibliophile, an avid reader, and public library champion. Prior to publishing Mary Lee won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is the founding president of Sisters in Crime – Iowa as well as a member of Mystery Writers of America and Novelists, Inc. She lives in the Midwest with her family and her feline coworker.