Tuesday September 15 was National Cozy Mystery Day, AKA Agatha Christie’s birthday. Ever want to write a cozy but think all the good ideas are already taken? Just look around your house for craft projects, pet items, and unusual collections. Turns out inspiration is everywhere! Just for fun, I challenged myself to come up with five cozy mystery ideas from things currently in my h0use … Continue reading The Cozy is Coming From Inside the House
Marla, here, welcoming author Greg Rhyno to the blog! Greg’s giving away a copy of Who By His Own Hand to one lucky reader, so read on and comment by midnight on Friday, September 18, for your chance to win. Take it away, Greg! In March of 2022, I had a dentist appointment. After the hygienist hacked away at the plaque and tickled my teeth … Continue reading Three Things I Learned from Publishing Three Books in Three Years — by Guest “Chick” Greg Rhyno
Hubs recently told an acquaintance of ours that I’m a Bobby Flay groupie. I’ll admit to being a fan. I even think he’s cute. But that’s not the same as being a groupie. I’ll also admit that I watch many of his shows. I’m especially fond of Triple Threat and Beat Bobby Flay. If you haven’t watched the shows, you won’t know that they’re more … Continue reading Line cooks and Titans and Bobby, oh my!
Last weekend, I went to a public park owned by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation—the Hollywood Bowl! And yes, you can bring your own food and beverages to picnic with friends and family. I love the open-air venue (and according to her latest memoir, Dolly also thought it was a special place). I remember when I first came to LA, and … Continue reading Lift Up Your Lightsabers!
Jen here, and it’s always a pleasure to have Michelle on the blog. I’ve been on some recent trips, and I love collecting travel tips. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Michelle! What Travel Guidebooks Don’t Tell You I love to travel, and with a big trip planned for this fall — part book tour, part visiting friends, part vacation — I’ve realized how much I … Continue reading Guest Chick: Michelle Cullen
A couple of weeks ago, I made a dangerous discovery at my local Dollartree. I was picking up the stick pretzels that I often buy there when I turned around and saw this… And this… And this and this… It’s like every candy from my childhood suddenly burst to life in front of me. I couldn’t resist purchasing a sample of them to see which … Continue reading I took a deep, sugary dive.
A heartfelt salute to all. Enjoy the three-day weekend. You earned it! Continue reading Happy Labor Day from the Chicks!
Ellen here, and I’m so happy to welcome my friend Alyssa Maxwell, author of the enormously popular Gilded Newport Mysteries. As someone who grew up fascinated with the “cottages” of Newport, Rhode Island and even toured them on family vacays, I loved learning more about the inspiration behind Murder at Rosecliff, the latest edition to Alyssa’s series. And what a cool giveaway! Read on… The … Continue reading Guest Chick: Alyssa Maxwell #giveaway
We have been told that new technologies are helping companies serve customers better, but is that actually the case? Here is some evidence from the past week… Example 1: Place order online for a set of two items. Receive one item. Go to website to find out when the next item will arrive. See the order is marked “delivered” even though the delivery picture clearly … Continue reading Is It Really Better?
Dolly Parton died Aug. 25, 2026, from cancer. May her soul rest in peace. She was a businesswoman, a performer, an actor, an author, and a philanthropist. But, of course, her greatest impact on the world was through her songs. This is my modest tribute to a singer/song writer I admire—never past tense—so much. I hope I don’t mess this up. Continue reading The Indelible Dolly Parton
We are delighted to have author Laura Jensen Walker visit us on Chicks today . . . please join us in giving her a warm welcome! Confessions of a Genre Butterfly Thanks for having me. It’s always fun to be back with the Chicks! Recently, a writer friend called me a “genre butterfly because I flit from one genre to the next. That flitting has … Continue reading Guest Post: Laura Jensen Walker
Consider these two sentences: I bet you had two completely different visceral reactions to the word “moist” in those sentences, am I right? moist cupcakes So what is it about that word—moist—that causes such varied reactions? Because supposedly some twenty percent of people shudder when they hear the word (though I’m guessing the number is actually higher). And what about other similarly hated words such … Continue reading What Is It About the Word “Moist”?
Chicks on the Case 