It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone in the mystery community who knows me that the minute I heard about authors making trading cards – authors Raquel V. Reyes, Daphne Silver, and Nicole Asselin to be specific – I was all in the idea. I made and ordered my own cards in about twenty minutes. Thus, I’ll soon add them to a supply of … Continue reading A Swag Blast from my TV Past
Even though I know that taxes (and death) are certain, I feel like I’m always ill-prepared. And this year seemed to be full of mishaps. So, without further ado, here’s my Top Ten List of personal #taxfails this season: 10) Procrastinated. Despite having the date automatically labeled in my calendar, my sense of time got muddled around March. Then, all of a sudden, I discovered … Continue reading Top Ten #TaxFails
You just got an e-blast that went out accidentally due to a WordPress change in the way we schedule posts. Unfortunately, it was new to me and resulted in my post being released ahead of schedule. Thanks to some tech magic from my Gen Z daughter, the post has been returned to its regularly scheduled date of Monday. I’ll see you then! Continue reading Apologies from Ellen
Thanks for having me on Chicks on the Case this week! It’s a blog I’ve always admired, and I’m thrilled to be an invited guest. If you’ve read my bio, you’ve probably learned that I’m an elementary school teacher and a mom of five! Because of this, I’m often asked if the stories I write are for kids. Read on below to learn more… Continue reading Guest Chick: Ashley-Ruth Bernier
We’ve planted gardens in the past—usually perennial flowers that come back year after year. We had this one rock garden that made me so happy every spring, the way that the flowers just magically appeared when it was time. I still miss it. We have also had vegetable gardens that flourished. We didn’t do much besides plant the seeds and install a drip line. (Since … Continue reading Garden Dreams
What do we do when we’re not solving murders on paper? Some of us are artsy-craftsy, some of us are active types, and unsurprisingly, a lot of us are readers, too! Read on to hear what things the Chicks love to do just for fun — and tell us yours in the comments! Ellen Byron I love/live to dance and read, so I’ll classify them … Continue reading Chick Chat: What hobby brings you joy?
CONGRATS TO LYNN CARLSON, winner of Molly’s Haunted Shell Shop mystery! Today the Chicks welcome the marvelous Molly MacRae, author of the Haunted Shell Shop Mysteries, the Highland Bookshop Mysteries, and the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries. Today she talks pets–both in her home and in her books. And there’s a GIVEAWAY of one of her Haunted Shell Shop mysteries to one lucky … Continue reading Guest Chick: Molly MacRae
Happy book birthday to Leslie Karst, whose newest Orchid Isle mystery, MURDER, LOCAL STYLE, releases today–hurrah! About Murder, Local Style: Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i.A dinner to die for! It’s been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin … Continue reading Happy Release Day to Leslie!
Tomorrow marks the official release of my newest Orchid Isle mystery, Murder, Local Style. The book is set in a small neighborhood reminiscent of the street where Robin and I live in Hilo, Hawai‘i, and concerns the local orchid society that my protagonist, Valerie Corbin, joins in order to make some friends in her new-found home. Robin and I adore our neighborhood and are eternally … Continue reading My Mom, the Potter
Personal experience provides the best life lessons. I firmly believe that. To be clear, I’m grateful when people share their experiences with me. It shows a generosity of spirit when someone takes the time to explain a lesson they’ve learned just to spare us the same unpleasant experience. Continue reading Will we ever learn?
Marla here, welcoming Maddie Day back to the blog. One of the most fun parts about having guest Chicks is learning the interesting backstories of our fellow cozy mystery authors, and today’s story is the perfect example. Read on to hear about the time Maddie took on a traditionally male-dominated job — and comment for a chance to win a copy of A POISONOUS POUR! … Continue reading Guest Chick: Maddie Day
Titanic. Forrest Gump. Jurassic Park. Harry Potter. Bridget Jones’s Diary. Clueless. Pulp Fiction. Whitney. Grunge, prep, and hip hop. The 90s nostalgia is real. Did we ever really say Bye-Bye-Bye? Continue reading The 90s Called: They Want (the Real) You Back
Chicks on the Case 