Do we Chicks have a treat for you today: a visit–and truly stunning cover reveal–from M.A. Monnin, whose sparkling debut mystery DEATH IN THE AEGEAN pubs next month with Level Best Books. Meet Mary, and dive right in to this Greek isles adventure filled with intrigue, archeological treasure, and even a little romance…
CARPE DIEM!
Thank you, Lisa and Chicks, for inviting me to talk to you and all of your wonderful mystery fans. I’m going to seize the day and reveal the cover of my debut mystery novel DEATH IN THE AEGEAN! I hope you like it.
When my amateur sleuth Stefanie Adams goes on vacation to the Greek isles, she throws off her need to plan seven steps ahead, and vows to embrace opportunities as they come. She’s learned the hard way that planning every step doesn’t mean you control the outcome. It merely limits your choices along the way.
Trying her hand at being spontaneous, Stefanie agrees to having drinks with a handsome stranger. Is that ever wise? Probably not, but don’t we all want to be a bit daring at times? To throw caution to the winds and go for it, even if just once? I’ll leave you to find out how her story turns out, but here’s a hint: Where greed leads, murder follows . . .
As for myself, for the most part I plan well in advance, like waiting years to travel to the Greek isles after hearing about Crete from my father and my husband, both of whom got to visit the island courtesy of Uncle Sam. I can’t believe I waited so long!
On my writer’s journey, sometimes I put insecurity and fear of failure behind me and grab opportunities when they arise, optimistically believing things will work out. Such was the case when I signed on to guest blog today. I had thought pre-orders for DEATH IN THE AEGEAN would be available for you. Alas, not yet! Well, we win some, we lose some. I do hope my cover brightens your day. Here it is:
DEATH IN THE AEGEAN will be out May 19, 2022, from Level Best Books. Available at that time from B&N, Amazon, and your local independent bookstore.
Would you like a reminder when it comes out, or to hear about my author events? Subscribe to my newsletter, Your Postcard from Afar. Like a delinquent pen pal, I promise you won’t hear from me too often. Here is the link!
What about you, dear reader? Do you seize the day and embrace opportunities without hesitation? Ever leap before you look? Or do you plan carefully? Did your decision leave you satisfied, or with regrets?
About the Author:
M.A. MONNIN is the author of DEATH IN THE AEGEAN, the first in the Intrepid Traveler Mystery series. It will be released May 19, 2022 from Level Best Books. Her short stories have appeared in Malice Domestic and pulp anthologies and Black Cat Mystery Magazine. An avocational archaeologist and USAF veteran, Mary divides her time between writing, traveling, and hiking. You can find out more at www.mamonnin.com and through her social media links:
About the Book:
When private banker Stefanie Adams travels to Greece on vacation, she is suspected of murdering a wealthy bride who accused her deceased father of artifact theft. Unfortunately, the newlywed’s accusation also ties Stefanie, a former archaeology student, to the robbery of a newly discovered gold statue, the Akrotiri Snake Goddess. With two high-profile crimes to solve, Greek police are under pressure, and both crimes lead straight to Stefanie. When her own life is threatened, Stefanie relies on her bank training for spotting potential criminals to identify which of her fellow travelers is the real killer. In this high-stakes mystery, she has to watch her back. Not everyone is what they seem, and as charming Thomas Burkhardt warns, Where Greed Leads, Murder Follows.
Chicks on the Case 
Congratulations on the book! The cover is gorgeous.
I admit, I mostly look before I leap. Especially on big things. Spontaneity comes in the minute details. For example, I’ll have a general plan for a vacation, but if something comes up on a particular day, I’ll go for it. That approach generally works out.
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Liz,
Thanks! Great approach, leaving room for spontaneity. I like that balance between the big and small things.
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Can’t wait to get my hands on my copy, Mary! And that is a gorgeous cover. I’m more of one who looks before I leap. I think it’s the project manager in me.
From time to time, spontaneity does take over. Usually, things turn out okay!
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Thanks, J. C.! Glad to hear things usually turn out okay. They usually do for me, too.
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The cover is beautiful. As for looking first, then leaping, well, my husband and I eloped, rather than waiting for him to return from his tour in Vietnam. (It certainly gave both families something to talk about!) And it’s been a great life so far, 52 years this past January.
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Mary,
Thank you! And congratulations on 52 years together! That’s wonderful. When you know, you know.
Mary
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Wow–that is indeed a gorgeous cover! Congrats!
I’m a big-time planner–regarding most everything in my life. But back in my 20s, I was far more spontaneous, and when I’d travel, would simply show up at a town in, say, southern France, look for the visitors’ center, and have them phone around for a place to stay. No doubt this service no longer even exists. Sad.
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Thanks Leslie! I think Level Best Books did a great job. What a great way to travel. I think that you can still book rooms that way, or at least you could before Covid. My sister-in-law did that frequently.
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I must confess that I’m not enamored with the cartoonish design of most cozy covers. Yours, however, is worthy to hang in an art gallery. It precisely depicts your setting, suggests the genre and would certainly entice me to pick up the book if I was in the bookstore. Kudos, Mary!
I find that the older I get, the more I’m willing to take a leap and see how things turn out. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day…
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Ha ha, great attitude, Tom! Thanks for the compliments on the cover. I really wanted to capture that feel of Santorini.
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I hope you have that cover as a framed print in your office, Mary!
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Mary, your cover is simply gorgeous—and what a great kick-off for a fabulous series! I’m sure readers will be thrilled to travel the world with Stefanie, chasing both killers and precious works of art. I used to be a lot more spontaneous, but I learned pretty quick that there were benefits to actual planning. But you know, sometimes the best-laid plans…
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Lisa, isn’t that the truth. We just need to learn to make lemonade.
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It was such a pleasure to meet you at LCC, Mary! As to your question, I treat my personal life much the same way I outline my books. I always have a plan, but am happy to deviate when something better comes along! And that cover … wow. Very eye-catching! Congrats!
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Thanks, Becky. It was so nice to meet you at Left Coast! Being flexible keeps life interesting, doesn’t it?
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Mary, thanks for being here, and glad I met you at LCC! (Thanks also for the gorgeous chocolates!) Congrats on your book, and what a pretty cover! I’ve always wanted to go to Greece…
I’m definitely a planner. When I don’t make plans, we end up stuck and sitting around, twiddling our thumbs.
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Jennifer,
thank you! It was so nice to meet you. I picked up your swag and am right now enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea.
As for planning, I am mostly the same way. I want to know before I go–whether “going” is literal, or means tackling a project.
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That is a great cover, and the premise sounds exciting. Definitely going on my TBR mountain range.
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Thanks Mark! I know what you mean about the mountain range . . .
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Mary!! OMG, what a GORGEOUS cover! Congratulations! It was so great seeing you at LCC. And I want more of those wonderful chocolates. 😉 I was the lucky recipient of an early copy of the book and it’s a wonderful read. I highly recommend it.
As to your question… I think I may need a therapy session to answer it!
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Ha ha, Ellen! I guess you do a lot of both leaping and planning. Glad you like the cover. I just may bring some Christopher Elbow chocolates to Malice . . .
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My between-LCC-and-Malice diet will be over by then, yay!
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Chicks, thank you so much for hosting me and my cover reveal today! It’s been a lot of fun!
I hope to see you all at Malice and beyond.
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Thank YOU, Mary, for visiting with us today, and we’re honored that you shared your cover here on Chicks, too! We hope you’ll come back soon–congrats again on your debut, and we’ll of course also look forward to Book 2. See you in Bethesda!
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Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous cover! Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing it here. (Also, it was so very fun to see you at Left Coast Crime and share a table. Your Sunday panel was very interesting as well! Rock star!)
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Thanks Cynthia! What a fun time that was at Left Coast.
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CONGRATS! Your book sounds wonderful and that cover is stunning. I’d like to leap into it right now!
I tend to be cautious and suffer a wee bit from analysis paralysis, but I’m getting bolder as I get older.
Thanks so much for visiting us, Mary!
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Ha ha! Thanks for having me, Kathleen. I’d like to hop over to Greece right now, too. We saw snowflakes in Kansas City yesterday.
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I’m a mixture. I do plan out major events with much anxiety! Mustn’t make the wrong move! When it comes to writing, however, I’m unapologetic pantser!
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Mary, I totally understand planning events and the anxiety involved. It’s only recently that I’ve changed to winging it for family holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. It’s so freeing! However, I am a definite plotter when it comes to writing. I have to have thet destination in mind while I write.
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