We are beyond thrilled to welcome Laura Bradford, bestselling author of the Amish Mysteries, the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Tobi Tobias Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey), and the new A Friend for Hire Mysteries!
When Business Cards Are Best
As all cozy readers know, the amateur sleuth is your average, run-of-the-mill “Joe” who tends to stumble upon dead bodies during the course of their day job.
That day job can be as a librarian, a coffee shop owner, a restauranteur, a baker, et cetera. The sky’s the limit these days. The idea behind these every day sleuths is that we, as readers, can identify with them as we help solve the crime from the comfort of our favorite reading chair. We can imagine baking alongside them, or sitting in on their book club, or chatting them up over a cup of hot coffee.
In all that imagining, though, have you ever stopped to think what their website might look like through the eyes of a prospective client?
Take for instance Emma Westlake, the owner and sole operator of A Friend for Hire in my new Friend for Hire Mysteries. As a paid companion, Emma relies heavily on word of mouth to keep her business afloat and would very definitely have a website.
Let’s take a quick peek at it, shall we?
- Welcome page:
Whether you’re looking for someone to fill the role of your Plus-One at an upcoming wedding, or you’re simply sick of going to a movie alone, A Friend for Hire has got you covered.
- Bio page:
As more and more people began booking their own trips online, former travel agent Emma Westlake was at a loss on what to do next. But on the advice of a dear friend, she turned her attention to being a paid companion and hasn’t looked back since…
- “What I Do” page:
Plus-One duty for weddings, work parties.
A workout buddy.
A movie companion.
Extra eyes on a beloved family member or friend.
- Testimonials page:
“My nephew hired Emma to accompany him to Open Mic night at a local brew pub. He dropped dead within ten minutes of her arrival.” —Mark Hill, uncle of Brian Hill (A Plus One for Murder, Friend for Hire Mystery # 1)
“I hired Emma to help me get my life back together after my children flew the nest and my husband of thirty years left me for his much younger secretary. Emma suggested we make a bucket list of things I might like to do in order to reclaim my life. Who knew that bucket list (and my louse of an ex-husband’s dead body) would have me arrested for murder?” —Kim Felder (A Perilous Pal, Friend for Hire Mystery # 2)
Hmmm… Maybe Emma should just stick to business cards. 😊
Play along with me. Think of a series you enjoy and give us a peek at the sleuth’s website…
About A Perilous Pal (book # 2 in the Friend for Hire Mysteries)…
Entrepreneur Emma Westlake’s new business is booming until her latest client is arrested for murder in this new Friend for Hire Mystery by USA Today bestselling author Laura Bradford.
Emma Westlake, proprietor of A Friend for Hire, finds a heart-wrenching email from a prospective client in her inbox. The email is from Kim Felder, a woman struggling with empty-nest syndrome and an out of left field divorce. Determined to help get Kim in a better headspace, Emma suggests she draft a bucket list of things she has always wanted to do in life but has put off in favor of taking care of everyone else.
Together, they fill that list with fun baking classes, traveling, and dancing in the middle of the street for no reason. Kim also adds in some hilarious items about getting even with her ex. But all laughter ends when Kim’s ex winds up dead via one of the ideas Kim proposed. Now, Kim is Deputy Jack Riordan’s lone suspect in a murder Emma knows she did not commit. Emma will have to put her budding relationship with the deputy on the line to corner a cunning killer.
While spending a rainy afternoon at a friend’s house as a child, Laura Bradford fell in love with writing over a stack of blank paper, a box of crayons, and a freshly sharpened number-two pencil. From that moment forward, she never wanted to do or be anything else.
Today, Laura is the USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series including the Amish Mysteries, the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries, the Tobi Tobias Mysteries, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries (written as Elizabeth Lynn Casey), and the new A Friend for Hire Mysteries. To learn more about Laura and/or her books, visit her website at laurabradford.com.
Chicks on the Case 
Excellent “hook,” Laura! My mind explodes with the delightful tangents, especially the website angle. Fun way to keep Cozies fresh.
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Thinking about sleuths’ sites always makes me laugh.
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How fun, Laura! I can imagine Jane Marple, Master Gardener and Busybody. Need someone to help you tame the wildflowers in your garden AND figure out who murdered the nasty person across through street? I’m your woman. Services available throughout the Greater UK.
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LOL, exactly!!
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Congrats on the new book, Laura! Those sure would be some interesting testimonials. LOL
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Thanks, Liz!
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Laura,
I bought your first ‘friend for hire’ bo0k based on the flipping title alone. Of course you are not an unknown author to me, but with that title, I couldn’t help myself. It’s fantastic. As long as we can keep the public reading these, the mystery angles are endless.
Ellery Adams Storyton series’ testimonial. “The town is as cute as a button. The Storyton Inn is elegant, has fascinating rooms full of nooks and crannies, is an escape from today’s technology, and the staff bends over backwards, finding the perfect book for each person to read. I’ve always gone for some book retreat like Murder and Mayhem Week, Children’s Publishing, or the Rare Book Conference, that happen to become murderous events. Maybe it is better to call and ask if you can book a room for a weekend when nothing is going on but reading.”
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So glad you enjoyed book # 1. I hope you enjoy A Perilous Pal (# 2) even more!
Great testimonial on Eller’s series! Fun!
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Ha! I love this idea so much! Now I think we all need to actually create websites for our sleuths and post them online!
Congrats on the new book, Laura, and thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today!
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Thanks, Leslie! We’d be so busy laughing we’d never write the actual books, LOL!
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Thanks for having me here today!
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Love your post, Laura–and nice to meet you here on Chicks today! I almost snarfed my coffee when I reached your sleuth’s Testimonial page. I saw on your website that your deadline snack of choice is candy corn and milk. I thought, Eww–but right now I am eating semi-sweet baking chips with a latte! Your books sound great and what cute covers, too.
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Hmmm… Semi sweet baking chips. Sounds like a good one!
And really, the candy corn and milk is a must-try. Trust me. 🙂
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I think that drafting a website is an excellent way to define a new character one is creating. It provides an alternative way to think about a person, which is essential if you’re trying to create a nuanced character.
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I hadn’t thought of it beyond humor, but you’re right!
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Welcome, Laura! And congrats on your latest book! I can’t imagine what the press kits would be like for our amateur sleuths. Would there be a glossy package listing their unique traits and their penchant for finding dead bodies?
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Trying this message one more time as it keeps not showing up (if 3 suddenly show up, my apologies). I think a press packet would, indeed, be funny!
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What a fun idea, Laura! One of my sleuths is a mystery author, so I bet her website would look a lot like mine. But those testimonials … omg!
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Thank you, Becky.
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I’m laughing at those testimonials. That might not be the word of mouth Emma needs.
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LOL. Maybe… We know Dottie wouldn’t agree, though.
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What a fun idea! And premise. Let’s see – testimonials or taglines for my characters’ websites:
Cajun Country Mysteries – “The Crozat Bed and Breakfast! Guest check in but some don’t check out!”
Catering Hall Mysteries: “When it comes to your event, we’ve got your (knife in the) back!”
Vintage Cookbook Mysteries: “Visit our shop to browse decades of cookbooks and murder weapons, I mean, kitchenware!”
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I love these! Especially the one for the catering hall series.
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LOL, Nice!
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Plus One for Murder was delightful, Laura — congrats on the new book, and thanks for visiting with the Chicks today!
(I confess I’m a long-time Laura Bradford reader and fan-girled on her the first time we met at Malice. I even had my agent take a photo of me with Laura! )
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Right back at you, Vickie…one of the kindest, most talented out there! Hugs!
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Congratulations on your book release.
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Thank you, Dru!
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What an absolutely brilliant idea!! I would love to see her LinkedIn page!!!
Congrats, Laura, and thank you so much for being here. ❤
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Thank you so much for visiting us! Love the premise of this series–so clever (and I can totally see it as a movie/tv series so am crossing fingers for that). Congratulations on your latest, Laura.
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