Guest Post

Guest Chick: Valerie (V.M.) Burns and Giveaway

We’re so excited to have Valerie/V.M./Kallie join us today! And we’re doubly excited to meet the wonderful dogs in her life! All these cute photos! 🐶

My Favorite Supporting Characters

Anyone who’s read my books (or even just looked at the covers) might have figured out that I love dogs. In fact, the dogs on the covers of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series were based on my dogs. Coco and Cash were the inspiration for the protagonist, Samantha Washington’s dogs, Snickers and Oreo. Both dogs lived to be 18 and brought me much joy before crossing the rainbow bridge. Dogs are great supporting characters. Meet the ones in my life.

Coco (Snickers) was feisty, expressive and the brains behind any poodle hijinks that occurred (and there were lots of hijinks). She loved to cuddle and believed humans were put on this earth to feed her and scratch her belly. She also had the uncanny knack of being able to stick her tongue in your mouth, if you were not careful.

My next poodle and the only male dog I’ve ever owned, had a registered name of, SHOW ME THE MONEY, although his call name (nick name) was Cash. He was about two years younger than Coco and was the inspiration for Oreo. I got him to keep Coco company, although she didn’t think we needed him and plotted his murder at least twice. He eventually grew on her and they became good friends (as long as he remembered who was the boss). Cash was eager to please and had a real zeal for life that made me laugh. He wasn’t afraid to leap without looking, even if that meant leaping into a bush full of painful burrs (yeah, that took hours to remove with tweezers). Cash wasn’t a cuddler, but he was willing to endure public humiliation without complaint.

Currently, Kensington aka “Kenzie” and Chloe keep me humble. Kensington is a shy, quiet poodle who is happy to spend her days being held and cuddled (I have learned to type with one hand so I can hold her with the other one). She turned 10 on February 24, 2025 (where did the time go). And, if you’re wondering, the answer is YES. I named her after my publishers.

Chloe turned 5 on January 11, 2025. She is energetic, goofy, playful, and mischievous. She is the ringleader for any trouble that the two poodles get into, but is also smart and loving.

Poodles are a wonderful breed that come in three sizes (standard, miniature, and toys). They’re intelligent and easy to train. They have hair, not fur, so they don’t shed. They are also great pets, but like all dogs need to be properly trained. My dogs have brought a great deal of joy and laughter into my life. I hope they can do the same to readers of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series.

GIVEAWAY: Comment below for a chance to win a copy of THE NEXT DEADLY CHAPTER!


READERS: Do you like reading books with pets?

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is an Agatha, Anthony, Edgar, and Next Generation Award-finalist. She is the author of the Mystery Bookshop, Dog Club, RJ Franklin, and Baker Street Mystery series. As Kallie E. Benjamin, Valerie writes the Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery series. She is an adjunct professor in the Writing Popular Fiction MFA Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, and a mentor in the Pocket MFA program. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie now lives in Northern Georgia with her two poodles. Connect with Valerie at vmburns.com.

About THE NEXT DEADLY CHAPTER:

Fans of Gigi Pandian, Ellery Adams, Jenn McKinlay, and other biblio-themed cozies will say “I do!” to this latest Mystery Bookshop novel from Agatha Award-finalist V.M. Burns!

All Sam wanted was to make a good impression on her fiancé Frank’s mother, the very proper Dr. Camilia Patterson. But when Nana Jo and the lively ladies of Shady Acres Retirement Village throw a surprise bridal shower for Sam at the Four Feathers Casino—watch out! Things spin out of control faster than a roulette wheel. Fortunately, Sam knows when to fold ’em and slips back to her room to work on her latest historical mystery set between the wars, in which a houseguest meets a grim end at an English country manor.

The morning after brings another rude surprise. Sam gets a frantic call from Camilia, who’s discovered a dead body in her room. Now winning over her soon-to-be mother-in-law means keeping the good doctor out of a potential scandal and attempting to discreetly solve a murder without ruffling any feathers. For that she’ll need the help of Nano Jo—not exactly the soul of discretion—Detective “Stinky” Pitt, and the ladies—because the casino killer keeps upping the ante. . .

BUY LINK

41 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Valerie (V.M.) Burns and Giveaway”

  2. I really enjoy cozies that feature the characters’ pets. I have had a number of cats over the decades. Our current kitty, Buttercup, is 14 years old and spoiled. Both of my sons have grown up with cats in the house. I’m looking forward to this new book. I enjoy the relationships between generations of women, and I love the “two mysteries in one” of this series.

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  4. Looks like you’ve been blessed with great dogs, Valerie.

    I love books with pets. I have a golden retriever and a greyhound in my Laurel Highlands series and even my protagonist in the Homefront Mysteries got “adopted” by a street cat.

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    1. Liz, I have been blessed with great dogs. Each one was unique and special. I love to write about pets, that way I can enjoy them without owning 20 different dogs. I featured a golden and greyhound in my dog club mysteries.

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  6. Hello!

    I love reading books with pets in them. Why, you may ask?

    Because I don’t do pets. I only ever had one, and my ex tricked me into it by pulling the guilt card “yes, daughter, we will get a cat if your mom says it’s okay”.

    I spent 10 years having Michael stare at me. I know he was plotting my death, a very painful death I bet.

    But I do like reading about them and their antics and attitudes.

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  7. Congratulations on your new book! Yes, I love reading books with pets included. As an animal lover and former pet staff I know how much the really do enhance, and yes, run our lives. Our two sibling Siamese were a major part of our family and our lives for 20 years.

    Also, as a senior myself, I enjoy reading books with seniors involved in major roles. Seniors are wise, talented and just plain adorable. We live in a retirement community now and see this first hand. I was told I am one of the “babies” at 71.

    This book has it ALL! I can’t wait to read it. Thank you! Carol

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    1. Thank you. I agree that pets enhance our life and I also agree that seniors are wise, talented, and adorable. Age is just a number. Stay young at heart. Nice to be considered a “baby.”

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  11. What a great introduction to your doggie family! Poodles are wonderful, and like Jack Russells (which is what our ZIggy is mostly), so smart and–shall we say–lively? The no-shed thing is definitely a plus, ’cause Zig sheds like the dickens.

    Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today, my dear, and congrats on the new book!

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    1. Thanks for letting me hang out with the cool chicks! 🙂 Jack Russells are smart. There was a Jack Russell that used to compete in agility in the same height as my poodles. He was very energetic! Tons of fun.

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  12. Valerie, I love this – AND your books!

    I don’t gravitate to books because of the pets, but I’m happy when the protagonists have them. I always pay homage to our own pets in my series. That’s how our late lamented basset hound Lucy wound up on the cover of all my Cajun Country Mysteries!

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    1. Deborah, I agree that books with animals are fun to read about. I feel a connection with protagonists who have pets. So much fun!

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  16. Valerie, thanks for visiting us Chicks today and sharing about your adorable poodles and The Next Chapter. I absolutely love the cover. For me, casinos always bring back memories now of Left Coast Crime in Reno (wish we’d had some cute dogs there!). I read about The Next Chapter on another site this am and it sounded fab–so it is already on my TBR!

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  18. Congratulations on your new release, Valerie! Love pictures of cute Chloe and Kenzie – can’t have enough of them. Oh, yes, I absolutely love books that have animals, especially dogs and cats, in them! I’m pretty sure that these animal sidekicks will definitely add more twists, fun and laughter to the story!! – Emily, cwkuen(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  21. I love pets! I love cozy mysteries! Put them together and I’m snuggled up with my own pets, sometimes with a physical book in hand, but usually listening to the audiobook versions of these pet-ful cozies! I would LOVE it if your actual pets could provide sound effects in the audiobook versions! 🥰 Hmm… If they did, would they also receive royalties? 🤔🤗🥰🙏❤️😁🎧👂☕️📖

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