Guest Post

Guest Chick: J.C. Eaton & #Giveaway

Happy Wednesday, my friends! It’s Patricia, fully caffeinated and looking forward to spending time with you. I’m happy to welcome to the blog my friend and fellow cozy mystery author J.C. Eaton. J.C. recently released Casting Call 4 Murder (book 16 in her wonderful Sophie Kimball Mystery series) and Board to Death (book 5 in her fabulous Charcuterie Shop Mystery series.) J.C. will be offering two Kindle copies of Casting Call 4 Murder one each to two commenters. Let’s get this party started! J.C., you have the (virtual) floor!

Thank you, Chicks, for inviting me to be a guest on your blog. It’s mid-August here in the Phoenix area and if my brain hasn’t completely turned to mush from the heat and humidity, just give it a few more days.

When I retired from education and moved out here from New York eighteen years ago, my Arizona relatives told me, “You’ll love the delightful weather. It only gets hot here in the desert for the summer months and it’s a dry heat. You’ll hardly notice.”

Hardly notice? I’ll tell you what I noticed – the relatives went up north for the summers!

But somehow, I got acclimated. Which meant my blood was now as thin as water and anything less than seventy degrees required thermal underwear. Still, it’s a great place for writers who don’t venture outdoors for eight months of the year. And when they do for the other four months, they’re on the lookout for rattlesnakes, javelina, coyotes, and bobcats. But staying indoors can be downright scary, too. Like the “unfortunate air-conditioning incident” last month.

Board to Death: A Charcuterie Shop Mystery, Book 5

You see, here in my community, some imbecile came up with the idea to put the huge, heavy air-conditioning units on the roofs. Yep, the roofs. I believe it’s a throwback to the old swamp cooler days, but what do I know?

Anyway, I get my unit serviced twice a year because, as I mentioned, my teeth are either chattering or my body is producing enough sweat to fill Lake Mead. So, last month, while I was enjoying my morning coffee and jotting down notes for my next Charcuterie Shop Mystery, two technicians from my air-conditioning company arrived and promptly set up their ladder and climbed to the roof.

I glanced outside and all was well. Even my two ridiculously barky Chihuahuas were quiet. I took another sip of coffee and continued to jot down aimless thoughts. And then, I looked up to see one of the technicians falling off the roof! He was airborne one second and flat on the ground, face up, the next.

Einy and Nellie dressed up.

I’d seen similar things a zillion times before, but that was on TV or the movies, not three feet from my patio door! The technician didn’t move an inch, even when I opened the door and screamed, “I’m calling 911!”

The other technician, still on the roof, shouted, “I already did,” before climbing down the ladder.

I shouted back, “Don’t move him,” even though I was positive he’d died.

Then the not-so-dead man managed to speak. “Don’t call anyone. I’m fine.”

In what universe?

Casting Call 4 Murder: A Sophie Kimball Mystery, Book 16

Next thing I knew, the entire patio area reeked of natural gas because the guy who fell also took out the gas meter from the wall and gas was leaking all over. The technician who was still in one piece, called the gas company.

In minutes, my patio became the epicenter for emergency crews from all over the county. My neighbor, who recently had a leg amputated, hobbled over and asked if he could help.

Then, as if on cue, the dogs decided they needed to bark. For the next few hours, it was utter chaos and I wanted to have my courtyard declared a disaster area in hopes of getting federal aid.

But nothing compared to the final words uttered by the man who fell – “Don’t worry. I’ll be back tomorrow to finish up.”

As I mentioned, it’s mid-August and soon I’ll be free to leave the captivity of my house and embrace the fall wonders. Hmm, I think it’s copperhead mating season here in Arizona…

Readers, what are you looking forward to this fall?

About Author J.C. Eaton

Ann I. Goldfarb, writing as J.C. Eaton, spent most of her life in the classroom before taking on the role of a middle school principal and professional staff developer. With enough fodder from her middle school target audience, she wrote a number of YA time travel mysteries before acquiescing to her late husband, who wanted to coauthor cozy mysteries with her. With nothing to lose, other than her marriage, she agreed. Now, four series later, she can relax. That is, when she isn’t busy cleaning up after her demanding cat and spoiled Chihuahuas!

She has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington and Beyond the Page), the Wine Trail Mysteries, (Kensington Lyrical and Beyond the Page), The Charcuterie Shop Mysteries (Level Best Books) and the Marcie Rayner Mysteries, (Camel/Epicenter Publishing). Visit the website, J.C. Eaton Mysteries.

Facebook

44 thoughts on “Guest Chick: J.C. Eaton & #Giveaway”

  1. Wowzers! What an eventful day you had. Hopefully they’re was no more a.c. drama. Or anyone falling from the roof.

    Congrats on your newest releases and thanks for the chance to win a copy of Casting Call 4 Murder.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  2. Good morning, J.C.! Thank you so much for visiting with us and sharing your adventures in air conditioning unit servicing. Good grief! I’m so glad that poor gentleman is okay.

    Huge congratulations on the release of Casting Call 4 Murder and Board to Death!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  4. Am beyond grateful that your situation resolved without further incident and that my AC unit is on the ground! Being a fellow Sonoran desert dweller (east side of town), I appreciate your summary of the weather. All those 30 some years ago when I moved here, it was significantly more manageable. Am sure my age had nothing to do with that! These days I’m just happy to have a well-stocked kindle and bookshelf at home, something cold to drink and working AC!

    Congrats on the book release. Looking forward to catching up with the Charcuterie Board series.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

        1. Don’t think they really have a name. That’s just what I call them because that is how it feels when you walk out the door, especially if there is any kind of breeze.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

  6. Gives a whole new meaning to the question, “What are you looking forward to this FALL?” Not a fall, I hope…

    My wife Robin had about a 10-foot fall from a ladder last year, and thank goodness she ended up okay (other than the biggest hematoma I’ve ever seen). But it was very scary, indeed.

    So my plans for the fall are for the both of us to stay away from ladders.

    Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today, and congrats on your new books–hurrah!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    2. Oh my gosh, Leslie, I am so sorry to hear what happened to Leslie! I, too, avoid ladders like the plague. My balance isn’t what it used to be! Even changing a light 💡 bulb on a high ceiling is daunting! Take care and thanks for stopping by! I am thrilled 😁 to be here!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      1. There’s a changing light bulb joke in there somewhere. How about, “How many old folks does it take to screw in a light bulb? None, because they refuse to climb the ladder and would rather sit there in the dark.”

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply

  7. Yikes! That’s a little too much excitement! I’m glad the guy who fell off the roof is alive, at least. Good luck with the AC, and good luck to him! But, most of all, good luck to you with the books!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  8. Wow, Ann/JC! You can’t make this kind of stuff up! Anyway, congrats on your new releases! That charcuterie board looks amazing even though it’s just a drawing…

    And your doggies are too cute!

    P.S. We’ve been to Phoenix several times in the summer for sports events for the younger daughter–that heat is no joke!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Hi Jennifer! That charcuterie board was based on a real one from Melanie Secor, who lives in Geneva, NY, where I taught, and is a professional charcuterie artist/chef! I asked if I could use her design!

      Right now my dogs and I are sitting under a fan and may not move until Thanksgiving!

      Hope to see you at LCC in Santa Fe! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. Wow, that’s way too much of the wrong kind of excitement! Our A/C went out in July but other than an uncomfortable two days until they could get there, it was uneventful. Never realized how lucky we are that it’s on the ground! Looking forward to some cooler temps and of course Halloween. Congrats on your two new books!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  12. Hi Ann/JC, NH Chick here. Welcome, and what is a/c? (We in the 603 are beginning to find out, thanks to global warming.) Congrats on Book #16! So when you mentioned the poor guy’s “final words,” they weren’t…final-final, right? I’m trying to think of what I’m looking forward to for Fall, but I’m stuck on “copperhead mating season.” There is one advantage to living so far North, and that is that we don’t have those here, even with all the stone walls. Or scorpions. Just ticks. But I can’t wait for Oktoberfest! (Every weekend Sept-Oct here, pretty much.)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    2. Hi! 👋 Oktoberfest sounds like so much fun! Especially the foods! I’m addicted to the giant pretzels 🥨 but have to get mine at Sam’s Club!

      The one really good thing about the abominable heat is that it forces writers to stay inside, glued to their computers! 😂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. I will be looking forward to the weather cooling off a bit here in Austin, where summer lasts until early October! Then it’s book fair season, birthday season, and Halloween all rolled into one. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment