Hi, it’s Cammie, ruler of the Byron-Remillong household. Last week I heard Mom going on and on about how this dog Lily was “soooooo cute,” and not gonna lie, I got kinda jealous. So I hijacked Mom’s computer to tell you about another pooch who is “sooooo cute.” ME! First, a little backstory, as my mom calls it. I wound up as a pregnant stray … Continue reading My turn, Lily!
Hi! Ellen here, on the road from Chicago to L.A. after a lovely day spent at the Midwest Mystery Conference and long weekend in this awesome city where many of hubby Jer’s college friends live. (He went to Marquette in Milwaukee, if you’re wondering, and is from St. Louis. He’s got some serious Midwest bona fides.) I never intended to be on and off the … Continue reading Big Tree Energy
I’ve been promoting FRENCH QUARTER FRIGHT NIGHT all over the place, which has brought up the irony that I wasn’t a fan of Halloween growing up. I have one photo of me in a costume from my childhood and I can barely muster up a smile. Partly because my mother pulled my hair into the tightest, most painful bun of my life, and partly because … Continue reading Memories of Halloween
When I joined SoCalMWA, the local chapter of Mystery Writers of America, I lucked out. Every year, the chapter kicks into gear in the fall with a gumbo party, hosted by chef extraordinaire Bill Fitzhugh and his lovely wife Kendall. If you know my connection to New Orleans, you know how happy this makes me. (Bill is from Mississippi, but his gumbo is so good … Continue reading It’s Gumbo Season… in SoCal?
Hi, Ellen here, writing from my hotel room. I know Lisa gave you a taste of Bouchercon Nashville. I’m here to give you the whole meal today. I thought I’d do this day by day but honestly, it’s hard to keep the days straight at a con, so there will be some guesswork involved. Here goes nuthin’! WEDNESDAY: I kicked off the day by meeting … Continue reading Greetings from Bouchercon! (Although I’ll be home when you read this)
Hi, it’s Ellen! Sorry about the late post. I had four events – three events in one weekend – to shill for, I mean celebrate the launch of A Very Woodsy Murder, my first Golden Motel Mystery. Two out of the three were policed by those of a furry persuasion: bookstore cats. I don’t know why I haven’t paid attention to this phenomenon before. There’s … Continue reading Bookstore cats
Through the years since my first mystery was published in 2015, I’ve developed a finely honed approach to marketing my books, something we are all tasked with these days. Let me bullet-point my approach for you: Yup. That’s it. One poor, lonely bullet point. Like all authors, I’ve blogged, guested on podcasts, and done in-person and virtual appearances at bookstores. My overall goal is to … Continue reading The “Throw Spaghetti at the Wall and Hope Something Sticks” Approach to Marketing
This spring, the rains washed out Mulholland Drive in several spots, forcing its closure for repairs. The opportunity this presented didn’t occur to me until I was making plans to meet up with friend and fellow author Nadine Nettman, who lives wonderfully close to me. She suggested we rendezvous on the closed stretch of Mulholland for a walk. Which we did. Los Angeles is blessed … Continue reading When one road closes…
Over the last few years, I’ve found myself on the road or in the air a lot for various professional and personal reasons. Since March, I’ve been in Wisconsin, Phoenix, New York, and Seattle. I leave a week from Thursday for Maryland and Malice Domestic. Given how stressful traveling can be, I’m always on the hunt for gadgets that will the journey make easier. Since … Continue reading 5 Handy-Dandy Travel Gadgets
NOTE: I’ll be at Left Coast Crime when this publishes, so my response to comments will be slow today. Bear with me! When I finished the draft for The Witless Protection Program, I wrote to my agent, “This is a screenplay masquerading as a book.” I’m a very visual person. I don’t know if it’s because of my years writing theatre and TV but I … Continue reading Behind the Book: The Witless Protection Program
Yippee, it’s release day for The Witless Protection Program, the 5th book in “Maria DiRico’s” Catering Hall Mysteries. For readers wondering if Mia Carina’s philandering, presumed dead husband Adam Grosso would ever make an appearance in the series, this is your lucky day. And he couldn’t be showing up at a worse time for Mia! “An incredible cast of characters, starting with our lead, Mia … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday to THE WITLESS PROTECTION PROGRAM!
2024 came in like a battering ram for me. As many of you know, my mother died on January 3rd, the day after her 97th birthday. Despite her age, her death was unexpected and up-ended my life a bit. Okay, a lot. I haven’t even had time to grieve, to be honest. I’m guessing that will come at the end of March when I’m staring … Continue reading A L’il Help From the Hive Mind
Chicks on the Case 