Guest Chick: Liz Milliron

Kathleen here. I’m so thrilled to welcome Liz Milliron, author of two fabulous series: The Laurel Highlands Mysteries and the new Homefront Mysteries, which just launched yesterday(!!) with The Enemy We Don’t Know. Today she’s here to share with us her research about, well, research. Take it away, Liz! ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Thanks Kathleen and all the Chicks. It’s great to be back. As Vickie blogged about … Continue reading Guest Chick: Liz Milliron

Chicks on the CaseFebruary 12, 2020August 2, 202023 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick—Heather Redmond

Becky here. One of my favorite things about cozy mysteries are the punny titles. Heather writes two different series, and when I saw that her latest Charles Dickens title was Grave Expectations, I laughed out loud. But today I’m excited she’s talking about her new series … it sounds grave, er, great too! Hello, Chicks! Thanks so much for allowing me to visit today. I’m … Continue reading Guest Chick—Heather Redmond

Chicks on the CaseFebruary 5, 2020January 29, 202027 Comments

Cynthia Kuhn, Ellen Byron, Guest Post, Leslie Karst

Who Are the Lefty Award Nominees’ Most Humorous Characters?

Today, we welcome the five finalists for this year’s Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery (three of whom just happen to be Chicks on the Case). Congrats to all! The winner won’t be announced until the Left Coast Crime banquet on March 14th, but in the meantime we thought it would be “humorous” to find out from the nominees which of their characters from their … Continue reading Who Are the Lefty Award Nominees’ Most Humorous Characters?

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 31, 2020February 3, 202047 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Post: James W. Ziskin

We are thrilled to welcome author James W. Ziskin! Novels in his critically acclaimed Ellie Stone series have been Anthony and Macavity award winners and Edgar, Anthony, Barry, Lefty, and Macavity finalists. Read on for a fascinating discussion of how he works with language in his latest mystery, TURN TO STONE, which is available now. Foreign Words in Foreign Lands I write a series … Continue reading Guest Post: James W. Ziskin

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 29, 2020January 19, 202024 Comments

Ellen Byron, Guest Post

The (Pen) Name Game

Which author’s real name is Kate? Whose is Mary, Marilyn, or Mariella? Pen names are a literary tradition. (Hello, Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell.*). The reasons for them are manifold. A publisher may request an author assume a new identity for business or financial reasons. An author might use a pseudonym to write in a totally different genre. (I’m talking to you, J.K. Rowling and … Continue reading The (Pen) Name Game

Ellen ByronJanuary 27, 2020January 26, 202042 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Elizabeth Penney

Please join us in welcoming Elizabeth Penney, author of the Apron Shop Series mysteries. Hems and Homicide, the first book in the series, is available now. Delighted that you are here today, Elizabeth! Creating Your Cozy Community Thank you to Chicks on the Case for including me as a guest! The cozy community of writers and readers is wonderfully supportive and close-knit. We have fun, don’t … Continue reading Guest Chick: Elizabeth Penney

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 22, 2020January 22, 202030 Comments

Guest Post

How Do you Define a Year?

Leslie Karst here. Today, I am pleased as all get-out to welcome fab writer and super-fun gal, Tara Laskowski, to the Chicks. Tara was already well-known for her short stories (one of which won the Agatha last year), but has now also published a terrific novel, One Night Gone, which has just been nominated for a coveted Lefty Award! Take it away, Tara: As 2019 … Continue reading How Do you Define a Year?

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 15, 2020January 24, 202026 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Debra Sennefelder

Hi, Vickie, here. Today the Chicks are thrilled to welcome author Debra Sennefelder. Silenced In Sequins, the latest entry in her Resale Boutique series was released this week! Take it away, Debra! Inspiration From Prime Time I want to first thank the Chicks on the Case for this opportunity to visit with you today. I’m excited to tell you a little bit about where the inspiration … Continue reading Guest Chick: Debra Sennefelder

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 10, 2020July 29, 202016 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Sherry Harris

Chick Ellen Byron here, thrilled to welcome back friend and fab author Sherry Harris. Sherry writes theSarah Winston Garage Sale Mysteries, which are loaded with unique, irresistible characters. Today she’s sharing the genesis of a few of them… Secondary Characters One of the best things about being published is having people write and tell you that they absolutely love a character. Here are a few … Continue reading Guest Chick: Sherry Harris

Chicks on the CaseJanuary 8, 2020January 24, 202013 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Kimberly O’Malley

Ellen here, welcoming Kimberly O’Malley to her first Chicks visit. She shares a touching story of how becoming a mom and an author were intertwined for her. When Writing Becomes Therapy I never meant to be a writer. I mean I was always good at writing; it came easily to me. And that really helped in nursing school, but I never set out to be … Continue reading Guest Chick: Kimberly O’Malley

Chicks on the CaseDecember 18, 2019January 24, 202019 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Misty Simon

Leslie Karst here. Today, the Chicks are pleased to present Misty Simon, author of the fabulous Tallie Graver Mystery series. Although Tallie now works cleaning houses, her family runs the Graver Funeral Home (what an appropriate name, lol), which comes in quite handy when she sets her sights on solving a murder. And today, her creator, Misty, has some great advice for dealing with the … Continue reading Guest Chick: Misty Simon

Chicks on the CaseDecember 11, 2019January 24, 202020 Comments

Guest Post

Guest Chick: Thomas A. Burns, Jr

I’m the author of the Natalie McMasters Mysteries. I want to thank Becky Clark for allowing me space on Chicks on the Case to talk about the growing popularity of audiobooks. Natalie McMasters—a detective for the new millennium. I finished my first Natalie McMasters novel, Stripper! when I was 65, and after a year of querying agents with no takers, I decided to publish it … Continue reading Guest Chick: Thomas A. Burns, Jr

Chicks on the CaseDecember 4, 2019January 24, 202021 Comments