It’s Twofer Tuesday! Please help us celebrate book birthdays for The Jig Is Up (Irish Bed & Breakfast Mystery #1) by Lisa Q. Mathews and In the Event of Murder (Starlit Bookshop Mystery Book #2) by Cynthia Kuhn. 🎉 The Jig Is Up (Irish Bed & Breakfast Mystery #1) Irish step dance takes a deadly turn in this Celtic cozy series debut, perfect for … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday: The Jig Is Up & In the Event of Murder
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been fifty years since I graduated from high school and started as a freshman at the University of California, Santa Cruz—home of the fighting banana slugs. Fifty years? Yikes! I don’t feel that old. But there it is. the bike path at UCSC So next month I’ll be attending my 50th reunion of the Santa Monica High School class … Continue reading It Was Fifty Years Ago Today
Welcome to “Chicks Celebration,” our fun new Chicks on the Case feature! Join us as we Chicks share what we’re currently celebrating (book release, new idea, recent read)… 1. Which Chick is celebrating? Jen 2. The reason for the celebration? The launch of the anthology, Writing the Cozy Mystery: Authors’ Perspectives on Their Craft. It released on August 5th. 3. What have you been doing to celebrate? A bunch of … Continue reading Chicks Celebration: Launch of Writing the Cozy Mystery anthology
Today the Chicks are pleased to welcome debut author Christina Estes, winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in The Southwest. Off the Air, which was published on March 26, is the first in a series featuring Jolene Garcia, a TV reporter investigating the suspicious death of a controversial radio talk show host. Christina is giving away a copy of Off … Continue reading Guest Chick: Christina Estes
Lisa here, peeking around the door of my office—aka Writer’s Jail. I’m trying hard not to panic with a looming publisher deadline and the launch of THE JIG IS UP next week. Hope you’ll enjoy this encore presentation post–because, hey, these inspirational comments for mystery writers never get old! Continue reading 13 Helpful Comments to Inspire a Mystery Writer (Redux)
My calendar is pretty open these days. It’s summer, after all. And I’m waiting on a much-needed knee replacement surgery, so I try not to walk much. I’m obsessed with made-up holidays, so I decided to look up what’s on tap for August. I’m talking to the right crowd to let you guys know: Today (August 9) is Book Lovers Day! Start reading or writing … Continue reading Make up your own holiday
Today we Chicks are delighted to welcome our good friend, newbie author Tammy Barker, who’s sharing one of her favorite places for mystery inspiration. Take it away, Tammy! Continue reading Guest Chick: Tammy Barker
One reason I decided to double my major—and my fun—by adding psychology to my English literature studies was my fascination with dreams. Okay, sure, the idea of psychoanalyzing coworkers when I wasn’t diagramming sentences or analyzing Swift (two tasks I was certain I’d perform with my lit degree) had more than a little appeal. But it was the thought of being tasked with interpreting dreams … Continue reading Dream On
There’s this recurring dream I have where I’m taking a timed test. Did I mention that it’s a stress dream for me? For someone who’s a total nerd (confession: I was part of my high school’s Academic Decathlon team), you’d think I would enjoy exams. But I always felt the heavy weight of expectations. This was why I had to push myself to contribute to … Continue reading Pushing Myself
Today the Chicks are pleased to welcome Judy Penz Sheluk, author, editor, and publisher extraordinaire, whose newest anthology, Larceny & Last Chances, released just last month. Take it away, Judy! THE FINE ART OF COVER ART It’s said a good cover can sell a book. I’m not sure if that’s true but I do know, from personal experience, that some of my books have better … Continue reading Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk
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
Welcome to our new Chick Chat series: WIPs & RIPs, a bookish report of what we’re writing (a.k.a. Works In Progress), what we’re reading (i.e. Reads in Progress), and which projects we’re bidding a fond Rest in Peace. Read on, then chime in to tell us what’s occupying your WIP & RIP lists.
Continue reading “WIPs and RIPs”
Chicks on the Case 