Happy Book Birthday to Leslie!

Today is the release day of A Sense for Murder, the sixth book in the Sally Solari culinary mystery series–huzzah! It’s the height of tourist season in Santa Cruz, California, and Sally Solari has her hands full, both juggling crowds of hungry diners at her French-Polynesian restaurant Gauguin, as well as appeasing her father, who’s distressed at the number of homeless people camped out in … Continue reading Happy Book Birthday to Leslie!

A New Sally Solari Adventure–and a Recipe!

Tomorrow marks the release day of my sixth Sally Solari mystery, A Sense for Murder. Just wow. When I set fingers to keyboard to begin composing what would end up being the first in the series, Dying for a Taste, I had no idea I’d be lucky enough to publish six books about the intrepid, stubborn, snarky, bourbon- and Giants baseball-loving, restaurateur Sally. But here … Continue reading A New Sally Solari Adventure–and a Recipe!

Guest Chick: Rhonda Blackhurst

We Chicks are absolutely delighted to welcome Rhonda Blackhurst for a visit today. She writes the Melanie Hogan mysteries, with her beauty salon protagonist, and a little chickie tells me there’s a new cozy series in the works! Goal Setting: Then and Now Lessons in goal setting began way back in high school, with the suggestion of setting short-term and long-term goals: 30 days, one … Continue reading Guest Chick: Rhonda Blackhurst

What do you fancy?

As some of you know, my boyfriend is a Brit. Ian is a delight, and I’m crazy about him. There is a problem, however.  The language barrier.  As many in Britannia are wont to do, Ian speaks UK English, a.k.a. English English. Or as I like to say, English2. Sure, we understand each other most of the time. As a Python-quoting, Austin-reading, English lit-majoring Anglophile, … Continue reading What do you fancy?

Guest Chick: Leslie Budewitz

The Chicks on the Case are thrilled welcome author pal Leslie Budewitz to the blog. Just out this week is the seventh entry in Leslie’s Spice Shop mystery series. What Chick Jennifer J. Chow said about the book: “In Between a Wok and a Dead Place, Leslie Budewitz serves a literary feast showcasing Seattle’s Chinatown-International District—spiced with murder. A complex mystery peppered with delectable recipes, inspiring quotes, … Continue reading Guest Chick: Leslie Budewitz

Interpreting Common Phrases

Whew, it’s been a week! I’m deep in my revisions cave (for my new Magical Fortune Cookie series–coming to you in February 2024), where I sequester myself and stare at a screen for hours on end. Not only that, but I’ve had some stressors pop up over the last few days: tech problems, miscommunications, awkward run-ins… I’d say it’s a case of “when it rains, … Continue reading Interpreting Common Phrases

… But It Makes Perfect Sense

Remember last week when I posted about my new obsession with online jigsaw puzzles? We were having a GIGANTIC thunderstorm so I went downstairs where the noise from the hail wasn’t quite so deafening and tried to distract myself with a jigsaw puzzle. One of the other “weighty mental paths” I traveled while I worked on it ended up being something I keep thinking about. … Continue reading … But It Makes Perfect Sense