Leslie here, happy to welcome to the coop the fabulous Barbara Howard, author of the just-released The Taste of Rain, book one in the Clover City Files, as well as many other books, with a beautiful take on the importance of back-story. OF MERMAIDS AND MYSTERIES I love meeting my characters for the first time. They introduce me to their fears and childhood traumas, lovers, … Continue reading Guest Chick: Barbara Howard
Ah, summer. Just the thought of it summons visions of beach romps, picnics, cookouts, concerts, camping, hiking, swimming, and more. Long days and lovely starry nights. But there’s something else, too: the expectation that when the season arrives, we will have fun. No matter what we’re doing, summer always brings a glamorous shimmer of potential. We spend time during the rest of the year … Continue reading Hello, Summer
I have recently discovered my love for jigsaw puzzles. Well, technically, I’ve always liked jigsaws, but haven’t done them since I was a kid when my mom would set up the card table and dump out a box. What changed was I found an online app—Jigsaw Planet—that is perfect for my iPad. At breakfast and lunch, I typically solve crosswords while I eat, but I’ve … Continue reading It’s So Puzzling …
Kathy here, and thrilled to welcome guest Sybil Johnson to the coop! Sybil and I were previously chicks of another flock, and she was one of the first authors to welcome me to the warm, wonderful world of this writing/reading community. Today this talented writer and artist worries over worrying. She’s also giving away a book to five lucky readers! Just chime in to enter. … Continue reading Guest Chick + Giveaway: Sybil Johnson
One of the first songs I remember listening to as a child is “Put Another Nickel In…Music, Music, Music” (aka “The Nickelodeon Song”), released by Teresa Brewer in 1950. From there, I moved on to “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” and “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” (whose lyrics now seem embarrassingly creepy, I must say). Then, once the Beatles arrived in America and performed … Continue reading A Musical Journey Through Life
Ooh, the sweet anticipation of getting a gift! We’re sharing about what we begged our parents for…and whether we got it! Lisa Q. Mathews Believe it or not, I don’t think I ever begged my parents for anything big–except maybe for one. I’m pretty sure I whined on an as-needed basis for various dolls, stuffed animals, notebooks, and the latest Bobbsey Twin books. For the … Continue reading CHICK CHAT: What Did We Beg Our Parents For?
A warm welcome to José, who is giving us a peek behind the writing curtain. Read on for tips on how he finds opportunities to write, all while spending time with his family and juggling a day job. Finding the time to write By José H. Bográn As many authors do—dare I say most?—I have a day job to pay the bills. More than a … Continue reading Guest Chick: José Bográn + GIVEAWAY
This spring has been quite the crazy whirl for all of us Chicks, and as we barrel into summer it doesn’t look as if things will slow down anytime soon. There are pros and cons to that, of course, but this past weekend one of us did a Very Good Thing: She spent quality time with a great group of authors and readers at her local library… . Continue reading You’ve Come a Long Way, Author
In my (mumbles number) years on the planet, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve discovered that I can go an alarming amount of time without water or vegetables. That I have ridiculously strong opinions about punctuation, but little else. And that I’ll channel my inner Weird Al to belt out a parody of “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” in order to sell a … Continue reading The Art of Arting
Hi, Ellen here, happy to welcome Leanne Kale Sparks to Chicks today. She’s sharing her thoughts on one of my personal favorite topics – humor in mysteries. Not only is it a fun read, Leanne is giving away a book from her Kendall Beck Thriller series! The Art of Making Readers Laugh with Murder and Serial Killers All Around As a rule, death is not … Continue reading Guest Chick: Leanne Kale Sparks and #Giveaway
Harry Potter turned 33 last week. (Not the one who went to school at Hogwarts, but the one (aka Daniel Radcliffe, who was born in London and who, apropos of nothing, is still only 5 ft. 5 inches tall. This makes me feel a bit old, since Harry is eternally 8 years old to me. I had a birthday in May that was a millstone, … Continue reading Sunrise, sunset
Hey readers, It’s release week for Hot Pot Murder! (Here’s the buy link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673134/hot-pot-murder-by-jennifer-j-chow/9780593336557/) Go ahead and visit it… I’ll wait. Now that you’re back: Did you know that I worked in a family restaurant (serving Chinese food) for years? That influenced me to write a culinary cozy, and it also served as an inspiration for Ba’s dim sum eatery in the L.A. Night Market … Continue reading Jen’s Restaurant Biz Quiz
Chicks on the Case 