Becky here, to welcome Olivia Blacke and her pugalicious pal, Baileycakes to Chicks! She’s talking about focusing today, so get your fill of Baileycakes before you start reading. Total Silence or Total Chaos – How Do You Focus? Everyone has their own way of doing things that works best for them. Whether they are crunching numbers or writing their next novel, some people need complete … Continue reading Guest Chick: Olivia Blacke
I’m always surprised when writers say they need music playing when they write. Not me. Music is what I dance or sing to, which is probably a result of my years as a performer. (This is also why I don’t read my drafts out loud like a lot of authors do. I start acting them out and lose all focus on the writing. Once a … Continue reading Ellen’s Extraordinary, Ridiculously Age-Inappropriate Playlist
The Chicks are absolutely thrilled to have fab and funny author pal Catriona McPherson back for another visit to the coop! Scot in a Trap, the fifth book in Catriona’s darkly humorous Last Ditch Mystery series, is out this week. Grab a copy for the holidays and an extra copy to put under the tree for your favorite reader friend. Today, Catriona talks about rules … Continue reading Guest Chick: Catriona McPherson
What’s better than the perfect gift? A PAIR of perfect gifts! We asked each of the Chicks to pair one of their books with a potential gift idea. Please check out the results below, just in time for the holidays… Lisa Q. Mathews There’s no snow, except for the fake kind, but what could be more holiday-festive (and dangerous) than Fashion Week in glittering Milano, FL? … Continue reading Chicks Holiday Shopping Guide
I’m writing PLOTTED, book #2 of my new Sugar Mill Marketplace series. Right now, the Marketplace consists of a used bookstore, bakery, chocolate shop, photography studio, and a cheese shop. My cheesemonger, Skyler (think Meg Ryan back in the day), is teaching a charcuterie board class after the Marketplace closes one Friday night, so I had to do some research about how to design cheese … Continue reading A Writer’s Charcuterie
Lisa here, delighted to welcome amazing author, anthology editor, publishing entrepreneur, and our good friend Judy Penz Sheluk to Chicks today. Even though we can’t imagine the prolific Judy ever procrastinating on anything, she’s sharing a little secret… Continue reading Guest Chick: Judy Penz Sheluk
I know many of the readers of this blog would point to something such as the Nancy Drew or Encyclopedia Brown series as their early loves, but the first book I remember truly adoring as a child is Boats Finds a House, by Mary Chalmers. It’s a picture book about a cat who’s retired from working as a mouser and ratter on a sailing ship, … Continue reading From Boats Finds a House to Miss Marple Finds a Body
Leslie here, pleased to welcome to the coop the fab Liz Boeger, author of the Moccasin Cove Mystery series, whose newest book, APPLEJACKED, was released just last month. Take it away, Liz! Coloring Outside the Cozy Lines with a Non-Traditional Amateur Sleuth When I was first invited to visit with the Chicks, I’ll admit I was preening a bit at the thought of hanging out … Continue reading Guest Chick: Liz Boeger
It’s middle-ish November, and you know what that means: one of us Chicks is just back from the New England Crime Bake writers conference. Yes, we have photos (sort of), and our faithful Chick correspondent’s annual report… Continue reading In the Mood for Crime Bake
I’m going to be 10,000% honest—and please feel free to check that math: I’m a wee bit nervous about Thanksgiving. This is the first year in three decades that I’ll be spending it with different people in a different state doing different things. But with all of that differentness comes new experiences, a wealth of opportunities, and heaps of things for which to be grateful. … Continue reading Thanks a Little
The Chicks are thrilled to welcome Mariah Fredericks to the coop! Today, the Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee, whose novel The Lindbergh Nanny is racking up some serious accolades, shares how an unexpected turn turned into something unexpectedly wonderful. Take it away, Mariah! How Bad News Became a Fresh Start Any writer of a series knows: you never want it to end. It’s not just … Continue reading Guest Chick Mariah Fredericks
Chicks on the Case 