The Book Resort©

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

WOW: Affairs of Steak (A White House Chef Mystery) - Julie Hyzy

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

This title will be released on January 3, 2012.

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

Halloween Fright Bites with Author Casey Daniels

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Casey Daniels, who writes under the pseudonym of Kylie Logan, has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of A Hard Day’s Fright or Button Holed and your favorite treat, let’s dish with Casey.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Snickers. Always.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

Went to a party last night. My husband was David Seville (since he didn't want to wear a costume, this was perfect). Three of us were Simon, Theodore and Alvin. I got voted to be Simon since I am "the nerd."

Trick or treat?

Treat

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Can't remember a bad one. Still have my cat costume. It's framed and hangs in the dining room this time of year. Still have the Indian princess, too, though I haven't done anything with that one yet.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

A paranormal investigation in a historic cemetery a couple years ago. Great fun. Very interesting. Got some incredible pics!

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Nothing scary. Refuse to watch anything scary.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchock, but not Psycho. See above.

Favorite scary movie?

None. None. Oh, no!!!

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Absolutely!

Click here for my review of Button Holed.

Visit Casey’s website for more info.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Author Casey Daniels on Blogcritics.

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Halloween Fright Bites with Young Adult Author Jen Nadol

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Jen Nadol writes a spooky Young Adult paranormal series and has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of The Mark or The Vision and your favorite sweet treats, let’s dish with Jen.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Kit Kat or Twix. Or both.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I WAS going to be a vampire (I know, not clever at all. But easy.) But we got snowed out of the party we were supposed to dress up for Saturday night so I’m just going to wear the fangs all day Monday.

Trick or treat?

Treat, of course!

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

An upside down man. I think it was my mom’s idea. I had my legs in shirt sleeves and my arms in pant legs, shoes on my hands and a head made out of a paper bag attached to the shirt collar (hanging upside-down). It was very clever, but I had to keep my arms up in the air the whole time for it to look right. Which was fun for about two minutes.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

Trick or treating in the rain with my kids the year before last. We were all drenched, but they had a blast.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

I’m a wimp – I never watch gross or scary movies!

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock – I WAY prefer psychological creepiness to innards.

Favorite scary movie?

The Ring is the scariest I’ve ever seen. I’d never, ever watch it again. Does that make it a favorite?

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Sadly, I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw it.

Click here to read my review of The Mark.

Jen's website.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Young Adult Author Jen Nadol on Blogcritics.

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Ellen Byerrum

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Cozy author Ellen Byerrum writes the wacky Crime of Fashion mystery series and has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Shot Through Velvet and your favorite sweet grub, let’s chat with Ellen.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Milkyway, Butterfinger, and just about anything chocolate.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I will be sitting on the sofa waiting for trick or treaters and watching the Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Trick or treat?

Treat.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

No idea.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

The year I got a Drum Majorette costume handed down. Red, white, and blue satin, it was awesome. Also one year in Catholic school we dressed as our patron saints. Mine is a queen. So again, pretty awesome.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

If it's the worst, I would never watch it. But one I love: Arsenic and Old Lace, the Cary Grant version, which is set on Halloween.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Definitely the psychologically scary films, though not necessarily Hitchcock.

Favorite scary movie?

Hmmm? Don't really know. But I like Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride and Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (because The Headless Horseman still sends shivers through me and I like the score.)

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Nope. Sorry.

Click here to read my review of Killer Hair.

Visit Ellen's website.

Article first posted as Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Ellen Byerrum

on Blogcritics.

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Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Leann Sweeney

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Cozy author Leann Sweeney, has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of The Cat, the Lady and the Liar or Pushing Up Bluebonnets and your favorite treats, let’s chat with Leann.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Carob malt balls.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

Myself.

Trick or treat?

Treat.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Hobo.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

When I dressed as a Swami and no one recognized me.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

I do not like anything even remotely horror related. Makes me too nervous.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock!

Favorite scary movie?

No favorites!

Do you still watch It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Yes.

Visit Leann's website for all the latest news.

Article first appeared as Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Leann Sweeney

on Blogcritics.

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Let the fun begin!

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

glitter-graphics.com

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

Happy Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Halloween Fright Bites with Author Cleo Coyle

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

The gifted husband and wife writing team of Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini pen The Coffeehouse Mysteries and The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. Alfonsi and Cerasini, aka Cleo Coyle, have taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Murder by Mocha or The Ghost and the Femme Fatale (looks like they have been inspired by my femme fatale ways with this one 'wink') and your favorite delectables, let’s chat with this incredible duo.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Chocolate - Yes, including my homemade Chocolate Halloween Bark. Download my recipe PDF here.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

A culinary mystery writer. (Alas, no Greenwich Village Halloween parade for me this year. I'm under deadline.)

Trick or treat?

I'm a mystery writer. Tricks are my trade. :)

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Chubby ballerina. Yes, I know. Ballerinas are supposed to be slender, beautiful nymphs who walk on air. But my parents would not be persuaded by a six-year-old, and they squeezed me into the stupid tutu nonetheless.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

At the age of twelve, my two best girlfriends and I broke into a closed football stadium to gather up hundreds of Kleenex flowers left behind after the high school's homecoming game. I used my flowers to create a Halloween costume that won me third place in the town parade. But you know what? Sneaking into that dark, spooky stadium was far more thrilling than winning the prize. (Can you tell I write amateur sleuth mysteries? Sneaking around and bending the rules are right up my dark alley.)

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Fright Night

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Usually Hitchcock, but Dawn of the Dead is still a bloody pleasure!

Favorite scary movie?

Impossible to choose one. Here are a few faves: The Omen, The Sixth Sense, Alien, Dawn of the Dead (original and remake), and (for sheer entertainment value) Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead.

Do you still watch It’sThe Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Does Snoopy love a good dogfight?
Does Charlie Brown collect rocks?

Visit Cleo’s website for all things delicious!

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Author Cleo Coyle on Blogcritics.

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Wishing you all...

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Laura DiSilverio

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Laura DiSilverio, who writes the delightful Mall Cop mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime, Swift Justice, and next month’s Swift Edge for Minotaur, and under the pseudonyms Lila Dare and Ella Barrick for Penguin Group (USA), has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us. So before you grab a copy of Die Buying or Swift Justice and your favorite treats, let’s chomp and chat with Laura.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Peanut M&Ms

What will you be for Halloween this year?

The person at home handing out the candy. My husband goes trick-or-treating with the girls. It’s usually bitterly cold (although it doesn’t look like it will be this year) so I’m happy to stay home and admire the little princesses and pirates and zombies who come by.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Huck Finn. I thought it was so clever, but everyone thought I was a boy (I was 8 or 9) and didn’t see anything clever in it at all.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

Pumpkin carving with my dad and now with my girls.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

I don’t watch them anymore. I don’t like to scare myself... boring, I know.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock, definitely!

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Nope (although the Grinch is still a Christmas tradition).

Visit Laura’s website for the latest info.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Laura DiSilverio on Blogcritics.

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Halloween Fright Bites with Author Liz Lipperman

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Liz Lipperman, who writes Berkley Prime Crime’s hilarious Clueless Cook Mystery series, has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Liver Let Die or Mortal Deception and your favorite treat, let’s steal some munchies and chat with Liz.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Almond Joy.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

A tired author!!! October was insane for me.

Trick or treat?

Too old to trick, so I’ll settle for treating.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Dressed up like a hippy guy with slanty-eyed sunglasses and a goatee.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

Threw corn on some old curmudgeon's porch and when we ran away, he threw a bucket of cold water on us.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Scream (One!).

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock.

Favorite scary movie?

The old version of A Stranger in the House. My favorite line, "Have you checked the children lately?" It still gives me the creeps.

Do you still watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Absolutely. Now I watch it with my grandchildren and I still love it.

Click here to read my review of Liver Let Die.

Stalking Liz is easy — oops, I mean keeping up to date with what she's doing:
Website/Blog

Mortal Deception Coming Soon!

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Author Liz Lipperman on Blogcritics.

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

Wishing you & yours a...

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Halloween Fright Bites with Romantic Suspense Author Dawn Brown

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Romantic Suspense author Dawn Brown writes gripping suspense and has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Blood and Bone or Living Lies and your favorite sweet treats, let’s dish with Dawn.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

Same thing as last year. A mom.

Trick or treat?

Treat. Always the treat.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

A clown. It wasn't scary enough.

Most memorable Halloween?

The first year I was too old to go trick-or-treating. My best friend and I stayed up late watching horror movies and eating my little brother's candy.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

The Changeling

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock

Halloween tradition?

Going to a pumpkin patch to pick our pumpkins. We do it every year.

Do you still watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Of course. It's not Halloween without it.

Visit Dawn's website for the latest news.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Romantic Suspense Author Dawn Brown

on Blogcritics.

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Interview with Legendary Romance Author Ann Major

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Since 1980, prolific romance writer Ann Major has penned nearly 50 romance novels under her Major pseudonym and under her real name, Margaret Major Cleaves. The Texas native is a founding member of the legendary Romance Writers of America (RWA).

The iconic Ann Major was gracious enough to take a few moments to be interviewed and by doing so made one of my dreams come true.

What was the most memorable research trip you've made?

I went to Ravello on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Because I was meeting a stylish friend, my husband and I stayed in a five star hotel there that was heaven
on earth. It was like being inside a Maxwell Parrish painting. While in Rome before driving down to Ravello, I met this lovely young couple at an outdoor restaurant near the Roman Steps. When the bill came, the Italian guy vanished for a very long time while his Australian date, a burned out attorney in search of her soul and other adventures remained to pay the bill. She told me the story of their romance which inspired in large part The Amalfi Bride. When I went to Rhodes, Greece, I was so inspired I came home and wrote A Cowboy and a Gentleman very quickly.

Please share with us the most interesting stories law enforcement
professionals have told you:

I remember this detective told me he has nightmares about using his gun. When he gets ready to shoot, the bullets just drop out of the front of the gun.

Are there any stories that have made you cry, laugh, stunned you or
rendered you speechless when you heard it, that you had to incorporate them in your fiction?

Yes — but being 65, I can’t' remember them off the top of my head.

What is the most memorable moment you've woven a story around?

Oh, so many. I think the one that got me in trouble though was this one: My mother-in-law and father-in-law were having an argument in the car while in the middle of west Texas, which is very desolate. Furious, he stopped the car and got out to get a break from her. She pulled out a spare set of keys from her purse, slid over into the driver's side, restarted the car and drove off without him — leaving him in the middle of nowhere. He had to hitchhike back to civilization. So I had this happen to my heroine. She argued with her headstrong mom and got out of car. My hero, a biker, picked the heroine up I believe.

How would you say you have evolved as a writer over time?

I wish I had evolved. I love evolved writers. Maybe I found my niche early because my third book was a Desire which was published in the early '80s and I am still writing Desires.

The market itself evolves and the readership grows younger while the writer grows older, so you have to constantly update yourself. You can't ever sit on your laurels and think you know it all.

When you're not writing, what are your favorite ways to relax and have
some fun?

I like to meditate, read, play the piano, study stuff, travel, kayak, walk, hike, sail, cook, get massages, garden, hang out with girlfriends, hang out with grandchildren, shop — or just hang out with my husband.

Of all the books you have written, do you have a favorite? If so, which
one and why?

Hot Ladies Murder Club... Well, it's local and it's about something that happened to me.

Do you have plans to write other genres in the future?

Maybe

Has your life changed since you've become a published author? If so,
how?

I am not chained to an 8 to 5 job as I was when I taught. While at school, bells were always ringing, and lots of those bells meant I had to be somewhere specific doing something specific. Now every day is different. This morning I bounded out of bed at four a.m. because I was dreaming about my characters and excited about writing.

Have you ever had an embarrassing moment at a booksigning?

Probably, but I don't hang onto bad moments. I have to write them down and file
them somewhere I can hopefully find them to relive them.

I have found that some authors listen to music while they write. Do you
listen to music or is it something that is distracting to you?

No. In the olden days when you went to a dentist or waited for your car to be
repaired there was no music or television. I am blissfully happy with silence.

Do you ever fear writer’s block or that you’ll let your audience down?

Oh, yes. I get writer's block all the time. I write into these walls. Like procrastination, it is part of my process. I always fear that I will let my audience down. Every time a book idea grabs me, I wonder--can I pull this off? Can I do justice to these lovers' story? Can I?

Do you belong to any writers groups and what do you feel you have
gained from the social sites?

I am in RWA and SARA... and I thought I joined the Austin chapter of RWA. I think I owe them money. Then I never followed through. I will check on that. Social sites. I am really not into social sites like I should be. That said, I have an OFFICIAL ANN MAJOR FACEBOOK PAGE. I have a personal Facebook account where I keep up with lots of personal friends and I have another Facebook account where my friends are mainly authors. I tend to visit my personal account the most... but only briefly.

Are there any characters in your books that represent you?

I am sure there are, but I lack the insight to know this.

How much of the characters and story lines come from people you know
and your own experiences versus your imagination?

Lots of them.

How do you keep your characters fresh and the plot exciting?

I don't know. This is always the challenge. When I finish a book, I start reading and thinking. An idea has to light a spark inside me — maybe that is the key. I need to feel excited as I develop the story.

Can you tell us one thing about yourself that most of your fans don’t
already know?

I would imagine there are many things. I am shy. I think I went into writing so I could hole up and spend great quantities of time ALONE. I have lots of friends but I am not an extrovert. One of my best friends, however, is. Saturday she wanted me to go to a really great luncheon with ten of our friends. I usually eat lunch with these friends on Friday and was planning to see them on Friday.
But my friend wanted me to do this special luncheon Saturday. I felt so guilty to tell her, I scheduled writing time all day Saturday. She simply didn't get this. It's like I slapped her in the face. And yet I really WANTED to spend the whole day ALONE. I wrote ten pages. I told my daughter I felt guilty to always be rejecting my friends. She said, "Mom, you are making time for them — on Friday."

What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as
the iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Nook etc add to the environment?

For me — I have hundreds of books in my Kindle account available on my iPhone. So if I'm standing in line at the pharmacy I can read. I don't have to carry paperbacks around anymore. I have a garage full of paperbacks. I imagine that fewer rainforests will be chopped down to publish romance novels. Rare species may survive longer.

What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors
in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no
impact at all that you can see?

I don't know. We all fear a negative impact of course because we get less for our stories that are sold that way. I think that remains to be seen.

What do you love most about the romance genre?

It is full of smart, hard-working, innovative, inspiring women, whom I admire immensely.

Ann, please share with us how Romance Writers of America (RWA) began?

I imagine that in the late '70s and early '80s all over the U.S. women were
reading romance novels and lusting to write them. I went to the Southwest Conference in Houston and met Rita Estrada and her mom and Parris Afton Bonds. Sondra Stanford, who published two novels with Harlequin, was from Corpus too. We were all trying to write romance novels, but the other authors and editors at that conference shunned us and told us we weren't real writers. Every year the numbers or romance writers swelled, while the other writers' condescending treatment of us got worse. I remember Sondra, Rita, Paris and me, along with several other friends spending time in our hotel rooms dreaming about starting our own organization. Rita Estrada was a charismatic leader. Forty writers met one day to form RWA. I was voted onto the first board along with Sondra Stanford, Parris Afton Bonds, and Rita Estrada... and Rita's mom, Rita Gallagher. At our first conference in Houston we had over one thousand writers and writing professionals show up. I think if we hadn't started RWA whenwe did, someone else would have. It was always a dynamic organization.

Visit Ann's website for the latest info.

Article first published as Interview with Legendary Romance Author Ann Major on Blogcritics.

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Interview: Cat Hellisen, Debut Young Adult Author

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Born in 1977 in Mowbray, Cat spent her early childhood in Cape Town before her family relocated to Johannesburg. Since then she’s bounced back and forth between the two cities, with occasional stays in Knysna and Nottingham.

Cat's short story This Reflection Of Me appeared in Sean Wallace’s Jabberwocky 3 collection and is available online as a teaser for the anthology.

Cat’s YA fantasy novel, When the Sea is Rising Red, comes out from FSG in 2012.

Cat was kind enough to be share her life as a writer, woman and tea addict.

Being a new author, who or what has been the biggest influence on your writing?

Everything I read or see influences my writing. That and TV Tropes. Actually, let's be honest, it's mainly TV Tropes.

Who has been your biggest support?

I have a great circle of writer friends who keep me sane. Without the Musers, and my partner and my amazing agent, Suzie Townsend, I'm sure I would have given up ages ago.

Do you feel your writing is character driven or plot driven? How do you balance these two elements?

Definitely character-driven. That's why I'm working harder on plot these days. Or, you know, at least thinking about working harder.

What do you feel are the essential elements of a great story?

A character we can relate to in some way, tension, clean prose.

What is it about this genre that captures your imagination?

That I can play the what-if game to the extreme.

What are the challenges you face writing young adult and dealing with the sensuality?

Eh... I haven't faced any problems as yet. But I tend not to write flat-out erotica.

What media influenced your writing? What were your favorite things to read (or watch) as a kid?

Everything influences me, but the ones that stuck for this book were Tanith Lee's early books. Her work, along with the books of Diana Wynne Jones really shaped my world. There's also a dog-shaped shout-out to Enid Blyton.

Who has been your favorite character to write about and why?

Dash was great fun to write because he starts off as this mysterious figure, and just when you think you've got him all figured out, you get these hints of deeper complexities. I love that he's so hypocritical.

Do you plan to or would you like to write novels in other genres besides YA? If so, what?

I have an adult novel I'm working on at the moment, yes.

Why do you write for young adults? What do you think is different about writing for teens than for other audiences?

This is something I've not yet totally worked out for myself. I just write stuff, and then people say, this is YA, or, this is more adult. Mostly I just roll with it.

What are some must haves when you sit down to write?

A computer. Tea.

If you became trapped as a character in a book or series, which would you choose and why? (Any book, any series, new or old)

Ah it would have to be Tanith Lee's Books of Paradys. They're so delightfully, creepily decadent. Also, gender-bending.

Were there any Books, Movies or Writers that have inspired you?

Too many to mention.

What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle, Kobo and Nook to the environment?

Hmm, no idea. My partner loves the Kindle, I'm still more into pages.

What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?

I honestly have no idea.

What sort of things influence you into naming settings and characters from your books as they are named?

The world around me.

Did you write as a teenager?

Yes. Badly.

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

Life. The Universe. Everything.

What’s your greatest comfort food?

Cheese, glorious cheese.

Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?

I don't really watch cartoons.... I don't know why not.

What were you like as a young reader? And when did you know that you wanted to write?

Voracious. Probably in my early twenties.

Could you describe your road to publication for us?

Long. I wrote a good many books before the one which got me my first agent. When that didn't sell we parted ways and I queried Suzie Townsend with When the Sea is Rising Red. My friend had just been shifted to Suzie after her agent had left Fine Print, and I loved everything I heard about her. So when Suzie offered I was pretty much ecstatic. She sold When the Sera is Rising Red to FSG and I ended up working with a fantastic editor who really pushed me into making the book better and better. Whenever I hear people saying editors don't edit anymore I feel like waving the first and final copies of the book in their faces and going REALLY? REALLY? Obviously I don't, because then people would know I'm crazy.

Visit Cat's website for more info.

Article first appeared on Blogcritics.

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

WOW:Fire Engine Dead (A Museum Mystery) - Sheila Connolly

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

This title will be released on March 6, 2012.

© 2009-2011 The Book Resort ~ All rights Reserved Worldwide.

Halloween Fright Bites with Debut Author Janet Bolin

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Janet Bolin, who writes the charismatic Threadville mystery series has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Dire Threads and your favorite treat, let’s chat with Janet.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Candy corn, Snickers, Mars Bars.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

A curmudgeon. Oh, wait — it's not a costume!

Trick or treat?

Treat. I love seeing the kids in their costumes. And snacking on whatever's left.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

A Soviet satellite. My head was inside an aluminum foil ball, and I wore a sheet with hammers and sickles colored on it.

Most memorable Halloween memory

Nobody guessed who was inside that baked potato costume in second grade until I took the "butter" off my head! I won!

Worst Halloween film you still watch... and love?

I'd rather read a book. This year, it's The Diva Haunts The House by Krista Davis.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock, but even that's a little too scary.

Favorite scary movie?

Scary movies are tooooooooo scary. I can't watch them. But I can read and write murder mysteries. Don't ask me to explain it.

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

I'm afraid I've never seen it. Does that make me a bad person? Okay, forget it. Pretend I didn't ask.

Yep, curmudgeon.

Visit Janet's website for some super fun stuff!

Threaded for Trouble coming in June, 2012, from Berkley Prime Crime.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Debut Author Janet Bolin on Blogcritics.

Halloween Fright Bites with Author Tim Myers

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Prolific Tim Myers writes several cozy mysteries under a spectrum of monikers and has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of A Killer Column or At Wick’s End and your favorite savory treats, let’s chat with Tim – or whoever he is today.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Mini Heaths, Mini Snickers, Candy Corn Pumpkins.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I'll be going as a weary writer, covered in blank pages from head to foot and holding a giant but empty pen.

Trick or treat?

Always Treat.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Not the costume itself, but we had a freak snowstorm once, and we all had to trick or treat with our coats on over our costumes. Booooo.

Most memorable Halloween memory?

The year I was Batman. I also had a Batman birthday party, and got a cape as a present, which I wore constantly. My mom made me a cake in the shape of Batman, which was unique back then, and I got a utility belt too.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

I haven't watched it for years, but I used to love Halloween, and I always laughed when the tombstone in the bed with the name Michael Myers appeared, which happens to be my brother's name!

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock! I'm all about the suspense, the intrigue, the what if?

Favorite scary movie?

Again, Halloween has to be it.

Do you still watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Whenever I can! I am a huge fan of the Great Pumpkin and the Christmas Special. Snoopy rocks!

Visit Tim's website for more about the many faces of Tim.

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Author Tim Myers on Blogcritics.

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Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Krista Davis

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Author Krista Davis, who writes the fun Domestic Diva mysteries has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of The Diva Haunts the House and your favorite treats, let’s munch and chat with Krista.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Candy corn, Almond Joys, Reese's Cups, Kitkats...

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I'm usually a cat. Love those ears and whiskers! And I know how to
speak cat.

Trick or treat?

Treat!

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Coats! I hated wearing coats over my costumes!

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Hocus Pocus is one of the best, and I watch it every year. Worst
Halloween movie, hmm, well, it's more silly than bad, but I like the
1985 Fright Night with Roddy McDowell.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Hitchcock!

Favorite scary movie?

I don't know that I have a favorite. I do like some of the old ones
like Dial M for Murder and Wait Until Dark. Ohhh — and Rebecca!

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

No. Maybe I should!

Click here to read my review for The Diva Haunts the House.

Visit Krista’s website for things Diva!

Article first published as Halloween Fright Bites with Mystery Author Krista Davis on Blogcritics.

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Halloween Fright Bites with Debut Author Braxton Cosby

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

Debut author Braxton Cosby has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of Star-Crossed Saga: Protostar and your favorite treat, let’s chill with Braxton.

Favorite Halloween candy?

Mr Goodbar.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

I passed on celebrating his year and we just took the girls to our church fall festival, Trunk or Treat. It was a blast and we decorated our car in pumpkins. We celebrated the fact that God looks at us like pumpkins; He picks us out of a cluttered and busy patch, cleans us off, cuts off our heads and takes out all the “gooey stuff” (our impure thoughts) and places a candle (light), carves a smile on our faces, and puts us in a place for the whole world to see.

Trick or treat?

I’m a treat kind of guy.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

I was once dressed up like the devil (Lord have mercy).

Most memorable Halloween memory?

Bobbing for apples as a kid.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Basket Case.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

I like the psychological thrillers, so I’ll go with Hitchcock.

Favorite scary movie?

Gotta be the original Halloween.

Do you still watch The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

Always, my girls love Charlie Brown.

Click here for Braxton’s interview
Click here for the Star-Crossed Saga: Protostar review

Visit Braxton around the web:

www.braxtonacosbygodson.com
http://braxtonacosby.wordpress.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/braxtonacosby

Article first published @ Blogcritics.

My Heartfelt Thank You to All Who Risk Their Lives!

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Halloween Fright Bites with Author Saranna DeWylde

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year — the boo!, the costumes, the candy, the bump in the night, the candy, the parties, the candy. Did I mention the candy?

The hilarious Saranna DeWylde, who writes sensual naughtiness (blushing) and riotous goodies has taken the time to share a few Halloween moments with us, so before you grab a copy of The Real Housewives of Olympus or Hex and the Single Witch (love the cover) and your favorite yummies let’s chat with Saranna.

Favorite Halloween candy?

It's a tie between Hershey's Miniatures and candy corn.

What will you be for Halloween this year?

Hmm. Jack Torrance from The Shining? No, wait, that's me every day. A gypsy. I've got this great head scarf decorated with coins and it really ties the whole thing together.

Trick or treat?

Both.

Worst Halloween costume as a kid?

Luckily, all of my costumes were cool. My mother always let me choose what I wanted to be and never stuffed me into anything sucky. I think the first eight years of my life, I was a witch every Halloween. I broke the mold with Wonder Woman and I remember wearing that costume at random times the rest of the year until it fell apart.

Favorite Halloween movie?

All of them. Horror flicks are a passion. But my favorite is The Howling. Rick Baker is a makeup god. This was also the first horror movie that ever scared me. Smiley face stickers still kind of freak me out if I see them in odd, unexpected places.

Worst Halloween film you still watch… and love?

Night of the Creeps. Man, it's bad. "Good news, girls. Your prom dates are here. The bad news is, they're dead." OH. And Motel Hell. Farmer Vincent's sausage... and the cardboard cows. So. Very. Bad. But good memories.

Hitchcock or blood and gore?

Both, to a certain extent. I like a balance. I want to be engaged. I want... omg, plot. For me, horror is like reading sex. If it's just Tab A (Knife) into Slot B (Organ), it's boring. I want character development and plot. Thin though it may be. The gore by itself doesn't move me, because the reality of it is nothing like the distance you have when it's on a screen. As a corrections officer, I've seen more than my share.

Favorite Halloween memory?

Trick or Treating with my cat, Spooky, riding in my plastic pumpkin. She just completed my costume so perfectly, and she seemed to know it. She was content to be hauled around in that orange pumpkin the whole night.

Most memorable Halloween party?

I have to say my wedding reception. My husband and I got married on October 13, 1999, but we did it at the courthouse. It was kind of a last minute thing. I just had this feeling we needed to get it done rather than wait to get married at a haunted castle in Scotland like we'd planned. We decided to wait to have the reception until Halloween to give all our loved ones a chance to plan to attend.

Do you still watch It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?

No. I didn't much like it when I was a kid. I'd watch it with my mom because she really liked Charlie Brown. But I watched The Exorcist for the first time at my 8th birthday party. So, I was already a little more hardcore about my horror flicks at a young age.

Visit Saranna's website for some all things Wylde!

WOW: Little Shop of Homicide: A Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery - Denise Swanson

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Little Shop of Homicide: A Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery (Devereaux Dime Store Mystery)

Dev Sinclair is the happy new owner of the old-fashioned shop in her small Missouri town. But if she doesn't focus on finding the killer of her ex's fiancée, this five-and-dime owner may find herself serving twenty-five to life...

This title will be released on March 6, 2012.

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The Last Word: A Books By the Bay Mystery Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (The Book Resort) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000