Jenn McKinlay: How lucky am I have to have both of my plot group buddies releasing books this month? Today, we're celebrating Kate Carlisle's fabulous addition to her Fixer Upper Mystery Series, the one that the Hallmark Mystery channel made into a TV series! PREMEDITATED MORTAR came out on Dec 1st and it is FANTASTIC! But before I spoil it, here's Kate to tell you more about it.
Have you ever discovered something about an old friend that was so surprising that it changed your perception of them? I don’t mean anything sinister, like they poisoned their first-grade teacher. I’m talking about things such as you found out that your strait-laced, twinset-wearing, PTA president friend used to ride Harleys. Or your friend who eschews makeup and all things girlie was once queened Miss Rutabaga. Or your crotchety next-door neighbor was once a child actor in a popular TV show.
Maybe that only happens in California.
One of the reasons I love reading—and writing—long-running mystery series is because we get to know more and more about the characters as the series goes on. We discover new facets of characters, which makes them all the more real to us.
For writers, it’s tricky, because we have to stay true to the characters. We can’t reveal something about a character that contradicts something readers already know to be true. Not without a plausible explanation of the discrepancy that doesn’t invalidate the events and motivations of earlier books. That makes readers feel betrayed.
The way around this is to withhold details of a character’s past unless it’s relevant to the story. That gives writers more freedom in books to come.
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In Premeditated Mortar, readers will learn something new about Shannon Hammer’s best friend Jane. (If you haven’t read the Fixer-Upper Mysteries yet, not to worry. You can jump in with Premeditated Mortar without feeling lost. The mystery is self-contained.) All the way back in book two, This Old Homicide, Jane’s last living relative was killed. But I didn’t go into a lot of detail about why she was raised by her beloved uncle Jesse or what happened to her parents. Now, in Premeditated Mortar, readers will discover Jane has a very personal and poignant connection to the abandoned asylum outside of Lighthouse Cove. And a very special reason why she’s determined, with Shannon’s help, to bring joy back to the rundown building by turning it into the premiere luxury hotel in Lighthouse Cove.
With loads of humor throughout.
Here’s a little sneak peek from Premeditated Mortar to show you the kind of friendship Shannon and Jane enjoy. Shannon’s boyfriend Mac has just discovered her behind a half-demolished wall, where she was pushed by unseen hands.
“Is she here?” a woman cried out.
I groaned out loud. That was Jane. She was going to kill me.
“Tell her I’m not here,” I muttered.
Mac laughed. “Sorry, babe. You’ll have to tell her that yourself.”
“Damn it,” I grumbled.
“Shannon! Oh my God, she’s not moving.” She sobbed. “Is she alive?”
“Of course I’m alive, I groused.
“Good,” Jane said. “Because I’m going to kill you.”
I sighed. “I know.”
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| AVAILABLE NOW! |
Where can you get your hands on Premeditated Mortar? At any bookstore or ebook retailer. To make it easy for you, here are a few links:
Amazon - https://amzn.to/39pZqUC
Apple Books - https://apple.co/2PKCKGW
Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/32kjsxE
Google - http://bit.ly/2wsdDlC
Indiebound - http://bit.ly/3cFMk82
Kobo - http://bit.ly/38m4RCP
Murder by the Book - https://bit.ly/33yFQE2
Mysterious Galaxy - https://bit.ly/32zlbjO
Poisoned Pen - https://bit.ly/2FBAtMf
Share an interesting fact about yourself that might surprise people who don’t know you well. I’ll start—for years, I worked in television production. Okay, your turn! I’ll choose five random commenters to receive a Fixer-Upper Mystery measuring tape!!!
Congratulations on your newest book, Kate . . . I’m looking forward to reading “Premeditated Mortar” . . . .
ReplyDeleteSomething about myself that might surprise people? Well, when I was in college, I spent a summer working on a blueberry farm . . . .
I'm imagining purple fingertips, Joan. Is that accurate? :)
DeleteNot too much, Kate. They'd dump blueberries onto a conveyor belt; we had to pick out the branches, leaves, green berries, and anything else that didn’t belong in a box of blueberries . . . it wasn't difficult, but it was definitely mind-numbing . . . .
DeleteThat doesn't sound nearly as idyllic as I'd imagined.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteKate, I LOVE both your Fixer-Upper and Bibliophile mystery series!
ReplyDeleteAnd I really enjoy when I see you, Jenn and Paige together, like during this past week's virtual visit to the Poisoned Pen.
One surprise fact about me?
Some people here know that I had a 27-year career in the Canadian Federal Government, mainly as a climatologist and doing climate change research BUT
most do not know that I am a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, along with Al Gore and 1800 other climate change scientists who worked on various United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
I have a nice solid wooden plaque from the Canadian government as proof, and I am sure somewhere on the Internet there is a list of all the recipients.
That is so cool, Grace - I didn't know!
DeleteEdith, winning the Nobel actually had very little impact on my research career, and it was just 1 discrete bullet on my CV but it sounds kinda impressive.
DeleteGrace, wow, we are so impressed! what a wonderful honor!
DeleteTotally impressed. Now there is not one thing about me worth mentioning! LOL. That is such a wonderful piece of your history, Grace!
DeleteWOW ! We are in very good company !
DeleteDang, girl! "One discrete bullet on my CV"? I'd probably make it the banner headline if I'd ever been part of anything that impressive. Congratulations!
DeleteJudy, I am sure there is something great that you can share!
DeleteAnd I should mention that only Al Gore and the IPCC Chair (Dr. Pauchauri) got the prize money (over $1 million). I think Gore's foundation (now called The Climate Reality Project) has done great work to educate and spread the word on how to tackle the climate crisis. That seed money helped to set it up.
https://climaterealityproject.org/
Gigi, being modest about my research accomplishments was my preferred way.
DeleteHowever, I did have several colleagues with inflated egos that did put that 2007 Nobel Peace Prize bullet in a prominent place on their CV in a big font, LOL.
Grace, you may not have had the starring role in that Nobel prize, but it would never have happened without your help! Kudos!!
DeleteThank you, Flora. It's true this was a multi-year team effort with thousands of scientists/researchers from all over the world contributing to these large climate change assessments. I was just one of them.
DeleteI knew you were in research, Grace, but that's very cool, to have been part of that particular project.
DeleteWow, Grace! What a delightful surprise. I never imagined when I posed this question today that "I won a Nobel Peace Prize" would be one of the responses. Thank you so much for all of your work toward saving our climate. <3
DeleteThank you, Kate! Winning the Nobel does not actually come up much in conversations about mystery fiction, LOL, so I knew it would be a surprise to many here.
DeleteWow, Grace, that is totally cool!
DeleteWow, Grace - that is so cool. I had no idea.
DeleteThank you for helping to find ways to make the earth better, Grace.
DeleteWOW!
DeleteYou are amazing, Grace!!!
DeleteNow I can say I know a Noble Prize winner!
DeleteI don't know about anyone else, but if I was to be part of winning a Nobel Prize, my screen names across the Internet would start with "Nobel Prize Winner Jay..."
DeleteYou crack me up, Jay!
DeleteThanks everyone for the kind words, but I do tend to keep the Nobel prize as a footnote especially since I retired from Environment Canada in 2016.
You are my role model for long-running series, Kate - and how to do them well.
ReplyDeleteMost people don't know I was an auto mechanic in my twenties. I was an official State of California smog device and headlight adjuster (separate certifications) and attended tune-up school. I applied for a job as a heavy-equipment mechanic with Orange County and was a top-ten finalist (above ninety men).
Edith, I remember you mentioning your auto mechanic job before on FB.
DeleteI'll bet unsuspecting mechanics have a hard time up-selling you on service you don't need.
DeleteHow did I miss your comment on my first pass, Edith? THANK YOU! That's so sweet of you to say.
DeleteI can see where having experience as an auto mechanic would be very useful to a mystery writer. One should know how to tamper with the brakes.
You are welcome, Kate. Yes, very useful information! Now if I could only sell that series with a female vintage car mechanic in Santa Barbara...
DeleteI don't know if it is all that interesting but I was the play-by-play announcer for two local high school games that were broadcast on regional cable a few years back. I kind of backed into it because I attended the games of the girls basketball team, knew the players and when they didn't have an announcer for the games, they asked me to do it.
ReplyDeleteI figured, "What the hell?" and gave it a whirl. Now I wouldn't say that I was great or anything. I mean I only got the chance to do two games before the guy who taped the games stopped doing the filming. But I did okay. At least I didn't embarrass myself or anything. I have the DVDs of both games so it was interesting to go back and see how I did.
I was supposed to do more games the following season but like I said the guy stopped filming games. He took ill and I never got the chance to do more. There's a photo on my Facebook page that was taken by a local photographer before the 2nd game I did. It shows me and the guy prepping before the game.
That's a cool fact Jay! I bet the most important part of the job was knowing the players well
Delete"What the hell?" is often a good response, when opportunity presents itself.
DeleteThat's so fun, Jay! I'm not sure I'd be able to speak quickly enough to keep up with the action on the field. I'm impressed.
DeleteLucy, knowing the players certainly helps. I had coached a couple of them in the youth leagues and by going to the games all time in high school I knew the rest of the roster too.
DeleteGigi, I don't often throw caution to the wind but sometimes it does pay off to say "What the hell?"
Kate, when given the opportunity, I do have a certain gift of gab. In the second game, I couldn't resist paying tribute to legendary Boston Celtics radio host Johnny Most by working in one of his catchphrases in the commentary. And since we were filming from an elevated spot, I also open the 2nd half of that game by saying "From high above courtside". I mean, I didn't know if I'd ever have the opportunity (and it turned out I didn't) so I had to work it in.
LOL, Jay! I bet you made a lot of people smile with that.
DeleteKate, Premeditated Mortar sounds like a great read. Congratulations on it and your two series and your television movies. Your titles are so clever in both series, and the covers are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSomething most people don't know about me is that I played the bassoon for six years, in junior high and high school. I can always pick out the bassoon sound when an orchestra is playing. I wish I had kept playing beyond high school. Of course, one reason I didn't continue is that the bassoon was one of the instruments the school provided you because it was an expensive one.
Cool, Kathy. I played the cello in elementary and junior high. I stopped in ninth grade because miniskirts and cellos don't play well together - and girls weren't allowed to wear pants to school!
DeleteKathy, I don't know what a bassoon is and what it would sound like! I only played music in junior high school (flute) and we did not have a bassoon in our class/band.
DeleteI do wish I played an instrument. I would try one now but I'm afraid I'm drive the neighbors around the bend.
DeleteAnd welcome to JRW Kate, congrats on the new book!
Oh Kathy, I love the sound of the bassoon! I always had the impression those double-reed instruments were very difficult to master. Kudos to you!
DeleteI love it! One other reason why you probably never saved up your pennies and bought your own bassoon after high school is that it's kind of hard to find pick-up bassoon bands, or get gigs in local bars. Still, did you transfer your musical skills to another instrument? If you can play bassoon, bass guitar ought to be child's play, and bands always need a good bass guitar player.
DeleteGigi, your comment about pick-up bassoon bands made me choke on my coffee!!
DeleteIt's so wonderful that you had that experience. Isn't it amazing how childhood experiences stay with us our whole lives. You were enriched by your time as a bassoon player, even if you didn't keep it up.
DeleteLOL Karen. Me, too!
DeleteGigi, I must now research pick-up bassoon bands. Hahaha! So funny! Grace, a bassoon is a woodwind instrument, very large with a tiny double reed. People used to call it my bazooka. Susan, I have nightmares occasionally that I am in a band or orchestra and expected to play the bassoon, but I've forgotten how and can only get a squeak out of that tiny reed. The reeds have their own tiny case for storage, too, and have to be replaced periodically. You need to have two on hand.
DeleteAnother part of my bassoon playing story is that for 20 years, the bassoon players were all girls in our band, and we all lived in the same three streets collectively known as Deerfield Village. There were two bassoon players at a time in the high school band, and the tradition lasted through me. After my senior year, our amazing band leader retired, and the tradition ended.
I have fallen behind on your series, Kate. Clearly, I need to change that!
ReplyDeleteGiven that I avoid discussing politics as much as possible these days, I think many people who know me would be surprised that I participated in the million-person anti-nuclear march in Manhattan in 1982, traveling there and back on a chartered bus from Milwaukee, where I lived at the time.
Pretty cool!
DeleteGood for you!!!
DeleteThat must have been an adventure, Susan!
DeleteThat's fantastic, Susan!
DeleteCongratulations on your latest release!
ReplyDeleteI worked in restaurant kitchens all through college, so feeding large numbers of people is easy.
That's interesting, Margaret. Did you have a specialty?
DeleteKate, welcome to JRW. I so enjoyed your Poisoned Pen appearance with Paige and Jenn on Friday. It's really fun for us to get to know the authors we read, and the authors we are going to read. I just ordered my first Kate Carlisle book. This year was devoted to reading JRW authors. Next year will be devoted to their best friends (and anything by JRW authors that I haven't read yet).
ReplyDeleteMy college summers were spent teaching swimming at a day camp.
Thank you, Judy. I hope you'll love your first Kate Carlisle book. :)
DeleteTeaching swimming during the summer sounds like a fun job, though I'm sure it had its frustrations. Still, to be young and fit and spend your days outside... that must have given you some very sunny memories.
Congratulations on your new book. I was not aware of your series but I'm going to rectify that.
ReplyDeleteWhat most people don't know about me: as a young adult ,I worked as a barmaid. My father owned an hotel and my brothers and I occupied all the positions there.
Did you learn how to make complicated drinks, Danielle? My husband was a bartender (and still is at heart), so I benefit from his knowledge and creativity on the regular. ;)
DeleteDanielle, I am sure that working in a hotel as part of the family as a barmaid had its pros and cons, and that you have some memorable encounters.
DeleteBook material, Danielle!
DeleteAn interesting read this morning, Kate. I have friends like that. I've enjoyed several of your books in both series. Congratulations on the Hallmark series as well!
ReplyDeleteI seem to have lived a compartmentalized life. My musical friends generally have no idea that I used to be a reporter, and hang out with lots of cops and prosecutors. Folks who knew me when I lived out in the country were only dimly aware of the fact that I love classical music, and used to work in a summer theatre company. Regular Reds readers won't be surprised by any of that, but you might not know that I once oversaw a county-wide prostate cancer screening event that drew more than 150 elderly gentlemen in for a free digital exam. By which I do not mean there was an LCD readout involved. That was a day.
LOL Okay, that gave me a big belly laugh.
DeleteThe compartmentalized life comment is very interesting. Gives you plenty to talk about at cocktail parties, I'm sure. (You know, back when we could attend parties. :) )
I'm sure. I've diverted more than one conversational thread by saying something like, "The first time I covered a capital murder trial . . ." or "No, really, I found Eric Whitacre to be very nice and down to earth the day I drove him all over Dallas and back."
DeleteEvery hostess would be delighted to have such an interesting guest.
DeleteVariety is indeed the spice of life, Gigi!
DeleteCongrats on the book, Kate.
ReplyDeleteI put myself through college working as a parts manager at a swimming pool store.
That's a pretty impressive job for a college student. Good for you!
DeleteHi, Kate! I love the Bibliophile series. And they take place in northern Ohio, if I remember correctly? I thought I'd read at least one of the Fixer-Upper books, but I see I need to revisit that series. I'm pretty sure I have at least one buried in the "shelves" of my Nook.
ReplyDeleteMost people don't know that my first real job was to clean the public spaces in the convent high school that closed after my freshman year. I spent part of the summer under the direction of a kind nun, along with one other girl.
And hardly anyone remembers that I chaired the group that managed the first multi-day bass tournament on the Ohio River in Cincinnati, as part of a volunteer arm of the Chamber of Commerce. Even I'd forgotten!
Hi, Karen. Thank you! The Bibliophile Mysteries take place mostly in San Francisco and Dharma, California, with occasional jaunts to Scotland. (The characters hop to Scotland in the next Bibliophile, Little Black Book, to a quaint village on the shores of Loch Ness.)
DeleteGlad the nun directing you was kind! I went to Catholic school, and I have memories of kind and not-so-kind sisters. ::shudder::
Ah, now I remember. Looking forward to Brooklyn's next adventure.
DeleteYeah, nuns. Twelve years of them taught me a lot about uptight women.
LOL!!!
DeleteI enjoyed learning about Kate and the series is captivating. No one is aware that I am fluent in several languages. Being able to converse since I was young in a few different languages is very useful.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed! Which languages?
DeleteThis is fun. I bet you don’t know that I used to sing with Al Stewart and Simon and Garfunkel!
ReplyDeleteWow, Rhys, you are a woman of many talents!!
DeleteI didn't know that! I'm so impressed. Simon and Garfunkel's harmonies are so amazing. Thank you for sharing, Rhys. <3
DeleteWow, Rhys, that would have been wonderful to hear!
DeleteSeriously, Rhys, that is fascinating. As Kate mentions, Simon and Garfunkel's harmonies are so amazing.
DeleteWhat? Dang, Rhys, you get around.
DeleteKate, looks like I have some catching up to do (books and TV)! Congrats on juggling so many projects! JRW might remember that I'm an archaeologist, and I did supervise excavations and surveys. But one of my specialties was high-power microscopic analysis of stone tools for evidence of use wear; I was the first analyst to examine tools from Rapa Nui (aka Easter Island) doing this.
ReplyDeleteFlora, that is fascinating!
DeleteHow unbelievably cool, Flora! I'm a huge Thor Heyerdahl fan; did you ever get to meet any from his team?
DeleteThat is so cool, Flora! Visiting Easter Island is on my bucket list.
DeleteOh, how fascinating, Flora!
DeleteI’ve been on the news 4 times! Nothing bad, pictures I’ve taken, years ago I was interviewed waiting to get into Target in Black Friday- that kind of stuff.
ReplyDeleteWow, four times?! That's so interesting. Just in the right place at the right time, it sounds like... but it's unusual for that to happen once to a person, much less four times. So fun, Barb!
DeleteThe Bibliophile series is a delight. Kate is so talented and creative. I am in awe. When I was little I used to be an expert fisherman. Each summer we would spend two weeks at a fishing camp and I loved fishing. This pastime was so wonderful for me and my dad. We used to go out in the motor boat on the lake everyday and successfully catch perch, bass and trout and then cook the fish for a meal. I still think fondly of those summer days.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds idyllic. Nice to share an interest with a parent, to make your bond even closer.
DeleteI love both your series. I already pre-ordered your book and it’s on my tbr list after my month long breather from books due to migraines. However it’s first on my list. A fact you may not know about me is I played cello all through school and I was the only female to get my letterman’s jacket because everyone else quit before senior year.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear you've been struggling with migraines. Hugs to you, and happy thoughts for no pain as you dip your toe back into reading.
DeleteI love listening to the cello. I bet your parents loved to hear you rehearse--perhaps not at first, but as you got more skilled.
I was never very good at it my fingers were too big.
DeleteI'm not sure I'm dexterous enough for something like that.
DeleteI was a surrogate mother for 3 different families. Last on resulted in triplets ( all boys)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a gift! And triplets. That was so generous of you. <3
DeleteI love both of your series, Kate. I think most people I know would be surprised that I was a huge rock music fan back in the day (late 60s and 70s). I saw Led Zeppelin 4 times, The Who, Cream, Eric Clapton, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, etc. Great memories!
ReplyDeleteRock on, Chris! (In my head, I'm kind of scream-singing that. ROCK OOOOOOOON!)
DeleteSince I moved about 1 hour north, most don't know that I was married for 23 years to a Police Chief. Nor do they know that I was homeless twice.
ReplyDeleteOh, Granny Winter, that definitely sounds like something in a novel!
DeleteOh, that must've been so frightening! I'm so glad you made it through safely. <3
DeleteWow! Lots of impressive "secrets" out there. After scratching my head quite some time to think of something all I can come up with is that I donated a kidney to my youngest sister back in 1985.
ReplyDeletePat, that is the one of the best gifts to give another human, and in this case, a sibling. My mom got a kidney transplant from a stranger when she was 37 years old. Thanks to that kidney, she got off dialysis and lived a healthy life until she passed away in 2003 at the age of 66.
DeleteThat's huge, Pat! As Grace said, an amazing gift to your sister. And to yourself, to be able to keep her around. How is she doing?
DeleteGrace, I'm happy to hear your mother enjoyed almost 30 extra years because of a stranger's generosity. <3 Dialysis is wonderful but so disruptive.
Annette was only 11 years old when her kidneys were compromised. I was not her first donor. My contribution worked very well until the cumulative effects of a new 'wonder" anti-rejection drug turned out not to be so wonderful for kidneys. She soldiered on but died in 2007 at the age of 48.
DeletePat, that is a huge deal.
DeleteThat really is a big deal. My cousin gave his dad, my uncle by marriage, a kidney at least 40 years ago. They are both still alive, although my uncle is now getting a bit frail. But he wouldn't have been here at all without it.
DeleteI'm so sorry you lost her at such a young age, Pat. <3
DeleteCongratulations on Premeditated Mortar. It sounds fantastic.
ReplyDeleteMy little known secret is that I won the Betty Crocker award in high school. Not too impressive except that I could not cook. My expertise was limited to boiling water. My school offered no home ec classes so the test we were given was written. My family thought it was hysterical.
I'm with your family. That *is* hysterical!!! When I started reading your secret, my first thought was, "I would never win that since I don't cook." Clearly I was wrong.
DeleteKait! My sister! I was Miss Betty Crocker of my high school too. We had an awesome home ec department--four years that covered everything from basic cooking skills to advanced tailoring and upholstery. I took NONE of it. The bookkeeping and psychology classes put me over the top. These days I kind of wish I had taken those home ec classes. I have some furniture I'd love to re-upholster.
DeleteThat is so funny, Gigi! We are twins :). In my school the test was mostly physics. Easy peasy. Although I red-facedly confess that I just had to ask my husband what the boiling point of water is. Sigh - the things we forget.
DeleteWhen I was twelve, I was one of the winners of a science-fiction writing contest. Sadly, I have no idea what I did with my copy of the story. I still have my prize, a bracelet.
ReplyDeleteDebRo
DebRo, are you part of the "surprise, we're big science fiction readers" club? Which consists of Me, Jay and Rhys (Rhys is the one you're surprised about.)
DeleteThat must have made you feel so proud. I'm sorry you misplaced your story. It would be fun to read now, I'm sure.
DeleteMe, too, Julia and Deb. I liked SF so much I married an SF novelist. (There were other things I liked about him, too.)
DeleteFor a long stretch of my life, I constantly read science fiction. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, except for an occasional sci-fi short story. Time to get back to it!!
DeleteDebRo
Kate, welcome to Jungle Reds! It was wonderful meeting you and Jenn at Bouchercon in Toronto. I LOVE the Bookbinder series and I look forward to reading your new Premediated Mortar novel.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can see how people can surprise you. I was reminded of a movie that I saw years ago. The strict parents of a naughty teenager turned out to the surprise of the protagonist to have been naughty teenagers themselves when the strict parents were teenagers. LOL.
What is surprising about myself?
If you are asking what surprised Other people about me? Some people are surprised that I CAN read and that I know the grammar rules of the English language.
If you are asking what surprised me about myself? I was surprised when I finally could ice skate on my own after years of hugging the wall at the skating rink. When I lost my hearing, I had balance issues. It took me four years of trying again and again then I finally skated by myself!
Diana
I never got off the wall, Diana, when we got to go to the ice arena. Of course we didn't go often but it used to bug me that my sister who survived polio and learned to walk again, could skate and ski and I always fell down. I can only imagine your happiness to skate again, actually, I'm sure my imagination would be quite dull compared to your actual feelings.
DeleteI'm so intrigued, Diana. Why are people surprised you can read?
DeleteCongratulations on your perseverance in ice skating despite your balance issues. That's a good metaphor for life, I think. It's safest to hug the wall, but when you step out and take that risk, the rewards are enormous.
Deana, thanks. We went to the rink every week, sometimes twice a week if my father wanted to go ice skating on Saturday.
DeleteKate, thanks! I think some people buy into the school of thought that deaf people are dumb and /or cannot read. In fact the word "dumb" used to refer to a different definition in the old days - inability to talk with your mouth / voice. I recall looking at the cartoons with words before I started school. And I started school before my 3rd birthday, which was very unusual in these days.
Regarding my perseverance in ice skating, I remember that I really, really wanted to be able to skate on my own. I also read a book "The Little Engine That Could". Agreed that it is a good metaphor for life.
I had per-ordered Premeditated Mortar with a couple other books for pick up. I was delightfully surprised when I found it on top my little pile before Dec 1. Unknown fact - hmm, did you know I was once a volunteer house manager a small theater, I'm talking very small. It was a class room in a closed elementary school. We put up a one-man show between productions that was directed by a famous child star that lives the area. As we were leaving, after opening night, I quietly told Jon Provost that the light both was not sound proof. There had been a small lighting miss cue just before intermission and I heard him.
ReplyDelete"What's that girl? Timmy's stuck in an old light booth? And he's swearing?"
DeleteSo you really did have the "former famous child actor" experience, Deana! Ha!
DeleteI'm told as a toddler that while sitting on the bank while my parents fished I tried eating the night crawlers
ReplyDeleteJudy, I bet that's a story that's been told over and over in your family!
DeleteEwwwwwwww! LOL
DeleteIn the early '60s, I worked as a field biologist in what was then West Pakistan (now Pakistan), investigating the distribution of scrub-typhus fever throughout the country. At one point, my Pakistani crew and I were working near the Khyber Pass in a tribal area when a local chieftain decided he didn't appreciate these strangers wandering around "his" territory without "his" permission. It was touch-and-go for a while. BTW, I finished Premeditated Mortar yesterday and enjoyed it, as usual.
ReplyDeleteDavid, wow!
DeleteThank you, David. So glad you enjoyed PREMEDITATED MORTAR. And wow on your dangerous work in Pakistan. That sounds frightening.
DeleteYou're welcome, Kate. I'm always eager for your next book to come out. Except for that one experience, my work in Pakistan wasn't particularly dangerous, at least I didn't think so at the time. I felt more and more comfortable as I learned to speak Urdu.
DeleteWe're going to expect some very clever comments from you now, Kathy!
ReplyDeleteI've always known mystery readers are smart, but I'm wowed that we have a Nobel laureate and at least one genius in the group today. While I do understand why you don't share that often, Kathy, I'm grateful you shared today.
ReplyDeleteI can’t think of anything I have done that would surprise people. I do seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge of British history. Sometimes it surprises people. I’m the one who will point out errors in historical movies and TV series. I’m looking forward to reading both of Kate’s series since they take place in my backyard. I vacation often in the Mendocino area.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you pick up your knowledge of British history, Teri? Did you study it in school, or pick it up on your own by reading books?
DeleteBoth. I have a minor in European History and I have read history on my own since I was a teenager. If I read historical fiction I will research the people and events and not just rely on the fictional account.
DeleteI loved Premeditated Mortar!
ReplyDeleteAs child I use to wake up and turn on my light and start to read. My mom decided that 4:30AM was way too early for that! She bought me my first clock and said "No reading before 7AM."! She seemed to think I needed more rest before going to school.😊
LOL, Cindy! I love that. I stayed up far too late reading many times, but I'm not sure I ever woke up too early to read.
DeleteI'm delighted to hear you loved PREMEDITATED MORTAR. Thank you!
People who know me now might be surprised that I was "Shiest Girl" in my high school yearbook. Speaking of mental hospitals, My mother's Aunt Irene checked herself into the State Hospital. She died before I was born. Love your books. Stay safe and well.
ReplyDeleteYour poor great aunt. She must have been in such distress. I hope they were able to help her.
DeleteI'm one of only 2 lefties on both sides of my family. She and I share a birthday as well!
ReplyDeleteLove your books & any time you, Paige & Jenn get together at Poisoned Pen!!
Wow, Gwen, what a coincidence! <3 You two share a special bond.
DeleteCongrats on new book can’t wait to read it. Love your books anytime I can get them. I guess one thing that is a little known fact about me is I took a pilots course and passed long time ago, and I was knighted inRoslyn Chapel,
ReplyDeleteHow fascinating! (The part about being knighted, though I do very much appreciate that you love my books. ;) )
DeleteMy mother worked at a car wash in our neighborhood. When I wasn't at school I helped her out. Tried not to be soaking wet by the end of the day Ha!Ha!
ReplyDeleteLoved the movies on Hallmark. I have some catching up to do with print copies
I think trying to stay dry at a car wash sounds like an impossible task. :)
DeleteHope you'll enjoy catching up on the Fixer-Upper Mysteries, Susan. You can see them all in order on the BOOKS page at www.katecarlisle.com.