What We're Reading

 LUCY BURDETTE: Just in time for stocking stuffers, it’s what we’re reading day! I have a few things to suggest. Of course, I picked up Rhys’s new Georgie Royal Spyness mystery right away. This one featured a very pregnant Georgie with a new French chef, and a nearby neighbor with a poison garden. It’s delightful, as always, and there is a cameo from none other than Agatha Christie.

Sometimes I read so many mysteries that I feel like I need to cleanse my palate with a non-mystery novel. This time I chose Love Marriage by Monica Ali. I absolutely loved this story of a pair of engaged English doctors of Indian descent, whose lives go off the rails once their quirky families meet. I’ve had this book on my stack for a year and I’m so glad I read it!

If you’re in the mood for a thriller with a suburban Connecticut setting, I can recommend Elise Hart Kipness's debut, Lights Out. I enjoyed the sports reporter character, Kate Green, and look forward to reading about her in action in the next book. The town of Greenwich, Connecticut was a strong character as well.

Now I have to ask: has anyone read The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese? John and I chose this to listen to on our week long voyage south. He’s an amazing writer, but the book is so long! He introduced so many different stories that I assume will come together in the end. We only made it through 15 hours of listening, with 15 more to go! So now John is tasked with finishing it and summarizing the high points for me. Some friends insisted it was their favorite book of the year with a magnificent ending, so I may pick up a paper copy to finish.

JENN McKINLAY: Per Julia’s recommendation, I am reading N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season. Brilliant!!! I recently finished The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and I can see why it’s so popular - high stakes and action packed and steamy! I recently read the horror/thriller Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey. Very creepy! And for romance, I highly recommend The Christmas Wager by Holly Cassidy (aka Hannah McKinnon). So much fun!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m deep into my Christmas-themed reading already: I’m reading Kate Carlisle’s THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS, Janice Hallett’s epistolary novella THE CHRISTMAS APPEAL, and in the rom-com category, I’m about to start THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, which takes place in a snow-bound small town in 2000, when Christmas, Hanukkah and Ramadan all intersected.

And in non-seasonal books, remember this when summer rolls around again: AGONY HILL by Sarah Stewart Taylor. I got to read it for blurbing purposes and it was SO good, even if I’m still blinking at a book set in 1965 as being “the first novel in a new historical series.” Yes, I was very small at the time and don’t remember it, but I’m pretty sure my lifetime isn’t historical. Right, guys? Right?

HALLIE EPHRON: I just finished Christian Cooper’s memoir, BETTER LIVING THROUGH BIRDING: NOTES FROM A BLACK MAN IN THE NATURAL WORLD. Cooper is the Black birder who took the viral video of a woman who called the police on him in New York’s Central Park ramble… But the book is much more than that. It’s about growing up nerdy and waking up to the wide world of birds. And writing for Marvel. And traveling. And finding his voice as a Black author and a gay guy. 

RHYS BOWEN: Not too much time for reading recently but I just read a book I had to blurb called THE WARTIME BOOK CLUB by Kate Thompson. It was set on the island of Jersey and was harrowing, touching and very real. Since I’d been doing my own research on Jersey in the summer everything was very personal for me.

Now in the middle of THE ECHO OF OLD BOOKS by Barbara Davis.  Fascinating so far.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I haven't been reading as much as usual, because of my listening to my books on Audible project, but I've read–and loved–Rhys's PROOF OF THE PUDDING, and Paula Munier's HOME AT NIGHT, so good! I've also been reading my way through Alexia Gordon's Gethsemane Brown series, as I did a panel with Alexia at Crime Bake. I also loved S.J. Bennett's MURDER MOST ROYAL (I adore this series.)

Top of my to-read pile is Jenn's SUGAR PLUM POISONED, and the new Richard Osman.

LUCY: I started Paula's book last night--it's excellent! The other two are on my pile as well.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, oh, listen you all--do you know of Cara Hunter? I had not heard of her, and had to (got to!) interview her, and as a result, read her essentially interactive thriller MURDER IN THE FAMILY, which is brilliant and incredible!  Go look it up–it is a tour de force in structure, and I adored it, and I instantly ordered a whole pile of her other books, beginning with CLOSE TO HOME, which is also fabulous. Oh, I am so happy to have discovered her!

I loved Janice Hallett’s A CHRISTMAS APPEAL, all written in emails, but don't be put off, it’s so brilliant.  I am a massive fan of her other books, too. Tess Gerritsen’s new THE SPY COAST is fantastic–so well written, about a retired spy who uses her current “invisibility”--we’ve all felt that, right?--to her advantage. Highly highly recommended. Oh, one more–Sulari Gentill’s THE MYSTERY WRITER,  which is super-meta, and genius, and (underneath)  a terrifying and thought-provoking take on the publishing industry.

We're almost afraid to ask, but Reds, what are you reading??

SUGAR PLUM POISONED is available now!

 

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JENN MCKINLAY: Usually, the cupcake bakery mysteries drop every April or May, as reliably as the tide coming in...except this year. Because when I decided to write a holiday mystery a spring release just seemed silly. 

I mean I know some stores like to put up Christmas and Halloween displays at the same time (the SHAME!!!) and some places even start plugging the holidays in August (there should be laws against this, I'm just sayin') but to be honest having the cupcake mystery book come out in October after fifteen years of always releasing in May...it has me all kinds of messed up! I have no idea what day or month it is. I'm a hot mess, I tell ya. 

And, of course, publishing being publishing, my Christmas themed cozy mystery is out NOW weeks BEFORE Halloween. Every bit of me recoils in horror at this. Because I love Halloween and I do not like having my holidays get all mashed up. Santa riding a broomstick is just wrong. Okay, end of rant. 

It did get me to pondering which of these holidays do I prefer? I figured it would be Halloween hands down. I mean CANDY and dressing up, and CANDY and, frankly, less work and CANDY -- LOL. But I wanted to be certain so I took a Buzzfeed quiz (they have a quiz for everything) and it said...well, I'm not going to tell you...yet. Take it for yourself: QUIZ: Halloween vs. Christmas

All that being said, I suppose readers can buy their copy of SUGAR PLUM POISONED and wait until December to read it. I just know myself and when a new book in a series drops, I have to read it RIGHT NOW! 

How about you, Red and Readers? Do you devour books in a series as they drop or can you wait? And which do you prefer Halloween or Christmas or a different holiday all together? 

My quiz result said I enjoy both holidays equally. Hmm. I think this depends upon whether I've been naughty or nice ;-)

More about the book:

It’s Christmastime, and this holiday season, things are heating up for the bakers at Fairy Tale Cupcakes, in the newest Cupcake Bakery Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.

When up-and-coming singing sensation Shelby Vaughn arrives in town for two weeks of concert dates, she hires her old friend Angie and the rest of the bakery crew to supply cupcakes for the VIP guest lounge every night.

After overhearing Shelby in a heated argument with her manager, Mel is concerned, but she and the crew decide to make the best of their time working with the star. Just as the bakers fall into the rhythm of the job, Shelby’s manager is found dead, clutching a bit of fabric from a Santa suit and a cupcake. With the bakery crew and Shelby’s backup dancers all dressed in similar Santa costumes, it’s impossible to say who is the killer. When all suspicions lead back to Shelby, Mel and Angie stand up for their friend, determined to prove her innocence before she’s frosted for a crime she didn’t commit.

What We're Writing: A Proposal or Two by Jenn McKinlay

 JENN McKINLAY: I just finished a proposal for a new mystery series. It's definitely different for me as it leans heavily into fantasy and horror, so yeah, there's that. I can't say anything more about it because I'm waiting to see what my agent thinks we should do with it. 

Burn it? 

Potentially. LOL.

Otherwise, I'm back in the cozy mystery saddle with A MERRY LITTLE MURDER PLOT, which will be Library Lovers Mystery #15. Not bad for a series I thought would be dead and buried at book six.

The only thing I have so far is the high concept. This is the short paragraphs that I submit to let the publisher know that I do actually have an idea. I'm not sure how this ended up being a Christmas themed cozy. I don't remember submitting any ideas for it until two months ago when I got the nudge to submit a brief description of my upcoming Christmas themed Library Lovers mystery so that the Art Department had something to work with.

Not gonna lie, I said, "Huh? Christmas? Really?" Followed by "Okey-dokey." And this was what I wrote:

Helen Reed, a mysterious newcomer, moves to Briar Creek. She is aloof and does not welcome any friendly overtures even during the many holiday festivities the town residents enjoy. Despite her acerbic personality, Lindsey likes Helen and invites her to join the crafternooners. Helen seems outraged at the very idea. While in conversation, Helen drops a catchphrase used by one of Lindsey’s favorite thriller writers, H.R. Monroe. Lindsey asks if Helen is a fan and Helen, clearly horrified, bolts from the library.

Another newcomer, who was listening to the conversation, informs Lindsey that Helen actually is H.R. Monroe and that she, Jackie Lewis, is Helen’s number one fan. Having dealt with a stalker in the past, Lindsey feels compelled to tell Helen about Jackie. She suspects that Helen is unaware that her “number one” fan is here in town. Helen does not welcome the visit but when Lindsey tells her about Jackie, Helen is obviously petrified. Lindsey offers to call the police but Helen refuses. She ushers Lindsey out the door with no explanation.

The next morning Jackie’s body is discovered in the town park beneath the recently installed holiday light display. She’s been electrocuted. In Jackie’s hand is a copy of Helen’s latest manuscript for a book that isn’t out yet. Helen is now the prime suspect in the murder of her self proclaimed top admirer. Helen asks for Lindsey’s help, and now the librarian and her crafternoon pals must prove the author innocent before "The End" becomes Helen's final sentence. 

This is the first time I've ever electrocuted a victim, so I'm rather excited about that. Yeah, I know, my enthusiasm is concerning. 

I have written a Christmas mystery before. In fact, SUGAR PLUM POISONED comes out in a little over three weeks. Mayhem, murder, and cupcakes...

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It was tremendous fun to write. Who thought murder and the holidays would make such an excellent pairing?

How about it, Reds and Readers, are you a fan of holiday themed murder mysteries? 

What I'm Writing by Jenn McKinlay

First, the winner of Ellen Byron's HERE COMES THE BODY is Judy! Please email Ellen at: ellenbyronla at outlook dot com

Jenn McKinlay: I think it might be easier to ask me what I'm not writing. It feels like my deadlines seem to stack up no matter how hard I try to stay ahead of them. So here's what's happening...

We are 45 days from the release of SUMMER READING on MAY 16th! I am in a world of promo writing, which includes articles for Barnes & Noble, Writer's Digest, and Debbie Macomber's Magazine. I also have ten different Q&A's to answer and a seemingly endless number of blog posts to craft. I appreciate the opportunities--I do!--but sometimes it's A LOT. 

On the upside, SUMMER READING got a STARRED REVIEW in Booklist, so I'm very giddy (and relieved) about that!

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I finished the page proofs for SUGAR PLUM POISONED and just turned them in a few minutes ago. YAY!

OCT 2023

Lastly, I'm writing the first draft of my next women's fiction romcom LOVE AT FIRST BOOK that was due a few weeks ago but whose resolution is eluding me. I feel like I am writing the book without an ending. Ugh. Truly, for me the plotter this is maddening.

I have no snippet to share at the moment because I am gassed. But I do have a question for you, Reds and Readers! What online promotional items draw you to an author's work? Blog posts? Q&A's? Podcasts? Memes? Time is such a finite commodity, I'm trying to figure out the best place to expend my energy. Any input welcome!

COVER REVEAL: Sugar Plum Poisoned!!!

I haven't shared this anywhere else yet, so you are getting the first look at the newest cupcake bakery mystery! 

 COVER REVEAL!!!

JENN MCKINLAY: It's always a thrill when my editor sends me the cover design for a book! And this one is no exception. I haven't written a holiday centric mystery before so when I saw the cover with the nutcracker with a cupcake for a hat (LOL) and the gingerbread man peering over the title with his mischievous smile, I swooned. 

Yeah, yeah, we all know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but of course we still do. It's the first impression your work will make on a reader, so it's hugely important. As a reader, the cover is what draws my interest and hopefully gives me a clue as to whether I'm going to like it or not. I don't know about you, but I have been snookered by a few really great covers on sub-par books in the past. And I am positive I've missed out on some wonderful novels because I found the covers off putting.

Now as I delved into the topic of books and their covers, I remembered an ad that popped up in my Instagram feed. It was a bookstagrammer type person who was shilling the idea that you can make money selling books without having to write them. What???!!!

Naturally, I had to see what this cod liver oil salesperson was up to and it turns out that she was telling viewers for a mere fifty dollars they could subscribe to her video series, teaching them how to take a public domain book and repackage it (new cover) and release it as the publisher of said book and make money on the sales because...public domain. I'm quite proud of the fact that this horrible grifter and their broken moral compass did not turn me into a day drinker.

Naturally, I had to look and see if people were actually doing this. Well, check out these multiple editions of The Great Gatsby - all published within the last two years (because the book became public domain* on 1-1- 2021) under sketchy publisher names. So, in short, yes, people are doing this. 

    

• *The copyright on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby expired on the first stroke of 2021 and the book entered the public domain. The classic 1925 novel of love foiled, ambitions foisted, class and betrayal sold fewer than 25,000 copies before Fitzgerald died. It has since sold nearly 30 million.

You know, if they had put in the tiniest bit of effort, I might have been able to forgive them, but these covers are just so...meh...and not reflective of the novel at all. I mean...come on!

It's a strange new world out, y'all. So, tell me, have you ever been burned by a cover - either an oversell or an undersell of the book within? 

What We're Writing: Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay

Jenn McKinlay: I don't have any cover art to share and I don't think the book is even listed for sale or anything yet, so we are definitely in the it's still a twinkle in my eye phase of the writing process of my latest cupcake cozy -- Sugar Plum Poisoned. 

In the beginning of the year, I turned in a proposal for this 15th book in the series, it was approved, and we went to contract. I started writing, promptly decided I hated it somewhere around the fourth chapter, and rewrote a one page description of the book I wanted to write. I sent it in and my editor said, "Go for it."

Now if you know me, I'm a plotter, an outliner, a stick to the itinerary sort of writer. Yeah, well, that was chucked out the window on dark backroad and we are free falling, baby! I don't know who the killer is. I don't know what the weapon is. I don't know anything. It's terrifying.

For all you seat of the pants writers out there, I have one word: 

GAH!!!

That being said, this is the only way this particular book seems to want to be written. Maybe it's because it's my first Christmas based cupcake mystery, or perhaps it's because it's book 15 and the world is built so there isn't so much leg work involved. Of course, it could be that I'm just changing up my method to make it more interesting for myself. I hope it's not some inner pen monkey masochism that decided I needed to make my job harder because the writing has been going pretty well so far. Yeah, probably that's it. LOL.

Side note: We had a contest for the title and Sugar Plum Poisoned won (AWESOME!)! but now I have to admit, I had no idea that a sugar plum was actually a hard candy called a plum because of it's oval shape. Please tell me I'm not the only one. I always thought they were some sort of candied plums. Doh!

From: https://truetreatscandy.com/sugar-plum-what-plum/

In essence, SUGAR PLUMS are sugar coated seeds or nuts first made in the 17th century. They were made by skilled craftsmen who apprenticed for years, absorbing the nuances of a trade that makes Julia Child look like a scullery maid in comparison. First, they coated seeds or nuts with gum 

Arabic, then put them in a “balancing pan,” suspended over a large, low fire, and rolled them in sugar syrup. To keep the coating even and the sugar from crystalizing, they kept the seeds and nuts in constant motion, stirring them with one hand and moving the pan with the other. They controlled the temperature of the heat by controlling the intensity of the fire.

A depiction of the famous Sugar Plum Fairy.

Once the candy was coated, the confectioner set it aside where it dried for a day or two, then began the process again, stirring and moving, adding layer upon layer over a period of weeks. In the last stage, the sugar coating smooth as glass, he often added a flourish of color, mulberry juice or cochineal for red, indigo stone for blue, spinach for green and saffron for yellow.

How about it, Reds and Readers? Who knew what a sugar plum was? 

Here's the opener to Sugar Plum Poisoned. We'll see if it stays the same. 

“Oh…wow,” Angie Harper said. She was perched on a stool in the kitchen of the bakery Fairy Tale Cupcakes, which she owned with her husband, Tate Harper, and best friend Melanie DeLaura.

     Mel blew the bangs of her short-cropped blonde hair out of her eyes and glanced at her friend across the steel work table. “What’s up?”

     “A VIP is coming to Scottsdale,” Angie said. She wiggled on her chair, an indication of her excitement.

     “And…” Mel twisted the end of the piping bag full of rum flavored frosting before she lowered it to the top of an egg nog flavored cupcake, which she decorated with a fat dollop of frosting. Angie didn’t answer so Mel glanced back up to find her friend staring at her with wide eyes.

     Mel lowered the pastry bag. “Okay, you have my full attention. Or you will as soon as you garnish that cupcake.”

     “Oh, right!” Angie dusted a little bit of nutmeg onto the fresh frosting. She then turned her phone so that Mel could see the display.

     It showed a picture of a woman in a sequined, hot pink, micro-mini dress, over the knee white leather stiletto boots, and a blonde head of hair that was a mass of curls that reached her lower back. She was unmistakable. Shelby Vaughn.

     “Oh,” Mel said. She tried to say it without inflection. She and Angie had a complicated history with Shelby in that Angie loved her and Mel not so much.

     “She’s in residence at the Grande Hotel for the entire holiday season,” Angie said. “And, get this, she wants us to cater her VIP events.”

     “Really.” Again, Mel strove to keep her voice inflection free. It didn’t work.

     “I know you don’t like her,” Angie said.

     “I don’t know her,” Mel protested. “She’s from your life with Roach, of which, Tate and I were not included.”

     Angie nodded. “I know, those were some crazy days, but I really like Shelby, and when you get to know her, I’m sure you will, too.”

     Mel stared at her friend. Before marrying their mutual childhood best friend, Tate, Angie had dated a rock and roll drummer named Roach who played in a band called The Sewers. It had been a chaotic few months with Angie traveling back and forth from Los Angeles to Scottsdale and then going on tour with the band for brief stints. She had met a lot of famous people, one of which was Shelby Vaughn, who had been the opening act for The Sewers that summer.

     Mel had no idea how Tate was going to handle Angie’s rock and roll days coming back into their life and she wondered if she should point that out to Angie or let the married couple deal with it on their own. Being best friends with Tate Harper and Angie DeLaura-now-Harper since they were all in the sixth grade made Mel’s life a teeny bit complicated when things like this cropped up. Sort of like when Tate almost married Christie Stevens. During that drama fest, Mel had felt her best course of action was to keep her mouth shut. She suspected this was exactly what she should do right now, consequently, she pressed her lips together to keep from saying anything.

     “Um, Mel, we have a situation out here,” Marty Zelaznik, their octogenarian counter help, poked his bald head around the swinging door which opened to the front of the bakery.

     Mel gently put her pastry bag down.

     “What sort of situation?” Mel asked.

     “A limousine has pulled up outside,” Marty said. “A pink one.”
     “Ah!” Angie hopped off her stool. “That has to be Shelby.”

     She dashed toward the door, giving Marty just enough time to get back before she plowed into him.

     Marty grabbed the still swinging door and held it open. He glanced at Mel and asked, “Who is Shelby?”

     “Trouble,” Mel said. “I think she’s a whole lot of trouble.”