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Book review cozy mysteries mystery reading writing

Read and Review (R&R)

My latest read was a book by Maggie Blackburn called “Little Bookshop of Murder.” Below is my review~

Snobbish Summer Merriweather, a Shakespearean professor, is returning from England to her hometown, St.  Brigid’s Island, to attend her mother’s funeral. Her seemingly healthy, loved by everyone on the island, free-spirited mother, Hildy, has died of an apparent heart attack. Summer doesn’t believe the preliminary cause of death, as her mother had no underlying conditions or symptoms. When more than one note is discovered left to Hildy that says “Sell the bookstore or Die” Summer’s gut tells her someone very close to her mother put a permanent end to Hildy’s romance reading days. Summer believes her mother was murdered. She enlists the help of her Aunt Agatha, cousin, niece, and the members of Hildy’s beloved Mermaid Pie Book Club to sleuth out the killer. I suspected the perpetrator early on, but still enjoyed the array of beach town characters, including Hildy’s African grey parrot, Mr. Darcy, who I thought for sure would squawk out clues. Maggie Blackburn did an excellent job of bringing the town of St. Brigid Island, the quaint bookstore “Beach Reads,” and the boardwalk to life. I picked this book up at my local library and the one thing that caught me was the number of typos, mix-ups of characters, and repetition. There were more than a couple. Overall, I enjoyed this story and plot line. This is my first read of this author and I will pick up the next book in this series.

Categories
Book review crime noir pulp thriller

Read and Review (R&R)

Recently “Close to the Bone,” a publisher of pulp, noir, crime, dirty realism & horror contacted me to see if I was interested in reading and reviewing Weston-Super-Nightmare by John Bowie. Bowie’s articles, poetry, short stories, and novels have appeared in Red Dog Press, Close to the Bone, and Bristol Noir, to name a few. I had never read this author and very little in the pulp-noir genre. The prospect of reading this story intrigued me. Below is my review.

John Bowie is an excellent storyteller. As a spider’s web draws your eyes to the center, Bowie pulls you into the dirty underworld filled with violence, gangster wars, and a seedy bar called Hell’s Belles. He introduces a cast of characters you can’t escape. You immediately find a soft spot for his protagonist, Jimi, and a dislike for the hard-edged Max Ballard and the men who do his bidding. Told in a deep and dirty way, some of the story makes you squirm, but Bowie’s writing is poetic and lyrical. Set in the seaside town of Weston, England, his vivid descriptions of the coast make me want to travel there. I loved the references to rock music and artists woven throughout the story. If you are a reader of pulp-noir, I am sure you will enjoy Bowie’s latest. Weston-Super Nightmare is a crash toward destiny thriller.

Categories
Book review history mystery reading suspense Uncategorized writing

Read and Review (R&R)

When I heard that Liz Milliron was writing a second book involving her character Betty Ahern in the Homefront Mystery Series, I couldn’t wait to read it. Below is my review.

History and Mystery

It’s 1942, and Betty Ahern is back and leaving her mark not only on the engines she builds at Bell Aircraft but as a darn-good private detective in the First Ward, a neighborhood in the City of Buffalo, NY.

In “The Stories We Tell,” Liz Milliron’s second book in the Homefront Mystery series, courageous and bold Betty takes on a case of a co‑worker at Bell who is grief-stricken over the sudden death of her grandmother. Before long, Betty is caught up in a secret dating back fifty years. Determined to solve the case, she enlists the help of her loyal friends, Dot, Lee, and Detective MacKinnon of the Buffalo PD. Betty uses her moxie to uncover the truth as one clue leads to another and more and more suspects die. Betty better watch out, or she may be next!

Liz Milliron does an exceptional job of dropping you into the time period and holding you there. Her characters are real, likeable, and her descriptions of the ethnic neighborhoods, the people, and culture during that era are well-researched and impressive.

A great page-turner. I can’t wait to see what Betty is up to next!

Categories
Book review mystery reading suspense Uncategorized

Read and Review (R&R)

I was super excited when I was lucky and received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Annette Dashofy‘s new stand-alone book “Death By Equine,” coming out on May 11. If you haven’t read this author, I highly recommend her books! She has ten Zoe Chamber’s Mysteries and once you’ve read one, you will be hooked and this latest, although not part of the Zoe Chambers series, is no exception. You can preorder Annette’s book “Death By Equine,” at Mystery Lovers Bookshop or for your Kindle through Amazon.

Below is my review:

Annette Dashofy’s latest book, “Death by Equine,” immerses you in the world of horse racing through a racetrack and its vet. She has created a protagonist in Dr. Jessie Cameron that jumps off the page and straight into your heart. As with her other books, her characters are well-developed, her story suspenseful, and you gain knowledge (in this case knowledge of horses, horseracing, and racetracks). Filled with a vivid cast of characters and in Dashofy’s style, with so many great plot twists, I did not see the ending coming. This book is a stand-alone, but I am hoping to read more stories with Dr. Cameron. An engaging mystery and a real page-turner.

Categories
reading suspense writing

Bedtime Stories

I am reading a story I wrote as part of the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime booth for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival.

Click on the Program Guide for more info on Sisters in Crime.

The festival runs from March 1 through March 13 and has a ton of great programming.

Here is a link to the event trailers on their YouTube channel.

If you want to hear me read “Codeword: Redfish Rodeo!” tune in on Monday, March 8 at 9:00 p.m.

Categories
cozy mysteries Uncategorized writing

Are your characters what they eat?

When you create a character for your story, how much time do spend on your character sheets figuring out what your character’s favorite food is? Would they douse their eggs in ketchup or not eat eggs at all? Do they drink only expresso or are they fueled on energy drinks? Are they the type to shop only at a gourmet specialty store or do they frequent the neighborhood food trucks? Is your heroine allergic to peanuts? Is their refrigerator stocked with beer or fresh fruits and vegetables? Do they love plain pizza or tons of toppings? In honor of National Pizza Day which was two days ago, I’ve included a picture of one of my favorite foods, pizza.

As I grow as a writer, I have learned that the food your character eats makes them come alive on the page. It makes them human. It advances the plot and bolsters backstory.

Food in your stories can make for some great funny scenes. My latest binge on Netflix is Schitt’s Creek. There are some great food and drink scenes in this story.

Fold in the cheese

Moira Rose’s Wine Commercial

What are your character’s favorite foods? How did you decide this? Did you base the food your character eats and drinks, likes or dislikes on the plot of your story?

Categories
cozy mysteries inspiration Uncategorized writing

2021

Like most people, 2020 started off for me with a bang. My short-story edits were going good. Then…the pandemic.

I just realized that I hadn’t posted in seven months.

What have I been doing for the last year?

Well, instead of talking about all the negatives, I will say this…

I grew as a writer last year and will continue to push forward hopeful to get my short story collection into readers hands this year. I am still editing my work with my editor, Polly Alice McCann at Flying Ketchup Press.

To improve my writing, I recently purchased a subscription to Prowriting Aid.

It was between this and Grammarly, which is an awesome writer’s tool also.

Do you use one of these aids? If so, which one and why?

May 2021 bring blessings of good health and prosperity!

May we all choose love and respect for one another this new year!

Categories
Spring Uncategorized writing

Snow Showers in May and Mother’s Day

In Northwestern, PA, we had snow flurries today.  We had a trace amount in 2017, but the last recorded accumulating snowfall in my city occurred in May of 1925 and in 1966, we had 3.1 inches. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for sunny, warm weather.

What can we do indoors on this chilly day?

Simon says “Stop”

Mom gives the “Green light”

And together we build

Boxes piled high

Towers of love

Gathered printed pictures

Create a puzzle scene

Cards of “Old Maid” and “Go Fish”

Freeze

You’re “board”

Mom’s “game”

Memory items

Hide and then seek

No sports on tv

Mom scores

A bucket and balled up socks

Masking tape on the basement floor

The hopscotch games begin

“The sun is shining let’s go outside and play.”

“But mom I enjoyed staying in with you all day”

– Carole Lynn Jones

A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take – Cardinal Mermillod

Happy Mother’s Day

Love to all the moms out there!

Categories
cozy mysteries Uncategorized writing

Coming to Print

2019 was a busy year!  I am excited to announce that a collection of my short cozy mysteries will be coming out in the Fall of 2020 published by Flying Ketchup Press.

As we progress toward publication, I will post editing updates, sneak peeks and announcements regarding where and when my book will be available. You can also find me on Twitter @CaroleJonesy.

https://www.flyingketchuppress.com/ourauthors

Image result for excited happy dance peanuts gif

Check out Flying Ketchup Press for opportunities for your writing.

Happy Writing and Reading always!

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Uncategorized

The 9th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest

It’s Halloween and time for one of my favorite contests.

Thank you Susanna Leonard Hill for once again offering your annual Halloweensie contest.  This year’s Halloween stories must be appropriate for children and no more than 100 words. You must use the words potioncobweb and trick.  Please check out the below link for the full rules to Susanna’s contest and the other fabulous entries.

Here is my entry –

Grounded

I watched all my sisters
Above me in the sky
Moonlight casting shadows
Off their brooms as they fly.

My broom in the corner
Cobwebs cover it thick
To get me to join them
They attempt every trick.

Mixing up dark potions
Casting a flight time spell
Cackling voices chanting
“It’s go time” they all yell.

“Come on now sister witch
There is haunting to do
You need to be airborne
We can’t fly without you.”

Instead of joining them
And causing ghastly fright
I am the only witch
Who is afraid of height.