Tag: writing

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Book review cozy mysteries fiction mystery reading Uncategorized writing

Read and Review (R&R) – “Punning with Scissors”

I was lucky and won a copy of “Punning with Scissors.” Becky Clark’s second book in her Crossword Puzzle Mystery series.

I call this book an “I can’t wait to see what happens next, whodunit!” A great read filled with puns and humor. It is an entertaining, page-turning cozy mystery with loads of suspects and a quirky cast of characters.

Quinn Carr works at the Chestnut Station diner and writes crossword puzzles for the Chestnut Station Chronicle. When the newest member of the “Retireds,” Hugh Pugh, is arrested for the murder of his husband, Quinn is determined to prove his innocence. She enlists the help of her police officer friend, Rico, and drops clues to the police chief in her crossword puzzles.

I hadn’t read the first book, “Puzzling Ink,” in her Crossword Puzzle Mystery series, so I was unfamiliar with this fun cast of characters. I especially loved the dog’s name “Virginia Woof,” his owner’s name “Hugh Pugh,” the back-and-forth prattle between the Retireds, the Chestnut Station diner, and its owner, Jake. Rico’s inability to tell a fib is an amusing character trait that is sure to bring lots of laughs in future stories.

This author did an excellent job of world-building and bringing to light the severity of true OCD. Quinn is a very interesting protagonist. I am looking forward to reading Becky Clark’s next book in this series. Will more than friendship develop between Quinn and Rico?

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
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!

Categories
cozy mysteries

Cozy Book Review

For a second time, I was lucky to win a free book from katiescottagebooks.com

A huge “Thank you” goes out for this giveaway.  If you haven’t checked out her blog, click on the link above.

This is my first read of this author and also my first Amish mystery.  The book centers around a small quaint town in Pennsylvania which has a predominantly Amish population.  It is Christmas and the main character/amateur sleuth who is “English” (non-Amish) is planning a holiday celebration for the entire community.  When a double murder takes place, some of her closest friends are suspects and she must solve the murder before it jeopardizes the way of life she knows and the people she loves in her town.

I enjoyed this book very much.  It kept me interested and I learned several interesting things I didn’t know about the Amish culture.

There are a lot of suspects/characters in the story.  I must admit at first I was confused as to who was who when it came to some of the characters in the book but as the story progressed, I began to sort them out.  This character-driven story is very well-written and well-plotted.  Toward the end, I will say I had an inkling of who the killer was, but the way the story played out made this a page-turning cozy for me.  I am anxious to pick up another book by this author.

Thank you Berkley Prime Crime/Penguin and katiescottagebooks.com for offering me a chance to read a book I might not have otherwise picked up. I will be sure to keep an eye out for other reads by Laura Bradford.

Categories
Uncategorized writing

A New Year-A New Beginning

In 2019 – May all your stories even if they start bad, end good.

Categories
children's writing poetry Rhyme Uncategorized writing

Rhythm and Rhyme

I have been absent from blogging for several months as I have been working on my latest story written in verse.

Today however I came across sad news that one of the true geniuses of meter and rhyme has passed away.

Jean Marzollo,  Author of more than 150 books.  Among these books a series which originally published in 1992 by Scholastic entitled “I Spy.”

This series of books present more than a game of search and find with rhyming text, it is a visual adventure.  Accompanying her perfectly metered text are elaborate scenes with photography by Walter Wick.

These books teach children word/object association, vocabulary and rhyme.

If you haven’t enjoyed this series, it is well-worth spending some enjoyable reading time with your little ones.

 

 

Categories
children's writing Fall Uncategorized writing

The 7th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest

pumpkin

The 7th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest hosted by Susanna Leonard Hill.

The Contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in the 100 words).  You must use the words candy corn, monster and shadow.  Here is my entry below:

The Candy Corn Monster

Lily’s favorite day had arrived. At exactly 5:30 p.m. she dressed in a spiky-hair white wig, bright orange dress and canary yellow high-top tennis shoes. Smiling in the mirror, she was proud of her homemade candy corn costume. Once outside, she shadowed behind the other trick-or-treating children as they ran from house to house. Lily held out her sack and the homeowners filled it with treats. Not a single person noticing that under Lily’s outfit she was a real two-horned, five teeth, three-foot tall, blue haired purple monster who loved Halloween.