Congratulations to Kellye Garrett and HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, Winner of the 2017 Agatha Award!

Congratulations to Kellye Garrett and HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE, winner of the 2017 Agatha Award for Best First Novel!

 

Hollywood Homicide, by Kellye Garrett

Agatha Award/Best First Novel
The Agatha Awards honor the "traditional mystery," books typified by the works of Agatha Christie and others.

The 2017 Agatha Awards were awarded at Malice Domestic 30.

Congratulations to Our 2018 IPPY Award Winners!

Congratulations to our Midnight Ink authors and titles on their IPPY Awards! Our 2018 winners are:

Uncorking a Lie, by Nadine Nettmann Silver, Mystery/Cozy/Noir	Hollywood Homicide, by Kellye Garrett Gold, Best First Book - Fiction

The Independent Publisher Awards or IPPYs, are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers.

The 2018 Independent Publisher Awards (IPPYs) were revealed via an announcement on their website.

Seven Sinister Sisters Dish on Genres

Edith Maxwell/Maddie Day here. The Seven Sinister Sisters are on a blog tour and we're giving away books! We are seven authors with new books coming out this winter and spring, and we've been guest blogging all over cyberspace since January. You can see where we've been and where we're still scheduled on our Facebook page. Leave a comment here today to enter our grand giveaway!

I asked everyone to answer the following question: If you could write in another genre, what would it be? Here are our answers in no particular order.

Sue Star: I already do.  I write science fiction and fantasy as Rebecca S.W. Bates, magical realism as Cameron Kennedy, and horror as Minta Monroe. Growing up, I always dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I chose a different path, learning that it’s more fun to make up adventures. Building other worlds, whether realistic or fantastic ones, appeals to me, as I have faith that justice will be served and humanity will find a way to survive. Although I started my writing career with science fiction, now I spend equal time writing both. 

Becky Clark: Erotica. I hear that's where the money is. But since I'm a puritanical straitlaced prude, I think it might not keep me in the lap of luxury to which I've become accustomed. So I'll change my answer to "middle-grade romps." I may be a prude, but I punch above my weight with playground fart jokes. I'd still write mysteries, though, because I believe every single story is actually a mystery, whether they call it that or not. No matter what, there's always some story question that needs to be resolved.

Leslie Karst: Science fiction. I actually read more sci-fi growing up than I did mysteries, fascinated by all that world-building, the possible futures imagined in the books, and the science employed by the authors to make their inventions come across as truly believable. But since what I love most in that genre is hard sci-fi—i.e., the kind that’s based on real physics, engineering, and astrophysics—and my training and education has been entirely in the humanities, I knew I could never pull off writing it myself. So thank goodness for all those science nerds out there who do write the stories I love so well!

Shawn McGuire: Mystery is a second genre for me. After releasing the last book in my fantasy series—The Wish Makers—I wanted to try something different. Halfway through my first mystery novella, I was hooked on the genre. Mystery feels like where I’m meant to be as a writer. If I were to add a third genre, it would probably be women’s fiction. Even if I don’t always intend them to, my books all have a relationship theme of some kind–romantic, friendship, family, etc. Relationships are key in women’s fiction so that intrigues me.

Patricia Hale: I’m currently working on a novel that would fall into the category of contemporary fiction or even domestic fiction. The story begins with a tragic accident involving two families vacationing together. As it unfolds, we follow them into the aftermath of the accident and experience each character’s feelings of guilt, blame and their sense of unraveling. I enjoy exploring human behavior, but not always centered around murder and serial killers! A look at everyday people facing unimaginable situations, the choices they make and why they make them is a writing adventure for me.

Cathy Perkins: The mystery genre covers such a wide territory—from thrillers and suspense to cozy, with numerous subcategories offering new areas to explore. With all those choices, I’ve never looked outside the broad “mystery” realm. Now, that said, I’ve written dark, police procedurals as well as lighter amateur sleuth stories. Next on my schedule, however, are further competing stories—another amateur sleuth for the series or a more literary historical mystery I’m dying to finish? Choice and decisions! 

Edith Maxwell: I also would love to try my hand at science fiction. I used to read a lot of it, especially the fabulous (and sadly late) Ursula LeGuin. But right now I have my hands full writing two cozy mystery series plus one historical, and noodling ideas for a domestic suspense, so sci fi is going to have to take a back seat.

Readers: What genres do you like to read? Which won't you go near?

Our next stop on the tour is April 18 on the Chicks on the Case blog. Here's where you can find each of us in the meantime:

http://www.patriciahale.org
http://www.edithmaxwell.com
http://www.lesliekarstauthor.com/
http://www.cperkinswrites.com
http://www.shawn-mcguire.com
http://www.rebeccawriter.blogspot.com
http://www.BeckyClarkBooks.com

To celebrate our new releases, the Seven Sinister Sisters are having a giveaway!

Seven lucky winners will receive an ebook from one of us.

One GRAND PRIZE winner will receive a signed copy from each of us!

Enter to win by leaving a comment. Our tour runs from January 6^th to April 30^th and we’re answering a different question at each blog. Leave a comment at each blog for more entries! We’ll draw the winner from all the combined comments at the end of our tour.

Happy #NationalPetDay!

 

For so many of us, our pets go beyond an animal presence in our lives; they are our children, extended members of our family who bring our soul love and nourishment. To celebrate our pets this National Pet Day, I wanted to take a look at some of our fabulous books that celebrate the bonds we have with our pets--even as they help us solve crimes!

The Barkery & Biscuits Mystery Series, by Linda O. Johnston

Read if you like: Recipes for homemade pet treats (and human treats!), Joanna Fluke, and cozy mysteries with dogs

Join veterinary technician Carrie Kennersly, owner of the new Barkery & Biscuits Dog Bakery, as she and her canine companions navigate the mysteries of murder.

The latest release in the series, Pick and Chews, is now available for pre-order!

Looking for more Linda O. Johnston mysteries that feature dogs? Check out the Superstition Mystery series!

The Dog Days Mystery Series, by Jamie M. Blair

Read if you like: Recipes for homemade pet treats, books that make you laugh out loud, and cozy mysteries with dogs

Join Cameron Cripps-Hayman and the rest of the Metamora Action Agency as they solve crimes, aided by their canine companions.

The latest release in the series, Fatal Festival Days, is now available for pre-order!

The Downward Dog Mystery Series, by Tracy Weber

Read if you like: Yoga, German Shepherds, and cozy mysteries

Join yoga instructor Kate Davidson, her German Shepherd Bella, and boyfriend Michael as they solve murder after murder.

The latest release in the series, Pre-Meditated Murder, is available now.

The Animals in Focus Mystery Series, by Sheila Webster Boneham

Read if you like: Photography, animals of shapes and sizes, and cozy mysteries

Join animal photographer Janet McPhail and her cadre of animal companions as they solve murders.

The latest release in the series, Shepherd's Crook, is available now.

Bonus! Available in November:

The Tarot Cats Mystery Series, by Diane A.S. Stuckart

Read if you like: Tarot, talking cats, and cozy mysteries

When her own life is threatened with a double dose of danger, Ruby begins to wonder if she's being played for a fool. Luckily, she has Aphelia and Brandon—sibling black cats with a talent for tarot—and a feisty pitbull friend who all lend a paw in collaring the culprit before Ruby finds herself taking her final cat nap.

The first release in the series, Fool's Moon, is available for pre-order now!

The Time is Coming

We all await a special occasion with at least some degree of excitement, whether it's a birthday, a celebration of another kind, something special going on with family, or whatever.  Or a combination of them.

With writers, those kinds of anticipation also involve the publication of a new book.  Right?  It certainly occurs that way for me.

And now it's April.  Next month will be the publication of my fourth Barkery & Biscuits Mystery from Midnight Ink, PICK AND CHEWS. 

You might think that such events grow old.  It is, after all, my fourth book in that series.  I've also had other mystery series published, as well as other books such as romantic suspense and paranormal romance.  Also, this will be my second book of four that will be published in 2018. 

So has the publication process grown old with me?  Never!  I'm very excited about the upcoming release of PICK AND CHEWS.  And to celebrate and publicize, I've been agreeing to participate in events and seeking others, both in person and online.

What is the next exciting thing you're awaiting?  Is it a book publication?  Something equally exciting--if there is such a thing?  Whatever it is, I hope you have a lot of fun with it.  I certainly will enjoy the publication of PICK AND CHEWS!        

 

As noted here, Linda O. Johnston is currently writing the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries for Midnight Ink.  Her most recent one was Bad to the Bone, and the next in the series, Pick and Chews, will be a May 2018 release.