Showing posts with label Interview. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Interview with Heather Day Gilbert, Author of Shade Grown (Barks & Beans Cafe Series)

Today, I’m hosting a new author for me. Meet Heather Day Gilbert, author of the Barks & Beans Cozy Mystery Series.

This post is part of a blog tour by Escape with Dolly Cas into a Good Book (aka Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours).

As part of the tour, I’ve got an exclusive interview with author Heather Day Gilbert. There’s also a limited-time giveaway.

Here’s a bit about the book

Shade Grown by Heather Day Gilbert

Book 8 in The Barks & Beans Café Cozy Mystery Series

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: WoodHaven Press

Publication Date: 11 December, 2023

Paperback:‎ 190 pages

ISBN-13:‎ 979-8987556955

Digital ASIN:‎ B0BPQ8KHZR

Shade Grown Book Synopsis

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Café, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java...and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

During Lewisburg's popular summer home and garden tour, Macy and her brother Bo discover new aspects of their hometown's history. One of the last homes they visit features a lush commemorative shade garden marking where a Civil War soldier's bones were buried.

As Macy pauses to admire a bed of blue hostas, she glimpses a shadowy shape lying beneath the dinner-plate leaves. It turns out to be the body of famed movie star Cody Franklin, who'd purchased the garden house as a quiet country retreat.

Back at the café, Macy speaks with Cody's distraught sister, who lets slip that she's afraid her brother's killer will target her next. Macy's heart goes out to the bereaved sibling, and she agrees to speak with Cody's local acquaintances in hopes she'll uncover some helpful backstory.

But someone powerful is lurking behind the scenes, and Macy has to zoom in on the killer before everything fades to black.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown...with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Café cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

Interview with author Heather Day Gilbert

Q: What inspired you to start the Barks and Beans Café series?

Heather Day Gilbert: I knew I wanted to write a coffee shop mystery series set in a West Virginia town, with brother/sister sleuths, because I love portraying good sibling relationships.

I'd also heard a lot about cat cafes, but I wondered what a dog café would be like, where people could pet/adopt shelter dogs, and the Barks & Beans Café was born!

Q: What's your favorite thing about writing the Barks and Beans Café series?

Heather Day Gilbert: The characters in this series are very real to me, and I also enjoy working in all kinds of shelter dogs into the café storylines.

I have so many readers who love my sleuth's Great Dane, Coal, but they also comment on the strong characters who tend to recur in the books.

Every time I start writing a new book, it's like stepping back into a place I'm really familiar with and hanging out with friends. Plus, I get to plot twisty mysteries, which is tons of fun. ;)

Q: When you start writing a new cozy mystery book (in a series), what's the first thing you start with? What's the writing process like for you?

Heather Day Gilbert: I start with a long synopsis that outlines the new and old characters, the critical events leading up to the murder (or murders), and the resolution.

I often have a real WV locale that's a hingepin of the setting and that lines up with the title pun (IE: the WV State Fair in FAIR TRADE, or the caverns in COLD DRIP).

I often build my plot/death/setting around the predetermined title, although my upcoming release title KNIGHT BREW was brainstormed (with the generous help of my readers!) around the setting of a Ren Faire.

Q: If your Barks & Beans Café books were to be turned into a series (or movies), who would you want to play Macy and Bo?

Heather Day Gilbert: Great question! For Bo, I've always pictured a muscled redhead like Max Martini, and for Macy, I've always pictured a strawberry blonde like Bryce Dallas Howard.

But if this series were turned into a TV series or movies, I'd just be happy if they managed to find redheads to play the leading roles, since I'm married to a redhead and I think they're fascinating. ;)

Q: You write mystery series across multiple genres (Christian romance, historical mysteries, cozies), can you write more than one mystery book at the same time or do you have to finish one mystery then turn to the other?

Heather Day Gilbert: I tend to be a linear thinker, so I generally only work on one book at a time until completion. I like to be fully invested in that world as I write, especially since I tend to write in first person POV.

Q: In your bio, you mention being an Agatha Christie fan (who isn't?). What is your favorite book by Christie?

Heather Day Gilbert: I love the Tommy/Tuppence books because they portray a healthy marriage (and I just reread BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS, which inspired one of my Barks/Beans mysteries—I won't tell you which, though. ;) Some of my faves are ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE, NEMESIS, and CROOKED HOUSE.

Q: If you could experiment with any writing genre, one you haven’t written in, what would it be?

Heather Day Gilbert: I'm actually working on writing a book in that genre right now—a domestic psychological thriller. I've always wanted to write something along the lines of the non-graphic Hitchcock films, like REAR WINDOW. Here's hoping I succeed in pulling it off!

Limited-time GIVEAWAY

As part of the blog tour, there's a giveaway for a $10 Starbucks gift card and a softcopy of Shade Grown by Heather Day Gilbert. Use the Rafflecopter link or widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Barks & Beans Café series in order:

Book 1: No Filter

Book 2: Iced Over

Book 3: Fair Trade

Book 4: Spilled Milk

Book 5: Trouble Brewing

Book 6: Cold Drip

Book 7: Roast Date

Book 8: Shade Grown

Standalone Novella: House Blend

About the author:

Heather Day Gilbert is an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist.

She enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with unpredictable twists, much like the Agatha Christie books she read growing up.

Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren't afraid to protect those they love. Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.

Connect with author Heather Day Gilbert via her Website, Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, Goodreads, and BookBub.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Paw & Order by Chris Abernathy – Blog tour with an Author Interview

Today, I’m hosting author Chris Abernathy and his exciting new cozy mystery series, featuring a cat-detective! I’m interviewing Chris about the book, the series, his work – he’s a book narrator, by the way – among other things. There’s also an excerpt from the book right after the synopsis.

AND there’s a limited-time giveaway so be sure to check it out.

This post is part of a blog tour by Lori Caswell at Escapes with Dolly Cas into a Good Book.

Let’s dive in. Here’s a bit about the book.

Book Synopsis for Paws & Order by Chris Abernathy

What’s better than a K-9 cop? A feline detective. Detective Whiskers is out to prove himself, and keep his human from being framed for murder, or worse. He'll need the help of his new animal friends and Sheila's group of female sleuths. This cozy mystery set in a small town in Old Florida is purrfect for cat lovers and anyone who enjoys a fun beach read.

Who is really catching killers in Paradise Cove? It’s not the local police. The Paradise Cove Murder Society is getting the job done, with more help than they realize from a furry detective named Whiskers.

Sheila and her cat Whiskers are starting a new life in the perfect little Florida beach town that managed to avoid the big crowds, condos and chain stores. But as soon as they arrive the town has its first ever murder. Good thing Whiskers is a trained detective!

Fred, Sheila’s husband of forty years, was a police detective who recently passed away, right before they were supposed to retire to the beach. After forty years of devoting herself entirely to being a good wife and mother she’s now left to put her life back together, but what kind of life will it be? In a fresh setting, and with some quirky new friends, she slowly begins to remember all of the dreams she had as a young woman. She has a second chance to chase those dreams, if she can stay alive and out of prison. When her next door neighbor is killed and the evidence points to Sheila, it’s time for Whiskers to step up.

Whiskers was Fred’s loyal assistant and he’ll need to remember everything he learned from his mentor to keep Sheila safe as she rediscovers herself. With the help of some unexpected new friends of his own Detective Whiskers sets out to prove to the world, and himself, that he is worthy of the shiny badge on his collar. If you love humorous cozy mysteries where pets take the lead and eccentric friends come together to solve crimes with just the right amount of suspense then the Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series is exactly what you’re looking for.

Excerpt from Paws and Order

Sheila does not understand. I know we’re not supposed to play favorites with our humans, but we all do. Fred and I had a connection that was … special. I’ve tried communicating with Sheila, but— Okay this part is a little embarrassing. Every time I tap her hand with my paw, she thinks I want food or a belly rub. Which, of course, I do. I ALWAYS want food or a belly rub. Or both. But I’m trying to tell her something important, and all of a sudden, she puts those fingernails to work on my belly and I’m gone. Lost. A zombie. It feels sooooo good. Whatever I needed to say is up in smoke, my eyes are closed, and I hear a Karen Carpenter love song in my head.

Don’t judge me.

Exclusive interview with author Chris Abernathy

To learn more about Chris and his books, keep reading.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into writing?

Chris Abernathy: I live on the Alabama coast with my wife. We have two boys, one grown and the other too close to it for our liking. I have always enjoyed writing and got into the publishing world as an audiobook narrator. Interacting with authors and publishers inspired me to finally write and publish my own stories.

Q: What is a day in the life of book narrator and author Chris Abernathy like?

Chris Abernathy: I typically spend my mornings narrating and my afternoons writing. My voice works better in the early part of the day and the house is quieter. So, I start off with a few hours in my recording booth. After lunch I sit down with my laptop and see where my imagination takes me.

Q: When did you decide it was time to start writing your own books and series? And when (or how) did you decide you want to write cozies rather any other genre?

Chris Abernathy: I was on a cruise with my family and some friends when I first started writing seriously. We had splurged for a cabin with a balcony and sitting out there in the evenings my thoughts took off and I got several chapters written in one week.

After the cruise ended, it took several stops and starts before I finally finished that book which was inspired by my thirty-year career as a radio personality. I really had no idea what I was doing - I just let the characters take me where they wanted to go and it was a very positive experience that helped me understand myself and people I had worked with better.

That book, Blowing Up the Airwaves, was written under my “radio name” Chris Wright and I added a short prequel, Rise of the Radio Gods. Both were funny stories with some adventure thrown in but didn’t adhere to any specific genre. They didn't sell much but it showed me that I could write a full book and gave me some insight into the style of writing that came naturally to me.

With the help of some author friends, I decided that the cozy genre fit my style and would allow me to create the kinds of characters I enjoyed writing about.

Q: As a book narrator, how many times do you need to read a book to narrate it?

Chris Abernathy: I read the book through and make notes then do some research for pronunciations, etc. When I go into the booth I scan ahead a little to make sure I recall where things are going but I don’t do a close read again before narrating. I want the story to feel fresh as I read.

Q: How many books do you have planned–so far–for The Detective Whiskers Cozy Mystery Series?

Chris Abernathy: I currently have titles and covers through book #5 but I plan to continue for at least a few more beyond that. Readers seem to be enjoying them so if the response keeps going the way it has so far then I’d like to go to about a dozen then decide if there’s more to tell or if the story has wrapped itself up.

Q: Is the entire Paw and Order book narrated from Detective Whiskers’ point of view or do we see others’ perspectives as well?

Chris Abernathy: Other than a preface for book three, the whole book, and series, so far is from Whiskers’ point of view. I plan to keep it that way because it allows me to show the human characters from a non-human perspective.

Q: It’s common to find cozy mystery characters who have pets they depend on. But what inspired you to have a cat as the main, mystery-solving character?

Chris Abernathy: I think that most of us want to put ourselves into the story. With a human as a main character, I think it sometimes limits our willingness to go along with their story. We let our differences impact how we see their story.

Once we place ourselves into the perspective of an animal we’ve moved past that. We leave some of our human biases behind and open ourselves to see the people around us a little differently.

Q: If you can give aspiring mystery writers a piece of advice, what would it be?

Chris Abernathy: My advice would be to first write what you enjoy writing. Write as often as you can and take notice of how it makes you feel.

Once you have a good understanding of what you really enjoy writing then look at what readers are buying and figure out where the two intersect so that you can give them what they want in a way that is unique to your voice but within a framework that is comfortable to them.

About Chris Abernathy

Chris Abernathy has narrated more than 200 audiobooks and now he is writing his own stories. He has been a storyteller his entire life — around campfires at a summer camp as a counselor, on the radio for more than 30 years, as an actor with background roles on major motion pictures and TV series, as a producer of short films for social media and more.

Chris is married with two sons and lives on the Gulf Coast in Alabama. He is a dual national with citizenship in the US and UK and visits family in the Scottish Highlands as often as possible.

Connect with author Chris Abernathy via his website, Facebook, and Amazon. Consider signing up for his newsletter.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

As part of the blog tour, there is a limited-time giveaway. So, use the link or Rafflecopter widget below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Keep up with the rest of the blog tour including book reviews, spotlights, more interviews, and guest posts. Check them out here.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley – Book Review & Author Interview

Today, I’m excited to be featuring an author whose blurbs have captivated me for some time. Meet author Elizabeth Pantley.

This post features a blurb for Pantley’s newest paranormal cozy mystery Vampires and Villains, an author interview and a book review. It's part of a blog tour via Lori's Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Book Blurb for Vampires and Villains

Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic.

They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.) Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show.

When a dead body shows up on board, their new friend is labeled a suspect. Can they help him out by finding the real murderer? Or is he the real murderer? The book club will need to solve the case to get off the ship, out of the book, and back to their home.

Interview with author Elizabeth Pantley

Nadaness In Motion: Can you tell us about your writing process?

Elizabeth Pantley: When a new book idea forms, I build a rough outline. I like to know the main facts: Who did it? Why? Who’s the victim? Where’d it happen? How did it occur? Then I like to outline the last chapter, so I know where the story is going. Once I start writing the characters take over the story and I need to follow their lead.

Nadaness In Motion: We all wish we could dive into a book and meet the characters. Are any of the books from the Magical Mystery Book Club series inspired by real books?

Elizabeth Pantley: Not yet! But it would be cool to allow the Club to go into a real book and become part of the story.

Nadaness In Motion: When you’re not writing your books, what genres and authors do you like to read?

Elizabeth Pantley: My favorite genre is paranormal cozies – big surprise since that’s what I write! I have so many favorites I’d have to write a book!

Nadaness In Motion: In Vampires and Villains, the characters are on a cruise ship headed to Hawaii. Do you write about places you’ve been to? Do you travel for research? Or do you just research the whole thing?

Elizabeth Pantley: I like to write about things and places I’ve experienced to make the story more vibrant and realistic. I love to cruise! I haven’t been out on a ship in the past three years, of course, so I decided to take a trip vicariously through my characters. It was a blast being back on a cruise ship!

Nadaness In Motion: One of the book writing tips I often read is to make sure your characters, especially your main character, aren’t perfect. They have to have negative traits. Can you tell us what are some of the main character’s negative traits?

Elizabeth Pantley: I agree that nobody wants to read about a perfect person. It’s just not realistic, and sometimes annoying! This book features the eight members of a book club. They are a sometimes goofy, often disorganized, occasionally confused bunch. It’s fun to watch them piece together and solve a mystery.

Nadaness In Motion: Are you planning to do any crossovers between your paranormal cozy mystery books?

Elizabeth Pantley: I’ve sure thought about it! It would be a blast to have the book club visit Hayden, Latifa and the gang in Destiny Falls!

Nadaness In Motion: If someone were to go through your browser’s recent searches, what are they likely to find? (People always say not to ask a mystery author this question, that’s why I’m asking it :D)

Elizabeth Pantley: My son and I were just laughing about this! My searches leave a hysterical trail. ‘What does a human body look like after 3 days in the water?” – “What poison kills quickly and silently?” – “Can you kill someone by stabbing them with a knitting needle?” – “

Nadaness In Motion: What advice would you give to someone writing their first cozy – or paranormal cozy – mystery?

Elizabeth Pantley: Everyone is different, of course. But if you’ve never written a book before, I suggest that you start by reading. Pick two or three of your favorite books and read them again. But his time, read to learn.

Pay attention to more than just the story and take lots of notes. How does the author keep your attention from page to page? How does each chapter end, and each new one begin? What sentences grab you, make you laugh, or cause you to gasp? How does the dialog flow when characters are speaking versus the narration portions of the story? How does the author describe each new character – it’s more than listing height and eye color! How does the author describe the settings? What ways make it interesting to learn about a new character or place?

Once you’ve analyzed your favorite books – just start writing! Don’t expect perfection in your first attempt. Just let your creative self loose and see what happens!

Book Review of Vampires and Villains

How often have you dreamed of becoming part of a book and mingling with the characters?

If you’re a bookworm like me, your answer is probably “too many times to count!”

Vampires and Villains is my first read for Elizabeth Pantley and it’s unlikely to be my last. The book comes with a strong premise. A book club group not only reads a cozy mystery, they’re teleported into one, become characters, and have to solve the mystery!

The book opens with the book club group – 7 members who are awaiting the 8th! We get a brief intro for the characters before they head to a magical library to decide which book they’ll dive into.

“The two-story library was filled to the brim with books. A brass spiral staircase joined the levels. A massive stone fireplace centered the room, and the carved wood mantle was graced with a statue of a woman holding a mystery book. A beautiful antique globe sat in the prominence on a carved wood table, and an ancient Underwood typewriter was displayed in a glass case.”

Though it’s my read, Vampires and Villains is the second book in The Magical Mystery Book Club Series.

The main character, Paige, and her aunt Glo, inherited the magical library from their great-grandmother, who, it turns out, has been having tons of adventures.

In this book, their 8th member is 82-year-old tiny but super grumpy Maximilian, who goes by ‘Million.’

“Million. As in Maximilian. Not Millions.”

There are lots – and I mean LOTS – of characters in Vampires and Villains! And I must say I got confused several times as to who’s who. Also, the characters move – most of the time – in a group of 8, which I felt was too suspicious and unrealistic.

That said, there were several memorable characters like Million, Zell, and Frank. I also liked Forrest, the only teen in the group.

By the way, Frank is their talking cat, who also graces the beautiful Vampires and Villains cover.

Though Million and Zell are both in their eighties, they’re entirely different characters. Frank and Million are the most sarcastic characters in the book. And I absolutely loved them!

“You don’t just read these. You are actually…transported into the story.”

“As in… The Chronicles of Narnia? Or more like Jumanji?”

“I hope not like Jumanji!” I gasped. “I don’t think my heard could take it. No, no. More like…um…”

“Becoming a character in a Hallmark mystery channel movie!”

Narrated from the first-person perspective of Paige, Vampires and Villains takes the characters to a cruise ship in Hawaii. There’s lots of humor in the book. But there were also many redundancies that could have made it more exciting.

And because Zell doesn’t read the entire blurb, because it was “too long” the characters discover they’re in a paranormal cozy mystery! They find themselves aboard a cruise ship with several vampires!

One of the things I liked about Vampires and Villains are the comments the characters make when they try to remind themselves that they’re in a book or are dealing with other characters. Like this one:

“Has this scene been written by one of those authors with a love of adjectives?’

Overall, I think Vampires and Villains is a fun and quick read. I loved the premise and I’m definitely interested in seeing where the characters go in the coming books.

Overall rating for Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley: 4 stars

About the Author

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing the Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic Book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the stories she tells.

Elizabeth is also the internationally bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, the beautiful inspiration for the enchanted Destiny Falls world.

Connect with author Elizabeth Pantley via Goodreads, her website and her blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.

Monday, March 21, 2022

Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown – Book Review & Author Interview

Today, I'm featuring a book review of Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown as part of a blog tour with Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

The post also includes an exclusive and exciting interview with Katherine Brown :)

First let me tell you the book is about.

Synopsis:

Book cover of Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown

Nobody ever plans to be the death of the party.

Party guests congratulate Charity Basham, owner of Sassy Supplies Crafts & More, on the scariness of her backyard skeleton decoration. Unfortunately, Charity didn't put out any skeleton decorations.

With the discovery of a dead body, her Halloween party turns into a nightmare. With her fingerprints (and some white cat fur) are all over the murder weapon, Charity finds herself at the top of the suspect list.

Can she clear her name before the dishy Detective Sota arrests her for murder?

**Book Review of Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown**

"Standing in a room, wondering if you were next to a killer, really did a number on a girl's nerves."

Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown is a short cozy mystery novella that's part of the Sassy Supplies Mystery Series.

Divided into six short chapters, the book opens with Sassy Supplies' owner Charity Basham at her Homemade Halloween. One of her guests nearly stumbles on Charity's scary-looking Halloween decoration.

But Charity doesn't recall putting up any Halloween Decoration.

Charity immediately recognizes the murdered victim as one of her not-favorite customers. But problems truly arise when police begin not only questioning her but also finding a ton of evidence that says she likely killed him.

Evidence except motive.

"Your hair was found on the body, your prints are the only ones on the murder weapon, the murder weapon came from a store that you happen to own, and the murder occurred at your residence. Plus, your cat's fur is on the body as well."

As is the case with multi-book series, there isn't a lot of character development. Add in that this is a mystery novella, then there's no room for much development. However, it's a good and fast read.

Short as it is, Costumes and Cadavers offers a complete cozy mystery with a set of characters, a feline, murder, a couple of suspects and all in a few pages.

Overall rating for Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown: 3.5 stars.

Note: My book review of Costumes and Cadavers by Katherine Brown is part of a blog tour for the short novella, organized by Lori Great Escapes Virtual Blog Tours. This has, in no way, affected my review.

Now it's time for my exclusive interview with Author Katherine Brown

Q: How did you get into writing cozy mysteries?

Katherine Brown: Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite genres to read. Even when I branch out and read in romance or fantasy or other things, cozies are still going to show back up in my to-be-read pile over and over.

When I began writing, I naturally veered to cozy mysteries because I felt familiar with the expectations of readers as a lover of them myself. I also thought cozy was a “safe” category for my friends, family, and children to read (i.e. clean, no extreme language or physical romance scenes…etc.).

Q: Are you a full-time author? If not, what do you besides being a writer? What did you do before you became a writer?

Katherine Brown: Technically, I’m a full-time stay-at-home-mom. Far, far more hours are spent momming than writing. Being an author is my only occupation, though because I am only able to dedicate part-time to it, I’m not an “income earning” author yet, if that makes sense.

Thanks to a supportive husband, I’m able to spend the money to invest in my career now (editors, advertising, etc) that will hopefully lead to a long and profitable future as an author later on.

Prior to leaving my office job to stay at home and pursue my passion of writing and caring for my daughters, I worked at a metal building construction company. While the industry itself hasn’t leaked into my books yet, (there is always time) dynamics and personalities in any situation shape us as writers I believe.

If nothing else, the 60+ hours a week, stress, and frustrations that I experienced in that job were the tipping point that set me free to quit and come home to write.

Q: If you could meet or have lunch with any author (dead or alive), who would it be?
Katherine Brown: Jane Austen is probably always a first choice. J.K. Rowling. Julie Klassen. I would be quite ecstatic to sit down with any of them and spill my admiration as well as learn lessons they were willing to share.

banner image featuring novella book cover costumes and cadavers and author image of katherine brown

Q: I noticed in your bio that you're a Harry Potter fan. Did the books inspire you in anyway in your writing?
Katherine Brown: I do love Harry Potter! I was a lover of words and writing long before Harry Potter was published, however. As a kid, I used to staple papers together and make up stories at home.

I loved writing assignments in school. I sold newsletters to my own parents (who lived happily together and with me in the same house LOL) because I wanted to be a writer. All of those experiences were before I ever picked up my first copy of Harry Potter.

However, the perseverance and success of J.K. Rowling and the incredible, relatable characters she created definitely added to my inspiration later. What a legacy!

Q: And speaking of Harry Potter – along with a bit of snooping around your Goodreads profile – what are your favorite genres? Would you consider experimenting with one of those genres in the future?
Katherine Brown: I think it would be easier to list genres that I don’t read in than my favorites! For example, I steer clear of horror and true crime. I’m definitely not a non-fiction fan; I’m an escapist reader.

I’m an avid reader of clean fantasy, historical fiction (cozies or romance either way), young adult, and steampunk. Fairy tale retellings in most genres easily grab my attention, and my money.

I love the creativity of other authors and the worlds they build for us to experience. It is my sincere desire to continue improving my own writing and create immersive experiences for my readers as well.

As to experimenting in other genres to write, The Librarian’s Treasure was my first such adventure. A romantic fantasy, but with mystery and adventure included, I was dabbling with that story for years but a nervous wreck about actually finishing it for fear it wouldn’t live up to my hopes.

Thanks to an encouraging editor, I’m happy to say I was able to do even more than I thought with Raegan’s story.

I’m working on jumping into some steampunk this year. I haven’t quite decided if my story will lean to romance or mystery, though it is very likely to have a good combination of both. After all, what is life if not a combination of experiences?

Q: Can you tell readers a bit about your book The Librarian's Treasure?

Katherine Brown: The Librarian’s Treasure is a light fantasy (think leprechauns but with my own imaginative twist) which follows Raegan Sheridan from content librarian to becoming a woman seeking answers from her past and embracing her future.

Orphaned as a child, it takes a stranger showing up and an odd quest to send Raegan off to Ireland to see the home of the mother she never knew. She falls in love with the land but has to save it from an evil landowner seeking to take everything.

Filled with secret rooms, a stray kitten, a handsome stranger, and a mysterious league, plus a healthy love of books, I let my imagination have its way with The Librarian’s Treasure. I was so happy and proud to take a risk straying from cozies to something I’d been wanting to write so long that I actually published it on my own birthday.

About the Author

Texas author Katherine Brown is a wife, a mother to two beautiful book-devouring girls, a bookaholic ice cream lover, Harry Potter fan, and an enthusiastic weaver of words.

Writing since she could scribble with crayons, Katherine has published books for adults and children alike.

Fans of her cozy mystery series range from age 12 to 72. She hopes to inspire in others a passion for reading and provide many adventures through the pages of books for years to come.

Connect with author Katherine Brown via her Website, Facebook page, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, and Amazon.