Have you seen The Queen’s Gambit? If you haven’t, it’s a Netflix miniseries (based on the novel of the same name by Walter Tevis) about chess prodigy, Beth Harmon. I read the write up and almost passed on it. Chess? Dull, dull, dull. How wrong was I? I literally could hardly take my eyes off…
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Sometimes, I don’t know my horses from my onions…
Every Sunday evening, I have a three-hour Spanish lesson on Zoom. At the end of every lesson, I usually feel very pleased with myself. That feeling lasts (approximately) until Monday morning, when I actually speak to someone in Spanish and wonder why they’re screwing up their face in a pained expression. It’s not that I…
If you’ve ever wondered where I get the inspiration for some of my characters…
If you’ve read any of the books in my Charlotte Denver mystery series, you’ll be familiar with Charlotte’s loyal friends, and partners in mischief, senior citizens Ava, Harriett, and Betty. The trio were based on my mother-in-law, Joyce, and her sisters, Rene and Dolly. Sadly, none of them are with us any more, but they…
Have you ever made grilled polenta/grilled grits?
So, I watched Guy’s Big Bite on TV yesterday. For those of you who don’t know Guy Fieri, he’s an American cook/chef/TV personality who won season two of the Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star back in 2006. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fieri Anyhoo, yesterday, he cooked something that I’ve always been curious to try. Grilled polenta or,…
What is a Cozy Mystery?
Just dropping this here to answer some of the questions I get asked a lot by prospective readers who aren’t sure if the Cozy Mystery genre is for them. These are the most common questions, with answers. Are cozies violent? Generally, cozies aren’t violent. That said, many centre around murders, so there’s an element of…
Want to know about my new releases, but don’t want to receive emails from me?
I get it. There are plenty of authors whose books I love, and I want to know when they have a new release, but I don’t want to sign up to their newsletters. Nothing personal, I just have more than enough coming into my inbox already. If that sounds like you, but you’d still like…
Feline-friendly plants for your garden
I don’t know many cozy mystery writers, or readers, who don’t love cats or dogs. Cats, in particular, are integral to so many cozy stories – either as a heavily-featured character, if not the protagonist! That in mind, I thought this might be interesting if you’re a cat lover, and you’d like to create a…
Coming soon… Book five in The Bliss Bay Village Mystery Series
Hellooo lovely readers! Quick update for everyone who’s asked… I’m working on the next book in the Bliss Bay series, and will be publishing just as soon as I can. Meanwhile, here’s a sneaky glimpse of the cover. Only a glimpse, though – full cover and title will be revealed nearer the time. Just so…
More ways to catch up with my books…
Hooray! At last! It’s taken a while, I know, but I’m happy to be able to let you know that, finally, the books in the Charlotte Denver Mystery Series (all books in this series still discounted to 2.99, apart from book one, which is 0.99) and The Bliss Bay Village Mystery Series are now available…
Discounts extended – The Charlotte Denver Series
You may know that I dropped the price of all the books in my Charlotte Denver series in October. Unfortunately, some readers weren’t able to take advantage of the discounts due to technical glitches at a particular retailer. The issues are resolved now, though, so I’m extending the discounts for a while longer so no…