What is it about chocolate that captures the popular imagination? From Charlie’s Golden Ticket to happiness having him running a Technicolor chocolate factory, to young John Midas, who suddenly finds that everything his lips touch turn to chocolate, children’s books portray chocolate as an object of greed and obsession, as a relief from poverty, at […]
Here it is, the night before the release of Something Borrowed, Something 90% Dark. I’ve done a blog post just before each of my books, reflecting on what I’ve learned from writing each title. I think this time, I want to talk about how connecting with even just a few readers is such an amazing […]
In my latest cozy mystery, there’s a formal tea. It was a fun scene to write, because I love tea, and have been collecting teapots, teacups and related tea accessories for about two decades. A lot of the pieces are attached to specific memories, or were gifts from specific people. One of the things I […]
Check out this video clip of me reading from A Study in Chocolate. This is a scene near the beginning of the book, where Felicity has accepted an invitation to a tea party at Wobble House, a (very fictional) historic home in Galveston. She has been invited by the party host, an art collector, to […]
I often see chocolate-related quotes on my social media feed, but sometimes you want something more tangible. So you can find these quotes printed on everything from pillows to journals. Here are some of the ones I thought were cute. The list contains associate links. I always prefer to give credit to the original source […]
Here it is, the night before the release of A Study in Chocolate. This makes eight novels – and there’s still an element of anticipation and excitement in the fact that tomorrow, a story I wrote goes into the hands of mystery fans. As always, I feel like I’ve had a chance to grow personally […]
Hola!!! I’m Botas, the corgi from the Chocoverse. Today I wanted to talk about second chances. I believe everyone should have one – especially dogs. Due to circumstances beyond my owners’ control, I wound up surrendered to a shelter – twice. And each time was the start of a new life. Not that I’ve forgotten […]
There are far too many great fictional detectives to list all of them. I had to settle for a top ten list. These are just my personal faves from the detectives who shaped the genre, defining some of the subgenres and explorations of what mysteries could be. I’m giving you the first appearance of the […]
If you’re marketing your writing, you know that growing your audience is the most difficult part. One powerful tool: leveraging other people’s audiences. If someone a potential reader knows and trusts has you on as guest, that reader will be more likely to trust that your work has quality too. One fun way to do […]
I am a fan of spicy foods, but for me it has to be about a balance of flavor, rather than simply blowing out your tastebuds with the heat. Here are some of my favorite snacks and sauces. Siracha Peas – These are puffed peas seasoned with siracha. I like mixing them with peanuts, to […]
