MYSTERY AUTHOR ANNE LOUISE BANNON'S NEWEST RELEASE HAS A HOLIDAY TWIST

Mystery author Anne Louise Bannon has worked as a freelance journalist for magazines and newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times. Her mystery series include the Old Los Angeles Series, the Freddie and Kathy Series, and the Operation Quickline Series. With her husband Michael Holland she created the OddBallGrape.com wine education blog and is also the co-author (with Serita Stevens) of a book on poisons for writers. Learn more about Anne Louise and her books at her website.

Re-Visiting Christmas

Happy Boxing Day, everyone!

 

Yes, I am one of those who enjoys keeping Christmas going all the way through January 6 (aka Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany). So, it’s no surprise that Christmas figures into a few of my novels, particularly the Operation Quickline Series. That’s the one featuring Lisa Wycherly and Sid Hackbirn as a pair of spies who fall for each other. In short, the books are essentially cozy spy novels. Or romances with espionage intrusions.

 

I’ve been publishing them first as serials on my blogs, which is a lot of fun, and the most recent, Just Because You’re Paranoid, finished up the week before Christmas. I hadn’t planned it that way, but it worked out especially well since the novel ends with the holiday. Even more fun, there’s a scene sort of near the end that echoes a scene in the first Quickline novel, That Old Cloak and Dagger Routine.

 

The series is set in the 1980s. In the first novel, Lisa comes to live at Sid’s house and gets recruited into the spy business as Sid’s partner. By the time December rolls around, Sid and Lisa are just beginning their friendship and the focus is on how different they are in terms of their values. Sid is a playboy, spending four to six nights a week trying to get laid, and he is more successful than not. Lisa is a nice, church-going woman and a virgin. Sid was also raised as an atheist by an aunt who was a Communist, and they lived among a bunch of bohemians, beatniks, and later hippies, which accounts for Sid’s belief in free love.

 

In fact, we find out that Sid has never celebrated holidays, including Thanksgiving (“A part of Capitalistic propaganda to convince the people they are not oppressed and dedicated to a god that doesn’t exist.”) or Christmas.

 

Lisa, on the other hand, loves Christmas, loves decorating the house, loves eggnog, and the annual Christmas pajamas from her mom. And, yes, Sid gets swept into it. In particular, there’s the scene where Lisa has borrowed Sid’s car to get the Christmas tree. Lisa comes back from the errand bubbling over. She has, once again, found the perfect tree. Sid is a little perturbed to find a tree tied to the top of his beloved Mercedes 450SL, but helps Lisa get it off the car, and hefts the tree into the house, as Lisa shouts out directions to bring it in foot-first. She’s already shifted some of the furniture in the living room to make room in the front window. The tree is gorgeous, but exactly five inches too tall.

 

Fast forward three years to the holiday season in Just Because You’re Paranoid.

Sid and Lisa are engaged to be married. The two jointly own what had been Sid’s house and it has been completely remodeled. Lisa’s parents, who have in the past stayed with her sister Mae and her family, are spending the holiday at Sid and Lisa’s place. Sid has taken custody of his 12-year-old son, and it’s Nick’s first Christmas with Sid and Lisa and her family.

 

The bringing home of the tree remains the same. Lisa arrives home with Nick, shouting and bubbling over. Sid gets called on, along with Bill, Lisa’s father, to get the even larger tree out of her truck. Lisa shouts instructions on how to remove the tree and get it into the house as Sid reminds her repeatedly that they’ve done this before. And the tree is five inches too tall. Again.

 

Yes, there are significant differences, which is part of the fun. But there is also a connection to the past Christmases that was so much fun to play with. It’s how real life happens, and it’s one of those things that makes Christmas and other such holidays so very special. Every year we celebrate Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, or whatever we celebrate, is utterly new. We’re different people than we were before. But it’s also a connection to the past, as well. Not only the history that gave us the holidays, but our personal histories as well. And it’s fun to celebrate that, even fictionally.

 

Just Because You’re Paranoid

Operation Quickline, Book 9

 

It doesn't mean they're not out to get you

 

Lisa Wycherly and Sid Hackbirn find themselves up against a relentless enemy and about to get the shock of their lives in book nine of the Operation Quickline Series. First, there's the wedding. Not Sid and Lisa's, but her cousin Maggie's, where Sid and his son, Nick, raise all sorts of eyebrows. 

 

Then there's the attempt on Sid's life. Then Sid and Lisa's good friends are recruited into their top-secret organization. Then there's Lisa's sister being jealous, and a new house getting close to being ready, and Sid and Lisa's own wedding to work on, and Nick bringing home every bug there is at his new school and sharing it with his parents.

 

Being highly trained top-secret counter-intelligence agents will only help so far as the circles of family complications ripple outward. Sid and Lisa try to cope with the multiple surprises as they train their two friends and track down a ruthless killer determined to take both of them out.

 

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PARANORMAL MYSTERY AUTHOR DR. RANDY OVERBECK DISCUSSES CHRISTMAS GHOST STORIES--INCLUDING HIS NEWEST

Dr. Randy Overbeck is a bestselling author of the award-winning Haunted Shores Mysteries, each a cold case murder mystery wrapped in ghost story served with a side romance and set in a beautiful resort location. He is also the author and voice of a new podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual backstories of famous authors, directors and poets. In addition, he shares his multi-media presentations with audiences around the country. Learn more about all at his website.

Christmas Ghost Stories

When readers pick up a Christmas story today, even a Christmas mystery, they will likely encounter brilliant Christmas lights, a decorated Christmas tree, or even a Santa Claus—in addition to a murder victim and a detective, of course. In fact, listening to the incessant stream of cheerful, holiday songs, readers might think it was always so. Not true. Not so long ago, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, children and adults were told stories of a different kind of “spirit.” In England—the same country that gave us such holiday traditions as Christmas cards and mistletoe—children and adults gathered around a fireplace on a wintry Christmas Eve and were frightened into the Christmas “spirit” via a few creepy ghost stories.

 

The most famous of these eerie Christmas tales is, of course, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with its four specters to scare straight Ebenezer Scrooge. But Dickens is hardly alone. Henry James’s most famous work, The Turn of the Screw, which also takes place on Christmas Eve, is the tale of a governess who encounters the ghostly figures of a man and a woman. 

 

In the same British holiday convention, A.M. Burrage’s eerie short story “Smee” is about a group of young people messing around on Christmas Eve who decide to play a game of hide and seek in a spooky house in which a young girl died years before. What could go wrong?

 

The list goes on and on.

 

This tradition of sharing ghost stories on Christmas eve is thought to emanate from the pre-Christian celebration of the Winter Solstice, a time when light dies and the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest…and many of these threads continue even into our time. For years, the BBC hosted “Ghost Stories for Christmas,” spooking late night audiences into the ‘70s. Even the recent hit series, Downton Abbey—which portrayed life in England in the first half of the twentieth century--featured a Christmas episode where family members are gathered around a Ouija board, trying to access a spirit.

 

My new title, Scarlet at Crystal River, (watch the video here) continues this fine tradition of spooky Christmas ghost stories. This year, why not continue a centuries-old tradition and grab an alluring Christmas ghost mystery to read by the burning yule log this holiday?

 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good fright! 

 

Scarlet at Crystal River

A Haunted Shores Mystery, Book 3

 

During the Christmas holidays, Darrell and Erin travel to Florida for their honeymoon, but, once there, the ghosts of two murdered children interrupt their romantic excursions. The newlyweds are driven to find out what really happened to the two kids, even when they are shot at, driven off the road and nearly killed. 

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR KASSANDRA LAMB ON THE FUN AND CHALLENGES OF WRITING HOLIDAY STORIES

In her youth, Kassandra Lamb had two great passions—psychology and writing. Advised that writers need day jobs and being partial to eating, she studied psychology. Now retired from a career as a psychotherapist—which taught her much about resilience, perseverance, and the healing power of laughter—she spends most of her time in an alternate universe populated by her fictional characters. Learn more about Kassandra and her books at her website.

The Fun and Challenges of Writing Holiday Stories

I’ve always loved reading holiday stories, especially Christmas ones. They put me in the mood for that holiday. And I’ve discovered in recent years that I also love writing them. They’re a lot of fun.

 

There are, however, a few unique challenges to penning a story set at Halloween or Christmas or any other holiday.

 

But first, the fun!

 

Descriptions of settings

Descriptions become a lot more fun to write when you can dress them up with sparkly Christmas lights or spooky Halloween decor or red hearts for Valentine’s Day.

 

The first holiday novella I wrote was for my Kate Huntington mysteries. It’s set in St. Augustine, Florida, where Kate’s parents live. 

 

In real life, St. Augustine goes way overboard when it comes to Christmas. The town, its businesses and residents put up millions of tiny white lights to create a wonderland. Every palm tree and light post is swathed in garlands, lights, and ribbons. And even during the day, the decorations are spectacular, like the gazebo in the town plaza.

 

The descriptions of those decorations help readers be right there with Kate and her family as they prepare for the holidays and solve a mystery while they’re at it.

 

And as the plot is unfolding in The Legend of Sleepy Mayfair (in my second cozy series), the town’s riding stable is gradually transformed into a haunted house, with witches and giant spiders hanging from the rafters and a room full of creepy dolls. 

 

A little lighter

The holidays themselves tend to lighten things up. And in my holiday stories, which are all novellas, the stories are shorter, so I have to keep things a bit simpler. 

 

Little or no subplots, for example. But that’s okay, because the holiday itself becomes a subplot—the preparations for it, the anticipation, how the characters feel about that particular holiday.

 

The challenges

Lightness and fun aren’t all that intriguing after a while, though. Even in holiday stories, there needs to be tension, conflict, and dark moments to make for an interesting read. And especially in mysteries, there needs to be something, well, mysterious.

 

How to create those darker elements without making the story depressing? One way I found was to make the mystery about something other than murder. In An Unsaintly Season in St. Augustine, it’s a missing person, a friend of Kate’s parents.

 

In my Christmas novella for my second series, about a young woman who trains service dogs for veterans, I made the murder an old one. The protagonist’s quirky neighbors in Mayfair, Florida decide to build an ice-skating rink (told you they were quirky) to attract winter tourists. And during the excavation, a thirty-year-old skeleton is uncovered.

 

The themes

The themes in holiday stories, obviously, should be related to that holiday. That is both fun and challenging. For my novella, My Funny Mayfair Valentine, the mystery revolves around a budding romance (or two).

 

The themes of my Christmas stories are related to family. In A Mayfair Christmas Carol, as Marcia and her police detective boyfriend try to solve the old murder, the back story of the town’s founding family is revealed and we learn, along with Marcia, why the muumuu-wearing octogenarian matriarch is a Scrooge.

 

Bringing it home

The endings should also be related to the holiday in some way. In The Legend of Sleepy Mayfair, I re-enacted—sort of—the ride of the Headless Horseman.

 

And in A Mayfair Christmas Carol, Marcia and her boyfriend literally bring someone home to their family on Christmas Eve.

 

I love writing holiday stories so much that I’m kind of sad right now—because I’m running out of holidays. I have one more novella planned for the dog trainer series, titled Auld Lang Mayfair. (In case you haven’t guessed, it’s set around New Year’s Day.)

 

And I’m starting a new series, of police procedurals, partly so I can write more holiday stories for that series! 

 

A Mayfair Christmas Carol

A Marcia Banks and Buddy Cozy Mystery, Book 4)

 

When Mayfair, Florida’s newly minted Chamber of Commerce goes off the rails and decides to build an ice skating rink for a Christmas extravaganza, a decades-old skeleton is uncovered and its secrets threaten more than the town’s Christmas plans. Service dog trainer Marcia Banks is determined to help her police detective boyfriend solve the mystery—whether he wants her help or not. Can she and her Black Lab, Buddy, keep the ghost of Christmas past from destroying what is left of Mayfair’s founding family?

 

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#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--MYSTERY AUTHOR AMY M. READE ON COZY HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AND ECO-FRIENDLY GIFT WRAPPINGS

Amy M. Reade is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of cozy, historical, and Gothic mysteries. A former practicing attorney, Amy discovered a passion for fiction writing and has never looked back. She has so far penned fourteen novels, including three standalone Gothic mysteries. In addition to writing, she loves to read, cook, and travel. Learn more about Amy and her books at her website.

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. When I was little, it was the excitement of Santa Claus and presents and school vacation. Now that I’m, erm, of a certain age, the reasons are different. My kids are grown and the fun of looking for Santa’s reindeer in the sky on Christmas Eve before bed just isn’t the same (that doesn’t stop us, though). For a long time now, it’s been a combination of lots of things that makes Christmas a magical time for me.

 

First, it’s the music. From lofty hymns to secular ditties, I start listening to Christmas music once the Thanksgiving dishes are done and I don’t listen to anything else until the new year begins. In case you’re wondering, I can’t choose a favorite.

 

Second, it’s the décor. I love understated, but it’s hard not to use a heavy hand with Christmas stuff. I love it all: fairy lights, garland, Christmas trees, ornaments, wreaths, nativity scenes, snowmen, and tomtes (Nordic gnomes). Did I forget anything? Add it to the list.

 

Third, it’s the food. There’s a whole list of foods that I only make at Christmastime, and Party Mix tops that list. My recipe is made with 2 pounds of butter and comes from my grandmother. Christmas Crack is another one, as well as Russian Teacakes, Linzer Tarts, and Millionaire Shortbread, to name a few.

 

Fourth, it’s the movies. My favorite movies are The Bishop’s Wife, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas. With the exceptions of Nestor the Long-Eared Donkey and The Little Drummer Boy, I will watch literally anything animated or in claymation.

 

And finally, it’s the gifts—giving them, not getting them. I love to make things for loved ones, whether it’s bourbon-soaked cherries or a counted cross-stitch piece or something I’ve quilled.

  

My love of Christmas spawned my mystery series, too. The Juniper Junction Holiday Cozy Mystery Series started with The Worst Noel, a Christmas mystery, which I dedicated to my late grandmother because of her deep love for all things Christmas.

 

So by now you’re probably wondering where the crafts come in. Several years ago I made a decision to be more price- and eco-conscious about the gift wrap and tags I use on gifts. As a result, I started wrapping most of my gifts in recyclable kraft paper and decorating packages with sprigs of holly, ribbons, cedar twigs, artificial snow, and my own (pitiful) drawings. I started making my own tags, too, with kraft paper stock, inkpads, my own fingerprints, pens, buttons, and little bits of bling, as seen in the photo at the top of this post.

 

What about you? Do you make gifts? Do you make tags or have a unique and earth-friendly way of wrapping gifts? What kinds of crafty things do you do around holiday time?

 

One final note: I am keenly aware that the holidays are a hard time for a lot of people. Loneliness is one of the big reasons, and I try to reach out to people who might be struggling with loneliness during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and continuing through New Year’s. It’s easy to call someone, text them, meet them somewhere for coffee, or invite them for a meal. I take goodies to friends who have lost loved ones and/or who are just not looking forward to the holidays. It’s really nice to just meet a friend to go for a walk and chat, too.

 

So remember your friends and loved ones who might not be looking forward to the holidays this year, and give them grace as well as an ear to listen.

 

All my best to you and your family this holiday season.

The Worst Noel

A Juniper Junction Holiday Cozy Mystery, Book 1

 

The holiday season should be a time for peace and joy, but for Lilly Carlsen, this Christmas is murder.

 

On the busiest shopping day of the year, Lilly opens her jewelry shop only to discover that it's been burglarized. And then … she trips over the body. Talk about a Black Friday.

 

When a second victim turns up, Lilly finds herself squarely in the crosshairs of suspicion. The clock is ticking as Lilly tries to unwrap the mystery of the real killer’s identity.

 

Can she figure out who killed the victims before she’s arrested—or becomes a victim herself?

 

And as if dealing with all this isn't hard enough, Lilly’s deadbeat ex-husband resurfaces, her mother’s mental health is declining, and her two teenagers are acting just like … teenagers.

 

Find out whether her family's Christmas will be merry or scary in this cozy, small-town mystery perfect for fans of Kathi Daley and Jacqueline Frost.

 

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#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--PANDEMIC, POLITICS & HOLIDAY {{{STRESS}}}, OH MY!

Is there anyone out there who isn’t totally {{{stressed}}} right now? 2020 has been one planet-wide bummer of a year. Luckily, I’m a fictional character, and although I’m rarely happy with the way my author, Lois Winston, has turned my world upside-down and inside-out, I have to admit, right now I’m totally thankful she hasn’t also dumped a pandemic into my world. Murder and mayhem are bad enough.

Shortly after the pandemic hit, Lois decided she wouldn’t be addressing Covid-19 in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery Series, the one named for me. For one thing, the books she writes about me don’t take place in real time. My series began years ago. Lois sold the first three books in 2009. Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in the series, debuted in 2011. A Sew Deadly Cruise, the ninth book and my latest adventure, came out this past October. However, in my world only a little more than a year has passed between the first and latest book. So Lois has a perfectly good excuse for not including a pandemic in my life.

 

I’d like to think it’s because she feels guilty about all the turmoil she’s already created in my world, but I know it has more to do with her than me. Lois lives eighteen miles from Ground Zero. Nineteen years later, she still has nightmares about that day. She’s never watched a show or read a book about 9/11 and never will.

 

And that’s how she feels about the pandemic. 

 

As I write this, I’m certain there are countless suspense, thriller, and Dystopian writers already hard at work on Covid-themed novels. However, Lois writes humorous cozy mysteries. Yes, they include murder and mayhem, but not in a way that keeps readers up at night or gives them nightmares. Even though the situations she writes me into are often inspired by actual events, the series is an escape from the real world, not a reminder of it. In other words, come for the mystery; stay for the laughs.

 

So whether you’re stressed by the pandemic, politics, the upcoming holidays, or all three, take a break, grab a cup of hot cocoa, put your feet up, and visit with me for a spell. I promise you a bit of Christmas cheer, plenty of laughs, and of course, a murder or two…or three or four…or…Hey, they are murder mysteries!

 

Drop Dead Ornaments

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 7

 

Anastasia Pollack’s son Alex is dating Sophie Lambert, the new kid in town. For their community service project, the high school seniors have chosen to raise money for the county food bank. Anastasia taps her craft industry contacts to donate materials for the students to make Christmas ornaments they’ll sell at the town’s annual Holiday Crafts Fair.

 

At the fair Anastasia meets Sophie’s father, Shane Lambert, who strikes her as a man with secrets. She also notices a woman eavesdropping on their conversation. Later that evening when the woman turns up dead, Sophie’s father is arrested for her murder.

 

Alex and Sophie beg Anastasia to find the real killer, but Anastasia has had her fill of dead bodies. She’s also not convinced of Shane’s innocence. Besides, she’s promised younger son Nick she’ll stop risking her life. But how can she say no to Alex?

 

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Handmade Ho-Ho Homicide

An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, Book 8

 

Two and a half weeks ago magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack arrived home to find Ira Pollack, her half-brother-in-law, had blinged out her home with enough Christmas lights to rival Rockefeller Center. Now he’s crammed her small yard with enormous cavorting inflatable characters. She and photojournalist boyfriend and possible spy Zack Barnes pack up the unwanted lawn decorations to return to Ira. They arrive to find his yard the scene of an over-the-top Christmas extravaganza. His neighbors are not happy with the animatronics, laser light show, and blaring music creating traffic jams on their normally quiet street. One of them expresses his displeasure with his fists before running off.

 

In the excitement, the deflated lawn ornaments are never returned to Ira. The next morning Anastasia once again heads to his house before work to drop them off. When she arrives, she discovers Ira’s attacker dead in Santa’s sleigh. Ira becomes the prime suspect in the man’s murder and begs Anastasia to help clear his name. But Anastasia has promised her sons she’ll keep her nose out of police business. What’s a reluctant amateur sleuth to do?

 

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Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, Books 7-8
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HOLIDAY READING WITH AUTHOR DEBBIE DE LOUISE

Today we welcome back award-winning author Debbie De Louise, who also works as a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island. Debbie is the author of seven novels, including the four books of her Cobble Cove cozy mystery series. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

Holiday Reading: So Many Choices, so Little Time

As most of you know, the holiday season is upon us. It started way before Thanksgiving. Black Friday featured sales and free offers for all types of gifts, including books. For those who like to read holiday stories to get in the mood for Christmas, Chanukah, or whatever special day(s) you celebrate in December, there are an abundance of choices. How does one choose reading material during such a busy time? One solution is to treat yourself to some holiday stories. These quick reads won’t take up too much of the time you need to spend buying and wrapping gifts, cooking, attending parties, etc.

How do you find holiday stories? Many of your favorite authors who write books also write holiday stories. These might be found in collections or as standalone eBooks. If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you have your choice of free holiday stories. If not, you can still read them on any of your devices with the free Kindle app. for less than the cost of a vending machine snack. 

One way to locate holiday stories on Amazon.com is to search the Kindle store. You’ll also probably see plenty of recommendations on Facebook, twitter, author and book blogs, and anything you subscribe to. You can also check out this video from my publisher about their holiday stories, including two of mine. 

If you like cozy mysteries and/or have read any of my Cobble Cove books, you might enjoy my holiday story, Sneaky’s Christmas Mystery.

Sneaky’s Christmas Mystery

Another death has occurred in Cobble Cove near the holidays. This time, it’s the owner of the new pet store in town who was felled by a case of cat food that crushed his skull. Was it an accident, or murder? While the townspeople including the sheriff are divided in their opinions, Sneaky and Kittykai, the library and inn cats, sniff out the truth.

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FAVORITES, FAILURES & FRUSTRATIONS--GUEST AUTHOR ANN MYERS

Knitting fail

Ann Myers writes the Santa Fe Café Mysteries featuring café chef and reluctant amateur sleuth, Rita Lafitte. When not writing, Ann enjoys cooking, crafts, and reading other authors’ cozy mysteries. Learn more about Ann and her books at her website.

Failures and Frustrations

Failures and frustrations…oh, where to start? I’ll confess first to crafting flops. There have been a lot. The cardboard sculptures that went straight to recycling. Sewing, particularly pants. A glass bead workshop I fled because of my totally reasonable fear of giant shooting flames. Metalsmithing went slightly better, but only as far as soldering with a crème brûlée torch. Then there’s knitting.

Those of you who knit probably think it’s as easy as devouring pie. Not for me. Friends and family have tried to teach me. I’ve watched videos and envied people who can knit in waiting rooms or on planes. How do they do it? I’ll probably never catch on. Even my dear, sweet grandmother lost hope. “You’re good at other things,” she told me.  

Which leads to other things: career failures. To better understand, let’s label me: I’m an introvert with an active imagination regarding murder. So, living in Florida in the boom years, I decided to sell real estate. Why not, I thought. I love looking at houses! I didn’t think about how I’d find clients, or about meeting people (potential murderers) in empty buildings. I had two listings: a beetle-chewed shack and a ’60s ranch home with a pool owned by a man who claimed to run an international spy agency. He also claimed the pool required expert care. That was true. It turned green, he changed agents, and I sold the shack and quit real estate.

You’d think I’d learn. No, I turned to insurance sales. With my expect-the-worst tendencies, I’m a big fan of insurance. However, insurance required cold calling. I dreaded this probably exponentially more than the average person dreads cold calling. And when I got appointments, they were on the other side of the state, across the vast Ocala Forest (a forest notorious for serial killings). I did meet lovely people and listened to a lot of books on tape. Predictably—in retrospect—insurance was another failure, and I moved on to grant writing and editing.

So, what did I learn? I guess I can’t change my nature. I’ll never be good at mingling, cold calling, or verbal persuasion. But I’ll always love books and solitary work, and what better way to channel my criminal suspicions than mystery writing? With crafts, I’m afraid I haven’t changed my ways. A friend and I are currently taking blacksmithing classes. Yes, more scary flames and a craft that’s a lot harder than it looks on YouTube videos. But we’re going to keep trying because that’s the fun part—and because bending steel seems a whole lot easier than knitting!

Feliz Navidead

Holly, jolly, and downright deadly—the third Santa Fe Café mystery unwraps surprises both naughty and nice…

It’s the most picturesque time of the year in Santa Fe, and Chef Rita Lafitte of Tres Amigas Café hopes the twinkling lights and tasty holiday treats will charm her visiting mom. Rita is also planning fun activities, such as watching her teenage daughter, Celia, perform in an outdoor Christmas play. What she doesn’t plan for is murder.

Rita discovers a dead actor during the premier performance but vows to keep clear of the case. Sleuthing would upset her mom. Besides, there’s already a prime suspect, caught red-handed in his bloodied Santa suit. However, when the accused Santa’s wife begs for assistance—and points out that Celia and other performers could be in danger—Rita can’t say no. With the help of her elderly boss, Flori, and her coterie of rogue knitters, Rita strives to salvage her mother’s vacation, unmask a murderer, and stop this festive season from turning even more fatal.

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#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--GUEST CRAFTER AND AUTHOR LYNN CAHOON

USA Today and New York Times, bestselling author, Lynn Cahoon is an Idaho native. If you’d visit the town where she grew up, you’d understand why her mysteries and romance novels focus around the depth and experience of small town life. Currently, she’s living in a small historic town on the banks of the Mississippi river where her imagination tends to wander. Learn more about Lynn and her books at her website. 

The lost art of crafting.. Or is it?

In high school, I took a home arts class. I learned to knit, crochet, hand sew, and quilt in that nine-week session. As a young mother, I learned cross-stitch from a group of neighborhood woman. Our stitching sessions mixed a play date for the kids as well as a much-needed social outlet for my busy work and home life.

I used to pull out my latest craft project to work on while I was watching television or visiting with relatives. I had a favorite fabric store right on my way home from work.

Then I didn’t. I don’t know why I stopped. No time maybe, or without a kid in the house, I had more time for outside interests. Like writing or 4-wheeling.

As winter approaches, I’m drawn back to my projects. The thought of crocheting an afghan or blanket while it grows and covers my lap is appealing. My sewing machine is out on the dining room table and my fat squares are waiting to be cut into quilt pieces.

I’ve found new, more specialty stores that feed my addiction. We visited a small, mountain town last summer that had a quilt shop, a place for locals to buy their fat squares. I have a large craft store in the next town. At the worst, I can hit the local Walmart for the basics.

But my new go-to craft shop and instruction stop is the Internet. YouTube has amazing videos on beginning quilting or trying a new pattern. My sister introduced me to a few Facebook groups that share patterns, ask questions, and show off projects all on line. Now, you don’t have to wait for a like-minded cross-stitcher to move into your neighborhood. You can be part of a group of ten or ten thousands who enjoy the craft all on your own time and schedule.

I’m a visual learner, so watching a video about a new stitch or pattern gives me the chance to practice right alongside the computer. And I can hit replay as many times as I want without any judgment or pressure to learn at my teacher’s speed.

So have you tried learning something new using YouTube? Or are you part of any crafting online groups?

If the Shoe Kills

The tourist town of South Cove, California, is a lovely place to spend the holidays. But this year, shop owner Jill Gardner discovers there’s no place like home for homicide. . .

As owner of Coffee, Books, and More, Jill Gardner looks forward to the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers. But when the mayor ropes her into being liaison for a new work program, 'tis the season to be wary. Local businesses are afraid the interns will be delinquents, punks, or worse. For Jill, nothing’s worse than Ted Hendricks--the jerk who runs the program. After a few run-ins, Jill’s ready to kill the guy. That, however, turns out to be unnecessary when she finds Ted in his car--dead as a doornail. Officer Greg assumes it’s a suicide. Jill thinks it’s murder. And if the holidays weren’t stressful enough, a spoiled blonde wants to sue the city for breaking her heel. Jill has to act fast to solve this mess--before the other shoe drops. . .

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