SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

We're starting something new here at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers on Sundays. Along with announcing the winners when we have giveaways, we'll occasionally be participating in Six Sentence Sunday -- a teaser of six sentences from either those humorous amateur sleuth books about moi (see sidebar) written by author Lois Winston, or one of her other books, not about moi. Yes, much to my dismay, she does spend time with other protagonists, the two-timer!  :-(


Today, six sentences from Death By Killer Mop Doll, the latest Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery:

So after tossing in a load of wash, I microwaved a cup of coffee left over from breakfast. I was about to take my second sip when Zack’s silver Porsche Boxster rolled down the driveway.

He waved as he killed the engine and jumped out. Returning the wave, I watched -- no, I stared like a star-struck teeny-bopper at a Justin Bieber concert -- as he retrieved his overnight bag and camera case from the trunk. Where is the justice? No man, especially one in his mid-forties, has the right to look that damn good in a pair of jeans.

Death By Killer Mop Doll is available from all the usual suspects. Buy links can be found on Lois's website.

Like the idea of Six Sentence Sunday? Other authors participating can be found at the Six Sentence Sunday website.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--KILLER MOP DOLL DOES MALICE (AND FoM)

A few weeks ago I told you that Lois Winston, the author who writes those books about moi, was taking a road trip to the Malice Domestic mystery convention in Bethesda, MD and the Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, PA. Accompanying Lois on her 700 mile roundtrip was a killer mop doll.

I’m happy to report that the killer mop doll spilled no blood during these two events, and no mystery writers or readers were harmed in the course of this road trip (at least not by the killer mop doll.) Although I have it on good authority that there was some need for the hair of the dog the morning after the night before on more than one occasion. Not saying for whom, though. You know who you are.

Presented here for your enjoyment and proof that everyone had a great time and didn’t fall prey to the killer mop doll (really, does she look like a killer?), are pictures from the two events. -- AP

"Elvis and the Commies" panel at Malice Domestic --
moderator Catriona McPherson, the KMD, and author Lois Winston

The entire "Elvis and the Commies" panel -- Catriona McPherson (moderator),
KMD, Lois Winston, Lane Stone, Deborah Sharp, and Joelle Charbonneau

Author Lois Winston signing at Malice Domestic
(KMD isn't happy with the photographer of this photo.)

Terri Bischoff, Midnight Ink editor responsible for deadly glue guns and killer mop dolls.
(If you can't make out the T-shirt, it says, "Editors: Reading Crappy Manuscripts
So You Don't Have To")

The entire Midnight Ink contingent at Malice (minus KMD)

M'Inkers Vicki Doudera, Jess Lourey, Linda Hull, and Lois Winston at the Malice banquet.
(KMD wasn't invited)

KMD and author Lois Winston at the Festival of Mystery

Midnight Ink authors with Mystery Lovers Bookshop co-owner Richard Goldman
at party after Festival of Mystery

The Killer Mop Doll and author Alice Loweecey's nun doll
(They co-habitated during the Festival of Mystery.)

Special thanks to Alice Loweecey, Catriona McPherson, Terri Bischoff, Beth Groundwater, Kathleen Ernst, and Jessie Chandler for use of their photos.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--KILLER MOP DOLL ROAD TRIP

Author Lois Winston (who writes those books about moi) is about to embark on a road trip with a killer mop doll. If you’re planning to attend Malice Domestic in Bethesda, MD at the end of the week, this is your opportunity to get up close and personal with an actual killer mop doll.

On Friday, April 27th, Lois and the Killer M.D. will be taking part in Malice-Go-Round at 10:00am. Forty-two mystery authors and one killer mop doll will be table-hopping around a ballroom at the Hyatt Regency. Will the mop doll behave herself? You’ll want to be there to find out.

Then on Saturday, April 28th, Lois and the Killer M.D. will be on a panel at 2:30pm. “Elivs and the Commies: Sidekicks Who Provide Comic Relief” will be moderated by Catriona McPherson. Other panelists include Joelle Charbonneau, Deborah Sharp, and Lane Stone. I’m not sure which author will be discussing Elvis, but I certainly know which one will be talking about a certain commie mother-in-law.

At 4:20pm that afternoon, Lois will be signing books at the group signing event. Check out the Malice Domestic schedule for exact locations of all these events.

Not going to Malice? On Monday, April 30th, Lois and the Killer M.D. will be taking part in the 17th annual Festival of Mystery in Oakmont, PA. The event will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church, 12 Washington, St., Oakmont, PA. Doors open at 4:00pm with close to 50 mystery authors taking part. The event is sponsored by 90.5 Essential Public Radio. Proceeds support literacy efforts in the Pittsburgh area.

Lois would love to see you at either or both events. The killer mop doll is keeping mum about her intentions.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- A KILLER MOP DOLL AT LEFT COAST CRIME

Are you attending Left Coast Crime in Sacramento? Author Lois Winston, unfortunately, will not be there. However, one of her mop dolls, along with signed copies of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun and Death By Killer Mop Doll, will be attending in her stead. If you’ll be at Left Coast Crime, you may be lucky enough to win the mop doll shown above and the books at the LCC annual charity auction.

Left Coast Crime will be held March 29th - April 1st. The auction benefits the Sacramento Library Adult Literacy Program, which serves the entire Sacramento City/County region with 29 libraries, representing a population of more than 1.4 million people.

To learn more about Left Coast Crime, visit their website. 

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR LOIS WINSTON

As promised last week, author Lois Winston returns today to answer that burning question on everyone’s mind: what the heck is a mop doll? -- AP

Thank you, Anastasia. Death By Killer Mop Doll will be released next week, and the question I’m most frequently asked is, as you so delicately put it, what the heck is a mop doll.

Well, I am a delicate person.

You?

Of course. Now let’s get on with the topic of the day. We have readers staring at their monitors, holding their breath in anticipation.

All right. Without further ado, a mop doll is a doll crafted from a cotton string mop, those mops you often see janitors using in office buildings.

Yuck!

Hold on! These dolls are made from unused string mops, ones that have never come in contact with a bucket of Mr. Clean.

I knew that. I was just stating what our readers were probably thinking.

Right. As you know, Anastasia, crafters are very resourceful people. We’re constantly finding new uses for readily available materials, and cotton string mops are readily available in just about any hardware store, home store, or supermarket.

At some point in the late 1980’s, these dolls started popping up at crafts fairs, first in California, then spreading throughout the country. Suddenly, mop dolls were all the rage, and mop head manufacturers were selling tens of thousands of mop heads to craft stores. Like all trends, though, the mop doll craze eventually went the way of the pet rock -- until now, thanks to you and a certain assistant producer you meet in your latest adventure, Death By Killer Mop Doll.

The picture shows me with a mop doll at the Bouchercon mystery convention in St. Louis this past September (I’m the one who looks like she’s fighting a cold.)

Definitely not the most flattering picture you’ve ever taken, dear.

I know, but it’s the one that best showcases the mop doll.

Speaking of conventions, you have some exciting news for anyone who will be attending the American Library Association Mid-Winter conference in Dallas, don’t you?

That’s right. For anyone attending the conference (January 20-24 at the Dallas Convention Center), Midnight Ink will be raffling off the hand-crafted mop doll shown in the photo during the opening reception Friday evening, January 20^th at 7pm. Librarians and reviewers in attendance are encouraged to stop by the Midnight Ink booth #1459 to register for the drawing. In addition, signed copies of Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun and Death By Killer Mop Doll will also be raffled off.

And as mentioned last week, Lois will be going on a virtual blog tour throughout January to promote Death By Killer Mop Doll. As part of the tour, she’ll be giving away 5 copies of the book. To enter the drawing, just post a comment to any of the blogs on the tour or to today’s post. You can find the schedule for the blog tour on the sidebar to the right.

In addition, Lois will also be giving away 3 copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll on Goodreads.

Read more about Lois and an excerpt of Death By Killer Mop Doll at her website. -- AP

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR LOIS WINSTON

In two weeks Death By Killer Mop Doll, the second book in the critically acclaimed mystery series about yours truly (hence the series name of the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries), will be released. So today I’ve invited Lois Winston, the author responsible for telling my stories, to talk about the new book. -- AP

Thank you, Anastasia. It’s a pleasure to be allowed to write about your adventures. Given your life and family, you make my job rather easy.

Hey, you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives…or even what you inherit from them.

Very true.

So I understand with this book you’ve chosen to write about my foray into morning television. Why don’t you give our readers a bit to whet their appetites for the book?

In Death By Killer Mop Doll crafts editor Anastasia Pollack’s stress level maxes out when her well-intentioned mother meets and seduces TV producer Lou Beaumont. Suddenly, Anastasia and her fellow American Woman editors find themselves roped into unpaid gigs for a revamped morning TV show. However, not everyone involved enjoys the idea of the overhaul, and a disgruntled staffer takes action by trashing the studio set. When that doesn’t halt production, vandalism escalates to murder, and a member of the production team is found with one of Anastasia’s knitting needles plunged through his heart.

The network decides the show must go on, but morning TV turns crime drama as a blackmail plot is uncovered, and another body is found. Because Anastasia fears the killer might go after her and Mama next, she has no recourse but to launch her own investigation. Unfortunately, her snooping lands her directly in the killer's unforgiving spotlight.

Don’t remind me! That was one harrowing experience, and unlike the time I found myself locked in a killer’s trunk, this time I didn’t have any of my trusty craft tools to help set me free.

Well, we don’t want to give away too much, but I suppose it’s safe to say that you did live to get involved in yet another murder investigation.

Yes, but readers will have to wait until next year for that one. Meanwhile, Death By Killer Mop Doll, will be available from all the usual suspects, both brick and mortar and online. For those of you who’d prefer the e-book version, that will be available next month.

Lois will also be going on a virtual blog tour throughout January to promote Death By Killer Mop Doll. As part of the tour, she’ll be giving away 5 copies of the book. To enter the drawing, just post a comment to any of the blogs on the tour or to today’s post. You can find the schedule for the blog tour on the sidebar to the right.

In addition, Lois will be giving away 3 copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll on Goodreads.

And since I’m sure many of you are wondering exactly what a mop doll is, be sure to stop by next Friday when Lois returns with a bit of mop doll lore. Meanwhile, read more about Lois and an excerpt from Death By Killer Mop Doll at her website. -- AP

DEATH BY KILLER MOP DOLL BOOK GIVEAWAY

Author Lois Winston and a mop doll at the Midnight Ink booth at Bouchercon

Last weekend Lois Winston, the author who writes the books about me, attended Bouchercon, the huge mystery book convention. At the Midnight Ink booth, she signed and gave away  advance reading copies of Death By Killer Mop Doll, the second book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries series which will be released in Jan. Lois came home with a few extra copies, and she's giving two of them away. If you'd like to enter the drawing for an ARC of Death By Killer Mop Doll, all you have to do is sign up for her author newsletter by sending an email to: LoisWinstonAuthorNewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or add yourself as a follower to this blog by clicking on the Join This Site button (under Followers) on the sidebar to the right. Then send Lois an email at lois@loiswinston.com to let her know that you've signed up for one or the other. -- Anastasia