BOOK CLUB FRIDAY - GUEST AUTHOR KARI LEE TOWNSEND

Back for another visit today is the multi-talented, bestselling, award-winning author Kari Lee Townsend. Kari writes mystery, romantic comedies, and women’s fiction for both adults and young adults under her own name and as Kari Lee Harmon. To learn more about her visit her website.

Kari is offering a copy of Corpse in the Crystal Ball, her latest Fortune Teller Mystery, to one of our readers who posts a comment to the blog this week. Don’t forget to check back Sunday to see if you’re that lucky winner. -- AP

 Sunny’s Style

I had so much fun creating the main character of my Fortune Teller Mystery series, Sunshine Meadows. Sunny is just that ... fun, bright and sunny.

Sunny has short, blond hair and pale green eyes. She’s petite and quirky just like her nickname Tink, short for Tinker Bell. Even though Sunny comes from a family with money, she’s nothing like her doctor and lawyer parents. She is psychic and chooses fortune telling as her profession.

Sunny’s laid back and casual, shopping for her clothes in thrift stores and getting her hair cut for free at cosmetology schools. She’s a natural beauty, more cute than stunning, which is a good thing because she hates the feel of makeup on her face. She loves wearing long flowy skirts, t-shirts and sandals. No fuss no muss.

You gotta love a girl who can eat, and Sunny loves to eat but hates to exercise. Although, the hunky bartender down at Smokey Jo’s, who also moonlights as a personal trainer at Wally’s World Gym, has sparked her interest in Zumba. Not that Detective Grumpy Pants Mitch Stone would notice. He’s too busy arguing with her and driving her crazy.

She’s not a coffee drinker, so when she wants to sit back and relax, she loves a good cup of tea or hot coco, not to mention an ice cold beer on a hot day. All in all, Sunny is a person I would like to hang out with. Hopefully, you will, too  To find out more about Sunny and the rest of the gang, go to www.karileetownsend.com

Psychic Sunshine Meadows makes a dark discovery in the woods…

After clearing her name as the prime suspect in a murder, Sunny Meadows hopes she can finally enjoy some serenity in the idyllic town of Divinity in upstate New York. She’d also like a second chance with Detective Mitch Stone. But when Mitch’s gorgeous ex-girlfriend Isabel Gonzales shows up, Sunny’s not sure she can compete. Then Isabel mysteriously disappears. When the police turn to Sunny for help, her visions lead to the discovery of Isabel’s corpse in the woods. Before she died, Isabel scrawled a message in the dirt implicating Mitch in her murder. Now Sunny must help the man she’s falling in love with as she sets out to find the real killer. But this time Sunny’s clairvoyant abilities might not save her—as what she doesn’t see can hurt her…

Sounds spooktacular, Kari! Thanks for joining us today. Readers, if you’d like a chance to win a copy of Corpse in the Crystal Ball, post a comment. -- AP

THIS WEEK'S BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER

Thanks to everyone who stopped by this week and a special thank you to author Kari Lee Townsend for being our Book Club Friday guest and offering a copy of Tempest in the Tea Leaves to one of our readers. The winner this week is Gabriella Hewitt. Gabriella, please email your mailing address to anastasiapollack@gmail.com. I'll forward it to Kari so she can send you your book.

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR KARI LEE TOWNSEND

We're happy to have back author Kari Lee Townsend today. Kari lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, her three busy boys, and her oh-so-dramatic daughter, who keep her grounded and make everything she does worthwhile...not to mention provide her with loads of material for her books. Find out more about Kari at her website and Mysteries and Margaritas, the group mystery blog she co-hosts.

Kari is giving away a copy of Tempest in the Tea Leaves to one of our readers who posts a comment to the blog this week. -- AP

Thanks so much to the fabulous Anastasia (aka Lois Winston) for letting me blog here today. And thanks to all of you awesome readers and writers who came to hang out with me today. As I tried to think about what I would blog about this morning, I looked around and noticed the covers for Tempest in the Tea Leaves and Corpse in the Crystal Ball (books 1 and 2 of my Fortune Teller Mysteries). I LOVE my covers! I got lucky. Berkley Prime Crime has some amazing artists on their staff, and my editor is always great about asking me what I’d like to see on the cover. Smart, since authors know their books better than anyone else and can probably come up with some pretty cool aspects to add to a cover. So basically I get to give my input, but I do not get final approval. What they come up with is pretty much what they come up with, period. Especially when an artist paints a picture. Knowing all that, I try to think of exactly what I really want to see on the cover first. Often times the artist has not read the book.

With Tempest in the Tea Leaves I sent them this blurb:

In the fortune telling business there are a lot of pretenders, but Sunshine Meadows is the real deal—and her predictions can be lethally accurate… Sunny is a big city psychic who moves to the quaint town of Divinity, NY to open her fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house, inheriting the strange cat residing within. Sunny gives her first reading to the frazzled town librarian and discovers the woman is going to die. When the woman flees in terror, Sunny calls the police, only she’s too late. The ruggedly handsome, hard-nosed detective is a “non-believer.” He finds the librarian dead, and Sunny becomes his number one suspect, forcing her to prove her innocence before the real killer can put an end to the psychic’s future.

I also sent descriptions of the main characters, and a description of the house as well as Morty. I think something about all the covers in a series needs to brand the books. In my case, each book will have whatever fortune-telling tool that book is showcasing. Also, the big white cat with black eyes named Morty is quite the character and plays a big part in helping Sunny solve the mysteries. So I suggested that Morty be on each of the covers. Then I suggested for book one, since it’s the first in a series and the first time we meet Morty, that it would be really cool if we could showcase Vicky—the ancient Victorian house that is presumed to be haunted that Sunny buys to be used as her home and business. This house has charm and character and was Morty’s house first. The only thing I didn’t consider mentioning ahead of time is that Book One takes place in winter, and the flowers and the house on the cover are definitely not set in winter. But that minor detail is overshadowed by the great detail they put into the cover: the peeling paint, the tea table on the front porch, Sunny’s Sanctuary sign hanging from the roof. Even Morty looks eerie and mystical. All in all, it’s a fabulous cover.

For book two, Corpse in the Crystal Ball, I sent them this blurb:

Psychic Sunshine Meadows makes a dark discovery in the woods… After clearing her name as the prime suspect in a murder, Sunny Meadows hopes she can finally enjoy some serenity in the idyllic town of Divinity in upstate New York. She’d also like a second chance with Detective Mitch Stone. But when Mitch’s gorgeous ex-girlfriend Isabel Gonzales shows up, Sunny’s not sure she can compete. Then Isabel mysteriously disappears. When the police turn to Sunny for help, her visions lead to the discovery of Isabel’s corpse in the woods. Before she died, Isabel scrawled in the dirt a message implicating Mitch in her murder. Now Sunny must help the man she’s falling in love with as she sets out to find the real killer. But this time Sunny’s clairvoyant abilities might not save her—as what she doesn’t see can hurt her.

I also sent them descriptions of the main characters once more. Then for this book, I suggested that we go inside Sunny’s Sanctuary so we could sneak a peek inside her world. I gave them a detailed description of her sanctuary, and again suggested that Morty be in there somewhere. I mentioned that money is a clue in the book as well.

I love this cover even more than the first, and I really hadn’t thought that was possible. The amount of detail that went into this cover amazed me. The constellations on the ceiling, the horoscope border, the Victorian style blue walls, the palm reading chart on the wall, the beaded doorway, the Victorian table with the black scrying cloth on top, the crystal ball behind Morty, and even the protective crystal angels on the corners of the table. I couldn’t be happier. I also think lots of color in a cover is eye catching and will surely hook a reader into at least flipping the book over and reading the back cover blurb. And isn’t that the point?

So next up will be book three, Trouble in the Tarot. I am already thinking ahead to what should go into this cover. Tempest took place in winter and involved tea leaves. Corpse took place in spring and involved a crystal ball. Trouble will take place in the hot and sticky summer and will involve Tarot Cards.

I don’t have a blurb for this book yet, but it will involve the local summer carnival that takes place in the center of old fashioned Divinity with its lantern street lamps in Mini Central Park. There will be the park’s gazebo and the swan pond, of course, but also carnival tents with games and crafts and rides, etc. Sunny will be helping her grandmother who’s sewing group put on the carnival by setting up shop in one of the tents and giving Tarot Card readings to the locals. Granny Gert is also quite the character who was introduced in book two and will now be a regular. I’m thinking book three’s cover could be a shot of Mini Central Park with the gazebo, the swan pond, and Sunny under one of the tents reading the victim’s tarot cards with Morty by her side. That could be fun. What do you all think? Any ideas? I’d love to hear them.


Any suggestions, readers? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a copy of Tempest in the Tea Leaves, and don't forget to either include your email or check back on Sunday to see if you've won. -- AP

DECORATING WITH JEANIE -- GUEST AUTHOR KARI LEE TOWNSEND AND A TOUR OF A VICTORIAN HOME MYSTERY SETTING

Decorating editor Jeanie Sims invited author Kari Lee Townsend to guest blog today and tell us all about a very special Victorian house. Kari writes fun and exciting stories with mystical elements and quirky characters. Her latest book is TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES: A Fortune Teller Mystery. You can learn more about Kari at her website  and also at the Mysteries and Margaritas group mystery blog  -- AP

Sunny’s Sanctuary

Hi there. My name is Kari Lee Townsend and I am the author of TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES. I’m here today to tell you all about my friend, Sunshine Meadows. She’s a big city psychic who moves to the old-fashioned, quaint town of Divinity, NY to open her fortune-telling business in an ancient Victorian house, inheriting Morty, a strange cat residing within. Everyone thinks the house is haunted, but Sunny told me she suspects the haunting is more like a Morty temper tantrum. I was sort of freaked out, but I didn’t tell her. She asked me over for lunch, and I said yes. What a surprise I found when she gave me a tour of her house.

Sunny’s house comes fully furnished and decorated in the Victorian style. It has a huge, wrap-around porch with peeling antique white paint that’s somehow charming. The interior is decorated in the lavish, romantic, splendor of Queen Victoria herself. I’ve always loved that look.

The bathroom is upstairs and has these beautiful scrolls, florals, and sea figures hand painted on the sink and toilet. It’s so pretty, but I was a goner for the tub. The bathtub is free-standing with claw feet gilded in gold. I’ve always dreamed of having one of those. And then there’s a pedestal sink that sits in front of a huge gilded mirror with brass fixtures and gas lights on the sides. Heavy wood paneling covers the walls, and a shaving stand as well as small furniture occupies an adorable sitting area. If it were me, I’d spend loads of time in that bathroom.

Then she showed me her bedroom. The bedroom consists of a huge four poster, king sized bed. I’d have to run and jump just to climb on top. It’s pretty spectacular. I’m sure Sunny’s hunky detective, Mitch Stone, would love it…if he ever gets the chance to see it J Ornately carved chests and bureaus of dark wood hold Sunny’s clothes, as well as a closet, though Sunny isn’t vain or into material things, so they are mostly empty. She also has this really cool free standing screen to dress behind. I’m thinking about getting one of those myself.

Next she took me to the kitchen. The kitchen is on the main level with a root cellar below it. It has a formal dining room with a large, round, dark wood table with pedestals, as well as overstuffed chairs made of leather that are heavily upholstered, with uniquely shaped and curved backs. But Sunny prefers dining in the servants’ area of the main part of the kitchen with the long harvest table where meals were often prepared. I don’t blame her. It’s very cozy. There’s a fireplace, a scullery where dishes are washed and vegetables are cleaned, as well as a laundry room off to the side. And the pantry not only has dry goods, but also is where the silver, glassware and table linens are stored. I have to say I’m impressed. It’s all very neat and tidy. Then again, is that Morty’s doing? I’m not really sure. 

The entryway houses a heavy mirrored hat stand that leads into the living room, where oriental rugs cover the wood floors. Damasks, silks, and velvet fabrics drape everything, with all sorts of knickknacks littering the tops. Needlepoint pillows and chair seats are abundant, as well as layers of lace, tassels, and fringe. Thick cording holds back heavy drapes that frame these beautiful windows. Deep, rich colors of reds, golds, greens, and browns seem to be the theme. And I’ve never seen so many large vases with floral arrangements, plant stands, and potted palms. They are scattered about all over the place, along with plenty of Grecian busts and statues.

Excessive would be the word I’m thinking of, but that is in keeping with the authentic nature of that era. Sunny said she enjoys the Victorian look, but sometimes the clutter is overwhelming, and trying to keep it all clean is mind-boggling. I shudder just thinking about it. That’s why she is so grateful her sanctuary was left empty. Like a clean slate meant for her alone to put her stamp on. And that’s exactly what she does, I noticed, as we entered her fortune-telling room last.

She hung crystal beads in place of a door, which I have to admit is pretty cool. Then she painted the walls a soft, pale blue meant to relax the seeker while the seer—that would be her—reads her client’s fortune. New age music pours quietly out of speakers, a tropical fish tank bubbles away in one corner, and a fireplace pops and crackles in the other. Various green plants and herbs are scattered about tastefully. Even I can see that unlike the rest of her house, this room has a peaceful aura to it…and I’m not even psychic.

Constellations cover the ceiling in a dazzling imitation of the universe, and when she dims the lights, they glow. That’s her favorite part, she said, and I have to agree. Last but not least her fortune-telling supplies sit on shelves in the other corner, as well as candles and incense in all sorts of colors and scents. The old fashioned tea table in the center serves as the place where she does her readings, and this is the one area where she truly feels herself. I can tell. After an amazing reading (I’ll tell you about that some other time J ) I headed home, but I definitely plan to go back.

So tell me, do you have a special room that you love the most. A place you like to go to be alone and that just makes you feel good? Sunny and I both want to hear all about it J

Thanks for the wonderful tour, Kari! I love old Victorian homes. And TEMPEST IN THE TEA LEAVES sounds like a winner. -- AP