MEET AUTHOR GRACE TOPPING'S HOME STAGER AND AMATEUR SLEUTH LAURA BISHOP

A Staged Home Office

Laura Bishop, from mystery author Grace Topping’s Laura Bishop Mysteries, stops by to introduce herself today.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

Pretty boring. I worked as an Information Technology specialist, which paid well, but bored me to tears. Investigating a system problem and finding a bug in the system was about as exciting as my job or life got. Since I was a natural problem solver, I yearned for more interesting problems to solve.

After my husband was killed in an automotive accident, with his female passenger (long story), I decided to change careers and do something that made me happy instead of what others thought I should do. From a young age, I’d always had a knack for interior decorating—so strong that I had to control my instinct to give friends, and even total strangers, advice about their décor. I learned the hard way that people don’t always appreciate unsolicited opinions or advice.

But I was determined to go into a career that could draw on my talents. I began by helping friends “stage” their homes for sale (making them as appealing as possible to sell quickly and for a good price). To make a living doing staging, I realized I needed to get some training and accreditation as a professional home stager, which I did.

Little did I realize that when I nabbed my first staging job, I would be introduced to the world of murder and mayhem. I knew trying to stage a 19^th century mansion that hadn’t been updated in decades could be murder. I just didn’t expect it to involve a body. Suddenly, my old boring life looked more appealing.

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a natural born problem solver, and I love a challenge. I also don’t give up easily—good instincts for someone trying find just the right paint color for a room. I’m also someone who follows through on my commitments, even when I would rather run away to a Florida beach and hide out.  

What do you like least about yourself?

Sometimes the best thing about a person can also be the worst thing. I have a hard time saying no to people, and once I make a commitment, I follow through, sometimes to my own detriment. When Mrs. Webster, the grandmother of a murder suspect, beseeches me to help him by finding the murderer, how can I say no? I tried explaining that my only experience in solving a mystery was finding those pesky system bugs and that I had no experience uncovering a murderer. But since she has such faith in me, I ended up agreeing to at least try. Now I’m stuck trying to find a cold-blooded murderer, and at the same time, deal with the awful flowered wallpaper in the mansion.

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

Would you believe, she had me and my BFF, Nita Martino, go to a campground at night to investigate whether some men living there in a rickety camper could be the ones who committed the murder? First we had to cross a field to get there, which we discovered had been used to graze cows. You can imagine the stuff we ran (or stepped) into. She also dragged Mrs. Webster and me to the same campground searching for some members of Hell’s Angels who might have been involved with the murder. Mrs. Webster is one tough old bird—brave and determined. She probably should have conducted her own investigation.

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

Since I figured Grace knew what she was doing with my life, I didn’t argue with her. However, when I discovered that this was her first mystery, I realized that I should have spoken up. Who in their right minds would have a character taste a suspicious substance she discovered on the mansion’s kitchen floor. Sara Paretsky wouldn’t have done that to V. I. Warshawski.

What is your greatest fear?

On a professional level, disappointing a client/homeowner by not being able to complete a job. On a personal level, I fear I’ll never see my father again. When he and my mother separated when I was young, I saw him frequently, then less frequently, and then not at all. I don’t know whether he is alive or dead.

What makes you happy?

Doing a good job and pleasing people. Also, being able to provide employment to friends who need work with lots of flexibility.

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

Grace makes me out to be an extremely reluctant amateur sleuth—one who knows her limitations and is afraid of making a mess of things. She would like for me to help, but she knows I don’t have a clue how to identify a murderer. I would rather she portrayed me as a braver sleuth—one who would jump into an investigation with gusto.

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

That would have to be Nita, my BFF. We’ve been friends since second grade when her large and loving Italian-American family took me under their wing. My home life wasn’t the greatest, and Nita’s family filled in the cracks with love and good humor. The problem with Nita is that I frequently end up playing Ethel to her Lucy. She is always coming up with harebrained schemes that get us into trouble. Like the time she brought a psychic to the mansion to sweep the house of negativity. Or when she took us on that visit to the campground. It nearly got us arrested.

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

That would have to be Josh Sheridan who owns Antiques and Other Stuff, an antique store with more other stuff than antiques. Josh stocks a large collection of used books and has plenty of time between customers to read to his heart’s content. If we traded places, I could read, and he could track down murderers. 

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Grace Topping is a former IT specialist, technical writer, and project manager, accustomed to writing lean, boring documents. Perhaps that’s why when set free, she let her imagination run wild and sent me on some questionable adventures. She did find her former IT work experience valuable when she created her own web site: www.gracetopping.com. She’s also on Facebook and Twitter, where she takes great delight in promoting her friends’ books and sharing helpful writing tips she’s discovered on other writers’ pages.

What's next for you?

Now that my first home staging commission was a huge success (the mansion sold quickly and for more money than anyone anticipated), I have a reputation as a home stager—one who can be relied on to do a good job. In our next adventure, Nita drags me into the world of artists and local art shows. Unfortunately, my nemesis from our school days is doing some underhanded things to hurt my burgeoning business. We’ll see about her. I’m no longer the meek student she used to badger.

Staging is Murder

A Laura Bishop Mystery

Laura Bishop just nabbed her first decorating commission—staging for sale a 19^th-century mansion that hasn’t been updated for decades. But when a body falls from a laundry chute and lands at Laura’s feet, removing flowered wallpaper becomes the least of her duties. 

To clear her young assistant of the murder and save her fledgling business, Laura’s determined to find the killer. Turns out it’s not as easy as renovating a manor home, especially with two handsome men complicating her mission: the police detective assigned to the case and the real estate agent trying to save the manse from foreclosure.

Worse still, the meddling of a horoscope-guided friend, a determined grandmother, and the local funeral director could get them all killed before Laura props the first pillow.

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#CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--DIY HOME MAKEOVER CRAFT PROJECTS

Danielle Hegedus stops by today with some DIY ideas for sprucing up your home.

Integrating Crafty DIY Projects to Upgrade Your Home Aesthetics

By: Danielle Hegedus

Are you due for a home interior makeover? Maybe you’ve just moved into a new place so you have a blank canvas, but you’re on a budget. Or perhaps you’re ready to let your inner artist loose as you fashion your home to reflect your unique style. We here at Modernize are passionate about helping homeowners create the living spaces of their dreams, regardless of budget or style. And some simple DIY craft projects are the perfect choice for customizing your home without spending lots of money. With a minimal investment in supplies—including some things you can salvage or repurpose—and a little elbow grease, you can have a big impact on the appearance of your home—not to mention how you feel when you are in it!

Create a Unique Interior Space with a Versatile Chalkboard Wall

Adding design elements to your home can be pricey, especially when it comes to professionally framing pictures or purchasing artwork to personalize your space. And depending on your budget, if you’re purchasing items from a chain store, you’re likely to see that vase or print that you thought was so unique show up in five of your friends’ homes, too. Where’s the fun in that?

Ever think about creating your own artwork? If you’re not ready to commit to one image, use chalkboard paint and let your creative impulses run wild. It’s affordable and easily erasable, so whether you have a grand vision for a mural, want to have fun with some doodles, or just want to display your favorite inspiring quotes, here’s your opportunity.

Chalkboard paint is also a great option for a kitchen wall, since it helps organize your grocery list and plan your meals. It can replace a sterile whiteboard in a home office, while still helping you work through projects on a larger scale than pen and paper. And it’s a great option if you have little ones who, let’s face it, are probably inclined to draw on the walls anyway!

Bring the Outside Indoors with Fun, Unexpected Houseplants

Most people enjoy fresh flowers, but a good houseplant improves the look of your home while lasting longer and usually costing less money. Plus, a number of houseplants have been proven to improve the quality of the air in your home, removing harmful toxins found in cleaning products, carpets, and paints to help you breathe easier. Plus, plant pots are a perfect opportunity to repurpose an unexpected item for an interesting design feature in your home. As long as you can create some holes for water drainage (and that’s not even necessary for all plants, bamboo for instance), let your imagination run wild. Give items that might otherwise be headed to the landfill (or just cluttering up your home) a second-life, like old-fashioned tea and cookie tins, plastic bottles, retired kids’ toys, or gift baskets. If you have pots already, refresh their look with a coat of metallic spray paint, or maybe use some leftover bathroom tile or even glass coasters to try your hand at a mosaic. The possibilities are endless.

Take Repurposing to a New Level by Building Your Own Furniture

Whenever I see a wooden palette, I see possibilities. Set it up flat against a wall and you have a great structure for an herb or small vegetable garden. Orienting it vertically enables  you to create a garden in any small space—from an apartment balcony to a small nook by a sunny window. If you have a yard, if you’re an active cyclist, or if you have kids who love to ride bikes, consider using a palette as a bike rack that is attractive and keeps you from backing over one in your car!

My younger brother though, has taken my love of palettes to a whole new level. His entire apartment—bed, coffee table, and bookshelves—are fashioned out of palettes that he either found or asked a small business if he could take off their hands. Usually the businesses are happy to part with palettes, as it saves them money on trash removal, but make sure you ask! If you want to be just as ambitious with your palette projects, you may need some baseline carpentry skills, but there are loads of DIY articles on the internet to help you along the way. Plus, if you make a big mistake, the risk is low because the supplies usually don’t cost you anything and would otherwise be headed to the landfill anyway. 

#DECORATING—ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK?

Turn on any decorating show these days, and you’ll see a preponderance of orange used in everything from accent walls to throwpillows to bric-a-brac. Orange is the go-to color on Property Brothers, Flip or Flop, Love It or List It, and just about every other show on HGTV and the DIY network. More often than not, it’s paired with turquoise. 

Really? Orange and turquoise? I look at that color combination and all I can think of is Howard Johnson’s! Instead of complementing each other, they scream discordance to me. I must be in the minority, though, because these days orange and turquoise are everywhere from the big box stores to the high-end specialty home decor stores.

2016 Colors of the Year--Rose Quartz and Serenity

Interestingly enough, the colors of the year for 2016 are not orange and turquoise. Nor were they the colors of the year for 2015. This year for the first time, the Color Institute chose two colors—Rose Quartz and Serenity. In layman terms that’s baby pink and baby blue. Not exactly orange and turquoise, right?

Last year’s Color of the Year was Marsala, a rich wine color. Again, far removed and a much more sophisticated color than orange.

So why are decorators jumping on the orange bandwagon in opposition to the pronouncements of the Color Institute? I have no idea. All I know is that I’m anxiously awaiting the end of the orange trend. I’m not about to decorate my home like a nursery, but I also refuse to have it looking like a chain restaurant.

How do you feel about orange? And even if you like the color, would you decorate with it and pair it with turquoise?

#DECORATING WITH JEANIE--GUEST AUTHOR CHRISTINA TETREAULT

Christina Tetreault began writing at the age of ten on her grandmother's manual typewriter and never stopped. Currently, she’s the author of two romance series, The Sherbrookes of Newport and Love on The North Shore. Learn more about Christina and her books at her website. 

Much as there are trends in fashion, which change from year to year and from decade to decade, there are also trends in interior decorating. Some trends are timeless while there are others that everyone would like to forget. For example, I love walking into a stately home built around the turn of the 20^th century with its dark hard wood and built in window seats. However, I still cringe every time I think of my grandmother’s bathroom with its blue and pink tile, pink toilet, pink tub and pink sink. Sometimes I wonder how my poor grandfather lived with it for all those years.

So let’s take a look at some of the trends from the past. In the 1940’s old hand-me-down furniture was common and kitchens were functional, complete with stark white appliances. The 1950’s ushered in rugs with patterns and floral wallpaper. I think I visited plenty of houses stuck in this decade when I was house hunting a few years ago.

The 1960’s were a time of rebellion for many, and interiors were often decorated in brightly mismatched colors. Wall-to-wall carpet became the norm in the 1970’s. Some people even put it in their bathrooms, if you can believe that.  During the 1970’s people started to care less about style and more about comfort. Of course that did not last as the 1980’s ushered in a period of material success and people wanted their homes to at least look like they spent a fortune decorating them. We’ve all been in a few of these homes.

Thankfully, styles again changed, and the 1990’s paved the way for the interiors we tend to see today. Interiors, which are more influenced by comfort and function then looking like you spent a million dollars. Of course, even today they vary greatly from home to home and country to country, often reflecting the personality of the people who live there.

Illustrated throughout this post are just a few of the different interiors I found while doing some research for my book Redeeming The Billionaire, which features an interior designer as my heroine.  These images are courtesy of Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici, Sira Anamwong and digidreamgrafix at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Redeeming The Billionaire

Billionaire Trent Sherbrooke works hard and plays harder. He’s never once cared what the media or society says about him, until now.  In order to make it into the United States Senate Trent needs to clean up his reputation and Addison Raimono is just the woman to help him. But soon what he assumed would be a relationship to salvage his reputation turns into so much more. But can a relationship started on a lie ever survive?

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