Tag Archives | cozy mystery

Going Red!

I’ve always loved red kitchen cabinets.

I’ve always wanted them. Coveted them. I’d see them in a kitchen magazine or on Pinterest–and I’d stop and just stare at it with a dreamy look on my face.

Along those lines, hubby and I have been wanting to redo do our kitchen going on several years now. Fine, more like ten. We finally reached a point where we were ready to proceed. I studied. I researched. And found a technique called glazing, which I thought might be easier than distressing.

We did it.

Even though I knew white was more trendy, I went with what I love. We only live once, right?

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Um, now we just need to get them back on the wall, install the new sink and counter, paint the walls, tear out a cabinet and insert a new range, drill through some brick, add a stone back splash, refinish the floors, and build shelving. Right. Wish us luck. 🙂

I know there’s a life lesson and writing lesson in there somewhere.

In book news:

A Highly Suspicious Death is free for the next few days!

Also, the series is complete!

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AMAZON ~ KINDLE UNLIMITED

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AMAZON ~ KINDLE UNLIMITED

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AMAZON ~ KINDLE UNLIMITED

Have a terrific weekend!

Laura

 

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Inspiration in a stranger and a cover reveal.

I’ve never talked much about what inspires or motivates me to spend the time writing a premise into a novel. Trust me, I’ve got plenty of premises, even in-depth outlines, even whole books written (one trilogy) that most likely will never reach readers.

Don’t we all though as writers?

Never mind all the premises and stories that never made it out of my head, and died before having the chance at life. (My deepest apologies to all those ideas and characters who maybe wanted a chance. Sorry, this isn’t a democracy.)

As you might have noticed I love mysteries. I love stories with only a hint of mystery. I love heist stories. They fascinate me. I love romantic mysteries too.

What you might not know is that I love characters who aren’t the best looking or the most confident. I love when the romantic element is messy and troublesome, where the characters have to embrace the flaws in the other person even if they never have that turning point where they’re able to overcome them.

A year or so ago I was inspired by a stranger. He wasn’t particularly good looking. He had a hawk nose. He wore an elegant scarf around his neck, along with this faux-looking leather coat. I never met him, but I had so many questions. I sensed this false arrogance that possibly covered deep insecurity. I never met him. Never talked to him.

Eventually, this man became Devon Despicable in A Highly Suspicious Death. (Releasing April 19th, 2016)

 HighlyFinalInsideA murder. Lost pirate treasure. Two amateur sleuths.

When a sea captain washes up on the beach—dead—at the worst possible time, Devon Despicable is not happy. What an inconvenience. He’s already hosting a houseguest who claims amnesia and whom he suspects is lying to spy on him—concerning the legendary lost pirate treasure.

Francesca Lovely can’t remember a thing. She woke up on the beach behind Devon’s house with nothing. Well, except for the wetsuit on her body, with a suspicious stain that looks like blood. When Devon instructs her to lie to the detective about the stain, Fran suspects Devon is hiding a lot behind his calm demeanor. And she aims to find out what.

Dodging the detective’s suspicions that one of them may be the murderer while investigating the captain’s crew, Devon and Fran work together to solve the mystery behind this highly suspicious death.

At that point in my life, and currently, I desperately needed humor. I needed to laugh. I wanted to write a comical,  somewhat unrealistic, and over-the-top kind of story. I wanted it to be a murder mystery of sorts. Maybe it was everything happening in the world, all the heartache and sadness. I couldn’t read the sad books. I couldn’t write them. Still can’t.

I pictured a fictional town on the New England seacoast. (I also love pirates and the rumors of lost pirate treasure that I hear about in New England. So I had to include that.)

So is this story a cozy mystery? Yes…sort of. It’s really a love story between two imperfect people overcoming and facing their false egos, their pasts, and their insecurities. (It’s definitely not a police procedural as there is not one element of real police work. Not really.)

I had a blast writing it. I lost myself in the story and the characters. Next week, I’ll reveal chapter one and provide a chance to win an ebook before the release date.

See you next week! (Feel free to comment on any uplifting or humorous books you’ve read of late!)

~ Laura

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A #christmasfail and new releases!

I had dreams.

I envisioned the gasps and comments of my children’s friends at the cafeteria table. “Wow! What a fantastic dessert?” or “Can I have the recipe?” or “You’ve got the best mom ever!”

Well, you know what they say. Pride comes before a fall.

I mean how hard can it be to melt white chocolate chips? So with a smile, I happily broke up the Winter Oreo cookies, pretzel sticks, and joyfully added in the Christmas MnMs. All I had to do was pour the melted white chocolate over the mix. Presto–dessert! No baking necessary!

It started out fine. I put the bowl in the microwave, stirred, microwaved…etc. At first, it was working. Then I noticed that it stopped melting and was crumbling. Upon research, I later learned the term for what happened is called seizing. Basically, once you reach this point, the chocolate is ruined.

I was going to give up on melting white chocolate forever, but I will try once more. Soon. In a double boiler and see if that helps. Who know that white chocolate was so complicated?

Regardless, I hope your holiday baking has been more successful than mine!

On the publishing end, a lot has been happening in the past month or so. I have three books for you all–all at 99 cents for a short time.

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Click the picture for Amazon–available for free on Kindle Unlimited!

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Click the picture for Amazon–available for free on Kindle Unlimited!

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Click the picture for Amazon–available for free on Kindle Unlimited!

That’s all for now. There’s one last Holly Hart cozy coming. Most likely to be released late January or early February. And, soon in the New Year, I’ll have a cover and blurb for a new humorous cozy mystery series. (That’s all I can say for now.)

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday!! Share any news or traumatic holiday cooking you may need to share! Or lie so I’ll feel better. 🙂

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A new cozy mystery release! Huge giveaway!

Well, launch day finally came! Woo hoo! After many days of writing, editing, and formatting, Footprints in the Frosting is live on Amazon. For now, it’s only for sale on Amazon through Kindle Select and Kindle Unlimited.

Download Footprints in the Frosting now!

I have a huge giveaway starting today. The winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card! My way of saying thanks for helping to spread the word on my new book! The rafflecopter is below! Included is a paperback giveaway on Goodreads!

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 And don’t forget that by signing up for my newsletter, you’ll receive Murder with a Slice of Cheesecake!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway

Footprints in the Frosting by Laura Pauling

Footprints in the Frosting

by Laura Pauling

Giveaway ends May 27, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

 

Thank you so much for helping me spread the news about Footprints in the Frosting!

Below is the rafflecopter. Or click here. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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A new sleuth and a FREE cozy mystery!

I don’t really know why it took me so long to write a cozy mystery. I grew up on a steady diet of mysteries. I love mysteries. I still read mysteries. All different kinds–not just cozies. A lot of what I write and what I’ve published has a mystery element. So I decided to go for it. It’s been a lot of fun.

It’s fun putting the pieces together. It’s fun developing a character in a small town who has enough depth and life to be a series. It’s fun creating secondary characters and side kicks and the romantic interest. And it’s especially fun creating a worthy adversary!

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If you’ve signed up for my newsletter, in the next week or so I’ll be sending out a free cozy mystery novella, introducing the sleuth. And then, early May, the first cozy mystery will release on Amazon. Clue: Newsletter signup is on the right!

With no further ado, meet Holly Hart

amateur sleuth and cheesecake connoisseur!

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Stay tuned!

Next week will be the cover reveal for Holly’s first mystery!

Footprints in the Frosting!

And there just might be review copies available!

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