Photo Research Journal: Amsterdam Tulips

Photo Research Journal: Amsterdam Tulips

I timed my research trip to Amsterdam to coincide with tulip season, so of course I had to visit Keukenhof Gardens, where 7 million bulbs are planted every year. It was an amazing site. I loved the creativity in the plantings and the sheer variety of tulips on...
Photo Research Journal: Amsterdam

Photo Research Journal: Amsterdam

I had a wonderful time during my research trip to Amsterdam, one of the settings in Duplicity, book seven in the On the Run series. We had gorgeous weather while we were there–no rain!      Visit the canals and flowers of Amsterdam with Duplicity, the...
Cozy Mysteries: More than Cats and Cupcakes

Cozy Mysteries: More than Cats and Cupcakes

When I wrote my first cozy I wanted to take my readers on a fun ride. I thought I was writing a lighthearted escape, a mystery puzzle for they would read to relax at the end of a busy day of carpooling or dealing with clients and customers. What I didn’t expect were...
Is My Book a Cozy Mystery?

Is My Book a Cozy Mystery?

Is my book a cozy mystery? That’s a question I hear often in writer groups as authors try to figure out which categories to select for their books at the online bookstores. However, I think it’s the wrong question. A better question to ask is: Will cozy readers like...
What is a Cozy Mystery?

What is a Cozy Mystery?

What is a cozy mystery? Some people have a narrow definition: Cozies are “cute” books about women who bake cupcakes or knit or cook and who have a cat or dog. The pet might talk or help the protagonist solve the crime. The stories have lots of humor, a little mystery,...
Book Club Questions for Murder at Archly Manor

Book Club Questions for Murder at Archly Manor

  Olive Belgrave is part of the world of high society, but not wealthy in her own right. How is her position as a well-brought up lady both a help and a hindrance to her? How much did you know about the 1920s before reading the book? Was there anything that...
Podcasts for Mystery Readers

Podcasts for Mystery Readers

I’ve listened to podcasts about writing for years, but recently I discovered a new niche in the podcast world that’s so exciting–podcasts for mystery readers! Each one has a slightly different angle. Some focus on a single mystery author, while...
1920s Fashion Inspiration

1920s Fashion Inspiration

One of my favorite parts of researching the 1920s High Society Lady Detective mysteries is the fashion–the stylish cloche hats, the casually sophisticated day dresses with their new dropped waistlines, and the gorgeous evening gowns. Here’s a sampling of...
Inspiration for Castle Ruin in High Society Books

Inspiration for Castle Ruin in High Society Books

If you’ve read my Murder on Location series, you may remember a mention of a castle ruin near the English village of Nether Woodsmoor. In the fourth book of the High Society Lady Detective series, Murder in Black Tie, my characters picnic at the ruin of Cormont...