Since I’ve interviewed author Casey Daniels/Kylie Logan here at Southern Exposure, I thought you might enjoy a visit with one of Casey’s close allies, Pepper Martin, of the Pepper Martin Mysteries. Supernatural Born Killers has just arrived at your favorite bookstore, so make sure to grab a copy fast.  Pepper’s a busy lady–as you’ll see–so let’s get right to it.  You never know what this young woman will say.

1-Pepper, you look like an ordinary young woman. Prettier and more stylish than most, I grant you. But there’s a rumor circulating that you have a very special talent. Want to share?

You’re not talking about my talent for coordinating colors, pairing jewelry with outfits, or finding just the right shoes at the right price, are you? Didn’t think so. If I had to guess, I’d say you’re talking about my ability to talk to the dead. It’s a Gift, as they say, and honestly, there are days I’d like to return it. See, I am the world’s only PI to the dead. Some ghosts can’t get to the Other Side because of the unfinished business they have here, and they need help. That’s where I come in. Sure, it means I get to meet plenty of interesting people, both dead and alive. But it also means I’ve been shot at, mugged, kidnapped, pushed in a grave . . . well, I could go on and on. It’s not easy figuring out the mysteries that tie ghosts to this world so they can pass to the next!

2–Your love life is unbelievably complicated. Don’t you find that exhausting? Are you ever going to settle down with somebody, or are you going to keep looking? 

A girl’s love life isn’t something she likes to broadcast. At least not publicly. But since you mention it . . .

There have been a couple guys in my life, but you probably remember Quinn. He’s the gorgeous, tough, headstrong Homicide detective I met back when I first got this Gift that keeps on giving. We’ve been on and off since then, me and Quinn, and we were really off when I finally confessed to him that I speak to the dead . . . and he told me I was nuts and walked out on me. Oh, his story changed, all right. You see, you got shot on the job, and he was dead for a couple minutes. While he was, his ghost showed up at my apartment. Trouble is, Quinn refuses to talk about it. Like I said, headstrong.

The good news is that in my newest adventure, “Supernatural Born Killers,” it looks like he’s going to learn to open up a bit. Who knows where things may go from there!

3–What’s your favorite “case?” Or do you have even one you liked solving? I mean, they really ARE foisted on you, more or less.

Foisted is a kind word. I don’t have a choice, that’s for sure! The ghosts tell me that if I don’t help them, they’ll haunt me forever. Not a happy thought. As for a favorite, I’ve got to say the new one I mentioned above (“Supernatural Born Killers”) has got a lot going for it. There’s the thing with Quinn, of course, as well as a family reunion of sorts, my new job at the cemetery (I was promoted to community relations manager) and the fact that I now have “staff.” Oh, don’t look for them on the Garden View Cemetery roster. They’re all ghosts, bored with the afterlife and looking for ways to keep busy. I’ve got peeps…and they’re all dead!

4–Do you have a plan for your future? Do you see yourself leading cemetery tours until you retire? 

Now that I’m community relations manager, I’ve got a whole lot more to do than just tours. I write the cemetery newsletter (well, actually, one of those ghosts I told you about is doing that for me). I take care of my department’s budget (no, wait, another ghost has stepped up to help with that). I keep my department organized (well, actually, there’s a third ghost who’s volunteered for that duty). I guess that means I don’t have to worry a whole lot about cemetery business and I can concentrate on being PI to the dead.

5–Can you tell us about any particularly “odd” people you’ve met in your crime-solving journey?

Honestly, to me dead = odd.  I mean, really, are they supposed to come back and bug the heck out of me?  I think not.  So far, I’ve had 9 separate investigations and every resting-but-not-in-peace client qualifies as odd to me.  Then there are the living I meet every day.  In “Supernatural Born Killers,” I’ve got a Superman freak to contend with, and an entire convention’s worth of comic book geeks.  Freaky?  Plenty.

Well, I for one can hardly wait to read about THAT.  Thank you so much for stopping by on your whirlwind book tour.  Wait, I forgot to ask why you’re wearing a wedding dress on the book cover. . .  Pepper. . . Pepper. . ?

I guess we’ll have to find out for ourselves and read the book. Supernatural Born Killers is available at Amazon, B&N, or your favorite independent bookstore.

Late Breaking News:  Pepper’s offering one copy of a Pepper Martin mystery to one commenter on this blog.  Being the impatient person she is, she says you have only a week to comment, so giveaway closes next Friday at midnight, and random.org will make the choice. North American address needed.

Today as a special treat I’m delighted to introduce my friend Sandra Dallas.  Sandra and I met at the Houston International Quilt Show where both of us were signing books for a wonderful vendor, Linne Lindquist of Craftman’s Touch, who was always happy to have us back.  Sandra and I spent several Novembers chatting and signing together, and I still feel that meeting her and becoming friends was one of the best parts of that marvelous experience.

Although I’ve yet to read True Sisters, I am especially looking forward to this one since I’ve always particularly enjoyed Mormon history.  Besides, I just listened to and loved The Bride’s House, set in Georgetown, Colorado in a house Sandra has just–in real life–renovated.  The fascinating story of the renovation is here, and definitely worth reading, along with the book itself.  And after “hearing” The Bride’s House on Audible, I’m ready for another Sandra fix.

Without further introduction, here’s the interview Sandra graciously gave me for your enjoyment.  I ought to add that she also gave me something else very precious, a quote for my upcoming novel One Mountain Away.  You’ll find it on the back cover. (more…)

When a new mystery novelist contacted me months ago and told me she was from the Shenandoah Valley and the author of pie cookbooks, I was intrigued.  She asked me to read the first mystery in her new series, Cumberland Creek Mysteries, from Kensington, to give her a cover quote, and I agreed.  After all, both the Shenandoah Valley and pie have been good to me, and Mrs. Rowe’s in Staunton, VA, the restaurant connected to Mollie’s cookbooks, is a “must-stop” whenever we journey to Asheville, North Carolina.  So  Mollie had me at “please.”

Today is Mollie’s book launch, and the perfect day for an interview.  As a bonus, we’re hosting a unique giveaway, all the supplies for a scrapbooker’s “brag book,” pictured to the right.  One commenter will be chosen by random.org next Tuesday to receive this, so make sure to hop on before then and ask Mollie questions or to tell her how much you want to win. 

Here’s Mollie’s description of her book: 

Having traded in her career as a successful investigative journalist for the life of a stay-at-home mom in picturesque Cumberland Creek, Virginia, Annie can’t help but feel that something’s missing. But she finds solace in a local “crop circle” of scrapbookers united by chore-shy husbands, demanding children, and occasional fantasies of their former single lives. And when the quiet idyll of their small town is shattered by a young mother’s suicide, they band together to find out what went wrong…Annie resurrects her reporting skills and discovers that Maggie Rae was a closet scrapbooker who left behind more than a few secrets – and perhaps a few enemies. As they sift through Maggie Rae’s mysteriously discarded scrapbooks, Annie and her “crop” sisters begin to suspect that her suicide may have been murder. It seems that something sinister is lurking beneath the town’s beguilingly calm facade – like a killer with unfinished business…

Emilie:  What compelled you to write this story? 

Mollie:  This idea came to me, actually, when I was going to a lot of scrapbooking events and was blown away by the generosity and quick friendships of other scrapbookers. About that same time, I read “The Secret Life of Bees” and  I wanted to write a story like it about the power of women’s friendships. I also wanted to take a look at the darker side of that—what isolation and secrets can do to people.  So when National Novel Writing Month came around a few years ago, I decided to dip my toes in and go for it.

Emilie:  You’re known as a food writer.  Why fiction now?

Mollie:   When I think back to my childhood writing, it was always fiction and poetry. But life came along and I needed to earn a living so I worked as a nonfiction writer and an editor. It’s always been a dream of mine to have a novel published. And all of my writing is about story, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction.

Emilie:  Your book is an ensemble piece, lots of characters and many of them important.  Do you have a favorite? 

Mollie:  I really love them all—but I like some facets of their personality better than others. For example, I like that Vera has such a kind and open heart, but I don’t like the way she primps. But if I had to pick my favorite character, it would have to be Beatrice. She was the most fun to write and I think she’s sort of my ideal fantasy of what it would be like to be a healthy eighty-year-old woman. Sometimes, she can be a little “too” honest and gruff, but you can’t really hold it against her.  

Emilie:  Why did you set your novel in the Shenandoah Valley?  What will readers learn about the valley that you’ve learned in real life?

Mollie: I set my novel here because this is where I’ve lived for about 13 years and I still find it fascinating. It’s one of those places that people tend to romanticize a bit—I know I did. While there are family farms, gorgeous mountains, and many “old-order” Mennonites, it’s also much more diverse than that.  As a writer, one of the things I’m fascinated by is this clash of cultures that happens when new people move into communities where much of the population can trace its heritage back to the founding. Sometimes it’s subtle, but it’s usually just beneath the surface. Great fodder for fiction. 

I hope readers will glimpse that tension—one they might not realize exists. 

Emilie:  I’m a quilter, and you’re a scrapbooker.  Both crafts share a love of the past and expressing that love through color and pattern.  What drew you to scrapbooking and what place does it have in your life?

Mollie:  I was a quilter first— I have a love of interesting fabrics, patterns, and textures. And you can say the same thing about scrapbooking and paper. I started scrapbooking, in earnest, when I became a mom, thirteen years ago. At first, it was all about keeping a record about them as they grew.  Then I fell in love with the paper and embellishments and also began to experiment with a sort of a cross between journaling and scrapbooking.  I found a lot of people out there that are really artists with this—like some of the quilters. And I’m also intrigued with this subculture, you know, where there’s this language that develops in the group. Then there’s also the notion of making a personal history. My grandmother left several scrapbooks and I cherish them so much—more than any gold or diamonds than could have been handed down, you know?

Thank you to Mollie for visiting.  Remember, Scrapbook of Secrets is at your favorite bookstore now.  Pick up a copy.  And don’t forget to comment for a chance to win a “brag book” kit.

Emilie: A big welcome to Casey Daniels on her return visit to Southern Exposure.  As part of the interview Casey has volunteered to give away a copy of  A Hard Day’s Fright (the book which precedes Wild Wild Death) to one lucky commenter here.  U.S. addresses only, please, to keep Casey out of long post-Christmas post office lines.  Share your thoughts  and random.org will choose a winner next Tuesday night.

Casey, it’s always a pleasure to see you here, so take it away, and tell us a little about the book. 

Casey: I can’t think of a better way to kick off a new year than with a new book, so I’m happy to announce that Wild Wild Death, book #8 in the Pepper Martin mystery series, is now available.

I’m always excited about sharing one of Pepper’s adventures with readers. After all, she’s the world’s only private investigator for the dead. That means there’s always something interesting (and possibly dangerous) happening in Pepper’s life, and always a ghost tagging along for the fun.

This time, it’s a trip to the great Southwest. You see, Pepper’s been downsized from her job as a tour guide in a historic Cleveland cemetery, and she’s got some time on her hands and is looking for a little excitement. It’s a perfect example of Be Careful What You Wish For, when an odd package arrives in the mail. It’s a ransom note along with a watch that belongs to her friend, cute and scruffy paranormal investigator, Dan Callaghan. If Pepper doesn’t bring the bones of a long-dead Indian who is buried in Cleveland to New Mexico–and fast–the kidnappers say Dan is going to be killed.

Wild Wild Death takes Pepper to New Mexico and southern Colorado, a part of the country where I’ve spent some time. Like me, she’s bowled over by the beauty of the place, and intimidated by its wildness. If that was all she had to think about, it wouldn’t be a bad little get-away, but once she arrives, the bones get stolen, and bodies start dropping like the desert temperature once the sun goes down.

Pepper has to deal with kidnappers disguised as aliens, a too-hot-to-handle Pueblo police chief and one clever murderer–one whose idea of Boot Hill has nothing to do with Jimmy Choo.

Casey:  Well, Pepper sure is different from me in that she’s always fashion forward (I prefer to work in fuzzy slippers and sweats).  She’s different from most people, too, because she can see, hear, and talk to dead people.  In fact, she’s the world’s only private investigator for the dead.  Not that she’s thrilled about it, but ghosts are pretty persistent, and the ones she meets usually threaten to haunt her forever if she doesn’t help tie up the loose ends of the business holding them here so that they can cross over.

**Congratulations to Paula, commenter #2, whose number was chosen at random.org and will now receive an autographed copy of Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio.  Thanks to everyone who “chatted” here with Serena while the giveaway was in progress.

Some years ago I received an email from another minister’s wife, an aspiring author.  She wanted to know what kinds of issues, if any, I had run into with my husband’s congregation because of my novels.  She, too, wanted to be a published novelist, but she was looking for exactly the right publishing home.  I liked her immediately and we began a correspondence.  A year later when she drove to West Virginia from her Ohio home to meet me at a conference, we were already friends and have remained so through the years. (more…)

Almost every author website has a Frequently Asked Questions page.  Since I just discovered that the drop-down menu on my home page isn’t producing a link to mine, I can even say once that’s fixed, you might actually stumble upon my FAQ now and then under Bio.  If you do, you’ll find the correct order of the Shenandoah Album novels, the reason I’m not working on number six right now, the truth about my backlist, and the name of my valued assistant, Marna, who has since moved to Europe and sadly left me behind.  You won’t see the name of my new assistant, but Beth is an old friend and a quick study.  After just two sessions I know I’m lucky to have her.

Nobody seems to have an Infrequently Asked Questions page, those too esoteric, rude or boring to ever appear in print.  So in the interest of righting that wrong, let me begin one in this blog.  Since these are by definition rarely asked questions, the answers will probably never appear anywhere again.  This is your only chance. If trivia appeals to you? Please pay attention. (more…)

I love interviewing authors, but let’s face it, authors are some of my very favorite people.  Several years ago I went to a terrific writer’s conference in West Virginia and made two good friends.  Today you’ll get to meet one of them, Joanna Campbell Slan, who since that conference has gone on to publish a brand new mystery series for Midnight Ink.  Her latest, Photo, Snap, Shot is on bookshelves now.  I’ll let Joanna introduce herself in detail.  By the way, the other friend will make her author debut soon, and you’ll meet her here, as well.

Joanna will give away a copy of Photo, Snap, Shot to one reader who comments on this blog.  We’ll let random.org choose a winner on the morning of Friday the 14th. 

So, without further ado, here’s Joanna. . .

Joanna, you have your third mystery out right now in the delightful Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft series.  Tell us a little about Kiki your sleuth.  What makes her such an individual? 

She’s flawed, and she knows it. I mean, perfection is so over-rated. She loves too much, she worries too much, and she eats too much. In other words, she’s Every Woman. I think my readers appreciate her because they see a bit of themselves in Kiki.

You are a scrapbooker yourself, plus the author of several scrapbooking how-to books.  What made you decide to make Kiki a scrapbooker, and how does her craft flesh out the mysteries? 

A smart friend of mine suggested I write about scrapbooking. Her name is Emilie Richards, and she was right on target. I’ve been involved in the craft for a decade. After you’ve been around the block that many times, you understand the lay of the land. Kiki cares about saving memories. Really, that’s all you have to do to be a scrapbooker…have a life worth remembering. All that other stuff is fluff.

Your covers and titles are fantastic.  How much input did you have? 

I suggested that Midnight Ink’s artist Kevin Brown go to a local scrapbook store and have a look-see. Bless his heart. He “got it.” Before he starts to work on a new cover, he asks me if I have any thoughts about colors or iconic images. But the genius is all Kevin. What a scrapbooker he would be!

Can you give us some hints about the storyline of Photo, Snap, Shot?  Pique our interest please.

Kiki’s daughter Anya stumbles over the dead body of a flirtatious teacher who was involved in a mixed race relationship. The police think Anya might have seen the killer, so Kiki is forced to play amateur sleuth. Her snooping around leads her to suspect the murder has something to do with a 132-year-old secret society in St. Louis. Things go downhill rapidly after that! (Yes, the secret society is real! I’m hoping I live long enough to sign books!)

I know you’re a person with a variety of interests.  You’ve been a motivational speaker and author, a scrapbooking author, and now a mystery author.  What’s in store for your future?  Do you have other projects you’re planning?

We’re negotiating for Kiki Lowenstein Book #5, and I just turned #4 in last week. Other than that, I’m hoping to get a Virginia Drivers License this afternoon. That might qualify as a good career move, don’t you think? I mean I moved here, what, nine months ago? I could have been pregnant and had the kid already. (Now that would be something to write a book about! Emilie, if they pick me up on the way to your house, would you post bail?) 

I’m thinking a loaf of my homemade bread with a file baked inside.  But don’t tell the authorities!

In plenty of time for the spookiest holiday of the year, Casey Daniels, whose Pepper Martin mysteries are a must read for anyone who loves paranormal mysteries, is visiting Southern Exposure today. 

  I first met Casey when I was part of a writer’s group in Cleveland, Ohio.  We’ve stayed friends through the years and are still brainstorming buddies. 

This time of year it is always a treat to visit Casey’s house.  While other people collect Christmas decorations, Casey’s attic is filled with Halloween goodies.  This, of course, is only a fraction of the fun.

Not only are the Halloween decorations out now, so is Casey’s latest book in her wonderful Pepper Martin series.  Here’s Casey to tell us all about it. 

1–You’ve written in more genres than anyone I know, Casey. Start by telling my readers your writing history.

2–What made you decide to write the fabulous Pepper Martin series? What’s the draw of cemeteries? And am I right or don’t you offer cemetery tours in Cleveland, where the books take place.

3–For all who don’t know, Pepper is a cemetery guide, and somewhere along the way, ghosts began to demand she solve their mysteries, since they were no longer able to do it themselves. This is such a great idea. Can you tell us about the newest book, just released?

4–You’re a long time Clevelander. I love the story about the “field trips” your dad, a detective on the Cleveland police force, used to take you on. Will you share that here?