Browse Author by Debra Sennefelder
Coffee & Chat

Sunday Coffee & Chat

August has arrived and I’d like to say that July flew by in a blink of an eye but I can’t because I felt every single day of the month. And wasn’t I lucky there were 31 days. The days were hot and humid (yes, I’m complaining about the weather and no, I don’t need to be reminded of the brutal winter ahead – I’m familiar with it) and there was so much work. Luckily, I love my job and my office is air conditioned. So no complaints there. But, I did not feel the month flew by at all. Let’s see if I’ll be able to say the same about August.

What have I been up to this past week? So glad you asked because I’m so happy to say the first draft of my Halloween-themed novella for the Resale Boutique mystery series is finished. It came in at 27,367 words. Yay! I also spent the week prepping book 4 in the Food Blogger series to send off to my indie editor. I have a few more chapters to review and tweak before the due date. I had the pleasure of reading a couple of chapters of my critique partner’s WIP. There’s a new one in my inbox so I’ll be reading that today. The thing on my to-do list all week that I didn’t get to was to begin writing the guest posts for the upcoming release of THREE WIDOWS AND A CORPSE. So that task is going on the to-do list for this coming week.

I also finished reading My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding. I really enjoyed the book and if you’d like to read more about it you’ll find my post here. In July I also read Manor of Dying, which I loved. If you’d like to read my post about that book you’ll find it here.

I also finalized the recipes in Food Blogger 4 so now I just have to select which ones I’ll share in the book. There’s one cookie recipe and muffin recipe that will definitely go in the book. I also selected the recipe from THREE WIDOWS AND A CORPSE that I will share on the Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen blog.

My little guy Billy had no one but two visits to the vet’s office because of a bump on his head. It was drained at the first appointment but after 48 hours it became inflamed and red. Now he’s on some meds and the bump is looking better, just not getting any smaller. He has a follow-up in a few days.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! It’s been great catching up with you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you’re planning for this coming week.

Friday Reads

Friday Reads – My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding

It’s August already! It’s hard to believe that the season of beach reads is winding down. With that in mind I made sure that Wendy Wax’s My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding was up next to read. Before I discuss any more about the book, let’s first take a moment to admire. It’s beautiful!

A majority of the book takes place in the Outer Banks, North Carolina and it’s about two best friends who had a falling out but are still connected by one of their mother’s. Lauren set out for New York City to make it big as an author and her best friend was supposed to go with her but Bree changed her mind and remained in NC to marry Lauren’s ex-boyfriend. Over the years, Bree took over the local bookstore while Lauren launched her publishing career with an idea they both had come up with. Yeah, that’s a problem. Lauren’s mother, Kendra, has been the perfect mother showing both women that even given the most difficult circumstances a woman can survive and be successful. Too bad she has a secret that will rip her daughter’s heart to shreds and maybe show she wasn’t as brave as everyone thought. The three of them must find the strength to forgive and welcome each other back into their lives. I loved how the relationship between Lauren and Bree mended. There were scenes that I could totally relate to where the two women slipped into their old banter, their old rhythm of conversation, their suppressed feelings for each other and then quickly regrouped because after twenty years, their disappointment and anger of each other had festered so they couldn’t have that feeling of friendship, of love. Those scenes felt very authentic to me. I really enjoyed the book and I’m looking forward to Wendy’s next release.

What are you reading? Are you getting ready for your fall reading? No, I’m not pushing the season (though I wouldn’t mind a little less humidity) but we do have to plan. There are only so many hours of reading time. 🙂

 

Uncategorized

Silenced In Sequins Cover Reveal

SILENCED IN SEQUINS (book 2 in the Resale Boutique Mystery series) has a cover! I hope you love it as much as I do.

A little about the book –

Former Manhattan fashion buyer Kelly Quinn is turning her grandmother’s outdated consignment shop into her quaint hometown’s hot spot for upscale style—until her second-hand couture makes the scene of an ice-cold crime . . .

With her bottom line looking a little threadbare, Kelly is going all out to promote the Lucky Cove Resale Boutique. She’s counting on Black Friday to recover her start-up expenses—including a website and an advertising blitz. But the publicity is overkill when two warring divas, and one sparkly evening dress, thrust Kelly and her fledgling business into a scandal she can’t afford.

The gorgeous garment came to Kelly from the walk-in closets of Wendy Johnson, one of reality TV’s Long Island Ladies. When Wendy’s former co-star, Diana Delacourte, graces a Christmas gala in the dress that was once her rival’s, a very public catfight ensues. But is Wendy to blame when sequin-clad Diana turns up dead? Dodging the show’s ever-present cameras—and a detective’s stern warnings—Kelly hunts for a killer before the powerful celebrity-suspect makes good on her threats and rips her to shreds . . .

SILENCED IN SEQUINS is available for pre-order at all retailers (ebook only at this time with print to follow) and releases on January 7, 2020.

Friday Reads

Friday Reads – Manor of Dying

There’s nothing better than settling in to catch-up with old friends and that’s exactly how reading book 4 in the Hampton’s Home and Garden Mystery series felt for me. When I learned Berkley had made the decision to cancel the series I was sad because I truly enjoyed this series. Then the good news came – the series had been picked up by another publisher and there would be a new book! I made sure to pre-order Manor of Dying by Kathleen Bridge so that it popped into my app on release day.

This book had all the elements of a not-to-miss mystery for me – a manor house that was once a mental asylum on an island, a blizzard that strands Meg and her friend at the island, a creepy murder similar to one decades earlier and Christmas! As a reader I couldn’t ask for anything more. Well, I could ask for another installment for the series and I’m hoping there will be another Meg Barrett book soon.

What are you reading this week? Let me know in the comments. Have you read any of the Hampton’s Home and Garden mysteries? If so, let me know.

 

 

 

Writing

There’s a novella coming

I’m so excited to share that I am writing a novella for the Resale Boutique series and that it will be released in September 2020! Currently I’m halfway through writing the manuscript and I’m having a blast.

Can you guess the what holiday the novella revolves around? You’re right! Halloween. I’m totally ready for pumpkins, cozy sweaters (I just ordered one. Darn Nordstrom’s sale.) and all things that go bump in the night.

The working title for the novella is WHAT NOT TO WEAR TO A GRAVEYARD. This could change but I do love it. 🙂 In the story, Kelly Quinn stumbles into a dognapping plot turned deadly when she finds the missing dog and then his owner murdered. This wasn’t how Kelly was imagining spending her first Halloween home in Lucky Cove.

This manuscript is so much fun to write especially when Kelly shouts to her uncle, “Follow that clown!” I love my job.

I’d love to know if you enjoy Halloween-themed cozy mysteries. If so, which are you favorite. It’s never too early to start adding to our TBR for Halloween reading.

I shared this news in my newsletter earlier this week so if you missed it and would like to know about upcoming projects, sales and the occasional giveaway (I recently did one for an ARC of THREE WIDOWS AND A CORPSE) sign up for my newsletter below.

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