In late 2020 or early 2021 (I can’t remember the exact timing anymore), a fellow author friend of mine approached me about doing a list building mystery anthology featuring female detectives or sleuths. It would be available for the month of October 2021 for free in exchange for an email. After that, the anthology would […]
Michele's Musings
Twisted Tuna Noodle Salad Recipe
When I was growing up, this was my all-time favorite salad in the world. My grandma used to make it for me. Unfortunately she died before I thought to ask for the recipe, but this is what I recreated based on memory. As part of the reason why I’m writing cozies is because of my […]
The Story Behind the Story: “Ice Cold Murder”
When the concept for The Murder Before Christmas dropped into my head, it didn’t come alone. It brought more ideas with it, including Ice Cold Murder and A Grave Error, which is a novella prequel. So, from the beginning, it was clear this was supposed to be a series. That doesn’t mean I didn’t resist […]
Florence’s Pecan Fingers Cookie Recipe
Let me begin by saying I have no idea who Florence is. This was another Christmas cookie tradition, along with the Merry Christmas Butter Cookies, Mom would also make pecan fingers. Mom didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, and these cookies aren’t as sweet as other Christmas cookies, so they might be a good […]
Merry Christmas Butter Cookie Recipe
My mother would have been delighted with this blog post. Three of her favorite things in life were: Mystery books Baking Christmas She was an avid reader of all things mystery, but she vastly preferred cozy mysteries over the psychological thrillers I was writing at the time. (Although to her credit, and much to my […]
The Story Behind the Story: “The Murder Before Christmas”
I never dreamed Charlie Kingsley would become such a major force in my life. I was in my twenties when I first had the glimmering of the idea that would eventually become It Began With a Lie. At the time, I thought it was going to be a one-off, standalone book, focused mainly on Becca […]
The Story Behind the Story: “The Third Nanny”
Once I finished the bulk of the work for The Reckoning so it would be ready for a December launch, I found myself at a bit of a loss. I wasn’t sure what my next project would be. I had a couple of ideas but they didn’t feel ready yet. For me at least, once […]
The Story Behind the Story: “The Reckoning”
I never planned to write this book. That isn’t to say the story wouldn’t have been told—it definitely would have. But it would have been wrapped up in one book in my Secrets of Redemption series rather than two. However, the moment the story downloaded into me back in April 2020, I knew Charlie’s story […]
The Story Behind the Story: “The Summoning”
After I published The Evil That Was Done, I got to work on a new series. While I had a vague idea for a fourth Secrets of Redemption book, it was still a little hazy, and I thought it would be smart to write a new series. Alas, I found myself really struggling with the […]
The Writing Journey: Your Guide to Writing During a Global Pandemic
Shakespeare allegedly wrote King Lear while under quarantine. (And he didn’t even have a typewriter back then, much less a computer. He had to write everything by hand!) So, you should have no trouble getting that book done, right? (You know–the one you’ve been talking about forever.) You’re stuck at home anyway, so why not […]