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Dear friends and readers, I'm positively thrilled to announce that the 3rd book in my Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series, Murder at the Blueberry Festival comes out today! And to celebrate, I've put together a little video on how to make Lindsey Bakewell's famous blueberry lemon bread. (Another baking video?) Yep, that's right. I've made you another baking video. (My son's gave me a real camera for Christmas, so I had to use it!) Really, what better way is there to celebrate the launch of a blueberry book than with a delicious blueberry recipe? This bread is not only delicious, but it's so easy to make. Another reason that I'm posting this video is because I think you might want to make a loaf of this bread before you start reading Murder at the Blueberry Festival. If you've read any of my other Beacon Bakeshop Mysteries you know that I describe a lot of food (baked goods especially!) in my books, and as a concerned author who cares about her readers, I just want you to be prepared. So here's just one of the many recipes you'll find at the back of the book. For your convenience, you can also download it here!
“You’ll never see the end coming in this delightfully zany tale.”- Kirkus Reviews
I am thrilled to have received a great Kirkus Review for this book! I especially enjoyed it when Kirkus Reviews said that Murder at the Blueberry Festival was "a delightfully zany tale". I never really thought about it, but I do have to admit that I had a lot of fun writing this mystery. It definitely ticks the zany meter. There's a prankster on the loose at the Beacon Harbor Blueberry Festival and no one knows what's going to happen next, but it's putting everybody on the festival committee on edge, especially Lindsey Bakewell. Lindsey and her staff at the Beacon Bakeshop are hosting the last event of the festival, and she can only imagine what calamity awaits her event!
Half the fun of writing this mystery was thinking up clever, disruptive pranks that set Lindsey and her friends on edge as they attempt to host the best blueberry festival ever. I won't divulge any of the fun, but let's just say that some of the pranks I've written about were inspired by my two brothers. They were a couple of pranksters back in the day, and no one in the house was spared. When I was in middle school, my younger brother cleverly glued the pages of the book I was reading. That night when I went to read my book I couldn't open the pages. They were all stuck together! As a book lover, he hit me where it hurt! Yes, it was funny, but I remember being so mad at him. But he got a good laugh out of that! Needless to say, regarding pranks, I had a lot of material to choose from!
However, as zany as this book might be, it also has a lot of heart, not to mention a good mystery at its core. So, if you're ready for a delicious, summertime blueberry adventure that is a tad zany, then you're going to love this latest Beacon Bakeshop Mystery!
If you don't already own a copy, you can purchase one here!
Announcements!
As an author, I have to spread the word about Murder at the Blueberry Festival, because I love writing this series and I want readers to enjoy it too. I try my best to spread the word on Facebook and social media but there's no substitute for live events. I'm the type of author who loves meeting readers in person! I'll be doing a few live signings this summer (hurray!) as well as some fun virtual author chats with other wonderful cozy mystery authors. If you'd like to join me at one of these events, I'd love to meet you! So, here's some dates to keep in mind.
I'm having a book launch party, Tuesday, July 26th (that's today!) at the Howell Carnegie District Library, in Howell, Michigan. Since I used to work at this beautiful library, having my book launch there is very special to me. There will be blueberry treats and beverages to enjoy, along with a book signing. It's going to be a great time. I'm also bringing a blueberry themed giveaway basket! If you're able to join me, click here for details!
Saturday, July 30th, I'll be signing books at 2 Dandelions Bookstore in Brighton Michigan from 11 am to 2 pm. This is my favorite independent bookstore in Michigan and I think you'll love it too. Come out and see me! If you'd like more details, you can find them here!
Sunday, July 31st I'll be in Perrysburg, Ohio at Gathering Volumes bookstore hosting a blueberry bake-off! If you're a baker, enter a delicious blueberry baked good! If you love eating delicious blueberry baked goods, come be a taster! Oh, and I'll be there signing books! For more information, click here!
Don't worry if you don't live near a live event. I'm going to be doing two fun virtual events on August 2nd! The first one is at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, AZ.
There I'll be talking about cozy mysteries for a Kensington Cozy event at 2-3 pm Mountain Standard Time, or 4-5 pm EST, With Gabby Allan, Cheryl Hollon, and Angela M. Sanders! Whenever cozy mystery authors get together, you know it's going to be fun! Please click here for the details!
Then at 6 pm Pacific Time (that's 9pm EST) I'' be at the University Bookstore in Seattle, WA for A Night of Cozy Mysteries! I'll be joined by Debra H. Goldstein, Barbara Ross, Lee Hollis, and Cheryl Hollon. I'm so excited to be a part of this mystery panel with these wonderful authors! It's going to be a blast! For more info, and to get your zoom link, click here!
On August 31 at 8 pm Eastern time, join me for Kensington's Plates and Pets Virtual Panel hosted by Murder by the Book bookstore in Houston, TX. I'll be with the fabulous Laurien Berenson, Valerie Burns and Daryl Wood Gerber. We're going to be chatting as we talk about our latest cozy mysteries, food, and pets! It's sure to be a great time. For more information about this event, click here!
I sincerely hope that you enjoy reading Murder at the Blueberry Festival as much as I enjoyed writing it! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting my books and subscribing to my website! Have a wonderful summer!
Happy reading & happy baking!