WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Alyssa Gangeri, Chef and Author

Chef Alyssa Gangeri, Author
MIMI'S ADVENTURES IN BAKING
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Chef Alyssa Gangeri took time from running her custom cake company and serving as Executive Chef at Riverwalk Bar and Grill in New York in order to write MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES—an interactive children’s storybook which she describes as the first of its kind. It is a storybook that also teaches children how to bake with the participation of an adult.

When Chef Alyssa isn’t competing on the Food Network as a pastry chef, baking customized cakes, or cooking at her restaurant, she enjoys walking her Jack Russell Terrier in Central Park. The second Mimi's Adventure is a story about how Mimi prepares a sweet for a friend with an allergy and is due out the end of 2015.

Q: What drove you to write an interactive children’s book, MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, that combines learning with a story?

Alyssa Gangeri: I believe baking should be a fun and interactive activity for adults and children. I developed the interactive storybook cookbook because as a child, and as chef I have always been a visual learner. When trying to decide on what type of cookbook to write I quickly realized there were not a lot of children’s cookbooks. In this day and age with the amount of cooking shows, competition shows, and now even adolescent cooking competitions there is a large gap in the children’s cookbook category.

I found that the cookbooks that did exist for children, even though they were filled with bright colors, fun recipes and themes it was still a standard cookbook. Recipe, picture, procedure. I don’t believe we are engaging a child enough with that. Why read a boring cookbook filled with long procedures when you can read an interactive story that teaches you the same thing? It’s a new concept for the cookbook world but at the same time we are teaching children a lot of things through storybooks. Why not baking or cooking?

Q: What makes MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING so unique?

Alyssa Gangeri: MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING is the first ever storybook cookbook. No more boring procedures, no more long lists of ingredients. Now a child can follow along and do what Mimi does. This book series incorporates not just learning how to bake but also counting, measuring, and following directions. Baking can be an intimidating craft but with the right instructions it’s fun and easy! With only one recipe per book the focus is no longer on flipping through countless recipes. The focus returns to the actual art of baking and learning. Even for the parent that swears they are a horrible baker, I promise this book can make a baker out of anyone! Plus, it’s a fun interactive activity for an adult and child to enjoy together. Who doesn’t like playing with food?

Q: Is the character, Mimi, based on a real-life person?

Alyssa Gangeri: Mimi is inspired by my childhood growing up learning how to bake in my grandparents’ kitchen. My relationship with all of my grandparents inspired my career as a Pastry Chef so it was only natural for me to gravitate towards bringing Mimi to life in a storybook format. 

Q: How do you engage your readers—both children and adults—into the story and desire to bake cookies? Did you do research or testing to assure that children would be interested?

Alyssa Gangeri: Being a Pastry Chef that has competed on the Food Network I realized how deeply interested people were in my career and cooking in general. Desserts are a celebration and should be enjoyed with others, but many people do not know the basics of baking. The basics allows you to become creative in the kitchen, but without them the world of baking can be rather intimidating. The amount of cooking shows, cooking classes and even children’s cooking classes that have blossomed over the past couple years really inspired me to write this book series.

The desire to learn the craft is there. Children want to do what their parents do. They want to watch the shows their parents watch. It was only a matter of time before children’s cooking competition shows arose. I knew the desire was there, I just had to figure out a way that was like nothing else out there. As a chef you try and relate to your diners, you try and figure out what drives them to eat what they eat, and dine where they dine.

I spent a lot of time working with kids and adults to inspire my publishing path. I believe this type of book has the potential to change the world of children’s cookbooks. You have to relate to a child, you have to get on their level and figure out what drives them to learn. I hope MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING does just that.

Q: How important are the illustrations? Did you conceive the story first followed by the illustrations?

Alyssa Gangeri: I believe the illustrations to any children’s book is a crucial part. Illustrations are the initial selling point to any child. If they are not drawn to the character or the illustrations you lost them before they even read the book.

 For this type of book I knew the illustrations were going to be difficult because there is so much information being given throughout the book. After writing the book I spent a lot of time with my illustrator to ensure everything was right even down to how the tools looked, or how her hand sweeps across the cup of flour. Illustrating a procedure takes time, and a lot of attention to detail, but in the end I am thrilled with how Chiara brought my words to life. Trusting your illustrator is a major part of this process. They see things differently than writers do, and I was very happy with her vision.

Q: Did you write MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING to entertain your reader, to educate, to teach them how to make cookies? Or did you want to deliver a message?

Alyssa Gangeri: I wrote MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING as an alternative learning tool that was fun at the same time. Baking is fun, and I wanted reading and learning how to bake to be just as fun. The goal always was for the child to gain confidence in the kitchen and become the chef, and the adult the assistant. Not only are they learning how to bake but they are also learning self-confidence, measuring, counting, and most importantly how to follow directions. I think that if you can learn without even realizing you’re learning you have accomplished a lot. To me it’s all about having fun while you learn! 

Q: Do you enjoy writing? What else have you written?

Alyssa Gangeri: I genuinely enjoyed writing this book. This is my first book, and first of the series and I could not be happier with it. It was a difficult learning curve for me because I am a chef, and I am always working with my hands creating things. This was a whole different way to work with my hands, but I had a lot of fun doing it. If I can inspire children to bake and enjoy being in the kitchen I’ve done my job.

Q: What do you believe are the most important elements of a children’s story?

Alyssa Gangeri: I think the most important elements of a children’s story is the relatability. Children want to feel comfortable and relate to the characters. I think without that it becomes difficult to keep them engaged.

Q: What’s next? Will Mimi go on other adventures?

Alyssa Gangeri: Mimi has a lot of adventures ahead! The second book in the series is due out in late 2015 where Mimi will make a sweet treat for her allergy ridden friend. I am very excited about this second book because food allergies are so apparent now.  I believe it is very important for kids to not only be aware of them, but to be knowledgeable about these unfortunate allergies that affect so many. Mimi also will be venturing into some savory treats as well! She is a busy little bee!

Q: Tell us about Alyssa Gangeri? What do you like to do when you’re not on an adventure with Mimi?

Alyssa Gangeri: When I am not on adventures with my favorite little girl I am baking specialty birthday cakes, wedding cakes and pasties. I have a boutique cake business in New York City called AllyCakesNYC as well as a restaurant on Roosevelt Island, Riverwalk Bar and Grill. I love cooking because it’s a profession that allows you to be creative every day. Although, when I am not in the kitchen I love to spend my free time in Central Park with my Jack Russell Terrier, Rudy, which you can also find him roaming around Mimi’s Adventures in Baking.

About Alyssa Gangeri

Chef Alyssa has been baking since she was a little girl in her grandmother's kitchen. Since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America she has worked for famous chefs and elite companies such as the Ritz Carlton, Tom Colicchio, Norman Van Aken and Gray Kunz. She currently is the Executive Chef at Riverwalk Bar and Grill on the Historic nook of New York City, Roosevelt Island. She also has a boutique custom cake company called AllyCakesNYC where she creates cakes to appease the imagination. Through her journey of baking she developed Mimi, her very own miniature version of herself.
   
As a child she loved baking and everything that came with it. As an adult and food lover she realized there was something missing when she frequented bookstores. An interactive children's cookbook. And we are not talking about a boring old cookbook for kids with lots and lots of recipes, and some pictures. Children these days have just as much interest in the kitchen as their parents do, but the ordinary cookbook is just not going to cut it. She created MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING to give children and adults a way to get into the kitchen and allow the child to become the chef and the adult the assistant. Each book has one recipe and an interactive storyline the child can read, and at the end go into the kitchen and do what Mimi did!  And for the "non-baking" parent, these elite pastry chef recipes are tested and ready for even the most inexperienced baker! Impress other moms with Mimi's creations!
   
MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING will also teach children how to measure, mix and bake their way through the kitchen while also giving safety tips along the way. No more boring cookbooks! Now there is a fun, exciting and educational way to learn how to bake!

About MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING

MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING is the first storybook cookbook that creates a fun and interactive way of learning how to bake. Follow Mimi as she learns to measure, mix and bake her way to her very first batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Learning how to bake can be easy and fun with Mimi!

Navigating your way through a kitchen full of tools, ingredients and of course safety measures are brought to life in this storybook cookbook. No more flipping through endless recipes and boring procedures. Mimi makes baking fun for the whole family. Let your child take control and become the chef they always wanted to be!

Purchase Links

MIMI’S ADVENTURES IN BAKING CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES releases in March 2015!

Pre-Order now:

Amazon Hardcover
Barnes and Noble

On Goodreads

Twitter: @Allygan

Instagram: Agangeri

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Website

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Susan Leigh Noble, Fantasy Author

Susan Leigh Noble, Author
THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA
THE ELEMENTAL Trilogy

Susan Leigh Noble likes stories with “magic, dragons and sword fights” all included in her recent release THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA as well as her original trilogy THE ELEMENTAL. Reviewers tout her “memorable characters” and “solid story.” For the sake of credibility, Noble develops the details of her various worlds, characters, and magic before she even starts writing. She considers believability critical to her stories.

When she’s not writing, Noble enjoys spending time with her children and helping out at their school. She currently lives with her husband, two children, and three cats in Texas.

Q: Your previous books include a fantasy trilogy featuring a girl who could start fire with a thought and a fourth book with a telepathic cat.  How did you conceive of your new novel, THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA, a story about a girl looking for her own parents meeting up with those either searching for or trying to prevent discovery of the heir to Alexandria? What draws you into writing fantasy stories?

Susan Leigh Noble: I have always loved fantasy stories with magic, dragons and sword fights so those have been in both this story and my original trilogy – THE ELEMENTAL. The plot for THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA started with just a few scenes revolving around a girl with red hair that was destined to fulfill a prophecy. I had jotted down those scenes in between writing SUMMONED and QUIETUS (Books 1 and 2 of my trilogy) but didn’t develop those scenes into an actual novel until after I finished my trilogy. A lot has changed from those first basic scenes though most of them – or at least a version of them – did end up in the final book.

Q: Who would enjoy reading THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA? Do you target youthful readers? Or is it relevant to all of us?

Susan Leigh Noble: I think THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA could be enjoyed by anyone who likes adventure or fantasy novels. This story has more dark scenes than my trilogy which was quite tame (though more death and destruction happened in the third installment.) I know some readers consider THE ELEMENTAL trilogy as a young adult book because the heroine was 18 but that market was not my intention when I wrote it.  And the same applies to THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA.

Q: I applaud the creativity of your stories and the fantasy genre in general. How important is credibility to telling your stories? What makes THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA and your other stories believable?

Susan Leigh Noble: I think credibility in any story is important. The reader has to believe what is happening whether the story takes place here on Earth or on some other made up world. I spend quite a bit of time building my worlds, developing character histories and of course the system of magic before I even begin writing my novels. I believe as a writer, it helps to know all these details even if they don’t make it into the actual book. These small details can add quite a bit of credibility to both your story and your characters.

Q: Are there any cats in THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA? I know you like cats!

Susan Leigh Noble: I do love cats but there aren’t any in this book. I like wolves a lot too so I included one as a protector of my main character, Alista.

Q: What pulls your readers into your fantasy world? The characters? Suspense? Action? Romance? Back story? How important is back story to telling your story?

Susan Leigh Noble: I like to think it is the characters that people will like and relate to in my novels. But I do try to include some good fight scenes and there usually is some romance thrown in there too.

Backstory is always important to telling a story. I spend quite a bit of time building histories for my characters – at least the main ones. A lot of that backstory may not make it into the novel but I think it helps write well-rounded characters.

Q: What makes us care about your protagonist, Alista? Is she a perfect heroine?

Susan Leigh Noble: Alista is far from the perfect heroine. She is more of the reluctant heroine. She doesn’t want anything to do with being tested as the heir to Alexandria but she is thrust into this adventure because she curses someone in front of the King’s court. This is a type of magic not been seen before so they immediately assume she could be the heir. As she travels, her magic grows and she spends a lot of time trying to conceal it.

Q: What are the characteristics of an effective villain? Are there villains in THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA?

Susan Leigh Noble: To have a good villain you have to know WHY they are the way they are. No one is born evil. Something had to have triggered their behavior which for them might seem quite “normal.” As for this book, the Order of the Black Dragon, a secret society set on preventing the return of the Alexandria line, is the antagonist. One of the members, Keres, ends up having a personal vendetta with another of the main characters and I guess becomes the true “villain” of the story.

Q: Do you write for entertainment only? Or do you also intend to deliver a message?

Susan Leigh Noble: I write purely for entertainment. I always try and write a story that I would like to read.

Q: What’s next?

Susan Leigh Noble: I have a few ideas. Since I love dragons, I am currently working on the plot details for a story focusing on a dragon as one of two main characters. Then I have also had some fans ask for another story involving Lina and Val from my THE ELEMENTAL trilogy so I am considering another trilogy that would take place about 10 years after my original story.

Q: Tell us about Susan Leigh Noble. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Susan Leigh Noble: I am an author (obviously) as well as a blogger and a mother. Most of my time is taken up with writing or volunteering at my kids’ school. I am the treasurer for the school parent-teacher association as well as handle the bookkeeping for my husband’s law office. If I do get any spare time, I do love to read. However, I find reading while writing is often too much of a distraction so my downtime often turns to watching TV after the kids are in bed.

About Susan Leigh Noble

Susan Noble has always loved dragons and magic so it is no wonder that she became an author of fantasy novels. As a cat lover, she also had to throw in a telepathic cat to the mix in her THE ELEMENTAL trilogy. Her latest book, THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA, was released in January 2015.

When she isn't writing, Susan is an active volunteer in her neighborhood and at her children's schools. She lives with her husband, two children, three cats and a Cocker Spaniel in Texas.

About THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA

Believed the descendants of the Gods themselves,

The Alexandria line ensured peace,

Until they were brutally murdered.

But rumor spread a maid escaped with the youngest daughter.

Now as the world rushes toward a period of unrest, the nations’ Kings continue their 200-year-long-search for the Heir to Alexandria – the one person who can bring peace and stability through divine power.

Alista has her own search – for the parents who abandoned her as a baby years ago. When her only lead proves to be a dead end, she heads to the capital with a reluctant escort. Grayson is just following his aunt’s order, but he would rather be on one of his solitary scouting missions for the Landra Guard. However, when Alista unintentionally curses a guard in front of the King’s court, everything changes for both of them.

Now forced to travel to Covington for testing, danger lurks at every turn as a secret society strives to prevent the return of the Alexandria line. Are Alista’s visions of the future enough to save herself and those traveling with her?

Links

Amazon Author page
THE HEIR TO ALEXANDRIA - KINDLE

Blog

Facebook

Twitter-@SusanLeighNoble

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Cate Beauman, Romantic Suspense Author

Cate Beauman, Author
REAGAN'S REDEMPTION, 8th book
The Bodyguards of L.A. County series

Welcome back, romantic-suspense author Cate Beauman who has just released REAGAN’S REDEMPTION, the eighth book in The Bodyguards of L.A. County series.

She features Reagan Rosner, physician—a profession requiring significant research by Beauman—who joins with her Ethan Cook Security bodyguard in Eastern Kentucky where they meet “a few mishaps.”

Beauman, who says she doesn’t “know how to tell a story that doesn’t weave romance and suspense together,” also appreciates  strong women, doses of humor, and protagonists with interesting careers. Reviewers of previous books in the series claim they have “a great balance of romance, action, and suspense” and that “the characters are developed very well and the story believable.”

When writing, Beauman MUST have music playing, and she creates a song list for each of her stories. You can see the REAGAN’S REDEMPTION list following her interview. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, their two boys, and St. Bernard’s, Bear and Jack.

See the giveaway opportunity following this interview.

Q: Your Bodyguards of LA County books incorporate some interesting backgrounds for your main characters. For REAGAN’S REDEMPTION, what drew you into the medical field? How much can you use a chosen occupation, such as doctor, to tell your story? Do you research a suitable occupation?

Cate Beauman: Since the men of Ethan Cooke Security are all close protection agents, I really like to give the heroines of each story eclectic careers. I think it’s important to the series as a whole to keep things fresh and exciting. For REAGAN’S REDEMPTION, it was vital that Reagan be a physician. The entire plot is driven by her work and the trouble she uncovers during one man’s physical examination.

Yes, yes and YES!! I research everything I write about. Authenticity is so important to a story. It’s hard for readers to get lost in an adventure if the facts don’t ring true. Sometimes I’ll skim over details if they don’t work for my plot, but I always try to keep things as reality-based as possible.

Q:  I believe REAGAN’S REDEMPTION is your 8^th Bodyguards of L.A. County book. How do you manage to keep each book fresh?

Cate Beauman: It’s really important to develop each character and their circumstances separate from the characters in the previous novels. Although the Bodyguards of L.A. County is a series, each book can technically be read on its own. That really allows me the freedom to “play” with each plot. There’s nothing from the novel before or after that rides on the current story I want to tell.

Q: Would you characterize the women in the Bodyguards of L.A. series as modern women? Independent? Or do they require a man in their lives in order to be successful? Likewise, are the men of the series “modern” men? Would they do the laundry or cook? Or do both men and women fulfill traditional roles?

Cate Beauman: I grew up in a single-parent household. There was never a “man’s work” or a “woman’s work,” there was just work. I myself am a strong, independent woman and expect nothing less from the characters I write. Men are not required to help these ladies through the trials and tribulations of their lives, but the Close Protection Agents of Ethan Cooke Security do offer a support system. All of the characters in the stories are facing some sort of crisis as each adventure unfolds. Often the men and women find themselves working together, growing and evolving to conquer their personal and external conflicts.

Q: I know you enjoy mixing suspense with romance in your stories. What other elements help engage readers? Does humor entice them? What about setting? Villains vs heroes? How important is credibility?

Cate Beauman: I honestly don’t know how to tell a story that doesn’t weave romance and suspense together. Both are vital to each story I share. I also believe that adding a good dose of humor and making each character as flawed and as human as you and me is paramount. No one wants to read about perfection because it doesn’t exist. If you have strong characters and a good plot the rest follows along.

Q: You typically provide a list of songs that you play while writing. How does music inspire you?  In general, do you think music jumpstarts creativity?

Cate Beauman: I can’t write without music. As I tell each story I get so excited when I hear the lyrics of a song that match perfectly with my characters’ situations. It’s motivation and validation that their story is exactly right. Music is vital to my career. I know some writers need complete silence to be creative but not this girl!

Q: What inspired REAGAN’S REDEMPTION?

Cate Beauman: I’ve wanted to tell Reagan and Shane’s story for quite a while now, but I kept putting it off, knowing where the weeks of research would take me. Reagan Rosner is a doctor, which is great for her but not so much for me as the writer. Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a hypochondriac who is afflicted with White Coat Syndrome. Typically, I stay as far away from anything “medical” as possible, but for Reagan’s Redemption I had to dig deep and conquer a personal demon or two. There were many days where I cringed, watching how-to videos on IV insertions and blood draws and hyperventilated my way through more than one resuscitation tutorial, but I did it, making Reagan’s character all the stronger for it.

After the days of dreadful research, I really knuckled down and got to work. I had so much fun with this story. Reagan is kind and dedicated and Shane extremely funny. This couple complements each other well, which is perfect because they’ll face more than their fair share of trouble in Black Bear Gap, Kentucky.

Q: I have to ask. Your bio says you have two St. Bernards. How do you manage? I assume they’re not lap dogs!

Cate Beauman: Jack, our one-year-old thinks he’s a lapdog! He’s more than happy to come and sit on us if we happen to be settled on the floor! I love our pups to pieces. They do drool quite a bit and eat A LOT, but they’re wonderful with the kids and are great protectors. I can’t imagine life without them.

About Cate Beauman

Cate currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, their two boys, and St. Bernard’s, Bear and Jack. She is the author of the best selling romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County.  Before her career as an author, Cate worked in special education for 12 years.

“I’m a pretty lucky girl; one day I woke up and my entire life changed. I saw the light, so to speak, and decided I was going to be a writer. Now, five years later, I’m working on my ninth novel, Answers For Julie, which I plan to release during the summer of 2015.  I remain so very grateful for the support and success that I have had.  Thank you!”  - Cate

About REAGAN’S REDEMPTION

Doctor Reagan Rosner loves her fast-paced life of practicing medicine in New York City’s busiest trauma center. Kind and confident, she’s taking her profession by storm—until a young girl’s accidental death leaves her shaken to her core. With her life a mess and her future uncertain, Reagan accepts a position as Head Physician for The Appalachia Project, an outreach program working with some of America’s poorest citizens. 

Shane Harper, Ethan Cooke Security’s newest team member, has been assigned a three-month stint deep in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and he’s not too happy about it. Guarding a pill safe in the middle of nowhere is boring as hell, but when he gets a look at his new roommate, the gorgeous Doctor Rosner, things start looking up.

Shane and Reagan encounter more than a few mishaps as they struggle to gain the trust of a reluctant community. They’re just starting to make headway when a man’s routine checkup exposes troubling secrets the town will do anything to keep hidden—even if that means murder.

Excerpt

The front door opened and closed. “Shane?”

“Down here.”

Reagan hurried in, her eyes full of excitement. “How are things going?”

“Good. Faith is clean, eating, and will hopefully be sleeping in the next couple of minutes.”

“I can take a turn. I know I’ve been gone for awhile.”

He shook his head. “We’re fine. Looks like you’ve had a run today.”

She smiled. “Two patients—one ear infection and a strep throat.”

“Good stuff.”

She nodded, sitting on the edge of the mattress. “That’s not the best part. I was talking with Jodi, Josiah’s mother, about her gardens—trying to break the ice a little. She was telling me how she grows some of the best corn around but constantly has trouble with her beans. Apparently, Sue Anne’s family seems to have the opposite issue.” She swiped her hair behind her ear. “Anyway, while Jodi was talking, I got this idea. I was thinking we could organize an evening where families can get together here at the clinic and swap fruits and vegetables for a bigger variety of healthful foods—kind of like a farmer’s market. We can offer some simple snacks and drinks, and I’m hoping I might be able to throw in a few nutrition facts while we’re at it. There are so many kiddos with bad teeth. They’re drinking too much soda.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a plan. Go get ‘em, tiger.” He liked seeing her like this—her eyes bright, her hands punctuating certain words as they spilled from her mouth, caught up in her own enthusiasm.

“I will.” Her smile dimmed as she touched Faith’s toes peeking out from the blanket. “But I don’t know how many people will come.”

“So you won’t have standing-room only on your first try.”

She licked her lips. “They’re afraid.”

He frowned. “Who?”

“The people here. They’re frightened by either me or the clinic.”

“Why do you say that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. That was the sense I got when I spoke with Jenny’s mother and then again with Jodi.”

He remembered Mrs. Hendley’s weird spewings about heeding warnings and staying away, but she also seemed like a bit of a whack job. “I don’t know, Doc. When I look at you ‘intimidating’ isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind.”

“Maybe not to you, but they were certainly uneasy. Maybe I’m trying to make sense of an unusual situation, but I don’t think so. Both women kept looking toward the trees, like they were being watched or something.” She shuddered. “It gave me the willies.”

“We’ll keep an eye on the situation, but things have been pretty low key so far.”

She nodded. “I just really want this to work. I can help this town if they’ll let me.”

The Unofficial REAGAN’S REDEMPTION Soundtrack

“Here are a few of the songs that I had on “repeat” while I created Reagan and Shane’s story!  You can listen to them on my website www.catebeauman.com.”

The soundtrack, of sorts, for Reagan’s Redemption:

·      Devil Town by Tony Lucca

·      So Easy by Phillip Phillips

·      Not A Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake

·      Science and Faith by The Script

·      Daylight by Maroon Five

·      Hazy by Rosi Golan ft. William Fitzimmons

·      Get Out by Casey Abrams

·      First Flight Home by Jake Miller

·      Human by Jon McLaughlin

·      Have A Little Faith In Me by Jewel

·      Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

·      Parachute by Train

Purchase Links

Amazon Author Page

REAGAN'S REDEMPTION Kindle

Barnesand Noble Author Page

Author Links

Twitter: @CateBeauman
Website

Facebook

Goodreads

~~ GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY ~~

For a chance to win a Kindle or Nook copy of REAGAN'S REDEMPTION, click here.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: Author Sandra Nikolai, “What Makes a Mystery?”

Sandra Nikolai, Author
FALSE IMPRESSIONS
FATAL WHISPERS
TIMELY ESCAPE

Sandra Nikolai writes mysteries described by reviewers as “urbane, witty and enjoyable” and “action-packed…with characters who grow as they come to grips with what is happening.” She’s published more than a dozen on-line or printed short stories and two novels (FALSE IMPRESSIONS and FATAL WHISPERS) and a short story (TIMELY ESCAPE) featuring Megan Scott and Michael Elliott as a romantic pair solving crimes. 

A mystery reader since her first Nancy Drew story, Nikolai experienced true crime in real life facing a series of armed bank robberies while working at a bank. Both influenced her to write her own stories. 

In the following article, published earlier on this blog, Nikolai outlines the elements of a good mystery.

What Makes a Mystery?

By

Sandra Nikolai

Fans of the genre will agree that nothing beats the thrill of reading a mystery and trying to solve it.

But what exactly makes a mystery?

To put a spin on what Sherlock Holmes might have said, “The elements must come together, my dear Watson.”

In a mystery, the plot is the element that weaves events together to create a dramatic and engaging story. The solution to a murder or another crime is gradually revealed by a detective or amateur sleuth through the logical interpretation of evidence and a bit of luck. A mystery is similar to a jigsaw puzzle in that all the pieces of information, or clues, needed to solve the mystery are presented. These clues connect so that the solution or true picture reveals itself by the end of the story.

To continue with the analogy, a piece of a jigsaw puzzle might look as if it connects to another at first glance but then doesn’t, as with certain clues scattered throughout a mystery novel. Clues that mislead, or red herrings, are the ultimate challenge to readers of whodunits. Red herrings raise doubts about characters linked to the victim and expose them as potential suspects, making it harder to determine which one is the real perpetrator.

The investigator is the protagonist or main character, the element with which we form a “human” connection from the onset. Secrecy and danger surround the crime, so it’s normal to fear for the safety of the investigator who gets pulled into the case. If the investigator’s private life is affected by the incident, it can bring into play inner struggles with personal issues and generate more conflict—a situation that keeps us turning the pages.

Suspense is intensified when an amateur sleuth plays the role of investigator because we identify more easily with a protagonist who is inexperienced in solving crimes. Feelings of surprise and fear are heightened each time our hero or heroine experiences a setback or encounters danger. Regardless, we cheer them on, knowing that the end of their journey will bring worthwhile results. Family, friends, and other secondary characters complete the protagonist’s life with their comments, emotions, and actions, and add a realistic feel to the unfolding story.

The perpetrator is the character we love to hate. However, no one is one hundred percent evil, so he or she needs at least one redeeming quality. He might be a family man who takes his kids to baseball games or a part-time volunteer at a hospital. She might be a reliable employee at the office or someone who helps an elderly neighbor with the groceries. A pleasant characteristic in a criminal generates surprise—even horror—when the real perpetrator is exposed. Who? The butler?

No mystery is complete without the element of setting. Forget the “dark and stormy night.” Nothing is more shocking than finding out that your neighbor down the street is a serial killer or that a young woman in the hotel room next to yours was murdered the night before. Extraordinary events that happen to ordinary people in everyday places incite more terror because we can’t possibly imagine such terrible things happening in our little corner of the world.

Whether real or imaginary, the setting adds visual layers to a story by zooming in on small locales, such as a room, and zooming out of larger places, for example, a city landscape. The setting can include a period in time, local news events, the weather, the culture of the population, and natural disasters. These aspects also affect how a character feels and reacts, and intensifies the mood of the story.

Like the pieces of a puzzle, the elements that make a mystery can vary in countless ways. What’s important is that they all fall into place at the end.

About Sandra Nikolai

Sandra Nikolai has published more than a dozen short stories online and in print, garnering Honorable Mentions along the way. She is also the author of a mystery series featuring ghostwriter Megan Scott and investigative reporter Michael Elliott. FALSE IMPRESSIONS and FATAL WHISPERS are the first two books in the series.

When Sandra isn’t weaving ordinary characters into extraordinary, life-threatening situations, she shares her writing experiences on her blog and has been a frequent guest writer on other blogs. She has recently published TIMELY ESCAPE, a short story and prequel to ICY SILENCE, the third novel in her mystery series (expected publication: 2015).

About FATAL WHISPERS

A millionaire’s beautiful young wife.

A homeless woman.

A parish priest.

Three baffling deaths within days. No sign of foul play. No police leads. Even medical authorities can’t explain the cause of death. An unprecedented occurrence in Portland, Maine.

Megan Scott and Michael Elliott look for answers when their trip to this alluring New England town coincides with the mysterious deaths. As they probe deeper, they discover ominous secrets buried decades ago and ruthless killers who won’t let anyone get in the way of revenge.

About TIMELY ESCAPE (a short story)

Megan Scott’s car takes a hit—literally—when a pedestrian is shoved onto the hood. Even worse, the man is one of two notorious prison escapees on the loose in Montreal. Megan chases the felon through the Old Port, convinced that her photographic evidence will lead to his capture.

Just as the escapee disappears aboard a yacht in the marina, another man forces Megan aboard the same yacht at knifepoint. Gagged, tied, and terrified, she witnesses a murder.

Will she be next?

About FALSE IMPRESSIONS

Montreal ghostwriter Megan Scott falls under police suspicion when her husband and a female friend are found murdered. In what a Québec detective calls a crime of passion, startling evidence surfaces to implicate Michael Elliott, a young investigative reporter who’d rather rub elbows with scumbags than live the posh lifestyle he inherited.

Clutched out of her comfort zone, Megan is flung into Michael’s dark world of criminal investigation. As they make a last-ditch attempt to prove their innocence, an elusive enemy closes in and threatens their lives. Who wants them out of the way and why?

Their only path to freedom is to catch the twisted killer before they become the next victims. But not knowing who to trust or where to turn can have consequences that are just as lethal…

Links

To learn more about Sandra and upcoming events, visit her website at http://sandranikolai.com

For links to Sandra’s books, visit her Amazon page here or visit other major online retailer sites.

How to contact Sandra:

Website 

Facebook 

Twitter: @SandraNikolai

Goodreads