BLOG TOUR – Die a Yellow Ribbon

AdminJune 15, 20201 Comment

Die a Yellow Ribbon (Pecan Bayou Mystery)
by Teresa Trent

About Die A Yellow Ribbon

Die a Yellow Ribbon (Pecan Bayou Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Independently Published (April 23, 2020)
Number of Pages: 185
Digital ASIN: B087N2X68V
GoodReads Link Coming Soon

Betsy Fitzpatrick, a local helpful hints columnist, feels she has found her own personal guru after reading a book on organizing. Her beloved town of Pecan Bayou is competing in the Annual Golden Pecan Treasure Hunt in the suffocating heat of a Texas summer. The prize is a cruise out of Galveston, and Betsy’s husband Leo is looking forward to a little alone time with his wife, if they can only win it.

After a curious accident and an unsolved murder, Betsy finds it takes more than a precision sock drawer to spark her joy. No matter how neat and organized it might be, murder is always messy.

Die a Yellow Ribbon features the cast of loveable characters from Pecan Bayou including Ruby Green from The Best Little Hairhouse in Texas, Mrs. Thatcher the dispatcher, and Lester Jibbets the port-a-potty king. Come along and follow the clues to find the Golden Pecan.

Recipes and helpful hints included!

Interview with the Author

What initially got you into writing?

I wrote off and on during my twenties and thirties but found raising my children and working took much of my time. Then when I turned fifty, I decided if I really wanted to write, time was ticking by and if I didn’t work at it seriously, I would always regret it. That was when I wrote A Dash of Murder, the first book in The Pecan Bayou Series. It took me almost two years to write it, but once I went through all the learning, failing, learning more cycle I found Overdue for Murder went much faster. That’s how I write- try-fail/try-fail/try-okay better but still fail/try-succeed. My mother wanted to be a realtor but couldn’t pass the state test. She ended up failing four times and got her license on the fifth try. I learned so much from that moment. Failure only lasts until you try again. She was a great real estate agent, by the way.

What genre do you write in?

The majority of my writing is cozy mysteries. I also dabble in sci-fi short stories and I just wrote my first novel-length romance. That one is still in the try-fail stage, but I’m really enjoying it!

What drew you to writing these specific genres?

I always loved Agatha Christie and Jessica Fletcher. I loved the small-town characters over the hard edged-inner-city detective stories. I have never liked books or movies with over-the-top violence, so I gravitated toward cozy mysteries. I also enjoy comedy and romantic comedy and I wanted that element in my stories. Instead of the underhanded pawn shop dealer you might find in a big city mystery, I have Lester Jibbets, king of the port-a-potty empire.

How did you break into the field?

I published a couple of ways. I started out self-publishing and although I made some mistakes, enjoyed the freedom and creative control. Then I pitched my Piney Woods series to an agent and had three books in that series published by a traditional publisher, Camel Press.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

This will sound strange because I write about murder, but a sense of community. A sense of good winning over evil. I also want them to ponder on the who-dunnit factor. I try to make enough colorful characters that a reader doesn’t have a clear choice of whoever the murderer is.

What do you find the most rewarding about writing?

Let me tell you a story. I had a dentist appointment and I’m what they call a difficult patient. Not because I’m rude to the dentist, but because I jump when they hit a nerve. I get really nervous. My dentist is a saint because she gets it and works with me. So, one day I walked in and she was sitting at the receptionist desk and pointed her finger at me and went “You!”

So, I’m thinking the check bounced, or she’d finally had enough of dealing with me, but then she continued, “are an excellent writer! I just read two of your books in a row. I can’t wait to read all of them.”

That is what I like best about writing. I felt good for the rest of the day (outside of the drilling).

What do you find the most challenging about writing?

Editing. I am the messiest first draft writer I know. I am a former English teacher and make more mistakes than a first semester high school freshman.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

Read books about writing, take classes, go to conventions and writer’s groups, be in a critique group. After you do all that, read books in your genre and then read the books that make the New York Times Bestseller List. It might not be your genre, but those books got there for a reason.

Finally, be willing to admit nothing is perfect on the first draft, or the second. Believe in yourself over all the critical voices you will encounter. You know things about yourself and your ability others don’t know, but also be willing to take criticism and make it work for you.

What type of books do you enjoy reading?

I read books in my genre, I read writing-craft books and I read best sellers.

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

I am the parent of an adult with Down syndrome and that is why Danny is in every Pecan Bayou book.

What are the best ways to connect with you or find out more about your work?

The best way to keep up with my work is through my blog, Books to the Ceiling at https://teresatrent.blog. You can also check my website at https://teresatrent.com.

About Teresa Trent

This is Teresa Trent’s ninth book in the Pecan Bayou Series that takes place in everyone’s favorite little town in Texas. Teresa writes the Pecan Bayou and Piney Woods series, but Pecan Bayou has always been a favorite place to call home for her. Teresa lives in Houston, Texas with her family. You can find out more about her and her work on her blog at https://teresatrent.blog or her website at https://teresatrent.com .

Author Links

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ttrent_cozymys

BLOG: https://teresatrent.blog/

WEBSITE: http://teresatrent.com

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5219581.Teresa_Trent

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/teresatrent_cozymys/

LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresa-trent-11a9b112b/

Purchase Link – Amazon – THE BOOK WILL BE FREE DURING THE TOUR!

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 15 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT