Welcome to the “Summer of Mystery Reads” happening July 9th to August 17, 2018, at THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF!
DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF arranged by Great Escapes Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.
S’more Murders (A Five-Ingredient Mystery)
by Maya Corrigan
About the Book
S’more Murders (A Five-Ingredient Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Kensington (July 31, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496709196
Digital ASIN: B0776HN51M
Managing a fitness club café and collaborating on a cookbook with her grandfather are Val Deniston’s usual specialties, but she’s about to set sail into nearby Chesapeake Bay—straight into a murder case . . .
Since catering themed events is a good way to make extra cash, Val agrees to board the Titanic—or at least cater a re-creation of the doomed journey on a yacht. The owner of the yacht, who collects memorabilia related to the disaster, wants Val to serve the last meal the Titanic passengers ate . . . while his guests play a murder-mystery game. But it is the final feast for one passenger who disappears from the ship. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.
Now Val has to reel in a killer before s’more murders go down . . .
Includes delicious five-ingredient recipes!
Interview with the Author
What initially got you interested in writing?
I was an avid reader and visited two different libraries each week in search of books. Inspired by them, I wrote my first novel when I was 13 years old, pounding it out on a manual typewriter and gave it to my best friend chapter by chapter. I enjoyed watching her smile as she read what I’d written and decided to be a writer who would make readers smile.
What genres do you write in?
I write mostly mysteries, both novels and short stories. I used to write academic articles about modern drama, but trust me, the mysteries are more interesting to all but a few students and scholars.
What drew you to writing these specific genres?
My mother brought home stacks of mysteries from the library each week, and my 4th grade teacher gifted me her Nancy Drew books. They hooked me on the mystery genre. I kept reading mysteries as an adult. When I was working on my Ph.D in English, the reading was often long and dry, so I read mysteries for fun. Eventually, I even taught a course on the Literature of Mystery and Detection at Georgetown University.
How did you break into the field?
I took workshops taught by published writers of mysteries to learn the craft, attended conferences on the mystery genre, and joined Sisters in Crime. Through that organization I heard of an agent willing to represent first-time writers based on cozy-mystery proposal. The agent accepted my proposal and found the right publisher for my series.
What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?
Primarily, I want to entertain readers. In writing about crime, though, I’m dealing with a serious subject. A common thread in all my books is how crimes that go unpunished, even so-called victimless crimes, can lead to murder.
What do you find most rewarding about writing?
Typing “The End.” Writing a book is a long, hard process. Having a finished product gives me a huge high.
What do you find most challenging about writing?
I’m slow writer because I want each sentence to be perfect before I move on to the next one. My greatest challenge is getting past my internal editor.
What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?
The difference between an unpublished writer and a published one is persistence. Never give up and keep learning how to write better.
What type of books do you enjoy reading?
If I’m working on a book, I don’t read mysteries similar to it, but I read fiction and nonfiction related to the book’s subject matter. For example, I studied works by and about Edgar Allan Poe when I was working on THE TELL-TALE TARTE. While writing S’MORE MURDERS, I read up on the Titanic. I also usually reread at least one novel by Jane Austen every year.
Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?
Though writing fiction was what I wanted to do from the time I was a teen, I collected too many degrees and tried on too many jobs for size—ESL teacher, professor of writing and literature, computer programmer, technical writer, software trainer, and instructional designer. None of them fit. Now I’m finally doing what I wanted to do all along. Despite a variety of careers, I’ve had the same interests for years: cooking and eating, crosswords, theater, travel, and trivia.
What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?
Website: https://www.mayacorrigan.com
Blog: https://www.mayacorrigan.com/smorgasblog
Newsletter: https://www.mayacorrigan.com/newscontact.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayacorriganbooks
Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/yakfszxo
Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/y84uzloa
About the Author
Maya Corrigan blends her love of food and detective stories in her Five-Ingredient Mystery series set in a fictional historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The first book in the series, By Cook or by Crook, was published in 2014. It was followed by Scam Chowder in 2015, Final Fondue in 2016, and The Tell-Tale Tarte in 2017.
Before taking up a life of crime (on the page), she taught university courses in writing, detective fiction, American literature, and drama. She won the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Unpublished Mainstream Mystery / Suspense. Her short stories, written under the name of Mary Ann Corrigan, have been published in anthologies.
When not reading and writing, she enjoys theater, tennis, trivia, cooking, and crosswords. Her website features trivia about food and mysteries.
Author Links
WebPage: mayacorrigan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya-CorriganBooks/305167769636032
Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N Kobo Google Play BookBub
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
July 31 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
July 31 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
August 2 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
August 2 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
August 3 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
August 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 6 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
August 7 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 8 – Readeropolis – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 9 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 9 – Mysteries with Character – SPOTLIGHT
August 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 10 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
August 11 – A Blue Million Books – GUEST POST
August 12 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
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Kay Garrett
Thank you for the interview with Maya Corrigan and for being part of the book tour. I always love to learn more about author whose books I have on my TBR list. I would love the opportunity to read “S’more Murders” which sounds like a great book and one that I would greatly enjoy.
Mary Ann Corrigan
Hi Shannon,
Thank you for featuring S’More Murders on your blog and for interviewing me. I enjoyed answering the questions!
~ Maya
Kathleen Kendler
Great book.