Dust Bunnies & Dead Bodies
by Janis Thornton
I liked Dust Bunnies & Dead Bodies because it was a quirky and fun small town mystery… This mystery had a good story and very interesting plot twists, which made it an enjoyable read.
~Books-n-Kisses
~Books-n-Kisses
This first is a new series and sure to hit your funny spot. The characters are fun and likeable and the story line is captivating and moving.
~Shelley’s Book Case
~Shelley’s Book Case
Thornton takes the reader down a number of paths to find the answers to these and other questions as the body count rises in a small town. Not always believable-this is fiction after all-this was a fun read.
~Darla King Series
~Darla King Series
Dust Bunnies and Dead Bodies(An Elmwood Confidential Cozy Mystery Book 1)
Publisher: Cup of Tea Books,
An Imprint of PageSpring Publishing (October 15, 2014)
E-Book File Size: 3659 KB
Print Length: 286 pages
ASIN: B00N34T6XM
Synopsis
When it comes to murder, forget the butler . . . it’s the housekeeper who knows where the bodies are buried.
Small-town newspaper editor Crystal Cropper never takes “no” for an answer, hates to be called a “senior citizen,” and uses the power of her pen to expose corruption in her small town.
Cleaning lady Gertie has a knack for sweeping skeletons out of closets—which makes her one of Crystal’s best informants. But Gertie’s latest hot tip has landed her in a coma, courtesy of an unknown assailant.
Now Crystal must follow the trail of dirt and gossip right to the doorsteps of several prominent local families to solve a decade-old murder and the disappearance of a young boy . . .
About This Author
Janis Thornton is a freelance writer, personal historian, and award-winning journalist. She is the author of two local history books, Images of America: Tipton County andImages of America: Frankfort. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Indiana Writers Center, Association of Personal Historians, and the Midwest Writers Workshop Planning Committee. She lives in a small Indiana town not unlike Elmwood. Dust Bunnies and Dead Bodies is her debut cozy mystery.
Interview
Where are you from?
I am a native
Hoosier. Home is Tipton, Indiana, but I haven’t always lived here. After high
school, I relocated to Columbus, Ohio, and later moved to Los Angeles. In 1993,
I returned to Indiana with my son, who was 4 then, so he could grow up here and
get the same solid, Hoosier upbringing I enjoyed.
Tell us your latest news.
Well… I have a
cozy mystery novel coming out this month. It’s my first published novel, and
I’m pretty excited about it. After that, any other news pales in comparison.
When and why did you begin writing?
I started
writing as a kid and was 12 when a national anthology featuring poetry by
junior high students published the poem I wrote about my dog. I was always
writing little stories and poems, but they were primarily for my eyes only.
However, that changed in the late 1980s, when I signed up for my first
fiction-writing class and wow … a
whole new world opened up for me. I began producing longer pieces with purpose,
as I learned techniques, what worked, and what didn’t, all while I was getting
feedback. I began to trust that if I could imagine a scene or a story, I could
write it. It was an exciting discovery process that has never stopped.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
For years, it
felt pretentious to tell people I was a writer. Even though I had been writing
marketing materials and news stories for years, I thought “writer” was a term
reserved for published authors. I learned differently about 2002, while I was
at the Barnes and Noble in Carmel, Indiana, for a reading and signing by
best-selling author Elizabeth Berg. During the Q&A, a young woman next to
me asked Elizabeth if there was a standard that must be met to legitimately
call herself writer. Elizabeth asked her, “Do you write”? The young woman
responded that she kept a daily journal but had no intention of having it
published. “Doesn’t matter,” Elizabeth said. “If you write, you’re a writer.”
That little exchange was a giant “Ah-ha!” for me because it was the exact
moment I realized it was okay to call myself a writer. I’ve considered myself a
writer ever since.
What inspired you to write your first
book?
The nugget of
inspiration for my first book was a murder that took place in my hometown
almost 50 years ago and, to this day, remains unsolved. The victim was one of
my high school classmates, and I, like everyone who knew her, couldn’t stop
wondering what happened. Twenty years ago, I fictionalized the story to create
a plausible explanation and ending. Although that book was never published,
writing it was an exercise that not only provided me the closure I needed for
the case, it gave me the confidence to write a second novel … the one that
would become my first published cozy mystery, Dust Bunnies and Dead Bodies.
Do you have a specific writing style?
As I write, I’m
not consciously thinking about a particular style, but I do try to establish
and maintain an intimate connection between protagonist Crystal Cropper and the
reader. I think of it as a kind of verbal
wink, if you will. To accomplish that, I attempt to keep the narrative
voice conversational, warm, friendly, engaging, and upbeat. It was my intent to
present Crystal as an honest, worldly storyteller who pulls few punches, while
she lets the wordplay, corn, sarcasm, barbs, and slapstick rip through most
situations, no holds barred. If I had to define my writing style, I would say
it is simply an extension of my own voice. I’ve been reserved, quiet, and a
little shy my whole life, so what’s fun is using Crystal as the front for the
extroverted side of my personality that’s dying to get out.
How did you come up with the title?
Dust Bunnies and Dead Bodies was the stroke of genius of the
editorial team at PageSpring Publishing. Then they repurposed my original
title, Elmwood Confidential, as an
umbrella name for the coming series featuring Crystal Cropper and her Elmwood
cohorts.
Is there a message in your novel that you
want readers to grasp?
Yes. The message
is that crime does not go unpunished, even after 20 years, when a skillful
sleuth gets a whiff of the perpetrators’ trail.
What would you like my readers to know?
I would like
your readers to know that I am grateful for this opportunity to tell them a bit
about myself and my novel. As you know, Dust
Bunnies and Dead Bodies is my debut novel. Getting it into print and into
readers’ hands is a dream come true, and I am having the time of my life. Thank
you!
Author Links
Website and blog: www.janis-thornton.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janis.thornton.96?ref=tn_tnmn
New Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/janisthorntonauthor
New Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/janisthorntonauthor
Tour Participants
October 15 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – Guest Post
October 16 – Books-n-Kisses – Review
October 17 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Guest Post
October 18 – Darla King Series – Review
October 19 – Psychotic State Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post
October 20 – deal sharing aunt – Interview
October 21 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Guest Post
October 22 – Traci Andrighetti’s blog – Review
October 23 – A Blue Million Books – Interview
October 24 – Teresa Trent Author Site – Review, Interview
October 25 – off
October 26 – off
October 27 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – Guest Post
October 28 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
October 29 – Dalene’s Book Reviews – Review
October 30 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post
This book is going on my TBR list
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting. I love the part about your voice and how the title of the book and the series was developed.
ReplyDelete