Sunday, November 12, 2017

Scrapbook of Murder by Lois Winston Interview & Giveaway

Scrapbook of Murder
by Lois Winston

Several mysteries overlap as Anastasia finds herself digging into a cold case. This is nothing new for her. The mysteries take on darker tones as more secrets and connections fit together.
~Laura’s Interests
Scrapbook of Murder was well written and was a fast read.
~My Reading Journeys
Scrapbooking has always been something that relaxes me, and I found this book quite original and interesting at the same time, mixing some of my favourite things, crafts and mysteries, and let me say that this book has surprised me, it was a quick read, with humour, a good mystery and very interesting characters!
~Varietats
The plot is fast moving and entertaining, with two clever mysteries.
~Jane Reads
Scrapbook of Murder (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Self Published (October 2, 2017)
Print Length: 171 pages
E-Book ASIN: B075FCSCPL
Crafts and murder don’t normally go hand-in-hand, but “normal” deserted craft editor Anastasia Pollack’s world nearly a year ago. Now, tripping over dead bodies seems to be the “new normal” for this reluctant amateur sleuth.
When the daughter of a murdered neighbor asks Anastasia to create a family scrapbook from old photographs and memorabilia discovered in a battered suitcase, she agrees—not only out of friendship but also from a sense of guilt over the older woman’s death. However, as Anastasia begins sorting through the contents of the suitcase, she discovers a letter revealing a fifty-year-old secret, one that unearths a long-buried scandal and unleashes a killer. Suddenly Anastasia is back in sleuthing mode as she races to prevent a suitcase full of trouble from leading to more deaths.

About the Author
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.
Interview

Where are you from?
I’m a Jersey girl, born and raised, who took a detour to Philadelphia for a few years, but I’m now back in New Jersey.

Tell us your latest news?
Scrapbook of Murder, the sixth book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series just came out. I’m also part of the recently releasedSleuthing Women II: 10 Mystery Novellas. Each of the stories in this ebook box set is a tie-in to an existing mystery series. My contribution is Crewel Intentions, which takes place between the first and second books in my series.

When and why did you begin writing?
Aside from school assignments, I didn’t begin writing fiction until twenty-two years ago when a story popped into my head one night. I decided to write it down, and the next thing I knew, I had a book! I decided to see if I could get it published. Ten years and many rewrites later, that book became the second novel I sold.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When my agent called to tell me I’d sold a book.

What inspired you to write your first book?
A murder had occurred in a town near where I lived. A young couple seemed to have the perfect life—until the husband killed his wife. The police soon discovered he’d been living a double life. I became obsessed with the case, and it inspired the plot of my first book. Since then, all of my books have been inspired by actual events I’ve either read about or witnessed. None are fictional accounts, though. Each story is pure fiction. The real life events plant a seed in my brain, and a new story takes root and grows. 

Do you have a specific writing style?
I started out writing dark romantic suspense, but I now write humorous amateur sleuth mysteries. After 9/11 I found myself unable to deal with dark books, either reading them or writing them. I wanted to read books that made me feel good. I figured if I was in desperate need of a cathartic laugh, others probably were, too. So I began writing books that I hoped would make people laugh.

How did you come up with the title?
Because I write crafting mysteries, I always choose a craft to feature in each book. The craft usually influences the title. So far I have Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, Death By Killer Mop Doll, Revenge of the Crafty Corpse, Decoupage Can Be Deadly, A Stitch to Die For, and Scrapbook of Murder. There are also three novellas: Crewel Intentions, Mosaic Mayhem, and Patchwork Peril.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
One day Anastasia Pollack is living a typical middle-class life; the next day she’s a penniless widow in debt several stories above her eyeballs. Plus, she’s permanently stuck with her nasty communist mother-in-law. And that’s before the dead bodies start piling up around her. Through pluck and determination—and a Jersey girl sense of humor—she somehow manages to survive. The message I try to convey in the series is that having a sense of humor will help you get through the worst that life has to throw at you.

In Scrapbook of Murder I also touch on the importance of preserving family history for future generations.

What would you like my readers to know?

I love making my readers laugh as they turn the pages to figure out whodunit.If you’re having a bad day, spending a few hours with Anastasia might make that day a little bit better.
Author Links
Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog: www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com
Purchase Links 


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 1 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
November 2 –  My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
November 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – SPOTLIGHT
November 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
November 5 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
November 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – Varietats – REVIEW 
November 9 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
November 10 – Jane Reads – REVIEW
November 11 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
November 12 – deal sharing aunt – INTERVIEW
November 14 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
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3 comments:

  1. Lois WinstonNovember 12, 2017 at 7:49 PM

    Thanks so much for interviewing me and featuring Scrapbook of Murder!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angela AdamsNovember 13, 2017 at 4:27 PM

    Philadelphia misses you, Lois (smile!).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lois WinstonNovember 13, 2017 at 4:41 PM

    Thanks, Angela! One of these days I'll have to take a trip down the Turnpike to visit.

    ReplyDelete

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