The Sketchy Christmas Tree: A Christmas Cozy Mystery
(Cozy Mystery Holidays)
by Lucy Carol
About The Sketchy Christmas Tree
The Sketchy Christmas Tree: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Cozy Mystery Holidays)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Pacific Northwest
Fevered Publishing (April 22, 2025)
Print length : 109 pages
Digital ASIN : B0DZVCY4QW
Out on a limb for a killer!
In the whimsical small town of Bisque, filled with fur babies and friendly faces, lives a dapper cat detective, Sir Percival. With his keen intellect, a flair for the dramatic (and of course impeccable grooming), he believes he embodies the essence of a gentleman.
One fateful night, all seems well as Christmas lights and glittering snowflakes usher in a peaceful end to the day. But perched atop a towering Christmas tree, Sir Percival’s vigilant gaze spots a shadowy intruder lurking near a home down the street! His concern for the spirited little dog who resides there, compels him to embark on a daring nighttime escapade. But the shocking discovery in the little dog’s backyard is more than just a mischievous intruder–it’s a dead body.
Determined to solve the mystery and protect their humans, Sir Percival enlists the help of his newfound friend, Fidget. Together, they unravel clues that lead them through a web of betrayal, eccentric neighbors, and buried secrets!
About Lucy Carol
Lucy Carol’s top priority is to entertain you, and keep you turning pages. She writes mysteries for those who like it fun, fast, and don’t mind losing a little sleep. Living and writing in the Pacific Northwest, she loves martinis, flowers, dancing, a good lipstick, and cake.
Interview
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Wanting to be a writer, and admitting I wanted to be a
writer, were two different things.
In Jr high school I wrote these long angsty notes, filled with
the drama of what boy I liked, who broke up with who, which teachers were demon-spawn
from hell, and whose dress was so totally cute that day! I’d pass the notes to
my friends in the hallways. They’d scream and laugh as they read it. Then I’d
bring all this pent up emotion and screwball energy to drama class, and get in
trouble for talking too much and being a clown. The teacher finally started
casting me in roles in school plays, and I now realize he was doing it to try
to focus my need to tell stories.
At that time I didn’t realize that I could do this for a paycheck.
That idea didn’t hit me for many years to come. I just knew I wanted to sing,
act, and dance.
Fast forward to being married to the love of my life, raising
our kids, and working as a dance teacher, and choreographer. My goal was to
open a new dance studio. But that’s when I developed spinal stenosis.My health
went down fast and I had to give up my dance business.
During my recovery I wrote comedy mysteries to make myself laugh
and try to keep my spirits up. At that time the Kindle was a new thing. So, I
got this wild idea. What if I turned this harebrained story into a series, and
put it out on the Kindle? I hired an editor, cover designer, and a formatter. To
get some attention on social media, I made it a goal to try to make people
laugh every day for a year. I love self-deprecating humor, andI had tons of my
own quirks to laugh about.
My first book came out, my readers grew, and I slowly put out
more books.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Forever!
Just kidding. It only feels like forever. But I’m getting faster
and faster. Ten years ago it was 12-18 months. Now, it’s 2-6 months.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
In the morning I stagger to the coffee pot, walk down the hall
to my home office, and write in my PJ’s.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I have the attention span of a squirrel. As a child I was
diagnosed as ADHD. I bounced off the walls. As an adult my body doesn’t bounce
off walls anymore, but my brain certainly does. Since it’s so hard to focus on
one project, I can get relief by allowing myself to work on multiple books at
once. It’s calming for me, jumping from topic to topic. Sometimes you have to
go with what works for your particular way of thinking.
How do books get published?
Oh my. That’s a huge question. But here’s a small sample of the writing
portion.
Idea, research, writing, deleting, writing again, giving up,
wondering why you ever liked this dumb idea.
Stubbornly trying again, revising, writing your brains out,
congratulating yourself because this is awesome! Eagerly send it to the editor.
Editor sends list of problems. You’re caught completely off
guard. There are issues you should fix. You make a stiff drink. Youquestion the
meaning of life, go therapy shopping, buy a sparkly pen that makes you feel
better.
Roll up your sleeves, knuckle-crack, fix the damn manuscript,
send it back to the editor.
Eat a carton ofice cream while friends tell you you’re wonderful
and the stupid editor doesn’t know what she’s talking about. You cut your
bangs. You regret cutting your bangs.More retail therapy because deep down you know
the editor had a good point. You buy two pairs of adorable puppy and kitty
socks, and wear one of each to make you feel better.
Get the manuscript back with the second edits. The editor says
she loves it! You add the last few loving touches to the manuscript that she
suggested, and feel like a million bucksbecause she said you’re awesome. The
manuscript is perfect. You and your editor are high-fiving each other on a job
well done!
Send the manuscript off to the proof reader who finds all kinds
of typos and missing words that neither you or your editor caught. You both
make a stiff drink.
But your husband says your bangs are cute.
Or maybe this whole scenario is just me. Lol!
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I’m often asked this question. The honest truth is that I get
more ideas than are reasonable for me to pursue. But I’ll pick my favorite,
then start researching the parts I don’t know enough about.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love reading, gardening, and jigsaw puzzles with the TV on in
the background. I’m not sure why hearing the dialogue in the background makes
my jigsaw puzzles more fun, but it does.
What does your family think of your writing?
Depends on who you ask. My husband and daughter are proud of me!
My sister thinks it’s a foolish pursuit. But she’s never read any of my books,
and doesn’t read much in general, anyway. You can’t take it to heart. You can’t
listen to those who aren’t supportive. No matter how strong their opinions are,
you need to be stronger.
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If
so, what are they?
Reading good books is important. If you’ve given a book a fair
shot, but you’re not enjoying it, leave it. Go try the next book. Find what you
love.
But even more important than that, is to actually write. The
more you write, the faster you become a better writer. There are books and
classes to help you learn. But, there’s no way around it. You have to write in
order to improve your writing.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they
say?
Yes! I love hearing from them. I send a newsletter every month,
and I always get people writing back. We might be sharing recipes, or funny
stories that happened, or sometimes it’s gardening advice.
My absolute favorite email, to this day, was an email a woman
sent me to say she has to deal with a lot of pain, and sometimes it keeps her
awake at night. She was thanking me for lifting her spirits, and making her
laugh in the middle of the night when the pain kept her awake. I can’t express
how much that meant to me.
Do you like to create books for adults?
Absolutely! I write two different types of cozy mystery. The
Madison Cruz Mystery series, a woman sleuth, is hilarious, but a little on the
edgy side for a cozy series. However, The Cozy Mystery Holiday series is different.
The genre is Cozy Animal Mystery, it’s still hilarious, but it’s sweet and
clean with an adorable cat detective named Sir Percival.
What do you think makes a good story?
The age old struggle between good and evil will always grip our
hearts. We need to see the good guys struggle, fight the good fight, and win!
It’s like a healing balm to our hearts. I think that’s why I love to write it.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
When I was 5 yrs old, I told everyone I was going to be a movie
star and a psychiatrist. It made perfect sense to me to be both at the same
time!
What Would you like my readers to know?
I want them to know that laughter is good medicine, and
therefore I prescribe my own books! But I also prescribe cozy mysteries in
general. We all deserve to feel cozy and safe when we escape into a good book. ❤️
Author Links
Website https://lucycarol.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lucycarolauthor/
Purchase Links – Amazon Books 2 Read
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The Sketchy Christmas Tree: A Christmas Cozy Mystery (Cozy Mystery Holidays) by Lucy Carol
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 9 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
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May 12 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – REVIEW
May 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT
May 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 13 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
May 14 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 15 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
May 16 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT
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