Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers – Throwback Muffins from Molly MacRae

 

In this edition of Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers we’re celebrating the imminent release of #Throwback for Murder, book 4 in Sarah E. Burr’s Trending Topic Mysteries. The book comes out in two days—June 3, 2025.

I’m immediately drawn to Sarah’s protagonist, Coco Cline. How could I not like someone whose name sounds like drinkable chocolate? Coco, a social media influencer, lives in Central Shores, Delaware. All is not picture-perfect in Coco’s life, though. Murder has a way of stepping in, and when it does, she and her Sleuth Squad of fabulous friends step up.

#Throwback for Murder finds Coco and the Sleuth Squad digging through a murder victim’s social media history—to clear the name of one of their own. Not only is Charlotte the prime suspect, but she’s Central Shores’ favorite coffee shop owner, and the police think her past is as murky as a bad brew.  

Burr offers an appealing cast of diverse and up-to-the-minute modern characters and a comfortably cozy setting. Congratulations, Sarah, on another winning addition to your series!

In honor of #Throwback for Murder, I’ve renamed my family’s favorite muffin recipe Throwback Muffins. Why? Because they’re a great way to use throwback bananas—those over-ripe bananas you threw into the back of your freezer. Did you know you can toss over-ripe bananas straight into the freezer until you have time to bake? When you’re ready to use them, take them out (they’ll look like black-hearted villains), let them thaw, and then nip off one end and squeeze the whole banana out of its skin like toothpaste. Lots of fun!

Feel free to use pecans in place of the walnuts and either light or dark brown sugar.

Throwback Muffins

Adapted from Muffins A to Z by Marie Simmons 

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup chocolate chips

2 or 3 mashed bananas

2/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 ℉.

Lightly coat 12 muffin cups with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to blend. Stir in chocolate chips.

In another large bowl, add brown sugar to melted butter, then the mashed banana, egg, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Add dry ingredients, all at once, to banana mixture. Fold until evenly moistened without overmixing.

Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with chopped walnuts. Bake until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 15-20 minutes.

Cool pan on a wire rack 10-15 minutes before removing muffins.

 

An Interview with Sarah E. Burr

by Grace Topping

Some authors are happy to produce a new mystery once or twice a year. But then you have authors like Sarah E. Burr who not only produces multiple books a year but also juggles four different mystery series, produces her own podcasts, and runs her own graphic design business. Sarah is a member of our Writers Who Kill crew and writes for WWK. Her latest book, DM Me for Murder, was just released. Sarah joins me today to tell us more about her career. 

 

 

DM Me for Murder

Cordelia “Coco” Cline is over the moon when she learns mega-influencer LaTàge wants Center of Attention Consulting to handle her rebranding campaign. But things come crashing down when Coco arrives for a brainstorming meeting only to find LaTàge dead on the floor of her rented mansion. 

While the Central Shores police don't suspect Coco of the disturbing crime, the Internet has other ideas. Coco is horrified to see the hashtag #CocoClineistheProblem trending everywhere on socials, with anonymous accounts accusing her of having a hand in LaTàge's tragic death.

Armed with her phone and her fabulous friends (dubbed the Sleuth Squad), Coco dives into LaTàge's glamorous, over-the-top world of influencer-turned-celebrity. Who in Central Shores would want the LA native dead? What skeletons had LaTàge been hiding?
                                                                                                       www.saraheburr.com

 

Welcome, Sarah.

 

The latest book in your Trending Topic Mysteries, DM Me for Murder, features Coco Cline, a social media consultant and an influencer, and a well-known one in her field. What is an influencer, and how did Coco Cline become one?

 

One of Coco’s teasing comments about herself is that as an influencer, she “has a duty to influence.” Basically, she serves as a guide or role model that people on social media can look to for product recommendations, lifestyle choices, and trends. There are many types of influencers in the world (travel, fitness, and books, just to name a few), and Coco has carved out a space for herself by sharing décor tips, beauty guides, and entertainment recommendations. As for how she became one, Coco evolved into an influencer as her blog, Trending Topic, became more and more popular. The blog was originally part of an app Coco and her college gal pals created, and when it sold for big money, Coco continued her blogging journey.

 

Another character, LaTàge, is a major influencer. She became a celebrity, lived quite a glamorous life, and made a comfortable living from it. Can influencers do that, and how?

 

Most certainly! With the oversaturated market of people trying to become influencers, it takes hard work to make appealing content and a LOT of luck. You need to research trends and what captures a viewer’s attention, but you also have to be different enough to stand out. Kind of like how there are so many cozy mysteries out in the world; you need to find your hook and run with it.

 

In referring to your character Katz, you use the pronouns they rather than he or she. Was this because the character would be one who would prefer the neutral pronoun, or was it to avoid identifying the gender of the character throughout the book?

 

Katz is a non-binary person who uses the preferred pronouns they/them. Representation is really important to me in my work. I want all my readers to feel seen and celebrated when visiting with my characters.

 

You have a number of twists in DM Me for Murder, which leads me to the question: Do you plot your mysteries or just figure them out as you go?

 

I usually plot my mysteries; it’s the only thing I feel one hundred percent certain about when I begin writing a book. However (and this has been happening to me a lot lately), the killer in DM Me for Murder is actually not who I originally intended them to be. I began liking the person who I’d plotted to be the initial villain, and as the story continued to develop, I realized I didn’t want them to be on the hook for the crime. Somehow, the real killer presented themselves to me in the concluding pages, and so I went back and worked them into the story.

 

Your Trending Topic Mysteries have introduced me to a world I’m only slightly familiar with. I learned a lot about social media, influencers, and the young people involved with them. Was it a challenge using a younger “voice” than you’ve used in your other series? 

 

Definitely, but perhaps not in the way most people would think. Out of all the series I write, Coco and her friends most closely emulate how I speak with my besties in the real world. I abbreviate words all the time within an inch of their life, and so, when I’m writing my other books, I really have to work at sounding more formal and putting together coherent sentences. Coco gives me a little more freedom to be myself with her speech, and even then, I have to dial it back. I always have to laugh at book reviews that say, “No one talks like this,” and I’m over here, raising my hand, saying, “Um, I do.”

 

In addition to your Trending Topic Mysteries, you write the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, the Book Blogger Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series. This might be like asking a parent to identify their favorite child, but do you have a favorite series among them? Or do you feel drawn to work on one more than the others? 

Oh, please, don’t ask me to choose, Grace! I definitely feel drawn to my characters when I’ve been away from them for too long. Right now, I’m in my “Court of Mystery era,” working on the final Duchess Jacqueline adventure. I haven’t visited her world in a long time, and I’ve really missed her. It feels so good to be back with her. But I’m already itching to write the next Book Blogger Mystery, too.

Do you write books in more than one series at a time?

 

I’ve attempted to, but it doesn’t go well. I’ve—thankfully—realized that I need to focus all my energy on one manuscript at a time. Otherwise, things get messy.

 

Is writing a full-time job for you?

 

Is there something more than a full-time job? Because that would honestly be it. My life is consumed by writing and everything that goes with it. But somehow, I also manage to run my BookstaBundles service, which creates tailor-made digital book promotion graphics for authors.

 

When you started writing fiction, you wrote fantasy with your Court of Mystery series. What prompted you to turn to cozy mysteries?

 

Denise Swanson’s Dime Store Mysteries. I fell head over heels for that series, and I wanted to create something for readers that made them feel the way Denise’s books made me feel. Cozies also allow me to live out my deep-seated dreams of being Nancy Drew.

 

You’ve said that you are writing the last book in your Court of Mystery series. What is prompting that move?

 

Currently, the Court of Mystery series consists of thirteen books, and over the course of those stories, there’s been a major arc guiding Duchess Jacqueline forward. I finally feel as though I’ve reached a point where this arc can successfully conclude and that Jax can have a bit of a reprieve from finding dead bodies all over her realm. I’m definitely leaving the door open for more adventures to take place in the Realm of Virtues, but Jax has earned herself a happily ever after…for now.

You, along with J.C. Kenney, have been promoting other authors by interviewing them on The Bookish Hour and A Bookish Moment. Recently you have been chatting with fans live on Facebook in Lunchtime LIVE with Me, Sarah E. Burr. Do you find it a fine balancing act writing, promoting your own books, and helping other authors?

 

I won’t lie, it’s a lot. There are few days when I truly do the balancing act well. We are expected to be everywhere, doing everything all at once, and when others reach out for help, it’s impossible for me to say no. But chatting with J.C. and with my readers helps keep my spirits up when things begin to feel overwhelming, and I treasure those interactions.

 

What is next for Coco Cline or for your other series?

 

Gosh, let me think. Coco will be back with at least one more mystery in 2025. Flying Off the Candle, Glenmyre Whim Mystery Book Three, will release in May/June of this year. I’m working on edits from my beta reader right now, and once those are done, the manuscript will be off to my editor. The final book in the Court of Mystery series will be out by the end of 2024, and, if all goes accordingly, I will have the next Book Blogger Mystery out by late 2024 or early 2025. Doesn’t sound like a daunting to-do list at all, right? LOL!

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned since you began writing fiction?

 

The importance of outlining my plot. I’ve written so many chapter ones and twos over the years, but I didn’t start getting beyond that until I began outlining. Having a dedicated roadmap laying out where I need to go has been the best thing to happen to my writing. I’ve been able to finish every book I've ever outlined, so it’s been a winning tool for me.

 

Thank you, Sarah.

 

Look for Sarah’s blogs here at Writers Who Kill on the third Sunday of each month. You can also learn more about Sarah and her books at www.saraheburr.com.

 

Grace Topping is the Agatha Award finalist and USA bestselling author of the Laura Bishop Mystery Series. 

A Beginners Guide to True Crime Podcasts by Sarah E. Burr

You’d think after celebrating fifteen release weeks that I’d be used to the roller coaster of emotions an author experiences during this time. Yet, with Too Much to Candle hitting bookshelves, my nerves have been as twisted as ever. Over the years, I’ve tried different ways to keep the release-week anxiety at bay, to various degrees of success. I’ve tried: 

Free writing. It’s always fun and relaxing to explore a new concept or world. Although, I will admit my brain wanders too much during these times, and the stuff I write during release week is often mush.

Reading. Again, reading can be very relaxing, but I often focus on things I woulda/coulda/shoulda done when reading the works of other fabulous authors instead of just enjoying the book.

Vacation mode. With this, I try to put work on the back burner for the most part. Other than scheduled appearances, I go shopping, take a trip, and do my best to have downtime away from writing altogether. Yeah, it doesn’t work. I spend all this “vacation time” thinking about my book! 

I clearly needed a better outlet to make it through Too Much to Candle’s release week unscathed. So, what I’m trying this time (and with great success, I might add) is losing myself in podcasts.

I have fallen in love with podcasts over the past year and find that they are a great mental escape. Adding to the fact that I listen to true crime podcasts, this new hobby also helps me brainstorm and plot out my next project. It’s a great distraction from the nerves bubbling inside, but it also informs and provides me with valuable insight into the criminal justice system. I’ve learned so many things about law enforcement and prosecutorial procedure from these podcasts. A lot of this knowledge has found its way into my writing. Learning while being entertained…What more could you ask for?

For my post this week, I wanted to share some of my favorite podcasts. If you’re looking at getting into podcasts, these shows are great places to start! 

Crime Junkie – This is where it all began for me. Listening to Ashley Flowers dissect both open and closed cases hooked me from episode one. Each week, Ashley presents a crime to listeners, laying out all the facts and adding her enlightening commentary. The episodes range from 30-60 minutes and are very easy to follow. Ashley’s storytelling style is hypnotic, making Crime Junkie one of my favorite true crime podcasts.

 

CounterClock – CounterClock is different from most shows I listen to because it is a crime told throughout a season rather than all in one episode. Investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra dives into an open case each season, laying out all the facts police have gathered and then digging up more information on her own. Delia is a great host and a dedicated researcher. The intel she uncovers will often leave you with your jaw on the floor. During my recent trip to England, I binged Seasons 1-4, and I cannot wait for Delia’s next featured case.

 

Anatomy of Murder – If I had to pick one true crime podcast to listen to for the rest of my life, Anatomy of Murder would be it. Hosted by Scott Weinberger (a former Deputy Sheriff and investigative journalist) and Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi (a former NYC homicide prosecutor), this dynamic duo takes true-crime storytelling to the next level. Each week, they are joined by a representative from their featured case—a relative of the victim, the lead detective, the prosecutor, etc.—and they dissect the crime from multiple angles. With their expertise and professional backgrounds, Scott and Anna-Sigga inform listeners about the criminal justice system and celebrate the victims whose lives were taken too soon. Every episode brings tears to my eyes. It’s a stellar production, one I look forward to listening to each week.

There are many more honorable mentions I could add to this post (Heist with Michael Caine, The Deck, Serial), but instead of reading my thoughts, I highly encourage you to explore the world of true crime podcasts for yourselves. Most are free to listen through your favorite audio streaming platform.

I also would love to find my next great listen. Do you have a podcast you recommend?

A Candle-ful of Characters by Sarah E. Burr

With less than a month until the launch of Too Much to Candle, I am in full-blown panic mode.

Too Much to Candle is the sixteenth book I’ve published. Still, numbers mean nothing to the nerves that inevitably come when sharing an intimate part of your soul with the world. I’ve held Too Much to Candle very close to my heart for the last year and a half. It’s just been me, Hazel, and Poppy, working through the wild and whacky happenings in Crucible. It’s a special time for a writer, being with their characters before anyone else knows what they’re up to.

For today’s post, I thought I’d pull the curtain back on the cast of my Glenmyre Whim Mystery series. But probably not in a way that you’d expect. My heroine, Hazel Wickbury, is a candlemaker and owns a candle shop called A Wick in Time, so I’m letting her take creative control. She’s here to whip up some signature candles that represent the people in her life. Hazel, take it away!

Hazel Wickbury, candlemaker and heroine of the Glenmyre Whim Mysteries

Hazel Wickbury: Thanks for letting me jump off the page, Sarah. Hi, Writers Who Kill! As my lovely author, Sarah, said, I’m Hazel Wickbury. I live in the small, lakeside town of Crucible, New York, where I run my own business. I launched A Wick in Time around four years ago after discovering my love of candle making. What began as a hobby eventually turned into a full-fledged business empire. Well, “empire” might be exaggerating things a little, but A Wick in Time certainly is growing. I recently installed a candle-making kitchen onsite at my shop so I can craft during store hours rather than at home when the store is closed.

Coming up with scents and aroma pairings for candles is so much fun, and often, I’m inspired by the world around me. That means the people in my life, as well. Below, I’m sharing a bit about my friends and loved ones by putting together a unique candle made just for them.

Poppy Glenmyre, my aunt and best friend: The Poppy Glenmyre candle is made from gardenia, vanilla, and honey.

Holden Whitfield, the new detective in town: The Holden Whitfield candle is composed of cedar, caramel, and fog.

Ignatius “Iggy” Alewell, aspiring fiction author and my store assistant: The Iggy candle combines new book smell, coffee, and apple.

Constance Crane, world-renowned mystery author and new Crucible resident: The Constance Crane mixes green tea, jasmine, and cinnamon.

Ezra Walters, the cute local bookstore owner: The Ezra blends citrus, fresh water, and cotton.

Mayhan Montgomery, Crucible’s newest resident and overall unpleasant individual: The Mayhan is a new scent this fall and might be too intense for most people to stomach. It’s a mixture of moss, ink, and tree bark.

Intrigued by the combinations I brewed in my double boiler? You can read You Can’t Candle the Truth or Too Much to Candle and see if you agree!

What would your signature candle scent be? Let Sarah and me know in the comments.

A Thread of Reflection by Sarah E. Burr

I recently came across a Twitter thread asking writers to reflect on their debut novel and, if given a chance, would they rewrite it? Of course, this prompted me to spiral for hours, thinking about my past books while effectively procrastinating my current work-in-progress.

I think the tweeted question consumed me because I recently celebrated the fifth anniversary of my first publication, a little indie novella called The Ducal Detective. While many writers on the above-mentioned Twitter thread were confident in their work and would never change it, I constantly think about the things I would change because I have learned so many invaluable lessons since I began writing professionally. So I thought I’d share some of those lessons with you today.

The importance of choosing a name. When I first began writing, I naively selected a pen name just because I liked how it looked and sounded. I did no research whatsoever into pen names or author names in general. The result was finding out last-minute that someone else also liked this pen name and had already published several books using it. Since they wrote explicit vampire erotica under this moniker, I didn’t want to risk our brands being confused and readers feeling like they were being tricked. Someone expecting to read about lusty vampires would not find that content in my lighthearted fantasy-mystery books. So I needed to find a new name, and quickly. What’s more, by this stage in the indie publishing process, I had already commissioned a (stunning) cover and received the “final” product. In changing my name so late in the game, I had to go back to the cover artist with my tail between my legs and ask them to update the cover. At that moment, even though my fabulous cover artist was more than accommodating, I felt like a total noob who didn’t know what she was doing (which, in retrospect, I didn’t). The moral of the story is to do a little research on the name you plan to publish with before you go full-steam ahead.

Writing a book is half the job. The other part is marketing it. When I first began this writing journey, I had no idea I would need to become a marketing expert. I thought I could post a few pictures on social media, and that would be it. Someone would see my book post, retweet it, I’d go viral, and boom, a bestseller. Okay, I wasn’t that delusional, but I honestly had no idea how much of my “writing” time would be dedicated to things outside of writing a book. On average, I spend 1.5-2 hours a day working on marketing materials, whether it be designing Instagram posts, writing an article, creating a Reel, or crafting a book trailer. That number used to be significantly larger until I invested in content creation applications to help me. My recommended platforms for do-it-yourself marketing materials are Canva, Book Brush, Filmora, and the Meta Business Suite. I would never have gotten to be somewhat of a marketing expert without them.

Be kind to yourself, even when others aren’t. You are doing great work. Once, I sat in front of my computer, wrote 2500 words, and felt incredibly proud, only to go out to dinner with a non-writing acquaintance who commented, “That’s what you did today? You’re so lucky you don’t have to do real work.” You’ll note the use of acquaintance because this person is no longer a friend. A friend, even a non-writing one, would never demean someone in this manner, but unfortunately, a lot of people have no idea how much work goes into writing 2500 words, let alone an entire book. You’ll need to learn to tune those naysayers out; I cannot tell you how often I’ve encountered condescension when introducing myself as a mystery author. From “Oh, well, what else do you do?” to “So, what do you actually do for a living?” These questions discourage me because mystery authors work incredibly hard to bring entertaining, engaging stories to readers, which should be celebrated, not degraded. If you ever meet one of these people (I hope you don’t), remember that you know how much time, effort, and love you put into your writing, and that’s what matters. And, of course, you’ll surely meet a ton of delightful people who’ll hear “I’m a mystery author” and go full-on police interrogation with their eager questions, so don’t let the meanies get you down.

Sharing is caring, and it helps builds a great community. The online writing community is unlike any other group of professionals I’ve ever met. Everyone is kind, encouraging, supportive, and always ready to lend a hand. I’ve never seen many of my writing buddies in person, but that hasn’t stopped us from forming a beautiful bond. As an extreme introvert, it took me a long time to put myself out there and engage with the writing community, and it is one of the things I really, really regret not doing sooner. For those of you wondering, “well, how do I create a community online,” the first step is easy. Pick a social media platform you feel most comfortable with and seek out groups with like-minded goals and interests. As someone who loves Instagram, I looked up posts with hashtags like #cozymysterywriter and #amwriting and started checking out the profiles attached to those posts. Soon, I began commenting and cheering on other cozy mystery writers, and they, in turn, began stopping by my posts to see what I was doing. Fast-forward a few years to the release of my first traditionally published novel, #FollowMe for Murder, and I had such a great support system celebrating my release with me. Some of my best writing friends are people I connected with virtually, and these relationships have grown into cherished friendships.

If you’re starting your writing journey, I hope these hard-learned lessons help you on your road to publication. And if you’ve been around the block a few times, what lesson(s) did you learn the hard way?

The Fun of Reader Connection: A Bit about The Bookish Hour by Sarah E. Burr

As authors, we’re forever thinking of new, fun ways to engage with our readers. Sometimes the ideas we come up with fizzle after one try, but once in a blue moon, something special sparks the imagination and takes flight. I’ve been fortunate this year to experience the latter with The Bookish Hour, an hour-long YouTube livestream author interview series.

What, you may be thinking. Sarah, that’s just a bunch of random words smashed together. And you’re right! I’ve had difficulty describing The Bookish Hour because what my co-host, J.C. Kenney, and I are doing is relatively new and unique. Twice a month, J.C. (author of the fantastic Allie Cobb Mysteries and the brand-new Darcy Gaughan Mysteries) and I invite an author to chat with us about their books and the writing process. This interview is streamed live to YouTube, where viewers can watch and ask questions during the broadcast in real-time. Yes! Our discussions happen before our audience’s eyes, and because of this live format, our viewers can participate in the interview with us. Some of our best conversations have come from questions our audience members have posted in the YouTube chat. I often wish we had more than an hour with our guests because the time flies once we get going. We’ve covered a lot of ground so far; everything from finding dead bodies in for-sale homes to classical artwork and mysterious societies. Both our author guests and viewers have been so generous with their time—the stream doesn’t feel like “work” because I have so much fun.

And we're live! From left to right: Special Guest Lida Sideris, J.C. Kenney, and me, Sarah Burr

There is some technical work involved, and it always gives me butterflies before we go live. However, our viewers are great sports about the whole thing, which makes me feel a thousand times better. Part of the show’s fun is that viewers get to watch The Bookish Hour through an unfiltered lens—tech flubs and all! We’ve had some doozies, let me tell you. In our first livestream segment—a “March Madness” party for our new releases—YouTube was not picking up my audio. Luckily, my affable co-host J.C. ad-libbed like a seasoned talk show professional and chatted with our audience as if nothing were amiss. While this happened, I sat wordlessly onscreen, frantically clicking around in my streaming software as if my life depended on it, trying to get us up and running. I can still hear the echoes of blood pounding in my ears as I tried to diagnose what had gone wrong. But, as a millennial, troubleshooting tech issues is in my DNA, and we got the stream working in no time. Luckily (and knock on wood), we haven’t had any significant snafus since our inaugural livestream. Yes, we have the occasional internet lag or audio stuttering, but we roll with it, and our viewers have been absolute champs about the experience. It’s all part of the beauty of being live! I wouldn’t trade it for anything; it’s been amazing chatting with authors and readers in real-time!

J.C. and I couldn’t be happier with how readers and writers have received our little show. There’s something for everyone during a The Bookish Hour episode, whether it’s writing tips, publishing advice, or behind-the-scenes details about your favorite book character or series. Our first season ends on Thursday, July 28^th at 8 PM EST with special guest—and Writers Who Kill’s very own—Marilyn Levinson. And yes, you may have noticed the phrase first season. If you can believe it, J.C. and I are already booking guests for our third season! So, if you’re an author, a publisher, an agent, a book blogger/reviewer, you name it, we’d love to have you join us for an episode of The Bookish Hour. And if you are a book lover, we’d love for you to stop by one of our livestreams and ask us your burning questions. Even better, once an episode concludes, it’s available on our YouTube channel to watch at your leisure. It also makes for a great podcast listen on commutes or road trips.

I’m so incredibly grateful to be able to engage with readers across so many different platforms. Whether it be through a blog, social media, in-person events, or a YouTube livestream, the possibilities for us to connect are truly endless.

What is your favorite forum to connect with authors and/or readers?

Learn more about The Bookish Hour at www.thebookishhour.com

 

Bedtime Reading by Sarah E. Burr

It's no secret that I love books. I love reading them, and I love writing them. When I think about where my love of books comes from, my mind immediately supplies an image of my parents. They nurtured my love of books by making sure reading was a huge part of my upbringing. Since my post this month falls on Father's Day, I thought I'd share how my dad influenced my relationship with books and how books influenced my relationship with my dad.

When I was very young, Dad served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. He deployed when I was an infant. Luckily for me, I don't have any memories from a time when he wasn't around. After being honorably discharged, Dad found his calling in life: to be a medivac helicopter pilot. His new career allowed him to be at home more, and we fell into a daily routine that would continue for years: bedtime reading. When I was three, we favored books such as One Morning in Maine, Blueberries for Sal, and A Time of Wonder, all by the incredible Robert McCloskey. There was also the giggle-inducing Good Families Don't by Robert Munsch, a hilarious story about flatulence that went way over my head as a kid—I only laughed because Mom and Dad laughed.

By the time I was in second grade, we had moved away from picture books. Instead, Dad and I began a novel that would alter the course of my life: The Secret of the Old Clock. Oh, Nancy Drew. My love of mysteries flourished upon meeting her, and I give Dad major props for his inspired performances. Nancy, Bess, and George all had their own "voices," so I instantly knew who was speaking as he read. I can still hear his portrayal of Bess and her frequent exclamations of, "Nancy!" Poor Bess, forever trying to convince Nancy that her snooping was too dangerous, all to no avail.

I eventually got so swept up in Nancy's world that I began reading her adventures outside bedtime. I read her books at the breakfast table, during recess, in the car, even once in the back of a helicopter. But just because I was reading Nancy Drew on my own didn't mean Dad stopped reading to me. By fourth grade, we had switched gears and were making our way through the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. We got to The Long Patrol (Book Ten) before we were sidetracked by a global phenomenon. Yes, I'm talking about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The arrival of the Harry Potter books sparked a big change in our reading dynamic. I could no longer wait for Dad to get home to read these books, so we started a “family book club.” Dad would always be a few chapters—or books—behind me, but we still discussed the events taking place and compared our favorite characters. As I outgrew bedtime reading and entered my teens, Dad and I would still find time to chat about our current read, which generally ended with me recommending a new series I'd just discovered, "Dad, you haaaaaave to read this."

When I went off to college, our relationship with books evolved once more. I went to a school ten hours away from home, so Dad and I would load up the car for a road trip at the start of every term. We'd listen to audiobooks during those long drives from Maine to New York. At first, I would play DJ and swap out the CDs when necessary. We did this with Christopher Paolini’s The Inheritance Cycle series, along with The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. As technology advanced throughout my college years, I eventually plugged my phone into the car, and we'd listened to books via Audible.

The next big thing that would influence our relationship was Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. Goodkind's books kept Dad and me connected once I graduated college and moved to Boston. I would regularly reach out to see where he was in the epic saga, lamenting the deaths of our favorite characters and sharing the triumphs of our beloved heroes. Goodkind's work pulled back the curtain for us on the fantasy genre. We would soon explore Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time and Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin would quickly follow.

As we celebrate Father's Day this year, I think about all the fictional worlds Dad and I explored and the time we spent together. I'll always be thankful for those memories, and I know that my dad’s reading to me at bedtime helped make me the person and writer I am today. He didn't have to read to me after a long day at work, but he did. His dedication helped foster a strong father-daughter bond when we could have very easily drifted apart. To this day, books still keep us connected. My writing tends to overshadow my free reading time, but Dad and I are still making our way through James Rollins's brilliant Sigma Force series. And what do you know? For once, Dad is actually a book ahead of me.

What are your favorite "bedtime reading" books?

Unearthed on My Desktop: A Work-in-Progress by Sarah E. Burr

I returned from my first Malice Domestic with a mission from my agent: fifty pages and a synopsis for a new cozy mystery series. I was excited about the fifty pages. The synopsis, eh, not so much. I’d already been working on a budding idea in the weeks leading up to Malice. The existing manuscript just needed a few tweaks to fit the brief. I had eleven pages to work with and a somewhat cohesive outline. I was confident I could do this.

Then I reached the end of those eleven pages and realized I had absolutely no emotional investment in the characters. My own characters. I didn’t understand them or their decisions. I couldn’t picture them in my head. Writing them didn’t feel “right.” So, I did what I’ve done a hundred times. I set another “Chapter One” aside.

I wasn’t giving up, though. I had promised my agent fifty pages and a synopsis, and I am a woman of my word. I was just going to have to start a whole new series from scratch. Not daunting at all.

Fun fact about me: when I’m stressed, I clean and organize. So, I was a little anxious about this new task hovering over my head. The apartment was already spotless, so I sat down at my computer and decided to tidy up my writing folders to soothe my boiling angst. Not a grueling task, mind you. Ultimately, I ended up creating even more folders where I could dump all the random files I’ve accrued since my last panic clean. One of those random files was a two-year-old Word document. It wasn’t a surprise find or anything. It had just been sitting in my generic writing folder since its creation. I knew exactly what the document contained. It held two chapters of a cozy mystery WIP that eventually inspired a supporting character in You Can’t Candle the Truth. An origin story of sorts.

I clicked the file on a whim amidst my sea of simmering anxiety. I enjoy revisiting old work. It was only two chapters, right? It would take me ten minutes to read, tops.

Imagine my surprise when my gaze flickered to the word counter at the bottom of the page to see thirty thousand words glaring at me. Thirty thousand words is not two chapters. That’s nearly half a book. I had half of a cozy mystery staring me in the face. A work-in-progress I had all but forgotten. So, I dove in and read. And giggled. And laughed. And turned to my partner multiple times to exclaim, “Omigosh, this is actually really good.” Like, so good, I couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t continued writing the story.

My face after finding this magical document

My workspace as I began revising

As this nagging question became more urgent, I put my reading on pause and opened OneNote. I use this application to create all my writing bibles. Every series I’ve written or idea I’ve had in the past five years lives in this program. All my notes, outlines, maps, and character summaries are in one accessible place. So, I went on a hunt for any information I’d written about this newly rediscovered work-in-progress. Astounded, I found extensive character write-ups, an illustrated map of the setting, the solution to the crime—everything I needed to write a cozy mystery—hidden away under one too many section tabs. I reviewed the outline, suddenly feeling the familiar jitter in my fingers. I had to start typing. I’d found characters I could connect with; I understood their actions and words. As I sat there typing away, I couldn’t believe this fun, engaging manuscript had been sitting in plain sight for so long. For two years, I had continued to go about my writing, assuming it was two chapters. What an incredible discovery to find an entire world patiently waiting for me. Those fifty pages and synopsis suddenly became a blip in my rearview mirror.

Well, the fifty pages did. The synopsis? You guessed it. Not so much.

An Interview with Sarah E. Burr

by Grace Topping

Sarah E. Burr is the latest author to join us at Writers Who Kill. So, it was a pleasure getting to know more about her and her books. In the past few months, Sarah launched two books in two different series: #Follow Me for Murder, the first in her Trending Topic Mystery Series, and You Can’t Candle the Truth, first in the Glenmyre Whim Mystery Series. Since both sounded so intriguing, I decided to feature both in her interview. 

 

#Follow Me for Murder

 

After selling a tech startup to Facebook in a multi-million-dollar deal, blogger Coco Cline has returned to her hometown of Central Shores, Delaware to launch her own social media consulting firm. Her new clients, Sean and Olivia Chen, are ten days away from the grand opening of their specialty consignment shop when Coco stumbles across their assistant Stacy dead behind the register.

Worried that a cloud of suspicion will ruin their chances of a successful business launch, the Chens ask Coco to work alongside the inexperienced Central Shores police to speed up the investigation. Using her celebrity status and social media savviness, Coco realizes Stacy’s seemingly ordinary life was all an act. Following a trail of cryptic online posts, confusing timelines, and muddied gossip, Coco and her friends discover Stacy’s questionable relationships just might be the reason for her untimely demise.

 

You Can’t Candle the Truth

 

Welcome to Crucible, a small town with a storied history. Founded by five prestigious families, Crucible has been tucked away in upstate New York for centuries under the protection of a shield enchantment cast by Jedidiah Glenmyre, Hazel's revered ancestor. The enchanted barrier is meant to protect Crucible from anything bad ever happening to the town. No crime, no awful weather, no natural disasters…a haven from the greater world.

Until the heir to a billion-dollar company is found dead in his home. With the help of her uncanny power, known as a "whim," Hazel realizes foul play is involved. But more than being concerned about a murderer running loose and Jedidiah Glenmyre's protection shield deteriorating, Hazel and her aunt Poppy are worried the town's kindhearted art teacher will be charged with the sinister crime. Determined to prove her friend innocent, Hazel is ready to shine a light on the real killer…if they don't snuff her out first.

                                                                                                www.amazon.com

 

Welcome, Sarah. 

 

Thank you so much for having me, Grace! As a big fan of your Laura Bishop Mysteries, it’s a delight to talk about all things mystery with you.

 

In the first of your Trending Topic Mystery Series, #Follow Me for Murder, Coco Cline has just sold her tech startup to Facebook in a multi-million-dollar deal, an amazing feat for someone so young. Where does a young entrepreneur go from there? 

 

After her startup’s acquisition, Coco is amazed by all the media attention she gets, something she always dreamed about when she was younger. However, fame isn’t at all what Coco thought it would be, and she soon desperately misses her privacy. So, she makes a pretty big decision to uproot her life in the city and move back to the safety of her hometown, Central Shores, Delaware. Coco likes to keep busy, though, so she is definitely not going to take her money and ride off into the sunset. She is lucky enough to have the financial security to do what she wants, and what Coco wants to do is help people. Since her background is in communications and social media, Coco sets her sights on using those skills to help small businesses succeed. Shortly after returning to Central Shores, Coco launches a one-woman operation, Center of Attention Consulting, where she works with business owners to enhance their brand and increase customer growth through social media.

When readers are introduced to Coco at the beginning of #FollowMe for Murder, she is helping her latest clients with the grand opening of their specialty consignment shop. But, unfortunately, a dead body found in their store puts the brakes on that.

 

Social media consulting must be hitting the main stream if it has become a career for a cozy mystery main character. What is driving this?

 

Social media is no longer restricted by age or generation. For example, when Facebook first came about, you needed to be a student at Harvard. Now, anyone above the age of thirteen can be on Facebook. With so many different platforms out there, today’s technology is more accessible than ever, and it’s become an integral part of how we communicate, whether we like it or not. Its popularity also allows entrepreneurs and businesses to engage with a vast consumer base...if they are doing their outreach correctly.

 

Coco uses her social media savviness to build another business and help others. What motivates her to do this now that she is so wealthy? 

 

I think a couple of things are at play here. First, Coco genuinely enjoys helping people, and she believes she can help them by putting her PR skills and tech knowledge to use. She loves working alongside a team and feeling like she’s contributing to her community. There’s also the fact that Coco received a windfall of cash when she was just twenty-five and maybe didn’t make the most intelligent financial decisions. Coco went on quite the big spending spree: she bought a beautiful beach home, a new car, renovated her parents’ house, and set up a college tuition fund for her nieces and nephew. Because Coco opted to take the intellectual property rights to her blog, Trending Topic, over a bigger payout from Facebook, she still needs a steady source of income to maintain her current lifestyle.

 

In the Trending Topic series, will you continue to feature Coco Cline, or will you be addressing other trends?

 

Coco will be trending for at least two more books. She and her friends have more fun adventures ahead of them in Central Shores.

Like fiction imitating life, you are also a tech entrepreneur with your BookstaBundles online service. Is that where you got the idea for Coco? Please tell us about BookstaBundles.

 

It’s actually the other way around! I got the idea for BookstaBundles from Coco. A few writer friends asked who designed all my book promotion graphics. When I told them I made my own, they immediately inquired if I’d be willing to create graphics for their new book releases, much like Coco helps her clients curate their online content. Since graphic design is a soothing hobby got me, I was thrilled to have fun projects to do in my spare time. I love helping people however I can, a trait that Coco and I share. Once word began to spread throughout the author community about my designs, BookstaBundles was officially born.

 

It’s incredible to see how BookstaBundles has grown in just a year. I’m so grateful for all the referrals I’ve received and thrilled that authors and their books benefit from my work.

 

Based on your degrees in Political Science and Philosophy & Religious Studies, you frequently weave these themes into your writing—something that can be difficult without sounding preachy. Is it challenging to include these themes? Is that what drives you to write about the paranormal?

 

I lean into my academic roots most when writing my Court of Mystery series. The series takes place in the fictional Realm of Virtues and features a young woman who solves crimes. Beyond unmasking dastardly killers, my heroine, Duchess Jacqueline, is on a quest to make the realm a better place for all people, not just the elite nobles. This undertaking is where I really put my degrees to use, helping Duchess Jacqueline construct the “perfect society.” My background has also helped me establish the realm’s current political systems and socio-economic structure. The ideals Duchess Jacqueline promotes boil down to equality and opportunity, two themes that I believe are essential to living a good life.

 

In the first of your Glenmyre Whim Mystery Series, You Can’t Candle the Truth, Hazel Wickbury knows when someone is going to die, an ability she finds a burden. Please tell us about this inexplicable ability and her family mantra, “With our whims, do good.” 

 

Hazel descends from the mystical Glenmyre clan, one of the original founding families of Crucible, New York. While Hazel doesn’t like to use the term “witchcraft,” her ancestors definitely had powers that we would equate to magical beings. However, over time, the strength of their supernatural powers faded, leaving present-day Glenmyres with minor, limited abilities that they refer to as “whims.” Hazel’s whim allows her to see a glowing countdown above the heads of people around her, a “lifeclock” that reveals the amount of time the individual has left on this earth. Knowing when someone is going to die is quite a burden for Hazel to bear, and she can’t help but be a little bitter about the whim she’s been given. Her aunt, Poppy, sees colorful auras around people, indicating their moods and feelings. Hazel often laments how she wishes she had a more practical, helpful whim like Poppy’s. The Glenmyres have long believed that their whims were given to them for a reason: to help the people of Crucible. That belief is why both Hazel and Poppy feel such a deep sense of obligation to help their community when trouble arises.

Although Hazel feels bound to do good with her whim, what about her own happiness?

 

Thankfully, Hazel can suppress her whim’s morbid power by wearing special glasses made by her Great-Aunt Ruthie. When Ruthie was alive, she shared the same whim as Hazel, so Ruthie knew the toll it took on her own life to be surrounded by inevitable death. As a result, Ruthie spent most of her life keeping people at a distance. Luckily, she uncovered the secret to hiding the dreaded “lifeclock,” and now, Hazel reaps the benefits. As long as Hazel has her glasses on, the countdowns around her remain hidden, and she can enjoy a relatively normal life.

 

However, there are moments when Hazel chooses to use her whim to help other people make possibly life-changing decisions. Many decisions are made based on our fear of dying, so Hazel decides to serve as a guide in those instances. While the process is emotionally and physically jarring, Hazel is comforted by the fact she can help someone, which brings her happiness. I think achieving satisfaction through selfless acts is a special kind of joy.

 

Hazel lives in Crucible, a town that is one of the safest places to live in the U. S. Supposedly, nothing bad ever happens there—until a murder occurs. Please tell us about Crucible. 

 

Crucible, New York, is a beautiful little lake town near the Finger Lakes region. The main street, Rosewood Lane, is lined with local businesses and is home to Hazel’s candle shop, A Wick in Time. Other fun Crucible establishments are the bookstore, The Poignant Page, Bright Moon Café, and Cold Cauldron Brewery. You’ll notice a nod to the supernatural in some of the names; even though the Glenmyre whims have been kept a secret over the centuries, there are lingering rumors that Hazel’s ancestors were witches who escaped the Salem Witch Trials.

Crucible is one of the safest places to live due to an enchantment cast by Hazel’s ancestor, Jedidiah Glenmyre, to prevent evil from penetrating Crucible. For centuries, the protection shield has kept Crucible safe from natural disasters, bad weather, and crime. Not even traffic accidents can slip through. That is until Kevin Finchmore is murdered. While residents are understandably shocked by the crime, Hazel and her aunt Poppy are even more unsettled. Has something happened to Jedidiah Glenmyre’s protection enchantment? Are they able to fix the shield with their diminished powers?

 

Hazel creates her unique brand of candles that she sells in her shop. Are you into candle making? Did you have to make some for research?

 

My hobby is more buying than making candles, but I did have to do a deep dive into the candle-making process to showcase Hazel’s experience authentically. I did make candles, but not in the abundance that Hazel does. Her industrious process took a lot of research to understand. I learned that you don’t just wait for candles to harden to consider them ready. Candles need to “cure” for at least a week (sometimes less, depending on the wax used) to allow for the fragrance to permeate the entire candle. There are times when Hazel can’t afford to wait a week because demand is so high, so she uses paraffin wax, which can cure in less than seventy-two hours.

 

With several books in your epic fantasy Court of Mystery series, what drove your switch to contemporary cozy mysteries? Are you planning to write more books in the Court series?

I began writing #FollowMe for Murder about five years ago. I love the concept of the amateur sleuth, something that all my books share. I’ve loved amateur sleuths ever since I was a kid, reading Nancy Drew books. I rediscovered the cozy mystery genre after our big move to New York. I felt uncertain about the future, being in a new state, and I started reading cozies as a source of comfort. I was probably on my fiftieth read when I asked myself, “Hey, Sarah, you love reading these so much. Why don’t you try to write one of your own?” And that’s how Coco and Hazel came about. I fell in love with the genre as a reader and wanted to explore it as a writer.

Of course, my Court of Mystery series is never far from my mind. As my first published work, the series is near and dear to my heart. I am working on Book Nine as we speak!

 

How do you juggle three different series (and manage BookstaBundles)? Do you have a favorite among them?

 

I ask myself this question every day. How am I doing this? It all comes down to managing my time effectively. I view my characters as friends, so I visit them when the timing works out. I write both indie-published and traditionally published books, so I carve out these visits based on my publishing schedule. I dedicate each month to visiting a different world, and I try to stay there the whole time. It can be challenging because I sometimes wish I could visit Central Shores rather than the Realm of Virtues, Crucible, or vice versa, but I have such a deep love for all these characters that we work through our growing pains to keep moving forward.

 

I know I’m not supposed to have favorites, but I feel like my favorite series changes daily. Right now, I am looking forward to returning to Crucible. In February, I finished the first draft of Too Much to Candle, so it has been “marinating” while I work on my next project. I’m planning to dive back into revisions come May, so I am looking forward to seeing Hazel and her friends again.

Now that you’ve written and published several books, what is the most valuable thing you’ve learned along the way?

 

I’ve learned so, so, so many lessons. Save frequently. Title your manuscripts clearly. Keep old drafts, just in case. Don’t delete large chunks of text without saving them somewhere for later consideration. Set expectations with yourself on your progress. But the most important thing I’ve learned is to give myself credit for all the hard work I am doing.

 

I write full-time. It’s my job. And just like other people take time off their jobs, I’m allowed to take time off writing. When I first began this venture, I thought I had to be writing or marketing myself twenty-four-seven. If I wasn’t writing or doing something related to my manuscript, I wasn’t working hard enough to further my career. That type of thinking is really, really dangerous for writers. It can lead to burnout or, worse, mental distress. So, I always encourage writers, new and veteran, to give themselves credit for their efforts. Even something that may seem small deserves recognition. A few weeks ago, I spent two hours on one sentence. I dedicated two hours of my life to what ended up being fourteen words. But those fourteen words eventually formed the closing line of my manuscript. It may not seem like significant progress, but any progress is noteworthy and should be celebrated in this business.

 

What should we be on the lookout from you next?

 

There’s always mystery and murder on the books for me. This fall, I am looking forward to releasing Hazel’s next mystery, Too Much to Candle. The next Trending Topic Mystery launches in February 2023, which will be here before we know it. And in other fun news, I have a new upcoming cozy mystery series with TouchPoint Press called The Book Blogger Mysteries. Yes, you read that right. Another series. What can I say? I love what I do. The Book Blogger Mysteries features bookworm Arwen Lark. Arwen sets out to prove her famous twin brother innocent of murder before the Hollywood paparazzi descend on her peaceful Massachusetts home and unveil her as the brains behind the internet’s favorite book blogger, The Wren.

 

I’ll also be attending Malice Domestic this year. It will be my first book conference, and I could not be more excited to meet readers and authors alike!

 

And last but certainly not least, author J.C. Kenney and I recently launched a web series called “The Bookish Hour.” We pull back the curtain and chat about books and writing with special guest authors twice a month. What’s fun is that we live-stream on YouTube and take questions from our audience during the broadcast. Check us out at www.thebookishhour.com.

 

Thank you, Sarah. Wishing you much luck with all of your series.

 

Visit Sarah at https://www.saraheburr.com to learn more about her books and BookstaBundles.