We’re joined by one of our long time reviewers, Teresa Cross, for today’s Reviewer Spotlight!  Your Name Teresa Cross How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer? 6 years What are your favorite genres to read and review? Mystery/thrillers What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? He Started It by Samantha Downing Devolution by Max Brooks The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger What do you like to do outside of reading? Actually, if I’m not reading a thriller, I do love to watch them. I like to write some too though I’m still finding it hard to do at times because I have so many great books I still want to read! What are some of your holiday traditions? When my parents were alive, we would meet over at their house for Christmas. My children would always open one gift the night before from each other. Then Christmas morning the rest! What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021? Well, I set for 50 this year and really exceeded it, (I wonder why) so I say 60 books next year! What do…

You know one thing I like about writing cozy mysteries?  They’re series, centering around the life of the protagonist.  Which means they need a large cast of friends, family, and business associates, all with the potential to get developed as the series progresses.  Of course, some of these people will be developed into murder suspects – and victims.  But the people closest to your protagonist are generally safe bets for readers to get attached to. Cozies also allow for elements of romance, as new people come into the character’s life as a result of the murder investigation.  Which gives a whole other layer of tension to the plot. I’ve taken advantage of all of that in GRAND OPENINGS CAN BE MURDER, the first book in my Bean to Bar Mysteries.  My protagonist, Felicity Koerber, moved home to Texas after her husband died.  She’s made some new friends, and her old friends – especially her best friend Autumn and her Aunt Naomi – have rallied around her, to help her through this time of grief.  And Naomi is a bit of a matchmaker, determined to get Felicity dating again, so there’s bound to be some cute guys dropping into her world,…