Christmas is filled with traditions whose repetition year after year provide a sense of continuity and joy, as we remember favorite moments from childhood and anticipate adding new memories to that book of mental treasures. Since many of our traditions date from the Victorian period, I wanted to offer an array of historical fiction from that era as a special Christmas tribute. However, as I began to scan the real and digital shelves, I found that, thanks perhaps to Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, most historical fiction set in the Victorian era contains a mystery. Once a romance reaches its HEA, the story is over—which means, alas, that series in romance generally feature friends or other family members. Heroes and heroines of mysteries, however, can always go on to solve the next case. Since there is nothing a fanatical reader loves more than being able to remain in a favorite fictional world, as a Tiny-Tim “bless us, every one,” I’ve chosen several of the longest-running of the top-reader-rated historical mystery series to offer as a special Christmas gift. Happy Holidays, and enjoy! Beginning with the shortest (“only” ten books long) we have AND ONLY TO DECEIVE (LADY EMILY #1) by Tasha Alexander…

What is your favorite scene is from SEAL Wolf In Too Deep and why? I have lots of favorite scenes in every book because they have to be entertaining for me or I have to rewrite them until they are. I haven’t written a story where a main character is turned in a while so I was having fun showing what would happen if the hero had to take control of a newly turned wolf in SEAL WOLF IN TOO DEEP. Another enjoyable aspect of this one is a character that popped into the story that I hadn’t expected. He reminds me of Darren McGavin as Kolchak: The Night Stalker, a reporter who knows vampires were running amuck, but no one believes him. In my story, the man is a homicide detective, and he is certain the skullduggery in the area all has to do with werewolves. But in his case, he knows not to try to convince anyone that werewolves exist. So the scenes with him were amusing too. This was just a really enjoyable story to write. I’ve owned dogs and cats, and so a lot that I write about is based on their behavior, which makes the…

The best part of writing for the Cozy Corner is finding new mysteries and meeting new authors. Some of the series I’ve followed from book one, others I’ve picked up at book nine, or fifteen—wondering at each turn of the page, how I could have possibly missed such a fabulous series! Yet I know I can’t possible read them all, and maybe that’s a good thing. Because when I round the corner, there’s still that anticipation of what I’ll see next. What mystery is left for me to figure out. 2016 has an awesome line-up of mysteries in store for us, but maybe you’ve missed a book you shouldn’t have this year. Maybe the author, who will reach out and touch you in a way no other could, has already visited the Cozy Corner. Maybe it’s time to review our list of mysteries that don’t belong on anyone’s cold case list yet;) To end the year, I thought I’d reflect on the interviews that warmed my heart, made me laugh, and allowed me to meet my hero. I hope you’ll enjoy my best moments of 2015. In January, 2015 I interviewed two authors who like to visit the past, but…

I adore romance. I always have. I started out on Pride and Prejudice but then, lucky me I found Johanna Lindsey! Woo! The door didn’t shut. I got to read about quivering loins and lots of pleasuring. Plus, the characters often felt larger than life. In the romance from the 80s the heroes were lords, dukes, highwaymen! The heroines were almost always bold and willing to give the arrogant heroes a huge set down. So, when I started writing Less Than A Lady it was absolutely due to those larger than life characters. And I wanted epic adventure, so I looked to the past. I looked to a time when women were experiencing more freedom and scandalous clothing than they ever had before! Under the reign of Charles II, aka The Merry Monarch, women saw a rise in freedom, political influence, and general expectation. Women weren’t just supposed to be breeders. They were supposed to be clever, fun, sexy, and bold. In fact, just about anything went for a few decades. How marvelous it must have been after years of repression. For the first time ever women were allowed to play women’s roles on the stage. Before, only boys played…

The New Year is fast upon us. Have you made any plans to ring in 2016? Maybe you have excited youngsters who can’t wait to wave glow sticks in your city or town at a family-friendly celebration. Perhaps you have family visiting for the holidays, when the last days of December become moments to savor before returning them to the airport. Maybe your tradition involves a more casual get-together with old friends at home. Or perhaps this year is a real treat and you’ve booked a romantic dinner for two, planning to linger over a leisurely gourmet meal. Over the years, I’ve had a chance to spend December 31st in many of these ways. Yet I’ve never had the pleasure of greeting the New Year in Stonehaven, a Scottish town south of Aberdeen along the northeast coast. Something about witnessing Stonehaven’s fireballs ceremony whispers to the place inside of me where my Highlander series’ characters reside. In the early 1700s when my “>Highlander Series takes place, Highland society was a curious mix of belief systems. Though Christianity was firmly in place in the Lowlands, some Highland parishes were still trying to bring their Gaelic-speaking people to the church by translating…

At this time of year, thoughts turn naturally to holiday celebrations. In addition to office parties and family gatherings, many of us book enthusiasts celebrate with our book groups. For those of you who don’t know the Readaholics, they are a book group of five women–Amy-Faye, Lola, Kerry, Brooke and Maud– who read classic mysteries in Heaven, Colorado. Lately, it seems that they’ve been solving mysteries almost as often as reading them. Their second outing is THE READAHOLICS AND THE POIROT PUZZLE and they find that Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS helps them get on the right track when they investigate a murder at a brew pub’s grand opening (which event organizer Amy-Faye put together). So, in honor of the holidays, I’m passing along some of the Readaholics’ best ideas for celebrating the holidays with your treasured book club friends. If you read historicals, have everyone bring a cocktail from the time periods of the books you read this year (Sidecars for books set in the 1930s, Mai Tais for the 1940s, Sloe Gin Fizzes for the 1950s–you get the idea). If you read books from pre-cocktail days, mulled wine might be just the ticket. If you read…

Christmas is over, you say? BAH! I say. Now that the shopping-and-mailing crunch is over, this is a time we relish at my house. It’s a time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the season. The house is decorated, the deadlines are over, and there are still Christmas movies and music to enjoy, all at a more leisurely pace! And, confession time: The first chance I had to bake was the day before Christmas. My daughter and I whipped up a quick batch of chocolate chip cookies, perfect for running over to the neighbors on Christmas Day. Another favorite recipe I plan on getting to this week: Fred and Lindsay’s fudge. When I was writing No Christmas Like the Present a few years ago, my heroine, Lindsay, had a beloved fudge recipe. But I didn’t. I’d never made fudge before! So, to make the cooking process more authentic, I did a little (somewhat fattening) research. I experimented with several different recipes, and when I was done, I consolidated my findings into my own favorite recipe. In the book, mysteriously, my hero’s batch of fudge turned out to be even better than Lindsay’s – despite the fact that Fred followed her instructions…

The third book in my Profiler series, SEIZED, finds my normally dedicated, workaholic FBI profiler Evelyn Baine a little lost. She recently solved the case that drove her into the FBI – the disappearance of her best friend Cassie when they were twelve years old – and now she wonders if she still has the drive to be a profiler. To make things worse, her boss is pissed at her for some of the decisions she made on her last case, so he’s punishing her with BS assignments. The most recent is the interview of an incarcerated bomb-maker in a Montana prison. So, when fellow agent Jen Martinez stops her outside the prison and asks for an unofficial profile, Evelyn sees it as a chance to determine if she still has the passion for her job. When an FBI agent you don’t know asks you to help out on an unsanctioned case: Don’t get into the car with her. But Evelyn does, and instead of handing over a case file, Jen Martinez drives her into the Montana wilderness, to see the cult she wants profiled in person. The closer they get, the more remote it becomes. Don’t head out into…

At this time of year, thoughts turn naturally to holiday celebrations. In addition to office parties and family gatherings, many of us book enthusiasts celebrate with our book groups. For those of you who don’t know the Readaholics, they are a book group of five women–Amy-Faye, Lola, Kerry, Brooke and Maud– who read classic mysteries in Heaven, Colorado. Lately, it seems that they’ve been solving mysteries almost as often as reading them. Their second outing is THE READAHOLICS AND THE POIROT PUZZLE and they find that Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS helps them get on the right track when they investigate a murder at a brew pub’s grand opening (which event organizer Amy-Faye put together). So, in honor of the holidays, I’m passing along some of the Readaholics’ best ideas for celebrating the holidays with your treasured book club friends. If you read historicals, have everyone bring a cocktail from the time periods of the books you read this year (Sidecars for books set in the 1930s, Mai Tais for the 1940s, Sloe Gin Fizzes for the 1950s–you get the idea). If you read books from pre-cocktail days, mulled wine might be just the ticket. If you read…

Does your family have a favorite they’ve grown to love year after year? Here’s one for Christmas morning and it’s easy to make the night before. Less stress on all! Here’s another favorite holiday recipe that my family expects on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas for Breakfast. A good friend gave this recipe to me over 45 years ago, and it’s been standard fare at our house for years. ~ Viki Ferrell Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole 1 lb Sausage (can use Italian Sausage) 8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 6 Large Eggs 1 pint Half n Half Salt & Pepper 6 Slices of White Bread Butter Trim crust off of the bread and layer them in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread a thin layer of butter over each slice. Brown the Sausage, drain and sprinkle evenly over the bread. Sprinkle the Cheese evenly over the Sausage. Beat the Eggs and Half n Half together until frothy – maybe 3 – 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour Egg mixture over the Sausage and Cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate over night. Bake the next morning at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 12 decent sized…