Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner Interview: SNOW PLACE FOR MURDER by DIANE KELLY
Cozy Corner / October 23, 2023

Baby, it’s getting cold outside—but I think Diane Kelly’s victim in her new release is a bit colder than the rest of us. (Actually in Texas colder means 90 degrees today—I guess that’s colder than our smoldering summer of 2023!) For the rest of the country, fall is getting chilly and winter is just around the corner—what better way to welcome the cooler temps and shorter days than with the latest release of a talented mystery author. I met Diane when she lived in the Dallas/Fort Worth area but she moved on to the greener and colder mountain tops of North Carolina. When a writer moves, a new story line starts, and luckily for us, the oldie but goodies are still continuing—you can take the writer out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas stories out of the writer;)   Kym Roberts: Hi Diane, welcome back to the Cozy Corner! October 26th marks the release of your third Mountain Lodge Mystery, SNOW PLACE FOR MURDER featuring amateur sleuth Misty Murphy, the owner of the Mountaintop lodge in Beech Mountain, North Carolina. Your town, with its paradoxical name, is absolutely adorable like many of the real small mountain towns located in…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner Interview: A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS by Lucy Burdette
Cozy Corner / August 28, 2023

One of my favorite things about cozy mysteries are the possibilities of bonus content, like how to knit a one-of-a-kind scarf or arrange the flowers from my garden into beautiful summer centerpiece, or maybe carve that Christmas ornament for your first grandchild. (I could teach you;) If those skills are more than you want to tackle and you just want to keep those experiences on your bookshelf, I know the perfect craft for you to indulge in—Scottish scones! Who better to teach us then the Scottish Scone sisters creator, Lucy Burdette. After traveling to Scotland five years ago with a fellow writer, I decided to go back with my family in tow, but this time, we visited other parts of the UK as well. I’ve tried scones at that addictive American coffee house and just shrugged. (It’s their Frappuccino that keeps me going back, not their baked goods.) It was a different story, however, when we went to the U.K. And having tried Lucy’s recipe, I can guarantee it will bring you much closer to the real thing than any coffee shop’s pastries in the states! So of course, when the Scottish Scone sisters came stateside to visit food critic…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner Interview: A FATAL GROOVE by Olivia Blacke
Cozy Corner / July 24, 2023

We Need More Olivia Blacke Books!  Cozy mystery author Olivia Blacke sits down and discusses writing, books, music, fairs, sisters, coffee, tea, hockey, and cows at the Cozy Corner.  I love coming across a podcast featuring an author I haven’t read. I love it even more when that author is funny, interesting and a genuinely nice person. That’s what I discovered one afternoon, and when I read her book, I loved today’s author even more. But the true test came when I reached out to Olivia Blacke and found out she is the exactly the kind of author you want to meet at a book signing. She’s down to earth, relatable, and thoroughly entertaining. Just read on and find out!   Kym: Hi Olivia! Congrats on July 25th release of your second Record Shop Mystery, A FATAL GROOVE. Can you tell our readers a bit about your three sisters, Juni, Tansy and Maggie who run this fantastic record shop with a coffee shop in its midst called Sip &Spin Records which is located in the outskirts of Austin, Texas. What makes these three work so great together and do you have siblings you’ve worked with before?  Olivia: Juni, the main…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: Besieged by Great Beach Reads
Author Spotlight , Cozy Corner / June 26, 2023

Sometimes finding the right book to read while lounging under an umbrella on miles of white sand can be a chore, or at least the hardest decision to make while taking a break with a little bit of sun and waves. Search no more! I have the perfect list to choose from, or select them all—it’s your choice—I mean it is your vacation from everyone and their brother telling you what to do. Especially those pesky rug-rats throwing sand at each other and trying to tell you their sibling should be the one in trouble. It’s dad’s turn to be a child (it’s not like that’s is a strange concept for him) and entertain the kiddos while you just breathe in the salty air and read. If they get bored, he can pull out all those goodies you packed while you relax and escape into a fabulous mystery world. Take a look at the treats I have for you, you’ll wish you could devour them as fast as the kids!   Legally Burned Paranormal Justice for All (Book 2) By Jane Biteme 5/7/23 AFTER NAILING THE BIGGEST CASE OF HER CAREER, SLOAN REYNOLDS. SHOULD RE SIPPING SOME WELL-DESERVED SMOKED BOURBON…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: There’s Magic in the Air with Melissa Bourbon
Cozy Corner , Interviews / October 24, 2022

It’s such a joy to find an author and follow them through multiple series, especially an author whose writing grabs you and sucks you into the story. For me, Melissa Bourbon’s novels latched onto my hand as I held the book (I may have latched onto Melissa’s at a book signing) and drug me straight into the mystery. Lola was the first of many series to snag my love of a great caper. To this day, I still pull out my Lola Cruz Mysteries to reread! But Lola was just the beginning of my girl crushes. Melissa has written so many great series, and they just keep coming from this talented, bestselling author. I had the pleasure of hearing about the Magical Dressmaking Mysteries before they went into print! Her Bread Shop Mysteries are killer whodunit recipes—the list goes on and I had the pleasure of asking Melissa about her latest release from her fabulous Book Magic Mysteries, Murder and an Irish Curse. Hold on tight, you’re about to get pulled into a great story!   Kym: Welcome back the Cozy Corner, Melissa! Melissa: Thank you! It is always fun to visit Fresh Fiction and the Cozy Corner!   Kym:…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: Lucy Burdette has A Dish to Die for
Author Guest , Cozy Corner , Interviews / July 25, 2022

For me, the spice of life is good food and trying new things. The author I’m interviewing today brings both of those experiences to the table—and it’s a table loaded with good recipes and fantastic writing. Yum! Like many mystery readers, Lucy Burdette caught my eye with her hit Key West Food Critic Mystery series. Her character’s growth is fully developed and insightful, not to mention she’s got a drop-dead gorgeous setting and recipes! (Did I already say yum?) To top that off, she’s willing to step off the ledge and go for something new—dark even and utterly fantastic. As a book critic, I know what I like, and I love her new endeavor into the thriller category. Take a chance, enjoy another great Key West Food Critic cozy mystery with A DISH TO DIE FOR– and then go for not an edge of your seat suspense, but a narrow escape from the edge of the dock spine chiller in her UNSAFE HAVEN crime thriller. It’s a leap you will love!   Kym: Hi Lucy, welcome to the Cozy Corner! Lucy: Thanks so much for the invitation!   Kym: You have two books releasing within a couple weeks of each…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: LOCAL GONE MISSING by Fiona Barton
Author Guest , Cozy Corner , Interviews / June 27, 2022

It’s no secret that I love detective mysteries, but what I really like to read are mysteries from different areas of the world. It’s amazing how different police procedures, organizations and investigations can be, both fictional and real life. Fiona Barton has created one of my favorite female detective persona’s in her Elise King Mystery series. Her writing captures the true struggles female detective face both on and off the job. The job is everything—until it’s not. I hope you enjoy this fascinating series and getting to sit down with Fiona Barton as much as I did.   Kym Roberts:  Welcome to the Cozy Corner, Fiona! Your background in journalism has required you look into some dark events and crimes. How were you able to separate your everyday life from the brutality of some of those assignments? Fiona Barton: It was hard at times – I remember covering the mass shooting of primary school children in Dunblane, Scotland and then returning home to my young family, who were upset about a sick pet. Two different realities but you have to deal with both with empathy. The danger is becoming numb to the terrible events in the news – as a…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: A Different Path to Mystery
Author Spotlight , Cozy Corner / April 25, 2022

A couple times a year I get sidetracked. (My husband would say I do it more often than that, but I don’t remember asking for his input.) My reading, and writing, veer off-course to see what’s beyond the cozy forest as I explore what lies deep within the darkness—to the place where laughter and silliness don’t exist, but exceptional writing and storytelling still grasp hold and don’t let go. We all have a go-to genre, one that speaks to us the way no other does, yet just as in life, going outside the boundaries of our chosen lane allows us to experience another culture to enrich our daily lives. And I have to say, the choices I’m sharing today sweetened my reading venture – from a kiss of death to a trip through time, to the novellas of a genre king, and the threats of a haunted home, all of which brought me right back to my original trek – and a trip to Paris. I mean seriously, it’s Paris! I hope my selections inspire you to take a chance, a risk that will open your eyes to new possibilities…and then you can finish back in our cozy little corner….

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner Interview: A Map to Mystery with Peng Shepherd
Author Guest , Cozy Corner , Interviews / March 28, 2022

Who doesn’t love maps? Sure, they can be confusing, puzzling, and downright impossible to fold, but the adventures they hold are amazing. When I saw the latest release by Peng Shephard, THE CARTOGRAPHERS, I had to check it out. It’s a little bit adventure, a little bit mystery, and a whole lot of intrigue and fun. Peng is definitely a writer you want to keep on your list of go-to of authors, so of course I had to invite her to sit down with us at the Cozy Corner and find out how her heroine, Nell Young, came to life.   Kym:  Welcome to the Cozy Corner, Peng! Peng: Thrilled to be here!   Kym: Maps, I love maps! The art of map reading has been lost on the youth of today thanks to GPS giving them directions and that’s why I loved the premise of your latest release, THE CARTOGRAPHERS. How good of a map reader/folder, are you? Peng: Pretty good, although I definitely got a lot better during the writing of this novel! I spent a lot of time looking at one map in particular, the map which the book is based on—by the time I finished writing the manuscript, I knew the…

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD
Author Guest , Cozy Corner , Interviews / February 28, 2022

Audio books have become my favorite way to continue a story while keeping up with my busy schedule. It’s not like my husband is talking to me while reading his email on his phone, or the kid cares what’s on the car radio while watching YouTube on our commute. And don’t get me started about how tedious laundry, vacuuming, or steaming the floors can be! Audio books are a life saver! However, I must confess that I can be rather picky when it comes to the actor who presents the author’s characters. Finding the perfect marriage of mystery and voice can be difficult—but I discovered it in Elle Cosimano’s collaboration with Angela Dawe in FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD, and naturally I had to get Elle here for just deeper look into her story!   Kym: Hi Elle, welcome to the Cozy Corner! Elle:  Thank you for inviting me, Kym! Kym: First off, I loved the audio version of FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD which released 2/1/22. Angela Dawe brought all of the characters to life with amazingly different voices. What is your favorite thing about having your books in audio format? Elle: Angela is AMAZING! She is the perfect…