1–What is the title of your latest release?
A TOUCH OF MALICE (Kalli Ballas Mystery #3)
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Monk meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a twist!
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I love writing books that take place anywhere in the northeast. I chose a fictitious town in Connecticut named Clearview. It’s more fun to make up a town because then I can do whatever I want with that town.
4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Yes. Kalli is a germaphobe who doesn’t like to be touched, but she does like wine! I think we would have some great conversations.
5–What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Smart. Clever. Reserved.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Strippers and pole dancing lol. You’ll have to read the book to find out why.
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
Oh, I definitely edit as I go along. I plot and write a third of it, then edit that chunk then plot and write the next section and edit that chunk, then plot and write the last section and edit that chunk. Then I edit the entire book as a whole. Often a new thread will come to me halfway or three-quarters of the way through, and I’ll go back and weave that through as well. Writing is rewriting and the sparkle doesn’t happen until you polish.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I used to love sweets, but as I’ve grown older, I’m all about the carbs, unfortunately.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
I have an office in one of the extra bedrooms of our new house, but I really tend to write in my morning room facing the backyard and fields of nature beyond that. I love lots of light, not to mention I have two big Samoyeds who go in and out all day long. Writing at the table is just easier.
10–Who is an author you admire?
Tonya Kappes. She writes cozy mysteries that are fun and quirky a lot like my own. Always professional and her rate of productivity is astounding. On top of all that, she’s a genuinely nice person.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
No book in particular, really. Although, I do remember reading Come Love a Stranger by Kathleen Woodwiss and A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. Those started my love of reading. After reading Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel, I started thinking I wanted to write something myself. I started with romantic comedies, chic lit, and women’s fiction. Then when I discovered cozy mysteries and started reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, I was hooked, moving into mysteries and suspense novels.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I’ve written for Sourcebooks, Berkley Prime Crime, Amazon Thomas & Mercer, and now Oliver Heber Books. “The Call” never gets old no matter what you’re doing or where you are. Your heart pounds, tears well up, and you feel vindicated for all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into writing a book. It’s hard work full of doubt and nerves, so someone telling you that your work is good feels amazing. Working with OHB must be my most favorite experience so far.
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
That’s a tough one. I love trying to figure out a mystery and being on the edge of my seat with a suspense/thriller, but as I get older, I love the emotional pull, humor, and tender moments of women’s fiction.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
I don’t have one. I love ANY romantic comedy. I hate horror and I feel so depressed by tearful dramas. Romcoms make me laugh and feel good, knowing there’s a happily ever after. I also love historical movies like Pride and Prejudice. It’s fascinating to see how people lived in the past. Anything Jane Austin rocks.
15–What is your favorite season?
Fall!!! I hate being too hot or too cold. The cool, crisp air, vibrant colors, and harvest festivals are amazing.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Doing anything with my family. I have three sons and one daughter who are all grown and on their own (except the darling diva. She’s still in college) with significant others. I love when all eight of us get together for any reason, but it feels extra special when they show their love for me on my birthday and Mother’s Day. Family is everything.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
(TV) Sweet Magnolias, Virgin River, Yellowstone, Big Sky.
(Books) The Goldenchild Prophecy Series by Tanya Anne Crosby, It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score, Book Lovers by Emily Henry.
(Movies) Elvis, Top Gun Maverick, Lou, Father Stu. (Podcast) Spiked Coffee Spilled Tea is one I just started with my critique partners Barbara Witek and Dani LaBue.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
That’s a tossup between Mexican and Italian.
19–What do you do when you have free time?
Read books, exercise, play with my dogs, travel with my husband, go to the movies, go out to dinner, and go on wine tours.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
I have a book coming out every three months for the next couple of years. I rotate between my mysteries and my romantic suspense series, so next up is DANGEROUS THAW (Coldwater Cove #3) on 1/17/23. You can find out more about me and all my books on my website.
Thank you so much for having me here today. Comment for a chance to win a signed copy of A TOUCH OF MALICE out 10/11/22. Good luck and happy reading.
A TOUCH OF MALICE by Kari Lee Townsend
The universe has aligned and things are finally going well for introverted OCD fashion designer, Kalli Ballas. Her lingerie line is a big success, she’s living on her own for the first time, and dating Detective Nik Stevens doesn’t stress her out thanks to her mind-reading ability. Her prissy calico cat and his sloppy St. Bernard have even called a truce. But when her biological mother shows up unexpectedly during the Fall Harvest Festival, looking for a handout, Kalli’s life gets turned upside down once again.
Kalli’s adopted Greek Ma thinks her biological mother gave her The Evil Eye. The Greek superstition says if someone wants you to be ill or have bad luck, they think evil thoughts and give you the evil eye, and you end up with a headache and bad luck. Ma starts having migraines and a string of horrible luck, the worst being when Kalli’s birth mother winds up dead and her Ma becomes the number one suspect. Kalli must put dating her Dreamy Detective on hold and use her ability to look into her birth mother’s shady past in order to clear her Ma’s name, so the pieces of Kalli’s life can fall blissfully into place once more.
Mystery Woman Sleuth [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: October 11, 2022, e-Book, / ]
About Kari Lee Townsend
Kari Lee Townsend is a National Bestselling Author of mysteries & a tween superhero series. She also writes romance and women’s fiction as Kari Lee Harmon. With a background in English education, she’s now a full-time writer, wife to her own superhero, mom of 3 sons, 1 darling diva, 1 daughter-in-law & 2 lovable fur babies. These days you’ll find her walking her dogs or hard at work on her next story, living a blessed life.
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