1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
The series is about a widow from Chicago who needs a fresh start after losing her soulmate and takes a chance on a rundown mansion in Salem. Charlene Morris thinks it’s vacant, but it has a permanent ghostly guest, Jack Strathmore. She solves the mystery of his murder and the two become best friends. In this seventh book, Charlene is a mentor to a new business owner, whose wife is tragically poisoned on opening night of their movie theater. Of course, she’s got to step in and save her friend before he goes to jail for murder—death by seasoning salts that he’s created.
3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Salem is a magical city! We wanted a place with a lot of character and history, and Salem fit the bill. If you ever get a chance to visit, the locals are so friendly and helpful. By moving Charlene Morris from Chicago to Salem, she gets a complete do-over in her life at the B and B.
4–Would you hang out with your sleuth in real life?
Definitely! Charlene is very caring, which is what gets her into trouble. And her housekeeper, Minnie, is an incredible cook. Brunch? I’m there!
5–What are three words that describe your sleuth?
Compassionate, brave, and independent.
6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned about seasoning salts and how easy it is to make salt. Not that I would, but I could. It’s as easy as boiling sea water!
7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I plot, then write the first draft without a lot of the details like descriptions, which I will add in during the next draft. I do a minimum of six drafts before sending it off to the editor.
8–What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Grilled shrimp. I also love caprese sandwiches and I recently discovered deep fried basil. Yeah. It was so good.
9–Describe your writing space/office!
I have a desk and bookshelf in our living room that looks out over some palm trees. When my kids were at home, this never would have worked. I adapted pretty quickly to empty-nest syndrome. (Kids? What kids?)
10–Who is an author you admire?
This is really tough! I have found in this business so many amazing authors who are as kind and generous as they are talented. Heather Graham tops the list.
11–Is there a book that changed your life?
Don’t laugh—but Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis. I can read that over and over and instantly fall into Mame’s world. It makes me laugh when I need my mood brightened. I have a copy that is literally rubber-banded together because I’ve read it so much.
12–Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)
That was back in 2006 when Rhiannon, Goddess in Training (as it was then titled) was picked up. The YA line closed before publication. However, I had a medieval romance that I was also working on that I sold. The moral of the story is to PIVOT lol. I don’t mind saying that getting the notification letter in the mail retracting that contract was harsh. I am a Pollyanna at heart and so, after a day of tears, I got back to work. Love’s Magic came out in 2008. I now have over 60 books to my credit and write mostly mysteries! If I’d known when I was first contracted the meandering journey it would take me on…nothing would change, because even knowing all of the ups and downs, I still would write stories!
13–What’s your favorite genre to read?
I read just about everything. When I’ve been working on a story, and I want to unwind I will read historical fiction because it is very different from any of my current projects.
14–What’s your favorite movie?
Love Actually
15–What is your favorite season?
Spring—I love the new beginnings.
16–How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I like to spend the morning at the beach with brunch. I adore brunch—you get to have a lazy day.
17–What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I’m bingeing Good Omens 2. I also discovered BritBox which has changed my world.
18–What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Mediterranean…but also, anything with shrimp. (There is a theme lol)
19–What do you do when you have free time?
What is that??Just kidding—we take Sundays off otherwise we are out of balance. Depending on the weather we will hike around one of the nature trails or canoe on the Intracoastal. I am from the Pacific Northwest, but I’ve been in South Florida for over twenty years. I had no idea the ocean could be warm. Happy surprise.
20–What can readers expect from you next?
Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman will be available 8/22/23—I write that series as Traci Wilton. I write the Scottish Shire series as Traci Hall, and I write the Irish Castle series as Ellie Brannigan. Murder at a Scottish Castle will be out in January 2024. Mrs. Morris and the Mermaid is out after that!
MRS. MORRIS AND THE WOLFMAN by Traci Wilton
Charlene Morris is taking a night away from her Salem, Massachusetts, B&B—and its resident ghost—to enjoy a spooky double-bill, until murder upstages the evening . . .
Saturday night at the movies has some added flair now that Darren and Elise Shultz are reopening one of Salem’s classic theaters. Charlene is delighted to help the couple with their venture, and Darren has lined up a cult classic double-header featuring Lon Chaney in The Wolfman. But things get hairier than expected when Elise starts to choke on her popcorn mid-movie—and once the lights go up,
she’s dead . . .
When tests reveal Elise’s popcorn was poisoned, Detective Sam Holden eyes her husband as the guilty party. Charlene doesn’t believe Darren would hurt his wife—even if his company’s specialty seasoned salts were sprinkled on the fatal snack. But who else had a motive to do something so unsavory? With a little help from Jack, the handsome ghost who haunts her B&B, Charlene delves into the ill-fated couple’s past. And the more she learns, the more Charlene wonders if this time, she’s bitten off more than she can chew . . .
Mystery Cozy [Kensington Cozies, On Sale: August 22, 2023, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781496741370 / ]
Buy MRS. MORRIS AND THE WOLFMAN: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Powell’s Books | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Love’s Sweet Arrow | Walmart.com | Target.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Traci Wilton
Traci Wilton is the pseudonym of Traci Hall and Patrice Wilton.
From contemporary seaside romances to cozy mysteries, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over fifty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite story for everyone.
Mystery lovers, be on the lookout for her Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton, and her Scottish Shire series, which takes place in the seaside town of Nairn, as Traci Hall. Whether it’s her ever popular By the Sea series or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, by living right near the ocean.
New York Times, bestselling author, Patrice Wilton knew from the age of twelve that she wanted to write books that would take the reader to faraway places. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and had a great need to see the world that she had read about.
Patrice became a flight attendant for seventeen years and traveled the world. At the age of forty she sat down to write her first book–in longhand! Her interests include tennis, golf, and writing stories for women of all ages.
She has more than forty books published on Amazon, and is best known as a popular romance author. She is especially proud of her best selling contemporary romance series, Paradise Cove, and Heavenly Christmas and the Wounded Warriors. Co-writing with Traci Hall, they have assumed the name Traci Wilton for the Salem B&B mystery series published with Kensington.
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