I’m always fascinated by how writers become authors. Everyone
seems to find their own particular path. What have the steps been on your
journey to being a published novelist?
When I taught school, I always wanted
to write. I published a poem and essays but had little time for any other
writing. When I retired, I collected all my scraps and loose pages of writing
from my messy classroom desk and vowed to organize my writings and create many
different types of writing.
Covid was a blessing because I now
had time for writing. At first, I wrote a poem a day and sent my poems to the
members of my bridge group. Every time I decided to stop, they encouraged me to
continue because they looked forward each day to a new poem.
You were extremely fortunate to have
such supportive friends! Then what happened?
I published many of those poems in
magazines and anthologies then turned my attention to a new genre. I had been
watching Hallmark movies and reading cozy mysteries in our time of isolation.
Finally, I decided that I would try my hand at a cozy mystery. I considered
this as my Writing Therapy to escape the boredom of isolation during Covid.
I set the mystery in the Berkshires
where my grandchildren live, and where I spent many summers. I modeled Sadie’s
character after my aunt who was a feisty, independent woman.
Knowing your setting is a definite bonus when describing it. Let's hear more about your book.
Blurb:
In the fictional small town of Pittman in the
heart of the Berkshire Mountains, two murders and a kidnapping occur.
Robin
George and Sadie Aboud form the Super Sleuths and intend to set the Sheriff
straight and solve the crimes for him. At one point, the frustrated Sheriff
suspects all the amateur sleuths, and Robin and Sadie must convince him of
their innocence.
Of
course, a cozy mystery needs villains. The two evil villains are Chester
Fergusson, a realtor and con artist who is trying to buy up all the property on
Farley Square, and Mopey Tyler, a suspected drug dealer and the owner of a smut
shop. When they hatch their kidnapping plan, they involve Mike’s Dad, who owns
the local bowling alley.
Excerpt:
Suspicions Revealed and Rebuked
Sheriff
Houtman frowned at the boys as he listened to their allegations, then he said,
“If I catch any of you, and that includes the grownups in this room, inserting
yourselves into our investigation, I’ll arrest you for obstruction of justice.”
“We
are looking for a murderer who is probably still right here in our town. It is
too dangerous to be playing amateur detective. Do you understand me? Sadie,
Robin, and Lola, this means you.”
We all looked guilty and nodded our
heads. I’m pretty he didn’t believe a thing we just reported. He then turned
and left in a hurry.
Sounds like a perfect cozy to enjoy on spring break. Now that
you have a novel with your name on the cover, what have you been doing?
Don’t
Mess with Me is now one year old. I have enjoyed going to many book clubs
that have read my book. I enjoy the fact that when I ask the readers if they
guessed the ending, the majority say they never guessed it. I also ask what
they would like to see in the second book in the series, and I have included
many of those suggestions into the second book in the Berkshire Mystery Series.
The
second book is now under contract with The Wild Rose Press, and we will begin
to edit it in March.
Since I love
to cook, I have modernized my grandmother’s Lebanese dishes and included a
couple recipes at the end of each book. I’m sure Sadie must serve these recipes
at Sweet Indulgences, her fictional restaurant in Pittman.
Oh,
could you share a recipe? I’m always looking for new dishes, and I’m sure my
readers are too.
Creative Leftovers
In my family, we often use lamb in recipes. When we use ground
lamb in rice and sauce or kousa, we often have leftover ground lamb.
Scrambled
Eggs and lamb
1. In
a skillet, place 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and a pat of
butter. Add leftover lamb then fry.
2. Whip
4 or 5 eggs in a bowl.
3. Add
eggs to the lamb, onion, and pine nuts mixture, and scramble lightly in a
skillet.
4. Do
not let the scrambled eggs get hard.
5. Serve
with heated pita bread.
I want to thank Mary Ann for visiting today
and sharing her book and writing journey. For more information and to check out
Don’t Mess with Me, click on the links below.
Buy links:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-mess-with-me-mary-ann-jacobs/1142600182?ean=2940186700777
Contact the author at maryannjacobsauthor@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/maryannjacobsauthor
Website: maryannjacobsauthor.wordpress.com
Twitter:
maryann68592654
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1878950818?source=link_share
Great post. I enjoyed reading your book and the background information behind it made the experience even more enjoyable. Susie Black
ReplyDeleteThanks for being such a supporter of my work.
DeleteYour book sounds very good! And thank you for the recipe. I'm going to try it with pork.
ReplyDelete