Hello Readers,
Can you believe it? I offered a giveaway in the last newsletter, as I always do, and nobody claimed it. So make sure you scroll down and READ THE NAMES. See if it's you. There are three this month! Also, if you do scroll through the newsletter, you'll find out what I'm reading and get a new recipe. Lastly, check out What Do You Know? and What's New? below. Why? Because a LOT is coming this month.
A GLIMMER OF A CLUE comes out June 29, which means I'll be doing a lot of promotion that you should take advantage of. I had such a good time writing this story. I really hate bullies, and I got to give one her comeuppance. Fiona, the sidekick fairy, has a starring role, and if you believe, you might meet one or two of her friends. Yes, the Fairy Garden Mysteries feature an honest-to-goodness fairy, so they're considered paranormal mysteries, but they are not scary. Well, not in that way.
The book is receiving some lovely reviews.
- “A tale of perseverance, murder, and a sprinkling of magic in California… Even readers who aren’t tempted to create a fairy garden may be enticed by the recipes appended to this appealing cozy.” –KIRKUS
- “Lively characters and plenty of action keep the pages turning. Paranormal cozy fans will have a ball.” ~ Publishers Weekly
If you belong to Goodreads, check out all the nice reviews there, too.
And just in case you missed the news, WINING AND DYING, the 10th Cookbook Nook Mystery, came out April 27!
- “There were a few surprises that enhanced the story being told. Overall, a solid mystery and one of the best in the series.” ~ Dru Ann Love on Amazon
- “WINING AND DYING is a delightful tale with wonderful wines, pretty paintings, tasty treats, a departed painter, wedding woes, a curious cat, and a framed friend.” ~ Kristina Anderson, the Avid Reader blog
Read on!!
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You can read more about it on my website, and get into the world of the Fairy Garden Mysteries, watch the book trailer, and more below.
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What is it about?
Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren’t all sweetness and fairy lights . . . When Courtney’s friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle—in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less—and lobbing insults around like pickleballs. Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney's fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking “What have I done?” But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana’s ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt . . .
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You can read more about it on my website, and get into the world of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, watch the book trailer, and more below.
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What is it about?
It will take a stroke of genius for Jenna Hart to solve the murder of a local artist . . .
Crystal Cove is buzzing with the launch of its fifth annual Art and Wine Festival, when local wineries are paired with local artists to show off their latest creations. Jenna’s thrilled to be showing one of her own amateur paintings at the fair, but her excitement quickly fades when an up-and-coming artist is murdered. What’s more, all the evidence points to a good friend of Jenna’s as the culprit, and she’ll have to use all her wits to prove his innocence before he paints himself into a corner.
Certain that her friend is being framed, Jenna tries to blend in as she starts digging into an array of colorful suspects, including a tech guru with a penchant for stalking women, the mayor’s wayward son, and an older art instructor who might have been closer to the victim than anyone would have guessed. Jenna will have to wine and dine her way through all the clues before she can see the full picture and put the real killer behind bars—all the while avoiding her own brush with death . . .
Includes tantalizing recipes!
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Late last year, the 3rd in the Aspen Adams novels of suspense came out. This series has also earned terrific reviews. I hope you'll give it a try.
“This was a fast-paced drama that immediately grabbed my attention as I had to know how this was going to end.” ~ Dru’s Book Musing
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What is it about?
Private investigator Aspen Adams takes on a cold case that has haunted her for years . . .
When her parents were murdered fourteen years ago, Aspen Adams coped as best she could as a college freshman and numbly moved on when the case was never solved. Living since then with almost daily reminders of how the tragedy shaped the lives of her and her sister, she’s always known that someday she would launch an investigation of her own. And now, with her sister in crisis, she draws on all her experience as a private investigator to untangle a case that left the police baffled and her family in ruins.
Interviewing the detectives who worked the case, scouring endless pages of their notes, and even tracking down the original suspects, Aspen discovers aspects of the crime and her parents’ lives she never knew about—and ignites a menacing series of events that threaten to engulf everyone near her. Certain she’s on the trail of the killer and unwilling to be deterred, Aspen faces down her own fears about what she’ll find in her search for answers—and justice—before a killer who scarred her life can resurface to wreak havoc on her family once again . . .
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As I mentioned above, I will be busy busy busy during June! First of all, I'll doing a blog tour June 22 - June 29 with interviews, insights, and book giveaways, plus the grand prize is a book + a bookstore gift card. You can learn more about it here: GREAT ESCAPES.
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In addition, I'll be doing a podcast with my pal author Krista Davis.
I'll also be doing a couple of bookstore virtual events. You can learn about the Mysterious Galaxy Event here. It's set for June 30. I'll be chatting with author Lee Hollis, who writes the tasty Hayley Powell Mysteries set in Bar Harbor, Maine. I'll drive to San Diego to autograph books for this event.
Plus I'll be doing a "Cozy Con" on June 26 at Murder by the Books, a fun store in Houston, with authors Valerie Wilson Wesley, Lynn Cahoon, Traci Wilton. I'll make sure this store has signed bookplates.
Don't fret about saving this newsletter. I will put all of these events, and more, on my website speaking engagements page. Scroll down . . .
Last but not least, I will be having a release party and other events on Facebook. So make sure you follow my Facebook Author Page so you'll get the notifications. At the release party, I have three delicious authors joining me: Krista Davis, Ginger Bolton, and Libby Klein. All three have new books out!
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Woo-hoo! The e-book of A SPRINKLING OF MURDER , the first Fairy Garden Mystery, has been discounted for $1.99 for the month of June. Got your copy? Do you need to read it before you read A GLIMMER OF A CLUE ? No, but you might like to. It's the origin story for both Courtney Kelly and her sidekick, Fiona.
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As I mentioned at the top, nobody claimed last month's giveaway. Hmm. It's always here for the taking. Are some of you reading only the top of the newsletter and forgetting to scroll through to see if you won? I'm giving away a choice of FIRSTS in my series to three (3) regular newsletter subscribers, paperback or ebook. Is it you? Read the names announced BELOW the artwork!
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THE MAILING LIST WINNERS - THERE ARE 3 - FOR CHOICE OF FIRSTS ARE:
(please note, *asterisks* are included to protect the entire email!
They stand for a letter or number! )
aggieglea**n@gmail.com
word_tri*@yahoo.com
Hopegrub**@gmail.com
If this is you or you suspect it might be you,
email me using your above address at daryl@darylwoodgerber.com and receive the book of your choice.
You have until June 21st to contact me to claim your book.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Congratulations!
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I just finished an interesting book, a little dark for some I'm sure. THE POWER COUPLE by Alex Berenson. A thriller with multiple viewpoints. Quite a twist at the end. Now I'm listening to THE DIVA SERVES FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Love this series by Krista Davis and I'm really enjoying the narrator's voice. Next up, the latest in the Deputy Donut Mysteries by Ginger Bolton. BEYOND A REASONABLE DONUT. Ginger has a witty breezy style, perfect for this tasty mystery series.
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Summer is coming and that means lighter eating at night for me. I hate to eat a heavy meal when it's too hot. This soufflé is easy to make and perfect as an entree or appetizer. Enjoy. PS If you don't like zucchini, substitute broccoli or green cauliflower or another of your favorite green vegetables.
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ZUCCHINI PARMESSAN SOUFFLE
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Serves 2-4
- 1/2 cup flour (*may use gluten-free flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 onion chopped finely
- 1 pound zucchini chopped finely (3 regular-sized zucchini) (*If you prefer, you may remove skin; I like it.)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon each)
- Paprika, for dusting
- Fresh parsley, if desired
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray two 8-ounce containers safe for the oven (or four 4-ounce containers) with nonstick spray.
Sift flour (or gluten-free flour) and baking powder together into a bowl.
Lightly beat eggs and mix them into the flour with the oil. Stir in the onion, zucchini, and parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
Pour mixture into greased containers and sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if desired.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Am I a terrible mother? I walk Sparky twice a day and I play throw/catch with him and sometimes we run around in the driveway playing tag. So . . . some nights he comes in exhausted. I mean really POOPED. That's a good thing, right? He does love his little reindeer toy.
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That's it. That's all that is fit to print. May your joy come from reading. May your lives be filled with love. Until next time…all my best,
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