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Excerpt of "Maiden, Murder, Crone" from A Witch of a Scandal

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“You will experience the triple Goddess—Maiden, Mother, and Crone. These phases are symbolic to, not just your own life, but life as a whole. Birth, life, and death.” ― Emma Mildon, Evolution of Goddess: A Modern Girl's Guide to Activating Your Feminine Superpowers Chapter One I was working in my warm little coffee shop, nestled in the heart of Silverbrook Falls, on a chilly early November morning when the world’s most annoying witch crossed my threshold. It was such a pity, too, because it was a gorgeous day. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of fallen autumn leaves and the distant, clean freshness of Lake Erie, a hint of coolness in the breeze. As I stood behind the worn oak counter, I glanced out of the large picture window onto the picturesque street of Silverbrook Falls. The town was slowly coming to life, with people bundled up in scarves and coats, their breath visible in the chilly air, creating a subtle dance of mist. The trees lining the streets had exchanged th...
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Writing the Cozy Small Town: The Genesis of Silverbrook Falls, Ohio

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  Cozy mysteries, like romance novels, offer the reader a promise. We expect that there will be a murder or some other incident, but we are offered the safety of low stakes. We know that the guilty part will be caught, the main characters and animals are safe, and that we won’t be subjected to a lot of “on screen” violence. I tell my friends that I read cozies because I can curl up with one and sleep just fine that night. One of the difficulties of writing a cozy mystery is meeting these genre expectations without falling into cliche. One of the enduring tropes of a cozy mystery is the small town (or small community) setting. Keeping in mind the adage to “write what you know,” I decided to set my mystery series either in Omaha, where I spent the first three decades of my life or northeast Ohio. Omaha surely isn’t New York or New Orleans, but it’s not a small town either. And in any case, cozies don’t have to be set in a small town. In fact, some of my faves aren’t. Laura Childs' t...
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Slaughter Before Samhain Interview

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 Here's a little interview role play about my current novel. The working title is Slaughter Before Samhain , and it is currently out to beta readers. In this role play, I answer a fictitious interviewer's questions about the final product. I'm thinking of using the pen name Cassandra Slaughter, a family name from generations back. What drew you to the cozy mystery genre? Ever since a friend brought a copy of Death by Darjeeling to our annual camping retreat, I have loved cozy mysteries. I love stories by and about women, and the female amateur sleuth being a common fixture has been so fun to read and now write. I have enjoyed creating my own little world - the world of Silverbrook Falls, Ohio. Writing paranormal cozies was a natural fit due to my long-time interest in the occult. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind the town of Silverbrook Falls and what makes it the perfect backdrop for your stories? In 2019 I drove from Omaha, Nebraska, to Salem, Massach...
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How to Get in the Holiday Spirit in the Summer

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'Tis the season...almost? As a cozy mystery author knee-deep in drafting a Yuletide book, I decided it was high time to infuse my life with some early holiday spirit. So, I embarked on a mission to turn my September into a winter wonderland. Armed with my trusty pumpkin spice latte, I set out to deck the halls a tad prematurely. My strategy? Complete sensory immersion. Step 1: The Christmas Soundtrack 🎵 I figured that the quickest way to transport myself to a snowy December evening on an August afternoon was through the power of music. So, I popped in one earbud (because we must remain semi-functional to keep one eye on the TV) and queued up an instrumental holiday playlist. Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, and the works. Within minutes, I was swaying to the rhythm, imagining sugarplum fairies and gingerbread houses. A good start, I thought!  Step 2: Classic Holiday Films 📺 Next, I decided to dive into the classics. I searched for "Christmas movies" on Amazon. Amazon sugge...
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