Dear ,

This weekend saw a surprising number of book and real-life updates.

We woke up earlier Saturday morning to our son needing help in his room and walked in on the biggest wasp I've seen in ages. My guess is it was a queen trying to establish a new colony (in his blinds). Unfortunately, she had to go.

A little later that day, I was walking in our yard and noticed what looked like a gigantic hot pink yarn ball spray painted on the side of our house! Three other houses on the block were tagged in the same way. We were able to clean it off (thanks Goof Off!) but it removed some our house paint. The good news? The offending neighborhood child came over to apologize and offered to help. 

In addition to all that, my formatter finished the paperback and large-print copy of Book 1, and I hired a narrator for the audio version. I also finished Book 2 and started edits! I like to go over a book a time or two before sending it off to a professional editor... consider it my version of scrubbing out the shower before the cleaning lady arrives. 🤪

Oh, and our dryer died (thankfully without starting a fire) so tomorrow we're off to get another new-to-us model. It's still too early to get our hands in the dirt here, but I cannot wait for slightly warmer weather.

Speaking of flowers, the protagonist of the Designer to the Dead series is reserved but resilient with a fierce sense of loyalty. What flowers do you think she'd place outside the door of her interior design shop, Design Of The Times, to welcome new clients?

While you're taking time out to smell the roses, be sure to check out the following books...

Risky Bisqueness

by Elizabeth Rain

In this paranormal women's fiction cozy mystery, Julienne Mason's ego has taken a beating. In the space of a day, she nearly burnt down a pizza parlor, lost her job, and walked in on her cheating rat of a husband. To top it all off? It's her 40th birthday...

If you like laugh out loud humor just this side of Snarky, Strong Gutsy Female Leads, and have a thing for Lumberjacks...this is the series for you.

If you haven't already, you should also consider checking out the Spring Into a World of Mystery promo running on StoryOrigin, from now until April 19. Please be advised, not all of them are cozies.

Until next time,

Katie O'Keene ☆