MUSE MONDAY
Last week, my sister and I had our first chocolate martini of the year. We have one twice a year, once in the spring for her birthday and again in the fall for my birthday. We've been doing this for a few years now. We always go to the Hasayampa Inn in Prescott, Arizona and sit in the saloon called the Peacock Room. This tradition is what led to the cozy mystery series I am writing with co-author Joyce Proell. Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder released in March. Book two, Reading, Writing, and Murder is set to release in September.
Our fictional Chocolate Martini Sisters are Emma (Em) Banefield and Nicole (Nic) Earp. They find a lot more murder and mayhem at the Dulce Inn in our fictional town of Wyatt, Arizona than my sister and I find in the Peacock Room!
Over the next few weeks, I'll share some never before seen excerpts and photos of the inspiration behind this really fun to read series.
It’s a birthday weekend with the gift of
murder.
The Inspiration Photos (could that be Em on the patio?) and new excerpt:
“Hmmm.” Nic acted as though the proposition required deep contemplation, but her quick answer, as in instantaneous, suggested she’d already made other plans. “I’m going to mosey about for a bit.”
She lifted one brow, amused. “Oh?”
“Thought I’d wander to the dining room and maybe catch Dan Lee. Lunch hour isn’t in full swing yet.
“On the prowl, eh? Are you thinking to provoke his temper again?”
Nic glanced at her toes with a sheepish smile. “If Chef Payne hasn’t arrived yet, he might have time to talk. I want another go at him. Maybe he’ll reveal something more about Payne’s reaction to Shaw.”
“Well…” She glanced at her phone for any messages. There weren’t any. “When you get hungry for lunch, partner, you know where to find me—in the great outdoors.”
fair. People didn’t hang around inside a hotel when they could be outside playing and shopping in perfect weather. The patio, constructed of dull red bricks, was located on the opposite side of the building from the Azul. Around its border, a row of trees strung with lights gave it a semi-secluded look. She took advantage of the shade of a decorative Japanese maple and stretched out in a lounge chair, wiggling her toes, and closed her eyes. A moment couldn’t get much better than this.
For the first time since she’d
set off with Nic earlier in the morning, she found herself alone. With no
pleasant social distractions at hand, images of the murder scene flooded her
mind. She winced at the sheer ugliness of murder. What a way to go, bludgeoned
to death. Sometimes winding up dead was a matter of being in the wrong place at
the wrong time. If this morning’s murder had been a random event, she could
have easily been the victim. The alarming notion sent a cold shiver rippling
over her body.
BOOK LINKS
Good one! I love the photo with (possibly) Em! Such a great inspiration for a cozy--chocolate martini sisters!
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