The winner of HIGH-END FINISH by Kate Carlisle is…

Kate high-end-finish-210h

With HIGH-END FINISH, Kate Carlisle begins a new series, the Fixer-Upper Mysteries, which continue with THIS OLD HOMICIDE.

Ready to hear who won? Cheers to… DEB FORBES!

Please send your mailing address to me at leslie (at) lesliebudewitz (dot) com by May 25 to claim your prize. Or else my supervisor will stare at me until I pick another winner!

Butter Off Dead (final)cat on desk#butteroffdead

Photo: Ruff the Cat, aka the Supervisor, the model for Mr. Sandburg in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries.

BUTTER OFF DEAD, July 2015 (available for pre-order now!)

Collecting Can Be Murder – Sheila Connolly – #bookgiveaway

Sheila MixersWe’re celebrating the upcoming release of my third Food Lovers’ Village mystery, BUTTER OFF DEAD (July 7—save the suspense and pre-order it now!), with a glimpse of some of your favorite authors’ prized collections.

If you know the delightful Sheila Connolly or her books, you won’t be surprised that she’s got some amazing collections. Killer collections. I’ll let her explain:

early-wake-200h“If one is good, more is better, right? If I like something, I don’t stop with just one—I’m always on the hunt for a better, different, more interesting example of whatever it is (not that I get rid of the earlier ones). It probably started with books, but if you snoop around my house you’ll find collections of rocks (all from interesting places, but none labeled), coffee mugs, t-shirts (100+), antique bottles (dug out from under our house), three generations worth of sewing notions, and no doubt more that I can’t even remember.

Then there’s the antique cookware collection. I didn’t mean to start that one, but one Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago I walked into a small local auction (housed in the basement of my town’s Elks Club) and there it was: a table full of antique cookware. A single lot of 52 pieces, looking as though it had been stuffed in a cupboard in 1900 and forgotten. I had to have it.

Sheila Choppers But of course I had a dark motive: I looked at the food choppers (fourteen of them) and they cried out to be used as murder weapons. I had only to pick one up, test the blade with my thumb, and take a few practice swipes, and I realized how easy it would be to slash someone’s throat with one (not that I said that out loud!). I bid on the lot; I won it. Now I am the proud owner of that dozen choppers, a hand-turned wooden bowl to go with them, seven egg-beaters of varying design, a lard bucket, a handmade wooden rolling pin (that I use and love, because nothing sticks to it), and a whole lot more that I can’t even remember, and a few items I can’t begin to identify.

Sheila The weapon I used that wicked sharp chopper in the next Orchard Mystery, A Gala Event, where a member of the Historical Society in Granford is unpacking a collection of antique cookware to put on display when she’s startled by an intruder and takes a swipe at him with a handy chopper—and draws blood.

And if you like all things food related (as I do), you should order Leslie Budewitz’s newest Food Lovers’ Village book, Butter Off Dead, ASAP!” (Do as Sheila says, kids—she’s got weapons!)

Sheila Cover AGEConnect with Sheila on her website or Facebook.

A Gala Event (Orchard Mystery #9, Berkley Prime Crime) will be released October 6, 2015.

Leave a comment on my Facebook page or blog for a chance to win a SIGNED copy the AN EARLY WAKE, the third in Sheila’s County Cork Mysteries, set in Ireland. Ruff the Cat will choose a winner at random—check back in the morning to find out!

(Hint: if you subscribe to the blog, you’ll receive the posts by email and you won’t have to hunt for them on FB.)

Butter Off Dead (final)

 

(This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook.)

#butteroffdead

 

And the winner of FUDGING THE BOOKS by Daryl Wood Gerber…

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Daryl Wood Gerber’s Cookbook Nook mysteries feature Jenna Hart, an avid reader, admitted foodie who’s just learning to cook, and owner of a cookbook store in the fictional coastal town of Crystal Cove, California. FUDGING THE BOOKS will be out August 4, but it’s available for pre-order now!

Ready to hear who won? Cheers to… JOHN MAZUR!

Please send your mailing address to me at leslie (at) lesliebudewitz (dot) com by May 23 to claim your prize. Or else my supervisor will stare at me until I pick another winner!

Butter Off Dead (final)cat on desk#butteroffdead

Photo: Ruff the Cat, aka the Supervisor, the model for Mr. Sandburg in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries.

BUTTER OFF DEAD, July 2015 (available for pre-order now!)

Collecting Can Be Murder – Kate Carlisle – #bookgiveaway

Kate Books and BeaversWe’re celebrating the upcoming release of my third Food Lovers’ Village mystery, BUTTER OFF DEAD (July 7—save the suspense and pre-order it now!), with a glimpse of some of your favorite authors’ prized collections.

 

Kate ThisOldHomicide_HR (2) - high resToday, we get a glimpse of one of Kate TheBookStopsHere_final those unintended collections with Kate Carlisle, author of the Bibliophile Mysteries—her newest paperback is THE BOOK STOPS HERE (I read it last winter and it’s terrific!) and RIPPED FROM THE PAGES will be out in hardcover June 2. Her new series is the Fixer-Upper Mysteries, starting with HIGH-END FINISH and THIS OLD HOMICIDE.

“Boy, is Leslie ever right when she says “Collecting can be murder!” While my collections haven’t led to homicide (yet), they’ve gotten seriously out of hand. Okay, you total get why I collect old books, right? After all, I write the Bibliophile Mysteries. But the beavers? My protagonist, bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright, would advise me to keep my book collection away from beavers, but somehow, I wound up collecting both. There’s a story behind the beavers, and I’m sure many of you can relate. Once upon a time, I told a friend I thought beavers were cute. Shortly thereafter, she saw a beaver tchotchke and gave it to me as a joke. Another friend saw it, didn’t realize it was a joke, and gave me a second. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…

And there you go… beavers and books. Natural enemies.

The moral of the story? If you think something is cute, keep it to yourself!”

Kate high-end-finish-210h

 

Keep up with Kate on her website, www.katecarlisle.com, on Twitter: @katecarlisle, or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateCarlisleBooks.

Leave a comment on my Facebook page or blog, for a chance to win a signed copy of HIGH-END FINISH. Ruff the Cat will choose a winner at random—check back in the morning to find out!

(Hint: if you subscribe to the blog, you’ll receive the posts by email and you won’t have to hunt for them on FB.)

cat on desktnButterOffDead(This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook.)

#butteroffdead

 

Collecting can be murder–Daryl Wood Gerber–#bookgiveaway

Daryl WG.jpgWe’re celebrating the upcoming release of my third Food Lovers’ Village mystery, BUTTER OFF DEAD (July 7—save the suspense and pre-order it now!) with a glimpse of some of your favorite authors’ prized collections.

Today, a peek behind the scenes with Daryl Wood Gerber, author of the Cookbook Nook mysteries, aka Avery Aames, author of the Cheese Shop mysteries. Today’s winner will get a signed copy of the 4th Cookbook Nook mystery, FUDGING THE BOOKS, out August 4. You know how some collections come about because your friends and relatives once heard you say you like something? Here’s Daryl’s comment on that:

fudging-3d“How I WISH people would send me cookbooks!!  I have collected cookbooks through the years because I fell for something on the cover. I’m an easy mark. No kidding. My mother really never had cookbooks. She didn’t learn to cook until after college, and all her recipes were on cards from family members. I still have some of those. The first cookbook I bought with my own money was Gourmet, Version I. It’s still a go-to cookbook for me. True for all cookbooks, I love looking at the pictures and dreaming my recipes will turn out as beautiful. I enjoy reading the recipes and the histories and learning the techniques. I have not made nearly one-tenth of the recipes in the books, but a girl can dream. I’m partial to dessert cookbooks. I love sweets. Over the years, I’ve really racked up a collection of gluten-free cookbooks, too. Being gluten-free has been a challenge, but I’ve learned to make most recipes, including the biscuits in the Gourmet cookbook gluten-free. And they’re great!!”

Catch up with Daryl on her website, on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads.

cat on deskButter Off DeadLeave a comment on my Facebook Author page or blog. Ruff the Cat will choose a winner at random—check back in the morning to find out!

(Hint: if you subscribe to the blog, you’ll receive the posts by email and you won’t have to hunt for them on FB.)

(This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook.)

#butteroffdead

The winner of The Corpse with the Platinum Hair by Cathy Ace is…

CaitMorganSeries_black

“When Cait Morgan and her significant other, Bud Anderson, arrive in Las Vegas, their only plans are to celebrate his birthday. …”

Champagne and murder star in THE CORPSE WITH THE PLATINUM HAIR, the fourth Cait Morgan mystery by Cathy Ace. Read more on her website: http://cathyace.com/ or connect with her on Facebook: Cathy Ace – Author or Twitter: @AceCathy

Ready to hear who won? Cheers to… SANDY G!

Please send your mailing address to me at leslie (at) lesliebudewitz (dot) com by May 23 to claim your prize. Or else my supervisor will stare at me until I pick another winner!

Butter Off Dead (final)cat on desk#butteroffdead

Photo: Ruff the Cat, aka the Supervisor, the model for Mr. Sandburg in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries.

BUTTER OFF DEAD, July 2015 (available for pre-order now!)

We have a winner — of Murder in Murray Hill by Victoria Thompson

Murder_in_Murray_Hill--element37Gaslight, carriages, long skirts, and murder! Find out more about Victoria Thompson and her historical mysteries on her Find out more about Vicki’s Gaslight Mysteries on her website, and find her on Facebook, at Victoria Thompson, Author, or Twitter: @gaslightvt

Ready to hear who won? Cheers to…

The winner of MURDER IN MURRAY HILL by Victoria Thompson is SALLY COOTIE!

Please send your mailing address to me at leslie (at) lesliebudewitz (dot) com by May 23 to claim your prize. Or else my supervisor will stare at me until I pick another winner!

Butter Off Dead (final)cat on desk#butteroffdead

Photo: Ruff the Cat, aka the Supervisor, the model for Mr. Sandburg in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries.

BUTTER OFF DEAD, July 2015 (available for pre-order now!)

Collecting Can Be Murder – Cathy Ace – #bookgiveaway

Cathy2We’re celebrating the upcoming release of my third Food Lovers’ Village mystery, BUTTER OFF DEAD (July 7—save the suspense and pre-order it now!), with a glimpse of some of your favorite authors’ prized collections.

CorpseSapphireEyes_cvr_catToday, we’re celebrating with Cathy Ace. If you go to a mystery convention, you’ll know her right away—she’s the Welsh woman who’s always laughing! THE CORPSE WITH THE SAPPHIRE EYES is the new book, released May 5th 2015.

“When Leslie invited me to take part in this observation of authors’ collections, I really didn’t think I could contribute because I don’t collect anything. At least, not knowingly. Then it occurred to me – I do. I suppose I can be forgiven for not having thought of this immediately, because my collection of champagne corks is a by-product of drinking champagne, and the only place that collects is around my hips!

Cathy1Here are a few photos of my collection – in situ, atop my late grandmother’s lovely art deco sideboard, and a couple of close-ups. As you can see I write on each cork. That means I can put my hand into the vase and pull out a cork at any time to relive the place, date and reason for imbibing. It’s great fun to do, especially since I only succumb to my love of champagne on special occasions, whereas revisiting past indulgences can be an everyday treat.

Cathy3The way this collection has grown it looks as though a) I need another container, and b) maybe I celebrate the small things in life, as well as the bigger ones. Not a bad thing. Cait Morgan would be proud of me (she likes her bubbles too!) and as for the women of the WISE Enquiries Agency? I suspect they could be swayed.  Thanks for having me along, Leslie, and Cheers, folks!”

 

CaitMorganSeries_black

 

Cathy Ace is the BC Bestselling author of the Bony Blithe Award shortlisted Cait Morgan Mysteries and the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries. She lives on five acres of Beautiful British Columbia with her husband and two chocolate Labradors…all three of whom help her out with the gardening. Website: http://cathyace.com/; Facebook: Cathy Ace – Author; Twitter: @AceCathy

Butter Off Dead (final)Leave a comment on my Facebook page or blog, for a chance to win a signed copy of THE CORPSE WITH THE PLATINUM HAIR. Ruff the Cat will choose a winner at random—check back in the morning to find out!

(Hint: if you subscribe to the blog, you’ll receive the posts by email and you won’t have to hunt for them on FB.)

(This contest is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook.)

#butteroffdead

 

 

 

We have a winner — of Ladle to the Grave by Connie Archer

Ladle

A cup of soup, a bowl of murder! Find out more about Connie Archer and her delicious books ather website, and join her on Facebook, or Twitter, SnowflakeVT.

Ready to hear who won? Cheers to…

The Winner of LADLE TO TO THE GRAVE by Connie Archer is KIKI

Please send your mailing address to me at leslie (at) lesliebudewitz (dot) com by May 25 to claim your prize. Or else my supervisor will stare at me until I pick another winner!

Butter Off Dead (final)cat on desk#butteroffdead

Photo: Ruff the Cat, aka the Supervisor, the model for Mr. Sandburg in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries. Next up: BUTTER OFF DEAD, July 2015 (available for pre-order now!)