Let’s talk about the most deliciously suspicious setting: a youth orchestra. 🎼👀 Why it works so well for a cozy mystery: 1) Everyone’s invested—kids, parents, volunteers, donors. Lots of opinions. Lots of egos. 😅 2) People come and go constantly during rehearsal. Perfect for [1/3] buff.ly/xf1r9PT

Everyone's heard about #WritersBlock, but do you know what it is? This about sums it up. . . Writer’s block is nature’s way of telling you that you’ve spent three hours researching medieval spoons instead of writing your novel. #AmWriting #AmWritingFiction #BooksBooksBooks

Color me surprised! This just showed up in an email from Amazon recommending books for me to read. It's the first time I've seen it recommend one of my own books. #AlgorithmAtWork #AmReading #AmWriting #LilyGallagherMysteries

I just finished LATTER END by Patricia Wentworth. It’s in the middle of the Miss Silver series, but somehow I missed it until now. I loved the surprise twist. . . buff.ly/Ws4kY9i #CozyMystery #MissSilver #AmReading

“In cozy mysteries, the sweetest places hide the sharpest secrets.” Sunshine on the sidewalks. A youth orchestra tuning up across the hall. ☀️🏡🎶 And then—one wrong note that changes everything. If you love your mysteries with warmth, wit, and a Florida breeze, you’re [1/2] buff.ly/xf1r9PT

I just finished binge re-watching a series from years ago called Burn Notice. Every episode starts with the words, "My name is Michael Westin. I used to be a spy." It's violent, the characters do illegal things without facing consequences (mostly), and [1/2]

Sometimes readers write reviews that highlight an aspect of my book's characters that I hadn't even really thought of. This one talks about sadness in the villains. Hmmm. . . 🦹🏻 Feeling good about the "intimacy and warmth" of the others, though. 🤗 #AmWriting #ChordsOfDeception #EdgyCozyMystery

What's the saying, if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans? Lily's plans for a restful retirement go right out the window when her daughter and granddaughter move in unexpectedly. Then it gets worse. . . #CozyMystery #LilyGallagherMysteries #ChordsOfDeception #FloridaFiction

Do you have a favorite instrument in the orchestra? Drop it in the comments! Mine is the #oboe. I fell in love with it as a child listening to Peter and the Wolf. (The oboe represents the duck.) I always wished one of my kids would choose to play the oboe, but instead [1/2] #music #orchestra

Seems like all I'm doing is talking about my books these days, but I guess that's what happens at launch time. Right now the Kindle version of DROWNING IN DECEPTION is available for only 99 cents!! buff.ly/LVKFjHL #mystery #CozyMystery #SummerReading #FloridaFiction

"The nutmeg was the difference between a doughnut and a fall doughnut. It was the smell of October pressed into a quarter teaspoon." - HARVEST MOON by Blake Rivers This is the kind of description I love, full of sensory detail. It reminds me of the Tom Hanks line in [1/2] #NotableQuote

Do you love a good #CozyMystery ? Get ready for the release of #ChordsOfDeception , second in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series. If you're looking for a cozy mystery that's a real page-turner and fun to read, you'll love CHORDS OF DECEPTION. Available for pre-order now.

Well, what do I say? Book launch was planned for July 4, but Amazon just messed me up royally. If you already pre-ordered the ebook, your order will have been canceled. Believe me, I'm very unhappy about it. The situation is being rectified - I hope - and it should be available again in [1/2]

CHORDS OF DECEPTION mostly takes place at a swanky private school where the Greater Orlando Youth Orchestra rehearses. There are high ceilings, artwork on the walls, lots of glass. . . How does this compare with where you went to #HighSchool ? #CozyMystery #FloridaFiction #AmateurSleuth

If you're looking for a cozy mystery that "depicts a realistic look at the generational juggling act that comes with modern life," you'll love CHORDS OF DECEPTION. It's the second in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series, available for pre-order on Amazon at buff.ly/VU4hnPz . #CozyMystery #EdgyCozy

If you love a character-drive #CozyMystery with a strong family component, CHORDS OF DECEPTION is for you. Multi-generational, an older #FemaleSleuth, and a #YouthOrchestra setting, there's a lot of discord and a satisfying, heartwarming conclusion. Available for pre-order now at buff.ly/VU4hnPz

Looking for a good #CozyMystery to read this summer? If you're looking for an amateur sleuth, a tight-knit community, and a layered personal backstory, you'll love CHORDS OF DECEPTION. Available now for pre-order on Amazon, buff.ly/VU4hnPz #EdgyCozyMystery #FloridaFiction #FemaleSleuth

If you're looking for a #CozyMystery that "depicts a realistic look at family dynamics, along with the generational juggling act that comes with modern life, as well as an intriguing mystery," you'll love CHORDS OF DECEPTION. It's the second [1/2] #FloridaFiction #FemaleSleuth #FamilyLife

I just looked at the first page of my upcoming mystery release and counted 6 em dashes in the first 5 paragraphs. No, this does not mean it was written by AI! You can pry my em dashes — along with the Oxford comma — out of my cold, dead hands. #EmDashesRule #LoveMyEmDashes #AmWriting #WritersLife

Here are the things that are keeping me from working on the third book in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series. (But they're all good.) buff.ly/dheEA4M #AmWriting #AmReading #DrowningInDeception #CozyMystery #FloridaMystery #AmateurFemaleSleuth

Here's a question for you: Now that I'm just 3 weeks away from publishing the second book in my Lily Gallagher Mysteries series, is it okay to call myself a #novelist? (Asking for a friend. . .) #AmWriting #Mystery #CozyMystery #FloridaMystery #FloridaWriter

In other news, I held my first book signing event last Saturday at My Favorite Books in Tallahassee, FL. I had a wonderful time, some supportive readers turned out, I sold and signed some books, and we all enjoyed the brownies I had made. (They're Lily's favorite!) #DrowningInDeception #BookSigning

I actually have quite a lot going on right now. First, the pre-order page is ready for the Kindle version of the next Lily Gallagher Mystery, CHORDS OF DECEPTION. Yay!!! You'll find it at buff.ly/KTMWY6n It's scheduled for release on July 4, 2026. Why [1/2] #mystery #YouthOrchestra #Florida

[2/2] read Tara's newsletter very often, but this one caught my attention. I'm glad it did.

This week's #NotableQuote is a little different, in that it's the opening of A BITTER TASTE by Blake Rivers. It starts with a terrific first sentence: "The lavender was being difficult." I mean, how can lavender be difficult??? The next bit's in the image. See the whole thing at buff.ly/NOnEE5I

#AmReading: The 4th book in the Unlikely series by Gina X Grant - AN UNLIKELY REVELATION. It opens with Agatha's funeral. So why is she there, mingling with the mourners? Remember that serial killer from book 3?? That. . . and then it gets complicated! buff.ly/4gDTh3G #mystery #AgathaShadewell

#AmReading: I'm plowing ahead with the adventures of Agatha Shadewell, ex-con and unwilling resident of Unlikely, New York, in Gina X Grant's delightful (if a bit unlikely) series. Book 3, AN UNLIKELY DRAMA, involves community theater, a serial [1/2] buff.ly/U8bBkX5 #AmReading #mystery

My writing space is a horrible mess, but it works for me. #AmWriting @novel90challenge.bsky.social

Retirement was supposed to be quiet. Restful. Then someone turned up dead in the community pool. Meet Lily Gallagher — nurse, neighbor, unlikely sleuth. Drowning in Deception is a cozy mystery with just a little bit of an edge Grab your copy and dive in. buff.ly/sOeHpWs #CozyMystery

It's after Memorial Day - are you thinking about your summer reading? Retirement was supposed to be peaceful—until a condo feud and a body in the pool pulled Lily back into the action. Drowning in Deception: clean, clever, and utterly addictive. Order yours now and [1/2] buff.ly/sOeHpWs