by staff

When it comes to mountainous regions, the image of snow-capped peaks, soft, gentle breeze, long trails, and cold climate conjures up the mind. And you might think of giant log fires, snowy fights, and raclette. However, if you feel this is the maximum extent a mountain retreat can offer, you might need to think again.

There’s no doubt that beautiful mountains can leave you awestruck with their stunning vistas and revitalize you with a fresh gust. However, these are just two of the several benefits of exploring heights. While absorbing nature, you can indulge in plenty of outdoor activities on your getaway. For instance, stargazing, camping, and fishing are a few fun and exciting activities.

However, if you are someone jam-packed and fueled with energy, here’s a roundup of brilliant rip-roaring things you can try at destinations featuring great craggy peaks:

Hiking
Hiking, the most popular and oldest activity for mountain lovers, brings you closer to nature in ways never imagined before. While the hiking trails seem to extend forever, they come with picturesque landscapes and unique adventures.

For instance, if you plan to spend your next getaway in the mountainous city, Pigeon Forge, in the east of Tennessee. Then, be sure to visit the Smoky Mountains – just located a 30-minute drive away from the city. With its magnificent views sprawled over 522,427 acres, the mountain range allows you to admire frozen waterfalls and awe-inspiring scenery. Not only this, but you can also witness wildlife and beautiful animal prints while taking down the path to long trails.

And while the splendor of the Smoky Mountains is astonishing, there are several other fun and action-filled activities you can enjoy during your vacation in Pigeon Forge. Just type in things to do in Pigeon Forge TN, and hit search to find an abundance of entertainment, dining, and shopping options. In addition, you can enjoy musical events, theater shows, and carnivals, giving an epic end to your vacation.

Hot air ballooning
Wouldn’t it be mind-blowing to go high up in the air and fly past the sharp peaks as the sunshine hits the mountain and illuminate it with pink hues?

The whole landscape is transfigured in incredible ways from the top view. And the hot air balloon is one of the perfect options to witness the mountainous region’s glory. The magical spell and charm of these balloons are therapeutic – observe the magnificence unfold as the shades get scattered. Just be sure to travel with a camera to capture the beauty of summits.

Ask your significant other or friends to tag along with you if you wish to make this mountain sport an adrenaline-fueled adventure. But choose to ride in hot air balloons during the sunrise or sunset. That’s because the gust of winds is more stable, and speed is somewhat predictable during these durations.

Mountain biking
Mountains don’t just have sharp peaks. Instead, some have miles-long trails. So, what better way to hit up those fascinating trails and enjoy your trip to the fullest than through this adventurous mountain activity?

Mountain biking is a popular outdoor activity where you can get out in nature and experience unique destinations. This fantastic sport takes you back to when you were a kid – you had no worries, and you got excited about getting covered in dust and mud.

And the best part? Mountain biking never leaves you bored. Each trail is different and fresh. This way, you can always learn something new on your adventure. Not to mention the unknown territories can fill you with excitement and thrill. Of course, there exists more than one style of riding. Some rides include cross-country mountain biking or downhill mountain cycling, allowing you to improve your balance.

So grab a bike, helmet, water bottle, gloves, sunglasses, and other necessary accessories before you embark on this fun-filled adventure.

Rafting
For those looking for something different and wild, rafting must be on their bucket list. Imagine yourself surrounded by crystal clear water and fresh air and soaking under the sun, taking your refill of vitamin D. That is what you will get to experience when taking a rafting trip.

Whether you want a more exciting rafting experience or a peaceful time on the river, you can choose the difficulty level according to the current level. And while you can enjoy the trip solely, it is more enjoyable when done with friends or family members.

Lastly, like many other activities, you need the proper equipment to enjoy rafting. So, choose the right inflatable rafting boat and get yourself a helmet, life jacket, and rescue throw bags to add fun to your rafting experience.

Paragliding
We, human beings, always wish to fly in the air currents like birds. Well, now is the time to fulfill this wish.

Glide over the awe-striking mountains and notice the beautiful wild animals on the ground. Jump, fly, or go with the flow of the airstreams. Nothing can match the meditative nature of paragliding – watch the fascinating sight of mountain goats and deer scrambling on the hilly rocks. However, carry with you essential equipment such as helmets, sunglasses, ropes, and harnesses to avoid danger zones and control yourself at all times.

Want to go overboard and try more thrilling adventures? Try hang gliding. This extreme mountain sports activity will surely fill you with a sense of adventure as you remain suspended in mid-air (with trained gliders to keep you steady as the strong winds hit the peaks) with astounding views.

Skiing
While a few aspects of skiing can be tricky for amateurs, it’s a favorite recreational activity for most people in winter. The stunning vistas, luscious landscapes, and chilly winds are, for sure, a treat to the eyes.

This sports activity doesn’t involve any competition. Meaning: you don’t need to compete with teams or groups of people for skiing. Instead, everyone can enjoy this winter sport, from young kids to grown-up individuals.

It’s an excellent time to reinforce relationships between family members and friends. Of course, it will take time to become a pro at it, but when you glide, throw yourself in the snow, and the fall will make you laugh with your loved ones. However, if you are alone on vacation, you can step out of your comfort zone and travel as a skier to expand your friend circle.

Final Words
A mountain vacation is undoubtedly an absolute equalizer. You can choose to be all alone in natural surroundings or go hiking with a group of friends to enjoy an incredible experience. Or better yet, you can explore massive dry mountain areas through cycle touring or enjoy green lush or rainforest regions by trekking.

In sum, a good deal of mountainous regions exists that offer a broad spectrum of exhilarating outdoor recreation adventures. And therefore, the great outdoors is a fabulous option for outdoorsy and adventurous people who are fond of open spaces and want to breathe in pure air.

So, if you are an adrenaline seeker and love adventures, it’s worth it to make your next vacation about breathtaking mountain ranges and plan thrilling and stimulating activities.

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by Lorie Lewis Ham

We are on vacation this holiday weekend to enjoy some much needed time off and catch up on a few things. But don’t worry we will be back July 9 with another full issue. We will still be posting some midweek articles next week.

In the meantime, take advantage of the quiet to browse around KRL and check out some articles you may have missed! And check out our sister website KRL News and Reviews!

Lastly, if you still haven’t checked out our mystery podcast I hope you head over there now! You can find them of the episodes on podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and most places where you listen to podcasts if you search for Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast! You also might want to consider signing up for our podcast newsletter. A full newsletter goes out at the beginning of the month and includes extra content, and some giveaways, a you will get just a brief reminder when the second podcast of the month goes up. You can sign up for the newsletter at TinyLetter.

Our most recent podcast episode actually takes place around the 4th of July!

So enjoy catching up on everything you might have missed and have a great weekend!

by Jennifer Janine

Someone Save My Baby, Ruth! (Or Foil That Villain!) is a good old-fashioned laugh-out-loud, family-friendly melodrama that has it all: a maiden in distress, a gallant hero, a villain, and a host of other quirky characters.

When lovely young widow Penny Candy and her baby, Ruth, are taken in by her Aunt Praline, owner of The Sweet Shoppe candy store, little does Penny know both love and danger lie ahead. The villainous Sidney Swindle is determined to buy The Sweet Shoppe as part of his plan to own the property in order to create an amazing tourist destination. With the help of his beautiful, but less than brilliant, cohort in crime, Ada Sourball, the villain sets his evil scheme in motion. The hilarious hijinks have to be seen to be believed, and all will be underscored live by GCT’s own musical director James Mierkey on piano, “silent movie” style! Other characters include Penny’s new love and our hero, police officer Ernest Noble, cooks Farron Heit and Cindy Grade, and clerks Taffy and Toffee and their “dreamy” boyfriends.

With various song and dance olios between scenes that will bring you back to the 1950s, this fun-filled evening is certain to please young and old. In her directorial debut, Jennifer Olsen was “tickled pink” (as you will see, when you arrive at the show) to work with this cast, which includes some real melodramatic types such Leonard Brown, Amanda Raeder, and Janet Jones Johnson. Jennifer’s own husband Josh Olsen plays the dastardly villain, but Jennifer says, “He plays a great villian, but underneath the fedora he’s as soft as a chocolate-covered caramel.”

As always, GCT’s 55th consecutive Summer Melodrama will provide you with free popcorn and offers other tasty treats at our full-service saloon and bar. Come on out…Boo, Hiss, and Cheer with us. The entire family will love this tasty theatrical treat!

Opportunities to join in on the fun will be at the Golden Chain Theatre in Oakhurst, CA from July 1-24, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Doors open one hour before. Admission is $13 for children under 12, $15 for seniors, and $18 for general admission. Order tickets at www.goldenchaintheatre.org or by calling (559) 760-8523 with credit card information. For more information, call (559) 683-7112 Tuesdays or Thursdays between 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. And if you love theatre don’t miss out on Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast where you can hear local actors bring to life mystery short stories and first chapters!

by Terrance Mc Arthur

It’s 1957—A lavish New York penthouse apartment. She’s a world-famous opera singer. He’s a revered orchestra conductor. Life should be perfect, right? It isn’t, but it’s very funny in Living on Love, playing through August 14 at Good Company Players’ 2nd Space Theatre.

Written by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), based on a play by Garson Kanin (Born Yesterday), Vito (Patrick Allan Tromborg) and Raquel (Renee Newlove) De Angelis are nearing the end of their careers, and plan memoirs to rake in the cash while they are still remembered. A string of ghostwriters only produced two usable pages with Vito, who insists on spinning wild sexual exploits that defy plausibility, and he has already spent the publisher’s advance. A junior assistant-assistant editor (Cassidy Leclair) is dispatched to get the book written. Vito spends most of his time trying to seduce her, and is surprised by the arrival of his wife. Raquel hires a young writer (Benjamin Geddert) who idolizes her to write her story, and the twists and turns commence, a French farce without all the doors.

Cast of GCP’s production of “Living On Love”

Tromborg prowls the stage like a craggy old bull elephant, rising in anger at the mention of Leonard Bernstein, slyly courting the young female with the musical aid of Ravel’s Bolero, and avoiding any facts about himself. Tromborg possesses decades of experience in handling an audience, and he knows how far to take an Italian accent without losing clarity.

Raquel (Renee Newlove) and the young writer Robert Samson (Benjamin Geddert) in GCP’s production of “Living on Love”

Vito (Patrick Allan Tromborg) and junior assistant-assistant editor Iris Peabody (Cassidy Leclair) in GCP’s production of “Living On Love”

Ethan Magill and Charis are the Rosencrantz & Guildenstern/Tweedledee & Tweedledum of the evening, butlers who know everything about everyone, but nobody knows anything about them. They put things away, bring things in, and boss everybody, until they deliver the final surprise of the play.

The director, J. Daniel Herring, keeps his actors going at a lively pace, not giving the audience room for anything but laughter. David Pierce’s set shimmers with an excess that matches the bigger-than-life characters.

The only message here is Love Conquers All, so laugh at it. Living On Love is on stage through August 14. The 2nd Space Theatre is at 928 E. Olive Ave, in Fresno. For tickets and further information, contact www.gcplayers.com, or call (559) 266-9494.

If you love local theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.

by Jackie Dale

Escape artist

Rescues—Rehomes—Trapping
My rise in kitten count was due in part to the six cats from the eighty-six-year-old lady who was having hip surgery. Along with her generous donation, she also gave me a ton of food, a large expensive carrier as well as a nearly new triple-ledge cage. I immediately got all the cats fixed, and they were quickly accepted by my rescue. Along with the group of six went “Milan,” the now three-legged cat from Reedley. If you recall, her “owner” allowed her to walk around with a broken leg that had an exposed bone.

Adult gone to rescue

Speaking of three-legged cats, I saw a Facebook post about a cat with a grotesquely broken leg. It was just dangling from the shoulder. Judging by the dried portion of the limb, the leg had been injured for some time. The cat was dumped along with another cat and a kind lady began to care for them. She didn’t know what to do for the injured young cat so she reached out on Facebook for help. I agreed to pay for the cat to go the vet if she would temporarily foster. She agreed to foster, and we met at the vet’s office. I already knew that the cat would need an amputation. I reflected on the odds of having three cats needing leg amputations as well as the fact that three of the kittens I have taken in this year are each missing a foot. “Lucky” had a successful surgery and is recovering nicely in his foster home. I expect to send him to rescue soon.

Rescue kitten

I then picked up four healthy kittens from a lady who feed the strays in her neighborhood. The kittens were super cute, but not as socialized as I had hoped. I put two with a foster and kept two with me. All four kittens have really come around and my two will be leaving for rescue shortly along with a brother/sister pair that have been here since April 10. They only have so many vacant spots, so I always feel lucky and grateful when I am given some. Oh, and of course, I trapped the mother of the four kittens and she was fixed too!

TNR

Trapping continues at the golf course on an intermittent basis. I have only trapped two more cats. Both were female, there are just an extraordinary number of female cats at this location. One actually didn’t need to be trapped. The friendly cat walked right up to me so I just picked her up. Turns out she was already fixed so she was obviously dumped there. I have refrained from mentioning the name of the golf course for exactly that reason, out of fear that lowlifes may decide to bring their unwanted cats there. Non-feral cats don’t generally do well in a feral environment.

Rescue kitten

I also discovered two sets of kittens inside the mechanics shop. I managed to grab three of them but the rest moved and I haven’t been able to find them. The problem is compounded by the fact that the shop closes at 1:30 pm making setting traps difficult as I wouldn’t have access to the traps until the next morning.

On and On and On and On…
Three healthy, loving older kittens were abandoned at my large feral colony. They were just left there inside a carrier. Whatever piece of human trash did this knew exactly what they were doing. The Cat House fortunately was able to take these kittens.

Kitten from animal control

I was recently able to send out two adults to my rescue. One of these adults was a cat that had to be rehomed because the owner was very ill and the person moving in to help care for the family was highly allergic to cats. Always a sad situation.

Adult to rescue

If I count the four cats leaving soon, this brings my total of cats sent to rescue so far this year to…95!!! I am eternally grateful for the support and donations that enable to keep rescuing kitties. Rescuers take a lot of flak and have to put up with the most unbelievable BS. The levels of ignorance and stupidity are astounding. But I keep grinding away because someone has to do it. I have heard every excuse, “reason,” and story in the book. Sometimes these things are both true and compelling. However, more often than not, people just want to foist their problem off on anyone, they don’t really care who.

Kittens dumped by river

It has been an expensive month, and I am extremely grateful to all those who donate. If you would like to make a donation, I have a PayPal account steamodale@gmail[dot]com. You can also send donations via good old snail mail to Jackie Dale, P O Box 1859, Reedley, CA 93654. Questions? jackiejoy@hotmail[dot]com.

You can check out more animal rescue articles in KRL’s animal rescue section! Join our Pets Facebook group to help keep up with our pet articles.

Jackie Dale is a freelance writer who lives in Reedley with her husband of 27 years, Frank, and their 2 children. A former ballerina, Jackie now teaches yoga and fitness classes privately and at local area gyms in addition to her cat related duties.

by Cynthia Chow

This week we have another fun group of mysteries for your summer reading tbr-A Midsummer’s Night Fudge: A Candy-Coated Mystery by Nancy Coco, Fatal Flowers: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan, and Bear Witness: Alaska Untamed Mystery by Lark O. Jensen. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of all 3 books and links to purchase them at the end of each review–you may not be able to see the Amazon links if you have ad blocker on.

A Midsummer’s Night Fudge: A Candy-Coated Mystery by Nancy Coco
Review by Cynthia Chow

Michigan’s tourist-driven Mackinac Island is celebrating the summer with their July Midsummer Night’s Festival of parades, masquerade balls, and pageant queen competition. Events start off a little rocky when the reigning pageant winner Natasha Alpine is disqualified, infuriating the Alpine family who focus their anger against organizer Winona Higer. No one really expects that the well-respected family will take retribution though, which is why the discovery of Winona’s body on the beach is so shocking. What isn’t surprising is that Allie McMurphy and her bichon-poo Mal are the ones to discover Winona with a bullet hole in her forehead, considering how they have become the de facto body-finders of the tiny island. Although Allie’s policeman boyfriend Rex Manning (again) warns her away from his investigation, she ignores his advice and immediately begins looking into the life of the festival organizer.

Allie still manages to fit in her daily fudge-making demonstrations at her family’s Historic McMurphy Hotel and Fudge Shop, but she’s far more invested in tracking down those with reasons to have wanted Winona dead. Not only did she have a near-obsession with her rose garden that led to combative confrontations with her gardener, Winona also built herself a reputation for stealing ideas and taking all of the credit. Having something of a reputation herself for solving a murder or ten, Allie is sought out by a witness too afraid to go directly to the police. When that instead leads to yet another death, Allie knows that she and Mal must act quickly to stop their summer from becoming a Shakespearean tragedy.

The casualty rate gets alarmingly high in this tenth of the candy-themed mystery series. Allie never hesitates when venturing into a new direction of the investigation, not to mention becoming an unofficial P.I. for a friend suspicious that her husband is having an affair. Always countering the death and deceptions is the unique beauty of Mackinac Island, where motor vehicles are banned and everyone commutes by bicycle or horse. It’s one of the few places where it would be entirely believable for a help wanted ad to be most effective when placed in the local newspaper and not online. A number of Allie’s delicious-sounding recipes are included throughout, including ones for a potent Fudgy Bottom Boozy Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake and decadent Turtle Fudge and Chocolate Swirl Coffee Cake. A light-hearted tone is kept throughout despite the rise in murder victims, with the humor stemming from Allie’s interactions with her closest friends and an extremely tolerant Rex. Beauty pageants, sewing circles, and competitive gardeners all make a charming hunting ground as Allie and Mal track down a vengeful killer. A monologuing villain determined that Allie know the brilliancy of the plan ensures that this cozy mystery very knowingly delivers a classic dénouement and emotionally satisfying conclusion.

Fatal Flowers: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan
Review by Cynthia Chow

Aerieville floral shop owner Sierra Ravenswood really hopes that she was hearing it wrong. As much as she’d love the opportunity to be the florist for the wedding between the mayor’s daughter and a Washington political aide, the two-week deadline seems impossible. Marissa Lakely is determined to walk down the aisle, and despite the previous florist’s last-minute cancellation Sierra can’t turn down the publicity or connections the high society event would provide. Marissa proves to be a surprisingly undemanding bride, but her wedding planner Taz Banyan more than makes up for her. Sierra’s first consultation with the intimidatingly famous perfectionist goes about as disastrous as it could, with Sierra not only failing to have a functional pen but also forgetting to bring along their latest portfolio. At least it doesn’t look as though she’s going to have to impress Taz for very long, as while on a hunt for a workable printer Sierra stumbles across him at the bottom of the Lakely mansion staircase, muttering the word “snake” with his last breath.

Sierra has already become uncomfortably familiar with Aerieville, Tennessee’s law enforcement, as not only is their police chief friends with her father, she has been involved in multiple murder investigations. The one not trusting the local police is Marissa’s wealthy mother Annaliese Bellman Lakely, who, along with her husband, fear that politics may hamper the investigation. Despite her earlier condescending attitude towards Sierra and her family’s quirky health club Dumbbells, Annaliese asks for Sierra’s help in tracking down who may have wanted to sabotage the wedding. It doesn’t take Sierra too long to discover that Taz had a habit of practicing loose ethics and burning reputations, guaranteeing a long list of those resenting his success and maybe wanting a little payback.

This third in the series is a welcoming reintroduction to the cozy, Appalachian town and its genial inhabitants. Having given up on her dreams as a singer-songwriter, Sierra has embraced her hometown and accepted her role as the Flower House’s new owner. She’s even grown to love her tiny home Dollhouse and its adorable compact comforts. Sierra’s less certain about her relationship with Calvin Foxheart, a former professor of botany, who abruptly left town a month ago with promises to return. At least his, hopefully temporary, absence allows her to focus on creating new ideas for the Flower House, care for adorable Gus the Corgi, and help the reluctant Marissa achieve her dream wedding. Numerous descriptions of their delicious meals and her friend’s flower-themed café ensure the novel’s cozy status and leaves readers’ hungering for more. The heart-warming relationships between a number of couples also make this a strong romance novel for those seeking happy endings and true love. The theme of seeking out joy wherever one can find it shines, making this a rewarding and very satisfying summer read.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Bear Witness: Alaska Untamed Mystery by Lark O. Jensen
Review by Sandra Murphy

Stacie Calder is a wildlife lover and a guide on a tourist boat in Alaska. Most of the passengers are vacationers who want to see a whale breach, a mama seal with her baby, bears, birds, and wolves. It’s Stacie’s job to point out the animals and tell about them. Since the boat moves slowly so the noise and movement won’t disturb the animals, each tour can take six or seven hours.

There are regulars, too, Alaskans who like to meet new people, see the sights, and have a day’s outing. Stacie has an assistant, Lettie, who takes over when Stacie mingles, takes a coffee break, or just needs a breather. Stacie also brings her dog, Sasha, to work with her.

When a passenger turns out to be Truit, a former employee in disguise, Stacie keeps an eye on him between talks. He announced he’s going to start his own tour company and is only along to steal what tips, and possible employees, he can.

During a break, she can’t find Truit. As a former employee, he’d know possible hiding places. When he’s still missing on their return and the crew finds no clues, a search and rescue team is sent to look for him with no results. Until the next day’s tour when his body is found.

Liam, an Alaskan trooper assigned to the Initial Response Section, is along for the trip and takes charge. Feeling Stacie might overhear things he wouldn’t, he asks her to share any information that comes her way, a task she takes more seriously than he intended.

Suspicion is on Stacie’s boss, his motive thought to be eliminating the potential competition, weak at best. Truit had offered a number of people partnerships in the business with vague promises. Although no one admits to hating him, he wasn’t well-liked either.

Jensen also writes as Linda O. Johnston and has penned fifty-three books to date with no sign of slowing down. This is her first Alaska Untamed mystery. Other series include the Alpha Forces books, the Kendra Ballantyne series, the Pet Rescue Mysteries, the Superstition mysteries, the Barkery & Biscuits mysteries, and Harlequin Romance Suspense books. Most include dogs!

To enter to win a copy of all 3 books, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “summer tbr” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 2, 2022. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If you are entering via email please include you mailing address in case you win, it will be deleted after the contest. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. BE AWARE THAT IT MAY TAKE MUCH LONGER THAN USUAL FOR WINNERS TO GET THEIR BOOKS DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase any of these books from indie bookstore Mysterious Galaxy, and KRL gets a portion of the sale:

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Kathleen Costa

BritBox continues to provide hours and hours of entertainment all with a variety of accents, servings of tea, visits to local pubs, and degrees of emotions. I am fascinated by British humor in shows like the classic Open All Hours (1973-1985) and it’s sequel Still Open All Hours (2013-2019) with David Jason (A Touch of Frost) in the hilarious lead. Many dramas, first introduced to me on PBS or A&E networks, are now available for anytime viewing, binging, and rewatching like Silks, Cracker, and Silent Witness. My passion is detective shows or police procedurals, and BritBox has popular classics like Morse, The Dr. Blake Mysteries, and reoccurring shows like Death in Paradise now in its eleventh season which included an extended Christmas special and eight episodes with much of the cast returning. The reasonable fee (monthly $6.99; special annually $69.99) is one I don’t mind paying for all the benefits I receive. Long live BritBox!

Death in Paradise opens in the midst of the island’s Christmas celebration (2021) with an exchanging of gifts, rum punch, and decorations blanketing Saint Marie island, but it is interrupted by the death of a wealthy businessman at a holiday party. Suicide. DS Cassell (Joséphine Jobert) leaves to spend the holidays with family, Commissioner Patterson (Don Warrington) as Santa and Officer Pryce (Tahj Miles) as his Elf are set to deliver gifts at a hospital, and DI Neville Parker is set to return home for a traditional English Christmas, but a call from Interpol puts Parker’s plans on hold and sends the team into investigation mode. A young man in England received a Christmas card suggesting the man’s death was murder. The reopening of the case as a murder investigation puts a spotlight on the victim’s past, his attorney, ex-wife, daughter, current wife, and even the young man who decides to travel to Saint Marie with the card in question. Commissioner Patterson enlists Dwayne Myers, former officer, to partner with Officer Pryce and look into the curious claim of murder which leads to a shocking conclusion. The issues from season ten with Neville’s feelings for Florence? It has a glitch and remains on hold.

The rest of the season, of course, offers up interesting, complex cases for the team to investigate from kidnapping turned murder, a family dispute leading to a death, a team-building parachute dive has one stabbed, an undercover operation entangles Florence, a rehab center is the site of a locked-room murder, a victim calls the police about a murder, a musician shot at rehearsals, and a chess master is checkmated. The cases are never how they originally appear slowly unfolding evidence revealing multiple suspects and motives posted on the team’s whiteboard. It’s always DI Parker, whose intuitive manner is frustrating at times to the Commissioner and the team, comes to his final “I know what happened” and reveals the murderer in true Agatha Christie, gather the suspects together, fashion.

This eleventh season was engaging with the signature wit, clever intrigue, surprise conclusions, and endearing camaraderie, but the storylines also included a few personal insights into the characters. DI Parker’s sister shows up causing quite the kerfuffle putting him on edge, Officer Pryce is confronted by a former partner-in-crime forcing him to make a choice between past and current loyalties, and the Commissioner is greeted by his past and a shocking cliffhanger revelation. Circumstances have put DS Cassell’s life in danger leaving a hole in the Honoré team needing to be filled by two new team members: Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Darlene Curtis (Ginny Holder). A Christmas special 2022 and season twelve are set to answer some intriguing questions.

Don’t Miss Agatha Christie!

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022) is three hour-long episodes in a mini series adapted by Hugh Laurie (House) from the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie. Bobby Jones (Will Poulter), the vicar’s son, hears a scream and finds a man at the bottom of a cliff. He goes to check the man finding him still alive. He sends Dr. Thomas (Conleth Hill) for help, and while comforting the man, he speaks five cryptic, if not puzzling, words, “Why didn’t they ask Evans?” He checks the, now deceased, man’s pockets finding a pen, a key, a pocket watch, and a photograph of a lovely young woman. Jones is late to attend his father’s church service and leaves the scene in the hands of a passer-by Roger Bassington-ffrench (Daniel Ings).

At the inquest, Jones doesn’t tell the judge the victim’s last words, and an older woman admits to being the victim’s sister and woman in the picture. Afterwards, the victim’s sister asks if there were any last words, offering no insights about what it means or who is Evans when Jones tells her what had been said. Jones also starts seeing a strange man following him. When he drinks a morphia tainted bottle of beer, learns the photograph in the victim’s pocket has been replaced, and questions the suicide of a friend, he and his friend Lady Francis “Frankie’ Derwent (Lucy Boynton) team up to uncover the truth which just might put everyone in danger.

The mini series was well done, complex, true to Christie’s work, and cast with several recognizable actors including writer/director Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, and Emma Thompson. This is quite the respectful nod to Christie’s work…brilliant!

Sparkling Cyanide (2003) Dr. Catherine Kendall (Pauline Collins) stars in the world of privilege and politics. An elderly couple are brought in to investigation the murder of a “powerful soccer club’s manager’s wife.”

Seven Dials Mystery (1981) is a lighthearted mystery movie following young aristocrat Lady Ellen “Bundle” Brent (Cheryl Campbell) who investigates “murders, stolen state secrets, and a mysterious secret society.”

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. A new episode went up this week.

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.

by Sunny Frazier

In my part of California known as the Central Valley, triple-digit heat is the norm. Of course, we tell ourselves it’s a “dry heat.” Reading under cool shade with an icy drink and a good book is one way to beat the heat.

Although it came out last month, Murder is No Picnic makes the list because it centers around the Fourth and fireworks. “Cape Cod Foodie” Samantha Barnes is in search of the best blueberry buckle recipe for a picnic. A famed cookbook author (and retired restaurant owner) has what she’s looking for and offers to teach her how to make the dessert. But when the woman dies in a house fire, Sam doesn’t think it’s an accident. Could it be the new owner of the restaurant–or even her boyfriend’s cousin! This is Amy Pershing’s third Cape Cod Foodie Mystery.

When Murder Spills the Tea is also set in Cape Cod. Lily Roberts’s tea shop, Tea by the Sea, will be featured on the TV show, America Bakes! But when the celebrity judge loses his temper on camera, someone decides he needs to be off the show by killing him in the kitchen—with Lily’s rolling pin! This is the third tasty morsel from Vicki Delany’s Tea by the Sea mysteries.

Lindsey Bakewell’s Beacon Bakeshop in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, is hosting a pie-eating contest during the Blueberry Festival. Good-natured pranks, like pelting a parade float with water balloons and setting goats rampaging, are tolerated. It’s all fun and games until a man dressed as a Viking is found dead in a boat. Now it’s not mischief—it’s murder. Murder at the Blueberry Festival is third in Darci Hannah’s Beacon Bakeshop mysteries. Recipes are included.

What’s pie without a dollop of ice cream? But it’s Death of an Ice Cream Scooper in the fifteenth of the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mysteries by Lee Hollis. When her friend, owner of a gourmet ice cream shop in Bar Harbor, Maine, believes her husband is cheating, she wants Hayley to investigate. But the sleuthing takes a backseat when the body of an employee is found in the freezer. This is the woman the husband was photographed with, but does that make him just a cheater, or a murderer?

Finally, relax with Elaine Faber’s cozy, published earlier. Like her name, Mrs. Odboddy is, well, a little odd. She’s trying to find a home for a carnival tiger which the city of Newbury, California, wants put down. After a fall from a tree, the seventy one year old’s eccentricities go to extremes. Should people believe her when she claims she saw a well-known citizen steal a church painting, or is she having a brain bleed? Mrs. Odboddy’s Desperate Doings: A WWII tale of daring to save a tiger and expose a thief, is fourth in Elaine Faber’s Mrs. Odboddy Mysteries.

BEST OF THE REST

Kathy Reichs: Cold, Cold Bones Temperance Brennan Mystery #21

Christy Barritt: Tone Death School of Hard Rocks Mystery #3

Leslie Budewitz: Peppermint Barked Spice Shop Mystery #5

Lynn Cahoon: Caught Dead to Write Cat Latimer Mystery #8

Kate Carlisle: The Paper Caper Bibliophile Mystery #16

Cheryl Hollon: Death a Sketch Pain & Shine Mystery #3.

Abigail Keam: Murder Under a British Moon 1930s Mona Moon Mystery #9

Victoria Laurie: Coached Red-Handed Cat & Gilley Life Coach Mystery #4

David Rosenfelt: Holy Chow Andy Carpenter Mysteries #25

Alexander McCall Smith: The Sweet Remnants of Summer Isabel Dalhousie Series #14

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Be sure to check out our new mystery podcast too with mystery short stories, and first chapters read by local actors. A new episode went up this week.

Or click on this link to take you to Mysterious Galaxy’s website where you can purchase any of these books & a portion will go to help support KRL:

Sunny Frazier worked with an undercover narcotics team in Fresno County for 17 years before turning her energies to writing the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries. Based in the San Joaquin Valley of California, the novels are inspired by real cases and 35 years of casting horoscopes.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases.

by Jim Mulligan

Whether you are a Reedleyite or a resident of one of the surrounding towns, you know how great it is to have a community college right in our backyard. Since 1926 Reedley College has provided higher education for residents of the South Valley and beyond. Like so many of you, Reedley College is an integral part of my family’s educational history. Four generations of Mulligans are alumni; my grandmother in the early ‘40s, my parents, me, and several of my kids, all got our post-secondary start as a Tiger. Community college provides so many choices for people of all ages to attain a variety of educational goals.

In August, in an effort to continue to meet the demands of the communities it serves, Reedley College will launch its Extended Learning Pathway. The offerings include a plethora of non-credit courses that are tuition-free and open to anyone who lives in California (even if undocumented). While these courses will not count towards a degree or transfer to a four-year institution, they provide a great way for people to gain valuable knowledge and skills for other reasons. Students will need to pay a semester health fee ($21 for fall and spring on campus, $18 for summer and $13 for exclusively off campus) and materials costs; however, many classes use open educational resources that are also free. The Extended Learning Pathway offers a flexible schedule for adult learners. Students have access to the same support services (tutorial, health, counseling, etc.) as students in credit programs. Many of the Extended Learning classes are not separate from the credit classes of the same subject. They are taught by the same instructor using the same assignments, and in many cases, non-credit students and credit students will sit in the same classroom, together.

All services, such as tutoring and health, are available to Extended Learning students.

In addition to supporting students transitioning to college and needing support for college-level coursework, the Extended Learning programs were created to help community members gain skills to get a job or a better job – in education lingo, upskill. These programs support community members in lifelong learning.

Noncredit classes fall into ten categories. Reedley College has developed courses for adults to develop skills to enhance the quality of home, family, career, and community life. These courses include music, creative writing, art, horticulture, and physical education.

Hone your skills in the shop; take a free, Extended Learning Welding class.

Parenting is another category. Three- to nine-hour Early Childhood Education courses were created for parents to learn about their child’s developmental milestones and strategies to help their child thrive. Additionally, courses in this category include American Sign Language. Joseph Lind, Reedley College ASL instructor and Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), says “90% of deaf individuals have hearing parents. Currently, parents and family members have limited access to ASL classes. Beginning in August, they can take these classes for free and locally.”

Is music your thing? Join an Extended Learning music class for free.

Nancy Gutierrez, Reedley College Plant Science instructor, says “The non-credit food safety course provides an opportunity for community members and local agriculture workers to receive a basic HACCP/food safety certification at no cost. The industry certification and knowledge gained in food safety is an appealing skill for employers in the food and agriculture industry. The new ag technology coursework and program at Reedley College provides foundational knowledge in the fruit tree industry and in new technologies being used in the field and packing facilities. We created the program as a noncredit opportunity so that the community could participate with no registration fees and so that our students could participate without adding units to their transcripts that don’t apply to their major.”

Try your hand at a ceramics course through Extended Learning at Reedley College.

Workforce Preparation is another noncredit category. Courses were created to prepare individuals looking for employment or to upskill individuals that are already employed. Dr. Linda Carvalho Cooley who created Extended Learning communication courses for workforce preparation says, “Communication skills are often cited as one of the most important skills needed in business. Individuals may not want a degree but recognize that the need to communicate successfully is a skill that can be learned. Offering some short-term non-credit communication courses is our way of providing these skills to anyone in our community who wants to communicate better.”

Get dirty in the auto shop; learn to work on your own car, or get job skills for a career change.

While these tuition-free classes eliminate a financial barrier, Rebecca Al Haider, Reedley College Coordinator of Noncredit Programs, is working hard to remove other barriers. Students have access to free or supplemented childcare. The college is partnering with local school districts to offer off-site classes to remove the transportation barrier.

To learn more about Reedley College Extended Learning, visit www.reedleycollege.edu/extended-learning, call (559) 494-3011 for application assistance, or email Rebecca.alhaider@reedleycollege[dot]edu.

The fall semester is August 8 through December 9 with classes beginning at various times.

You can find more Reedley stories in our Reedley News section.

Jim Mulligan is a 6th generation Californian, born and raised in Selma. He has been employed in Reedley on and off for the last twenty-plus years. He married his college sweetheart, a Reedley-ite, Kristi. They now reside in Reedley. They have five children. Jim loves to create Bonsai, ride his motorcycle, and travel as much as possible, both near and far. He works at Reedley College.

by Terrance Mc Arthur

In April, the Great Food Search took a look at restaurants in Fresno’s Tower District while I rehearsed for a production of I Remember Mama at the Good Company Players’ 2nd Space Theatre. The run of the play has ended, but those weeks of performances gave me time to continue my quest of eating my way through the Tower District.

Follow me on the second part of my journey.

Tuna, avocado, tomato and more at Deli Delicious in the Tower District

Carne Asada in a Beirock? Wow! Panaderia Natalie in the Tower District

Fried Zucchini and a Pastrami Sandwich at the Peach Pit in the Tower District

Go Mediterranean with the Taste of Aleppo (T.O.A.) food truck in the Tower District

The Verdict—Good food is had by all, but T.O.A was something truly special. Happy Eating

Ten percent of the menu at Brown Bear’s Hot Dogs. Let’s keep them cooking!

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.

by Jayce Ham

As LGBTQ+ Pride month is coming to a close, I thought it was time to discuss my favorite LGBTQ+ characters across the gaming sphere. While there is not as much LGBTQ+ representation in gaming as we would like, there are plenty of wonderful characters to talk about.

First, Tyler from Tell Me Why. Tyler is the first-ever playable trans male protagonist of a video game, which is a pretty amazing milestone. Tyler is the character that encouraged me, a trans non-binary person to come out almost two years ago. The character was voiced by a trans male voice actor August Aiden Black. The game tackles what life is like for a transgender male beautifully, and it led me to tears of happiness and relatability.

Next, Ellie from The Last of Us series. I cannot make a list of favorite/amazing LGBTQ+ video game characters without talking about the queen of LGBTQ+ video game characters, Ellie. In an apocalyptic world run by infected (zombies), Ellie is proud to be herself despite the chaos of the world around her. Her relationship with Dina in The Last of Us Part 2 brought amazing representation to the gaming world. Ellie is a badass lesbian who takes care of the people she loves, no matter what.

Another famous LGBTQ+ character who just happens to be one of my favorites is Chloe from Life is Strange. Bisexual representation is hard to come by in media, especially in video games, so it was exciting to finally have that representation in the one and only Chloe Price. Chloe’s friendship/relationship with the protagonist Max is one of my favorite fictional relationships of all time. Chloe, like Ellie, is proud to be her true self and is a badass. She is outspoken about her sexuality and does not shy away from telling people how she really feels.

To close out this list, my final favorite is actually a couple, Takatoshi Hijiyama and Tsukasa Okino from 13 Sentinels. While Hijiyama’s specific sexuality is not blatantly stated in the game, he is seen to be in love with Okino, a non-binary assigned male at birth person. Okino states in the game that they are non-binary and go between presenting masculine and feminine. Hijiyama holds a fondness and love for Okino throughout the game and Okino, while sometimes making fun of and teasing Hijiyama, is seen to feel the same.

As the years go by, more and more games are featuring LGBTQ+ characters. I cannot wait to see what is in store in the next few years.

Jayce Ham is 29 years old and an ongoing contributor. With a love of all things nerdy, they are right at home covering entertainment.

by Kathleen Costa

This week we have a review of The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill along with an interesting interview with Sulari. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Review by Kathleen Costa

A Story About Writing a Story About Writing a Story

The concept of The Woman in the Library may seem confusing or complex, but it isn’t, far from it. Hannah Tigone, a well-known successful Aussie author, is writing her newest book. Leo Johnson, a struggling writer, is an uber fan of Hannah’s work and has struck up a friendship that leads to her sharing with him chapters of her manuscript and him offering insights, an American/Bostonian perspective, professional encouragement, and constructive suggestions. The two communicate long distance through email, and readers are privy to Leo’s side of the conversation which responds to the chapter he read, addresses things that Hannah said or asked, and includes friendly repartee about the Australian wildfires, the pandemic, lockdown experiences, and the fact Leo was included as a character in her book. It is a fascinating look at the writer/beta reader professional and personal relationship, but as the communications continue, the tone in Leo’s emails changes, more intense and graphic, as well as emphasizing his frustrations with his failed writing career. Helpful and intuitive or demanding and jealous? You decide.

The manuscript Hannah shares with Leo is the story of young Australian writer Winifred “Freddie” Kincaid. As winner of the Marriot Scholarship she lives at Carrington House in Boston, Massachusetts. She found the atmosphere of the Boston Public Library reading room a refuge from the wintery cold and waits for inspiration for the book she is expected to write. She focuses her creative eye on the people sitting near her, pontificates who and what they are, entertains connections they may have, and pictures them as characters suited for her book: a tattooed “Freud Girl,” dimpled “Heroic Chin,” and too “Handsome Man.” Yet, her thoughts are interrupted by a “ragged and terrified” scream, and while waiting for the all clear from security, Freddie strikes up a conversation with her three table mates. From there the four bond over coffee, donuts, and the curious murder of Caroline Palfrey, but as they interact, they also reveal themselves to each other; littered with shocking surprises, it fuels suspicions. There’s a stalker, an assault, another murder, a writer/neighbor, and more than enough evidence to believe any one of them is a murderer. Talk about inspiration, just as long as Freddie can survive long enough to write her story.

The Woman in the Library Earns 5+/5 Savory Donuts…Unique & Engaging!
I was a bit surprised by Sulari Gentill’s “two stories in one” idea since the synopsis I read only addressed the four strangers that bond over the murder. But, after a couple of chapters, I was all in! Being a beta reader myself for authors all over the world, I can identify with the relationship, albeit friendship, that develops through the communication between a writer and reader/fan. The discussion of context, characters, and criminal machinations can be personal, as writers can attest, and the constructive suggestions or personal experiences offered up to support a viewpoint or reason for some corrective work can build or destroy a level of trust. I, too, have pondered where might be that line one should not cross. I’ve also had my name used as a peripheral character; what a kick that is!

Sulari Gentill’s story within a story turns out to be a fascinating and engaging two-fer, and once you grasp how the story is organized, it’s one you can’t put down. The murder mystery that Hannah is writing and Leo is critiquing, is compelling, well-developed with plenty of surprises revealing who the characters really are with their past and motivations heightening suspicions. It could, of course, be a story all by itself as it morphs into additional crimes, a full suspect list, and peril to avoid, and the final disclosure of the murderer and the rationale is one I didn’t entirely see coming. I didn’t feel the emails added at the end of each chapter were intrusive or interfered with the pace of the murder mystery. I found the second story with the interactions between the author and reader as compelling and a fascinating discussion on research, background, process, and interpretations. I was intrigued by the evolution from a professional partnership to a more toxic relationship. Unique. Diverse characters. Double wow!

Extras: Don’t pass up the Readers Group Guide to spark your book club discussion or the Conversation with the Author that provides fascinating insights into her work.

Be a Big Fan of Sulari Gentill!
Sulari Gentill “…tells stories…it’s outrageous…she just makes things up…I’m Australian. I was born in Sri Lanka, learned to speak English in Zambia, and grew up in Brisbane.” Her Rowland Sinclair WWII Mysteries is set in 1930s Australia and follows Rowland Sinclair, the wealthy gentleman artist and amateur detective. Using the pen name S. D. Gentill, she has a fantasy adventure series The Hero Trilogy along with standalone novels. Her work is filled with exciting, unique storylines garnering an eager fan base. Check out her work at Website: Sulari Gentill.

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Interview with Sulari Gentill:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Sulari: Fiction? About 13 years. Before that I wrote contracts and legal advice. But I think I’ve been a storyteller all my life.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Sulari: My first novel came out in 2010. An historical crime novel, A Few Right Thinking Men, was set in 1932 against the backdrop of the Great Depression and rising political tensions. The protagonist, Rowland Sinclair, is a gentleman artist, born to the establishment and great wealth, but who is naturally drawn to the company of the Bohemian artistic sets of Sydney. When Rowland’s beloved uncle is murdered, he infiltrates a dangerous but burgeoning Fascist movement known as the New Guard in his determination to find the killer. It was published in the US as A House Divided.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Sulari: Not always. I did write a series of novels set in the world of the Homeric epics. The Hero Trilogy (Chasing Odysseus, Trying War, and The Blood of Wolves) was the story of the Herdsmen of Ida who supplied the Trojans with food through the years of the siege via secret tunnels under the walls of Troy. The series follows their fates after Troy fell and is written against the context of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and Virgil’s Aeneid.

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book?

Sulari: I was writing a different book set in the US and to ensure I was getting the details of Boston correct, I was corresponding with a friend, an American writer, who was in Boston at the time. Larry is an excellent researcher and probably more thorough than I am. He would supplement his letters with maps and menus as well images and footage of Boston landmarks and streets. Then one day, there was a murder a couple of blocks from where he was staying and so, thinking that images of an American crime scene would be useful he sent me footage of the scene (after the body had been removed). When I opened the file in Australia, my husband, who happened to be standing behind me, murmured, “I hope Larry’s not killing people to send you research!” Of course, he wasn’t… I promise! But it did occur to me that it was a good idea for a novel.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Sulari: First and foremost, I want to engage and entertain, to make readers care about my characters and what happens to them. I want to thrill readers, to make them laugh, cry and gasp. But I hope that I also give them something to take away, to think about, long after they’ve closed the book. Crime fiction has always been a wonderful medium for talking about society and prejudice, equity and humanity within the context of a desperate pursuit for justice. My books are as much about those conversations as they are about murder.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Sulari: I work whenever I can. For me, the challenge is to stop writing and deal with the requirements of the life outside my head from time to time. If left to my own devices I might never do anything else!

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Sulari: I seem to be most productive very early in the morning and very late at night.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Sulari: I’m an extreme pantser. I don’t plot or outline at all and have no idea what will be on the next page let alone how the book will finish. I find I don’t need to consciously try to keep track of what’s going on. When I’m working, I’m immersed in the story, I live and breathe it—I don’t think I could lose track of it if I tried.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Sulari: I suppose it depends on what you call difficult. I didn’t have an agent; I didn’t even know any other writers and had no idea what I was doing. I tried to get an agent and was politely turned down by everybody. But when I sent my manuscript directly to publishers (you can do that in Australia) it was picked up immediately.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Sulari: I recall the evening I received the first offer from a publisher for my debut novel, via email, because I’d forgotten to include my address when I submitted. It was just the most incredible feeling. That night I lay in bed unable to sleep because I was so excited, and periodically I would just laugh—not at anything in particular, it was just sheer erupting joy. At about two in the morning my husband asked me to stop because I was scaring him. Thinking back, it might have been a little alarming. The following day, I was meant to drive to a board meeting in a town about 300 miles away. I’d done the trip many times before but I suddenly found myself nervous, convinced I would die in some horrific car accident because nobody was allowed to be as happy as I was without some catastrophic Karmic balancing. Luckily, that paranoia passed, the excitement about writing has not.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Sulari: When my boys were little, I’d often take them with me to book events if I couldn’t get a sitter. My youngest, Atticus, was one of those kids who loved asking questions, and so at the end of a reading or book talk, when questions were invited, his hand would shoot up. I’d try to ignore him, but it would remain up, waving occasionally, until other people would say things like “I think that little boy has a question.” And so, I’d give in and ask my persistent six-year-old what he’d like to know. He’d stand up, frown thoughtfully and ask, “How many words are in that book?” or “When are you going to stop writing?” or “How thick is your book?” or even just “Why?”

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Sulari: To keep writing and reaching readers. Within that, I think I’ll always be trying to create something new, not just in terms of the substance of a novel but also in its form.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Sulari: I grew up on Agatha Christie and I am still an ardent fan. There is a wonderful elegance in her work, so many things that she did first.

KRL: I totally agree! What kind of research do you do?

Sulari: It depends on the book I’m trying to write of course. I do have a preference, wherever possible, of talking to people as opposed to just reading material. I find I can get a much better feel for a place or a time or an incident in a conversation, where I can ask questions or test ideas. But I do also read, dig around archives, visit settings and google!

KRL: What do you like to read?

Sulari: I’ll read any genre as long as it’s a good story. I consume a fair bit of non-fiction as well. I only occasionally read poetry, but every time I do, I wonder why I don’t do so more regularly.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Sulari: I’ve been binging all the limited series based on Harlan Corban’s books – The Five, The Stranger, Safe etc. I loved Ozark. Midsomer Murders, Foyle’s War, Lewis, and Frost are also big favorites in my house. And Shutter Island. I don’t rewatch it because I find that final twist so shattering, but I think about it often.

KRL: Those are some of my favorites as well. Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Sulari: Write in a manner that suits you, that makes you happy. There is no right or wrong way to create and rules are of our own making. There is no virtue in agony for its own sake and suffering for your art does not by itself make you a better writer. A writer’s life has many challenges, so if you can find joy in the act of putting one word after the other, however you choose to do it, it’s an easier road to walk.

KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Sulari: I’m not good at keeping secrets. I think about that failing quite often, because I write about people who are doing just that, who are good at leaving things out or staying silent. I, on the other hand, am not. I would be totally useless at covering up a real murder.

KRL: Pets?

Sulari: A menagerie. Four dogs (Rolly, Miss Higgins, Alfred and Piggy), two cats (Hero and Scaredy), two miniature horses (Matilda and Camoo) and two donkeys (Ruby and Reginald).

KRL: How fun!

To enter to win a copy of The Woman in the Library, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “library,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen July 2, 2022. US only, and must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Be sure to check out our new mystery podcast too with mystery short stories, and first chapters read by local actors. A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase the book from Amazon or click here. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the link:

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying year 2 of retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband of 26+ years.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by Lorie Lewis Ham

Here is your weekly reminder that there are also new articles up on our other website KRL News & Reviews! Every week there will be book reviews and giveaways, plus sometimes pet articles, theatre articles, and more! So don’t miss out-if you read us through a subscription that goes to your email you can sign up over on KRL News & Reviews for the same thing for the articles posted there! In the meantime just hop on over there and see what we have up this week!

Also don’t forget to check out our mystery podcast! It’s really simple to listen just click on the link and then click play on whichever episode you want to listen to. While it is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, if you don’t have those just going to the podcast website is as simple as pie! Don’t miss out on the mystery and theatre fun!

For those who read KRL online instead of in your email inbox, here is the player for our new podcast episode that went up this week. This episode features an excerpt from Pint of No Return by Dana Mentink, read by local actor Ariel Linn. Pint of No Return was published by Poisoned Pen Press on May 25, 2021 and is available for purchase. For those who read KRL in their email here is the link to the new podcast episode: mysteryratsmaze.podbean.com/e/pint-of-no-return-by-dana-mentink.

We now also have a Patreon where you can help support the podcast and the magazine and get special perks! You can give as little as $1 a month and it will be greatly appreciated. We also have fun KRL and Mysteryrat’s Maze merchandise at Redbubble as well.

by Vinnie Hansen

Blurb. Blurb. Blurb. It sounds like a goldfish swirling down the drain. For writers, seeking blurbs can be about as enjoyable.

Whether indie or traditionally published, authors are often left with the task of going, hat in hand, to ask for short publicity notices from other authors. It’s a big ask. In order to write a few sentences for our book jacket, the person first has to read the entire book!

When I went on my blurb-seeking journey, I was very lucky to have known Edgar-nominated author Susan Bickford for a number of years, dating back to a Sisters in Crime Guppies critique group. She’d been working on her first novel, A Short Time to Die, and I’d been working on the last book for my Carol Sabala series. We’re also both members of the NorCal Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and during the pandemic, participated in the same Drop-in Writing session.

Since we had these connections, the ask was a trifle easier. On the other hand, the familiarity meant I knew how busy her life was.

Nonetheless, Susan graciously read One Gun and produced this blurb: “A riveting book that will tear at your heart as the impact from one gun ricochets through a close-knit community. Hansen’s commanding voice weaves a compassionate tale that rings true and clear. You won’t be able to look away.”

My next request was harder. I’d met James Ziskin at Left Coast Crime Conferences so he had a face to match to my name. But that, in my opinion, is not enough. What allowed me to approach him was that I’d read all seven books in his Ellie Stone series and made one of them the recommended book in my newsletter. I’d developed a relationship with him as a fan.

So even though James is an Anthony, Barry, and Macavity award-winning author, he still accepted the mission and wrote this astounding bit for me: “Vinnie Hansen’s One Gun unspools a long, exquisite crescendo of foreboding and dread as clouds gather for a chilling, unexpected climax. Top-notch writing, sensitive touch, and heart-wrenching choices. Hansen is an author to watch.”

I would not have had the chutzpa to ask for these blurbs without having established the ground work. For any aspiring writer who might one day need quotes, I recommend membership in professional organizations such as Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, attendance at conferences, and being a reader and supporter of other authors. One needs to create connections before making this big ask and also appreciate how much work it requires from the other person.

In the way of the world, I’d no sooner asked James Ziskin for a blurb than Mary Ann Miller asked me to write one for her book. Because she and I had worked together on her police-procedural, Bones Under the Ice, in a Sisters in Crime Guppies critique group, of course, I said yes. A perfect way to pay it forward.

Look for Bones Under the Ice in July from Oceanview with my blurb: “Set in rural, blizzard-frozen Indiana, Mary Ann Miller’s Bones Under the Ice launches a chilling police procedural series. From page one when Jhonni Laurent brushes snow off a frozen hand, the reader will be rooting for this likeable sheriff.” – Vinnie Hansen, author of the Carol Sabala Mystery Series, Lostart Street, and One Gun.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

The day after high school graduation, Vinnie Hansen fled the howling winds of South Dakota and headed for the California coast. There the subversive clutches of college dragged her into the insanity of writing. A two-time Claymore Award finalist, she’s the author of the Carol Sabala mystery series, the novels Lostart Street and One Gun, as well as numerous short stories.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by T. C. Lotempio

In my new series, Urban Tails Pet Shop, the main character, former actress Shell McMillan, inherits a pet shop from her Aunt Tillie. How did I happen to decide on a pet shop for Shell’s profession? Well, I confess, poor Shell had quite a few occupations before I hit on Pet Shop. And the main reason for doing so was that an editor at the time wanted a series set in one. But once I started writing it, old memories came flooding back. I’ve had some pretty good times in pet shops.

I remember going into one near fourteenth street in New York City, where I grew up. We lived in an apartment above a restaurant and no pets were allowed. That was a horrible thing for me, because I’ve always loved animals – all kinds – especially dogs and cats. It killed me that we couldn’t have a dog. I remember going to the circus and begging my mother to get me a chameleon (they were selling them there). Well, she did, and things were fine…until the poor thing got out of his glass cage. We found him weeks later. No more chameleons for Toni!

There was a pet shop a few blocks away from where we lived, and I loved going into it. They rarely had dogs, but they did on occasion have a few kittens. Such sweet things! Sadly, I couldn’t get one. There were fish aplenty, but they didn’t interest me. What did were the birds! There seemed to be hundreds of them in cages, tweeting and chattering happily. At last my parents relented, and I got a beautiful blue parakeet that I named Happy.

From the first, Happy was no ordinary bird – at least not to me. He came when I called his name. When I’d come home from school, my mother would let him out of his cage, and he’d fly straight to me and perch on my shoulder. I’d tap my shoulder, and no matter where that bird was, he’d fly right over and land on it. He used to play “stairs” going up and down my fingers.

But the best trick of all? He used to dance! Yep, honest. I’d play my records, and he’d bop back and forth on the bottom of his cage in time to the music. Sometimes I even fancied he sang along! He was a very talented bird, and he was with me for three wonderful years.

So, when I created the parrot in Killers of a Feather, I confess, I drew on the spirit of Happy. Today, I’m the proud owner of a tubby tuxedo cat who’s inspired another mystery series, but when people ask me about my first pet, I proudly say “Happy.”

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode went up this week.

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here to purchase the book.

Toni(T. C.) LoTempio is the award winning and national bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mystery Series, published by Beyond the Page Publishing. She also authors the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries and the Cat Rescue mysteries. Toni resides in Arizona along with her roomies, Max and ROCCO. Visit them at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com, and visit the author and sign up for her newsletter at www.tclotempio.net

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

by staff

Los Angeles is undoubtedly one of the most eclectic and bustling cities in the world, with lots to do. From nature excursions along the Pacific Coast Highway to museums, restaurants, and markets, there is something for everyone. Los Angeles is one of the most prominent summer cities on the west coast. Located in southern California, as opposed to northern regions, it has a more moderate climate year-round.

Ten activities to create a memorable vacation in Los Angeles

1. Culture, Events, and Nightlife of LA

Los Angeles is a great summer city, but Los Angeles also has a great culture and unique events and activities. Los Angeles is the perfect city to practice new hobbies and try things you never got around to doing before in hopes that you will find something new you love to do. Los Angeles is a city of joy, so make sure you take full advantage of what it offers.

2. A view from above at Griffith Park

Griffith Park is home to the Griffith Observatory, and this is a great attraction for tourists and families alike. However, you do not have to go up there to get a great view of Los Angeles. Just head up to the hills around Griffith Park, where there are numerous amazing views.

3. Beautiful gardens at the Huntington Library

The Huntington Library is an excellent spot for anyone who loves music and poetry. The library is a public institution with a botanical garden, art galleries, and an inspirational poetry collection. The Biltmore gardens are unlike any other. Walk around at your leisure and enjoy the opulent splendor of this place as you feel you are in another world.

4. Grand central market

Grand Central Market is home to the most diverse vendors, selling all kinds of unique items, from vintage items to food. This market is so much different from any other in the world, and you will find everything from spices, fruits, and various forms of meat that you cannot find anywhere else. There are many great restaurants located in this area that offer authentic cuisine as well.

5. Urban Light at LACMA

The Los Angeles County museum of art is a fantastic museum to visit if you want to experience the beauty and wonder of what the world has to offer. With an extensive collection of new and old pieces from around the planet, there is sure to be something in this museum that will interest you. The LA county art museum also has a great outdoor sculpture garden that could keep you occupied for hours.

6. Cinespia to watch movies in a cemetery

Cinespia is unique because it occurs in a cemetery on Friday and Saturday nights. This is a great way to experience the classier side of Los Angeles. The setup is unique, as they play classic films that you may have never seen before so that it can be a great and educational experience. Many of the movies played at Cinespia are not well known, making them even more intriguing to watch.

7. See stunning artworks at the Broad

The Broad is a unique place to visit because the museum is unlike anything you have ever seen, and the art collection within is stunning. The museum is home to many contemporary pieces that cannot be found anywhere else. World-renowned architect Frank Gehry designed the building itself. It includes a big atrium where you may climb up to the rooftop for a great view of Los Angeles.

8. Experience Venice in LA – Venice Canals

Venice canals are located in the Venice neighborhood, one of the most prominent neighborhoods in Los Angeles. It is a great place to explore because many restored buildings and canals are filled with stunning art. The Venice canals are outstanding for anyone who loves to walk, as a bridge right next to them leads right down to the beautiful water.

9. Explore scenes from Mount Wilson Observatory

Mount Wilson Observatory is home to the largest telescope in the world. If you do not know, a telescope is a device that allows you to see far-away objects in great detail. Mount Wilson is located outside of Los Angeles, making it an ideal location to view many of the stars and planets in greater detail than anywhere else. This is a great spot since you can go up Mount Wilson and view Los Angeles below.

10. See sunset from El Matador

El Matador is one of many great hotels in the city. This hotel offers many opportunities to see Los Angeles at its finest, something you cannot grant anywhere else. The restaurant here has a fantastic view of LA that you cannot miss. El Matador is located on the beach, so you will enjoy the sunset next to the beach and waters of Los Angeles, providing a spectacular evening.

11. Visit Disney California Adventure Park

Disney California Adventure is the most up-to-date amusement park in all of California. This park is unique because it makes you feel like you are in a completely different city or state. The atmosphere is unlike anything else that can be found anywhere else in Los Angeles, which makes it truly special. You will find many great attractions as well as exciting stores that are unique to Disney.

Los Angeles is a very diverse city that everyone can enjoy. Whether you are an avid traveler or someone who loves to walk and enjoy the extraordinary life this beautiful city offers, there is something for everyone. The Etihad flights to Los Angeles are very cheap, which means you will get a fantastic vacation deal. This city is wonderful for anybody wishing to enjoy a diverse, beautiful civilization.

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by staff

Whether you choose to rent an apartment through a real estate agent or sign the lease yourself, here are a few things to know. These agents receive a commission from the client, while you will pay the broker a percentage of the total rent. Moreover, if you rent an apartment through an agent, you will have to sign a legal contract with the agent, so you may want to consider this before signing the lease.

Fees charged by a real estate agent
The fees a real estate agent charges a tenant to rent an apartment vary. Some cities pay a realtor a commission when the lease is signed, while others charge a flat fee equivalent to the first month’s rent. You should check the local customs to determine what the norms are. However, most large cities like New York and Los Angeles have strict rental laws and a real estate agent will charge a flat fee equal to one month’s rent, but you should always verify before paying any money.

Brokerage fees in NYC are not entirely fair because they don’t reflect the amount of work a broker has done. There is no reason to pay for the services of a real estate agent if you can find an apartment yourself, even in a big city. You can also avoid paying broker fees by contacting the landlord or property management company directly. Brokers don’t have exclusive rights to the best apartment for rent, so it is important to understand their role.

Information required for renting an apartment through a real estate agent
If you are interested in renting an apartment, you will first need to complete a rental application. Your application should say “completed” and include all of the required paperwork. The landlord will want to verify your reliability, so be sure to bring all of your necessary documents with you. If you are living with roommates, they should bring their documents, too. Be prepared to answer questions and provide proof of employment.

Most rental applications will ask for the rent amount, as well as a security deposit, so you should have this information already. The landlord will likely run a reference check on any applicant based on this information, so it is important to know this information ahead of time. You may want to include the number of other occupants the applicant lives with. It’s a good idea to ask each applicant how many people they plan on living with and how much they can afford to pay.

Signing a lease before renting an apartment through a real estate agent
A lease is a legally binding document that you must sign before you can move into your new apartment. Whether you’re renting from an independent landlord, management company, rental building, or co-op, there are a few important details that you need to understand. While you’re negotiating the terms of your lease, be sure to thoroughly read the fine print and ask any questions you have. You should also understand what you’ll be responsible for paying for utilities and insurance.

If there are any problems with the property, you should note them in the lease. It’s better to add them to the lease before signing so that you can easily request them later. In some cases, you may want to add a note on the lease stating that the apartment needs repairs. If the landlord refuses to make repairs after the lease, you can ask for them to be made.

Signing a lease without a real estate agent
Before signing a lease, it’s important to understand the implications of doing so. Without a real estate agent’s guidance, the process could end up falling through because the tenant decides they don’t like the lease terms. The landlord may have a good reason for wanting to ensure you’re approved before handing over the keys, but you can risk getting stuck with a fully executed lease.

A fully executed lease will also have terms for amenities, lockout policies, and parking spaces. In many hot markets, these terms may change over time. Depending on the lease, a landlord may increase the rent without notifying the tenant. In addition, tenants may not have the power to raise the rent until the terms of the lease have changed. This could end up affecting their rental experience.

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by Stacy Dodd

Labrador Retriever Rescue of Fresno will be sharing with us every month about their rescue dogs. Stacy Dodd is a volunteer with LRRF.

Howdy y’all! Labrador Retriever Rescue of Fresno (LRRF) is pleased to introduce you to one our amazing adoptable dogs, Whiskey Pete, a 1-1/2-year-old young Labrador mix who is full of that classic goofy Labrador energy! He is just one of the many Labradors in LRRF foster care looking for a loving family. LRRF is a non-profit 100% foster-based rescue run completely by volunteers. While Whiskey Pete sure does love entertaining his foster family, he is ready to move on and wiggle his way into the hearts of his forever family!

Whiskey Pete

Sadly black dogs are often overlooked for adoption, but if you give this fun-loving pup a chance, he is sure to win you over with his silly antics and good-natured mischievous attitude. But take care to watch your socks! Whiskey Pete is notorious for sock stealing and initiating a good ole fashion game of chase with you. After all, one of his favorite games is fetch and chase—you know, the game where you throw the ball, he fetches it, and then you chase him to get the ball back. It is an instant classic! He has even been known to roll out the toilet paper on occasion. Really, it is just so irresistible, hanging like that, just waiting to be pulled on! You can’t blame a dog for trying! Like all Labs, Whiskey Pete has an endless appetite for cuddles and treats, which makes him very easy to train as he is so eager to please and will do about anything for a treat and a snuggle.

Like all LRRF Labradors, Whiskey Pete is current on vaccinations, flea/tick/heartworm preventatives, and has been neutered. He is a high-energy pup who will need a cat-free home with an active family who is committed to giving him daily exercise and attending training classes with him to ensure a lifetime of good behavior. He is already house-trained and crate-trained, but he is very curious and like a toddler, he likes to explore his world with his mouth, so he will need his human to show him what is ok to chew and what is off-limits. He is a smart boy, though, and wants to please his people more than anything. Whiskey Pete is full of personality and love and he can’t wait to find an active family to share a lifetime of adventures together. If you want to make Whiskey Pete a member of your family, apply today at www.labrescuefresno.org!

Not in a place to permanently adopt a Labrador, but still want to help out? Consider fostering! Fostering is the vital stepping stone to get a dog from homelessness to their forever family and provides an extremely rewarding experience. There is nothing like watching a scared dog learn to trust and love again and blossom into their true selves. LRRF provides all veterinary care, food, and supplies for foster dogs, however we do ask that you live within an hour or so drive of Fresno in order to take your foster dog to our vet as needed.

Please apply to foster at: labrescuefresno.org/become-a-foster/foster-application. Not ready to foster, but still want to help? Consider making a tax-deductible donation to LRRF! We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and 100% of all donations go to care for the dogs in our rescue. You can donate via PayPal on our website, www.labrescuefresno.org, or via snail mail to LRRF, PO Box 1484, Clovis, CA 93613. Also check out our Amazon Wishlist which has a variety of supplies our Labradors always need: Amazon Wish List for Labrador Retriever Rescue of Fresno.

We greatly appreciate your support and could not save pups like Whiskey Pete without your help! May your summer be full of sunshine, happiness, and lots of sweet Labrador kisses!

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories from Feral Paws every other month, and we would love to have you join our KRL Pets Facebook group. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Feral Paws.

by Lorie Lewis Ham

KRL interviews a lot of artists and writers and during Pride Month we especially like to highlight those in the LGBTQ+ community. This week we are interviewing local poet Aidan Castro. Aiden grew up in Dinuba and recently graduated from Fresno State.

KRL: When did you first start writing poetry?

Aiden: I was actually having this conversation with my parents recently. I started writing poetry at a fairly young age. I would say I was around seven or eight. When it was first taught to me in elementary school, I kind of just ran with it.

Aidan

KRL: Why did you choose to get an MFA in poetry? You just graduated with that, correct?

Aiden: That’s right, I just graduated with my MFA in creative writing. I’ve used poetry as my outlet for my emotions for as long as I can remember. When I first came out as Transgender, it was the only way I could verbalize my thoughts and struggles. I never considered pursuing an MFA in poetry until I took an advanced poetry writing class during my undergrad at Fresno State.

David Dominguez’s class had the foundation of Fresno and central valley poets. Poetry turned into a passion, and I knew I wanted to develop my written voice. I consulted Mr. Dominguez during his office hours, and he basically told me that an MFA program would be the best place to continue strengthening my writing. I picked Fresno State because of the long line of amazing poets that come out of there. Also, the faculty are amazing.

KRL: Please share about your Master’s thesis “Anesthetic back from ten.” What is it about?

Aiden: “Anesthetic Back from Ten” brings transgender issues to the forefront that are normally thrown to the back of the mind or villainized in the media. It covers grief in its multitude of forms; grief from the loss of family members, from being unhappy in the body you are given, and the grief from a world that does not accept transgender people for who they are.

KRL: I think that is amazing. How long did it take you to put it together?

Aiden: I’ve been working on it for four years. I would say that my vision for my Master’s thesis has been there since my undergraduate days. A few of the poems had their roots grown in my undergraduate workshops.

KRL: Why did you choose this focus for your thesis?

Aiden: I think visibility is very important. I’m a transgender man, and that puts me in a community of people that are constantly silenced by the outside world. I feel the need to bring perspective to an outside audience that may not always be accepting. There are a lot of anti-transgender laws that are being introduced, and I think by writing about it, it gives a face to who these laws effect. Hopefully, it makes people second guess their standpoints.

I’m from a small agricultural town, and that in itself is rough when trying to figure out your identity. I also lost a lot of family in the past few years, and that changed my perspective on life too. I’m paying respect to my family who I have lost along the way. I like to think I keep my family alive when I put them on the page.

KRL: What are the themes of the poetry?

Aiden: I would have to say a lot of it is about acceptance of the self, grieving loss of family, grieving the lack of acceptance from others, coping with having a body that is constantly politicized and villainized in media, and the struggles of being a queer kid in a small conservative town. It all kind of melts together. The thesis lives in its truth unapologetically.

KRL: Has any of your poetry been published?

Aiden: I’ve had a few poems published in Flies, Cockroaches, and Poets, San Joaquin Review, and on Poets.org.

KRL: What are your future goals with your poetry?

Aiden: I would like to get my Master’s thesis published as its own book. I’m also still writing; I’m already working towards my next project. I think writing poetry is something I’m going to be doing my whole life.

KRL: What is next for you now that you have graduated?

Aiden: The great job hunt! I’m currently looking for adjunct positions to teach English composition.

KRL: We wish you all the best in publishing and the job hunt! Anything else you would like to share?

Aiden: You can find me on twitter and Instagram under the username @poetryghost5 !

KRL: Would you be willing to share one of your poems with us?

Aiden: Sure! This one hasn’t been published anywhere else.

Blue, pink, and white forever and ever. Amen.
Do not disappear
between erased fingertips,
and do not forgive law for
taking us out of sight.
Give us biweekly injections,
HRT floating
in cottonseed oil.
Provide capacity to fight off
transphobia from news outlets,
families,
and hometowns.
To bind and pack,
bruises under arms and ribs,
second puberties,
bloodwork,
acne and grungy hair.
For needles and flags,
the masc, the femme,
deliver us from chasers,
keep us alive.
Cherish these pulsing veins.

Check out more local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. And if you love theatre don’t miss out on Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast where you can hear local actors bring to life mystery short stories and first chapters!

Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery novel, One of Us, is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre!

by Lorie Lewis Ham

KRL tries to feature LGBTQ+ mystery authors throughout the year (we also have a monthly Queer Mystery Coming Attractions column), but especially during Pride month. This week we are reviewing the first book in a new series by Michael Craft, and we have a fun interview with him as well. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Desert Getaway by Michael Craft

Desert Getaway by Michael Craft is the first in a brand new mystery series featuring Dante O’Donnell who works as a concierge for a vacation-rental outfit in Palm Springs. At fifty-one Dante is feeling his age and like he has wasted his better years on starstruck dreams and the wrong men—including his ex-husband Anthony.

The action in this book starts off right away as Dante finds himself framed for the murder of a wealthy tenant and the theft of an expensive lithograph. Dante quickly resolves the problem by bluffing the real killer and thief into a confession, which is witnessed by an old frenemy, ex-cop Jazz Friendly, who blames Dante for wrecking her career when she mistakenly arrested him for the murder of his ex-husband. Friendly is trying to launch a new PI business so when Dante later finds a dead body floating in the swimming pool at one of his rentals and is again a murder suspect, he reaches out to Jazz for help in finding out the truth. This time the victim is someone involved with LA’s Museum of Anti-Academic Art—a world they soon discover is filled with secrets and lies.

Kenneth and Claudia Terry are the ones renting the house where the body was found and their charming and attractive son Skip is a prime suspect. At Dante’s suggestion, the Terry’s hire Jazz to find out the truth. Skip ends up charming Dante who doesn’t want to believe that Skip could possibly be the killer.

This fun fast-paced mystery is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing and interesting well-developed characters. Dante and Jazz make an unlikely team whose relationship grows throughout the book and I look forward to more of their adventures. The dark side of Palm Springs is an interesting backdrop and a perfect setting for your summer reading getaway—be sure to add Desert Getaway to your summer TBR.

Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery novel, One of Us, is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre!

Interview with Michael Craft:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Michael: I got serious about my intent to become a novelist in 1980 and began work on my first manuscript, which took about a year to write, but it took me another 12 years to sell it. So, let’s put it this way: I’ve been writing published fiction for about 30 years. My 18th novel, Desert Getaway, was published by Brash Books this past May.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Michael: My first novel, titled Rehearsing, was published in February 1993. It introduced the Claire Gray character, a theater director, who would later return in the series of four Claire Gray mysteries, published between 2001 and 2005. She also makes minor appearances in a few of the Mark Manning mysteries.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Michael: That first novel, Rehearsing, was not a mystery, but a slim little literary novel. That was followed by my first Mark Manning mystery, Flight Dreams, in 1997, and everything since then has been a mystery, with one exception. My 2016 novel-in-stories, Inside Dumont, was a collection of “linked” short stories covering a variety of genres, styles, and narrative voices.

Michael Craft

KRL: What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Michael: In 2019, I was approached to contribute a short story to the anthology Palm Springs Noir because I live in nearby Rancho Mirage, California. The anthology was published in July 2021 by Akashic Books. So, the Palm Springs setting wasn’t really chosen, but assigned. The two main characters I developed for the story, titled “VIP Check-In,” were Dante O’Donnell and Jazz Friendly. This contentious duo really clicked for me, and I decided to develop that short story into my latest novel, Desert Getaway. It, in turn, will serve as the first installment of an ongoing series.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Michael: Any mystery reader expects to be entertained, and in the case of a classic whodunit, the entertainment consists of a puzzle. However, yes, I always want readers to experience an added dimension from my books, which contain thematic elements beyond the obvious “righting of wrongs.” I would hope my readers feel they have been taken to places they have not previously visited, both literally and figuratively. In short, I hope to promote a wider worldview.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Michael: When I’m in the thick of writing a novel’s first draft, yes, I will write six or seven days a week, but no more than three or four hours a day, since I’ve always found that kind of intensive writing to be physically draining, and I see no point in working when I’m tired. When I’m not in the heat of a draft, I may not write every day, but I do work “on” my writing every day — planning, researching, editing, rewriting, promoting, corresponding, and such.

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Michael: If I had my way, I would love to get in a full morning of writing, then quit at lunchtime. But that rarely happens. For me, the “stuff of life” demands to be addressed in the morning so I can clear my mind of it and get some creative focus. If I’m lucky, by late morning I’ll get around to editing what I wrote the day before, then break for lunch, then come back and pick up where I left off. I never write at night.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Michael: I have always been a devoted outliner. I know that many writers scoff at this, but it’s the way I’m wired. Because mystery novels are very plot-centric, with so many moving parts and interconnected details, I feel it just makes sense to do the grunt work of working out the mechanics in advance. I would characterize my outlines as chapter-by-chapter narrative summaries. I’m never a slave to the outline, and if I’m inspired by a better idea, I go with it, but it’s much easier to tweak a 20-page outline than to make bone-deep revisions to a 300-page manuscript.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning? Do you feel the fact that you are an LGBTQ author with a series featuring an LGBTQ main character made it any harder?

Michael: Yes and no. Early on, when I was first trying to get published, I felt that my gay identity might have been a detriment. Then, when I finally did secure a contract for the Mark Manning series, there was no question that my gayness had worked to my benefit because the series was bought to serve a niche market, the gay market, where I’ve built an audience. A niche can be limiting, of course, but over the years, mainstream readers have become much more accustomed to encountering LGBTQ characters — not only in books, but in mass media — so I feel there’s been a comfortable shift in my public identity from that of a “gay writer” to that of a “writer who is gay.” In any event, I’ve never shied away from it.

KRL: Most interesting book signing story-in a bookstore or other venue?

Michael: This doesn’t involve a book signing, but it’s a similar sort of story. Shortly after I moved to California 17 years ago, I was eating dinner alone at the bar in a restaurant, and a gay couple came in and sat next to me. We introduced ourselves — first names — and started gabbing. I mentioned that I had lived in Wisconsin, and before that Chicago, where I worked for the Tribune. Other tidbits came up, but nothing about books.

Then one of the guys (they were both named Ted) turned to ask me, “Have you ever read any of the Mark Manning mysteries?”

A bit stunned, I said, “Why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s a series about a gay reporter from Chicago who moves to Wisconsin, and I thought you might enjoy them. Any chance you’ve read them?”

I imagined a drum roll as I paused to phrase my response: “Not only have I read them, I wrote them.”

Ted and Ted exchanged a quizzical look, as if to ask, “Is he speaking in riddles? Is he saying he “could” have written them?”

“Honest,” I said, “I’m Michael Craft. I wrote the Mark Manning series.” Then I handed them my card.

They not only bought me a drink but invited me to a dinner party they had planned for the next week!

KRL: Oh wow what a fun story! What are your future writing goals?

Michael: I’m working on the second installment of the Dante & Jazz series, and the goal, of course, is to get it firmly established in the affections of the most readers possible. Beyond that, the next novel would be number 20 — a goal I’ve been eyeing for a number of years.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Michael: The central murder plot of each book always involves details that are beyond my immediate experience. You can’t always “write what you know.” In the age of the internet, research is now far easier than it was while working on my earlier books, written on a typewriter. I typically need answers, or at least advice, relating to medicine, law, guns, police, and so on.

Purely factual details are easy to find in cyberspace, while more nuanced information comes from expert acquaintances. I don’t obsess over research — for me, the goal is simply not to make mistakes, and to equip myself with sufficient details to tell the story with a voice of authority. The point of telling the story with authority is not to be recognized as smart, but to avoid factual blunders that destroy the fragile “fictitious reality” of the story by causing readers to roll their eyes and drift from the page.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Michael: When I read for pleasure, it’s almost always fiction. Mysteries, sure, but also novels of literary interest or gay interest. Also, collections of “linked” short stories, a medium that has really caught my attention. This may seem strange, but I have long enjoyed reading scripts of stage plays, which stems from having acted in amateur theater since high school. Play scripts qualify as “long-form storytelling” (like novels), but they are so condensed and pithy. What’s more, they provide excellent models of plotting, structure, and dialogue.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Michael: First, stick with it. For most of us, the road to publication isn’t easy, so it’s necessary to develop a thick skin when it comes to rejection. But rejection often comes with advice or pointers, and when you receive that, treat it like gold. It’s often said that “persistence pays.” Obviously, that’s not always true, but sometimes it is, so don’t give up.

Second, while writing is generally a solitary pursuit, the aspiring writer can definitely benefit from workshops or critique groups. When you learn to give constructive criticism to others, when you learn to spot the flaws of others and suggest ways to fix them, an amazing thing happens — it opens your eyes to those same flaws in your own writing, and you will grow.

KRL: Pets?

Michael: I’ve always been a cat person. My husband and I had a wonderful Abyssinian named Anwar for nearly 17 years when we lived in Wisconsin, and we still miss him, more than 20 years later. Living in California now, we’ve considered getting another cat, but Anwar would be a hard act to follow. Cats have been featured in some of my books. Early on, my first Mark Manning mystery involved the disappearance of a breeder of Abyssinian cats. More recently, of course, my series of three Mister Puss mysteries featured an Abyssinian front and center — and on the cover.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Michael: Just my thanks! I truly appreciate the opportunity to share these thoughts with you.

KRL: Thank you for taking the time to char with us. Website? Twitter? Facebook? Instagram?

Michael: Website: www.michaelcraft.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michael.craft.140

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