Cozy Wednesday with Penny Warner (Giveaway too!)

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday. Before my accident in 2001, I was a casual reader, I read about 2 fiction books a month. My interests were more books filled with quilting patterns and books about stuff to do with my kids. Little did I know that now I would be enjoying cozy mysteries written by the same author that wrote books that were on my shelf for years. My “go to” source in kids party books.

So it is logical that the author who wrote those books would also write a Party Planning Mystery Series and I would come to really enjoy these books as well.

 

 

I am so happy she is here today, we should have a party. Everyone be sure to grab a big piece of virtual cake and some tea and help me welcome Penny Warner.

Hi Penny!!

Hi Everyone, I am happy to be here. I hope you enjoy my post.

DOING RESEARCH IN A HALLOWEEN-THEMED STORE

By Penny Warner

Thinking I might find inspiration for my latest book, How to Party with a Killer Vampire, in a Halloween-themed store—and pick up a few decorations—I headed to Spirit to check out what’s new in ugly masks and blood-spattered costumes. Wow. Halloween has really amped up—this wasn’t my grandma’s Halloween store.

Mixed in among a handful of wax lips, princess costumes and clown noses, were a plethora of Haunted House accessories. I found fog machines that cover your lawn in an eerie mist, Jack-in-a-box style monsters that pop out of crypts to startle the kids out of their wits, life-size tombs with life-size corpses for life-sized thrills. I even thought I saw some “dead people.” And they’re covered in blood and guts.

It’s strictly horror-movie genre now, with such evil creatures as the guy from Scream, the guy from Halloween, and the guy from XXX.

And those are just the guy costumes.

The girl costumes seem to come from X-rated movies, like “Cinderella the Skank,” “Snow White the Dominatrix,” and “Little Bo Peepshow.” I thought about trying one on, but I just didn’t have the courage—or the body.

As for cute costumes, these are apparently reserved for pets. Your cat or dog can now dress up as a “Super Pup,” “Cop Kitty,” or “Yoda.” Sounds like pet abuse to me—someone call the ASPCA.

Wandering through the store, past the Beheaded Corpse Bride, the Toxic Zombie in a Can, and the Electrocution Chamber, I found the Body Parts section. I had my choice of severed arms, bloody legs, chopped off hands and feet, loose eyeballs, a slimy brain, and what looked like a still-beating heart. Be still my own beating heart.

The next room held the must-have accessorizes to complete your creep show look. I could choose from a variety of hooks, blades, razors, hacksaws, chain saws, and buzz saws to go with every outfit. Or I could pick out a fright wig, a leather whip, a pair of devil horns, a glow-in-the-dark nose ring, or even a remote-controlled pet rat.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of Halloween—it’s my favorite holiday. I drive an orange car that looks like a pumpkin. I wear black t-shirts with rhinestone bats on the front. My ring tone is the theme from “Halloween.” I watch reruns of “Spiders 3” and “The Presidential Debates” on Chiller TV. And I manage to consume several bowls of Mounds bars and Malted Milk Balls before the doorbell rings.

But this year, there are some things too scary for even me this Halloween.

While the economy may cause a few restless nights, global warming may give me a chill, and the price of gas may occasionally stop my heart, it’s the thought that there are only 55 days left before Christmas that really gives me nightmares.

~Penny
To find out more about Penny please visit her web page at http://www.pennywarner.com.
How to Party with a Killer Vampire: A Party-Planning Mystery
Obsidian
Published by New American Library
A Division of The Penguin Group
4th in the Series

We are back on Treasure Island, home of Presley Parker’s event planning business. Her newest event is a wrap party for a vampire parody movie being produced by Lucas Cruz. He has requested the extravagant affair be held in an actual graveyard. Nothing is too daunting for Presley, she will decorate and accessorize and turn the usually solemn place into the perfect Killer Party venue.

She never planned on adding to the number of dead bodies in the cemetery. But even before the party can even get started a body is found. With her company’s reputation at  “stake” she has no choice but to investigate. She has to work fast and also be careful not to get “bit” by the killer herself.

MY THOUGHTS
I learned a lot from this book. First don’t invite vampires and werewolves to the same party they don’t get along.

Seriously this book is fang-tastic delight!!

Penny Warner is an expert in party planning and cozy mystery novels. She wraps together the perfect amounts of mystery, a wild setting, crazy characters plus the characters we love, with a good dose of humor and a little romance that keeps us coming back for more. She even throws in real party tips as a bonus.

This edition will have you planning your next Halloween party at the local cemetery with all the guests dressing up as Dracula, Edward from Twilight or Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Except for a couple of dead bodies, some deep dark secrets, and the paparazzi the party was awesome.

Presley is a busy woman, juggling several balls in the air, include finding murders, but she can always find time for her mother. Her mother’s memories of the past are vast but the she struggles with more current ones. Presley never gets upset, she is so patient with her mom and will listen to the same stories she has heard time and again with hardly a sigh. That is why I love this character. Real, down to earth and caring. She is definitely the treasure of Treasure Island. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. They are fun and entertaining. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Obsidian. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Now For The Fun Stuff!!
Thanks to the people at Penguin
I have 2 copies of the fan-tastic book to giveaway!!!

U.S. and Canadian Residents Only
Since I lost all mt Google Friend Connect and Email Followers in the move.
Followers who follow anyway on the list will receive

5 Bonus Entries for each way they follow!

If you help me by Publicizing this giveaway or this new blog you will receive
an additional 5 Bonus Entries for each link you provide!

You will receive 5 more Bonus Entries if you leave a comment for Penny!

You do not have to be a follower or publicize to enter
but I hope you will see something you like here and join.

Contest will end November 2 at 11:59 p.m. CST

Winners will be chosen by Random.org