Special Guest – Maggie Sefton – Author of Purl Up and Die – Review/Giveaway too!

WRITING TEENAGERS by Maggie Sefton

If you’ve been reading the Kelly Flynn Knitting Mysteries, then you’ve discovered that I’ve introduced several teenaged characters in the books on different occasions. Most recently, in CLOSE KNIT KILLER, I introduced a young twelve year old, about-to-be teenager, Cassie Wainwright, café-owner Pete’s niece, who joined the cast. Cassie has gone on to become a cast regular in YARN OVER MURDER. Curt Stackhouse’s grandson, Eric, also joined the cast in that book. Cassie and Eric—both now fourteen years old—will be in this year’s June 1015 release, PURL UP AND DIE.

Like all my characters, Cassie simply “walked onstage” one day, and I knew she was meant to be in the Kelly Flynn books. That’s the way it works with my characters. They don’t ask, they simply show up and demand to be on the page. Actually, I had a hint of Cassie a couple of years before she showed up. She didn’t have a name or any description then, but she was simply “out there” in the sky, circling. All I knew was she’s a teenaged girl. I was delighted when the character Cassie finally showed up and turned out to be a delight.

Here’s an excerpt from this June’s release, PURL UP AND DIE—

Glancing around her small table beside a window in Pete’s café, Kelly noticed Cassie clearing tables close by. “Hi, Cassie. How’d you guys play against Wellington last night?”

Cassie looked over at Kelly and broke into a big smile. “Oh, we beat ‘em. Beat ‘em bad,” she bragged. “I hit a triple!”

Kelly laughed softly at the sound of young teenage exuberance. “That’s great. Steve and I were both working in Denver so we couldn’t see the game.”

“We’re playing Longmont tomorrow, Saturday morning at Rolland Moore Park.” Cassie gave the table a thorough wipe. “Where are you guys playing?”

“Steve’s playing a morning game at Rolland Moore, and my team will play in the afternoon game at City Park ball field. So I’ll definitely be able to catch your game. I’ll just hop between fields at Rolland Moore.”

Cassie emptied another table of dirty dishes onto her tray. “I love City Park. It is so pretty. I hope we play more games there. All those tall trees. Pete says they’re oak trees, and they’re really going to be pretty in the Fall.” She wiped this table then lifted the trayful of dishes.

“Can you carry all that?” Kelly asked, pointing to the tray. “It looks pretty heavy.”

“Oh, sure,” Cassie said. “Funny, but it doesn’t feel that heavy anymore. I remember last summer I couldn’t carry a tray like this, the way Jennifer and Julie do.” She shrugged. “I guess I’m stronger now.”

“That’s because you’ve had two summers and a fall worth of batting practice,” Kelly said with a grin. “You worked hard with the ball machine. You’re batting really well now because you’ve gotten stronger. Funny how that works together. No wonder you hit a triple.”

“Do you think I can ever hit a homer like you do?”

“Sure, you will. In time. You’ve got a lot more growing to do. Look how much you’ve grown in little over a year since you’ve been here. Must be three inches.”

“Three and a half,” Cassie corrected, wide smile lighting her deep blue eyes.

“Three and a half. And I predict you’ll probably grow another inch before this year is over.”

Cassie’s eyes popped wide. “You think so! Awesome! I hope you’re right.”
“Your legs have gotten a lot longer, too. That’s why you can run so fast. You run almost as fast as I do, I think.”
“No way!” Cassie scoffed.
“Oh, yeah. You’re like a jack rabbit racing around those bases.”

Cassie gave a giggling laugh that made Kelly laugh just hearing it. “Jack rabbit. I love it. I gotta tell Eric.”

“Well, you can tell him that he looks like a really tall, skinny jack rabbit. And he runs even faster.”

“He’ll love that,” Cassie said, shifting the tray. “Talk to you later, Kelly.”

“If it’s Friday, then you’re going with Lisa to the Sports Clinic. Bring back some of Lisa’s PT secrets, okay?”

“Lisa’s secret is she’s got magic hands,” Cassie said as she headed toward the kitchen area.

Magic hands, huh? Kelly recalled how skilled Lisa had been when she helped Kelly recuperate from a broken ankle years ago. Cassie was one smart kid, she thought, as she pulled her laptop from the briefcase bag.

~Maggie

Purl Up and Die
(A Knitting Mystery)
13th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Colorado
A Berkley Prime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (June 2, 2015)
Published by The Penguin Group
Jacket Illustration by Chris O’Leary
Jacket Design by Rita Frangie
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425258446
E-Book ASIN: B00OQS4G6G

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Yarn Over Murder, Kelly Flynn and the Lambspun Knitters must unravel the truth from the lies to clear a friend’s son suspected of murder…

Kelly Flynn’s summer in Fort Connor, Colorado, is off to a great start with romantic celebrations with her boyfriend, Steve, and enjoyable—albeit challenging—knitting classes taught by her friend Barb at the House of Lambspun. But while Barb’s advanced stitches are giving Kelly the slip, a more deadly problem soon has her friend coming apart at the seams.

A young woman has accused Barb’s son, Tommy—a young doctor doing his residency—of assaulting her. The yarns spun by the local rumor mill are bad enough, but when the young woman is found dead in her ransacked apartment, Tommy becomes the number one suspect.

The police are ready to close the case, but Kelly is convinced that there are a few more likely suspects. Now she has to knit together the clues herself to uncover a killer who doesn’t seem to drop a stitch…

About This Author
Maggie Sefton was born and raised in northern Virginia, where she received her bachelor’s degree in English literature and journalism. Maggie has worked in several careers over the years, from a CPA to a real estate broker in the Rocky Mountain West. However, none of those endeavors could compare with the satisfaction and challenge of creating worlds on paper. She is the mother of four grown daughters, currently scattered around the globe. Author of the nationally bestselling Knitting Mysteries, she resides in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado with two very demanding dogs.

Check out her website here.

Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. 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.”