Cozy Wednesday with Julianne Holmes – Author of Clock and Dagger – #Review / #Giveaway @penguincozies

I am so excited to welcome Julianne Holmes to Escapes With Dollycas today! 

The 2nd Clock Shop Mystery, Clock and Dagger,  was just released on August 2!

There’s No Escape for Writers

Ever since I said aloud “I want to be a published author”, vacation and escapes have taken on a different meaning. My writer brain is never shut off. This is a particular issue for us mystery authors, since our brains (even when cozy) go to odd places. “That is a great place for a body dump” or “Did you know that plant is poisonous?” or “No cell reception? This would be a great place for the final scene of a book” are not common conversation starters with friends and family. Vacation photos are typical poses, but also include alleyways, stores, houses, gardens, and other things that I want to add to my research pool. Since I’ve started writing the Clock Shop Mystery series, clocks are a “must” wherever I am. Visiting friends in Connecticut? A stop at the American Clock and Watch museum is a must.

I’ve given up trying to pretend I can shut that off. Instead, I make sure that I balance other activities in my getaways, but I also include my writerly pursuits. Of course I’ll go zip-lining with the nieces. On the way back, we need to go to this town library to see their grandfather clock. Family barbeque down the Cape? I’ll go take the tour of the clock tower beforehand, and be there a little late, very sweaty, and a little dusty.

A few years ago I was at a dinner party, making small talk with a friend’s husband, whom I had just met. I found out he was a doctor, and asked his opinion on a couple of types of poison. He looked horrified, so I explained that I wrote mysteries, and preferred poison to guns. He was still wary, but did call me a couple of days later with a few ideas. Within a few weeks he was my go-to on poison from a medical perspective, helping me figure out what a doctor might miss unless she was looking for it.

These days, since my first novel Just Killing Time was published last fall, my family and friends are co-conspirators in helping me plot. My friend Pat was telling me about a community gardening project she is coordinating. “Every time I see the compost pile I think of you,” she said. For others, that may be an insult. For me, it is the highest compliment. She is another source for plot surprises.

So how do I unplug? Seeing or being near water is always an escape for me. Since I live in New England, there are lakes, rivers, and the ocean very close by. I am going on vacation later this month, and heading to Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. One of my favorite things to do on vacation is to catch up on my reading. Binge reading for a week is a wonderful escape. Doing it with my feet up on a longue chair, seeing water between my feet, an icy cold drink at the ready? Perfection.

Daydreaming about committing a crime in paradise? Part of the vacation.

~Julianne

Ruth has three days to pull off four events—including the grand reopening of Cog & Sprocket, the clock shop she inherited from her grandfather—so she doesn’t have time for Beckett Green’s nonsense. The competitive owner of a new bookstore, Green seems determined to put other businesses out of business by also carrying their specialty items. He’s trying to steal Ruth’s new watchmaker, Mark Pine, not to mention block her plans to renovate the town clock tower.

Ruth is already all wound up when she’s alarmed to discover Mark’s dead body. As the denizens of Orchard each chime in as to who they think the murderer is, Ruth needs to watch her back as she investigates on her own. Despite the danger, Ruth won’t stop until the killer is behind bars and serving time…

About The Author

Julie Hennrikus As Julianne Holmes, she is a mystery writer. Her Clock Shop Mystery series debuted in October 2015 with Just Killing Time, which was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Clock and Dagger was released August 2, 2016. As J.A. Hennrikus she has had short stories published in Level Best Books anthologies: “Her Wish” in Dead Calm, “Tag, You’re Dead” in Thin Ice, “The Pendulum Swings, Until It Doesn’t” in Blood Moon. As Julie Hennrikus she runs StageSource, the service organization for the New England theater community. She is on Twitter (@JulieHennrikus), Instagram (@jahenn), Pinterest, and Facebook. She blogs with the Wicked Cozy Authors, Live to Write/Write to Live, and is on Killer Characters on the 20th of each month. Julie is a board member of Sisters in Crime and New England Chapter of Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Guppies. You can find out more about Julianne Holmes on her webpage here.

Thanks to the publisher I have 2 Copies to give away!

Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US or Canadian mailing address.

Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.

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5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End August 25, 2016 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

Click Here For Entry Form

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.”