Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am so happy to have Kristi Abbott visit with us today!
Guest Post by Kristi Abbott
(Post provided by publicist)
There was a time in my life when I had a terrific memory. I mean, seriously terrific. I could quote poems, rattle off telephone numbers, remember what day I was supposed to go to the dentist, and was never at a loss for a name to go with a face.
I don’t remember precisely when it changed (ha!). Some time in my thirties, I think. That was when I started carrying a purse-sized calendar into which I’d write notes, clip party invites for the kids, and jot down flight information. Now of course all that is on my phone and/or my computer calendar. None of this, however, prepared me for writing a series.
There’s so much to keep track of! Names, places, relationships, hair colors, town history, streets, ages, cars! It’s hard enough for me to keep track of all of them in a stand alone book, but to remember them over the course of several books? As Tony Soprano would say, “Fuhgeddaboudit.” I know other people have more complicated series than I do. Heck. I’ve had a more complicated series than this one where I had to keep up with whatever rules I was making up for a paranormal world on top of all those names and places and appearances. Still, it’s been a challenge!
I’ve heard other authors talk about keeping a “series bible.” I really like the idea. First of all, it makes it all sound so important. I mean, a bible! Wow! Second, it would be nice to have something to flip through when I needed to remember one of those little details that are so easy to forget. What street is her friend’s house on? Did that guy have brown hair or gray? When was the lighthouse constructed?
That would require me to actually keep track of those details and, this might sound nuts in the middle of a blog post about how I can’t remember anything anymore, I always think what I’m writing is important enough that I’ll remember it. I seem to have forgotten that I won’t . . .
Enter the copywriter. In case you aren’t familiar, sometime after the revisions are finished and the line edits are done but before publication, we authors receive our copy-edited manuscripts. Someone else, not the editor who plucked you from the slush pile or from the bouquet of manuscripts presented by your agent, goes through the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb looking for grammatical errors, continuity problems, and plain old logic goofs. That is that person’s job. That human being is paid to go through the pages you’ve been slaving over and point out every tiny error you’ve made.
It’s not my favorite phase. Of all the phases of a manuscript’s production, it’s the one most likely to send me crawling back into bed with a box of tissues and the cat. It requires greater ego strength than I possess on even a good day, and yet it must be endured. One very good thing comes with the copyedited manuscript, though. Generally, there’s a list attached. A long beautiful list of all the names and places with a few little details added in.
Ta da! A bible. Or at least the basis for one. Those lists — and the copywriters who create them — have saved my life and sanity more than once. So with the marked up manuscript that is going to make me feel like an idiot comes my salvation.
Funny how life works, isn’t it?
~Kristi
Pop Goes the Murder
(A Popcorn Shop Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Ohio
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (January 3, 2017)
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425280928
Kindle ASIN: B01E4WAGEO
Despite Rebecca Anderson’s best efforts to distance herself from her ex-husband, the guy keeps popping up. When Antoine offers to feature her breakfast bars and popcorn fudge on his popular cooking show, she suspects he’s once again trying to butter her up—but the TV exposure for her gourmet popcorn shop, POPS, is too good to turn down.
Things take a shocking turn when the crew comes to Grand Lake to film in her shop, and Rebecca discovers Antoine’s assistant electrocuted in a hotel bathtub. Now the police want Antoine to come clean. Her ex may be a pain, but he’s no killer. So Rebecca decides to bag the real culprit. If she isn’t careful, however, she may be the next one getting burned.
INCLUDES POPCORN RELATED RECIPES!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this second installment of this fun series Rebecca’s ex-husband is in town to film a piece for his television show featuring her shop, POPS. She knows she needs publicity to grow her customer base but being summoned to go over details again with his assistant has her a little fired up. But when she arrives and finds the assistant dead she is shocked – which also happens to be the victim’s cause of death. Just as shocking is that the police think her ex is the killer. He has his faults but there is no way he would have killed anyone. Rebecca pops herself right into the middle of the investigate to prove his innocence. This makes her brother-in-law, Sheriff Dan Cooper, a little hot under the collar.
Rebecca Anderson is a strong protagonist but for me her pregnant sister stole her thunder just a little bit this time. She is due very soon and anyone that has been pregnant or around someone pregnant knows those last couple weeks are stressful and an emotional time for the mom to be. She expects her sister and husband to be at her beck and call even when someone has just been murdered. She wants her sister to leave the investigation to the police/her husband and to stay away from her ex-husband. She wants her husband to do his job but remember his family could increase at any moment. It is all very humorous and something easy to identify with. Great one liners, loved it.
Rebecca also has a very lovable canine companion, a very smart one. She has a great friendship with her brother-in-law, trying at times, but a strong bond. She seems to be getting more comfortable with her decision to buy her shop and her life in Ohio. I hope she continues to move forward and we see less of her ex.
The plot has a nice flow. I did figure out the real killer early in the story, but the book had other things happening that held my interest to the very last page.
This story popped for me in several ways. A strong addition to this series. I am excited for the next book.

You can find out more about Kristi on her webpage here. Like her on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter. Contact her here with recipes ?
Thanks to the publisher 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.”
Sounds really good to me. Thank you
This book series takes place in a fun setting.
Add an ex husband and a pregnant sister to a plot and you have the makings for a great mystery.
Popcorn is my go to snack. Thanks for a chance to win a copy of your book.
Can’t wait to read this series. Thanks for the funny & wonderful background. Thank you for the giveaway
This mystery book looks amazing & I would love a chance to win it. What a coincidence that the contest ends on my Birthday, Feb. 8th. What a great Birthday present this would be if I won this book. Thanks for this terrific giveaway.
This sounds like it would be fun to read. Maybe munch a bit of popcorn, too. It would definitely keep me entertained.
Sounds like a great cozy.
Thanks for this intriguing and delightful feature and giveaway.
I’ll have to check this one out–thanks for the overview!
I’m really looking forward to starting your series. I absolutely love your book covers!
POPCORN! Yes! IN A COZY! Yes! Yes! What a great thing to combine two of my favorites.
So love popcorn!!! I’m really looking forward to reading this series!
The covers of the books in this series are so inviting. Including them on your blog is great to the readers who enjoy finding new ones to read.
Looks like a fun book! Thank you for the contest!
Where would the cozies be without ex-husbands?!
Hi Lori & Kristi! I read Kernel of Truth and really liked it. Looking forward to reading #2! Thanks for a chance to win.
This sounds great, I’ve got to go get the first one and get started. Thanks for the chance to win.
Great review. I missed the first in this series so now I have 2 books to read.
I have got to read this, I’m a popcorn fanatic.
I really enjoyed “Kernel of Truth” and I can’t wait to read “Pop Goes the Murder “. Loved the setting of the book and the popcorn shop.
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I just finished the first book in this series and I can’t wait to read this one!
How do I become a copywriter? I think it sounds right up my alley. I’ve quit reading several big name authors because they made mistakes in their books and I feel like they should be much more diligent in their editing. I can overlook mistakes for new and or self-published authors but when you’re getting big bucks for writing, it needs to be right! LOL!!
Can’t wait to start reading your series. Sounds really good! Thanks for the chance and the interview.
A new author and series for me. I like the blurb, and the cover is really cute!
Sounds good.
Congratulations on the 2nd book. Sounds like fun!
This is a new series for me. Sounds great.