Interview Karen Whalen Author of Just What I Kneaded
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Karen Whalen, author of Just What I Kneaded, A Dinner Club Murder Mysteries Book 5.
Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see find out a little about Karen and her cozy mystery, Just What I Kneaded. Thanks for joining us!
What is Christmas like where you live? Don’t be shy, tell us your secrets.
Christmas in Denver can be warm and sunny, even 60 to 70 degrees, but the National Park Service sells permits to cut blue spruce trees in mountainous areas that need to be thinned, so Christmas is full of pine scent even when the weather is nice. Of course, Denver can also be hit with blizzards at Christmas, too, but more often the weather is very pleasant. People expect Colorado to be snowy all the time because of the mountains. Don’t tell them how nice our weather is since everyone will want to live here
Favorite holiday memory
Listening to the transistor radio my parents gave me on Christmas morning when I was about 10 years old. I waited and waited to hear my favorite song by the Association – Everyone knows it’s Windy. I felt like a teenager!
Least favorite holiday memory
When my son traveled with the high school band on Christmas Day to play at the Rose Bowl game. We had Christmas on Christmas Eve, but it was still hard to put him on the plane that morning.
Funniest holiday memory
When my youngest was a year old he scrapped the color off the Christmas tree lights with his front teeth. He had bits of color flakes on his lips and the lights had teeth marks on the bulbs. What parent has to tell their child not to chew on the Christmas tree lights? Thank goodness he didn’t try to bite into one! We still tease him about staying away from the lights.
Why should we read this book/series and what sets you apart from the rest and makes your book/series unique?
There are many culinary cozy mysteries, but my series doesn’t involve a bakery, a donut shop, or a wine and cheese shop. The dinner club series centers around foodies just like you and me. You don’t have to run a bakery or know about wine to relate to the main character who attempts to prepare gourmet meals and sometimes things don’t turn out like she plans. Who can’t relate to that?
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite Christmas movie: Elf
Favorite Christmas book: Bible
Last Christmas or holiday book read: cookbook
Favorite color: yellow
Stilettos or flip-flops or elf shoes: flip-flops
Coffee or tea or hot chocolate: coffee
EBook or audiobook or paperback: eBook
Pencil or pen or candy cane: pencil
Favorite Christmas Carole or song: Holy Holy
All-time favorite Christmas present: son
Favorite dessert: brownies
Christmas Candy or Cake: cake
Favorite thing to do to relax during the holidays: nap
Champagne or gin or eggnog: champagne
Paranormal or Historical: paranormal
Wonder Woman or Top Model or Tinkerbell: Tinkerbell
Favorite Christmas or holiday TV show:
Hot or cold: hot
POV:
I’d die if I don’t have: coffee
Review or Not: review
Tell us a little about Just What I Kneaded.
Vaughn jumped up to greet her when Jane and her friends crammed through the narrow door. “Hiya, Calamity Jane!” Sweat was dripping off his forehead and showed wet under his arms, but in spite of that he still looked breathtakingly gorgeous. He gave her a bear hug, and the odor of marijuana transferred to her clothes. The dinner club members’ jaws dropped. Even Olivia must’ve been stunned since she had nothing to say.
One of the guitar players, with black hair caught up in a man-bun, said, “That was my favorite movie as a kid, Calamity Jane.”
The drummer swiveled in a chair attached to the floor. “Wasn’t such a calamity, though, for you, was it, Vaughn?”
The rock star blushed and said in his British way, “Jane rescued me from the clutches of the coppers. They were questioning me like a common bloke. Me, Vaughn Zachman!” He stuck out his chest.
“They were just doing their job, Vaughn.” Jane took a seat opposite the famous rock star and her friends found places to lean against the tiny doorway and walls in the crowded, decked-out tour bus.
“It was pretty exciting, actually.” Vaughn flashed a smoking hot smile, like the sensitive, brooding, James Dean with a little of Johnny Depp thrown in. “Never thought I’d find a dead body. Did they catch the guy who stabbed that baker?”
“No.” Jane cast a glance at Dale and waved her arm first toward him, then at the other two. “This is my fiancé, Dale. I told you about him. And these are my friends, Doug and Olivia Ladner.”
Vaughn became chummy, saying any mates of Jane’s were mates of his. He gave them all bear hugs in turn. Was he high on drugs or high on adrenaline? Olivia didn’t want to let go of him and appeared as if she might faint, but he managed to extract himself from her arms. “I’ll never forget Jane, here. She waited while the cops grilled me and she made sure I got away from them. She was even going to call her attorney for me.”
“Just my boss. I’m sure he would’ve rushed over.” Jane patted his arm.
“She stayed and talked to me, kept me grounded, while I waited for my turn with the coppers.”
“I wonder why they questioned you for so long. I was the one who saw the killer, who heard his voice.” Jane stared off for a moment. “I’ll never forget those voices. The high one said, ‘Be reasonable. You’re in the way.’” She refocused on the rock star. “What do you think he meant by that?”
Vaughn repeated, “‘Be reasonable, you’re in the way.’ Hmmm. I don’t have any idea.”
“Well, then a voice said, ‘Taking care of business.’”
“Taking care of business? Did he mean the bakery business?” Vaughn’s tone was uncertain.
“And there was a deeper voice. He said, ‘I can’t.’”
Vaughn said after Jane, “I can’t. I can’t. What did the bloke mean by that?” It was surprisingly easy to get him to repeat the words.
“I wish I knew.” Jane could almost smell the cake just thinking about it, but her heart hadn’t raced as hard, and her mind didn’t flash back. She was getting calloused to it by now.
They both shivered, sharing a memory no one but the two of them could completely understand.
About the author.
Social media links:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karen-c-whalen
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Just What I Kneaded!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Dinner Club Murder Mysteries, Ireland, Just What I Kneaded, Karen Whalen by Tena Stetler with 11 comments.
Exciting 99 cent sale – A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING
Click on cover to read more and purchase!
Its Sunday and A WITCH’S HOLIDAY WEDDING is on sale for 99 cents. What more could you want only a nine days from Halloween and the Holiday season fast approaching? Download your copy today!
After she set her glass down, Lathen brushed a couple strands of hair out of her eyes and searched her face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m tired, my wedding is in a couple weeks, I have ghosts fighting over who is going to do what. Guests that have no idea the place is haunted and… Your family and pack, my parents, Gwen… To top it all off, the head of my clan, who is a ghost, is sitting in front of me wanting to know who is coming to the wedding and whether the ghosts will be outed. How could I possibly be all right?”
“When you put it that way.” Lathen chuckled. “It sounds just a bit… I don’t know…crazy?” His right eyebrow winged up. She saw mischief sparkle in his eyes. “We could still elope,” he offered.
Available at: Amazon, Kobo, The Wild Rose Press, and Barnes & Noble
My celebration of three years of being a published author continues. Check back for more sales!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Witch's Holiday Wedding, ghosts, Ireland, magic, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Witches by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Interview Karen Whalen Author of A Stewed Observation
Give a warm welcome to Karen Whalen, author of A Stewed Observation. By the way Karen will be a guest author at a facebook party August 10th from 6-9 p.m. EDT. Here’s the link – https://www.facebook.com/events/234885453771841/Stop by the party for fun games, a chance to win exciting prizes and giveaways. You don’t want to miss it!
Now, pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Karen and her A Stewed Observation!
What inspired this particular story?
A Stewed Observation is a cozy murder mystery that takes place in Ireland. The physical condition that causes the victim’s death is real, but not something I’ve ever seen before in a mystery. I learned about this condition while working on a case in my former job as a paralegal. My legal experience is incorporated into my writing, including uncovering facts that qualify as truth-that-is-stranger-than-fiction. Coupled with my love of travel, and in particular my fascination with Ireland, the two story lines came together organically. I enjoyed writing this book. It was like traveling to Ireland all over again.
Why should we read this book/series and what sets you apart from the rest and makes your book/series unique?
In the dinner club series, paralegal Jane Marsh, a widow in the empty nest stage of life, is always game to try new things, including joining an exclusive dinner club. Stumbling across dead bodies and solving murder mysteries has developed into one of her hobbies, as well. Jane solves crimes with her paralegal know-how and help from contacts she has in the medical and legal fields. A handful of mysteries with paralegal amateur sleuths have been written in the last few years, but not many. There are quite a few legal thrillers where the main character is an attorney. I can think of half a dozen off the top of my head and I’ll bet you can, too. Even in the cozy genré, the flower shop mysteries by Kate Collins are about Abby Knight, former attorney turned florist. Paralegals have different expertise and experience than attorneys, more along the lines of a private investigator, plus they have a working knowledge of the courtroom. However, Jane’s character is multi-dimensional. This series not only takes the reader down legal paths, but also dining experiences, from gourmet dinners in the club members’ homes to Irish stew in a castle in Ireland.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
Of course. Jane is a paralegal, as was I for many years. And, I’m in the empty nest stage of my life, like Jane. Plus, I’ve hosted dinner clubs, although murder was not involved. Yes, I see myself in Jane, as I do in all the other characters. Many of the events, especially the dinner parties, were inspired by my own experiences (a dinner menu with a chocolate theme, chefs coming to the house to cook the meal, cigar smoking around a fire pit). Jane is much braver than I am, though. She’s feisty and eager to try new things. She encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and I’m hoping she will also inspire readers to embark on adventures of their own.
If writing is your first passion, what is your second?
I loved my career as a paralegal of 33 years at the same law firm in downtown Denver. The work was interesting, varied, and meaningful. The legal profession works with words, from reading voluminous documents and writing motions and briefs to pinning down witness’s statements and words under oath. It’s natural for legal types to turn their work with words into the writing profession, as many lawyers – and paralegals – have done. I’m thankful for the legal background I can bring to my writing.
Tell us a little about A Stewed Observation.
The Gourmet Dinner Club travels to Ireland to enjoy Irish cuisine while staying at a medieval, ivy-covered castle. Jane hopes Dale will ask her to marry him at this romantic dream destination. But her plans are put on hold when the elderly owner of the castle becomes violent, one of the club members tries to restrain him, and he collapses and dies. The police believe the mysterious death is murder and begin to suspect one of the club’s members. Dale leaves for home on a business emergency, and as the lone single gal in the club full of couples, Jane is thrown into the company of the handsome Irishman who stands to inherit the castle. Jane must prove her friends innocent by solving the crime. Which one of the sweet-tempered Irish could be a callous killer?
A Sneak Peek between the Pages of A Stewed Observation:
“I guess you’ll need to trust me.” Griff’s blue eyes danced in his handsome face. The moment was suspended in the air for a few heartbeats. Then he leaned over and put his lips on hers. She smelled his scent, like the salty sea and the smoldering peat and the burning malt of the Guinness. His lips tasted like Guinness, too.
Had she fallen asleep into a dream? She murmured, “The Irish are certainly a friendly people.” She turned to stare out the car window, aware that Dale might be waiting for his connecting flight from Boston to Denver.
As if reading her mind, Griff asked. “Are you upset about Dale leaving? How serious are you two, anyway?”
Jane lowered her seat back to recline and closed her eyes. “I thought he was going to ask me to marry him on this trip.” Were they even together anymore? They were likely on the outs.
“There’s something you should know.” He was silent for a few seconds as he inspected the steering wheel. “I overheard Dale’s telephone conversation, while I was at the receptionist desk, while you were having breakfast. He was talking to someone called Polly.”
“Y-yes?”
“He was standing right next to me. I couldn’t help hearing it.” Griff turned the ignition switch and pulled out into the traffic. “Dale told Polly he loved her.”
Her breath caught in her throat. At least she knew now. Dale had abandoned her for Polly.
To grab your copy of A Stewed Observation stop by:
Amazon The Wild Rose Press BarnesandNoble itunes
About the Author:
Karen C. Whalen is the author of a culinary cozy series, the “dinner club murder mysteries.” The first three in the series are Everything Bundt the Truth, Not According to Flan, and No Grater Evil. Everything Bundt the Truth tied for First Place in the Suspense Novel category of the 2017 IDA Contest. Whalen worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado and has been a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. She believes that it’s never too late to try something new. She loves to host dinner clubs, entertain friends, ride bicycles, hike in the mountains, and read cozy murder mysteries.
When she’s not figuring out who done it, you can find Karen at the social media links below:
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with A Stewed Observation! And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the FB Party tomorrow, August 10th, 6-9 p.m. EDT.
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Stewed Observation, Castle, Dinner Club Cozy Mystery, Ireland, Karen C. Whalen by Tena Stetler with 12 comments.
Christmas Traditions Make the Holidays!
One of the fun things about Christmas is traditions. Take for instance, the Land Down Under, because, well, someday I want to visit there, just probably not at Christmas. The English and Irish predominately settled Australia so it stands to reason their traditions reflect those countries. Here’s a few of of their Christmas Traditions.
Aussie’s decorate their homes with ferns, palm leaves and evergreens along with 
blooming flowers of Christmas Bush and Christmas Bell Flower. It’s summer time in December down under, when most of the United States is looking forward to big flakes and blankets of snow for a white Christmas.Carols by Candlelight is one of the popular events in Australia. People come together under the stars at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols. Seems to me, it’s not far from our own tradition of Christmas carolers. I just can’t imagine Christmas without snow, that’s why I live in Colorado.
Christmas Day is when families and close friends gather from all over Australia for a holiday midday dinner. Some enjoy a traditional British Christmas dinner of roast turkey or ham and rich plum pudding doused in brandy and set on fire before it is brought to the table. Other families head for the backyard barbie to grill their Christmas dinner, maybe shrimp, in the sunshine or go to the beach and enjoy a picnic of cold turkey or ham and a salad. To the delight of children, Father Christmas in shorts may appear to greet children at the beach on Christmas! If you can’t have snow, that’s the way to celebrate Christmas.Because I am of Swedish descent, let’s take a peek at Christmas Traditions in Sweden where in December the days are quite short, the nights long and the ground is usually snow covered. The Christmas season begins at church on the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Children use an Advent calendar to keep track of the first day of December until Christmas, just like some of ours do. Each morning, they open a flap in the calendar’s Christmas scene to see the charming picture behind it. This year, I have a Victorian Advent calendar on my computer and enjoy a surprise behind each door daily.
The festivities in Sweden really begin with St. Lucia’s Day, December 13th, a 
celebration of the patron saint of light. A Christmas market held in the old medieval section of Stockholm is where you can find handmade toys, ornaments, and candy. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Some people write a special verse to accompany the gift and even seal the package with colorful sealing wax. I have enough trouble with scotch tape and wrapping paper, I can’t imagine what would happen with hot sealing wax. Not a pretty sight, I’m sure. A Christmas tree is selected by the whole family just a day or two before Christmas and decorated, while the delightful aroma of gingerbread cookies in the shape of hearts, stars, or other festive shapes waft through to house. Christmas 
Eve is when the main feast is eaten. Presents might be brought by Santa 
(Jultomten) or by gnomes/elves named Tomte or Nissar. Many families set out a sheaf of grain on a pole for hungry birds. My hubby and I always put out special treats for the wild birds on Christmas.
As for my family, we put up the tree, Christmas decorations inside and out, the weekend after Thanksgiving. Or try to. No it’s not a real tree, only because I’m allergic. <sigh> We watch Christmas movies throughout December and make candy such as Divinity, Fantasy Fudge and Beaver Dams. What are 
Beaver Dams, you ask. Well, take a package of butterscotch chips, melt them in a double boiler, stir in half-package of crispy Chow Mein Noodles and one half can of cocktail peanuts. Spoon the concoction onto foil and let set. They look like beaver dams hence the name. YUMMY.
This year I’m going, to once again, try my hand at gingerbread cookies. Its become a Christmas Tradition of sorts, an make my family cringe. Why you ask? I haven’t had a lot of luck in previous years getting a good tasting cookie. Do any of you have a favorite recipe that I could try? Feel free to leave the recipe in the comments section.
In by new release CHARM ME AGAIN, Josie and Daylan have an unexpected Christmas experience! Magic of family & friends a 
through out the year and a Christmas tale of true love and paying it forward will leave you breathless.
Next week My Favorite Things About Christmas. What Christmas Traditions do and your family observe on Christmas Eve and Day? Or during the month of December? I look forward to hearing from you.
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged Australia, Charm Me Again, Christmas, Christmas Traditions, Gingerbread cookies, Ireland, Sweden, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
