Hey, everyone! Just a quick post to say that MIMI LEE CRACKS THE CODE is a Lefty Award Finalist for Best Humorous Mystery. So honored to be on this great list of authors! https://leftcoastcrime.org/2022/Awards.html … [Read more...]
Book Review: Mulled to Death
January 10, 2022 Leave a Comment
5 stars Genre: Cozy mystery Mulled to Death Another wonderful addition to the series. Love the way Lansing infuses a conversational chatty tone to the book. The younger main character is refreshing and feels real. I also appreciate how Lansing tackles some deeper issues like ongoing grief, complex female friendships, and thorny personal histories. Mulled to Death takes place over a very short time period with a lot of dizzying events. It’s suspenseful while being a … [Read more...]
New Year (Writing) Resolutions
January 3, 2022 6 Comments
Hope everyone had a safe and relaxing holiday season! I wish every day of my life was filled with tinsel and lights, like so: Alas! It's on to the New Year. Which brings to mind resolutions, especially of the writing variety. As an author, I actually don't start fresh on January 1st. Instead, I use a system of constant goals. For example, I have a standalone mystery that I've been tinkering around with since last year. Except I didn't quite make my personal cutoff date for constructing a … [Read more...]
Foodie Friday: Abura Soba
December 17, 2021 Leave a Comment
Abura soba: ramen without broth While growing up, ramen was a quick meal in our household. It was easy to make and full of flavor. As I moved beyond packaged noodles, my ramen taste preferences changed. Broth choices I found that common and more authentic broth choices delighted my palate. These include shio, shoyu, miso, and tonkotsu. Shio is a light salt-based broth. Miso has a fermented soybean paste taste. Shoyu works with a soy sauce base. And tonkotsu uses an umami and creamy … [Read more...]
Of Newsletters & Newspapers
December 6, 2021 Leave a Comment
There’s something physically satisfying about newsletters and newspapers. I like the sheer joy of unfurling sheets or flipping pages to catch up on the news. JOURNALISM CLUB In high school, I participated in journalism club, where I ran around campus trying to capture school activities and sporting events. My favorite pieces, though, were the feel-good articles. I loved getting the scoop on cheerful things. Eventually, I became the co-editor of the school paper. I remember the rush of … [Read more...]
Happy Book Birthday to Me!
November 30, 2021 2 Comments
Hooray! It’s the official release day for Mimi Lee Cracks the Code! The third book in the Sassy Cat Mystery series has been on the following lists: Best Upcoming Cozy Mysteries for the Second Half of 2021 (Book Riot)All the Best Books Being Released in November (BuzzFeed)The 13 Best New Mystery and Thriller Books of November 2021 (POPSUGAR) ABOUT THE BOOK: When murder follows Mimi Lee to her romantic island getaway, she puts on her best sleuthing hat with her sassy cat in tow in … [Read more...]
The Magic of Indie Bookstores
November 15, 2021 2 Comments
I recently did a joint book signing with Ellen Byron at an indie bookstore, Mystery Ink. They have a new location which faces a main street in Huntington Beach. I hope a lot of customers spot the store and drop by. It’s a cozy space with great books for readers—and, of course, signed copies from local authors. Indie bookstores, I believe, are magical. The first bookshop I ever visited carried children’s books, and the owner was delightful. I was a kid on the hunt for something enticing … [Read more...]
Twofer Tuesday
November 9, 2021 Leave a Comment
I have two wonderful announcements to make today! #1 First off, the Midnight Hour anthology releases today! It got a starred review from Publishers Weekly and received this praise from Kirkus Reviews: "An excellent collection of stories told from many different viewpoints." BUY LINK: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673674/midnight-hour-by-abby-l-vandiver/ #2 This coziest of giveaways is happening through November 19 for books and a special limited-edition … [Read more...]
November 1 and NaNoWriMo
November 1, 2021 2 Comments
November 1. It’s that time of the year again when I chicken turkey out. Why’s that? Because November is NaNoWriMo. Have you heard of it? NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is a nonprofit that promotes creative writing, but its well-known program is a month-long event which inspires people to write a 50,000-word manuscript in November. Originally, this challenge started among friends in 1999 but has since expanded to hundreds of thousands of participants all … [Read more...]
