Book Review: Iced in Paradise

Iced in Paradise 5 stars Genre: Contemporary cozy mystery Hirahara pens an excellent ice-cold murder mystery in Iced in Paradise, her first book in the new Leilani Santiago series. As always, Hirahara does an excellent job of infusing interesting historical and contemporary details into her story. I particularly like the insider’s perspective on living in the Islands as opposed to the typical Mainlander view. All the characters in the novel are strong and unique. Leilani, the … [Read more...]

Wordless Wednesday: One Week to Go!

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International Friends

"Opportunity knocks on your door every day--answer it." Hi, international buddies! I'm talking to you readers from Australia, Canada, India, and the UK. Have I got a deal for you! I'm running an International BookBub deal starting today. For a limited time, you can buy the first novel in my Winston Wong series for only 99 cents (65 rupees in India) on Amazon, Apple, and Kobo. Seniors Sleuth is a CLUE Award Finalist book and currently has 56 reviews with a 4-star rating. It's even … [Read more...]

Wedding Woes is out in the Wild!

Hello, Winston Wong readers! You're in luck because his latest detective adventure is out. This time Winston is prepping for his wedding day--only to be snared in a murder case. Will he find the killer in time to fix everyone's happily ever after? Find Wedding Woes on Amazon and other retailers. P.S. If you purchase now, the e-book version is having a special 99 cents sale for a limited time! … [Read more...]

Robot Revenge Release

Hi Folks, Just letting you know that ROBOT REVENGE is officially out! Hurrah! Winston Wong is back on the case, but this time he's taking a close look at his local neighborhood. Paperback Kindle Other e-book retailers So happy book birthday to me! In the mood for any of the following cakes? Straw-buried cake   I-scream cake   Death by chocolate … [Read more...]

Book Deal!!

Hey, readers. Here's some fabulous news. I have a book deal with Penguin Random House (Berkley imprint)!! Color me crazy excited. I started really focusing on my writing in 2008 . . . and here I am a decade later. I'm sure you have some questions for me, but I'll give you a cheat sheet first: What's this new book about? It'll be the start of a fun contemporary cozy mystery series. Yes, it will have a female (*woot*) Asian American protagonist. When will it be available? Probably the … [Read more...]

Be Part of my Street Team

"A friend asks only for your time not your money." So please, please be on my street team. What's a street team? It's a marketing term for people who are invested in a product and "hit the streets" to promote it. Here's my official ask for folks to join Team Jen. What does it involve (and what do you get out of it)? The satisfaction of being part of the cool crowd A free PDF copy of my new cozy mystery manuscript Your name mentioned on the acknowledgements page of my book The … [Read more...]

Molting like a Cicada (or Self-Publishing)

"Courage is the hallmark of a warrior." I remember visiting Taiwan and hearing a repetitive whirring from the tree above me. It was the song of a cicada. Cicadas are known as "tree crickets" and live on branches. While their cousin crickets on the ground produce music by rubbing their wings, cicadas actually have built-in noisemakers (tymbals) that can be manipulated by using their muscles. In Chinese culture, cicadas are a symbol of immortality (because of their long lifespan) and rebirth … [Read more...]