Valentine's Day is fast approaching and it's a great opportunity to introduce you to a delicious mystery author! Caroline Fardig's newest book My Funny Valentine is out and it's HOT! Fardig is the author of the popular Java Jive Mysteries series and the Lizzie Hart Mysteries series. Fardig's BAD MEDICINE was named one of the "Best Books of 2015" by Suspense Magazine. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.
I asked Caroline to answer a few questions about her mystery novels:
Tell us about yourself and how you
got interested in writing cozy mystery novels.
I’ve had a
lot of interesting and unrelated jobs over the years (including working at a
funeral home and being a music teacher!), but nothing seemed to inspire
me. That is, until I started
writing. It was like I couldn’t get
enough of it, and still sometimes my fingers can’t keep up with my crazy
brain! I’ve always liked mysteries, and
I never was hugely into books that were too terribly serious, so cozies were a
pretty good fit for me. I honestly got
into writing because I got irritated by how the books I was reading (and movie
and TV shows I watched) would end. I
decided to write something and make it end how I wanted! And so my Lizzie series was born.
How many books are in the Lizzie
Hart series, and give us a description of Lizzie and her adventures.
There are
currently four books in the series (It’s
Just a Little Crush, That Old Black Magic, Bad Medicine, and My Funny Valentine), with one more to be
coming out in the summer (Wedding Bell
Blues). Lizzie Hart is a copy editor
living in a sleepy small town where nothing interesting ever happens. That is, until she starts tripping over dead
bodies. She’s got a super crush on the
new investigative reporter, Blake Morgan, and she’s tried everything in her
power to get him to notice her. Once she
decides he could be a killer and starts investigating him, he sits up and takes
notice and their adventure really begins.
These
books are fun and flirty, rated at about a PG-13 for language, violence, and
adult situations (any sex is closed-door).
They’re for adults, but all the girls in my high school Sunday school
class have read them!
Most novelists include a character
in their writing that is their alter ego.... Is Lizzie your alter ego?
Yes, sort
of. She says the things I scream inside
my head but don’t have the guts to say out loud. Generally, she reacts to a situation the way
I would. She’s snarky and sarcastic, but
loyal and always willing to help out a friend.
And she hates cats.
What other projects are you working
on and what can we expect to see from you in 2016?
I’m
working on another cozy series. This one
is called the Java Jive series, and it’s published by Random House. The series follows Juliet Langley, a down on
her luck musician/coffeehouse manager who also starts tripping over dead
bodies. This one is set in Nashville,
and music plays a big role. I write a
new original song for every book, and as an added bonus, I include the sheet
music with every book! You can see me
performing my songs at one of Nashville’s coolest coffeehouses, Café Coco, on
my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaBxQXmhgMcsLS4C1vMZYUg
Death Before Decaf (Java Jive #1) is out now and Mug Shot (Jave Jive #2) will be released
on April 19th.
You can
find a list of all my books, along with buy links for each one, here: http://www.carolinefardig.com/books/
You're
invited to my book signing for my newest release, MY FUNNY VALENTINE. Saturday,
February 13, from 2-4 PM at the Evansville Barnes and Noble. Hope to see you there--I'll have some fun Valentine's
themed giveaways!
Purchase my
latest release, My Funny Valentine, for only 99c!
All
Lizzie wants for Valentine's Day is for her fiancé NOT to be the prime suspect
in a murder investigation.
Is that too much to ask?
Lizzie Hart is finally living the dream. She's engaged to the love of her life, Blake Morgan, and more importantly, she hasn't even given a thought to dead bodies or murder investigations for an entire year. The only hurdle in Lizzie and Blake's way to wedded bliss is introducing their polar opposite families to each other at their engagement party.
Blake's parents have thrown a lavish shindig, but the fun is quickly over when Blake's brother arrives with an unexpected guest, the woman who left Blake at the altar years ago. If that weren't enough drama for one evening, Lizzie and Blake find the town mayor dead and the detectives on the case put Blake at the top of their suspect list.
It's a race against the clock for Lizzie and Blake to find the real killer before the police decide to lock Blake up and throw away the key.
Is that too much to ask?
Lizzie Hart is finally living the dream. She's engaged to the love of her life, Blake Morgan, and more importantly, she hasn't even given a thought to dead bodies or murder investigations for an entire year. The only hurdle in Lizzie and Blake's way to wedded bliss is introducing their polar opposite families to each other at their engagement party.
Blake's parents have thrown a lavish shindig, but the fun is quickly over when Blake's brother arrives with an unexpected guest, the woman who left Blake at the altar years ago. If that weren't enough drama for one evening, Lizzie and Blake find the town mayor dead and the detectives on the case put Blake at the top of their suspect list.
It's a race against the clock for Lizzie and Blake to find the real killer before the police decide to lock Blake up and throw away the key.
Get in touch with Caroline Fardig at her Social Media:
Website: www.carolinefardig.com
Mailing
list: http://www.carolinefardig.com/mailing-list/
Twitter: @carolinefardig
Thank you for the interview Caroline and looking forward to reading more about Lizzie's adventures!
My Valentine Nugget For The Day (which I dedicate to My Valentine):
Peace & Love,
Lanea Stagg
www.reciperecordscookbook.com
blog: www.rockblocks3.blogspot.com
radio: www.blogtalkradio.com/reciperecords
reciperecordsml@aol.com
www.amazon.com/laneastagg
