ParaMysMo 2014 - Allison Kingsley, author of the Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries - October 8, 2014

Please welcome Allison Kingsley, author of the Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries, who shares how the Quinn cousins celebrate Halloween at the Raven's Nest Bookstore!

The Quinn cousins pull out all the stops to celebrate Halloween in the Raven’s Nest. A life-sized figure of a fortune teller awaits you just inside the door, and make sure to duck your head when entering, or you’ll get tangled up in the cobwebs. Oh, and that enormous spider dangling just above your nose? Don’t worry, it’s not real. I think.

Stephanie Quinn Dowd owns and runs the Raven’s Nest - a paranormal bookstore. She can tell you anything you want to know about witches, ghosts and vampires. Clara Quinn helps her cousin, in between solving murders, that is. Clara has inherited the family sixth sense, which is sometimes there when she needs it and more often when she doesn’t. Sometimes it helps her solve murders. Sometimes it doesn’t.

As you make your way down the aisles, you’ll hear eerie music playing, punctuated with shrieks and screams. Cobwebs and spiders are everywhere, and around one corner a skeleton leers at you as you pass by. That black cat strolling along in front of you? He’s real. His name is Edgar.

Don’t take too long to browse the tantalizing books on the shelves. Someone dressed as a ghost or vampire might jump out at you. It could even be a real ghost or vampire. One never knows at the Raven’s Nest.

If and when you safely reach the Reader’s Nook, you’ll find a wicked witch in a very tall hat brewing some evil concoction in a cauldron. Don’t worry. It’s just Clara making hot cider. There’s even bowls of candy on the counter for the little ones. Oh, and the big furry animal furiously wagging his tail is Tatters. He belongs to Rick, who owns the hardware store across the street. Tatters lives with Clara, because Rick doesn’t have time to take care of him. Clara would do just about anything for Rick.

Clara can read Tatters’ mind, which can be very disturbing when out in public. What’s more, Tatters understands everything she says, which makes for some interesting one-sided conversations.

Anyway, if you want to celebrate Halloween in style, pay a visit to the Raven’s Nest Bookstore. It’s in Finn’s Harbor, on the coast of Maine. Just be sure to keep an eye out for the zombie. He’s not a friendly fellow.

Extra Sensory Deception
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 4
Berkeley, August 5, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 288 pages

As the owners of the Raven’s Nest bookstore, cousins Stephanie and Clara Quinn are the premier booksellers in the quaint town of Finn’s Harbor, Maine. But with Clara’s inherited ability to read minds and see the future, she’s also the premier crime solver…

You don’t have to be a psychic to know: The rodeo is coming to town! Clara’s boyfriend, Rick Sanders, invites her to the show to meet his high school buddy and expert calf roper, Wes Carlton. But when Clara’s Quinn Sense offers her a disturbing vision involving a rodeo clown, she worries that there will be more danger at the rodeo than just the traditional bucking bronco.

Of course, her premonition turns out to be accurate, and a dead body is discovered behind the concert stage, strangled by Wes’s piggin’ string. Rick is sure that there’s no way Wes could have murdered anyone, but he’s going to need Clara’s Quinn Sense to keep the authorities from roping the wrong suspect... 

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Trouble Vision
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 3
Berkley, June 4, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

In quaint Finn’s Harbor, Maine, cousins and best friends Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven’s Nest bookstore. But thanks to Clara’s ability to read minds and see the future, selling books sometimes gets shelved in favor of saving lives…

When the new mayor calls a press conference about the controversial hotel resort being built on the edge of the city, the residents of Finn’s Harbor have an opportunity to express their concerns about traffic and tourists. But when the debating turns into outright fighting, Clara gets a premonition that’s nothing but trouble.

While Stephanie is enthralled with her cousin’s vision, Clara just wants it to go away. Then a customer comes into The Raven’s Nest talking about a fatal fall at the hotel’s construction site, and Clara knows better than to ignore her Quinn Sense. In a town full of citizens who want the project to fail, Clara and Stephanie have to figure out who made the jump from anger to murder…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

A Sinister Sense
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2
Berkley, July 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 288 pages

Visions of the future and turning into people's thoughts come naturally to Clara Quinn thanks to her inherited Quinn Sense. Unfortunately, it offers no insight into her love life—or lack thereof—especially where hardware store owner Rick Sanders is concerned. But even though she's still nursing a broken heart, Clara offers Rick a home for his troublesome dog, Tatters.

But Tatters is the least of Rick's problems when a dead body is discovered in the back of his truck. The victim was seen in the hardware store—and bludgeoned to death with a hammer stolen from there. Clara believes Rick is innocent, but she's not sure whether that belief comes from the Quinn Sense in her head or simply from a desire in her heart...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Mind Over Murder
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 1
Berkley, September 6, 2011
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 272 pages

Cousins and best friends, Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven's Nest Bookstore, where people go to find their most coveted reads. But they have no idea it's the psychically-gifted Clara who's reading them...

The bookstore has made an enemy of the town crier, Ana Jordon, who claims that the store's occult collection is "poisoning" the town's youth. Meanwhile, the store's number-one employee, Molly, has made no secret of her anger over Ana's antics. So when Ana is found dead, killed by the bust of Edgar Allen Poe sculpted by Molly, the evidence is stacked against her. And Clara must rely on her gift to make sense of this senseless murder...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

About Allison

Allison Kingsley has been writing romance and mysteries for twenty-five years. She has published over sixty novels and two short stories. She lives on a golf course in Oregon with her husband, Bill, and Tippi, a rat terrier who thinks she’s a Great Dane. When she’s not playing golf, she’s either going camping with her husband in their motor home, or analyzing movies on TV.




Website

The Giveaway

What:  One entrant will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of her/his choice of Mind Over Murder, A Sinister Sense, Trouble Vision, or Extra Sensory Deception by Allison Kingsley.

How:  Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on October 23, 2014. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*

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ParaCozyMysMo - Interview with Tatters from the Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries by Allison Kingsley - July 20 2013

Please welcome Tatters to The Qwillery. Tatters is a mostly Irish Wolfhound who lives with one of the owners of the Raven's Nest Bookstore in Maine. He's an exceptional dog and is featured in the Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries by Allison Kingsley.

TQ:  Hi Tatters. Welcome to The Qwillery!

Tatters:  Thanks for asking me. Interesting place. Lots of new smells.



TQ:  Tell us about yourself.

Tatters:  Nothing I like better. I'm proud to say that I'm mostly Irish wolfhound, with just a touch of lower species thrown in. We're the tallest of all dog breeds and long ago in the U.K., only nobles were allowed to own us. Nowadays anyone can own and breed us, if they have the nerve. We can look kind of intimidating but we’re a lot more sociable than people think. I get along well with most humans, even little ones, as long as they don't pull my tail or poke me in the eyes.



TQ:  Tatters, could you tell us how you came to live with Clara and Stephanie Quinn (cousins and owners of The Raven's Nest bookstore)?

Tatters:  Oh, I don't live with Stephanie. She's always complaining about allergies. I live with Clara and Jessie, her mother. I used to live with Rick and his wife. Rick owns the hardware store across from the Raven's Nest bookstore. Anyway, Rick got divorced and his ex-wife's boyfriend was afraid of me so I went to live with Rick. Wolfhounds don't like being left along too long. We tend to tear things apart to relieve the boredom. Rick took me to the hardware store, but my tail kept sweeping stuff off the shelves. When Clara came into the store I fell in love with her right away. She's a kind, smart, pretty lady and Rick's nuts about her. Anyway, they were talking and I heard the word 'pound' mentioned. I thought I was doomed, but the next thing I knew Clara was taking me home. I've been there ever since. Clara has this weird sixth sense thing where she has visions and can see into the future. Sometimes she can read people’s thoughts, but what’s really weird, she hears what I’m thinking. It's awkward at times, especially when people hear us talking to each other.



TQ:  What is your typical day like?

Tatters:  I sleep on Clara's bed at night, so I get up when she does. I take a stroll in the back yard and sniff around for intruders, have some breakfast, then I hang around Clara until she leaves for the bookstore. I usually sleep until Jessie gets home from work in the afternoon. Jessie is a bit of a grouch and a little too bossy, but we get along okay.



TQ:  You have a reputation for being a bit 'unmanageable'. Do you think this is a fair assessment?

Tatters:  Who, me? Unmanageable? Who said that? Why, I’m the sweetest, most obedient dog you’ll ever meet. Okay, so sometimes I get excited and forget how big I am. I bump Jessie and Clara off their feet now and then. I like to go for walks, and I get a little impatient if I have to wait too long, and sometimes Clara says my thoughts are impudent, whatever that means. I might take up too much space on Clara’s bed, but I keep her warm on cold nights. What more could you ask?



TQ:  Are you really man's best friend?

Tatters:  Absolutely. I’d die for those I love, and defend them to my last breath. I’m companion, protector, savior and my wet nose on a cheek can dry tears in an instant. What human can say that?



TQ:  Where is your favorite place to hide your bones?

Tatters:  Do you really think I’d tell everyone that? If you must know, you might look under Jessie’s favorite rose bushes in the backyard. Don’t tell her, though. She’d hide my food dish.



TQ:  Some say you are really the hero of the story. Is that true?

Tatters:  Aw, shucks. Well, I try. I love helping Clara and Stephanie investigate a murder, and I’m always on guard, ready to protect them. I’m faster and a lot more frightening when I’m riled up, so they’re always happy to have me along. Even if Stephanie does complain about her allergies.



TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery!

Tatters:  Thanks for asking me! It’s always a pleasure to talk about myself. Don’t forget to visit the Raven’s Nest bookstore when you’re in Finn’s Harbor. It’s on the coast of Maine. You won’t see me in there, I do too much damage with my tail, but you’ll find some great books - lots of fantasy and science fiction. Stephanie’s a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe. Happy Reading!

Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries

Mind Over Murder
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 1
Berkley, September 6, 2011
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 272 pages

Cousins and best friends, Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven's Nest Bookstore, where people go to find their most coveted reads. But they have no idea it's the psychically-gifted Clara who's reading them...

The bookstore has made an enemy of the town crier, Ana Jordon, who claims that the store's occult collection is "poisoning" the town's youth. Meanwhile, the store's number-one employee, Molly, has made no secret of her anger over Ana's antics. So when Ana is found dead, killed by the bust of Edgar Allen Poe sculpted by Molly, the evidence is stacked against her. And Clara must rely on her gift to make sense of this senseless murder...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

A Sinister Sense
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2
Berkley, July 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 288 pages

Visions of the future and turning into people's thoughts come naturally to Clara Quinn thanks to her inherited Quinn Sense. Unfortunately, it offers no insight into her love life—or lack thereof—especially where hardware store owner Rick Sanders is concerned. But even though she's still nursing a broken heart, Clara offers Rick a home for his troublesome dog, Tatters.

But Tatters is the least of Rick's problems when a dead body is discovered in the back of his truck. The victim was seen in the hardware store—and bludgeoned to death with a hammer stolen from there. Clara believes Rick is innocent, but she's not sure whether that belief comes from the Quinn Sense in her head or simply from a desire in her heart...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Trouble Vision
A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 3
Berkley, June 4, 2013
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

In quaint Finn’s Harbor, Maine, cousins and best friends Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven’s Nest bookstore. But thanks to Clara’s ability to read minds and see the future, selling books sometimes gets shelved in favor of saving lives…

When the new mayor calls a press conference about the controversial hotel resort being built on the edge of the city, the residents of Finn’s Harbor have an opportunity to express their concerns about traffic and tourists. But when the debating turns into outright fighting, Clara gets a premonition that’s nothing but trouble.

While Stephanie is enthralled with her cousin’s vision, Clara just wants it to go away. Then a customer comes into The Raven’s Nest talking about a fatal fall at the hotel’s construction site, and Clara knows better than to ignore her Quinn Sense. In a town full of citizens who want the project to fail, Clara and Stephanie have to figure out who made the jump from anger to murder…

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

About Allison

Allison Kingsley has been writing romance and mysteries for twenty-five years. She has published over sixty novels and two short stories. She lives on a golf course in Oregon with her husband, Bill, and Tippi, a rat terrier who thinks she’s a Great Dane. When she’s not playing golf, she’s either going camping with her husband in their motor home, or analyzing movies on TV.

Website













The Giveaway

What:  One commenter will win a Mass Market Paperback copy of Trouble Vision (A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 3)  by Allison Kingsley from The Qwillery.

How:   Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time on August 10, 2013. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change.*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ParaCozyMysMo - Allison Kingsley - Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries

Please welcome Allison Kingsley to The Qwillery as part of ParaCozyMysMo! A Sinister Sense (A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2) was published on July 3, 2012!

TQ:  Welcome to The Qwillery!

Allison:  Thank you! I'm delighted to be here.


TQ:  Writing quirks! What are some of yours?

Allison:  Whenever I get stuck in a scene or can't think of how to start the next one, I play solitaire or scrabble until my mind clears. Since that happens a dozen times during my work day, I play a lot of games. I'm also a procrastinator. I give myself plenty of time when setting a deadline, then I wait until the very last minute to begin the book, which means I'm scrambling at the end to get it done on time. I always say I work better under pressure. What I really mean is that I lack discipline.


TQ:  Who are some of your favorite writers?

Allison:  Oh, so many! I love to read and rarely have the time to indulge. Let's see... Jane Austen and the Brontes, Hemingway, John Grisham, and too many romance and mystery authors to name.


TQ: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Allison:  Plotter..all the way. I need a map to follow, though often I'll take detours and have to find my way back. I started plotting when writing one of my early books. I got to the third chapter and much to my astonishment and dismay, my hero found the villain dead on the floor of his apartment. No matter what I did I couldn't resurrect him, and I had to hunt for another villain which threw all my ideas out of the window. Now I plot.


TQ:  What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

Allison:  Getting it down. That's the drawback of preplotting. Once I know the full story, it's hard to keep the excitement going. I love the plotting and revising phases, but the actual writing is exhausting.


TQ:  Your most recent novel is A Sinister Sense (A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2). What inspired you to write mysteries with paranormal/supernatural elements?

Allison:  I wanted to do something different, and the idea of an amateur sleuth who solves crimes by using her sixth sense, which sometimes works for her and sometimes doesn't, appealed to me enough to want to write the series.


TQ:  Do you base your paranormal/supernatural elements on existing lore, make things up or both?

Allison:  Existing. Don't tell anyone, but I also have a sixth sense that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't!


TQ:  What sorts of research have you done for The Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries? What is the oddest bit of information that you’ve come across in your research.

Allison:  Having worked in a bookstore, my research is mostly the background. I live on the west coast, and the Raven's Nest is situated in Finn's Harbor, a fictional coastal town in Maine. Not sure I have any oddities, though I was fascinated by the descriptions of lobster rolls. It seems there are many versions of them. I'd love to visit Maine and try one of those!


TQ:  Tell us something about A Sinister Sense that is not in the book description.

Allison:  Clara hates the fact that she's inherited the Quinn Sense, and does everything she can to hide it. She's particularly irritated by the fact that she can read the dog's mind. At the worst possible moments.


TQ:  In A Sinister Sense who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

Allison:  Clara was the easiest, probably because I can identify with her. Her cousin and partner-in-crime, Stephanie, was a challenge. She's tough to pin down. Mostly because she's impulsive and a little erratic, and doesn't like to be categorized.


TQ:   Which character in The Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries has surprised you the most?

Allison:  Molly Owens, the cousins' assistant. I thought she was an air-head, but she's turned out to be smart, funny and very inventive.


TQ:   What's next?

Allison:  Well, again, don't tell anyone, but I'm thinking of going back to writing romances. I miss Doreen Roberts, and I think it's time I brought her back out of the archives. Also, I'm in the process of reissuing the early Pennyfoot Hotel series as Ebooks. The first one, Room with a Clue, should be online any day now.


TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

Allison:  My pleasure. Thank you for having me!



Raven's Nest Bookstore Mysteries

A Sinister Sense

A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2
Berkley (Prime Crime), July 3, 2012
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 288 pages

Visions of the future and turning into people's thoughts come naturally to Clara Quinn thanks to her inherited Quinn Sense. Unfortunately, it offers no insight into her love life—or lack thereof—especially where hardware store owner Rick Sanders is concerned. But even though she's still nursing a broken heart, Clara offers Rick a home for his troublesome dog, Tatters.

But Tatters is the least of Rick's problems when a dead body is discovered in the back of his truck. The victim was seen in the hardware store—and bludgeoned to death with a hammer stolen from there. Clara believes Rick is innocent, but she's not sure whether that belief comes from the Quinn Sense in her head or simply from a desire in her heart...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

Mind Over Murder

A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 1
Berkley (Prime Crime), September 6, 2011
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 272 pages

Cousins and best friends, Clara and Stephanie Quinn run The Raven's Nest Bookstore, where people go to find their most coveted reads. But they have no idea it's the psychically-gifted Clara who's reading them...

The bookstore has made an enemy of the town crier, Ana Jordon, who claims that the store's occult collection is "poisoning" the town's youth. Meanwhile, the store's number-one employee, Molly, has made no secret of her anger over Ana's antics. So when Ana is found dead, killed by the bust of Edgar Allen Poe sculpted by Molly, the evidence is stacked against her. And Clara must rely on her gift to make sense of this senseless murder...

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Book Depository : Books-A-Million : IndieBound

About Allison

Allison Kingsley is the pseudonym of Doreen Roberts Hight, also known as Kate Kingsbury, author of The Pennyfoot Hotel mysteries, a historical series set in Edwardian England, and as Doreen Roberts, writing romances for Harlequin. Doreen has published over sixty books, many of them national best sellers. She lives on a golf course in Oregon with her husband, and a rat terrier who thinks she’s Great Dane.

Website






The Giveaways

There is a giveaway of A Sinister Sense (A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2) with this interview. You can also enter to win the Grand Prize by using the Rafflecopter. The comment you leave to enter to win A Sinister Sense may also be used to enter to win the Grand Prize. Both Giveaways are open internationally.

To Enter to Win a Copy of A Sinister Sense

What:  One commenter will win a copy of A Sinister Sense (A Raven's Nest Bookstore Mystery 2) by Allison Kingsley. The novel is generously provided by Berkley (Penguin).

How:  Leave a comment. Please remember - if you don't leave a comment your entry will not be counted.  You must also leave a way to contact you. Entries without contact information will not be counted.

Who and When:  The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Saturday, August 4, 2012. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*

To Enter to Win the Grand Prize

How:  Fill out the Rafflecopter.

Terms and Conditions: 

1) There will be one winner of the Grand Prize.

2) The Grand Prize is separate from any giveaway associated with individual author visits during Paranormal Cozy Mystery Month.

3) You must leave a way to contact you with your comment. If you do not leave a way to contact you, your entry will not be counted.

4) The Grand Prize Giveaway is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address.

5) Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

6) Giveaway Terms and Condition are subject to change at any time.

a Rafflecopter giveaway