Today's Mystery Author Guest: Chrystle Fiedler

As promised yesterday, fellow mystery author Chrystle Fiedler is visiting my blog today. To read her bio and see her photo, please page down to yesterday's post. Also, Chrystle is running a contest for a free autographed copy of her latest release, Scent to Kill, the cover art for which appears above. Chrystle will select the winner tomorrow evening from among those who leave a comment today or tomorrow.

Below is Chrystle's guest article.

Why I Write Cozy Mysteries

Reality is over rated. At least I think so. Instead, I find comfort escaping into the world of a cozy mystery. Before I wrote cozy mysteries, I read them – Agatha Christie’s tales of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes and Dashiell Hammett, and watched them – Midsomer Murders, Inspector Morse, and Murder, She Wrote which I’ve recently rediscovered on Hallmark TV.

Whether it’s in these pages or by watching these shows, I escape, like you do, to the coziness of quaint country villages, dappled country lanes, inviting stores on the high street, and of course, lovely rose-covered cottages; inside, a cup of tea waiting.

Of course, the world of the cozy is in stark contrast to the murderous crimes committed there that shatter the peace and serenity. But we also know the detective will figure out the puzzle, catch the killer and put things back in their proper place. That’s incredibly satisfying to me as a writer as well, to have the power to put things back into balance.

My natural remedies mysteries are also set in a classic cozy setting, in this case, a real, idyllic fishing village on the East End of Long Island in NY called Greenport. When I was growing up, the area was somewhat depressed, but within the past two decades, Greenport has come into its own as a tourist destination with upscale eateries and boutiques sandwiched between Mom and Pop hardware stores, diners and retro stores.  Forbes Magazine has even named Greenport one of the prettiest villages in the U.S.

I’ve always had an interest in natural medicine so I made my cozy protagonist, Willow McQuade, a naturopathic doctor who takes over a health food store – Nature’s Way Market and Café  – after her Aunt Claire meets an untimely end. The store is located in a lovely 3-story yellow Victorian house with a water view. Inside, it’s cozy too, with a homey feel, yummy cooking smells and the scent of essential oils, herbs and flower essences.

To complete my cozy universe, I gave Willow a hunky ex-cop love interest named Jackson Spade, an adorable rescued dog and two rescued cats, loyal friends and workers and the spirit of her Aunt Claire to guide her.

Writing the natural remedies mysteries also gives me a wonderful chance to share what I’ve learned about natural cures with readers. It’s amazing what you can find in your kitchen and garden that can soothe and heal you. That’s a cozy feeling too.

In Scent to Kill, my latest natural remedies mystery cozy, I focus on the practice of aromatherapy, the use of essential oils to improve health and well-being. As I’m writing I can smell the lavender, jasmine and roses.

Whether I am writing my cozies, reading or watching them, I experience the same comfortable, homey, and safe feeling, knowing that no matter what happens, that all will be well in the end. Where else can you get that guarantee? Cozy mysteries are one of the best antidotes to reality I’ve found. How about you?

For a chance to win a copy of Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery just leave a comment here!

Here’s the scoop on Scent to Kill: A Natural Remedies Mystery:

“Scent to Kill is a well-crafted mystery…Devotees of natural medicine and aromatherapy will enjoy the tips that appear at the beginning of each chapter and scattered throughout the text.”
– Publisher’s Weekly

Willow McQuade, naturopathic doctor, along with her hunky ex-cop boyfriend Jackson Spade, attend a party for a psychic TV show that is filming on Long Island’s idyllic East End. However, Willow is much more interested in visiting the estate’s lavender farm, seeking inspiration for the new aromatherapy workshops she'll be holding at her store, Nature’s Way Market and Café.

Before the party is over, Roger Bixby one of the producers, is dead and the police suspect murder. Roger was working on the show, MJ’s Mind, with Carly Bixby, his ex-wife and the new girlfriend of Willow's ex from L.A., TV writer/producer Simon Lewis.

After Willow leaves the party, she gets a frantic text from Simon asking for her help. Since Simon had a fight with Roger earlier in the evening, and because of his death is now the primary shareholder in Galaxy films, Willow's ex becomes the prime suspect. Simon begs her to crack the case and clear him of the murder. MJ McClellan, the psychic and star of the show also asks Willow for help. She hires Willow to provide natural remedies, including aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture and yoga to soothe the agitated crew of her show.

To find the killer, Willow has to deal with ghosts in a haunted mansion, a truly dysfunctional family, death threats and “accidents,” while trying to untangle a homicide identical to one committed during prohibition. Thankfully, Jackson has been hired to provide security and is there to watch her back and help Willow solve this spooky mystery.

As a bonus, you’ll find dozens of natural aromatherapy cures throughout the book that can improve your health. I think you’ll be surprised as how much they can help you feel better in mind, body and spirit!

Thanks, Chrystle! Now, who has a comment or question for Chrystle Fiedler? Good luck in the contest!    

Tomorrow's Guest: Chrystle Fiedler

Tomorrow, fellow mystery author Chrystle Fiedler will guest on my blog. Also, Chrystle will run a contest for a free autographed copy of her latest release, Scent to Kill.  She will choose the winner from among those who leave a comment.

Chrystle Fiedler is the author of Scent to Kill, (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster) the second in the NATURAL REMEDIES MYSTERY series, Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery, the non-fiction title The Complete Idiot's Guide to Natural Remedies (Alpha, 2009), co-author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now! (Fairwinds Press, 2010), currently in its fourth printing, the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! Cookbook (Fairwinds Press, 2012) and The Country Almanac of Home Remedies (Fairwinds, 2011). Chrystle’s magazine articles featuring natural remedies have appeared in many national publications including Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes & Gardens and Remedy.

In her guest post tomorrow, Chrystle talks about why she writes cozy mysteries, and I'm sure you'll be intrigued by her article. Then, please make a comment or ask a question in the comments, and good luck in the contest!

Today's Mystery Author Guest: Chrystle Fiedler

As promised yesterday, fellow mystery author Chrystle Fiedler is visiting my blog today. To read her bio and see her photo, please page down to yesterday's post.

Above is the cover photo for her recent release (yesterday!), Death Drops, the first book in her new natural remedies mystery series. In the book, Dr. Willow McQuade, N.D., a twenty-eight-year-old naturopathic doctor specializing in natural remedies, has decided to take sabbatical and visit her Aunt Claire, the owner of Nature’s Way Market and Cafe in idyllic Greenport, Long Island. But the idea of rest and relaxation is quickly forgotten when Willow arrives from a morning meditative walk to discover her Aunt Claire dead in the store, a strange almond-like smell emanating from her mouth and a bottle of flower essences by her side.

Despite her Zen nature and penchant for yoga, Aunt Claire had a knack for getting into confrontations with folks. An activist, she held weekly meetings for different causes every week in the store. The police want to believe the death is accidental—but Willow thinks she may have been poisoned. Things get worse when Aunt Claire’s valuable recipe for a new natural age-defying formula, Fresh Face, is stolen during a store break-in, and an attempt is made on Willow’s life. Desperate for a way out of the mess, she turns to a handsome young cop Jackson Spade. Together the two set about solving the case the natural way—through a combination of hard work, common sense, and a dose of luck.

Below are Chrystle's answers to my interview questions. Please leave a comment for her, and if you have a question of your own for her, ask it!

1. Who or what inspired you to start writing and when did you start?

I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil! When I was younger I wrote children’s books and plays, as I got older I became a copywriter, then a journalist, a non-fiction author and now, a cozy mystery author. Diane Mott Davidson, author of the catering mysteries inspired me to write my first mystery. I read Dying for Chocolate and I thought I can do that!

2. Tell us about your new cozy mystery novel.

My fiction debut is Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery (Gallery/Simon and Schuster) which went on sale on February 21st. I’m very excited! The book is the first to feature a naturopathic doctor (Willow McQuade) and a wide variety of natural cures. Naturopathic doctors take a holistic view of patients, treating body, mind and spirit. It’s set in my hometown, Greenport, which is an idyllic village on Long Island’s East End. Dr. McQuade takes over her Aunt Claire’s health food store Nature’s Way Market and Café when she is murdered and sets out to find the killer with the help of a hunky cop on disability, Jackson Spade. Sparks fly!

3. How do you construct your plots? Do you outline or do you write “by the seat of your pants”?

I have never outlined before Scent to Kill, which is the sequel to Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery. Before that, I just started writing and let it flow. The characters told me what they wanted to do and say. I didn’t want to know who “dun” it. But after Death Drops, my editor at Gallery Books wanted an outline for the second book so I had to do one. I found that it was so much easier to have that framework. It makes it easier to get started every day and to keep going if you feel like stopping.

4. In the age-old question of character versus plot, which one do you think is most important in a murder mystery and which one do you emphasize in your writing? Why?

When it comes to a cozy mystery, I think both matter, but I’ll go with characters. I think if readers like and identify with the characters you create they will want to read more. In the case of my books, I consider the setting to be important, too. Greenport is an idyllic town located on the East End of Long Island in New York. Forbes names it one of the prettiest villages in America. Plot is certainly important but I think it’s the little details that matter most. How can you make your reader feel like he or she is “there?” I want readers to be able to escape into my cozies.

5. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you and keeps you motivated?

Starting! What people who don’t write may not understand is that the action of starting to write is painful. At least it is for me. You have to pierce the barrier of inertia. Once I get started I’m fine. I lose myself in the process and time flies.

6. What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing?

My best writing happens in the morning until I have lunch, usually around noon, and after 4. For some reason 12 to 4 aren’t as productive. Must be my circadian rhythms. I don’t set a number of pages; that’s too much like a real job! It’s usually difficult to get started, but once I do, I feel like I’m transcribing. The words just come. I write 5-7 days a week. If I feel inspired or I’m under a deadline, I write, write, write!

7. What do you do when you have writer's block?

I rarely get writer’s block, but I did when I started Scent to Kill, the sequel to Death Drops. My friend who is also an author for Gallery Books suggested I relax and let the words flow instead of “trying” to MAKE something happen. Writing comes from a different place than thinking, she said. I know now that it’s true!

8. What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author?

Only write if you must. It is a difficult profession. You must have perseverance. You must handle rejection. That said, if you are a writer and have an idea you really believe in, NEVER give up. It took me over 10 years (off and on – I worked in Hollywood in the early years) to get my first mystery published. And you know what? It was worth it!

9. Now here’s a zinger. Tell us something about yourself that you have not revealed in another interview yet. Something as simple as your favorite TV show or food will do.

I love reality shows. I can’t wait for the new Survivor and Amazing Race to start. I even watch Big Brother in the summer. Yes, I admit it. I call it “mind candy.” It gives my mind a break. We all need that sometimes.

10. What are you working on now and what are your future writing plans?

I’m about to start the rewrite of Scent to Kill, the sequel to Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery. It will be hard work, but I know I’ll have a book for my editor that is ten times as good when I’m through. It’s all about making the book better for readers.

11. Is there anything else you would like to tell my blog readers?

I really appreciate being your guest today, Beth. Thank you so much for having me! As for my writing, I hope that readers enjoy the mystery of Death Drops and learn about natural remedies they can try at home, too. They can visit my website for more info. I’m happy to speak to book clubs anytime. I’m also the Saturday blogger at Killer Hobbies. Please stop by and say hi!


Thanks, Chrystle! Now, who has a comment or question for her?

Tomorrow's Guest: Chrystle Fiedler

Tomorrow, fellow mystery author Chrystle Fiedler will be a guest on my blog. Chrystle loves natural remedies and has been using them for as long as she can remember. As a freelance journalist, she wrote about natural cures for Natural Health, Better Homes & Gardens, Prevention, Vegetarian Times, The Health Monitor Network and was the Good Nature columnist for Remedy magazine. Also, she wrote non-fiction books with a focus on natural remedies. So it was only “natural” that when it came to fiction, she would focus on natural remedies, too. The first book in her natural remedies series, Death Drops, is being released today, February 21st, and the sequel, Scent to Kill, will be available in the fall.

When Chrystle isn't writing, she spends time with family and friends, playing with her two dachshunds, Holmes and Wallander, and her two cats, Tinker and Tuppence (all named after famous detectives!), taking a walk on the beach, gardening, enjoying Psych, Monk and The Mentalist on TV or reading a cozy mystery in her cozy cottage by the sea.

In her guest post tomorrow, Chrystle Fiedler answers my interview questions, and I'm sure you'll be intrigued by what she has to say. Then, feel free to ask her some questions of your own in the comments.