On a business trip to Chicago, Pepper Martin finds herself caught up in yet another ghost investigation. She wasn't planning on doing anything other than covering for her sick boss but when the ghost mentions the delicious doctor Dan Callahan she can't say no. As things go the seminar about cemeteries is enough to bore someone to death. So Pepper decides to help her new ghost visitor, Madeline.
Since Pepper hit her head on a tombstone she has been able to see ghosts. She has already helped a few ghosts and now this new specter Madeline wants her turn. Madeline knows Dan, a doctor who saved Pepper's life, and says he is in danger. Pepper knows Madeline isn't telling her everything but before she finds out the whole truth it is too late and Pepper is having her own personal ghostly experience.
Night of the Loving Dead is the fourth book in the Pepper Martin series and was the best yet. The background story about Dan finally made it to the main plot and it was interesting to find out more about him. Pepper stills has alot to learn about her ability and how to investigate for the dead. However I think she learnt some valuable lessons in this new installment.
I love this ghostly cozy mystery series and the witty style the author uses. The feisty main character makes this a delight to read and this is yet another January new release that has me already wishing for another sequel as soon as possible.
It is time to announce the winner of the Casey Daniels contest! A huge thank you to everyone who entered! It sounds like you all had a great New Year! Also a very big thank you to Casey for being my guest and for offering a great prize! I hope she will visit again ;)
New Year release dates are causing me trouble here in Europe! Nobody seems to have any of the books that were due out end of December and the estimates on the ones due out Tuesday are March!. Hopefully some of you have found Casey's new book already though!
Congratulations to the winner! Please send me an email at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next seven days to claim your prize! If the prize isn't claimed I will pick a new winner next week.
Keep visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog because my next guest Justin Gustainis!
Happy New Year to you all! 2008 was a great year on Amberkatze's Book Blog and I hope I can make 2009 just as good or better! I want to take this opportunity to thank all my readers for the support and a huge thank you to all the authors and publishers who contact me, let me interview them or/and offer prizes for the blog. It has been a pleasure working with you all and I can't wait to see what happens this year!
Later I will be posting my 'Best reads of 2008'. I managed to read alot of books in 2008 but unfortunately I didn't read more than 2007. I blame work for that and hope that this year I can do more reading!
I totally forgot to draw the winner of the monthly draw for December so I am letting the randomizer pick someone!
The winner will get my copy of Blood Bargain by Maria Lima and is picked from my newsletter subscibers.
And the winner is the person with the email starting with -
eva.silkka
If that is the start of your email address then contact me via Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu with your mailing details so I can get the book in the post to you.
If the prize isn't claimed within 7 days I will choose a new winner.
A new monthly giveaway will be announced within the next few days!
Don't forget to enter this weeks contest! Casey Daniels is giving away a signed copy of her new Pepper Martin release. You have until Sunday 4pm to enter!
Casey Daniels is my guest this week and will see us into 2009 with her interview and contest! So if you haven't already read her series following Pepper Martin then catch up and get ready for the new release, Night of the Loving Dead , due out in the new year!
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Amber - Casey! Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here! Maybe you can start things off by telling my readers a bit about your Pepper Martin series?
Casey - Thanks for inviting me, Amber. It's always great to meet new readers and of course, I love talking about the Pepper Martin mysteries! The series revolves around Pepper, who grew up spoiled and wealthy and was engaged to a guy who she thought would take care of her financially so she could spend all her time sunning herself at the country club. But then her father gets thrown into prison. And her fiance dumps her because he doesn't want to be associated with the scandal. With no place else to turn, Pepper takes a job as a tour guide at a historic cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. She thinks the job is boring, but it should be a piece of cake. It is, until one day when she trips and hits her head on a mausoleum. When she comes back to work the next day, the ghost of the man buried in that mausoleum is waiting for her. He tells her he's going to haunt her forever unless she solves his murder.
Amber - So far there are 3 books in the Pepper Martin series but the fourth book Night of the Loving Dead is out soon. Can you tell us a little about the new book? What trouble does Pepper get into this time?
Casey - In the new book, Night of the Loving Dead, Pepper visits Chicago to attend a cemetery conference. The first day she's there, she meets a ghost in a cemetery. The ghost is so annoying, Pepper doesn't want to help her--until she hears that the ghost knows Dan Callahan (readers met him in the first three books) and that if Pepper doesn't help, Dan could end up in big trouble. Turns out a prominent doctor is using his homeless patients in experiments, and that the patients are never seen or heard from again. Dan is working with the doctor, and when the police catch up to him, Dan is going to end up in jail.
This adventure finds Pepper serving lunch in a soup kitchen (you can imagine what she thinks of that!), dodging a mysterious entity, and dealing with a ghost with a hidden agenda. I won't give anything away, but I will tell you that if Pepper's not careful, she just might end up losing her body--and disappearing forever!
Amber - Where did you get the idea for the Pepper Martin series?
Casey - Actually, I interviewed for a job as a tour guide in a historic cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio! Really. It was a part-time position, and since I love cemeteries, I figured it would be interesting. I'd been thinking about writing a mystery, but couldn't think of a detective who was interesting enough. As I was leaving the interview and driving through the cemetery, I got the idea for Pepper.
Amber - So can you see and talk to ghosts? Or know anyone who can?
Casey - No, I can't see and talk to ghosts, but I have had a couple ghostly experiences. I definitely do believe in ghosts, and I also believe there are gifted mediums who can communicate with those on the Other Side.
Amber - How many more Pepper Martin books can we expect? Do you see an end in sight or do you hope to give her a long life?
Casey - Pepper #5 will be published in October 2009. Tentative title: Dead Man Talking. There will definitely be one more book after that and that one is scheduled to be out in July 2010. After that? Well, I'm hoping for many more books in the series! There are lots of things I want to do with Pepper.
Amber - Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?
Casey - Well, a lot of people aren't aware of this, but I also write under the name of Miranda Bliss. As Miranda, I write the Cooking Class mysteries. So far, there have been four of those published: Cooking Up Murder, Murder on the Menu, Dead Men Don't Get the Munchies, and (just out), Dying for Dinner. They're about a young womman who is the world's worst cook, takes a cooking class and stumbles on a murder. Right now, I'm busy finishing up book #5 in that series.
Amber - Did you always want to be a writer? Have you had any interesting jobs? Worked in a cemetery like Pepper?
Casey - I guess I always have wanted to be a writer. I remember as a kid writing a couple "books." I don't remember much about them, but I'm pretty sure they were really bad! I majored in English in college, and after I graduated, worked for a couple corporations where I did things like write the employee newsletter and brochures and speeches for executives. I've also done some freelance work with newspapers. I've never worked in a cemetery, but lately, I've been involved with a couple groups working on cemetery restoration. In fact, Pepper #5 has Pepper working to restore a historic cemetery.
Amber - Are you anything like Pepper? or maybe she is reminds you of some people you know?
Casey - I am nothing at all like Pepper. She's younger and far more beautiful. She's also more interested in fashion than I am. Remember, I work at home. Right now, I'm in my pajamas, robe, and fuzzy slippers. Most days, I'm dressed in jeans and sweatshirts. For me, that's one of the big perks of being a writer. When I want fashion advice, I ask my daughter who's just about the same age as Pepper. She knows far more about what's trendy than I ever will.
Amber - How do you relax? Do you enjoy any particular music/bands/TV/Games?
Casey - I'm addicted to fiber. I knit, crochet, spin and weave. I recently became the proud owner of two wonderful looms and I'm anxious to get them set up and do some serious weaving. We also have two dogs, Oscar (a Jack Russell) and Ernie (an Airedale) so they take up a lot of time.
Amber - What books do you like to read? Any favourite authors or series that you have to have?
Casey - Actually, when I'm writing, I don't like to read fiction. When I do, I find myself comparing my writing to the writing of whoever it is I'm reading. So my fiction reading is usually limited to the times when I'm between books. When I am working on a book, I usually read nonfiction. But then, as I mentioned earlier, I'm a knitter and a spinner and a weaver. When I'm not writing, I'm usually doing one of those things rather than reading.
As for favorite authors, I have so many, including Elizabeth Peters (mystery), Emilie Richards (mystery and women's fiction), CR Corwin (mystery), Maureen Child (romance and paranormal). The list goes on and on.
Amber - What is your most memorable moment of being an author?
Casey - Hmmm...that's a tough one. I think it might have been something that happened recently. I was in a yarn shop (big surprise!) and I had my knitting bag along with me. It's a big red tote that I got at a recent Malice Domestic (mystery) conference. There was another lady in the shop who saw the tote and said, "Do you like mysteries?" "Yes," I said, "I do." She grinned and it was obvious she was sharing very exciting news. "I'm going to the library next week," she said. "To see the author, Casey Daniels."
Yeah, I was speaking at that particular library the next week. And I was honored to think a reader was that excited about meeting me!
Amber - You are stranded on a desert island. What 5 items do you hope to have with you?
Casey - 5 items? Yikes! Do people count? If they do, it would have to be my husband, my daughter, my son. As long as we're populating the island, we'll bring along my daughter's boyfriend and that leaves me one, so maybe the two dogs could count as one!
If we're not talking people, my five items would be: yarn and needles (the way I see it, that's two, no matter how much yarn I bring), a loom, my spinning wheel and a big batch of wool to spin. Of course if I'm designing the island, I'm also going to make sure it includes a really interesting cemetery!
Amber - Thank you so much Casey! I hope you will come by again sometime!
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Contest Time!
Casey has nicely said she will give a signed copy of her upcoming release,Night of the Loving Dead , to one lucky winner!
So to enter this weeks contest all you have to do is tell me what your plans for New Years Eve! No plans = No entry!
You can get an extra entry by posting about this interview and contest somewhere on the web. Just make sure you leave me a link so I confirm your entry!
The contest will be open until Sunday the 4th of January 2009 4pm CET. All entrants should check back to see if they won! I will pick a new winner if the prize isn't claimed within 7 days.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and got what you wanted! It has been busy here in Vienna...I have family staying and although I am managing to read it is hard to get online and do anything else! So I am glad I have time this evening to announce the winner of the Jeaniene Frost contest!
Before I announce the winner I want to thank everyone who entered and/or told their friends about the contest! It is always great to see new names on the entries as well as the regulars!
Also a huge thank you to Jeaniene! It was great to finally be able to interview Jeaniene and for her to offer up a great prize! Now I just have to wait till there is a copy of the newest book here in Europe!
So I won't make you wait any longer! The randomizer has spoken and the entry that won is from -
Cari Quinn
Congratulations to the winner! I envy you! :)
Please email me - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. If I don't hear from the winner I will pick a new one!
Coming soon...interview and contest with Casey Daniels!!!
Just type in the author, book or keyword you are looking for and hit enter!
Previous Author Interviews & Guest Blogs!
Thank you to all the authors who have just popped in to comment, guest blogged or stayed around for an interview!
Here are all the previous author interviews & Guest Blogs!
On a business trip to Chicago, Pepper Martin finds herself caught up in yet another ghost investigation. She wasn't planning on doing anything other than covering for her sick boss but when the ghost mentions the delicious doctor Dan Callahan she can't say no. As things go the seminar about cemeteries is enough to bore someone to death. So Pepper decides to help her new ghost visitor, Madeline.
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, due out in the new year!
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by Kelley Armstrong
