Guest: Krista Davis

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Edith here, honored to host Krista Davis as our guest today. She may not be wicked, Color Me Murder hi resbut she definitely writes cozy! She has a fabulous new series coming out – featuring adult coloring books – and is joining us at Kensington Publishing. She’ll give away a copy of Color Me Murder to one commenter here today.

Here’s a blurb:

Includes A Front and Back Cover for You to Color!
 
By day, Florrie Fox manages Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. By night, she creates her own intricately detailed coloring books for adults, filling the pages with objects that catch her eye. There’s plenty of inspiration in her new apartment—a beautiful carriage house belonging to Professor John Maxwell, Florrie’s boss. He offers the property to Florrie rent-free with one condition—she must move in immediately to prevent his covetous sister and nephew from trying to claim it.
 
When the professor’s nephew, Delbert, arrives, he proves just as sketchy as Florrie feared. But the following morning, Delbert has vanished. It’s not until she visits the third floor of the store that Florrie makes a tragic discovery—there’s a trap door in the landing, and a dead Delbert inside. The esteemed Professor Maxwell is an obvious suspect, but Florrie is certain this case isn’t so black and white. Doodling clues, she begins to consider other colorful characters on the scene, all with a motive for murder. With a killer drawing closer, Florrie will need to think outside the lines . . . before death makes his mark again.

Krista: I confess that I am not an artist. I realized this in grade school. While other kids were thrilled with art class, I knew it wasn’t for me. Even at that age, some of them had amazing abilities while I was still drawing crooked houses.

Oddly enough, I do like crafts. I crocheted what is very likely the biggest bedspread in the world. Alas, it is so big and heavy that no one wants it. Not even me! My mother was an extraordinary knitter. You know the gorgeous fluffy angora sweaters that are sold by high end shops? Yup. That’s the sort of thing my mother knitted.

Why am I telling you this? Because I blame my lack of artistic ability on my genes. There’s not a single member of my immediate family who can draw. Some of you probably think I’m joking. I am completely serious when I say that we can barely draw stick figures for Pictionary. It’s not my fault! I am genetically incapable of drawing anything that doesn’t look like a second grader drew it.

And yet, I took on a mystery series about a coloring book artist. A woman who can doodle recognizable things! A woman who draws intricate images!

You can imagine my angst about this. I was a little wary when I started the Domestic Diva Mysteries. After all, I’m no Martha. But I’m okay with cooking and baking. And some of my friends seem to think I have abilities they don’t possess. I’m also a crystal and china piggy. Pretty dishes go a long way in making people think you’ve cooked something great.

The Paws & Claws Mysteries came naturally to me. I’m surrounded by dogs and cats. I dote on them and observe their antics. I read recently that dogs and cats should be perfect in books. Hah! They aren’t perfect in real life. Not any more than we are. At the moment, I’m dealing with the remnants of Baron’s up close and personal encounter with a skunk. That will surely make it into a book.

Colored pencilsBut art? Could I pull it off? Was it too far outside of my comfort zone? I did some research on the mind of the artist. After all, they must see things differently than I do, right? Unfortunately, that was a bomb.

I do love color. The brighter the better. I’m always impressed when designers on Project Runway mix patterns (I wouldn’t dare!) and they go together so beautifully. Even I know there are different shades of black. And who among us hasn’t  bought a navy blue skirt only to find that it didn’t match anything else in our closets that was navy blue? Even I can appreciate those nuances.

So in the end, I took a deep breath and jumped into Florrie’s character. So I didn’t have her artistic skill. I could imagine how wonderful it would be to doodle and sketch images. If I had that talent, I would draw all the time.

Adult coloring books have come a long way. They are gorgeous and intricate. It takes a real artist to be able to sketch those images. Even if I can’t draw worth a hoot, I can appreciate the unbelievable talent of those who can. I’m living vicariously through Florrie, and loving every minute of it.

Readers: How about you? Have you written about something that is way out of your comfort zone? Remember, I’m giving away a copy of the new book to one lucky commenter!

Krista Davis writes three mystery series. Color Me Murder will be the first book in the Krista_Buttercup1 smallPen & Ink mystery series. Krista’s longest running series is the Domestic Diva Mysteries. After a one year hiatus, the eleventh book, The Diva Cooks Up a Storm, will be out in May. If dogs and cats are your thing, you might enjoy Krista’s Paws & Claws Mysteries featuring Trixie the Jack Russell with a nose for trouble (or more precisely—dead people) and Twinkletoes, the long-haired calico cat.
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Published by Edith Maxwell

Agatha Award -winning author Edith Maxwell writes the historical Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Beyond the Page) and short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Dot and Amelia Mysteries, the Country Store Mysteries series, the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries, and the Cece Barton Mysteries (all from Kensington Publishing). She lives north of Boston in an antique house with her beau and cat Martin, where she writes, gardens, cooks, and wastes time on Facebook.

112 Thoughts

  1. Sounds like an interesting book. I only reply to questions. Everything beyond that is outside my comfort zone, which is why I am an editor!

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  3. Such a great post, Krista, and thanks for joining us. I’m writing about a bicycle mechanic, about which I knew zero. But hey, I have two bike-crazy sons, plus ways to research the profession. That’s enough.

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  4. I love the sound of this new series. I have adult coloring books that I only get to once in a while, but I love the pictures and love to put my own spin (colors) on the page.

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    1. The front and back covers of Color Me Murder can be colored, so I’m having a contest. Be on the lookout for it. I can’t wait to see the spin each person puts on the covers!

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  5. I haven’t written anything out of my comfort zone, I sure have read books beyond my comfort zone! Reading is my passion and I’m now coloring in adult coloring books for relaxation too!

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    1. I like to read a variety of things, too. And I like to see movies that wouldn’t necessarily be the ones I would pick out. I hope you’ll like Color Me Murder!

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  6. Writing is out of my comfort zone, and reading is my passion! I have also gotten the adult coloring book craze, coloring relaxes me too!

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  7. I can’t draw at all but my daughter is very talented. Not sure where she got it. I’m a fan of adult coloring books but I always see very beautifully colored pages and wonder why mine never looks so nice. I love the new book. What a great concept–color your own cover and the story looks like a fun read.
    scarletbegonia5858(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thanks, Scarlet. I hope people will enjoy the book. How lucky that your daughter is so talented! Maybe it’s from the other side of the family?

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    1. Thank you so much for having me today. And thanks for liking the Divas. I wonder if those of us who aren’t artistic wonders like coloring books even more? We can be artistic without all the stress.

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    1. Thank you so much. I’m thrilled that you like the Paws & Claws Mysteries. I hope you’ll like this series as well.

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  11. Had to laugh when I read about your lack of artistic ability at an early age. I was in junior high when it was a school requirement to take art as one of my classes. I couldn’t draw a straight line with a rule much less do anything recognizable. For one assignment, we were to bring an object from home to draw. I took my Emmett Kelly the clown doll for some reason. To make a very long story short, I can suffice it to say that I gave my art teacher my doll (which I didn’t realize even then had a collectible value) and I made an A in art. I look back now and think how very wrong that was on so many levels and have always wished I had my doll back. Oh – I still can’t draw but that’s ok with me. I’ll do my creating in the kitchen and let folks eat my works of art so there’s no lingering evidence if it was pleasing to the eye or just the stomach.

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  12. Anything is out of my comfort zone. I am a reader not a writer! I love the cover of the book. I love to color in my adult coloring books.

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  13. You book sounds wonderful, I can’t wait to read it. I’m just impressed that you were able to make a giant bedspread. I tried to crochet an afghan that turned into a baby blanket, then a tea towel. It ended up a potholder. I don’t have the patience for long projects. And it was an ugly potholder.

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    2. ROFL! That’s hysterical, Libby!

      I just kept going and going. It’s up in my attic. I should have made a potholder instead!

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    1. Oh, I love the name Princess Pinecone. That sounds like it should be a character in the Paws & Claws series! I hope you’ll like the new series, too.

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  15. The new series sounds great! Have fun with it.
    I wrote an entire book outside of my comfort zone. I enrolled in a general writing workshop to enhance my creative non-fiction skills. The instructor encouraged me to try writing a cozy murder mystery. I had never written fiction before. So it was way outside of my comfort zone. After the weekend workshop, I continued going and going and going. For an entire year. What a great writing exercise. My not yet published book has been completed and I learned a huge amount along the way. All of my writing is better than before I stretched way outside of my comfort zone.

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    1. Good for you, Melinda! Maybe it’s good for us to stretch sometimes. And you’ll be so much more comfortable writing your next cozy!

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  16. I think that I would have to write outside of my comfort zone for it to be any good. It would be a fun adventure! I can’t wait to read Color Me Murder but am sad that I cannot color it on my Kindle 😦

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    1. Well, you can read it on your Kindle, and color the one I just sent to you for winning a contest at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen! : )

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  17. My new Lobster Shack series is WAY out of my comfort zone – I’m not a cook, I’m not a lobsterman, and I’m allergic to lobster! Thank goodness my family is full of good cooks, my nephew was a lobsterman, and I live near great lobster shacks. I liked a t-shirt I saw the other day that said Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone – definitely true for writers.

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    1. Hi Barb! I hope people will think it’s fun. The protagonist, Florrie Fox, isn’t a go-get-’em superwoman kind of character. She’d much rather stay home and sketch or read. That was fun for me to write, too.

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  19. Everything is out of my comfort zone but I’ve persisted until I can write descriptive book reviews for all those wonderful adventures you authors have taken me on.

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    1. LOL! Sometimes it’s just good to know what is not your strength. I do love this story, though. I hope you’ll enjoy that, even if you don’t color.

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  21. All those adult coloring books are so intricate. I tried one, but I was surprised that I didn’t have the patience to finish.

    I think both the series I write takes me slightly out of my comfort zone. Obviously, i knew nothing about how cops and lawyers work until I started writing The Laurel Highlands Mysteries. And researching 1942 Buffalo is taking me out of my zone because I’ve never really focused on historical before.

    Oh – I always tell people I can’t draw a straight line with a rule, so you are not alone in your perceived lack of artistic skills. 🙂

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    1. We probably have that same defective gene. I admire anyone who can write a historical book. I would surely goof up some detail. That must have required a lot of research!

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  22. I love to read too much to be a writer. I don’t consider myself creative in the least but have taken up scrapbooking and really enjoy it. I love coloring books and am so excited for this book!

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    1. The fact that you like scrapbooking shows that you have a slightly creative side. I have friends who create the most amazing things. I hope you’ll like this book!

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  24. I am really looking forward to your new series. And hey, anyone can color, even outside the lines, right? Writing sympathy cards is always difficult for me. They can bring so much joy and sadness at once. And thanks for visiting Wicked Cozy!

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  25. I feel the same way about music that you feel about drawing. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket but my husband is a music teacher so the poor man has to suffer through my attempts when I want to describe a song stuk in my head. You are such a wonderful author I love all the books you have written. Thank you for extending yourself into unfamiliar territory for us.

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  26. I love adult coloring books. This looks and sounds very interesting. I’m not that good at writing more than a short sentiment-lol.

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  27. Can’t write but love to color, so this new series sounds fun. I already love your Paws and Claws series, read them all and hoping for more!

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  28. I cannot wait to read this. Krista’s books are among my very favorite series. I used to be decent in art class, but I’ve lost whatever skill I once had. I do enjoy adult coloring books. I’ve never really written out of my comfort zone but will try reading something different from my usual interests. Thank you for the chance to win.

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  29. As far as writing something outside of my comfort zone… Yes, in college a paper for my statistics class! We had our semester end project to do and we needed to write a 10 page paper. I am more of an artist/writer so numbers and I do not get along! That was out of my comfort zone right there, however I did make my project about dogs and cats so I did get an “A” lol!

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  31. I am not creative. I doodle, but nothing recognizable, just squiggly lines and circles. And I don’t write. But I have committed myself to do a Lenten devotional for our church — 300 – 400 words long. I have the verse to use, but absolutely no idea what I am going to write! Talk about being out of my comfort zone!

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  33. Hmmmm. No. I would remember that. I consider writing of any kind an art. So Krista, you and all the writers are artists, just a different genre. That’s the way I see it. I’m so looking forward to this series! As a kid I thought everyone could visualize a blank canvas in color. 💖🐶😼🔎🖍🎨📚💗

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  34. I don’t think my drawing skills are any better than yours, but it makes for Telestrations to be a lot of fun. You are given a word, and you have to draw it. Then you pass your drawing to someone who has to guess the word from what you drew. Then the next person draws the word that was written down. Etc. It can be pretty hilarious.

    Very much looking forward to reading this new series. Got my ARC from Net Galley this week.

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  35. I love your Paws and Claws series. I got a late start and read some of the books in the Diva series. I look forward to reading Color Me Murder.

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  36. I’m so excited for this new series. I love the Paws and Claws mysteries. Wagtail is my favorite fictional town.

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  38. Writing is way out of my comfort zone. Reading on the other hand is my passion. I love to color to relax what an awesome idea to let us color our own covers. Can’t wait to see what we all do with them. Thank you for the chance.

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  39. Hi Krista. The coloring cover is a great idea! I’m writing about a family restaurant, and I grew up in the restaurant business. But I have an interesting character who rides a Harley. I’m not a motorcycle rider, but it was fun to research. Congrats on the new book!

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  40. I can’t wait to read this-thanks for the chance to win! I would like to write but, now that I have time, stories are hard to come up with. Much more fun to read!

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  41. I’m not a writer, but I have written a couple of specialty pieces for specific purposes and was quite proud of them. I’m sure not an artist. Like you, I realized in first grade, it just wasn’t my talent. And the nuns didn’t help any by telling me how bad I was and giving me a failing grade. I think I should have passed just because I made the effort! Like many here, I enjoy the adult coloring books, but get impatient with the real intricate designs. The end result never looks as good as others. Oh, well, who cares? it’s my coloring book and if the results are boring, so what?

    I’m looking forward to your newest series. I love your writing.

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  42. I am very excited for this series. I have always been drawn to art, and am lucky enough to have 2 very artistic Grandmas. They crochet, quilt, craft, paint, and can pretty much rock anything they choose to. My mom says it skipped a generation, as does my sister. I get to be the lucky one to help my nieces with valentine boxes and all the fun stuff I enjoy. The Diva series and the Wagtail are two of my favorites, so I can’t imagine this one won’t be equally as loved. I think it’s great you are going outside your comfort zone. What fun!

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  43. Absolutely love Krista Davis books. Makes a day that’s blue for me turn happy. she is an amazing awesome writer

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  44. Almost everything is out of my comfort zone except reading and getting to know my cozy authors..I love the Diva books but I’ve wanted this book since I first saw it. Now days since I’m 83, the books I buy are ebooks but I’m tucking some money aside for this one since the cover grabbed me and I’ll be way out of my comfort zone. Thanks for the post and the chance to win

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  45. I can’t wait to read and color that book! I like writing about a lot of different topics but I hate writing about myself!

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  46. I’m probably as good at drawing as I am at writing, which isn’t saying much. I should really stick to reading. I’m looking forward to this series. I’m in love with the Paws and Claws series. I liked it so much that I tried your Diva series and love it also! I’m now reading my way through it. I’ll be finished before the new book is out I’m sure. Thank you for such wonderful books.

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  47. I used to oil paint and even sold a few to co-workers but switched to making greeting cards years ago. I love cooking but baking is out of my comfort zone. I keep trying as my mother was the best, and I got used to homemade desserts. I read your other series so look forward to this one.

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  48. When you are as talented a writer as you are, who needs to be able to draw. I would love to be able to color, never could stay in the lines. But that is me anyway, I never stay in the lines, lanes or the crowd. I always wanted to be able to draw like Beatrix Potter. Weird thing is I went through a stage where I could actually draw a bit. Not sure why that happened but it sure didn’t last, lol. I think we need to find a place to turn into Wagtail (without the murders of course). Cannot wait for this release!

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    1. I agree completely about Wagtail! I love that you couldn’t stay in the lines. You’re a free spirit! And thanks for saying such lovely things. I’m getting a swelled head.

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  49. If the Domestic Diva and Paws and Claws series are any indication, this new series will be fabulous!
    Can’t wait!

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  50. I haven’t ever written about anything outside my comfort zone, but drawing is not something I can do at all. Which is annoying because I see cartoons in my head all the time. Thanks for the giveaway – I am looking forward to this series!

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    1. I really admire authors because they have the ability to tell a story that transports the reader to another world. I definitely don’t have that talent, my mind would go blank if you asked me to write something. Looking forward to your new series, sounds like a great read.

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