I’m Writing What I Know Best! Welcome Back Guest Susan Santangelo

BarbaraKay1 you are the winner of Susan’s book. Watch for an email from Susan.

Welcome back Susan Santangelo! Susan writes the amazing Baby Boomer mystery series.  Susan is giving away a copy of one of her books! Here’s a little bit about her latest book In-Laws Can Be Murder: Carol Andrews doesn’t share well. Especially when it comes to her precious, long-awaited first grandchild, CJ. So when her son-in-law’s pushy mother, Margo, arrives in town and horns in on Carol’s happiness, it’s hate at first sight. But when Margo thinks she’s committed a murder and reaches out to Carol for help, then vanishes without a trace, it’s up to Carol to put aside her petty jealousy and crack the case before the police get involved. 

I’m frequently asked at book talks, “Why do you write a Baby Boomer mystery series?” My answer is, “Why not?” There are 78.2 million Baby Boomers in the United States, according to the latest census figures. And many “senior” Boomers, myself included, are hitting the magic age of 65. There’s so much written about the financial piece of growing older – taking care of your IRAs, 401Ks, etc. – but nobody seemed to be taking a look at the emotional piece. By that I mean, how do couples who have been married for years, raised a family, and been leading fairly independent lives, now cope with the fact that the husband and the wife are no longer going out to a 9 – 5 job every day? Instead, they often get into each other’s way as they struggle to re-define their roles. Of course, nothing like that ever happens in my house! (Smile.)

My husband and I are both writers, and the original idea of the series  (I was anticipating writing no more than three) was that we would write it together. But it didn’t work out that way.

The series deals with typical Boomers Carol and Jim Andrews as they navigate the rocky way toward their golden years. In the first book, Retirement Can Be Murder, released in April 2009, Carol dreads Jim’s upcoming retirement more than a root canal without Novocain. She can’t imagine anything worse than an at-home husband with time on his hands and nothing to fill it, except interfering in the day-to-day activities and driving her crazy. Until Jim is suspected of murdering his retirement coach. The first book sold (and continues to sell) like crazy, and all of a sudden a series was born. Book 8, In-Laws Can Be Murder, was released by Suspense Publishing in late July, and I’m already working on Book 9.

My books are written in the first person, so many people think I’m Carol. I’ve even been introduced at book talks as Carol! We’re both sarcastic and like to be in charge. We value our family and our close women friends. Oh, one more thing – we both love English cocker spaniels. There are two English cockers in the books, Lucy and Ethel.

My characters have become my best friends, although sometimes Carol drives me crazy with the outlandish ideas she comes up with and I have to reign her in. And I have a sneaky suspicion that when I’m not keeping an eye on her, she gets into trouble. Or, maybe it’s the other way around?

The subhead for each book title is, “Every Wife Has A Story.” The more readers I connect with, either at book talks or via the Internet, the more I realize how true that is!

The books are available on Amazon and a number of independent book stores, as well as on Kindle, Nook, and other e-book platforms. And through the website: www.babyboomermysteries.com.

Thanks for the opportunity to make some new cyber friends. I always love to hear from readers, especially women who ask me where I met their husband!

Readers: What big life adjustments have you had to make with your family?

Bio: Susan Santangelo is the author of the best-selling Baby Boomer mystery series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Cape Cod Writers Center, and also reviews mysteries for Suspense magazine. She divides her time between Clearwater, Florida and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and shares her life with her husband Joe and two very spoiled English cocker spaniels, Boomer and Lilly. Boomer also serves as the model for the books’ front covers, and Lilly is featured on the back.