Welcome Guest Holly Quinn

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Yvonne is the winner of Holly’s book! Look for an email from Holly.

Welcome Holly this is Holly’s debut book in her Handcrafted mystery series! Holly is giving away a copy (US only) to someone who leaves a comment! Here’s a bit about the book:

Sammy Kane just moved back to her hometown to run a craft store. But when the owner of a nearby yarn shop is murdered, Sammy will needle little help finding the killer.

When a heartbroken Samantha “Sammy” Kane returns to her hometown of Heartsford, WI, for her best friend Kate’s funeral, she learns that Kate’s much-loved craft store is in danger of perishing with its owner. Confounding all her expectations of the life she would live, Sammy moves back home with her golden retriever and takes over Community Craft. A few doors down Main Street, fellow new arrival Ingrid Wilson has just opened the Yarn Barn, a real “purl” of a shop. But when Sammy strolls over to see if Ingrid could use a little help, she finds Ingrid’s dead body―with a green aluminum knitting needle lodged in her throat.

Detective Liam Nash is thrown for a loop as every single citizen of Heartsford seems to have a theory about Ingrid’s murder. And nearly everyone in town seems to be a suspect. But the last time Sammy did any sleuthing was as a little moppet. And this is not fun and games. Sammy is eager to help the handsome Liam―who seems to be endlessly inventive in finding reasons to talk with her―and when Liam arrests affable woodworker Miles Danbury, Sammy puts everything on the line to help clear Miles.

As the case comes dangerously close to unraveling, Sammy must stitch the clues together. But the killer has other plans―and if Sammy’s not careful, she may wind up in a perilous knot in A Crafter Knits a Clue, the first warm and woolly yarn of Holly Quinn’s new Handcrafted mysteries. For fans of Betty Hechtman and Maggie Sefton, the latest craft frenzy is Holly Quinn’s Handcrafted series debut.

I consider it an honor and a privilege to share on this particular blog because I too am a fellow New Englandah! Not to mention, a huge fan of the Wicked Cozy Author’s. I’m giddy as I literally feel the camaraderie of hanging out with wicked cool new friends. It’s like that feeling I get when I land at Logan Airport and I hear the familiar accent that instantly brings a smile to my lips and makes me feel like I’m “home.”  So today, I feel like my airplane just safely landed.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts and spent many lazy summer days at my Aunt and Uncle’s grand estate in York Harbor, Maine. My sweet relatives have long since passed, but the memories of visiting them are as vivid as if they happened yesterday. I recall walks along the cliff walk with their golden retriever, the salty-kelp air, picnics on the beach, and sand covered toes. So today, in honor of my New England roots, I share with you the only character in my new Handcrafted Mystery series that is completely based on reality, right down to the name…Sammy Kane’s golden retriever, Bara.

I didn’t own a pet growing up as my parents wouldn’t allow it, so Bara was the only dog in my life. My Uncle Jerry would attach his leash, hand me the reins, and together we would walk him down to the cliff walk. Once onto the rocks, he’d toss a stick out to sea where Bara would gladly jump into the icy water and return victoriously with the prize in his mouth. Bara would then hurdle the sticks back to where we stood and shake his fur to soak us until we laughed.

I haven’t shared this behind the scenes with anyone… until now. I’m going to share an even deeper secret. Every time I type the word Bara while working on this series, I smile as memories come flooding back like a tidal wave. I suppose this is the reason the rest of my characters are completely fictional. When I write about an animal that was so personal and close to my heart, I’m boomeranged back to my childhood and it takes my breath away. Because I not only think of him—but of his owners who I love and miss dearly.

I now reside in Wisconsin where my new Handcrafted Mystery Series was born. And I wonder…will I ever have a golden retriever? Or will I just write about one? For now, I keep his memory alive on the page. An imprint on my heart that is forever.

Readers: Do you have a pet that evokes special childhood memories?

Holly Quinn has published two stand-alone fiction novels in another persona. She graduated from Carroll University in Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science in business and a minor in marketing. This is her first Handcrafted mystery.

www.authorhollyquinn.com

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Crafter-Knits-Clue-Handcrafted-Mystery/dp/1683317718

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-crafter-knits-a-clue-holly-quinn/1127730931#/

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Crafter-Knits-Clue/Holly-Quinn/9781683317715?id=7243989939651

http://www.powells.com/book/-9781683317715

https://www.walmart.com/ip/A-Crafter-Knits-a-Clue-Other/416024440

 

 

Published by Sherry Harris

Sherry Harris is the author of the Agatha Award nominated Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery series and the Chloe Jackson Sea Glass Mystery series.

44 Thoughts

  2. My dad bought a dog for me when I turned 5. He was so little when he came to us. His name was Fritz and he was a salt and pepper Miniature Schnauzer. He was my best friend and we did everything together!
    I adore the cover of this book! That yarn skull is really fantastic!

    1. My son has a German Shepard named Fritz! 🙂 Crooked Lane hires great cover artists! This is the Work of Ben Perini.

  4. Yes, my German Shepherd, April. My mother’s boyfriend brought her to us from a grocery store. She was so scared that she shivered on our terrace for hours!! She was about six months old when we got her. Once she started to trust us after a few short days, she was the best dog EVER, and I still miss her even though she’s been gone for 33 years now.

  5. Congrats on the series opener. And anyone from Massachusetts is of course A Number 1 in my book. No matter where they might reside now.

    As for pets that evoke memories, I am or at least was a dog person, so we had a lot of them over the years. Each of them brings back memories so they were all special in some regard.

    I’m not a crafty type of guy but I enjoy reading all sorts of series featuring talents I don’t possess. After all, while I can boil water it isn’t like I’m going to get a Food Network show any time soon. But that doesn’t stop my mouth from watering every time I read one of Edith Maxwell’s Country Store books with all those recipes that sound delicious.

    Here’s to the success of ‘A Crafter Knits A Clue”!

  6. I raised a chicken from my grandparents’farm and named him Blinky. He would walk down the drive to meet me after school. After a while he needed to go back to the farm, but I have always remembered those unusual greetings.

    1. My husband and I currently care for 4 chickens. They sit by the door and wait for me to come outside! 🙂

  7. We always had German Shepherds when I was growing up but we also had a rescue pup that I loved. A dachapoo named Kelly brought so much joy & love to our house

  8. I found this at my library and put it on the list…above it in the listing was a book titled No Holly for Miss Quinn by Miss Read.

    1. Thanks for letting me crash your party Sherry! New series launch… this week has been a whirlwind of fun! 🙂

  10. Welcome! I loved Golden Retrievers. They are also my daughter’s favorite and she swears that as soon as she has her own place, she’s getting one.

  15. Congrats on the new book and new series!

    I don’t have any special pet memories since I and my family have pet allergies. I get the memories you talk about, however. We all have stuff like that in one form or another.

  16. Congrats on the new release! I look forward to reading this new book. We rescued a stray cat that we named Mr. Jones as a kid–big old tabby with a great temperament.

    1. Thanks everyone! I’m excited about the new release and just received the cover sketch for the next book: A Crafter Hooks a Killer due out June 11th. This week can’t get better! 🙂

  17. I had a pet crow when I was little and to this day I still talk to all the crows I see—and toss them a bit of food if some is handy.

  18. Holly, congrats on your new book/series! I grew up with dogs and have had several as an adult. Each one has a special place in my heart.

  21. Congrats on the new book release! I grew up with pets, always. We had chickens, a shetland pony, rabbits, turtles, birds, fish and of course cats and dogs. Several of them hold such precious memories in my life. Baron, Wolfie and Rebel, our GSDs were super special. Riff Raff, the most wonderful dog i never got to keep. Papillion and Big Tom the best cats a young girl could have. Then as an adult Sammie, the gentleman dog who lived to be 21. Rufus my service dog partner. Deedy the cat that thought he was a dog and so did every dog since he was 32 pounds of muscle and length. And then Tyler the rescue dog that rescued me and that I am so blessed to still have. I could never be without a furry to keep my heart happy and those that have passed will always hold a part of my heart. Thanks for the chance to win!

  22. Thank you for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! Would love to win a print book by you, Holly! Yes, we had a golden retriever years ago, with many wonderful memories. Now, the last couple of years, one of our sons has a golden retriever, and we enjoy dog sitting, when our son needs us to, if he is traveling, etc. Thanks, again! Lual

  23. Congratulations on your new release, Holly. We had a grey poodle when I grew up and he would see us off to school in the morning and he would be looking out the front window when we came home. He was a great dog!

  24. We had a guinea pig named Scamper, 3 pairs of those little turtles that you’re not allowed to have anymore, a goldfish we won at a fair, and some baby field mice who promptly died. Actually except for the guinea pig that we gave away they all died fairly quickly. My friends had dogs and cats and bunnies that lived longer.

    Looking forward to reading your new book.

  26. Congratulations Holly on the release of your book. I love the cover and imagine the story between the cover is just as amazing. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your giveaway.

  27. Congrats on your new book, Holly! I have a soft spot for beagles & black labs as those are the two breeds of dogs I grew up with. Every time I see one of those breeds (or mix of one or the other) I can’t help but be reminded of Tagalong and/or Trekkie.

  28. Congratulations on your book. I’m adding it to my TBR list. I love Goldens. I’ve had three. My childhood memories are from my first dog, a chihauha. He loved me but didn’t like my sister.

  29. I have always wanted a golden retriever. They are the sweetest dogs ever and so beautiful. Some day I hope to have one. Your book looks really good. Thanks for the chance to win.

  30. My dad never wanted us kids to have a dog. When I went to college that left my 15 year old sister as the only one at home full time. She and mom wore dad down. Our neighbors had a wonderful brown miniature poodle named GiGi so that was what they were going to get-female and definitely not white. On Valentine’s Day my sis excitedly called to tell me about her new dog. She had named him Ziggy and he was a white toy poodle! He had the best personality. He loved pizza and would wait excitedly at the door when we ordered til the pie was delivered. He would have scarfed down the whole pizza if he could have lol.

  31. Thank you all so very much for sharing your sweet animal stories with us! They sure do leave a stamp on our hearts, don’t they? Also, thanks for the warm well wishes as I enter the land of cozy! 🙂

  32. I have three cats. Well, one adult cat and two teenage kittens! They make me laugh every day. My son desperately wants a golden retriever some day soon. Looking forward to your book!

  33. Congratulations on the release! Can’t wait for the opportunity to read it. LOVE the cover from the adorable pooch right down to the skull made by the runaway yarn. 🙂

    When I see a dog that has been primped up with nail polish, I automatically think of Chaffee, my dog when I was a kid.

    My Dad was a military man who served in the Army for 29 years. To make a long story short, he was able to get orders change for a man in his company to the homeland of his wife. Either way, they knew that they weren’t going to be able to take their beloved dog with them so they asked Dad if he would take it. When they showed up, the lady was crying at the prospect of having to leave her baby who had definitely been pampered including having his toenails painted red. This was back in the days when it was very rare to see such a thing. The only thing that a dog went to the vet/groomers was for a flea dip which sure didn’t have the great smell that our pets come home with nowadays.

    I was six and Chaffee (named after the post we were stationed at – Fort Chaffee) became my baby. He loved attention and being dressed up to be rolled around in my doll buggy. He was my constant companion for many years. I remember well how I cried the day we lost him. As a teenager, I could still remember the lady crying when she turned him over to us that day. As tears ran down my face, I knew then how she felt.

    Thanks you for the wonderful chance to win a copy of you book!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  34. Welcome to the blog and very interested in your first book! As a crocheter your plot it intriguing and am looking forward to reading whether winning or purchasing.

  35. I love books with a crafting theme. Oh, who am I kidding…I love books about everything! My pet that reminds me of childhood memories is my chocolate poodle, TuTu. When I see pictures of her these days it makes me remember her trailing everywhere after me and my cousins. We would climb trees and it would drive her crazy…she would stand against the tree barking at us to come down and do something she could be in the midst of!

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