Cheryl Hollon has been a friend of the Wickeds since the publication of Pane and Suffering, the first book in her Webb’s Glass Shop Mystery series. Now she’s here with book six, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
Take it away, Cheryl!
I’m pleased to launch Down in Flames, the sixth book in the Webb’s Glass Shop. As I have done in all the books, it features a glass art that protagonist Savannah Webb will teach while, of course, she is involved in an investigation.
For this book, the craft is bead making and I signed up for a private professional workshop guided by Josh Poll, the owner of Zen Studio and Gallery (https://zenglass.com/). His shop is a mere five-minute drive away and I was looking forward to my personalized instruction.
After running through a safety lecture and learning how to use the specialized tools, I fired up the torch for my first lesson. Well, the torch is big, loud, scary and screams heat right in front of your face.
I’ve never been so uncomfortable in a hot shop, not even when blowing glass using a nine-foot blowpipe. It seems that scale is the problem for me – the flame was too close and even though I took three three-hour sessions, I never got over the fear of the torch.
I was so disappointed! I had huge plans to make custom beads for my friends and family. All came to nothing as it was clear I could never practice long enough to overcome my dislike of the torch.
As much as I wanted to leave, I stuck it out so I could describe the process well enough to add believability to the manuscript. Talk about sacrificing for your art – I certainly suffered. Josh was magnificent and understood what I was trying to gain from the experience.
Readers: Have you ever looked forward to an activity and discovered that it wasn’t for you?
Down in Flames released on June 25, 2019 and is available for you to order at Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and in your favorite bookstores. It is published by Kensington Books. If your budget is tight, please ask your library to order it.
About Down in Flames: A fatal hit-and-run in front of Savannah Webb’s glass shop proves to be no accident. . .
A highlight of Savannah’s new glass bead workshop is a technique called flame-working, which requires the careful wielding of acetylene torches. Understandably, safety is a top priority. But as Savannah is ensuring her students’ safety inside, a hit-and-run driver strikes down a pedestrian outside her shop.
The victim is Nicole Borawski, the bartender/manager at the Queen’s Head Pub, owned by Savannah’s boyfriend Edward. It quickly becomes clear that this was no random act of vehicular manslaughter. Now the glass shop owner is all fired up to get a bead on the driver–before someone else meets a dead end . . .
About the author: Cheryl Hollon is the author of the Webb’s Glass Shop Mysteries. She writes full-time after an engineering career designing and installing military flight simulators in England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Living the dream, she combines a love of writing with a passion for creating glass art with her husband in St. Petersburg, Florida. Cheryl is Past President of the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime, a member of Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers.
Visit Cheryl and her books at her Website, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter
Oh, I can’t wait to catch up with Savannah. Congratulations on the new release.
Tap was my downfall. I was so excited to take an adult class only to discover I hated it all, from the way the shoes felt to the noise they made. And the noise is the point of tap! Beginners like myself do not make a classy click click, they make a decidedly rude clunk clunk. I stuck it out for the season–it was great exercise–but moved to ballet and jazz after that.
That’s so funny. I’m not a fan of noise either.
Yay, Cheryl! Taking one for the book. ;^) Congratulations on #6 – we’re at the same milestone. I can’t wait to read Savannah’s next adventure.
Hi Edith, we’re launch sisters this month. Love appearing here on the blog. Thanks!
For me it was swimming. Just could not do it after teacher threw me in to the deep end of the pool on my second lesson. Never again. But I do love this book series.
So happy you love the series. I learned to swim in Lake Cumberland while on a camping trip. Wonderful memory.
A giant thank you to the fabulous Wickeds for hosting me on their blog. Your generosity is much appreciated.
Congratulations, Cheryl! And yay to you, sticking it out in the name of research.
It was so unexpected! I adore all things glass, but this one — not for me.
Congratulations, Cheryl! You are much braver than I would have been. I wanted to be a speech pathologist from the time I was in ninth grade. My first semester of college I took several SP classes and hated them. It just wasn’t for me.
I wouldn’t call it bravery — I’m simply obstinate when it comes to getting value for my money.
Congratulations to Cheryl on her launch. And thanks to Wickedauthors for such a comprehensive write up.
Just a word to the authors. My Magic Swag Bag is empty and I’m imploring you to please help refill it with lots of bookmarks… Pretty Please?
Nora-A
Nora-Adrienne Deret PO Box 350498 Brooklyn, NY 11235
Congrats on the new release. Authors are brave folks. Looks like I won’t be making any beads any time soon.
I’m going to purchase mine from the local crafters. I can at least support them.
I have always loved diving. I took a class as a ore-teen and it was a disaster. My fear of heights was too great for me to be able to do more than a simple dive.
It’s terribly disappointing, but there are other interests out there. *opens next book*
For me, it would be crochet. Tried it and ended up giving all my supplies to someone else. People talk about how relaxing it is and I’ve seen people talk, watch TV and do other things while doing it. To me it was WORK and took my full concentration and definitely not relaxing. Made the one afghan for my Mom and said that’s it.
Can’t wait for the opportunity to read ” Down in Flames”.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Awwwww. Thanks so much.
Because I loved Spanish, I thought that I wanted to be a Spanish teacher. Student teaching literally made my stomach upset, and I hate homework so that didn’t work out. I went to the bank to sign papers about my student loan and applied for a job there. Was a clerical there for over 25 years and 16 for the State. No homework! Yea!
Kay, my mother couldn’t knit. She got so tense that she made the stitches so tight she could hardly do them. It wasn’t relaxing for her. She did a lot of needlework, though.
My mother loves needlework of all types. Talented and loves it. I would rather paint.
Congratulations book sister! Can’t wait to read this new adventure. #6 WOW.