Welcome Daryl Wood Gerber: Writing a Mystery with Magical Elements is a Challenge – and a #giveaway

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By Liz, happy to welcome our friend Daryl Wood Gerber back to the blog! She’s talking about magical mysteries today to celebrate her newest Fairy Garden Mystery, A Twinkle of Trouble, and I love this conversation. Take it away, Daryl!

Choosing to write a mystery with magical elements is a challenge, but a delightful one. Facing the reader’s suspension of disbelief is always daunting. Plus, let’s face it, an amateur sleuth is a pretty hard sell. I mean, come on, how many of you have tried to solve a crime and actually gone out to investigate? Not many, I’m assuming, so trying to get readers to believe an amateur sleuth is curious as well as courageous is not easy. You have to create a story (a series) that draws the reader to the characters, the location, and more.  Now, when you add in a magical being, be it a fairy, a witch, or a ghost, wariness in the reader magnifies. Right?

So what will it take to convince a reader to go on this journey? Why should I even attempt to write it?

Here are my top three reasons why I chose to write the Fairy Garden Mysteries:

  1. I love the characters.  When Fiona, the righteous fairy, came to mind, I was enthralled by her. For such a small young being, she was savvy and curious and brave. When she and Courtney, the owner of Open Your imagination, a fairy garden shop, team up, they’re fearless. Well, almost. Exploring this relationship and encouraging each character to grow has been a rich, rewarding experience. It has also been a delight to create my fairy’s background, her limitations, and her eagerness to learn new things. It’s a whole new world for me to explore. 

2. Choosing the right town to set my story in wasn’t too difficult. I have always loved visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming coastal town in California. It’s magical and bursting with creative energy. After the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, Carmel became a haven for artists and authors.  They wanted a town that would support the arts. The sidewalks are cobblestone. There are gingerbread-style houses and shops. The beach is within walking distance. And the courtyards and secret passageways, for which Carmel is known, are captivating. Creating the courtyard where Open Your Imagination sells its wares and the shop itself, with its patio fit with twinkling lights and burbling fountain, was vital to me in order to craft this magical environment. 

3. To begin my journey, I really dug into the art of fairy gardening because I wanted Courtney to be a maven for those who wanted to make their own. What is fairy gardening? Think of it as doll-housing for gardens. In each of mine, I create conversations—one or two fairies interacting or communicating with other magical creatures. FYI, you don’t need a green thumb to make a fairy garden. You can make them using fake plants or you can construct them at the base of a tree or you can install one in a tea cup. Your imagination is what matters. It was this imagination that spurred me on whenever I was writing my story. Which garden technique would Courtney highlight? Which character would open his or heart to the magic and see a fairy? 

It has been pure fun writing this series. My inner child has been set free.  

Question, dear reader. What do you like to do that opens your heart or mind to wonder? Do you like to read about magical creatures? Fairies? Witches? Ghosts and goblins? Shape shifters? If so, which his your favorite? One commenter will receive a choice of the first 4 Fairy Garden Mysteries, paper or e-book plus some swag.

About Daryl:

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, andthe popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays.  Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website or find her on social: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or Goodreads, BookBub and Amazon!

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Published by Cate Conte / Liz Mugavero

Cate Conte writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. She lives in the Boston area with her rescue pals.

72 Thoughts

  1. Welcome back to the blog, Daryl and congratulations on the new book! I have loved the ghosts in series by Molly MacRae, Alexia Gordon, and Susan M. Boyer. They offer an unusual, sometimes morose but sometimes cheery, relationship with the sleuth that appeals to me.

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    1. Edith, I happen to like ghosts, too. Allison Brook has a unique library ghost in her series. ~ Daryl

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  2. I enjoy reading about fairies. Its fun to read something that take you away from reality for a bit.

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    1. Anxious, I agree. Magical and mysterious can take you away from the norm. Always a relief. ~ Daryl

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  3. I love to read about fairies, ghosties, any creature that makes my mind wander and wonder! And I can’t help but imagine those little fairies are out in my woods, peeking out from under leaves and flowers. I’ve shared the love of fairies with my granddaughters, too!

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    1. Kathylynn, I think there are fairies in the gardens, as well. I know they flutter around the gardens I’ve made. My dog Sparky has seen them, I’m sure. ~ Daryl

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    2. Kathy Lynn, I think fairies inhabit my garden as well. I’m sure Sparky has seen them. ~ Daryl

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  4. Congratulations on next week’s release of “A Twinkle of Trouble”! On my TBR list and excited at the prospect of reading and reviewing it.

    Photography opens my heart and mind to wonder. We love photographing critters in their natural environment. What is more grand and awe inspiring than nature? It requires learning about the critter – it’s habits, movement and the species itself – in order to capture that photo your eye sees. Then there is mastering the camera and all of it’s settings because manual gives you so many more possibilities over shooting in automatic. Striving for the perfect shot never ends – lighting, position, composition to name a few aspects needed all of which are always changing and moving. As soon as you achieve one goal another pops up to work towards. There a little bit of magic in each outing – seeing a new critter, the lighting perfect or just being in the right place at the right time. The joy and excitement never fade. I’m always up for the next adventure and seeing where it will take me and what my camera will have on it as returning home. To get home and pulling up the captures on the big computer screen is always another magical time. Did I really get what my eye saw? Were the sitting I selected the right ones? A million questions answered with one glance – adrenaline pumping when it all fell into place and knowledge that if it didn’t that there’s always “next time”.

    I do very much enjoy reading stories that contain magical creatures. For me, fairies are my absolute favorite one with witches coming in second. For me, it’s all about how an author handles it and how it enriches a story.

    Thank you so much for the fabulous chance to win a paperback copy of one of the first 4 Fairy Garden Mysteries and swag!
    2clown at arkansas dot net

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    1. Kay, what a lovely response. So thoughtful. Did you know that Courtney Kelly, the protagonist in the story, is a photographer? She loves macro photography. My sister happens to be the real photographer in the family, but I enjoy the challenge. ~ Daryl

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  5. I love reading cozies with a magical twist! One of my favorite series is Bailey Cates’s Magical Bakery.

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  6. DARYL: Welcome back to the Wickeds!
    I enjoy reading your books about Courtney, Fiona and the creation of fairy gardens. The Carmel-by-the-Sea like setting is also gorgeous.

    I also like friendly paranormal ghosts or beings in my stories. I LOVED Leigh Perry’s Sid the Skeleton series & also read EJ Copperman’s books.

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    1. Congratulations on the new release, Daryl! I enjoy fantasy tales. On of my favorites is the Tufa Series featuring faeries in Cloud County, Tennessee by Alex Bledsoe. Cheers!

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    2. Grace, hi! I love the setting, too. As for those two series, I haven’t read Leigh’s, but I loved EJ’s “Topper-like” ghosts. So fun. ~ Daryl

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    3. For some weird reason, my reply dropped down 2 slots to you. LOLOL Weird the internet even works. ~ Daryl

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    4. Grace, twice I’ve replied to your post, but my reply drops down in the midst of all the other posts for some reason. Is there an impish fairy toying with my response? One will never know. ~ Daryl

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  7. The Tuck Box is heaven on Earth!!!!
    Have you read Susan Branch (wonderful free email newsletter)?
    I went to a webinar with her put on by the Enchanted Book Club.
    Delicious!

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    1. Betsy, I love the Tuck Box. How fun that you know it. I have not read Susan Branch but I’ll check it out. Thanks! ~ Daryl

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  8. Congratulations on another book! I like fairies because my friend collects them (well, figurines of them) and they are so pretty. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  9. Art is what opens my heart and mind. It doesn’t matter if it’s a painting, sculpture, or photograph just seeing these works that helps you see the work differently.
    I love reading about magical creatures. My favorite is dragons.

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    1. Christine, I have to agree. Art definitely should open anyone’s mind. It is so expressive, so unique to the individual and that person’s perspective. Love it. ~ Daryl

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  10. Ghosts and fairies have always held a fascination for me. When I am out walking the beauty which surrounds me daily is amazing and special.

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    1. Anne, a good walk and enjoying the beauty is wonderful. One of my favorite pastimes. ~ Daryl

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  11. Welcome back Daryl! Thank God we live in inagiNATION, as Santa Claus tells the little girl in Miracle on 34th. Street! I am 75, but a child inside! I love to imagine wonderful things and events all the time, and have therefore been most positive all my life. I love reading books, which are fantasy, so why not add fairies to the fun? I have enjoyed reading so many cozies with imaginary creatures and settings, like Liz Ireland’s Mrs. Claus Mysteries. I would love to read your cozies, because I used to read fairy tales to my granddaughters as the grew up, so I know how opowerful and fierce fairies can be, but also how helpful, kind and amazing! Follow yiour dreams is a great motivator, so please continue to dream and imagine fun plots for your fairies. Thank you for sharing hours of enjoyment with us readers. Luis at ole dot travel

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    1. Luis, what a lovely post. Yes, we can dream. We can imagine. And the Mrs. Claus mysteries sound adorable. I’ll check those out. Fairies are the makings of fairy tales, and I’ve always appreciated the kind fairies. The ones that help and inspire. ~ Daryl

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  12. Fairies have been a favorite for me. They give me hope and happiness. When I can create a unique gift item it is gratifying.

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    1. Sharon, that’s a lovely “gift” in and of itself, if you are a crafter. My crafting skills are limited, though I am good at making fairy gardens. ~ Daryl

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    1. C Perry, were you clapping when you wrote this? Tee-hee. In Peter Pan, we had to clap if we believed. So I clap often. And yes, I jingle bells, too, to summon angels. (It’s a Wonderful Life) ~ Daryl

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  14. You know I would say I don’t believe in magic but… when something happens that can’t be a coincidence. When I find myself in a place that I’ve never been and I can do something for someone else in need. When I have a dream that something may happen and months later when it starts to happen, but the warning dream saves a child, I cannot explain it. Do we have spirit guides? Do you all have them too if you listen carefully. Are they fairies?

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    1. Anonymous, I got a chill reading this. I dream vividly, and yes, when something happens months later, is it coincidence or are we seeing the future or, as you suggest . . . do we have spiritual guides? I’d like to believe in having angels and good guides to partner with us, for sure. ~ Daryl

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  15. I have always enjoyed reading especially as a young child. When my parents got a divorce that was my source to escaped what was going on which I did not have control of. So I basically read alot and have always enjoyed mysteries, The Hobbit was one and is still one of my favorite books. I have read your stories and enjoy the main characters and her “helpers”. I have been to Carmel. I use to live in California and we use to go to Santa Cruz Mountains and take long walks as well as Muir Woods. I hope this series you have started when go on for a while. I also love the little home Fiona lives in.

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    1. Sherry, thank you so much. I love what the artist has captured in the spirit of the fairies on the cover. She is so talented. ~ Daryl

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    1. Debora, how fun to find a way to read cross genre. As a girl, I read a lot of fantasy. Perhaps that’s what spurred me to write this series. ~ Daryl

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  18. I love fantasy and paranormal romance so when cozies have fantasy and/or paranormal elements it is all the more attractive to me. I love fairies and all the mythical creatures. I have read the first three books in your series and loved them. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Cheri, I’m so happy to hear you have read the books and enjoyed them. I’ve had such a ball writing them and creating this world. ~ Daryl

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  19. I love cozy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, whether it’s fairies or magic, as long as it enhances the characters and plots rather than dominate them. These books are so fun— the descriptions of fairy gardens (one of my hobbies!) and the diverse and charming community in Carmel are absolutely my favorite aspects. For me, the paranormal details combine mysteries with my other favorite genre, fantasy. Daryl Getber dies a truly charming job of combining these elements. I gave the new book on preorder and can’t wait for it!

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  20. We have a friendly, harmless ghost that lives in our house that visits us often. She (we think the ghost is a young girl) used to play with our cat that has passed, and plays with our current cat. I love reading and keeping my mind open to new and different experiences. Thank you for this chance!

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    1. Robyn, what a lovely story. Cats are really tuned in, aren’t they? That’s why I created such a fun connection between Fiona and Pixie, the rag doll cat in the series. Such fun to know they can communicate. ~ Daryl

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  21. To me, the (reasonable) interjection of paranormal – be it fairies, or ghosts, or whatever – makes it easier for me to suspend belief. Because if a ghost can haunt a library, the librarian can solve a murder, right?

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    1. Liz, that made me laugh. Yes, you’re right. We need to be able to suspend disbelief re: amateur sleuths. After all, not many of us would be as intrepid as they are. But a little magic helps. ~ Daryl

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  22. I don’t have a lot of experience reading cozy mysteries involving the paranormal. I enjoy reading about a village that resembles Disneyland or something similar.

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    1. Well, Pat, you should give my books a try. Disneyland and fairies go hand in hand, don’t they? 🙂 ~ Daryl

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  24. I definitely love reading about magical creatures. I also enjoy walks in the woods. That also opens me up to the wonder in nature. A local park near me does an Art in the Wild exhibit where the artists use nature to make art. One year an artist made a whole fairy village. anitalklaboe@aol.com

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  25. I love cozies with some fantasy thrown in. All the mystical and magical creatures are fun to have around. I often wish they truly exist. I have had many unexplained spiritual experiences that sure seem magical. I don’t rule out anything. Too many illogical things happen to be just coincidence. Looking forward to discovering your books!

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    1. Ginny, I agree that there are lots of things in this world that just seem magical and can’t be explained. Embrace those moments is my motto. ~ Daryl

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  26. I love reading books with unusual characters like fairies, ghosts, spirits. It takes me to a different place and is a great escape. Looking forward to reading the newest book.

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    1. Dianne, isn’t that what reading is about? Traveling to different worlds with different casts of characters and getting immersed in that story? Love it! ~ Daryl

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  27. i’m open to all. It really more of a matter of how they fit in and how good the story is. putting an atypical being in a book is not going to make a poor story or writing good.

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  28. My grandfather gave me a book on witchcraft from the early 1900s that he purchased which he bought from a doctor’s estate from Matamoros, Mexico in the 1950s along with many medical books. I was interested in that way back then. When my cousins and I were in college in Texas, we decided that we were witches with good magic. We had outfits and wands. So, I have always loved this genre. Witches, faeries, Harry Potter, and so on are favorites. I would love to win this book. We have a resident ghost dog that has taught our last two dogs many things that we taught her and that we had not yet taught the newest dog. I do believe in this and that there are different portals for us to explore if given the chance. I do not like malevolent creatures, but ones that help us believe and do well. Thank you.

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    1. Madeleine, as a girl, whenever we went to Lake Tahoe, my sisters and I preteneed to be mermaids. How we loved the water and the “magical” aspect of our powers. ~ Daryl

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  29. My favorite ghost books are written by Margaret Dumas as she has an usherette that died in the movie theatre. My father managed movie theatres and I grew up in them, so I connect.

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    1. Madeleine, I’m not familiar with those books but will check them out. What a romantic character. As for growning up in movie theaters, lucky you. I love movies. ~ Daryl

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  31. Fairies, ghosts, witches, werewolves, I love them all. You are new to me, but your books sound marvelous and fun.

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  32. Daryl, congrats on the new release! I very much enjoy your Fairy Garden series and look forward to reading this new one. (And would love to win a copy of a previous title.) Your books were the first to introduce me to fairies, and I’ve also enjoyed those with ghosts, such as the library ghost mentioned above. When fairies and ghosts connect with cats, all the better!

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  33. I am especially fond of fairies and witches in my books. Congratulations on your new release – it sounds like a wonderful read. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

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  34. But you speak of imagining that magic exists as though it takes some effort to admit that it does, since it truly does. I look forward to reading your book.

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