Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery) by Mary Marks. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!
Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery)
by Mary Marks
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Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Publisher: Kensington (July 27, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
The ninth installment in the hit Quilting Mystery series by Mary Marks finds sleuth Martha searching for her fiancé’s ex-wife.
One loose thread threatens to unravel Martha’s wedding plans: the groom-to-be married a pregnant teen to save her from scandal thirty years ago—and the marriage was never annulled. Now Crusher’s wife Hadas is coming to LA, along with his sister Fanya. But soon after she arrives, their houseguest goes missing, with her room ransacked and a chloroform-soaked cloth left behind. Could her apparent abduction be connected to her brother’s unsolved death from a hit-and-run six months ago? Martha and her quilting cohorts must find the pattern to solve the twin mysteries and determine if Crusher is still married—or now a widower . . .
Interview with Knot Ready for Murder Author Mary Marks
Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m first and foremost a quilter. Writing came late in life. My first book, Forget Me Knot, was published when I was 70 years old.
How long have you been writing?
Well, I’ve always journaled a bit, but never attempted to write fiction until now. I began taking writing classes through the UCLA Extension writers’ program when I was in my 60s. I intended to write about all the quilts I’d made, and work that into some sort of memoir. A random class in mystery writing changed all that when I learned how much fun it was to create fiction.
Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?
I’ve never thought of myself as a “real” author, since I didn’t start writing books until lately. I always thought of myself as a quilter. I used to listen to audio books while sewing and fell in love with the cozy mystery authors such as MC Beaton and Janet Evanovich. I enjoyed the down-home stories of Fannie Flagg and thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to paint word pictures, make people laugh, and solve mysteries all in the same book.” I never imagined myself actually doing that, but here I am
Do you have a favorite place to write?
I use a desktop computer on an antique desk that belonged to my late Aunt Flora Marks. She was a big influence in my life, a role model of a successful, independent woman. The desk sits in our sunroom facing lots of windows opening to green space beyond. Framed cover art for all nine of my books hang on the wall next to my desk. Whenever I come to a standstill while writing a story, they serve to remind me that I can finish what I started.
What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?
A weekly desk calendar, smartphone, paperbacks, spare glasses with a beaded lanyard, notepad, pens, mousepad with mouse and a coaster for those cups of hot coffee.
What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?
The Wizard of Oz is the first I can remember. I loved the whole series, because they took me out of the sometimes-grim reality of my childhood and taught me how to imagine.
Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?
As I mentioned before, I listened to audiobooks while my hands were busy quilting. I also like eBooks because an eReader is so portable and can store a whole library to choose from. However, I find great comfort in handling a printed book. Like the fabrics I work with, paper gives my fingers something tactile to caress.
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
Israel. Hands down.
What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?
Gosh! What a question. The list is long.
Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?
I belonged to a writing workshop for ten years where I took my pages to be critiqued once a week by a gifted writing coach, Jerrilyn Farmer, and the other writers in the group. I also have friends who served as beta readers and gave me valuable feedback. I simply couldn’t have written a decent book without all of them.
Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?
At the moment I’m working on quilting some of the 40 quilt tops I pieced during the year of quarantine 2020. This latest book, Knot Ready for Murder, is, alas, the final story in the Quilting Mystery series. My husband and I are 78 years old now, and our focus is on different things. Writing the series has been an unparalleled experience, a real joy. I feel so grateful to have had an opportunity to create books that people enjoy.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions! I really enjoyed reading your answers. Your writing spot sounds lovely!
About Mary Marks
Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011. She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com.
Author Links
Kensington: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496720511/knot-of-this-world/
Website: https://marymarksmysteries.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmarks2013
Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
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Knot Ready for Murder TOUR PARTICIPANTS
August 24
Novels Alive – GUEST POST
I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
August 25
Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 26
Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 27
FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
August 28
Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
August 29
I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 30
Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
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what a fun cover. ohh the back cover sounds interesting. Israel would be such a cool place to live for a while.
This sounds like it would be a fun read, and I love the cover.
I’ve read the first 7 of A Quilting Mystery series, and loved them all. I especially enjoyed the insights and descriptions of Jewish customs & traditions; and I learned some things.
I have the 8th book on hold at my library. I am sorry the series will end with the 9th book, but I do expect Martha to get her happy ending (and it’s well deserved).