A Stone Cold Murder (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery) by Kris Bock | Author Interview

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Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for A Stone Cold Murder (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery) by Kris Bock. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more!

A Stone Cold Murder (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)

by Kris Bock

A Stone Cold Murder (Reluctantly Psychic Murder Mystery)
Cozy Psychic Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New Mexico
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tule Publishing (April 28, 2025)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 218 pages

She hates her gift – but it just might save her…

Geologist Petra Cloch can touch an object and sense the emotions of the people who’ve held it. It’s a miserable way to live. She studied rocks because they rarely ‘talk’ to her and she’s dodged friendships so she won’t need to explain her gift or feel like a voyeur. But when she takes a job as the rock and mineral curator at an unusual western history museum and picks up a jagged crystal in her new office, flashes of rage, fear and death hit hard.

Everyone says her predecessor died in a car crash, but what if he was murdered? Under normal circumstances, Petra would never become involved, but what if the previous curator died because of something he did on the job? She could be next. Petra knows she’ll need evidence, not her psychic sense she hides. Can she trust her chatty colleagues who invite her to lunch and to join a book club? And what about the far too watchful Sheriff who keeps showing up unexpectedly…

Interview with Author Kris Bock

Thanks for taking the time to share a bit about yourself with my readers and me!

Tell us a little about yourself.

As Kris Bock, I write mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. I live in New Mexico with my husband and our ferrets. I love hiking and taking photos of the desert scenery and the changing clouds in the sky. My home office looks out on nature, so I sometimes spot wildlife such as roadrunners.

I also write a series with my brother, scriptwriter Douglas J Eboch, who wrote the original screenplay for the movie Sweet Home Alabama. The Teenage Adventures of Felony Melanie features the movie characters as teens in the 90s. It’s fun having another writer in the family and working together! Plus I have over 100 books for children published under the names Chris Eboch and M. M. Eboch.

How long have you been writing?

My first book came out in 1999, so longer than that. It doesn’t feel that long …

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre?

I first studied photography and figured out I didn’t want to do that professionally. I got into writing in college but focused on magazine work first. Then children’s books (I still do a lot of educational publishing work for hire), then romantic suspense, then romance, then mystery …

Plotting mysteries is fun. I write myself into corners and have to figure a way out. It’s challenging in a good way, and I still get to do the character development you also get in romance. I prefer writing cozy or cozyish because I don’t want to research or write about really gruesome stuff.

Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now?

Lately I’ve mainly been reading mysteries, historical romance, and fantasy, with an occasional sci-fi like the Murderbot series. I have genre preferences but it’s more about the story and author voice, so if someone who’s taste I trust recommends a book, I’ll try most things.

Do you have a favorite place to write?

I mainly write at my desk, but if I’m struggling to focus I might go for a walk and dictate. For brainstorming, I prefer the easy chair, some scrap paper, and pens.

What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)?

Usually a lot of paperwork, but it’s unusually clean at the moment. Also a calendar. I use an online calendar for everything but also like a paper one so I can mark off trips and note what will be the main projects for each week.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child?

I don’t remember the first, but I do have a very early memory of my father coming into my bedroom, wanting me to come with him because the neighbor’s house was on fire. I was annoyed that I had to put down my book. It was probably before I was actually reading, though.

I loved the Narnia series as a kid. Adventure and magic!

Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why?

I mainly read ebooks now, because I can change the font size to be easier on my eyes. I only do audiobooks if I’m traveling. I get too distracted otherwise.

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?

Interesting question. I guess I’ll choose England, because I’d prefer to live someplace where I know the language, and I do have an idea for a historical novel set in England, but it would require a lot of research. It would be much more fun to do the research there in person.

What or who has influenced you the most as a writer?

I went to grad school to study professional writing and publishing and had some great teachers. After that, I got involved with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a great group for education. I also made some of my best friends there, both locally and internationally.

Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups?

In addition to my children’s book writing friends, I’ve joined Sisters in Crime and the Cat Writers Association. I’m just getting to know people in those groups, but I generally find other writers interesting and fun to be around. I live in a small town where most of my friends are in the sciences, so it’s important for me to reach out to people in other places. I like getting together with other writers in person, but online communities help fill in the social gaps.

Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it?

In the Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, Petra Cloch has the psychic ability of psychometry – she can glimpse the history of an object by touching it. Powerful emotions leave behind the strongest vibrations. If Petra touches a watch or ring someone has worn for years, she can sense the wearer’s personality and what they care about most. If she touches an object used as a murder weapon, she might sense the emotions of the killer and the killed – but that doesn’t mean she can identify the killer. Three books are written and scheduled!

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions!

Thank you for the visit.

About Kris Bock

Kris Bock writes mystery, suspense, and romance, often with Southwestern landscapes. In the Accidental Detective humorous mystery series, a witty journalist solves mysteries in Arizona and tackles the challenges of turning fifty. This humorous series starts with Something Shady at Sunshine Haven, which made Barnes & Noble’s list of “Handpicked Favorites You’ll Love!” Kris’s romantic suspense novels include stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue. Readers have called these novels “Smart romance with an Indiana Jones feel.”

Learn more about Kris’s books or sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter and get an Accidental Detective short story and other freebies. Then every two weeks, you’ll get fun content about pets, announcements of new books, sales, and more.

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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/author/krisbock

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