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The Story is Spreading

Jackie Layton

Yes, my friends. Clover Covered Corpse is now available in paperback and other eBook platforms.

If you want to know more about the second book in A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery series, join me on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.

https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/upcoming-great-escapes-book-tours/clover-covered-corpse-a-texas-flower-farmer-cozy-mystery-by-jackie-layton

Today there are two tour stops with spotlights on Clover Covered Corpse.

 Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

 Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

And if you want the links to buy Clover Covered Corpse, here they are.

Amazon paperback: https://amzn.to/3Rz9tyT

Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/4c2ezfd

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3z1XvaG

Kobo Canada: https://bit.ly/3KK5FXJ

B&N paperback: https://bit.ly/4c2s3b0

B&N Nook: https://bit.ly/3RvkJML

Thank you for your time and support. I always appreciate you!

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German Immigrants in Texas

Jackie Layton

In the early 1900s, many German immigrants settled in the Hill Country of Texas. Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, Schulenburg, Boerne and more towns have a strong German heritage.

In A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery Series, one of the characters is from Germany and runs the town bakery, Sophie’s Bakery. You might also have noticed the fictional setting is Lutz, Texas. This small town has some connections to Germany.

At Sophie’s Bakery a customer can find healthy foods, but they can also buy German treats.

I’ve never baked a kuchen, but I have helped make Springerle cookies. We have antique molds there were brought to America from Germany many generations ago.

The molds are works of art themselves.

May 28 was the release of Clover Covered Corpse, and I’ll share more about it next week.

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Thankful Thursday

Jackie Layton

This week I’d like to introduce you to Tina deBellegarde.

I’ve attended meetings led by Tina, but in April I got to meet her in person. She was more delightful in person, and she is so smart!

Tina agreed to share a quote with us this week. Here’s Tina:

I love this quote from G.K. Chesterton:

When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” — G.K. Chesterton.

I very intentionally try to recognize how lucky I am, how life has been good to me. This can be difficult sometimes, especially when we receive bad news. But if we search hard enough under the surface we can usually find something to be grateful for.  I got a very hefty speeding ticket many years ago when my young son was in the car with me. I thanked the officer and drove along calmly. My son wondered how I was able to handle the situation so well. Why wasn’t I upset? It was precisely because he was in the car that I had stopped to re-evaluate the situation. No good would have come from banging the steering wheel and carrying on. All it would have done was teach my son angry behavior. Instead, I realized that the ticket may have stopped me from getting into an accident and possibly hurting my son. I was grateful for the ticket and I told him so. The more I tried to see the world this way for my son’s sake, the easier this kind of thinking became for me. Being grateful has become an easy daily exercise. 

I love this quote from G. K. Chesterton, and Tina has given me something to consider. Be grateful daily. Today, I’m grateful for knowing Tina, and I’m grateful for you all!

If you’d like to know more about Tina, here’s a place to get started. https://www.tinadebellegarde.com/

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Monday Funday

Jackie Layton

I think many people think of Monday as the least popular day of the week. So, let’s have some fun.

Have you heard the legend that Ethiopian shepherds were the first to discover coffee? The story goes the spotted goats dancing in the distance. The shepherds went to explore and discovered the goats had been eating coffee berries.

Today is National Apple Pie Day and National Hummus Day.

I enjoy hummus, but coffee and apple pie make a nice combination.

Texas is the setting for upcoming book, Clover Covered Corpse. Here are a couple of fun Texas facts.

In 1853, Captain Richard King bought some land near a creek and it became The King Ranch. It’s 825,000 acres and bigger than Rhode Island. It even has its own airport.

One thing Texas is known for is its size. Everything is bigger in Texas is probably true. It’s also known for horses, rodeos, barbecue, oil, the Alamo, sports, and so much more.

Tyler, Texas has a rose festival. This year the dates are October 17-20.  There’s a coronation for the Rose Queen, a ribbon cutting and rose presentation, the Queen’s Tea, and if that’s not enough, there’s the Rose Parade. It’s no wonder Tyler is the rose capital of the world.

I’d love for you to share a fun fact with us today. I hope you all have a blessed Monday!

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Purrfectly Framed

Jackie Layton

My friend Ruth J. Hartman has a new cozy mystery coming out this month. May 14, to be exact. You might have guessed, cats are involved in the story. I can’t imagine Ruth writing a story without a cat.

Here’s the blurb:

When mobile cat groomer, Molly Stewart, asks her friend Evan to photograph her new feline
clients, they both get more than they bargained for when the body of Evan’s old art teacher is
found bludgeoned to death in his photography studio darkroom. After one of Evan’s photos
catches suspicious activity in the background, Molly is ready to call the authorities with the
newest piece of information. However, an anonymous phone call which threatens not only her,
but Evan and their pets, convinces Molly to clam up and find the murderer herself. Will the
tenuous situation end up being picture perfect or a photo bomb?

Purrfectly Framed is up for preorder now. https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D2LW8CTW%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR25iP4cx_T3AQUPe-oDy7q7Vt06aVdghIqw68NhTdqKg7dYdK50hwMkrcw_aem_AYFtcfrxMpajDWbZYuxy1CrmA29LBU8L9yRWjkKlz9Z5Qm0UU4YbarCkS8QMjxGTYJ_yPeBLgdFmJyyQU9tN6VNF&h=AT3Hc3j7QIAkhWSdaolqw9jnJJGLdBJqFeToFdIeehUwcNynI0jsPVPiKvXTIPbYaWXMgL8IPSNjOGsNH60e3mIW42Kq4Q7xISGTB8QL5lVi5ed27hPU0trJSe1vn1MfMyB5WyOf_mCSBwvmaQ&__tn__=%2CmH-R&c[0]=AT3lzCzw9wToG9KUcY6oq9Ga0NwR9T7StAJTdeQw-vrdh9XSH_ti0_a6FwUwQj3CiyeJvUEtF2U7qkExJ0StGZSdfCuqsbXQZSsqPtk8XWH6cZsESz1Oaeg3TlHEpZ0g0G1mwVyObvJe_WcY37UvWIx9HNxws0fxswfU3rbwiXs-llGzsw0_RbAQx-RtwkQehIorH_Y6HvhU8zRjystsSwisQwQNe85lSYKU

In the meantime, for the month of May, the ebook version of Dial M for Meow is available for $2.49.

https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDial-Meow-Bookshop-Kitties-Mysteries-ebook%2Fdp%2FB0BKHF9T7K%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3a4256rm5O_uL7Ut2fbC7MD3LLst6p-9H4VQTYLbZa2vGrCb4Fd21PUxY_aem_AYHj6_VGKsjZMsDdj1XVpB4Re-v2zowHDnwNek9t0g_t9K0P3VPCDA8yYEW0ic3XsqbLFPTczrE9cHibTjg7fhyK&h=AT1lHV9qofExCCs3-Hy-iGT2ZW-14wxSsjGJ4rfwCwKCnfvi9a2YfpVVAmtSsKdmUwIq9Zq3PtIH88o7p_87650pRi3TNEaNWaPR9hrSLIGsPebwikL3_56s7viIzwMQ5vt03PYulpbR6lxRyw&__tn__=%2CmH-R&c[0]=AT2kEw51_DdoW57UOq1CLURUlAYlgruyZDljAORRzAsPtvbtA5eeCaJ6zfNOyDQMJwktA3xIF5euo49l8KpxzsNZIRg0_LTxWNtnq6cU3EE2RDnT-HmwlJd4wjzqoSLMBohYtDpRs8jzDwYd6ro18-o0MaV1Lq5M8kP85-HtNCcbSQw77L6TJmEzKFyjYYRSt7oJm4EU3tEP5kyZoMsCvw417aojhrLNxSSd

Congratulations, Ruth. It looks like an exciting month for you!

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Exploring South Carolina

Jackie Layton

I’m so excited about this podcast with Becki Lee and Literary Escapes. After you listen to the episode with me, featuring South Carolina, check out the other authors writing in different states. It’s the best bang for your buck if you want to visit all the states.

Here’s the link. https://literaryescapes.fun/ep-109-exploring-south-carolina-with-author-jackie-layton/

As always, thanks for your support and encouragement! Take care!

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Fun News

Jackie Layton

I’m participating in a fun book club in 2024 and wanted to make sure to invite you to join me. Join me and author Becki Lee and we Read Across the U.S. in 2024.

One of my favorite parts of reading is the escape it gives. I have been all around the world, several times, in my books. The Read Across the U.S. Book Club will take us to all 50 states in 2024. If you just did some math in your head you’ll understand that this is going to be fast & fun!

Every week Becki will introduce us to a new state and a new book. Over the year you’ll have the opportunity to meet 50 authors and “visit” all 50 states.

Come join me for this adventure and travel all across the U.S.

Link to join the adventure:

https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/227687/98338387438601586/share

And join me for Becki’s podcast. Check your favorite places for podcasts and look for Literary Escapes with Becki . Here’s one option https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/literary-escapes-with-becki/id1571134823

Join us for book fun and South Carolina fun. Have a blessed week!

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You’re My Cup of Tea

Jackie Layton

Emma Justice is a Texas flower farmer and the main character in Weeding Out Lies and the upcoming release, Clover Covered Corpse. Emma suffers from allergies and often drinks tea sweetened with local honey.

Do you enjoy tea? In the South, sweet iced tea is the thing.

So far, all of my books have been set in the South, and you’ll probably see characters drinking tea. I enjoy tea, but I also love coffee, so you’ll see the coffee drinkers too.

Emma prepares tea and often carries it in an insulated travel mug, but some people drink it out of a china cup and saucer.

Have you ever prepared an afternoon tea? Or do you stick with coffee? What about soft drinks? I’d love to hear about your favorite drinks.

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Book Two Is Coming

Jackie Layton

Clover Covered Corpse is the second book of A Texas Flower Farmer Cozy Mystery Series. It will be released on May 28, and today I want to share my beautiful cover with you.

Thanks to Shawn Simmons and Level Best Books for this amazing cover!

We’re returning to Lutz, Texas. Emma Justice is back at the local farmers market, selling flowers. All is good until a body is found in a field of clover.

In Clover Covered Corpse, you’ll find small town life, a murder, suspects, barbecue, friendships, love, and an amateur sleuth doing her best to solve her second murder.

Stay tuned for more!

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Friends, New and Old

Jackie Layton

If I was Dr. Seuss, I’d write a poem about this past weekend at the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival. I saw old friends, and I made new friends. I met a elementary school boy who has written four books! I know he’s going places. But, I’m nor Dr. Seuss, so I’ll share a few pictures.

I did not get enough pictures, but here are a few.

Heather Weidner, Rosalie Spielman, Eleanor Kuhns, and Amy M. Reade were some of the authors featured.

Victoria Gilbert, Kristin Kisska, and Renee from The Book Adventurer were a few I had my picture taken with. There were so many more wonderful people I had the pleasure to meet, and next time I hope to do better taking pictures.

On another note, a friend recently asked about my audio books. They are available on EverAnd. You can sign up for a 30 day trial membership. https://www.everand.com/

To listen to Bite the Dust, you can follow this link.

https://www.everand.com/audiobook/681331909

Here’s the link for Dog-Gone Dead

https://www.everand.com/audiobook/689655953

And one more link. This is for Bag of Bones on audio. https://www.everand.com/audiobook/689673950