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Meet Jamie Adams

Jackie Layton

Welcome, Jamie!

I’m so happy to be on Jackie’s blog today. We ‘met’ in a writing critique group many years ago. Her writing is so vivid that I can still pictures scenes she wrote over ten years ago.

I’m the last person who should be giving decluttering advice but as an expert clutterer I do have some insight to share because dealing with clutter is a real issue for many of us. At our house it started with the catch-all- counter closest to the front door. Everything we didn’t know what to do with ended up there. Organize it and days later it’s back to a hodge podge of this and that. After time we began to tolerate it and that’s when the clutter bug got out of hand.

But take it from me, management is key. After almost thirty years of marriage, we had to resort to a large storage shed to store and organize the overflow clutter. There is one thing that helps me when the clutter around me is overwhelming and that is writing cozy mysteries. Book two of the Ghost Town Mysteries series, Homicide at High Noon came out last month and the third book, Showdown at the Saloon, will be here in early 2024.  I’ve had so much fun writing this modern-day story set in an old west ghost town.

Book two of The Ghost Town Mysteries, Homicide at High Noon, is now available in digital and print: https://www.gemmahallidaypublishing.com/jamie-adams

Elevator pitch: Money is missing from the gold mine and Lily is a suspect! The company auditor is determined to prove her guilty but turns up dead making Lily a murder suspect too. Will Lily find the missing money and the killer before they set their sights on her…

You can learn more about Jamie and her books at:

You can learn more about Jamie and her books at:

https://www.facebook.com/JamieLAdamsauthorpage

https://jamieladams.wordpress.com/ https://twitter.com/Roosgal

Thanks for visiting, Jamie! It’s been fun!

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How Embarrassing

Jackie Layton

I walked into my office this morning and cringed. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks promoting Clutter Free and brainstorming a new book. It didn’t occur to me that my desk had gotten out of control.

This would require fortification, so I made my second cup of coffee then got to work. I filed marketing notes, moved paperwork not related to the new book, and threw away unnecessary items.

I kept a few notes on the new book, and I decided shifting my laptop to the left might make it easier to take handwritten notes on my right. I also have two new history books to keep nearby. So for now, I have my computer, sticky notes, pens, and reference books close by. This may only last a day, but for this rainy morning, I feel organized and ready to write.

How about you? Can you write at a messy desk?

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A few more organizing tips

Jackie Layton

Dana Mentink suggests we “use those little tags on the bread bags to label your electric cords that way you never I accidentally unplug the wrong one! “

Thanks, Dana.

Rose Kerr, author of Death on the Set, also shared a tip.

I use timers to help me get organizing tasks done. You can get a lot done when you focus your attention for fifteen minutes! 

Start small, think of a drawer, not a closet and work your way through the kitchen or pantry. This works for almost any project. 

Thanks, Rose!

I’m going to try these tips, and I’d love to hear about your organizing tips. They may even end up in a future book in An Organized Crime Cozy Mystery series.

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Clutter Free Blog Tour

Jackie Layton

It’s time for another blog tour.

I hope you’re able to join the fun, and there will be a giveaway. I’ll share social media links or look for Just Read Tours, starting September 11. https://justreadtours.com/

This is your opportunity to learn about Kate Sloan, Clutter Free, and maybe collect an organizing tip.

Curious about the giveaway? I’m giving away TWO books, a polka dot shopping bag, and $10.00 in Starbucks gift cards.

And this seems like a good opportunity for an announcement. Clutter Free is now available in paperback and ebook at your favorite sites.

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/clutter-free-2

Kobo Canada:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/clutter-free-2

B&N paperback: https://bit.ly/44TLxdC

Nook: https://bit.ly/3Za85p0

Kindle: https://amzn.to/47Uxxme

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PuLRuL

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/clutter-free-an-organized-crime-cozy-mystery-by-jackie-layton

I hope to see you on the tour.

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Organizing Tips for Authors

Jackie Layton

Heather Weidner has been kind enough to share writing tips with us this week. Thanks, Heather!

As a writer, I have way more ideas for stories and characters than I can use
at any one time. I used to jot them down on paper or sticky notes. I’d clip
articles out of newspapers and magazines, so I had folders of ideas. But it
became unruly quickly. Here’s how I keep it all organized and usable.

Electronic Links and
Pictures: If it’s a picture, web page, or blog post, I have
Pinterest boards to organize ideas. For example, I was researching vintage
trailers and tiny houses for a WIP, so I built a Pinterest board to keep my information
in one place.

Single Spreadsheet: I finally created a single spreadsheet for all of the hundreds of sticky notes that were cluttering up my life. I created a column to tag each idea (e.g.
character name, dialogue sample, story idea, etc.). That allows me to sort by
the category when I’m looking for something specific. I also add notes if I’ve
used the idea. I may still jot things on sticky notes or paper, but they now
get transferred to the spreadsheet.

Web Favorites: If you mark favorites in your browser for websites, you may want to export it from time to time to ensure that you have a backup in case of a crash or device
failure. (In Internet Explorer, locate your “Add to Favorites” button. Click
the down arrow and select Import and Export. Follow the
screens to export your favorites to a file.)

Character and Place Name
Table: I also build a Word table for each series I write. Each
book gets a column. I put basic information about each character and location.
I track which books these appear in. When I’m done, I sort my list
alphabetically, so I can make sure that I’m not reusing names or naming
characters with similar names. This helps me keep the character details
consistent in each book.

Heather is a fabulous author and an even better friend! Here are some links to get to know her better. She’s the author of Heather is a fabulous author and an even better friend! Here are some links to get to know her better. She’s the author of the Jules Keene Glamping
series, Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries and the Delanie Fitzgerald
Mysteries.

https://www.heatherweidner.com/https://bookshop.org/shop/heatherweidner

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Clutter Free ebook available on Kindle

Jackie Layton

Today, Clutter Free is available on Kindle. Here’s the link https://amzn.to/47Uxxme .

If you’d like to see the book trailer, here’s that link https://youtu.be/MhECGnUx4Rg

What’s Clutter Free about?

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.

Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.

I got to live in Athens, Georgia for ten years, and I’m excited to have a series set in Georgia. Fox Island is a fictional town near Savannah. When my husband and I dated, we sometimes would get up before the sun rose and drive to Tybee Island for the day. So, this is a very special area to us.

Last year, Tim and I went to Tybee Island for a few days to research the area. It’s a coastal beach town, but it’s very different than where I live. Fox Island is not Tybee, but there are some similarities.

If you look closely, you’ll see Paula Deen. She couldn’t have been nicer to us.

Thanks for your time. I’ll let you know when Clutter Free is available on other formats.

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Clutter Free

Jackie Layton

In preparation for the release of Clutter Free, a few friends and I will share some organizing tips.

Sue Minix shared that her coffee table needs to be organized. She said, “Pretty sure it (to organize coffee table) is on the to-do list, which is, you guessed it, on the coffee table!”

Sue has a new book coming out in September, A Chapter On Murder. Find out more on her website. https://www.sueminixauthor.com/

Grace Topping shared, “Save boxes from greeting cards, candy, etc. and use them to create drawer dividers. They keep similar things separated and organized. They are particularly useful in bathroom, powder room, and kitchen drawers.

I also do this when I take cruises. Pack small items in the boxes, and then use the open boxes to create dividers in the drawers in the ship’s cabin. It keeps things from sliding around when the ship starts bouncing around.”

Grace is the author of many cozy mysteries, including Upstaged by Murder. Learn more about Grace. https://www.gracetopping.com/

Keys used to always get misplaced at my house. I bought a wooden boat at a local boat show, and it turned out solving the problem. We now keep all keys, small flashlights, and bug spray in our wooden boat.

Stay tuned for writing tips for authors.

If you’re curious about Clutter Free, here’s the back cover blurb.

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Kate Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Kate’s police chief brother of having an affair, Kate’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Kate visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Kate and her business partner.

Kate has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Kate’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.

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Cover Reveal

Jackie Layton

I’m so excited to share the cover of Clutter Free. August 29 is the official release date, and it’s up for preorder on Amazon. https://amzn.to/45vXrLj

Returning to Fox Island where she grew up, Emma Sloan begins her career as a professional organizer. When a woman accuses Emma’s police chief brother of having an affair, Emma’s priority shifts from organizing to proving her brother’s innocence. Emma visits the woman, hoping for a confession. The woman won’t admit she lied, and to make the situation worse, the accuser is found dead the next day by Emma and her business partner.

Emma has an eye for seeing what’s out of place, and she knows how to fix problems. Can she utilize her organizational skills to toss red herrings and focus on legitimate clues? Emma’s business is at risk as well as her brother’s career. The clock is ticking, and this could be the deadliest deadline of Emma’s life. She must discover the truth behind the victim’s vicious lies, but most of all, she needs to solve the murder before she becomes the next victim.

I’ll keep you updated and share more about Clutter Free in the days ahead. In the meantime, take care and stay hydrated!

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Great Escape Book Tour

Jackie Layton

Today is the first day of the Great Escape Book Tour. I so much appreciate all the wonderful people who have made this possible.

Here’s where you can find me the next few days. Please join the fun!

August 9 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER GUEST POST

August 9 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT http://www.brookeblogs.com/

August 10 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT https://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/

August 10 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW  https://www.dianneascroft.com/blog/

August 11 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT https://baronessbooktrove.com/

August 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST  https://christyscozycorners.com/

August 12 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW 

August 12 – Jane Reads -CHARACTER GUEST POST  https://janereads2.blogspot.com/

August 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW  https://www.storeybookreviews.com/

August 13 – ebook addicts – AUTHOR GUEST POST  https://ebookaddicts.net/

August 14 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW  https://www.literaryau.com/

August 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/

August 14 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW  http://myreadingjourneys.blogspot.com/

August 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT http://fuonlyknew.com/

August 15 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR INTERVIEW 

https://debbiedelouise.com/

August 15 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST  http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/

August 16 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/

August 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT https://www.instagram.com/maureentimerman/

August 17 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – CHARACTER GUEST POST  https://mysterythrillerssuspense.com/

August 17 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT  http://ow.ly/w3SA50vlKHY

August 18 – Novels Alive – REVIEW http://novelsalive.com/

August 18 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW  https://readingismysuperpower.org/

Again, I hope to see you on the tour. Thanks!

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Texas Flowers

Jackie Layton

I want to share some of the flowers I spotted in July in Waco.

These were taken at Magnolia. There were a lot of pretty flowers. It was hot, but it’s July in Texas, so it wasn’t surprising. Still, I admire all the people working on the flowers.

Homestead Heritage is the home to these wildflowers. One of my granddaughters braved the heat to explore with me. Then we headed into the coffee shop for icy cold drinks.

Emma Justice in Weeding Out Lies is a flower farmer who sells her flowers at the local farmers market. She grows some of the same flowers as I saw in Waco.

Here are some way to order Weeding Out Lies.

B&N https://bit.ly/3Of5GnR

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OkkUbg

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3QmgC62

Google: https://bit.ly/47g0atS

Apple: https://apple.co/45e0BTX

Thanks for sharing your time with me. I’d love to hear what your favorite flowers are. Or do you enjoy going to botanical gardens? Where do you get your flower fix?