Mystery takes a Holiday

For many, many years I have been a big fan of reading books in a series--especially mystery and suspense stories.  The main characters in those books become like old friends, and today's guest in My Writing Corner brings us the latest in a series of a familiar heroine that I've enjoyed getting to know well.  My guest today is author Susie Black.

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie was born in the Big Apple but now she currently calls sunny Southern California her home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie works as a successful apparel sales executive. She says she began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in a series of  humorous mysteries. 

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that she says probably sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she says she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and says she has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect. 

Susie, what is your book that you will feature today and how did you come up with the idea to write it?

 

The book I will feature today is Death by Jelly Beans, which is the fifth book in the award-winning Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series.

 

I came up with the idea to write the story after a holiday time visit to a department store that held an Easter extravaganza promotion replete with a jelly bean contest and an Easter Bunny sitting on a throne. I loved the idea of a holiday-themed mystery. I elaborated on what I saw at the department store and used my quirky imagination to come up with the most unlikely victim and accused murderer possible.

Tag Line:

“Brings a whole new meaning to the rabbit died.”

Let's get a Blurb:

Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out how Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.  

Let's learn more about the 'Queen of Mean' and talk directly to Sue Ellen:

Can you tell us a bit about you?

I am Sue Ellen Magee, the much unfairly maligned ladies’ swimwear buyer at Bainbridge Department Stores in Los Angeles. Just because I am tough and don’t cut those whiny suppliers any slack or put up with BS from any of them, that is no reason for vendors to refer to me as the Queen of Mean or the Bitch of Bikinis. 

What is the personal relationship between you and Holly?

We do not have a personal relationship. It is purely professional. Holly is who I work with at Mermaid Swimwear. I have a strict rule about not mixing personal and professional relationships. That way there is no question of favoritism. 

What do you admire or dislike about her?

I admire her because she is not afraid to stand up to me. 

I dislike her tenacity. Tell Holly she is getting an order, and she is like white on rice until you write it. 

Did you know or personally have a relationship with the victim?

I did know him, but my relationship with the victim was professional only. He was the President of a character company contracted to provide Easter Bunnies for our Easter Extravaganza. 

Why do you think the police think you did the murder?

They had me on the security tape transferring tainted jelly beans from my desktop canister into the contest jar where the victim ate the poisoned candy.

Why do you suppose Holly thinks you are innocent?

While I will push you around if you let me, Holly knows I would never stoop to murder as the solution to a problem. 

Now for some questions about yourself so we can get to know you better:

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

A canister full of Jelly Beans on my desk and no mark-downs at the end of the season.

What is your greatest fear?

Not being respected.

 

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 

I am way too nice. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others? 

Whining. 

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Patience. 

On what occasion do you lie?

Never. Ever. What I say is not often popular, but I always tell you what I think and NOT what I think you want to hear.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

 He is attracted to a woman’s mind, not just her bra size. Oh yeah, and it goes without saying…a great ass.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

She stands up for herself. 

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Absolutely NOTHING. I am perfect exactly the way I am.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Prison. 

 

What do you most value in your friends?

Loyalty and the courage to tell me the truth no matter how much it might hurt.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Amelia Earhart

Who are your heroes in real life?

Myself

What is it that you most dislike?

Liars.

What is your greatest regret?

I don’t have any.

What is your motto?

Take no prisoners.

Intrigued? Let's get an excerpt:

I dragged my eyes over to the throne. The Easter Bunny sat slumped over with his chin resting on his chest and his body listing to the right. Good grief. A double-whammy. Not only did he dip into the jellybeans again after being warned not to, but he fell asleep on the job in a booze-infused slumber. 

Why should I give a flying fig about the jerk who bowled me over without an apology, let alone helping me up? Yet a stab of unexpected pity pierced my heart. I checked the time. Still a few minutes before my command performance. Maybe rouse the poor guy and give him a chance to concoct another story Sue Ellen might buy unless the security cameras sealed his fate. 

I laid my messenger bag on the library table next to the throne and gently shook the rabbit’s left shoulder. Nothing doing. I shook him again. This time a bit harder. I put my lips next to his ears and implored him. “Pedro, wake up.” Zilch. Geesh, how much booze did the guy chug? Or maybe booze isn’t the culprit. Perhaps the guy had a late night before or he is just one helluva sound sleeper? Oddly, he wasn’t snoring, but I attributed it to his neck bent down and his head dangling over his body. 

I shook him again and got nothing for my trouble. His chest wasn’t rising and falling. Good gravy. Was the guy breathing? I passed my hand over the costume's mouth opening, but one so small I couldn’t tell. I clasped a paw to check for a pulse, but the heavy gauge costume fabric was too thick to detect one. 

I checked my watch. No more time to crap around trying to help this idiot or I’d be late for my meeting. Despite my efforts to rouse him, the guy hadn’t so much as twitched. Annoyance coupled with dread tied my stomach in knots. I panned the department. No one was around except the rabbit and me. 

The Goddess short-changed me in the height department but compensated by blessing me with a deep voice and a strong set of pipes. I put my lips next to his ear and shouted loud enough to wake the dead. “PEDRO, WAKE UP!” 

I grabbed the rabbit by the shoulder and shook him with all my might. The guy didn’t move an inch. I grasped his arm tightly and yanked it hard trying to right him. Good grief. The bunny was stiff as a board. I might as well try bending a steel beam. 

I let go of his shoulder and the rabbit slid off the throne. He crashed headfirst into the library table. Along with my messenger bag, the jellybean jar bounced off the edge of the table and fell onto the cement floor. My messenger bag survived the ordeal, but the jellybean jar broke into a zillion pieces. Jellybeans scattered all over the place. The bunny bounced twice and flopped unceremoniously face-down into a pile of jellybeans. 

The concept of shouting loud enough to wake the dead?  Trust me, it’s a pile of hot hooey. I didn’t need an MD after my name to make this diagnosis. Pedro Conejo was as dead as the proverbial doornail. When the first responders arrive, they’re gonna close the swimwear department for who knows how long. This ought to put a nice crimp into the Easter promotion. And who gets to break the good news to Sue Ellen? None other than yours truly. 

She’s not gonna be a happy camper. Naturally, I burst out laughing. 

If you want to read on, you'll have to buy the book. Here are the Buy Links for this latest Holly Schlivnik caper, Death By Jelly Beans:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-jelly-beans-susie-black/1145804565?ean=2940186124580

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212700868-death-by-jelly-beans?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PWl56Hmfkz&rank=1

https://www.bookbub.com/books/death-by-jelly-beans-holly-swimsuit-mystery-book-5-by-susie-black

Amazon.com : Death by Jelly Beans

If you'd like to know more about our guest author, here are Susie's Social Media Links:

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

Facebook: Susie Black, author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series | Facebook

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Instagram: Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/@hollyswimsuit

Thank you, Susie, for being my guest today.  Any questions or comments for Susie?