Not long ago, I wrote “the end” on the final chapter of the Home Found Suspense series. After all the work ended, the book went into production and then came Release Day!
Revelations Can Kill . . .
Lisa has spent her entire life hiding, on the run. She didn’t know anything different until Jake entered the picture. Now, he and his family give her a yearning for . . . home. Something she would never have because of the secrets she’d only recently learned about.
Jake is convinced that learning the truth about Lisa’s parents will release her to a new life. A life with him. But when he finds a body near his office – a man that he knows and has fought with before – Jake himself is on the run. From the authorities.
No place is safe. Lisa travels across the country, but she is still certain that she’s being followed, hunted. Even changing her name doesn’t seem to make a difference. And the closer Jake gets to finding answers, the more danger he thrusts upon them both.
Will the answers come at a price too high to pay in this thrilling conclusion to the Home Found Suspense series?
My pulse rate quickened. Adrenaline surged through my veins. I pressed myself against the side of the bank building at the corner of Patton and Coxe. Turned my head toward the direction of the sound.
Not much happening at five thirty in the morning. Streetlights cast eerie shadows against the buildings. A traffic light changed from red to green. Only a couple of cars passed beneath it. In front of the newspaper office, movement caught my attention. . .
The phone rang. I reached for it, but Alex grabbed it first.
“Hello?… No, ma’am, he left early this morning.”
When Alex turned his back to me, I rose and stepped in front of him. I didn’t care for the serious expression of his face. “What is it?”
He ignored me, speaking into the phone. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. Yes. Yes, ma’am, I will. And ma’am, if he shows up there, will you ask him to call us, please? Thank you.”
I gripped his arm as he set the receiver down. “Alex, what is it?” His muscles flexed beneath my fingers.
“That was the editor’s secretary. Greta, I think?” His chair scraped against the vinyl floor as he stood.
“What did she say?”
“Someone found a body in the parking lot, so police have the entire area cordoned off. She was hoping to catch Jake before he left—to let him know.”
I sucked in a breath. “He should already be there. Ages ago. Unless…” It was Jake’s body? I couldn’t say the words aloud. That might make them true.
I love the smell of yeast bread baking! I’m inhaling the wonderful aroma right now. Recently, I began testing easy recipes for bread and found two that we love. Both recipes are super simple (no-knead) with only a few ingredients. I use organic bread flour and organic yeast. My husband, Bob, loves the taste of both of these loaves. He commented, “it doesn’t hurt my stomach the way store-bought bread does”. I had noticed that, too.
So, once a week, I bake bread. Both these recipes call for mixing the dough and allowing it to rise for 12-18 hours, either at room temperature, or in the refrigerator. I let it sit in my kitchen. The long rise allows the dough to ferment slightly, which improves the taste.
Right now, I’m baking two recipes, Honey Oat Bread (on left) and Cranberry Nut (on right). The cranberry nut is my favorite. It’s made as a rustic loaf and baked in a Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan. If you’re interested in trying these breads, there are links below to the website. There are other recipes on there, but these two are the only ones I’ve tried so far.
I have not bought bread at the grocery for almost a month now! Of course, I did buy the flour, yeast, etc. All told, I spend about 3 hours of labor on these loaves. That’s not bad, for bread-baking. And I love the process. It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment. A wonderful thing for a writer who struggles to finish her books!
Another wonderful thing–in light of recent climactic events–these breads can be baked outside. You can bake them on your grill as long as you close them up tightly in a covered pan, like a Dutch oven or covered iron skillet. This is how our ancestors got the job done.
What will I turn my hand to next? Maybe I’ll try making my own butter. I’ve heard it’s super easy.
On a different note, we had our first frost for the season last night, so my garden doesn’t look like this now. But, this is how I choose to remember it as I sit here in my warm jacket and enjoy a hot cup of creamy coffee, along with a slice of cranberry-nut bread. Yum!
My prayer for you today:
Our Father, give us this day our daily bread. For spiritual nourishment, as well as physical strength. May God’s love light your way and give you peace.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
I love positive reviews. Writers thrive on those. When a new book releases, we hold our breath until someone sends through a message or posts a review. Will they like it OR Will it flop?
Thank you, Joyce and Diana!
An update on my writing journey: I recently completed a cozy mystery novella to be released as part of a series of novellas, beginning in early 2023. There are seven stories in the series. One of them will be released every month from February until August. This is my first cozy mystery. I enjoyed creating the characters and developing the story.
Watch my newsletter and/or social media posts for more information and updates on this exciting series.
I am writing furiously to complete book 2 of the Home Found Suspense series. I can’t wait to share more with you about this project.
Receive advance notice and free stuff by joining my newsletter list.
I have always loved word puzzles and word games. Scrabble is more often set up on my dining room table than placemats and napkins. I play Words with Friends and Wordle daily. Even as a preteen, I would grab the newspaper section from my Dad so I could be the first to solve the Jumble, then try and find as many words as I could made out of the letters in the posted word of the day.
Back then I was a suspense and mystery buff, too. Still am. I binge out on British mysteries like Death in Paradise, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Father Brown, Vera … just to name a few (they do them so very well), and watch reruns of Diagnosis Murder, Columbo, Murder She Wrote, Psych, Quincy, etc. Since middle school―let’s not discuss how long ago that was―I’ve love reading cozy mysteries, my genre of choice.
So, is it any surprise my wise, older sister asked why I didn’t combine the two and write a cozy mystery series about Wordplay? Gauntlet thrown, how could I say no? Blessings abound, my publisher agreed. Thanks, sis.
I designed Scrub Oak, Texas, complete with the shops and shopkeepers, the police, the churches, and the town folk. It is a great place to visit, so I hope you will. I can honestly say this has been the most fun I have experienced in my writing career journey yet!
Here are brief synopses of the first three Word Play Mysteries…
Word Has It – Not prone to gossip, Wanda keeps herself to herself. But when she hears from her nephew Todd, now a local policeman, that a ring of thieves may be hiding out in the area, she begins to wonder if the old Ferguson place is still abandoned. When words like jewels, woodshed, landing, and evil appear on their weekly word game days after a deadly shooting on the property, she determines it is a sign she and her friends should investigate.
Word Gets Around – Each of the three ladies receive a nonsensical note slipped between the wiper blades of their cars. When the ladies combine the words on a word game board, it spells trouble for one of Betty’s former students, who is now a freelance reporter for the Oakmont County Gazette. Could it be she reported way too much?
In Other Words – Many English words contain the same letters but in different order, like stressed and desserts. After the local store owner is found dead in the alley, the ladies will need their word playing skills to unravel the dual meanings of the graffiti that appears around town before two more people’s games end.
On August 26th, number four releases.
Hang On Every Word – Wanda lands a gig as the word puzzle designer for the local newspaper. Then the answers to her clues end up as crimes. Some merchants wonder if she is feeding the crooks so she can get credit for solving more mysteries. Will her nephew Todd be pressured into arresting his own aunt?
And this is the exciting part – everyone who preorders the book on Amazon by July 1st will get a FREE chapter every Friday emailed to them until it releases. They get a sneak peek before anyone else! Plus, they are put in a drawing to receive a $10 Amazon gift certificate, too.
“No fingerprints were left behind, so he or she wore gloves. He or she knew the tills would be full. These robberies appear to be planned out, as most are. Not spontaneous as if the word puzzles you designed in the newspaper helped them decide who to hit.”
“How long does it take to grab gloves?” She waggled a finger at her nephew. “Pardon me for saying so, but these three all seem like hit and runs, no pun intended. My guess is the burglar lives elsewhere.”
“I hope you’re right. Vicki is an old friend. And Mason seems like a great guy.” He leaned in and brushed her cheek with his lips. “And I’m rather fond of my aunt as well. I don’t want to see any of you handcuffed.” Todd rose, put on his police Stetson, and left her kitchen.
Wanda stared as he closed the door behind him. Did he seriously think she might be involved? Surely not.
Images zipped across her imagination― red flashing lights, squawking highway patrol radios, and herself in handcuffs slammed face down against the hood of her car.
Oh, get a grip.
About Julie B Cosgrove
Freelance writer, award-winning traditionally published author and speaker Julie B Cosgrove leads retreats, workshops, and Bible studies. She writes regularly for several Christian websites and publications.
Julie has won “One of the 50 Writers You should be Reading” in 2015 & 2016 by the nationally syndicated radio The Author Show and is a Grace Award finalist, INSPY semifinalist, and winner of the Best Religious Fiction 2016 winner and Best Cozy Mystery 2017 by the Texas Association of Authors.
But her passion is story-telling and she loves to read mysteries and suspense as well as write them. She currently has three mystery series: The Bunco Biddies Mysteries, The Relatively Seeking Mysteries, and the Wordplay Mysteries.
Hi, Betty Thomason Owens here. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books of Wordplay Mysteries–Word Has It and Word Gets Around. In Other Words is on my TBR list and I have already preordered Hang On Every Word.
I’m a fan of Julie B Cosgrove. 🙂
I had not previously read many cozy mysteries, but her first book hooked me. The characters are delightful, warm, and charming. Small town candor and innocence abounds. If you’re a mystery reader, I encourage you to give Julie’s books a read. Just good, clean fun!
I suppose the holiday week combined with the end of the school year sent everyone into a frenzy. My phone has been busy, busy!
I finally sit down at my laptop, close my eyes, and enter my story world. My phone light flashes and the thing buzzes and jumps around on the desk (silent mode for the hearing impaired).
I love to hear from family and friends. Honestly, I don’t hear from them often. That’s my fault. I’m not a great communicator. I plan to call or text. I have conversations in my mind, planning what I will say. And then I never actually call or even send a message. It’s genetic. Mom is the same way.
So, I have to set my phone on DND. Do Not Disturb. It doesn’t ring, flash, or vibrate.
This worked great until the noise started outside. What was that?
Kids at play! The neighbors had one of those huge blowup slides with water streaming down. Children lined up, waiting for their turn. The kids screamed and laughed. Their dogs barked. It was great fun.
Out came the noise-cancelling headphones.
I don’t usually play music while I write. It’s distracting. I end up singing. But, I can turn the television on with the sound low. I usually find a movie I’ve seen several times. The background chatter helps me into “the zone.”
We do what we must to get the job done.
I am working hard to complete the second book in the Home Found Suspense series. I’m really enjoying the story, taking the characters farther but closer. Lisa, my main character, has to go into protective custody for a while. She’s farther from her closest friends. Meanwhile, Jake disappears. Will she ever see him again?
Thanks, all of you who have read (or are reading) Still Water. Your encouragement and urging keeps me writing. Finish that book! I need the next installment!
Good news! I took part in a cozy mystery anthology called The Visitor. There will be 7 stories, releasing individually in early 2023. Mine is #6, and is slated to release in July, 2023. I can’t give you any details other than those, but stay tuned–we’ll be dropping clues along the way.
I have only read a few cozies. What I like about them is their typically nonviolent nature (any violence happens offstage). Their humor and likable characters. Small town, girl-next-door sleuths. Romance or not. Think Jessica Fletcher.
Watch this space! Mid-June, I’m featuring a fellow Pursued Books (Write Integrity Press) author, Julie Cosgrove. I love her cozy mysteries, especially the Wordplay Mysteries. I think you’ll like her as well.
Betty Thomason Owens 