At WOW, we are beyond excited to announce the latest blog tour. It's featuring a book published by one of our very own! Catherine C. Hall (or Cathy, as many of you will recognize from blog posts!) has just released her cozy mystery novel Secrets Laid to Rest. This book is perfect for the reader who loves a spirited paranormal mystery with a golden girls touch of fun and of heart full of southern charm (and pie).
You will have the chance to find out more about her book and writing process in our interview together. You'll also get to enter to win a copy of the book too.
But first, here's more about Secrets Laid to Rest:
Fall is in the air, the scent of autumn leaves, apple pies, and a brand new business is opening its doors in small-town Sutter, Georgia!
But not just any business. It’s the Golden Girls meet the Ghostbusters when four women find themselves in an unlikely career: Southeastern Paranormal Investigations. Ree Lane, a stylish widow, is more cynic than true believer, while her childhood chum Elle Harper has a knack for getting sensitive info with the help of her homemade pies. The preacher’s wife, Betsy Jones, can’t be seen with SPI unless she’s in her disguise as Nora, a psychic-in-training with a gift for Tarot. And the recently-returned-home Gillian Buchanan is a whiz at technology, especially of the supernatural sort.
Their first case lands on the doorstep when neighbor Doris Tucker is sure her prized vintage dolls are haunted. But there’s hardly time for ghost-hunting when the bank director’s wife mistakes SPI for a private eye venture. Now they’re also hot on the trail of a misbehaving husband. It’s a wild ride as the sixty-something sleuths start digging into the past. But have the Ladies of SPI gone too far? And how far will Sutter go to keep its secrets dead and buried?
ISBN-13: 979-8987214206
ASIN: B0CJLKZ7JQ
Print Length: 276 pages
You can purchase a copy of the book in print and as an ebook on Amazon. Make sure you add it to your GoodReads reading list as well!
About the Author, Catherine C. Hall
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There’s a great song, “I’ve Been Everywhere,” made popular by Johnny Cash (and a couple commercials). If you put the song in Georgia, it would be about Catherine C. Hall, starting when she moved to the Peach State at eight-years-old.
She grew up in Savannah, Georgia, where you can’t throw a stick without hitting a ghost. Even when she was a little girl, Savannah was known for its haunted history and she was hooked!
Broadcast Journalism hooked her as well, so she studied at Valdosta State University way down in South Georgia where it is the heat and the humidity. She worked in a few radio stations but it was WNEX Radio in Macon that turned out to be life-changing. She met a cute deejay from Sandersville, Georgia, and married him a year later.
They moved above the Gnat Line (Oh, it’s real) to the Atlanta area, where they grew their family to two boys and a girl, and she took a turn in the teaching world. And then whoosh! She met the half-century mark wondering what to do? Maybe it was the merlot talking but after years of reading mysteries, Catherine thought it was high time she write one. And she did; it was awful. (And way too short. Who knew readers expected 70, 000 words?)
So she learned her craft, starting with flash fiction, then moving on to short fiction, where she won a few awards. She wrote essays that ended up in books like Chicken Soup for the Soul. She penned assorted humor columns and continued to freelance. And then one day, she wrote another story that wasn’t exactly novel-length but it wasn’t a short story, either. It was a children’s book.
She joined SCBWI, the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and had a wonderful career in children’s writing, including publishing six books. But in the midst of her last two book contracts, life changed unexpectedly when Catherine’s favorite deejay up and died.
When at last she wanted to write again, she heard four women of a certain age, each seeking purpose and joy in where they found themselves. Which for them was a small town in Georgia called Sutter. For Catherine, it was at home, still in the Atlanta suburbs, revisiting the ghost stories of her youth, and finally getting that mystery written. All 70,000 words of it!
You can find Catherine online at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathychall/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cathyhall55/
Website (Psst! Sign up for Cathy’s Spirited Newsletter and get in on secret giveaways!): https://catherine-c-hall.com/
--- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: Congratulations on your book, Secrets Laid to Rest! I am so intrigued about what inspired you to write this novel, based on the little I've heard. Can you tell me more about that inspiration?
Catherine: Thanks so much, Nicole, it’s truly been a lot of fun writing it. As for inspiration, I’ll give you the shorter version or we’ll be here all day!
I do have a somewhat dark sense of humor when it comes to Mister Man up and dying on me, but the truth is, I wouldn’t have written this book if he were still here. Becoming a widow (Lord, it took a long time for me to speak that word out loud!) stole my joy. I wrote—or tried to work on my children’s novels—but I just couldn’t get my groove back. And then I started writing a novel about a woman whose husband had died; I filled up page after page in my marbled composition book and boy, it was intense and dark! It wasn’t a book I wanted to continue writing but it was cathartic. And funnily enough, I eventually had a character that I loved. Then the world shut down and I watched A LOT of sitcoms to keep up my spirits.
By the time the world opened up again, I had an idea about a widow (who became Ree Lane) and her Golden Girl friends. As for plopping them down in a small Southern town, that’s pretty much my backyard, and the paranormal element? I’ve been researching and writing spooky stuff for years. Secrets Laid to Rest practically wrote itself!
WOW: What an experience you had, and I'm so sorry for your loss. It's incredible the transformation that occurred afterward. What kind of challenges did you overcome, if any, when transitioning from writing children's books to cozy mysteries?
Catherine: The biggest challenge I faced switching from middle grade writing to adult mystery wasn’t so bad, as challenges go. Mostly, I needed to reacquaint myself with the target audience; I had to start reading adult fiction! I So I went back to my roots—adult mysteries—to see what was going on in that genre now. I didn’t intend to write a cozy mystery but the more I read, the more I could see where my style and voice fell.
WOW: Good idea on re-reading adult fiction again! So, I love the cover. It evokes the whole ambiance of the book. Were you involved in its design?
Catherine: Oh, thank you, Nicole, but that cover! I’m sure my hairdresser had to add extra color to cover all the new gray that came with that part of the project! But I can’t stress enough that all the time and energy that went into a.) finding who I wanted to make the cover and b.) working with the designer to make the cover (mostly) match the vision I had, were totally worth the madness. So yes, I knew I wanted elements that were representational of each of The Ladies of SPI as well as of the story. (I wanted boots for Ree but I could not get that element to work the way I wanted so finally tossed it). I knew the style I liked—I spent so much time looking at cozy mystery book covers!—and what I didn’t like. I also had to think about the book being the first in a series and how I’d go forward. There was a lot of back and forth with the cover and I’m sure the designer wished I hadn’t been so involved!
WOW: What a process! You decided to go the route of self-publishing. Why is that?
Catherine: I knew from day one that I’d self-publish. I’d done children’s books on contract so I was very familiar with the demands of deadlines and timelines; I wanted to work on my schedule. And I also knew the process of finding an agent and/or submitting to publishers who are open could be time-consuming. In the last couple years, I’ve felt time passing so quickly! So basically it boiled down to this: Life is short, I wanted this book out in the world—and I didn’t want to wait on anybody but me! (Well, there was the book cover designer…ha!)
WOW: How amazing! What does your writing space look like?
Catherine: Not only would I not have a book if Mister Man were still around, I wouldn’t have a great office, either! It took a minute for me to get used to writing at his desk, sitting in his chair…but little by little, I re-created the space to make it my own. I filled the bookshelves with my collection of writing craft books and the books I’m published in as well as my children’s books and now, Secrets Laid to Rest. But I also have Dave’s shelf, with all his “favorite things.” All of his music shares space with my music, and goodness, I’m still using up his office supplies (that man loved his office supplies)! And call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure he hangs out in here sometimes, keeping an eye on things. But mostly, keeping an eye on me—and I’m happy to have him!
WOW: That's so awesome you have a space of your own! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
Catherine: Happy to tell you that I’m working on the second book in The Ladies of SPI Mysteries!
Our Sutter sleuths are ready to enjoy the holidays but a young neighbor has a noisy ghost taking all the joy out of her inheritance. In Secrets of Cole House, the Ladies of SPI are hard at work, trying to oust a stubborn spirit. But is there more to this haunting than meets the eye? (Pssst! I can guarantee they’ll be Spirits, Secrets, and of course, Pie! And if you sign up for the Spirited Newsletter at my website, you’ll be the first to know when the second book releases, not to mention the secret giveaways. Sign up today so you don’t miss any of the fun!)
WOW: How fun! I hope everyone signs up. Congrats again on your book and best of luck on the tour!
--- Blog Tour Calendar
October 13th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall. Read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book for yourself.
October 13th @ Just Katherine
Join Katherine today as she shares an excerpt from Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall.
October 15th @ Book Divas Reads
Join Vivian for a spotlight of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 20th @ The Forgotten Books
Join Heather as she features a review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 20th @ Author Anthony Avina's blog
Join Anthony for his review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 21st @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for her spotlight of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 25th @ Candid Canine
Join Chris for a review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 26th @ The Faerie Review
Visit Lily's blog for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
October 27th @ Musings of a Literary Wanderer
Join Angela as she reviews Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall. She shares an excerpt of the book as well!
October 30th @ Finished Pages
Join Renee as she reviews Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall.
November 1st @ Chapter Break
Don't miss a guest post by Catherine C. Hall about how to develop a cast of characters over at Julie's blog today. She also reviews Catherine's book Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 2nd @ One Writer's Journey
Join Sue for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall.
November 4th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 6th @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews
Visit Lisa's blog for her interview with Catherine C. Hall.
November 7th @ Pick a Good Book
Join Debbie over her blog for a review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 8th @ A Lit Life
Join Stephanie for a guest post by Catherine C. Hall about the cozy mystery food connection.
November 9th @ Deborah-Zenha Adams' blog
Join Deborah as she features a guest post by Catherine C. Hall about why it's never too late to achieve your dreams.
November 9th @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy's blog for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 10th @ StoreyBook Reviews
Visit Leslie's blog for a review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 12th @ Jill Sheets' blog
Visit Jill's blog for an interview with author, Catherine C. Hall.
November 13th @ Word Magic
Join Fiona's blog for a guest post by Catherine C. Hall about what's a nice catholic like her writing paranormal like this.
November 15th @ Jamie Wong
Visit Jamie's blog for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 16th @ A Lit Life
Visit Stephanie's blog for her review of Secrets Laid to Rest.
November 17th @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine's blog again as she shares a guest post by Catherine C. Hall about why you need an editor and how to find one you can afford.
November 17th @ Live, Love, and Laugh for a Healthy Lifestyle
Nicole shares her thoughts about Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall.
***** $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD & BOOK GIVEAWAY *****
Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the cozy mystery, Secrets Laid to Rest by Catherine C. Hall! Fill out the Rafflecopter form by October 26th 11:59 pm CT for a chance to win. We will choose a winner randomly the next day and announce in the Rafflecopter form. We will also follow up by email. Good luck!
Congratulations, Cathy! I wish you and the book/series all the success imaginable! :)
ReplyDeleteWell, you'd be surprised what all I can imagine, Madeline!! 😊 Thanks so much!🧡🖤
DeleteCongratulations, Cath! What a wonderful interview. I love how your character Ree came to you. I also admire you so much for diving into publishing. The concept of Golden Girls meets Ghostbusters is incredible, and I love your cover! I'm so happy to hear you're writing book two. Wishing you much success (and pie!) on your tour. Happy Friday the 13th! :)
ReplyDeleteMy WOW! Family are my Golden Girls, Ang! Thank you, thank all y'all, for the unwavering support--and you know I celebrated with pumpkin pie today!🧡🖤
DeleteSuper congratulations on your new book, Cathy! I wish you all kinds of success with it and with future books, too!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, thank you! You've inspired and supported me more than you know!🧡🖤
DeleteCongrats! I'm going over to snag my Kindle version now!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Margo! I hope you like it as much as I loved writing it!🧡🖤
DeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shelley, it was a lot of fun writing it!
DeleteThe content sounds fun and appealing. You picked exactly the right time of year to release this.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynn! It was all part of the plan!🙂
DeleteThe title and the cover have me very interested in this book.. looks like a book I will purchase.
ReplyDeleteso fun for for all ages
ReplyDeleteCongrats! This sounds like such a fun book and I love a cozy myestery. Great for a rainy day like today.
ReplyDeleteI love the preacher's wife being included! Besties for life include all walks of life
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting a great contest. Looks like a great read!
ReplyDeleteMarlene V.
I would love winning this prize.
ReplyDeletecongrats on the release, this sounds like an amazing book to read
ReplyDeleteIntriguing title! I fall asleep when I read these days, lol, but I'd like to read this one.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful read!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fabulous book to read
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your book, Cathy! You deserve much success and everyone at WOW is rooting for you. Keep on writing :)
ReplyDeleteAs we say around here, thanks all y'all, for all the kind words! I hope you love SECRETS LAID TO REST as much as I loved writing it!
ReplyDeleteAnd Marcia, you know I hear that rooting all the way here in Georgia! (Thank you so much! ♥)
Excellent book! Loved seeing what other people had to say as well!
ReplyDeleteI would so enjoy reading this.
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt!
I can't wait to give this a read-- it sounds really good! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYour book cover looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteI really like the cover, can't wait to dive into this deeper!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the interview. Thank you!
ReplyDeletelooks like a fun one
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! Congratulations on the completion of Secrets Laid to Rest. This book is right up my alley and I can't wait to read it. Love your cover!
ReplyDeleteSixty-something sleuths sound like a fun read!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the book. Thanks for telling us about it.
ReplyDeleteLove the cover and the idea of Golden Girls meet Ghostbusters. Can’t wait to read—again.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book? How many have you written?
ReplyDelete